Finley-Oates Elementary School

The mission of Finley-Oates Elementary School is to provide instruction and support to build a strong educational foundation, while promoting opportunities for all students to achieve their maximum academic, social, emotional, and physical potential.

Mary Lou Fox, Principal

mary.fox@bonhamisd.org

Rory Hilliard, Assistant Principal

rory.hilliard@bonhamisd.org

Parents,

Please be considerate when dropping off or picking up your student by not parking in our marked Handicapped Parking spaces unless you have a valid tag or sticker.

Thank you for your cooperation!

Normal arrival time is 7:15 am to 7:40 am.

• Please do not drop students off at the front doors (east side).
  
• Parents may drop-off on the west side of the building, or go through the drive on the north side.
  
• Students are tardy if they are not in class by 7:40 am.

Dismissal times:

KG-2:55pm (Students will be picked up at the west wing.)

1st-3:10pm (Students will be picked up at the west wing.)

2nd-3:10pm (Students will be picked up on the North side of the building.)

3rd-3:10pm (Students will be picked up on the North side of the building.)

For the safety of our students, whomever is picking up the student must have a car tag. If there is a special custody issue, let the person walking the student to the car know who they can and cannot leave with.

Parents are not allowed to park and walk to the building to pick up students.

Anyone picking up a student before 2:30 pm must bring a valid government-issued photo ID

(ex: driver's license).

Parents are welcome to come with their children before and after school to read and take AR quizzes in the library. Please park in the east parking lot by the flag pole. All visitors must sign in, so please let the ladies in the office know you're going to the library.

Hey, kids!

Each nine weeks, students who read in the library before or after school with their parents will earn a ticket to go into the drawing for the Nintendo Switch at the end of the school year.

Responsibility: to take action and understand how our choices affect others, ourselves, and the world

Breakfast and lunch are free for ALL students.

In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA. Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online at: http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

If you believe your child would benefit from attending Homework U, please contact your child's teacher for more information or to sign up.

October 9th-13th

First, Second and Third Grades will be going on a field trip to the Fannin County Fair. Note: Parent/Guardian permissions must be submitted to the teachers before students may attend.

Things are coming together for our Fall Festival! We have a few updates for your information and a couple of items of need:

● The Soda Toss is a very popular game! Please send TWO 2 liter sodas to school with your

student any day prior to October 20th to help keep the game rolling!

● We will be having a cake walk at the festival. Please send pre-packaged baked goods

(cupcakes, brownies, cookies, etc) to school by the 20th of October. Thank you in advance!!

We hope to see all of you at the Finley-Oates Fall Festival at Warrior Stadium! Come ready to eat and have some fun! Thank you in advance for all of your help in making this a successful event for all.

¡Las cosas se están juntando para nuestro Festival de Otoño! Tenemos algunas

actualizaciones para su información y un par de elementos de necesidad:

● ¡El Soda Toss es un juego muy popular! ¡Envíe DOS refrescos de 2 litros a la escuela

con su estudiante cualquier día antes del 20 de octubre para ayudar a mantener el

juego en marcha!

● Tendremos un cake walk en el festival. Envíe productos horneados preenvasados

(cupcakes, brownies, galletas, etc.) a la escuela antes del 20 de octubre. ¡¡Gracias de

antemano!!

¡Esperamos verlos a todos en el Festival de Otoño de Finley-Oates en el Warrior Stadium!

¡Ven listo para comer y divertirte! Gracias de antemano por toda su ayuda para hacer de

este un evento exitoso para todos.

Monday, October 23rd through Friday, October 27th

Click on this link to go to our Book Fair homepage for more information, to sign up for an eWallet account (available 9/29), or to volunteer to help kids shop.

https://www.scholastic.com/bf/finleyoateselemschool1

Kristy Farr was an inspirational educator in Bonham ISD for over 40 years. Each year she would donate her time volunteering at the school book fair, often purchasing books for many of the staff and students. She loved seeing the kids and their families at the fair, and would often slip a few dollars into the register to help a mom who was a little short of cash, or would give money to help a kid who wouldn’t be able to buy a book otherwise. Kristy loved reading and sharing her passion with others. Sadly, we lost this beautiful lady in September of 2022.

Last year after her passing, A BISD employee put into motion an amazing outpouring of love for Kristy and the kids at Finley-Oates by donating money to help our students get the books they could read and love. Word quickly spread throughout the building and district. By the time the fair ended, over $550 had been collected, and about 50 kiddos had new books in their hands.

Finley-Oates is gearing up for another book fair to be held the end of October, Kristy’s Book Fair. Once again, we want to honor her memory by loving on some students who might not be able to purchase a book for themselves. We would like to partner with people who loved Kristy, and are willing to donate a few dollars in her name to help our kids, whom we lovingly refer to as Kristy's Kids.

If you are interested in helping, you may donate directly to the school by sending cash or checks made payable to Bonham ISD (Attention: April Peterson). Or, if you prefer, you may use a credit card to donate money to an eWallet account set up in Kristy’s name at

https://shop.scholastic.com/ewallet/fund?lang=en_US&walletId=d4fb98a2-03a9-40fa-846c-6793d498aeb2

If you find you cannot help financially at this time, please consider praying for the staff and students of Bonham ISD, and that the gifts received in Kristy’s name will begin a chain reaction of love for others and a love for reading. All gifts are appreciated!

Kindergarten and First Grade have been invited to go trick-or-treating during the school day on October 31st at the Fannin County Courthouse. Plastic bags will be provided for the students to collect their candy, and they will be able to wear their costumes. Note: Parent/Guardian permissions must be submitted to the teachers before students may attend.

The Bonham Independent School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, or disability in matters affecting employment or in providing access to programs. Inquiries related to the policies of the Bonham Independent School District should be directed to: Superintendent, Bonham ISD, P.O. Box 490, Bonham, Texas 75418. Telephone number is 903-583-5526, extension 1100.