Lake Pointe Elementary
Principal's Newsletter: Monday, April 13, 2020
Dear Lake Pointe Elementary School Parents,
I am hopeful this email finds you well! I have missed you and your children immensely. I love popping into Office Hours to share a favorite book, my rose arrangements from my garden, eat lunch, show our dog, Leroy, and catch up on the fun our students are having. Thank you for sharing your children with us each week and for staying connected with us!
I recently read an article asking, "Are teachers okay?" The answer is, no, we are not okay. We miss you, we miss the energy and sunshine your child(ren) brings to us, we miss car duty, we miss collegiality, we miss hugs, fist bumps, connections! We stay up at night worrying about our kids, we wake up wishing we were selecting a wardrobe sure to inspire kids in the day, and we spend our days wishing we could do more. We are creators, givers, multi-taskers, life-changers, lovers of little humans. While the days are long and tiring for you, please know you have a staff full of people who miss your child. We are Eagles!
For registration questions, email LPE's Registrar, Rose Decaro, at decaror@ltisdschools.org
Parent Input for Classroom Placement 2020-21
Requests for specific teachers will not be considered.
Resources from our Counselor
Greetings from the Counselor!
I am greatly missing LPE and seeing the kids each and every day! The adjustment to online learning is not an easy one. I want you to know I am still available to support our students and families during this time of remote learning. Please feel free to reach out to me as needed. Below are some resources for you and your students to utilize. I hope that you find them useful and know that we are here to support you.
Maddie Wright
School Counselor
Resources from our Librarian
Our amazing school Librarian, Deborah Foster, with other LTISD elementary district librarians, have created a Schoology group which contains books, stories, resources, links, and more in every subject area. Your child has been added as a member of this group.
To reach the library group, after logging into Schoology using your child's login, please click the "GROUPS" tab at the top of the page and select "LTISD Elementary Libraries Online".
Order your 2020 Yearbook!
Arrangements are being made for yearbook distribution.
COMING SOON...virtual orientation information for NEW incoming parents and/or students to Lake Pointe Elementary!
Looking ahead...
The first day of school is Wednesday, August 19th. Confirmed dates and information for back to school events will be published to you at the beginning of August 2020. For now, here is a drafted timeline of information specific to Lake Pointe Elementary:
Back to School Bash
Save the Date for Tuesday, August 11th!
As of now, I am planning an event to be hosted at the LPE playground that consists of the following:
- 8:30am - The 5th grade class of 2020 (students, parents, family, and friends) will visit LPE to "Walk the Halls" with us. We will have Lightning, our staff, Pomp and Circumstance, and our traditional walking of the halls for their last time as Eagles.
- 9am - Ribbon cutting of our new large K-5 playground
- 9:15am to 1pm - A back to school "Splash Bash" on our field for our class of 2020 5th graders, students, new students, and new communities joining us from The Homestead and Falconhead West, and our parents/families.
Teacher Placement Emails:
Teacher placement emails will be sent Monday, August 17th at 4PM. Check your email around 4pm that day for an email from Mrs. Freed with your child’s teacher assignment for the 2020-21 school year. Parents with multiple children in a grade level will receive an email after the initial email to specify the teacher each child is with.
Teachers will follow Mrs. Freed's email with a separate email to the homeroom class sharing important information about the teacher, classroom procedures, and what to bring for a positive start on the first day of school.
Please know that requests for classroom changes will not be considered.Thank you in advance for your support with this.
Meet the Teacher:
Join us at LPE on Tuesday, August 18th to meet your teacher for the new school year! School supplies that were pre-ordered online will be waiting in the classroom for you. Students who purchased school supplies can bring the supplies to the classroom on Meet the Teacher. Students will visit the classroom and meet the teacher at the times listed below.
PreK & Kinder: 9-9:30
1st: 9:45 - 10:15
2nd: 10:30 - 11:00
3rd: 11:15 - 11:45
4th: 12:00-12:30
5th: 12:45 - 1:15
Doors will open at 8:50 for our PreK and Kindergarten students.
We will have a variety of stations for you to visit to help create a smooth transition on the first day of school. Plan to visit the following stations:
- SMARTtag: Designate your child's dismissal routine for the first day of school, first week, and rest of the year.
