⭐March 28 - April 8, 2022 ⭐

Upcoming Events:

March 28 - April 1 - College Week
April 1 - Last day to order a yearbook
April 4 - 8 - Spring Book Fair
April 8 - 4th Grade Field Trip
April 15 - Student and Staff Holiday
April 18 - Student Holiday/Staff Development Day
April 22 - Field Day
May 10 - 4th Grade Math STAAR
May 11 - 4th Grade Reading STAAR

Reading/Writing:
We will be comparing texts of different genres, looking for similarities and differences. We are finishing our argumentative essay and starting to write to a given prompt.

Social Studies:
We are learning about Texas Revolution and the battles to gain freedom from Mexico.

Math:
We will continue our unit on fractions. We will be converting fractions greater than one (improper fractions) to mixed numbers, comparing fractions, and adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators.

Science:
We will describe the flow of energy through food webs, beginning with the Sun, and predict how changes in the ecosystem affect the food web.
Reminders

Field Trip Chaperone Sign-Up

We have a limited number of spots for parent chaperones on our field trip. If you would like to sign up, please fill out this Google Form ASAP. Field trip permission forms and more information will be sent home soon!

Field Day Shirt Orders

We are excited to share the design for this year's field day shirt! You can view the flyer HERE and order HERE.

Smart Watches

Our elementary policy is that students are allowed to have cell phones, but they are to remain in their backpacks for the entire school day. Please know that Apple Watches are considered cell phones on campus. We ask that if you need to text or get a hold of your child during the school day, that you please call the school and our receptionist will either deliver your message or connect you to your child's classroom if applicable.

Purple Walker Student Safety & Procedures

This year the purple walker group is our largest group of students and we are having safety concerns. We ask that all parents please follow the SRE guidelines and procedures for walkers. They are listed below:

ALL students MUST cross at the crosswalk ONLY.

If you park along the street on Mirabeau Way, we ask that you either walk up to the crosswalk to meet your child or wait until your child is crossed at the crosswalk and walks down the sidewalk to you.
Please do not park and yell for your child to cross the street. It a school grounds requirement that students must be crossed at a crosswalk and this has caused students to run out into traffic.
Please be respectful to our teachers as they are following LHISD guidelines.

LHISD SROs want all parents to know that you must abide by painted lanes that are on the public street for where to park. They will begin giving out tickets.

Morning Drop Off, Parking, & Afternoon Dismissal Procedures & Routines

Morning Procedures:

Please be mindful that we do not have staff on duty to monitor students until 7:10. If you arrive before that time, please stay with your child until the doors are unlocked and there are staff members on duty.

Morning drop off is a ONE LANE process. DO NOT run over our cones, drive around the cones or other cars. It is imperative that you stay in one lane in the morning. Students are exiting from their vehicles on the curb and passenger side, and we do not want anyone to get hit or hurt.

The front 4 parking spots next to the handicap parking is available for parents that want to PARK and WALK their child to the crosswalk or front doors. This is a great option for students that may need a little more assistance getting out of their car.

If your child is unable to independently unbuckle their seatbelt/car seat, please PARK and WALK them to the crosswalk.

DO NOT use the front parking lot as a "STOP and DROP" location. Parents are not permitted to pull in the parking lot and have your child jump out the car door and drive off to avoid the car rider line.

There are only 2 options for morning drop off: 1) Enter the car rider line 2) PARK in the 4 vacant parking lot spots and WALK your child to the crosswalk or to the front doors of the school building.

If you are not walking your child to the front doors, please use the car rider lane. Please make sure to allow plenty of time for a safe morning arrival.

Afternoon Procedures:

Please make sure to have your car tag displayed.

Pull all the way forward and put your vehicle in park. Once Mrs. Luedtke raises the GREEN card, do not move your vehicle forward. We have several cars that are rolling when the students are walking, and that is not safe.

DO NOT call or motion your child to come to your vehicle before they are released. They must remain with the staff members until all cars have stopped and are in park.

Please wait in your vehicle. DO NOT get out of your car. We have several staff members that will assist your child with opening doors and buckling seat belts.

If you do not have your car tag, you MUST have a valid I.D. for verification. If you do not have your car tag or I.D., your child will not be released to you.

Tardy Procedures:

The tardy bell rings at 7:40

If your child is tardy you MUST walk your child into the office to receive a tardy pass. This is an LHISD policy. Do not drop them off in the parking lot or at the front sidewalk as we have no staff working outside at that time and your child is unsupervised on campus grounds.

Handicap Parking Spots:

Please do not park in the handicap parking spots unless you meet the new January 1, 2022 SB- Disabled Veteran Plates and Parking Privileges. This document is posted below.

LHISD SRO's will be monitoring this.

COVID Positive Student Return Dates

Please be aware that LHISD has a 10 day quarantine policy for students. We understand that the doctor may provide you a return date for school, but all campuses follow the return dates given by the LHISD Health Department team. These return dates will shared with you from the campus nurse. If you have any questions regarding return dates please call Nurse Kelly.

