The Paw Print
September 2019 Edition
A Note from Mrs. Oliver
The new school year is off to a fantastic start, and we are excited to be back at school! Our students and teachers are continuing to do an incredible job jumping back into their daily routines and delving into their curriculum with amazing learning!
Providing our students with a safe and stimulating learning environment that inspires them to be successful students now and in the future is what we strive for each and every day. We appreciate the amazing support of our wonderful Kaufman families, and we look forward to a great year with you!
It continues to be an honor to serve as your principal. If you have any questions or need anything, feel free to contact me at 832-592-5600 or by email at toliver@conroeisd.net.
Sincerely,
Tina Oliver
Upcoming on the Kaufman Calendar
September 2 - Labor Day Holiday
September 3 - DI Awareness Night, 6:00 pm in library
September 5 - PTO Meeting, 10:00 am in library
September 6 - Box Tops Collection
September 13 - Fall Pictures
September 16-20 - Book Fair
September 17-18 - Welcome Back Breakfast, 6:45-7:30 am in cafeteria
September 19 - Academic Night, 5:00-6:30 pm in cafeteria
September 19 - Book Fair Evening Hours, 5:00-6:30 pm in library
A Few Reminders
7:30– Doors open
7:55– Announcements begin and preparations for the day
8:00– Tardy bell rings-instruction begins
3:10– Dismissal
- Please complete your CISD Volunteer Application online form. This must be completed each year.
- We have 2 morning car rider drop off locations– 1 in the front and 1 in the back to help with the traffic flow.
- All visitors to the building must check in through the front office and present their photo ID.
- Transportation changes must be received by 2:00 P.M.
- Car riders will be monitored on the front porch and placed in cars with the proper Car Rider Sign. Any parent who does not have a sign will be asked to park their car and enter the building with the proper photo ID to receive a sign.
Kindergarten News
Welcome Kinder Cubs! We have had such a fantastic start to the school year in kindergarten. We are busy learning school/classroom rules and our way around Kaufman. Ask your child about their adventures with Pete the Cat! Eating lunch together has been fun and is running smoothly. Our lunch time in kindergarten is from 10:45-11:15. The children have enjoyed going to CAMP (Computers, Art, Music, and P.E.). Some things to work on at home: correct pencil grip, writing first name with only a capital at the beginning, fine motor skills, letter and sound identification. We are so excited about having this new den of kindergarten cubs and thrilled about our eager parent volunteers.
First Grade News
First grade has started off to an awesome start!! Starting a new school year with first graders is always an exciting adventure! Students are learning that first grade is “different” than kindergarten. While many procedures/rules are the same, there are some things we do the “First Grade” way. We will be reviewing and practicing Cafeteria/Classroom/School rules and procedures. Beginning of the year Literacy/Writing Assessments will begin soon.
We are looking forward to working with you and your child this year. Each school year not only brings in new faces but a new group of children who are ready to learn. First Grade Rocks!!
Second Grade News
Welcome to the Cougar Crew in second grade. We are off to a great start! We spent the first few days of school having fun exploring our classrooms, seeing old friends, and meeting new friends. Now we are really starting to settle in and get right to work learning new things.
In reading, we have been learning our class procedures for reading workshop and building our reading stamina. In writing, we are writing summer/vacation stories, setting up our Writer's Workshop routine and studying words with short vowel sounds. Our beginning-of-the-year assessments start the second week of September, and the results will come home as soon as they are complete.
In math, we’ve been working on addition, graphing, number sense, and problem solving. Keep on practicing those facts to 18, as we will be learning more about addition and subtraction strategies. Citizenship is our theme in social studies. We have discussed how to solve problems (small and large) and how to get along with others in our classroom community. In science, we have been learning the basics of the scientific process, safety in science labs, and about the tools we will be using as scientists.
We thank those parents who have already been involved in helping or donating for your child’s classroom and encourage all parents to get involved in some way. Homeroom parents will be meeting soon to plan our special celebrations. Your participation makes a difference in what we can accomplish in our classrooms, whether it is by cutting out lamination, sending items in for the class, or assisting with a classroom event. We appreciate everything you do for us!
It is going to be a wonderful year!
