The Pony Express
The Year of the Champion
October 12 - October 16, 2020
Please do not drop children off prior to 8:10. Car riders may not exit the vehicle until their temperature is taken and they pass their screening.
Safety First in-person and Empowered Learning at Home
If you have any questions, please contact the school at 281-891-8180
Attendance Counts
School Hours
Doors Open at 8:10
Elementary School Hours 8:35 - 3:40
Tardy Bell Rings 8:35
Announcements 8:40
Virtual students should be logged in and "Camera Ready" by 8:35 a.m.
Attendance Matters So Make Sure Your Student is Marked Present
With online learning, we know there are some questions on attendance and how to ensure students are marked present for the day. Here’s what families need to know:
Log in and attend class in real-time with your teacher during the morning and the afternoon.
If you were unable to attend a session because of a technology issue, don’t panic. Students attending either the morning or afternoon session will be counted present for the day.
We know some families may have trouble sticking to the daily schedule because of a variety of issues, including parents’ work schedules, power outages, technology problems or distractions at home.
If your student for some reason misses both the morning and afternoon live instruction with their teachers, they can still make up the work by logging into Schoology and completing the day’s assignments. For that effort to count, however, students must do this before 11:59 p.m. each day to be counted present.
Even with all the challenges of online learning, attendance is still being tracked and still counts. Attendance matters, and we want our students in class and learning every day, 100 percent of the time. At a minimum, state standards require students to attend school at least 90 percent of the time the class is in session to receive credit.
If your family is struggling with attendance, let us know now so we can help!
check out the district tracker for the latest data on covid-19
Spring ISD is committed to providing parents accurate and timely information about COVID-19 in our schools and facilities.
Since the beginning of online classes on Aug. 17, the district has been tracking COVID-19 cases and is featuring that data on a special dashboard, located at www.springisd.org/covidtracker. The goal is to provide real-time information to our school community so that families and staff can have the latest data available.
Our tracker is updated whenever there is a confirmed positive case of COVID-19 in our district, with total cases within the past week and cumulative cases since Aug. 17, 2020 featured. Users can filter and hover to learn specific locations.
As part of our communications protocols, we’re notifying families whenever there is a positive case that involves students on a campus. The district is also reporting all of the data to the Texas Education Agency each week as required. The state is updating its website weekly.
In the coming weeks, the district is planning more improvements to the tracker to continue to refine and improve how it presents COVID-19 data so everyone can stay informed.
PES Virtual Title 1/Parent Compact & Engagement Policy/ Accountability & CIP Meeting
Shanna Swearingen is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: Title 1/ Federal Report Card Meeting
Time: Oct 15, 2020 09:00 AM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89486146074?pwd=RFl0MnVZSnUyOHJqYzlNZmR6Ukl5UT09
Meeting ID: 894 8614 6074
Passcode: 065918
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Meeting ID: 894 8614 6074
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdw4ZyTkUt
Thursday, Oct 15, 2020, 09:00 AM
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Join Spring ISD, Houston Dynamo and Dash for ‘Soccer Starts At Home’ virtual classes
Join Spring ISD’s Physical Education department as they team up with Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash for the ‘Soccer Starts at Home’ virtual courses, kicking off on Oct. 13 and running every Tuesday through Dec. 8 at 6 p.m via Zoom. Physical education teachers throughout the district will utilize instructional resources in their courses and provide students increased opportunities to develop fundamental ‘ball mastery’ skills that help develop balance, coordination, agility, and a sense of achievement through fun and motivating activities.
The district’s involvement in the Dynamo's ‘Soccer Starts at Home’ program will foster a family bond, with parents serving as instructors and motivators as their child begins to master a variety of exciting new skills. Parents who are interested in learning more about the program are encouraged to join the virtual meeting.
Soccer Starts At Home virtual classes
Every Tuesday beginning Oct. 13-Dec. 8
6 p.m.
Zoom Link: https://zoom.us/j/98898555219Need Help Completing Your Student’s Annual Update? Join an In-Person Parent Session
Parents needing help completing their student’s annual update are invited to attend a help session that will feature in-person support at the Spring ISD Community Engagement Center at 17125 Ella Blvd (computers available onsite).
Sessions will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 13 and Thursday, Oct. 15 from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. Anyone needing assistance is asked to come during this time. In order to ensure everyone’s health and safety, masks will be required and all attendees will have their temperature taken before entering the building. Everyone will receive a number as they arrive so that social distancing is maintained.
