Ahoy Youngblood Parents,

Our ship has set sail and we have been cruising along towards the success of our students at a rapid pace! Certainly, we have had various engaging activities along this journey. Our first mates have been working extremely hard with the students this year!

Beginning Monday, October 18, we will begin what the Texas Education Agency considers Accelerated Instruction building-wide for the students. Accelerated Instruction will be a designated time that is set aside for students who did not pass one or more of their STAAR test from the previous year or did not take the state tests. This will be a time designated as small group instruction to close the learning gaps that the students may have from the previous year. This will be conducted daily for 30 minutes at the end of each instructional day.

Also, I am excited to announce that I will continue my monthly meetings with parents, formerly known as Principal's Coffee, now renamed Navigating with the Principal! Be on the lookout for those notices. This will be an opportunity for you to come into the building and work alongside your child completing various activities for an hour! Don't miss out on this great opportunity! I look forward to seeing you soon!

Parents, as I always want to communicate to you...we are a team! I can't successfully navigate the school without your support! Remember, we are decked out with an abundance of nurturing, anchored in love and equipped with everything needed as we continue our eventful journey. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me via email: gwen.sandles@aliefisd.net or the school's phone number at (281) 983 - 8020.

Bon Voyage!

Gwen Sandles, Youngblood Intermediate Principal

Shirts - Solid Red, White, Navy (preferred colors) polo style with a collar

*Any solid colored polo shirt is acceptable.

Pants - Solid Navy or Khaki - must fit at waist No baggy/sagging pants.

Shorts/Skirts/Skorts - Solid Navy or Khaki - must fit at waist and length must be within 2" above the knee

Dresses - Solid Navy or Khaki - length must be within 2" above the knee

Hoodies - solid colors are preferred with little or no wording; no pictures or images

Jackets - Solid colored preferred - no designs or wording; stripes on the sleeve are okay.

Sweaters/Sweatshirts - Solid Red, White, Navy - no logos

Socks/Tights - Solid Red, White, Navy - socks must match

Jeans - Solid blue denim loose fitting jeans (not torn, ripped, blingy) with a uniform shirts or a Youngblood Spirit Shirt (only on designated days)

Designated Days:

• Wednesday - STEM Academies can wear their STEM shirts with jeans.
• Wednesday - YB Spirit shirt with jeans
• Friday - College shirts with jeans only

Earrings - No bigger than a quarter

No designs or words cut into hair.

Shoes - Must wear closed toe shoes - no slides, flip flops, etc.

Expectations:

Shirts tucked in.

IDs worn on left collar.

No lanyards.

Belts on pants.

No sagging or oversized pants.

For examples and full dress code policy go to https://www.aliefisd.net/Page/1038.

Newly designed Youngblood t-shirts and hoodies are being sold in the the front office - morning sales only.

Hoodies are $30.

All payments will need to be made in cash.

1) School starts at 8:35 a.m.— students who are not in class at this time are considered tardy. Students, who are 30 or more minutes tardy, will be considered as a “POD30”, which is a part-of-day attendance violation.

2) Dismissal is at 3:50 p.m.— students may not be released after 3:30 p.m. because dismissal procedures will have already started.

Dismissal Order: walkers, daycares, car riders and buses.

• Parents, please stay in your cars at all times - drive on the right side of the cul-de-sac.
• Daycare drivers, please drive on the left side of cul-de-sac.
• For the safety of our students, please do not block the wheelchair ramp.
• Walkers should cross the street with a designated crossing guard.

3) Students who are picked up before dismissal time will be considered as an “early leave”, which is a part-of-day attendance violation.

4) Excuse notes for absences must be returned no later than 3 days after returning to school.

5) Only 10 parent excuse notes will be allowed per year, without extenuating circumstances.

6) Only 10 doctor/clinic/nurse excuse notes will be allowed per year, without a medical need documented by your doctor and verified by the school nurse.

