Buckalew Buzz
January 24, 2022
Connect With Us!
Buckalew Bears Motto:
"Today I choose to BE Kind, Work Hard, and Do My BEst!"
Our school hours are officially 8:00-3:10. Students may arrive as early as 7:30.
*disclaimer that items published in this newsletter may change due the COVID-19 pandemic*
Email: contactbuckalew@conroeisd.net
Website: https://buckalew.conroeisd.net/
Location: 4909 Alden Bridge Dr, The Woodlands, TX, USA
Phone: 2814653400
Facebook: www.facebook.com/BuckalewCISD/
Twitter: @buckalewbears
From Mrs. Price
I hope you are all enjoying our Texas weather in January! As we continue to navigate the weather and pandemic, we continue to do our very best to keep all children safe. We have 4 new IVP machines in our buildings, we hand sanitize as students transition in and out of the classrooms, and we are wiping counters/tables down regularly. While we have had several staff members and students impacted since our return in January, we are remaining hopeful that this surge will peak soon. We thank you for keeping your children home when they are sick and if they are awaiting results from a PCR test. We also appreciate your continued flexibility as we continue to plan for our school events and continue to respond and mitigate each scheduled event below.
We have had 3 very successful After School Playdates, and we look forward to our last two grade level fundraisers. We also look forward to having our "Kids Only" Book Fair coming up and we are hoping to be able to have our 1st Grade Art Night just around the corner. See below and Save the Date for all things related to Buckalew below.
Have a great week,
Jill Price
Note from the Nurse:
COVID Information:
Hopefully we are peaking and will see a decline in cases! I wanted to provide you with the CISD guidelines for students who have symptoms consistent with COVID. I hope the following information is helpful.
Alison Whiddon RN
Buckalew School Nurse
Individuals who have symptoms consistent with COVID:
An individual who has received a negative rapid antigen test but is awaiting results of a subsequent PCR test may not return to school/work until negative results are received.
Individuals experiencing new onset symptoms consistent with COVID-19 that are not related to a known chronic condition are required to isolate until re-entry criteria are met.
An individual with symptoms that could be COVID-19 who is not evaluated by a medical professional or tested for COVID-19 is assumed to have COVID-19 and must meet re-entry criteria.
An individual with symptoms that could be COVID-19 who wants to return to school/work before completing the stay-at-home period must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual to return based on an alternative diagnosis OR obtain a negative acute infection test.
Re-Entry Criteria:
Option 1: Receive a negative COVID-19 test result.
Option 2: Obtain a medical professional’s note clearing the individual to return based on an alternative diagnosis. (The specific alternative diagnosis is not required on the return note.)
Option 3: You may return to school/ work after at least 10 days have passed since the onset of symptoms, at least 24 hours fever free has passed without the use of fever-reducing medications, and your symptoms are improving.
Parents of students who have received COVID-19 positive results are asked to complete the self-report in the SSO portal:
Upcoming Events (dates may alter or change due to the pandemic)
January
25 - SPIRIT NIGHT at El Chaparro
26- 1st Grade 100 Day Parade
February
1/31-2/4- Book Fair Preview during Specials
7th-10th- Book Fair
10th- Kindergarten After School Playdate Fundraiser
10th - 1st Grade Art Night
11th- 3rd Grade After School Playdate Fundraiser
18th- No School for Students (inclement weather day for staff)
21st- School Holiday
24th- BUGz- 3rd Grade Program
24th - 3rd Grade Music Program
25th- Go Texan Day! Wear Your Western Gear!
March
4- Spring Photo
10- Field Day
11-18 Spring Break
26- Carnival
31- 4th Grade Program
April
15-Holiday
18- Holiday
28-2nd Grade Program
May
9-13- Campus Closed to Visitors due to testing
10-3rd and 4th Grade STAAR Math
11- 3rd and 4th Grade STAAR Reading
26th- Student Last day/ KG Program and 4th Grade Graduation
26th- Early Release Day 12:10
August
10 - School resumes
CISD is Hiring!
Now Hiring Custodians
Now Hiring Cafeteria Workers
Now Hiring Bus Drivers
A Note From The Attendance Office
Absences
When your child is absent, please call the school attendance line (281-465-3410) or email Jayne Bull (jbull@conroeisd.net) to explain the reason for their absence. To ensure the accuracy of your child's attendance records, please call, or email each day your child is absent.
Please remember that attendance is recorded at 9:00 a.m. each day. If your child is absent at 9:00 a.m. due to a doctor’s appointment, he/she will be counted present if you bring your child back to school on the same day with a doctor's statement that verifies the appointment.
If your child will be out for an extended period, please let us know.
School hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. The tardy bell rings at 8:00 a.m. and students will be counted tardy if they are not in their classroom at that time.
Buckalew Bistro Reservations
As you are aware, we have now entered into CISD Level 4 effective 01/13/2022. As our priority is still Health and Safety, we have limited our Bistro reservations during this time. We also have additional Visitor COVID screening procedures for you to complete at the Front Office before entering the Bistro. We also strongly encourage mask wearing and social distancing whilst you are visiting.
