The J-List

Welcome Back!

It was wonderful to finally have our little Dragon families back in the building today! We are all so excited to get this school year started Tuesday.

Please don't forget that the first week of school will be full days this year. The district moved the half day BOY assessment days to the week after Labor Day.

I am so proud to be your Principal and lead such an amazing group of staff and students! See you Tuesday.

GO DRAGONS!

Patrick Holladay, Principal

• JES School Supply Lists (Kinder-4th)
• District School Calendar 2023-2024
• District Expectations, Handbooks, and Grading Guidelines
• JES School Website
  
• JES PTO Website

We are excited to partner with Stop It Solutions again this year. Please view this parent letter about STOPit.

The Board of Trustees adopted a revised Student Handbook this summer for grades PK-12. We've included information on two significant changes that directly affect our JES students below. You can review the CISD Student Handbook here.

Personal Electronic Devices & Technology Resources (pgs. 53-54)

For grades K-6, no personal electronic device is allowed in school or during the instructional day. No devices will be allowed during lunch, recess or before or after school. Personal electronic devices encompass, but are not limited to, cell phones and wearable technology such as the Apple Watch, smartwatches, fitness watches, or any device capable of receiving notifications or facilitating communication. The district permits students to possess personal cell phones for safety purposes; however, these devices must remain turned off during the instructional day.

Dress & Grooming (pgs. 52-53)

Please take a moment to read the new Dress and Grooming section of the Handbook, which details the new dress code, including "Must Wear", "May Wear", and "May Not Wear". Specifically, please pay attention to short length, hats, spaghetti straps, hair color, tight pants/shorts with shirt length.

Please read this document for our visitor information and details about our arrival and dismissal procedures: JES Arrival/Dismissal Procedures

Please read this document! It helps make arrival and dismissal so much smoother when we all work together and follow the process.

Please pay special attention to the following in the above linked document:

• Notifying the office about changes in transportation
• Cut-off time for early dismissal
• Tardy policy

Thank you in advance for your grace and patience as our students get back into the groove of our arrival and dismissal routines. It does take a while the first few weeks (at dismissal), but we promise it gets so much better as our little Dragons figure out the routine.

Car Line Open: 7:20 - 7:39 AM

Students Permitted Back to Class: 7:30 AM

• Prior to 7:30, they will be in the gym or cafeteria depending on arrival method.

Car Line Closes: 7:39 AM

School Start Time: 7:40 AM

School Tardy Time: 7:40 AM

Communication about bus times/routes will come from the transportation department.

The safety and security of our students and staff are our first priority! We take this responsibility very seriously! Thank you for helping to keep our little Dragons safe by following our visitor policy:

• Visitors must enter through the front office. Please ring the intercom, present your valid ID, and one of our secretaries will buzz you in.
• Every visitor must present a valid ID every time they wish to enter the campus (new state law requires a valid ID be presented before entering a school).
• Once inside, use the Raptor Security System to sign in.
  
• All visitors must wear their name badge in the building at all times.
• Please do not hold the door open for parents after you. I know this may feel rude, but we have to verify everyone who is coming through our doors.

Can I bring my child lunch?

• Yes, we encourage parents to visit campus and eat lunch with your child (with the exception of the first week of school). But please only bring food for your own child - we don't allow other students to eat food that their parent didn't provide. We have special tables for visitors and the child. Friends stay at their classroom's table.
• Lunches intended for drop-off only that are brought after arrival will be placed at a lunch table outside of the office. We will send them a notification, but students will be responsible for retrieving their own lunches. We do not have enough front office staff to run individual lunches to the cafeteria as they arrive. Please make best efforts to send lunch with your child each day to school as opposed to dropping it off later if you bring from home.

Can I join my child at recess?

• No, as this presents a safety issue.

Can I go back to my child's classroom?

• Yes, when you have an appointment with the teacher during conference time, in which case, the teacher will greet you in the office. You may also go to your child's classroom during special events (winter party, Valentine's Day party, etc.).

How do special events work?

• All visitors will need to show their drivers license or passport (if no drivers license is available) and be registered through our Raptor visitor system before gaining entry to the school. We will offer the option to RSVP for large events so we can print your nametag in advance to help speed up your sign-in process (this only works if you have previously registered your drivers license in the office this year). Please expect our sign-in line to be a little longer, but know it's in the best interest of student and staff safety.
• We have several events throughout the year that involve many visitors. Parking can be tight. We suggest you park in the following locations: the JES front lot, facing the correct way along N. Carroll Ave. (fully off the street), in the mosque parking lot across the street (except on Fridays out of respect for their services), or in the car loop (if the event is done before 2:00 pm, otherwise it will disrupt our car line).

