The Leopard Tale
September 2019
Principal's Points
Welcome back, Andre’ families and Super Hero Leopards!
Our Leopards have enjoyed a fantastic start to the new school year. Thank you so much to our VIPS, Bus Buddies, and PTO volunteers for assisting with the first few days of school. Your presence allowed for such a smooth start! We hope you have taken a moment to partner with us by joining PTO, and are excited about opportunities to share in our learning journey this year. Our VIPS orientation meeting will be on September 20th at 9:15 in the library, and Watch Dog Dads will kick off on September 24th. Working together, our Leopards will know that our whole village is here to support them in having the best year yet!
Teachers and staff at Andre’ Elementary are proud to announce that our campus is being recognized by the State of Texas with three Distinction Designations for student achievement during the 2018-19 school year. We are so proud of this accomplishment. The dedication of our staff and the hard work and effort of our students have paved the way for our standings as one of the leading campuses in our District. Along with our academic achievement, our campus has also been selected as one of only two campuses in CFISD to pilot the Spanish Action Based Learning lab as a part of our primary large group instructional rotation. Excited things are happening at Andre’, and as always, we are…#AndreInAction!
APPLE Night at Andre'
APPLE Night at Andre’
PTO/Title I Meeting
6:00 P.M.
Tuesday, September 10th for K,2,4,LS
Tuesday, September 17th for PK,1,3,5
Don’t miss these great informative evenings. Help your child be successful in school by supporting a strong home/school partnership. We look forward to seeing you.
News You Need to Know
School Hours
Our school hours are 8:45-4:00.
Parent drop off and bus unloading will begin at 8:25. Student safety is a top priority. Staff will not be available to supervise students prior to 8:25. Please do not drop your student off before 8:25. Thank you for your support.
Transportation
Every time transportation changes, you must send a note to your child’s homeroom teacher for the front office. All transportation changes will need to be made before 3:30. If you arrive after 8:45, you will need to park in the visitor parking and bring your children to the front office to sign them in.
Car Riders
Thank you “Car Rider” parents for your support in helping your child(ren) learn their car rider numbers! This allows our students and parents to load cars in a timely manner. School is dismissed at 4:00, and students are released to bus, daycare and car rider loading areas. By 4:05, car riders are expected to be quietly seated and ready to move when their car rider number is called. Car riders begin loading at 4:05 and end at 4:15. Parents must come to the front office of the school and sign their child out after 4:15. If you arrive early in the pick-up line, park your car in the line and come in to volunteer. We need you!
As always, your child’s safety is our first priority, and we ask that you be mindful of your speed while you are on school property. Remember, it is against the law to use your cell phone in a school zone or in the parent pick up line. Please have patience as we safely load children into vehicles.
Notice to Parents
As a parent of a student at a campus receiving Title I funds, federal law allows you to ask for information about the certification, college major, and advanced degrees of your child’s teacher(s). You also have the right to request information about the qualifications of a teacher aide or paraprofessional providing direct services to your child. If you would like to receive this information, you may contact the Cypress-Fairbanks I.S.D. Human Resources Department at 281-897-4099.
Counselors' Corner
Welcome to a brand new 2019-20 school year! Ms. Hooper and Mr. Finnerty are excited to start a brand new year and get to know your children.
During the week of September 3, students will bring home a letter from the counselors regarding small group counseling that we facilitate on campus during student’s lunch time. Please read the letter and complete the form if you would like your child to participate. This is a great opportunity for your child to participate in a skills-centered program that focuses on their social-emotional growth in targeted areas.
Students who are new to public schools in Texas are eligible to test for our Horizons program. Please contact Mr. Finnerty by September 5, which is our deadline to submit names to the district.
Please see the information in the Credit by Exam section below regarding our Credit by Exam (CBE)
If you have any questions or concerns please contact Ms. Hooper (PK, Kinder, 2nd, 4th grades) at 281 463-5564 and Mr. Finnerty (1st, 3rd, 5th grades and Life Skills) at 281 463-5548.
Credit By Exam
Students in grades K-5 will have four opportunities during the school year to use “credit-by-exam” to accelerate to another grade level. Students will only have one opportunity to test for each grade level considered.
To apply to take the test to skip kindergarten, a student must be 5 by September 1, and registered in a CFISD school. To apply to take the test to skip grade 1, a student must be 6 by September 1, and enrolled in a CFISD school.
Students who earn scores of 80% or better on each component of the credit-by-exam will qualify to advance one grade. Only one grade level may be “skipped” each year. No retests will be given.
If you are interested in getting more information about credit-by-exam, please contact the school counselor.
Words from the Library
Enjoy reading great books from the CFISD Mobile Library!
