Eagle Updates
April 11, 2021
In this Issue:
- A Message from Mrs. Barry
- A Few Reminders
- 2021-2022 Registration
- Congratulations, Ms. Royalty!
- Class Sweet Potatoes
- Virtual Career Week Recap
- Donations Needed
- Counselors’ Connection
- Credit By Exam-Updated Info
- March/April Specials Calendar
- MWE Calendar of Events
- From the President
- Spirit Wear Preview
- SBMSA 7 on 7 Football
- A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors
- MWE Redemption Program
District Information
- A Note from the Superintendent
From Mrs. Barry:
Thank you to those of you who attended our Q&A session this past Wednesday regarding the adjustments to SBISD's safety protocols. I am confident that we are slowly transitioning to normal operations in a safe and orderly way! If you were unable to attend, but still have questions, please reach out to me!
As another piece to this transition, we will be moving to having all grade levels eat lunch in the cafeteria. Currently, First, Second, and Fifth grades eat lunch in the classroom. Over the next week, we will be shifting to having all grade levels eat in the cafeteria.
Our protocol will be as follows:
- Students will sit in class cohorts (i.e., homerooms will not be mixed).
- Students will face one direction, sitting 4 to a table, with dividers separating students from one another.
- Masks will be lowered while eating, but worn otherwise in the cafeteria.
- Tables will be cleaned between each group.
- Lunch times will remain the same.
It is important to us that we allow students this opportunity, while ensuring we are mindful of their health and safety. If you have any concerns, please reach out directly to me.
Together, we are Growing Great Minds at MWE!
A Few Reminders:
Our doors open at 7:30 a.m. Students should not arrive any earlier, as they are unsupervised! Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 7:30 to 7:50. At 7:50, students are asked to head to their classrooms to begin their instructional day!
Please remember to send your student to school with a water bottle every day. Especially as the weather grows warmer, our Eagles need to stay hydrated. At this time, water fountains can only be used to refill bottles. In addition, we have 2 refillable water stations in the building, providing filtered water for our students.
2021-2022 Registration
Registration is now OPEN for the 2021-2022 school year! This is for both returning and incoming students! Click on the link below for details and the process. We would appreciate you completing this as soon as possible, as well sharing with your neighbors who are not currently enrolled but are coming to Meadow Wood next year, as this helps us with our staffing projections.
Questions? Please reach out to Susan Snelling at 713-251-6200 or susan.snelling@springbranchisd.com.
https://www.springbranchisd.com/learnsbisd/back-to-school/registration
Congratulations, Ms. Royalty!
We are excited to announce our very own Victoria Royalty is SBISD's "Teachers Driving Success" winner for the month of April! This is the new monthly teacher recognition program, where SBISD classroom teachers are nominated by their Principal for driving success on their campus. Each Principal is allowed to nominate one classroom teacher each month.
The Sterling McCall Group sponsors this award, and Ms. Royalty will receive a 2021 Lexus that is hers to drive during the month of April.
This is what Ms. Barry said about Ms. Royalty:
“Victoria was moved to MWE after school had started when her Pre-K class did not make. For the remainder of the first nine weeks, she taught First Grade virtually. The second nine weeks, she moved to teaching virtual Kindergarten. This nine weeks, she is teaching a blended Kinder/1st virtual class. Victoria has made every single move with a smile and can-do attitude. She is only a first year teacher, but she is providing amazing, quality instruction for our littlest of kiddos. She truly exemplifies the core values of every child, collective greatness, and collaborative spirit.”Congratulations, Ms. Royalty!!!
Class Sweet Potatoes
We wanted to find a way to keep the garden weed-free over the summer. We learned that if we plant sweet potatoes in May, they will take over the garden and block out the weeds. We can harvest them in August and have a sweet potato lab.
To accomplish this, every classroom was provided with a jar, sweet potato and toothpicks. They will grow in classrooms, and we can plant the vines the last few weeks of May.
To make it even more fun, classes are naming their potato and creating character stories surrounding them. To check out our potatoes, please follow https://www.instagram.com/sweetpotmwe/.
MWE Celebrates Their First Virtual Career Week!
