TOPS Elementary School Newsletter

It is benchmark week! This is an important week because you have a chance to show what you have learned and to show what you know about upcoming topics. We will analyze your results to adjust your class connect sessions to fit your strengths and weaknesses. Please complete the benchmarks on your own. If you have accommodations on the STAAR test, please use those during this time.

(Students who started on September 26 or October 10 are exempt from Benchmark 1.)

You are responsible for completing the following benchmarks in USA Test Prep by Friday, October 12th:

3rd: math and reading

4th: math, reading, and writing

5th: math, reading, and science

We will be having a grade level competition. The grade level with the highest participation will get the prize of their homeroom teachers teaching in costume! I've been watching the results and this is a close competition. Help your class win!!!

October 9-12: Benchmark 1 in USATP

October 17: Learning Coach University at 11am

October 18: Special Assembly at 2pm

October 22: Student Holiday/Teacher Workday/Parent Conferences (more info to come)

October 23: New Schedules based on Benchmark Scores

October 23-31: Red Ribbon Week

October 26: In-Person Outing 10am-12pm, Sign Ups Coming Soon!

October 26: Virtual Outing 10am-11pm

This Friday, October 12th, is the last day of Quarter 1.

Here are some helpful tips for finishing strong:

-Go to your gradebook and look for any Ms. An M indicates you are missing an assignment. Work on completing these first.

-Next, look for failing grades on assignments and reattempt them. If you have already used your 3 attempts, or the failing grade is for a TGA, reach out to the teacher of that content and ask what you need to do to earn another attempt.

-Finally, check each subject for assignments that are not mastered (found under the progress tab). This is another method to check for any missing or low grades.

-If you still need help, reach out to your homeroom or content teacher and they will be glad to try and help.

Child Lures is an effective curriculum that teaches youth about personal safety, and is presented by our school social worker. It teaches youth that the vast majority of people are loving and caring and committed to the safety of all children. The second message is that there are some people, a small but active group, that try to lure young people into dangerous and abusive situations by using lures, but by teaching the various lures and prevention strategies, students can learn how to think first and stay safe.

Some of the information presented is sensitive. Parents are welcome to attend the assembly with their student, or even opt out. We hope you will join us!

The session is in your Class Connect Session list.

Attention LCs! watch your email for a sign up link from your student's homeroom teacher for parent teacher conferences. The majority of these conferences will be held on Monday, October 22nd, but your homeroom teacher may offer more times in the following weeks.

K12 is calling all artists to step up to the drawing board and enter our 13th Annual Art Contest! Create and submit a piece of art using the theme SUBJECT MATTERS, and show off your artistic talents! Contest ends October 31, 2018.

Share your Artwork!

K12 offers a wide variety of online clubs to help your student have fun learning with other students who share similar passions and pursuits. These clubs are offered typically two times a month, and last one hour. Browse our 2018–2019 club listings, and register for your favorite clubs today!

To have the best experience possible when using the K12 Online School (OLS), please ensure that your computer’s time and time zone settings are correct and they match the time zone settings in all OLS accounts. Click here to watch how to update the time zone.

For fun holiday ideas for you and your children, subscribe to our Learning Liftoff newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Elementary School Principal

Blanda Watt graduated from Wayland Baptist University with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and religion. She completed her master’s in educational leadership with Lamar University in 2011. Blanda began her educational career at a private school in Fort Worth where she had the opportunity to teach students in PK through 12th grade and eventually served as elementary principal. In 2013, Blanda joined the K12 team as a high school English teacher and later became the ELA department chair. Blanda became the TOPS elementary school principal in September of 2017. She and her husband, Michael, live in a small town in west Texas with their four boys and two pet prairie dogs. Blanda enjoys completing jigsaw puzzles, binge watching Netflix, cooking, and dreaming on Pinterest.

Email: bwatt@texasonlineprep.org
Website: tops.k12.com/
Location: 1955 Lakeway Drive, Lewisville, TX, United States
Phone: 682.593.1514
Twitter: @TOPSMrsWatt