Sem Connection
January 8, 2021
Sem Elementary
Email: sem@friscoisd.org
Website: http://schools.friscoisd.org/campus/elementary/sem/home
Phone: 469.633.3575
Facebook: facebook.com/SemElem2019
Twitter: @SemElementary
From Principal Mira and Mrs. Collins
Welcome back! Getting back into our regular routines can be difficult after a long break, but the sooner students get back in the grove, the more successful they will be.
- Routines help children feel safe, develop life skills, and build healthy habits.
- Routines help students feel organized, reduce stress, and find time for enjoyable activities.
- Good routines are well planned, regular, and predictable.
As a campus, our goal is for all students to grow and develop into voracious readers. In the quest to build capable readers, promoting independent, self-selected reading remains key. We want kids to read more. We want them to enjoy reading. We know that reading builds vocabulary, fluency, and background knowledge. As a result, students will become more engaged, because they will be excited to share their learning. Engagement increases. Children who connect with meaningful reading materials experience greater reading achievement. Creating ravenous, lifelong readers doesn’t just happen, it takes a school-wide culture to help reach that goal.
Our in-person learners have book boxes with a variety of books for them to read during independent reading time. We want to extend the same opportunity for our virtual academy students. In the coming days, our virtual academy teachers will be sharing their plans to get physical books in your virtual learners hands! We couldn't be more excited!
Our school wide effort to develop Future-Ready Learners begins with the basic foundation of developing life-long independent readers.
Sincerely,
Principal Mira and Mrs. Collins
Future Maus Middle School Students!
We are very excited to have you join us at Maus Middle School next year! As your child begins to make their elective choice for 6th grade, we wanted to send you some information about the Maus Band and our instrument try out days coming up (both virtual and face to face options available). Please read through the information and reach out to Mrs. Lewis for more information at lewisk@friscoisd.org. You can also read more at mausband.com.
Want to learn more about the Maus Band?
Step 1: Check out our Bitmoji classroom with LIVE links for all things BAND! We LOVE to show off all our students and talents on our Facebook page!
Step 2: Learn about band instruments and listen to videos in these slides!
- Try to pick some of your favorites that you would like to try at one of our “Meet the Band” tryouts - or you can try them ALL!
Step 3: Thurs, January 14: “Learn about Maus Band” on Zoom @ 6:30 PM
- If possible, please attend a brief Info meeting (30 mins) about band in 6th grade! Learn how we will try out instruments this year (in-person and virtual options), more about instruments offered, percussion tryouts, private lessons, parent questions, and a game with PRIZES!
- Zoom ID: 896-310-0723, password: covidchamp - click for a direct link
Step 4: Attend one of our “Meet the Band” tryouts (f2f & virtual options)
Sign up for your appointment here
Wed, January 20 (virtual)
Thurs, January 21 (f2f)
Wed, January 27 (virtual)
Thurs, January 28 (f2f)
Saturday, January 30 (f2f)
*We will add more options as needed
We hope to meet you all soon so you can try all the band instruments and learn more about why the Maus Band Family is the Best! Have a wonderful week!
Sincerely-
Katie Lewis, Lauren Solano, Thomas Brink and Ronnie Ivy (the Maus Band Staff)
mausband.com
Free-to-go-Meals
Sign up now for free to-go meals in the third nine weeks. The sign-up form is now available to pick-up meals at no cost for the third nine weeks of school. The first distribution day will be Thursday, Jan. 7 - March 19.
Enrolled Frisco ISD students participating in Virtual Academy and non-Frisco ISD children 18 years old and younger are eligible to participate. Five days’ worth of breakfast and lunch is distributed once a week at one of the District’s drive-thru locations. Sign up here.
Please note: Because students have the option to switch to on-campus instruction after each grading period, families who wish to continue to pick-up meals must complete a separate sign-up form for each grading period. That means families who have been participating should sign up again to continue receiving meals.
Students attending face-to-face instruction receive their free meals at the campus when they select a complete meal, which includes a fruit or vegetable. Per USDA regulations, each student/child is allowed only one free breakfast and one lunch per day, so to-go meals may not be picked up by parents of students who are already receiving free meals in the school cafeteria.
