Hello Candlewood Families and Community!

Can you believe we are looking at the month of February starting this Wednesday? Time is flying by! As promised, we would like to share the results of our parent survey sent out at the end of last semester. They will be shared in this S'MORE. Please keep reading to see what is going on at Candlewood this week and the weeks to come.

• Vision

  Ensuring Every Eagle S.O.A.R.S (Strives, Overcomes, Achieves, and Rises) to their highest potential.

  Mission

  Every member of the CWE family commits to providing a positive, purposeful, and collaborative environment, ensuring our life-long learners “S.O.A.R.” strive, overcome, achieve, and rise to their highest potential in a safe and secure school.

  Candlewood's Campus Commitments

  Compassion- We will demonstrate kindness and empathy by listening to our school community with open minds and open hearts.

  Teamwork- We will effectively collaborate by communicating and listening to the needs of our students.

  Work Ethic- We will consistently demonstrate fidelity to our campus goals.

  Integrity- We will hold ourselves and each other accountable for our actions.

  Community- We will work together to establish a supportive and positive environment.

  Candlewood Creed

  I am a Candlewood Eagle.

  I have great expectations for myself.

  I accept the challenge to be the best that I can be.

  I will make today the very best day of all.

  I promise to SOAR like an eagle and SHINE like a star.

“School Counselors: Helping Students Dream Big,” sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), will be celebrated from Feb. 6–10, 2023, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

The special week honoring school counselors provides recognition for school counselors who implement comprehensive school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet the challenges of the 21st century. Candlewood would like to recognize Ms. Konig for being actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; for working in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today’s world; for focusing on positive ways to enhance students’ academic, career and social/emotional development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. School counselors are certified, experienced educators with a master’s degree in school counseling. The combination of their training and experience makes them an integral part of the total educational program.

As promised survey results are in that were asking for feedback from our families. We had a total of 112 surveys filled out. Out of those 112, only 62 people felt as though they knew our campus vision and mission. We will now include it at the top of every S'MORE. In addition, it is stated on the footer of every campus letterhead and on our campus website. Another area of concern was the communication of how our students are doing academically and lack of parent conferences. Please know, a parent can request a parent conference by calling the school and setting up a conference in person or phone call. We just ask that is not during instructional time. Every teacher has a 50 minute conference period daily. You can also request a paper copy of your student's progress report/report card.

Accessing Grades in Skyward

As JISD transitions to Skyward, we want to make sure families have all the tools needed to stay informed about their student's academic progress. The following resources will guide you through the process to view grades in Skyward Family Access. Please click the link below:

The Judson ISD Volunteer Application is on Talent ED. Anyone wishing to volunteer with Judson ISD that is not related to a child that is enrolled at Judson ISD, volunteering for more than a single event, student teachers, service center, or shared services agreement is required to complete the application.

The following still applies: as of September 12, 2022, Parents, guardians, and/or grandparents of a child that is enrolled at a Judson ISD campus who choose to volunteer are no longer required to complete the Volunteer application. They will be required to check-in using the RAPTOR System at the campus/location when visiting their child. A government issued photo I.D. is required for RAPTOR check-in. Extended family members will also be required to check-in using the RAPTOR system. All Districts are required to adhere to Government Code §411.097 and Texas Education Code Sec. 22.0835 with regard to criminal history records.

Improving daily attendance is one of our main initiatives this school year. We track our attendance daily and give shout outs to individual classrooms for having perfect attendance. Each week, Candlewood students have an opportunity to have grade level dance parties, receive party favors, or tasty treats. Last week, 4th grade students won the tasty treats for the highest percentage of students with perfect attendance. There was also a glow dance party for all CWE Eagles with perfect attendance for the second 9 weeks. We have recently kicked off our Motivational Monday challenges too. This past Monday we had color wars and next Monday we have crazy hats. See the flyer posted below for more information. ATTEND TODAY, ACHIEVE TOMORROW!

Texas School Law states that students must be in attendance at least 90% of the time to receive credit for a course. A student will NOT receive credit for a course if he/she exceeds the number of allowable absences. Please be advised that if a student is absent without an excuse for 3 or more days or parts of days in a four-week period truancy measures should begin. If a student is absent 10 or more days within a six-month period, the student’s parents and/or the student are subject to prosecution under the Texas Education Code after a Truancy Warning Notice is issued.

For further explanation of attendance, refer to your Student/Parent Handbook.

https://www.judsonisd.org/cms/lib/TX50000485/Centricity/Domain/3990/2022-2023%20JISD%20Student%20Handbook%20and%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf

If a student is absent from school, even for just one class/period, he/she must bring a note to the Attendance Office. Notes received will be coded. Notes can be turned in between the school hours of 7:00 a.m till 3:15 p.m. Notes can also be emailed to the Attendance Office using the email created for each campus. Please keep in mind only 3 parent notes can be used for an excused absence as per our policy in the student handbook.

