October

October is National Dyslexia Awareness Month

10/12 - Holiday - No School

10/13 - Second Grading Period Begins

10/13 - Regular Dismissal Time of 3:10 Begins

10/16 - "Paw-Some" Awards on Announcements (Wear RED for Responsibility)

10/16 - Report cards will be accessible to parents via Parent Access Center (PAC)

10/19 - 10/30 - Boosterthon Dance Fit (more information to come)

10/22 - Jersey Mike’s PTO Spirit Night

10/26 - 10/30 - Red Ribbon Week

November

11/03 - Staff Development (Student Holiday)

11/23 - 11/27 - Thanksgiving Break - No School

11/30 - Students Return to Instruction

December

12/17 - "Paw-Some" Awards on Announcements (Wear BLUE for Integrity)

12/18 - Early Release for Students at 12:10pm

12/21 - 01/05 - Winter Break - No School

Happy Friday,

As we end the first grading period of the 2020-2021 school year, I wanted to take a moment to say thank you for all the work we all (families, students, and staff) have put in this year. I appreciate so much the continued efforts by everyone in our community to engage in a productive and meaningful school year.

For our online learners, please make sure children are participating online and completing assignments. Students are responsible for the work that is assigned in their classes. If you have questions about the online work or expectations, please reach out to your child's teacher.

I hope that you enjoy a restful long weekend and that everyone is ready to go for our second grading period when we return to instruction Tuesday.

Take good care,

Dr. Jarod Lambert

Principal

• Starting Tuesday, October 13, our dismissal time will return to the regular time of 3:10 PM. Bikers/walkers, bus riders, and car riders will be dismissed from classrooms at 3:10 each day.
• All transportation changes need to be emailed to bush@conroeisd.net before 2:00pm each day.
• Only visitors essential to school operations will be permitted to enter CISD facilities.
• All individuals entering the building must wear a face mask covering their mouth and nose.
• Visitors will be required to complete a COVID-19 screening form in the reception area prior to leaving the front office area.
• Only essential learning items can be dropped off on our outside drop off table.
• Students forgetting lunches will be allowed to get a meal from the cafeteria.

Report Cards: The last day of the first grading period was Thursday, October 8. Report cards will be accessible to parents via Parent Access Center (PAC) Friday, October 16. Please access report cards online as they will not be printed at this time. Make sure that you have registered for a PAC account in order to access your child's report card and monitor ongoing progress.

Absences not related to COVID-19:

One of the advantages to having the remote learning option is that a child may be out for a short time period for an illness unrelated to COVID. Let's say, for example, your child was diagnosed with strep throat. During the time your child is recovering from that illness, she/he can continue to learn (and be marked present) by engaging with online content in Seesaw or Canvas. Please communicate this information to our front office by sending an email to bush@conroeisd.net so we are aware of the days your child will work remotely.

Attendance Clarification:

If children who are in-person learners are not physically in the building at 9:00 AM (when attendance is taken), they will be marked absent for the day.

• Should they arrive after attendance time without a doctor's note, it will be an excused absence.
• Should they arrive after attendance and have a doctor's note for that day, the absence will be taken away.
  

If children who are in-person learners are absent from school due to COVID-19 symptoms and do not engage on Seesaw or Canvas, they will still be marked absent. If these students engage in Seesaw or Canvas, they will be marked as attending remotely. An email will still be sent indicating the absence, because remote attendance is not verified until the next school day.

Should you have any additional questions please email bush@conroeisd.net

Thank you,

Mrs. Brenda Hooker, Registrar

bhooker@conroeisd.net

936-709-1610

Our school is participating in The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department's 2020 Walk the Pathways competition! The school with the most participating students will win a trophy and special first place prize. Walk the Pathways is a friendly, socially distanced competition between elementary schools to encourage outdoor activity and promote pedestrian safety through experience and games.

Please support our efforts by pledging online to walk the pathways near your home or our school at least once between Sunday, October 11, and Saturday, October 24.

How to participate:

1. Choose a park or pathway near your home or school to visit between October 11 and October 24.
2. Show school spirit! Sport your school colors on your walk.
3. Submit an online pledge declaring you walked the pathways. One entry per student.

Optional:

Visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx-.gov/walkthepathwayscontest for:

• An interactive park and pathway map to plan your route
• Tips and videos about pedestrian safety to review before starting your walk
• Guides for games to "level up" such as chalking the sidewalk, leaving painted rocks and identifying wildlife, trees, or plants

Thank your for supporting our school. If you have questions, please contact the school or The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department at 281-210-3800 or enviro@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.

Referral requests are now open for Conroe Independent School District Gifted and Talented program. Although the testing will not take place until late January for both remote and in-person platforms, referral requests are accepted at this time. Referral requests can be made by the parents and/or teachers. It is recommended that parents of 2nd grade students wait until CogAT scores have arrived before nominating their child because CogAT scores are part of the GT assessment. If you are interested in referring your child, you may want to discuss this with your child’s teacher at conferences. Referrals will be accepted through December 18. You may request a referral form from the front office or the Assistant Principal. You can also find the referral form and other GT information on the CISD GT homepage.

