MATHEWS e-News
Thursday, September 24, 2020
A reminder, if you want to look back at previous emails you just click the title above,
20-21 A Mavnificent Year! It is a hyperlink to our archived e-News on our school webpage.
BOOK FAIR!
Our fall virtual book fair will continue to run through Wednesday, September 30. Please support our school with shopping online for great books! Please see below for more information. A big shout out to our PTA, Mrs. Heldt and Mrs. Ghaleb for all the work that goes into this important event for our school. Perhaps you can encourage your child to continue on their journey by purchasing a book to share for a special celebration in the future. Take a look below and let's let reading take us somewhere amazing!
PTA GENERAL MEETING! (Time Sensitive!)
A general meeting is scheduled for September 29 at 7:00 p.m. via ZOOM. Information below how you can complete registration to attend so you can receive the link to the Zoom meeting. Sign in no later than September 27 to attend,
PICTURE DAY is October 13 for individual school pictures and for our yearbook. ALL students will have an opportunity to have their picture taken. We will have safety precautions in place for both our Face to Face learners and for our School to Home learners. More information coming.
REQUEST TO CHANGE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE SECOND NINE WEEKS:
Immediately below is information from our district regarding parent request to change the learning environment for your children. The window opens September 28 and closes on October 2.
PTA MEETING: ACTION REQUIRED BY 9/27
How to Sign-Up for the PTA Meeting:
A general meeting of the Mathews Elementary PTA will be held September 29, 2020 at 7:00 pm.
This will be the first general meeting of the year. In accordance with Texas PTA guidance, this meeting will be held virtually via Zoom.
In order to attend this meeting, you must register in advance. Registration MUST be completed no later than September 27, 2020.
The Mathews PTA will send out the Zoom link via the email address provided during your registration on September 28, 2020.
You MUST be a member of the Mathews Elementary PTA to vote on PTA business although guests are welcome to register to attend.
The deadline to join the Mathews Elementary PTA in order to vote during this meeting is September 27, 2020.
Window to Request Changes for the Second Nine Weeks
September 28-October 2
Our district's next window for parents to make a change will be between September 28-October 2 and would start October 13.
The button below takes you to the district website with information on how and when you can make or update your decisions.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to either Mrs. Powell or Mr. Steele.
If there are any revisions, PISD will reach out to our families, and we promise to do the same.
If you do request to change your child to FACE to FACE learning, effective Tuesday, October 13, please click the button below titled, "Survey: How My Child Goes Home From School". This information is very important in helping us with dismissal time. Thank you.
HOW MY CHILD WILL GO HOME
SAFETY ALERT!
From Nurse Christina...
There have been reports of children accidentally ingesting hand sanitizer because the child or their caregivers have mistaken the packaging for that of food or water.
Because of the recent increase in manufacturing of hand sanitizers, it now comes in a variety of containers that can be very appealing to young children. Please see some of the images below.
Children should only use hand sanitizer while under adult supervision.
Hand sanitizer can be toxic when ingested. The FDA continues to see an increasing number of adverse events with hand sanitizer ingestion, including cardiac effects, effects on the central nervous system, hospitalizations and death.
Drinking only a small amount of hand sanitizer is potentially lethal to a young child, but licking their hands after application likely would not cause a reaction. Symptoms that may occur with ingestion include intoxication, drowsiness, slow heart rate and breathing, nausea and vomiting.
You can read more about this in the FDA and Poison Control articles linked below.
SAFETY FIRST
Signing Your Child Out of School
Office staff will sign the student out, documenting both the time the student left the building, as well as the time the parent requested for early dismissal.
Your child will be brought to you. You will need to provide ID to pick up your child when your child is brought to the front entrance by staff as it may not be Mrs. Tipsword who walks your child to the front door. Thank you.
No Pets on School Property
Yes they are absolutely adorable and definitely 'Man's Best Friend'; however, not on campus, particularly during arrival and dismissal.
Whether it be allergies, or a student afraid of dogs, or perhaps a child who is a little too aggressive when wanting to run up and pet a dog, or two dogs who separate are amazing...but not so much when in close proximity....
Thank you for leaving your pets at home when you are dropping off and picking up your children.
And yes... this does include all other types of pets.
HOW PARENTS NOTIFY THE DISTRICT
ONLINE PTA BOOK FAIR
Please join us for our Fall 2020 Virtual Book Fair!
Thursday, September 17th - Wednesday, September 30th
Please visit our webpage:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/mathewselementaryschool1
All orders ship directly
to students’ homes and book only purchases over $25
ship free!
Mathews will receive 25% of the profits in the form of Scholastic Dollars, which will be used to buy books and other materials for the school.
Questions? Please contact Katharine Heldt and Malak Ghaleb at bookfair@mathewspta.org
ARRIVALS:
School Day STarts at 7:40
Our School Day begins at 7:40 a.m. This is 5 minutes earlier than last year. Please remember that for your child to be in their seat, unpacked and ready for the learning day to begin that they need to arrive no later than 7:30 a.m.
Our building opens at the Caravan Way carpool line at 7:00 a.m.
Students may leave the cafeteria and gym with staggered releases for social distancing beginning at 7:15. Students who arrive after 7:15 go directly to their classrooms.
Breakfast
Breakfast is served from 7:00-7:30 a.m. So if your child wants to enjoy breakfast at school, please have them arrive early enough so they can eat their breakfast and still be able to get to their classroom and ready for their day at 7:40. Ideally, we find students who arrive between 7:00-7:20 have time to eat their breakfast then leave the cafeteria by 7:30 to get to their classroom.
