FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22 - FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29 @ 6:30pm

Help support the PTO’s first silent auction. Part of the proceeds from this auction will help fund the new STEAM lab!

The auction will take place online through Friday, October 29 at 6:30 pm. You may start bidding now! All of the items will be shown at the movie night in person on October 29. If you attend movie night, you can pick up your items and take them home that evening! All bids will be done through the website, so no worries if you are not there in person. We have some amazing items and a range of prices to fit various budgets and interests. Feel free to share the auction with family or friends, but note that all items are for LOCAL pick up ONLY- no delivery.

PLEASE NOTE*********

After clicking the link and reading the description. Click on the drop down menu at the top left where it says “View Items.”

Items are for local pickup only and will not be shipped. You do not have to be present at Movie Night to bid on or be the winner of items. Someone will contact you to make arrangements to receive your items within 48 hours after the winners have been decided.

Check out the auction here!

HISD's academic calendar does have some days set as student holidays that tie in with some major religious observances. Not all major religious holidays are represented in the HISD calendar. If a student is going to be absent for a major religious holiday such as Diwali, Eid al-Fitr, or Hanukkah, the student can be counted present, not an excused absence, if the parent submits in writing via an email or note explaining the upcoming or past absence was due to (list the major holiday) in our religion and then signed and dated by the parent.

The State of Texas has a class size limit of 22 students to one teacher in Pre-kindergarten through fourth grade. This semester Bush Elementary requested class size waivers for the following classes that are over the 22:1 ratio – Baker, Myers, Nguyen, K.T., Castaneda, Baldwin, Carlin, Pham, McCleary, Sheth, Nguyen, J., Garza, King, Jones, Munk, and Diller.

HISD screens kindergarten and fifth grade students who were not previously identified as gifted and talented in what is called Universal Testing. This process begins the week of November 2nd.

The universal testing of kindergarten and fifth grade students allows identified students to receive G/T services in HISD’s Gifted and Talented Programs during the Spring of their current school year. All students who are identified as gifted and talented in HISD will retain their G/T status providing they subsequently enroll in an HISD Gifted and Talented Program upon identification and are continuously enrolled in an HISD Gifted and Talented Program thereafter.

If you would like to request GT testing for your child, please click on the link to the application below to request GT testing for your child. The parent portal is now up and running. The deadline to submit G/T applications is November 11, 2021. HISD will continue to test all kindergarten and 5th graders who have not been previously identified as being GT through our Universal Screening Process. Kindergarten and 5th grade parents do NOT need to complete an application.

G/T Application

If you do not have access to a computer, please contact Ms. Ayala in the front office to have an application sent home.

Weekly Download

Boo-lieve in yourself! From Big Life Journal

Reminder:

This week is Bullying Prevention Week.

The HISD Social and Emotional Learning department (SEL) is working to encourage students and parents to join in the campaign to stop bullying.

Students who experience bullying may pull away from society, struggle with learning and social development, or choose to hurt themselves or others.

Monday, Oct. 25—Mask Monday: Some students are bullied for wearing face masks. Let's reassure students that wearing your mask helps keep everyone safe.

Tuesday, Oct. 26—Random Acts of Kindness: Start a Random Acts of Kindness movement and inspire students, teachers, and families to be kind at home and in the community.

Wednesday, Oct. 27—Unity Day: Wear orange to prevent bullying and promote kindness, acceptance, and inclusion in schools, at home, and online. #HISDUnityDay2021

Thursday, Oct. 28—Positivity Selfie Wall: Display a schoolwide Positivity, Kindness, or Smile Wall, where students can post positive messages, compliments, and notes of encouragement.

Friday, Oct. 29—Let's Stop Cyberbullying: Discuss ways to recognize cyberbullying and develop an action plan.

Additional Resources:

School Safety

https://www.schoolsafety.gov/prevent/bullying-and-cyberbullying

Committee for Children

https://www.cfchildren.org/resources/bullying-prevention-resources/

Visit our website to see our SEL Teacher Spotlight - Ms. Diller

Good Vibes Wall -

Mrs. Diller's 4th graders write inspirational quotes and words of encouragement to promote a positive, loving classroom culture. She also uses this space as a "Zin Zone" for students to have a place to relax and refocus.

