Mahaffey Happenings
September 2019
Upcoming Dates:
September 3: GT Referral Window Opens (more details below)
September 4: Plaid Percussion and Scottie Choir Info flyer sent home to 4th & 5th graders
September 10 & 12: Plaid Percussion auditions 7:15am (4th & 5th Graders only)
September 13: Spring Creek Athletics-Friday Night Out! Benefits support Mahaffey!
September 16-19: Book Fair in Library! (details and times below)
September 17: Rancho Grande Spirit Night 5:00pm-9:00pm
September 18: Scottie Choir Rehearsals begin
September 19: PTO General Assembly 4:45 (in cafeteria before Open House)
September 19: Fall F.A.M.I.L.Y. Night and Open House 5:00pm-7:30pm
September 19: Running Club Membership and Shirt Sign Up
September 20: Running Club Parent Meeting (New members ONLY) 7:15am in gym
September 27: Let it Ripple Character Day! (details below)
September 27: GT Referral Window Closes (details below)
Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!
Mahaffey Elementary:
@MahaffeyKISD (Twitter)
Mahaffey Elementary School (Facebook)
Mahaffey PTO:
@PTOMahaffey (Twitter)
PTO Mahaffey (Facebook)
GT Referral Information:
The Klein ISD Gifted/Talented referral period will open September 3rd. If you would like to have your student assessed for a need for gifted services, please complete the parent permission to test form at kisd.us/gt. The referral window will close on September 27th and testing will occur on your student’s campus between October 15 and November 15. For more information, please visit the Advanced Academics website at kisd.us/AdvancedAcademics.
F.A.M.I.L.Y. Night!
There will be 6 mini sessions for parents to attend (see image below) to get better acquainted with the things going on at Mahaffey and ways you can support your students and their learning at home. Students are welcome to join and get in on the fun and information.
Parents who attend at least 4 of the 6 sessions of F.A.M.I.L.Y. will be given 1 Parent University credit to count towards graduation.
Remember, 5 credits by mid April will qualify you to be recognized and celebrated at Parent University graduation district wide!
A Message from Mrs. Mason:
I am thrilled to announce that once again, Mahaffey Elementary, received an overall rating of an "A" in our state accountability! Given our complex demographics and wide array of programs that serve our students, this is an amazing accomplishment and a huge testament to living our Mahaffey PLAID core values and our mission to Love EVERY student and Live EVERY value.
We scored very well in the area of closing the achievement gap (98), and received distinctions in academic achievements in math and comparative academic growth. We have set the bar high for ourselves this year and are eager to keep this status of excellence growing!
As we continue to progress into the year, I want to share some initiatives we will be highlighting to keep enhancing and improving:
-We are now a PBIS campus! (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports). We use a dedicated and consistent framework for our teachers and students to implement our Nurtured Heart Approach and Restorative Practices so that learning is our focus and our kids can thrive in an environment where all adults in our system are on the same page. More information on what PBIS looks like at Mahaffey will come later.
-We are diving deep into Personalized Learning! Our teachers are already amazing, and now we are narrowing our laser focus to make sure we are understanding and implementing the 4 tenets of Personalized Learning to engage students in ways that ensure they are meeting at least one years growth!
-Parent University and our Scotties on the MOVE events will continue to be implemented and build our home to school connection. With the generous grant we received last year, we will be adding some amazing resources to these programs. A calendar of our Scotties on the MOVE events and where they will be held will be out soon!
As always, my admin team and I are here to serve and support you. Please don't hesitate to reach out!
Glad to be PLAID,
Holly Mason, Principal
Counselor's Corner:
https://www.letitripple.org/character-day/
Here at school we will have plans and activities to support students in letting their character build and "ripple" through the school to make ourselves, and our community a better place! We encourage you to talk to our student(s) more about it at home and keep the positive self building going well beyond September.
Book Fair!
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! You are invited to join your child and help him/her find the books he/she will enjoy reading.
