The Lake Ridge Bridge

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Dear Parents and Guardian,

It's hard to believe, but we are on Week #9 of the school year.

Last week, we had our first Awards Ceremony of the school year. Many scholars received certificates for the honor roll, perfect attendance, and good citizenship. Remember that at the end of each marking period, there will be an awards ceremony. We hope more scholars receive recognition for academic excellence, citizenship, and attendance.

This week, we will have Fall Parent Conferences. Many teachers have already begun to schedule them. The district provides the following dates for conferences: Thursday, 10/13(4:00pm-8:00pm) and Friday, 10/14 (8:00am-12:00pm).

There is no school on Friday (10/14) nor Monday (10/17). October 17th is Fair Day. Scholars will receive their Fair tickets this week.

We have an upcoming Bond and VATRE election. Please see below for more information.

CHISD will have one proposition for the VATRE and three propositions for the bond election on the November 8 ballot. Are you registered to vote? Register to vote by October 11 to cast your ballot in the November CHISD elections. Visit dallascountyvotes.org to get started.

Helpful Links

Dallas County Votes website

Bond/VATRE Election Website (chisd.net/election2022)

Theme Days will continue.

• Mathematics Monday
• Teacher Tuesday (This week's focus is Revising and Editing.)
• Workout Wednesday (No gym shorts please.)
• Therapeutic Thursday (The focus is on being calm using different breathing techniques.)

Scholars are expected to be in school uniform daily unless they have perfect attendance from the previous week. If they meet this criterion, then your child/children can have free dress on the following Monday. The other time uniforms will not be a requirement is on Workout Wednesdays and on Fridays for Spirit Day.

Don't forget about signing up for PTA. We want and need your help. Please see the following information for PTA Membership: https://linktr.ee/lakeridgepta. If you have any questions about the PTA Membership, please contact our PTA President, Mrs. Phillips at lakeridgeelempta@gmail.com.

Make sure that your child brings their Google Chromebook charged daily. Most scholars will have assignments in Schoology as the year progresses.

Below are a few reminders:

• To ensure that we continue to have safe arrival and dismissal procedures:
• Don't park your car in the car lanes for morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up.
• Don't pull your car in front of the buses in the morning during drop-off.
• Don't create a drop-off lane during morning arrival.
• Please be patient during car-rider arrival and dismissal. Don't get out of your car to pick-up your child/children.
• Notify the office by 3:20 p.m., if you are picking up your child early. Otherwise, the dismissal time is 3:35 p.m.
• The office is extremely busy during dismissal. Therefore, if you do not contact the office by 3:20 p.m. for early pick-up, you will have to wait until 3:50 p.m. unless it is an emergency.
• Please be patient with transportation.
• The free lunch program has expired. With that being said, please make sure to fill out a lunch application whether you qualify or not. This impacts our school accountability. The links are: https://www.chisd.net/Page/101 and https://frapps.horizonsolana.com/welcome
• Transportation information can be found at the link below. Don't forget to register your child if he/she will ride the school bus.
• Transportation / Transportation Home (chisd.net)
• ZPASS cards were passed out on September 6th to our bus riders. Parents may begin downloading the SafeStop app (Transportation / SafeStop App (chisd.net)), which allows you to track your child/children each time your child boards and exits the bus, as well as the location. After September 6th, scholars will not be able to board the bus without their ZPASS card. Please check the FAQ page for instructions on how to obtain a replacement card. If a scholar misplaces their ZPASS card, until a new one is purchased and issued, scholars must obtain a Temporary Scholar Bus Pass. After 30 days, the Temporary Scholar Bus Pass cannot be renewed if given due to a misplaced ZPASS card. More information about transportation and the ZPASS can be found below.

Thank you all for supporting Lake Ridge Elementary scholars and staff.

Always remember that "The Race for Excellence has No Finish Line."

Principal Dr. Washington

#LRENoFinishLine

#LakeRidgeNation

#LakeRidgeMontessori

#GraceChangesEverything

Some of you may not be aware, but Mrs. Johnson's last day was Friday. We will miss her. However, she received a wonderful central office opportunity to advance her career. Currently, we are interviewing for the position. Until a replacement is found, we have Mr. Coit, our Restorative Aide that works closely with your children to support them with social and emotional needs. And I along with Mrs. Brown, are here to support your children.

Tips for Managing Back to School Stress

The beginning of the school year is an exciting time for scholars, but it can also be a stressful time for parents. Here are a few suggestions from the experts to help manage back to school stress. Click here for parent tips and sign up for monthly newsletters.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated September 15 – October 15. It is a time to honor the contributions, achievements, culture, and history of Hispanic Americans. In 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared Hispanic Heritage Week and in 1988, President Ronald Reagan extended the commemoration for one month to include all Latin and Central American countries. Please check out the LRE Guidance Office for Hispanic Heritage Month activities, live events, and a virtual tour of the Smithsonian Latin Center.

Restorative Aide: Christopher.Coit@chisd.net

Parents may begin downloading the SafeStop app, which allows you to track your child each time your child boards and exits the bus, as well as the location.

