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SCIS Parent Message
#Be The Difference
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I am so excited for school to start!
I miss seeing our amazing kids and staff each day and I am already getting pumped to welcome each of you next week during Walk The Creek. SCIS is a happy place for kids to learn and we are thrilled to get started!
As we prepare for first day of school we are focused on one goal: to ensure that each child has an experience that is second to none. One way that we try to make certain this happens by design is to communicate with parents in a proactive manner.
Each week, you will get an email from me, it is in a differentiated format. The video above gives you an overview of a few of the most important things to know. The details below will allow you to dig deeper into the topics at hand. Since we work to ensure that our instruction for our children is differentiated based on each learner's needs and preferences, I work to model this same differentiation for our parent community in hopes to reach each family in the way they prefer to receive news and information. I hope you will find this information helpful.
During our Walk The Creek presentation, I will walk each 5th grade parent through how to sign up for our daily text updates. (see below for details)
As always, call or text my personal cell 24/7 should you need anything.
Ray Winkler
Principal
214.417.4660
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SCIS Office Closed on Monday, August 14th
On Monday, August 14th, Lovejoy ISD will kick off the new school year by having our annual convocation. This is an opportunity for our entire staff to learn and be set up for success for the new school year. Therefore, our office will be closed from 7:30 - noon. If you need anything on Monday, please plan to call or visit us after 12:00 p.m.
Walk The Creek
Walk the Creek is the intermediate version of meet the teacher. It provides students and parents an opportunity to find out the location of their classes and meet each of their teachers. There will also be an opportunity to buy spirit wear and put money in your child's lunch account.
Click here for the flyer
Monday, August 14th - 6th Grade Walk the Creek from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
For 6
th Graders this will be a come and go event.
See separate sheet for more details.
We will be running shuttles from Creekwood UMC starting at 5:15 PM.
We are hosting a meet and greet for new 6th grade students who have moved to Lovejoy ISD this summer from 4:00-5:00 in the Band Hall.
Click here for the flyer
Thursday, August 17th- 5th Grade Walk the Creek from 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
For 5
th Graders parents will walk your child
's schedule.
See separate sheet for more details.
We will be running shuttles from Creekwood UMC starting at 5:15 PM.
We are hosting a meet and greet for new to lovejoy ISD 5th grade students who have moved to Lovejoy ISD this summer from
4:00-5:00 in the band hall
If you cannot attend this event, then you are welcome to come on August 18th between 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. This will provide you an opportunity to walk your child's schedule, but we cannot guarantee that all of our teachers will be there since they are busy meeting and planning. If you choose to attend at an alternative time, please text Mr. Winkler to schedule a time. We look forward to seeing you at Walk the Creek!
6th Grade Rock Wall Leadership Challenge:
On Thursday, August 24th, all of our 6th graders will be participating in "The 7 Handholds of Success" rock climbing challenge. This is a program that helps develop leadership and perseverance skills. Students will climb a rock and conquer different challenges presented to them. Students will have a specialized schedule on Thursday. They will check into their 1st period class, and then they will go to their 9th period class. They will spend the day with their 9th period. During this time, students will explore leadership. This will mean that they will also have a different lunchtime.
Complete the permission form - One will sent home on Monday or you can click
here
for a copy.
**Please have your child wear tennis shoes and shorts to school on Thursday. This event will take place outside.
When will my child receive their locker?
5th Graders will receive their lockers on the first week during their Math class. They will practice all week on opening them and becoming "locker masters."
6th Graders will be assigned their lockers on Tuesday during Math class. Beginning Tuesday, students will have a "refresher" course on opening their lockers, and then our students will continue to practice all week.
Please note that the teachers will teach them how to open their lockers, and we will also provide practice throughout the week. If a student has trouble opening their locker, please encourage them to ask a buddy or a teacher for help.
Class Schedules -
PowerSchool
will be open on Monday, August 14th and you may view your student's schedule at that time. Mrs. Smith, our counselor has worked very hard all summer to balance classes and make each child's schedule work and ensure that each class is balanced.
Snacks and Water Bottles
We encourage students to bring a water bottle and snack to school. Students will be allowed to eat their snack during the school day.
