Buckalew Buzz

April 17, 2023

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.

From Mrs. Price

Buckalew Family,


The 2023 Buckalew Bash Carnival was a HUGE success and the final results of this success are in: Just under 1,500 people were in attendance and over $37,000 was raised for our school! Of this amount, approximately $23,000 was from our silent auction. We
would like to one again, thank everyone who volunteered and donated to our event. It wouldn’t be possible without you!


As we are preparing for the end of the school year already, please know that school supplies are ready to order from our PTO and the deadline is June 9th. To order see below under PTO information.


Also, the deadline to order a yearbook is around the corner, April 28. You can find that information below as well.


Just another reminder that our 23-24 New Student Registration Opens and Kindergarten enrollment is now OPEN (k-4), so please share this with your neighbors and friends of CISD.


We are so blessed to have such an amazing community with such supportive parents.


We appreciate you!!

Jill Price

2023 CISD Bond Planning Committee Information

Conroe ISD requested the participation of students, parents, business owners, community members, and employees for a Bond Planning Committee (BPC) in anticipation of a bond on the November 7, 2023 ballot. Click here to view more...

GT NOMINATIONS FOR SUMMER TESTING – Nominations are Due Friday, April 28, 2023

The window is now open for parent nominations for GT Screening and will continue through April 28. Parents may nominate their student for Summer GT Testing by completing the District Nomination Form, available through any 2nd, 3rd or 4th grade teacher, or by asking Nikki in the front office. If you would like a form emailed to you, contact Mrs. Smith tonsmith@conroeisd.net. Second grade students who did not participate in the October 2022 CogAT administration are the only second grade students who are eligible for summer testing. Parents may now nominate, one time per level of test. In other words, students may test once each school year to see if they meet district requirements and /or qualify in other subject areas. GT testing will be held at Bush Elementary on May 30 – June 1 from 8:00-11:00. Nomination forms may be returned to your student’s 2nd, 3rd, or 4th grade teacher OR to Nikki in the front office. You may also email completed nomination forms to Mrs. Smith tonsmith@conroeisd.net. ALL NOMINATION forms are due NO LATER THAN April 28!.

Buckalew Safety

As we continue to monitor safety practices on campus regularly, we would like to ask for your assistance in this practice. On a daily basis, through Active Start in the mornings, recess during the day, and even during PE when outside, we have adults approaching our students through the fence line of Lakeside Park. We kindly ask that you refrain from engaging your child or other children through outside parameters of our gates and doors. It becomes confusing for students to know who they should or should not talk to from the fence line. It becomes difficult for staff monitoring to differentiate who are parents or strangers engaging the students as well. We kindly ask that after you drop your child off and say goodbye, that you do not interact with the students from the fence areas. We did talk to students today on both the announcements and during active start about not talking to any adult outside of our fence, just like we do about not opening doors for adults in our building. We thank you for your assistance in reinforcing student safety, as it is a public park with a lot of traffic throughout the day.

Upcoming Events

**Please pay close attention to homeroom teacher newsletters for class-specific events.**


April

17-28 1st Grade Montgomery County Animal Shelter Donations - box in front of Library

20- 2nd Grade Music Program, 6pm

24-27- Papa Johns Spirit Nights


May

11- Choir Concert, 6pm

12 - PTO Meeting

18 - TWHS Senior Walk (for high school senior parents only)

25 - Early Release 12:10

25- KG Program

25-4th Grade Graduation/Clap Out


June

9 - DEADLINE TO ORDER 2023-2024 School Supplies!

Lunch Schedule for STAAR Testing April 24 - 28

Lunch/Recess Schedule


Kinder 11:20-11:50 / 11:50-12:20

2nd 11:40-12:10 / 12:10-12:40

1st 11:50-12:20 / 12:20-12:50

3rd/4th 12:20/30 - 12:50/1:00 Lunch

- Get Involved In CISD! -

Montgomery County Animal Shelter Donations!

First grade is collecting pet supply donations for the Montgomery County Animal Shelter from April 17th-28th. Needed items are listed below and can be turned into a box at the front office. Items include pet food, towels and blankets.


Thank you for your support!


First Grade Teachers

- From Nurse Alison -

April 29 is Healthy Kids Day!

Look for local activities promoting Healthy Kids Day


HealthyKids Day 2023 is an opportunity to teach children about the importance of healthy living and encourage them to develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime. By promoting physical activity, healthy eating habits, mental health awareness, and community involvement, you can help children live happier, healthier lives.


