Friday Focus
Back to School Edition - 2019
From Mrs. Barry:
We are anxiously awaiting the start of school on Thursday, August 16th. As administrators, Ms. Vendetti and I like it when the teachers come back, but we LOVE when our students return! This Friday Focus is designed to help give you the information you need for a great start of school. If you have any questions prior to Thursday, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Welcome home to Meadow Wood!
Back to School Checklist
Please complete the following items, prior to school starting if at all possible.
Skyward Family Access
Complete the “Returning Students” paperwork online via Skyward Family Access (link below). You will be asked to update contact information, electronically sign forms, etc. PLEASE COMPLETE THIS PRIOR TO THE START OF SCHOOL. If you need assistance, please call Susan Snelling at 713-251-6204.
https://skyward.springbranchisd.com/scripts/wsisa.dll/WService=wsEAplus/fwemnu01.w
Register to be an SBISD volunteer
To be an SBISD volunteer, you must register and gain approval each year before beginning your service. This include those who wish to serve as chaperones on field trips! https://volunteer.springbranchisd.com/
Familiarize yourself with the following helpful websites:
- MWE website https://mwe.springbranchisd.com
- MWE Facebook page @MeadowWoodElementary
- MWE Twitter account @MeadowWoodSBISD
- MWE PTA Website http://meadowwoodpta.com
- MWE PTA Facebook page http://meadowwoodpta.com/
- SBISD website https://www.springbranchisd.com
Sign up to receive communication from MWE via REMIND
Remind is a major source of communication for MWE. Beginning in September, weekly newsletters will be sent out via Remind only. (They will also be posted on the school website.) This is also a way for us to send out grade level-specific information.
To sign up for Remind notices, text your child's grade level code to 81010
- PreK: @mwe26
- Kinder: @mwe25
- 1st grade: @mwe24
- 2nd grade: @mwe23
- 3rd grade: @mwe22
- 4th grade: @mwe2021
- 5th grade: @mwe20
Review Parent/Student Handbooks
The district handbook is available at:
https://www.springbranchisd.com/studentsfamilies/handbooks)
Please also review the Meadow Wood supplemental handbook at:
https://mwe.springbranchisd.com/studentsfamilies/mwes-parentstudent-handbook.
Create a PTA Membership Toolkit account
You must complete this if you would like to be included in the online directory. There will not be a printed directory this year. https://www.smore.com/app/reporting/out/tzr56?u=https%3A%2F%2Fmeadowwoodpta.membershiptoolkit.com&t=https://meadowwoodpta.membershiptoolkit.com&w=w-3995280820&i=&l=l-2346196733
This will allow you to access:
1. PTA Membership Forms
2. Student Directory
3. Spirit Wear Sales
4. Volunteer Opportunities and Signups
5. PTA Communication
6. Eagle Excellence Family Donation Forms
7. Birthday Marquee Message Purchase
8. Yearbook Order forms
9. …and more!
Homeroom Notification
Bus Routes
The bus routes are complete! They will be available to take home at “Meet the Teacher” and can be found in each grade level pod.
What to Expect on the First Day of School
Our doors will open on 7:20 a.m. on the first day (August 15th). We will have adults in several locations to be sure all of our students get to the right places. You are free to walk your child(ren) to class on the first two days. We just ask that you leave the classroom by 8:15 a.m. on the first day, and 7:50 on the second day, so that we can begin our school day.
At 8:15 a.m., we will have our first PTA meeting in the cafeteria. Please join us to learn more about our school, our campus administrators, and especially about our PTA.
If there is information we have that is unclear, or if there is additional information we need from you (such as how your child will go home), we will place a call to you.
We will try to have as “normal” a day as we can on the first day. However, please know that the teachers will be building relationships, giving tours of the buildings and introducing and practicing routines and expectations.
On the first two days, Ms. Vendetti, our assistant principal, and I will have grade level talks where we will welcome our students, remind them of our school expectations and answer any questions they have.
For the first week, teachers will have lunch with their students; this is an excellent time for the students and the teacher to have some informal “get to know you” time. We ask that you do not come for lunch the first week of school in order to help your student learn routines.
