The Pony Express
Parent Newsletter: Week of February 1st - 5th
COVID-19 Reminders
Parents, if you or your student are ill, stay home. Please always check your child’s health before sending them to school, and if they show any signs of illness, such as a cough, sore throat, runny nose or fever, please keep them home. Here are some additional reminders:
If your student has been potentially exposed to someone who is sick, please do not send them to school.
For the safety of our students and staff, if your student has been tested and is awaiting results, please consider switching to remote learning until their results come back negative.
If someone in your household tests positive for COVID-19, do not send your student to school.
How Spring ISD is Preparing for the COVID-19 Vaccines
Parents, as we head into the spring semester, we are all looking forward to the availability of vaccines against COVID-19. Our school district is following the guidance of Harris County Department of Health, which has recently opened up the distribution of vaccines to educators over 65 or those with a pre-existing health condition.
Of course, we’re encouraging any eligible staff members to receive the vaccine when it’s available to them. We’ve been heartened that some of our employees have already been able to get the first dose. In the weeks to come, we expect more staff members will be receiving appointments for the vaccine and may need to take time off during the school day to do this. We want to minimize any impacts on our students but we wanted to let you know that in some cases, we may need to move classes (whether remote or in-person) to asynchronous learning if there are staffing/coverage issues.
We promise to keep you updated and give you the most notice possible should we need to move your student to asynchronous learning for a day, half a day, or a few hours. Thank you for your ongoing support as we all continue to work together to stop the spread!
Pony Reminders
- School Hours are 8:35am - 3:40pm
- Doors open at 8:10am (please don't drop students off prior to this time)
- Car riders may not exit the vehicle until all temperatures are checked
- Attendance Matters!
- Ensure technology is brought to school daily
- No transportation changes after 3:00pm
- Dismissal begins at 3:30pm
STAAR Interim Testing
Ponderosa Elementary School will be participating in the STAAR Interim Assessments February 1-10, 2020. Please ensure your child is present each day during the testing window. We can't wait to share how your child is progressing and growing!
Make Your Voice Heard! Take our 2021-22 Calendar Survey Today
Two instructional calendar options have been developed for the 2021-22 school year, and the district is seeking your feedback before a recommendation is presented to the Board of Trustees.
The two calendar options presented for next school year were reviewed and endorsed by the district’s Advisory Committee on Education (ACE). As you’ll see, calendar Option A has a proposed start date of Aug. 16, with the last day of school for students on June 2. Calendar Option B would place the first day of school on Aug. 11 and end the school year before Memorial Day, on May 26.
Both calendar options would include a half-day of instruction on Sept. 17 and Feb. 11, to allow for parent-teacher conferences in the afternoon. In addition, both options would include a Fall Holiday on Oct. 11 and on Nov. 2 for Election Day.
The 2021-22 Instructional Calendar Survey is located on the Spring ISD website at www.springisd.org/calsurvey. Please review both options closely and select your preferred calendar by Wednesday, Feb. 3.
Need to Stock Up on School Supplies? We’ve Got You Covered!
Are you running low on school essentials? If so, please stop by the Spring ISD Community Engagement Center for a free supplies giveaway on Monday, Feb. 1, between noon and 4 p.m. The Community Engagement Center address is 17125 Ella Blvd.
We will be distributing items such as hand sanitizer, school supplies, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dental floss, masks and other useful supplies. For your safety, this event will be completely contactless. When you arrive, simply pop your trunk and we will place your bag of goodies inside! We are committed to helping our families have what they need to be successful in school so please take advantage of this great opportunity!
Put On Your Thinking Caps for Groundhog Day on Feb. 2!
Throughout history, people have watched nature to help them understand the world. Before modern astronomy and high-powered telescopes, people watched the patterns of the sun, moon and stars to know when the seasons would change or when to plant their crops.
This Tuesday, Feb. 2, marks Groundhog Day, most famously celebrated in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where a group of local dignitaries consult a groundhog known as “Punxsutawney Phil” to help determine when warmer weather will return. According to the custom, if the groundhog sees its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If not, an early spring is on the way.
