Tiger Talk
03/04/25
Dear Tiger Parents
I cannot believe it is already March! Talking about March Madness, it is a busy time for all of our WCHE TIGER families. Please take the time to thoroughly go through this Tiger Talk so that you will know about all of our exciting events.
We hope to see you this evening for our Learning Showcase and Wild West Book Fair. Our students and their teachers are excited to show off what they have been working on this semester.
We hope to see you again next week as we cheer on all of our Tigers for our WCHE Track and Field days. Please check the information on farther down in this newsletter for grade level participation times. This will be a busy day of visitors. This year we will NOT be allowing students from other grade levels to watch another sibling's event.
It is that time of year again where we begin to work on our next school year schedule and class lists. I have opened up our parent input form for the 25-26 school year. In making class assignments, our goal is to place each child in a class where he or she can be most successful.
A secondary goal is to also maintain a balance among classes in terms of gender, academic ability, disciplinary and social needs, learning styles, and individual needs of the students. All information shared is confidential and submitted electronically to West Cypress Hills Elementary administration.
We hope to make classroom assignments that will maximize the opportunity for your child’s success. If you have information you would like to have considered in your child’s placement, please complete and submit this form. Please limit your input to the way your child learns and any information we should consider.
Have a great afternoon,
Ms. Russ
Principal, West Cypress Hills Elementary
The Lake Travis ISD Board of Trustees has selected Steve M. Flores, Ph.D., to serve as Interim Superintendent, effective Friday, February 28. The Board voted unanimously to approve his appointment during a special called meeting on Wednesday, February 26.
A native of San Angelo, Texas, Dr. Flores brings nearly four decades of experience in public education, having served as a paraprofessional, teacher, principal, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent. Before stepping into his first superintendency, Dr. Flores served as Chief of Staff at Dallas ISD. His career includes 13 years as Superintendent of Schools in Harlingen CISD and Round Rock ISD. During the 2023-2024 academic year, Dr. Flores served as interim superintendent in the Taylor and Pflugerville school districts, bringing stability and guidance amid challenging times. Recognized for his leadership, Dr. Flores was named Superintendent of the Year by Texas PTA in 2020 and by the Austin Chamber of Commerce in 2019. Today, he remains committed to mentoring and developing strong teams in education and business.
"We are confident that Dr. Flores’ leadership, experience, and deep knowledge of Central Texas will be invaluable to our district at this time," said Erin Archer, LTISD School Board President. "His dedication to supporting students, staff, and families makes him an excellent choice to guide LTISD while the Board searches for a permanent superintendent."
As part of this process, the Board of Trustees has retained JG Consulting to assist with the district's executive search.
"Community input will play a key role, and we invite you to share your feedback through a survey and stakeholder meetings," added Ms. Archer. "Additional details will be shared shortly. We appreciate your ongoing support as we navigate this important transition together."
Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents/Guardians,
We are pleased to announce the upcoming release of our LTISD Stakeholder Survey. The purpose of this survey—which directly supports our District Strategic Plan is to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and overall perspectives of stakeholders regarding various aspects of the district.
Student Survey Information:
Students in grades 3-12 will be afforded an opportunity to take the survey. The survey is available via this link for parent review prior to its release to students. The student survey window will be open from Monday, March 10 through Friday, March 28, 2025. Each campus will determine the exact date and time the survey will be given within this window.
Parents also have the option to opt their child out of participation in this survey by notifying the district before Wednesday, March 5 at 11:59 pm. To opt-out one or more of your children, please use this form. You will need your student's ID number (minus the "S") to proceed.
Parent/Guardian Survey Information:
On Monday, March 10, parents/guardians will receive an email from LTISD containing a link to the survey. The survey link will be sent only to the primary guardian of each student, and the survey can be completed once for each student in the household attending LTISD. In order to access the survey, you will need to enter the student’s ID number (minus the "S"). You can find your student’s ID number in Skyward Family Access.
The survey will close at midnight, Friday, March 28. If you run into any issues accessing the survey, please contact LTISD support at helpdesk@ltisdschools.org. Please be assured that all surveys are confidential, and all data collected will be used solely to guide our planning and strategies.
We sincerely appreciate your dedication to our district and your willingness to contribute to our growth and improvement. Together, we can ensure that LTISD continues to provide an exceptional experience for all students, staff, and families!
Sincerely,
Tasha Barker
Assistant Superintendent for Organizational Services
The purpose of this screening is to detect the signs of abnormal curves of the spine at the earliest stages so that the need for treatment can be determined. Scoliosis, a common spinal abnormality found in adolescents, is a sideways twisting of the spine. It is usually detected in children between 10 and 14 years of age. Kyphosis, sometimes called round back, is an exaggerated rounding of the upper back and is often confused with poor posture. Many cases of curvature of the spine are mild and require only ongoing observation by a physician when they are first diagnosed. Others can worsen with time as the child grows and require active treatment such as bracing and surgery. Early treatment can prevent the development of a severe deformity, which can affect a person's health and appearance.
According to state law, girls will be screened once at age 10 (or fall semester of Grade 5) and again at age 12 (or fall semester of Grade 7); Boys will be screened one time at age 13 or 14 (or fall semester of grade 8.)
I will conduct screenings for our 5th Grade girls during their PE classes March 3 and 4. You should have already received a letter from me concerning this. If your daughter's physician has already conducted this screening, she does not have to be screened again by me provided that I receive a copy of the screening completed by the physician by 3 pm Friday, February 28.
As always, feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to help.
Best regards,
Kate Neal, RN
Attention LTISD Parents and Guardians,
The Discovery Program, otherwise known as Gifted and Talented, is now accepting parent referrals for KINDERGARTEN G/T Screening via this Google form.
The Elementary Discovery Program is a cross-curricular thematic-based pullout program for students in grades K-5. Participating students will demonstrate skills in self-directed learning, thinking, research, and communication as evidenced by the development of innovative products and performances that reflect individuality and creativity and are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, or environment. To be identified as gifted and talented, each student must undergo a screening and selection process. Assessment opportunities are made available once per school year.
If you feel your child is a good candidate for the G/T screening process, please fill out the link below. The deadline to register is March 13 at 3 pm. More information about the program can be found on the Lake Travis ISD Gifted & Talented website.
Referral link for Kinder students only - deadline March 13, 2025 @ 3:00 PM.
No Worries! We can Replace SMART Tags
If your Tiger(s) lost part or all of the SMART Tag equipment, we are happy to replace them upon receipt of the cost to replace the missing or broken items. Just let our Receptionist, Mrs. Michelle Harper, know what needs to be replaced. She can accept payment by exact cash (sorry, we have zero change) or by check payable to WCHE. The price list is:
Scannable badge......$5
Reel and/or lanyard......$5
Oops, lost the whole thing!......$10
West Cypress Hills Elementary
Email: WCHPrincipal@ltisdschools.org
Website: https://wche.ltisdschools.org/
Phone: 512-533-7500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltisdschools