The Booker Bulletin

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Booker Bengals,

We hope you've all had an amazing summer break, relaxing and having fun with your children. It’s almost GAME TIME! So, as you prepare for your child to return on Thursday, August 10th, we want you to know that we are excited about the upcoming school year and cannot wait to see all of you this week!

“GAME ON” is our theme this year because we know that KNOWLEDGE changes the game! We must all be GAME CHANGERS for our scholars! They lean on you to provide structures and support at home and we will do the same at school. In order to TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, please discuss your personal expectations with your child, as well as our district and campus expectations, before they return.

We will be implementing our Positive Behavior Incentive System (PBIS) to help promote positive behaviors and interactions with others! We will be strategically working to ensure high levels of Social Emotional Learning are taking place and students are using what they are learning! Remind your scholars that school is important and it is a safe place to learn and grow, academically and socially. We will need your help from DAY 1 to ensure we are creating a positive partnership and holding all stakeholders (parents, students and staff) accountable for their part in this educational journey!

As, our Texas Education Agency standards increase, we need to ensure that we are giving our students the BEST EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES! We have some absolutely amazing scholars and staff at Booker and we are excited about the progress that we've made after COVID. Yet, we still have A LOT of work to do and I know Booker can be the next "A" campus if we all work together and put KIDS & ACADEMICS, first! We will need your continued support and understanding as we work through the new TEA A-F ratings, mandates and continue to learn how to better prepare our scholars for the new STAAR test format.

Parents we are embarking upon new adventures and programs to enhance your child’s educational experiences. Please note, students will be asked to read and write more and practice more math! We will initiate some new programs to ensure our students are improving in math, writing, reading fluency and comprehension. Our scholars will be challenged each day in the classroom and out of the classroom. We are partnering with Opportunity Culture (OC) to extend the reach, keep master teachers in the classroom and pay them for building capacity in others. This will allow more coaches on campus to teach students, target instruction and engage in coaching rounds. We have also partnered with UT Health to emphasize movement in the classrooms to help decrease the anxiety and stress levels in our students and staff and create highly engaged classrooms. We want to motivate our scholars and staff to stay engaged and learn strategies that will help them cope with today's stressors and enhance the educational environment.

Booker Bengals, it’s time to BRING OUR “A” game! Let's show our love and support to our scholars each day, by working together! It's going to be a fantastic year! We look forward to working with each and everyone of you!

Super Excited,

Keisha Womack

Principal

August 9 - Meet the Teacher - 2pm-4pm

August 10 - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

August 31 - Annual Update & Immunizations are DUE

Booker's Meet The Teacher Event will take place on Wednesday, August 9th from 2pm - 4pm. You’ll be able to meet teachers, tour the school, sign-up for our PTO, connect with Community Partners, and buy school shirts. There will also be free books, workbooks, and free school supplies. We look forward to seeing you there!

School hours will remain 8:05 – 3:25pm and we will open our doors at 7:35am for all students! Please start preparing your child, physically and mentally for their return! We want you to commit to having our scholars at school every day and on time! Take advantage our free breakfast program and the opportunity for your child to Mix and Mingle with a Bengal during this time and prepare for a day of learning!

FIRST DAY PARENT PROCEDURES

Parents will be able to walk their children to class on their first day only.

All visitors must clear the building by 8:30AM to ensure an accurate headcount.

FIRST DAY PROCEDURES & PARENT EXPECTATIONS

Capture these memories with photos of your child

Be Kind & Patient

Remain Calm

Refrain from using profanity or any threatening language, tone, or voice volume

AT DISMISSAL

Stay in your Car

No cell phone use while in the parking lot during arrival and dismissal time

Please do not speed in the parking lot

STUDENT IDs

• Student IDs are mandatory.
• Student IDs will be a part of the dress code check.
• Every student will get an ID and they will be distributed within the first seven days of school.
• Bus riders must wear their ZPass IDs to ride the bus.
• All students, except our bus riders, will leave student IDs at school.
• Any student having to replace their ID badge, will need to pay $1 for a temporary badge each time one is issued.
• YOU MAY ALLOW YOU STUDENTS TO WEAR THEIR OLD ID's UNTIL NEW ONES ARE DISTRIBUTED

CAR RIDER SIGNS

• ALL PARENTS WILL NEED TO GET NEW CAR RIDER SIGNS THIS YEAR.