Third Grade News
What a great start to a new school year! We are very excited to get this year under way. We are looking forward to a productive school year, learning new things and making new friends. We are delighted to get to know your children’s personalities while meeting their needs. We believe that a good parent-teacher relationship is important for maximum school success. Throughout the year, we will communicate with you through notes, telephone calls, e-mails, weekly updates, report cards, and parent-teacher conferences. We encourage you to contact us if you have any questions or concerns at any time. Our conference time is from 12:05- 1:00. Again, we welcome you to 3rd grade and look forward to a fan-tab-u-lous school year!
Fourth Grade News
Welcome back to school and WELCOME to FOURTH GRADE! We hope you enjoyed the summer break and are ready as we are for a new school year.
The fourth grade teachers this year are Mrs. Barber, Ms. Griffin, Mrs. Watson, Mrs. Jordan, Mrs. Moore, Ms. Stephenson, Mrs. Welch, and we are excited to welcome Ms. Charvet and Ms. Gibbs to our team. Together, we will all work hard to make 4th grade fun and memorable for your child.
Students will learn many new things and grow tremendously this school year. Not only do fourth graders grow older and taller, they also grow as individuals. They learn to be more responsible, mature, and independent. You will be amazed at what they are capable of by the end of this year! As teachers, it is a pleasure to see this growth firsthand, and we look forward to watching this transformation take place throughout the year.
Many important events are taking place very soon. Please be sure to check your child's Tuesday Folder and your email for communications from the school.
If you have questions or concerns at any time, please don't hesitate to contact your child's teacher. We want this school year to be a success in every way. Here we go!!!
Art News
Hello Creative Cats and welcome back to a brand new year in the Art Rooms! We are very excited to bring our students more creative and exciting projects to do! We love exploring new supplies, finding new ways to use them to create art, and of course we love our favorite legacy projects that kids look forward to year after year. It will be a fun and exciting year in the art rooms for sure!
Kaufman participates in a program called Artsonia. It is a safe and secure online art gallery where pictures of your child's artwork will be uploaded for you to see and enjoy, using only your child's first name followed by a number. This gallery is with them throughout Kaufman and beyond to Vogel. If you are new to Kaufman, you will need to accept the invitation that you will get to join the Artsonia program. There is also an optional component to Artsonia where you can purchase items with your child's artwork on them. There is absolutely NO obligation to purchase anything, but these items make excellent gifts for Mother's Day, Father's Day, Grandparent's Day, Christmas and birthdays! The proceeds from this program help us purchase more Ipads to use in our art rooms. Artsonia also has a component called the "Fan Club"! This gives you the ability to add grandparents, aunts/uncles, non-custodial parents, and family friends to your child's "Fan Club," and they will get notifications when new artwork is there for them to see. It's a great way to keep family that doesn't live close by in the "art loop"!
Each month, we will honor one boy and one girl from each art room that have gone above and beyond. They are kind to others, they follow the rules, and they work hard to improve their art skills. This month, we are happy to congratulate Marina Burchard, Blake Rodgers, Ella Rapp and Jack George as our Artists of the Month for August! Way to go all of you!!
We are so looking forward to getting to know your children and giving them a special love for art! Art can really take you places.... we're getting started on our journey now!! Until next month.... happy creating!
Mrs. Gregory & Mrs. Rowley
Music News
Welcome back to another great year of music-making! We have many great things planned this year, and we are excited to begin! During music classes, we will work on our singing and instrumental skills by learning new songs and singing games. We will learn how to read and write/compose basic music melodies and rhythms, as well as play various instruments (recorders, xylophones, drums and many others).
If you have questions about music programs, class expectations and lessons, 3rd/4th grade Cougar Choir, 4th grade Festival Choir, or other events, I can be reached during my conference/planning time from 10:35am-11:30am, or by email at hlewis@conroeisd.net.
Cougar Choir registration information will be sent home the week of August 27th. The last day to register (either online or paper form) is September 6th. If you need another copy of the information, please contact me.
Musically yours...... Mrs. Lewis
PE News
It is such a pleasure to welcome all the wonderful students back to school this year. Mrs. Flanagan and Mrs. Hutyra are looking forward to getting to know your children and having them in PE. Each class will come to PE three days a week- Monday, Wednesday & Friday or Tuesday, Thursday & Friday.
