Brave Bulls Update
Volume 4 September 22, 2021
Thank you Parents!!
Thank you so much for coming out on Parent-Teacher Conference to talk with our teachers. It is a team effort. Together we can help all students to succeed. We had a great turn on Grandparents Day. It was so nice to see so many grandparents. There were a lot of happy faces. We are so appreciative that we have such an involved community. Providing a safe and loving environment where kids are able to learn and achieve at high levels is our priority. With your assistance and support all kids with grow and flourish.
If you are not signed up for Class Dojo, please make sure to accept your teachers request. Also log on to the Tom Lea Class Dojo page. We send out communications through Class Dojo.
I am so grateful to serve such an amazing community. We thank you for your continued support. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
Michelle Casillas, Principal
News from the Tom Lea Library
Dear Parents / Guardians:
We will be having our second Storytelling event in the library on September 23, 21 at 3:30 pm. The theme for this event will be “It turned out differently” for the students to share their story about.
Here are some Common Sense Digital Education Tips
Grades K-5 Family Tips Help Boost Kids’ Safety, Privacy, and Security
When kids start to go online, whether they're playing multiplayer games, using educational apps, or just following their curiosity on Google, it's important that they understand the basics of online privacy and safety. With some general guidelines around what information is and isn't OK to share, and some help from parents when they're unsure, kids can have fun and learn a lot in the digital world.
Check out these 5 tips
Discuss personal vs. private info. Talk about the difference between what's OK to share online (favorite color) and what's not (home address).
Use privacy settings. Together, go through the settings on all new apps to make sure you both know what information your kids are sharing. Especially in the beginning, it's better to share very little.
Avoid location tracking. Location-aware apps can be super helpful. But apps that use a device's location to help people find your kid or offer them ads for nearby businesses should be used with caution. Turn them off if you can.
Power up passwords. Work together with kids to help them come up with complex passwords. Think outside the dictionary. Use phrases and special characters that make passwords hard to guess but easy to remember. Remind kids to keep passwords private and change them regularly.
Skip quizzes. Help kids identify and avoid clickbait, quizzes, special offers, and anything that asks for personal or private information. This helps keep information secure and devices safe.
commonsense.org/education
Federal Survey Update!
Alternate way to complete the survey:
1. Go to tools.episd.org
2. Enter the student ID or username (the username is the beginning of the email before the @)
3. Enter the password – their birthday in YYYYMMDD
4. Go to Student Profile
5. The link survey will be on the right side of the screen
6. This needs to be done for each child
We ask that you try these methods and if you are still not able to complete the Federal Impact Aid Survey call us so we can do our best to help you.
Tessie Vallez, Military Family Liaison
Veronica Saenz, PEIMS
vxsaenz@episd. org
Office # 915-230-5450
September is National Suicide Prevention Month
When all adults and students in the school community are committed to making suicide prevention a priority and are empowered to take the correct actions-we can help youth before they engage in behavior with irreversible consequences.
Suicide is the leading cause of death among school age youth; however, suicide is preventable. Youth who are contemplating suicide frequently give warning signs of their distress. Parents, teachers and friends are in a key position to pick up on these signs and get help. Most important is to never take these warning signs lightly or promise to keep them secret. If you or someone you know is suicidal, get help immediately via 911, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK or the Crisis Text Line (text “HOME” to 741741). More information is available at www.nasonlpine.org