Our teachers will be contacting you to schedule beginning of the year parent conferences between now and October 8th. These conferences will give a good snapshot of how your child is doing at the beginning of the year, in their grade level. The teachers have spent most of the last two weeks assessing each child in their individual knowledge of content in the area of reading and math, primarily. The assessment data for teachers on your child truly helps get to know your child's strengths and weaknesses, including the possible impacts of this pandemic over the last year and a half. With this information, it helps guide the teacher through their planning of small group instruction, including intervention and enrichment to meet your child's needs to plan for individual growth.

As this pandemic has created more absences than we are used to for both staff and students, we do continue to thank you for keeping your child home when sick and thank you for your continued encouragement in wearing a mask.

We also want to thank you for your support and assistance while we navigate another extremely difficult year. You are part of our "gears" that help keep our staff and students moving forward in the right direction, as we continue to be "Geared-Up for Success" and you are appreciated!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Price

Parents of students in Grades 2-4:

Your child’s marking period 3 progress report may be viewed in Parent Access from 8th September. Paper copies of the progress reports will not be generated and sent home.

If you have not signed up for a Parent Access account, please visit the Buckalew home page and click on Parent Access tab at the top of the page. Then click on ‘Register’ in the blue box at the bottom of the page. If you have any problems, you may call or email our Technology Help Desk. 936-709-7658, help@conroeisd.net

​In life, there are many things we can't control: the weather, the questions on a test, what are sibling says or does, a parent's job transfer, etc. However, there are three things we can choose to control:

1. Our Words
2. Our Actions
3. Our Attitude
   
   

This month, we will focus on positively controlling our words, actions, and attitude, so we can be healthier, happier people and create a better environment for ourselves and those around us.

Emotional Support Outreach Program

Emotional Support Outreach Program - Spanish

Each year at Buckalew, we teach and recognize great character in our students. The following list highlights our social and emotional learning focuses for this school year.

August I can understand my emotions.

September I can manage my behavior.

October I can be respectful.

November I can be trustworthy.

December I can resolve conflicts.

January I can set goals and achieve them.

February I can be honest.

March I can make wise decisions.

April I can be an upstander.

We are very excited to announce that Buckalew Elementary will join in with other CISD schools and will be offering School Cash Online, which provides you with the convenience of paying online for school items such as trips, Scholastic Magazine subscriptions, and various activities. We really want to save you time when paying for school expenses, so we can’t wait for you to take advantage of this opportunity. School Cash Online is a great way to pay without the need for cash or checks!

Please follow the link below to register online (it takes less than 5 minutes!) Once you have registered your child, you will be able to see when they have a new item posted online for purchase. You also have the option to be notified whenever your child has a new school expense due, so you don’t have to worry about missing the deadline.

To set up an account and explore the system, please follow the instructions below. We look forward to hearing your feedback!

Register Online:

Step 1: Please click on this link: https://conroeisd.schoolcashonline.com/

Step 2: Register by selecting the “Get Started Now” and following the steps.

Step 3: After you receive the confirmation email, select the “click here” option, log in and add each of your children to your household account.

If you have any questions during the registration process or while shopping online, please select the SUPPORT option in the top right-hand area of the screen or you may contact the parent help desk at 1-866-961-1803 or at http://schoolcashonline.co./Home/Support or see the handout below.

CISD-Foldable-Brochure-English.pdf

Currently, in grades 1st-4th, the classes are utilizing Scholastic News and Storyworks Jr magazine subscriptions to read high interest non-fiction texts and to learn about text features and engaging stories and different genres. We thank you in advance for purchasing this wonderful subscription for your child.

For the first time, Buckalew will be collecting money through School Cash Online vs requesting parents send in a check or cash.

Thank you again for your support in our students.

The Buckalew Elementary Student Directory will be coming out in October. In order to receive a directory, please purchase a PTO Membership at www.buckalewspiritstore.com by September 20th. For more information regarding the PTO, go to: www.buckalewbearspto.com.

If you would like to opt-out of being included in the Student Directory, please contact Jessica Courtney at jessicacourtney07@gmail.com. The deadline to opt-out is Monday, September 20th. Thank you!

To make transportation changes, please send a note in your child's backpack to the teacher AND email: buckalewtransportation@conroeisd.net

Thank you for your understanding.

We have 2 great ways to shop the book fair and support our school.

You may shop online at the virtual fair beginning September 12-25. Enjoy hundreds of titles, free shipping on book-only orders of $25.00 or more and 25% of proceeds go directly to our school.

Students may shop in-person at the book fair beginning September 20-24. Students will be able to purchase books from our fair when they come to their library and lab classes during book fair week.

This year our in-person book fair will be a “books only, kids only” fair due social distancing. This will be a “cases only” book fair: posters and school supplies will be offered ONLY through the online virtual book fair.

Scholastic eWallet is an EASY way to have your student shop the in-person fair without them having to carry cash.Previous years eWallets were set up as an "account" and any unused funds on the eWallet fell off the credit card hold at the close of the fair. This year eWallets are charged in full at the time of purchase and any unused funds will be transferred to an eGift card. These eGift cards do NOT expire and can be used to shop online, with book clubs or to fund another eWallet during a future fair.

