Euberta Lucas Principal

Website: katyisd.org/campus/pmce
Location: 6631 Greenwood Orchard Drive
Phone: 281-234-4800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KISDMcElwain/
Twitter: @KISDMcElwain

Parents,

September 8th is a big day! For students returning face to face, please see in person protocols and information outlined in today’s News from the Nest. On September 8th, KVA students will continue instruction virtually, following the same daily schedule, the same specials schedule, and accessing instruction the same ways. I encourage everyone to be familiar with in person protocols to guide your decision making for the next KVA Opt in/Opt out window beginning 9/21/2020. If you selected KVA for the first grading period, you must remain in KVA until the end of the grading period. KVA students will not be allowed in the building for in-person instruction during the school day until their learning platform is officially changed for the 2nd grading period which starts October 19, 2020.

Parents of KVA students - There will be a second Grab and Go for all KVA students (PK-5th grade). Supplies are being prepared that will support virtual instruction. Stay tuned for date and pick up times.

Parents of students returning to face to face instruction –

Teachers will teach all of the expectations explicitly, just as they always do at the start of school. However, as we all know, even the smallest of tasks can become a larger frustration if we don’t prepare. For example, if students are bringing their lunch, please be sure they can open all items independently. Opening and closing car doors on their own, maintaining social distancing, wearing a mask and keeping up with their supplies/lunch kits/backpacks are more examples of procedures we will be working on next week.

If your student has checked out a Katy ISD device, we ask that they bring the device to and from school for their continued personal use. The device will continue to be checked out to the student individually.

Students ARE allowed to bring their own personal device to and from school for personal use. This is at parent discretion.

The classrooms do have a limited number of devices (iPads) for shared student use. Procedures will be implemented to sanitize the device before and after each use.

Students will be provided the opportunity to bring a snack during a time designated by the teacher in the classroom. Students will be permitted to remove their face covering at their desk for a working snack break. The working snack break will be no longer than 15 minutes. Snacks should be healthy, in an individualized baggie or packaging and should be "dry."

Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle. Students not allowed to drink from the water fountains. They will only be allowed to fill up a water bottle.

Much more information is outlined below (Yes, I know this is a lot!). Your children’s teachers and the administration are always available to help if you have questions. Please reach out when needed.

Grab and Go/Drop Off- 9/3/2020 3:30-5:00p.m. – This is a time for you to come pickup and or drop off the following items:

• Drop off school supplies
• Drop off medication for the nurse (the forms are attached)
• Pick up your car rider/parent pick up tag

IN PERSON INSTRUCTION PROTOCOLS

See the attached document for in person safety protocols and the following reminders for students returning to school on September 8th (remember that KVA students will not come to school on September 8th, they will continue their current virtual schedule from home):

Arrival:

• Doors will open at 7:35am, school starts at 7:55am.
• No visitors are allowed in the building without an appointment. Parents may not walk their students to the classroom.
• Students need to bring their neon-colored index with them on the first day of school. It was in their Grab and Go bags. If you do not have the name tag, please create one with the student’s name, grade, and teacher’s name.
• Older siblings MAY walk their younger siblings to their classrooms.
• Students must be wearing a facial covering. Please make sure this is labeled with their name. Disposable masks will be provided upon entry if needed.
• Students may bring their Katy ISD issued device or a personal electronic device for personal use in the classroom.
• Bring school supplies if not purchased from the PTA previously.
• If a student is eating breakfast, they will enter the building and go directly to the cafeteria. Staff will be on duty to assist.
• Students should bring a dry snack and refillable water bottle.

School Day:

• Late arrivals will proceed directly to front vestibule to check in their student.
• Visitors are not allowed in the building without an appointment. No lunch visitors will be permitted.
• No lunch deliveries will be accepted. If a student does not have a lunch, they may purchase a lunch in the cafeteria.
• Pack a change of clothes for younger students just in case. (included in PK and Kindergarten information)

Dismissal:

• Please talk to your students about how they go home. The teacher should be aware as well. Here is a video that will help you understand how arrival and dismissal will work at McElwain Elementary. https://vimeo.com/451953873
• Walkers/Bikers: PK, Kinder, and 1st grade walkers must have a parent present to pick up at the walker line.
• Car rider: Display the McElwain assigned car rider tag in your windshield.
• Bus riders: Expect delays on the first day of school until the routes get in to a routine. Kindergarten students will NOT be released from the bus without a parent present. Pre-K students are not eligible to ride the bus.

