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The Howl - Our Parent Newsletter
October 31, 2023
Our 2023-24 Theme
October 31, 2023
Dear Carter Coyote Families,
Burr! The cold weather finally hit us! With cooler temps, we see many coats and jackets. PLEASE label your student's outerwear with their first and last name so we may return it to them if it is left somewhere on campus or gets taken off when the student warms up!
This past week was the 50th day of school, Red Ribbon Week, and book fair preview. It's hard to believe but we are in the second nine weeks of school and November starts tomorrow. Coming up: the Veteran's Day Program and Fall Benchmark testing in grades 3-5.
Another date fast approaching is November 17, which is an early release day. This year, early release is a little earlier for us. Dismissal for students to go home on Nov. 17 is at 11:15 AM.
If you are participating in Halloween, have a safe and fun evening!
Reserve your 2023-24 Yearbook Now!
This is the direct URL: https://www.balfour.com/texas/richmond/don-carter-elementary-school
2023 Bond Election
For More Information on the Bond:
- Video: https://youtu.be/vJeflksxooI?si=ttMhQfGhcnevsV27
- District Website News Article: https://www.lcisd.org/news
- District Website Page: https://bit.ly/2023TraylorBond
Save the Dates for the Book Fair!
AND
Traffic Around Our School
Crosswalk:
Drivers who park on Glass Peak Lane and drop students off are causing an unsafe traffic situation! Drivers from other neighborhoods or sections of Stone Creek park on both sides of the road causing a very tiny lane for residents to access and exit the neighborhood. Please do not park and block the road on Glass Peak Lane for the safety of EVERYONE!
On Rainy/Bad Weather Days (Repeated Information):
During inclement or stormy weather such as rain with lightning, rainy day dismissal will be called and ALL walkers will go home by a different mode of transportation according to their rainy day plan on file with their homeroom teacher. Callouts to parents go out no later than 2:15 pm via our Skyward messaging system.
Next step if your child is a walker? Email your child's teacher with their Rainy day plan if you have not already done so.
Walkers To and From School:
If your student is walking to and from school, they must be crossed by our crossing guard. We have had many reports lately that some students are running across the road without waiting for the crossing guard. Please talk to your student and make sure they understand this is not a safe practice.
Thank you also to parents who pick up their student on time, and plan transportation changes with the office before 2 PM. We are working extremely hard to help students get to their dismissal locations each and every day. Your patience and understanding are extremely important for smooth operations of our large (980+ students) campus.
Bus Update
Please remind your student about bus expectations below. We want everyone to have a safe ride to and from school.
Parents Interested in District Committees
https://www.lcisd.org/community/advisory-committees
Library: News from Mrs. Garrette
Great Job Carter Coyotes!
Counseling: News from Mrs. Patel & Mrs. Hernandez
Please Support Us in Helping Families at Thanksgiving
News From Mrs. Matthys, Our GT Facilitator:
A message from our GT Facilitator
The Gifted and Talented Program Referral Deadline is December 15, 2023.
The GT Program serves students who have an educational need for specialized services. The program includes placement with a classroom teacher trained in gifted education.
To refer a student for the elementary Lamar CISD G/T Program, a referral form must be filled out and returned; referral forms are accepted year-round. This form can be accessed by scanning the QR code found on the flyer or picking up one from the front office.
Screening will be conducted in January 2024. Notification will go out no later than May 2024.
Kindergarten students do not need to be referred, as every student is screened for the program. Kinder parents will be notified of their child's results before March 2024.
1st- 4th grade students already identified as Gifted and Talented do not need to be reassessed.
Fifth graders interested in participating in the Secondary GT Program DO need a referral submitted.
If you have any questions, please email the GT Campus Facilitator, Beth Matthys at amatthys@lcisd.org,
From the LCISD Special Education Department:
Message From the PTO:
- The Carter PTO Trunk-or-Treat was a huge success! THE Coach Don Carter and his wife Karen along with their grandson came to pass out candy and join in the festivities. We had a record number of cars and a record amount of fun by all!
- It's not too late! Carter PTO membership drive runs through TODAY, October 31. Membership levels start at $20. Visit https://doncarterpto.ptboard.com/formvw?store=3815&form=1 to learn more and join.
Thanks so much!
Joanna May, PTO President
PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED NEWS BELOW
Important District Changes to the Student Code of Conduct That Will Affect All Students
Among some of the most important changes are:
1. Being in possession of a Vape or E-cigarrette will result in automatic removal from the home campus to the Alternative Learning Center for a period of time TBD.
2. Being in possession of a knife of any length will result in automatic removal from the home campus to the Alternative Learning Center for a period of time TBD.
3. Cellphones: Cellphones and personal electronic devices including smartwatches must be turned off and stored in backpacks unless given specific permission by a teacher to use for an instructional purpose. The district has outlined specific required consequences for violation of personal technology policy: See page 100 in elementary student handbook.
Link to Elementary Handbook and Student Code of Conduct: HERE
Link to the Parent and Guardian Standards of Conduct: HERE
Parents Please Sign up in Smart Tag Portal for Your Child's Required ID Badge
Smart Tag is a MUST: If your child loses their Smart Tag, they will need to bring $5 to buy a replacement. Wearing a Smart Tag is an LCISD requirement and a security issue. Our students no matter what grade level have to get used to wearing it daily.
ALL students K-5 will receive a colored lanyard that identifies their House. Thank you, PTO!!
Registering for the Smart Tag Parent Portal is a vital safety measure that should be completed by ALL parents. Additionally, your child will use their ID Badge to purchase lunch and breakfast, on the bus, and library book check-out. Bus routing information will only be available in Smart Tag Parent Portal. The Smart Tag Parent Portal will show updated bus route information for your student before the first day of school.
