East Elementary Edition
Week of July 3
October 4
Upcoming Events
October 4
Happy Birthday, Jazz Fulford! (PK Teaching Assistant)
October 5
Happy Birthday, Amanda Fields! (PK Teaching Assistant)
October 6
Happy Birthday, Charnese Perez! (CIS Coordinator)
East PTO Spirit Sales
October 2 - 6
Snack Drive for the Pirate Pantry
October 9
LCISD Goals Day - No School!
October 12
Family Literacy Night 6:00 - 7:30 PM
October 13
LCHS Pom Squad @ Arrival
East Elementary Spirit Day - Bring $1 and wear crazy socks!
End of 1st Nine Week Grading Period
Signups due for Battle of the Books (Grades 3-5)
October 14
Happy Birthday, Laurran Hurst! (Special Education Teacher)
Happy Birthday, Melissa Francis! (Counselor)
October 15
Happy Birthday, Valarie Nippert! (4th Grade RLA Teacher)
October 17
Happy Birthday, Alyssa Moreno! (ECSE Teacher)
October 20
East PTO Spirit Sales
LCHS Football Players @ Arrival
October 23 - 27
Red Ribbon Week (See details below)
Capturing Kids' Hearts - October Family Newsletter
This month, our students are discussing the skill of "self-direct." The Capturing Kids' Heart family newsletter provides some information about how you can connect conversations at home to this critical practice. The PDF of the newsletter is provided below in both English and Spanish.
Stella Diaz Has Something to Say!
Read Aloud, Discussion Questions, & Family Night
We hope that your family has had an opportunity to meet our new friend, Stella Diaz! If you haven't been able to read about Stella, it isn't too late to join us! You can read together as a family or even take advantage of the prerecorded chapters our staff members have put together for students to enjoy.
You can access the read-aloud for each chapter, and associated discussion questions at the link below:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1fS0w4H7dIYBvDbJnc9irEYQt4z34pXhAcVCtCHsFaIM/edit?usp=sharing
Please mark your calendars for our first Family Literacy Night!
We will come together as a school community on October 12 from 6:00-7:30 as we participate in a variety of activities centered around our first shared reading - Stella Diaz Has Something to Say! by Angela Dominguez.
Our third grade students have also been working to prepare a musical performance. You won't want to miss this!
Red Ribbon Week - Oct. 23 -27
Battle of the Books - Sign up now for Grades 3-5!
We are excited to announce that East Elementary students will have the opportunity to participate in a fun new experience, Battle of the Books (BOB)!
Here are some important details about this fun event:
- reading incentive program for students in 3rd - 5th grades
- encourages reading both inside and outside the classroom
- exposes students to a variety of good books
- a fun competition with peers
- special field trip exclusive to BOB participants
- district-level competition to determine which campus is the "BEST"
There is no cost associated with the Battle of the Books; all texts are provided for students to read. Students can read the selected books at school or home. After-school opportunities for students to engage in reading events together will also be provided.
Students will learn more about this opportunity as they visit the library this week!
You can sign your child up to participate using the link below:
https://forms.gle/69TRYSgcVVUdsRt4A
Sign-ups for BOB are due by October 13.
Watch DOGS - Hallway Heroes!
We are excited to begin our partnership with Watch DOGS for the 2023-2024 school year!
I have attached the registration form below. If you are interested in volunteering as a hallway superhero, please complete the registration form and email it to Joshua Fields, who serves as our East Elementary Watch DOGS Coordinator. Mr. Fields can be reached by email at CooperEastWatchdogs@gmail.com.
Mr. Fields works with our volunteer father-figures to develop a schedule where dads volunteer on campus. They typically give a full-day of their time to work in classrooms, patrol our building, and supervise lunch and recess. Mr. Fields builds each schedule individually, giving each father time in class with their own child and serving in a variety of opportunities around the campus.