(Even Walkers, Bike Riders, Day Care and Koala Kare families!)

• We will have them in the gym at Meet the Teacher or in the front office!
• Each family will be given two tags.

WALKER PARENTS

Parents please make sure your child is prepared to walk by reviewing the tips below:

• Walkers will proceed south on Imperial Valley down the side walk

(Except students enrolled in special programs/or have extenuating circumstances)

• They need to know where their home is by learning their route and address.
• Know the best route to get home, walking.
• Plan for bad weather with having an umbrella/poncho in their backpacks.
• Have identified friends or family that walk with them.
• Know how to handle situations that involve strangers approaching them.
• Make your child learn your cell phone number and your full name for emergency purposes.
• Please send children with water bottles during the months of extreme heat.
• Make sure they have the key, keycode, or garage code to get in the house.

• Teachers are not responsible for waiting on walkers, regardless of their age or grade!

(This is considered circumventing the car rider line. Parents be mindful that our teachers will not be able to wait for students to be picked up. So, if you have a little one, you must be at the walker dismissal intersection on time.)

• Teachers will not allow students to get in cars parked or waiting in our car rider line.

(It is illegal to load and unload your child in any lane on Imperial Valley. This is a traffic violation and also considered child endangerment and this is also circumventing the car rider and causing unsafe conditions for our students and drivers in the community.)

As for any SEVERE WEATHER DAYS designated by Harris County, your child will not be released to walk. We will initiate our RAINY DAY DISMISSAL procedures and dismiss all walkers with the car riders. Therefore, parents you will need to come and pick up your child from school on these days. You will proceed to the car rider line to avoid delay. So, please make sure you pick up your Rainy Day Car Rider Sign and keep it in your car. Remember, a rainy day does not count as a severe weather day so make sure your child is prepared!

Monday, Aug. 7 – Registration is closed – DUE TO DISTRICT CONVOCATION

Tuesday, Aug. 8 – 8am – 11 am & 3pm – 6pm

Wednesday, Aug. 9 – 8am – 10am only – closed to prepare for Meet the Teacher

Thursday, Aug. 10 –8am – 9:30am -but expect longer lines & wait times!

Friday, Aug. 11 - 8am - 10am

It's a NEW YEAR! Check out Spring ISD's new Student Code of Conduct to ensure your child is adhering to district policy. Please monitor your child's daily folder and their Wednesday folder for weekly updates. We want to ensure the safety and security of everyone on campus or visiting our campus.

Booker Admin

Spring ISD has adopted a new ID policy for all students this year. All students will be required to wear their ID badge at all times. It will be a part of their standardized dress code at Booker. Student IDs must be visible at all times! So, parents, we need your help! Dress code will be enforced each day. There will be no pull over hoodies allowed. Sweater jackets with hoods and zippers are allowed. Jeans must not be ripped, torn, stressed, or have designs in any way. Crocs and slides are not allowed, except for Dress Out Days, designated and approved by Booker Admin. Students will not be allowed to wear crocs or slides of any kind. To learn more about our dress code, please visit our website www.springisd.org/booker.

It is important for us to communicate with you. If you would like to meet with any administrators or teachers, please be sure to contact us in advance to schedule a meeting so that we can best serve you. Often times we are in classrooms meeting with our students and providing strategic instruction, meeting with our staff, or attending off-campus meetings.

We appreciate you scheduling an appointment, in advance with the campus secretary in order to avoid a long wait or a return to trip our campus.

Thank you for understanding, it is greatly appreciated.

Parents,

The state of Texas has a mandatory Attendance Requirement of 90%. Please know that under the Compulsory Attendance Law, all students must be in attendance at least 90% of the time they've been enrolled in a public school. In order to receive credit for a final grade for a class, a student is required to attend class 90 percent of the days a class is offered regardless of whether the student's absences are excused [see FEA] or unexcused.

