Havard Elementary Cowboy News

It is November! We had an excellent start to the new year, and we are excited about the upcoming holiday season.

We try to make things fun while providing your children with a high-quality education. The parades are one example of a fun activity, and the students love them. Unfortunately, we have had several issues with having parents attend the parades, and I do want to take this time to remind you all that attending school events is a privilege. Please be mindful that the parade is not over when students reenter the building. I also need for you all to understand that over 700 students attend Havard. I am asking for you to be patient if you need to pick up your children during a parade. This will not be a quick process. I know that if we work together, we will be able to get everyone home safely.

If you have any questions about events or activities, please contact the front office.

For any questions or concerns, you can reach me at lappel@galenaparkisd.com, or you can schedule an appointment at 832-386-3710.

Have a very thankful November!

Dr. Lisa Hamblen

Upcoming Observance Dates:

November 1-30: National Homeless Youth Awareness Month

November 1-30: National Runaway Prevention Month

November 11-15: Character Education Week

November 11-15: National School Psychology Appreciation Week

November 18-22: American Education Week

We would like to remind you of the importance of good attendance for all students. It is very important for children to be in school as much as possible. Every day a student is absent is a lost opportunity for learning. Too many absences can affect achievement for the absent student. Last year, our attendance was 95.1%. That means our students missed approximately 6 days each. Our goal for this year is 96.1%. This would mean that students miss about 5 days out of the 167 days in the school year. We will be monitoring student attendance closely. We know that you all play an integral role in ensuring your children are present and on time everyday. Lets work together to improve attendance and student success!

Current Totals

1st 6 Weeks Attendance: 96.2% AWESOME!

2nd 6 Weeks Attendance: 95.68% We did better than last year. Let's keep trying to get to our goal!

• If your student misses school, please send a note to their teacher or email AttendanceHAV@galenaparkisd.com when they return. If they are absent for more than 3 days, a doctor's note may be required.
• Please include the following on excuse notes:
  • your student's name
  • teacher's name and grade
  • date
  • your name
  • reason for absence
  • a number to contact you if there are questions.

Character Education Theme of The Month: Fairness

Discussion Questions:

• What does it mean to be fair?

• Can you think of a time when you felt something was unfair? What happened?

• Why is it important to treat everyone fairly?

Activity:

• Instructions: Fair or Unfair Game? Write down different scenarios on small slips of paper. Mix up fair and unfair situations, and have the kids pull a slip from the pile, read it aloud and decide whether it's fair or unfair. After each scenario, discuss why they think it's fair or not and how fairness could be restored in unfair situations.

Reflection:

• End the reflection by discussing why fairness is important to the home and in the world, and encourage the kids to look for opportunities to practice fairness daily.

Common reasons to see the counselor

• Help managing emotions like anger or sadness.

• Social skills

• Concerns about bullying or conflict with others

• Struggles with academic motivation

• Coping with changes at home (e.g, divorce, loss)

Referral system

• Students - self-referral through counselor mail
• Teachers - Havard Hub Google form
• Parents - google form on the counselor’s website

Are you interested in volunteering at Havard or attending a field trip with your child? If so, please complete the GPISD Background Check at the link below. This must be completed and approved before you are eligible to volunteer or participate in any field trips. If you would like to be contacted to volunteer, please complete the Volunteer Interest Form.

#CowboysHAVexcellence

Website: https://www.galenaparkisd.com/Domain/12
Location: 15150 Wallisville Road, Houston, TX, USA
Phone: 832-386-3710
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HAVCowboys
Twitter: @GPISDHavardElem