Candlewood Elementary- CWEattendance@judsonisd.org

Our campus opens at 6:45 AM every morning. As a reminder, when arriving to school you can use the front or back entrance to the school until 7:30 AM. After 7:30 AM, students must enter through the front and be signed in by a parent/guardian because the student is considered tardy. If a parent/guardian is going to enter the campus, please pull into an actual parking spot so traffic is not delayed. If a parent/guardian plans to go past the front office, they are required to provide a picture ID so we can run it through the Raptor system and provide a visitor's pass.

If a student must be checked out of school for a Medical/Dental Appointment or other planned event, etc, The parent/guardian must sign out the student in the Attendance Office and show valid photo identification before leaving campus with the student. Please allow time in your schedule for the Attendance Office to retrieve your student from their class. (Students could be testing, in Athletics, or in a Lab)

If a student becomes ill at school, he/she needs to report to the school nurse. The nurse will determine if he/she needs to be excused due to illness. The parent/guardian will be contacted, asked to come, and sign out the student in the Attendance Office. If the student is sent home by the nurse, this is considered an excused absence (DOES NOT count towards the student’s attendance under the compulsory attendance laws) for the remainder of that day. Subsequent absences will need a parent note in order to be excused. Should the nurse choose not to send a student home due to illness and the parent chooses to sign out their student, this is an unexcused absence until a parent note is received.

Please do not check out a student after 2:30 PM. It is very difficult as we are serving dinner, packing and preparing for the day, and transitioning students into dismissal.

• 5th Grade: 3:15-4:15 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays
• 4th Grade: To be determined
• 3rd Grade: 3:15-4:15 P.M. on Tuesdays and Wednesdays

Supplemental Instruction/Tutoring Requirements:

• Deliver targeted Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)-aligned instruction for the applicable grade level and subject areas.
• Be provided in addition to instruction normally provided to students in the grade level in which the student is enrolled.
• Be designed to assist the student in achieving satisfactory performance in the applicable grade level and subject area
• Not be scheduled such that a student is removed from any of the following:
  • Instruction in grade-level content for the foundation curriculum
  • Instruction in enrichment curriculum for the grade level in which the student is enrolled
  • Recess or physical activity that is available to other students enrolled in the same grade level.
• Be provided for no less than 30 hours total during the summer or subsequent school year. If provided during the subsequent school year, it should include instruction no less than once per week.
• If a student does not pass both math and reading STAAR tests, they will need to meet the 30 hour requirement for each of the two subject areas.
• Utilize effective instructional materials designed for supplemental instruction.
• Be provided by an individual with training in aligned instructional materials and under the LEA’s oversight. Ideally, the same individual provides tutoring continuously for the student’s entire supplemental instruction period.

Did you know 1st-5th grade CWE students have access to extra practice in math and reading at home? Have them log into their Amplify Reading account or Zearn Math account at anytime from home to practice reading and math skills. It is a campus goal for students to complete at least 3 lessons a week on Zearn.

One piece of feedback we are immediately putting into place are afterschool clubs! Faculty and Staff have organized resources and planned afterschool sessions for our students to experience and grow as they get involved in clubs. We have many to choose from including: Primary and Intermediate Art Club, Typing and Typing Jr. clubs, Zearn Math Club, Dancing Eagles Club, Kindness Club, Caring Citizens Club, Yearbook Club, Girls on the Run Club, iPLAY, Origami Club, Beginners and Advanced Makerspace Club and Gardening Club. Each club sponsor has set up a Dojo page especially for their club to keep ongoing communication with our families and make special announcements.

Congratulations to Mrs. Fiorentino! She is our Eagle of the Week. Mrs. Fiorentino is one of our Pre K 3 teachers. She is always willing to help out anyone on her team or any other person on campus. She has positive relationships with her students and is full of fantastic ideas. Way to go!!!

Being able to communicate is vital to being an effective school and family team. Throughout the year we will communicate information in at least 5 ways. We use our school website found on the JISD webpage, School Dojo, Candlewood Facebook page, paper flyers, school marquee, family engagement bulletin board (front foyer), and Blackboard (school automated calls with texts and emails). If you ever need to talk to admin directly, please ask for our Assistant Principal, Dr. Martinez, or our Principal, Mrs. Diaz. Please let us know of any other suggestions to use to communicate important information or events.

As we begin the second semester, we would like to revisit the Campus Communication Protocol flowchart. The purpose of the flowchart is to streamline our communication with families so that we can respond to questions or concerns in the most efficient way possible. The importance of communication between school and home cannot be overstated and at Judson ISD Parents we truly value the school-home connection. Thank you in advance for your support as we enter the second semester, we are looking forward to a successful close to the school year.