McCall Elementary eNews
April 8, 2016
Greetings, Colt Community!
I want to thank our entire community for the support of our PTA this year. This has been the strongest fundraising year for our school since I have been the principal. I am so proud and excited about how strong our community is growing. What are we doing with all your generosity? Our PTA has funded iPads, which we are awaiting delivery on any day now, and all the field trips your kids have taken this school year. We have exciting projects on the horizon as a result of this strong year. One project that we can announce is a garden! The plans are drawn and the planning has begun! One way that you can further help our efforts is to vote for our garden at the following link: https://www.seedsofchangegrant.com/GalleryDetail.aspx?id=2234 . You can vote once a day from now until April 18th for our school to win a grant that will be used exclusively for our garden. Why do we need more money if we already have some funds for the garden? For example, one expense we did not anticipate was for a water spigot installed closer to our planned area. The estimates for that spigot to be added have come in at $1200.00. So, this new grant will help us make our initial plan of a garden even better! Please help us out and vote.
The Plano ISD School Board has called a bond election for May. I have included some dates at the bottom where you can attend a meeting lead by our very own superintendent, Dr. Brian Binggeli, who will explain all the details of the bonds. Here is a link to the official bond election website: http://www.pisd.edu/2016bond . Please take time to read through the information and familiarize yourself with the needs of the district so that you can be an informed voter in the May election. The bond will impact our students at McCall, so please be sure to review all the information.
Warm Regards,
Stacy Kimbriel
Principal, McCall Elementary
Take our Sons/Daughter to Work: District Notification
April 13, 2016
Dear Parent(s):
In the event your child plans to participate in the “Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day” program on April 28, 2016, we wanted you to be aware of the approach and practice of the Plano Independent School District. Each day a student is not in school the absence results in loss of instructional time and the absence also impacts the budget by resulting in loss of funding.
The Plano Independent School District supports and encourages all students in life choices by providing a wide variety of career education activities throughout the school year. We encourage teachers and principals to involve parents and business leaders in their respective activities. Not only are specific career oriented classes offered, many classes include concepts involving life skills to promote independence within each student. Speakers, both male and female, provide insight by speaking to students in all grade levels. Partnerships between companies and schools provide business role models, tutors, and mentors for students. Building self-esteem in students is a priority. We would welcome your involvement or your company’s involvement in our activities.
The Board and Administration of Plano ISD are committed to the value of instruction in the classroom and to the state attendance requirement of 180 days per year. There are, and will continue to be, numerous requests for students to attend various functions during class time.
The Texas Education Agency recommended that school districts in the area coordinate in developing a common date for Take Your Daughter and Son To Work Day. Therefore, Wednesday, June 8, 2016 has been chosen as a common date to be recognized for the school districts within Region 10 to participate in Take Your Daughters and Sons To Work Day.
Parents who elect to have their student participate on April 28, 2016, must notify the school in writing at least one week in advance of the absence. The student will receive an unexcused absence, but the student will be allowed to make up class work for full credit. However, according to Plano ISD Board Policy EIAB (LOCAL), “Students who do not submit one week in advance a written notice of a planned unexcused absence shall receive a zero for make-up work.”
If you have questions, please call Jeanna Davis at 469-752-8112 or Kathy Venslauskas at 469-752-8105.
Sincerely,
Susan Modisette
Assistant Superintendent
Campus Services
STAAR Testing Dates/Closed Campus Notification
Dear Colt Families,
It is the time of year for the state STAAR testing to begin. The State of Texas has strict standards for testing security on STAAR testing days. As a result, we will be a “closed campus” on all STAAR testing days this spring. A “closed campus” means we will not be able to have any visitors nor volunteers in the building at any time during the school day including lunch. We must observe a closed campus, as we have to move lunch schedules around in order to provide the testing grades with a solid four hours to test before they break for lunch. Unfortunately, this impacts every grade level regardless of their testing status for the day. We appreciate your help and cooperation during the testing season.
