White Rock Elementary
Principal Update 9/10/18
Rainy Day Dismissal
Rainy Day Dismissal
We will do Rainy Day Dismissal on days that it is raining during dismissal. Your visual will be that you will not see teachers and students gathered outside on the green space. The only group this will impact are Walkers.
Walkers
Staff and children will remain inside and exit through our temporary office doors. Teachers will call for your students and send them out as they verify parents/ guardians. Parents/ guardians - you will need to get closer to the front office doors verses were you typically stand (close to Chiswell). Please remain on the greenspace until we connect you with your child. Once you have your child, you can walk down the sidewalk to exit school grounds.
True Walkers
No changes with dismissal procedures.
Car Riders
No changes with dismissal procedures.
If your child has a change with their dismissal procedure, please notify the front office before 10:00 am the day of the change. This will give the office sufficient time to inform your child’s teacher and keep the dismissal process as smooth as possible. We will send an updated arrival/dismissal image later this week that includes the temporary lane change & pedestrian area.
3rd-6th Grade iPad Rollout
As communicated last year, during the 2018-2019 school year, White Rock Elementary will provide each student in grades Kindergarten-6th grade an iPad. Our mission for the 1:1 program is to create a collaborative learning environment through the utilization of district-approved technology for all students. This environment will enable and support students and staff to implement transformative uses of technology while enhancing students’ engagement with content and promoting the development of self-directed, responsible lifelong learners and users. The device will provide each student access to educational materials needed for achievement during the school year. The iPad will allow student access to the Google Classroom, ClassLink, and other web-based educational tools required by the curriculum. Our goal at WRE is to transition students from consumers of information to creative producers and owners of knowledge.
The most critical element of a technology initiative that provides equitable access to devices is how it will impact student learning. The iPad is another tool for the teacher to use to provide an engaging learning experience where students are creating, collaborating, communicating, and creatively thinking in their knowledge building. Students should use the iPads at teacher direction, specifically when the lesson and student learning expectations dictate a need. There may be days where the iPad is not a part of instruction or student learning, and that is alright. The iPads are to be used on-campus only. The iPads do not go home. All district Apple equipment is enrolled through JAMF, the district’s management system. (JAMF provides the district with the ability to install settings and restrictions on iPads, application management, and geo-location.)
Student iPad Contract
Each student is required to sign a contract before being issued an iPad. These guidelines outlined in the contract addresses the responsibilities of the student when using the iPad. The guidelines cover when (at the teacher direction) and how (on task usage) for using the iPad during school. Parent and/or guardian are required to sign the contract.
Managing Apps
The App Store will not be available on student devices. The apps in Self Service will go through a district vetting process following COPPA & CIPA guidelines. The teacher will be responsible for determining the appropriate app for a lesson based on learning objectives as well as proper use based on age.
Apps used have met the following criteria:
- App Terms of Service, including any age limitation
- Privacy Policy of the app for COPPA
- Alignment with TEKS and/or Teaching & Learning approval
Classroom Management
The iPad is a tool for teaching and learning, not behavior modification. Therefore, it will not be used as a classroom consequence or reward and will not be part of a classroom behavior management plan. For example, the iPad will not be used as busy work for early finishers, an incentive for good behavior, or taken away due to negative behavior.
Screen Time
Device usage will be reflected in lesson plans. RISD suggests no more than 30 consecutive minutes of educational screen time and not to exceed 60 minutes in 24 hours for PreK-1. RISD recommends no more than 45 straight minutes of instructional screen time and not to exceed 90 minutes in 24 hours for 2-6. Educational screen time is defined as active, productive learning.
Parent Corner
Parent Corner is a website available to the community that tells the story of the technology integration for all RISD schools - PreK-12. It can be found on the RISD website - 1:1 Rollout or directly at www.risd.org/wegrow The site provides information about Online Safety in the district and guidance for home, highlights from student learning, district resources and how parents/guardians and access, and FAQs. The FAQs also has a link for additional questions to be routed to the appropriate department and a return answer. Parent Corner is an excellent place to direct parents with questions about the district’s technology initiative, including a place to ask questions.