Clinic Phone - 936-709-1609

PLEASE NOTE:

Students are cleared to return to school when the nurse receives documentation of the following:

Health care provider clearance letter to return to school, including a date the student may return OR Negative COVID-19 test results.

Please keep your child home until ALL symptoms have subsided, including being fever free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications.

ISOLATION OR QUARANTINE:

· Students who are absent due to isolation or quarantine criteria who log in to SeeSaw or Canvas before 11:59 pm will be counted as a REMOTE ATTENDANCE.
· Students who are absent due to isolation or quarantine criteria who are unable to sign into SeeSaw or Canvas before 11:59 pm will be counted as an EXCUSED ABSENCE.

RETURN-TO-SCHOOL CRITERIA:

Per Conroe ISD guidelines: If your child has a fever or other symptoms that could be from COVID-19 and does not get tested OR is not cleared by their healthcare provider with an alternative diagnosis, it is assumed the child has COVID-19 and may not return to school until the following 3 criteria are met:

1. Has been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.

2. AND child has improved symptoms.

3. AND at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared.

Please email or fax (936-709-1699) healthcare provider date of return to school confirmation or COVID-19 test results to the nurse clkirchner@conroeisd.net or bush@conroeisd.net in order to return to school sooner than the 10 day isolation period.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

· Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater to or equal to 100 dg F.

· Chills

· Cough

· Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing

· Fatigue

· Muscle or body aches

· Headache

· New loss of taste or smell

· Sore throat

· Congestion or runny nose

· Nausea or vomiting

· Diarrhea

· Shaking or exaggerated shivering https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/care-for-someone.html

PLEASE NOTIFY THE NURSE OR THE FRONT OFFICE IF YOUR CHILD DEVELOPS ANY OF THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS.

MEDICATION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES:

Prescription medication must be in the original container, properly labeled including the student’s name, the name of the medication, directions concerning dosage, the schedule for administration, expiration date, and the date the prescription was filled. No expired prescription medication will be administered. No more than a ninety (90) day supply of a prescription medication may be checked in at one time.

Over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, ibuprofen, cough or cold medicines that could potentially mask COVID-19 symptoms will require a written order from your child’s health care provider. Special Medication Note: Due to CDC COVID-19 guidelines nebulizer medications cannot be administered at school at this time.

CURB SIDE MEDICATION SIGN IN:

Please email or call the clinic if your child will require a scheduled or prescription medication for this school year. A medication permission form will be emailed to you, or let us know if you need to pick up a paper copy.

Medications will be dropped off via curb side delivery Monday-Friday between the hours of 8:30-2:30. Please email clkirchner@conroeisd.net or call 936-709-1600 (front office) or 936-709-1609 (clinic) to let us know that you are here for medication drop off. Nurse Cheryl will come out to your car to collect the signed forms and medication.

CLINIC STUDENT CLOTHING REQUEST:

In case of restroom accidents, spills, muddy clothes, please keep a complete change of clothes in your child’s backpack in a zip lock bag to have on hand. The clinic will not have extra clothes in the clinic to provide our students. Parents will be called to bring clothing changes if their child does not have extra clothes available in their backpack. Thank you for your help!

Stay Healthy,

Nurse Cheryl Kirchner, RN

clkirchner@conroeisd.net

936-709-1609

Evelin Padilla, Clinic Assistant

epadillaguerrer@conroeisd.net

Children and Technology

How does the digital world affect our society? Click here for movie resources that examine the control of the digital world on us and our children.

Click here to visit Mrs. McGhee’s Virtual Counseling Office

Click here to complete the Request for Assistance Google Form

Click here for Coronavirus Resources.

Sincerely,

Angie McGhee

amcghee@conroeisd.net

936-709-1608

Welcome back to school from the Specials Team! We have been enjoying drawing, singing, and being active with your children. Our Bush Bobcat students are what make our team so “special.” Your child has a designated block of time each day to enjoy Art, Music, PE, or Enrichment. In the current specials schedule, your children spend two weeks at a time with a cohort specials team of two teachers. They alternate between PE and Fine Arts/Enrichment. We get a chance to connect with your child through our specialty, and in turn, your child explores our class with a deeper understanding. After two weeks, classes rotate to their second block of cohort specials teachers. As the year progresses, please contact us directly with any questions that may arise. Have a great year!

Specials Team Teachers:

Angie Beardsley (Art) abeardsley@conroeisd.net

Tristan Smith (Music) trismith@conroeisd.net

Kris Renetzky (PE) krenetzky@conroeisd.net

Melissa Roberson (PE/Enrichment) mroberson@conroeisd.net

Specials Team Paraprofessionals:

Donna DiChiara (PE) ddechiara@conroeisd.net

Shelby Haesche (Enrichment) shaesche@conroeisd.net

Irene Carter (RtI) icarter@conroeisd.net

Cassidy Cunningham (RtI) ccunningham@conroeisd.net

Art

This past nine weeks, students worked on the concept of self. They might have created a self-portrait in a variety of styles.

