Tiger Talk
05/11/21
Parent Input Forms Due May 17 for 2021-22 Tigers' Class Placements
In making class assignments, our goal is to place each child in a class in which he or she can be most successful while maintaining a balance among classes in terms of gender, academic ability, disciplinary and social needs, learning styles, and individual needs of the students. All information shared is confidential and submitted electronically to West Cypress Hills Elementary administration.
We hope to make classroom assignments that will maximize the opportunity for your child’s success. If you have information you would like to have considered in your child’s placement, you may complete and submit this form no later than May 17, 2021. Please limit your input to the way your child learns and special needs we should consider. Staffing and staff assignments for next year have not yet been finalized. We will not be able to honor requests for a specific teacher, however, we will do our best to honor your feedback
Open enrollment for all grade levels for the 2021-22 school year happening now
The 2021-22 school year will be here before we know it, and the West Cypress Hills staff is busy planning for next year. While there are still some unknowns, one thing is for certain! New and returning TIGERS will be welcomed on August 18.
If you, or someone you know, have an incoming Kindergartener and/or are planning to enroll a student at any grade level, please make sure to fill out the enrollment packet online. West Cypress Hills has the most amazing staff, and we want to continue to hire the most highly qualified candidates. Because staffing allocations are based on current enrollment numbers, we need to have accurate numbers moving into the fall to staff our grade levels appropriately.
Enrollment packets can now be completed online. However, if you do not have access to a computer, hard copies of the enrollment packet are available for pick up. If you have any questions regarding enrollment, please reach out to our Registrar, Becky Wright, at 512-533-7500 or wrightr@ltisdschools.org.
Melanie Beninga
Principal, West Cypress Hills Elementary School
Please join me for a virtual Principal's Coffee at 9:30 am Friday, May 21!
You are cordially invited to my virtual Principal's Coffee! This will give us an opportunity to chat over a cup of coffee, ask and answer questions about the upcoming 2021-2022 school year, and elect a new PTO Board.
Please BYOC (bring your own coffee!)
When: Friday, May 21, at 9:30 am
Where: Join using this google meeting link
I hope you can join us! I am looking forward to it!
With warmest regards,
Melanie Beninga, Principal
Tigers Arriving by Car Can be Dropped Off Between 7:20 & 7:40 am
Staff members are not available to meet, greet and supervise students until 7:20 am.
Thank you for your cooperation.
Update on Ability to Charge Items in the Cafeteria
As we approach the completion of the 2020-21 school year, the LTISD Food and Nutrition Services (FANS) Department has begun to settle all meal accounts that have a negative balance. Beginning May 17, 2021, students will not be able to charge a meal or a la carte items that would incur a negative balance. Therefore, starting May 17, if a student's purchase will lead to a negative balance on his/her account, the student may be given an alternate meal. Please use this opportunity to replenish your child's MySchoolBucks.com account so that your child can make his/her desired meal selections at the Cafe.
Please remember, to avoid a service fee, prepayments are accepted in cash or check at your campus Cafe. To ensure proper account credit, cash prepayments must be delivered to the Cafe in an envelope labeled with the student's full name and student identification number. Checks should be made payable to LTISD.
Students currently receiving meal benefits (free or reduced price meals) will continue to receive those benefits without interruption.
These dates are for West Cypress Hills Elementary STAAR
We Have A Neighborhood LTCL Bookmobile!
The Lake Travis Community Library Bookmobile comes to our neighborhood amenity center for contactless reserve pick up service, take and make crafts, and free Wi-Fi.
Our favorite Bookmobile will be a the West Cypress Hills neighborhood pool on alternating Thursdays from 3 to 4 pm.
Visit the Lake Travis Community Library website for more information.
Hit the Easy Button! Order 2021-22 School Supplies Online Here!
Thanks to our fabulous PTO, supplies can be ordered online from schoolkidz at your convenience! The online prepackaged grade level supplies can be ordered until June 11, 2021. If you purchase your student school supplies online, the supplies will be delivered to the school before the first day of school. Grade appropriate kits are available to order online now. Click here and use account #79519 to view the kits.
We also have lists of the school supplies for 2021-2022 so that, if you prefer, you can purchase the supplies on your own from any source convenient to you.
WCHE Continues to Follow LTISD Return to School Protocols for COVID-19
To help ensure that our Tiger families stay safe, please read the Daily Symptom Screening information that I provided below and keep your Tiger(s) home even if only one symptom is present. Please send your Tiger(s) to school wearing fresh clean face masks. We will help them to sanitize their hands as they enter the school and help them to keep hands sanitized throughout the school day.