Communication
WRE teachers will continue to provide purposeful and regular communication to parents about the classroom happenings that include highlights on teaching and learning with technology. For example, we will share specific apps being utilized and the learning objectives supported.
Through the utilization of 1:1 devices, WRE teachers and staff now have the ability, and even more significant potential than before, to transform the classroom environment for students on a day to day basis. I am thrilled we have this opportunity and cannot wait to share all the amazing things our students will do.
Please Note: We are rolling out 3-6 iPads in September and K-2 iPads in October i
Early Release Day
Wednesday, Sep 19, 2018, 07:30 AM
9229 Chiswell Road, Dallas, TX, USA
#IAmTXEd Campaign Submissions
We all know a teacher who goes above and beyond to provide an extraordinary learning experience for their students - and we want to CELEBRATE and SHARE their story
We feature enthusiastic teachers who work with students every day by sharing their story across the state of Texas on our social media platforms. It's easy - click here to nominate a teacher!
Green Space/ Playground
The playground is expected to be installed mid-fall.
If students have equipment (soccer ball, kickball, etc.) that gets kicked over the fence while they are at recess, we informed them to tell their teacher. The construction workers will toss all equipment over the fence at the end of each day. Make sure your child clearly labels personal items, so we know who it belongs to.
Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS)
We are implementing Positive Behavior Interventions & Supports (PBIS) this year which focuses on proactive and positive structures in common areas such as the cafeteria, hallways, restrooms, and the playground. Students will have the opportunity to earn a SOAR ticket for meeting our guidelines to success, get their name on the Principal’s 100 Board in the main hall, receive a positive phone call home, and earn fun rewards throughout the year.
Positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) is a way for schools to encourage good behavior.
- With PBIS, kids learn about behavior, just as they learn other subjects like math or science.
- The key to PBIS is prevention, not punishment
- Positive behaviors are rewarded with “Golden Tickets” throughout the week. At the end of 100 tickets being passed out, a mystery prize will be given. Five tickets are passed out daily.
Back to School Video
Link for Back to School Video:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/17rJ1okLzf2jSpSmHzEPukgBcC8xDjtb_/view?usp=sharing
Arrival/ Dismissal Adjustments
The safety of your child and all children at White Rock Elementary, as well as the safety of the school staff and families, is our highest priority. To maintain a safe environment for our children, staff, and families, it is necessary that we temporarily expand our front sidewalk by installing plastic barricade cones in our front circle drive this evening. The barricade cone installation will cause our carpool line to become one lane. The barricade cones will help maintain a safe pedestrian environment, and increase overall security while our front office is inaccessible due to the construction. The barriers will be removed once our front office opens later this semester. This temporary change provides a much safer area for our pedestrians but will have an impact on morning arrival and afternoon dismissal procedures.
Arrival
The only drop off areas are at the front of the school (Kinder wing: doors open at 7:40 am - 1st-grade wing: doors open at 7:30 am - 4th-grade wing: doors open at 7:30 am). Please do not drop off your child from Bellewood, as this area is not designed for drop off and has no staff supervision. If you choose to walk your children across the streets, please use designated crosswalks. Staff members cannot cross students on city streets. It is also very important that no children are left unattended prior to 7:30 am as a matter of safety. As students arrive, they will be prompted to enter the building to sit in the gym until the 7:40 am bell rings. If your child arrives after 7:50 am, you will need to bring them to the front office and sign them in.
Dismissal
Students who are car riders will still dismiss from the kinder and 1st-grade wing. If your child is not in their designated loading area by the time you pull up, you will be asked to exit the carpool line while we get your child to the loading zone. Our goal is to keep our single carpool line moving, and we will dedicate staff resources to ensure your child is ready when your car arrives at the designated loading area. Please be sure to review your family’s carpool number with your child and have your carpool tag visible as you pick up your child.
