Labrador Letter
Lee Elementary - Where Dreams Come True
12900 W. Little York Rd. Houston TX 77041
August 30, 2019
Welcome Back!
The school doors open at 7:45 a.m. School begins promptly at 8:05 a.m. Students are tardy after 8:05 a.m. The school day ends at 3:20 p.m.
Check out the Lee website at www.cfisd.net (look under Campuses, Lee Elementary). You can view lunch menus, newsletters, and an online calendar for upcoming events.
Put your child’s name on all of their belongings.
Bus riders should arrive home by 3:55 p.m. The first week of school may take a bit longer. Contact the transportation desk at 713 MYCFBUS, (713)692-3287 if you have questions.
If you have a PreK or Kindergarten student, please be at the bus stop in the afternoon. Bus drivers will return the student back to school if an adult is not present at the time of drop-off.
Remember to turn in your student demographic and transportation sheet, even if there are no changes.
Send school supplies. A list of school supplies can be found on the campus website.
Remember a valid picture ID is required when checking out your child or visiting the school.
Visitor lunch starts Monday, September 16th . Parents/guardians may eat with your child at the designated tables when visiting for lunch.
Going Digital
In order to have better communication with parents, newsletters will be sent via text and/or email through School Messenger. If you still wish to receive a paper newsletter, please call or email Dawn Wagner
(713)849-8294
What is SchoolMessenger?
SchoolMessenger allows you to personalize communications from your school or district into one centralized feed.
1. Click the LOG IN Button on the top of the page on your internet browser (https://accounts.relianceco.com/#/createuser),
or Download the SchoolMessenger App from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
2. Enter your email address and create a password. An email will be sent to that address with a secure token.
3. After authenticating via your email, return to SchoolMessenger and sign in using your email and password.
What's in SchoolMessenger?
Once you've created your account, we'll automatically link the records associated with your email address. You can then:
- View the records associated with your account - student, staff, parent records.
- Review the last 30 days worth of messages for all your associated records.
- View your contact information and configure how you would like to receive notifications.
Is SchoolMessenger secure?
The sign-up process creates a secure link between the user and SchoolMessenger. SchoolMessenger operates with the latest encryption technology to protect access to stored information. SchoolMessenger is also a signatory of the Student Privacy Pledge, which requires us to adhere to 12 stringent data protection standards as a further assurance of our commitment to protecting your data.
What else do I need to know?
Device (Push) Notifications will trigger a badge or alert when you receive new communications from your school or district. You can choose to receive Device Notifications in addition to, or instead of, the phone calls, emails, and text messages you normally receive.
New Student Lee ID Badge Picture Day
Tuesday, Sep 3, 2019, 08:00 AM
Lee Elementary School, West Little York Road, Houston, TX, United States
ZPass Plus
Safety is the top priority within our commitment to providing safe and efficient transportation to over
75,000 students every day. A crucial part of this service is knowing when and where each child gets on and off the school bus. ZPass allows parents to receive notifications when their child enters and exits the school bus.
How ZPass Works
Students place their ZPass Multipurpose Card in front of the card reader as they enter and exit the school bus.
The card reader emits an audible beep confirming the card was read.
The time, date and location of where the student gets on and off the bus are immediately recorded to a secure database, accessible only by transportation and school officials.
Parents can sign up for instant notifications, via push or cell phone text messaging and/or email.
Parents can sign up for notifications by going to https://www.zpassplus.com/. ZPass + app is available at Google Play and the App Store.
Badge replacement fees: $3.00 for bus badge and $1.00 for lanyard.
Transportation Changes
Please be aware that any changes for afternoon transportation must be submitted in writing by a parent/guardian to the front desk by 2:30 p.m.
Students may not be checked out for early dismissal after 2:45 p.m. Prior written notification should be sent with students for early dismissal and/or transportation changes.
Car Riders/Walkers/Bikers
Please return the Car Rider Information Form you received ASAP!
