The Bear Branch Buzz

April 6: Battle of the Books Competition

April 8: Solar Eclipse

April 9: STAAR 5th Grade Reading/Language Arts No Visitors/Volunteers

April 10: STAAR 4th Grade Reading/Language Arts No Visitors/Volunteers

April 11: STAAR 3rd Grade Reading/Language Arts No Visitors/Volunteers

April 12: STAAR Grades 3-5 Reading/Language Arts Make Up No Visitors/Volunteers

April 16: STAAR 5th Grade Science No Visitors/Volunteers

April 17: STAAR 5th Grade Science Make Up No Visitors/Volunteers

April 17: BBE Spirit Night at Crust Pizza

April 23: STAAR 5th Grade Math No Visitors/Volunteers

April 23: Kindergarten Round Up, 5:30-6:30

April 24: STAAR 4th Grade Math No Visitors/Volunteers

April 25: STAAR 3rd Grade Math No Visitors/Volunteers

April 26: STAAR 3rd-5th Math Make Up No Visitors/Volunteers

April 29: Kindergarten Field Trip to the Houston Zoo

May 10: Super Kids Day

Bear Branch Family,

After 31 years in public education, with 25 of those being here as a part of the Bear Branch Family, it is bitter sweet that I announce I am retiring at the end of this school year. In August, my husband, Dean, and I purchased my Grandmother’s house and 5 acres in Louisiana. While I am excited for our next adventure, I am going to miss our Bears deeply. It has been a pleasure working with you all and a blessing to me to have been a part of so many students’ and families’ lives. I wish you all the best and look forward to hearing the amazing things our Bears will continue to do.

Forever a Bear,

Myra Herbst

Please take a few minutes to view the video showcasing our 3rd Grade Bears and the great service they are providing for our community. Click "Reforest the Livable Forest" to watch.

We are excited about BBE Super Kids Day coming up on Friday, May 10th, but we can't do it without your support. We are looking for 40 volunteers for each grade level session to help run the event stations. Prior to their shift, volunteers will check in with the front office and be assigned a station to monitor.

Humble ISD Volunteer Policy requires all volunteers to complete a short online application each year. If you have not completed the volunteer application for the 2023-2024 school year yet, please take a moment to fill it out. This process can take 3-5 days to receive the background check results.

Volunteers have two options to support our school. The first option is to sign up for your child's SKD time and help run a station. The second option is to sign up for a different SKD time than your child's and run that grade level's station. This allows you the flexibility to watch your child during their SKD time while not supervising a station. Ex: You can spend time with your 2nd grade child from 10:15-12:00 and then help volunteer to run a station from 12:15-2:00 during the 4th & 5th grade play time. Parents may not bring younger siblings while they are volunteering.

Super Kids Day is a FUN day for the kids but we can't do it without YOU. We need parent support to help make this year's Super Kids Day amazing!

Thank you in advance for your help,

Patricia Edmonds & Leanne Terry

Please remember to send in an excuse if your child is absent from school. This excuse can be emailed, handwritten or submitted electronically using the absence form. Thank you for your help with this!

Regular attendance is critical to learning in the classroom. When your elementary or middle school child is absent from school, please note the following important reminders:

Inform the school within 48 hours to mark the absence as excused using one of these options:

• Fill out the online absence form at humbleisd.net/attendancecontacts -or-

• Email the campus attendance office -or-

• Send in a paper note, or take a photo with your phone and send it to the attendance office -or-

• Call the school’s attendance office

For medical or dental appointments:

• Get a note at the appointment and upload it into the online absence form at humbleisd.net/attendancecontacts -or-

• Turn it in to the attendance office within 48 hours.

Did You Know?

Dated health care appointment notes allow the school to mark your child present if they attended any part of the school day, such as before or after their appointment.

When students stay in school until 10 a.m. (Elementary) or 10:40 a.m. (Middle School), it ensures the school receives full funding for the day. Your support in ensuring your child’s attendance not only helps them academically, but also boosts the school’s success.

Thank you for partnering with us to provide the best educational experience for our students. For more information, please visit Important Attendance Information for Parents or view the Attendance Reminders for Elementary & Middle School flyer.

You may have noticed quite a bit of activity around the Tree Lane bridge. This is due to a City of Houston (COH) Public Works Department project that will begin this spring for the Tree Lane Bridge Rehabilitation Project. As we receive information, we will share with our BBE Community. This project may impact arrival and dismissal for walkers, bikers and car riders.

Project update regarding upcoming bridge construction:

• Adjacent land area will be closed off with a construction fence.
• One lane of traffic near the bridge may be closed intermittently, with the bridge remaining fully open during peak hours.
• Detailed logistics and safety plans are being developed with the contractor.
• Construction is anticipated to start in March or early April, subject to various factors such as material procurement.
• The adjacent sidewalk may also be closed, pending finalization of safety measures with the contractor.