Click the link below to set up eWallet or to shop virtually!

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/buckalewelemsch1

Our library is buzzing with activity this school year. We've got book fairs planned, MakerSpace centers to challenge our creativity and collaborative activities where we bring in music and art.

If you have an overdue book from last school year, we do ask that you return the book or pay to have the book replaced before your student can check out books this year. You can turn in library books from other CISD schools to Buckalew and we will mail them to the appropriate school.

Buckalew does not charge fines for overdue books, we just want them returned. We do ask that if a book is damaged while checked out to your student, that you cover the cost to replace the book. The books we purchase for our library are special reinforced library binding books designed to withstand hundreds of checkouts; completely different than a hardcover that you would buy at a local bookstore or online.

The most common damage comes from water and pets: we've gone over book care with all students.

The Woodlands Youth Lacrosse is hosting a Try Lacrosse Clinic on September 18th at Alden Bridge Sports Park in The Woodlands from 12 pm – 2 pm. The clinic is free and open to all new players, both boys and girls, grades 1st to 8th. No equipment is required to sign up.

Children are encouraged to bring water bottles each day. Please clearly write your child's name on the bottle with permanent marker.

Lunches/Recess- To begin our year, we have limited our lunches to one grade level at a time eating in the cafeteria together (as opposed to 2 grade levels). This allows us to spread kids out further during lunch with 6-8 students at a table. At this time, this is what our lunch schedule will be for your child to start the year.

K 10:45-11:15

1 11:15-11:45

2 11:45-12:15

3 12:15-12:45

4 12:45 - 1:15

We are working with our students on understanding the lunch-buying process. It can be quite confusing for our elementary students. We are currently speaking with our students and explaining to them, if they bring a lunch, they should eat their lunch before going through the line and purchasing the "free" lunch. For some students, they are eating the "free" lunch and then getting a second lunch, which costs $3.85. As we try and navigate each student through the lunch line, every child has a different need, and we never want to deny students from going through the lunch line. We encourage you to communicate with your child your expectations in either: eating the lunch you are providing/packing; buying the "free" lunch only and going through the line one time; or explaining that if they go through the line a second time, their account is charged $3.85. If you are providing a lunch/snack and want your child to take advantage of the "free" lunch, a note would help the staff on duty make sure your child is eating what you expect, as there are different staff on duty each day. We also encourage you to check your child's account, by going to the link below and you can check and monitor your child's purchase history, including the "free" breakfast or lunch, and if necessary put a limit on the account by contacting our cafeteria directly. It is a blessing that all students are provided a "free" breakfast and/lunch again this year, however it does become confusing for our elementary students.

Breakfast

Meal Includes Entree, Fruit, and 1% or Skim Milk Daily

There is no charge for student breakfast meals during the 21-22 school year

Non-Student Meal/2nd Meal $2.60

Lunch

Meal Includes Entree, Vegetable, Fruit and 1% or Skim Milk Daily

There is no charge for student lunch meals during the 21-22 school year

Non-Student Meal/2nd Meal $3.85

Entree A la Carte $2.25

Fruit/ Vegetable/ Juice/ Bread A la Carte $1.10

Milk A la Carte $.90

If your child will be purchasing a second meal or extra items, you may prepay by using My School Bucks. You will find a link to this service, lunch menus, and other helpful information by clicking on the child nutrition resource button below. If you would like to put a cap on your child's spending on your lunch account, then please notify our cafeteria manager by calling 281-465-3467.

Dreambox for Math can be found on your child's "SSO" and is online and can be done at home, without parent support. We recommend no more than 7 lessons a week at home, independently. Parents assisting their child with Dreambox will alter their path and not provide independent pathways for your child.

Reading either with your child, or your child independently reading is one of the best things you can do with your child in their absence from school. Ask comprehension questions: who, what, where, when, why?

1. Bus rider (eligible if home is 1 mile or further from school) Bus routes are posted online on and you can check the link below in "what bus do I ride". You can also register your child for the bus by clicking the link below.

2. Car Rider Signs. The car rider line will be at the rear of the school and the bus line will be at the front of the school. ALL Parents will receive TWO car rider signs (orange) at Meet the Teacher night. If you have multiple children, you family car rider signs will be found in your youngest child's homeroom. Please display the car rider sign in your front passenger window so our staff can read your card. See below to help you navigate our car rider line if you are new.

3. Day Care. Day care vehicles drop off and pick up students in the front of the school with the buses. If your child will not be riding the day care bus due to an early pick-up or transportation change, please notify the day care so they know your child will not be riding that day.

4. Biker/Walker. Kindergarten students must have a parent/guardian/designated adult present at the Biker Walker doors (under the patio) at dismissal in order to walk or bike home. Our Biker Walkers will exit the school near the bike racks. All other biker/walkers are released at dismissal to ride or walk home independently.

On severe weather dismissal days, students will not walk or bike ride home. If your child is a biker/walker as your primary mode, then you will be a car rider on severe weather days.