LEAP Into the News

Dear Leopard Families,

What an exciting second month of school it has been at Malala! Thank you to our families for your continued partnership, support, and commitment to making our school community so special.

It has been wonderful to see our students growing in confidence, building friendships, taking ownership of their learning, and embracing new challenges. Every day, our classrooms are filled with opportunities for students to Lead, Empower, Achieve, and live with Purpose.

We are incredibly grateful for the amazing turnout at Open House! Seeing our campus filled with families was a wonderful reminder of what makes Malala so special. Thank you for taking the time to meet our teachers, visit classrooms, and celebrate the learning and growth of our Leopards.

We were also delighted to welcome so many of our grandparents to campus! The smiles, hugs, and special moments shared between our Leopards and their grandparents made the day truly memorable. Thank you for helping us create a school community where families feel welcomed, connected, and valued.

And there is so much more happening at Malala! From engaging learning experiences and student celebrations to family events and opportunities to build connections, our campus continues to grow stronger each day. We are excited about all that is ahead and look forward to making many more wonderful memories together.

As we move further into the school year, let’s continue to LEAP together and Make Our Mark! We are grateful for our incredible Leopards, dedicated staff, and supportive families who make Malala such a wonderful place to learn and grow.

With gratitude,

Donald Lam

MYE Principal

Please take a moment to review the calendar with your little Leopard to set them up for success.

We are excited to launch MYE Parent University, a series of engaging workshops designed to strengthen the partnership between home and school. Each session will provide parents and caregivers with practical tools, helpful strategies, and valuable insights to support their child’s academic, social, and emotional growth.

Join us as we learn, connect, and grow together to help every Leopard Lead, Empower, Achieve, and live with Purpose! 🐾

📅 Wednesday, September 16, 2026
⏰ 5:00–6:00 PM (CDT)

📚 Topic: Attendance & MAP Growth Assessment Review

During this session, we will share important information about the impact of regular attendance on student success and provide an overview of MAP Growth assessments, including how families can better understand and support their child’s academic growth.

💻 Join us on Microsoft Teams: Click Here to Join
Meeting ID: 286 863 491 809 93
Passcode: an6qf97M

We look forward to learning and growing with you! Thank you for partnering with us to make a lasting mark on our Leopards’ success. 🧡🖤

on our Leopards’ success. 🧡🖤

🐾 Every Minute Matters!

Regular attendance and being on time are essential to student success. When Leopards arrive late or leave early, they miss valuable instruction, classroom routines, and learning opportunities.

⏰ Late Arrivals: Please have your child at school and ready to learn by 8:05 a.m. Every minute of instruction matters!

🚗 Early Pick-Up: Whenever possible, please schedule appointments and activities outside of school hours. Leaving early means missing important instruction and can disrupt classroom learning.

📚 Our Goal: Every Leopard, Every Day—present, punctual, and ready to learn!

Thank you for partnering with us to protect instructional time and help every Leopard LEAP into learning

In accordance with the guidelines from the Department of State Health Services, the clinic will conduct state mandated screening using certified screeners. Please see the attachment for more information. If you have chosen to opt out of health screening in Skyward, your student will not be screened.

If your student receives a referral form from the clinic, please have your preferred provider fill out the form and return it to the clinic.

Any further questions, please contact our school nurse:

Jasmine Rivera, BSN, RN

Email: Jasmine.Rivera@fortbendisd.gov

Phone: 281-327-5709

Fax: 281-327-5702

Welcome to Hello Week! This is a special time for our Leopards to celebrate the power of a simple “hello,” a friendly smile, and making others feel welcome and included.

A greeting may seem small, but it can make a big difference. Saying hello helps us build friendships, strengthen connections, and create a school community where everyone feels that they belong.

This week, encourage your Leopard to:
🐾 Say hello to someone new
🐾 Invite someone to join in
🐾 Give a genuine compliment
🐾 Look for someone who may need a friend
🐾 Show kindness through words and actions

Be sure to check out the flyer below for our Spirit of Hello Week activities! We encourage all of our Leopards to participate, spread kindness, and help make Malala a place where everyone feels welcomed and valued.

💛 A simple hello can make a lasting mark!

Let’s LEAP together—Lead with kindness, Empower others, Achieve through connection, and live with Purpose!

Our 2nd–5th grade artists are exploring creativity and building their problem-solving skills through Studio Centers in art one class! One of our favorite centers is our Sculpture Center, where students use a variety of recycled and everyday materials to design, build, and create three-dimensional artwork.

We are looking for recyclable materials as well a few other items to help keep our Sculpture Center stocked! The attached flyer includes a list of supplies we are currently collecting for donation.

While these materials are primarily used by our 2nd–5th grade students, all families are welcome to donate any clean, recyclable items they may have at home. Before tossing those boxes, egg cartons, cardboard tubes, and plastic mailers into the recycling bin, please consider sending them our way! Donations can be dropped in the box outside of Mrs. Grayden's door labeled "Donations". No items need to be labeled as they will be used as community supplies in the classroom.