The teachers, students, and employees at Carroll ISD depend on the dedication of the wonderful volunteers that we have in our community. We cannot thank our volunteers enough for sacrificing their valuable time and efforts in support of our District.

Every volunteer must complete an application and a background check to ensure the safety of our students. Applications and background checks must be completed prior to each school year to ensure the district has updated information on each volunteer. Please note that a background check can take up to 1 week to be processed and cannot be done on the spot at the campus.

Click here to begin your application to become a Carroll ISD Volunteer.

CARROLL ISD VOLUNTEER DO'S AND DON'TS
DO:
- Complete your application and background check before volunteering.
- Check-in with the front office upon arrival. Please bring your driver's license with you each time.
- Wear appropriate clothing for your volunteer assignment.

DON'T:
- Show up unexpected without campus approval or approval that you are an approved volunteer.
- Bring younger non school-aged children without permission from the campus.
- Discuss other students.
- Volunteer when you are feeling ill.
- Take pictures of a student who isn't your child.

Information about riding the bus can be found on the district transportation website. Order your bus passes online.

Families are welcome to walk their child to their classroom on the first day of school. Typically parking is pretty tight on the first day of school if you choose to walk to class, so please allow time for parking. You are also more than welcome to drop off using our car line or the walkers area if you don't plan to walk your child to class.

If you choose to walk your child to class on the first day of school, please plan to enter and exit the building through the main entrance.

Please note that the first week of school will be full days this year. Please plan accordingly for school lunches (pack or load school lunch account).

Curriculum Night is when teachers will review specifics for the school year with parents. This event is in-person. The slides will be shared with parents for those unable to join, but we encourage you to join live so you can ask questions and get to know your teacher.

August 29: Curriculum Night for Kindergarten and 1st grade, 5:00 - 6:00 pm

August 31: Curriculum Night for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade: 5:00 - 6:00 pm

Please note, child care will not be provided for Curriculum Nights this year.

We love celebrating birthdays! Families may bring in birthday treats for their students, but they must adhere to district policy and be approved by front office staff.

Treats must be store-bought that with an ingredients label that says "Made in a Nut-Free Facility" and can be verified by our office staff. All treats have to be approved. Please call if you aren't sure if something will be allowed so we can avoid an issue!

NEW THIS YEAR: Elementary school parents can request birthday ice cream through the cafeteria for birthday celebrations. The treat will be mini ice cream sandwiches at $2.00 each (must purchase enough for each child in the class). Funds will be deducted from the My School Bucks lunch account. Please fill out the Birthday Dragon form here to purchase birthday ice cream treats.

Carroll ISD restricts all peanuts and tree nuts from classrooms; this includes daily snacks, birthday celebrations and class parties. All food items brought into school for classroom consumption must be coordinated by the classroom teacher, be store bought and have an ingredient label attached to the packaging. Any label that states the following is NOT permitted in the classroom:

• “May contain peanuts or tree nuts”
• “Processed on shared equipment with nuts”
• “Manufactured in a plant containing peanuts or tree nuts”
• “Contains peanuts or tree nut ingredients”

For safe food options please visit snacksafely.com. For more information, please contact the school nurse, Denise Anstiss, at 817 949-4500 or denise.anstiss@southlakecarroll.edu.

Please pack a daily healthy snack and refillable water bottle for your child. We have several water bottle refill stations on campus.

Students may bring their lunch from home or can order from the cafeteria. Menus are posted online at southlakecarroll.nutrislice.com/menu/. Please make sure your child knows their lunch plan for the first day of school and that your lunch account is loaded if you plan to buy.

Cafeteria Options: (3 options daily)

• Hot Plate Lunch
• Salad Meal or Bento Box Meal (rotating)
• Deli-Bag Lunch or Yogurt Combo Lunch (rotating)

We encourage all parents/students to prepay money into their lunch accounts:

• Online Payment through My School Bucks
• Cash/Check can be deposited in the lunch line at the point of sale. If you choose to drop cash off, please include your child's name and ID number.

Car Line Open: 7:20 - 7:39 am

School Hours: 7:40 am - 3:00 pm

Dismissal: 3:00 pm

LUNCH & RECESS:

• Kindergarten Lunch: 11:05-11:35 am / Kindergarten Recess: 11:35-12:05 pm
• 1st Grade Lunch: 12:15-12:45 pm / 1st Grade Recess: 12:45-1:15 pm
• 2nd Grade Lunch: 11:40 - 12:10 pm / 2nd Grade Recess: 12:10-12:40 pm
• 3rd Grade Lunch: 10:30-11:00 am / 3rd Grade Recess: 11:00-11:30 am
• 4th Grade Lunch: 12:50-1:20 pm / 4th Grade Recess: 10:25-10:55 am

Weekly newsletters are sent out on Fridays. Please watch your inbox for the following:

• Teacher Newsletter (for your child's class/grade)
• Principal Newsletter called "The J-List" (for the school)

All J-Lists will be saved on a J-List Links Smore for quick reference to old newsletters. This will be housed on our website, which also houses other links and information.

