January 5: CEIC 4:45 pm

January 13: FANCY FRIDAY! (Wear your fanciest clothes!)

January 19: 2nd Grade Program 6 pm - 7 pm

January 25: Battle of the Books

January 27: Wear your Rodeo Gear

January 30: Coffee & Conversation with Mrs. Russell

January 30 & 31: Talent Show Tryouts 4 pm - 5 pm Library (More details to come)

February 6: Love Your School Week

February 13- 17: 9 Square In the Air (PE Classes)

February 14: Valentine's Day Classroom Card Exchange (No Parties)

February 16: School Talent Show 6 pm - 7:00 pm (More details to come)

February 17: NO SCHOOL

February 23: TELPAS Reading

February 22: TELPAS Listening & Speaking

February 20: NO SCHOOL

February 27: Bowling and Cosmic Week

February 27: Book Fair Week

February 28: 3/4 STAAR Reading Interim

February 28: Grandparent's Reception 4 pm - 5 pm

February 28: Book Fair Night 4 pm - 6 pm

February 27: Kindergarten & 4th Grade Promotion Pictures

March 7: 3/4 STAAR Math Interim

PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDAR:

March 21: Family Science Night 5:30 pm - 7 pm

March 23: 4th Grade Camp Carter

April 13: 4th Grade Play Day

April 26: Reading STAAR - Campus closed to lunch guests and lunch drop-offs

May 1 - 5: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 5: Field Day

May 10: Math STAAR - Campus closed to lunch guests and lunch drop-offs

May 22 - 24: Grade Level Award Ceremonies (Schedule TBA)

May 25: Last Day of School (EARLY DISMISSAL)

If your student's plan to go home will change, you must call prior to 2:45 pm. The only person that can call and make a change is the enrolling parent or guardian. Emergency contacts listed for students may not make changes to pick-up plans. This is part of our safety protocols. Thank you for understanding.

Caring is our Character Trait for the month of December. We celebrated this a little early this year and had a fuzzy sock drive at the end of November. Thank you so much for showing support to our drive. We had loads and loads of socks! This month we are talking about being a caring friend and how to build stronger friendships.

Please let me know if you need anything. Ms. Connie Clifton

The school district considers 100.00 F a fever. If your child wakes up running a fever prior to the school day, please keep them home. Please do not give them fever-reducing medications and send them to school. The district guideline this year is 24 hours fever free without medications.

If your child is complaining of a headache, sore throat, coughing, or showing any signs of possible COVID-19. Please keep them home for monitoring. A complete list of symptoms can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html

If your child tests positive for Covid 19 please keep them home for the 5-day quarantine. Fill out the self-report Veoci form on the district website: https://veoci.com/v/p/form/33rg5ap7x9fn and email a copy to Nurse Holly at holly.steiskal@kellerisd.net.

If your child vomits at home during the night or in the morning prior to school, or if they are having diarrhea they should not come to school until they have stopped vomiting and/or been diarrhea-free for 24 hours. This reduces the risk of a possible virus being spread to other students even if the child is no longer exhibiting symptoms.

If your child is a frequent complainer or likes to visit the nurse, please talk to them about the importance of coming only when truly necessary. All teachers will be supplied with basic first aid supplies so that small cuts and scrapes, loose teeth, chapped lips, etc. can be handled in the classroom. This will help keep your well-student from encountering a potentially sick child while visiting the nurse.

Send your child (even older kids) with a change of clothes (to be kept in their backpack) in case of a bathroom accident or a spill during lunch or on the playground.

Please talk to your child about proper hand washing and covering their coughs and sneezes. There are several videos and websites about hand washing.

Please note if there is a food allergy in class and follow all requested precautions. Food allergies may be life-threatening. Information will be posted outside your student’s classroom and notification will be sent home. If there are additional food allergies in your child’s classroom, please make sure your child’s snack is safe. Please talk to your child about the importance of not sharing food and handwashing. For more information check with your child’s teacher or the nurse.

Do not send medications to school with your child. Cough drops are considered a medication. Children are not allowed to possess any medications in the classroom. All medications must be kept with the nurse. This is for the safety of all students. Medications must be in their original containers and must be the appropriate dosage for your child (children’s, junior strength, etc.). Accurate prescription labels must be on all prescription medications. Written permission must be obtained before ANY medication can be given. There is a form that must be completed for medication administration that can be obtained from the nurse.

If your child suffers from a chronic or serious health condition, asthma or allergy, please notify the nurse.

Parents are welcome to join their students for lunch. Please remember that state law only allows parents/guardians to provide food for their own children. You will not be able to bring food for a friend's child and have him/her join you. All parents are asked to use the restrooms outside of the Community room. We ask that adults not use the student restrooms.

If you've never had the opportunity to dine with us, be sure to bring your driver's license with you when you check in at the office. If you arrive a bit early, we'll have you take a seat in the office or our newly furnished vestibule and wait for your student's lunchtime before heading to the cafeteria. You may purchase lunch from the cafe, bring in lunch for you and your child, or just sit and enjoy the time with your child as he/she eats. We have parent lunch tables reserved for you to dine with your student. Please know that students will not be able to bring a friend to the guest table to dine with you. We ask that you adhere to the allotted lunch time for your child's class and allow your child to return from lunch on time.

As a campus, we can have two parties during the school year. Our two parties are the Holiday party and the end-of-the-school-year party (celebration). The Holiday party was a HUGE success and our students LOVED it! We appreciate and thank each of you for your donations, time, and support! We will send out details for our end-of-year party in March. Thank you again!

Birthdays are very special and we celebrate each of our Mavericks in two ways. First, we mention their name on the morning announcements and we give them a birthday bracelet. In celebration of your child, you are welcome to send your student to school with a non-food item to share with their classmates such as special pencils, fun erasers, stickers, or something similar. Please know this is optional, not expected or required. If you do send in birthday (non-food) items, we ask that you keep it small. Teachers will ensure time is set aside for your student to share this non-food birthday item at the end of the day with everyone in the class. Invitations will be shared class wide only.

Birthday deliveries, such as balloons or flowers or cookies, will be held until 3:15 for the birthday student to pick up from the office as they are leaving to go home.

We are searching for community partners to assist with donations for various purposes. By partnering with us, we will publicly thank you- by giving you some advertisements for your company on our Facebook page, in our Twitter feed, and in our newsletter.

If you would like to contribute, please contact me at lasonia.russell@kellerisd.net or 817-744-6100. Thank you!

There are so many avenues of communication in order for you to stay in the know. They are:

school website - https://www.kellerisd.net/ies

Facebook ~ Independence Elementary School

Twitter - @Independence_ES

PTA webpage - https://independenceelempta.membershiptoolkit.com/

Maverick MEMO Newsletter - Your email that you shared when you registered is how you receive the monthly SMORE newsletters.

Please let us know if you have any questions.

Principal ~ Lasonia Russell: lasonia.russell@kellerisd.net

Assistant Principal ~ Lori Strom: lori.strom@kellerisd.net

Counselor ~ Connie Clifton: connie.cliffton@kellerisd.net

Secretary ~ Lindsay Day: lindsay.day@kellerisd.net

Attendance Clerk ~ Elena Lizcano: maria.lizcano@kellerisd.net