Katy ISD COVID-19 Protocols: (Katy ISD COVID Mitigation plan is attached)

Alerts & Notifications

Katy ISD has a standard response in place in the event of a confirmed COVID-19 among students and staff at a specific campus. In the event PMCE is impacted, parents and staff will all receive an email with an update no later than 5 p.m. on the day the COVID-19 case is reported.

Screening for Symptoms

• Parents and caregivers should monitor their children for signs of infectious illness every day.
• Students and staff who are sick should not attend school in-person.

If Someone Gets Sick

COVID-19 Reporting System

In the event of a lab confirmed positive case of COVID-19, parents and staff are asked to use the reporting system available on My Katy Cloud. The report provides essential information such as last date on campus and locations visited. The report also provides an area to list known people who were in close contact with the reporting person. This confidential report facilitates the District’s ability to effectively track and investigate cases of COVID19 in the district and provide prompt notification to anyone exposed. This also allows for maintenance and operations personnel to quickly begin the disinfectant procedures for the school and areas exposed.

• Students and staff with a lab confirmed positive case should fill out the COVID-19 report on MyKaty

• Report will include test date, district facilities visited within the last 14 days, and any known individuals with close contact
• This information, including the name of the staff or student, will be kept confidential.

• Staff and Students with a lab confirmed positive should not return until they have met TEA criteria for return or otherwise been advised by a medical professional
• Individuals identified as having close contact will be individually notified of potential exposure.
• Staff and students confirmed as having close contact shall follow TEA guidelines for self isolation and meet criteria to return.
• All students and staff assigned to that campus will receive an emailed notification of a lab
• confirmed positive case on the campus.
• Maintenance and Operations will ensure all exposed areas are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.
• The District Director of Health Services will notify the County Health Department as required.

Guidelines for returning to work/school

• If you had COVID-19 AND had symptoms
• At least 10 days since symptoms first appeared AND
• At least 24 hours with no fever without fever-reducing medication AND
• Symptoms have improved
• If you tested positive for COVID-19 but did NOT have symptoms
• 10 days have passed since positive test
• If you have been around a person with COVID-19
• Receive a lab confirmed negative test result OR
• 14 days after exposure
• If you are the primary caregiver for a person with COVID-19
• Refer to guidance from personal health provider

September 5th - PTA Fundraiser Spirit Night with Taste Buds Cereal Bar

September 7th - NO SCHOOL Labor Day Holiday

September 8th - PTA Meeting via Zoom

September 18th - PTA fundraiser with Daddy Duncan more info. to come.

September 30th - PTA fundraiser with Texas Roadhouse, more info to come.

Transportation WebQuery is now Available! Are you eligible for Bus Service? Katy ISD Transportation WebQuery can tell you. Find your Bus Number, Bus Stop and Pickup Time by using the WebQuery. Enter Your House Number and Street, select your child's grade or school and find out about your eligibility for service, or when and where your child can catch the bus.

Click here for the School Bus Safety Protocols Demonstration Video.

Due to visitors not being allowed inside our building, our check-in process for late arrivals and early check-out process will take a little longer than normal, so please plan accordingly.

Late arrivals: Students arriving after 8:05am must proceed to the vestibule with their parent to be checked in. A temperature check will be required.

Early Checkouts: Parents wishing to check their student out early will proceed to the vestibule area with your smartphone and your ID. There will be a QR code for you to scan and then compete the online student checkout information. You will notify the receptionist via the call button and show your ID. Your student will be called to the front office. Early check-outs will not be permitted after 2:45pm. We thank you in advance for your patience when checking out a child early.

The elementary window to opt-in or opt-out of KVA at the beginning of the second nine week grading period opens on Monday, September 21 and closes on Friday, October 2. There will be no exceptions to the deadline after October 2 as elementary campuses will need time to finalize student schedule and balance classes prior to the start of the second nine week grading period.

The opt-in commitment link will be available on your child's campus home page and will open at 8:00 am. All opt-in changes are in effect at the beginning of the second six week (secondary) and nine week (elementary) grading period. We appreciate your support, as campuses are working extremely hard to schedule and balance in–person and virtual learning classes for each grading period. If you have any questions regarding the next opportunity to change your child’s learning option for the second grading period, please email KVA@katyisd.org.