Consider signing up for the district's Dragon eBlast to stay informed on district news.

• Please try to avoid dropping off lunches on a regular basis; the occasional "forgotten lunch" or special treat is fine. This year, there will be a "drop off table" for lunches for students to check on their way to lunch.
• Please make sure your child has their own set of headphones with a STRAIGHT audio jack (not an angled one). These can go in a ziploc baggie with their name on it.

Mark your calendars for the annual Dragon Festival and Community Pep Rally on Saturday, August 19th starting at 4:00PM. Come out and enjoy live music, delicious food from the Dragon BBQ Team, Kid Zone, Autograph Stations, and Community Pep Rally featuring all levels of Dragon Football, performances by the Emerald Belles, Dragon Youth Dazzlers, Varsity Cheer, Dragon Youth Cheer, and more. Please note that the Dragon BBQ Team will host a tailgate food competition. If you are interested in competing, please download the flyer for more information. Prizes will be awarded for 1st-3rd place.

Date: Saturday, August 19th

Location: Dragon Stadium

Time: Events & Activities will begin at 4:00p with pep rally starting at 7:00pm

There is no school on Sept. 4 for Labor Day.

All elementary campuses will have early release days September 5th-8th to provide assessment time for teachers and students.

Your teacher will contact you directly with important information about setting these appointments. A follow-up meeting may be required, or an email notification from your teacher may suffice if your child is at or above grade level.

Early Release School Hours: 7:40 - 12:00 pm.

There is no lunch the week of Sept. 5-8. Please pack a hearty snack for your child.

We know many of you start planning now for our events, so here are the important dates for the school year:

• Nov. 17 - Grandparents & Special Persons Day
• April 17 - 3rd & 4th Grade Reading STAAR
• May 1 - 3rd & 4th Grade Math STAAR
• May 21 - 4th Grade Graduation
• May 23 - 4th Grade Clapout, Kindergarten Graduation

PTO registration and homeroom dues will be included in the district Annual Student Verification that opens on July 25th.

By joining the PTO, you gain access to the JES online student directory and you contribute to student curriculum, teacher wish lists, field trip transportation & t-shirts, monthly teacher luncheons, professional development opportunities, JES community events, Dragon Diamond kindness program, DADs Club and many more school activities!

Adult Event and Fundraiser

SAVE THE DATE for PTO's annual Adult Event and Fundraiser on Saturday, November 4th, at the Delta Marriott. This is JES's largest annual fundraiser and a fun night out with other JES parents; offering a huge auction, entertainment, and all inclusive food and beverage. You won't want to miss it!

• Tickets will go on sale Thursday, 8/10, at 8am.
• Follow @jesauction for all the updates!

Community Sponsorship

There are several opportunities for your business to support JES this year and reach a large local audience. We rely on the generosity of our sponsors to fund various events throughout the year, reaching ALL students.

Remaining Adult Event opportunities may be found HERE. For other opportunities, such as JES Olympics, Tailgate or Family Glow Night; please reach out to presidentjespto@gmail.com to learn more

• Carroll ISD E-Blasts: Stay connected by signing up for the district E-blast newsletter.
• JES PTO Website
• JES Website and School Calendar
• JES Social Media: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter
• JES Cafeteria Menu
• J-List Archive: Past school newsletters

August

9 - New to JES Open House at 5:00 pm

10 - Teacher assignments released at 4:00 pm

11 - Meet the Teacher, 8:30-9:30 am

15 - First day of school & welcome breakfast at 7:30 am

25 - Dragon Diamond Kick-Off Assembly

29 - Curriculum Night for Kinder/1st Grade, 5:00-6:00 pm

31 - Curriculum Night for 2nd/3rd/4th Grade, 5:00-6:00 pm

30 - PTO Meeting at 9:00 am in cafeteria

September

1 - Dragon Wagon during student lunches

4 - No School, Labor Day

5-8 - Early Release for assessments, 7:40 - 12:00 pm

8 - Dad's Club Dragons & Donuts, 6:40 am

11 - First Responders Day

14 - Beach Club, 3 pm

15 - JES Olympics Kick-Off Assembly

20 - Homecoming Parade

22 - Homecoming Game & JES Tailgate

27 - School Pictures

28 - Beach Club, 3 pm

29 - JES Olympics

**Football Fridays** - Remember to wear your Dragon Spirit Wear on football Fridays this fall!