Cellphones
Students do not need cell phones for learning at Sloan Creek, but we welcome students to have cellphones at school as long as parents feel that they are ready. On average only about 40% of 5th graders have cell phones to start 5th grade. By the time students transition to 7th grade, almost 80% of our students have phones. Many times parents feel that their child will be "The ONLY child without a cell phone", but this is not accurate. We encourage that students should only be allowed to bring cellphones when parents have high confidence that they can manage these devices responsibly and without losing them. Mr. Winkler gives all students his personal cell phone number incase they need his help. Mr. Winkler 214.417.4660.
Planners
On Tuesday of the first week, each student will receive a new SCIS planner . The purpose of the planner s to help students organize their learning and homework. Each child will get one planner for free. If they need to replace it, they can buy it in the school store for $10.00 This is great communication tool between parents, students, and teachers. Please ask your child to share their planner with you each night over dinner. I would strongly suggest each child write down the following 3 items in their planner each day for each class:
"SCIS BIG 3"
1.
What did we learn today?
2. What is the homework/practice for tonight?
3. When is our next test?
This gives parents pro-active information as to what is about to happen at school,verses checking PowerSchool, which sometimes is looking at what already has happened. I talk to students using a medical analogy-"Let's go in for a check up BEFORE we get sick to prevent it, rather than waiting to get ill, then having to treat it".
The planner (either electronic or paper) helps students and families keep healthy communication about what is about to happen in the academic life of your child.
Counselor's Corner
Who remembers how they felt on their first day of school? Anxious. Excited. Nervous. Scared. Those are all feelings many of you have felt and many of your children will feel next week when they return to Sloan Creek. I recently read an article by James Christ, Ph.D., a psychologist who specializes in children with ADHD, depression and anxiety disorders. The article, Talking to Kids About Friendships as They Return to School, offers suggestions on how to assist children of all ages as they reconnect with familiar friendships and also start new ones. Sloan Creek students have hundreds of opportunities to start conversations and get to know their peers. Every year is an opportunity for students to grow in all areas. Together we can all work to encourage, coach and help students put into action their plan for forging new friendships. It's time to Tackle the Challenge!
Parent To-Do List
:
*
Make sure your child knows how he/she will go home after school.
*
Complete Health Information/Allergy Forms. Talk to nurse Pierce and your child's teachers about these needs. If your child needs medication, you are welcome to bring it to Walk the Creek- Just ask for Nurse Pierce!
*
Complete Volunteer Background Check.
*
Complete the parent forms on Powerschool for each child.
*
Make sure your child has money on school lunch account.
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Join PTA!
*
Sign up to volunteer with PTA
Dad's Club
We have a Dad's club which runs the same way "Watch Dogs" runs at the elementary school. We will have a sign up during walk the creek!
Student Absences
For your convenience when your student is absent, you may send an e-mail to our PEIMS clerk, Lori Esser, that will serve as a parent note.You are also welcome to call us, but we will require something in writing as well to satisfy the requirement. If your child does receive a note from a doctor's visit, please do send that in as well.
Students will keep 100% of their supplies. We will not collect any supplies from your child.
SCIS School Start and End Times:
7:00 AM- Cafeteria open for breakfast and student drop off begins
7:35 AM - First Bell
7:45 AM - Tardy Bell
2:50 PM - Dismissal
It is our expectation that students are in their seats ready to learn at 7:45 each day.
This requires that students be dropped off
well before 7:35 to allow transition time to class.
On Monday, August 21st
, students will go directly to his/her classroom. On a typical day, upon arrival, students will report to one of the following places:
-Eating breakfast - cafeteria - Breakfast will be served everyday from 7:00 - 7:35
-5
th Graders will report to the cafeteria daily
-6
th Graders will report to the main gym daily
For the first week of school, please arrive extra early to avoid long lines. The best time to arrive at SCIS in the morning is between 7:00-7:20 am. After 7:20, drop off lines get long and slow.
Drop off and Pick Up Information:
The safety of our students at the center of everything we do at Sloan Creek. Please follow the following guidelines which were developed to keep students safe:
- Buses enter at the south and exit at the north of the school.
- Car pool traffic will enter through the south entrance only. Car pool traffic will exit at north of the school only.
- For morning drop-off, you'll be directed to drop off your student at doors 10 & 11 or to the Courtyard.
- For afternoon pick-up, students will only exit on the north end of the school to enter your car.
- After school, you may not park in the front of the school and have your child meet you at your car. Students may ONLY be picked up via the car line after school. You may check your child out of school at the front office if you arrive prior to 2:45 p.m.
- Remember: The use of cell phones is prohibited in a school zone.
Students may only exit the front of the building if they are a bus rider after school. Parents may not drop off or pick up students in the front of the school during car pool times.
