The 2021-22 school year will be here before we know it, and the West Cypress Hills staff is busy planning for next year. While there are still some unknowns, one thing is for certain! New and returning TIGERS will be welcomed on August 18.

If you, or someone you know, have an incoming Kindergartener and/or are planning to enroll a student at any grade level, please make sure to fill out the enrollment packet online. West Cypress Hills has the most amazing staff, and we want to continue to hire the most highly qualified candidates. Because staffing allocations are based on current enrollment numbers, we need to have accurate numbers moving into the fall to staff our grade levels appropriately.

Enrollment packets can now be completed online. However, if you do not have access to a computer, hard copies of the enrollment packet are available for pick up. If you have any questions regarding enrollment, please reach out to our Registrar, Becky Wright, at 512-533-7500 or wrightr@ltisdschools.org.

Melanie Beninga

Principal, West Cypress Hills Elementary School

WCHE Jungle Book Fair

Where: WCHE Library

When: April 11-24 (Online Shopping)

When: April 26-30 (On-campus students shop in the library*)

*The Book Fair is not open to outside visitors or guests. Thank you for your understanding.

Step 1: Students will preview the Book Fair the week of April 19 to create “wish lists” to share with parents.

Step 2: Parents set up an eWallet account (watch the eWallet video)

Step 3: Students shop for books the week of April 26 during their designated class time.

Step 4: Enjoy your books!

*In an effort to keep our Book Fair operating safely, we will be accepting payment only through Scholastic eWallet or checks payable to WCHE. Cash is not allowed. (watch the eWallet video)

Online access to all of our Book Fair titles are available in a new and unique format! Shop the fair virtually with a 360 degree tour! All purchases will be shipped directly to your home. All funds raised through the online Book fair directly benefit our school library and library programs. Online shopping opens on April 11. Happy Reading!

Shop the Scholastic Online Fair Here

Thank you for your continued support of our school!

Cathy Seidenberger, WCHE Librarian

On Monday, March 29, our school embarked on a special project: an all-school book club called One Community One School One Book. Every family should have already received a copy of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo.

In-person learners should have received the book during library classes. Books for families of our remote learners were (and still are) available for pick up in our front lobby. If your family has not received your copy of The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, please contact us.

Please click the link to view the reading calendar and to learn more. The entire WCHE family is invited to read the book together. It's not too late to join the fun. Happy Reading!

With warmest regards,

Cathy Seidenberger, Librarian

To help ensure that our Tiger families stay safe, please read the Daily Symptom Screening information that I provided below and keep your Tiger(s) home even if only one symptom is present. Please send your Tiger(s) to school wearing fresh clean face masks. We will help them to sanitize their hands as they enter the school and help them to keep hands sanitized throughout the school day.

We are one team, one family. Let's work together to keep our family healthy. Please feel free to contact me any time you have questions or concerns.

We have several important initiatives being launched from the Counselor's Office this month. While we continue with our Second Step lessons, we are also going to introduce Tigers to a wide range of college and career opportunities this month. April is College and Career Month at West Cypress Hills Elementary! Here is more information about our April initiatives!

Initiative #1, Second Step: This week we work on developing friendship skills. The topic for this week is "Playing Fairly."

Friendship Skills - Playing Fairly: At our school we play in fair ways. Being able to play fairly with others will help you make and keep friends. When you can’t agree on how to play together, it’s a problem. Finding a respectful way to agree on rules during a game helps you get along better with others. Sharing, trading, and taking turns are also fair and fun ways to play together. Think about how you can play fairly with your friends this week.

Initiative #2, College and Career Month: We are thrilled to name the month of April as West Cypress Hills' College and Career Month! Elementary School is a wonderful time to spark excitement about the future, discover and identify student interests, and to encourage students to dream BIG. Although we are unable to invite career month visitors to our campus this year, we will still offer fun and exciting ways to present college and career options to our Tigers.

Our learners will have an opportunity to utilize a really fun, interactive program called Paws in Jobland. During their virtual "visit to Jobland," learners explore different careers and begin discovering their areas of interest through engaging surveys. And, the WCHE staff is supporting our College and Career Month by displaying their graduation photos and providing information about their own college and career experiences. On our daily broadcasts, we are featuring interviews with people in different and diverse careers.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to be of assistance. We are one family, one team!