Encouraging Physical Activity


Encourage kids to get active by participating in activities such as sports, dancing, and outdoor play. Physical activity is essential for maintaining a healthy weight, building strong bones and muscles, and promoting mental health.

Healthy Eating Habits

Teach children about the importance of healthy eating habits, such as eating a balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins. Encourage them to make healthy choices when selecting snacks and drinks, and limit their intake of sugary and processed foods.


Mental Health Awareness


Help kids understand the importance of taking care of their mental health. Teach them about the benefits of relaxation techniques, such as meditation and yoga, and encourage them to seek help if they’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed.


Community Involvement


Involved in your community and encourage children to do the same. Volunteer at a local charity or community center, or participate in a neighborhood clean-up project. Community involvement can help children develop a sense of responsibility and empathy for others.

- From The Attendance Office -

Incoming Kindergarten and New Students to Buckalew for the 2023 -2024 School Year

New student registration for the 2023 -2024 school year opens on March 21. To start the registration process, log on to the CISD District Website: www.conroeisd.net. Under the Parent/Student tab, select Enrollment & Transfers, then select the Family Portal 2023-2024 option.


Once you create your account you can begin the enrollment process. Please upload as many of the required documents (see below) as you can. After your application is completed and submitted, the registrar will contact you.


The following documents are required to complete your child’s enrollment:


  • Birth Certificate of Student
  • Social Security of Student
  • Immunization Records (4-year-old boosters are required for enrollment)
  • Proof of Residency: Submit one of the following:
  1. fully executed lease or sales contract (all pages of main document, signed and dated by all parties
  2. A recent Utility Bill (Water, Gas, or Electric Bill), within 30 days of online registration submission date. Must show the Service Address or Meter Location and one of the parent/guardian’s names showing as Customer
  • Parent/Guardian’s Photo ID (valid driver licenses, state ID or passport)
  • School Records for 1st – 4th Grade Students: most recent report card from previous school.

Buckalew Placement Considerations for 2023 - 2024

If you have a Buckalew Sibling Request or other information you'd like to share with our class placement committee for the 2023-24 school year, please complete this link no later than Thursday, April 20th. Class placement begins the first week of May, so forms sent after April 20th may not be considered in our placement process. Due to the large number of placement considerations, this link is the only accepted avenue for giving information directly to the placement committee. Please do not email staff members or write placement concerns on enrollment forms. We sincerely thank you for your time and support in this process.


CLICK HERE

2023-2024 School Transfer Requests

We receive many transfer requests each school year. Families whose parents work in the CISD district, at schools near Buckalew Elementary, need to apply for a transfer annually. The transfer portal for the 2023 2024 school year has opened. Please complete your transfer request as soon as possible to help us with staffing and instructional materials/supply needs.

The portal may be found on the district website under “Parent/Student” and then on the right side of the screen under “Interdistrict (if your family does not live in the Conroe ISD school zone) or Intradistrict (if your family lives in the Conroe ISD school zone).”

- Parent Lunch Reservations -

Lunch Reservations

Parent Lunch Reservations will now be found on our Website. Go to Lunch Reservations and find the green 'Parent Lunch Reservation' button on our Home page. It will take you through to Signup Genius from there.


Click Here to be redirected to our Website

- From Specials -

Library News

April 28th is the last day for kinder, 1st and 2nd grade students to check out books.

May 2nd is the last day for 3rd and 4th grade students to check out library books.

All library books due May 5th


Any library book damaged or lost will be added to School Cash Online. Your prompt payment is appreciated so that we can order replacements for the damaged and/or lost books.


We will be getting ready for summer reading in May with our Scholastic BOGO, Buy One, Get One free book fair!!! May 16-19 in the library, students will have an opportunity to shop during their scheduled library time. Everything will be Buy 1, Get 1 free: books, posters, school supplies, and journals. If you would like to volunteer during book fair, please contact Kerri McWilliams at kerrimcwilliams@hotmail.com


Jennifer West

Buckalew Elementary

Librarian

- From Mrs. Points -

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Welcome to the Counselor's Corner! I am Mrs. Points, your school counselor. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions or concerns at kpoints@conroeisd.net. I look forward to working with your family. 😊

4th Grade Safety Kids - 2023-2024

4th Grade Safety Kids perform a very important role in our building. They are school leaders who model the best in hallway behavior and manners. Safety Kids welcome and assist other Buckalew students to class in a timely, positive manner. They also protect the safety of all students walking down our busy morning hallways. If your current third grader is interested in serving as a Safety Kid in fourth grade, please fill out the Safety Kid link.