When picking up your child from school at the end of the day, please remain in the car rider line and your child will be brought to you.
Display the NEON YELLOW number card you received, when picking up your child.
Walkers will be notified at 2:55 p.m. via email and automated phone call that lightening is in the area and the severe weather dismissal plan is in action.
Watch D.O.G.S. Kickoff
Free Pizza, Drinks, and FUN!
5:30 -6:30 p.m.
Lee Cafeteria
Students and fathers/father figures of Lee Elementary. Come join us for our annual WATCH D.O.G.S. (Dads of Great Students) pizza night to kick-off another great year of Lee’s successful father involvement/volunteer program. Our goal is to have you spend at least one day this year at the school to be a positive male role model and to provide an extra set of eyes and ears.
We love our mothers, but this is a father/father-figures event only.
Tuesday, Sep 17, 2019, 05:30 PM
12900 West Little York Road, Houston, TX, United States
RSVPs are enabled for this event.
Visitor Lunches
School Cash Online
Pay School Fees Online!
With SchoolCashOnline you can:
- Pay for your child's school fees online, including spririt shirts, yearbooks, and school supplies. Anytime, anywhere.
- Avoid the hassle of having cash on-hand to pay for school fees.
- Receive email notifications regarding school fees and events.
- Help us reduce the amount of cash in our schools.
Fast. Safe. Convenient.
https://www.cfisd.net/en/parents-students/academics/school-cash-online/
SPIRIT WEAR
Show your Labrador spirit every Friday by wearing a Labrador T-Shirt. New "Lee Elementary -Where Dreams Come True" themed shirts may be purchased for $10.
Shirts can be purchased via School Cash and will be delivered to your child's classroom.
https://www.cfisd.net/en/parents-students/academics/school-cash-online/
News from the PTO
- Ethan Filkins - Kindergarten
- Jessica Abraham - 4th grade
- Hasan and Yusur Alkhafaji - Kindergarten and 2nd grade
Lee Elementary Website
Check out the Lee Campus Website for more information at http://lee.cfisd.net/en.
You can find all kinds of helpful information, including links to
- faculty web pages
- faculty email addresses
- lunch and recess schedules
- large group schedules
- school supply information
- spirit shirt order forms
- library resources
- access to student textbooks
Home Access Center
Home Access Center allows parents and students to view student registration, scheduling, attendance, classwork assignments and grade information (2nd -5th grade only) in a real-time atmosphere. To access this website, visit
https://home-access.cfisd.net/homeaccess/.
Instructions, usernames and passwords were sent home with your child in their Friday folder. If you have questions, please contact the campus administrative secretary, Dawn Wagner, dawn.wagner@cfisd.net.
Lee Elementary on Social Media
Lee Elementary on Social Media
Follow Mrs. Epperson, Lee principal @LeeCFISD
Follow Mrs. Nguyen, math/science specialist @LeeLabMathNinja
Follow Mrs. Wadyka PK - 2nd reading specialist @PrimaryLeeLabs
Follow Mrs. Clark, 3rd – 5th reading specialist @avalclark
Notes from the Nurse…
If your child has had any changes in his/her health over the summer, please stop by the clinic and inform the nurse.
Please be aware that if your child needs medication, including over-the-counter medication, during the school day, a parent must bring it to the clinic and complete a “Request to Administer Medication” form.
It is Cy-Fair I.S.D. policy to send home any student who has fever over 100 degrees, is vomiting, or has diarrhea. Do not send your child to school if he/she has any of these symptoms.
Free and Reduced Lunch Meal Program
If your child participates in the Free/Reduced Meal Program, and you have not re-applied for the 2019 – 2020 school year, your child will not be able to participate in the program after October 9, 2019. All students must reapply each school year. Applications are available only online at https://freeandreduced.cfisd.net/Register.aspx .
If you need assistance with internet access, please contact Dawn Wagner, 713)849-8294 or dawn.wagner@cfisd.net
Reminders from the Registrar - Absence Notes
Students are required to provide a note from a parent or guardian for each absence within three days of the date of the absence or consecutive absences. This note may be mailed, faxed, delivered by the student to the front desk, or delivered in person by the parent or guardian.
