The Pony Express
The Year of the Champion
August 10, 2020
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Deadline to Complete Annual Student Update Extended to Aug. 31
Parents and guardians of returning students now have more time to complete the Annual Student Update.
In recognition that many families have had difficulties logging into the mySpringISD portal and Home Access Center, the district has extended the deadline to complete that process until Aug. 31. Please know that returning students will receive their schedules as well as any other important updates and information to start the school year on Aug. 17, even if the online update is not completed yet. However, it is vital to complete the updates so that we can communicate important information throughout the school year. We also use the information provided to ensure our campus has the resources needed to provide quality instruction.
Parents and guardians should access the online registration by logging into the district's my.springisd.org portal, going into the Home Access Center (HAC), finding the Registration Icon, selecting the Update Enrollment tab, and then following the direction on the site to access the Returning Student Registration Form. Parents with more than on student in the district will need to complete a separate registration for each child, returning to HAC and repeating the steps for every student.
The goal is to continue to add more staff to assist parents and guardians who need assistance. Questions can be directed to the district’s helpline at 281-891-6337.
Drive Through Meet the Teacher and Student Materials Distribution
Come join us for a drive through Meet the Teacher and receive important academic materials for your child.
When: Saturday, August 15 from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm.
Where: Ponderosa Elementary School
Chromebook Distribution for Elementary School Students Scheduled for Week of Aug. 10-14
With students beginning the school year in remote learning, the district is working hard to make Chromebook computers available for checkout to all families who need them. Whether you select the Safety-First In-Person learning option or choose Empowered Learning At-Home for your child in the 2020-21 school year, these Chromebooks will help enable all students to manage their assignments and keep up with their schoolwork from home as needed.
Ponderosa Elementary school parents will pick up Chromebooks for their students at Wells Middle School according to the schedule below:
When: August 13, 2020
Where: Wells Middle School
Time: 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm
When: August 14, 2020
Where: Wells Middle School
Time: 9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Pre-registration is highly encouraged, and will simplify the pickup process by allowing parents to enter their information online and to digitally sign all the necessary forms. Those who are unable to pre-register ahead of time will have the opportunity to do so on their smartphone while waiting in line in their vehicle at the pickup location. If needed, paper forms will also be available onsite for parents to fill out and sign.
After arriving at their designated Chromebook distribution site, parents should join the drive-thru line and remain in their cars with the windows rolled up until otherwise instructed by Spring ISD team members. Those who pre-registered should write their student’s ID number on a piece of paper and place it on the dashboard. Parents will show identification through the window when requested, after which the device will be placed in the vehicle’s trunk (if the trunk does not open, the Chromebook will be placed in the backseat).
To sign up online and register ahead of time, parents and guardians can visit the district’s Chromebook distribution pre-registration site.
Chromebook Distribution Registration - Optional QR Code
Spring ISD Introduces a New Look for its mySpringISD portal
On Aug. 10, the mySpringISD portal will feature a new look for staff and families, where they can access all of their digital resources, including Schoology and the Home Access Center.
The new portal features a cleaner, more modern look and allows users to customize their folders and add their most frequently used sites to their profile. In addition, the single sign-on option gives parents, students and staff instant access to all their online resources from any device and any location. So parents, students and educators will have everything they need to learn from home.
“We’re excited about this change and creating a better experience for our families and staff,” said Technology Officer Jeffry Kohrmann. “It also gives us better tools and data to make sure we’re optimizing the portal for all of our users.”
To get started, log on to my.springisd.org, and sign in by using your current Spring ISD network login username and password.
If you forgot your log-in/username, please contact your campus or call the district’s help line at 281-891-6337.
Here are links to user guides:
Join Us for a Parent Session on Schoology and the Home Access Center
As we prepare for a strong start to the school year on Aug. 17, parents are encouraged to join a special virtual session to learn about two important tools that will help ensure student success.
Participants will learn more about Schoology, the district’s learning management system. All students will be using Schoology this year to access their classes and their assignments. Come learn how to navigate the site and experience how your students will be using this important tool.
