Tiger Talk
10/13/20
APEX MIGHTY
Our APEX fundraiser started today with our Virtual Pep Rally via our Broadcast.
Lessons begin tomorrow when our students will learn about being Mindful. Each day thereafter, the APEX Leadership Team presents a lesson on the topic for the day: Integrity, Grit, be a Hero, Think ahead, and Your turn.
IN-PERSON LEARNERS:
Pledge kits went home today. Prizes will be distributed and sent home at the end of the day Friday.
REMOTE LEARNERS:
Please contact the West Cypress Hills office staff if you need to pick up your pledge kit and t-shirt. The first round of prizes will be distributed on Friday the 16th from 3:30 to 5:30 by none other than our MIGHTY APEX Leadership Team.
Here's how it works:
Your child can get pledges from friends and family to support him/her in the APEX Dance Party on October 22. Pledges can be flat amounts or a dollar amount per dance move up to 36 dance moves. The funds will be used to support school wide programs to provide enrichment and remediation for our Tigers.
What's the buzz around WCHE
The Lake Travis Independent School District has partnered with Health Heroes to provide free flu vaccines to both in-person and remote students in grades PK-8 on Tuesday, October 20, and Wednesday, October 21 as follows:
October 20:
- Lake Pointe Elementary School*
- Bee Cave Elementary School
- Lake Travis Elementary School
- Hudson Bend Middle School
- Lake Travis Middle School
October 21:
- Lakeway Elementary School*
- Rough Hollow Elementary School
- Serene Hills Elementary School
- West Cypress Hills Elementary School
- Bee Cave Middle School Middle School
*PK-8 grade students in remote learning who wish to receive a flu shot may only do so only at Lake Pointe Elementary School and Lakeway Elementary School beginning at 8:00 a.m. on the date indicated; no appointment needed.
Please note, the flu shots are optional, and they will only be administered with written parental consent. Consent forms (linked here) must be filled out completely, signed, and returned to your child’s school before Friday, October 16. Students who do not turn in a form will not receive a shot.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu vaccine is the best defense against the influenza virus. If you would like for your child to receive the flu vaccine prior to LTISD’s October flu shot clinics, please contact your local pharmacy or pediatrician. Also, children older than six months who are uninsured or underinsured can receive flu shots at the Shots for Tots/Big Shots clinics provided by Austin Public Health. To make an appointment, please call 512-972-5520.
Should you have any questions, feel free to contact WCHE Nurse Hensel
News from Nurse Hensel
LTISD Discovery -- Gifted and Talented Program
The yearly nomination window to have your child tested for the LTISD Discovery (Gifted & Talented) Program is currently open. The deadline for nominations is October 16, 2020. You can find the nomination forms HERE on the district website.
Information on the LTISD Gifted & Talented Program can be found in this slideshow. Please review if you are interested in having your child evaluated for the program.
On-line Learning Available ONLY Through Your Child's LTISD Account
To gain entry to student learning, students should use the LTISD LT1 Classlink to enter and access all classroom google links. This ensures secure and safe learning.
If students/parents attempt to access class meetings or documents without using the student's credentials in LT1 (for example, logging in to the browser from a parent's personal or work account instead of the student's LTISD account) access is restricted. To prevent unauthorized people from accessing our classrooms, only appropriate LT1 Classlink logins with the student's credentials can gain access. Access attempts by any other accounts will be denied.
PLEASE be sure to access all google links through our LT1Classlink using the appropriate LTISD student's credentials.
District Assisting With Technology to Support Remote Learning
The Lake Travis Independent School District (LTISD) will lend Chromebooks and WiFi hotspots to students in grades K-12 who have limited or no access to a device at home and who do not already have a device from our initial deployment this past spring. Our district has had a high volume of requests. Thank you for your patience.
Families who meet the above criteria may request a Chromebook and/or WiFi hotspot through the Skyward "Technology Device Request" form by linking to Skyward through a browser. Link to Skyward here. Please complete 1 request form per student. When the LTISD has the student's Chromebook and/or hotspot ready for pick up, they will notify you.
Also, there is a known issue affecting the login credentials of some of our families with district-issued Chromebooks, and we have developed a solution to help you establish credentials for login. If you are unable to log in, please follow the steps outlined here, and if you need additional assistance, please feel free to contact us. We appreciate your patience.
Our Neighborhood Bookmobile is Back!
The Lake Travis Community Library Bookmobile comes to our neighborhood amenity center for contactless reserve pick up service, take and make crafts, and free Wi-Fi.
