SMITH PARENT NEWSLETTER
January 18, 2024
Important Dates
- January 25: Smith Multicultural Night & 4th Grade Performance @ 6:00 PM
- January 26: 100th Day of School! Dress up like you are 100 years old!
Pre-Register for Celebrate Smith!
Parent Celebration Submission
What's New!
Booth Registration closes Thursday, January 18th. We currently have India, Brazil, Japan, Netherlands & Russia represented. We would love to add to that list!!
Sign up link: https://bit.ly/smithmulticulturalnight
Counselor's Corner
Do you think your student would benefit from an SEL (social emotional learning) small group? Parents and teachers can refer students who need extra support on this form. Small group topics may include anger, anxiety, coping skills, grief, changing families, social skills/peer relationships, and self-confidence, depending on student need. This is an interest form only and does not guarantee your child will be placed in a group.
January's character trait is: CURIOSITY!
January's social skill is: Following Procedures
Important Links:
5th Grade Parents Only:
If you have not already returned your student's orange registration card, please do so as soon as possible! January 26th is the last day they will be accepted, but you don't want to wait!! If you have questions, email me at laurences@friscoisd.org
Community Resources
We are fortunate to have many ways to support our students and families. Please contact me, Sherry Laurence, at laurences@friscoisd.org with any questions or needs.
Resources are available to help with:
- school supplies
- food insecurities (Fastpacs and Lovepacs programs)
- clothing (NEW FISD Frisco Threads Student Clothes Closet sponsored by the FISD PTAs)
Contact me at laurences@friscoisd.org or 469-633-2204.
Grade Level Newsletters
School Lunch Menu
Birthdays Announced at Celebrate Smith!
Smith Guest Reader Program
Do you want to share your love of books with our Smith students by reading aloud to classes in the library? Please fill out the form below and Mrs. Kinsella will send you an email with your date and time to read! You can bring your own book(s) to share with a class or you can choose from options in our Smith library.
Pre-Register for Smith Preschool Story Time
Mrs. Kinsella is so excited to announce that she will be hosting a "Smith Preschool Story Time" each week in the Smith Library. Please the flyer (above) for more information!
Smith Babies and Books!
Welcome to the world, Future Smith Readers! If you are the parents of a newborn baby, please fill out this form so that we can send home a gift for you with your Smith student!
Birthday Book Program
Happy 2023-2024 School Year!
Let’s celebrate some Smith readers’ birthdays with the optional Birthday Book program. This is a wonderful way to honor your child’s birthday while also providing books for our library for so many future Smith readers!
PTA News, Volunteer Opportunities, Watch D.O.G.S, and Staff Favorite Lists
Friday Zen Den Snacks
Smith PTA realizes that not everyone is able to donate their time! If this is you, this is your opportunity!! We are looking for volunteers who are willing to sponsor Friday's "Snacks for the Stars".
You will drop off your donated snacks/treats in the front office on Friday before 9:00 am. Snacks are then placed in the Zen Den, a room for teachers to take a few peaceful moments to recharge during their day. When selecting your donated items, please consider that they will be sitting out all day, not refrigerated, so non-perishable items are preferred. No background check is required for this opportunity, just sign up for the day(s) you would like to drop off snacks. Please feel free to share this information with others. Smith PTA appreciates you and all you do for the staff at Smith Elementary!
Smith Volunteers: Friday Zen Den Staff Snacks (signupgenius.com)
Volunteer Opportunities!
JOIN SMITH PTA!
It's time to join the Smith PTA and support the students, staff, and programs at Smith Elementary for the 2023-2024 school year. Membership is $10 per person. Parents, grandparents, community members - all are welcome to join! Volunteering is NOT a requirement of members
Register here:
https://www.smithpta.net/product-page/join-your-pta
You can now follow the Smith PTA on Instagram! Find us @NoelASmithPTA
Watch D.O.G.S.
What is Watch D.O.G.S?
Watch D.O.G.S. is a National Program where dads spend a day at the school to help out and have fun. You'll eat lunch and attend specials with your child(ren), provide a fatherly presence at the school, collect high-fives and help out where needed.
The program helps provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important. Meanwhile, we provide extra sets of eyes and ears to enhance school security, reduce bullying and provide a greater sense of campus safety allowing students and teachers to focus on learning. It's easy, fun and a great way to bond with your kids.
