News from VOE

We hope everyone had a chance to recharge with friends and family. We are so excited to get the last 9 weeks kicked off this week!

Please take a look at the message below from the PTA Hospitality Committee:

Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up March 23–27, and we’re so excited to celebrate the incredible teachers who pour so much into our students every single day! We’ve put together some fun daily themes to help guide the week, but these are simply suggestions—feel free to get creative and show your appreciation in whatever way feels meaningful to your family. Whether it’s a note, a small treat, or a simple “thank you,” every gesture makes a difference. Let’s make it a special week for the amazing educators who make our school such a wonderful place to learn and grow!

Last week our fourth-grade students refreshed their programming skills by using block coding to program our STEM Lab robots. Focusing on sequencing and simple loops, students created lines of code to have their robots move in certain directions as well as incorporate sounds and basic animations.

• SBISD preK- 5th grade students will not be allowed to use personal telecommunications/electronic devices (e.g. cell phones, smart watches, ear buds, etc.) during the school day. Only district-issued technology devices will be permitted to be used during the school day.

• School day is the time from the first bell in the morning to the dismissal bell in the afternoon.

• Exceptions: medical reasons where the device is used to support the student’s medical needs. Written requests must be provided to, and verified by, the school nurse.

• Any telecommunications/electronic device brought on campus must be kept in the student’s backpack during the school day, and should be set on “silent,” “do not disturb,” or an equivalent setting. Any device with “AirDrop®,” “Nearby Share®,” or the like, should be set to, “receiving off.” The use of these types of peer-to-peer file sharing/transferring capabilities (including audio, video, pictures, etc.) is prohibited.

SBISD is working with 5 partners to offer summer enrichment opportunities that include dance, soccer, cooking, chess, multi-sport experience. Camp Invention STEM camp also will be offered!

Registration will open Monday, March 16, and will be open to students in grades K-6, depending on the program. For more information on these enrichment opportunities, visit the summer camp web page! https://www.springbranchisd.com/studentsfamilies/summer-camp-programs

The STAAR (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) is the state’s standardized testing program that measures how well students have learned the knowledge and skills outlined in the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). Students in grades 3–8 take STAAR tests in subjects such as Reading/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies, depending on their grade level.

STAAR helps teachers and schools understand each student’s progress and identify areas where additional support may be needed. It is not the sole measure of a child’s success, but rather one tool that helps guide instruction for the next school year.

If you have any questions about upcoming STAAR testing or how to help your child prepare, please reach out to your child's teacher or our administration team. We are here to support every student’s success!

We have some upcoming dates that VOE will be closed to visitors. You may still drop off a lunch for your child, but we will not allow visitors on the following dates:

• Wednesday, April 15 (STAAR Reading - 3rd-5th grade)
• Tuesday, April 21 (STAAR Science - 5th grade)
• Wednesday, April 29 (STAAR Math - 3rd-5th grade)

March 20 - Kinder Field Trip (Oil Ranch)

April 2 - 2nd Grade Field Trip (Children's Museum)

Friday, April 3 - School Holiday

Wednesday, April 15 - STAAR Reading (3rd-5th grade)

Tuesday, April 21 - STAAR Science (5th grade)

April 24 - 1st Grade Field Trip (Zoo)

Wednesday, April 29 - STAAR Math (3rd-5th grade)

Wednesday, May 13 - 5th Grade Field Trip (Biztown) ***date correction

Thursday, May 14 - PTA General Meeting (5:30 PM)

Friday, May 22 - Last Day of School & Early Dismissal at 11:00 AM

More dates coming soon!