We are one team, one family. Let's work together to keep our family healthy. Please feel free to contact me any time you have questions or concerns.
Is it Allergies......or is it COVID-19?
Are your children exhibiting a cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headache, sore throat, congestion, or a runny nose? According to information released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), these are symptoms common of both COVID-19 and seasonal allergies and should be taken seriously. In fact, Lake Travis ISD health and wellness protocols stipulate students who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, including those common to both COVID-19 and seasonal allergies as depicted above, should be kept home.
Recently, students across our District who have been sent home with common symptoms have tested positive for COVID-19. If your child is exhibiting any of the symptoms of COVID-19, including those common of both COVID-19 and seasonal allergies, please keep him/her home.
Furthermore, I urge everyone to continue the consistent practice of personal hygiene and social distancing so that we can keep our school safe and operational. We are one team, one family.
WCHE Clinic Needs Athletic Shorts
The WCHE Clinic, occasionally, needs to provide a change of clothing to our Tigers, and we are in need of used or new athletic shorts for boys and girls in sizes small, medium, and large.
If you have athletic shorts you can send our way, we'd be most grateful. Just place them in a grocery bag marked "Clinic" and send them to the Clinic by way of your in-person learners or drop them in the drop box that is located in our front lobby.
Thank you for helping us to help our Tigers!
Dear Parents/Guardians of Tiger 5th Graders:
If your child receives updated immunizations at his/her 11-year-old well check, please turn the record in to me. I will then be able to make sure that the immunization record is as up to date as possible before he/she is promoted to middle school.
There are 3 vaccines recommended for preteens. At 11-12 years old, your preteen should receive vaccines to protect them from the following diseases:
- Meningococcal disease (MenACWY) (one dose)
- HPV (two doses)
- Tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough (pertussis) (Tdap) (one dose)
Please remember that you are welcome to contact me if you have questions concerning immunizations.
Warmest regards,
Dana Hensel, RN, NCSN, WCHE School Nurse
The Return of the Very Popular WCHE PTO Experiences Auction - May 17 through May 22
Many parents have noticed Tigers' birthdays posted on the outdoor marquee and indoor digital signs and have asked about having their Tigers' birthdays posted on them, too. That fun birthday experience is just one of the many fun experiences that your Tiger can enjoy in the upcoming school year through the West Cypress Hills Elementary School Experiences Auction.
The West Cypress Hills Elementary School PTO proudly presents this year's SCHOOL EXPERIENCES ONLINE AUCTION. The auction opens at 8 am on Monday, May 17, and ends on May 22 around 9 pm.
To view and bid on the experiences up for auction this year, click here and enter invitation code QZH3E2.
The auction benefits the PTO, the school, and our teachers. Thank you for your support.
Good luck at the auction!
Lake Travis Middle School PTO Welcomes Families of Rising 6th Grade Tigers!
Welcome to Lake Travis Middle School! We are very excited that you will be joining us next year, and we look forward to meeting you. Becoming a member of the PTO is a great way to meet your new family and be in on everything exciting that will be happening at Lake Travis MIddle School.
We invite you to join our PTO as members, volunteers, and supporters. There are even a few opportunities to serve on the PTO Board and some of our PTO committees. To learn more about the Lake Travis Middle School PTO and to apply for membership, just click here!
We look forward to seeing you soon!
With warmest regards,
Freda Collier, LTMS PTO President
Staff Shout Outs
WCH Families,
In the last few weeks, families submitted shout outs to our staff. Your words of appreciation were priceless and brought big smiles and tears of joy. Thank you, and please continue to submit your shout outs!
If you would like to send a shout out to a WCHE staff member or teacher, I will gladly pass it along. It can be anonymous or signed. Thank you for lifting up our hardworking teachers and faculty. We love what we do and appreciate your partnership.
Thanks for taking a minute to say thanks!
Melanie
Wall of Fame for Shoe Tying
Our Wall of Fame for Shoe Tying is dedicated to Kinder, 1st, 2nd, and/or 3rd Grade Tigers who have just learned to tie their shoes AND for Kinder, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Grade Tigers who know how to tie their shoes and have not already been honored on our Wall of Fame for Shoe Tying in prior years.
The honor is extended to in-person learners and remote learners. Contact our PE coaches if you have questions or need a paper or electronic shoe sent to your Tiger(s.)
District Assisting With Technology to Support Remote Learning
The Lake Travis Independent School District (LTISD) will lend Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots to students in grades K-12 who have limited or no access to a device at home and who do not already have a device from our initial deployment last year.
