

The Rhino Report
February 7 , 2023 - Rylander Elementary School Newsletter
Parents/Guardians:
What difference a month makes! ~ Please see the below picture of items collected in January in the lost and found area. Campus practice has been to send all unclaimed items to charity at the end of each month. Please have your child stop by the lost and found area outside of the gym to claim lost items. Parents are welcome to come to campus to collect items as well. Moving forward, we are asking that you put your child’s first and last name on outerwear items. We will get all lost items to students if we have a first and last name on the item. I would also suggest labeling water bottles as well.
Remember, no school on 2/20/2023!
Have a great week!
Tanya Heard
Principal
Rylander Elementary School
RRE Celebrates Mrs. Figueredo - an Amazing School Counselor!
If you get a chance, please send a quick note of appreciation to Mrs. Figueredo!
Thanks Read, Dead, Run for the amazing chalk-talk welcome to staff today!
Black History Month Oratory Contest - Click below for more information
This week:
2/6 - Coder Kids
2/6 Read Deed Run
2/8 - Destination Imagination
Coming Up:
2/16 - 4th Grade Musical - 6:00 - Gym
2/17 - Glamour and Glow Dance
2/20 - Student Holiday - Staff work day
2/21 - Spirit Night Black Walnut
2/23 - Spring Creek BBQ Spirit Night
2/24 - Go Texan Day
YEARBOOK SALES:
Have you purchased your yearbook yet? You won't want to miss out on all the great memories we are making at Rylander including Movie Night, the 100th day of school, the Parent-Child Dance, International Night, Rumble, and daily fun like recess, specials, science labs, and more!
LAST CALL for personalizing your yearbook! Make your yearbook exclusive to your student! This month is your last chance to add their name and icons representing their passions and personal style to the cover when you order your yearbook! The deadline to add on cover personalizations is March 3.
Yearbooks are $45, cover personalizations start at $5. Order your yearbook online only at https://www.balfour.com/texas/katy/rylander-elementary-school
Repeated Information!
Glamour and Glow Dance
International Festival March 2nd 6-8
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR INSTRUCTIONAL AND CLERICAL PARA OF THE YEAR 22-23
Hello Rhino Parents!
For the next 3 weeks here at RRE we will be focusing on the character trait: Empathy. One way to think about Empathy is “understanding and connecting with other people’s feelings.” Empathy is a practice that can help us grow strong relationships.
As a family, schedule a family movie night so that you can specifically watch for feelings and emotions. Let everyone know that you’d like them to point out how the characters in the show are feeling and that you will pause periodically to discuss Empathy. As emotions are identified, invite one another to Empathize by sharing about a time they felt that way or imagining how they might be feeling in that moment.
Attention 5th Grade Parents:
Course Selection Information
Course selection is officially open. Please make sure to fill out your child’s course selection on SchooLinks using their student login and password and on paper form that was provided from each feeder school. Both are due by January 31st.
It is important for all students to understand how to use technology safely and responsibly. This week we will learn about a different aspect of being a positive digital citizen each day during morning announcements and library lessons. See the flyer for our special dress up days.
Congratulations Mr. B - Teacher of the Year 22-23
Congratulations Mr. Cabral - Rookie Teacher of the Year 22-23
Morning and Dismissal Safety
Rylander Elementary has over 10 trained crossing guards who make sure each morning and afternoon that our Rhinos arrive safely to campus and depart safely for home. As RRE is located on a very busy intersection, this adds to the responsibility of their duties. Please be mindful of the directions that our Crossing Guards are giving in order to keep our students and staff safe. Thank you for your support.
Just a quick reminder that while driving through a school zone, it is against the law for a driver to be on his/her cellphone. Thank you.
Arrival & Dismissal Reminders:
Here are few reminders and directions for arrival and dismissal:
1. Please be Kind and keep in mind that arrival and dismissal will always be busy with the number of parents and guardians dropping/picking up students.
2. Please be patient.
3. Please do not cut people off or cut in line. The car rider line for Kinder Drive and Main Car Drive is down Falcone Landing Blvd. If you are coming from Westheimer Pkwy and turn into the Main Car Drive entry (by the donut shop) you are cutting in line. You need to drive down Falcone Landing Blvd. and get inline on the far-right side. There is one car rider line that either enters in the Kinder Drive or Main Car Drive drop off.