CLICK HERE

Social and Emotional Learning Objectives

I am self-aware.

I can manage myself.

I am aware of others.

I can build relationships with others.

I can make responsible decisions.

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- Buckalew Bears PTO Information -

School Supplies 2023-2024

deadline to order is June 9th!


CLICK HERE TO BE REDIRECTED TO WEB SITE

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Are You a Parent of a 4th Grader going to Mitchell Intermediate Next Year?

Mitchell PTO is looking to fill open positions for next school year's PTO board. There are a variety of positions available and we would love to have you be a part of the Mitchell PTO. The goal is to fill the open positions so that each feeder school is equally represented. Anyone interested please contact Jill Rider at nrbrider2018@gmail.com for more information.

The purpose of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is to:

(a) Promote the welfare of children at Buckalew

(b) To foster cooperation between parents and teachers in the education of children at Buckalew

(c) To unite school and community efforts in securing the best education for all children

(d) To engage in fundraising activities for the educational and recreational benefit of Buckalew, its children, teachers, and staff as determined by the PTO and in accordance with the PTO by-laws.


Upcoming Events

Our last PTO meeting of the school year is scheduled for Friday, May 12th, at 11:30 AM in the Buckalew Library. We hope to see you there!


Connect with us on Facebook and Instagram!

BuckalewBearsPTO.com

Lost and Found

Please write your child’s last name and First name or at least last name on their belongings. That helps us big time in finding the owners quickly.


If you have any questions, please reach out to gabinkwon@gmail.com or jojowhitten@me.com

Kroger Community Rewards

Kroger Community Rewards makes fund-raising easy by donating to Buckalew based on the shopping you do everyday. Once you are registered, every time you shop at Kroger you will be earning money for Buckalew! Just search for Buckalew Elementary on your Kroger app, select and save!

Box Tops for Education

The traditional clipping of Box Tops is going away but the Box Tops app makes it so easy to just scan your receipt after you shop. Box Tops are worth $.10 each and can add up fast! Twice a year, our school receives a check to help pay for whatever we need. There are also times to earn Bonus Box Tops and the App will send you these notifications. Participating companies include General Mills, Green Giant, Pillsbury, Ziploc, Hefty, Juicy Juice, Annie’s and many more.

Remember to scan your receipt within 14 days of purchase or it will expire.


CLICK HERE

Yearbooks 2022 - 2023

Yearbooks are on sale now! The FINAL deadline to order has been EXTENDED to April 28th. The price is $48. We have limited copies available! Order yours before they sell out! If you have questions about how to order email us at yearbook.buckalewpto1@gmail.com. Thank you!


https://www.jostens.com/yearbooks/students-and-parents/about-yearbooks

Please Sign Up to be a CISD Volunteer

We ask EVERY PERSON entering Buckalew to be approved as a CISD volunteer. This is for the safety of all students, as a background check is carried out.


Click the button below to complete the form. You will need your drivers license number;

- Information For Ongoing Reference -

Bring Your I.D

Please bring your ID with you each and every time you come to Buckalew. This is a safety layer that we check in all visitors.

Absences

When your child is absent, please call the school attendance line (281-465-3410) or email buckalewabsence@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.

Dismissal

We strive to dismiss all our students safely from our building. Please do not come to the Front Office at dismissal time to call your child from class. We cannot dismiss students directly from the classroom or in the hallway at dismissal time. Students will not be released after 2:30 p.m. from the Front Office.


If you are checking out your child prior to 2:30pm, please come into the Front Office and provide your identification. We will then call your child to meet you in the Front Office. Due to safety reasons, we cannot call your child to the Front Office unless you are here.

Parents of Biker/Walkers - No Dogs!

We have an abundance of children and families who bike or walk to and from school. Many of your family members include your pets, joining you on your bike or walk to and from school. For your liability, and the safety of others, please refrain from bringing your dogs into the biker walker area beyond the posted signage. We have 2 signs in this area posted that should allow room for your dog, however, will prevent them from being in our most congested areas during arrival and dismissal. We have many children afraid of dogs, even though your dog may be friendly and well-mannered. We have also had dogs get into altercations with other dogs in front of this area and we kindly ask that if you choose to bring your dog, that they stay beyond the posted signs as you watch your child enter or exit our doors.

Thank you for your understanding.

Need A New Car Rider Sign?