Here are the STAAR testing dates that McCall will observe a closed campus:
Monday, May 9, 2016 (3rd/4th/ 5th Math)
Tuesday, May 10, 2016 ( 3rd /4th/5th Grade Reading)
Wednesday, May 11, 2016 (5th Grade Science)
Thank you,
Stacy Kimbriel
Principal
Plano ISD Bond Election Information
2016 Bond Information Meetings to be Hosted by Superintendent at Six High Schools this Spring
Plano ISD community members are invited to attend any of six information meetings to be hosted this spring about the district’s May 7 bond election proposal. Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Binggeli will present information and answer questions. Meetings will be held from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. at the district’s high schools on the following dates:
- April 13 (Wednesday) - Jasper High School (presentation room), 6800 Archgate Drive, Plano, TX 75024
- April 25 (Monday) - Vines High School (presentation room), 1401 Highedge Drive, Plano, TX 75075
- April 28 (Thursday) - Shepton High School (library), 5505 Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75093
About the May 7 Bond Election
On May 7, Collin County voters residing within the Plano ISD attendance zone will be asked to consider a single proposition to provide $481 million toward eight major project areas with no increase to the tax rate. If approved, all Plano ISD campuses will be impacted by district-wide security updates, renovations and facility upgrades, as well as technology improvements. Visit www.pisd.edu/2016bond for more information.
Bond Proposal Resources
Website: www.pisd.edu/2016bond
FAQ: http://www.pisd.edu/news/bond.programs/2016bond/FAQ.shtml
Video: https://youtu.be/kwMOd0qX8-s?list=PLVcNW-DvhSHXldsZ4Ky972k98pN7D3nfI
Presentation: http://www.pisd.edu/news/bond.programs/2016bond/documents/Bond_2016_Presentation.pdfTransfer Information; we hope you don't need it! :)
April 11-14, 2016
Elementary Transfer Online Numbering System for
2016-17 School Year
The Office of Student Administrative Services uses an online numbering system for elementary transfer requests to reduce the need for long lines on the April 18 transfer request day.
Beginning April 11 at 6:30 AM, parents must log onto the Plano ISD website at HTTP://K-12.PISD.EDU/TRANSFER to receive a number that will hold a place in line for requesting a transfer for the 2016-2017 school year. Online access will end April 14 at 5:00 PM.
Transfer day will be Monday, April 18, with doors opening at 7:45 AM at the Plano ISD Administration Building on 2700 W. 15th Street.
For more information regarding the Intra-District transfer process,
please link to http://www.pisd.edu/parents/transfers.
Take Back Day
Drug and Alcohol Prevention Information: “Did You Know”
Did you know approximately 25,00 people overdosed and died from prescription drugs in 2014? You can help keep unused and expired prescriptions from being abused. The DEA holds a drug “take back” day where you simply bring any unused or expired medications to a site and drop it off. It is FREE and it is EASY to do! On April 30, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, you can stop by any collection site nearest you and drop off your medications. There will be sites at PSHS, PESH, PWSH and Clark schools this year. I have included the website if you need a site closer to home.
Please consider cleaning out your medicine cabinets and help us fight the battle of prescription drug abuse. Together, we can make a difference!
Check out the article from the Plano Police Department. https://nextdoor.com/agency-post/tx/plano/plano-police-department/national-drug-take-back-2016-20761427/
Attention: Fourth Grade Families! Want to visit the camp your kids will attend in 5th?
Directions to Collin County Adventure Camp
1180 W Houston St. Anna, TX 75409
• From north on Highway 75 (Central Expressway) take exit # 45 (Bonham exit, 121N) and go north-east.
• Stay to the right on 121N going toward Westminster and Bonham for 10.3 miles.
• Immediately past the restaurant and Direct TV, take a left on Hwy 2862 (north and west) into Westminster for 1.2 miles to the three-way stop.
• You are now in Westminster. Take a left (south) on FM 2862 - the road then veers to the right and is called West Houston St. Drive 7/10th of a mile and on the right you will see a huge wooden Collin County Adventure Camp sign. Turn right onto the camp road to the camp entrance.
• Upon entering camp you will be directed to the dining hall.