Bear Bulletin
Lincoln Elementary Community Connection Newsletter
Week of May 2, 2022
Staff Appreciation Week
Across the nation teachers and other school staff work hard for students and their families every day. The past few years have presented unprecedented challenges in our profession that our staff continue to find creative ways to overcome. If you drive by the school on any given weeknight (and even many weekends), you will find staff cars in our parking lot well past their contract hours. This is time spent away from their families and dedicated to finding ways to reach students who struggle with content, prepare lesson materials, and more. For most of our staff, education is a calling. In August, I asked our staff about their "why." It is a question we ask in every interview, regardless of position, as well. What drives them and motivates them to continue in this field? What about education fuels their passion? I'm sure you would not find it as a surprise, but not once has someone said it was for a paycheck or for "summers off." (We can talk about that one some other time - trust me - teachers are working in the summer too!). Our staff are drawn to this field because they have a drive to ensure each and every student, regardless of their background or ability, learn at high levels each and every day. They love that "light bulb moment" when a student finds understanding of a challenging concept or a new skill. They pour themselves into finding ways to make these moments happen.
This week is Staff Appreciation Week. Our PTO has several treats planned for our staff. In addition, we are asking that families donate individually packaged snacks, fruit, or packages of sodas, water, or sports drinks that we can use to stock our staff lounge. We want to spoil our staff with snacks and drinks that they can enjoy throughout the week and when they are working late for our kids.
We are truly blessed to have such a dedicated staff who go above and beyond for our students. We appreciate them, not just this week, but each and every day.
Welcome!
Lincoln is consistently increasing our enrollment. Please join us in welcoming the following students and their families to our Lincoln community:
- Josie J.
- Kaden T.
We are always glad to have new faces in our building and look forward to new friendships.
PTO News
We have a PTO meeting this Friday at 9:00 in our cafeteria. Breakfast will be provided as a way to thank all of our volunteers.
At this meeting, we will also fill positions for the PTO Executive Board and Director positions for the 2022-2023 school year.
Available positions can be seen at the sign up link below. We encourage you to sign up to run for the open positions. Our PTO is a great support for our school, and it works because of volunteers like YOU!
Early Voting Ends This Week
Early voting continues on Monday and Tuesday of this week. During Early Voting, you can vote at any available polling location that is convenient for you. In the Montgomery area, that location is the Lone Star Community Center on Lone Star Parkway.
Election Day is Saturday, May 7 and if you wait until then, you must vote at your assigned location for your precinct.
Other items on the election ballot include two seats on the MISD Board of Trustees, the homestead exemption increase and, if you live in the Montgomery city limits, the mayoral and city council election.
See the graphic below for information about how the bond would support students at Lincoln Elementary.
End of Year Celebrations
End of Year Celebrations - Coming Soon!
We are excited to announce that our 5th graders and our kindergarteners will be able to have the traditional end-of-year celebration ceremonies on campus - with families invited! We are still working out all of the details, but we anticipate that the 5th grade ceremony will be held in the gym on Wednesday, May 25, at 9:00 a.m., and the kindergarten celebration will be held in the cafeteria on Thursday, May 26, at 9:00 a.m.
Other grade levels will have their celebrations in their classrooms. Parents will be invited to these celebrations as well, but may be limited to two family members per student due to space constraints. A specific schedule for these celebrations will be provided in next week's newsletter.
STAAR News and Updates - Carried Over from Last Week
If you scroll through any social media site, you will find discussions about the STAAR test and many parents advocating for their children not to take the assessment. Hopefully the information below will provide valuable information about the importance of your child taking the STAAR test. It is our goal to have 100% of our 3rd-5th grade students in attendance for their tests. Students are provided 4 hours to take the assessments unless they meet qualifications for extra time. However, the STAAR test is designed to be completed in a couple of hours, and most students do complete it within that timeframe. STAAR testing dates for this year are:
- Tuesday, May 10th: 3rd-5th Math
- Wednesday, May 11th-:3rd-5th Reading
- Thursday, May 12th: 5th Science
- Thursday, May 12th: Make ups for 3rd & 4th any subject
- Friday, May 13th: Make-ups for any grade or subject
- Monday, May 16th: Make-ups for any grade or any subject
Recently, our students participated in a district wide benchmark assessment. This assessment was the Released 2021 STAAR test. If you would like to see the test or review it with your child, it can be found at this link: STAAR Released Tests. The data from these benchmarks allowed teachers to determine which TEKS our students need continued practice with to demonstrate mastery. The data demonstrated that, overall, our students will be ready come May 10th.