7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Multipurpose Room

Bush Elementary has been chosen to serve as an election site on November 2nd. While this is a smaller election, we are anticipating a large crowd unfamiliar with our arrival and dismissal procedures. Pack your patience on this day, and we welcome your support in directing voters to our MP Room. Our parking is limited and we need your support by not parking in our employee parking lot or our fire lanes.

The carpool lane and Westerloch are very busy places after school. The intersection at Westerloch and Parkway Plaza is extremely busy as you have the crossing guards crossing parents, walkers, and bikers while allowing the cars to pass through.

We're asking for the parents of walkers that park their cars on the other side of Westerloch across from the school to NOT u-turn by the carpool lane entrance once they've picked up their child(ren) and are heading home. All these extra cars from the walker parents u-turning and going through this busy intersection cause the carpool lane to slow down and back up.

When driving home, walker parents who drive are requested to drive straight down Westerloch towards Eldridge and make the right on Eldridge and then the right on Briar Forest. Eldridge is not busy at this time in the afternoon.

Cooler temperatures are slowly making their way! We have many jackets in our lost and found waiting to be picked up by their rightful owners. Parents, please label your child/children's jackets/winter clothing to avoid confusion.

Last Friday we were pleasantly surprised with rain. Houston weather is often unpredictable and we would like to stay prepared. Please make sure your students pack rain protection, i.e., umbrella, rain jackets, and/or poncho in their backpacks, especially if they are walkers!

If your child is absent from school, please make sure you send in a note explaining the absence date(s) and reason for the absence upon return to school. We will need this note even if you're at home quarantining or a Positive COVID-19 case. Please email your absence excuse note to the homeroom teacher and our registrar, Ms. Rosales at arosale3@houstonisd.org

If a note is not received within 3 days, then the absence is recorded as unexcused.

Please plan to pick up your walkers before 3:15. Our students are dismissed at 3:00 and our walker line has been finishing before 3:10 on most days. If you arrive after 3:15, please come to the front office to sign your child out as a late pick up.

Please abide by the No Parking signs on the streets around our school and our neighboring schools. Several parents have received parking tickets from HPD in the past because they were parking in a No Parking zone.

We have seen many students and some parents walking across the street not using the crosswalks. Parents, this is extremely dangerous and we ask that all walkers and bike riders use the crosswalks. Westerloch Dr. and Parkway Plaza Dr. are very busy streets during morning arrival and dismissal. If you cross between parked cars, ongoing traffic cannot see you.

We are so happy to see so many of our students riding their bikes to school now that the weather has gotten nicer. Please remember that all students are required to wear a bicycle helmet when riding their bikes to and from school. We want to keep all of our Bobcats safe.

On September 10, HISD School Choice opened up the system to apply for the PK lottery for next school year. The Bush PK program is only for families that are already enrolled at Bush Elementary and have another child who will be 4 on or before September 1, 2022. Students must meet PK eligibility requirements such as being economically disadvantaged or qualifying as English as a Second Language.

The site will accept applications from September 10, 2021 - March 10, 2022. Families will be notified by HISD School Choice on April 7, 2022 if their child was accepted into Bush Elementary's PK program or if their child is on the waitlist. Go to HISDChoice.com to apply. Bush Elementary's PK program is only one class with 22 students that must be comprised of siblings of currently enrolled Bush students. The only way to apply for and be part of the lottery for Bush Elementary's PK program is to apply online at the address shared above.

Safety continues to be our top priority, and while we love our furry visitors, we ask that you keep them at home during arrival and dismissal. We have several students, faculty and staff members who are allergic to dogs and cats and students who are very afraid of dogs. Please keep them at home.

Bush Elementary is not responsible for patrolling the streets in the Bush Elementary zone. However, we can ask for parents to "Be Kind" while waiting for the carpool lane to start moving and once the cars starting moving up in the carpool lane.

Please "Be Kind" when navigating around these parked cars. Have your dismissal number displayed so the other cars will know that you're not one of the parked cars and won't attempt to pass you. Please stay in your car and be prepared to move once the line starts moving.

Please do not block any entrances to parking lots while stopped and waiting for the carpool lane to begin moving. Also, please allow the cars attempting to enter or exit the West Briar parking lots to do so.

Thank you for doing your part to keep the streets around Bush Elementary safe.

Throughout the school year, this section of the newsletter will highlight key points from the Bush Parent Handbook. School begins at 7:30 a.m. Students arriving after 7:40 a.m. are tardy. Students arriving after 9:00 a.m., without a doctor's excuse, are marked absent.

