Bennett Bear Business Newsletter
Week of September 12, 2021
YOU help make OUR school GREAT!
Grandparent's Day 2021 - Our BEARS Love YOU
Check Out This Week's Grade Level Newsletters
Kindergarten's Weekly Newsletter
1st Grade's Weekly Newsletter
2nd Grade's Weekly Newsletter
3rd Grade's Weekly Newsletter
4th Grade's Weekly Newsletter
5th Grade's Weekly Newsletter
Specials' Weekly Newsletter
Safety Patrol Team 3 Will Assist with Arrival & Dismissal This Week
Celebrate Freedom Week - September 13-17
MISD to Provide FREE Breakfast & Lunch to ALL Students Again this Year
Important Changes to McKinney ISD Menus
Important changes to the MISD elementary breakfast and lunch menus - Below are the NEW menus just sent out - please share with our BEARS.
Due to manufacturer shortages and other instabilities in the supply chain, as well as a large increase in meal participation across the board at all schools, McKinney ISD Aramark has needed to alter the elementary menus to ensure we meet the demand of so many students. The most up-to-date menu information will always be available on our menu website at mckinney.schooldish.com, which updates hourly based on changes we are making continually as needs demand.
NEW September Breakfast Menu
NEW September Lunch Menu
International Polka Dot Day - Monday, September 13th - Wear Polka Dots
Big Kahuna Fundraiser Online Orders Close - Monday, September 13th
Our BEARS Raised Over $50,000!!!
Thank You for Helping Us Fundraise to Support, Improve, Enrich, & Engage our BEARS
Save the Date - Big Kahuna Party Bus - Wednesday, October 20th
Virtual PTO General Meeting - Tuesday, September 14th - 6:00PM
Ice Cream Treat at Lunch - Wednesday, September 15th
1st Quarter Progress Reports Go Home for 1st-5th Grade BEARS - Wednesday, September 15th
McKinney ISD College Week - September 20th-24th
Save the Date - PTO Sponsored Jersey Mike"s - Wednesday, September 22nd
Save the Date - PTO's 2nd Annual Trunk or Treat Drive Thru Event - Friday, October 22nd - Sign Up Below
RESPECT - Bennett's Character Trait for the Month of September
Save the Date - Virtual September Friday Live - September 24th - 2:30PM
We will be coming together as a school family, VIRTUALLY, on Friday, September 24th, at 2:30PM, for our 1st Friday Live of the school year. Our monthly celebrations will continue to look different this year because of social distancing. Rather than our entire school coming together in the gym, students will watch safely from their classrooms.
Parents will watch virtually via either our Bennett Elementary Facebook Page or our Bennett Elementary website when we post the link to our pre-recorded September Friday Live video at 2:30PM.
September Friday Live Parent Invite - Virtually
Tickets, Tickets Everywhere - Our BEARS are Earning Tickets to Win this Stuffed Animal
Monkey Says - "I'm Going Home with a Bennett BEAR Soon"
Students will write their name on the back of their ticket and return it to school. Tickets will be turned in to the front office and kept in a big yellow lego container.
Every Friday, Ms. Halpin and I will draw FIVE tickets on live Morning Announcements. Those five ticket winners will come to the front office and pick a prize out of the treasure box. Then, Ms. Halpin and I will add those five tickets back into the big yellow lego container with all the other tickets.
Finally, each month when we come together as a school family at our Friday Live school assembly, we will have a drawing to see who's lucky ticket is drawn. If your child's lucky ticket is drawn, they get to KEEP the stuffed animal forever.
Each month, we will have a new special stuffed animal our BEARS will be earning tickets to WIN. Good luck, BEARS!
Crape Myrtle Run & Free Family Festival - Saturday, September 25th
Let Them Know YOU are from Bennett Elementary
Save the Date - Picture Day for our BEARS is Coming Soon - Tuesday, September 28th
1st & 2nd Grade GT Referrals Open for Nominations - Due by Thursday, September 30th
The McKinney ISD GT Department is currently accepting referrals for Gifted and Talented services. We are looking for students who are advanced in relation to students of similar age, experience, and environment. The deadline for 1st and 2nd grade referrals is September 30, 2021. The referral can be accessed via the links below. You are welcome to complete the online referral or a paper based referral.
