Purple House 5 2023-2024

We have been thoroughly enjoying our fantasy read-aloud, The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. Our class has truly been captivated by the story so far—I’ve especially loved watching their reactions as the mystery unfolds. The excitement, curiosity, and even a few surprised faces have made this experience so much fun to share together!

On a lighter note, our author visit this week was absolutely fabulous! It was such a wonderful opportunity for learners to connect with the writing process and be inspired by a real author. What a memorable week of literacy in our classroom!

As we move forward, we are focused on finishing strong and making the most of every learning moment. With so many exciting activities ahead, this is a great time for learners to stay organized, give their best effort, and continue showing the growth we’ve worked so hard to achieve. I am looking forward to all the wonderful experiences still to come as we close out the year together!

With gratitude,
Ms. Voltz

Two authors visiting at the same time… absolutely amazing! Moments like that don’t come around often, and the excitement in the room was unforgettable. And getting a book signed for our very first grandbaby… truly priceless—a memory and keepsake that will be cherished for years to come.

Click here to explore open positions, see what to expect, and submit your application. We’d love for you to be part of the team! Applications close May 1st.

Game on! 🎲 Teacher Appreciation Week is May 4–8. Help us celebrate our amazing Lee Designers and Staff all week long. Check out all the details below on how you can join in the game of appreciation throughout the week! Make sure to check out the staff Favorites list to get a head start on your game plan!

Great family engagement at STEAM Night! I so enjoyed seeing families working together, collaborating, and problem-solving as they created beautiful mathematical art through tessellations inspired by the incredible work of M. C. Escher. It was truly special to watch creativity and mathematics come together, with each design showcasing both precision and imagination. Experiences like this highlight the power of learning as a shared journey and remind us how meaningful it is when families and learners create side by side.

As part of giving back to our staff during Teacher Appreciation Week this year, we’d like to cover lunch duty on May 4th and drop off car line duty on May 6th to allow our teachers and staff to enjoy their special meals together. Please sign up here to show your appreciation and volunteer!

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Responsibility- Making the right choice to be reliable and dependable

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

After we eat, we will clean up after ourselves. This includes cleaning off the tables and making sure we haven’t left any trash on the floor or around the eating area.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anyone else expects of you. Never excuse yourself.”- Henry Ward Beecher

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We're just getting started and I am absolutely impressed with how we are getting started! Stay tuned for the progress updates weekly!

This week, encourage your child to explore the world of virtual reality using Reality Composer! Learners can design their own interactive scene by planning what they want to create, building digital objects, and adding actions that bring their ideas to life. As they create, remind them how important it is to plan ahead, pay attention to units and scale, and think carefully about how objects fit and move within their space.

Challenge your child to go one step further by designing an experience that teaches others something new—whether it’s a science concept, a historical event, or a real-world problem. Creating for an audience helps learners think more deeply, communicate clearly, and turn their ideas into meaningful learning experiences.

What is Reality Composer?
Reality Composer is a free app developed by Apple that allows students to create interactive 3D and augmented reality (AR) experiences. In simple terms, it lets learners place digital objects—like animals, planets, or machines—into the real world using an iPad or iPhone, making it look like those objects are right in front of them.

Students can build scenes by dragging and dropping objects, adjusting their size and position, and adding animations, sounds, and actions (for example, something that moves or responds when tapped). The app is designed to be easy to use, even for beginners, and does not require coding experience.

How is it used in education?
In the classroom, Reality Composer helps turn students from passive learners into active creators. Instead of only reading or watching, students can build their own models and experiences to demonstrate understanding.

• In science, students might create a 3D model of the Earth’s layers or a food web.
• In social studies, they can recreate historical events or landmarks.
• In math, they can model shapes, measurement, and spatial reasoning.

Because students can interact with their creations, learning becomes more hands-on, visual, and engaging, which can deepen understanding and increase motivation.

Why is it valuable for your child?
Using Reality Composer builds important skills beyond content knowledge:

• Planning and design thinking – students must think through what they want to create before building
• Attention to detail – especially when working with size, scale, and placement
• Creativity and problem-solving – designing interactive experiences
• Communication – creating something that teaches or explains ideas to others

Students are not just learning with technology—they are creating meaningful experiences for others to learn from, which strengthens both understanding and confidence

Teacher Appreciation Week will be here before we know it!! We will be celebrating our amazing Designers and Staff at Lee all week long May 4-8! Be on the lookout for more details coming soon. In the meantime, check out the staff Favorites list to get a jumpstart on ideas for spreading the love!

The coaches have asked for our help this year for field day, and we need all our parents’ helping hands to make it a success! Please sign up to contribute through volunteering or donating! Whether you can spare some time to supervise the little ones at the event on May 8th or to provide snacks to keep our staff energized, every bit counts! NOTE: This signup will go out to other volunteer organizations soon, so if you plan to volunteer, grab your slot asap!

Reminder, all volunteers will need a completed background check for this school year.

Please start sharing with learners and families that Zoo Crew will be at Lee on May 15. This mobile truck will have stuffed animals that will be made with the learners during the school day. They will bring them home in a string backpack with a birth certificate. Here is the link to order one of the two packages online.

Social Spurs will be gifting our cafeteria gift cards on Friday, and if you feel inclined, please help your class recognize our ladies any way you see fit. For inspiration and ideas, feel free to explore the website. No gesture is too small, and every bit of appreciation makes a difference!

COPPELL ED FOUNDATION RUN TO FUND MAY 3

Join us Saturday, May 2 for the 14th Annual CEF Run to Fund at Andy Brown East! Choose your way to participate:

• 🏅 5K Run

• 👟 1-Mile Family Fun Run

• 😴 Sleep-In & Support

Proceeds will allow CEF to bring innovative teacher support and learning opportunities to all students in CISD. Bonus: $2 from every entry goes directly to the PE department at the CISD school of your choice!

Join the fun and serve your community on the PTO Board for the upcoming 2025-26 school year! We have roles that will be a great fit for you, no matter how much or how little time you have to give. Click here for all the details on what to expect, the open positions, and the application form. We’d love you to join us! Applications close May 1st. Please feel free to email PTO, or join us at the virtual PTO meeting on April 14th to learn more and ask any questions!

EOY MAP/MCLASS WINDOW

ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

April 27- School Board Meeting (6:00 PM)

April 28- Day 0

STAAR Math Test

National School Bus Driver Appreciation Day

Kindergarten Zoo Field Trip

First Grade Arboretum Field Trip

April 30- Kindergarten Round Up (5:30 Cafe)

May 1- 3rd Grade Economics Fair Day

School Lunch Hero Day

May 2- CISD Run to Fund

Fifth-grade designer of learning experiences at RJ Lee Elementary a Net Zero school in Coppell, Texas.

Our Guiding Purpose: We empower learners to positively impact the world by designing learning experiences that promote relationships, risk-taking, and collaboration in a flexible learning environment.

Apple Teacher

HEB Excellence in Education State Finalist 2018

Twitter X: @MayV1