If you have lost or need a new car rider sign, please email the following email address with your child(rens) full name, home room teacher and grade, we will send 2 copies home with your child:-


buckalewtransportation@conroeisd.net

Active Start and Breakfast

Active Start is a before school "free play" for students arriving at school from 7:30-7:45. Weather-permitting, students go to the k-2 playground prior to the start of school. Students arriving after 7:45 will go straight to homerooms.


Breakfast is served in our cafeteria from 7:30-7:55 daily. See below for menu. See fees below for both breakfast and lunch.

Checking out your Child

If anyone other than a parent/ guardian checking out a student from our campus, we will need a note, sent in with your child, in their backpack on that day or an email to buckalewtransportation@conroeisd.net. If we do not have a note from a parent/guardian, the Front Office will call to get permission for your child to leave our campus.


The Emergency Card completed at the beginning of the school year is for us to be able to contact someone in a situation where we cannot get hold of a parent/guardian. It is not permission for those emergency contacts to check out a child, any time.


We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to keep our students safe whilst on our campus.

Car Rider/ Dismissal Sign

ALL Parents should have received 2 CAR RIDER/Dismissal Signs at Meet the teacher. These are used for safety precautions when we are dismissing 700 students. We thank you for keeping 1 sign in each car.


NEW THIS YEAR for KG: We are requiring Kindergarten parents only at Biker Walker to carry this sign with them to pick up their child at the biker walker doors. With our growing enrollment and various staff members on duty, it adds an extra layer to make sure we are connecting the correct kindergarten student with their care giver.


Take a photo of the sign? We have had several people ask if they can use a photo of this Dismissal Sign on their phone. The answer is YES! Feel free to take a picture to keep on your phone in case of transportation changes or loss of the sign, or emergency instances with severe weather. Please know that the original sign is IDEAL, as it is designed for those calling dismissal to be able to read. On a cell phone, that will slow down the line.

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 in the Buzz.


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 should have received TWO car rider signs (yellow) at Meet the Teacher night. 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 with the car rider sign at the Biker Walker doors (under the patio) at dismissal in order to walk or bike home. All other 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. There is no rainy day dismissal.

Please see updated District Covid-19 Guidelines in link below

Parents of students who have received COVID-19 positive results are asked to complete the self-report in the SSO portal:

Drop Table

We offer parents the courtesy of a drop table to deliver forgotten items, which is located in our Front Office. There are pens, paper and tape available for you to use to clearly identify items for your child to pick up. We will call the classrooms at 10am to inform all students of items on the drop table.


Please make sure lunches and birthday cookies are clearly labeled and brought into our school before 11:15am so that we can send them to the cafeteria on our lunch cart, for the allotted lunch times. We have limited staff available after this time.


We thank you for understanding.

Transportation Changes

To make transportation changes, please send a note in your child's backpack to the teacher OR email: buckalewtransportation@conroeisd.net prior to 2pm with your childs full name, grade and homeroom teacher. Any changes submitted after 2pm will not be seen until the following school day.

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 an additional lunch. 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 extra 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 again. 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, and if necessary put a limit on the account by contacting our cafeteria directly.

Breakfast

Reimbursable Meal Prices

$2.00 Full Price Student Breakfast

$0.30 Reduced Price Student Breakfast

$3.00 Non-Student Breakfast/2nd Breakfast

Ala Carte Prices

Entrée- $1.50, Milk- $.95, Fruit/Vegetable/Grain- $1.15

Lunch

Reimbursable Meal Prices

$3.20 Full Price Student Lunch

$0.40 Reduced Price Student Lunch

$4.20 Non-Student Lunch/2nd Lunch

Ala Carte Prices

Entrée- $2.30, Milk- $.95, Fruit/Vegetable/Grain- $1.15

Kettle Corn Popcorn-$1.50,

Slush, Brownie, Rice Krispy Treat- $1.00

Chips, Cry Baby- $.75

Freshly Baked Cookie, Fruit Roll-Up- $.50


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.

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.

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 gabinkwon84@gmail.com

Meal Application

MySchoolApps is the fast and secure way to apply for free and reduced meals online. Click GET STARTED to find out if your District participates.

Quick Links

Buckalew Student Addendum

PDF to help you navigate Buckalew-specific dates, procedures, and information. Please note that all information in the Addendum is subject to change due to Covid 19.

22-23 School Calendar

We thank you for planning ahead. Please use this calendar for your planning purposes to maximize instructional days.
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