Bearkat Chat

This vision is achievable when we work together as staff, parents, and community with the common goal in mind. Thank you for working with us as we raise our Bearkats to be contributing members of society with high academic abilities, logical reasoning skills and positive outlooks on life.

February was a short month filled with so much fun.

Click here to watch a fast flash of our time together. We want to say thank you to our PTO and all that donated last year to our Boosterthon as we enjoyed our annual Cultural Arts events this month. Due to copyright laws we were not allowed to photograph all of them so please ask your children about the Opera, Click, Clack, Moo or the Health Hip Hop show. Thank you again!

We have so much more to come this month including but not limited to: Spring Break, field trips, Boosterthon, - see below for all the important dates.

On a very important note - many of you have reached out to ask how to help your student at home since so much of our curriculum is either online or is not easily supported by a practice sheet at home.

We have three ways that you could help the -

1)Read with them (you read, they read - then discuss)

2)Study flash cards (math facts including addition, subtraction and multiplication as well as High-Frequency words)

3)Practice handwriting with any writing tool including sidewalk chalk - we understand keyboarding needs are important too but they need the foundation of letter formation through handwriting.

Thank you in advance for helping at home, helping make sure students are present at school each day and then supporting our upcoming fundraiser. We appreciate the support you provide.

Mar. 4- Mar. 8 - Read Across America Week and National School Breakfast Week

March 4 - FireDrill

Mar. 5 - Spring Picture Day & Spring Creek BBQ Night

Mar. 6 - 1st grade Field Trip to Houston Interactive Aquarium & Lenny's Bday

Mar. 7 - Author Drew Brockington visits 3rd/4th/5th

Mar 8 - 4th Grade Field Trip to Blue Bell

March 11-15 - Spring BreakMarch 11-15 - Spring Break

March 20 - Boosterthon fundraiser Kickoff (Prek-5th) (While we know finances may be tight for all - this fundraiser supports payment toward your child's parties, field trip and cultural arts programming for the upcoming year) If each child could donate

March 21 - PTO Spirit Shop, Crazy socks for World Down Syndrome day

March 22 - 3rd Grade Field Trip

March 26 - District Name That Book & Epilepsy Awareness day so wear Purple

March 27 -Wear Astros Attire for opening day

March 28 - Boosterthon Color Run actual run (Prek - 5th)

March 29 - Holiday

April 1 - Report Card Grades Due (Check HomeAccessCenter Next Friday)

April 2 - World Autism Day / Fire Drill/ Parent Info Night

April 4 - Field Day K/1/2 (Parents welcome outside)

April 5 - Prek Fun Day (parents welcome outside) / 2nd Grade Field Trip (only HRC's)

April 6 - Tentative - Fun Run for Boys and Girls on the Run Clubs (and staff)

April 9 - Nature Trails 3rd/5th

April 10 - Stuko Dollar Day

April 11- PTO Spirit Shop and General PTO meeting AM & PM option.

April 12 - Kinder Field Trip

April 15 - Teacher Work Day

April 16 - STAAR 4th & 5th

April 17 - STAAR 5th & 3rd & CFISD Job Fair

April 23 - STAAR 5th and 4th

April 24 - STAAR 3rd

April 25 - ChickFilA Night

April 26 - StuKo Dollar Day

April 30 - PTO painting with Lapushansky and Mote (w/ Silent Auction)

May 1 - FireDrill & VIPS luncheon at Berry Center

May 2 - PTO Spirit Shop

May 3 - Kindergarten Round Up

May 7 - 2nd grade Concert 9 am

May 8 - Stuko Dollar Day

May 14 - PTO Budget Planning Meeting AM / BIG CPOC PM

May 16 - Kinder Concert AM

May 17 - 5th Grade Day @ Main Event

May 20 - 5th grade Field Trip

May 21 - VIPS Breakfast in Cafe

May 22 - Stuko - Dollar Day

May 23 - PTO spirit Shop

May 27 - Student/Staff Holiday

May 28 - Graduation Walk for Seniors and 5th grade "clap out"

May 29 - Global Day of Play - Boosterthon LipSync if earned

May 30 - Grade level Meeting & CyWood Graduation

May 31 - Last Day of School for Students

June 1 - CyFair HS graduation

February has been an interesting month for my outdoor activities. The weather goes from amazing to hot, chilly, then hot again. I can say I tend to like the cooler weather. We have had a lot of testing in the upper grades, so I have been spending time with the lower grades and of course my small groups. Mrs. Butler’s class read to me. Mrs. Rivera’s class was read to and I was able to sit with the students and listen. As we all know, library time is my favorite and I spent time in there.