4. Please do not be on your cell phone in a school zone.
5. Please follow the school zone speed limit.
6. Kinder Drive – blue car tag (PreK, Kinder, 1st Grade Only)
International Festival March 2
For information on this year's International Festival at Rylander, please click the following link.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScTco9cKCWJ6O6wN_sXPg5Cq6DAumXwttGipJ2Cn_ufiYWUMA/viewform
Woodcreek JH Theatre
Stroller Parking During Lunch Visits/Estacionamiento para los coches de bebe
Parents,
Going forward we will need your assistance when visiting lunch with strollers. Please park your strollers outside the cafeteria while having lunch. We will have a designated parking area while you enjoy time with your student. Thanks for your cooperation with this.
Padres,
En el futuro, necesitaremos su ayuda cuando visite el almuerzo y traigan sus cochecitos de bebe. Por favor estacione sus cochecitos afuera de la cafeterĂa mientras almuerza. Tendremos un área de estacionamiento designada mientras disfruta del tiempo con su estudiante. Gracias por su cooperaciĂłn con esto.
Read, Deed, Run
Read, Deed, Run is an all encompassing program for the WHOLE child. Students in grades 3, 4, & 5, commit to a 25 week program in which they will read 26 books(or 2600 pages), perform 26 good deeds in the community, and run a total of 26.2 miles. Meetings are held after school every other Monday, from 3 – 4. During this time students will run a mile and complete a good deed towards the program requirements. Students run their final 1.2 miles in a “race” to earn their Finisher’s t-shirt and medal at Legacy Stadium with more than 18 other schools. This program requires commitment from the student and their family. Please click the link below to fill out an application to join. Students accepted into the program will be contacted and given further information. Program fees are $25.
Applications are due by October 7th.
https://forms.gle/UFhFGL6xRYKkHx1L8
Read, Deed, Run es un programa integral para TODO el estudiante. Los estudiantes en los grados 3, 4 y 5 se comprometen a un programa de 25 semanas en el que leerán 26 libros (o 2600 páginas), realizarán 26 buenas obras en la comunidad y correrán un total de 26.2 millas. Las reuniones se llevan a cabo después de la escuela cada lunes, de 3 a 4. Durante este tiempo, los estudiantes correrán una milla y completarán una buena acción para cumplir con los requisitos del programa. Los estudiantes corren sus últimas 1.2 millas en una "carrera" para ganar su camiseta y medalla de “Finisher” en el estadio Legacy con otras más 18 escuelas en el distrito. Este programa requiere el compromiso del estudiante y su familia. Haga clic en el enlace a continuación para completar su solicitud para participar en el programa. Los estudiantes aceptados en el programa serán contactados y se les dará más información. El costo del programa es de $25.
Las solicitudes deben presentarse antes del 7 de octubre.
Lunch visitors are welcome to come starting on Tuesday, September 6th. Please keep in mind that Fridays are very busy and each student is allowed to have lunch visitors once a week. Please coordinate with extended family members. The Parent Permission for Elementary Lunch Visitors yellow form was sent home in the first week packet. If you need another form, just stop by the main office. Please make sure that all lunch visitors have a current government issued ID.
To maximize our lunch visitors’ time with students, please encourage all lunch visitors to arrive 5 minutes before the grade level lunch begins to get his/her ID scanned through Raptor. The front office is extremely busy during lunch time. After lunch, all visitors must return to the main entry to exit and are not allowed to walk students to his/her classroom.
Rylander Elementary is excited to partner with Koger in their Kroger Community Rewards Program. This program is at no cost to you and will provide funds to RRE when your Kroger rewards card is linked to our campus. After enrolling in the program, swipe your rewards card at Kroger when making a purchase and a percentage will go to Rylander.
Please click on the link below to enroll.
Once logged into your Kroger account you can search for Roberta W Rylander Elem. Katy ISD either by name or UL070 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a rewards card.
