News from the Creek
Hippo Nation...Better Together! April 2021
A Note from your CCE Principal
Dear CCES Families--
Spring Cleaning, Spring Forward, Spring Time....Spring is a time for many things! One of my favorite things about spring is the blooming of Texas flowers along our highways and in open spaces! Bluebonnets are only one of the multitude of unique flowers to the state of Texas; there are many others to enjoy and celebrate as we think of spring flowers!
Educators have often been credited with the ability to "plant the seeds of knowledge" in children. If we think of ourselves and our children as seeds, then we understand how important it is to nurture and support the growth of students, each other, and ourselves to ensure success in life.
I shared an article recently with our staff on Horticultural Emotional Wellness Therapy that provided us with 3 key life lessons that we can learn from seeds.
Lesson 1: Vulnerability Happens when You are Safe (You can grow where you are safe, supported, and can allow yourself to lean on others in any condition that surrounds you). Our teachers and staff provide a safe space for students to learn and grow! Thank you for trusting us with your children and their education!
Lesson 2: You’re Best at Being You (No one else does the good that you can do, each of us is meant to do our best with what we have & there is only one of you) Our teachers and staff recognize the beauty that each of our children brings to our campus!
Lesson 3: Growth Requires Change (If you stay the same and do the same...then you are not growing, not being challenged). Our teachers and staff has had to learn to embrace change many times this year and we know that our learning growth produces a great opportunity for your students! Think about all the technology that our students have learned this year! Wow!
My favorite part of the article was:
Whatever relationships and influence you have in other’s lives, be the place where seeds are safe to be planted! Be ready and expectant of big audacious dreams to come from unassuming places and do your best to provide the water, sun, and nutrients for those little seedlings
I can whole-heartedly say that our students are in the BEST hands each day with our staff and teachers! They are master gardeners and provide the best for our students each day! Our job is to work to bring out the best in each student and continue to plant opportunities for learning and success in your child's life! They understand the importance of nurturing the daily lives of our students!
Cottonwood Creek Elementary has the BEST Staff, Students, and Families! We truly are "Better Together"! Our students are "Legendary" at Cottonwood Creek Elementary!
With Hippo Nation in Mind at CCE,
Linda Pachicano
Principal, Cottonwood Creek Elementary
What's happening at The Creek?
Teachers conduct EOY TPRI/TEJAS LEE K - 2 Assessment; IAs - Week 36 Assessment 3 - 5 grades
4/1: PK/K Graduation Pictures @ CCE (See button below for Info)
PTA Event: Music & Motivation @ Fritz Park 5:30 PM Click here to sign up!
4/2: Bad Weather Day/Student & Staff Holiday/Good Friday
4/6 National Assistant Principal's Week! Send Mr. Althoff an email letting him know how much you appreciate his work at our campus! gregory.althoff@huttoisd.net
4/9: WILCO CAC "Play It Safe" presentations at Campus during Specials Rotations; Email Information sent by our HippoWay Committee/Mrs. Kozak to parents
4/20: STAAR 4 Writing In Person/Remote Students Day (Communication shared with all 4th grade parents). Please contact Mr. Althoff @ gregory.althoff@huttoisd.net if you have any questions.
4/22: Earth Day at CCE (More Details to Come from our Events/HippoWay Committee)
PTA General Meeting 5:30-6:30 PM
HISD School Board Meeting 6-9 PM
4/27: STAAR 4 Writing In Person/Remote Students (Make-up Day)
School Bus Driver Appreciation Day; Please give your Friendly Bus Drivers a Big Wave and Thank you!
4/30: Tentative Field Day (More Information will be shared soon)
Week of May 3rd- Teacher Appreciation Week Begins! Be on the lookout for more information from PTA!
Did you miss the PK/K Pictures? Or School Pictures this week? Look for an email blast soon with more information from our photo companies to share!
Reminders from our front office:
* All Elementary Campuses are not accepting outside deliveries for staff and students i.e. lunch boxes, birthday items, snacks, backpacks, donations, flowers/gifts for teachers. Our goal is to practice social distancing and health guidelines and avoid unnecessary exposure to our staff and students.
*If you have a doctor's appointment and need to pick up your child, call the school office to notify them that you will be visiting, drive around the loop of the school and park in the front parking lot, walk up to the front entrance and ring the doorbell to the right on the wall, have your identification ready to show and we will call for your student and escort them to you outside. The office staff will sign them out and then back in when they return.
* Make sure students arrive on time each day, school begins at 7:40. Each day that a student is tardy equals cumulative learning experiences that are missed in the classroom. Students often feel stressed when they don't know what they have missed when they are late, let's help them be successful by getting them to school on time.
* Campuses are still closed to visitors at this time, thank you for supporting us in a million other ways as we hope to get back to a semi-normal visitor policy soon!
Have you Heard of Hazel Health at HISD?
Check your student's grades through Skyward:
Stay abreast of your student's progress by checking Skyward Family Access periodically. Don't remember how to do this?
PTA Supports CCE!
PTA has given back to CCE!
- Hand Sanitizing Stands at every campus entry
- Birthday Pencils & Bookmarks for Students for the year
- Pumpkins for Classroom Carving & Learning Projects
- Goodie Bags for Staff Appreciation
- Playscape Enhancements
- Support with Virtual Events such as Trunk or Treat, etc.
- Time Donation to create a beautiful fence display to welcome our community
- Thanksgiving Table Covers for all our students and staff to enjoy!
- Bus Driver Appreciation Gifts!
- Monthly Staff Treats!
- HippoTickets Prizes for Students!
- Santa Supper Goodie Bags for Students
- Arts/Crafts Items for Christmas Parties
- Supporting with Decorating of the Campus
- Chalk the Walk Event
- Treats for Teacher Appreciation
- February Treat Bags for Staff/Students
- Family Nights i.e Chick-fil-a, Whataburger, MODs, etc
- Fundraiser Planning- "Step-it-Up"
CCE knows that it's PTA supports our campus! We appreciate you, PTA!
If you haven't already joined PTA, it's only $10 to join for the year. If you would like to be part of a PTA committee and help make GREAT things happen at CCE, reach out to cottonwoodcreekpta@gmail.com. We always need support! Thank you!
Our Campus Step-It-Up Fundraiser is an On-Going Success!
We have raised over 11K for this year's fundraiser already! Our school now has over $2300 toward shopping for STEAM resources for our campus! Thank you to all our families supporting our fundraiser this school year! If you haven't yet sent in a donation, there is still time to help our campus! Thank you!!!
Want to be part of our Motivation Tuesday Video for Staff and Students?
Our Counselor has launched "Tuesday Morning Motivation!" at CCE. Students are enjoying these pre-recorded videos to hear a motivational message from our community! Want to be a part of next week's motivation video? Students, Hutto community members, family members, staff, all are welcome to share some positive vibes and messages for the week!!!! Just email valerie.kozak@huttoisd.net or send your motivational video/message through the CCE FB page inbox.
~Mrs.Kozak, school counselor
CCE believes in our students and their potential!
Check us out on Social Media!
Email: cces.secretary@huttoisd.net
Website: http://hipponation.org/cces
Location: 3160 Limmer Loop, Hutto, TX 78634, USA
Phone: 512-759-5430
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CottonwoodCreekElementary/
Twitter: @CCES_HISD