The Charter Oak Family Bulletin
Cultivating a community of diverse, lifelong learners.
CHARTER OAK ELEMENTARY BELL SCHEDULE
Bell Schedule:
- Front door opens at 7:10 a.m.
- First bell is at 7:30 a.m.
- Tardy bell is at 7:35 a.m.
- Classes dismiss at 3:05 p.m.
Early Release Time:
On early release days classes dismiss at 1:05 p.m.
Upcoming Dates
March
22 - Spring Carnival
A Message from Principal Lockamy
Dear Charter Oak Families,
I just wanted to reach out and give a friendly reminder that we have new elementary attendance boundaries for 2024-25. In March of 2023, the Belton ISD Board of Trustees adopted new elementary attendance boundaries for the 2024-25 school year. A map of the 2024-25 elementary attendance boundaries is available on the district’s website. If you have questions about the new boundaries, please contact Charter Oak at 254-215-400 or BISD Student Services at 254-215-2078. The new boundaries will go into effect next school year.
Families of elementary students impacted by a boundary change were notified directly via email and postal letters around February 5, 2024. Additional information is available here: Frequently Asked Questions.
Also, the 2023-24 Calendar has been updated. BISD will be closed on April 8.
All BISD campuses and district facilities will be closed on April 8 for the total solar eclipse. The revised calendar makes April 15 a regular school day. See the calendar.
Sincerely,
Chris Lockamy
Principal
Attention Parents!
Reminder: Get your Spring Festival Tickets now!
Feel free to use the QR code on the flyer below to order online.
Reminder: Book Fair this week!
National Reading Month!
Sock Drive!
Parents as Partners Meeting April 2 at BHS
***Volunteer Opportunity for Dads and other Special Guests: Watch DOGS!
Please consider volunteering as a WatchDOG! We are thrilled to have your support and presence on campus to support our Cheetahs. If you cannot volunteer all day, you can still sign up and select half-day options.
Reminder: There is a two-step process to become a Watch DOG Volunteer:
First, you must complete the BISD volunteer form.
Second, you must review the available slots and click on the button in the link to sign up.
Important Reminders
Please be mindful of students and staff crossing in front of the school
- Please avoid dropping off students prior to 7:10 am. Please have them wait in your car until arrivals begin at 7:10 am. As a reminder, our doors open at 7:10 am, and we do not have staff supervising students before we open.
- Please follow the traffic patterns, respect traffic cones, and avoid entering on the right side of cones. Traveling the wrong way on our driveway is dangerous and can increase traffic backup.
- Please refrain from using Surrey Lane. This is for buses, students that are walking, and staff.
- Please know that during dismissals, parents can choose A or B line. However, once your car rider number is called in A or B line, please do not switch lines. This will cause delays.
- Please make sure all students are wearing their bus tags every day. This is required.
- Please reduce your speed in the parking lot especially after you drop off your students. This is a safety issue for everyone.
- Please do not drop your students off in the parking lot. This is a safety issue. Please walk them to the front door or go through the car line.
- Please do not use the handicap space if you do not need them even for short period of time. We have many families that need them and are having to park an walk further than they should.
- Don't forget to add money to lunch accounts if you would like your students to purchase additional items such as frozen fruit snacks etc.
- Please drive slow and carefully in the neighborhoods around our schools. We have a lot of students walking to school, so please be alert when driving and keep your speed low.
Important: Please fill out the form below
Belton ISD families are invited to submit a Free and Reduced School Meal Application for the 2023-24 school year. Free and Reduced meal applications are for more than just meals! Click here: The application is available online.
Attention: Bus Tags are Required
Please make sure your student is wearing their bus tag every day. It is required to continue using transportation services. As a reminder and for more information, please click here to review this letter from Transportation sent out by BISD. If you have lost a card, please contact the office. Thank you!
Tips for a great school year!
- Please arrive to school early enough to give your child time to enter the building and get to class before 7:30 to avoid crowding.
- Please contact sarah.lucas@bisd.net for cafeteria account questions/information. We are serving breakfast and lunch. If your child is bringing a lunch, remind them of what comes back home and what gets thrown away. Please remind your child to avoid sharing food of any kind for the safety of all of our Cheetahs.
- Check to see what healthy snacks your child can bring to school. We do have certain food allergies that the teachers will make you aware of.
