Bennett Bear Business Newsletter
Week of October 12, 2020
October is Dyslexia Awareness Month
Please Keep Your Dogs at Home
Going forward, we ask that you keep your dog safely at home and not on school property. We appreciate your time and help in keeping our BEARS and your pets safe.
Dear Amazing Bennett Families,
Our Bennett staff will participate in our first McKinney ISD Staff Development Waiver Day of the school year on Monday, October 12, 2020. This will be a day of professional development for staff.
Students will not have school on this day. We look forward to welcoming our BEARS back into the building on Tuesday, October 13, 2020.
Proud to be a BEAR,
Amy
Thanks for Being My Teacher
Carter Blood Drive - Please Help
McKinney ISD Laptop Information
Laptops were provided to 4th and 5th graders through the MISD 1:The World Laptop Initiative. We hope students are enjoying them and having 1:1 access to technology. This is a reminder that the MISD 1:The World Laptop Initiative has an annual assurance fee. The fee is located in each student’s HAC account and is $30 ($15 for free/reduced lunch).
*Please note: 3rd grade students do not pay the assurance fee**
The annual fee covers the first incident of accidental damage, theft, fire, water damage, or vandalism with no deductible. A police report is required within 24 hours of reporting theft of a device. Subsequent incidents over the life of the computer will require a $125 deductible.
Fees may be paid through HAC using a credit/debit card, or in person to the campus secretary by check, cash, or money order. Please make sure your pop-up blocker is turned off when adding your payment information. This link shows how to make a payment in HAC. If you have multiple students, you must pay each student fee separately, under their name in HAC. The system can not recognize multiple students on a single payment.
Students will be issued a new laptop on a 5-year rotation. The one-time, zero dollar deductible, will reset when a new computer is issued to a student at the 5-year mark.
The fee must be paid in full by Dec. 17th. After this date, any student with an outstanding assurance fee will have their laptop restricted to a whitelist of academic resources only. These students will not have access to anything other than the 59 applications necessary to “do school”. This restriction will be in place until the fee is paid or removed in HAC.
All of this information is detailed in the 1:The World handbook and includes a sample price list of the cost to replace frequently damaged parts, should the fee not be paid.
If you have any questions, please contact Kara Lane at or 469-302-5402 or klane@mckinneyisd.net.
BEARS Celebrating a Birthday in October
October Birthdays:
12 - Dominic
13 - Ms. Stallbaumer - MRS
14 - Macie, Daniel
15 - Reagan, Simon, Cohen
17 - Rocco
19 - Micole, Luke, Amelia, Paxton
20 - Eva
21 - Charlie
22 - Graham, Olivia, Lillian
23 - Jacob
24 - Asher, Thomas, Ms. Montgomery - STC Aide
25 - Reese, Ms. Greenlee - 2nd Grade Teacher
27 - Brooklyn, Dillon, Violet
28 - William, Trevor, Kinley, Benjamin, Holly, Ms. Snyder - 4th Grade Teacher
31 - Isabel, Mason, Ms. Ledino - LSSP
Mark Your Calendars
October Events for our BEARS:
Monday, October 12th:
Staff Development Waiver Day - No School for Students
Friday, October 16th:
1st Nine Weeks of School Ends
PTO's Trunk or Treat interests due
Monday, October 19th - Friday, October 23rd:
Common Sense Digital Citizenship Week - #DigCitWeek
Bus Driver Appreciation Week
Monday, October 19th:
2nd Nine Weeks Begins
Friday, October 23rd - Friday, October 30th:
Red Ribbon Week - Details Below
Friday, October 23rd:
Red Ribbon Week: Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Healthy - Wear red to kick off Red Ribbon Week
PTO's Trunk or Treat - 6:00PM-7:30PM
Monday, October 26th:
Parent Teacher Conference Day - Virtually
Tuesday, October 27th:
Red Ribbon Week: Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Healthy – Reach your dreams by making healthy choices! - *Wear pajamas
Wednesday, October 28th:
Red Ribbon Week: Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Healthy – Build a better you by making healthy choices! *Wear lego-inspired colors or clothes today.
Thursday, October 29th:
Red Ribbon Week: Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Healthy – Give unhealthy choices the boot. *Wear boots today.
Friday, October 30th:
Red Ribbon Week: Be Happy, Be Brave, Be Healthy – Together we can make healthy choices. *Wear your red Bennett Bear Spirit T-Shirt or your favorite Bennett Spirit Wear.
TIME CHANGE - Friday Live - 2:30PM - Virtually - Our virtual BEARS of the Month may come up to school from 8:30AM-2:00PM on Friday, October 30th, to get their BEAR of the Month certificate and award from the front office prior to Friday Live at 2:30PM.
Information from Bennett Counselor, Christie Thompson
- I found some interesting podcast episodes for parents. Check ‘em out!https://mrsthompsonliveskind.weebly.com/podcast-episodes.html
- Here’s the latest edition of the “Making an IMPACT” newsletter from our Impact Counselor:https://mrsthompsonliveskind.weebly.com/making-an-impact.html
Warm regards,
Christie N. Thompson
School Counselor
504 Campus Coordinator
469.302.5437/5438
Visit my website
or Twitter account
For information about technology assistance and student help tickets, checking out and returning books, usernames and passwords, and current reading programs, please visit The Bennett Learning Commons Google Site. Information is also posted under the Learning Commons and Parent Resource tabs on theBennett Elementary website.
Virtual Student Update: We will continue to place a plastic tub on the bench outside the front of the school for students and parents to return their books. The return tub is only available during school hours. Books requested may show a status of ready in the Destiny catalog system, however that does not indicate the requested books are ready to pick up due to needing time to process requests and the need to quarantine books for 3 days before recirculating. Mrs. Stallbaumer or Mrs. Howard will contact you by phone or email. Books will be held for a week before making them available to other patrons. Also, please remember to return any books you currently have checked out before or when picking up new books.
-Mrs. Stallbaumer and Mrs. Howard
Important Information from Nurse Tiffany
McKinney ISD Parent/Teacher Conference Day - Monday, October 26
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, all conferences will be held via Zoom. Students will enjoy the day off from school on this day.
Time Change - October Friday Live - Virtual Style - October 30, at 2:30
Important Friday Live Information for Virtual Students
Our virtual BEARS of the Month may come up to school from 8:30AM-2:00PM on Friday, October 30th, to get their BEAR of the Month certificate and award from the front office prior to Friday Live starting at 2:30PM. If there are virtual students that earn the Creed Award, they are welcome to join us for Creed Lunch on Monday, November 2nd, at 11:00AM. We will enjoy lunch outside the front of the school and our virtual Creed winners will get their trophy at our Creed Lunch.