Frisco ISD utilizes the School Messenger text messaging service on a limited basis to communicate timely information such as school closures/delays. Not sure if you are signed up? Opt in by texting “Y” or “Yes” to 67587. This system is maintained separately from Remind, which many teachers and coaches use to text message students and parents.
Counselor's Corner
Resources from Mrs. Jones
News from Nurse Madden
Masks are required for all students and staff during arrival, dismissal, and transitions within the school. Staff members have to wear masks the entire day, as well as our 3rd-5th grade students (unless they are eating or engaging in extreme physical activities). K-2nd grade students do not have to wear a mask when in the classroom, but all students are socially distant in their classrooms.
Please see the attached document to learn which type of mask is best.
Library Updates from Mrs. Price
The Pulse of the PTA
Sem Families,
Season's Greetings from Sem PTA. We hope everyone has a joyous holiday break. Please enjoy the December edition of The Pulse of PTA. Classes resume on Tuesday, January 5th.
Stay Safe and Healthy - Sem PTA
Reminders
- Student lunch: Please continue sending your child with lunch every morning. We do not have the lunch boxes outside this year.
- School Internet is Down: If the school internet is down, we will attempt to send a message via Facebook, Twitter or school messenger. Students should continue to work on asynchronous activities until we are able to get back online.
- School Drills: During a school drill, all instruction stops. Teachers are not aware of when these drills will occur, but if they are on Zoom, they will notify the class. Instruction will resume at the conclusion of the drill.
- Unable to Connect to Zoom: Email the teacher and let them know that you are having difficulties accessing the class. If this is an ongoing problem, it might be your internet connection.
- Home Internet is Down: If your home internet is not working, if possible, notify your child's teacher via email or by calling the school. Your child will not be penalized.
- Carpool: Parents need to stay inside their car during morning drop off and after school pick up. If your child needs assistance, please pull to the side and allow traffic to flow.
- PTA: Join the PTA, because we are stronger together.
- Virtual Students: Please make sure your Virtual Academy student is completing 1 art, 1 music, and 3 PE assignments during specials time each week. The skills we are practicing and assessing are compounding and built upon each week. If a student misses an assignment, it will make future assignments harder to understand and complete. When your student returns to face to face learning, they will be behind if they have not been keeping up with specials assignments. Specials assignments are graded with an S for Satisfactory work (turned in on time and understanding is shown) or a U for Unsatisfactory work (not submitted and directions are not followed or completed).
Important Links
Important Resource Links
At Home Technology Information
Informational Links Related to COVID
Zoom Updates
If your student is having trouble with Zoom, the application may need to be updated. In order to update, open your zoom app and click the icon at the top right
Click Check for Updates and it should automatically start downloading the update
Once it's finished downloading click the BLUE UPDATE button and zoom will finish updating!
Here is a link for more information on updating: https://support.zoom.us/hc/en-us/articles/201362233-Upgrade-update-to-the-latest-version
They Can Do It!!!
If you need to conference with the teacher, please send an email to schedule an appointment.
Our teachers need to see what your child can do independently. Please let your child's teacher correct the work and provide feedback.
Student Absences and Attendance
School starts at 7:45 am. Tardies will be counted for students arriving after 7:45 am.
School ends at 3:05 pm.
We will no longer accept paper notes from the doctor. Any notes or letters will need to be uploaded to the "Report the Absence" tab on the Sem website.
The complete Attendance Procedures are attached.
Grading Policy
Guidelines for Grading
- Grades reflect the student’s relative mastery of an assignment.
- A sufficient number of grades are taken to support the grade average assigned.
- The District shall permit a student who meets the criteria detailed in the grading guidelines a reasonable opportunity to redo an assignment or retake a test for which the student received a failing grade.
Elementary Tutorial
Guardian & child must be present
You must be in your FISD email/google**
Get Connected!!!
Facebook: facebook.com/SemElem2019
Twitter: @SemElementary
Sem PTA:
Facebook: Sem Elementary PTA
Twitter: @pts_sem
Instagram: SemElementaryPTA
Together WE ARE Stronger!