Visit the Mobile Library (“the library on wheels”) to check out extra books in addition to the library books you check out from Andre! Simply return your Mobile Library books to the Andre’ library when you are finished and they will be sent to the Mobile Library for check in.
The Mobile Library will be at the Yaupon Ranch Pool
on Greenhouse & Dusty Yaupon.
Fall Schedule
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.
September 28th
October 26th
December 7th
Physical Education
GOALS/OBJECTIVES: Physical Education is seen as an integral part of the total educational experience of the school, and as such contributes to the development of the total individual – socially, physically, morally, and emotionally. This is achieved in Grades K-5 through movement exploration, basic motor skills, ball handling skills, rhythmic activities and cooperative games and sports.
Our Physical Education Program is a planned sequence of learning experiences and/or lead-up skills designed to fulfill the growth and behavioral needs of each individual student, while instilling an understanding and appreciation of the value of physical education for their present and future needs.
In order to attain these goals, we are asking your help in maintaining some basic principles in the Elementary P.E. Department.
SAFETY: All reasonable safety measures are used to prevent accidents. Students are required to observe these safety measures. Behaviors which become a hazard to others will not be permitted. All injuries must be reported to the instructor. No one is allowed to use any piece of equipment unless the instructor has given permission. The whistle is used to gain immediate silence.
CLOTHING: Please help us keep your children safe by making sure that they wear “safe shoes”. (closed-toe shoes with a strap around the ankle which are flat and non-skid.). Also, girls should wear shorts under dresses or skirts. Please see your child’s schedule for P.E. days. Students will have PE the same days each week.
EXCUSES FROM PARTICIPATION: It is Cy Fair I.S.D. procedure that any student not able to participate in P.E. class activities must present a written excuse from his/her parent or guardian. For 3 or more days of non-participation, a doctor’s excuse is required. All notes need to be dated, have the student’s first and last name, parent’s first and last name, teacher’s name, and reason for the excuse. Please be sure to notify the school nurse, your child’s teacher, and P.E. teachers if there is any physical condition which would limit your child’s physical activity or participation outdoors.
GRADING: P.E. is a State required course of study at the elementary level, as one of several classroom subjects during the day. It is not recess or playtime. The concepts of movement education, sportsmanship, and self-discipline are all valuable experiences in the growth of your child. To measure the learning in these areas, your child will receive a grade each grading period based on a positive attitude, participation (effort applied, skill/knowledge learned, leadership displayed), and conduct (sportsmanship, self-control, and behavior). Grades are NOT dependent on ability, but rather on willingness to work to the best of one’s ability.
Thanks for your time and cooperation. We appreciate your support!
Lashe Fleming and Tre'Von Julien
Child Find
The Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District Special Education Department provides educational services to over 10,000 students with special needs.
Teachers, instructional aides, speech pathologists and related service personnel provide instruction and related services to students who have a disability. Students are eligible for special education services from the age of 3 through 21. Students who have hearing and vision disabilities may receive services from birth.
To be eligible for special education services, students must meet eligibility requirements as a student with an orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, auditory impairment, visual impairment, diagnosis of deaf/blind, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, learning disability, speech impairment, multiple disabilities, autism, non-categorical early childhood, or traumatic brain injury.
Cypress Fairbanks ISD instructional arrangements for elementary school-aged students include in-class support, resource classes and speech/language therapy. Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE, formerly PPCD), adaptive behavior, and LIFE Skills classes are offered as cluster services at the elementary level.
In-class support, resource classes, LIFE Skills, adaptive behavior and speech/language services are available at all secondary level campuses.
Related services may include psychological services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, orientation and mobility training, school health services, adaptive equipment and special transportation.
Other special education service options include the Dorothy Carlton Center, the Maybelline Carpenter Center, homebound, adaptive physical education, itinerant and on-site services to the visually impaired.
As part of the Northwest Harris County Cooperative for the Hearing Impaired, services for students who have auditory impairments are offered at Birkes Elementary, Matzke Elementary, Spillane Middle School and Cy-Ridge High School. In addition to receiving instruction at the on-site campuses, students may be served by itinerant teachers, speech pathologists, and/or an audiologist at their home campus.
Are you the parent of a pre-school (3-5 years) or school aged child and have concerns regarding your child’s physical, speech, and/or emotional development? Is your child experiencing academic problems which could interfere significantly with educational success? If so, contact the Special Education Department at 281-897-6400 to discuss your concerns and learn more about the referral process.
PTO
Hello Andre' Families, we hope that you will take the time to learn about the PTO, the initiatives we support and the programs and events we provide. Volunteers are essential to any successful PTO, but as a member, you are not obligated to attend meetings or volunteer. By joining the PTO, your $15 membership fee, as well as funds raised from fundraising, spirit nights, donations and volunteer hours, goes towards classroom parties, buses for field trips, STEM programs, Family Fun Nights, teacher grants and our newest project for 2019- some NEW PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. Please consider joining the PTO! Joining the PTO also allows us to build our partnership between the community, families and Andre’ staff. We look forward to the continued support from returning families and meeting all the new Andre’ Elementary School families.
