This Week at CCES
September 2 - 6
"Go build your brain!"
By the time this newsletter reaches your inbox, CCES Cubs will have been in school for a total of 13 days. It is incredible the transformation that occurs in our students in such a short amount of time. These changes aren’t due to luck. They’re due to learning!
The catchphrase that I use at CCES with our students is, “Go build your brain!” When students come to school, they are constantly stimulating their brains with new information. The input involves academic learning as well as unique opportunities to develop social-emotional skills. For 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week your child is acquiring content knowledge and social skills that are essentially preparing them for the future. That’s almost 38 hours per week of “brain building” at its best!
When your child is absent, whether it’s for appointments, illness, vacations, etc. instruction continues, but the hours of learning for your child decrease. As a principal (and mom), I know that illnesses occur, and dentists never seem to have an appointment for my child that is after 3:00. I also know that, regardless of how “bright” my child is and how quickly I feel he can catch up after missing class, it’s never the same as being present in the moment. I often think of how I feel after missing a day or two of work. I return to a stack of papers, missed phone calls, meetings that I must get updated on after-the-fact, and a general feeling of being overwhelmed. For children, the feelings can be similar or, even worse, they can grow complacent and feel that the learning that takes place when they are absent is unimportant.
This year, I strongly encourage you to strive to have your child in school, on time, every single day. As your child’s principal I care about their learning and I care that they receive just as much quality time as their classmates. When I discuss truancy with parents, they will sometimes tell me I only care about attendance because it is tied to funding. I am not an educator because I want money for the school (although it is essential). I am an educator because I passionately care about education! I take attendance very seriously, and for that reason I will be proactive in communicating with parents when attendance issues arise. I also want you to know that communicating with the school when illnesses, appointments, or emergencies occur is necessary. Often, we can support your family and help your child stay on track with a quick conversation or email.
Our attendance goal this year is 98%. This is not possible without YOU! Will you help us reach our goal? More importantly, will you allow your child to maximize their access to learning at CCES? Imagine the foundation to the future you will lay by reaching this goal!
Follow us on Twitter @CiboloCreekES and
on Facebook at Cibolo Creek Elementary School
September 2
- Labor Day Holiday
September 3
- Lexia Lab begins (Monday through Thursday 7:00 a.m. to 7:25 a.m.)
September 4
- PTO General Meeting 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
September 5
- Watch D.O.G.S. Kick-Off Event 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the cafeteria
September 6
- Spirit Day - Show your CCES, Champion Charger or Boerne Greyhound pride by wearing your spirit shirts!
Upcoming:
Monday, September 9 - Grandparents' Day
Grandparents are invited to bring a lunch or snack to enjoy with their grandchild during their regular, 30-minute lunch period. (See below for lunch times.)
Tuesday, September 10 - Parent Orientation (PK, Kinder, 3rd grade) 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m
Wednesday, September 11 - Parent Orientation (1st and 4th grade) 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, September 12 - Parent Orientation (2nd and 5th grade) 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Attendance Notes
Spurs What'cha Reading Program
CCES will be participating in the Spurs What’cha Reading Program September 3rd through October 4th! This program gives students an opportunity to win prizes individually and at the school level for reading at least 20 minutes per day (younger students can be read to).
On Tuesday, students will receive a log to record minutes read (outside of the classroom) each day. Please help your students remember to record the minutes read and then total the minutes after October 4th.
All logs must be returned to the classroom teacher by October 10th in order to be counted with the school totals. Please contact Mrs. Brinson at April.brinson@boerneisd.net if you have any questions.
PTO News
Be sure to visit their website (http://www.cibolocreekpto.com/) to join this amazing organization and learn how you can become involved. You can also purchase spirit wear and yearbooks through the PTO online store.
And, be sure to follow them on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/cibolocreekpto
Volunteers Needed
Classroom Volunteers:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/805084da4a92ca3f49-2019
Volunteers Around Campus:
Saying good-bye is hard to do, and we anticipate after a long weekend it may be a little hard on our students. Here are some tips to help make drop-off on Tuesday a lot easier.
Hugs,
Mrs. Zuniga
School Counselor
1. Establish a consistent goodbye routine and stick to it.
2. Arrive to school on time. Arriving late can lead to more anxiety and fear as the rest of the class watches your child walk in.
3. Avoid promising early dismissals. It sends the wrong message and leads to worrying about when s/he will get to go home.
4. Quick goodbyes are best. If you walk your child into school, leave them at the door or hallway. This will help your child establish independence and ensure a quick good-bye.
5. Show your child confidence as you leave. Avoid having conversations in front of your child about how nervous you are or the difficulty your child is experiencing. Instead talk about how proud you are of their independence.
6. It’s okay to leave your child crying. Gulp! (This was hard for me too!) We promise every effort will be made to help your child feel safe and comfortable.
7. Avoid making promises or offering rewards as a way to bribe your child to get through the day. They rarely work and internal satisfaction is more powerful than being rewarded externally.
8. Resist power struggles when it’s time to go to school. Stay calm and neutral.
Fun phrases to use when saying Good-bye:
· Pound cake, curly fries, now it’s time to say good-bye.
· I love you to pieces. I love you too Reece’s.
· Mac n’ cheese, now go to class please.
· Patty cake, patty cake, baker’s men, go to school as fast as you can.
· Gumball, lollipop here’s your classroom stop!
· Chugga chugga, choo choo, remember that I’ll come back for you.
Safety
- Talk to your children about using the cross walks when walking home from school. Crossing the street diagonally can be dangerous.
Drivers should leave plenty of space near cross walks when parking so there is plenty of room for adults and children to see oncoming traffic.
Drop students off in the front driveway only. Do not drop them off on Herff Ranch and have them cross the parking lot.
Visitors
- All visitors to our campus must check in at the office with valid photo identification. Please be sure to have your ID with you anytime you visit our campus.
Special Occasion Food
- All foods brought to campus for special occasions such as birthday parties, holiday parties, any special occasion MUST have an FDA approved label with ingredients and allergens legibly listed.
- Our school day begins at 7:25 a.m. The tardy bell rings at 7:35 a.m. We look forward to seeing your student on time each day.
- Dismissal is at 3:00 p.m.
- Please have your child attend school all day, everyday, unless they are sick. Please schedule appointments for after school whenever possible! We appreciate your suppport making the full instruction day an important part of your family's schedule.
- If your student is absent, please provide a written note upon return.
Cibolo Creek Elementary School
Website: http://cibolocreek.boerneisd.net/
Location: 300 Herff Ranch Blvd, Boerne, TX, 78006
Phone: 830-357-4400
Facebook: facebook.com/CiboloCreekElementarySchool
Twitter: @CiboloCreekES