We need parents to participate in a Spring Walkthrough at Bush Elementary on Monday, March 6 from 8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. The purpose of the Spring Walkthrough is to empower families by giving them an opportunity to provide feedback and praise for their school. During this activity, parents will meet for an introduction to the activity, disperse throughout the school for 20 minutes to evaluate components, and then come back together to share their observations with the group. After this activity is over, the Parent Liaison and FACE Specialist will present the feedback to the principal.

Please email Zonia Flores at zonia.flores@houstonisd.org if you’re interested in participating in this feedback session.

Parents are invited to join the FACE Department in this informative session being held at:

Bush Elementary's Library

Tuesday, March 7

8:00 a.m. - 8:30 a.m.

Families will learn how to live healthier lives by learning the various types of kindness, compassion, and how to pay it forward.

Stop by this parent learning session before the Drama Club show or just stop by for a quick learning opportunity on how to live a healthier family life.

Please check in the front office, all visitors must present a valid government issued I.D.

All adults entering the building to attend any type of event such as parent/teacher conferences, birthday lunch, viewing Knowledge Fest, viewing a performance such as Drama Club or Chorus, MUST have and show a government issued photo identification.

The best identification is a physical driver's license as it's quick and easy to scan and do a security check on that document. Showing an image of a driver's license slows down parent check in as the information has to be inputted manually. If a family member only has a passport, please be advised it slows down the security check as the data has to be inputted manually.

Please have the driver's license/government issued photo identification out and ready to share before you buzz to enter the building. Thank you for honoring and respecting our safety procedures.

Our third - fifth grade students will take the Texas required STAAR Interim Assessments in March. The days are shown above in the calendar. These assessments are treated like the real STAAR meaning the campus is closed to all visitors in all grades on these days. There will be no parent conferences, lunchroom/cafeteria helpers, or birthday lunches on these days. Please mark your calendars for these important dates. Also, please try to avoid any early pickups, doctor, or dentist appointments on these days.

We will be testing our 2nd – 5th grade ESL students on the TELPAS test for the next two weeks. The TELPAS is a State test given once per year to assess English language proficiency for our students who are designated as ESL because they are learning English in addition to another language that is spoken at home. The students will be tested on the computer in the areas of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking. The test is given in small groups in two sessions. Students must score at the advanced high level in all 4 domains to be considered as proficient in English and able to exit the ESL program. We know all of our students will do their best!

The Bush Elementary Family Picnic will be on Friday, March 10 from 10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m. on the school grounds. Next week, parents will receive a letter and 4 entry wristbands per child. Every person will need a wristband on to enter the school grounds. Young children will need the wristband on a stroller or a child carrying device. Pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, Ms. Pusparani, Ms. Martins, and Ms. Phillips classes will be eating around the primary playground along Westerloch street. Family members wearing wristbands will enter through the small gate at the visitors' parking lot along Westerloch. First - fifth grade families wearing wristbands will enter via the track gate along Parkway Plaza.

We ask that families eat with the younger child's class. Parents will notify the older child's teacher to go to the younger sibling's class for lunch. For example: A family has a kindergartner and a third grader. The parent will tell the third grade teacher to send the older sibling to the kindergartner's class for the picnic.

Wristbands are being sent home today and if more are needed, then contact your child's teacher.

We have many many jackets here in our lost and found. If you child has lost a jacket or sweater on the playground, please feel free to stop by the office to sign in and look for the items. We have moved them up to the front to make it easier. The Lost and Found clothing will be out on tables for the next two weeks until Spring Break. All remaining jackets will be donated to charity over Spring Break.

Zearn is partnering with Houston Independent School District to create the Zearn Brainy Challenge! Every student who completes their target number of lessons during the challenge will receive a $10 Walmart Gift Card!

• Kindergarten: Your students in Kindergarten can participate in the challenge by logging into their Zearn account through Clever and completing 24 Digital Activities between February 6-March 5th.

• Grades 1-5: Your students in Grades 1-5 can participate in the challenge by logging into their Zearn account through Clever and completing 16 Digital Lessons through their Next Up tab between February 6-March 5th.
  