Doors close for instruction to begin at 7:40 a.m.
Students that arrive after 7:40 are tardy. If you are running late or your child has a morning appointment before school then you need to drop off your child at the main door on Marchman Way so your child can enter the building.
Below is what your child should bring to school each day. (Lunch is included unless your child is purchasing lunch from the cafeteria.)
WHAT TO BRING TO SCHOOL EACH DAY
MEALS...MEALS...MEALS
School to Home Learners:
Curbside Meal Bundles for PISD School@Home Students
Due to a waiver issued from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), effective September 15, 2020, all Plano ISD School@Home students will receive free breakfast and lunch meal bundles through December 31, 2020, or while USDA funds are available.
Weekly meal bundles will be provided on Tuesdays from 9:30am to 10:30am and 4:45pm to 6:00pm at Clark HS, Shepton HS, and Williams HS. Starting, September 22, meal bundles will also be available at McMillen HS and Vines HS. Meal bundles will consist of five breakfasts and five lunches.
*Anyone picking up meals for students, without the student present, must bring appropriate documentation in the form of a school issued ID, report card, parent portal attendance summary form, or birth certificate.
face TO FACE LUNCH, SNACKS & WATER
ALL FACE TO FACE BREAKFASTS AND LUNCHES CONTINUE TO BE FREE AT THIS TIME.
- If students plan to bring their lunch from home, they need to bring a packed lunch with them when they arrive to school in the morning. Students will keep their lunches in their own backpack until lunch time.
- Students will be able to continue to purchase breakfast or lunch from school. Lunches will be enjoyed in the homeroom classroom.
- Birthday treats for classrooms of students are no longer permitted. Teachers will continue to acknowledge student birthdays in the classroom as in past years, but food will no longer be shared with students.
- Students should bring a water bottle each day that we can refill during the day if needed. Water bottles should go home each afternoon to be cleaned and refilled for the next day.
- Students are welcome to bring healthy snacks from home. Snack time will be provided in the classroom each day.
Please note that when selecting snacks to send to school we have the following allergies at our campus:
K – Peanut, Tree Nuts, Sesame
1 – Peanut, Tree Nuts, Fish/Shellfish
2 – None known
3 – Peanut, Tree Nuts
4 – Peanut, Tree Nuts
5 – Peanut, Tree Nuts, Sesame
New Lunch Account System
Online Lunch Accounts
Plano ISD is using a new online payment system, Rycor. In an effort to reduce time, money and paper waste, parents can pay their children’s school and lunch fees through a secure online website, https://www.studentquickpay.com/PISD. If your child purchases an item a-la-carte you will be charged.
SCHOOL MENUS
TAGS and Lanyards!
Each child will have a color coded dismissal tag to make sure that each child will be where they need to be to get home to you safely.
Once students are at the right place for dismissal, we will ask your child to place the tag that is on the lanyard in their backpack so they can bring it back the next day.
These tags also serve as their lunch card and library card so it is important they return to school each day so it is important they come back to school each day.
A second lanyard is provided to each student to clip their mask to. This helps the masks stay with the child and not get misplaced or lost during lunch or recess when students are socially distancing and playing outside.
JR. FFA
The Plano FFA will be accepting new Jr. FFA members for the 2020-2021 school year. Students must be in grades 3rd-8th and attend a Plano Senior High School feeder school.
In the Plano Jr. FFA Program, students can:
Learn and practice leadership skills
Raise and care for an animal
Show their animals at Stock Shows
Learn responsibility, dedication, and accountability
Participate in community service.
Learn about American Agriculture
Participate in mentorship opportunities
If you wish to join please fill out this google form
https://forms.gle/sT5P1BhcgnaWKpRJ6
We will have our first meeting of the year on September 24th at 6pm via Zoom. If you would like to attend please reach out to one of the teachers below.
Ms. Taylor Navarette (Clark HS): taylor.navarette@pisd.edu
Mrs. Tiffany Wilson (Vines HS): tiffany.wilson2@pisd.edu
Nurse Christina
From Mrs. Toler, Our Counselor
LIBRARY News from Mrs. Noble!
UPCOMING DATES
Mark Your Calendar...
September 17-30
Mathews Fall Book Fair
September 28-October 2:
Next open window to request change of learning environment. Change would begin on October 13.
September 29:
PTA General Meeting via Zoom. 7:00. Information above how to sign up. Please sign up by 9/27.
October 12:
School Holiday
October 13:
Picture Day! (For both Face to Face learners and our School to Home learners.)
More information to follow...
November 3:
Student Holiday/Teacher Work Day
November 11:
Veterans Day: Information coming soon.
November 23-27:
Thanksgiving Break
December 18:
Early Release Day
December 21 through January 4:
Winter Break
20-21 PISD Academic Calendar
TECHNOLOGY
Chromebook Support:
If you have a broken Chromebook or are having difficulties with your power cord, please email our amazing Mathews' CTA, Justin Taylor at Justin.Taylor@pisd.edu
The Plano ISD help desk is also available to assist you in obtaining a working Chromebook. Contact the help desk Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at (469) 752-8767, or email tsos@pisd.edu.
Mathews Elementary School
Email: Patricia.Powell@PISD.edu
Website: https://www.pisd.edu/mathews
Location: 7500 Marchman Way, Plano, TX, United States
Phone: 469 752-2300
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