Hats off to Jessica Sykora and her team of volunteers who created videos for making MWE’s first virtual Career Week a huge success! With a little help from others, Jessica recruited and collected videos from MWE parents and community members. Each volunteer shared their career stories in five to ten minute videos that were placed in Google Files and sent to MWE staff for use during March 29-April 1. Videos were categorized by grade level appropriateness so teachers could choose which videos to share each day. Thanks to Katie McCracken and Michelle Camey for helping with classroom distribution. Community Circle questions/activities were planned for each day to allow classes to discuss the videos and go deeper with career exploration. Families were encouraged to spend time talking about their own career stories and offering their children an opportunity to share things they may have learned from their Career Week experience.
Thanks to the following individuals for making this one of the best Career Weeks ever!
Ashley Kope
Lindsey Herrod
Ashley Patranella
Elizabeth Shaw
Katie Preisler
Marshall Cohen
Rachel Redfern
Emily Durham
Martha Salas
Destiny and Patrick Schafer
Abby Alford
Reece Scott
Jenna Scott
Nathan Vajdos
Noe Garcia
Kaci Koviak
Lulu and Larry Weathers
Jason Sykora
Steve Buehler
Jamie Kelley
Lynn Johnson
Jessica Sykora
Regina Lappin
Alexis Long
Jackie Lappin
Adley Sykora
Heather Attaway
Emerson Sykora
John McLean
Marna Meier
Catherine Shelfer
Leslie Schafer
Traci Sharrock
Megan Checkovage
Kellie Northington
Donations Needed
Thank you!
Counselors’ Connection
Did you know that last school year Meadow Wood earned the distinction as a No Place for Hate® School for the seventh consecutive year? The No Place for Hate® initiative helps to create and sustain inclusive school environments where all students have the opportunity to succeed by promoting respect for individual difference. Throughout the year, we focus on intentional, sustained practices that promote respect, empathy, and kindness. A required activity is that students and staff have the opportunity to discuss and sign the Resolution of Respect. In the fall, Ms. Luberger and Ms. Waldrop, our counselors, conducted classroom guidance lessons in all homerooms explaining the initiative and offering students and teachers the opportunity to sign the Resolution.
An additional requirement is that parents and families also have the opportunity to sign the
Resolution of Respect. Please use the link to sign the pledge using Google forms. Be sure to hit Submit at the bottom. https://forms.gle/EKfnHTGaZdLjn9rK6
We are proud of the concerted efforts of our staff, students, and parents in promoting a safe and caring learning environment, and look forward to your support in gaining this recognition.
For more information please contact Pat Waldrop or Lynne Luberger, Professional School Counselors
Credit by Exam Testing Windows
This is a reminder that the summer Credit by Exam testing windows are June 7-10 and July 12-15. The deadline for both opportunities is May 3. Please let your child’s counselor know before the deadline if you would like for them to be registered for testing. Be sure to include the testing window you prefer.
Thanks,
Lynne Luberger (Grades K, 2 and 4) lynne.luberger@springbranchisd.com 713-251-6271
Pat Waldrop (Grades 1, 3 and 5) patricia.waldrop@springbranchisd.com 713-251-6202
MWE Calendar of Events
Please note: Every Thursday is T-2-4 Thursday and every Friday is MWE Spirit Day!
April 16
MWE has heART Auction Painting
April 21
Spirit Wear Preview
April 23
Field Day - note date change!
April 29
CIT Meeting
April 30
HOLIDAY
May 11
STAAR Math Test - Grades 3, 4, & 5
May 12
STAAR Math Test - Grades 3, 4, & 5
May 13
STAAR Science Test - Grade 5
May 19
PTA In and Out Brunch
May 20
Field Day - note new date!
CIT Meeting
May 21
Talent Show
May 26
5th Grade Graduation
May 27
Last day of school!
From the President
Hello MWE Family!
As we wind down this year, we are starting to get things in place for next year!
Our School Supply pre-order has already begun! This is a great service that the PTA coordinates with teachers and families--you order school supplies for next year before this year ends and they are there, waiting for your child, when he or she gets to school the first day! See below for the link to purchase:
We will have a presale for our MWE Spirit Wear again this year, so please be sure to spread the word that if someone wants to purchase anything, to do so, because we will likely once again not be running a second set of Spirit Wear, as it becomes too cost prohibitive. We will have a presale on Wednesday, April 21st before and after school--you will be able to see the Spirit Wear and check out the various sizes, and pre-order your Spirit Wear. Please see below for the awesome apparel that has been created this year!