TEA ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS

Appointments & Excuses

If your child has a doctor's appointment, please try to schedule it after snapshot at 9:30am. Any student who arrives after 9:30am is counted absent, regardless of what type of appointment it is. However, it is recommended that in this instance, you still provide the documentation for any medical appointments to ensure the absence has been resolved versus left unexcused. Unexcused absences do not tell the story. But doctors' notes and parent notes do! Please submit doctor's excuses and parent notes within three days of the absence.

Early Pick Ups

Parents we understand that circumstances do arise. However, in the past few years, we have noticed that our early pick ups have increased, substantially. Many of you express that it is due to the car rider line. However, early pick up causes students to miss instruction and fall behind. We will be closely monitoring early pick ups this year. Please make sure you are submitting all documentation for outside therapy, appointments, etc. that involve you having to pick up your child(ren) early.

Koala Kare is available for before and after school care on campus. Check it out! https://www.koalakare-llc.com/

Tardies

School starts at 8:00AM. We have free breakfast each day and students can arrive as early as 7:35am! Students who are late, enter the room frustrated or off task, causing a disruption to the instructional day. Help our scholars learn meaningful lessons about life and work, by getting them to school on time to assist them in getting a GREAT START!

All students are to wear dress code each day. We will have designated days for students to wear free dress code. For example, students get to dress in any attire representing Hispanic Heritage on Thursdays.

We will also start our new Attendance Rewards and free dress code days will also be a part of the Attendance Incentive Program. So, always check out our Booker Brief to find those opportunities for FREE DRESS CODE DAYS.

If your student is not participating in the designated event for free dress code, then he/she must follow Booker's dress code!

All students are eligible to receive a Chromebook. We will have more information coming soon about check out dates and procedures. Thank you for your patience.

Parents...

We are looking for volunteers and parents who are interested in supporting our scholars and staff this year. There are many ways to get involved. You can get involved behind the scenes, holding a PTO Board Office, volunteering at campus events, or so many other ways. Please complete both forms below:

BOOKER VOLUNTEER FORM 23-24 Spring ISD Volunteer Form.

It is important to do both forms. One is tailored just for us and specifies what you'd like to do as a volunteer and the other application is a district mandate for all Volunteers in Schools.

Booker Volunteer Interest Form

Spring ISD VIP Volunteer application: https://www.springisd.org/volunteer

Mrs. Villela will follow up with you and send you a reminder to complete the district's VIP application process to begin the background check. We must get you approved before serving on campus. Please call the front office and leave a message for Mrs. Villela letting her know you've been approved or email her with this information. Her email address is Kvillela@springisd.org. This system will allow us to track your status and get you registered for next year. We would like to start developing our PTO interest now to hopefully elect and be ready to roll for the fall! SIGN UP NOW!

We are looking for all TYPES OF VOLUNTEERS:

• Creative Artists
• Workroom Helpers
• Behind the Scene Helpers
• Frontline Helpers Library Helpers
• Business Partners
• Career Day Speakers
  
• Board Members for our PTO
• Hall Monitors
• Lunch Duty & Dismissal Volunteers for our Baby Bengals
• Mentors
• Seasonal Prop/Stage Crew
• Photographers
• Creative Souls

SO THAT MEANS YOU! And YOU! AND YOU! So, sign up now. We would like to have a parent meeting to see the interest in starting a board! Stay tuned!

FOR ASSISTANCE: CALL (281)891-8750

PRESS 1 - REGISTRAR - Ms. Velasquez - dvelas1@springisd.org

PRESS 2 - ATTENDANCE CLERK - Ms. Vides Martinez - Cvidesma@springisd.org

PRESS 0 - RECEPTIONISTS - Ms. Lopez / Ms. Tzontecomani

TO FAX: DIAL 281-891-8751

Website: https://www.springisd.org/Domain/21
Location: 22352 Imperial Valley Drive, Houston, TX, USA
Phone: 281-891-8750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/booker.bengals.3
Twitter: @BookerBengals

The mySpringISD portal provides an easy platform for staff and families, where they can access all of their digital resources, including Schoology and the Home Access Center. The single sign-on option gives parents, students and staff instant access to all their online resources from any device and any location.

To get started, log on to my.springisd.org, and sign in by using your parent Spring ISD network login username and password.

If you forgot your log-in/username, please call our front office at 281-891-8750 for assistance.