All walkers will dismiss out of the B-Wing (the temporary front office doors near the playground). Parents are asked to wait behind the yellow spray-painted line on the green space (Chiswell side – west side of green space), and not walk up to the teacher to meet their child. This will greatly decrease congestion, and by doing so, will allow your child's teacher to escort their students outside by grade level. Your child will be released once your child’s teacher confirms you are there. Please use designated crosswalks when exiting school grounds. Staff members cannot cross students on city streets.
If your child has a change with their dismissal procedure, please notify the front office before 10:00 am the day of the change. This will give the office sufficient time to inform your child’s teacher and keep the dismissal process as smooth as possible. We will send an updated arrival/dismissal image later this week that includes the temporary lane change & pedestrian area.
We thank you for your support and patience as we look forward to a safe and beautiful school that will meet the needs of our community.
Crossing guards on city streets - WRE staff can no longer cross students
RISD employees are not trained as crossing guards and cannot legally direct traffic on a city street. Because school employees are not trained crossing guards, doing so on city streets places them in a potentially dangerous situation for which they are not prepared. The City of Dallas determines the assignment of crossing guards for city streets. Crossing guards are trained city employees and do not work for the school nor can be assigned by the school district. Schools and parents can request that the City evaluates intersections for placement of crossing guards, and that has been done for the intersections surrounding WRE. The City has indicated that the intersections surrounding WRE do not qualify for crossing guards.
Assisting with the direction of students and parents on school property (e.g., the front circle drive for arrival/dismissal) is permissible and occurs as part of staff duties. Parents and students walking to/from school are encouraged to only use marked crosswalks. We want students to be safe walking to and from school, and that requires parental assistance until they reach school property.
Here is the City of Dallas website. It provides more information on school crossing guards.
I will continue to submit requests for a city crossing guard and remain hopeful that we will be assigned one.
School Safety
Student, staff and visitor safety is of the utmost importance at WRE and in RISD, and the district relies upon numerous measures and protocols to encourage and provide a secure environment.
During construction, our Campus Emergency Plan is updated to accommodate the construction process, including an updated emergency exit plan, with, if necessary, temporary exits.
General safety and security standards, include:
• Construction materials stored safely and securely;
• Fences are maintained around supplies, debris, and construction site;
• Construction gates are locked unless a worker is in attendance to prevent unauthorized entry;
• Overhead protection and warning signs are posted;
• Workers wear identification badges
Separation of construction areas and workers from student occupied spaces will occur during the school day. All contractors while on school grounds, either during school hours or otherwise, will be required to bare some insignia and RISD identification badge. Also, all contractors will report to the front office and check in before entering the building.
We will have a back to school student assembly next week (8/28), and during this time I will update students on the progress of the work and remind them of safety rules while we are under construction.
RISD's White Rock Elementary School Recognized Nationally as a School of Excellence
The National PTA’s School of Excellence program supports and celebrates partnerships between PTAs and schools. The School of Excellence program provides guidance to assist in engaging families in school decision-making, and help the campus build inclusive policies related to education, health, safety and the arts.
WRE is committed to building an inclusive and welcoming school community where all families contribute to enriching the educational experience and overall well-being for all students. The PTA planned and hosted over twenty free all-school and/or community events during the past school year and volunteered a total of 16,000 hours in 2017, as well as received countless honors and recognitions from the Texas PTA.
RISD Trustees Change Date of Tax Ratification Election
If successful, operating funds from the TRE would be used to provide teachers and staff a 2.5% cost of living raise, hire additional special education teachers and safety and security staff, maintain current class sizes, and prevent operating budget cuts to current programs or services. A 13-cent tax rate increase would increase property taxes on an average market value RISD home ($288,794) by $305 a year, which is $25.45 a month.