Your child may have already learned about the Winter Solstice – the shortest day of the year – or the Spring Equinox – when day and night are equal in length. But do they know that Groundhog Day falls just about halfway between? That’s one reason why – long before it was called “Groundhog Day” – it held special meaning.
The legend of Punxsutawney Phil may sound a bit silly, but Groundhog Day is a great day to talk with your children about the changing of the seasons. It’s also a great time to do some fun experiments at home with light and shadow. Younger students might enjoy a game of “guess the shadow,” where family members use a flashlight to cast shadows on the wall, then take turns guessing what they are. Older students can dig a little deeper and learn about how Earth’s axial tilt helps create the seasons in the first place!
Pick Up a Book and Share a Story on World Read Aloud Day
World Read Aloud Day highlights the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories. Kids are encouraged to select a book, find a friend and read aloud. This day also encourages parents to read aloud to their children. When parents read aloud to their kids, it helps foster language development and social-emotional learning. It also creates a spark in children to become joyful readers. Other benefits of reading aloud include:
Helping children acquire a larger vocabulary
Building a connection between the spoken and written word
Helping to increase attention span
Strengthens a child’s cognition
It helps provide a safe way to explore strong emotions
Monitoring Student Grades
Staying connected with your child's academic progress is a great way to ensure your student's success this school year.
Keep in mind that Spring ISD's promotional standards require students to have a 70% or higher in all core classes (Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies) and to maintain an attendance rate of at least 90% for the school year.
See Below for additional resources:
Free Internet Hotspots Now Available for Eligible Students
Spring ISD is excited to share that the district is providing free internet hotspots for eligible students. Families who take advantage of this free service will get unlimited data, so you won’t need to use your own. You can also connect up to eight devices on one hotspot. Most importantly, students will be able to complete their school work and homework and connect with their teachers with more reliable internet.
Spring ISD is also partnering with Comcast Internet Essentials to provide free internet services for eligible families. For more information and to sign up, please call 281-891-6850.
Family Cooking Time Brings Benefits to All Ages
A top focus at the beginning of any new year is nutrition. As you look for recipes to fuel the bodies of your family, remember to include your children in the planning. This helps build relationships, kids learn and practice math concepts, and it lays out the foundation for healthy eating. KidsHealth shares some of the benefits to spending this daily routine together:
Preschoolers have the opportunity to learn how meals are put together and feel included when having a hands-on experience.
School-aged children can learn the basics of cooking. Have them show you what they have learned in math class by measuring ingredients, then bring the science in as they combine them together.
Teens will appreciate being included in the planning of meals. Have them choose what goes on the menu and explore the many different cuisines available. They will appreciate assistance in improving their cooking skills, especially as they prepare to be independent adults later on.
While cooking is a great life skill, it also helps your child practice basic math by something as simple as counting eggs, slicing a pizza or pouring water into a measuring cup.
Kids learn how to problem solve what happens if something goes wrong
Helps young kids explore with their five senses
It also helps build communication skills
Family time is important at any stage of life. Be patient and get messy as you make these experiences more enjoyable with your family. Bon appétit!
Students to Recognize Black History Month with Research and Learning
With February marking Black History Month, students will have the opportunity to take part in the district’s annual program to recognize and encourage writing and oratory skills.
The theme is “Triumphs and Struggles You Might Not Know.” Students will be able to select a notable person or topic and conduct research individually or in a group with the goal of creating a skit, play, speech, rap, dance, poem or any other project that captures what they’ve learned.
The work will culminate with a campus competition that will qualify winning students to take part in a district-level contest. Your student will be researching their chosen topic in the coming weeks, so we encourage parents to talk with them about what they’re learning and how they’re planning to present their research.
At the end of February, the district will be putting together a digital exhibit to showcase select projects. Let’s encourage all students to spotlight their talents through exploration, imagination and presentation on whatever topic they choose!
Ponderosa Elementary School
Website: https://www.springisd.org/ponderosa2
Location: 17202 Butte Creek Road, Houston, TX, USA
Phone: 281-891-8180
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/School/Ponderosa-Elementary-Spring-ISD-103333517987650/
Twitter: @PES_Spring