Watch Dog Coordinator: Frank Gonzalez
Email : watchdogs@smithpta.net
Who can sign up?
Fathers
Grandfathers
Step-fathers
Uncles
Other father-figures
You MUST complete your FISD background check here.
Need to sign up? Contact Frank or complete the sign-up form by clicking the link below and scrolling to the bottom of the page.
Volunteer Orientation Information
Thank you to those who were able to attend our Volunteer Orientation last night! There was so much info shared, I am including the deck. For those who missed it, please review it.
We still have plenty of opportunities for each of you to get involved:
PALs (Kinder + 1st Grade Lunch help) - Sign up through Voly
Friday Snacks for Smith Staff - "Snacks for the Stars Sign Up"
Please reach out if you have any questions.
2023-2024 Smith Staff Favorite Lists
Second Grade Teacher Favorites
COMING SOON:
Officer Varner
Crossing Guards
SPECIALS SCHEDULE
Acceleration Testing Information
Frisco ISD facilitates several assessments to ensure the name and needs of each student are met. Whether the test is required by the state, federally mandated, or requested by the family, each campus works to ensure appropriate test administration and security procedures are followed at all testing sites.
DISTRICT GUIDELINES:
District Guidelines for Exam for Acceleration
SMITH ELEMENTARY CAMPUS POLICY:
We adhere to the district policy for grade-level acceleration. The only exception to the district policy would only apply to any newly enrolled Frisco ISD. *Once the student starts and attends school grade-level acceleration for the current school year is not available.
If parent requests are made to the campus outside the district’s testing window, then all criteria below MUST be met for grade-level acceleration to be considered. *If the student does not have a fall birthday, does not meet reading AND math End-of-Year (EOY) scores, or refuses to test the student, acceleration requests will be denied.
The student MUST be a newly enrolled Frisco ISD student.
The student MUST have a fall birthdate (before January 1).
The student MUST come up to the campus to take the End-of-Year grade-level assessments in reading and math for the grade level requested to skip.
The student MUST pass the EOY math exam with a minimum of 80% AND pass the EOY reading assessment at the INDEPENDENT level. *If the student passes one assessment, but not the other, the request will be denied.
WHO TO CONTACT ABOUT ACCELERATION TESTING:
Jill Zavala-Campus Instructional Support Facilitator (CISF)
469-633-2272 (office)
- She is our campus 504 and state testing coordinator. She can assist you with all things 504, advance placement testing, STAAR testing, CoGAT, and more!
Sherry Laurance--Smith Counselor
469-633-2204 (office)
- She is our school counselor. She can assist parent inquiries on acceleration testing/advanced placement, students and families with individual and small group counseling, and crisis response services, help students develop personal goals and plans for the future, make referrals for outside counseling or assistance, and consult with parents and teachers to share effective strategies that support students and delivers core counseling curriculum lessons to students and staff.
HAC Access for K-3 Parents!
Frisco ISD frequently evolves to make sure parents are informed and can support their children’s academic needs. Recently, parents have asked for a consistent way to access students’ STAAR scores, grades, and to track attendance.
Home Access Center, commonly referred to as HAC, will soon have additional features to meet those needs and expand to K-3 students in the final nine weeks. Parents who are new to HAC in Kinder-2nd grade will have access to HAC! For Kinder & 1st grade families, you will be able to access attendance only. Parents in 2nd and 3rd grade will be able to view grades; however not class averages. For more information, please view the below links:
If you have children in fourth grade or above, you know that HAC is where you can locate your child’s STAAR scores, grades, and attendance. This will stay the same and some of those features will expand to other grade levels. All elementary parents will continue to receive the report card via email at the end of each nine weeks.
In anticipation of the HAC update, parents should make sure they have created a Gateway account. Join The Gateway and access a set of FAQs in anticipation. If you have trouble accessing The Gateway, please contact GatewayHelp@friscoisd.org.
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports
Bus Transportation for Tribeca Apartments Only
Frisco ISD is offering bus services ONLY to registered students living at the Tribeca apartment homes in Plano (they are zoned for Smith this year).
Frisco ISD does not offer bus service to the other apartment homes in our zone (Cortland Stonebriar, Capitol Stonebriar, Echelon, or Verus).
Students must live more than 2 miles from their home-zoned campus in order to be eligible for the bus and those apartment homes are right on the edge.
TRIBECA APARTMENT PARENTS--
You do not need to register your child for the bus.
