Bryant Bulletin
Weekly Campus Updates for Parents & Guardians
October 28, 2020
Bryant Bulletin Translations Available by Opening in a Chrome Browser
A Message from Dr. Rhodes
Happy Wednesday! I hope you are having a great week and staying warm during this cold front!! We have lots of information in the Bulletin this week. We are excited to be adding a few of our traditions back into the school year. While they will be different, they will add more normalcy for all students--fall picture day, Trunk or Treat, Classroom Parties, and more!!
Meet Our Staff- Mrs. Christi Richards, 1st Grade Teacher
We are so happy to welcome Mrs. Richards to Bryant Elementary this year. She has joined our wonderful 1st Grade Team. She is a Katy ISD alumna and received her Bachelors of Science at the University of Houston – Downtown. She worked in early childhood education prior to joining our Bengal Family this year. Mrs. Richards loves her family, friends, being a teacher, and going on new adventures.
From Our Counselor, Mrs. Flores
Bryant Community & Student Kindness Challenge
**Create a kindness challenge of your own. Think of a way to spread kindness to those around you!**
Red Ribbon Week
We continue to celebrate Red Ribbon Week (through Friday) with themed days. See the dress for each day by clicking here.
November Character Trait
We will introduce another character trait during the month of November: Gratitude. Please help us kick off this trait by encouraging your child to wear teal on Wednesday, November 4th. Throughout the month, students will engage in conversations and activities to help develop and apply Gratitude in their daily lives! As we introduce Gratitude, we hope to instill new ideas and skills that students will be able to apply and utilize in school and at home. We are using this definition at school: Gratitude: choosing to notice and appreciate things in our life, things in others, and things in the world. If you are looking for ways to extend this trait at home, check out our K-2 resource (en Espanol) and 3-5 resource (en Espanol). For more information, contact Penny Flores, the school counselor, at penelopewflores@katyisd.org.
Santa Cops
Santa Cops is a Katy ISD sponsored program that assists families with holiday gifts during the holiday season. If your family has experienced a hardship or could benefit from the support of this program, please contact our school counselor, Penny Flores, at 281-234-4331 or penelopewflores@katyisd.org. There is only limited availability for the program, so contact her as soon as possible.
General Campus Information and Reminders
Changes of Transportation
Reminder- Changes of Transportation must be either sent in with your student on the day of the change by filling and printing out this form, emailing bryantelementary@katyisd.org from a registered email on your student’s account, or by coming up to the vestibule of the school with your valid ID to verify guardianship before 2pm. If emailing, please be sure to include student’s name, grade, teacher, change of dismissal (include bus #, address, and stop location if changing to bus), and the date(s) of the change. NOTE- emails sent to teachers for Changes of Transportation are not accepted. Please use the email address above.
Challenge Screening Information for Parents of 1st-4th Graders
Attention parents of students in grades 1, 2, 3, and 4- the window to submit a parent checklist for GT screening is now open. The deadline to submit these checklists is Friday, October 30th by 4:00 pm. Checklists should be returned to homeroom teachers.
The parent checklist can be accessed by clicking here.
Fall Pictures
Fall pictures are used in the yearbook and for our giant composite poster each year. Students who do not take fall pictures will not be in these publications. We want all of our Bengals to be a part of picture day (no purchase required).
Picture packages will only be sold online this year. Please view package information by clicking here.
Birthday Marquee
Upcoming Events
10/30- 1st-4th Grade Gifted and Talented Parent Checklist Due (See details above)
10/30- Bryant PTA Trunk or Treat (See details below)
10/29-10/30- Red Ribbon Week Celebration Continues (See details above)
11/3-11/9- Bryant PTA Online Auction (See details below)
11/4- Character Kickoff, Wear Teal to Celebrate Gratitude
11/6- Student Holiday- No School
11/11- Confirmed Fall Picture Date (See details above)
11/12- District Family Night- No Homework
11/13- World Kindness Day (Details TBA)
From the District
Attn: Parents of Bryant ESL Students
Katy ISD Legacy Parent Academy
- Wednesday, 11/11/20- Navigating Emotional/Behavioral Concerns for Your Child
- Wednesday, 1/20/21- Destigmatizing Mental Health
- Wednesday, 3/24/21- Managing Test Anxiety
Each Legacy Parent Academy event for the 2020-2021 school year will be in webinar format. Sessions will be translated into Spanish and posted on the Legacy Parent Academy webpage following each event. Additional information is available on the Legacy Parent Academy webpage.
Katy ISD COVID-19 Dashboard
The Katy ISD webpage now contains a dashboard which provides daily updates on the number of overall self-reported COVID-19 positive cases throughout the district, and by campus. The Dashboard can be viewed at any time by visiting the Katy ISD website homepage and clicking on the COVID-19 Case Dashboard icon or by clicking below.