Below you will find information of upcoming events and ways for you to get involved. Please feel free to reach out to the PTO Board if you have any questions or if you would like to become a member.
Sincerely,
Andre’ Elementary PTO Board
***Reminder***
Don’t forget to order your spirit shirts!
Price- $12
Join the PTO! Family Membership $15
Upcoming Spirit Nights
September 17th-Whataburger #1122
Address: 8930 Fry Rd, Cypress, TX 77433
Time: 5PM-8PM
Join us at Whataburger for dinner! Andre’ will receive 20% of all sales garnered during the three-hour period.
October 2nd- 5:00-8:00
McTeacher Night-McDonalds
Fry Road next to Cy Ranch
Join us for dinner at McDonalds. Teachers will be on hand to serve food, take orders and work the drive-thru!
Help Andre’ Earn “Free Money”
My Coke Rewards-: https://us.coca-cola.com/give/schools/ When you make Coca-Cola purchases, you simply enter the product codes on the website, or send them in a baggie to school with your child and we can scan them in for you.
Amazon Smile-http://smile.amazon.com/ch/56-2612718 Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to Andre’ PTO. Please be sure to add Andre’ PTO as your charity.
Kroger Plus-www.krogercommunityrewards.com (You must select Andre Elementary PTO Inc. as your community rewards organization under ‘My account.’ And confirm your selection if you have signed up previously. )
Box Tops- There is a NEW program using an App and scanning receipts. MORE INFORMATION TO COME.
Next PTO Meeting
Want to know more about what’s going on with PTO? Our next meeting is Monday, September 16th at 6:30PM at Andre’ Elementary School in the library. Please join us!
PTO Contact info
Facebook: Andre’ Elementary PTO
Twitter: @AndreElemPTO
Website: https://sites.google.com/view/andrepto/home
Notes from the front desk
Lunch Visitors
For the first two weeks of school, we will not have lunch visitors or deliveries. This will give your child time to learn lunch procedures and enjoy lunch with new friends. After the second week, we are asking parents to limit lunch visits with your child to one time per week. We have close to 1000 students and want to make sure we have space for all parents who would like to eat lunch with their children. A note is required from a guardian for anyone other than a guardian to have lunch with your child.
Absences
If your child is absent, please send a note on the first day of your child’s return to school stating the reason for the absence. Thank you.
Transportation Changes
If a child’s end-of-day transportation changes, the parent/guardian must send a note with the date, necessary changes and parent/guardian signature. If a note is not received, the usual method of transportation will be followed.
For safety purposes, no changes will be made after 3:30 P.M. and PHONE CALLS or E-MAILS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.
Cafeteria
- SchoolCafé is a safe and secure way for parents to make online payments to their children’s cafeteria accounts.
- School Café also allows parents, students and staff to view and interact with school cafeteria menus, view nutritional analysis, ingredient and allergen information.
- Free/Reduced Price meal applications can also be accessed and completed on School Café.
- Visit www.schoolcafe.com or the SchoolCafe app to apply.
- Call 281-897-4550 or visit the Food Production Center at 11355 Perry Road with questions and for assistance.
- Paper applications are available upon request.
Mark your calendar
9/2- Labor Day- Student/Staff Holiday
9/4- Cub Scout Talks-Lunches
9/5- Cub Scout Rally Night
9/9- 5:30 Girls on the Run Parent Meeting- Library
9/10- 6:00- Apple Night/PTO Meeting (k/2/4/LS)
9/17- 6:00- Apple Night/PTO Meeting (pk/1/3/5)
9/17- 5:00-8:00 Whataburger Night
9/18- 6:45- Cub Scout Rally Night- Cafeteria
9/20- 9:15-9:45- VIPS Orientation- Library
9/24- 6:00- Watch DOGS Pizza Night- Cafeteria
9/25- 7:45 a.m.- Student Council Meeting
9/27- 6:00- PTO Mother/Son Game Night
10/1- PTO Big Kahuna Fall Fundraiser Kick-off
10/2- PTO Family Spirit Night at McDonalds- Fry Rd/Cy-Ranch
10/7-10/11- College Week
10/8 and 10/9- College/Career Night- Berry Center
About Us
Email: andre@cfisd.net
Website: andre.cfisd.net/en/
Location: 8111 Fry Road, Cypress, TX, USA
Phone: 281-463-5500
Facebook: facebook.com/cfisdandre/
Twitter: @cfisdandre