LCE November Newsletter

Little Cypress Elementary Families,

October was a great month, and we are looking forward to a great November together.

Every grade level was able to enjoy a field trip in October, and I'm thankful that we get to add experiences like attending the Lutcher Theater into our students' core memories.

Thank you for supporting the Big Kahuna fundraiser last month. The funds raised help pay for field trip transportation costs, some of the ticket prices, etc.

While we do want students to have fun memories and enjoy school, we also build and adjust pacing calendars to ensure all curriculum is taught.

I know that there are lots of seasonal activities going on, but please make sure your student is at school every day all day. Every instructional minute matters!

This season tends to be a time where families have more time at home. I encourage you to read to your child. Most picture books take less than 10 minutes! Reading with your child builds memories and helps them understand that reading is important. Even utilizing time in the car to listen to audiobooks or watching read aloud YouTube videos still counts!

If there’s anything we can do to better serve your child or your family, please reach out.

At your service,

Amber Hawk

Principal

LCE is thankful for our partnership with the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Education Foundation. Check out the details above for their upcoming fundraiser, Saturday, Nov. 4th.

What is a VATRE?

A Voter Approved Tax Rate Election (VATRE), if approved by LCMCISD voters, would allow the district to receive an estimated 3 million—annually—in additional funding. This additional funding would be used to fulfill safety and security requirements as required by state law.

Why did LCMCISD call a VATRE?

With voter approval, LCMCISD will be granted $2 million in additional state revenue and approximately $922,179 in local revenue. This results in a total of $3 million per year ($2 million of that coming from Austin). Without these funds, LCMCISD's ability to support required safety and security requirements will be substantially impacted.

• LCMCISD's starting teaching salary is $5,000 below West Orange-Cove CISD and most Beaumont area schools.

• In the state of Texas, LCMCISD is in the bottom quarter of all school districts for per student funding.

• The state legislature approved an increase in the value of the additional pennies to $126.21 for 23-24, $129.52 for 24-25, increasing the revenue lost to districts that do not have voter approval to receive these additional state funds.

• Prior to this year, the state match has been too small. In 2023-2024, the state will now provide significant additional dollars to the district.

LCM was required to conduct an Efficiency Audit as part of the 2023 VATRE election process.

This report provides key details about the district operations. Click to read the LCM Efficiency Audit. Click to read the Schools FIRST Financial Report.

How will the VATRE impact the overall LCMCISD tax rate?

The total LCMCISD tax rate includes the operating (M&O) rate and the bond (I&S) rate. School tax rate is a combination of the operating rate (M&O) and the bond rate (I&S). If the VATRE is approved by the voters, the overall LCMCISD M&O tax rate will increase by 12 cents, but the overall LCMCISD tax rate will decrease by 23 cents.

1. The M&O rate will be $0.8412, which is 8 cents LOWER than the 2022-23 rate of .9225 cents.

2. The I&S rate has been lowered to $0.2200 by the Board of Trustees, which is 15 cents LOWER than 2022-23.

3. The total tax rate would be $1.0612. This is $0.2350 less than last year.

How will this impact my property taxes?

When property increases in value, your tax bill goes up.

Here's an example for an average house in Orange County that includes a local homestead exemption of $15,000 (15%) for a home valued at $100,000.00:

House in 2021 worth $100,000.00 – $15,000.00 local exemption – $25,000.00 state exemption = $60,000.00 taxable value x $1.2967 tax rate = $778.02 tax bill

House in 2022 worth $100,000.00 – $15,000.00 local exemption – $40,000.00 state exemption = $45,000.00 taxable value x $1.2967 tax rate = $583.52 tax bill

House in 2023 worth $100,000.00 – $15,000.00 local exemption – $40,000.00 state exemption = $45,000.00 taxable value x $1.0612 tax rate = $477.54 tax bill

Decrease of $126.59 on the same house for the year due to the increase in the state exemption. and a decrease of $328.02 since 2021. Therefore, with approximately 3,200 students in LCMCISD, the average homeowner will pay 23.5 cents less per year per child in LCMCISD, but that will generate an additional $3 million dollars in funding. Previously, the state has kept the majority of the increase in property values that generated additional funding. Under HB3 (House Bill 3) with voter approval in 2023, we can keep the local tax money generated for all children in LCMCISD.

What will the funds from the VATRE be used for?

Funds from the VATRE will be used for:

• To fulfill safety and security requirements as required by state law.

• Staff salaries to retain quality staff.

• Needed campus facility repairs and improvements.