Katy Virtual Academy (KVA)
District KVA Newsletter
KVA Clarification on Grading and Attendance
KVA Grab & Go
We will be hosting a KVA Grab & Go on Monday, 11/2 from 4-5pm. All KVA students will come on Monday to pick up their materials. Please have your car rider tag displayed in your car. If you are unsure of your 2020/2021 car rider number, please contact your child’s teacher. The students will receive a Ziploc bag that will include independent reading books, paper copies of future assignments, and other instructional materials. Please return the bag you were given at the previous Grab & Go. We will be distributing the bags from the Gym Doors. Please pull through the teacher parking lot with your car rider tag hanging from your rearview mirror. A teacher will bring your child’s bag to your car and collect the previous bag that was given.
Monday, November 2nd 4-5 pm:
Lime
Green
Orange
Purple
Yellow
Blue
Red
News From the Bryant PTA
PTA Online Auction!!
It's almost time!
Summer bodies are made in the winter. 9Round will help you with that!! Need a family fun night? We've got games, candy, popcorn, and 1000 Degrees Pizza for you to enjoy. Want a new family sign for your entryway? One of our own Bryant parents can make you one at Budget Friendly Craft.
Auction starts at 8AM November 3, 2020. Keep an eye out for the auction email with further instructions.
Class Directories
We are starting to put together class directories. If you would like to receive and share classroom parent information for your child’s class, please fill out this form.
Trunk or Treat
Join us for our Drive Thru Trunk-or-Treat! Even though this year looks a little different, we will still have lots of Fun! We need your help to make this event a success!
Would you like to host a “Trunk”? Sign up here.
Classroom Celebration Fund
Bryant PTA General Board Meeting Notification
Our General Board meeting is coming up! Please join us to be updated on what is happening with your PTA! Be on the lookout for a Zoom registration link.
Order 2020-2021 Yearbooks NOW!!
Parents- Get YOUR Photos in the Yearbook!!
Don't miss out on an opportunity for your student to be in the yearbook!! We want to see what your kids are doing!! Share your pictures with us. Click here for more information!!
Check out Wednesday folders and PTA Social Media for different picture challenges this year!! This year we need all the parent and Bryant Staff help we can get to make our yearbook successful!!
Visit Us Online
Click here for PTA Facebook.
Click here to follow PTA on Twitter.
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Important Reminders From Previous Bulletins
Modified Phase One Safety Protocols
Effective September 28th.
- Classroom protocols modified to require students and staff to wipe down their workspace at the beginning of use. Hand sanitizer and wipes will continue to be available in all classrooms for students.
- Elementary playground equipment may be utilized by students during recess ensuring hand sanitizer and hand washing time is available immediately after use and before returning to class. District custodial staff will sanitize the playground equipment each morning prior to student use.
- Library and computer lab(s) may be utilized with the requirement of cleaning workspaces before student use. Additionally, time should be incorporated following group instruction for hand washing before returning to regular class instruction.
- Returned library book are quarantined for a 6-day period before being checked out again to students.
- Elementary & Secondary grouping of students for instructional purposes will be allowed with facial covering protocol strictly adhered to, desk shields utilized where possible and continued cleaning of workspaces by students.
- Campus events, outside the instructional day, may be allowed with supervising event staff completing a required COVID-19 safety and mitigation training. Event capacity for indoor events, outside the instructional day, may be limited and must follow current state, local and TEA guidance.
Behavior Expectations for Virtual Learning - Guidance for Parents
Behavior expectations for students enrolled in Katy Virtual Academy are the same as expectations for students enrolled in face-to-face instruction. All students are still required to follow the Discipline Management Plan and Student Code of Conduct as participation in virtual learning is an extension of the classroom. In addition to the District’s discipline guidelines, parents and guardians should be aware of the following:
A. Students must log in as themselves. Impersonating another user is a violation of the Responsible Use Guidelines and is prohibited.
B. Students will be expected to participate in discussions and activities. Additionally, it is critical for students to complete assignments independently to allow teachers to accurately identify progress. However, as established in KVA Guidelines, parents must be prepared to monitor their student’s learning and may need to provide assistance for younger students to support instruction in a virtual learning environment.
C. When logging into virtual learning sessions (i.e. Zoom):
- Students must have their video on. It is an expectation of learning to allow the teacher to check for engagement and understanding.
- If a student is using a virtual background it must not be offensive or inappropriate. Students must be prepared to hide the background or change it at the teacher’s request.
- Students must use the name that is on school record or birth certificate (names can be shortened such as : William to Will or Tamara to Tam) TBD
- Students must not share specific meeting links or passwords.
- Students must only enter their class virtual meetings they are scheduled for.
D. Appropriate school language must be used on all applications such as but not limited to: chat, discussions, whiteboards, and shared documents.
Parents will be contacted if a student violates classroom expectations or the Discipline Management Plan and Student Code of Conduct. Persistent or serious offenses will be referred to the appropriate campus administrator and additional consequences may be assigned, including but not limited to:
- Parent Conference,
- Behavior Contract,
- Recovery Time,
- Loss of Privilege,
- Overnight Suspension,
- Suspension, or
- Referral to a Disciplinary Alternative Education Placement.
Bus Safety Rules
1. Mask/Face covering should be worn on the bus and the bus stop, until further notice.
2. Observe the same conduct as in the classroom including cell phone use.
3. Enter the bus and immediately go to the assigned seat.
4. Talk in a normal tone of voice.
5. Remain seated and facing forward in the assigned seat until time to exit the bus.
6. Keep head, hands, feet, and other objects to oneself; do not tamper with bus equipment.
7. Use acceptable language; obscene, profane, unacceptable language and/or gestures are prohibited.
8. Refrain from eating and/or drinking on the bus; keep the bus clean.
9. Refrain from throwing objects within the bus or out of the windows.
10. Follow all rules outlined in the District’s Discipline Management Plan and Student Code of Conduct, as well as safety rules established by the driver.
11. Arrive at your bus stop 5 minutes before the scheduled stop-time and wait a safe distance from where the bus stops. 5 giant steps away from the stop is a good rule.
12. When the bus arrives, do not approach it until the bus has come to a complete stop. Form a single line and board the bus. Go directly to a seat and sit in a safe position. If seats are
equipped with seatbelts, they must be worn at all times as required by law.
13. When it is time to get off of the bus, wait until it comes to complete stop before getting up from your seat.
Procedures when Checking Students In or Out During the School Day
MyOn Reading
Students can access MyOn using their Katy Cloud Login information. Renaissance MyOn Readers is a student-centered, personalized literacy environment that gives students access to more than 6,000 enhanced digital books. Titles are dynamically matched to individual student’s interests, grade and Lexile reading level. MyOn fosters student engagement and achievement. MyOn is a great resource for students to use to complete 20 minutes of daily reading outside of school. When a child logs in for the first time, the child will be prompted to complete a reading interest inventory and a quick reading assessment. This helps the system to match your child to texts that match their interests and reading level. Stay tuned for Campus MyOn Challenges that will be coming soon! Happy Reading!
A Parent's Guide to Navigating the KVA Classroom
While the KVA experience has opened up a whole new world for parents to see the educational world our kids live in, it does come with its challenges as well. What we have to remember is, though we are able to be right beside our child and hear more than we ever have before, this is still your child's educational experience.
A child learns so much more than academics at school. They learn independence, confidence and they begin to develop their thoughts, beliefs and ideas about who they are and who they want to become.
In the end... they grow.
Growth comes when we are faced with challenges we must solve, not by someone providing the solution. Growth comes from running into obstacles so we learn how to avoid them, and make our own path, not by someone removing everything in our way.
It is difficult to watch a child deal with an obstacle or a struggle. However, if we truly want full growth for our kids, we must learn how to navigate this new world where your child would normally be in the driver's seat.
Trust, communication, patience and understanding with one another will help us see it through so your child is the focus and their GROWTH is our goal.
Please see this list (click here) of a few Do's and Don'ts as you work with your child and their teacher through this KVA process.
Can My Child Go to School?
Front Vestibule Drop Boxes
Required Daily Self-Screening of Students
For the health and safety of all students and staff – parents are required to assist their children with a daily self screening for COVID-19 symptoms and fever before arriving to school, or boarding school transportation.
Per TEA “In evaluating whether an individual has symptoms consistent with COVID-19, consider the following questions: Have they recently begun experiencing any of the following in a way that is not normal for them?"
Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
Loss of taste or smell
Cough
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
Headache
Chills
Sore throat
Shaking
Exaggerated shivering
Significant muscle pain or ache
Diarrhea
COVID-19 Self-Reporting App, Notifications & Information
The District has a COVID-19 Reporting System in place to allow staff, students, and parents to self-report if they have received a COVID-19 positive test result. The self-reporting system enables the District’s Emergency Management team to conduct contact tracing, as well as call and notify individuals in Katy ISD buildings who may have been directly exposed to the infected person. A general email notification is also sent to campus staff and families whenever the district is informed of a potential “indirect” COVID-19 exposure in their building. Receipt of the general notification alone indicates that the recipient was not in close contact to the COVID-19 positive case reported for their building. If there is direct exposure due to improper use of PPE, individual families will be contacted.
Students and staff may report positive COVID-19 results using the COVID-19 Self Reporting app on MyKaty Cloud.
Amazon Smile
You can make a difference while you shop with Amazon. Simply shop at smile.amazon.com/ch/82-0726214 or with AmazonSmile ON in the Amazon Shopping app and AmazonSmile donates to PTA Texas Congress (Bryant PTA). Last quarter our income was $22.06!! Every little bit counts!!
To turn on Smile in your Amazon App, follow these directions:
- Open the Amazon Shopping app on your device
- Go into the main menu of the Amazon Shopping app and tap into 'Settings'
- Tap 'AmazonSmile' and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the process