This note is to include
- the student’s first and last name
- grade
- reason for the absence
- telephone number of parent or guardian
- the signature of the parent or guardian
If a note is not provided for an absence, it will be counted as unexcused. Please refer to the Student Handbook (online at www.cfisd.net)
Lee is a PBIS School!
What does that mean? It means that our staff has been trained in Positive Behavior Intervention Support and is committed to providing your child with a safe, structured, and supportive learning environment. This begins with establishing our Core Values expressed in our B.A.R.K
Best Effort
Act Honestly
Responsible and Respectful
Kind
Based on these Core Values, we implement common procedures and expectations at Lee in order for your child’s time and attention to be focused on learning. You can help support your child and our school’s learning goals by talking to your child about their academics and behavior at school. We take responsibility for preparing our students for life long success and look forward to working with you to accomplish this goal.
School Breakfast Guidelines
Lee uses the “Grab n Go” breakfast program. Students grab breakfast from the cafeteria and go to class to eat it. Breakfast is served from 7:45 – 8:05 a.m. If your child is not purchasing a school breakfast, please make sure they eat breakfast before coming to school.
Birthday Celebrations
You may send party invitations to be distributed to your child's class. However, there must be one invitation for every child in the class and invitations can only be distributed to your child's homeroom class. Foods of minimal nutritional value i.e. cupcakes, cookies, etc… are NOT allowed to be distributed to students at school. Thank you for your understanding.
Student Insurance
Dear Parent or Guardian:
Welcome to a new school year at Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. The purpose of this letter is to inform you about a subject that few of us ever consider as we look ahead to a new school year, accidents and injuries involving your children. During the year, despite all of our best efforts, some of our students will be injured while participating in activities during the school day or by some accident on the way to or from school. The laws of the state of Texas prohibit school districts from assuming financial or legal responsibility for injuries suffered by students or other persons. With this fact in mind, the district has arranged for a Group Student Accident Insurance Policy you can purchase. This policy is available to all students in the district.
The voluntary Group Student Accident Insurance Policy was selected and approved after a competitive examination of numerous available programs. Benefits under this program are paid as primary before any other insurance for the insured student is considered. The plan’s benefits are limited; therefore, please review the plan benefits thoroughly before enrolling.
Insurance Company: Security Life Insurance Company of America offered through The Brokerage Store.
School Time Accident Coverage $ 25.00
24 Hour Accident Coverage $105.00
Extended Accidental Dental Coverage $ 9.00
To obtain plan information, premium rates, enrollment procedures, and/or to purchase coverage online go to: http://www.sas-mn.com. On the website, select K12, click on Find My School; 1. Choose Texas; 2. Select Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. The on-line materials are available in both English and Spanish. To ensure that your student’s effective date of coverage is not delayed, mail the enrollment form and your payment as instructed, or enroll and pay online. Do not return the application to the school. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the district’s Insurance Department at (281) 897-4339 for assistance or call the plan agent at The Brokerage Store at (800) 366-4810.
You can also access the enrollment information through the District’s website at https://www.cfisd.net/en/parents-students/registration/student-insurance/.
For those without Internet access, please contact your local campus and ask that a brochure be sent home with your student.
Child Find Services
The Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District Special Education Department provides educational services to an estimated 8,000 students with special needs.
Teachers, instructional aides, speech pathologists and related service personnel provide instruction and related services to students who have a disability. Students are eligible for special education services from the age of 3 through 21. Students who have hearing and vision disabilities may receive services from birth.
To be eligible for special education services, students must meet eligibility requirements as a student with an orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, auditory impairment, visual impairment, diagnosis of deaf/blind, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, learning disability, speech impairment, multiple disabilities, autism, non-categorical early childhood, or traumatic brain injury.
