B.B RICE ELEMENTARY
DECEMBER 2019
904 Gladstell Street
Conroe, TX 77304
936-709-2700
Fax 936-709-2799
School Mission
More than competency in the basic skills of reading, writing, and math, it is this school’s mission to nurture in each child:
The habit of creative independent thinking, a positive self-image, an attitude of social cooperation and moral responsibility, pride in self, community, state, and country, and
the ability to be a producer, not just a consumer, of Knowledge.
“In this school, we reach for the stars.”
Eat Breakfast at School!
Breakfast is served at school! School breakfast will give your child a healthy start to the day. A nutritious breakfast helps students be more alert so they can learn more in class. Breakfast has vitamins and nutrients for a strong and healthy body.
Breakfast at school is affordable at only $1.35. If you qualify for free and reduced price meals, you also qualify for the breakfast program, with no additional paperwork. You can’t find a healthy breakfast at such a low cost anywhere else.
Help your child start the day right with school breakfast! Make sure they arrive before 7:45 to have enough time to eat.
School Information
- The building doors open at 7:30 for students to eat breakfast and go to class.
- Please do not drop off students before 7:30 as there is no adult supervision.
- Breakfast is served from 7:30-7:50. 1st through 4th grade eat inside their classrooms. PK and Kinder eat in the cafeteria. Morning PK students go directly to the cafeteria and meet their teachers.
- Afternoon PK begins at 12:10. If they are going to eat lunch, then they need to arrive at 11:45.
- Students may not be checked out or change transportation mode after 2:30. This is for the safety of the students.
- Dismissal begins at 3:10.
- Please make sure you have your car rider sign in your car for car rider. You will be asked to park and come inside if you do not have your tag.
- Thank you for all your help to make this the very best year!!!
Message from the Principal...
This first half of year has come and gone in a flash...but not without lots of learning and laughs. As your child grows each year, new expectations for learning are set and supported within the classrooms. Students rise to the new expectations with a wide range of different supports. I encourage you to utilize parent access to view current grades. If you ever have a question, know that we are here to help in any way. Please reach out to your child's teacher and together we can provide the best learning.
Thanks for entrusting us with your most precious gift,
Malinda Stewart
2020-2021 CISD Calendar Feedback
Message from the Assistant Principal...
Dear Parents,
This year we will be utilizing various forms of assessments and accountability systems. District benchmarks and DCCs are two examples of summative assessments to help guide our instruction. Here are a few testing tidbits to remember for your student this year:
-check the Rice parent calendar for testing dates
-make sure your student heads to bed early the night before
-be sure your student either eats breakfast at home or at school
-arrival time sets the day up for success...please make sure they are here on time
-encourage your student to do their best...focus on the growth
-avoid putting too much pressure on testing results, it's just another great day at Rice
Thanks for your support!
Melissa Sciba
Message From School Counselor...
Dear Parents,
November was a great month! We enjoyed celebrating Generation Texas Week where as a school we focused on higher education. The students explored transition from elementary through high school, 4 year colleges, trade schools, college tuition and more. It was a great opportunity to discuss the importance of how their education today can impact their future.
December will fly by as we still have so much learning to do. I look forward to visiting with the classes and soaking up all the time I have with the students until it’s time for winter break. Enjoy your holiday with family and friends and I look forward to seeing you all next year.
Mrs. Orr
Nominations for Gifted and Talented Testing
Pre K
Pre-K is working on mid-year testing. Your child will be assessed on writing his/her name, story comprehension, alphabet recognition, letter sounds, counting to 30 and number recognition (0-9). If you have any questions, please contact your child’s teacher.
We hope that all of you have a wonderful and safe holiday season.
Just a reminder:
· Write your child’s name on their coats, backpacks, and lunch boxes.
· Keep a clean change of clothes in your child’s backpack.
· If you need to change transportation, please do so in writing.
· Read to your child and have your child read to you daily!
Kinder
We have a busy month ahead of us! Kindergarten has many exciting things planned for December. Please check and initial your child’s folder daily so you do not miss any information! In Language Arts we will continue to learn about our “reading powers” and become stronger readers. We will focus on using all we know about letters and sounds to read unknown words. In math we will continue our joining and separating unit using math vocabulary to explain our thinking. During the festive month of December, we will be discussing family traditions and different holidays. We encourage all students to share their family traditions and culture with their classmates. With the colder weather, please make sure your child has a jacket with their name written on the inside. We have “Active Start” from 7:30-7:50 in the morning where students go outside to play on the playground.
