August 30, 2023
Welcome to the 2023-2024 School Year!
Welcome parents to the very first weekly Paw Prints for the 2023 - 2024 School Year! We are thrilled to welcome each and every one of you back to another exciting school year filled with endless possibilities and new adventures.
Our school community is a vibrant tapestry of curious minds, dedicated educators, and supportive families. Together, we create an environment where learning is not just a task, but a journey of discovery and growth. Whether you're returning to familiar hallways or stepping into our school for the first time, we're excited to have you be a part of our shared pursuit of knowledge and excellence.
This year promises to be filled with captivating lessons, engaging activities, and opportunities to forge new friendships. Our dedicated team has been hard at work preparing a curriculum that sparks creativity, encourages critical thinking, and nurtures a love for learning that goes beyond the classroom.
Parents, your partnership is invaluable to us. Your support, encouragement, and involvement make a significant impact on the educational experience of our students, and we look forward to collaborating with you throughout the year.
Let's embark on this new school year with open hearts and eager minds, ready to learn, grow, and make lasting memories together. Here's to a year filled with achievement, laughter, and boundless success.
Once again, welcome back to all of you! Let's make this year extraordinary.
Warmest wishes,
Linh Hoang, Principal
Welcome To Bush Mr. Shankle, Assistant Principal
Howdy my Bobcat family! My name is Trey Shankle and I am your Assistant Principal at Barbara Bush Elementary School! I'm so eager to have the opportunity to meet you and to be able to work alongside of each of you, to help ensure that our students get the quality education they deserve. This is my 19th year as an educator and my 3rd year as a campus leader. I have 1 amazing son, 2 horses and a 7lb yorkie! I'm excited about the great work that will take place at Bush this school year!
Mr. Val'ree Shankle III "Trey" M.A.ed, Assistant Principal
Welcome Message from Ms. Mouton, Assistant Principal
I'm honored and excited to introduce myself as one of Bush Elementary's Assistant Principals. My name is Saundra Mouton and I am thrilled to continue to serve this vibrant and dedicated school community.
A bit of background about myself - I'm embarking on my 13th year in Houston ISD, 9 years of which I've served as a campus administrator. I've had the pleasure of working with many outstanding educators, students, and families during my HISD tenure.
I am a strong believer in the power of education to transform lives, and I am committed to fostering a positive and inclusive learning environment where every student can thrive. I look forward to working with returning families and getting to know new Bush Bobcat family members! Please do not hesitate to reach out at any time!
Saundra Mouton, Assistant Principal
Hear Us Roar!
Our motto for this school year is "Hear us roar!" At Bush, our little bobcats will continue to shine even brighter each day! Hear us roar! Every Friday will be school spirit day! I encourage all students and staff to wear the school spirit shirt, which can be purchased at Barbara Bush Elementary PTO - School Store
Parent's Night
September 12 @ 5:00 p.m.
PK, 1, 3, 5
September 14 @ 5:00 p.m.
K, 2, 4, Ms. Pusparani, Ms. Phillips, and Ms. Hacopian
This event is just for parents to meet the teacher(s) inside their classrooms. Students are encouraged to stay at home if possible. However, if you have to bring your child(ren), we will have personnel available to watch them while you meet with your child(ren)'s teacher(s). We will meet in the Multipurpose room for staff introductions and the state of the school. Then you will be released to the classrooms to meet the teachers.
Attendance Matters
Having good attendance is a great habit to start in elementary school. This is a lifelong skill that will set your child up for success by knowing the importance of showing up daily for a commitment whether it be school or work.
The Texas Education Agency (TEA) sets the elementary school attendance goal at 98%. Last year our attendance rate was 95.8%. If your child is sick, has a fever at or above 100, or is vomiting or other intestinal issues, then your child must be at home. Please send your child to school with a note to excuse the absence for illness.
If your child is healthy, then your child must be at school.
Every day that your child is not in school is a lost day of instruction and the school loses funding. We have been in school for 3 days. The estimated funding lost due to student absences is $142.31 so far.
