News from the Creek
Hippo Nation...Better Together! December 2020
A Note from your CCE Principal
Dear CCES Families--
December is known as the busiest time of the year and CCE is definitely busy with all things learning and growing our students! Can you believe that our school year is almost half-way complete! We have navigated through so much this year already together! #BETTER TOGETHER. The shared sentiment of our staff and teachers continues to be that we are all so proud to serve our community! We love our students and our families!
Thank you as well for participating in our virtual in-kind donation fundraiser, too! Our campus raised over $1200. Wow! All the proceeds go directly to supporting our students in many ways! We want to say that each of our families has been of key importance in ensuring a successful continued school year and we would like to say how BLESSED we are that you are part of our CCE family!
Cottonwood Creek Elementary has the BEST Staff, Students, and Families! We truly are "Better Together"! Our students are "Legendary" at Cottonwood Creek Elementary!
With Hippo Nation in Mind,
Linda Pachicano
Principal, Cottonwood Creek Elementary
CCES Sends Best Wishes to....Mrs. Connie Gooding
CCE Welcomes: Shara Turner and Felix Chavez, Newest Board Members
Mrs. Shara Turner
Mr. Felix Chavez
Student Sreeners are Happening this Month:
Students are participating in MOY Screeners using our RenSTAR program. Please reach out to your student's teacher if you have questions about the results. This data informs our instruction.
12/8: Title I: Parent Utility Virtual Meeting @ 3:10 PM-3:30 PM Click Here to Join
12/11: Gingerbread House Contest Email Submissions Due (see flier below)
12:17: Christmas Concert Performance (see info from Mrs. Pollini below)
Virtual Santa Supper (See flier below), all students will have the opportunity to take home a PTA treat to enjoy the reading aloud that evening at home. Virtual Students can pick up a treat from their teachers. Thank you, PTA!
Virtual Read Aloud Opportunity by Mr. Althoff to Classes.
12/18: Virtual Read Aloud Opportunity by Mr. Althoff to Classes.
Jingle Walk for CCE Students/Staff (More info to come from Coach Hull)
Early Release @ 12:00 PM; No pick-ups after 11 AM; Partial Absences apply.
End of 2nd 9 Weeks Grading Period
PTA Panda Express Fundraiser, See PTA Facebook page for details
12/21 to 1/5- Student/Staff Holiday; No School (Winter Holiday) Enjoy your families and stay safe!
NOTE: The School Calendar has been adjusted; Jan 4th and Jan 5th are student holidays. Thank you!
A Message from Mrs. Pollini, CCES Music Teacher
Hello CCE Parents and Students,
Again, we will be hosting a winter concert through Zoom on Thursday, December 17, 2020, for all who wish to participate. Here is the Zoom link:
Kimberly Pollini is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: CCE Winter Concert
Time: Dec 17, 2020 07:30 AM - 3:30 PM Central Time (US and Canada); Parents and students log in at their scheduled time to join the performance. Contact Mrs. Pollini @ kimberly.pollini@huttoisd.net if you have questions.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83929743886?pwd=Rys3eWdvWlZPYVoybFE1RS9zWlMzQT09
Meeting ID: 839 2974 3886
Passcode: 7qFW0k
The time for each class to perform will be during their regular special area time. For safe Covid-19 practices, we will only have 1 class of approximately 25 or less perform at a time (around 10 minutes each), and we will social distance safely on the risers. Here’s a tentative example:
Here is the song list with the suggested (not required) attire based on the country’s flag colors or holiday; please have your children to practice using the links below for their grade level:
Pre-Kinder - representing the USA, (class time: 10:15 – 10:45 AM)
1. We Wish You A Merry Christmas - wear holiday hats & colors (red, green, silver, gold, white, blue); practice with this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIcggASU7jk
Print Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/14x_XzQ9T6-UFAZXuN90-fttEv-jHkptGmeJl5RHDnkY/edit?usp=sharing
Kinder - representing Mexico (class time: 2:10 – 2:50 PM)
2. "Feliz Navidad" - wear holiday hats & colors (red, white, blue, green, silver, or gold); practice with this link; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QV3RbiAk8ms
Print Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zqARvXHru1AfW4Ei3R15sKLR0-rONCNNCBP6l8RcAtg/edit?usp=sharing
1st Grade - representing China (class time: 12:20 – 1:10 PM)
3. "Chinese tea" Nutcracker- wear red and/ or yellow t-shirt or dress; can wear jeans, black, or white bottoms; practice with this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3OxkICJ0Io
Print Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HEiUjrF769h7_I2LkMviI-x3GvW5CyiGSK2pRj71IWs/edit?usp=sharing
2nd Grade - representing Africa & Kwanzaa (class time: 1:15 – 2:05 PM)
4. "Siyahamba "- wear red, green, and/ or black t-shirt or dress; can wear jeans, black, or white bottoms; practice with this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1KZbMprW8U
Print Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1d1ujGnq-Asg2HYWimZbkFUOGSx7PF8BknGZhmGik16M/edit?usp=sharing