​

• The earliest you can drop off your child in the morning is 7:30 AM.​​

• With the increase of students traveling by car, it is imperative that proper procedures are followed for the safety of the students and staff. Students may only load/unload within the “loading zone”. ​

• During dismissal, parents must stay in their car to receive their child.

• All cars will line up on Wellington Drive and Dairy View Lane. ​

• There is only 1 line for cars. The second line is for daycare vans only.

• Please do not park in a parking space or on the side of the street in front of the school.

• Please do not ask your child to walk down the street to enter your vehicle. Students who are picked up by a vehicle must do so within the student “loading zone”.​

• There is no parking on the side of the street of the Community Garden. Alief ISD Police will issue tickets periodically.

• Students are dismissed from the inside of the building daily.​

• ​​Dismissal begins at 3:50 P.M.

• ​All car riders will need to be picked up by 4:20 P.M.
  

1 - 3" inch binder with clear view covers

24 - Standard #2 pencils with erasers

2 - Extra erasers

5 - Folders with pockets and brads

2 - Packets of 200 sheets of 3-holed notebook paper

4 - Single sized spiral notebooks

3 - Composition notebooks

1 - Box of map pencils (color pencils)

1 - Zippered pencil pouch (no pencil boxes)

1 - Pencil sharpener with cover

2 - Glue sticks

2 - Package of sticky notes (standard size)

2 - Boxes of tissues

1 - Roll of paper towels

2 - Standard size bottles of hand sanitizer

1 - Set of earbuds/headphones (inexpensive)

1 - Box of colored markers

1 - Pack of eight dividers

1 - Pair of scissors

1 - 12" ruler

1 - Package of erasable pens (blue/black ink)

1 - Package of highlighters

Note: Your specific teacher may require additional supplies. Supplies will likely need replenishing throughout the year. Please label all supplies with student's name.

• If you had previous access, a letter should have been sent to the primary guardian containing a username and password to log in to https://aliefhacl.aliefisd.net/homeaccess/​

• If you do not have access, you can register at www.aliefisd.net. At the home page look for the green tab that says Parents, click Home Access Center and last you will see Click to Self Register.​

• You must have an email address to register.​

Join us in our MISSION to help keep kids' drug-free. The largest drug-abuse prevention campaign in the nation devoted to the well-being of our children since 1985. Red Ribbon Week is an alcohol, tobacco, and other drug and violence prevention awareness campaign observed annually in October in the United States. Youngblood Intermediate School will celebrate Red Ribbon Week October 25, 2021 - October 29, 2021.

Students have been to the library to check out books and it's been fabulous to see them again! Students can place books on hold using our Destiny Discover app in the Alief HUB as well as read any number of eBooks that we have purchased. It has truly been exciting to see students enjoying the library again and seeing them excited to read books!

If students still owe books from last year, it's not too late to return them even if they have changed schools. Just return the library books to Youngblood and we will make sure that all library books are returned to their proper school. We appreciate your help in making sure these books make it back home to their campuses.

We are looking forward to hosting the next Principal's Coffee on October. 19th, where we will explore one of our databases and have a make-and-take activity that you will enjoy! Can't wait to see you in person for this event!

We are AVID Schoolwide, which means that in both fifth and sixth grade we are preparing ALL our students for the future every day. We use AVID Instructional Strategies referred to as WICOR (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization and Reading). Here is what you can do to support the process.

Get familiar with AVID and be involved in your child's learning by doing:

· Talk to your student about school.

· Be aware of your student's classes and his/her performance in each.

· Praise your student's strengths

· Help him/her find ways to improve in areas of weakness.

· Ask to look at your student's binder

· Make school your child’s “job”

· Celebrate short-and long-term goals

· Show that you care by asking your student what topic(s) he/she is studying in a particular class.

Dear Parents: According to state policy, we are required to have a parent of an English learner who participates in a Bilingual education or English as a Second Language (ESL) program serve on our school’s Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC). The LPAC serves as the advocate for English learners to make certain they receive the appropriate services.