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Where does the 8.81 percent revenue increase come from?

8.81% of the increased revenue comes from the increase between the no new revenue rate and the increase to the voter approved tax rate calculation and the state legislature additional tax rate compression. Therefore, although the district is increasing their operating revenue, the tax compression is decreasing the overall tax rate. The 8.81 percent is equal to the additional $2 million dollars in funding that will be used to fulfill the safety and security requirements as required by state law.

What will the ballot say?

The November ballot will ask voters to ratify the total tax rate, including the I&S (debt service tax rate), not just the M&O rate. The ballot language is set by state law and may lead voters to think the district is raising taxes, when in fact the overall tax rate is decreasing. The 8.81% percent is equal to the $922,179 in M&O taxes, the increase in tax revenue plus additional state revenue in the amount of $2 million, which totals approximately $3 million in additional funds for LCMCISD. District funds will also be impacted if the $100,000 homestead exemption passes also passes during the November election, which will cost the voters even less in local property taxes, but will increase state funding if this is approved by LCM voters.

The ballot will read as follows:

“Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of $1.0612 in the Little Cypress-Mauriceville Consolidated Independent School District for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 8.81% percent in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $922,179.”

The Big Kahuna Fundraiser delivery is Thursday, November 9th.

Items can be picked up through the front porch beginning at 2:50 p.m.

You can pick up your student from the back and then swing around to front porch to pick up your items.

After the 9th, if you have questions, feel free to reach out to Secretary Lisa Fisher at lfisher@lcmcisd.org. She can get you in contact with Big Kahuna.

Thank you for your support!

The LCE Assistant Principal was rightly dressed for the LCE Storybook Character Parade on October 31st; she’s one smart cookie, and she found a student who was also dressed as The Smart Cookie! (See read aloud book here: https://youtu.be/V1--x_4BsvM)

Help us congratulate Dr. Sarah St. John for recently successfully defending her dissertation.

Dr. St. John will graduate from Lamar University with her Ed.D. in December, and we couldn’t be more proud!

Please help us honor Dr. St. John by recognizing her title change. What an accomplishment!

Parents, with cold and flu season upon us, I wanted to share some information to help you understand the signs and symptoms you may be seeing.

Please remember all students must be fever free for 24 hours without the use of medication before they can return to school.

Doctor's notes or a release through K. Meadows, RN LCMCISD Health Services Director, is needed in the case of COVID.

Don't hesitate to call or email with questions or concerns.

Misty Coleman

mcoleman@lcmcisd.org

Last month our counseling focus was Bullying and Conflict Resolution. We enjoyed Unity Day and Red Ribbon Week!

For November, we will focus on self-control and gratitude. We all need to learn a little self-control, especially around Thanksgiving feasting time! :)

This month we will also have two opportunities to give back to our community.

The first is through the food drive, and the second is Pajamas Across America on Tuesday, Nov. 28.

The food drive begins Wednesday, Nov. 1st and runs through Thursday, Nov. 9th. We will use the items collected to give baskets out to families in need. Last year we gave our baskets to an entire apartment! Thank you in advance for sharing what you can with other during this holiday season.

All students can wear pajamas on the 28th, but the LCE PTO will be collecting monetary donations for Giving Tuesday to support Sleep in Heavenly Peace.

Sleep in Heavenly Peace is a national non-profit organization that helps families in need to keep children off the floor. We've had a few LCE families receive beds and mattresses because the LCE students were sleeping on the floor.

As we all know, students learn best when their basic needs are met, and we are thankful that as a community we can partner together to meet needs.

These two opportunities are great for us to teach students at an early age that everything given to us may not be meant for us. Being Kind members of our community is something we want all students to know!

Thank you for your partnership!

As always, if your student is in need of a visit to see me, please fill out the counseling referral form linked below.

The LCM Child Nutrition Department is moving towards a more interactive breakfast and lunch menu with the “My School Menus” platform. Parents and students can now look at the products served in our cafeterias along with product descriptions, ingredients, and allergens. You may also download the mobile app from either the Google Play Store or the Apple Store. Search “My School Menus.”

To access the November menus, please click the following link: November Menus

For more information, please click the following links. Once the site loads, click on the screen to access the informational videos.

• (How to use the site) https://vimeo.com/395170590
• (How to use the app) https://vimeo.com/395776454/fd7284baaa

We rotate lunch visitors weekly, but we also allow two Skyward approved guests on your child's birthday.

If your child has a birthday on the weekend, you can come the Friday before or Monday after.

