Epps Island Newsletter
December 2022
Hello Tiger Families
The holiday season is upon us, and excitement is in the air at Epps Island. It's the MOST WONDERFUL time of the year, right! Thank you for EVERYTHING! Our Tigers are working extra hard to remain FOCUSED and READY to ACHIEVE.
As this year comes to a close, I can't help but look back at all the wonderful happenings at Epps Island thus far. I feel so fortunate to be apart of a community that works together as a team to provide support and enrichment to all of our children. As we review the past year, we can see that our efforts have been extremely productive. I commend our staff, teachers, volunteers, and families for doing an outstanding job in providing all of our children with so much support in the way of academics, encouragement, and mentoring. I look forward to our continued partnership in making Epps Island a place where learning is visible and all students ACHIEVE.
Trena Grice
Principal
Counseling Corner
Positive Communication Skills
We spend over 70% of our waking day communicating with other people. Communicating with others is how we share our ideas, thoughts and feelings. Positive communication is important all the time in every situation whether with a teacher, family member or friend. It’s not just about getting our ideas across quickly, but more about how to have effective conversations where we and the other person feel respected, heard and understood. This involves thinking about what you’re going to say, how you’re going to say it as well as using active listening when the other person is talking. Spend some time talking with your child and discuss the following questions:
- What are some of the things that happen during a positive conversation that let you know it is positive?
- What are some ways you can show another person you are actively listening during a conversation?
- How has positive and effective communication helped your friendships?
- Have you ever said something that was misunderstood or taken the wrong way by someone? How could you have handled that situation differently to prevent the misunderstanding?
Tiger Traits
Message from our PE Teachers
The Physical Education Department is pleased to announce Santiago Cedillo in 4th Grade Mrs. Morales class as the winner of the rod and reel essay. The Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife donated one rod and reel.
We encouraged all 4th and 5th grade students to participate in the drawing by writing an essay on what they liked about fishing, what they learned about fishing, and draw a fishing picture.
Santiago’s name was drawn.
Congrats to him!!
Just a friendly reminder during the holiday break to get out and play during the holiday break and to stay safe. Students can tell their families all the safety videos we have watched.
Suggestions of activities:
- Go for a walk
- Go for a bike ride
- Play soccer or basketball
- Come up to school and play in the park.
- Go outside and do chalk on the driveway or blow bubbles.
Thank you!
P.E. Teachers
Book Fair
You can choose to have your books shipped to your home or delivered to me with our class order.
With a $25 order, you can pick a FREE $5 Book (use code: READS).
Class Order Due Date: 12/16/22
Shop Our Library Page: https://orders.scholastic.com/NK7BY
Shop Digital Flyers for Our Grade with Your Child: https://clubs.scholastic.com/grade5
Please share the Library Page link to extended family and friends. All orders also earn FREE Books for our class.
Thank you for your support!
Ms. Wilson
QSE Testing dates for 3rd, 4th, 5th
Math QSE2 for 3rd, 4th and 5th is on December 13
School Store
12 days of Christmas
12 days of Christmas
12 days of Christmas
Christmas Winter Parties
Dear Epps Island Parents,
It’s that time of year again — Winter Break is just around the corner, and our Tigers are getting excited! You are welcome to join us on Friday, December 16 at 1:30 PM for the Epps Island Winter Parties. The teachers will have fun activities, engaging games and a small snack for the students. It will be a fantastic time for our Tigers and a great way to begin their holiday break! Feel free to deck the halls with your favorite Christmas attire! We love taking pictures of our wonderful families! Please remember that Epps Island is an elementary campus, so our outfits should remain appropriate for young children.
While we are looking forward to celebrating our Epps Tigers, safety is the priority in KleinISD. We are continuing to practice tight measures to ensure we are protecting our Tiger family. If you plan to attend the holiday party, Please RSVP by Wednesday, December 14 to avoid long lines and receive your required visitor’s tag. We’ll have tables organized at the front entrance for parents that have RSVPd. These guests may easily and quickly get their pre-printed visitor’s tag in the express lane by simply presenting a government-issued ID. There will be a delay in your entry into the building if you do not adhere to this important procedure. Thank you for your support and we cannot wait to see you!
Respectfully,
Trena Grice
Epps Island, Principal
Upcoming Events
Thursday, December 1st-16th- (12 Days of Christmas- Dress up schedule below)
- Thursday, December 1st- You're a gift! Dress like a present!
- Friday, December 2nd- Wear joyful holiday socks!
- Monday, December 5th- Wear a holiday hat, headband, or accessories!
- Tuesday, December 6th- You're a mean one Mr. Grinch! Wear a Grinch or green holiday shirt.
- Wednesday, December 7th- Wear an ugly Christmas sweater!
- Thursday, December 8th- Wear a Frosty the Snowman shirt-bundle up with your hat, gloves, & scarves!
- Friday, December 9th- Mad about plaid-flannel fun! Wear your favorite flannel or plaid/shirt outfit.
- Monday, December 12th- Dress like a peppermint candy cane!
- Tuesday, December 13th- We are getting tutu close to winter break! Wear your holiday tutus, tinsel, ties and bling!
- Wednesday, December 14th-Wear your favorite holiday movie shirt!
- Thursday, December 15th- Wear reindeer attire!
- Friday, December 16th- Wear your pjs!
Friday, December 16th- Christmas Winter Parties @ 1:30p.m.- If you are planning on attending please make sure that you fill out the google form. Click here for more information.
Tuesday, December 6th- "PPR"- Parents Promoting Reading @ 4:00p.m. in the Library
Tuesday, December 6th- Life Touch Picture Retakes
Tuesday, December 13th- Spelling Bee @8:00a.m.