We will be holding our last PTA meeting of the year on Wednesday, May 19th. It will be our annual In and Out Brunch, and this year it will be at Urban Kitchen at 11 AM. We are asking anyone who wants to eat to contribute $10 to offset the cost of the luncheon, and as always, you are invited to come for the meeting and do not need to eat! To sign up for the brunch, please follow the link to the Membership Toolkit, where you can RSVP and pay. Please contact me at President@meadowwoodpta.com if you have any questions!
https://meadowwoodpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
As the year winds down, a reminder to please to turn in any receipts to our Treasurer, Kelly Williams, as soon as possible. Also, we still have some small positions open for next year, so reach out if you are interested in volunteering with the PTA!
Take Care,
Catie Winegar
MWE PTA President
SBMSA 7 on 7 Football Registration
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF OUR SPONSORS
MWE Redemption Programs
We have many programs that bring “free money” to our school. Please review the following programs and see how you can participate!
1. Box Tops for Education
Don’t forget, Box Tops are digital now! Download the Box Tops
Mobile app to scan your store receipt within 14 days of purchase.
No more clipping or sending Box tops to school.
2. Kroger
Register your Kroger plus card online at
www.krogercommunityrewards.com. You have to re-
enroll every year. Create or log in to your account and
enter MWE’s number (81657).
3. Randalls
Fill out the Good Neighbor Program form and indicate MWE as
your charity (1082). MWE earns 1% of your purchases.
www.randalls.com/shopstores/good-neighborhood.page
4. Amazon Smile
We all shop on Amazon! Register your account with
Amazon Smile to earn money for MWE. Go to
www.smile.amazon.com and login to your account.
Select “Pick your own charitable organization”; type
Meadow Wood Elementary. DO NOT click on the “select
and start shopping” button-this will choose the charity
that is up there at the time. Choose “PTA Texas Congress 5056
Meadow Wood Elementary-Houston TX”. Make all purchase
through Amazon Smile. You can also turn it on in the App under
settings and then programs.
5. Josephine’s Day Spa
They donate back 10% to the charity of your choice.
A Message From the Superintendent
As the end of the school year approaches, Spring Branch ISD has worked with its medical partners to develop a plan to update some of its COVID-19 protocols while maintaining mask and social distancing requirements inside school buildings.
Working with Memorial Hermann and following federal, state and local guidelines, Spring Branch ISD has successfully enacted safety protocols throughout the school year to minimize the potential for spread of COVID-19. SBISD now has 81 percent of its students back in class, in person, and schools have been open and operating safely throughout the school year.
Beginning April 12, Spring Branch ISD elementary students will be allowed to play outside at recess without a requirement to wear a mask. (See summary of adjustments below.)
The district will continue to monitor the data and refer to expert guidance and recommendations throughout the spring. Each campus will be required to submit a plan for their spring events for review.
The health and safety of students, their families and teachers and staff remains the highest priority at Spring Branch ISD.
Adjustments to COVID protocols include:
Beginning April 12 – Masks will be optional for elementary school students during outdoor recess activities. Student group meetings, such as student councils, along with student safety patrols, can resume. Masks and social distancing will be required for the indoor student group meetings, and students participating in the outdoor safety patrol activities will be required to wear masks.
Beginning in April and May –Kindergarten, fifth grade and eighth grade graduation ceremonies will be allowed as virtual or outdoors events, limited to one to two classes at a time. Two to four family members and guests will be allowed to attend the outdoor events, depending on the space available at the campus, and masks will be required for all participants and guests.
Beginning in April and May – Traditional activities such as award ceremonies and talent shows may resume as virtual or outdoors events with masks required.
Beginning in April and May – Eighth grade dances may be held outdoors only with masks required. Senior walks, in which graduating seniors visit elementary students to stress the importance of staying in school and graduating, may also resume as outdoor events only with masks required.
May 3-7 – For teacher appreciation week, up to 10 volunteers may be selected to help at a time at each campus with masks required.
May 17-31 – Field day events may be held outdoors only. Up to 10 volunteers may be selected to help at a time. Masks will be optional for children competing in the events; adult staff and volunteers will be required to wear masks.