HISD's COVID-19 protocol has been updated in regards to terminology use and reporting. At all HISD campuses, this means that when there is a positive case in your child's homeroom class you will be notified in writing by the principal. The message you will receive is below. Please note that this message will be sent after the nurse has worked to identify close contacts, and, is simply for notification and does not require further action (i.e. quarantine). I want to thank you all for your diligence in ensuring that students are wearing their masks and that we are all remaining healthy.

Sample Message: This message is to inform you that an individual in your child's homeroom has reported testing positive for COVID-19. Your child has not been identified as a close contact and there is no action required of you at this time. This notification is for your awareness only. Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the name of the COVID-positive individual or details that may identify them; however, it is important for you to know this individual is self- isolating until they are cleared to return to our campus. As a reminder, HISD has health and safety protocols in place to help prevent the spread of illness. We are asking our staff and families to do their part by adhering to these protocols, and not reporting to their worksite or sending their student(s) to school when they are ill. We appreciate your continued support as we work together to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

If your child is absent from school, please make sure you send in a note explaining the absence date(s) and reason upon return to school. We will need this note even if you're at home quarantining or a Positive COVID-19 case. Please email your absence excuse note to the homeroom teacher and our registrar, Ms. Rosales at arosale3@houstonisd.org

If a note is not received within 3 days, then the absence is recorded as unexcused.

Today, all students in second - fifth grades and most first graders have a letter in their red communications folder detailing their child's current literacy level. The page below has some tips to help any student improve upon reading. As a voracious reader, my favorite tip is to find a genre you like, then pick up a book and read. You become a better reader, by reading. Students can work on their fluency too by reading aloud the passage, page, or book to their parent.

Parents are to sign, date, and return the letter to their child's teacher. Then, the teacher will send home a copy of the letter.

Westside HS Homecoming Parade

Friday, October 15

1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

Bush students will cheer on Westside HS as they celebrate Homecoming with a neighborhood parade. Streets leading from Westside HS to Bush ES will be inaccessible before and during their route to Bush. Please do not plan on picking up your child between

1:15 p.m. and 2:50 p.m.

We ask for your support by not blocking our students' view.

Please do not park along Westerloch Dr. or arrive for dismissal before 2:30 p.m.

This week is BOOK FAIR!

• Online: October 3 - 16- shop anytime from the comfort of home

• In person for students: October 11-15 - classes will visit the book fair during class time. Students can purchase books in person two different ways:

• E-Wallet: Set your child up with an eWallet, a cash-free way to shop at the Book Fair. Visit the link now to create a free account and preauthorize a spending limit for your child to spend.

• Cash or Check made out to Barbara Bush PTO: Remember to factor in an additional 8.25% for tax.

Today is Parents' Day at the Book Fair!

Parents are welcomed to visit the Book Fair on Parents' Day! We are limiting 25 guests at a time. Hand sanitizer will be used upon entry and masks must be worn at all times. Students will not be allowed in multipurpose room on Wednesday. Families will enter the side doors of the Multipurpose room near the Bus Lane and will not be allowed into other areas of the school.

Visit the website for more details and sign up for your E-Wallet today!

If you would like to help build the teacher’s classroom library, you have a few options:

• Add money to your teacher’s eWallet. If they have not sent a link to their eWallet yet, please contact them or your room parent to acquire this link.

• Come to the Book Fair Wednesday, October 13 in person. Each teacher will have a box with books they have chosen for their classroom. You may choose a book (or 2 or 3!) to purchase for them, and you will be able to add your child’s name on a sticker inside of the book!

• Using the flyer which was sent home this week, send “Bush Bucks” by writing a check made out to Barbara Bush PTO for the desired amount.

Visit the website for more details and sign up for your E-Wallet today!
For questions regarding Book Fair, please contact the librarian, Ms. Miller, or Val Shaikh at presidentbbepto@gmail.com

Student Verification Forms for 2021-2022 are live! Parents please complete this verification form for any updates to student demographic and other information by Friday, October 22.

Parents who are new to HISD or who do not have parent portal accounts can set up their account by following the How-to videos on this page.

On September 10, HISD School Choice opened up the system to apply for the PK lottery for next school year. The Bush PK program is only for families that are already enrolled at Bush Elementary and have another child who will be 4 on or before September 1, 2022. Students must meet PK eligibility requirements such as being economically disadvantaged or qualifying as English as a Second Language.

