Cheetah Connection
A PRINCIPAL UPDATE FOR OUR CHANDLER FAMILIES
January 20, 2023
Save the Date!
1/23-1/27- College and Career Week- see info below
1/27- 5th Grade Field Trip to the AHS Musical at the PAC
1/30-2/10- Val Grams on sale before school
2/7- Chick Fil Spirit Day
2/13-2/17- Allen ISD Love Week
2/16- PTA General Meeting and Science Night- 5:30pm
2/20- President's Day Holiday- No School for Students and Staff
2/21- Staff Development Day- No School for Students
2/24- 6th Grade Field Trip to Medieval Times
2/25- Eagle Run
2/27-3/3- Student Council Selling Smecils (before school)
3/2- Read Across America Day
3/2- Open House/ Art Show 4:30-6pm
3/3- Early Release Day- Students out at 12:00pm
3/3- End of 3rd 9 weeks grading period
3/6-3/10- Spring Break- No School
Want to be more involved with partnering with us and your child's education? Join Parents United!
We are looking for parents who want to partner with teachers to encourage, inspire, and grow our students as well as support teachers in various ways. We send out a weekly sign up with volunteer opportunities (work with small group of students, copy, laminate, lunch duty, help in library), this allows you to choose areas you are interested or feel comfortable. This can change from week to week. If interested, please read through the volunteer handbook linked below then sign and return the last page.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Elizabeth Williams or Jenny Capehart.
Chandler 2022-2023 Yearbook ON SALE NOW
Now is the time to order your yearbook for the lowest price! Order using the QR code or the link below.
Order Link: https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01096103
Ways to Get Involved
- JOIN PTA!!!
- Like us on Facebook: @chandlerelementaryPTA
- Like us on Twitter: @CC_PTA, @cheetahchandler, @ChandlerPrin
- Like us on Instagram: @chandlerelementarypta
- Volunteer! To volunteer, complete a Criminal History Check online at www.allenisd.org each year.
- Contact your child's teacher or sign up to volunteer through the Chandler PTA.
Chandler Car Decals For Sale $5
Help support Chandler Elementary and show your school spirit at the same time! PTA is selling these Chandler Elementary car tags for $5 each. Every penny of this purchase goes back to Chandler PTA to help students! Car decals can be purchased on PTA's website in the "Spirit Wear Store": https://chandlerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/home
Gifted and Talented Registration Window for Spring GT Testing
The registration window for spring GT testing for students in grades 1-11 will be open from January 10-20 on the GT portion of the district website. Parents/guardians should complete the forms linked under “Registration Information”, “Phase I GT Testing Registration (grades 1-11)”. Questions may be submitted to gifted@allenisd.org
Xello Parent Accounts
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Allen ISD would like to introduce parent accounts to Xello, the College and Career Readiness platform for K-12 students. Xello is an engaging online program that helps students build the skills, knowledge, and plans to be future ready. The program uses an investigative, discovery-based learning process. As a result, students better understand themselves, their future career options, and the 21st-century skills they’ll need to succeed.
With Xello, your child will:
Build Self-knowledge
Define their interests, skills, preferences, and aspirations so that they can explore the opportunities right for them.
Explore Options
Learn about career possibilities and educational pathways by exploring rich, engaging content and lessons.
Create a Plan
Your child can create dynamic, actionable plans that outline the steps needed to achieve school, career, and life goals.
Learn & Reassess
Interactive lessons help your child develop age-appropriate skills and knowledge for success in school and beyond.
Xello Family Access
Xello Family lets you explore and discover your child’s future goals and plans so you can better support their learning and development.
Access Your Account
You will receive a "Welcome to Xello!" activation email to the address we have on file. Once you click "Activate Account" through the email, you will be redirected to Xello and asked to create a password.
Explore Xello Family
On the welcome screen, you will see all children linked to your account. Clicking a child’s name will bring you to their profile.
Discover Your Child’s Interests and Goals
In your child’s profile, you can see all the work they’ve done in Xello. If there’s no information in a particular section, your child has not yet started or completed the activity. You can explore each section to learn new information about your child.
Discuss Your Child’s Future Goals and Plan
Xello is a great tool to start future planning conversations with your child. For example, try asking them why they liked a particular career. Were they surprised about their top career suggestions? What different pathways can they take to achieve their goals?
Safe and Secure Environment
We take data protection and privacy very seriously. So does Xello. The program complies with legal requirements for safety and security outlined in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). That means advertising is not displayed within Xello, nor is data used for commercial purposes. Xello is also a signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge, requiring them to uphold strict standards for safeguarding student privacy regarding the collection, maintenance, and use of student personal information.
You can learn more about Xello and the student experience by visiting www.xello.world We hope you’re just as excited as we are about this program and making every student future ready.
