Welcome Serene Hills Parents

Thank you!

Kara Reeh, Principal

Serene Hills Elementary

7:20am: Doors open for students to arrive

7:35am: 5 minute warning bell rings

7:40am: School starts! Instruction begins!

Any student who arrives after 7:40 will enter through the front office to receive a tardy pass.

3:00pm: School ends

3:15pm: Students must be picked up by this time.

Extended Care is an after school child care option at Serene Hills. You may contact the Office of Community Programs for information regarding registration for this program.

Did you know that you can receive alerts regarding arrival times, delays and other updates regarding our transportation services? To do so, be sure to create an account in our SMART tag Parent Portal.

Bus transportation is provided for students K-12. Students who plan to ride the bus to and from school must enroll in transportation services through Skyward. The form will be available for the 2026-2027 school year July 10th, 2026. Route information for the 2026-2027 School year will be available on August 5th, 2026.

Returning Students WITH Prior Service

Students who rode the bus in May of 2026 will be automatically reenrolled. However, if you have recently moved, you will need to update your contact information in Skyward Family Access using the "Address Change" tile. This form must be reviewed and verified by the campus registrar before any changes are accepted.

Returning Students WITHOUT Prior Service

Returning students who did not utilize transportation this past spring will need to register for services for the 2026-2027 school year. The form is available in Skyward Family Access and includes a simple checkbox asking if transportation services are needed for the student.

Newly Enrolled Students

Students new to the district who have completed enrollment in Skyward Family Access for the 2026-2027 school year and have elected for transportation services as a part of that process do not need to re-register. Please note, the form can be completed and resubmitted multiple times, so it is normal for parents to still see the Bus Registration tile in Skyward Family Access.

Route Assignments, Updates, and Activation Timelines

For all students who utilized transportation services this in May and for new registrations entered by July 31, 2026, route assignments will be posted by August 5, 2026 in SMART tag and at Infofinder. Please allow three to five business days to obtain route assignments for any new registrations requested after July 31.

Lake Travis ISD uses the Secured Mobility Authorized Ridership Technology (SMART) tag system for all students who ride the bus to and from school. This portal provides routing information, bus approaching notifications and the ability to change approved pick-up guardians for K-2.

Parents of returning students can log in to the SMART tag Parent Portal. Parents of new students are highly encouraged to create a SMART tag Parent Portal account after routes are released on August 5th.

We can provide an exceptional educational experience for your child, but he/she must be here on time and stay all day for us to do so.

Arrive before 7:40 and stay until 3:00 every day.

However…

they can’t learn if they are ill, and others will miss learning opportunities if your child is contagious. Do not send your child to school if he/she:

•Is under doctor’s orders to stay home.

•Has had fever over 100 degrees within the last 24 hours.

•Has had diarrhea in the last 24 hours.

•Has pink eye.

Otherwise, we encourage you to send your child to school. If he/she is not well enough to stay the entire day, the nurse will send him/her home.

If your child is unable to attend school, please log in to Smart Tag and enter your child’s absence and the reason for the absence.

When you take your student to the doctor, please provide a doctor’s or dentist's note stating they had an appointment.

A written excuse is required if a child is injured and unable participate in physical education. If a child is excused from p.e. participation, he/she will also be excused from recess.

Prescription and non-prescription drugs to be administered at school must:

•Be dropped off to the health office and picked up by a parent/guardian.

•Be in the original container.

•Be accompanied by a note if dosage differs from what is on the original non-prescription container.

•Must remain in the health office, not with the student (except for asthma medication and epi-pens with written permission).

Kinder-Second Grader Car Riders

Kindergarteners, first graders and second graders are to be dropped off in front of school in a single file car-line and will enter the main front doors. Once your child has safely exited in your vehicle, stay in the far right lane and merge into one lane to exit closer to the crosswalk by the main entrance.

Third-Fifth Grader Car Riders

Third graders, fourth graders, and fifth graders will be dropped off in the parking lot adjacent to the playground and enter the side doors by the playground/gym/cafeteria.