Remember, the annual student update is required for all returning families. By completing this important online process, parents and guardians can ensure their student’s school has all of the information necessary for the 2020-21 school year, including details related to the Free and Reduced Lunch Program.
Ponderosa's student Art will make you smile!
Alayiah Simmons, 2nd Grade
Delphine Thompson, 5th Grade
Zoey Kehrer, Kindergarten
Pre-K Families, Check Out ReadyRosie and Help Your Student Learn and Grow
Spring ISD families of prekindergarten students can find some free help in providing meaningful activities at home through ReadyRosie, an educational tool that provides short videos to support Pre-K student learning in the house. ReadyRosie has over 1,000 "Modeled Moment" videos that are delivered to families via text, email, and website. By simply watching the video and doing the activity, parents are empowered to deepen their engagement in their child’s early learning journey.
The two-minute videos offer daily activities to have fun with children ages zero to six while building on learning. Content is available in English and Spanish with a growing Arabic library. Closed captioning is also available with subtitles in Arabic and Vietnamese.
Eligible Pre-K parents will receive an invite from their child’s teacher, who they can also reach out to if they have any questions.
PreK - 12th Grade Pre-Screening Attestation & Transportation Agreement
Spring Independent School District (Spring ISD) is committed to protecting the health and safety of its employees and students. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the District has adopted new protocols for students to follow while physically present in a Spring ISD building, which includes a self-assessment expectation for parent to withhold students that exhibit COVID symptoms.
Please review the policy in the link below and complete the form to indicate you understand the policy. Complete this form for each student who will be coming to school for in-person safety first learning.
dismissal
We will not accept transportation changes after 3 p.m.
When picking up a child from Ponderosa, you will need a valid driver's license or picture ID. Students will not be released to anyone with out an ID nor will they be released to anyone not on their transportation release form.
All transportation changes must be in writing and can be sent to:
car riders
Students are NOT to be dropped off in the street or along the side of the car rider drop off. Please help us adhere to strict safety guidelines so that all of our children and staff are safe.
Car rider pick up is typically slow at the beginning of the year as the little ones learn their car rider number and the systems. Please help your child practice remembering their car rider number. In the afternoons students will wait in holding areas where social distancing can be maintained. Staff will be walking along the car rider line texting numbers to the staff in the front and inside the building. As numbers are text, the student who matches the number will be assigned a cone where you will pick them up.
Students will not be permitted to go to other cones unless directed by Ponderosa staff.
We know the line is long and the process will take some time. Please be patient with us. Parents/ guardians will not be permitted to walk up and retrieve your child from the car rider line during dismissal. If your child is marked a car rider, they must be picked up in a car.
Bus Riders
Riding the bus? Find Your Stop and Learn About Key Safety Information
Just visit our website and type your address, school and/or grade to get the details. Spring ISD Transportation recommends all students arrive at their designated stop at least 10 minutes prior to the scheduled arrival time of the bus. It's important that students maintain social distancing as they wait for their bus and then follow all driver directions once they board.
Students will be asked to wear their masks while riding the bus and to use hand sanitizer upon entering the vehicle. To maintain physical distancing, we will transport only one student per seat while we are operating in condition "Orange".
Please check out our videos on all of our health and safety protocols here: https://www.springisd.org/reopen
walkers
South walkers are dismissed at the corner of Ash Meadow and Butte Creek.
North walkers are dismissed by the gazebo in the park.
PreK and KG students must be released to an adult. All other students will be released on their own.
Parents and guardians are not permitted to walk up to campus and retrieve their walkers during dismissal. If you child is identified as a walker, he or she will be brought to the designated walker area and release.
Are you ready to vote on Nov. 3? There’s still time to register!
Our Board of Trustees has approved making Tuesday, Nov. 3 a day off for all students and most staff to accommodate the projected Election Day turnout at our campuses. Many of our Spring ISD campuses will be used as polling sites this year, and this decision will help ease traffic congestion and help us ensure the health and safety of students and staff.
We also want to remind everyone there is still time to register to vote ahead of the Harris County deadline of Oct. 5. If you haven’t already done so, please consider registering before then. Some of our seniors may also be eligible to cast a ballot on Nov. 3 if they are at least 17 years and 10 months old at the time they register.