- Raptor: All visitors to campus are required to check in through the front office and obtain a visitor's badge through our Raptor system (not required to come through on Meet the Teacher). We experience a high volume of visitors on the first day of school. To help ease the congestion and expedite your entry, we will provide wristbands for visitors who are active in Raptor. At Meet the Teacher, stop by the front office to ensure you are active in our Raptor system. You will receive a wristband to use as a sort of "fast pass" on the first day. You can also obtain a wristband for family members not in attendance at Meet the Teacher who are active in Raptor and plan to visit on the first day of school.
- Car Riders: Visit our car rider table to obtain your sign to display on the dash of your car for an efficient pickup.
- PTO Volunteer Opportunities: Meet our PTO Board and committee chairs who need your help this year! Sign up to assist with the following volunteer opportunities: Membership, Communications (marquee), Fundraising, Staff Appreciation, Carnival, Eagle Affair, Father/Daughter Dance, Mother/Son Kickball, Talent Show, Family Science Night, Career Day, Lightning , Outdoor Garden, Spanish Program. We could not do all of this without you!
First Day of School:
The first day of school is Wednesday, August 19th. All students will report to their homeroom for the first three days. Parents entering campus who do not have a wristband need to plan ahead and Raptor in through the front office. Front doors and office will open at 7:20am. New parents to Lake Pointe, join me for a Principal’s Coffee in the Library at 8am. I will highlight some of the information presented on our virtual orientation.
School Hours:
Class Start Time: 7:40am
Dismissal Time: 3:00pm
Doors to LPE open at 7:20am. After the first three days of school, students dropped off before 7:35am should enter through the gate to the side doors to the gym and report immediately to the gym. After 7:35, students should enter through the front office and report immediately to the classroom. Students who arrive after the 7:40 bell are tardy. Students will need to sign in at the front office and receive a tardy slip to give to their teacher.
Arrival & Departure Routines:
Bus Transportation Information:
At this time, limited busing will be offered to Lake Pointe Elementary for the 2020-21 school year. For more information, call Transportation at (512) 533-6070. Bus routes and estimated morning pick-up times can be found on the district website.
Students currently enrolled for transportation services have been provided with a SMART tag ID badge. Bus riders will receive their SMART tag ID badge in their homeroom on the first day of school. Please note, a SMART tag ID badge is required each time your child enters and exits the bus. However, rest assured, our drivers will not deny any student of transportation services if the student does not have his/her badge present at boarding time. Information on how to obtain a replacement badge is detailed in our 'Frequently Asked Questions' posted under the 'SMART tag' section on the district’s transportation site.
The SMART tag system also offers parents a bus tracking feature through a secure Parent Portal. Parents can register to receive ‘SMART Alert’ text messages notifying them their child is 10-15 minutes from his/her bus stop. The portal may be accessed from any device with a web browser. Parents can also add or remove guardians authorized to pick up their child at school through the Parent Portal.
Parents or a designee must be at the bus stop to receive K thru 2nd grade students. If no one is there to receive the student, the student will be returned to the campus. It is the responsibility of the parent to see that the students who are returned to the school are picked up. Students returned more than three times a semester will have their riding privileges suspended.
We know you will have questions about the SMART tag system. Should you have any questions or concerns about the SMART tag system not addressed on our website, please contact the Lake Travis ISD Transportation Department at 512-533-6070, or via email at davisr@ltisdschools.org.
Communicating with the School:
Communication is a top priority for the LPE community. For classroom concerns, please begin by speaking directly to the teacher. Teachers have limited phone and email access while they are with your child. Our standard response time is within 24 hours. If a concern requires immediate attention from a campus administrator, contact assistant principal, Makram El-Hassan (Mr. Mak) at elhassanm@ltisdschools.org or counselor Maddie Wright at wrightma@ltisdschools.org When scheduling a meeting with Mrs. Freed, contact administrative assistant, Jan Stanger, at stangerj@ltisdschools.org.