Our Buckalew Bistro is a classroom dedicated to parents to have lunch with their child. It is located outside of the Cafeteria. For this reason, we only have 5 slots available per grade level, per day, to accommodate space for visitors.
- Please be mindful when booking your reservation, that we would like to give parents the opportunity to have lunch with their child. If a day is full, please try for a date later in the month. We appreciate your understanding in the limited space available as we navigate the reintroduction of parents on our campus.
- We can only allow parents who have made a reservation to enter the building so please understand, for safety reasons, we can not accommodate those who do not have a reservation.
- Lunchtime is limited to 25 minutes. Please allow time to complete the required check-in at the front office prior to your child’s lunchtime.
- Please arrive early to allow you to sign in the front office. Please bring with you, your driver’s license. Without identification, we cannot allow you into the building to have lunch with your child. You will then be given a visitors name badge. This will notify our staff that you have permission to enter the building.
GRADE ARRIVE AT BISTRO EXIT
KG 11:20 11:50
1st 11:50 12:20
2nd 12:20 12:50
3rd 12:10 12:40
4th 11:40 12:10
Please exit the Bistro promptly when your lunchtime has ended as the next grade level reservations begin immediately. Returning your child to the cafeteria by the above listed time will ensure they have a smooth transition to their next activity, and then visitors will head back to the front office to exit the building.
As we have learned throughout this year, things may change so we appreciate your understanding if we may need to change the schedule, you will be notified through SignupGenius.
Counselor's Corner
Counseling Helps Us G-R-O-W!!!
New counseling groups are forming this month and will begin meeting the week of November 15th. Each group meets once a week for five weeks during lunch. The deadline to sign-up is Friday, February 11th.
Group topics include dealing with BIG emotions (fear, anger, frustration, sadness), having a growth mindset, coping skills, and character traits such as perseverance, honesty, kindness, and gratitude. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me at kpoints@conroeisd.net.
If you are interested in having your child join us, please fill out the below link:
Silent Auction
Do you own or know a business that would like to donate to the Buckalew Bash Carnival Silent Auction?!
Your business will be recognized as a partner of our school on our carnival website and in the carnival event program!
The auction will be online again this year and will begin on March 20th!
Please contact Alison Barger (alison.middaugh.barger@gmail.com) or Brandi Sherman (brandi.w.sherman@gmail.com) to donate!
Yearbook
Create a message that your child will remember forever. The yearbook dedicates several pages of recognition ads for families to leave sweet messages to your child. $25 sale ends Thursday, Feb 10.
Buy here: www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/1480167/Buckalew-Elementary-School/
-Information for your ongoing reference-
2022 - 2023 School Calendar
At their meeting Tuesday night, the Board of Trustees adopted the 2022-2023 School Calendar as recommended by the CISD District-Level Planning and Decision-Making Committee (DLPDMC).
Three 2022-2023 draft calendars were posted on the CISD website and provided to campuses to share with their staff and community. Of the available options, the approved 2022-2023 calendar most closely mirrors the current calendar. It reflects 175 days of instruction, a minimum of 75,600 instructional minutes for students, and 187 working days for teachers.
Please sign up as a CISD VOLUNTEER
Click the button below to complete the form. You will need your drivers license number;
Library News
Library Volunteers
If you would like to volunteer in the library, please contact our library volunteer coordinator, Rhonda Villasenor at libraryvolunteer.buckalew@gmail.com
If you would like to help with our Scholastic book fair, please contact Kerri McWilliams at: kerrimcwilliams@hotmail.com.
School Cash Online
We are very excited to announce that Buckalew Elementary will join in with other CISD schools and will be offering School Cash Online, which provides you with the convenience of paying online for school items such as trips, Scholastic Magazine subscriptions, and various activities. We really want to save you time when paying for school expenses, so we can’t wait for you to take advantage of this opportunity. School Cash Online is a great way to pay without the need for cash or checks!
Please follow the link below to register online (it takes less than 5 minutes!) Once you have registered your child, you will be able to see when they have a new item posted online for purchase. You also have the option to be notified whenever your child has a new school expense due, so you don’t have to worry about missing the deadline.
To set up an account and explore the system, please follow the instructions below. We look forward to hearing your feedback!
Register Online:
Step 1: Please click on this link: https://conroeisd.schoolcashonline.com/
Step 2: Register by selecting the “Get Started Now” and following the steps.
Step 3: After you receive the confirmation email, select the “click here” option, log in and add each of your children to your household account.
If you have any questions during the registration process or while shopping online, please select the SUPPORT option in the top right-hand area of the screen or you may contact the parent help desk at 1-866-961-1803 or at http://schoolcashonline.co./Home/Support or see the handout below.
CISD-Foldable-Brochure-English.pdf
Currently, in grades 1st-4th, the classes are utilizing Scholastic News and Storyworks Jr magazine subscriptions to read high interest non-fiction texts and to learn about text features and engaging stories and different genres. We thank you in advance for purchasing this wonderful subscription for your child.