Carpools or cars with siblings should drop off in the lot of the youngest rider in the car.

Additional Information

•Please have your child/children ready to exit the car prior to entering the drive.

•Pull all the way up to the sign that says, “Pull Up to Here” in a single line near the sidewalk to drop off your child/children.

•Allow your child to exit anywhere on the sidewalk, rather than waiting until you are directly in front of the doors.

•Stay in your vehicle once you enter either drive, just as you would at the airport.

•Please allow enough time for morning traffic (especially on rainy days).

•All car riders should be dropped off from the car rider lane only.

•For the safety of your child, do not let your child exit your car and walk between parked vehicles, as this is not a safe option.

•The car loops are one way at all times, both morning and afternoon.

•Please avoid the lot near Trophy Drive and the back drive (except PreK/ECSE families)

•Being on time allows your child to begin their school day without feeling rushed. It is also important to model being on time.

Other Transportation Options

•Walkers and bicycle riders will enter the building through the main front doors. Per the LTISD Student Handbook, to ensure the safety of all students, bicycles must be walked rather than ridden while on campus.

• Bus riders will be dropped off at the back entrance.

Parents will indicate how students will go home using Smart Tag. Changes to mode of transportation need to be entered by 2:00 p.m. each day. If you have trouble accessing the system or miss the deadline, please call our receptionist, Lei Johnson at (512) 533-7400.

There are 5 dismissal options:

•School Bus Riders,

•Car Riders,

•Escorted Walkers and Daycare Bus Riders,

•Unescorted Walkers, Bike Riders

*Extended Care/Enrichment Class Participants.

Bus Riders

ONLY buses pick up at the back of the school building. Please do not enter the bus lane at the back of the school. Bus riders will exit the back doors of the main hallway. Buses will transport ONLY eligible riders. They will no longer transport additional students for sleepovers, scouts, parties, etc. due to lack of available seats.

Car Riders

Due to minimal parking area on the streets surrounding Serene Hills and concern for student safety, parents are discouraged from parking to pick up students. If you choose to park, you will need to do so on Trophy Lane or in the parking lot adjacent to the playground.

•If your child will be riding home in a car please make arrangements to classify your child as a car-rider and pick him/her up in one of the two drives, Kinder through 2nd in the front drive and 3rd through 5th graders in the lot adjacent to the playground.

Carpools or cars with siblings should picked up in the lot of the youngest rider in the car.

Kinder-2nd Grade Car Riders

•Please have your numbered car tag hanging from your rear view mirror when you enter the drive.

•Please remember that cell phones at pick-up are a violation of law and a distraction that could be harmful or deadly.

•As soon as you veer right, form two lines.

•Please remain in your vehicle at all times.

•Your car will be loaded once you arrive at the loading zone.

•If you are picking up children who are not outside, pull forward to the far right and wait near the bike racks.

Third through Fifth Grade Car Riders

•Enter the parking lot adjacent to the playground and form three car lines. Fourth & Fifth graders will be picked up from either the middle of the lot OR the left lane and load on the driver's side. Third graders will be picked up from the right lane and loaded on the passenger side.

•Please move all the way forward to the sign that says, “Pull Up to Here.” This is where students will load.

•Please remain in your vehicle at all times.

•Please do not park in the lot and call your child to your car for the safety of your child. You must enter the line. Once your child is in your vehicle, stay in the far right lane and circle around until you reach the exit to the street.

Escorted Walkers, Bike Riders, and Daycare Bus Riders

•Parents who walk or ride their bike to campus to pick up their child/children may pick up outside the North side (facing Trophy Dr.) of the building, which is where the students exit. Please walk all the way up to the doors.

•Students will wait inside the school until we release them to a parent. Please have a picture of your kid's ID tag ready to show our staff to call for your child. Please do not call a child to cross the street when the parent is on one side and the child is on the other.

