The Monthly Update #2

Welcome to the Winter Newsletter, designed to provide you and your family with the information and resources below to ensure your child's academic success.

November and December are filled with holidays, which can be viewed as opportunities to spend more learning time at home. In this issue, we share resources to support you, your student, and your family. Please take a look at the Newsletters I've included here for more activities to support your child in Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing.

Are you ready to say goodbye to 2023?!

HEB ISD wishes their families and communities peace and joy during the holiday season.

Early Release Day for All Students on 12-20-23

Elementary 11:50- JH 12:30 - HS: 12:45

Students Winter Holiday

12- 21- 23 to 01-8-2024

Students return on Tuesday, January 9

This invitation is for parents/guardians of students whose home language is other than English

We are happy to invite you to our next informational meeting:

“The Process for Serving Emergent Bilingual Students.”

In this meeting, you will learn how we identify, serve, and evaluate the progress of your students' English skills. We will explain the purpose and process of TELPAS, a state-required assessment, and provide parents with tools to support their student's growth in reading, writing, listening, and speaking in both languages at home.

1. Thank you to those who participated in the previous two of three sessions of TEA (T3 Family Engagement) Services!

This is the link to the recording https://www.txel.org/t3series; it is available in nine languages.

2. I'd like to encourage you to take advantage of the opportunity to attend the next and last session of the T3 series on January 23, 2024. You will learn about participating in some of the community programs. Under Title III, Part A, "Community Participation Programs" are programs in which English Learners or Emergent Bilinguals, parents, and family members can participate.

Please register here:

https://forms.gle/waZEEJ4Aqyhjpu3V9

This resource is excellent for understanding how schools in the U.S. work. They have some things in common with schools in other countries, but other things may differ significantly from what you are used to.

These resources provide an introduction so you know what to expect as you get to know your child’s school.

Also, please review the October Newsletter to learn more about HEB ISD campuses. Look for the "Welcome to HEB ISD Informational Meeting!" presentation.

Family Engagement Newsletter

This resource helps you learn about the people who work at your child's campus. They are there to support your child in excelling academically and emotionally.

As of December 2023, HEB ISD families spoke 71 languages besides English.

Our top languages other than English are Spanish, Arabic, Nepali, and French!

We are excited to be the most diverse district in Texas.

This Region 11 site provides parents of EB students with information and resources to ensure their students' academic success.

The site includes:

ESC Region 11 English Learner Parent Site

What are the different language programs?

What are special programs?

How is my child identified as an English Learner and reclassified as English Proficient?

What is needed to graduate?

Options after High School- Gear Up Grants

What state assessments does my child take as an English learner? TELPAS STAAR

English Learner Family Toolkit

ESL is an intensive English language instruction program provided by ESL-certified teachers trained in effective second language acquisition methods. The goal of ESL programs is for English learners to attain full proficiency in English to participate equitably in school.

Check out these great resources.

¿Necesita Traducciones?/تحتاج ترجمة؟/ Besoin de traductions ?

To read this newsletter in another language, please click the "Translate" button and select your preferred language.

________

Para leer este boletín en otro idioma, haga clic en el botón "Traducir" y seleccione su idioma preferido.

________

في أعلى الصفحة "Translate" لقراءة هذه النشرة الإخبارية بلغة أخرى ، يرجى النقر فوق الزر

________

Pour lire ce bulletin dans une autre langue, veuillez cliquer sur le bouton "Traduire" et sélectionner la langue de votre choix.

Remember, you can always have web pages translated to your native language by adding the Google Translate Extension for android or Apple devices.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Why Do We Have Separate Engagement Activities for Bilingual, Emergent Bilingual, and Immigrant Families?

HEB ISD believes that student achievement for ALL students requires substantial family engagement opportunities. We also believe that families of bilingual students, Emergent Bilingual or (ESL) students, and immigrant students need specialized engagement activities and strategies to overcome language obstacles on their family's educational journey. Family engagement and outreach services for these students and their families in these three groups are available using Title III funds. This newsletter is how we will communicate our activities and resource information. Check back frequently for updates throughout the year!