A special message from the WCHE Office Team....
We love our Tigers!
Pictured top row left to right: Assistant Principal Leanna Pesta, Receptionist Michelle Harper, and Administrative Assistant Donna Richardson.
Second row left to right: Nurse Dana Hensel, Principal Melanie Beninga, and Tulley the Tiger.
Third row left to right: Counselor Sheila White, Registrar Becky Wright, and Monitor Tammy Kuiper.
Fourth row left to right: Tulley the Tiger and Monitor Judith Breidenbach.
Getting Ready for the 2020-2021 School Year
At this time of year, we begin winding down the current school year at the same time that we begin winding up for the upcoming school year. One of the most important tasks we complete at the end of the school year is to plan for the most suitable placement of our students in the most appropriate classrooms for the upcoming school year. With this goal in mind, we ask for your input now.
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 your 2020-2021 elementary school.
We hope to make classroom assignments that will maximize the opportunity for your child’s success. If you have information that you would like to have considered in your child’s placement, please complete your 2020-2021 school's form no later than May 11, 2020. Please limit your input to the way your child learns and special needs that we should consider. We will do our best to honor your feedback. Please bear in mind that staffing and staff assignments for next year have not yet been finalized. Thus, we are unable to honor requests for specific teachers.
2020-2021 West Cypress School Supply Kits and Supply Lists
Thanks to our fabulous West Cypress PTO, supplies for WCHE Tigers can be ordered online from schoolkidz at your convenience! The online prepackaged grade level supplies can be ordered until June 12, 2020. If you purchase your WCHE student school supplies online, the supplies will be delivered to the West Cypress Hills Elementary 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 WCHE 2020-2021 so that, if you prefer, you can purchase the supplies on your own from any source convenient to you. Feel free to drop off the school supplies that you've purchased at our Meet the Teacher event in August.
*3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Students also need to have student planners for the 2020-2021 school year. These are sold separately from the prepackaged supply kits. Planners cost $6 each. We can accept cash or checks payable to WCHE. Planners can be purchased at the school during the Meet the Teacher Event or from the front desk any time on or after the first day of school.
2020-2021 School Supplies for Rough Hollow Elementary School
Each LTISD elementary school campus usually posts information about their school supplies on their websites and in their school newsletters. If your child(ren) will be attending Rough Hollow Elementary for the 2020-2021 school year, the RHE school supply lists will be posted soon in an upcoming Rough Hollow newsletter.
Greetings from Sheila White, WCHE School Counselor!
These are unprecedented times, and although we may be physically apart, school counselors are still available to support our students and families. Please know that our focus and priority is on the well-being of your students. There are many stressors facing families today - from illness to career stress to the loneliness of social distancing. In the depths of it all, please know that you are not alone. We are in this together as a school family, and our staff is ready to offer guidance and support.
When stress and anxiety run high, utilize one of these resources to practice mindfulness.
Resources for Students and Parents:
Headspace offers many free guided meditations for both children and adults.
https://www.headspace.com/covid-19
This article presents a collection of mindfulness resources for children.
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/mindfulness-for-children
School Operations Suspended Through May 4
Dear Lake Travis ISD Staff, Parents and Guardians,
In a continued effort to help reduce the spread of Coronavirus in Texas, Governor Greg Abbott has ordered the continued closure of all public and private school buildings until Monday, May 4.
While LTISD buildings and facilities will remain closed, we will continue to engage our students through our online learning platform. We will also continue to provide essential operations as needed including mobile meals, cleaning and custodial services, and other critical functions. Additionally, the governor’s order results in the cancellation of all district and school events scheduled through Monday, May 4.
The continued closure leads one to question if we will be able to return to our school buildings this year. Many are asking if there will be some type of modified graduation event. At the moment, we simply do not know what will happen after May 4. I ask for your continued patience, flexibility and support during this time. Please know I will keep you updated with any developments. In the interim, I wish you and your family much health during this time.
Sincerely,
Brad Lancaster, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools
Teacher Office Hour Schedule
Resources from our Librarians
Our school Librarian, Cathy Seidenberger, with other LTISD elementary district librarians have created a Schoology group which contains books, stories, resources, links, and more in every subject area. Your child has been added as a member of this group.
To reach the library group, after logging into Schoology using your child's login, please click the "GROUPS" tab at the top of the page and select "LTISD Elementary Libraries Online.
Six Flags Reading Program Ends April 17!
The Six Flags Read to Succeed program ends this Friday, April 17.
If you have recorded your child's minutes on the paper reading log, please email our librarian Cathy Seidenberger to report to her the total minutes/hours read.
If you have recorded your child's minutes online, there's no need to contact Mrs. Seidenberger.
Please note your child must have read at least 6 hours to receive a free ticket. Tickets will be distributed in May.