For the first time, Buckalew will be collecting money through School Cash Online vs requesting parents send in a check or cash.
Thank you again for your support in our students.
Transportation Changes and/or Early Pick-up
To make transportation changes, please send a note in your child's backpack to the teacher AND email: buckalewtransportation@conroeisd.net
Thank you for your understanding.
Active Start and Breakfast
Breakfast is served in our cafeteria from 7:30-7:55 daily. See below for menu.
Water Bottles
Children are encouraged to bring water bottles each day. Please clearly write your child's name on the bottle with permanent marker.
Lost and Found
A friendly reminder to please label all of your child's belongings with first name and last initial or last name. **Water bottles, lunch boxes, hats, and especially outerwear such as hoodies/jackets/sweaters are all great things to label as these items tend to pile up quickly in the Lost and Found, which is located right outside of the gym. We really hope to reunite these lost items with their owners before the break!
If you have any additional questions, please contact Jo Whitten at jojowhitten@me.com or Val Eissler veissler@gmail.com
Lunch Information
We are working with our students on understanding the lunch-buying process. It can be quite confusing for our elementary students. We are currently speaking with our students and explaining to them, if they bring a lunch, they should eat their lunch before going through the line and purchasing the "free" lunch. For some students, they are eating the "free" lunch and then getting a second lunch, which costs $3.85. As we try and navigate each student through the lunch line, every child has a different need, and we never want to deny students from going through the lunch line. We encourage you to communicate with your child your expectations in either: eating the lunch you are providing/packing; buying the "free" lunch only and going through the line one time; or explaining that if they go through the line a second time, their account is charged $3.85. If you are providing a lunch/snack and want your child to take advantage of the "free" lunch, a note would help the staff on duty make sure your child is eating what you expect, as there are different staff on duty each day. We also encourage you to check your child's account, by going to the link below and you can check and monitor your child's purchase history, including the "free" breakfast or lunch, and if necessary put a limit on the account by contacting our cafeteria directly. It is a blessing that all students are provided a "free" breakfast and/lunch again this year, however it does become confusing for our elementary students.
Breakfast
Meal Includes Entree, Fruit, and 1% or Skim Milk Daily
There is no charge for student breakfast meals during the 21-22 school year
Non-Student Meal/2nd Meal $2.60
Lunch
Meal Includes Entree, Vegetable, Fruit and 1% or Skim Milk Daily
There is no charge for student lunch meals during the 21-22 school year
Non-Student Meal/2nd Meal $3.85
Entree A la Carte $2.25
Fruit/ Vegetable/ Juice/ Bread A la Carte $1.10
Milk A la Carte $.90
If your child will be purchasing a second meal or extra items, you may prepay by using My School Bucks. You will find a link to this service, lunch menus, and other helpful information by clicking on the child nutrition resource button below. If you would like to put a cap on your child's spending on your lunch account, then please notify our cafeteria manager by calling 281-465-3467.
If your Child is Absent
Dreambox for Math can be found on your child's "SSO" and is online and can be done at home, without parent support. We recommend no more than 7 lessons a week at home, independently. Parents assisting their child with Dreambox will alter their path and not provide independent pathways for your child.
Reading either with your child, or your child independently reading is one of the best things you can do with your child in their absence from school. Ask comprehension questions: who, what, where, when, why?
The content on the Roadmap to Remaining Open webpages is designed to provide information relevant for the 2021-2022 school year. The details on this page are subject to change as we receive guidance from the Texas Education Agency, Governor’s Office, and State and local officials. Please check back often for the most up-to-date information.
Join our Incredible PTO!
As part of the Buckalew community, all families are invited to join the PTO which meets monthly. We so appreciate our active and generous volunteers who continue to shape the success of Buckalew and strengthen our students’ foundation for learning. We have many volunteer opportunities and need you to continue making Buckalew an outstanding school. Please consider joining the PTO fun. Please follow the Buckalew PTO's social media as they update it regularly!
Transportation
1. Bus rider (eligible if home is 1 mile or further from school) Bus routes are posted online on and you can check the link below in "what bus do I ride". You can also register your child for the bus by clicking the link below.
2. Car Rider Signs. The car rider line will be at the rear of the school and the bus line will be at the front of the school. ALL Parents will receive TWO car rider signs (orange) at Meet the Teacher night. If you have multiple children, you family car rider signs will be found in your youngest child's homeroom. Please display the car rider sign in your front passenger window so our staff can read your card. See below to help you navigate our car rider line if you are new.
3. Day Care. Day care vehicles drop off and pick up students in the front of the school with the buses. If your child will not be riding the day care bus due to an early pick-up or transportation change, please notify the day care so they know your child will not be riding that day.
4. Biker/Walker. Kindergarten students must have a parent/guardian/designated adult present at the Biker Walker doors (under the patio) at dismissal in order to walk or bike home. Our Biker Walkers will exit the school near the bike racks. All other biker/walkers are released at dismissal to ride or walk home independently.
On severe weather dismissal days, students will not walk or bike ride home. If your child is a biker/walker as your primary mode, then you will be a car rider on severe weather days.