I also met a new friend Denver that is going through the same training program that I went through. He is still very young, but he will do great once he finishes his training. I shared a few of my Bearkats with him. He said they were so sweet. I definitely want to give a shout out to Mrs. Cook’s class. My old trainer told Mrs. Mirelez that she was expecting temptations for Denver such as food on the floor, crayons, paper. Mrs. Cook’s room was spotless. Even though I know she was wanting a training moment, I was super proud of my Bearkats for keeping their learning space clean.

My birthday is this week, March 6th to be exact! I will be 3! Last year I was given sweet treats and went to visit my sponsors at Pet SuperMarket on Grant Rd. I really hope that I am able to do that again. They always greet me with smiles and sometimes even treats.

With field trips, picture day, and spring break coming up, I plan on spending more time in classrooms. I hear this testing stuff is stressful. I need to learn as much as I can just in case I am tested on something. I also love when I get extra pets from my Bearkats! I am told it is relaxing for the students, but it is more for me. Shhhh, don’t tell them that though! As I always say on my twitter account, #INeedThemMoreThanTheyNeedMe

I cannot wait to see what March brings. I love these Bearkats!

Dear Parent/Guardian of a CFISD 5th Grade Student,

The parent/guardian of a 5th grade student may opt their child into the Young Adult

collection of books at their campus library. The description of the Young Adult collection is

available in the Parent Portal which can be accessed by clicking the link on the district website

(https://www.cfisd.net/domain/10). If you would like to choose for your student access to the

Young Adult collection, please visit the parent portal and select opt-in. If you do not want your

student to access theYoung Adult collection, no action is needed. Your student will have default

access to the Juvenile collection of books unless you have opted your student out of the library.

If you have any questions, please contact your campus librarian.

Link for shirts: https://blackfd0324.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

https://blackfd0324.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

February brought the Sweetheart Dance, Science Resource Center animal demos, several cultural arts presentations, & the start of grade field trips! We are so thankful for all of the volunteers that made these events a success & to the parent donations that help make these events possible.

Interested in making a difference in our school? Have some great ideas for the PTO?

Here is your chance to get more involved!

The Nomination Committee is now accepting nominations for all Board positions for the 2024-2025 school year.

Deadline to submit your nomination is March 22, 2024.

Voting for the board will take place at the General PTO meeting on April 11, 2024 at 9:30am and 6:30pm in the cafeteria.

The positions are: President, Membership, Cultural Arts, Fundraising, VIPS1, VIPS2, Secretary, Treasurer, Technology.

A description of each position can be found on our website:

blackpto.membershiptoolkit.com.

Please note that we would like those who are nominated to currently be involved with volunteering in some way for the school as well as be able to attend monthly Board meetings during the day from 9:30am-12:00pm, as well as other meetings and events through the year.

Nomination Consent forms can be found on our website, blackpto.membershiptoolkit.com. or in the PTO room.

Please submit your Nomination Consent form to nominations@blackpto.net or if you would prefer to submit it in writing, please do so in a sealed envelope with Black PTO Board Nomination written on the outside of the envelope.

You may place written submissions in the lock box labeled Nominations in the PTO room.

Thank you!

3/28 - Color Run Fundraiser

4/9 & 4/10 - 3rd & 5th Grade Nature Trails

4/11 PTO General Meeting @ 9:30 & 6:30pm

4/30 - Paws & Paint with Mrs. L & Mrs. Mote

5/17 - 5th Grade Day Celebration @ Main Event Tomball

5/21 - VIPS Appreciation Breakfast

Summer birthday? No worries! We will celebrate all summer birthdays during the month of May. So be sure and send in those requests. It will be the highlight of your student’s day.

https://www.blackpto.net/home

There are still a few spots available.

Calling all awesome volunteers! SRC Demos are such a fun way to volunteer! Be sure to check out the below sign up and training schedule for available slots listed by grade. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ana Martinez at src@blackpto.net

Black Elementary PTO: SRC School Demos (signupgenius.com)

Nature Trails has been rescheduled to April 9th and 10th. We are still looking for trained and untrained volunteers to assist each day in order to make it a success. If you are interested, please see the below signups for details.

3rd Grade

3rd Grade Committee: 3rd Grade Nature Trails Field Trip - Volunteer Signup (signupgenius.com)

5TH Grade

5th Grade Committee: 5th Grade Nature Trails Field Trip - Volunteer Signup (signupgenius.com)

You still have an opportunity to attend the training. Please see the flyer below.

Please email our Natural Trials chairs with any questions: Naturetrails3@blackpto.net or Naturetrails5@blackptoo.net

CFISD Science Resource Center: VIPS Nature Trails Training RSVP (signupgenius.com)

Please email our Natural Trials chairs with any questions:

Naturetrails3@blackpto.net or Naturetrails5@blackptoo.net

The arts encourage creativity, innovation, and self-confidence. The Cultural Arts program at Black Elementary achieves this by utilizing community-based programs that come to our school for a firsthand and up-close peak into the arts.