Dear Parents,

Please continue to revisit the general and FAQ section for the answers to questions you may have as you make choices for the start of school.

http://www.katyisd.org/returntoschool/Pages/default.aspx

Smart Restart Timeline

If you need to drop any medications off to keep at school for your student, please call Nurse Teague to make an appointment at 281-234-4881.

Katy Virtual Acadamy

*New* - Katy Virtual Academy Newsletter

https://www.smore.com/jvqdw

Katy Virtual Academy Reminders:

• KVA students must remain in KVA through the end of the first grading period. KVA students may elect to return to in-person instruction at the beginning of the second grading period.
• KVA students may NOT return to in-person instruction on Tuesday, September 8 when students who elected to start the school year in-person return.

http://www.katyisd.org/returntoschool/Pages/School-Safety-Demonstration-Videos.aspx

Have questions? Katy ISD has dedicated email addresses with staff standing by to help guide you!

Questions about the Return to School: ReturntoSchool@katyisd.org

Questions about Katy Virtual Academy: KVA@katyisd.org

Questions about a special program (504, ESL, Dyslexia, Challenge) and Katy Virtual Academy: KVASpecialPrograms@katyisd.org

Questions about special education and Katy Virtual Academy: SpecialEdquestions@katyisd.org

Parent Tech FAQs

Parent Tech Help:

http://www.katyisd.org/dept/technology/PTH/Pages/Knowledge-Base-for-Students-and-Parents.aspx

Technology Help Desk Contacts for Parents/Students Support Inquiries

• Online: Katy ISD Tech Help
• Or, click “Help” in Canvas
• Or, call: 281.396.7400 (6:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.)
• Or, e-mail: parenttechsupport@katyisd.org

“How to Guide” for Parents on the Home Access Center (HAC)

Need to know how to view a report card, student grades, or other information?

Check out our “how to guides” on the Home Access Center, or click below.

• Home Access Center (HAC) User Guide (English)
• Home Access Center (HAC) User Guide (Spanish)

Gifted and talented (GT) screenings for incoming secondary students are now taking place at Katy Independent School District. Katy ISD encourages all parents who have a child who is gifted and talented and headed to junior high school to sign up for a secondary GT screening. Students currently in fifth grade who are not identified as part of the elementary Challenge Program have the opportunity to be screened for GT program services, which would begin in the fall of the student’s sixth-grade year.

If parents would like to refer their child for secondary GT screening they must complete a Secondary Parent Checklist in English or Spanish and return it to their child’s elementary campus by September 23, 2020.

“Gifted and talented education programs provide a variety of academic and social options for students who are advanced learners,” said Katy ISD Director of Gifted, Talented and Advanced Academic Studies Joan Otten.

Secondary gifted program options are available in English, reading, mathematics, science and social studies. Students may be screened at their current campus in October and November in any or all of these content areas. Parents will be notified of the placement decision by U.S. mail in January 2021. Students who qualify for the GT program will begin the program in the fall of their sixth-grade year.

Please contact PMCE Challenge teacher Cris Bowden at CrisCBowden@KatyISD.org if you have any questions about GT screening.

We had a great response from parents to volunteer for our Campus Advisory Team. All names were entered into a drawing and 5 parents were selected.

Thank you to everyone who volunteered.

PTA Membership Meeting:

Peter McElwain Elementary PTA is hosting its first member meeting on Tuesday, September 8th at 6pm.

All Current PTA members must register to attend the zoom meeting. All members must register by September 4th, 2020.

Please use the link below to register.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe0YGOytz255jvQvaLqkGWRZ1HjFd1bSFDC2keAwRW6Li9Zsg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KISDMcElwainPTA

We know this school year is bringing its set of challenges. But Josten, our yearbook vendor has a solution to help keep things rolling along for your child’s special year!

Because photos of your student will be more difficult to obtain this year with remote-learning & abbreviated sports & extracurricular seasons, Jostens is providing an online upload service to give you an easy, click and done solution for submitting your child’s photos that will appear in their yearbook.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Choose the photo/s you’d like to submit for consideration in the yearbook.

2. Click on this link - https://images.jostens.com/415468620

3. Upload your photo.

4. Fill in your child’s name and enter important information in the description.

THAT’S IT! You are all done. If I have any questions, please reach out to PMCE PTA.