Brave Bulls Bulletin
October 2020
EPISD has extended intersession through October 23
All students and staff who are currently on break will not resume work or instruction until Oct. 26.
This year’s school-year calendar included two intersession breaks in October and March. The adopted calendar was created with flexibility, in part, due to the uncertainties of local health conditions related to COVID-19. As it is necessary to extend the October intersession for the health and safety of all students and staff, the March break will be amended to one week only – March 15-19.
EPISD Administration has submitted a waiver to the Texas Education Agency allowing for the continuation of remote learning until health conditions improve. The waiver is subject to approval by the TEA and EPISD Board of Trustees.
The second grading period will begin on October 26 and end on December 18.
ATTENDANCE ROCKS!
Attendance ROCKS…It’s Cool to Come to School column is back for 2020-2021 school year. We want to encourage students to attend school virtually because it counts. Make sure to attend schoology classes and turn in any assigned work by 11:59 p.m. to receive attendance credit and maintain good grades to reflect work completed.
The attendance competitions have now begun. PreK is being included as it was in the past. Only difference is this year they are attending for a full day and not half days. The PreK class that highest attendance for August and September was PKC Cathy Mora. Congratulations for this honor and best wishes for continued success. Here’s our results for the rest of our school as we convey our congratulations to them as well:
For K-5, we have several 100% attended classes for August:
5E Humberto Carbajal
3A Belen Castillo
KF Abby Clark
KG Margaret Gallardo
3G Katherine Herrera
5A Beatrice Macias
2C Amanda Gallegos/Ernest Claeps
KB Priscilla Padilla
KC Leticia Seidon
4B Rebecca Smith
3F Bobbi Jean Torres
5C Anita Vega
For K-5, we have several 100% attended classes for September:
3A Belen Castillo
KG Margaret Gallardo
3G Katherine Herrera KB Priscilla Padilla 4B Rebecca Smith 3F Bobbi Jean Torres
Tom Lea's Percentage of Attendance August 98.07% and September 96.68%. We are off to a great start. We are trying to maintain and beat 97%. Let’s show our community that COVID 19 won’t stop us from getting there. Go Bulls…TORRO!
News From the Tom Lea Library
Dear Parents / Guardians:
In the virtual library, Tom Lea students have been receiving lessons on Digital Citizenship as we prepared to certify our school as a Common Sense school. All students need digital citizenship skills to participate fully in their communities and make smart choices online and in life. These lessons also go hand-in-hand with our Positive Behavior Strategy Interventions, PBIS.
Help Children Balance Their Media
From phones and tablets to streaming movies and YouTube, tech and media are everywhere. Our children love easy access to shows, games, and information. Parents and caregivers love that children have the ability to learn on the go and stay busy when you are cooking dinner. But’s it is easy to overdo it when the phone never stops pinging and the next episode plays automatically. Families can keep media and technology use in check by following a few simple practices.
1. Create screen-free times and zones.
Help children take breaks from technology by limiting screen time in bedrooms, during study time, or at the dinner table.
2. Try parental controls.
Set content limits that make sense for your family. Alongside conversations about healthy media habits, use features such as content filtering, privacy settings, and time limits offered by the apps and platforms your family use to help manage access and exposure to media.
3. Establish clear family rules.
Decide together what kind of media and technology is appropriate and when it’s appropriate to use it. A media plan can help get everyone on the same page.
4. Watch and play together.
Choose quality, age appropriate media to enjoy with your kids.
5. Help kids identify healthy behaviors.
Practice talking about feelings, both physical and emotional, during screen and non-screen activities.
October Library Events: Scary Stories
October 29, 2020
Time: 3:30 to 4:15 pm Zoom Link: : https://episd-org.zoom.us/j/83904057458?pwd=NGxwRnpiNEJScWpBTmJ0dCtveEFvUT09
Optional Halloween Craft Idea:
If students create, please email me a pic of Monster and Child to cmsordin@episd.org
October Student Birthdays
staff birthdays
Jose Taborda 8
Leticia Seidon 10
Cynthia Aguilar 12
Teresa Garrett 16
Leticia Seidon 20
Rebekkah Prawel 21
Lauren McDaniel 26
Welcome Back Posters
Virtual Conference 2nd Annual Healthy Minds, Healthy Kids!
Military Family Resilience Center & Army Community Service
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR MORE INFORMATION
Tom Lea's Military Family Liaison
Tessie Vallez, MFL
Office Phone: 915-230-5450
Google Voice: 915-317-6744
Email: tavallez@episd.org
A Friendly Reminder
Hello Parents,
This is a friendly reminder that we have partnered with the YWCA's Teen Leadership Program. They offer some great services via video conferencing. This includes tutoring and SEL arts/crafts sessions. There's also academic support provided through tutoring sessions. Students will get additional practice on concepts they may be struggling with or reinforce skills they already know.
*We still have plenty of spots available. If you would like your child(ren) to participate in these services, please email Ms. Rebecca Montoya rxmontoy@episd.org or Ms. Una Millan ubmillan@episd.org. Please include the name of your child, grade level and which services you would like them to participate in(tutoring/Arts & Crafts).Thank you!
Tuesdays: K-2nd Arts and Crafts 3:30-4:30
Thursday: K-2nd tutoring 3:30-4:30; 3rd-5th Arts and Crafts 3:30-4:30; 3rd-5th tutoring 4:45-5:45
Thank you,
Una B. Millan M.Ed.
Counselor
Tom Lea Elementary
#BraveBullStrong
(915) 843-8774
EPISD- Counseling, Advising &
College Readiness
EPISD@Home