There are days built into the calendar along with a long summer break for family time and trips. We encourage you to plan your family time around designated district holidays and breaks. Click on the following link to review the district calendar: https://tinyurl.com/34vb2npe
Did you know just missing 2 days a month of school will add up to missing about 17 days and approximately 10% of the instructional days? Every day counts and attendance matters. Today, we sent home a yellow sheet called Report an Absence. Please hang the sheet at a visible location in your home such as the office or on the fridge. The purpose of the Report an Absence sheet is to help you notify the school in advance of your child's absence. All you have to do is scan the QR Code to answer a few short questions. Completing this form does not count as an excused absence. Please note that students are still expected to bring the official written notes to their homeroom teacher no later than 3 days after the absence to be considered as an excused absence. At around 8:00 am each morning, the front office will check the Report an Absence report to share with the teachers.
What's Happening in the Classroom This Week?
Our teachers are...
- Greeting students at the door and doing morning meetings following announcements.
- Stating the Learning Objectives (LO) and Demonstration of Learning (DOL) as part of the lesson routine.
- Reading aloud to students and asking open-ended questions using think-turn-talk strategies.
- Maximizing learning time by using countdown timers for tasks and assignments.
- Using manipulatives and visuals to guide their direct instruction.
- Actively monitoring students as they work on their exit tickets and giving feedback.
Our students are...
- Responding positively to call-response strategies and non-verbal call signals.
- Given opportunities to work with other students on assignments or tasks.
Conscious Discipline for School Drop Off
Transitions of all kinds can be challenging for children. Saying goodbye can be particularly hard. Emotional wellness and optimal learning are built on a foundation of safety and connection. Meeting the brain's basic need for safety and connection can make the morning drop off easier and sets the stage for a successful day at school.
Am I Safe?
Your state regulates your child's state. Be conscious of your emotional state when you drop your child off. Your child is looking to you for cues about how to respond. Many of these cues are unspoken. Regulating your internal state is the first step in helping children regulate theirs.
If you feel anxious about dropping off your child, take a deep breath (or two, or three) and focus on changing your internal state to calm. When you are able to remain calm, you nonverbally communicate to your child, "This is a safe place."
The brain is pattern seeking. Predictable routines help the child feel safe. Maintaining a consistent routine and showing this routine in a visual form reinforces a sense of safety.
First Day Forms aka Parents' First Night Homework
Please complete the following forms that were sent home on the first day of school:
- Two Enrollment Cards
- Safety Acknowledgement Form
- Food Allergy form
- Social Economic Form
- Code of Student Conduct
- Safe Gun Storage Acknowledgement Form
- Media Release Form
- Privacy Code
- Military Connected Survey
- Family Survey
- Heath Inventory
Dismissal
Thank you for your patience as we navigate the new dismissal system. We have shortened the duration of dismissal to 3:19 p.m. Our goal is to dismiss all students by 3:05 p.m. Any students who have not been picked up by 3:00 p.m. (excluding Safety Patrols) will need to be picked up through the double doors on Westerloch.
You must have a dismissal tag to pick up your child(ren) during dismissal. If you have not picked up your child(ren)'s dismissal tag, you may go to the front office to pick it up.
VIPS Approved
All adults entering the buildings MUST show a government issued photo identification at the front office every time you enter the building.
If you are coming into the school to volunteer and/or attend field trips. then you must be VIPS approved.
š¾ Bobcat Birthdays š¾
Ms. Hoang would like to wish a very special birthday to:
Camila C. who turned 10 years old on August 5th and is a fifth grader in Ms. Larson's class.
Juliet B. who turned 7 years old on August 7th and is a second grader in Ms. Brown's class.
Mahak Z. who turned 10 years old on August 26 and is a fifth grader in Mr. Crooker's class.
Aleena K. who turned 10 years old on August 27th and is a fifth grader in Ms. Larson's class.
Happy Birthday and Welcome to the Bush Birthday Book Club!
School Policy for Birthday Lunch and Party Favors
You are welcome to come eat with your child on his or her birthday. However, sharing food with other children is not allowed because we have students on campus who have allergic reactions to certain foods. You are welcome to bring non-edible party favors for your child's class. Party favors will be passed out after 2:00 pm.