Cypress Fairbanks ISD instructional arrangements for elementary school-aged students include in-class support, resource classes and speech/language therapy. Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities (PPCD), adaptive behavior, and LIFE Skills classes are offered as cluster services at the elementary level.
In-class support, resource classes, LIFE Skills, adaptive behavior and speech/language services are available at all secondary level campuses.
Related services may include psychological services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, orientation and mobility training, school health services, adaptive equipment and special transportation.
Other special education service options include the Dorothy Carlton Center, the Maybelline Carpenter Center, homebound, adaptive physical education, itinerant and on-site services to the visually impaired.
As part of the Northwest Harris County Cooperative for the Hearing Impaired, services for students who have auditory impairments are offered at Birkes Elementary, Matzke Elementary, Spillane Middle School and Cy-Ridge High School. In addition to receiving instruction at the on-site campuses, students may be served by itinerant teachers, speech pathologists, and/or an audiologist at their home campus.
Are you the parent of a pre-school (3-5 years) or school aged child and have concerns regarding your child’s physical, speech, and/or emotional development? Is your child experiencing academic problems which could interfere significantly with educational success? If so, contact the Special Education Department at 281-897-6400 to discuss your concerns and learn more about the referral process.
Lee Elementary School Written Parent Involvement Policy 2019-2020
Mission Statement:
Lee Elementary will provide a safe and structured environment that will support students academically, emotionally, and socially. It is the goal of this campus to shape the educational foundation of every student.
Lee Elementary School will make every effort to include parents in the development, evaluation, and revision of the Title I Program and the Parent Involvement Policy. The home school agreement will describe the responsibilities of key stakeholders.
Developing the Policy
The CPOC committee will be formed consisting of administration, business representative, representative staff, and at least one parent. The committee will convene at a time and place convenient to all its members.
Annual Meeting
Lee Elementary School will present it's annual meeting via video format. A link to the video will be included in the next newsletter on September 13th and on our website, as will the Parent Involvement Policy. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Snyder (713.849.8283 or jessica.snyder@cfisd.net). Parents will be advised that the effectiveness of the Parental Involvement Program will be evaluated annually and the policy will be revised to meet the needs of the students, school, parents, and community.
Building Capacity
Lee Elementary values the partnership of the parents in their children’s education. There are ways parents can make significant contributions to student success both at home and by volunteering at school. Student achievement is the result of an effective home-school-community partnership.
Lee Elementary will build the schools’ and parents’ capacity for strong parent involvement through avenues such as:
- Providing assistance to parents in how to monitor a child's progress, and how to work with educators to improve student achievement.
- Providing materials and training to help parents work with their children to improve student achievement.
- Providing training to teachers and school personnel with the assistance of parents to implement and coordinate parent programs, and build ties between parents and the school.
- Providing information in a format and language the parents understand.
Staff-Parent Communication
Lee Elementary will communicate with parents on a regular basis. Important information will be provided in the student handbook, the home school agreement, and on the school website. Frequent notices about student performance will be sent home with children, or provided by phone calls, e-mails, conferences, and in-home visits. All communication will be provided in a language and format the parents can understand. Parents are encouraged to contact the school or the child's teacher when questions or problems arise.
Evaluation
The CPOC Committee will evaluate the effectiveness of the Parental Involvement Program. Resources that will include assessment data and surveys will be used to determine the needs and develop revised strategies for student success. Any changes to the Title I Program and the Parental Involvement Policy will be developed and agreed upon with parent input and will be communicated to the parents in the district or school.
Science Demonstration Program, AKA Demos
Volunteers are needed to learn the different demos offered by the SRC. A demo is a presentation centered on particular animals or scientific concept. The volunteer is trained in content and any specific handling skills needed for the animals. Demos are scheduled at all levels of instruction. Demos generally last one class period (30-50 minutes) and are presented to no more than 2 classes at a time. Multiple demos may be needed in order to accommodate all students in a grade level.
If you are interested in being a demo volunteer, check out the SRC calendar for the next training class that interests you. The following lists current demos.