Panther Partners

The LHISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to increase pay rates for Substitute Teachers, also known as Panther Partners. We would be unable to meet our target level of excellence in our classrooms without our Panther Partners.

Each day we have unfilled vacancies and could use your help. If you would like to become a Panther Partner or know someone who would be interested. Please use or share the link below.

LHISD Panther Partners

Other Useful Reminders:

🧁Elementary Birthday Policy

We love to celebrate student birthdays here at Santa Rita! However, we do have birthday policies in place to protect students who may have food allergies and policies regarding party invitations. Additionally, this year, we are asking that all birthday treats be store-bought and individually wrapped. You may also provide non-edible birthday treats in lieu of food items. Below is LHISD's Elementary Handbook policy regarding birthdays.

"Birthdays: Please coordinate with your child’s teacher one week prior. Parents are welcome to bring commercially prepared baked goods or non-edible ‘goodies.’ Treats will be shared at a prearranged day and time agreed upon by the teacher based on the policy of each individual elementary school. Please do not send balloons or flowers to your child’s classroom as it causes a distraction to the instruction day. As a district, we value the inclusion of all. For this reason, IF you send birthday party invitations to school to be distributed, you MUST invite all students in the classroom."

For information on other policies, please visit the Elementary Handbook.

🍽️PARENTS MAY JOIN THEIR CHILD FOR LUNCH

Starting November 2nd, parents may come and eat lunch with their child in the cafeteria. If you wish to join your child for lunch, you and your child will sit at the V.I.P tables located on the staging map below. All parents will be required to check in at the front office to receive a visitor badge. You must have a valid photo I.D. to be scanned in to receive your visitor pass. This is a district requirement to enter the school building. Please be advised that if you do not have a valid photo I.D., you will not be able to enter the building.

Parent Guidelines:
Parents/Guardians will only have access to the cafeteria
Students will arrive and exit the cafeteria with their teacher
Parents/Guardians may not walk students back to class or to other parts of the building
Parents/Guardians may ONLY sit with their personal child. Other children can not come join you
Parents/Guardians may only bring and or purchase food for their personal child

Peanut-Free Zone

We have several 4th grade students with peanut allergies. In order to keep everyone safe, please save the peanut snacks and lunch items for home. Thank you for helping us keep the classroom safe for all of our friends~

Transportation Changes

All transportation changes need to be submitted to the office no later than 1:00pm. Please visit the LHISD Transportation Change Request site before sending the notice to the SRE transportation change email. We are asking that parents remind their students to always go to their normal dismissal location unless they have a note from the office. Thank you!

Car Rider Tags

All students should have a car rider tag on their backpack, even if they do not typically go home as a car rider. If your student is a car rider one day in the future, this will help us make sure they get home safely. If you did not receive a car rider tag for your vehicle, please let us know.

🧥 Labeling Jackets and Water Bottles

Jacket weather is here! (Well, sometimes. Texas weather can be so unpredictable!) Just to be safe, please make sure your student's jackets and water bottles are labeled with their first and last name. This will help us reunite lost jackets and water bottles with their owners. 🙂

Please don't forget to send a water bottle to school with your child each day. The bottle filling stations are operational, but all water fountains have been switched off out of an abundance of caution.

Chromebooks & Headphones

Our Chromebooks have been delivered! The computers will stay at school this year, but we will use them frequently in class to expand and enhance the learning experience. Please make sure your student has headphones or earbuds in their backpack each day.

Weekly Spirit Days

Mondays are College and Career Days! Wear your favorite college or career readiness shirt! Fridays are Panther Spirit Days. We can't wait to see your purple and gold! 🥳

SRE March Trait of the Month: Determination

DETERMINATION: Deciding it’s worth it to finish what you have started.

How to help students develop self-determination

Students need a supportive environment at home and at school to develop determination.
Discuss setting small, achievable goals at school and with their personal interests
Give students choices when possible, in order to help them advocate for themselves
Have students practice problem-solving…turn the questions back to them!
Encourage students to take risks! When something new is hard to learn, promote grit by reminding them to have a “growth mindset”- they just haven’t achieved it YET!
Celebrate their efforts when they try their best

Specials Rotations:

Monday, 3/28	Tuesday, 3/29	Wednesday, 3/30	Thursday, 3/31	Friday, 4/1
Blue	Purple	Red	Orange	Yellow
Monday, 4/4	Tuesday, 4/5	Wednesday, 4/6	Thursday, 4/7	Friday, 4/8
Green	Blue	Purple	Red	*Field Trip - Wear your purple panther gear!*

Chapman	Cravens	Garner	LeCaptain	Malone	Schultze	Styskal
*Art/Music/Spanish	Music	Art	PE	PE	PE	Spanish
PE	PE	PE	Music	Spanish	Art	PE
*Art/Music/Spanish	Spanish	Music	PE	PE	PE	Art
PE	PE	PE	Spanish	Art	Music	PE
*Art/Music/Spanish	Art	Spanish	PE	PE	PE	Music
PE	PE	PE	Art	Music	Spanish	PE