Staff Spotlight - Mrs. Melissa Francis, Counselor
My name is Melissa Francis, and I am the school counselor. I have been an educator at Lubbock-Cooper for eighteen years, and this will be my second year as the counselor at this incredible school. I am here to support all of the wonderful children at Lubbock-Cooper East Elementary and their families! I provide classroom guidance lessons, individual counseling, small group counseling, consultation services, coordinate several Lunch Buddy groups, and co-lead our young men's group, AMEND.
I am married to my wonderful husband, Robbie. We have three awesome children. Our daughter, Rylee, is 15, and is a sophomore at Lubbock-Cooper High School. She loves to tumble and play golf. Our son, Parker, is 11, and will be a 6th grader at Lubbock-Cooper Middle School. He is on a traveling baseball team, Game Changer, and spends tons of time practicing and playing with his team. Our youngest son, Brayden, is 4, and will be in PreK here at East. He loves dinosaurs, swimming, and playing outside. We spend a lot of time chasing kiddos and cheering them on, but we also love to travel, spend time with friends, swim, and ride bikes.
I am also excited to have Berkley with me at East Elementary this year. Berkley is a one year old Golden Retriever who recently completed her training to be a therapy dog. She will be at school to help reduce anxiety in students, encourage positive relationships, and build motivation. Berkley is going to be a wonderful addition to our East family.
If you ever feel like you need support for your child's social-emotional needs, please don't hesitate to reach out to me any time--I am here to help you!
My WHY:
I believe in contributing to a greater cause and making a difference in the lives of others. Building relationships, supporting others, comforting those who need it, and showing compassion are all ways that I can contribute in a meaningful way.
My goal this year is to better support students in multiple ways; individual sessions, group sessions, lunch groups, interest groups, and more.
Staff Spotlight - Mrs. Mary Catherine Kotara, Office Manager
Mrs. Kotara serves as our Office Manager and PEIMS clerk. She assists with maintaining accurate student records for all students who are enrolled on our campus, including the online gradebook.
Staff Spotlight - Mrs. Rachel Rodriguez, Registrar
I am blessed to be starting my second year at East Elementary! I love working in the front office and getting to meet all of the sweet families.
I was born and raised here in Lubbock. I have been married to my husband, Josh, for 9 years. We have two beautiful daughters, Kinsley and Adalynn. Both of our girls attend East. Kinsley loves spending time with friends and swimming. Adalynn is a first grader and loves to cheer and tumble at TexStar. Being a mom is my greatest joy and I love being a part of all of your babies' journeys at East everyday!
Staff Spotlight - Mrs. Frances Gray, Attendance Clerk
Mrs. Gray serves as our attendance clerk. She assists our families in times of absence and can be reached by calling the office at 806-993-2342.
Staff Spotlight - Mrs. Charnese Perez, Communities in Schools (CIS)
My name is Charnese Perez, and I am the Communities in Schools Site Coordinator here at East. I am blessed to be able to assist our students and families. My journey began here at East in the Fall of 2018. I have been a social worker for 14 years with experience as a Texas Department of Family and Protective Services worker, case manager for foster homes and hospital case management.
I was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up here in Lubbock where I attended Lubbock High School. I have been married to my husband, Jose for 14 years and we have three wonderful boys. Our oldest Jaden is 16, Jordan is 10 and Jaylon is 2 years old. We enjoy traveling and are a dedicated basketball family.
My WHY:
I believe in contributing to a greater cause. I want to make a difference in the lives of others by providing support to students through services offered by Communities in Schools. I want to add value in making sure students and families have the opportunity to fully succeed in life.
My goal for the year is to advocate for students who may need help in academics, social services and behavior areas.
East Elementary Spirit Days
We are better together! East PTO
We would love to partner with you to make this our best year yet! If you are interested in serving as part of the East PTO, please complete the interest survey linked below:
https://forms.gle/L2649iTXwXGY6xXo9
We are looking for members to assist with:
- Spirit Sales
- Teacher Appreciation
- Fundraising
- Book Fair
- Other great ideas you have!
We look forward to working with you!
Capturing Kids' Hearts - Good Things!
