We made it to Thanksgiving Break! 🎉

If you've driven through the back carpool recently, you might have noticed fencing going up around our back playground. We're excited to share that Andrews is getting new playground structures as part of the most recent bond. Originally scheduled to begin in January, construction is ahead of schedule! Over the break, demolition will start on the back playground, which will be replaced first. Construction on the east playground is tentatively set to begin around March. During this time, grade-level recess locations will adjust temporarily, but recess times will remain the same. We can’t wait to see our finished playgrounds!

When students return in December, we’ll hit the ground running to wrap up the first semester. Teachers and students will focus on reviewing and assessing progress, with MOY MAP testing starting December 9th. For more details, please refer to the MAP Letter for Families below. We’re eager to celebrate the growth our learners have made and ensure we’re ready to continue that progress in the second semester.

To kick off the holiday spirit, we’re hosting Grinch Day on Friday, December 6th! Students are invited to join the fun by dressing in green, wearing a Grinch-themed shirt, or even dressing as a Who. This cheerful event reminds us that our hearts grow bigger when we focus on helping others during the holiday season.

Speaking of helping others, we encourage everyone to consider donating to the Student Council's Toy Drive, benefiting the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County. Donations will be collected through Friday, December 13th. Your generosity makes a difference not only for Andrews families but for the greater Plano community as well.

We are incredibly grateful for your support and partnership. Wishing you and your family a joyful and restful Thanksgiving Break!

- Ms. Daly and Ms. Dias

• Andrews MAP MOY Letter to Families
• Grade-level Winter Parties
• Grades 3-5 Progress Reports
• Attendance Parent Engagement Session
• Spelling Bee
• Conservation Poster and Essay Contest
• H.E.A.R.T. of Andrews
• Science and Engineering Fair
• December Counselor's Corner
• December College Shirt Day
• Reminder! Forgotten School Items
• PTA After School Programs Fall Semester 24-25
• 2024-2025 Volunteer Application - VOLY
• Fall Semester Lunch Visitors
  
• Fall Semester Musical Mornings
• Stay Connected

Grade-level Winter Parties will be held on Thursday, December 19. Grade-level coordinators are working with teachers to plan a fun time for students. Only those who are signed up to volunteer during the classroom Winter Party will be able to attend. Please remember that volunteers must be cleared through VOLY prior to the event. Applications can take up to three weeks to get processed. If you are interested in volunteering for your child's grade-level Winter Party, please reach out to your child's teacher and grade-level coordinator.

Students in Grades 3-5 have their 2nd nine-weeks progress reports posted in Skyward Family Access as of 3 pm today, November 22. Parents are encouraged to go into Skyward and view their child's progress thus far in the second nine weeks. As a reminder, parents can view their child's grades daily in Skyward Family Access as well as set up notifications for when grades are posted below a designated number.

Each month the Student, Family and Community Services department hosts an Attendance Parent Engagement Session. These sessions cover important topics regarding student attendance. This month's topic focuses on "Sending Students with Health Concerns to School," and is facilitated by Plano ISD Parent Educators in both English and Spanish. The video in English is included below. If you would like to watch the spanish version, please reach out to Ms. Daly or Ms. Dias.

We are excited to announce that preparations for the Andrews Elementary Spelling Bee are underway! While this event is optional, we highly encourage interested students to participate in the Preliminary Spelling Bee. 📝✨

Parents must complete the form to indicate their child's interest in participating. The form must be submitted by 3:00 PM on November 19th for students to be eligible. Further details, including study materials, are provided within the form to help your child prepare for this exciting event! 📚

It is time to prepare for the annual Elementary Science and Engineering Fair at Andrews! Even though participation is voluntary, we want to encourage interested students (K-5) to take advantage of this opportunity to exhibit their knowledge and explore their interests. This is also one of the three activities required for the H.E.ART of Andrews Award in the Spring.

If your child is interested in participating, please complete and submit the following FORM. Your child will be added to our campus Science and Engineering Fair Google Classroom. The Student Handbook and additional information will be posted here. The handbook has specific information about rules governing the judging of projects. Please be aware that all decisions of the Science and Engineering Fair judges are final.

Submitting the interest form does not mean your child is committed to entering the fair.

All projects must be submitted on/before Monday, January 13, 2025, no later than 7:40 a.m. Contest winners will be announced on Wednesday, January 15th during the morning announcements. The Andrews Science and Engineering Fair "Come & Go" Open House will take place in the library from 3:15-4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 15th. The Elementary Regional Science Fair will be held on February 10-11, 2025, at the Curtis Culwell Special Events Center in Garland, TX. The Regional Fair is by invitation only for campus Grand Prize winners.

If you have questions, please contact the campus Science and Engineering Fair Coordinator at Lauren.Handler@pisd.edu

As the weather begins to get cooler, please remember that items forgotten at home (i.e. jackets, water bottles, snacks, projects, homework, etc.) will not be accepted by the front office. Please check the weather at the beginning of each day to see if your child will need a jacket. We encourage you to write your child's first name and last name in the jacket so that if it is left outside or in the gym then it can be returned to the student. We appreciate your partnership in helping to minimize the amount of classroom disruptions from forgotten items being delivered to students throughout the day.

The PTA is excited to offer four after school program options for the Fall 24-25 school year. Programs offered this semester will be Chess, Robotics, Challenge Island and All Star Soccer. Registration forms and information about each program are located below. If you would like to print off the registration form, click on the program's image below and it will take you to either the form or website you can complete your registration. Please remember that attendance for these programs is first come, first served and limited to active PTA families. If you are not a PTA member, and would like to participate in the After School Programs, information on how to join can be found above.

If you would like to volunteer during the 2024-2025 school year, an application must be completed through Plano ISD's volunteer system, VOLY. Applications must be completed each school year for you to be eligible to volunteer.

Returning volunteers can access the application for this year with their same username and password from before to complete this year's application, orientation and background check.

New and Returning Volunteer Applications -

When you are done the following will be GREEN:

Volunteer Type - Plano ISD Volunteer Application - Orientation

When you are done the following will be YELLOW:

Background Check Form

There will be a PURPLE box stating "PENDING" for Plano Background Check Application.

Families who would like to eat lunch with their child will be able to do so utilizing the designated guest tables in the cafeteria. Space will be limited so we ask that families who wish to participate sign up in advance. As a courtesy to others, we ask that families only register for ONE SLOT PER STUDENT during this semester.

Additional information can be found on the Andrews Lunch Visitors - Fall 2024 Sign-Up linked below.

This year, Ms. Riordan will once again host Musical Mornings for students on selected days. If your child would like to participate this semester, please choose a day using the sign-up linked below.

Did you know that Plano ISD has an app for smartphones?

On the app you can:

• View student grades and attendance
  
• Access school and staff info
  
• View news stories
  
• Receive important alerts
  
• View calendar info
  
• Access PISD's tipline

More information can be found at: https://www.pisd.edu/mobileapp

Visit the Google Play or Apple App Store to download it today!

Plano ISD is implementing a text messaging option to provide our community with more ways to receive school and district information. Opt in today by texting “Y” to 67587.

If you don’t opt in manually, and the district has a cell phone number for you, you will receive a text message from Plano ISD in the coming days inviting you to opt in. The message will read:

“Plano Independent School District messages. Reply Y to confirm, HELP 4 info. Msg&data rates may apply. Msg freq varies. schoolmessenger.com/tm”

You must reply to this text message with “Y” to opt in to continue receiving text messages from the district. For more information, please visit the Text Opt in webpage.