More Fun Resources for Tigers from our Lake Travis Community Library
Although the Lake Travis Community Library building is closed at this time, our West Cypress Tigers are not forgotten. Anyone who lives in Texas can get a library card online here, free of charge. If you have questions about the resources available to us while the library building is closed, feel free to contact them by text @ 512-643-2802 or by email.
And, while the Bookmobile visits to our neighborhood are unavailable, now you can craft your own family bookmobile. The Lake Travis Community Library has very kindly provided the DIY LTCL Bookmobile cutout shown below. Enjoy!
Who are these masked superheroes?
Behind the masks left to right: Melanie Beninga, Rachel Stewart, and Corinne Stewart
Student Health Services
Monday, March 23, Lake Travis ISD staff began providing free meals to children 0-18 years of age. Packaged breakfast and lunch are available for pickup together between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. at each of our three middle school campuses:
Meals are provided in drive-through fashion at the bus drop-off location at each middle school campus. Parents do not need to exit their vehicle. As of March 26, the US Department of Agriculture allows school districts to serve meals to a parent or guardian without his/her children having to be present in the vehicle. However, there are guidelines parents and guardians must follow. Guided by the USDA, the Texas Department of Agriculture requires the parent or guardian to present validation of their children with any one (1) of the following options:
- Official letter/email/electronic school application from the school listing the indiviudal child's current enrollment
- Report card for each individual child
- Attendance record from parent portal of the school website, printed or electronic, for each individual child
- School ID of each individual child
Please note, hot meals are not provided. Instead, meals consist of packaged cereals, sandwiches, fruit, vegetables, fruit juice, milk and/or water.
While some of you may be eager to volunteer your time and services during our meal pickup, we must keep in mind and adhere to local and state restrictions limiting public gatherings. Our outstanding food service department has this under control. We sincerely appreciate your concern and willingness to help.
For more information, visit the Coronavirus section on the Lake Travis ISD website, or email foodservice@ltisdschools.org.
Information Concerning Class and Spring Individual Photos
Wondering what happened to our class and spring individual photos that were taken February 20? No worries! They are safe and secure.
Lifetouch is holding them in their photolab until the photos can be safely delivered to our school. When students return to school, their photo packages will be given to them by their teachers. We will keep you informed of any updates concerning the delivery of your photos.
Once you receive the individual photo packages, keep any/all of the individual photos that you wish to purchase and return any individual photos to the school that you do not wish to purchase.
Field Trip Updates
In order to keep our Tigers sheltered safely at home, our first, third, and fourth grade field trips planned for March and April had to be canceled. Some of our first and fourth graders' families had already paid for their field trips and may, therefore, be concerned about the funds turned in to teachers before we realized that the field trips could not take place.
Please rest assured that we have deposited your payments, have recorded your payments, and have a record of the resulting credit balance of each family.
And, we have plans to ensure that you receive full credit for your payment(s.)
- For students returning to West Cypress Hills Elementary School for the 2020-2021 school year, the credit balance due your family for West Cypress Hills' canceled field trips will be applied toward the purchase price of West Cypress Hills classroom t-shirts and/or field trips that take place during the 2020-2021 school year.
- For students who are not attending West Cypress Hills Elementary School during the 2020-2021 school year, a refund check will be issued to your family by West Cypress Hills Elementary School by the end of the school year.
We have upcoming fifth grade and second grade field trips scheduled for May. We are in contact with the venues where these field trips are to take place and will let you know if these field trips are also canceled.
WCHE Spring Jungle Book Fair Online Shopping Coming Soon!
Upcoming Events
By 05/11/20..........2020-2021 Class Placement Input Due! WCHE or RHE
By 06/12/20..........2020-2021 School Supply Kits Available for Order Online
04/17/20..................Six Flags Read to Succeed Program Ends
04/19 - 04/25/20......National Library Week & Public School Volunteer Week
04/22/20..................Administrative Professionals' Day
05/01/20..................School Lunch Hero Day
05/01 - 05/31/20......National PE & Sports Month
05/04 - 05/08/20......Teacher Appreciation Week & School Nutrition Employee Week
05/05/20..................Tigers Return to School
05/06/20..................National School Nurses' Day
05/06/20..................Public School Paraprofessional Day
05/08/20..................Wear Tiger Spirit Wear to KG -2nd Grade Assembly @ 7:40 am RSVP
05/08/20..................5th Grade Field Trip to Camp Buckner
05/11/20..................2020-2021 Class Placement Information Form is Due
05/15/20..................Wear Tiger Spirit Wear to 3rd - 5th Grade Assembly @ 7:40 am RSVP
05/15/20..................2nd Grade Field Trip to Johnson City Science Mill
05/20/20..................Minute to Win It
05/21/20..................End of Year Classroom Parties
05/22/20..................Last Day of School - Early Release @ Noon - No Extended Care Today
More Information about WCH
West Cypress Hills Elementary