Students will purchase replacement cards through the MyPaymentPlus app. Once Transportation receives payment, a new card will be issued to the school, who in return, will distribute it to the student. If a scholar misplaces their ZPASS card, until a new one is purchased and issued, scholars must obtain a Temporary Scholar Bus Pass, which is issued from the campus. After 30 days, the Temporary Scholar Bus Pass cannot be renewed, if given due to a misplaced ZPASS card.

Helpful Links:

ZPASS FAQ

Transportation website

Morning Arrival Procedures:

• Doors open daily at 7:45 a.m.

• Scholars arriving by bus will enter through Door #14.

• Scholars in Pre-K & their siblings will enter through Door #12.

• Scholars in ECSE/SKILL & their siblings will enter through Door #11.

• All other scholars (car riders and walkers), will enter through Door #1/Main Entrance.
  

• Vehicles may enter the school driveway via the back/second driveway that runs behind the building and form one line.
• Only those going to the Main Office or dropping off with the classes indicated for Door #11 and Door #12 should enter the main driveway.

• Parents should follow the arrows that indicate the flow of traffic and drop off only in the lane next to the sidewalk. Children should not be dropped off in the center lane to ensure safety.

• Walkers should not be dropped off via car. To be a walker, that means the scholar walks to the campus from his/her residence.

After the first day of school, parents will not be able to walk their children to their classrooms. All parents & visitors must report directly to the Main Office.

Dismissal Procedures:

• Dismissal occurs daily at 3:35 p.m.

• Scholars in Pre-K & their siblings will exit through Door #12.

• Scholars in SKILL & their siblings will exit through Door #11.

• Scholars who ride the bus or walk home will exit through Door #14.

• Scholars picked up via Private Daycare transportation will exit through Door #1.

• Scholars who are picked up by car will exit through Door #5 (remain in cafeteria until called).

  • Parents may enter the school driveway via the back/second driveway that runs behind the building and form one line.

  • As the cars approach the pick-up area, the scholars will be called outside and will wait for a faculty member to load them into the cars.

  • Anyone picking up a scholar must have the color-coded card prominently displayed. If the card is not present, then the scholars(s) will be sent to the front office, and the driver will need to show proper identification.

  • Parents, please stay in your car at all times. Children will not be released if a parent walks up to the cafeteria door.

• Only those going to the Main Office for appointments or picking up with the classes indicated for Door #11 and Door #12 should enter the main driveway.

• If there is a change in how a scholar regularly gets home, please call the Main Office or email Dr. Washington, Ms. Vance or Ms. Cooke by 2:00 p.m. This will help avoid confusion.

• The latest time to check a scholar out via the Main Office is 3:20 p.m. After that time, please wait until the regularly scheduled dismissal.

• If your child is in Right at School, remember that checkout begins after 4:00 p.m.; that occurs at Door #5.

• Walkers should not be picked up via car. To be a walker, that means the scholar walks to his/her residence from the campus.

The picture below shows how to properly place your car tag(s) for dismissal:

Driveway #1: Yellow

Driveway #2: Orange

K-5: Green Line (morning arrival=Door #1; dismissal=door #5)

ECSE/PK/SKILL: Blue Line

Main Office/Parking: Red Line

If you would like to recognize your child at school on his/her birthday that falls on a school day, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher so that he/she can notify the office. On your child's birthday, you may drop off store bought cupcakes or packaged fruit and individual juice/water at the time indicated by the teacher if you have communicated with the teacher. If your child's birthday falls on a weekend or on a non-school day for students, no alternate arrangements will be made.

Arrangements should be made prior to the child's birthday so that the teacher can verify that it will not interrupt scheduled class activities.

Montessori

Birthdays in Montessori Primary and Lower Elementary are generally celebrated with an activity called "Walk Around the Sun". Each classroom, including Upper Elementary, has their own way of celebrating birthdays which is communicated by the classroom teacher.

CHISD C.A.R.E.S

Unfortunately, there are times when a member of the Longhorn Family experiences a death. Employees, or families of scholars or former CHISD employees who wish to share the information are asked to complete the CHISD CARES (Cares About Retirees Employees & Scholars) form. The CHISD Communications Office handles all CHISD C.A.R.E.S submissions and shares the information via email to all staff. C.A.R.E.S notifications will be sent out by the end of the day that the form was received; if the submission is received after 2:30 p.m. it might not be sent out until the following business day.

The C.A.R.E.S form is available on the communications page of chisd.net. Here is a direct link.

CHISD KUDOS

The CHISD Communications Department loves to share the positive experiences and interactions happening across the district.

If you want to share some kudos for a parent, employee or scholar who exhibits the Longhorn Essentials, please email a description/information to webmaster@chisd.net and you might see your kudos on one of the district’s social media accounts.

• October 13 (4:00pm-8:00pm)-14 (8:00am-12:00pm): Parent Teacher Conferences.
  
• October 14: No School (Parent Teacher Conferences)
• October 17: No School/Fair Day
• October 26: Principal's Virtual Town Hall Meeting 6:00 pm-7:00 pm
  
• October 27: STEM Night 6:00 pm-7:30 pm
• October 28: Trunk or Treat

Email: emily.washington@chisd.net
Website: http://www.chisd.net/lre
Location: 1020 Lake Ridge Parkway, Cedar Hill, TX, United States
Phone: (972) 293-4501
Twitter: @LRELonghorns