Mrs. Freed
Principal
Mr. Mak
Assistant Principal
Mrs.Wright
Counselor
Campus Visits
When visiting LPE, extend a warm welcome to our front desk receptionist, Joan Kothe! When visiting campus, have the following items readily available:
- Driver's License or Identification Card
- Purpose of visit
- Length of visit
- Destination(s) on campus
Visitors, other than a student’s parent or legal guardian, must have the written permission of the parent or legal guardian before they will be allowed to visit a student at school. For the safety of those within the school and to avoid disruption of instructional
time, all visitors must first report to the campus main office. All visitors must sign in using the district’s Raptor system. After checking in, visitors will be given a badge to wear throughout the duration of the visit. Badges must be worn visibly on the shirt. Badges should be returned to the office when the visitor signs out.
- Visitations are limited to areas approved during check-in.
- School-age friends or relatives of district students may visit only at lunch times and with the parent of the LTISD student. Guests are not permitted to shadow LTISD students during the instructional day.
- All visitors are expected to demonstrate the highest standards of courtesy and conduct. Disruptive behavior will not be permitted.
Lunch Information, Restrictions and Schedules:
Student lunches will be offered each day for students who wish to purchase a school lunch. Students who bring a lunch may purchase a drink or snack a la carte through the lunch line. The Federal Lunch Program forms are available online here. Lunch accounts can be set up online at the “Online Meals Prepay” link. It is suggested that all students have an account with a few days credit on it in case lunches or money are misplaced or forgotten. Please visit the Lake Pointe website to access the district’s Food and Nutrition (FANS) website to add money to your child’s lunch account, view your child’s purchases, access the daily menu, and to set restrictions for your child’s lunch. It is not permissible for the cafeteria and school staff to restrict your child’s purchases. Please take the time to review the FANS site and establish your child’s lunch account.
There is a section reserved at each table for students with food allergies. Students may invite a friend from class to sit in the reserved section during lunch.
Please note that your visit to lunch is time to spend with your child. Food may not be brought and shared with other children. For your convenience, we have cafeteria monitors who will assist the children in the cafeteria. Please report any concerns to the monitors at the end of the lunch period.
Students enjoy 30 minutes of recess each day. This is valuable time for your child to socialize and play with others. Parents are not allowed on the playground during recess.
We ask parents to begin visiting for lunch after the first two weeks of school. The first two weeks are spent with our staff assisting students with lunch account information, seats in the cafeteria, lunchroom etiquette, and arrival and dismissal routines. This time is sacred for us to establish routines in the lunchroom. After the second week of school, we welcome parents to visit their child at lunch (times will be posted soon!).
Medication with the Nurse:
Birthday Recognitions
Food Allergy Management Plan (FAMP)
As teachers and staff begin to prepare our classrooms for another great year of learning and teaching, student wellness and safety are at the forefront of our efforts.
A state law passed in 2011 requires school districts to adopt and administer a policy for the care of students with diagnosed food allergies at risk for anaphylaxis. In response, Lake Travis ISD developed a comprehensive Food Allergy Management Plan which is implemented annually in various environments throughout our campus. Our Food Allergy Management Plan has been in place for several years. However, beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, additional measures will be implemented to best support students and reduce the risk of exposure to common food allergies. These include:
Birthdays will no longer be celebrated in the classroom with food. Students celebrating a birthday will receive a coupon for a treat to be redeemed at our school café. Parents, grandparents and other family members are welcome to join their child for lunch. Students whose birthdays occur on a non-instructional day will receive their coupon on the next available instructional day.
On designated ‘party days’ (winter party, end of year, etc), the following general procedures will be implemented in classrooms where one or more students have been identified as having a severe food allergy:
- Food brought into the classroom must be store-bought or purchased from the LTISD Food and Nutrition Services Department. Other than fruits and vegetables, food must be delivered to the classroom in its original packaging.
- Teachers and/or paraprofessionals assigned to the classroom will monitor the food brought in by students/parents for the identified allergen. Students/parents will not be allowed to bring in food with the identified allergen listed as an ingredient.
- To review the District’s Food Allergy Management Plan in its entirety, please visit our Food and Nutrition Services Department website.
We are excited to implement these important measures that will best support our students.
Join LPE PTO
Furthermore, no school can accomplish what we do without the help and support of our parents, volunteers, and mentors. Our PTO is extremely involved and dedicated to helping our students and campus thrive.
Kelly Freed
Email: freedk@ltisdschools.org
Website: https://www.ltisdschools.org/LPE
Location: 11801 Sonoma Drive, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: (512)533-6500
Twitter: @LPEkfreed