•Crossing guards are stationed at the corner of Trophy and Highlands Drive and again at Highlands Drive and Lakeway Blvd.

•All pedestrian and bicycle traffic should take these routes to and from school. Please do NOT pull into the teachers parking lot and wait for their children to come down to their car at the far end of the parking lot, nor pull up close where kiddos are walking and call them to your car.

Unescorted Walkers/Bike Riders

Students in grades 3-5 with this dismissal designation will be walked to the tree near the bus lane to be released to walk or bike ride home alone or to meet parents at the Lakeway Swim Center.

Extended Care/Enrichment Class Participants

Students enrolled in these programs will be escorted to the location designated on campus for the program in which the student is enrolled.

Dismissal is at 3:00pm. If you need to sign your student out early on a particular day, please make certain that the student's departure time from school will be prior to 2:30 pm.

Please do not pick up your child early every day for the convenience of avoiding the traffic. Our system works only if everyone participates. Our front office is NOT a daily dismissal pick up location and your child would be missing over two hours a week of their education. Some important points to remember:

• SMART Tag- There is an option in SMART Tag that you can select which will notify us that your student will be leaving early. Notifying us of an early departure via SMART Tag is helpful in that your student can have their items (lunchbox and backpack) ready to go when you arrive. To select this option, you will log into your Parent Portal, select 'View Profile,' select 'Add Attendance Change,' and then select 'Early Dismissal.' You may even add a note to indicate the time that you plan to pick up the student. If the pick up time is going to be before 1 p.m., please email your child’s teacher as well.

• Security of our students is a priority, so when signing a student out from school you will need to have your have your photo ID scanned into our Centegix Visitor Management System as a designated guardian for that child, it will have to be confirmed that you are a designated guardian or that you are listed on the student's emergency contact list. Once confirmed, we will need one of the following to scan into the Raptor security system:

• Valid Driver’s License (any state)

• Passport

• State-Issued Identification Card

• Work Visa Green Card

• We want to make sure your student does not miss any of their important classroom curriculum or school activities; so when picking up a student early (before 2:30) we will call for your student when you arrive in the front office.

• When picking up a student early, students might be in their Specials Class, Lunch or Recess so it's best to arrive a few minutes early to give them time to grab their backpacks and lunch boxes from their classrooms.

• For the 2026-2027 school year, elementary school breakfast and lunch meals will increase to $2.05 and $3.45 respectively. For more information, please visit our Menus & Meal Prices webpage.
• Households can access Free & Reduced Meal Program applications online starting August 1, 2026. Information about the program and applications are located on our website at Free and Reduced Meal Program.
• Online Menus
• You can find school menus, nutrition facts, and allergen information on our online menu platform, My School Menus.
• Based on student feedback, the My School Menus app has been added to LT1 ClassLink, making it easy for students to view school menus during the school day.
• Lunch Accounts
• To add funds to your student’s meal account, MySchoolBucks will be available starting August 3, 2026. For SY 26-27, the MySchoolBucks service charge is $3.75 for all credit card transactions and $2.75 for all electronic checking account transactions. There is a $240.00 maximum deposit per transaction. Please visit MySchoolBucks for more information.
• To avoid service fees, FREE prepayments are accepted via cash or check in all FANS cafes. Checks should be made out to LTISD FANS. For proper account credit, cash or check prepayments must be in a labeled envelope with the student ID# and full name.
• Deposits to accounts made in person will be available for use immediately. Deposits made via MySchoolBucks, including deposits that are established via the MySchoolBucks auto-replenish service, could take up to 24 hours to process.
• Students will not be allowed to purchase snacks or a la carte items (anything besides a CLASSIC MEAL) without a positive balance on their meal account.
• You may sign up for MySchoolBucks or download the free app to make payments, view transaction history, and utilize other features.
• If you would like to limit purchases on your student’s meal account, Lunch Account Restriction Forms are available on the Food & Nutrition Service webpage.
• Lunch account restrictions roll over from year to year. If your child already has restrictions in place, there’s no need to submit a new request unless you want to make a change. To modify or remove restrictions, please contact your campus cafeteria manager.
• Meal Accommodations and Special Dietary Needs
• Information regarding Special Diets and Meal Accommodations can be found on the Food & Nutrition Service Special Diets page

