Ellison Families,

What a wonderful first week of school we’ve had! During the first two weeks of school, our teachers work diligently to set classroom expectations, procedures and routines. How can you help? Getting our bees to school on time is crucial! That being said, if your little one is having difficulty during morning drop-off or adjusting to the new routine, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are here to help! Simply send me an email or reach out to our counselors, Mrs. Jordan or Mrs. Sills, or our associate principal, Mrs. Escarcega.

Things to consider:

• Students arriving on or after 7:45 am are considered tardy.
• Tardiness and absenteeism unavoidably affects the quality of a student’s work, interferes with normal instructional procedures in the classroom, and places additional demands on the teacher. It negatively impacts the child who is absent as well as other students in the class.
  
• Morning announcements begin at 7:40 am. During morning announcements, students say the daily pledges, hear birthday announcements, campus celebrations, and a motivating message from the school Principal and/or Associate Principal.
• Teachers begin daily class meetings, which we call "Sunshine Starters" promptly at 7:45 am. These class meetings are focused on social-emotional learning and character building lessons. Not only do students learn techniques that help with regulating emotions, they also learn in depth about the profiles of a learner. For example, learners are strong communicators, collaborators, leaders, and more!

We know that students can't learn if their hearts and minds are not at ease. That's why our commitment to Social Emotional Learning continues to be a priority. Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is a methodology that helps students of all ages better comprehend their emotions, feel those emotions fully, and demonstrate empathy for others. These learned behaviors are then used to help students make positive and responsible decisions, create frameworks to achieve their goals, and build positive relationships with others. In our efforts of meeting our students' overall well being, our bees will often reflect on their personal social-emotional and academic goals. In doing so, they will refer to our campus Ellison Essentials Matrix, the Learner Profiles, our Campus Behavior Rubric, and goal setting. These tools help our students better understand school-wide expectations, helps them reflect on their actions, and sets our students and teachers up for success.

Parents, THANK YOU for choosing Ellison and trusting us with your children. If you haven’t already, I invite you to buzz by to introduce yourself or to say hello. In the mornings, you can always find me at the front drive of our school welcoming our students. Know that we appreciate our families and value the enormous impact that a strong bond between home and school have on our children.

Because we know that education is a shared commitment, I want you to feel more than comfortable to visit or call anytime you have a question, concern, or simply want to chat. If you'd like to set up an appointment, send me an email and we can quickly schedule a time. I’m here for you and our students!

My email is Julie.Meneses@nisd.net and my direct line is (210) 398-1860. I look forward to hearing from you!

On behalf of our entire faculty, thank you for the privilege of allowing us to serve your family. And thank you for supporting us in our daily mission to put students FIRST in order to grow COMPASSIONATE, INNOVATIVE LEADERS that will THRIVE in today’s society!

Sincerely,

Principal Meneses

Student drop-off begins at 7:00 a.m. but not any sooner.

The Express lane is a fast-paced system meant for students who do not require assistance to exit their vehicle. If students need assistance with unloading their vehicles or with unbuckling, we ask that parents park their vehicle in the parking lot and use the crosswalk to escort their child to the front doors.

To ensure the safety and security of all children and staff and to prevent disruption of the learning environment, after the first week of school, the hallways will remain a student-only zone in the mornings, with the exception of PK, Kinder, ALE, and ECSE. Families of students in PK, Kinder, ALE and ECSE are highly encouraged to park and escort students into the building, however must arrive between 7:00-7:40 a.m. to do so. We ask that all other parents/guardians either use the express lane or park and walk students to the security lobby, where a staff member will be happy to greet and welcome them! Visitors are always welcome to check-in to the building to meet with the school nurse, speak to the office staff, or for scheduled conferences or meetings.

Prior to 7:40 am, visitors will always be greeted by a staff member at the front entrance allowing access to only staff, students and parents. After 7:40 am, the security lobby is locked and visitors will have to check in.

Visitor ID's will be swiped and entered into the district's tracking system. Once the visitor's background is cleared, they will be given a pass. The secure doors unlock and they are allowed in. Campus visitors should wear their visitor pass at all times while on campus.

Click below to visit our wonderful PTA site. With a click of a button, you'll be able to purchase spirit gear, which students are encouraged to use on the first day of school and every Friday of the year!