Tuesday, December 13th- Christmas Choir Performance @ 5:30p.m.
Monday, December 19th- Friday, December 30th- Winter Break
Monday, January 2nd-Tuesday, January 3rd-Student Holiday
Wednesday, January 4, 2023- Classes resume
School Visitors
Visitors should ring the doorbell located at the front door of the school in order to notify the front office staff of your arrival.
Visitors will be asked to present their IDs to the camera before entering the building.
Once inside, the front office secretaries will follow check-in procedures and issue a visitors' badge.
Students will not be released to visitors unless the adult is identified in Skyward as someone who has the authority to do so and without a photo ID. Thank you for understanding and for helping us to keep our Tigers safe.
Parent Lunches
Parents may drop off lunch for students. However, please let your child know ahead of time so they know that they need to stop by the office and pick it up. Our secretaries are not allowed to leave the main office to drop off lunches.
We will also once again have parents join their children for lunch. Due to our growing numbers and to continue to be as safe as possible, we are scheduling parents of K-2nd grade students every second Wednesday of every month starting in October. Students in grades 3-5 every 4th Wednesday of the month starting in October.
Parents joining us for lunch must follow these rules:
- Parents please make sure that if you need to contact your child's teacher you set up an appointment via email/remind. Unfortunately due to their Schedule they have to follow they are not able to have a Conference during Lunch time.
- Parents can not interact with students other than their own children
- Parents and their child must sit in the white tables on the stage during lunch, separate from the other students
- Please do not bring food for other students
- If you have children in different grade levels and you want to wait for their lunch time, you must wait in the front office to free up space on the stage for the parents who are there to have lunch with their children at that time
- Please make sure that you bring a form of identification in order to come eat with your child. (Passport, ID, Driver's license)
STUDENT DROP OFF AND & PICK-UP PROCEDURES
By car- please drop off by cafeteria. Helpers will open door for younger students.
Only cars with special tags can enter front parking lot to drop off students by the back/side doors.
Parents can park on the curb and have students use walkway to cross the street
Busses- enter front parking lot, unload students by back/side doors
For our students' safety, please do not enter the front/staff parking lot as this is a high traffic area with students walking across the parking lot and busses unloading.
PICK UP Areas & Procedures
Car Riders- are picked up by the cafeteria. Please arrive by 3:50. Parents without a car tag must wait until the end of car pool and pick up their child in the front office. Students will not be released to an adult without a car tag. Parents can not "walk up" to the car pool area to avoid the line and pick up their child.
Gym Walkers- parents must show a tag number to pick up their child
Front Door Walkers-this area is for students who are old enough to walk home alone. Students too young to walk alone, must be gym walkers. Older siblings must accompany primary students as they exit the front doors. Please encourage our little cubs to walk with their older siblings. Safety is our priority!
Bus Riders- Load busses by the white awning
The end of the day is very busy for all school personnel as we prepare for dismissal. Therefore, requesting a change of transportation or early dismissal should occur prior to 2:30.
Please DO NOT block any of the entrances/exits or parked vehicles during dismissal. Your cooperation is kindly appreciated.
ARRIVING ON TIME
Announcements are at 8:10
Tardy bell rings at 8:10
ATTENDANCE MATTERS...EVERYDAY
Attendance Matters for EVERY Student-please make sure that our TIGERS are here daily ready to learn!
Attendance Procedures
Regular school attendance is essential for a student to make the most of his or her education—to benefit from teacher-led and school activities, to build each day’s learning on the previous day’s, and to grow as an individual. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s mastery of the instructional materials; therefore, please make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences.
Any student who is absent for the whole day is required to produce one of the following within 5 days of their absence(s):
· Parent Note
· Parent email (within 5 days of absence)
· Original medical note (copies or altered notes will not be accepted)
· Faxed notes must be sent from physician’s office
· Court note
· Official note for observance of approved religious holy days
***If a student is absent for part of the day for a doctor appointment, their absence will be temporary absence if the student returns the doctor excuse to the Attendance Office upon returning to school, the temporary absence will be removed.
If a student does not produce one of the items listed above within the allotted timeframe, that absence will be considered unexcused and counted toward their total semester absences.
Klein ISD takes attendance very seriously, and we want to see your child succeed at Epps Island. If you have any questions regarding attendance, please feel free to contact the grade level Assistant Principal.
Parent-Teacher Conference
If you would like to schedule a Parent-Teacher Conference with your child's teacher during their conference period time please contact them via email/remind.
Conference times are as follows:
Kinder- Tuesday-Friday from 1:05p.m-1:50p.m
First- Monday-Wednesday, and Friday from 8:50a.m-9:35a.m.
Second- Monday-9:35a.m.-10:20a.m.
Third- Monday and Thursday(Math)-11:05a.m-11:50a.m.; Monday, Wednesday, Friday(ELAR)-11:05A.M.-11:50A.M.
Fourth-Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday-11:50a.m.-12:35p.m.
Fifth- Monday-Wednesday, and Friday from 8:05a.m.-8:50a.m
Family Engagement
- We invite you to review the District Plan for Family Engagement 2022-2023. Please click here to view.
- We invite you to visit the Klein ISD Family Wellness YouTube Channel, here. This channel features a series of videos for families addressing topics such as parenting, mental health, and wellness.
- We invite you to visit our Epps Island's own " Virtual Family Center" created by our wonderful Family-School Liaison, Mrs. Flores. Click HERE for video instructions.
- We will also be offering Basic Technology Classes to all of our Families and "Mango" English Classes- Please contact Mrs. Flores at 832-484-5798 for more information.
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