During car pool times, please do not wait in the front parking lot, bus lanes, fire lanes, or double- park behind other vehicles. For their safety, do not have your student exit the front of the building and walk to your car.
Lunches
Last year students had 30 minutes for lunch and only 10
minutes
for recess. Most students and parents felt that lunch was too long (most students were done eating in well under 10 minutes)and recess was far too short.
After getting input from our students, parents, and staff last April and May, we have created an improved system which allows all students more time for recess (20
minutes)
and a full 20 minutes for lunch. This system also allows for much shorter lines during lunch (8 minutes on average)
All 5th graders will have 5th period lunch and 6th graders will be 6th period lunch.
The grade level will be split in half during lunch so that students can have 20 min of recess and 20 min of lunch. If students need more than 20 min for lunch, this will be easily accommodated. For the first 9 weeks students who are in english and social studies will eat lunch together first and math and science students will go to recess first. After 20 minutes have passed these two groups of students will switch places. On the second friday, we are planning on starting "free choice" friday where students can choose to eat first or play first each friday.
For the first week of school, all students will be seated by class to ensure that all students have a friend and a place to sit. In week 2, we will allow students to choose their seats.
*Parents- to help our students adjust to the lunch procedures, we always ask that you refrain from eating lunch with your child until the 2nd week of school. Starting in week 2, we would love to have parents come eat with their child anytime.
Bell Schedule
Camp Leopard
The first week of school we will spend significant time and energy teaching students all the ins and outs and expectations of being a Sloan Creek leader. A
ll students will be released to go to their first period class at 7:35. Any student who arrives after 7:35 will go straight to their first period class. Students will be considered tardy after the 7:45 bell sounds. If a student arrives after 7:45, we request that the student report to the front desk to receive a tardy slip to be presented to their teacher
Email Communication
To receive weekly emails from SCIS:
-Click on Email Express
-Sign up by choosing SCIS
Transportation Information
The 2017-2018 bus route information can be retrieved from the district's website prior to the beginning of the school year.
From the home page,
www.lovejoyisd.net.
, look for the 'Quick Links' heading on the right side of the page. Then click on 'Bus Routes,' listed underneath. You may also access the routes from the home page by selecting Departments / Operations/Transportation / Bus Routes.
Questions or concerns? Please contact the Transportation Department:
David Dillon (Senior Director of Operations)
Donna Holden (Administrative Assistant)
You may view the LISD Transportation Policies and Procedures by going to
www.lovejoyisd.net / Departments / Operations/Transportation.
Please Complete FERPA and General Waiver Forms
This must be done again every year via powerschool,
It is, once again, time to complete the FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) and General Waiver forms electronically. Also, please take the time to verify that all other required forms have been completed. You can find these forms on line by:
1. Go to the LISD Website .
2. Click on Parents,
3. Power School Parent Portal
4. Input your user name and password
5. You should now be in PowerSchool. Click on the blue "Click here to access the Enrollment Packet Forms or to update student information."
6. There are multiple forms you can click to update, but the required forms are the two on the bottom - "FERPA" and "General Waiver"
If you have any questions, please give Alis Brantl a call at 469-742-8160.
Nutrition News
Be sure to check out the information in your Back to School Packet from Student Nutrition regarding answers to frequently asked questions.
-Click on Parents
-Click on Student Nutrition
Get menus, free & reduced applications or prepay your student's account (
www.myschoolbucks.com)
Kids 1st After School Program
Kids 1st is an after school program developed by Lovejoy ISD in order to provide quality, safe care for children at each of the elementary schools and also Sloan Creek. For information, please visit the Lovejoy ISD Kids 1st web page at:
Click Here
Volunteering at SCIS
Thank you for your interest in serving as a volunteer at Lovejoy ISD for the 2017-2018 school year. Your time and talents do make a difference and are very much appreciated.
The Online Volunteer Application for the 2017-2018 school year is now available. Please
click here access the application. Upon completion of the form, please be sure to click "Submit Application" located at the bottom of the page. You will receive a confirmation email that your application has been received. The online application is a secure link.
For the safety of our students, a criminal history record is obtained annually for every person interested in volunteering at an LISD campus.
Your interest in serving as a volunteer is appreciated. Please email
Gina Ellis if you have any questions.
Upon completion of the background check, you will be notified when you have been cleared to volunteer.
Final Reminders for the start of school:
- You must have your driver's license to check into the building, or check out your student.