• Face to face students earned a participation grade for participating in the self concept art lesson.

• Online virtual students are expected to submit their self-portrait or self concept art piece through Canvas (3rd and 4th) and See Saw (K-2nd). If you are an online virtual Bush student and haven’t submitted your self-portrait art, you need to do so.

Thank you to the students who have submitted your self-portrait art or if you participated in creating your self-portrait face-to-face when you had art.

Music

Yoohoo! This word is sung in class to start our time and used throughout class.

• Face-to-face students have enjoyed exploring instruments and learning the various music notes.

• Online students, please be sure to complete your assignments. I enjoy listening to our online Bush Bobcats!

Physical Education

Students have an amazing opportunity to learn and explore physical activity in various settings and engage in a wide variety of activities. They rotate between the gym, activity room, and PE classroom and spend a lot of time outside. Activities range from our running program and sports to healthy living and yoga!

PE Reminders:

• Please send your child to school every day in supportive closed toed tennis shoes. Your child has recess every day in various terrains, as well as PE every other day.

• A doctor’s note or parent note is required if your child is injured or unable to fully participate in physical activity. Please email your child’s teacher and/or nurse Cheryl in the clinic. Copies will be made and distributed to our PE teachers.

A note for online students and families:

Many families have asked if they can substitute extracurricular activities in place of PE assignments posted on Seesaw and Canvas. Unfortunately, the answer is no. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) policy states off campus extracurricular activities do not meet the state requirements for elementary school objectives and credits. Please log into Seesaw and Canvas and complete assignments for PE as they are due. Thank you for your understanding.

Enrichment: We have added a new component to our specials rotation which allows a focus on Bush Elementary’s Guidelines for Success; Integrity, Kindness, Resilience and Responsibility. Your child will have fun discovering the intricacies of each of these characteristics, developing their social and emotional wellness, and building strong connections with their classmates. The class will contain other components that will be added as the year unfolds. We are really excited to be working with your children in this capacity and can’t wait to see their minds blossom as we explore this new opportunity together.

All SMS messages received from the Conroe ISD District Office and your child's campus will begin with "Conroe ISD:" and come from the subscribe code 67587. If you have not yet opted-in to receive SMS messages, you can do so at any time throughout the school year by texting "Y" to 67587.

We’re almost 1 week away from the start of our Bush Bobcat Dance Fit Boosterthon! Our goal is to raise $27,000 for Bush Program Expenses and Campus Enhancements such as Student Enrichment, Student and Teacher Scholarships, Technology to Enhance Remote Learning, Classroom Libraries. Funds will also be used for any unexpected expenses that may arise to best serve our students and teachers during these unique times.

Here is a quick video overview of our fundraising program.

Also, here are a few things to know about this important fundraiser:

• All families can support our school by either donating, sharing on funrun.com, or both. Students can receive rewards when parents share from funrun.com.

• All students get to participate in the Event day, regardless of financial participation.

• This fundraiser comes with an incredible character development program for students where they’ll be learning about the importance of teamwork, care, courage, grit and celebration.

Also, did you know that our fundraiser has corporate matching?! Click here to search your employer’s name to see if they’ll match your donation. Then, when you give on funrun.com, you can select your employer and it could DOUBLE YOUR DONATION to our school!

We are working hard to make this fundraiser safe, fun, and successful for everyone!

Key dates to remember:

• Donating Opens - 10/12 - Register on FUNRUN.COM, SHARE, & GIVE!

• Fundraiser Kick-Off - 10/19

• Event Day - 10/30

Thank you for working with us to make our school stronger. We are grateful for your support!

The Yearbook team needs pics of your Bobcat:

1. Enjoying Chick-fil-A Spirit Day this Thursday, Sept. 24

2. Virtual Learning

3. Wearing Spirit Wear

Be sure to identify the grade level of children pictured before uploading photos directly from your smartphone by:

1. Searching for Balfour Image Share in your app marketplace

2. Downloading the app and creating your username and password

3. Entering the Barbara Bush project number: 126474. There is no upload code.

Contact a member of the yearbook staff with any questions or concerns at yearbook@pto.com.

Remember, Spirit Fridays are your Bobcat's chance to wear their Bush hats and Bush tattoos, and of course their Bush t-shirts (or green and blue)!

Parents and Guardians are Bobcats, too! Show your school spirit by sporting your very own Bush shirt. Adult sizes are available at www.bushpto.com/bush_pto_shop. A limited number of youth sizes are left. Order now before we sell out

VP of Communications: Oversee the communication which includes the volunteer coordinator, directory leader, Formsite creator, webmaster, marquee coordinator and social media leader offering assistance when needed. They will also create and distribute electronic communications to the PTO membership when needed.

VP of Programs: Oversee committees engaged in developing programs/events for Bush that build a sense of community. Currently includes Spirit Fridays, Movie Night and Teddy Bear Tea.

If interested, please contact Caitlin Reeves at president@bushpto.com

The Conroe Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding these non-discrimination policies: Title IX Coordinator, 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304; (936)-709-7700 and the Section 504/ADA Coordinator, 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, Texas 77304; (936) 709-7670.