The site will accept applications from September 10, 2021 - March 10, 2022. Families will be notified by HISD School Choice on April 7, 2022 if their child was accepted into Bush Elementary's PK program or if their child is on the waitlist. Go to HISDChoice.com to apply. Bush Elementary's PK program is only one class with 22 students that must be comprised of siblings of currently enrolled Bush students. The only way to apply for and be part of the lottery for Bush Elementary's PK program is to apply online at the address shared above.

If you would like to request GT testing for your child, please click on the link to the application below to request GT testing for your child. The parent portal is now up and running. The deadline to submit G/T applications is November 11, 2021. HISD will continue to test all kindergarten and 5th graders who have not been previously identified as being GT through our Universal Screening Process. Kindergarten and 5th grade parents do NOT need to complete an application.

G/T Application

If you do not have access to a computer, please contact Ms. Ayala in the front office to have an application sent home.

We have seen many students and some parents walking across the street not using the crosswalks. Parents, this is extremely dangerous and we ask that all walkers and bike riders use the crosswalks. Westerloch Dr. and Parkway Plaza Dr. are very busy streets during morning arrival and dismissal. If you cross between parked cars, ongoing traffic cannot see you.

We are so happy to see all of our students riding their bikes to school now that the weather has gotten nicer. Please remember that all students are required to wear a bicycle helmet when riding their bikes to and from school. We want to keep all of our Bobcats safe.

Please plan to pick up your walkers before 3:15. Our students are dismissed at 3:00 and our walker line has been finishing before 3:10 on most days. If you arrive after 3:15, please come to the front office to sign your child out as a late pick up.

Please abide by the No Parking signs on the streets around our school and our neighboring schools. Several parents have received parking tickets from HPD in the past because they were parking in a No Parking zone.

Safety continues to be our top priority, and while we love our furry visitors, we ask that you keep them at home during arrival and dismissal. We have several students, faculty and staff members who are allergic to dogs and cats and students who are very afraid of dogs. Please keep them at home.

Bush Elementary is not responsible for patrolling the streets in the Bush Elementary zone. However, we can ask for parents to "Be Kind" while waiting for the carpool lane to start moving and once the cars starting moving up in the carpool lane.

Please "Be Kind" when navigating around these parked cars. Have your carpool number displayed so the other cars will know that you're not one of the parked cars and won't attempt to pass you. Please stay in your car and be prepared to move once the line starts moving.

Please do not block any entrances to parking lots while stopped and waiting for the carpool lane to begin moving. Also, please allow the cars attempting to enter or exit the West Briar parking lots to do so.

Thank you for doing your part to keep the streets around Bush Elementary safe.

Throughout the school year, this section of the newsletter will highlight key points from the Bush Parent Handbook. School begins at 7:30 a.m. Students arriving after 7:40 a.m. are tardy. Students arriving after 9:00 a.m., without a doctor's excuse, are marked absent.

Please do not plan to pick up your child after 2:30 p.m. from the office. To ensure a safe dismissal, students will not be called to the office to be picked up after 2:30 p.m. Thank you for helping to make dismissal safe for all our students.

Help your child celebrate their birthday and support the library and other programs that enhance the educational experience of Bush students by joining the Birthday Book Club.

Your child will be given a personal "Happy Birthday" greeting during the morning announcements and Paw Prints shout out from Ms. Rose! The donation will be recognized with a nameplate in a new book from the library. A group photo of all the other BBC members with the same birth month will also be displayed in the library display case.

It only costs $20 for a Birthday Book Club Membership (Add Electronic Marquee display for $10 more). Please visit www.BBEPTO.com for more details or to make your purchase.

Enrollment Schedule:

February – July Birthdays: Enroll during January/May

This is the LAST WEEK to submit information for the Directory!

Each year we print a directory of all the families at Bush who wish to be included. All PTO members will receive one with their membership. Families often use this information to connect for birthday parties and playdates.

Please fill out this form to have your contact information in the directory. You can include as much, or as little information as you are comfortable releasing. The only required items have an asterisk.*

Please add your information to the directory here: www.bbepto.com

Thank you for helping us collect this information. Please submit your information by October 15.

(formerly known as Underwriting Campaign)

This is the LAST WEEK to donate money for Bobcat Boosters.

This year, the PTO’s goal is to provide new furniture and upgrades for the school library and a new STEAM lab which will benefit all of the students at Bush. The majority of our fundraising comes from our Bobcat Boosters.