September 16, 17, 18 (Monday-Wednesday) 8am-3pm September 19 (Thursday): 7am-7pm September 20 8am-1pm
Here are some tips to consider before you visit:
- Take a look at our booklist flyer to see a sample of the great titles that will be available. Many parents find it helpful to make a wish list ahead of time: scholastic.com/bookfairs/books
- Get a jump-start on shopping through our Online Book Fair! Simply find our Fair to get started: scholastic.com/fair
- Check out our Classroom Wish List of books. These are titles that we’d like to add to our class libraries. Refreshing our classroom libraries regularly gives kids a reason to keep reading.
- Download the Book Fairs app to get the latest reading level information, book trailers, podcasts, and more. It’s the perfect shopping companion, and you can also use it to purchase books: scholastic.com/bookfairs/app
Ways to Support Mahaffey:
General Financial Donations Directly to Mahaffey!
-Mahaffey Elementary is always accepting help in the form of money donations. General donations can be sent to Tawny Benoit (tbenoit1@kleinisd.net), Financial Secretary for Mahaffey. If you would like to make an online donation, she can assist you in the process. Cash or check is also accepted. We are a 501(c)(3) organization and can provide you with information to complete on your taxes for claim.
*If you are a business owner, we would LOVE to partner with you!!
Contact Tawny Benoit for ways you can support
Please also connect with our PTO Rresident Tiffany Bumbaugh at tbumbaugh@live.com
-By joining PTO you are not required to physically and formally volunteer, although we would love to have you help in one or more of the MANY ways you can volunteer. You are putting forth fiscal help as well and partnering with our primary community organization that helps bring resources into our school that we might not be able to have otherwise.
Become a WatchDOG Dad Volunteer!
-We love having positive, male role models working with our students and setting great examples in your dedication to education. WatchDOGS can sign up to spend either all day Thursday or Friday here on our campus experiencing many fun activities and helping us make a difference.
Attend Our Events:
-Any time we host an event, try your best to attend. This shows your student that school is an important and welcoming place. Studies have shown, increased attendance at extracurricular and other after school events increase student success and positively influence the home-school connection.
Music News:
Our Scottie Choir will begin on WEDNESDAY, September 18th. Rehearsals will be held in Mrs. Hatley’s room at 7:15 AM.
PLAID Percussion auditions will be September 10th & 12th in Mrs. Harper’s music room, both at 7:15 AM.
Choir and Percussion are available for 4th and 5th Grade students.
Information about Choir registration, and Percussion auditions will be coming home in Wednesday folders on September 4th, and is also available on our website.
You can access our music website through the Mahaffey Home page under “Clubs and Activities.”
Transportation/Attendance Reminders:
Dismissal Notices:
If your child will be going home a different way, please let the FRONT OFFICE and your child's TEACHER know right away. Telling the teacher is wonderful, but sometimes they can't check voicemail or email until it is after school-so your best option is always the main front office.
We ask that you have the call made by 2:30pm. If messages are not cleared or given in time, please know the teachers are trained to send kids home their regular way unless told otherwise by administration. We CANNOT take a child's word for it when it comes to leaving school safely.
Walker/Car Rider reminder:
While we know the line can sometimes be long, please be sure you are not sending your child home a walker but parking in front of the school to bypass our lines. It has been reported that many cars are doing so and obstructing traffic and safety for our students. We ask that you please follow our dismissal procedures, and be courteous of our neighborhood traffic.
Mahaffey Core Values
We believe that our sole purpose is to ensure that all kids leave us with a continued promise in fulfilling their purpose in life. We feel that to accomplish this, students must be given foundational pillars that guide us all in to well-rounded individuals who are capable of anything. When we say we are PLAID, we mean we are/have:
Positive Purpose
Learners Leading
Aspiring Academics
Innovative Ideas
Dedicated Discipline
Clinic Information
Emergency Contact Information is REQUIRED for the nurses office. It is imperative that we be able to contact guardians in the event of your child being sick or in an emergency.
If your child has a temp of 100.0 or higher please keep them home until they are fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing (Tylenol, Motrin) medication.
VISION/HEARING Screening will be performed October 1st-3rd (EC/PK/KINDER/1ST/3RD/5TH), if your child wears glasses or contacts please ensure they have those with them.