Important Dates: (additional information will be sent home regarding the following events)
December 17th: Grinch Day
December 18th: Polar Express
December 19th: Winter Celebration in Classrooms/Early Release 12:05
First Grade
In December, your firsties will be continuing to learn new concepts in all subject areas. In math, we will be continuing and finishing our unit on addition and subtraction to 10 and we will also be taking our second Math DCC. Then, in writing we will start our next unit which is learning parts of a letter where we will be writing letters to different people in our lives for the holiday season. Next, in reading we will be discussing how other countries celebrate the holidays which coincides with the unit we will be starting in social studies which is discussing different cultures in different countries. In science we will be introducing and discussing seasons of the year, weather, and wind. Here are a few reminders as well: homework packet is due on Thursday, return daily conduct folder every day, and wear tennis shoes on P.E. days. Lastly, we will be experiencing colder temperatures, remember to send your child with a coat or jacket because we will still be going outside. Thanks so much for everything that you do for your students and have a happy holiday!
Love First Grade Team! :)
Second Grade
Third Grade
We have been learning the following multiplication facts in class: x0, x1, x2, x3, x5, x6, x10. Please have your child practice their facts each night. We are hard at work in our fraction unit. We will finish Fractions before leaving for Winter Break. Have your child discuss what the numerator and denominator of a fraction are. invite your child to make a holiday dish with you and ask them to explain to you how if you are using 2 of the 6 eggs, then you are using 2 sixths. This is a fraction! Fractions are all around us, help them by pointing them out!
In Science, we are learning all about space! Share what you know about our sun, planets and solar system!
We will continue with discussing different holiday traditions, cultures and celebrations in Social Studies!
Your readers will be continuing their study of Nonfiction text. We will review and master the skills of main idea and details, inferencing and summarization. Your writers will be pushing their opinion writing to persuasive speeches. They will write about changes they want to see in the world. We can’t wait to see what influence they will make!
Fourth Grade
Season’s Greetings from 4th grade! We are working hard to finish our first semester material. Daily attendance is imperative for your student to do well! The first math benchmark was November 21 and the reading benchmark will be December 11. We have a Science DDC on December 4th and our next reading common assessment is December 6th. We encourage you to call to set up a conference, so we can discuss your child’s progress. We are excited about all the learning that is taking place in December!
Reading: We will be focusing on traditional literacy and poetry. We will reading folktales and character types like the trickster. Through poetry, we will learn figurative language, rhyme, and rhythm.
Writing: We will be finishing up our opinion writing. We will also be learning how to write poetry. We will have a living poetry exhibit to celebrate our writing. We encourage you to have your child continue to read and write over the Winter Break.
Math: We are really diving into the Geometry Unit. We will be finishing the unit of multiplication and division. We have been working on multiple different strategies to solve! Working on their facts is such an important of their success!
Science & Social Studies: We are discovering the attributes of electricity, weather, water cycle, also renewable and nonrenewable resources. In social studies, we are studying about the Texas Revolution and the Republic of Texas.
Hope to see y’all at the 4th grade music program at 9:00 AM on Friday, December 13th. The kids have been working hard to make this program the best ever!
Look for information on our upcoming Field Trip to the Sam Houston Memorial Museum on December 18th, and our Winter Celebration on December 19th, which is an early release day. Happy Holidays!
From The Library...Ms. Parks
A HUGE thank you to the B B Rice PTO for sponsoring our storyteller! Our students and teachers enjoyed each and every story she shared.
I also want to thank all our students and families that participated in our annual storybook pumpkin patch! The pumpkins were so very creative which made it very hard for our judges to pick our winners!
Remember to always encourage reading at home. As your child’s reading comprehension improves, they will be more successful in all aspects of their learning.
From the Nurse...
- What are head lice? Head lice are parasitic insects that can be found on the head of people. Head lice feed on human blood several times a day, and live near the scalp. Head lice lay eggs, called nits, on the hair shaft, very close to the scalp. Nits further than ¼ inch from the scalp are likely dead/hatched. Lice do not spread disease.
- What are the symptoms of head lice? Tickling, feeling something moving in your hair Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the louse bite Irritability and difficulty sleeping; lice are most active in the dark Sores on the head caused by scratching (which can lead to secondary bacterial infection)
- How do you get rid of head lice? Examine everyone in the home for lice and nits. Look carefully through the hair and at the scalp, behind the ears, and the back of the neck. Nits are easier to see than live lice. Treat only the household members who have lice. Use products available over-the-counter (according to package directions) or by prescription (according to physician directions). Comb the hair after treatment, using a special lice/nit comb. Separate the hair into sections and try to comb out every nit and louse you can. Live nits that are not combed out will hatch within 7-10 days. Combing is the most time-consuming step, but also the most important. Clean the house. Lice do not live long without a host on which to feed. However, to pick up any stray hairs that may have a live nit attached, wash and dry clothes, sheets, pillow cases, and towels using hot water and high heat. Vacuum the floor and furniture to pick up loose hairs. Combs and brushes should be soaked in hot water for 5-10 minutes. Follow the lice treatment product directions for when to retreat. It is usually recommended to retreat 7-10 days after the initial treatment. Continue to check heads daily until 1 week after second treatment or 1 week after last louse or nit is removed.