In addition, we’ll show parents how to log into the mySpringISD portal to access the Home Access Center, where they will be able to track their child’s grades, attendance and report cards.
We know how important parent support is to ensuring student achievement, so please join us for any of these sessions so you’ll be familiar with these important digital tools.
Whether your student will be learning remotely for the entire school year or coming back on campus for in-person instruction when it’s safe to do so, they’ll be using Schoology and the Home Access Center. So now’s the time to familiarize yourself with these resources.
We hope to see you in one of the sessions. Select from one of the times below!
Want to Buy Your Own Device for Back-to-School? Here’s What You Need to Know
HOUSTON - July 27, 2020 - Whether families choose the district’s Safety-First In-Person option for the 2020-21 school year or Empowered Learning At-Home, Spring ISD students will experience distance learning for at least some portion of the upcoming year. Although the district is doing its best to make as many Chromebooks as possible available to loan out to families, many parents and guardians have been asking about buying devices for their students.
The good news is that devices that meet the basic specifications for Google Classroom, Schoology, web browsing and other necessary applications don’t need to be high-end computer models. Less expensive, basic laptops running Microsoft Windows 10 and Chromebook computers should work just fine.
Spring ISD is currently purchasing the Lenovo 300e with the following specifications.
11.6" Touchscreen
Intel Celeron N4020 Processor (2nd Gen)
4GB memory
32GB storage
Wireless network with Bluetooth
Built-in Camera and microphone
Please Note: The Lenovo is not a required model, any Chromebooks with the same basic processor, memory and storage capabilities will work.
Other important features to look for include:
Built-in wireless networking technology – allowing the device to easily connect to Wi-Fi networks at home and elsewhere
Built-in Bluetooth – allowing simple, wireless connection to a range of Bluetooth-enabled devices such as headphones, speakers, wireless printers and keyboards, and even mobile phones
Built-in front-facing camera and built-in microphone – for use during online learning sessions with teachers and classmates
If you can find a device with a touchscreen, that might be a plus, too, especially for younger students who may not be as comfortable using a computer mouse or trackpad.
Parents looking to purchase a new or used laptop, tablet, Chromebook or other similar device to support their student during Empowered Learning At-Home have many options to choose from. Most new devices sold these days will meet or exceed these specifications. Gently used or refurbished devices can be a great money-saving option, too, as long as you purchase them from a seller you trust.
For parents who want to borrow a district-issued Chromebook for their student, we will be sending out more details on the distribution and check-out schedule soon.
Pandemic Food Benefits Deadline Extended to August 21 For Families Affected By COVID-19 School Closures
The online application for the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) has been extended to ensure eligible families have time to apply.
Families who may qualify for a one-time benefit of up to $285 issued on an EBT card will now have until Aug. 21, 2020 to complete and submit the application, available by clicking here. Once approved, a P-EBT card will be mailed to your household and families will have one year to use the benefits, which are non-transferrable.
The P-EBT benefit was approved by the United States Department of Agriculture to help eligible families buy food for their students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The EBT card can be used like a debit card to buy food from any retailer that accepts the Texas Lone Star Card.
To date, close to $700 million in P-EBT has been issued to Texas families, benefiting over 2.5 million children.
If any of the following circumstances apply to your children, they may be eligible:
Children who received SNAP food stamp benefits for March 2020.
Children who are approved for free or reduced-price meals during the 2019-20 school year.
Children who attend a school that offers free meals to all students.
If your family meets one of the above requirements, here are next steps:
Families who received SNAP benefits in the month of March 2020 for children ages 5 - 18 will automatically receive the P-EBT benefit on their EBT card. You do not need to apply.
Qualifying families that must apply online:
If you have children under the age of 5 or children between the ages of 19 and 21, who received SNAP benefits in March, you must apply online for P-EBT.
If you have children up to 21 years old who received free or reduced meals at school based on the approval of a free/reduced meal application, you must apply online for P-EBT.
A P-EBT call center can be reached at 833-613-6220 to assist families in completing their application. For more information, please visit hhs.texas.gov/PEBT.