The goal of Elementary Physical Education at Kaufman Elementary is to teach students to develop healthy living habits that will last a lifetime. We accomplish that by having students participate in a wide variety of activities, sports, and challenges that will increase their physical, social, and mental abilities, as well as teamwork and cooperation skills. We hope to provide a safe, fun, and motivating class that will encourage all students to want to participate, have fun and try their best. Focused fitness activities, health, nutrition, muscles, and bones are implemented into PE class, as well as integrating core subject areas, such as math and spelling.
Here are some things that will help make PE as fun and SAFE as possible this year:
1. Everyone MUST wear sneakers for safety on their PE days!!!
2. Girls should wear shorts under dresses if they have PE that day.
3. If a student has a medical condition or injury, please send a note/medical excuse.
4. No big jewelry is allowed during PE for safety reasons but can be taken off before class starts.
We are looking forward to a great year here at Kaufman Elementary. If you ever have questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at school by phone or email.
Your pumped up PE department:)
Computer News
Welcome back Kaufman Cougars! I hope all of you had a great summer! What a great start to the new school year! We are learning some very important lessons in Computers. We are learning about Computer Lab rules along with Internet Safety. Please use these guidelines when your child is at home to ensure and reinforce safety in your home.
Never post personal information such as your home address, home phone number, and cell phone number or where you go to school.
Never use someone’s username or password.
Never share your username or password.
Never go to unapproved web sites. Always be safe and ask an adult like your parents or guardian.
This is such an important lesson that I will be covering this specific topic in the middle and end of the year. Together we can make our children safe! ”TOGETHER IS BETTER!”
Thank you!
Ms. Alonso :)
Library News
WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY! We have been busy preparing our library for all of our new and returning students. Search-a-saurus Rex and Clifford the Big Red Dog have been anxiously awaiting the students' arrival!
LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! All interested parents or grandparents are welcome to join in all the fun the library has to offer. We have opportunities for our volunteers to help with the weekly schedule or to help with special projects like the Kaufman Giving Tree, Storybook Pumpkin Museum and the Fall and Spring Book Fairs. So stop on by the library for more details. We can't wait to have you on board!
Please help us by reminding your child of proper book care. Parents are also welcome to check out up to seven library books to share with your Kaufman Cougars. We look forward to having you as a library patron.
We support the reading curriculum by offering books to practice the reading skills taught in the classroom and offer books for leisure reading as well. We support Conroe ISD’s READ FOR A BETTER LIFE initiative. To kick this year off, the library will host a Scholastic Book Fair which will be held September 16th – 20th!
Special events:
Back to School Breakfast: Tuesday, September 17th and Wednesday, September 18th. (Look for more information, coming soon in your child’s Tuesday folder.)
Academic Night: Thursday, September 19th from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Enter a drawing to win $25.00 in FREE BOOK FAIR materials.
ONLINE SHOPPING: great for shopping at home for friends and family near and far. http://bookfairs.scholastic.com/homepage/georgekaufmanelementarysch
I hope you will join in by showing our students how much fun reading can be by reading 30 minutes each day with your child.
Keep 'em Reading!
Mrs. Wright
Clinic News
Welcome to the Kaufman Elementary Clinic
Karen Maidens RN
I am looking forward to sharing a healthy and happy year for you and your child.
Some suggestions from our clinic:
Please keep your contact information current, so you can be easily reached if your child needs you during the school day.
Please keep an extra set of clothing, including underwear and socks, in your child's backpack. Spills and “accidents” occur occasionally in all grade levels.
We encourage you to complete the online health form and contact the clinic to discuss changes in health concerns that may require attention at school. The direct clinic number is 832-592-5613 or email the nurse: kmaidens@conroeisd.net.
REGARDING MEDICATION:
Medications (over the counter or prescription) to be administered at school:
Must be delivered to the clinic by the parent and signed in with the nurse.
Must be in the original container and labeled for age-appropriate use.
Must be FDA approved (homeopathic/herbal products cannot be given).
All medications, including cough drops, must be kept in the clinic during the school day.
Students may not transport medications to and from school.
Prescription medications must include the pharmacy prescription label.
REGARDING FOOD:
Some children have health related dietary restrictions, some life threatening.
We request that snacks eaten in the classroom contain no peanuts/nuts of any kind.
Lunch is eaten in the cafeteria; your child may bring peanut/nut containing foods for lunch.