Bobcat Boosters is a direct fundraising campaign which means:

• We will NOT ask you to sell promotional items such as gift wrap, cookies, et cetera…

• 100% of the funds given will support our school projects and programs

• Families can choose the level they wish to donate; any level of support will help!

• Some employers have a matching gift program which can double or even triple your donation
  
  

For more information or to sign up please go to our website: www.bbepto.com. If you have questions please email presidentbbepto@gmail.com . Please sign up by OCTOBER 15.

October 29

5:30 p.m.

Movie - Sing!

PTO is hosting an outdoor movie night and silent auction to raise money for our new STEAM Lab. The movie playing will be “SING!” We will also have a Costume Parade. In line with this year’s school motto, the theme of the evening will be “Dream Big.” So dress up as something that you DREAM of… whether that's being a firefighter when you grow up or you dream of unicorns and mermaids! The sky is the limit!

This will be a great chance to gather safely outside and enjoy some activities with fellow Bush families. We will have bounce houses, snacks and goodies as well as Pizza and popcorn - available for PRE-ORDER.

This event is limited to 500 people, so you must purchase a ticket in advance on our website. Get your tickets and pre-order your pizzas and popcorn here.

The Silent Auction will open online a week before the event. It will close at 6:30 on October 29, before the movie begins. Winners will be notified that evening. If you own a business or have connections to a business who would be willing to donate items for the silent auction, please contact Michelle Jackson at bushpto.vp@gmail.com

We are excited to be back to school and are looking for some pictures for the yearbook. We need "First day of school", "Astros spirit day" and "Siblings" photos. If you have any, please share them with us! Please send no more than 5 photos to bushptoyearbook@gmail.com and label pictures with your child's grade.

Did you know teachers spend hundreds of dollars each year using their own money to buy things for their classrooms and our children? The PTO helps by reimbursing expenses up to $300, but teachers usually spend much more than this. Consider helping to offset some of these costs by purchasing items from teachers’ wishlists. Check out teacher wishlists here. If your teacher does not have one listed, ask the room parent if they have received one!

Students please bring money to school Friday if you would like to purchase small items and goodie bags from the store. School Store On-the-Go will be available every Friday. Be sure to follow us on Facebook for the latest school store updates! @BBEPTO

The Houston Independent School District is closely monitoring COVID-19 pandemic and is in contact with the Centers for Disease Control, Texas Department of State Health Services and Houston Health Department to ensure all students and staff members are safe and updated with the latest information. For more information please visit, https://www.houstonisd.org/healthalerts

At the end of last school year we were required to notify the parents via the School Messenger system if there was a confirmed positive COVID case on campus. This year's policy states we will only inform parents of a COVID positive case if their student came into direct contact with someone on campus that was confirmed COVID positive. Our nurse investigates and begins the contact tracing process on our campus, and documents all confirmed COVID 19 cases. The nurse contacts the parent of any child that has been in contact with a COVID positive individual. That student is then told to quarantine for 10 days and to sign up for the Temporary Online Learning (explained in the article below). Information regarding active COVID cases may be found on the Houston ISD COVID Dashboard site located on the HISD website.

The following changes are effective Monday, October 11, 2021:

1. Isolation and Quarantine Protocols: An individual will isolate or quarantine based on the following:
• a. Isolate: Confirmed to have COVID-19 or showing symptoms of COVID-19.
• b. Quarantine: Identified as a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 positive case.
2. COVID-19 Positive Case Notifications: In alignment with TEA requirements, all students and staff in the same class as a COVID-19 confirmed positive individual will be notified of the positive case, regardless of contact status (i.e., close contact, non-close contact, etc). Identified close contacts will receive additional communication with next steps.
3. Alignment of Terminology: We will keep terminology consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the following key definitions:
• Close Contact: Individuals who are less than six feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) from two days before illness onset (or two days prior to test specimen collection for asymptomatic individuals), until the time the patient is isolated.
• Isolation: The separation of a person or group of people known or reasonably believed to be infected with COVID-19 and potentially infectious from those who are not infected, to prevent the spread of the virus.
• Quarantine: The separation of a person or group of people reasonably believed to have been exposed to COVID-19 but not yet symptomatic from others who have not been exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the virus.

These decisions were made in consultation with the medical community, education professionals, and district administration. The updated 'Ready, Set, Go' plan can be downloaded at www.HoustonISD.org/ReadySetGo.