- If your child is in grades K-2, they will ride Bus #213.
- If your child is in grades 3-5, they will ride Bus #209.
Morning pick-up:
The bus will pick your child up at Memorial Ln & Tribeca Lane at 7:13 am.
Afternoon drop-off:
The bus will drop your child off at Memorial Ln & Tribeca Lane at 3:15 pm.
The campus will provide a bus tag that will attach to your child's bag/backpack as soon as we receive them. We are hoping to have it for you on Meet the Teacher night or on the first day of school.
Your child is not required to ride the bus. You are welcome to drive them to and from school if you prefer.
If you need further details regarding transportation, please refer to the Frisco ISD Transportation website https://www.friscoisd.org/departments/transportation/home.
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
ARRIVAL--7:20 AM - 7:45 AM
→ALL K-5 CAR RIDERS AND WALKERS WILL ENTER THROUGH THE FRONT MAIN DOORS. *The back loop will be closed during arrival. As soon as your child can safely exit the car in the car loop, please have them do so. You do not have to wait for a staff member to open the car door for them. Encourage your child to open and close their car doors.
DISMISSAL--3:05 PM - 3:20 PM
Please follow the traffic patterns indicated in the map below so everything runs safe and smooth. Older siblings will be dismissed at the YOUNGEST siblings dismissal location. Please stay in the vehicle and pull all the way forward to the first available cone. If walking with students, please use crosswalks!
No Visitor's At Recess
School Attendance & Reporting Absence Information
Instruction begins promptly at 7:45 am. Students should be in their classroom before 7:45. If students are walking through the front door at/after 7:45, they may miss the first instruction of the day. Our entry doors close at 7:45 am, students who are not past the entry door by that time will be counted as tardy. The school day ends at 3:05 pm. Students will be dismissed to the carpool line, walker line, bus line, daycare line, or Alphabest. If a student is not picked up within a reasonable time after 3:05, the late pick-up will be noted on their attendance record.
If your child is tardy or absent during the year, please report the absence by 8:30 am through our website. Go to https://schools.friscoisd.org/campus/elementary/smith/home and click on the yellow "Report an Absence" tab in the upper right corner and fill out the short form. Please do not only email the teacher about an absence. There are times that notes do not get relayed to the attendance clerk for recording and an absence may count towards truancy if a note is not received in the office. Doctor notes must be submitted within 3 days of the appointment for the absence to be considered excused.
Reporting an Absence
If you child has been absent parents MUST fill out the absence form on the Smith homepage when your child will be out.
- https://schools.friscoisd.org/campus/elementary/smith/home
- Click on the yellow Report an Absence button in the upper right corner to fill out the form.
School Lunch Menu, Cafeteria & Lunch Guest Information
School Cafeteria Information
School Cafeteria
Students can purchase lunch in the cafeteria, or they can bring their own lunch from home.
Set up an account for your child to purchase breakfast, lunch, and/or snacks in the cafeteria.
For menu and account setup, go to https://www.friscoisd.org/departments/child-nutrition/home
School Cafeteria Returns to Paid Meals
Last year, our cafeteria returned to charging for school breakfast and lunch based on eligibility for meal benefits. The federal waiver that allowed schools nationwide to offer free meals to all students regardless of income expired last school year.
Breakfast is $2 and lunch is $2.75. Families with low household income are encouraged to apply for meal benefits.
Visit www.schoolcafe.com/FriscoISD or download the app to:
Create a café account
View menus
Make payments
Apply for free & reduced meals
Set purchase restrictions
Free and Reduced Application
Frisco ISD urges families who may qualify for meal benefits due to low family income to submit an application. In addition to free school meals, there are a number of additional benefits, detailed below, that students can receive when a family qualifies and shares their eligibility status. In addition, Frisco ISD receives additional state and federal funding for each student who qualifies for free or reduced-price meals. These funds provide extra academic support and resources to students and schools.
APPLY ONLINE
Applications may be completed electronically at www.schoolcafe.com/friscoisd, printed directly from the Frisco ISD website, or picked up from your child’s campus or the Child Nutrition District office. Applications received electronically at www.schoolcafe.com/friscoisd are processed more quickly. NOTE: We can only process applications for the current school year. Please submit only one form per household. Applications for each new school year are available after July 1.