Thank you for helping our artists turn everyday materials into extraordinary works of art!

-Mrs. Grayden

MYE Art Teacher

Parents are welcome to join their children for lunch Tuesday through Friday. Please note that parent lunches are not available on Mondays, allowing our Leopards dedicated time to socialize with their peers, build friendships, and strengthen their sense of community within the cafeteria.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for helping us create positive and meaningful experiences for all of our Leopards! 🐾💛

🐾 Updated Lunch Schedule

Please note: 4th and 5th grade lunch times have shifted by 5 minutes.

💛 Lunch Visit Reminders

• Please arrive 5–10 minutes before your child's lunch time.
• Bring your official government-issued ID. All visitors must be approved and listed in Skyward.
• Check in at the front office and wear your temporary visitor badge.
• Please wait until your child's grade level has arrived in the cafeteria before joining your child.
• Parents may eat only with the child they signed in to visit. Friends and other family members may not join the table.
• Younger siblings must remain in a stroller, on your lap, or seated next to you.
• At the end of lunch, please follow staff directions and exit the cafeteria promptly.

🚗 Parking Reminder

Please park in a designated parking space and never park in the red-marked fire lane. Keeping fire lanes clear ensures emergency vehicles have access when needed.

Thank you for helping us make lunchtime a safe, welcoming, and special experience for all of our Leopards! 🐾

Malala Elementary families are encouraged to complete the Free & Reduced-Price Meal Application each school year. Completing the application helps ensure eligible students receive meal benefits and helps our school and district access important resources to support our students.

Please watch the video below for step-by-step instructions on how to submit your application. Thank you for supporting our Leopards! 🐾

https://youtu.be/fWUQP00IpAo?si=lWjraLPrLtWrGnvi

You are welcome to bring store-bought cupcakes or cookies for your child's classroom to enjoy for their birthday. Preferred options include treats purchased from H-E-B, Walmart, Kroger, or other reputable grocery stores/bakeries.

Please remember that all food items must be prepared in a nut-free facility and clearly labeled as such. We are on high alert regarding food allergies; therefore, nuts of any kind cannot be listed in the ingredients, and the complete ingredient list must be attached. Food items that do not meet these requirements will not be accepted.

🍩 Please note: Donuts are not permitted because they are not prepared in a nut-free facility.

Birthday treats will be passed out in the classroom right before dismissal. Please let your child's teacher know when you will be bringing a treat via email. Treats should be dropped off at the front counter no later than 12:00 p.m. for delivery to the classroom.

If you must make a change to your child's after school transportation, please send the change to MYETransportationChange@fortbendisd.gov before 2:30 p.m. Also, always include your child's homeroom teacher as well. Changes received after this time can not be processed.

We want all of our Leopards to enjoy a full school day and maximize their learning. If you need to pick up your child early, please arrive early and allow sufficient time for your child to be called from the classroom and released. We understand that many families have doctor’s appointments and other scheduled commitments, and arriving early will help ensure a smooth and timely dismissal.

Please be aware that early pick-ups end at 2:30 p.m. After 2:30 p.m., no early pick-ups will be permitted—no exceptions. At this time, staff members begin preparing and transitioning students for safe dismissal and travel home.

In the event of severe weather or unsafe weather conditions, the school may implement our Severe Weather Dismissal process to help keep our Leopards safe. Severe weather may include heavy rain, thunderstorms, lightning, strong winds, flooding, or other conditions that make it unsafe for students to walk or bike home.

When Severe Weather Dismissal is activated, we will make temporary changes to our dismissal procedures based on current weather and safety conditions.

👇 Who Is Affected?

Walkers and Bike Riders

When Severe Weather Dismissal is called, walkers and bike riders will become car riders for that day.

🚗 What Should Walker & Bike Rider Families Do?

Parents/guardians of walkers and bike riders should:

• Join the car rider line to pick up their child.
• Follow regular car rider dismissal procedures.
• Have their car rider QR code/tag ready for pickup.

☔ Be Prepared for Changing Weather

Even when Severe Weather Dismissal is not called, walker families are encouraged to help their children be prepared for changing weather conditions. Students who walk to and from school are encouraged to keep a poncho or small umbrella in their backpack for unexpected rain.

📢 How Will Families Know?

If Severe Weather Dismissal is implemented, families will be notified through Blackboard. Please monitor Blackboard communications for the most current dismissal information.

Thank you for your flexibility, patience, and partnership as we work together to keep all of our Leopards safe! 🐾🧡

What happens?

Severe Weather Dismissal is called by 3:00 p.m. That announcement will be sent out via Blackboard. Then, walkers and bike riders are combined into the car rider group of students. Parents of walkers and bike riders are asked to join the car rider line to pick up their child on that day.

Should your child be absent for any reason, please send the doctor or other notes to attendancemye@fortbendisd.gov. Notes are required for all student absences. Absences without a note become automatically unexcused. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Sonya Wallace at 281-327-5708.

Thank you for your partnership.