3rd Grade - representing Japan (class time: 10:50 – 11:40 AM)
5. "Osamu Kosamu" - wear white and red t-shirts, or ninja or martial arts uniform; can wear jeans, black, or white bottoms; practice with this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJULATvuFLg
Print Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1O14fYpi7OdD9tLbkkx-V_5pfw07GEW5o7MNr6aoaqI8/edit?usp=sharing
4th Grade - representing Germany & Gospel Music (class time: 9:20 – 10:10 AM)
6. "Joyful, Joyful" Sister Act - red, black, and/ or yellow t-shirt or dress; or Winter colors (red, green, silver, gold, white, and/ or blue, etc); practice with this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaEH1e_DLm0
Print-Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11_IZyDcEdIorDexetG_jhSOET2EMeGYyY91ysEHdgkA/edit?usp=sharing
5th Grade - representing Germany & Sign Language (7:40 – 8: 30 AM)
7. "Stile Nacht" - wear red, black, and/ or yellow t-shirt or dress; or Christmas colors (red, green, silver, gold, white, and/ or blue, etc); practice with these links: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXMM24n1yno (German) and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiMhk8VltYM (sign language)
start at 40 sec and stop at 2:05 sec
Print Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W9J6-9jujt1LCLmxL_ITpGbTGcM9RAIe83TEz2OwZh0/edit?usp=sharing
PreK - 5 representing Hanukkah, sung after their grade level song
8. "Dreidel Song" - dance and cheer; practice with this link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RczPreZDFU
Print Words: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19ZvV4BNIU-_msEru4xo9_yl11bEODa0x4M0W09hJQHQ/edit?usp=sharing
A Message from our Campus Counselor, Mrs. Valerie Kozak:
Happy Greetings, Families! Look at what our counselors and classrooms are focusing on this month:
Hippo Way Character Trait Focus for December
Caring & Compassion-Being kind, patient, and forgiving, even when others might not be.
During Community Circle classroom lesson(s), students will learn more about Caring & Compassion with their teacher and peers.
School Counselor Classroom Guidance Lesson Focus
This month's lesson will focus on kindness and compassion.
If you have any questions about these character traits or information in our monthly newsletter, please reach out at valerie.kozak@huttoisd.net. Thank you, Families!
Reminders from our front office:
* All Elementary Campuses are not accepting outside deliveries for staff and students i.e. lunch boxes, birthday items, snacks, backpacks, donations, gifts for teachers. Our goal is to practice social distancing and health guidelines and avoid unnecessary exposure to our staff and students.
*If you have a doctor's appointment and need to pick up your child, call the school office to notify them that you will be visiting, drive around the loop of the school and park in the front parking lot, walk up to the front entrance and ring the doorbell to the right on the wall, have your identification ready to show and we will call for your student and escort them to you outside. The office staff will sign them out and then back in when they return.
* Make sure students arrive on time each day, school begins at 7:40. Each day that a student is tardy equals cumulative learning experiences that are missed in the classroom. Students often feel stressed when they don't know what they have missed when they are late, let's help them be successful by getting them to school on time.
* Lunch Menu update for 12/18: Cheese or Pepperoni Pizza Regular Sliced and French bread pizza will be offered on the lunch line.
Check your student's grades through Skyward:
Stay abreast of your student's progress by checking Skyward Family Access periodically. Don't remember how to do this?
PTA Supports CCE!!
PTA has given back to CCE!
- Hand Sanitizing Stands at every campus entry
- Birthday Pencils & Bookmarks for Students for the year
- Pumpkins for Classroom Carving & Learning Projects
- Goodie Bags for Staff Appreciation
- Playscape Enhancements (Coming in October)
- Support with Virtual Events such as Trunk or Treat, etc.
- Time Donation to create a beautiful fence display to welcome our community
- Thanksgiving Table Covers for all our students and staff to enjoy!
- Bus Driver Appreciation Gifts!
- Monthly Staff Treats!
- HippoTickets Prizes for Students!
- Santa Supper Goodie Bags for Students
- Arts/Crafts Items for Christmas Parties
- Supporting with Decorating of the Campus
CCE knows that it's PTA supports our campus! We appreciate you, PTA!
If you haven't already joined PTA, it's only $10 to join for the year. If you would like to be part of a PTA committee and help making GREAT things happen at CCE, reach out to cottonwoodcreekpta@gmail.com. We always need support! Thank you!
Check out what is happening at the Creek!
Ms.Stepanov adds her creativity to the decor!
2nd grade teachers, working to decorate the tree!
Ms. Pachicano, Mrs. Baker, Mrs. Quevedo and Isabel teaming up to help!
Check us out on Social Media!
Email: cces.secretary@huttoisd.net
Website: http://hipponation.org/cces
Location: 3160 Limmer Loop, Hutto, TX 78634, USA
Phone: 512-759-5430
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CottonwoodCreekElementary/
Twitter: @CCES_HISD