The process to register is simple. Just visit this Harris County website for detailed information on registering to vote and to download an application. They are available in English, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese. Remember, voting is an essential part of our democratic system and a great way to make sure your voice is heard.
BRING YOUR CHROMEBOOK, LAPTOP OR DEVICE TO SCHOOL DAILY
cultural destinations
Talento Bilingue
Founded in 1977 as "Teatro Bilingüe de Houston" (Bilingual Theater of Houston), this non-profit organization has evolved into a Latino Cultural Arts Center that has offered programs and activities such as mariachi, ballet folklorico, video and film production, professional theater, art exhibitions, festivals, and photography.
The Institute of Hispanic Culture of Houston
IHCH serves the Hispanic community, providing different educational and networking activities in collaboration with local universities, the Texas Commission of the Arts, Houston Arts Alliance, the Miller Outdoor Theater, and other private organizations and sponsors. The main priorities of IHCH are to preserve and disseminate the richness of Hispanic culture, values, and civic interests within the community of Houston.
Greater East End
Greater East End is a culturally diverse residential area known for its thriving arts scene, with indie galleries, large-scale murals, and Latino music and dance at Talento Bilingue de Houston arts center. Mexican eateries line Navigation Boulevard, where a central esplanade also hosts festivals and a farmers’ market.
La Casa de Espana
The mission of La Casa de Espana is to promote Spanish culture and traditions in the City of Houston. This community organization is passionate about creating ties between the Spanish community in Houston and serving as a meeting place between Spaniards and admirers of Spanish culture, while also promoting the outstanding contributions that Spaniards make across our city.
Brazilian Cultural Institute
The Brazilian Cultural Institute is a non-profit organization that helps create citizens who are passionate about life and learning through the preservation and teaching of Brazilian culture to Greater Houston residents. Learn capoeira, samba, Portuguese or take an art class! There are several ways to experience the rich culture of Brazil at the Brazilian Cultural Institute.
Casa Argentina de Houston
Since its founding, CAH has offered and supported countless music concerts, cinemas, theater, tango concerts, historical celebrations of Argentine culture, sporting events, and parties in and around the city of Houston. The mission of Casa Argentina de Houston is to promote the culture and traditions of Argentina and Latin America, as well as helping charitable institutions.
Student Code of Conduct Updated to Reflect Changes Related to Pandemic
The district’s 2020-21 Student Code of Conduct has been updated to reflect revisions and additions related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically, the handbook now includes guidance around how students are expected to behave to promote safety when health conditions permit in-person learning on the campuses, including maintaining social distancing procedures, handwashing, wearing masks and keeping mouth and nose covered while sneezing and/or coughing.
Students could face disciplinary action for purposefully trying to cough or sneeze on another person, refusing to adhere to social distancing standards, and removing personal protective equipment like a mask with the goal of trying to harm or threaten another person with bodily fluids.
Students who show up to school without a mask or refuse to wear one during the school day may also face a dress code violation. The expectation is that all students come to school wearing a face covering, just as they would adhere to dress code. The goal is to keep everyone in our school safe, including students and staff.
To view the entire Code of Conduct, please click here. Parents without ability to download the Code of Conduct may request one in print by emailing Thomas Graham, the director of Student Affairs at tgraham@springisd.org.
Know a Spring ISD parent without an email address? Help Us Get them Connected
Parents, we need your help! If you know of any Spring ISD parents/guardians who don’t have an email address, we would love your help getting them online and connected.
Or if you know someone who is still using their student’s email address, we would also appreciate your encouraging them to create their own email address. Having a reliable email address is so important these days as we communicate important safety information. Across the district, there are thousands of parents who either don’t have an email address or are using their student’s Spring ISD email address, meaning they are missing out on both school and district communications.
We have created a handout in both Spanish and English that describes the steps for setting up a Gmail account. Thank you for helping spread the word and assisting another parent in getting connected.
How to Access Schoology
The only way for students and parents to access Schoology is to log into the mySringISD portal from the district’s website using their district-issued username and password and then clicking on the Schoology icon.
Families who have been trying to log in through the Schoology mobile app or through the Schoology website will be unable to do so because the district is using single sign on, which makes it easier to access all instructional resources.
We know some parents and students downloaded the Schoology mobile app in the spring but we would urge everyone to delete that from your phone and log into the portal directly from the district website.