What's Buzzing at the Heights
Week 23: February 3-8, 2024
Dear Hornet Families,
Wow! 103 days of INSTRUCTION are in the books!
On Saturday, our Destination Imagination and Rising Stars teams competed at PHHS. Of course, they performed well and showcased their teamwork, incredible ability to speak publicly and created new memories. We thank the scholars, their parents and our coached for creating and supporting a wonderful event! Thanks to Coaches: Ms. Arvizu, Ms. Arciniaga, Ms. Luevano & Ms. Gutierrez. You make us PROUD, Hornets!
Ms. Arvizu and Ms. Arciniaga lead the following team to a wonderful performance at the DI Competition:
- Adabella Morales
- Jade Baeza
- Sophia Hernandez
- Payton Gutierrez
- Ehryn Fuller
- Sebastian Sandate
- Andres Nolasco
Ms. Gutierrez and Ms. Luevano lead our Rising Stars to an incredible performance at the DI Competition:
- Jaslynn Beltran
- Holly Baeza
- Quinn Crusoe
- Camilo Fierro
- Luke Alvarado
- Royce Colby
- Danya Medina
We are super PROUD of these scholars, their parents and our coaches for such dedication and continued support. Scholars may wear their DI shirts and jeans on Monday. We will honor them on announcements.
On Monday, we honor Ms. Salazar and Ms. Valdez, during National Counselor Appreciation Week. They provide daily lessons/advice in social and emotional learning, support scholars when they face a challenge and ensure they always know they have someone to listen to them while guiding them in the right direction! If you see our counselors, be sure to THANK THEM for their contributions to our Hornet Family! We LOVE our Counselors at the Heights! See the DRESS-UP schedule.
On Monday, we will continue with 6 Weeks Testing. Be sure scholars are in class to receive their instruction and take their assessment with their class. Please do not pick up scholars early allowing them to have the full day to address their testing needs.
On Tuesday, we will honor World Read Aloud Day. We do have guest readers on campus to make the day memorable for our scholars. Our Administration Team will also be reading their favorite books to classes. Readers become Leaders!
On Friday, as per TEA, we have been designated to take the 3rd Grade RLA Field Test and 3rd-5th Grade RLA Spanish Field Test. Be sure scholars have a good night's rest and attend school.
On Saturday, we will host our 6th Saturday Learning Camp for 3rd through 5th graders. We will host the session from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. PLEASE, ensure your child is in attendance, if they have been invited. This is a great opportunity to get small group support and help grow their learning.
Please be sure to keep your children healthy and in school. This week, we will focus on Truancy. Any child that has 10 or more absences and no justification notes for the absences, is considered TRUANT. It is vital that you communicate with the school each time your child is out. We will hold meetings this week to make every attempt to AVOID going to Truancy Court.
We have many scholars with Loss of Credit. Any scholar that has 18 absences is considered Loss of Credit. The State of Texas holds all of us accountable for the children to be in school and learning. Even with excused notes, a child with 18 absences has already reached Loss of Credit and is at-risk of being retained. We will hold meeting this week for Loss of Credit. Please, be sure to attend.
This month, we ask for your support to help our scholars with the following:
- read daily for 20 minutes (anything of interest to child);
- complete 5 units of Lexia daily,
- practice addition & subtraction facts (Kinder through 2nd grade);
- practice multiplication & division facts (3rd Grade through 5th Grade);
- go to bed early enough to be ready to learn the next day; &
- continue to communicate with classroom teachers
Arrival & Dismissal.
Arrival and Dismissal will be our greatest challenges. Please be patient and kind. We will have all staff on duty to assist and create a system that is safe and efficient.
For Dismissal, we do ask families to ensure their SIGN with child's name in posted in the front windshield so that we can read & call out the name.
Curbside Arrival & Dismissal.
During this time, we do ask that the students be ready to get out of the car as quickly as possible. At dismissal, we ask that NO ONE gets out of the car. If you need to buckle up children, please, do not leave your car area. This is not the time to try to talk to the teachers. We ask for your support to keep all scholars safe and traffic moving smoothly.
Attendance.
If your child is absent, we must have a doctor's note or a personal note explaining why they were absent upon their arrival. For doctor's appointments, take your child to appointment, but bring them back with a doctor's note the same day and it will be counted as present.
NEW: This year, district policy indicates parents/guardians have 72 hours to submit excuse notes justifying child's absence.
Attendance in vital to our scholars success. Every day gone from school, they lose 7 hours of skills, strategies and support for learning. Help us by keeping your children healthy.
We track attendance daily and will communicate with families when children have 10 absences & tardies to establish a Loss of Credit Contract. Our goal is for your child to be healthy and at school without losing credit.
Reporting Absences.
If you need to report an absence, our PEIMS Clerk will be able to assist you. Our team will be receiving the email to help assist you. I will forward all of your messages to the classroom teachers so they are aware of the absence.