- Please ensure your child has a filled water bottle to bring with them daily. They will be able to refill these throughout the day.
- Please make sure your information is correct in Skyward. All emergency contacts, etc. have current phone numbers. Family dynamics often change and this is what our office will use should a situation arise where we need to contact you. Our office will follow any court/legal documentation we have on file.
- Label ALL of your child's belongings. Often many articles of clothing are never claimed in the lost and found. This will help ensure your child keeps all of their belongings throughout the year.
- Please contact the school nurse with any medical/allergy information. Contact our nurse at kara.grimm@bisd.net for questions. This is very important with any changes in medication from previous years.
- Teachers are using Remind for quick messages. Please make sure you are receiving them.
- Please share any concerns that you have with classroom teachers as soon as possible. They should always be your first point of contact. Our teachers LOVE what they do and communication is key in maintaining a successful partnership throughout the year.
- Your child's safety is our top priority. Please be patient with us as we work with you to try and create a smooth transition to and from school each day. Please call (254) 215-4000.
Arrivals and Dismissals
Question: How do I change how my child gets home?
To allow our teachers to concentrate on your little ones, any changes to transportation home must be made through the office before 2:00 pm. Please do not call or text teachers to change transportation. This can only be done through the front office.
DISMISSAL INFORMATION
Please find your method of transportation below and see the details on dismissals:
CAR RIDERS:
All car riders must enter/exit the campus from the west entrance on Hansom Cab Road.
AM car riders: single lane
PM car riders: double lane
VERY IMPORTANT: All parents picking up children in the car rider line must have a car placard hanging on the rearview mirror with the family number. This will be distributed on Meet the Teacher Night. This is how the children will be called to the front (not by name). If the parent does not have the placard, he/she will need to park and show photo ID in the front office.
All children who are car riders will have a backpack tag with the family number on it for quick identification. Siblings are assigned the same number.
PARENT WALK UPS:
All parent walk ups must enter/exit the campus on Hansom Cab. There is only one entrance and exit for parent vehicles.
Parents park in the parking lot in front of the school by the library.
Once parked, parents line up in a single file line beginning at the front entrance of the school.
VERY IMPORTANT: All parents picking up children in the parent walk up line will show a car placard with the family number. These will be distributed on Meet the Teacher night. If the parent does not have the placard, he/she must show a photo ID in the front office.
All children who are parent walk ups will have a backpack tag with the family number on it for quick identification. Siblings are assigned the same number.
NORTH WALKERS/BIKE RIDERS:
This route is designed for students who live in the northern vicinity of the campus.The students will be escorted by Charter Oak staff to the fence line. Please remind your children to be cautious and alert of traffic as they walk/bike home.
Students in 3rd and above may walk/bike home. Younger students may only walk/bike home if they are accompanied by an older sibling.
All children who are north walkers/bikers will have a backpack tag with their name and dismissal route for quick identification.
WEST WALKERS/BIKE RIDERS:
This route is designed for students who live in the western vicinity of the campus.
The students will be escorted by Charter Oak staff to the intersection of Surrey and Carriage House Rd. We will have a staff member on duty acting as crossing guard but please remind your children to be cautious and alert of traffic.
Students in 3rd and above may walk/bike home. Younger students may only walk/bike home if they are accompanied by an older sibling.
All children who are west walkers/bikers will have a backpack tag with their name and dismissal route for quick identification.
BUS RIDERS/DAYCARE:
If your student is bus eligible and you need bus information, such as the bus number for your child, please call the BISD transportation department at 254-215-2150. All bus riders will be required to wear their SmartTag to be scanned when getting on and off the bus. These will be provided
The bus/day care entrance is off of Carriage House and Surrey. Please do not use this for any through traffic.
All children who are bus riders will have a backpack tag with their name and bus number for quick identification.
All children who are daycare will have a backpack tag with their name and the daycare name for quick identification.
ZONE:
All children attending Zone after school will be picked up from the cafeteria doors on the east side of school.
All children who are daycare will have a backpack tag with their name and the daycare name for quick identification.
Connect with Charter Oak!
Email: christopher.lockamy@bisd.net
Website: https://www.bisd.net/charteroak
Location: Charter Oak Elementary, Poison Oak Road, Temple, TX, USA
Phone: 254-215-4000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharterOakElementary/?ref=page_internal
Twitter: @CharterOakElem