For those who have not yet purchased a yearbook, we have limited copies available for sale. If you are interested in securing a copy for your child, please go to: https://www.balfour.com/texas/kingwood/bear-branch-elementary-school .

We encourage you to act quickly, as these copies will be allocated on a first come, first-serve basis.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding. We are excited to share this wonderful memento with all of you and hope that it brings joy and fond memories of this unique school year.

Yearbook prices have increased to $25.00 as of 1/8/2024.

Order yours now at:

https://www.balfour.com/texas/kingwood/bear-branch-elementary-school

Don't miss out on getting your very own yearbook!

Attention Yarn Club Families

We have enjoyed having your kiddos in Yarn club.We have plenty of hooks and yarn, but if your student would like a particular color they are welcome to bring their own yarn, (just not textured or rainbow as it can be unsuitable for crochet).

We have an important change in pick up location. We will begin dismissing YARN CLUB from the back parking lot at the regular time of 4:15p.m., so if you have an additional student dismissing at 4:30 from the front you will be able to pick up yarn club first and then drive around to the front for any additional club pick ups. This will help with safety and timeliness.

Secondly, we have two dates when there will be no yarn club, 4/8, 5/20. Thanks so much for your support and we will see y'all in the back parking lot Monday at 4:15. Thanks so much!

Humble ISD provides testing opportunities for students who wish to attempt credit by exam (CBE) for acceleration to skip a grade. Information for summer testing is available through your school counselor, Julie Wimberly. If interested, please click this link to access the registration form.

Summer Testing: June 17-20, 2024 or July 8-11, 2024
Registration Deadline: April 26, 2024

Parents,

Champions Kids Camp invites children who qualify to participate in a week long summer camp experience. If your child has experienced any of the following they could be a candidate for Champions Kids Camp.

- has previously been in foster care or experienced trauma

- has experienced the loss of a parent or sibling

- has survived an accident or illness

- has an on-going disease

- has a parent who is a first responder or in the military

Please see the attached flyer for more details.

Thank you,

Julie Wimberly

BBE School Counselor

281-641-1607

Junk food is high in fat, salt, and sugar but is low in fiber, protein, and nutrients. This type of food can be appealing or enjoyable, but has little or no real value. Children who eat more junk food are likely to be overweight, tired, and sick. The fat from junk food causes your brain to want more food, similar to an addictive drug.

"According to the USDA, nearly one-third of children are at risk for preventable diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease as a result of being overweight or obese. If this issue is not addressed, health experts predict that this generation may be the first to live shorter lives than their parents."

Here are some ways to eat more fruit and veggies at school and at home-

1. Plan ahead- take your child grocery shopping to pick out healthier foods and have your child help prepare home-cooked meals together.

2. Provide smaller low calorie snacks- real fruits and veggies in bite size portions (not gummy fruit snacks), cheese and whole grain crackers, nuts if allowed, and popcorn, etc.

3. Introduce different fruit/veggies a little at a time- small changes help to be more successful in changing a habit!

4. Set a good example- don't just tell your child, show your child that the whole family can eat more fruits and vegetables together.

Live healthy Bears!

Emily James, RN, BSN

Bear Branch Elementary Nurse

281-641-1605

281-641-1617 fax

Choose My Plate

Copy Room Volunteers are needed to make copies for our teachers.

Visit www.bbepta.com and click on volunteer. You can sign up for a specific day of the week or a specific date.

If you have any questions, please contact Priscilla Reyna at copyroom@bbepta.com

If your child forgets items at home, please deliver to the cubby shelf in the front entry labeled with your child's name, teacher and grade level before 10:00 a.m. Items will be delivered at 10:00 a.m. If you drop off items after 10:00 a.m., please notify the front office and they will call the student to pick up at teacher's discretion.

Guests are welcome to have lunch on campus with their Bear on the following days:

• Any Day of the Week: Student Birthday/Half Birthday

• Tuesdays: Kindergarten and 4th Grades

• Wednesdays: 1st and 3rd Grades

• Thursdays: 2nd and 5th Grades

As a reminder, this is a special time for the Bear and the guest. Other students will not be permitted to join the Bear and guest.

If you are interested in enrolling your child in Humble ISD PreK for the 2023-2024 school year, you may begin the pre-registration process online. To learn more about registration, age requirements, and to see if you are eligible, please visit our website at www.humbleisd.net/earlychildhood

Thank you so much!

Email: bbe_connect@humbleisd.net
Website: www.humbleisd.net/bbe
Location: 3500 Garden Lake Drive Kingwood, Texas 77339
Phone: 2816411601
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/humbleisd.bbe/
Twitter: @humbleisd_bbe