Eagle Updates
January 3, 2020
School Resumes For Students On Tuesday, January 5th
In this Issue:
- A Message from Mrs. Barry
- Welcome, Ms. Snider!
- January Specials Calendar
- Pre-Kinder Lottery
- Houston Public Library Season's Readings
- School Choice Window
- MWE Calendar of Events
- From the President
- A Special Thank You to Our Sponsors
- MWE Redemption Program
- Have you Bought Your Yearbook? Deadline in January 1st!
District Information
- We're Hiring!
From Mrs. Barry:
I've already shared with you the different types of assessments we use, including MAP, Running Records, PSAs, and more. We use the data from all available sources to determine what strengths and needs your child has. From there, we plan our instruction, intervention, and enrichment.
Tomorrow, the Meadow Wood team will be meeting with district leaders to analyze our reading and math data to best educate your child. By digging deeper and reflecting on our instructional practices, we will be able to provide the differentiated, quality education that you expect from us (and I expect from my staff!). This day of data analysis, goal setting, and planning sets the tone for our upcoming semester, as we continue to focus on growth for all students.
Once again, Happy 2021! Here's to a year of reflection and growth, successes and smiles! Looking forward to seeing our Eagles on Tuesday! Thank for your continuing for all your support as we continue Growing Great Minds at MWE!
Welcome, Ms. Snider!
I am from Houston, TX and grew up in the Spring Branch area. I am so excited to be returning back to teach in the district that I went to for Pre-K through 12th grade. I attended Texas State University after high school and graduated with a degree in Elementary Education in December 2020. This will be my first-year teaching! My passion is teaching students and encouraging them to be curious and eager to learn every day! I strive to make every student feel welcome and safe in our classroom.
January Specials Calendar
Pre-Kinder Lottery
The lottery is for children who live in the home campus attendance area, with priority given to those who have an older sibling attending on the campus for the 2021-2022 school year. After drawing for allotted spaces, any remaining children will be placed on a waiting list.
If selected, parents will come to the home campus to preregister their children anytime between February 1st and February 26th. Parents will be asked to pay the registration fee of $50 at the time of sign up. Parents will officially register their child at MWE beginning April 1st. Tuition is collected on the first of each month in nine installments. Fees are waived for students who are eligible through State criteria.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Snelling at 713-251-6204 or susan.snelling@springbranchisd.com.
Please share this information with your neighbors who do not have Eagles in our nest yet!
Season's Reading with HLP!
1. Visit houstonlibrary.beanstack.org
2. Click the “Register an Individual or Family” button and follow the prompts.
3. Log in anytime to track your reading and virtual program** participation.
4. Unlock virtual badges by logging 20 minutes a day, participating in virtual programs, and reaching your reading goal. Everything you read counts!***
*Prizes available while supplies last.
**Some activities require registration; check our online calendar at www.houstonlibrary.org for details.
***Audiobooks, comic books, magazines, and more — it all counts as reading!
Exams for Acceleration and Credit By Exam
SBISD offers both Exams for Acceleration and Credit by Exam.
Exams for Acceleration (EA) offer students in grades 1-8 the opportunity to advance one grade level by scoring 80% or higher in each of the four required subject areas. Students desiring to advance one grade level will need the signature of their parent/guardian as well as the building principal or designee. Student performance data must be included with the application. Testing is free for all enrolled SBISD students. Kindergarten students are not eligible for testing until the summer prior to the first grade year.
Courses required for acceleration:
Grade Level Math
Grade Level Social Studies
Grade Level Science
Grade Level Language Arts
Study Guides for EA and CBE assessments may be found at the following link. Some exams require reading of novels (ELA), participation logs (PE), or portfolios (Art); those requirements are listed in the study guides. https://highschool.utexas.edu/cbe_study_guides
Credit by Exam (CBE) offers students the opportunity to gain course credit in the subject area(s) being tested. Students who wish to take a Languages Other Than English (LOTE) exam must have completed 7th Grade. CBEs may be taken with or without prior instruction, and testing is free for all enrolled SBISD students. Fall and Spring exams are administered at the student's home campus; summer exams are administered at a location to be announced.
High School courses are tested by semester and most have two semesters. When high school course credit is earned through Credit by Exam, the course and the score of the test are posted to the student’s transcript. However, the score will not impact the student’s Grade Point Average.