Our favorite Bookmobile will be a the West Cypress Hills neighborhood pool on alternating Thursdays from 3 to 4 pm, beginning Thursday, October 8.
Visit the Lake Travis Community Library website for more information.
Changing Instructional Status
A change from in-person learning to remote learning can be made at any time. To request this change, complete the LTISD Instructional Change Form. The completed form should be forwarded to our Registrar, Becky Wright.
A change from remote learning to in-person learning can also be requested on the LTISD Instructional Change Form. The completed form should be forwarded to our Registrar, Becky Wright no later than 2 weeks prior to the start of the next grading period, as shown below:
- Form Due Date is 12/4/20 for the grading period beginning 1/5/21
- Form Due Date is 2/19/21 for the grading period beginning 3/8/21.
LTISD Chromebooks to Remain Checked Out to Students While on Campus
Students who checked out a District-issued Chromebook for remote learning at home and will be returning to in-person learning on campus should retain the device and bring it to school for use in the classroom as needed, much like an assigned textbook.
Chromebooks will remain checked out to the student until a date to be later determined or at the end of the 2020–2021 school year, whichever comes first.
Meals for Remote Learners
Students in remote learning at home may purchase a meal for pickup from our school cafeteria. Learn more here.
Please note, menu options may be limited. If a parent or child in remote learning at home wishes to pick up a meal at school, accommodations must be made via email directly with the café manager, Mrs. Corinne Stewart, before 10:00 a.m. daily. All meals for remote learners must be picked up at the school’s front office during the regular meal schedule.
Yes, Students Withdrawn from LTISD May Re-enroll Later for In-Person Learning
Students can be re-enrolled for in-person learning after having been withdrawn as students of the LTISD. The re-enrollment process is the same as the enrollment process for any new LTISD student. The re-enrolled student will, initially, be scheduled for in-person learning at the school building.
Once the re-enrolled student is attending school in person, remote learning, if desired, may be selected when the district next extends an invitation to select a preferred learning option.
Follow Principal Beninga on Twitter
Melanie Beninga provides info, photos, and updates via Twitter, too. If not already following Melanie Beninga in Twitter, you can follow her @principalwch and @mbeninga.
Counselor's Corner
Hello, Tiger Families! As we prepare to both return to campus for in-person learning and continue to engage in remote instruction, please know that I am always available should you or your child need support.
Now more than ever, we value the importance of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in our schools, and we will continue to incorporate SEL into our curriculum through school-wide programs, class meetings, and guidance lessons. Second Step will be our campus SEL curriculum. Please click the picture below to access parent information on Second Step, including complementary resources to use at home. By clicking the link, you will reach my website where all of the boxes on the blackboard open to provide to helpful information about Second Step.
Do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. We are one team, one family.
Daylight Saving Time Ends November 1 - Turn clocks back 1 hour Sunday, November 1
Upcoming Events
09/15 - 10/15/20....Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month
09/17 - 10/16/20....Discovery Gifted & Talented Nominations Accepted
10/01 - 10/31/20....National Bullying Prevention Month
10/01 - 10/31/20....Principals' Month
10/12 - 10/16/20....National School Lunch Week
10/13 - 10/23/20....APEX MIGHTY Leadership Lessons & Fundraiser
10/16/20................Remote Learner APEX T-shirt & Prizes Pick Up Day 3:30 - 5:30 pm
10/19 - 10/23/20....National School Bus Safety Week
10/20/20................WCHE Remote Learner Free Flu Shots @ Lake Pointe Elementary
10/21/20................Free Flu Shots for in-person WCHE Learners
10/21/20................WCHE Remote Learner Free Flu Shots @ Lakeway Elementary
10/22/20................APEX MIGHTY Remix Event!!!!!
10/23/20................Remote Learner APEX Prize Pickup Event 3:30 - 5:30 pm
11/01/20................Daylight Saving Time Ends. Set clocks back 1 hour.
11/11/20................Veterans' Day
11/23 - 11/27/20....Thanksgiving Holiday
12/04/20................Instructional Status Change Form Due - Grading Period January 5 +
12/21 - 01/04/21....Winter Holiday - No School for Students
01/05/21................In-person Learning Begins for the Grading Period That Begins January 5
02/19/21................Instructional Status Change Form Due - Grading Period March 8 +
03/08/21................In-person Learning Begins for the Grading Period That Begins March 8
More Information about WCH
West Cypress Hills Elementary
Email: wchprincipal@ltisdschools.org
Website: https://www.ltisdschools.org/WCHE
Location: 6112 Cypress Ranch Boulevard, Travis County, TX, United States
Phone: 512-533-7500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ltisdschools
Twitter: @principalwch