• Unlimited fruits and vegetables with every complete meal (more info linked here)
• Fresh for Less initiative! We use strategic pricing and menu placement to promote full meals, healthy snacks, fruits, vegetables, and nutrient-rich options.
• Clean Label initiatives! We prioritize products free from artificial dyes, high-fructose corn syrup, and MSG.
• A continued commitment to increase fresh, locally-sourced, and scratch-cooked meals.
• Participation in the Good Food Purchasing Program! We make thoughtful food purchases that support local economies, environmental sustainability, animal welfare, a valued workforce, and community health!

• Online meal pre-payments can take up to 24 hours to process.
• The My School Bucks service charges a convenience fee of $3.75 for all credit card transactions and $2.75 for all electronic checking account transactions up to $240.00 (as of 7/16/2021).
• The overall convenience fee for the max credit card deposit is 1%. LTISD Food and Nutrition Services does not receive any revenue from this fee. Heartland School Solutions funds their service via this transaction fee.
• Due to the volume of transactions, any discrepancies in charges or deposits must be reported within five operating business days.
• Please allow up to 10 operating business days for resolution of a discrepancy.
• In all instances, students will not be allowed to purchase snacks or a la carte items without a positive balance in their lunch account!
• For lunch account refunds and adjustments, please fill out a Refund/Transfer Request Form located in the Forms section of our website.
• You may sign up for My School Bucks to utilize transaction history and other features for free. There is only a charge when using the online credit card deposit service.
• Cash and Check Information: To avoid a service fee, prepayments are accepted in cash or check at your campus Cafe. For proper account credit, cash or check prepayments must be in a labeled envelope with student ID# and full name. Checks should be made payable to "LTISD". If you deposit money at your school Cafe, the money is immediately available for students at the campus only. It is available district-wide the following business day.

District Dress Code Prohibits the Following

•Bare midriffs

•Backless or strapless tops/dresses

•Beach wear

•Spandex, biker, or short shorts ( shorter than fingertip length)

•Muscle shirts

•Baggy pants or shorts

•Trench coats or dusters

•Hats

•Costumes, pajamas, and animal dress-up (unless it is a designated day by the school)

Items That Do Not Belong at School

•Weapons, including pocket knives

•Toy or virtual weapons

•Tobacco, tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes

•Drugs, alcohol, or drug paraphernalia

•Skateboards, rollerblades, or shoes with wheels

Bikes must be walked when on campus grounds.

For a more detailed list, see the district Student/Parent Handbook and the Student Code of Conduct.

It is our priority to keep students and staff safe and focused on high quality education. Therefore, we respectfully request that all visitors sign-in at the office upon entering through the front doors and wear a visitor’s badge while in the building. The badge verifies that you have checked in the office, presented proper identification and made clear the purpose for your visit. In addition, you must have a pre-scheduled meeting with your child's teacher in order to have a parent-teacher conference.

For the first few weeks of school, we will not have visitors for lunch. This allows students time to adjust to school procedures as well as build relationships with classmates. The cafe will be open for visitor lunch guests on September 1.

Deliveries of forgotten items to students should be limited to emergencies only so that important instructional time is not interrupted. Parents needing to drop off a lunch or other school items to their child(ren) will be able to do so by dropping the labeled item(s) in the drop box located outside the office area.

Labels should include:

NAME:

GRADE:

TEACHER:

Items will be delivered to the students as soon as possible.

Our President for the 2025-2026 school year is Rachel Ellis. Visit the PTO website at https://www.serenehillspto.org/. Sign up for news on the PTO website. Be sure to look for our numerous volunteer opportunities available. Also, check out our PTO Facebook page.