The week of November 6: Pre-K

The week of November 13: Kindergarten

The week of November 27: 1st Grade

As a reminder, only two guests can attend lunch, and they must be listed and approved through Skyward. Guests must sit in the assigned guest lunch area.

Guests are not allowed to take photos of other students on campus, and other students are not allowed to sit with guests. Food can only be shared with your child.

We love to encourage our Bears to show off their school spirit.

We love to see all the LCM Green and Gold throughout football season, the LCE PTO sells Face Art for 50 cents on every game day.

The high school has asked us to share that if students attend the football games, they must be supervised. Students are not allowed to run and play under the bleachers.

Students must ride the bus to their assigned drop off location (home address/licensed day care).

All bus transportation changes must go through the Transportation Department 409-670-4601. Changes must take place before 1:30 p.m.

Without a note, the child will follow their established routine.

In an emergency, a phone call will be accepted but will require the student's last four digits of their social security number.

An adult must be present at the bus stop for all PK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students to be dropped off.

DROP OFF:

LCE students should be dropped off between 6:50 - 7:10 a.m. The tardy bells rings at 7:15 a.m. and instruction begins at 7:20 a.m.

Only 2nd and 3rd grade students and Self-Contained students can be dropped off at the front of the school in the mornings. Everyone else will need to be dropped off in the back.

Parents with both LCI and LCE students may drop their LCE student off in the LCI car line between 6:50 - 7:10 a.m. After 7:10, all LCE students are to be dropped off at the LCE campus.

For safety reasons, please have your child ready to exit the vehicle on the passenger side. Please talk to your child about what it means to be ready to exit the vehicle. Please also stress to them not to run but to walk safely.

We will begin shutting the back doors at the 7:15 a.m. tardy bell.

Once the back doors are closed, you will need to drive to the front of the school, park, and escort your child into the building.

TURN RIGHT when exiting Meeks during drop off and pick up hours.

For the safety of your child and others, please do not use your cell phone while in the car drop off and pick up lines.

PICK UP:

The dismissal car line begins at 2:50 p.m.

Students cannot be checked out through the front office after 2:30 p.m. as we are in our final transition for the day. We will ask you to join the pick up line at that point. On Early Release days, final front office pick up will be at 10:50 a.m.

Please ensure that you are in line to pick up your child by 3:10 p.m.

If your child needs assistance to buckle, please pull ahead into the grassy area.

THE SCHOOL ISSUED CAR RIDER TAG MUST BE VISIBLE IN ORDER TO PICK UP YOUR CHILD. THIS IS A SAFETY MEASURE.

TURN RIGHT when exiting Meeks during drop off and pick up hours.

For the safety of your child and others, please do not use your cell phone while in the car drop off and pick up lines.

The district prohibits any clothing or grooming that in the principal’s judgment may reasonably be expected to cause disruption or interference with normal school operations.

Shorts and skirts should be at least mid-thigh length and be hemmed.

Shirts should cover the midriff and have at least two (2) inch shoulder strap or sleeves. No muscle shirts or spaghetti straps.

Pants must fit at the waist or be belted. Baggy pants and jeans with holes above the knee will not be allowed. Holes above the knee with backing are allowed as long as the backing is intact.

All students are required to have shoes that are safe for participation in all physical education activities. Backless shoes, high-heeled shoes of any type, and flip-flops are prohibited. This is a safety issue and is in the best interest of the student. All rubber soled, laced up, closed back shoes (tennis shoes or any athletic type shoe) will be acceptable. Crocs are not allowed in PE.

Should you have to remove your child during the school day, please sign him/her out at the front office. School personnel will call for your child to meet you.

Please remember to send any doctor's notes upon the student's return to school. When absent, the student must have a signed parent note or doctor's excuse upon their return to school.

You can e-mail attendance documentation to Attendance Clerk and Registrar Bianca Sanchez at bsanchez@lcmcisd.org.

5723 Meeks

Orange, Texas 77632

409-886-2838

Amber Hawk, Principal

ahawk@lcmcisd.org

Sarah St. John, Assistant Principal

sstjohn@lcmcisd.org

Sydney Brittain, Counselor

sydneybrittain@lcmcisd.org

Lisa Fisher, Secretary

lfisher@lcmcisd.org

Bianca Sanchez, Registrar

bsanchez@lcmcisd.org

Misty Coleman, Nurse

mcoleman@lcmcisd.org

Meagan Washburn, At-Risk Coordinator

mwashburn@lcmcisd.org

Tammi Halliburton, Librarian

thalliburton@lcmcisd.org