This month we had several amazing organizations visit our school. We are excited to share some details about those performances.

Our Pre-K, Kinder and First Grade students enjoyed Click, Clack, Moo Cows That Type performed by the Main Streat Theater Actors. The performance was based on the book by Doreen Cronin & Betsy Lewin. The students joined Duck and the Cows in the barnyard with a hilarious musical about cooperation.

Our 2nd and 3rd graders were visited by the Fly Dance Company performing their Healthy Hip Hop Show. The dancers used hip hop dance moves to educate the students on the benefit of being healthy and staying active through dance. They even invited some of the students on stage to join in on the fun and learn some of the dance moves.

The Houston Grand Opera to Go performed Katie: The Strongest of the Strong for our 4th and 5th graders. It was an inspiring true story of protagonist Katie Sandwina, a circus strongwoman, who defied expectations and went on to help lead the U.S. suffrage movement in the early 1900s.

Our Top Bearkat Volunteer of the Month for February is Mary Kay Moritz with 18.00 hours. Here are some of the perks of being the top volunteer of the month -

· Convenient Reserved Parking Space with your name on it at the front of the school

· You will also be recognized on a Volunteer of The Month sign in the front office and in the Bearkat Chat.

· One Friday lunch with your Bearkat during the month (VIPS must be notified of date prior to let the front office know)

Thank you to all our volunteers dedicating your extra time at the school! **Don’t forget to log your offsite volunteer hours on the PTO webpage: https://blackpto.membershiptoolkit.com

Parents,

We have an in-class volunteer opportunity for grades 1-4 this spring as we kick off our Junior Achievement Program. Junior Achievement is a program that focuses on teaching a combination of economics and social studies at an age-appropriate level. Subjects include businesses in our community, taxes, needs and wants, spending and saving, how to start a business, etc.(see attached link) About Junior Achievement

Each class needs at least one volunteer to teach 5 sessions to the students. All teaching materials are provided including a teaching script, so you don't have to come up with your own. You coordinate directly with the teacher on days and times that work for the classroom. The kids love this program and would love to have someone step up to take this on in their classroom. Please sign up using the signup genius link: Junior Achievement Grades 1-4

Additional Information

1. Each session lasts about 30 minutes

2. Training is online format at your own pace for each session

3. No training required if you have taught in the previous years

4. All materials are provided

5. You coordinate times and days directly with the teacher

6. Materials will be available for pick up within one week of sign up

7. You can start as soon as you have determined times that work with the classroom and you have your materials

8. Sessions must be complete by the end of the spring semester

9. Total time involved including training, prep, and driving to school 5-6 hours for all 5 sessions

10. There will be a few online forms to fill out upon completion of teaching sessions

11. Please contact Sara Martin at juniorachievement@blackpto.net for more information.

· Please consider signing up to help volunteer for the 5th grade field trip to BizTown this year on May 20, 2024.

· What is BizTown? It's a mock town located at the Junior Achievement Center in Houston. Students have to elect city officials, run businesses, learn about mortgages, and work with the student-led city council, etc. Students will be going to and from the facility on buses like a normal field trip that will last the majority of the school day. This is a great learning opportunity, and it requires volunteers as Junior Achievement is a non-profit organization.

· We need at least 40 volunteers to make BizTown happen for our 5th graders. One 1.5 hour in-person training session is required. You can not show up the day of the field trip and expect to attend without training. Volunteers will need to provide their own transportation to and from, both, training and the field trip.

· Training Dates (One is required):

May 14, 2024 @ 4-5:30

May 16, 2024 @ 4-5:30

Biztown Volunteer Training Sign Up

· Field Trip Date:

May 20, 2024

· Location:

BizTown Facility

3710 Dacoma St

Houston, TX 77092

· Please email Sara Martin at juniorachievement@blackpto.net for more information.

5th Grade Day

When: Friday, May 17th 9:00am-2:00pm

Where: Main Event Tomball

24620 Tomball Parkway

PARTY FEE: Have you paid your PTO party fee?

Party Fee of $25.00 includes: 5th Grade Day event (Main Event), t-shirt, memory book.

All shirt sizes for students are acquired through your 5th grade day payment. Any shirt sizes we don't have by March 8th will be filled as a youth XL.

Click link here to Pay: https://www.blackpto.net

Would you like to make a donation to this event?