The state of Texas continues to reduce its share of funding to RISD, with additional reductions of $41.8 million projected over the next five years. Voters in two-thirds of school districts in Dallas and Collin counties have approved TREs over the last decade, including many districts that RISD competes against for teachers and staff.
RISD is holding a series of public meetings to share information about the TRE with parents, staff and community members. Each of the one-hour meetings will include a detailed presentation and time for questions.
- Sept. 5, 7 p.m. - Richardson YMCA
- Sept. 12, 7 p.m. - Lake Highlands HS - "H" Auditorium
- Sept. 17, 7 p.m. - Richardson HS - Library
- Sept. 25, 7 p.m. - Pearce HS - Black Box Theater
- Oct. 2, 7 p.m. - Berkner HS - Lecture Hall
- Oct. 13, 9 a.m. - RISD Administration Building
questions, visit http://www.risd.org/tre2018/
WRE Choir Wants You ~ 4th - 6th Graders
Does your 4th-6th grader love music? If so, please check out this video because 'WRE Honor Choir Wants YOU!'
4th - 6th GR Choir Promo video 18-19 school year:
Calendar Change: November 6 Now a Student Holiday – Oct. 5 Student Holiday Unchanged
The change is being made as a precaution due to the thousands of unregistered visitors who gain access to RISD schools that serve as voting locations on Election Day. Because staff members and some daytime care students will still be in schools on Nov. 6, RISD will continue to take additional safety precautions to isolate voting areas from the rest of the campus and monitor visitors.
A district childcare option through the xPlore! program is available to families for November 6. Families interested in RISD’s xPlore! child care program on November 6 or other 2018-19 student holidays can learn more and sign up here. https://schools.risd.org/domain/1601
Updated Calendar:
http://www.risd.org/Group/Calendars/Calendars_Docs/2018-19-Calendar.pdf
Photo Identification ~ Entrance To Our Campus
All visitors must follow RISD's, and WRE's, building entry procedures and must sign in at the front office upon arrival and provide proper identification to receive authorization to enter the school. If you do not provide adequate identification, you will not be allowed to enter the building.
Your child's safety is our number one priority! We want to thank you for adhering to our guidelines and rules and helping keep our school safe.
2018 Parent Volunteer Registration - Voly
If you or a family member would like to volunteer, you will have to complete an online background check. Please note, it takes two weeks to process.
All volunteers must submit a form annually, even if you are a returning volunteer and had one the prior year.
Each year volunteers are required to re-register to serve at RISD schools. This year, RISD is implementing a new volunteer management system, Voly, which will allow campuses, parents, and volunteers to connect much more easily. Voly also conducts and expedites a thorough background check on all prospective school volunteers.
Here is the link: https://risd.voly.org/
Volunteer Policy
There are many opportunities for volunteering at White Rock. Your help is needed and valued. Here are some policy guidelines to help you as you get acquainted with school procedures. If you have any questions, concerns, or suggestions, please bring them to the teacher or staff person with whom you are working.
Dress Code: Please remember to be modest and to always present a good example to the students and others in appearance, conduct, and conversation.
Children: Please do not bring younger siblings to school with you when you volunteer. This will allow you to focus on your volunteer duties and give special attention to the area you are volunteering. Also, for liability reasons, the school simply cannot permit the younger siblings to be here.
Sign In: Please sign in and out in the office and wear a printed volunteer ID badge each time you come to volunteer. Remember to return your badge when you sign out. If you have valuables, please lock them in your car, or if necessary, ask about keeping them in the office while you are here.
Work Areas: Please do all projects in areas as requested/suggested by the teacher/ staff member.
Confidentiality: Please remember to keep all personal information about students, families, and faculty that you that may learn while doing volunteer duties should be kept confidential.