Paper applications are available in each school’s office and in the school nutrition office. In addition, applications may be downloaded and printed from our website. All paper applications must be submitted in the original form with the original signature. It is free to use SchoolCafé if you would like to apply for meal benefits.
Completed applications must be returned to Frisco ISD, Attn: Christie Lesnau, 12050 Rolater Road, Frisco, Texas. Any questions regarding the approval process should be directed to 469-633-6997 or lesnauc@friscoisd.org.
Download the Free/Reduced Meal Application(English)
Download the Free/Reduced Meal Application(Spanish)
Lunch Guest Information
Lunch visitors must check in and provide a photo ID at the office to obtain a Visitor’s Sticker.
Lunch visitors are NOT permitted to go anywhere else on campus other than the cafeteria.
Lunch visitors are NOT permitted to use student bathrooms. Please ask to use the bathroom located in the clinic or the staff bathroom in the clinic.
If waiting to eat lunch with your child, please wait in the cafeteria at the designated Visitor Table so your child can easily locate you.
Since this is a special time for you and your child, we have reserved specific guest tables for parents to have lunch with their children. Due to assigned seats, and space at students’ lunch tables, you and your child sit at the visitor’s table.
The Texas Department of Agriculture DOES NOT permit parents to bring food at lunchtime for any other child other than their own. Please help us monitor this guideline from the state.
We follow the state guidelines regarding regulations and
allowable foods at school.
We’re Here for Your Family
An additional resource is available to assist Frisco ISD students and families in need. School support specialists provide personalized, hands-on support in securing assistance from community organizations or government agencies. The specialists ensure students’ basic needs are met, allowing them to focus on learning in the classroom. Contact your campus counselor to initiate the process if you’d like help addressing needs related to mental health, food insecurity, medical and legal services and much more.
Home, Classroom, and Community Supports
These resources are intended to help families enhance their child’s experiences at home and in the community. You will find strategies, activities, visuals, and more in the links below.
Any links are intended as a resource for Frisco ISD families. Third-party opportunities do not fall under the jurisdiction of Frisco ISD; links are provided for your convenience and are not an endorsement.
Parent Sanctuary and Lending Library
The Lending Library is a peaceful place for all Frisco ISD parents and educators to find resources, support, and inspiration. It contains books related to general parenting, parenting children with disabilities, children’s books about disabilities, and books specific to a variety of diagnoses. We also have books about sensory strategies, social skills, behavior strategies, raising gifted children, and siblings, teaching tools, and research. Parents and educators can also check out various sensory items, games, manipulatives, and self-care items to try at home or in the classroom.
The Parent Sanctuary & Lending Library is located within the Early Childhood School. We would love to welcome you in on Fridays from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Parent Trainers will be on-hand to assist in exploring resources, checking out items, and providing support to parents. No appointment or referral is needed to access the Parent Sanctuary. All FISD parents are welcome, regardless of special education eligibility.
If you have questions regarding the Parent Sanctuary or would like to donate gently used items, please reach out to Parent Trainer Kimberly Goushey at gousheyk@friscoisd.org.
About the Parent Sanctuary & Lending Library
Open to All Frisco ISD Parents & Educators
Fridays: 9 a.m.— 2 p.m. (Parent Trainers Available)*
*Open September through April, when school is in sessionFrisco ISD Early Childhood School
10330 Red Cedar Dr.
Frisco, TX 75035
Parent Education Opportunities
Resources
Supporting Your Child Brochures
FISD Curriculum Supports for Parents
Access the Elementary Curriculum Outline
Frisco ISD parents have access to the curriculum outline and pacing guides used Districtwide for each grade level. The curriculum outlines are created and revised each year by District educators and are rooted in the statewide curriculum standards provided by the Texas Education Agency called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS.) Access the curriculum and pacing page.
Curriculum and Pacing
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) provides curriculum standards statewide, which outline what students should know and be able to do in each course or grade, called the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).
The Frisco ISD scope and sequence documents below provide a brief outline of the standards and a recommended teaching order for the grade level or course. Frisco ISD teachers may change the order based on the name and need of students. Questions about the curriculum in your child’s classroom would best be answered by the classroom teacher.
As you go through the FISD scope and sequence documents, you will find a system of letters and numbers that reference specific TEKS covered in a unit or subject. This system of letters and numbers corresponds with standards within the TEKS. Access the TEKS to learn more about these specific concepts and skills.