Black Elementary PTO - 5th Grade Day Donation 2023-2024 (blackpto.net)

5TH GRADE DAY VOLUNTEERS: We are looking for volunteers to help make this event a success. Only adult volunteers will be able to attend the event at Main Event. No siblings can attend. Each volunteer will be assigned a shift to assist that day. If you would like to volunteer, please go to the link below to purchase a package, which will include your shirt & your lunch for that day.

https://www.blackpto.net/form/m/271944

If you have any questions, please email 5thgradeday@blackpto.net

5th Grade Memory Book – We still need your baby photos!! The deadline is March 29th! Please see the Memory Book flyer previously sent home in your student’s backpack and on the PTO Black Elementary Facebook page for more details.

· The winner of the Memory Book cover art contest is Emily Kato in Ms. Carillo’s class.

· All 5th Graders will get to sign their names on a "Class of 2031" page that will be the back cover of the memory book. This will occur on Spring picture day for signatures.

· You can still e-mail your photos to Julie Patterson at 5thgradememorybook@blackpto.net

WHAT DOES PTO FUND?

Field Trips for all grades

Cultural Arts events for all grades

Holiday Parties

End of Year Parties

Playground Equipment

Staff Development

Back to School Staff Luncheon

Field Day

Music/PE Equipment

Author Days

Technology

5th Grade Celebration

Veterans Day Program

Staff Appreciation/Hospitality

STAAR Testing Snacks

Lenny the dog

WHAT DOES PTO DO?

Yearbook

Book Spirit Night Events

School Wide Event Volunteers

Birthday Wall

Science Resource Demos (SRC)

Staff Appreciation Events

Spirit Shop

Manage PTO Website

Marquee

Junior Achievement

Class Parties

5th Grade Sidewalk Paws

School Shirt Sales

Organize volunteers for: Workroom, Library, Book Fair, HRC, Nature Trails, Hearing and Vision Screening, Clinic, etc

HOW TO HELP?

Become a PTO member

Donate to fundraisers

Participate in Spirit Nights

Shop at the Spirit Shop

Volunteer

HOW TO JOIN?

Joining PTO by registering at blackpto.net

You are not committing to volunteer, but only to help support our school and all that we provide our students. Volunteering is a FUN bonus! Getting involved and meeting new people all while supporting Black Elementary!

Questions: contact Membership@blackpto.net

Childfind services

The Cypress Fairbanks Independent School District Special Education Department provides educational services to over 10,000 students with special needs.

Teachers, instructional aides, speech pathologists and related service personnel provide instruction and related services to students who have a disability. Students are eligible for special education services from the age of 3 through 21. Students who have hearing and vision disabilities may receive services from birth.

To be eligible for special education services, students must meet eligibility requirements as a student with an orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, auditory impairment, visual impairment, diagnosis of deaf/blind, intellectual disabilities, emotional disturbance, learning disability, speech impairment, multiple disabilities, autism, non-categorical early childhood, or traumatic brain injury.

Cypress Fairbanks ISD instructional arrangements for elementary school-aged students include in-class support, resource classes and speech/language therapy. Early Childhood Special Education (ECSE, formerly PPCD), adaptive behavior, and LIFE Skills classes are offered as cluster services at the elementary level.

In-class support, resource classes, LIFE Skills, adaptive behavior and speech/language services are available at all secondary level campuses.

Related services may include psychological services, occupational therapy, physical therapy, orientation and mobility training, school health services, adaptive equipment and special transportation.

Other special education service options include the Dorothy Carlton Center, the Maybelline Carpenter Center, homebound, adaptive physical education, itinerant and on-site services to the visually impaired.

As part of the Northwest Harris County Cooperative for the Hearing Impaired, services for students who have auditory impairments are offered at Birkes Elementary, Matzke Elementary, Spillane Middle School and Cy-Ridge High School. In addition to receiving instruction at the on-site campuses, students may be served by itinerant teachers, speech pathologists, and/or an audiologist at their home campus.

Are you the parent of a pre-school (3-5 years) or school aged child and have concerns regarding your child’s physical, speech, and/or emotional development? Is your child experiencing academic problems which could interfere significantly with educational success? If so, contact the Special Education Department at 281-897-6400 to discuss your concerns and learn more about the referral process.

Cy-Fair Tipline is an anonymous reporting system that allows students and parents to communicate school concerns or threats to their campus administration through the Internet or via text messaging. Students and parents are able to submit reports/tips via text or email anonymously 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To access the system: http://www.safe2helptips.com/cf148s. This link is also located on the school website under 'Contact Us'.

Get current information from the school by signing up to receive School Messenger. Just follow the steps below:

Please follow the directions below to OPT IN to receive emergency information from CFISD.

Siga los siguientes pasos para registrarse y recibir alertas de emergencia del distrito.

Email: black@cfisd.net
Website: black.cfisd.net
Location: 14155 Grant Road, Cypress, TX, USA
Phone: 281-320-7145