Why should my child take the test?
The STAAR assesses students on grade level TEKS (standards) and measures the level of mastery. The results from the assessment will help this year’s teachers to determine content in which they taught well and areas to refine for the next year. It provides your child’s teacher in the next year with information on what skills to concentrate with your child during WIN time (intervention or acceleration).
What if I decide not to send my child and opt out of the STAAR test?
By law, all eligible students present at school on a test date must be included in the test administration. Campus officials must submit a score code for every student, in accordance with TEA test administration guidelines. Students who are absent on the scheduled testing dates will be provided an opportunity to make up a missed test on May 12th- May 16th. On May 12th (3rd & 4th only) and May 13th (3rd-5th), students will take the test in the mode (online or paper) they were originally slated to take. May 16th (3rd-5th) the make-up will be provided online. If you child does not take the STAAR test, they will be required to attend accelerated instruction next school year as required by HB 4545. This house bill requires 30 hours of additional instruction for each subject a student did not pass or take the STAAR test. This can be provided by the campus before, after, or during school.
I am still not sure what I am going to do. Who can I call?
If you have questions about the STAAR test and the state requirements, please contact our Campus Testing Coordinator, Cheryl Mallant, at 936-276-4715.
Important Dates
Monday, May 2
- Staff Appreciation Weeks Begins
Friday, May 6
- Wear Your Spirit Wear
- School Lunch Hero Day
- Glow Day
- PTO Meeting 9:00 in the Cafeteria
Upcoming Events:
- May 10 - Math STAAR - Campus Closed to Visitors
- May 11 - Reading STAAR - Campus Closed to Visitors
- May 11 - Nurse Appreciation Day
- May 12 - Science STAAR; STAAR Make-Ups - Campus Closed to Visitors
- May 13 - STAAR Make-Ups
- May 16 - STAAR Make-Ups
- May 17 - School Board Meeting
- May 18 - Speech Pathologist Day
- May 20 - Field Day
- May 25 - 5th Grade Step Up Ceremony 9:00 a.m. in the gym
- May 26 - Kindergarten Step Up Ceremony 9:00 a.m. in the gym
- May 25 & 26 - Early Release
Staff Shout Outs
Lunch Menus and Times
As a reminder, all breakfast and lunch meals are free to all students this year. However, if a child wants an additional helping or snacks, they must have money in their account to purchase the extras. Main dish choices are listed below.
- Monday (5/2 - stuffed cheese sticks, chicken fries, pizza munchable, or baked potato plate
- Tuesday (5/3) - soft tacos, chicken quesadillas, or Smucker's Uncrustable
- Wednesday (5/4) - pizza bagels, homemade spaghetti, munchable meal, or baked potato plate
- Thursday (5/5) - oven fried chicken, fish sandwich, Smucker's Uncrustable, or baked potato plate
- Friday (5/6) - cheeseburger, chicken sandwich, pizza munchable, or grilled cheese sandwich
Click here for full menu options.
Lunch TImes:
- Pre-K - 10:45-11:15
- Kindergarten - 11:50-12:20
- 1st Grade - 10:45-11:15
- 2nd Grade - 11:20-11:50
- 3rd Grade - 11:20-11:50
- 4th Grade - 11:55-12:25
- 5th Grade - 12:35-1:05
School Hours, Attendance and Tardies
- Doors open at 7:50
- Tardy bell rings at 8:15
- School day ends at 3:40
We are working hard to maximize each and every minute our students are here. Students who arrive after 8:15 are considered tardy and will need to be walked into the front door of the building and signed in by a parent or guardian. If your child needs to leave early, they may be checked out through the front office by a parent or guardian.
Changes in transportation need to be made prior to 2:00 in order to allow time for the messages to be communicated with the appropriate staff member. To request a change of transportation, either
- Send a note with your child,
- Email LincolnElementaryTransit@misd.org with the note and a copy of your driver's license, or
- Come to the school with a copy of your driver's license.
About Us
Email: kerri.ashlock@misd.org
Website: http://schools.misd.org/page/les.homepage
Location: 700 Dr Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Montgomery, TX, USA
Phone: (936) 276-4700
Facebook: facebook.com/MISDLincoln
Twitter: @lincoln_MISD