- Opossums: Pre-K/PPCD (30 minutes). A stuffed opossum is used to demonstrate the special adaptations and characteristics of this Native American marsupial. Please limit these presentations to fall semester only.
- Animal Friends: Pre-K/PPCD (30 minutes). An assortment of live animals (such as a rabbit, bird, turtle, frog, snake or lizard) are used to introduce students to basic animal traits.
- Guinea Pigs: Kindergarten (30 minutes). A story, Guinea Pigs Don’t Read Books, is read and discussed. A live guinea pig is shown. (Pig can be handled.) Please limit these presentations to fall semester only.
- Hedgehog Demo: Kindergarten (30 minutes). The Hat by Jan Brett is read and discussed and a live hedgehog is shown. (Hedgy can be handled.)
- Small Mammals: 1st grade (45 minutes). A live chinchilla is used to demonstrate its characteristics, behaviors and adaptations to the environment. Then students compare this mammal’s adaptations to those of the hamster. (Animals are not handled.)
- Eggs and Nests Demo: 1st grade (45 minutes). Students observe a variety of eggs as they compare and contrast their physical properties. Children explore a bag of objects to discover if and how the items roll to discover why egg shape is important. A variety of bird nests are displayed for observation. Please limit these presentations to fall semester only.
- Body Coverings Demo: 2nd grade (45 minutes). A combination of live animals and teaching aids are used to describe the body coverings of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. Featured animals include a lizard, tree frog, dove and hamster. (Animals are handled.) This was designed to go with the Undercover Lab for which materials are available from SRC.
- Snakes: 2rd grade (45 minutes). Students review characteristics of reptiles and learn the unique adaptations of snakes. They will observe several live, non-venomous specimens and various teaching aids. Featured animals include the Trans Pecos rat snake, gray banded king snake and a coral mimic. (Animals are handled.)
- Insects: 2nd grade (45 minutes). The insect's place in our ecosystem will be discussed. A sample insect collection will be shown along with live African hissing cockroaches. (Animals may be handled.)
- Amphibians: 3rd grade (45 minutes). A selection of live amphibians is available for close examination by the students. Various characteristics and interesting behaviors of amphibians are discussed. Featured animals may include the salamander, fire belly newt, gulf coast toad, clawed frog, siren and rococo toad. (Animals are handled.)
- Arthropods: 3rd grade (50 minutes). Live and preserved specimens are used to compare and contrast characteristics of different classes of arthropods. Featured animals may include the millipede, tarantula, hissing cockroach, land hermits, a scorpion and pill bugs. (The millipede and hissing cockroach are handled.)
- Galveston Bay Ecology: 4th grade (50 minutes). Students learn the unique features and importance of Galveston Bay and how the plants and animals that live there are adapted for this ecosystem.
- Aquatic Bird Study Skins: 4th grade (50 minutes). Students observe different aquatic bird skins to discover their adaptations for life in or near the water. Students will participate in an exploratory activity to discover how certain beaks are adapted to eat specific foods. Students need paper and pen or pencil.
- Reptiles: 4th grade (45 minutes). A selection of live reptiles will be available for close examination by the students with a discussion of their various characteristics and interesting behaviors. Featured animals include the box turtle, soft shell turtle, red-eared slider, lizard and corn snake. (Animals are handled.)
- Bird Study Skins: 5th grade (50 minutes). Study skins will be used to illustrate the many unique characteristics and adaptations of this class of animals. Students need paper and pen or pencil.
- Mammal Skulls: 5th grade (50 minutes). The volunteer discusses traits such as eye placement and tooth arrangement to provide clues for the students to guess the identity of common skulls. They will then be given the correct answer with a discussion of similarities and differences and identifying characteristics. Students need paper and pen or pencil.
- CSI Cy-Fair: 5th grade (50 minutes) Students solve a “who done it” mystery as they rotate through three station lab investigations analyzing fingerprints, fiber samples and chromatography samples.