https://sites.google.com/student.mckinneyisd.net/alpha1718/gt-referrals
1st-5th Grade Alpha is Underway for our BEARS
Monday’s – Alpha Day for Bennett’s 1st Grade, 2nd Grade & 3rd Grade Students
- 8:00-9:00 Bennett’s 2nd Grade Alpha students meet with Lisa Crates in the Bennett Science Lab
- 8:35AM Bennett’s 3rd Grade Alpha students load the bus and travel to Webb Elementary
- 9:00-10:00 Bennett’s 1st Grade Alpha students meet with Lisa Crates in the Bennett Science Lab
Thursday & Friday’s – Alpha Days for Bennett’s 4th & 5th Grade Students
- 8:40AM Bennett’s 4th & 5th Grade Alpha students load the bus and travel to Webb
MISD Alpha Dates - 2021-2022
Upcoming Events for our BEARS
September Events:
Sunday, September 12th:
*Happy Grandparent's Day
*We hope you enjoy the Grandparent's Day video in this week's newsletter
Monday, September 13th:
*Big Kahuna online order sales closes
*Our special virtual Grandparent's Celebration will be shared with our BEARS
Tuesday, September 14th:
*PTO General Meeting via Zoom - 6:00PM
*Email Amy Holderman @ aholderman@mckinneyisd.net for Zoom link information for the meeting
Wednesday, September 15th:
Progress Reports go home with 1st-5th grade BEARS
Friday, September 17th:
2nd-5th Grade Bear Feet Running Club Begins - 7:30AM-7:50AM - Put belongings in gym & head outside
Week of Monday, September 20-24
College Week
Monday, September 20th:
*College Week - Dress up in a future career you hope to have
*MAP Window Opens for K-5th
*MClass Window Opens for K-2
Tuesday, September 21st:
*College Week - Wear college shirt, colors, or your teacher's college colors
*National IT Professional Day
Wednesday, September 22nd:
*College Week - Wear camo or military attire
*PTO Sponsored Jersey Mike's Spirit Night
Thursday, September 23rd:
College Week - Team up in your favorite college jersey or team gear
Friday, September 24th:
*College Week - Wear a hat to support higher education
*2nd-5th Grade Running Club - 7:30AM-7:50AM
*Virtual September Friday Live - 2:30PM
*Students will watch the pre-recorded Friday Live video from their classrooms
*Parents will watch the pre-recorded Friday Live video from our Bennett Facebook page or our Bennett Elementary website when we post the link to the video at 2:30PM
*Wear Bennett spirit wear attire
Saturday, September 25th:
Crape Myrtle Run - details on flyer
Tuesday, September 28th:
Picture Day
Wednesday, September 29th:
Special Olympics Bowling Competition
Thursday, September 30th:
1st & 2nd Grade Alpha (GT) Referrals Due
BEARS Celebrating a Birthday in September
September Birthdays:
1 - Stella, James, Amir
2 - Grace
3 - Faizan, Ava
4 - Mia
5 - Ryan, Ms. O'Connell - STC Teacher
7 - Colton, Caleb, Cooper
8 - Lillie
9 - Benjamin, Paige Henry, Vanessa, Anna
10 - Carlene, Isla, Austin
12 - Kenzie
13 - Kate
14 - Cameron, Grant, Jerome
15 - Sebastian, Carson, Isaac, Sienna
17 - Soha, Ms. Vera - 2nd Grade Teacher
18 - Alyssa
19 - Glenn
20 - Lily, Scarlett
21 - Riley, Zachary, Ms. White - 5th Grade Teacher
22 - Dominic, Austin
23 - Mallory, Mckenlee, Micah
25 - Timothy
26 - David
27 - Madison
28 - Adam, Ava
29 - U S
30 - Annie, Chance, Marco, Anthony
The Learning Commons is operating on a hybrid model of both fixed and flexible scheduling because our 1st and 2nd grade students missed the foundational library skills and procedures last year, due to Covid closing the Learning Commons. Therefore, 1st and 2nd graders will have weekly library visits, along with our Kindergarten students. As the school year progresses, we will move to flexible scheduling for all students.
When is the Learning Commons open to students?
Before School from 7:35-7:55am - Students are welcome to return and checkout books before school. To avoid being tardy, students are sent to class no later than 7:55am.
After School from 3:07-3:20pm - Students who walk home may visit the library after school. We encourage students to communicate with parents their intentions to do so, to ensure students do not arrive home later than expected.
3rd, 4th, & 5th grade students may visit the library during the school day on Mondays, Wednesdays, & Fridays from 8:10am-3:07pm.
K, 1st, & 2nd grade students visit the library as a class, at their assigned time, for story time and returning and checking out new books.
We will assess 1st & 2nd grade students' ability to come to the LC independently, on a flexible schedule, as they become more familiar with the procedures and policies.