Birthday Book Club
Starting Wednesday, we will announce all student's names on the morning announcements for their birthday. However, if you Join the Birthday Book Club, it will make your childās day extra special! Your child will have their name printed in the Paw Prints newsletter, choose a book to donate in their name for the school library with a framed group photo posted outside the library AND have their name on the electronic marquee during the week of their birthday (if option selected). See www.BBEpto.com for details.
Please follow us on Facebook or Instagram for the latest updates @bbep
Wrap Around Specialist, Ms. Quevedo
My name is Ms. Quevedo and I am your WrapAround Specialist. You might wonder what a Wraparound Specialist does? Well, I am here to help students, parents, and the community with non-academic needs by providing them with any type of resources. I am located in room T505, and my room already has school supplies and uniforms!
If you need assistance in clothing, food, hygiene products, school supplies, transportation, or legal , please fill out the Student Assistance Form by scanning the QR code below, and I will be finding resources and providing you with any need.
Mi nombre es Maria Quevedo y soy la especialista de WrapAround. Se deben preguntar, Āæque es la especialistra de WrapAround? Bueno, yo estoy aqui para ayudar a los estudiantes, padres, y comunidad con necesidades no academicas y les brindo cualquier tipo de recurso. Estoy ubicada en el salon T505, y mi salon ya tiene utiles escoles y uniformes.
Si necesita asistencia con ropa, comida, productos de higiene, utiles escolares, transportacion, o legal, por favor complete el formulario de Asistencia del Estudiante por medio del codigo de barra abajo, y yo encontrare el mejor recurso para brindarle la ayuda que necesita.
Membership
Support the PTO and join as a PTO Member! Membership does NOT require any volunteer commitment. Your membership includes access to the online directory, invitations to PTO Board Meetings and the voting rights for specific PTO items. Find it all here.
Bobcat Boosters
Bobcat Boosters is one of our most simple Fundraisers! Rather than asking students to go door-to-door or asking friends and neighbors to purchase items like cookies, wrapping paper or other items, we simply ask you to make a one-time donation to our PTO.
Many companies offer a matching system, and will match your donation. Donate here and if you have any questions reach out to bbebobcatboosters@gmail.com.
School Store
Thank you for supporting the BBE PTO with your uniform and school supplies purchases! The School Store online apparel shop will reopen on 9/5ā order by 9pm Tuesdays for delivery to your studentās classroom on Wednesday, or visit us in person on 9/1 from 7:45 to 8:45 am! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
PTO Events and Outreach Survey
Please help us to continue improving everything we do to give back to our students, school and teachers, by completing this quick survey. If you complete the survey you can choose to be entered in a drawing for a $25 gift card! This survey will close on September 29th.
We NEED You!
The PTO board is a group of individuals who have chosen to volunteer their time to help our school community. Currently we are in need of the following positions to make this school year a success. You will be working on a team with other individuals, and will not be on your own in any of these positions.
Business Partnership Co-chairperson (most urgent need)
School Store Chairperson
Bobcat Booklet Co-Chairperson
Hospitality Co-Chairperson
Concessions Committee Volunteers (non-board position)
Please reach out to presidentbbepto@gmail.com if you would like to learn more or are interested.
If you are interested in joining a committee or are interested in volunteering in a position other than a Chairperson role, be sure to fill out our Volunteering Interest Form online. www.BBEpto.com
Bobās Parking Spot
Thank you to the amazing volunteers who signed up their time to help with the planning and execution of our Meet the Teacher event..
Your names will be entered in a drawing this Thursday, August 31st for the opportunity to get Bob the Bobcat's Parking Spot for the months of September and October.
Meet the Teacher & Back-To-School Yearbook Photos
We are looking for pictures for the yearbook. We need "Meet the Teacher" and "First Day of School" photos. If you have any, please share them with us! Please send no more than 5 photos to bushptoyearbook@gmail.com and label pictures with your child's grade.