- How are head lice spread? Head lice are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person. The highest risk involves head-tohead contact. Lice crawl - they do not jump, and they do not have wings. It is fairly uncommon for lice to be spread by contact with clothing or other personal items. Personal hygiene and cleanliness have nothing to do with getting head lice. How are head lice prevented? Teach children to avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, sleepovers, camp). Avoid sharing clothing (hats, scarves, coats). Avoid sharing brushes, combs, and hair accessories.
- Is there a season for head lice? September is National Head Lice Awareness Month. Head lice incidences peak shortly after school starts particularly among young children. This is most likely due in part to younger children playing closely together and having head-to-head contact. During the winter season, the sharing of coats and hats may contribute to head lice occurrences. As spring comes, outdoor playing and sports activities bring children close together. Summertime often means summer camps and sleepovers which can lead to the spreading of head lice. So it seems as if there is no “one” season for head lice. Year round awareness and routine family inspection will help prevent head lice occurrences. Resources: Center for Disease Control & Prevention-http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/lice/head/index.html Texas Department of State Health Services-http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/schoolhealth/lice.shtm#2
CISD Health Services 8/2017
Does Social Media playing a part in the increase of anxiety and depression among our adolescents and teens?
Pew Research, 2018 states:
- 95% of teens have access to a smartphone
- 45% have non-stop access
- 10%+ cannot control online behavior
- If you can't control yourself is it an addiction?
- “Digital Heroin”
- the term created based on brain research showing the dopamine levels in the brain when using social media
- Gaming has also shown similar effects
Is Social Media Positive or Negative? - what do kids say?
- 31% say it is mostly POSITIVE
- 45% say it has no effect
- 24% say it is mostly NEGATIVE
Hashtag Trends to be aware of:
- #sue: suicide
- #deb: depression
- #ana: anorexia
- #thinsp: thinspiration (photos/messages that “inspire” an effort to become thin)
- #svv: self-harming behavior
How is it Affecting the Teen Brain? - (is it reversible?)
Physical Issues (not reversible):
- Vision: vision loss, at-risk for macular degeneration
- Increase: Teen migraines
- Finger/wrist pain
- “Text neck” (premature degeneration of neck and spine)
- “Phantom Vibration Syndrome”
- Decrease in self-confidence
- Peer Pressure increase
- Anxiety increase
- Depression increase
- Teens spending 5+ hours daily online (social media):
- 71% more likely to have at least one risk factor for suicide
- Risk decreases exponentially for teens spending 1 hour daily or less
Increase in Social Isolation (American Journal of Preventative Medicine 2017)
- Teens on social media more than 58 times per week:
- 3x’s more likely to feel socially isolated
- Less feelings of isolation if less than 9 times on social media per week
- Teens equate # of SM friends to reality
Brain Issues (may or may not be reversible):
Decrease in ability to multi-task and memory decline
Inability to regulate emotions
Reading "likes" and "shares" vs. gestures or facial expressions
Psychological addiction and impairment in hippocampus and amygdala
Social Media is constantly activating our Fight, Flight, or Freeze (survival) response:
THIS can eventually lead to:High blood pressure
Hypertension/cardiovascular disease
Diabetes
Cancer
More frequent illnesses
Eating issues
Mental health issues
- Because - a social media notification=“digital heroin”
- Then - the brain sends dopamine along a reward pathway
Which - feels good (reward)
Before - we know it behavior becomes a habit
So...What is the Effect of Social Media on Student Population?
- Source of distraction
Herd mentality
Degree of anger by teen victims of bullying associated w/increased exposure to media
Lack of EMPATHY/Sociopathology
Working memory and selective attention issues
Sensory information and response issues
Emotional reactivity
Lack of cognitive control over emotions
Increased anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation
Students today are always looking for an advantage to push them to the top.
I wonder how things would change if they knew the two easiest ways to get an advantage are:
- Getting 9 hours of sleep a night
- Limiting Social Media
Conroe Independent School District
The Conroe Independent School District (District) as an equal opportunity educational provider and employer does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in educational programs or activities that it operates or in employment matters. The District is required by Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as Board policy not to discriminate in such a manner.
For information about Title IX rights or Section 504/ADA rights, contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Section 504/ADA coordinator at 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, TX 77304; (936) 709-7752.