Please do not plan to pick up your child after 2:30 p.m. from the office. To ensure a safe dismissal, students will not be called to the office to be picked up after 2:30 p.m. Thank you for helping to make dismissal safe for all our students.

Help your child celebrate their birthday and support the library and other programs that enhance the educational experience of Bush students by joining the Birthday Book Club.

Your child will be given a personal "Happy Birthday" greeting during the morning announcements and Paw Prints shout out from Ms. Rose! The donation will be recognized with a nameplate in a new book from the library. A group photo of all the other BBC members with the same birth month will also be displayed in the library display case.

It only costs $20 for a Birthday Book Club Membership (Add Electronic Marquee display for $10 more). Please visit www.BBEPTO.com for more details or to make your purchase.

Enrollment Schedule:

February – July Birthdays: Enroll during January/May

School Store On The Go will not be open this Friday in preparation for Movie Night.

Did you know teachers spend hundreds of dollars each year using their own money to buy things for their classrooms and our children? The PTO helps by reimbursing expenses up to $300, but teachers usually spend much more than this. Consider helping to offset some of these costs by purchasing items from teachers’ wishlists. Check out teacher wishlists here. If your teacher does not have one listed, ask the room parent if they have received one.

Each year the PTO sets a budget for the fiscal year which runs from July-June. All PTO members are able to vote on this budget. This would typically take place during the PTO meeting at the beginning of the year. Since we are unable to vote in person, you may take a look at the budget here. And vote using this form. Voting will close October 31.

If you have any questions or comments please direct them to our treasurer, MJ Gernale at bushpto.treasurer@gmail.com

The Houston Independent School District is closely monitoring COVID-19 pandemic and is in contact with the Centers for Disease Control, Texas Department of State Health Services and Houston Health Department to ensure all students and staff members are safe and updated with the latest information. For more information please visit, https://www.houstonisd.org/healthalerts

HISD's COVID-19 protocol has been updated in regards to terminology use and reporting. At all HISD campuses, this means that when there is a positive case in your child's homeroom class you will be notified in writing by the principal. The message you will receive is below. Please note that this message will be sent after the nurse has worked to identify close contacts, and, is simply for notification and does not require further action (i.e. quarantine). I want to thank you all for your diligence in ensuring that students are wearing their masks and that we are all remaining healthy.

Sample Message: This message is to inform you that an individual in your child's homeroom has reported testing positive for COVID-19. Your child has not been identified as a close contact and there is no action required of you at this time. This notification is for your awareness only. Due to privacy requirements, we cannot release the name of the COVID-positive individual or details that may identify them; however, it is important for you to know this individual is self- isolating until they are cleared to return to our campus. As a reminder, HISD has health and safety protocols in place to help prevent the spread of illness. We are asking our staff and families to do their part by adhering to these protocols, and not reporting to their worksite or sending their student(s) to school when they are ill. We appreciate your continued support as we work together to ensure the safety of our students and staff.

The following changes are effective Monday, October 11, 2021:

1. Isolation and Quarantine Protocols: An individual will isolate or quarantine based on the following:
• a. Isolate: Confirmed to have COVID-19 or showing symptoms of COVID-19.
• b. Quarantine: Identified as a close contact of a confirmed COVID-19 positive case.
2. COVID-19 Positive Case Notifications: In alignment with TEA requirements, all students and staff in the same class as a COVID-19 confirmed positive individual will be notified of the positive case, regardless of contact status (i.e., close contact, non-close contact, etc). Identified close contacts will receive additional communication with next steps.
3. Alignment of Terminology: We will keep terminology consistent with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on the following key definitions:
• Close Contact: Individuals who are less than six feet away from an infected person (laboratory-confirmed or a clinical diagnosis) for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period (for example, three individual 5-minute exposures for a total of 15 minutes) from two days before illness onset (or two days prior to test specimen collection for asymptomatic individuals), until the time the patient is isolated.
• Isolation: The separation of a person or group of people known or reasonably believed to be infected with COVID-19 and potentially infectious from those who are not infected, to prevent the spread of the virus.
• Quarantine: The separation of a person or group of people reasonably believed to have been exposed to COVID-19 but not yet symptomatic from others who have not been exposed, to prevent the possible spread of the virus.

These decisions were made in consultation with the medical community, education professionals, and district administration. The updated 'Ready, Set, Go' plan can be downloaded at www.HoustonISD.org/ReadySetGo.