For more information, see flyer below or contact Ms. Luberger at lynne.luberger@springbranchsd.com.
School Choice Window
SBISD offers students and their family a wide range of school choices and is committed to preparing students for college and career opportunities after completing high school.
- Choice School Application Window is from Monday, November 9, 2020 through Friday, January 22, 2021.
- The Choice School website is www.springbranchisd.com/choice.
- The complete timeline for Choice is attached.
MWE Calendar of Events
Please note: Every Thursday is T-2-4 Thursday and every Friday is MWE Spirit Day!
January 5
First Day of Spring Semester!
January 8
Report Cards Go Home
January 13
PTA Meeting
January 14
CIT Meeting
January 18
Student/Staff Holiday
From the President
Dear MWE Families,
We hope you had a wonderful break and enjoyed some down time with your families! Thank you all for your support and generosity during this past year, which we know has been challenging for so many! We are grateful for all that you do to support your children and their education.
Thanks to the Chicken Salad Chick for a delicious fundraiser/pop up dinner, and many thanks to Lindsey O'Conor and Ashley Koletar, our Teacher Appreciation volunteers, for sending our teachers a little treat each day on the last week of school. Your unique ideas and thoughtfulness were greatly appreciated.
See below for important announcements and stay tuned for upcoming Spirit Nights at local restaurants!
Take Care,
Catie Winegar
PTA President
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
Dear SBISD Families,
Congratulations on making it to the end of the first semester of what has been an unusual, but wonderful, school year. If this year so far has showed me anything, it is the resilience and Collective Greatness of every single member of the SBISD Family.
During this holiday season, our community has banded together to continue a Spring Branch tradition of generosity and caring for others. I commend every single group and individual who has taken time and effort to give back. Here are a few shining examples.
To continue another tradition of bringing holiday music to our communities, all SBISD Fine Arts Winter Concerts are now available online. Links to the concerts can be viewed on the Fine Arts webpage. The password for each video link is winter.
While typically filled with joy, the holiday season and winter months can also bring unwelcome feelings. You could feel stressed, sad or anxious because holiday plans may look different during the COVID-19 pandemic. Provided here are some resources, including practical tips you can use to minimize the stress that accompanies the holidays.
Lastly, during these two weeks off, I challenge all of our families to take the time to remain engaged with learning, and each other. Here are a few ideas how:
Challenge 1: Winter Break reading challenge
Research shows that reading 20 minutes per day has a tremendous impact. Whether you curl up with a book, read a book out loud with family, or listen to an audio book…just keep reading!
Having trouble finding a book? Visit the recording of a previous Parent U, where we covered unpacking the ReadSBISD Parent Guide. Here, at the 17:38 mark, you will find instructions on how to access a wealth of eBooks.
Challenge 2: Character Strong Family Dares
Take some time during the winter break to grow closer as a family. Character Strong follows the C.A.R.E. Model for their Family Dares, and these Dares include all four components: Conversation Starters, Acts of Kindness, Recreation and Rest, and Expressions of Love.
Conversation starter: No tech table time
Have a no technology dinner night. Have everyone store phones and other distractions away and enjoy a meal or snack together.
Acts of kindness: Kind conference call
Call a family member or friend that, as a family, you haven’t talked to in a while. Try it “out of the blue” and surprise them by having everyone on the line to say hello, catch up, and share why you’ve missed them. If they don’t pick up, leave an epic voicemail filled with some kind words from each person.
Recreation and rest: The collaborative cook
Plan and cook a meal you’ve never tried before as a family. Make sure everyone helps create the meal and then sit and enjoy it together. With how many phases can you involve the whole family? The shopping? The prepping? The cooking? The cleaning? At the end, give yourself a Yelp review by assigning a number of stars and reviewing the atmosphere of the “restaurant.”
Expressions of love: Record of accomplishments
As a family, write down all that you have accomplished together over the last year. Use photos that you’ve printed, documents that you’ve saved, or pictures on your phone as a way to jog your memory and create a one-page paper that represents the highlight reel of the past few months. Take some time to celebrate and be grateful.
Wishing you a safe and relaxing break,
Jennifer Blaine, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools