HUNTERS CREEK ELEMENTARY
COUGAR EXPRESS 

News from the Principal and the PTA
 
January 27, 2017
                                  VISIT OUR SCHOOL WEBSITE                       VISIT OUR PTA WEBSITE 
CLICK HERE for our full calendar of events  

Jan 31
100th Day of School!!
Jan 31 6:00pm Transition Session for Parents of Rising 6th graders at Spring Branch Middle School Auditorium
Feb 1 9:15-11:15 5th grade visits Spring Branch Middle School
Feb 1
NATIONAL COUNSELOR DAY
Feb 2 8:15 4th grade PRACTICE Writing STAAR
No schedule changes
Feb 2 9:30 PTA Planning Committee Meeting
Feb 3
Group Pictures (homerooms) and Individual Spring Pictures
Feb 3
Staff Appreciation Lunch by PTA (THANK YOU!!!)
Feb 3
Progress Reports Go Home
Feb 7 - 9
HCE Book Fair
Feb 7   7:55am - 7:30pm, 5:30-7:00pm PTA Dinner
Feb 8   7:55am - 3:00pm Grandparents Day
Feb 9   7:15-7:55am Breakfast with Buddies
            7:55-12:00 Bookfair Open
SCHOOL STORE  FOR 3rd, 4th and 5th Graders

Jan 31, Feb 21 (more days to be announced soon)

All items are $1 or $2.  Some things are more than 1 for those prices. Thanks to our 4th grade crew for helping Mrs. Snyder!  
Counselor's Corner
By Andrea Chvatal

Ahhh, technology.  The ease of finding information in a moment, or being entertained instantly.  I can find a recipe, look at the weather report, or order an item from an app and have it at my house in two days.  Good for me.  But what about children and technology?   I know many parents use technology as a reward, or limit screen time each day.  Each family sets their rules according to the needs and wants of each person.  Using research to guide those rules is a good check for any family.  Another informative article from The Center For Parenting Education.org reports that overuse of technology (more than two hours for children over two years old) plays a big role in the quality of children's health and well-being.  Many deficiencies can form if a child's brain receives more screen time than recommended - yikes!  The article reports decreased attention span, underdeveloped or delayed language and critical thinking abilities and decreased intrinsic motivation for learning.  Read more here  and then make sure your children are getting the hands-on, direct interactions and sensory experiences they so deserve.  Their brains will thank you!
 
In Other News.....
 
I have some exciting news to share with you!  We will have a School Counselor - Intern on our campus completing her practicum requirements through May.  Melissa Farber is a former Houston ISD teacher, current HISD specialist, and completing her master's degree through Angelo State University's College of Education.  She will be at HCE every Thursday, observing and participating in all aspects of the role of School Counselor.  Melissa is excited to be here and I hope you will help me welcome her as she dives into this semester with me.

Annual Brisket & Ribs Sale 2017

The Dad's Club Brisket Fundraiser is upon us...

Mouthwatering Briskets and Ribs for Super Bowl 51 parties, family meals, gifts for friends, employees and family members. Thank you for supporting Dad's club and all we do throughout the year to bring Hunters Creek families together for fellowship and fun.

This year, the Dad's Club BBQ Team will cook all briskets and ribs for pickup on Saturday, February 4th at 3PM!!!

Orders for "Hot" pickup will get their Briskets off the pit! All ribs will be "Cold" Others will be vacuum sealed and ready for the freezer.
Briskets            $80                  Quantity: ____________
Ribs - Slab       $25                  Quantity: ____________
Pickup:            Hot_________ Cold__________

**You can email your order to cateringbyjimmy@yahoo.com or drop off this Sheet in the Dad's Club mailbox in the front office at HCE. 

Pickup will be Saturday February 4th @ Ron Latta's home located at 738 East Creekside, Houston TX 77024 from 3:00PM - 5:00PM. 

Thank you for your Support!! Please make checks payable to HCE Dad's Club.

Name: _________________________________________________________
Phone: ______________________    Email: ________________________________________
Address: _____________________________________________________________________
Credit Card Type/Number: _________________________________________________
Expiration Date: ______/_______         Security Code: ______________
Billing Zip Code: _______________
 
Signature: ____________________________________

PTA President's Perspective
 
The calendar is getting packed with springtime activities galore! Make sure you check it out and be on the look out for opportunities to volunteer. PTA programs would not be possible without your help!
 
Don't forget that Fridays are HCE Spirit days! Wear your favorite HCE gear and show your cougar pride!!
 
Katrina Stephenson
HCE PTA President
 


5th GRADE ROCKS!!
FUNDRAISER




Valentine Pop Rocks for Sale!
Funds raised will go towards the 5th grade class gift for Hunters Creek
Elementary and a memorable event hosted by the class of 2017.

LIMITED QUANTITY - DON'T MISS OUT!
Make your class Valentine giving easy!

On sale January 20 - February 8th
Bulk Orders online at hcepta.com

Class Set (25) - $25.00 (enough for the whole class + teacher)
Class + Friends (35) - $35.00 (enough for the whole class plus a few
other friends)
Grade Level Set (130) - $130.00 (enough for everyone in your grade
level)

February 6th and 7th
Individual sales at school 7:30 am - 8:15 am
Individual sales - $1.00 each
Orders will be delivered to students on Valentine's Day
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR
hce family fair
friday, march 3, 2017
3-6pm
hce fields 
For those of you new to HCE, Family Fair is our annual after school carnival that takes place on the HCE fields. There will be games, rides, food, cake walk, photo booth, inflatables and much more. This is a fun-filled afternoon for the entire family!
In order to make the fair a success, we need your help.
Each homeroom class is assigned a booth at the fair, and the parents are afforded the opportunity to work in the booth, which our children always love. The shifts are only 30 minutes long, so please be on the lookout for a SignUpGenius from your room parent offering the time slots.
You can also help by donating confetti eggs that will be used at the fair in The Zone for the ever-popular Confetti Egg Wars. Confetti egg donations will be accepted beginning in February in a box near the front office with your child's grade level written on the carton.
The day of family fair, we will need you to donate store bought cakes for our cakewalk. Stay tuned for more information!
 
 
For questions please contact:  
robyn canterbury, katie clark, alicia kimmel or carrye krouse

2017 FAMILY FAIR UNDERWRITING
 
Underwriters of $500 or more will be recognized on the back of the Family Fair
  t-shirt, which will be given to every HCE student. Donors at all levels will be recognized in the HCE newsletter and displayed in appreciation on the Family Fair Underwriter Banner.  Deadline for t-shirt and banner inclusion is February 10, 2017.  
 
Underwriting Levels
 
               Texas                                    $1000       ________
               Coastal Plains                      $750         _ _______
               Gulf Coast                             $500         ________
               Houston                                $250         ________
               Harris County                       $100         ________
               Spring Branch                      $50            ________
               Hunters Creek                       Other        ________
 
Underwriter Name (as to appear on all materials) ___________________
Contact Name _______________________________________________
Address ____________________________________________________
Zip Code __________  Phone Number ____________________________
 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!!
 
Please make your check payable to:
Hunters Creek Elementary PTA (memo Family Fair Underwriting)
Return your form and check back to school or mail to:
Kelly Siblik, 7811 Bryonwood Dr., Houston, TX 77055
 
OR
 
Visit hcepta.com to make your contributions online.
 
This contribution is fully deductible to the extent allowed by law.  Hunters Creek Elementary School PTA is a non-profit 501(c)(3) education and charitable organization.  


 
CASH and CHECK payments preferred; credit cards accepted .
 
Volunteers Needed:

 ORDER YOUR HCE YEARBOOK TODAY!   
 
HCE Lunch Volunteers

The teachers were so excited and so appreciative that we were able to cover their lunch duties the week before Christmas.  It was such a success and they loved it so much that we are going to try and cover one week of lunch duty for them per month.  Our January week is next week. If you have a spare 30 minutes next week please consider signing up.  It is such a huge help to our teachers! 

February 13-17 (Kindness Week)

March 6-10

April 17-21

May 1-5 (Teacher Appreciation Week)

The Sign Up Genius for January is live, and we would love for you to participate! It's a win-win for everyone...you get to spend 30 minutes hanging out with your kids and their friends at lunch, and our teachers get to enjoy a much deserved break.  If you are not able to make your shift, please find a sub, or text Jan Ingersoll 303-720-1727.


VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
 
We are looking for 3 volunteers to help with the HCE PTA financial reconciliation.
 

If you are good with numbers and processes we need you.  Please contact Katrina Stephenson if you are able to help!
  Katrinastephenson@gmail.com or 713-305-3277

PTA Nominations

It is time to submit your nominations for the 2017-2018 PTA Executive Board! 

Please click on the form below and turn in all nominations before January 31, 2017! All responses are confidential - if you have any questions, please contact:

            Katrina Stephenson                                          Jennifer Daly
            PTA President                                                   PTA First Vice President
            katrinastephenson@gmail.com                         jajdaly@gmail.com


 

Great way to help Hunters Creek Elementary when you are shopping                                             
Amazon Smile-  Direct link that will contribute to HCE school is:

Visit www.smile.amazon.com (same account as www.amazon.com ) and select   
HCE as charitable organization; this will donate 0.5% of your purchase!  

On your first visit, you select a charitable organization to receive donation before  
you begin shopping go to: "or pick your charitable organization" and type   
Hunters Creek Elementary and select Houston, Texas. It will come as PTA  
Texas congress 4932, or you can also look for the school with EIN number:  
EIN-74-6086197
 
Thank you to all the students, teachers for submitting your Box Tops coupons!!

IT'S NOT TOO LATE TO DONATE TO HCE ANNUAL FUND!!
Go online to www.hcepta.com or drop off a check to front office,
send through your child's backpack or mail to:
Ketti Collins, 851 Country Ln, Houston, TX 77024
Don't forget to complete your ANNUAL VOLUNTEER REGISTRATION. 

You need to do 2 things to complete your annual volunteer registration. 
1.  Register with SBISD at  https://volunteer.springbranchisd.com/
2.  View the HCE Volunteer Training video and sign the google form.  Or, attend a training at school the first day or first few weeks of school.  

Video of HCE Volunteer Training:   https://youtu.be/-mJQgpiulSw
iKids U After-School Program

iKids U registration is going on now for the 201 6 -201 7  School Year!  

Turn in registrations at the HCE front office, visit iKids online at www.ikidsinc.com, or register by phone at 713-665-5200.  iKids U offers a variety of onsite after-school opportunities at HCE including Stay & Play, Enrichment classes, and One on One services.  Customize your child's after-school schedule with part-time and full-time options available!  iKids U starts on the first day of school and classes are filling-up fast so enroll today!
 
Please CLICK HERE to download a registration form  

Hunters Creek Elementary | School & PTA | 713-251-6000| Email | Website

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