6th Grade Parents and Students:
Mother- Son Dance- February 11th
It is an All-Star Sports theme for our 20th Annual Mother Son Dance. Join us for a fun evening including dancing, light refreshments, pictures, and prizes. The Dance will be on Saturday, February 11, 2023, from 7:00-9:00 pm in the cafeteria at Allen High School. The dance is for Pre-K through 6th grade students.
Cancellations will be accepted, and a refund will be issued if the cancellation is received before noon on Monday, February 6, 2023. Registration is limited and is held on a first come, first-serve basis. Registration will close at noon on Friday, February 10th or when tickets sell out. Like last year, each person attending must buy a ticket; we no longer offer "Couple Tickets".
We will not mail out tickets this year; you will check-in at the dance. We will email a reminder and a picture order form before the dance.
Allen ISD Love Week & Shirt Order
Love Week (February 12-18) is a weeklong fundraising effort originally started at Allen High School over 40 years ago during the month of February to raise money for a deserving local person, family or cause to "share the love." Love Week, though still sponsored by AHS Student Council, Student Leadership and PALS, has now expanded to a district-wide event and this year, Allen ISD will be raising money for the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County, an organization that helps local children who have experienced abuse or neglect. More information will be coming soon about fun theme days and local restaurant Spirit Days, but Love Week shirt orders are now live and all proceeds from the shirt sale will be donated to the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County. Long-sleeve T-Shirts are $25 and can be ordered at this LINK prior to January 20th:
Ford Middle School Cheer Tryouts Meeting (for rising 7th graders)
If your 6th graders is interested in trying out for Cheer in 7th grade, please attend a MANDATORY informational meeting on EITHER February 22 OR February 23 at Ford Middle School, 6:30pm. You may choose which meeting date works best for you. Both parent and student should attend this meeting.
GOGUARDIAN PARENT APP
Parent University
Our next Parent University of the 2022-2023 school year will be held on Tuesday, January 31, 2023. It will be live via ZOOM Webinar.
Date: Tues., January 31st from 6:30-8:00 pm
Location: ZOOM Webinar
Title: Parenting and Restorative Practices
Speaker: Michelle Gleinser – Behavior Consultant
In our busy and fast paced world, it is sometimes difficult to focus on what wonderful things our kids do every day. This session will explore strategies to connect with our kids in meaningful ways by asking thought provoking questions and reinforcing positive behaviors. Through building and developing meaningful communication avenues, our children can learn how their behavior, thoughts, actions, and words affect everyone they encounter.
The program is free! Please click below for more information and registration details. https://www.allenisd.org/Page/64330
Upcoming Parent University Topics:
- February 23: Coping with Anxiety- Dr. Ryan Smith
- March 21: ANGST- IndieFlix
Arrival Reminders
- Doors will open at 7:30 AM for arrival.
- School begins at 7:45 AM.
- Please ensure your child is arriving with plenty of time to get to class. Instructional minutes begin at 7:45 AM.
- If your child arrives after 7:45 AM, you will need park and sign them in at the front office.
Eating Breakfast at Chandler
- If you child is having breakfast, they will need to arrive no later than 7:30 AM.
Student Personal Items
- Please, please, please put your child's name on their personal items.
- We recommend using the initial of the first name and the full last name. (Ex: Bobbie Allen)
- If your child misplaces something and their name is on it, we will do everything we can to get it back to them.
- Suggested items you put their names on:
- Water bottle
- Lunchbox
- Jacket
Celebrating Birthdays
- Student will be the ones that pass the invitations or items out
- Invitations must be shared with either the whole class or all boys or all girls...we don't want to leave people out. If they don't want to invite all these people, your child will need to pass them out on their own time outside of the school day.
- Digital invitations are a great option, but teachers may not share invitations with parents or provide you with email addresses to do so. If you join PTA, a directory with some of this information will be shared soon.
- Goodie bags or treats need to be shared with all students.
- We highly recommend all items be individually wrapped. This makes it so much easier for the students.
Lunch Visitors
- Parents are welcome to eat lunch with their own children in a designated area beginning on Sept. 6th.
We ask that all lunch visitors sign up on our "Lunch Visitors Sign Up" at least 24 hours in advance. This helps our overall operations here when teachers know that you will be meeting your student and they send them to join you during their lunch time.
We also do not allow parents to join their students for lunch on state testing days.
We do have specific days in which we ask for no lunch visitors.
When you arrive for lunch, make sure you bring your photo ID. You will need to sign in with the receptionist and then proceed to the designated room.
For security purposes and to avoid hurt feelings of other students, only your student will be allowed to sit with you.
You are welcome to bring in an outside meal for your student and/or yourself only.
If purchasing a tray, please have your child order your meal at the beginning of the day in order to have enough food prepared.
We will have expectations that need to be followed, and at no time will lunch visit any other locations on campus other than the designated space for lunch.
