Eagle Updates

Meadow Wood News:

• From Mrs. Barry
• Teacher of the Year Nominations
• Parent U Calendar
• Counselors' Corner
• PreK Lottery Registration for 2025-2026
• MWE Calendar

PTA News:

• General PTA Meeting - January 15
• Teacher's Day Off
• Spring Auction
• Donuts with Dudes
• International Festival

We are beginning what we not-so-fondly call "testing season" in education. There are several mandatory assessments that the state of Texas requires. You all are most likely familiar with the STAAR (State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness) test. In elementary, our 3rd - 5th graders take both a Reading/Language Arts and Math test, and our 5th graders take a Science test. In middle school, in addition to these, this is expanded to Social Studies in 8th grade, as well as various End of Course exams in high school. Though the magnitude of STAAR has changed at elementary (it no longer drives promotion requirements), end of course scores still impact graduation at the high school level. STAAR scores also weigh heavily in determining our school and district rating from TEA (Texas Education Agency). (Fun Fact - ratings from last year have not been released because there are two lawsuits regarding STAAR currently in the courts. Ask me if you'd like to know more about this!)

In addition to STAAR, we are also required to give the TELPAS (Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System) to all of our second language learners. This is a series of tests that look at a student's progress in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English. Like STAAR, these tests are computer-based, except for our littlest of learners. Students are rated as beginner, intermediate, advanced, or advanced high. Our TELPAS scores also play a part in our campus and district ratings from TEA.

We are also required to assess our students progress in reading throughout the course of the school year, and we must screen our students in grades K - 2 for characteristics of dyslexia following specific timelines. All of these assessments are mandated and are in addition to tests over our regular curriculum.

We do take practice exams for STAAR and provide practice opportunities for TELPAS - this is both to ensure our students are familiar with the testing format and to provide teachers with data to guide instruction and intervention.

So, if it seems like there are a lot of tests on the calendar this semester, and a lot of "black out" days with no visitors on campus, please understand that we are in testing mode and must follow some specific guidelines, as well as try to create the best possible environment for our students. If you have any questions about any of these assessments, please reach out! As always, thank you for your continued support!

SBISD offers many workshops for parents via Parent U. Take a look at some of the offerings on the spring calendar!

• Jan. 16 - Understanding Math Pathways for 5th grade families
• Feb. 5 - Earning College Credit in High School (Dual Credit/Dual Enrollment) for 9th and 10th grade families
• Feb. 20 - A Parent's Guide to Vaping and Fentanyl Awareness: Safeguarding Our Youth for all families
• April 29 - 504/Special Education Accommodations in College for 11th and 12th grade families

For more details and access to Parent U recordings and resources, please visit the SBISD Parent U website.

The months of January and February are all about being an effective Communicator and Collaborator. SBISD believes that EVERY CHILD skillfully conveys thoughts, ideas, knowledge and information and is a receptive and responsive listener. By the end of 5th grade, students will have achieved the following milestones:

• Respectfully expresses their thoughts, feelings, needs, and ideas with peers and adults.
• Knows that body language and actions are another way to communicate.
• Communicates to connect with others.
• Pays attention and asks questions to understand what others think and feel.
• Collects information to determine the difference between fact and opinion.
• Shares their ideas and respects the ideas of others when part of a group.
• Respectfully asks questions and thinks about their needs and those of others, offering and accepting suggestions to move forward.

Try This At Home

Activity 1: The Great Jigsaw Puzzle Challenge It's time to put your problem-solving skills to the test! Gather your family members in a common area and spread out the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. But wait, here's the twist - put away the picture on the box! Yes, you heard it right, this time we're building the puzzle without a picture. Working together, piece by piece, you'll uncover hidden sections and slowly form a complete picture. Collaborate, communicate, and observe as you find the perfect fit for each piece. Celebrate every little triumph along the way and support each other through the challenges.

Activity 2: Master Chefs in the Kitchen Get ready for an adventure as every family member takes charge of one dish for a collaborative dinner. First, sit down together and plan the menu, taking into account everyone's preferences and dietary needs. You can even get creative and make each part of the meal in secret to see how they come together! Once the menu is set, assign each family member a specific dish or task. Take turns in the kitchen, coordinating your efforts to create a delicious feast. Engage in discussions while cooking, sharing stories, and laughter. Ask questions like: What makes working with others fun? What makes working with others difficult? It's the perfect opportunity to learn from one another. Finally, gather around the table and indulge in the collaborative meal you've prepared. As you savor each bite, reflect on the experience and discuss what you enjoyed about working together and the challenges you overcame

Registration for the Pre-K lottery at Meadow Wood is from January 7 – January 29, 2025. The lottery registration form can be obtained from the school office during regular business hours. The lottery is for children who will be 4 years old on or before September 1, 2025 and live in the school’s attendance zone. Priority is given to those who will have an older sibling attending the same campus for the 2025-2026 school year. The lottery drawing will be on Friday, January 31 at 8:15 a.m. in MWE's lobby.

Any questions regarding the lottery can directed to Susan Snelling at susan.snelling@springbranchisd.com or 713-251-6209.

Reminder: Every week we have T-2-4 Tuesday - students are encouraged to wear their favorite college or military shirt. Fridays are MWE Spirit Day! Wear your Eagle attire!

January 14

Science Interim Assessments

No lunch visitors, please!

Choir resumes

January 15

General PTA Meeting

2nd grade Hands on Science

January 16

Kinder Hands on Science

January 17

No lunch visitors, please!

January 20

HOLIDAY

January 21

3rd grade Hands on Science

January 23

4th grade Hands on Science

CIT Meeting

January 24

5th grade Hands on Science

Donuts with Dudes

January 28

3rd grade Advanced Movers to SHS BBall

January 29

Lunar New Year performance

No lunch visitors, please!

International Festival

January 30

4th grade to Stratford Playhouse

January 31

Progress reports go home

MWE PTA's general meeting is this Wednesday at 8:05 am. You will not want to miss out on all the helpful information on our Spring events in addition to an introduction from Garrett Wolf, our CIS counselor, with an overview of what his job entails. Also, Officer Vanderberry, our newly assigned SBISD police officer, will introduce himself and be available for Q&A.

Let's get a head start on MWE PTA's fundraising goals for our Spring Auction with a little friendly competition. Presenting "Teacher Day Off"! You have this week to donate!

Our Spring Auction, "Lights, Camera, Auction: the Meadow Wood Hills Present a Night of Glamour" is right around the corner on February 8, 2025, which is a sold-out event. Even if you're not attending the gala, you can still purchase items in the silent auction. For a preview of all the exciting items up for bid, make sure to follow us on Instagram @mweauction and our main MWE PTA page @mwepta.

Save the date for Donuts with Dudes!

MWE PTA's beloved tradition - International Festival - is January 29th and we need YOU to volunteer to host a country table. Please reach out to Yngvil if you are interested.

For additional information, go to our website: www.mwepta.com.

Follow us on Facebook (Meadow Wood Elementary PTA) and Instagram (#MWEPTA).