The Smart Tag Parent Portal link can be found HERE
Transportation in General
Repeated Information Below:
- AM Car line--ARRIVE as Early as 6:45: There is absolutely NO pedestrian drop-off traffic crossing our busy car line in the morning. This is for the safety of everyone.
- ⛔After 7:15 AM, your student is considered tardy. If you pull into the car line at 7:10 or later, you WILL most likely be tardy. Starting Monday, September 11, cars will be routed from the car line into the parking lot at 7:15. At that time, cars must park and bring their child(ren) into the office to check-in and receive a tardy slip. ⛔
- PM Car line: PM car line is becoming very efficient. If you come to pick up your child in Car line after 3:00 PM, you may have to park and come in to the office to check out your child.
- AM and PM Car line: Refrain from using your cell phone on school property. We have seen an uptick in cell phone use while in the car line. Per elementary handbook, cell phone use in the car line is prohibited.
- Crosswalk: Please DO NOT park on Glass Peak Drive OR along Stonecreek Estates Drive on either side of the bridge and walk your student to the crosswalk--this road is not a parking lot. Lately an over congestion of cars parking near the intersections is causing an obstruction of a clear view for our walkers, bikers and crossing guard, particularly on the other side of the bridge where there is no longer staff assisting students and no crossing guard. Additionally, cars trying to come in and out of the neighborhood at Glass Peak Drive are blocked by cars parked to pick up or deliver walker students. The crosswalk is for students who are in the walk zone to Carter and do not have bus service due to their close proximity to the school.
- Pre-K and Kinder students: Students in this age category must have someone waiting to pick them up at the bus stop or cross walk otherwise they will be returned to school, causing inconveniences for you and your child.
Tardies and Early Pick Ups
We attribute our achievement success to several factors, one being bell to bell teaching! Here at Carter Elementary School, our students can go straight to the gym/grade level pod at 6:45am and begin getting ready for learning activities to start at 7:00!
Any student not in class at 7:15am will be counted tardy. Students will be routed to the front office to get a tardy slip before being released to go to class. We know that it is important for students to acclimate to new routines so we will begin counting tardies on Sept. 11th.
Our announcements start promptly at 7:15am, therefore all our students need to be in class for the pledges and to hear important daily information.
If you drop your child off in the morning, the best time (with minimal wait) is between 6:45am - 6:55am. At 7:05am, traffic picks up tremendously. If you turn into the carpool area at 7:10am or later, you run the risk of being late.
We understand that you have absolutely no control of the pacing of the carpool line on any given day. For this reason, we strongly suggest you access our carpool lane during the earlier minutes (6:45am - 7:00am) so your child has time to exit the car, enter the building and make it to class before the tardy bell rings.
It is very important that students are at school everyday, on time and stay for the entire day. Just as tardies impact learning over time, early pick-ups also cause students to miss instruction. Tardies and Early Pickups are recorded by the front office staff electronically. If you must pick up your students early for appointments, our cut off time is 2:00pm.
Full Price & Free and Reduced Cost Meals - Breakfast and Lunch
Please click the link below to apply for Free and Reduced-Cost Meals, Breakfast/Lunch Menus, and all things about Child Nutrition. Students will be charged for all meals unless you apply and qualify for free and reduced-cost meals.
https://www.lcisd.org/departments/support-services/food-service
2023-24 LCISD Instructional Calendar
Uniform Information
Below, please find the uniform colors and uniform clothing items that can be worn for the 2023-2024 school year:
Bottoms: Solid color navy blue, black, khaki or blue denim pants, capris, shorts, skirts, skorts or jumpers. Leggings/tights worn alone as well as embellished and distressed jeans with rips and tears are not allowed.
Tops: Solid color, collared (polo style, no logo) shirts in red, white, navy blue (dark blue,) black or hunter green (dark green.)
Maroon, gray, olive, kelly green, royal blue and light blue are not Carter approved uniform shirt colors.
School and PTO approved Carter ES spirit shirts are allowed daily, such as the once a year Carter themed shirt.
Leggings/tights worn alone as well as embellished and distressed jeans with rips and tears are not allowed. Additionally, basketball shorts, roller shoes, shoes that light up and backpacks on wheels are not allowed.
If a student is not wearing the proper uniform, they will be sent to the Nurse to either call home or receive a change of clothes, as our inventory allows.
Arrival and Dismissal Areas for Car Line, Bus, and Walker/Bikers
Important Documents at Your Fingertips
Important Dates to Remember
October 30 - Nov 3 - Book Fair
October 31 - Dress up like your favorite book character for $1 (Proceeds to Carter Student Activity Fund)
November 1 - College Day, wear your college attire
November 2 - Grandparent's Night at the Book Fair, 5:00-6:30 pm
November 9 - 5th grade Veteran's Day Program @ 6:00 PM in the gym
November 10 - End of Progress Report 2
November 16 - Progress Reports Distributed in Skyward Family Access
November 17 - Early Release @ 11:15
November 20-24 - Thanksgiving Break
December 1 - Picture Retakes (updated date)
December 6 - College Day! Wear your favorite college attire
December 7 - 4th Grade Winter Program
December 8 - Carter Spelling Bee
December 13 - PK-2 Winter Parties (RSVP for check-in will be sent to parents)
December 14 - 3rd-5th Winter Parties (RSVP for check-in will be sent to parents)
December 15 - Early Release @ 11:15
December 18- January 2 - Student Winter Break Holiday
January 3 - College Day! Wear your college attire
Don Carter Elementary School
Leann Imrie, Principal
Mandy Casey, Assistant Principal
Aerika Dial, Assistant Principal
Website: www.lcisd.org
Location: 8500 A Meyers Road, Richmond, TX, USA
Phone: (832)223-5500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonCarterES/
Twitter: @cartercoyotes