Families who meet the above criteria may request a Chromebook and/or WiFi hotspot by phoning the LTISD Technology Department at 512-533-6565.
Also, there is a known issue affecting the login credentials of some of our families with district-issued Chromebooks, and we have developed a solution to help you establish credentials for login. If you are unable to log in, please follow the steps outlined here, and if you need additional assistance, please feel free to contact us. We appreciate your patience.
On-line Learning Available ONLY Through Your Child's LTISD Account
To gain entry to student learning, students should use the LTISD LT1 Classlink to enter and access all classroom google links. This ensures secure and safe learning.
If students/parents attempt to access class meetings or documents without using the student's credentials in LT1 (for example, logging in to the browser from a parent's personal or work account instead of the student's LTISD account) access is restricted. To prevent unauthorized people from accessing our classrooms, only appropriate LT1 Classlink logins with the student's credentials can gain access. Access attempts by any other accounts will be denied.
PLEASE be sure to access all google links through our LT1Classlink using the appropriate LTISD student's credentials.
Changing Instructional Status
A change from in-person learning to remote learning can be made at any time. To request this change, complete the LTISD Instructional Change Form. The completed form should be forwarded to our Registrar, Becky Wright.
Meals for Remote Learners
Students in remote learning at home may purchase a meal for pickup from our school cafeteria. Learn more here.
Please note, menu options may be limited. If a parent or child in remote learning at home wishes to pick up a meal at school, accommodations must be made via email directly with the café manager, Mrs. Corinne Stewart, before 10:00 a.m. daily. All meals for remote learners must be picked up at the school’s front office during the regular meal schedule.
Yes, Students Withdrawn from LTISD May Re-enroll Later for In-Person Learning
Students can be re-enrolled for in-person learning after having been withdrawn as students of the LTISD. The re-enrollment process is the same as the enrollment process for any new LTISD student. The re-enrolled student will, initially, be scheduled for in-person learning at the school building.
Once the re-enrolled student is attending school in person, remote learning, if desired, may be selected when the district next extends an invitation to select a preferred learning option.
Counselor's Corner
This is our last week of our Second Step lessons left for this school year.
In this week's Second Step: Tigers continue to work on friendship skills. The topic for this week is "Handling Name Calling."
In our school we have a rule about being respectful. It’s not respectful to call people names that hurt their feelings. If someone calls you a name, you can ignore the person or speak to him or her assertively.
I have so enjoyed working with your child(ren) this school year. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns. I am happy to be of assistance. We are one family, one team!
Happy Summer!
4th Grade Artist, Miss Lila Holdman
Mr. Jaxon Honea, Miss Kason Honea, and WCHE Art Teacher, Mrs. Megan Dunn
4th Grade Artist, Miss Brecklyne Zager
Works by Tiger Artists on Exhibit at The Hive!
The 11th Annual Lake Travis Independent School District Student Art Exhibition, sponsored by The Bee Cave Arts Foundation, will be held at The Hive, 12700 Hill Country Boulevard, Suite T125, in Bee Cave, April 9 through May 14. The Hive is in the Hill Country Galleria across from Barnes and Noble and is open Wednesdays - Saturdays from 1 to 5 pm.
This is important to West Cypress because we have Tiger artists whose works of art will be exhibited. If you are looking for something fun to do, stop by The Hive to take in all of the wonderful exhibits of LTISD students. Of course, we think OURS are the BEST!
Tiger Artists whose works are on display are:
Kindergarten - Naomi Swan, Sloan Meris, and Kason Honea
1st Grade - Jack West and Macyn Miller
2nd Grade - Isaac McKinney, Emily Roten, and Jaxon Honea
3rd Grade - Kennedy Stiles, Nadia Ramirez, Charlie Lambdin, and Hayden McDaniel
4th Grade - Kingston Castilleja, Caroline Martin, Kyan North, Lila Holdman, and Brecklyne Zager.
5th Grade - McKinley Aguillard, Elizabeth Durham, Aspen Morgan, Dallis Whitfield, and Luke Jones.
Congratulations to our Tiger artists whose works were chosen for display in the LTISD Student Art Exhibit. We are very proud of you. Way to ROAR, Tigers!
Miss Macyn Miller, 1st Grade Artist
4th Grade Artist, Mr. Kyan North
Miss Aspen Morgan, 5th Grade Artist
Celebrating our 5th Graders
Hello 5th Grade Parents and Guardians.
