Back To School Edition

Dear Palominos Families, & Supporters!

I am so excited to welcome back all of our returning Palominos and to extend a warm welcome to our newest ones. Whether your child is beginning their journey at Pink Elementary or stepping into another year, please know this — at Pink, we are focused on excellence, and expectations remain high every single day for every individual who walks through our doors.

As we prepare for the first day of school, I want to share a few important updates to help ensure a strong, safe, and focused start to the year.

Every student is expected to wear their school-issued student ID visibly around their neck every day. This is imperative to help ensure all students are accounted for and easily identifiable in case of an emergency.

Dress Code Expectations:
All students are expected to follow the LCISD Dress Code, as outlined in the LCISD Elementary Student Handbook (page 41). More information regarding standards for dress can be found in the Important Info section of this newsletter.

At Pink Elementary School, we remain committed to solution-focused communication as we work together for the benefit of your children. Please be sure to read our Palominos Press Newsletter each week. It will include the contact information for our admin team, counselor, and attendance support so that if you ever have a concern, you can reach out directly to the staff member supporting your child.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We’re looking forward to an incredible school year — one filled with growth, achievement, and excellence from day one.

Every day we will Expect Excellence and Achieve Greatness!

With Palominos Pride,

M. Hernandez

Tuesday, August 11th is the first day of the 2026-2027 school year! We are so excited to see all of our Palominos. Our teachers and staff have been hard at work preparing for the school year. This is a time of excitement and new beginnings, and we’re thrilled to have your children back with us for another fantastic year of learning and growth.

Just a few reminders:

• The building will open promptly at 7:15 am Tuesday morning
• Parents are able to walk their Palominos to class on the first day only
• Parents may park and enter through the door near the cafeteria
• We ask you to please pack your patience for afternoon car rider dismissal for the first couple of days
• Ensure that you have communicated with your child's teacher how they are going home

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL:

Our doors open at 7:15 am. Parents will be allowed to walk their children to class on the first day of school ONLY. Please park in designated parking spots. We are asking that parents not block other cars in preventing them from leaving. Please use the cafeteria doors when walking your child into the building on the first day. Bring your child’s supplies if you did not do so at Meet the Teacher.

Students will go straight to their classrooms at 7:15 am unless they are eating breakfast.

DAY #2 AND UNTIL THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL:

Students will be required to wear their student ID badges on a lanyard around their neck every day. Students will be issued new ID badges for the 26-27 school year. Replacement ID badges can be purchased for $5 in the front office.

Car riders – Our doors open at 7:15 am. Please do not drop your child off before this time. There is no adult supervision before 7:15 am. Drop off is at the back of the school. The drop-off line will be long, so arrive well in advance of the tardy bell so your child will not be late.

Bus riders – Everyone riding the bus must register through the MY STOP APP system. Students will report directly to their classroom upon arrival, unless they are eating breakfast.

K–5th students will be able to eat breakfast in the cafeteria daily until 7:30 am. Remember, STUDENT ID Badges are also students’ “lunch cards”.

We recommend parents utilize the online system, School Café, to add money to lunch accounts. The cafeteria will not provide change when students make cash transactions. The additional funds will be added to the student’s lunch account.

IMPORTANT: Please be sure your child's teacher knows how your child will be getting home on the first day of school. Also, to identify your children, place your Pink Elementary Car Hanger on your rear view mirror at all times.

SAFETY: Cars should remain in a SINGLE FILE line and refrain from passing another car.

CAR: After-school car pick-up is at the back of the school ONLY. For safety reasons, pull up to the first available horseshoe. The horseshoes are numbered for organizational purposes only they do not represent grade levels. Please place your car rider tag on the vehicle's rear view mirror, so that the person calling the names of the car riders can see it. The drop-off/pick-up line is at the back of the school right passed the playground.

BUS: LCISD Transportation is highly recommended for all students who are eligible. The buses are the first mode of transportation to leave each day. The buses will load and leave early the first 3 days of school. Parents are advised to arrive at the bus stops early on these days. Give your child’s bus a 15-minute window before and after the published time as drivers work to ensure everyone is accounted for and dropped off at the correct stop. Kindergarten students will only be released to an authorized adult listed in the MY STOP APP. STUDENT ID badges will be scanned each time your child gets on and off the bus, for lunch meals in the cafeteria, and in the library for checking out books.

DAYCARE/AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS: Daycare & other group vans will line up behind LCISD Transportation. Students will be loaded in the vans after the school buses have been loaded and have left. Please let your child’s teacher know the name of the daycare your child will attend.

We know it might take a few days to develop a routine that works for your family. It is very important that students’ transportation is consistently set as soon as possible.

Our goal is to ensure a safe, orderly and efficient car rider pick-up system. Please be patient with staff and each other during the first week of arrival and dismissal. We appreciate your cooperation!

Transportation changes- All transportation changes MUST be received by the front office no later than 2:00 PM. Changes may be submitted by calling the office or sending a written, signed, and dated note with your child. Because transportation notifications are delivered to classrooms at 2:00 PM, no changes can be accepted after this time. Please plan ahead, as the school phone line can become very busy near dismissal.