- Kid's First is our after school childcare service. More information will be sent home in future weeks via principal's message regarding registration. If you want to know more about Kids First. Click here If your child need to stay after school, (with the exception of tutoring) please ensure that you enroll your child in Kids First.
- So students will have time to adjust to our lunchroom procedures, we ask that guests join us for dining beginning the second week of school.
- Sign up for the Principal Message on the Lovejoy ISD homepage.
- Lockers will be assigned on the second day of school through students' math classes. We ask that all students use their lockers. Students will have opportunities to practice opening their locker as part of class time throughout the week.
- Have a question or concern? Call or text Mr. Winkler 24/7 214.417.4660.
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Message from the Sloan Creek PTA
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Sloan Creek Families,
An exciting school year at Sloan Creek is on the horizon! This time of year is filled with the anticipation of new class schedules, lockers, school supplies, new teachers and seeing old friends again. So let's get going!
Continuing a proud partnership with the faculty at Sloan Creek, the PTA is ready to kick off another year of strong volunteerism, student programs, Dads on Campus, hospitality and so much more! Please take a moment to peruse below to get a head start.
Sloan Creek PTA~ Parent Powered
Stephanie McGowan
Sloan Creek PTA President
Important Dates
Walk the Creek-
PTA will be there to collect membership and volunteer forms August 14
th & 17
th
PTA General meeting - September 18
th 10:30am
PTA Membership & Leopard Drive
{All dollars stay at Sloan Creek}
You're invited to join the PTA today! Your membership dues and donations allow us to sponsor great programs throughout the year at Sloan Creek. In addition, joining the PTA provides you with quality parent resources, volunteer opportunities, Sloan Creek PTA emails, and a membership directory.
Volunteer Information
The Sloan Creek campus is a parents-welcome zone! Take a look at the many opportunities that parents have to get involved at Sloan Creek this year. You don't need to make up-front commitments. Just let us know that you're interested and we'll contact you as needs arise. Are you interested in helping in STEM classes, Art to Go, mentoring, car pool, gardening, book fairs, school socials, making copies, assisting in the office, hospitality events, book fair? You'll find a volunteer sign-up form in your packet at Walk the Creek or click below to access it now.
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| Date |
Event |
Details |
| August 14 |
New to LISD 6th Grade |
4:00 pm - 5:00 pm |
| August 14 |
Walk the Creek 6th Grade come & go event |
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm |
| August 17 |
New to LISD 5th Grade |
4:00 pm - 7:30 pm |
| August 17 |
Walk the Creek 5th Grade |
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm |
| August 21 |
First Day of School |
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| August 24 |
Rock Solid Character Program 6th Grade |
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| August 25 |
Leadership Assembly |
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| September 01 |
Principal Coffee |
9:00 am - 10:30 am |
| September 04 |
Student Holiday |
No School |
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Lovejoy ISD Pre-Kindergarten
Registration for the Lovejoy ISD Pre-Kindergarten program is now open. If you have a child who will be 4 years of age by September 1, 2017, you may now register him or her in this tuition-based program.
Click here to access the registration packet.
We are looking forward to offering this new program featuring credentialed teachers who will provide a developmentally appropriate experience which will prepare our four year olds for Kindergarten. We fully recognize a Pre-K program must be highly engaging and allow our children to explore their creativity. Enrichment opportunities in Art, Music, Library, and Fitness, as well as Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) will be provided each week. We are enthusiastic about this opportunity to provide a Lovejoy education for your youngest Leopards at Puster. The Pre-K students will experience a rich learning environment which will provide them with a firm foundation for their K-12 Lovejoy experience.
You may
click here to review frequently asked questions. For additional information, please contact Stacey Dillon at 469.742.8003 or by
email.
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WOULD YOU LIKE DAILY TEXT UPDATES FROM SCIS?
Be sure to sign up for our daily updates delivered to your cell phone via text message.
Here are the 4 easy steps:
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1.
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Send a text message to the number:40404
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2.
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Type this message:Follow @sloancreekis
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3.
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Send the message above to the 40404 number
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4.
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You will receive a daily update/reminder about SCIS
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EMAIL COMMUNICATION
Be sure to take a moment to sign up, on the Lovejoy ISD website, to receive Mr. Moore's as well as my weekly e-mails. Click here to sign up
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Sloan Creek Intermediate School
Cell (214) 417-4660
440 Country Club Road
Fairview, TX 75069
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