  Winners will be announced the week of March 20th. For more information on the details of the challenge and how you can support your students, check out the flyer and resources below.

We're seeing some very unsafe and dangerous behaviors by parents during morning arrival.

• Parents walking through the small parking lot and then between the cars in the active carpool lane.
• Parents stopping their car on Westerloch Drive to let out their child in an active lane of traffic.
• Parents not using the sidewalks and crosswalks to get to school.

The carpool lane and Westerloch Drive are very busy in the morning. Please be a good role model for your child and all others watching you by taking a few extra minutes to be safe.

The Teacher Assistants are responsible for supervising the students in the cafeteria during lunch time. The Teacher Assistants are asking for parents' help in keeping the cafeteria calm and safe. Parents must follow these guidelines when visiting at lunch to pass out a birthday treat to their child's homeroom class and have lunch with their child.

• Only hand out the birthday treat to the students in your child’s homeroom class at the last 5 minutes of your child’s lunch.
• Birthday goodie bags are not handed out at lunch.
• Do not hand out any extra treats to any students in other class(es).
• Only take your child (no other students may go) to eat at the hallway birthday table or at the courtyard table and understand that you will not be able to eat lunch in the cafeteria.
• Do not take pictures or videos in the cafeteria during lunch.

Parents not following these guidelines directly affects student behaviors in the cafeteria.

Please make sure your child is following Bush Elementary's dress code guidelines. Bush Elementary's colors are red, navy, and white. Khaki pants, shorts, and skirts may also be worn. If a jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt are worn in the building throughout the day, then those items must follow dress code.

We're seeing many students wearing jeans with purposeful holes and/or tears and these type of jeans are not part of dress code. Only jeans that are a plain blue may be worn. Also, sweatpants or athletic pants are not part of the Bush dress code.

Please contact our Wrap Around Specialist, Maria Quevedo, if you're in need of dress code items. maria.quevedo@houstonisd.org

The Spectacular Science Word for the week of February 27 is hazard.

Ms. Rose would like to wish a very special birthday to:

Ally M. who turned 8 years old on February 19 and is a second grader in Ms. Carlin's class.

Ian B. who turned 8 years old on February 27 and is a second grader in Ms. Brown's class.

Enrique P. who turns 7 years old on March 1 and is a kindergartner in Ms. Baker's class.

Bella L. who turns 8 years old on March 2 and is a second grader in Ms. Hodge's class.

Joy Z. who turns 9 years old on March 5 and is a third grader in Ms. Sherman's class.

Happy Birthday and Welcome to the Bush Birthday Book Club!

Uplifting Hearts, Connecting Minds

The fourth annual International SEL Day is March 10, 2023! SEL Day is an opportunity to collectively spread the word about the importance and impact of social emotional learning. Working together, we can raise awareness for SEL, bring on new SEL stakeholders, create artifacts that demonstrate SEL in action, share SEL best practices… and more!

This will also be celebrated in conjunction with our Family Picnic.

SIGN UP

Join us in celebrating International SEL Day on March 10, 2023. Sign up today if you would like to showcase, promote, advocate and support SEL in your community.

Please help spread the word by sharing this announcement with your networks!

Please see this link below for more information on SEL Day and ways that we can continue to help our SEL program at Barbara Bush grow.

https://selday.org/

The PTO is looking for helpers for next school year, and we need YOU! Nominations for the 2023-2024 BBE PTO Board are now open.

The PTO Board consists of over 20 different roles, all with a focus on maintaining and enhancing the quality of education at Bush Elementary. We welcome working and non-working parents and guardians from all different grade levels and backgrounds.

We encourage you to find a position which sounds interesting to you, and one in which you feel you can contribute your unique talents and skills towards the betterment of our school.

Please view the list of PTO Board positions and job descriptions, and then fill out this form to nominate yourself or someone else for a position on next school year’s PTO Board.

Director positions require onsite volunteering for events and attendance at monthly Board meetings. Chairperson positions have a minimal onsite volunteer obligation and no requirement to attend meetings.

The deadline to submit your response is Sunday, March 18th.

Please email presidentbbepto@gmail.com with any questions.

Purchase a plain white t-shirt, which is needed for ALL STUDENTS for Art class. The students will be working in class on tie-dying the shirts for Field Day.