We will start preparing for dismissal early the first few days so that students are not rushed as they learn the end of the day routines. Please know that our buses and day care vans may run late because we are the second school on their routes. Our car rider line also tends to run longer than it will during the year because many parents choose to pick up their students at the end of the day in the car rider line for the first few days. It is not unusual for dismissal to take over an hour for our car rider line on the first few days. Once our routines are established, our car rider dismissal is usually finished in about 10-15 minutes.
As always, if you have questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Daily Schedules
PreKinder
Specials: 9:40 - 10:10
Lunch: 12:20 - 12:50
Recess: 1:30 - 2:00
*Note: PreKinder will also have a 15 minute morning recess. Time to be determined.
Kinder
Morning Recess: 9:30 - 9:45
Specials: 10:10 - 11:00
Lunch: 12:30 - 1:00
Recess: 1:30 - 2:00
First Grade
Morning Recess: 9:45 - 10:00
Specials: 11:05 - 11:55
Lunch: 12:00 - 12:30
Recess: 12:30 - 1:00
Second Grade
Specials: 8:45 - 9:35
Lunch: 11:30 - 12:00
Recess: 12:00 - 12:30
Third Grade
Recess: 11:20 - 11:50
Lunch: 11:50 - 12:20
Specials: 12:25 - 1:15
Fourth Grade
Recess: 12:15 - 12:45
Lunch: 12:45 - 1:15
Specials: 1:15 - 2:05
Fifth Grade
Lunch: 11:15 - 11:45
Recess: 11:45 - 12:15
Specials: 2:05 - 2:55
What are "specials"???
For Health Fitness, students are asked to wear tennis shoes. A schedule of the rotation (i.e., what day each class goes to which special) is published at the beginning of school.
Enrollment and Class Size
As is our case every year in all our schools across Spring Branch ISD, we carefully monitor our projected enrollment by grade-level. We are thrilled that Meadow Wood remains a sought-after SBISD school, and look forward to a large MWE school community this coming year. In some of our grade levels, we anticipate we class sizes may be larger than in past years based on our enrollment projections as of now. Once school is underway, we will monitor our class sizes daily with strong support from our district-level colleagues. I will keep you informed in the weeks ahead.
iKids After School Care
iKids is an after school program located at Meadow Wood for students in PreK - 5th grades. Although it is housed at our school, it is a separate entity, and not managed by the school nor the district. iKids will have a booth set up for registration at meet the teacher. You can also pick up registration forms in the front office. To contact iKids directly, call 713-665-5200.
MWE Hours
Warning bell rings at 7:50 a.m.
Instruction begins at 7:55 a.m.
Attendance is taken at 9:30 a.m.
Dismissal is at 3:00 p.m.
Office closes at 4:00 p.m.
Please mark your calendar for these important events!
PreK/Kinder Popsicles in the Park (6-7 p.m.)
August 14
Meet the Teacher, Spirit Sales and SnoBunny Snowballs (2-4 p.m.)
August 15
First day of school!!
PTA Coffee (immediately following start of school day)
August 28
Room Parent Coffee (9 a.m.)
CIT meeting (3:30)
September 2
School HOLIDAY
September 3
Eagle Excellence Check Writing Campaign Kick Off
September 4
Boy Scout Information Night
September 11
Boy Scout Welcome/Game Night
September 13
Lunch with MWE Leaders
Nottingham Forest Open Golf Tournament benefiting MWE
September 19
PTA Meeting
Curriculum Night
Spirit Wear, Snoballs and More!
At Meet the Teacher on August 14th, PTA will have several great things happening.
First, SPIRIT ITEMS will be on sale from 2 - 4. We have many items from which to choose! Get your gear now!
Also, there will be many booths set up to highlight the various areas you can support Meadow Wood through PTA.
Finally, we will welcome SnoBunny SnoBalls!! Come enjoy New Orleans style shaved ice during meet the teacher.
Prices: Small $3, Medium, $4, Large $5
Payment Accepted: Cash and Credit card