We are working on our 5th Grade Promotion and want to keep you informed on what it will look like this year. While keeping in line with district COVID protocols, it was a priority for myself, 5th grade teachers, and district leadership to provide parents a way to be included in the “5th grade send off.” With some out of the box thinking, we have a plan that will allow parents to participate in the send off portion of the day's activities. Below is an approximate schedule for May 28:
7:20 - 7:45 Pictures and fun in the classrooms
7:45 - 8:30 Classroom celebrations
8:30 - 9:15 Baby and 5th grade photo slideshow in the Cafe
9:15 - 9:35 5th grade walks the halls of school one last time
9:40 - 10:05 “5th grade send off”--see info below
10:05 - 10:10 Students assemble in the Cafe for parent pick up
10:10 - 10:25 Parents may check out students early
We would love to have parent involvement in the “5th grade send off.” If you choose, parents will line up on the Sabino Drive opposite the school. Students will walk out the front door of the school, walk down the sidewalk, turn left on Sabino Drive, and reenter the building near the bus loop. The students will stay on the sidewalk closest to the school and not be permitted to cross the street. Parents can snap photos, make signs, and wave and cheer from the other side of the street.
Parents, we ask that you stay on the sidewalk off Sabino Drive opposite the school. There are designated parking spots for parents in the school lots. Parking on Sabino Dr. will not be permitted. We encourage parents to carpool with their family members as parking will be limited. If you elect to parallel park on Cypress Ranch Boulevard, please be sure to park only on the pavement. Please do not park on the median, for there are sprinkler heads located in all of the medians.
There are two options for parents to check out their student(s) early. If you drove, you may use the car line to pick up your 5th graders. The second option is to walk to the back of the school between the kindergarten playground and the back parking lot to pick up your student to walk home. Students will be released to a parent or guardian. If your child is riding home or being picked up by another 5th-grade parent, please indicate in SMART tag the parent name.
We want to encourage our remote students to join us on the last day for activities but we understand there are a variety of comfort levels when it comes to entering the building. If you were to send your remote student to school, the following protocols will be in place to ensure student safety. Remote students will enter through the library entrance. Students will sanitize their hands upon entrance to the building. Students will participate in their class's virtual activities from the computer lab and will join their peers in the cafe for the slideshow. Students will be seated two to a table facing forward. During the parade through the halls, students will be masked. In preparation for the official send off, remote students will gather in the computer lab and exit the building through the library. Remote parents will utilize the same early pick up methods as in person students. Those choosing to participate in activities from home are welcome to do so.
We are working on yard signs to be placed in the front of the school for photo opportunities.
Thank you for your partnership and helping make a very different year memorable.
Melanie Beninga
Principal, West Cypress Hills Elementary School
Upcoming Events
03/16 - 06/11/21....Order 2021-22 School Supply Kits Online Using School Code 79519
04/01 - 07/13/21....Order LTMS School Supply Kits Here!
04/09 - 05/14/21....LTISD Student Art Exhibit at the Hive in Bee Cave (1 - 5 pm Wed - Sat)
05/01 - 05/31/21....National Physical Fitness & Sports Month
05/14/21................5th Grade Boys and Girls' Puberty Education
05/17/21................Parent Input for Student Placement Due May 17
05/17 - 05/22/21....PTO Auction to Benefit WCHE PTO Invitation Code QZH3E2
05/21/21................Virtual Principal's Coffee @ 9:30 am!
05/21/21................LTHS Punt, Pass, & Kick!
05/27/21................End of Year Class Parties Day - Party Schedule
05/28/21................Tiger 5th Grade Promotion Day
05/28/21................Last Day of School - Early Release at 1 pm - No Extended Care Today
06/01 - 06/24/21...WCHE Office Open Mondays thru Thursdays 9 am to 1 pm
06/11/21...............Last Day to Order WCHE 21-22 School Supply Kits Online - Code 79519
06/25 - 07/19/21....WCHE Office Closed
007/01/21.............LT Extended Care 21-22 Registration Opens Learn More
07/13/21................Last Day to Order LTMS 21-22 School Supply Kits Online
07/20 - 08/05/21....WCHE Office Open Mondays thru Thursdays 9 am to 1 pm
08/09 - 08/17/21....WCHE Office Open Weekdays 7:30 am to 4:00 pm
08/18/21.................1st Day of School 7:40 am - 3:00 pm
09/06/21.................No School - Happy Labor Day!
More Information about WCH
West Cypress Hills Elementary
Email: wchprincipal@ltisdschools.org
Website: https://www.ltisdschools.org/WCHE
Location: 6112 Cypress Ranch Boulevard, Travis County, TX, United States
Phone: 512-533-7500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltisdschools
Twitter: @principalwch