Parents and Families Newsletter
September 2021
All content will be trans-adapted for a Spanish version of the newsletter.
Other languages are available through the S’more newsletter.
Users will also have access to a 508 compliant PDF if needed.
Si le gustaría leer este boletín en español, por favor haga clic en el
Dear Parents and Families,
Welcome to another great and helpful newsletter that connects you to educational resources and links to information that are intended to increase the language proficiency and academic success of your child.
First, please fill out a quick survey to share any information or suggestions you might have for the next newsletter. We value your input!
How to Navigate the Parents and Families Page
Take a few minutes to watch this helpful video that will guide you through understanding how to navigate the parents and families page.
Subscribe to the Site
Save the Date for next year’s Parent and Family Engagement event! If you are interested in helping to plan next year's Parents & Families event, please email, titleiii.initiative@esc20.info or take a moment to fill out this short survey by September 30, 2021.
If you are selected to assist with this planning event, you may serve on a different planning committee such as coordinating the parents and families conference schedule and entertainment for the parent sessions.
Transitioning to Emergent Bilingual Students
In Texas the term, “Emergent Bilingual Students” was recently passed by the Senate Bill 2066 replacing the term “Limited English Proficient” with “Emergent Bilingual” in Texas Education Code (TEC) effective September 1, 2021. You may continue to hear the use of the term English learner. Reach out to your child’s teacher or school if you have questions about this term.
Don’t Miss These Opportunities
Free High-Speed Internet
Does your child struggle to complete their homework due to the lack of high-speed internet?
TEA Connect Texas and your local school district have partnered up to provide free home - based broadband internet access to students throughout Texas. Visit the TEA Connect Texas page to learn more about the steps involved to reserve your free internet.
There is Still Time to Apply for $1,500 to purchase special education resources and services
Upcoming 2021 Fall Conference Opportunities
2021 AMET Conference
This year’s Association for Migrant Educators of Texas (AMET) state conference is pleased to be able to provide 2 virtual (online), evening learning/sharing sessions, during the conference, at no cost to Migratory Parents. To learn more about the parent session, visit the AMET Parent Sessions web page.
Virtual Statewide Parental Involvement Conference December 9-10, 2021
Attend this great event from the comfort of your home to learn about ways to support your child’s academic and mental health needs. Visit statewideparents.com to register.
Topics to be discussed:
Tips to help with homework
Managing their behavior with loving discipline
Bullying and cyberbullying
Internet and school safety
On the Community Partners page, you can access information about Adult Education Services such as accessing courses, testing services, and other resources.
Adult Education and Literacy Providers
Some school districts in Texas offer Adult ESL classes for parents of English learners. Check with your school district to see if classes are offered in your area.
In addition, you can quickly locate adult education providers in your area by visiting this web page, https://www.txel.org/tcallmap/.
Parents/Guardian Rights
Helpful Websites for At-Home Learning
Kindergarten English Language Arts Tips
Learn about tips to support your kindergarten student with English language arts. Check out these easy and engaging ideas for supporting your child’s development of reading and writing skills at home.
Bilingual Glossaries and Cognates
Visit the The Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and Transformation of Schools to access free downloadable content glossaries for language arts, math, science, and social studies in over 40 languages.
Activities for reading, writing, speaking, and listening
ESL At Home offers several weeks of activities, translated in over 25 languages that require only paper and pencil or materials that can be found around the house.
With the start of back to school, you may have learned about some of the following programs and services within your school and community. Feel free to reach out to your child’s school or the district to learn about some of these TEA resources.
School Parent Conferencing Tool
Interested in partnering with your child's teacher to support their learning? Visit the TEA Back to School Parent Conferencing Tool web page, to learn more.
Resources on Special Education in Texas
Visit this TEA webpage to access documents that have been created such as general resources for families on the topics listed here:
● Dyslexia
● Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
● Multi-Tiered Systems of Support
● Section 504
Gifted/Talented Resources
Parents and families can learn more about G/T programs throughout the state, by visiting the Gifted/Talented resources for families and educators.
Mental Health Resources: Community and General Resources
This TEA page includes information and resources that may be useful in implementing a variety of mental health and student supports in communities affected by natural disasters.
At-Home Learning by PBS
With school starting back up, students may be adjusting to their schedule and daily routines. Parents and guardians may also have questions they would like to ask their child’s school. Visit childmind.org to learn more about some questions that parents of emergent bilingual students may have.
Also, to help prepare your child for back-to-school success consider these ideas:
● Communicate with your child’s teacher to introduce yourself and share any information about your child’s educational needs.
● Help your child get organized with their school supplies and daily class and homework assignments.
● Settle into daily routines and transitions that will help your child understand the predictable structure that is in place both at home and school.
Some at-home activities to engage with your child and family include:
Reading a story together- Make story time interactive and engage your child in conversation. You can have your child act out part of the story or take turns reading aloud.
Doing some gardening- Teach your child to enjoy nature by showing them how to plant some seedlings, water the garden, or do some weeding. Your child can write about the process for the gardening activity of their choice.
For a list of other activities, read this article 20 Activities for parent-child bonding.
As you and your family settle into creating new routines, remember to take some time for yourself and have fun, breath, and relax. Consider some of these tips from the Mental Health First Aid curriculum to practice self-care as a family.
● Eat healthy by adding fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grains to your meals.
● Spend quality time together engaging in activities that everyone enjoys.
● Talk about how you're feeling as a family and allow your child to share any questions or concerns they may have.
Other ways to support your child’s mental health can be found on the unicefusa.org web site.
Also, watch this video to learn more about managing stress.
If you missed or would like to revisit previous Newsletters, click below.
August Newsletter Highlights
Learn more about at-home activities to help your child with the transition to back-to-school.
July Newsletter Highlights
June Newsletter Highlights
Visit the Texas Migrant Education Program (TMEP) web portal for resources for parents and families of migratory children.
April Newsletter Highlights
Bilingual Education Program English/ Spanish/ Vietnamese
English as Second Language (ESL) Program
March Newsletter Highlights
The Process for Serving English Learners video identifies the steps taken by schools in Texas to ensure the success of students who are learning English.
Take Some Time for You and Your Family
Remember, with the start of the new school year, your child may be experiencing many feelings. Reassure your child that they are prepared and discuss things they are looking forward to.
Supporting English Learners in Texas
Contact us at :https://www.txel.org/contact/
Email: EnglishLearnerSupport@tea.texas.gov
Website: https://tea.texas.gov
Phone: 512-463-9414