Clinic News from Nurse Tiffany
Join All Things Bennett PTO - Visit Their Website
Join Our Amazing Bennett PTO
Why Join Our Bennett PTO?
Bennett PTO Community Sponsors Supporting our BEARS
NEW GOLD Community Sponsor - Dowling Marketing Agency
NEW GOLD Community Sponsor - Texas Property Sisters Realty Group
NEW BRONZE Sponsor - Hire a Vet Junk Removal
Support Our BEARS - Quick & Easy Ways When You Shop
PTO Sponsored Spirit Nights - Save the Dates
NEW MISD Covid 19 Isolation Protocols
New MISD Isolation Protocols
Step 1: When a student, who is on campus, has displayed symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever, coughing, shortness of breath, etc., the school nurse will provide a clinical assessment to determine if and when a student needs to be sent home. Students who are ill will be separated from their peers and should be picked up within one hour.
Step 2: The campus nurse will speak with the parent/guardian regarding quarantine and isolation needed for their symptomatic student. The student who has symptoms of COVID-19, may return to campus after 10 days have passed from symptom onset AND symptoms resolved AND at least 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medication. The student may return to campus before the end of the 10 day period only IF a note from a health care provider is received by and discussed with the campus nurse prior to the student returning to campus.
Step 3: The campus nurse will follow up with the student throughout the quarantine and isolation period.
Step 4: If the parent of the student reports to the campus nurse that the student was tested for COVID-19 and is now lab confirmed positive, the steps for “ Students Who Report That They are Lab-Confirmed Positive for COVID-19” will be followed.
Students Who Report That They Are Lab-Confirmed Positive for COVID-19
Step 1: When a student has been lab-confirmed positive for COVID-19, the school nurse and teacher should be notified of their illness and should remain home for 10 days from the date of testing.
Step 2: The student who had the lab-confirmed COVID-19 positive test result, may return to campus after 10 days have passed from the date the positive test was performed AND symptoms resolved AND at least 24 hours have passed with no fever, without the use of fever-reducing medication.
Step 3: The campus nurse will follow up with the lab confirmed COVID-19 positive student throughout the quarantine and isolation period.
Step 4: MISD will follow Texas Education Agency and Collin County Health Department guidance for reporting lab positive confirmed COVID-19 cases.
NEW MISD Covid Protocols
Effective 8/2/2021, all existing protocols will be replaced with the following information. We will continue to monitor and adjust our protocols based on any updated information from Collin County Health Department, Texas DSHS, Texas Education Agency and CDC.
- All staff, visitors and students (with parental assistance) should monitor for symptoms of illness prior to campus arrival.
- CDC Guidance (including those fully vaccinated) recommends to maximize protection from the Delta variant and prevent possibly spreading it to others, wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission. Schools in Texas, including McKinney ISD, may highly recommend but may not require masks.
- Campuses will work to ensure no student is treated differently as a result of their choice to wear a mask or not wear a mask.
- Visitors will be allowed on campus according to standard visiting rules.
- Social distancing will be maintained when feasible.
- Staff and students will continue to be expected to wash their hands frequently throughout the day.
- Parents and employees will continue to be required to report confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 to campus administration or their supervisor, but this information will no longer be tracked on the District COVID-19 Dashboard.
- Staff and students with symptoms of COVID 19 (until ruled out) OR a confirmed case of COVID-19 must quarantine for 10 days from the date of symptom onset or positive test if no symptoms.
- Staff will not conduct close contact reviews and students/staff will not be required to quarantine for exposure.
- Current MISD COVID-19 numbers may be accessed through TEA at https://dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/schools/texas-education-agency/
- Current Collin County/City of McKinney numbers may be found at https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8a63b1622bea4d65b28658f2101b539
McKinney ISD Substitutes Needed
McKinney ISD substitute teachers serve an essential role in our classrooms. They keep the learning moving forward when a teacher can not be in the classroom. At Bennett, we are thankful for all of the substitutes that serve our BEARS.
If you have ever considered serving as a substitute, now is a great time to apply! We are looking for people who are committed to the students and families in our district. Many of our Bear parents find that it is a wonderful and rewarding way to be connected to the educational process and to our school. Substitutes in MISD can choose if they would like to work at only one level campus (elementary, middle, or high) or they can work at campuses across all levels.
Applications are processed on a continuing basis through the fall semester.
For details on the application process and to get started, please visit:
https://www.mckinneyisd.net/human-resources/substitute-opportunities/
Substitute Opportunities | McKinney ISD
Substitute Opportunities. Substitutes are an important part of the daily operations of the school day. We truly appreciate our substitutes and are grateful for your contribution to our students and teachers.