The Bear Business Weekly Newsletter
week of Aug 7, 2023
A message from Ms. Halpin
Our teachers and staff had a wonderful 1st week back! We have been busy planning exciting things for our students for this school year. We are so excited about Meet the Teacher Night on Monday, Aug 7! It is always an exciting time to meet our new Bears and to see how much our others have grown! Out Bennett PTO will join us in the Bennett Cafeteria to sell spirit wear and share how they partner with our school to support the Bennett community.
Please take a few minutes to read this important information about safety procedures, arrival, and dismissal. We all need to be familiar with campus procedures for student, staff, and parent safety!
I will send the Bear Business Newsletter on Friday afternoons at 4:30pm, each week via email to guardians listed in HAC (Home Access Center) based on your information during registration.
If you did not receive this Newsletter via email and only received via Social Media or our Website, please email me or our Registrar, Susan Jakobsen at sjakobsen@mckinneyisd.net.
If you have any questions, please reach out to our office! 469-302-5400.
Proud to be a BEAR,
-Kassie Halpin
Principal, Bennett Elementary
Campus Safety
Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
The safety of our Bears is our #1 Priority
If you are coming on campus to pick up a student, YOU NEED the Blue Student Dismissal tag provided Meet the Teacher night.
Dismissal bracelet for the 1st week! Please read!!
If your student has 2 forms of dismissal, they will receive 2 bracelets and 2 backpack tags.
Dismissal Options @ Bennett for the 2023-24 school year
2. Daycare Bus - - let teacher know the name and address of the Daycare)
3. Front Carpool - - student picked up in the FRONT car line
4. Back Carpool - - student picked up in the BACK car line
5. Parent Walk-up @ the front door - - parent parks in front lot and joins like at front door
6. FRONT Walk Away/biker - - student walks/bikes/scooters home OR meets their grown-up off campus and leaves out the cafeteria door to walk West & South of the campus. This crossing guard is in the front of the school.
7. BACK Walk Away/biker - - student walks/bikes/scooters home OR meets their grown-up off campus and leaves out the 3rd grade back door to walk East & North of the campus. This crossing guard is Ms. Betty, at the back of the school.
Parents/Guardians/Grown-ups may not meet their child on campus and have them meet at the Bike Racks or at the front door. For safety reasons, anyone coming on campus MUST join the parent walk-up line OR be in a vehicle utilizing a designated carpool lane.
Students should NEVER cross Coronado Drive or Round Hill Drive without an adult to meet a vehicle.
What if I need to change how my student is going home?
Example: my child is a front carpool rider everyday. Their sibling is ill and I need them to walk home. I would complete the form to notify the school.
Absences, Early Check-outs, and Tardies
School Hours
School begins at 8:00am. The front and back door LOCK at 8:00am. If your student arrives at 8:00am or later, they will need to utilize the doorbell at the front door to gain access to the building. Students will check-in at the office and get a tardy pass before proceeding to their classroom.
School ends at 3:07pm.
No student may be checked out after 2:40pm, so please plan ahead. This includes days that we have inclement weather.
New way to submit an absence note!!
If your student attends a doctor appointment, please continue to send in the paper note.
You may continue to send in a paper note to the office in lieu of the GOOGLE FORM.
How do I find out who my child's teacher will be?
**Students who are not full registered did not receive a Welcome email.
MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT INFO
Grade Level Newsletters beginning next week!
School-Wide Events
Bennett Live! Dates this year
Specials Schedule on Bennett Live! days
Recurring Weekly Events @ Bennett
Choir for 4th & 5th grade students
Running Club 2nd - 5th grade students
Are you interested in joining Safety Patrol?
Timeline:
Aug 4th signup from available via the Bear Business
Aug. 7th signup available at Meet the Teacher
Aug. 15th @10:00p.m. deadline to fill out form to participate
Aug. 16th send email to parents of students selected to be in safety patrol
Aug. 17th Safety Patrol meeting/training in cafeteria with new Safety Patrol
Aug. 21st Safety Patrol Team 1 begins
upcoming during the next 2 weeks!
August 7 (Monday)
- 11:00am-11:30am - PTO Board Meet the Teacher
- 5:15pm-5:45pm - Meet the Teacher for NEW to Bennett families
- 5:45pm-6:30pm - Meet the Teacher for ALL Bennett families
- Bennett PTO on site 5:15pm-6:30pm with information on joining and to sell spirit wear!
- Safety Patrol interest form available beginning today
August 8 (Tuesday)
- PTO sponsored "Chalk the Walk" 6:30pm
August 9 (Wednesday)
- 1st day of school
- 8:30 - 15th Annual Flag Raising Ceremony as a school family
August 11 (Friday)
- 8:45am - Fire Drill (pending weather)
- 3:07pm-4:00pm - Donut truck is here! See flier for details.
August 15 (Tuesday)
- Supply & Say Hi @ Webb for Alpha students 5pm
- Deadline to complete Safety Patrol interest from @ 10pm
August 16 (Wednesday)
- STAAR scores available to parents at TEA.gov
- email to parents/guardians of students selected for Safety Patrol
August 17 (Thursday)
- Supply & Say Hi @ Webb for Alpha students 5pm
August 18 (Friday)
- PTO Board meeting 10am Science Lab
School Supplies!
Information from MISD Library Services
Information from the Bennett Cafeteria
August Breakfast Menu
August Lunch Menu
How to Add money to your student's lunch account
Make checks payable to McKinney ISD
Breakfast & Lunch costs
Complete your background check!
A background check can take up to 2 weeks, so you want to have it completed. We will have turn you away from helping on campus, Watch Dog, or a Field Trip if your background has not been completed.
Bennett PTO sponsored Watch Dogs Information
Important Dates for Our Watch Dogs!
**coming soon**
WatchDog orientation meeting and information will be given at the PTO general meeting on August 22.
MISD Gifted and Talented Information (ALPHA program)
Alpha teacher contact information
Alpha Testing Dates 23/24
Bennett Schedules
Important Information from McKinney ISD
Club 360
McKinney ISD is looking for Crossing Guards!
We DO NOT have a crossing guard at Coronado and Round Hill Rd.
MISD Weather Guidelines - Important information!
About Me
Email: khalpin@mckinneyisd.net
Website: schools.mckinneyisd.net/Bennett
Location: 7760 Coronado Drive, McKinney, TX, USA
Phone: 469-302-5400
Facebook: www.facebook.com/MISDBennett
Twitter: @BennettBears