REMINDER- Please keep your child home from school if they are feeling sick. Students must be fever free WITHOUT the use of fever reducing medications for at least 24 hours before they may return to school. We want to keep all our Chandler Cheetahs healthy!
PARENTS- if you have any clothes your children have outgrown, please consider donating them to the clinic. We are low on our supply of extra clothes. Thank you!
2022-2023 Health and Safety Guidelines
The district will continue to monitor the guidance of local, county, and state health agencies to ensure we find an appropriate balance of health and safety procedures that afford us the opportunity to also ensure high levels of student learning.
Allen ISD’s health and safety protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 for the 2022-2023 school year are located on the district website. These protocols are subject to change based upon additional Texas Education Agency guidance.
College & Career Week - January 23-27!
It's important to make connections between the learning we do NOW and the many future possibilities students have to choose from! We are focusing on our future in many ways! We hope you can participate in our Allen ISD Theme Days next week!
Attention 6th Grade Parents - Time to start thinking about Middle School!
Please stay tuned for information coming soon about Middle School Registration! Mrs. Horton, Counselor, will begin the process sharing some basic registration information with 6th grade students in Guidance the week of January 23-27, followed by a during the school day visit from the FMS Counselors on Thursday, February 2nd. Please mark your calendars to attend the Middle School EXPO Night at Ford Middle School on Tuesday, February 7th from 6:00-7:30pm! This event is for parents AND students! More specific information will continue to be shared with parents as we prepare to become Ford Mustangs in 2023-2024!
Coach's Clipboard
LET'S REPEAT WITH A 1ST PLACE AGAIN!!
We are doing great so far with 162 people signed up, but we are 43% to our goal. This weekend we hope to have 38 people sign up to help us reach our next instant incentive which is a Hawaiian Day!
Can you help us out by signing up or getting a family member to?
REMINDER: PRICE WILL INCREASE TO $30 ON FEBRUARY 3RD AT MIDNIGHT!!!
- The PE department and PTA will receive money back for each person signed up!
- Our goal this year is 375 people signed up!
- If we reach the goal, then each child signed up will get to pour a cup of slime on Mrs. Allen, Coach B., or Mrs. Abboud!!!
Click on the link to sign up online
Participate in Kids Heart Challenge
Kids Heart Challenge is coming soon! Chandler Elementary School is joining forces with the American Heart Association by participating in KIDS HEART CHALLENGE (KHC). Students will be excited to “Slay the dragon of heart disease and stroke!” with our team of Heart Hero dragons and by participating in KHC they are Being the Torch, as they shine their light towards ways our community can be healthier. Also, your family will have the opportunity to learn hands-only CPR through Finn’s Mission!
Bonus Fun!
Our goal is to raise $6,000! We're recognizing the top fundraising student from every grade at our spirit rally, and the top fundraising grades in K - 2 and 3 - 6 will get to pick the games we play during... PE GAME WEEK! We're also doing something special for Finn's Mission. Every student who completes Finn's Mission will be recognized and entered into a drawing to be coach for a day during GAME WEEK!
No Need to Wait! Get started early by using the link below to register for Kids Heart Challenge at your school!
1. Visit our school’s Kids Heart Challenge page: http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=7560&pg=company&company_id=375729 OR download the Kids Heart Challenge app. How to Register for KHC Video.
2. Students who are registered and have received an online donation by our KHC kickoff on 1/23/2023, will receive a Torch wristband and the earned KHC Heart Heroes.
Want to know more about how participating in Kids Heart Challenge can have an impact? Watch the video’s below on how Extraordinary Kids are helping across the country! If you want to be an Extraordinary KHC Kid see how you can get involved!
Notes From Music
5th Grade musical field trip is Friday, January 27th! Please make sure that your student looks their best!
4th and 5th grade- we will be starting recorders in February as soon as the order comes in!
Honor Choir rehearsal every Tuesday at Lowery from 4:45-6:15PM
Up coming dates: 2nd grade musical performance, Tuesday, April 18th! More information coming soon!
Library News
Our Cheetahs have done a fantastic job of taking care of library books this year! We do have some books that are several weeks overdue. Please help us round up some of these overdue books so that others can enjoy them too. We do not charge fines for overdue books. Students can also renew books for longer in through Follett Destiny in the portal or by stopping by the library.
Our library subscribes to several databases and sources for ebooks and audiobooks. Learn more here.
Check out the Allen Public Library’s January calendar.
We appreciate your continued support and partnership as we navigate the 2022-2023 school year together. Go Cheetahs!
Thank you,
Bobbie Allen
Principal
Chandler Elementary
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
Website: https://www.allenisd.org/Page/2390
Location: Chandler Elementary School, Water Oak Drive, Allen, TX, USA
Phone: 469-467-1400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chandlerelementaryPTA
Twitter: @cheetahchandler