Thank you for your support. :)
Dress Code
Just a reminder that we will follow district dress code policy. We have not had any major issues, but I wanted to be proactive and send out the campus procedure. If a teacher notices a student out of dress code, that student will be sent or walked to the nurse's office. Nurse Maher will double check the dress code and contact parent if a change of clothes is needed. A couple things to keep in mind is crop tops and small shorts for female students. Please see the discipline management plan below if you need more information regarding dress code violations.
Early Pick-up/Emergency Contacts:
Early Pick-up/Emergency Contacts:
Emergency contacts are listed for the campus to use in case we are unable to get in contact with you when there is an emergency with your student. We do not automatically release a student to an emergency contact, we still need to know that you give permission for the emergency contact person to pick-up your student. Please email RRETransporation@katyisd.org when anyone comes to pick-up your student and are not listed as a guardian. You must send us something in writing with a copy of your government issued ID. This is the only way we will know that you as the guardian gives permission for your child to be picked up by someone else. We understand that this may be an inconvenience, however, for safety reasons we do not want to release your child to a person who has not been approved by the parent or guardian. Early pick-up ends at 2:30 pm daily.
Birthday Treats:
Birthday Treats:
As a reminder, to avoid interruption of classes, messages will be delivered to students only in extreme emergencies. Delivery to students of flowers, balloons, food (including birthday treats) and other such items are prohibited at school per Katy ISD policy in the Student Handbook (pg. 48).
Rock-in_Rhinos Twitter Account
Rylander Elementary is now on Twitter - Follow @Rockin_Rhinos
Sign-up for Remind
Please email RRETransportation@katyisd.org to request dismissal transportation changes by 2:00 pm daily.
Walker Permission
There are two types of front/back walkers—independent and parent pick up. Independent front walkers are escorted to the corner of Falcon Landing Blvd. and Westheimer Pkwy. They walk home independently from that corner. All 2nd through 5th grade students default as independent walkers. Younger siblings (in grades PK-1st) of those students can walk home with the independent walker ONLY IF The Walker Permission form is filled out and returned to school. Here is the link for the Walker Permission Form.
PK-1st grade students default as parent pick up front walkers. These students are matched with their parents at the northeast corner of the building by the bike racks. These students can ONLY be released with a physical number tag that matches the number on the student’s dismissal tag. No photos of the tag will be accepted. If the tag is not present, the student will need to be picked up at the front office. Parent must present a government-issued ID.
Bikers are also dismissed with the independent front walkers. They follow the same procedure as independent front walkers. They must walk their bikes on school property.
Helpful Information
Link to District Transportation Page
Link to find out your student’s bus information
School Meals
All breakfast and lunches are no longer free.
Please feel free to complete the free/reduced meal program application.
Link to Nutrition and Food Services Information
In May 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) concluded its free breakfast and lunch meal service that was available to all students, regardless of eligibility. To determine eligibility for free meals for the 2022-2023 school year, families with students who do not attend a Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) campus will need to complete a Meal Benefits/Free & Reduced meals application. More information about free and reduced benefits can be found here. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Child Nutrition Programs Income Eligibility Guidelines can be found here.
New to SchoolCafe? Setting up an account is easy!
Fill out a Meal Application, access student purchase history, view school menus, set-up a la carte purchasing restrictions, and MORE! Here is an easy step-by-step GUIDE to help set up an account for your student.
Meal Payment Information:
Payment for meals is encouraged to be cashless through the Pay N' Go App.
Cash and checks for meal payment will be accepted in the lunch line for students and change will be deposited on the student’s account. Students’ positive and negative cafeteria account balances from last year have rolled forward to the current school year.
Pay N' Go Link (see instructions below for accessing application)
Student Required items for purchase online:
Planners - $3.00
(only grades 1st, 2nd, and 3)
Lanyards - $3.00
Badge Sleeve - $1.00
Badge Clip - $1.00
Directions & link to A+ Pay N Go.
Below is the link that will get you to the log in, or create an account. Click on LOGIN.
Directions that will help you navigate the website:
After they log in, on the far right of the screen they will see a box that says Elementary Schools, click on that.
Next screen, bottom right click Elementary R-Z box.
Next screen, top row, right side, under LOGIN, click Rylander Elementary box.
On this screen click on the tab you want to pay.
Please ignore the word replacement on each of the items title . New orders are labeled replacement. It is the way the system is set up.