Students who need to be checked out early for appointments must also be picked up by 2:00 PM. No students will be released for early pick-up after 2:00 PM.

The City of Richmond will be conducting construction on Clay Street and Collins Road. Please see the map outlining the proper route to take for car rider drop-off and pick-up. In addition, please note that this will cause delays during pick-up and drop-off. Please arrive at Pink Elementary early to allow for additional time needed to navigate the delays due to road closures.

Lamar CISD is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment for all students. Students are expected to follow the district dress code while at school and during school-related activities. The guidelines below provide a quick overview of dress code expectations.

Hoods

• Hoodies and jackets with hoods are permitted; however, hoods may not be worn over the head while on campus.

Student ID Cards

• Student ID cards must be visible and worn on the upper portion of the body at all times.

Shirts

• Shirts must be an appropriate length.
• Shirts must display appropriate words, graphics, and designs.

Bottoms

• Shorts, pants, skirts, and other bottoms must be an appropriate length.

Footwear

• Slippers, house shoes, and shower shoes are not permitted.
• Slides and Crocs are acceptable.

Additional Information

For complete dress code expectations, exceptions, and disciplinary guidelines, please refer to the Lamar CISD Student Handbook.

Completing the Beginning of Year online forms through Skyward Family Access is very easy and will take just a few minutes. Below are your steps for completing these forms:

1. Click on the Family Access login button to the right.
2. Login with your LCISD Family Access credentials.
3. Click on the Beginning of Year Forms link in the Family Access main menu.
4. Complete each step, making changes as necessary, and clicking the “Complete Step X” button at the bottom of each form.
5. Once all forms are complete, click the “Submit Beginning of Year Forms” button on the last page.

To support you in completing these forms online, we have created a short video walking you through each of these steps.

Important deadlines for families requesting bus services:

• Submit the transportation form no later than August 2, for your student to ride the bus for the first day of school.
• If a form is not submitted by August 2, your student WILL NOT receive bus transportation until August 24.
• For all forms submitted between August 3 to August 21, bus transportation will begin August 24.
• Contact your student's campus to request any change in your transportation choice after August 21. Please note, any changes after August 21 may take up to five business days to go into effect.

The Versatrans MyStop app is a mobile app that allows parents and guardians to track the real-time location of their child's school bus and provide an estimated arrival time at their assigned bus stop. The MyStop app also sends mobile notifications to parents when the student scans on and off the bus. The Versatrans MyStop app is available for in the Google Play store for Android devices and the App Store for Apple devices. Every student will have a unique username and password to log in.

Follow the instructions below:

1. Download the Versatrans MyStop App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Open the app and select:
3. Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, TX
4. Enter your Username: Student ID number.
5. Enter your Password: Student date of birth (MMDDYYYY).
6. Select “Students” to view bus route information when it is active.

For the first two weeks of school there will be NO lunch visitors. Pink Elementary staff will use this time during the first two weeks to teach and practice cafeteria expectations. We will begin welcoming lunch visitors on campus on August 24, 2026.

Memorial Hermann Lamar Clinic schools served: Lamar Consolidated High School, Lamar Junior High School, Wessendorff Middle School, Austin Elementary, Smith Elementary, Hutchinson Elementary, Jackson Elementary, Jane Long Elementary, Juan Seguin Early Childhood Center, Pink Elementary, & Phelan Elementary.

Memorial Hermann Terry Clinic schools served: Terry High School, George Junior High School, Navarro Middle School, Beasley Elementary, Bowie Elementary, Culver Elementary, Meyer Elementary, Ray Elementary, Travis Elementary, Arredondo Elementary, Wright Junior High School and Randle High School

If your student is absent 10 or more days this semester, they may be at risk of not earning credit due to state laws regarding seat time requirements. We will be holding Attendance Review Committee meetings on the dates outlined below to discuss each student's attendance individually.

Please make sure to inform the campus administrators and/or the counselor about any extenuating circumstances affecting your student's attendance. It is important to have documentation for all absences. Student success is our priority, so please do not hesitate to reach out to the campus for support.

We want to ensure you have the most effective way to communicate with your child’s administrator or counselor. Due to our commitment to prioritizing instruction at Pink Elementary School, our administrators are often away from their desks—engaged in classroom observations, providing feedback, on duty, meeting with students, and ensuring the safety and security of our Rangers.

For non-emergencies, please reach out via email for the quickest response. While our administrators and counselor are dedicated to addressing your concerns, please allow up to 24 hours for a response.

If you require immediate attention, please contact the campus administrative assistant, using the contact information provided. They will be able to assist you more promptly with urgent matters.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We appreciate your partnership in creating a positive and productive school environment.

Website: https://pink.lcisd.org/
Location: 1001 Collins Rd., Richmond, TX, USA
Phone: 832-223-2100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TLPinkElementary/
Twitter: @pink_elementary

Instagram: @pink.elementary