A special part of Capturing Kids' Hearts (CKH) is the sharing of 'Good Things.' A practice that builds community, this time is set aside for students to share something good that is going on in their life. As explained by the CKH organization, Good Things sets a positive tone for the class and supports the leadership skill of positive thinking.
Students applaud their peers for sharing Good Things, showing respect for one another and encouraging them for participating. Students are not required to share, but each child is encourage to take a turn throughout the week.
The idea of Good Things can also be used with your family! We know it can sometimes be difficult to get a response when you ask "what did you learn at school today?" Instead, you can ask, "share your Good Thing from today." Join in on the fun and share your daily Good Thing with your child, too.
HEB Excellence in Education - Nominations are Open!
Created in 2002, the H E B Excellence in Education Awards are designed to honor outstanding public school professionals and to thank them for their dedication and commitment. Through this program, H E B seeks to pay tribute to those educators who go the extra mile each and every day to serve their students and their communities and who inspire others to do the same.
As a community with a local H-E-B store, we are now eligible to participate in the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award opportunities! Nominations are now open and we would love your help in garnering nominations for incredible educators here at East Elementary!
Teacher awards are designed to recognize those educators who display:
- Passion and commitment to the teaching profession
- Innovation and creativity in the classroom
- Professional growth and development
Please join us in nominating the exceptional educators who serve our East Elementary students! Use the link below to help us recognize our phenomenal teachers.
Woodrow Road Expansion Project
The district has received information from Lubbock County officials regarding the Woodrow Road expansion project. You may remember that this project was one of several approved by Lubbock County taxpayers in 2019. The widening of Woodrow Road will mark the first project to begin out of the several projects approved as part of the 2019 Lubbock County bond.
Phase 1 of the Woodrow Road project is set to begin on Monday, October 9, with a completion date of September 26, 2026. This phase will cover Woodrow Road from US 87 to Indiana Avenue. Work will begin on the north side of Woodrow Road in front of Lubbock-Cooper High School.
The speed limit in the construction zone will be no higher than 40 mph, but please keep in mind that a large portion of this area is a designated school zone, and the speed limit is lower when school zone lights are flashing. TxDOT has informed us that two-way traffic will flow on Woodrow Road for the duration of the project (one lane in each direction).
Lubbock-Cooper ISD does not own any part of Woodrow Road and has no jurisdiction over this project. We are only able to relay information that we receive to parents in our district. If you have any questions about the scope of the project, the timeline, or traffic routes, please contact the TxDOT Lubbock District. Contact information can be found at https://www.txdot.gov/about/districts/lubbock-district.html.
We urge parent and student drivers to use increased caution when traveling through this construction area. When completed, this project should provide our community with safer travel routes to and from school; but, while under construction, the project may lead to temporary traffic complications. Your traffic awareness and patience is appreciated.
We will continue to share updates about this project as they become available to us.
Nominate a Teacher for Mrs. Baird's Teachers on the Rise!
Each month this school year, Mrs. Baird's collects nominations at www.MrsBTeacher.com and honors three teachers--one elementary, one middle school and one high school teachers from South Plains schools. We would love to honor one of your teachers here at East Elementary! You can nominate teachers - past and present - who deserve special recognition.
Connect with us Online & on Social Media!
We are excited to launch our East Elementary Google Site, sharing information about our campus. Please check out this wealth of information about our staff family, video highlights of work taking place at East, and news about campus initiatives.
https://sites.google.com/lcisd.net/lubbock-cooper-east/home
On Facebook, follow:
Lubbock-Cooper East Elementary
On Twitter, follow:
@LCISDEast
Lubbock-Cooper Spirit Sales
A variety of organizations have posted LCISD spirit items for sale on a common LCISD website for easy access by families on all campuses. You can access current items for sale across the district by visiting the link below:
https://www.lcisd.net/page/spirit-merchandise
Check back often for new items from a variety of organizations!
Other Events & Resources
Lubbock-Cooper East Elementary
2727 134th Street
Lubbock, TX 79423
P: (806) 993-2342
F: (806) 993-2382