Email: attendancehorizonheights@sisd.net
Please include as much detail as possible:
- Child's name
- Grade
- Teacher
- Student ID
- Reason for the absence
All notes will be collected via this email as well. Be sure to include details in the note as the child returns to class.
Tardies.
Children will be counted TARDY whey they enter the building at 7:45 AM. Please ensure you are allowing enough time for your child to arrive to school on time. After 3 tardies, children will be given lunch detention. The traffic is hectic. We begin to receive children at 6:45 AM. Help your child to arrive on time and start their day ready to learn.
Birthday Snacks.
We ask parents to please refrain from bringing in cupcake trays. If you would like for your child to share a treat, it must be a treat individually packaged by the manufacturer. Candy bags, individually wrapped snacks are allowed. Call or email Ms. Hansen and we can help to clarify. We appreciate you!
Thank you for your continued support! We are blessed with an amazing learning community!
Together, we are better!
Respectfully,
Jenifer Hansen
Proud Principal of Horizon Heights ES
Office Number: 915-937-7402
Picking Up Scholars Early
We are asking for your assistance when picking up children early from school. We need your support to be able to process your request in a timely manner.
For Doctor's Appointments:
If possible, pick you your children before 1:00 PM.
For PK & Kinder:
Children must be picked no later than 2:00 PM.
For 1st-5th Grade:
Children must be picked up no later than 2:30 PM.
Thank you for your support!
As we begin MP3, we will be working with our scholars to prepare them for the end of the year. For our 3rd through 5th graders, this means preparing them for their STAAR exams.
- We will continue with our teachers providing amazing Tier I instruction daily in all content areas.
- We will provide children time for small group support in math and reading during the school day.
- We will have stations for the children to practice their skills to proficiency during class time in math, reading, writing and science.
- We will offer AFTERSCHOOL TUTORING for scholars starting next week.
- We will offer 2 sessions of Saturday Learning Camp for our 3rd through 5th grade scholars on the following dates:
- Saturday, February 10 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
- 2 hours dedicated to math, 2 hours dedicated to reading/writing
- For 5th Graders, 2 hours dedicated to science
- In MP4, we will offer 2 sessions of Saturday Learning Camp for our 3rd through 5th graders on the following dates:
- Saturday, April 6 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
- Saturday, April 20 from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon
- 2 hours dedicated to math, 2 hours dedicated to reading/writing
- For 5th Graders, 2 hours dedicated to science
- As is TRADITION, our lower grade teachers will be collaborating with our STAAR teachers to provide small group instruction and move our scholars forward during these Saturday sessions.
- We need your support to ensure your children are healthy and in class so our teachers can support them to reach their full potential.
Please, be sure to plan for these dates as they are vital to your child's success!
Together, we can do this!
Pre-Kinder students:
- Red polo tops only
- Khaki or blue pants/shorts/skirts
Kinder -5th Grade Students:
- Hunter green, navy blue or white polos
- Khaki or blue pants/shorts/skirts
The school uniform does NOT have to have the school name or logo.
Monday-Wednesday: School uniform: uniform shirt & uniform slacks/shorts/skirts
Thursday: College Day (attire from your favorite college) with jeans/slacks
Friday: Spirit Day Shirts and jeans (with no holes, no tears/ripped)
Way to go Hornets!
The following classes have FREE DRESS on Wednesday:
- 5th Grade, Ms. Arvizu, 5th Grade, 100%
We will ask that our PK still wear their RED shirt as this is a safety protocol to know that an adult must be with them. They can accessorize with hats, glasses, etc. Thank you!
Stay healthy! We can do this Hornets!
Each week, we will recognize the TOP 10 Classes with amazing attendance.
The goal is to work as a class to reach 98% attendance. We are super proud of our scholars for staying healthy and making school a priority!
- 5th Grade, Ms. Arvizu, 100%
- 4th Grade, Ms. Armendariz, 99.10%
- 3rd Grade, Ms. C. Herrera, 99.10%
- 5th Grade, Ms. Carbajal, 98.40%
- Kinder, Ms. Lazarin, 98.20%
- 3rd Grade, Ms. Baeza, 98.10%
- 2nd Grade, Ms. Galvan, 2nd Grade, 97.9%
- 1st Grade, Ms. B. Garcia, 97.9%
- 3rd Grade, Ms. E. Herrera, 97.30%
- 3rd Grade, Ms. Almanzar, 97.10%
Congratulations to these classes as they are in the top 10 for amazing attendance!
You make a difference EACH day you are in ATTENDANCE!
Always, be the BEST version of YOU!
Our school Nurse, Diana Barrera, will continue to serve our learning community. She has been with us for one year and loves our scholars and working with our parents.
Time: 7:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Phone: 915-937-7407
Email: dbarre02@sisd.net
Jenifer J. Hansen
Email: jhanse@sisd.net
Website: https://www.sisd.net/horizonheightses
Location: 13601 Ryderwood Avenue, Horizon City, TX, USA
Phone: (915) 937-7402
Twitter: @HHeights_ES