School Rules: Please be familiar with the guidelines for conduct in the White Rock Elementary Student and Parent Handbook, so you know what is expected of students. You may remind them of these rules when needed. If a student does not respond promptly and appropriately, please report the situation to his/her teacher.
Absences: As a courtesy to others, please call the school before 8:00 am if you cannot come in as scheduled. We will notify the teacher or staff person who was expecting you. If signed up through SignUpGenius.com, please cancel so someone else can sign up.
Training: Certain volunteers are required to attend a training session. This session will explain the responsibilities of the specific position.
Become a Volunteer
To volunteer at White Rock Elementary, we ask that you take care of a few important things first:
Complete a Volunteer Application and Background Check Form (Please note, it takes two weeks to process.) Volunteer services cannot begin until after the background check has been verified.
Read and comply with our volunteer policy and dress code.
Sign in at the office and get your name tag (must be worn at all times while on campus)
Sign out in the office when you are done volunteering
All volunteers must submit a form annually, even if you are a returning volunteer and had one the prior year.
CLASSLINK
RISD has adopted ClassLink, a single sign-on platform that allows students to use one username and password to access everything they need, including the library resources. These free resources can also be used at home.
Here is how to get started:
Log in to the Google RISD student account at https://accounts.google.com/ The username and password are listed below. RISD Google and Classlink accounts use the same username and password.
Go to the ClassLink login page at https://launchpad.classlink.com/risd/ Again enter the username and password listed below.
Enter risd in the Code field. Select “G Sign in with Google.”
**You can load the ClassLink app to your devices at home by downloading the Richardson ISD ClassLink app at the App Store.
ClassLink is a safe, secure way for students to connect with applications and files. By selecting the Library Resources application on ClassLink, your student has free access to Pebble Go, TumbleBooks, Destiny Discover (eBooks), World Book and much more! The software does not collect or share any personal student information.
You can learn more about ClassLink at www.classlink.com. If you have questions, you can email me at susan.mcginnis@risd.org.
Susan McGinnis
WRE Librarian
FOCUS
Get up-to-date information on your child's grades. If you don't have a Focus account, we encourage you to sign up. Please visit the RISD website site to sign up for a Focus account.
http://www.risd.org/Group/Parents/Focus/focusforparents.html
Do we have your current email and phone number?
If it has changed over the summer, please call the front office, 469-593-2700, or come by the WRE Office.
Quote of the week
Dates to remember
September 12 -
- Gifted and Talented Services Begin (REACH, Quest, etc.)
September 26 - Individual Picture Day
October 3 - National Walk to School Day
October 5 & October 8 - No School
October 11 -
- Local School Council Meeting, 5:00-5:30 pm, WRE Library
- PTA Board/ General Meeting, 5:30 pm, WRE Library
- Health & Fitness Night, 6:00-7:30 pm, WRE cafeteria & gym
October 15-19 – WRE Book Fair
October 22-26 – Red Ribbon Week
October 24 – Early Release Day - 1:00 pm
October 30 – Hearing & Vision Screening
October 31 – Story Book Character Day
How to get connected
We desire to keep you informed of all that is taking place at school. Up-to-date and additional information will be sent to you through the weekly “Red Folder” and will appear on our school web page. Please save these websites to your favorite bar, like our page on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. By doing this, you will be up to date on all the latest and greatest things happening around WRE!
Campus Schoolwires page: https://schools.risd.org/WhiteRockES
PTA website: http://www.wrepta.org
Dad's Club website: http://wredadsclub.com
Facebook: Search for - Sammy Seahawk (https://www.facebook.com/sammy.seahawk.35)
Twitter: You can follow us - @WreHappenings
White Rock Elementary
“If you have a child’s heart, you have his head.”™ - Flip Flippen
Email: lee.walker@risd.org
Website: http://www.edline.net/pages/White_Rock_Elementary
Location: 9229 Chiswell Road, Dallas, TX, United States
Phone: 4695932700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sammy.seahawk.35
Twitter: @WreHappenings