When planning classroom birthday celebrations, we request the following:
Check in with the teacher a day or two in advance regarding any restrictions.
Food items should NOT contain any type of NUT
Food items should be in the original store packaging with the nutrition label intact.
Please check with lunchroom staff before dispensing treats.
REGARDING ILLNESS:
A student with the following symptoms will be sent home from school :
temperature of 100 degrees or more
vomiting or diarrhea
suspected contagious condition/illness
too ill to function in the classroom
severe stomachache, headache, or earache
PLEASE NOTE: A student should not be sent to school if fever-reducing medication is required to get the temperature below 100 degrees. To help keep our Kaufman family healthy, students must be 24 hours free of fever or diarrhea before returning to school following an illness.
Counselor's News
Welcome Back!
Welcome to another exciting year at Kaufman Elementary! My name is Shannon Simmons, and I will be your child’s school counselor this year. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at 832-592-5600.
Back To School Tips
The lazy days of summer have come to an end! Get back in the habit of establishing a reasonable bedtime and routine.
* If you haven’t already - set up a homework area that is quiet, well-lit and stocked with all the supplies they will need to complete assignments.
* Review bus safety rules with your child.
* Make sure they know their address and a working phone number in case of emergency.
* Prepare clothing and lunch in advance to save time in the morning.
* Bring in school supplies as needed.
* Be encouraging and supportive!
Eat Breakfast at School!
Breakfast is served at school! School breakfast will give your child a healthy start to the day. A nutritious breakfast helps students be more alert so they can learn more in class. Breakfast has vitamins and nutrients for a strong and healthy body.
Breakfast at school is affordable at only $1.35. If you qualify for free and reduced price meals, you also qualify for the breakfast program, with no additional paperwork. You can’t find a healthy breakfast at such a low cost anywhere else.
Help your child start the day right with school breakfast!
PTO News
Dates to Remember for September:
5th - First PTO Meeting @ 10:00 am
6th - Box Top Collection Date
17th & 18th – Back to School Breakfast
18th – Strike Out Bullying Event
19th - Academic Night
24th - 3B’s Spirit Night
25th – Oak Ridge Homecoming Parade
Submit Photos to Yearbook! Send In any pictures you take when visiting Kaufman. You can email all your pictures to Stefanie Bohuslav at kaufmanyearbookpics@gmail.com.
ENROLL IN THE KROGER COMMUNITY REWARDS PROGRAM! This program is a great way to raise money for our school, no need to re-register if you did last year. Please register at https://www.kroger.com/account/enrollCommunityRewardsNow/. Our organization number is KPSSO. Last month, our school earned $701.03 through this program. Thank you!!
AMAZON Smile When you shop, support us on Amazon Smile!
(https://smile.amazon.com/ch/20-5195849) Kaufman Elementary PTO
BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION Keep collecting those Box Tops! Collection date is just around the corner! If you are interested in joining the Box Top Clip and Count Club, please contact sarahmabile@yahoo.com.
VOLUNTEER We would love to have you volunteer on campus. All adults that visit the campus while school is in session must submit a volunteer application form to CISD. This form can be found at https://apps.conroeisd.net/volunteer/. This application must be submitted again each year.
JOIN PTO Joining the PTO is free! Visit https://kaufmanelementarypto.wildapricot.org/ to find out more about the Kaufman PTO as well as updates for upcoming events, volunteer opportunities, and how you can help support our school!
Take a moment to "Like us on Facebook: Kaufman PTO.
Sign up for text reminders/updates with the remind app
text @kaufmanpt to the number 81010 or https://www.remind.com/join/kaufmanpt
QUESTIONS? Contact the Kaufman PTO for more information at KaufmanPTO@gmail.com
Information
Email: toliver@conroeisd.net
Website: kaufman.conroeisd.net/
Location: 2760 Northridge Forest Drive, Spring, TX 77386
Phone: 832-592-5600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KaufmanCISD/
Twitter: @KaufmanCougars
The Conroe Independent School District (District) as an equal opportunity educational provider and employer does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in educational programs or activities that it operates or in employment matters. The District is required by Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as Board policy not to discriminate in such a manner.
For information about Title IX rights or Section 504/ADA rights, contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Section 504/ADA coordinator at 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, TX 77304; (936) 709-7752.