Shirts purchased through the PTO website will be delivered directly to the Art classroom.

The deadline to purchase through the PTO is TODAY, March 1st.

Please plan to join us next Wednesday, March 8th at 8:00pm for a FREE legal webinar with AB Law. You’ll learn how to choose a legal guardian for your children, how to make and keep up-to-date a plan for your children’s futures, and more!

Click HERE to register for the webinar. For every person who logs in and completes the entire presentation, AB Law will donate $20 (up to $2,000) to the BBE PTO.

Check out our SALE items online! Shirts are all school dress code approved and are vintage spirit shirts from previous years. Prices for T- shirts range from $5 - $10. Limited sizes available and ALL SALES ARE FINAL! If you would like to see sizes in person visit us Wednesday mornings at school from 7:30 am- 8:30 am. Must be VIPS approved to enter. Shop www.BBEpto.com. You must have an account to shop

The School Store is open for students to shop on Fridays and some select Thursdays.

We offer pens, pencils, erasers, fidgets and more. Prices range from $0.10- $4. Please send money with your student on the correct week if they would like to shop. See below for the schedule.

3/3 - 1st Grade, Kinder, and Pre-K

3/24 - 4th and 5th Grades

3/30* - 2nd and 3rd Grades (THURSDAY)

4/6* - 1st Grade, Kinder, and Pre-K (THURSDAY)

Be sure to follow @bbepto on Facebook or Instagram for the latest updates when we get new stock!

Please contact mybushstore@gmail.com with any questions about the School Store.

Come join fellow BBE parents and guardians at First Fridays and Second Saturdays with PTO. Each month, we get together at a different location and time, just to chat and relax– come and stay for an hour, or 15 minutes, whatever fits your schedule! In March, there will be only one opportunity to meet up due to Spring Break.

First Friday: March 3rd, 4:30pm @ Briarhills Park - Children welcome, of course! Bring your own snacks and beverages.

Second Saturday: Have a great Spring Break, and we’ll see you for Second Saturdays in April!

Bobcat Families, order your 2022-2023 Yearbook now and enjoy the memories of this year at BBE. Please visit the BBE PTO website to purchase your yearbook at a discount of $30. On March 11th, the price will increase to $35, and yearbook sales will close on March 24th, so don’t delay!

Do you have a graduating 5th grader? Give them a shout-out in the yearbook! Dedications are $20 for 175 characters or less. Order on the website at www.bbepto.com by March 3rd. Log into the site, select the “My Account” menu, and choose “My Dashboard” from the drop down. (Dedications are available for 5th graders only.)

We would love for families to send in any photos that are school-related, such as photos you snapped at the Let’s Glow Wild Party on Friday, Pajama Day, Astros day, or any grade-specific event/project that we can include in the yearbook!

Please send no more than 3 photos to bushptoyearbook@gmail.com and label the pictures with your child's grade.

Rainbow Rock Garden (Part 2) - Friday, March 3rd, 3 - 4pm

Join us as we build our second rainbow rock garden in the Nature Center. Students will be spray painting rocks and assembling them around the bird bath in the garden. It is recommended that students change out of their uniform and into "painting" clothes prior to arrival. All students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the event. Parents will need to pick up their child after school and enter the Nature Center through the track gate.

If you are interested in attending these events, please sign up here.

Join the Birthday Book Club and make your student’s birthday extra special! Your student will receive a personal birthday greeting from Ms. Rose during the morning announcements, and have their name printed in the weekly Paw Prints newsletter, in a book for the library, AND on the electronic marquee during the week of their birthday.

22-23 Faculty and Staff

COUNSELOR

Jewell Quinonez

(P) 281-368-2150 (ext: 275212)

Jewell.Quinonez@houstonisd.org

Click here to visit the BBE Counselor Corner

FOR RESOURCES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH -

Wraparound - Maria Quevedo

(P) 281-368-2150 (ext. 275105)

maria.quevedo@houstonisd.org

FOR ATTENDANCE -

Registrar - Adriana Rosales

(P) 281-368-2150 (ext. 275104)

arosale3@houstonisd.org