Additionally, these documents may designate specific standards as Essential or Power standards. These are TEKS that Frisco ISD educators have determined are the most important for students to know and be able to do in order to be successful in the course and progress to the next course or grade level. As a result, emphasis is placed on ensuring students understand these concepts with in-depth instruction. These standards and other, Supporting standards are all taught in the current grade or course. Some of the concepts and skills contained in the TEKS may also be emphasized in a subsequent grade or course.
Social-emotional learning curriculum can be accessed through The Gateway. Information can be found on the Social Emotional Learning page.
CLICK HERE FOR SPECIFIC GRADE LEVELS AND CONTENT AREA INFORMATION.
Elementary Math Instructional Practices
To learn more about the development of mathematical understanding in elementary school, please view the following short videos:
Early Number & Counting
Addition and Subtraction
Multiplication
Division
Fractions
Learning Math Conceptually
Why are students taught conceptually before moving to the procedure?
To understand the meaning, the use and connections between addition, multiplication, subtraction, and division;
To understand the "why" and "how" of operations and not just memorizing steps (what most of us learned in school);
To select from a repertoire of computational strategies (including mental computation) for each operation;
To be proficient mathematicians;
To promote students' capacity to think flexibly of numbers as sums and differences of other numbers with all mental and written calculations.
When do we teach procedurally?
The procedure, also known as an algorithm, is sometimes a more efficient strategy for students when in written form.
As students make connections and show understanding of the operation conceptually, they begin using an algorithm.
Differentiated instruction in small group provides the flexibility for teachers to assess children's readiness to move to the procedure.
Research of Best Instructional Practices
Nix the Tricks: Why we do not teach math tricks without teaching meaning.
NCTM.org: National Council of Teachers of Mathematic
National Academies: National Research Council, Adding it Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics
Supporting Students at Home
Parents, please refer to these resources if you are looking for ways to academically support your child at home:
Volunteer Opportunities
Frisco ISD is thankful to the more than 19,000 volunteers who donated their time in 2022-23! Those interested in chaperoning, volunteering, mentoring, and engaging with students on Frisco ISD campuses in the 2023-24 school year are encouraged to get their background check done before the school year starts.
Frisco ISD uses VOLY, a volunteer management system, to post volunteer opportunities and find volunteers. Create a VOLY account.
Explore Volunteer Opportunities
- Volunteer with a Campus - Whether interested in chaperoning a field trip or volunteering in the library, you must create a VOLY account and complete a background check. VOLY allows volunteers to create a profile, sign up for specific campus/district-based opportunities, log volunteer time and track their total volunteer hours.
- Partners in Education - The Frisco ISD Partners in Education program aims to bridge the business community and schools together. Businesses and community organizations interested in donating time to the District and its staff and students can find information on the Partners in Education webpage.
- FISD Business Incubator Program - Centennial, Emerson, Frisco, Heritage and Lone Star high school students engage in an entrepreneurship program that brings learning to life by combining foundational business content with authentic entrepreneurial experience. The program helps students launch innovative businesses by turning a business idea into an actual pitch. Learn about how businesses and individuals can support the entrepreneurship program.
- Independent Study and Mentorship - Through the ISM program, students research a chosen topic of study with the help of a mentor while gaining real-world experience. Learn about the program and how businesses and individuals can volunteer.
- FISD Achieve Mentoring - The FISD Achieve Mentoring program unites caring and committed adults from across the community to provide student support, inspire future success in school and life, and to elevate students beyond any limitation. Learn more about empowering at-risk students through mentorship.
- Speaker’s Bureau - The District welcomes speakers to engage with students on various topics. Please sign up if you can lend some time, share your expertise and make a difference. Learn more about the Speaker’s Bureau.
Don’t Know Where to Begin?
The Frisco ISD Community Relations Department is happy to help get you started at volunteer@friscoisd.org or contact Sharon White at WhiteSh@friscoisd.org or 469-633-6866.
FREE MONEY FOR OUR SCHOOL
TOM THUMB: Fill out a form and turn in to the Customer Service Desk or email response to good.neighbor@tomthumb.com (Nonprofit Org. #6936)
KROGER: Online or call 800-576-4377 option 3 (Nonprofit Org. # 82997) You must re-link each year.
Interested In After School Programs?
If you are interested in any after school programs, click the link below to access the district's elementary community folder with information!
http://www.friscoisd.org/departments/communications/community-folder/elementary-community-folder