The 11th Annual Lake Travis Independent School District Student Art Exhibition, sponsored by The Bee Cave Arts Foundation, will be held at The Hive, 12700 Hill Country Boulevard, Suite T125, in Bee Cave, April 9 through May 14. The Hive is in the Hill Country Galleria across from Barnes and Noble and is open Wednesdays - Saturdays from 1 to 5 pm.

This is important to West Cypress because we have Tiger artists whose works of art will be exhibited. If you are looking for something fun to do, stop by The Hive to take in all of the wonderful exhibits of LTISD students. Of course, we think OURS are the BEST!

Tiger Artists whose works are on display are:

Kindergarten - Naomi Swan, Sloan Meris, and Kason Honea

1st Grade - Jack West and Macyn Miller

2nd Grade - Isaac McKinney, Emily Roten, and Jaxon Honea

3rd Grade - Kennedy Stiles, Nadia Ramirez, Charlie Lambdin, and Hayden McDaniel

4th Grade - Kingston Castilleja, Caroline Martin, Kyan North, Lila Holdman, and Brecklyne Zager.

5th Grade - McKinley Aguillard, Elizabeth Durham, Aspen Morgan, Dallis Whitfield, and Luke Jones.

Congratulations to our Tiger artists whose works were chosen for display in the LTISD Student Art Exhibit. We are very proud of you. Way to ROAR, Tigers!

Hello 5th Grade Parents and Guardians.

We are working on our 5th Grade Promotion and want to keep you informed on what it will look like this year. While keeping in line with district COVID protocols, it was a priority for myself, 5th grade teachers, and district leadership to provide parents a way to be included in the “5th grade send off.” With some out of the box thinking, we have a plan that will allow parents to participate in the send off portion of the day's activities. Below is an approximate schedule for May 28:

• 7:20 - 7:45 Pictures and fun in the classrooms

• 7:45 - 8:30 Classroom celebrations

• 8:30 - 9:15 Baby and 5th grade photo slideshow in the Cafe

• 9:15 - 9:35 5th grade walks the halls of school one last time

• 9:40 - 10:05 “5th grade send off”--see info below

• 10:05 - 10:10 Students assemble in the Cafe for parent pick up

• 10:10 - 10:25 Parents may check out students early

We would love to have parent involvement in the “5th grade send off.” If you choose, parents will line up on the Sabino Drive opposite the school. Students will walk out the front door of the school, walk down the sidewalk, turn left on Sabino Drive, and reenter the building near the bus loop. The students will stay on the sidewalk closest to the school and not be permitted to cross the street. Parents can snap photos, make signs, and wave and cheer from the other side of the street.

Parents, we ask that you stay on the sidewalk off Sabino Drive opposite the school. There are designated parking spots for parents in the school lots. Parking on Sabino Dr. will not be permitted. We encourage parents to carpool with their family members as parking will be limited. If you elect to parallel park on Cypress Ranch Boulevard, please be sure to park only on the pavement. Please do not park on the median, for there are sprinkler heads located in all of the medians.

There are two options for parents to check out their student(s) early. If you drove, you may use the car line to pick up your 5th graders. The second option is to walk to the back of the school between the kindergarten playground and the back parking lot to pick up your student to walk home. Students will be released to a parent or guardian. If your child is riding home or being picked up by another 5th-grade parent, please indicate in SMART tag the parent name.

We want to encourage our remote students to join us on the last day for activities but we understand there are a variety of comfort levels when it comes to entering the building. If you were to send your remote student to school, the following protocols will be in place to ensure student safety. Remote students will enter through the library entrance. Students will sanitize their hands upon entrance to the building. Students will participate in their class's virtual activities from the computer lab and will join their peers in the cafe for the slideshow. Students will be seated two to a table facing forward. During the parade through the halls, students will be masked. In preparation for the official send off, remote students will gather in the computer lab and exit the building through the library. Remote parents will utilize the same early pick up methods as in person students. Those choosing to participate in activities from home are welcome to do so.

We are working on yard signs to be placed in the front of the school for photo opportunities.

Thank you for your partnership and helping make a very different year memorable.

Melanie Beninga

Principal, West Cypress Hills Elementary School