The Bear Branch Buzz

April 22: Chalk the Walk, 6:15 pm (see flyer below)

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 25: STAAR 5th Grade Math Make Up No Visitor/Volunteers

April 26: STAAR 3rd-4th Math Make Up No Visitors/Volunteers

April 26: 5th Grade Field Trip: James and the Giant Peach

April 29: Kindergarten Field Trip to the Houston Zoo

May 1: Talent Show MC Auditions- See Below for More Info

May 2: Class of 2024 Senior Breakfast

May 3: Sign Up Deadline for Talent Show- See Below for More Info

May 4: Humble ISD Fine Arts Festival (see flyer below)

May 6-10: Teacher Appreciation Week (see flyer below)

May 6: 4th Grade Talent Show Auditions

May 8: 5th Grade Talent Show Auditions

May 10: Super Kids Day

May 13: 1st Grade Program & PTA general meeting, 6:00

May 20: No Yarn Club Scheduled on This Day

Teacher Appreciation Week is fast approaching!! Take a moment to look at the fun days we have planned for our amazing staff and get a head start on the activities.

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!

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

Two lice viewed under an electron microscope. Note the claws used to grasp onto individual hairs. (Photo Credit: CDC)

General Lice Information:

• Adult head lice are about the size of a sesame seed. They infest the head and neck and attach their eggs to the base of the hair shaft.
• A female louse can lay up to 6-8 eggs a day and nits will hatch in about 10 days. Do the math.
• Head lice infestation, or pediculosis, is spread mostly by close person-to-person contact by crawling. They cannot fly or hop. Also, dogs, cats, and other pets do not transmit lice.
• Adult and nymph lice are very small, move quickly, and avoid light, they may be difficult to find. They cause itching (pruritus) from the louse bites.
• Both over-the-counter and prescription medications are available for treatment along with the use of a fine-toothed louse comb.
• Not a fun fact: Head lice are not known to transmit any disease and therefore are not considered a health hazard.
  
• Fun fact: Adult lice can “hold their breath” for up to 8 hours in water and Chlorine does not kill them! And you absolutely cannot drown nits! Darn!

To help prevent and control the spread of head lice:

• Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).
• Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, headbands, or barrettes.
• Do not share combs, brushes, or towels. Disinfest combs and brushes used by an infested person by soaking them in hot water for 5–10 minutes.
• Do not lie on beds, couches, pillows, carpets, or stuffed animals that have recently been in contact with an infested person. Be careful the next time you go to the movie theater too! Yikes!

Please read the CDC Flyer of How to check for head lice and the Humble ISD Lice Facts Sheet below.

I bet you are scratching your head now! Me too! EEK!

Emily James, RN, BSN

Bear Branch Elementary Nurse

281-641-1605

281-641-1617 fax

Photo Credit: Lice Clinics of America

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.

Reminder: Due to state testing, we will not have lunch visitors on the following dates: April 23-26.

Get ready for an incredible event hosted by Humble ISD Counseling & Behavioral Services – it's our Summer Safety & Resource Family Night, and we want YOU to be a part of it!

• Mark Thursday, May 2, 2024, on your calendar and head over to Lakeland Elementary School from 6:00 - 8:00pm. This is one event you won't want to miss!
• Our mission? To help make your summer unforgettable! We're here to connect you with all the incredible resources you need for a safe, sensational summer. From job opportunities and fantastic camps to awesome ways to stay active and tips for keeping your family healthy and happy, we've got you covered!
  
• The best part? This event is FREE to attend! And that's not all – we've got some extra fun planned for you too!
• Come hungry and purchase a delicious treat from our food trucks. Bounce to your heart's content in our awesome bounce house. And don't miss out on the chance to explore and touch a truck – it's going to be an unforgettable experience!

So gather up the whole family and join us for an evening of summer excitement! See you there!

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