We are asking for parent volunteers who would be willing to serve as our parent member of the LPAC. You will receive training at the first LPAC meeting and then be asked to assist the team in identifying and placing students in the appropriate program for language development and academic success.

In addition, parent volunteers will participate in annual reviews and other meetings, as necessary, to ensure student progress.

If you would be willing to serve on the LPAC, or if you have any questions, please contact Sonja Nitsch at 281-983-8020 ext. 24585.

Estimados Padres: De acuerdo con la ley estatal tenemos la obligación de que un padre de un aprendiz del idioma inglés que participe en el programa bilingüe o el programa de inglés como segundo idioma (ESL, por sus siglas en inglés) sea un representante en el comité de evaluación de la competencia lingüística (LPAC, por sus siglas en inglés) de nuestra escuela. El LPAC representa los intereses de los aprendices de inglés para asegurarse que reciban los servicios educativos apropiados.

Estamos solicitando padres de familia que estén dispuestos a participar como voluntarios en el comité LPAC. Recibirán entrenamiento durante la primera reunión del LPAC y después se les pedirá su ayuda para identificar y recomendar el programa apropiado que asegure el desarrollo del idioma y el éxito académico de los estudiantes.

Así mismo si es necesario, los padres voluntarios participarán en juntas adicionales para reevaluar el progreso del estudiante.

Si están dispuestos a participar en el LPAC, o si tiene preguntas, favor de comunicarse con Sonja Nitsch a 281-983-8020 ext. 24585.

Greetings to All!

In 5th Grade Reading, the month of October is all about natural disasters and the measures we can take to ensure our safety and protection. As students begin their Module 3 Into Reading lessons, they’ll focus on learning ways to enhance systems and protocol to make us safer, participate in collaborative discussions, and engage in vocabulary building activities.

The month of October is all about inventions in 6th Grade Reading (Designing the Future)--how exciting!! As students begin their Module 3 Into Reading lessons, they’ll focus on what inspires inventors to create the most amazing inventions, participate in collaborative discussions, and engage in vocabulary building activities as well.

Happy Fall Wildcat Scientists! We are cruising into our second nine weeks and science is happening all around the campus. Fifth grade students have completed their first unit on Matter and Energy, and they are currently working on their second unit on Force, Motion, and Energy. Concepts studied in this unit include: Uses of Energy, Light, Circuits and Electricity, and Experimenting with Forces. We have some exciting hands-on activities planned with our FME unit. It’s going to be electrifying!!!

In sixth grade, our scientists have completed their first unit on Matter and Energy, and are mid-way through their second unit on Force, Motion and Energy. Concepts studied in this unit include: Elements/Compounds, Metals/Nonmetals/Metalloids, Density, Minerals, and Formation of a New Substance. There are several hands-on activities are planned with Unit 2. Get ready for some exciting chemical reactions!!!

STEM Academy students are getting ready to set sail and work on their Fall Mini-PBL over the next few months. Fifth grade STEM students will be completing one of these two PBLs: Circuits and Electricity with a Halloween twist or Experimenting with Forces with the invention of catapults by the ancient Greeks.

Sixth grade STEM students will be completing their Fall Mini-PBL on one of the following three PBLs: Potential and Kinetic Energy, Energy Transformations or Thermal Energy. Potential and Kinetic Energy has students assisting Olympic gold medalist, Shaun White, with his skateboarding tricks. Energy Transformations has students creating a board game or electronic game that quizzes students on their knowledge of energy transformations, and Thermal Energy has students demonstrating their knowledge of heat transfer by creating a PSA to assist the local electric company in helping bring awareness to the problem of increased energy consumption.

All of the PBL choices offer our students the opportunity to utilize the 21st century skills as they work as teams of engineers to collaborate, communicate, critically think, and use their creativity. We cannot wait to see what our STEM students come up with. It is for sure going to be a blast!!! Students will have the opportunity to present their Mini-PBLs in mid-November.

October’s STEM Career focuses on Microbiology. Students will learn about this profession and hear from microbiologist, Dorothy Tovar, and what lead her to choose this career path. Students will learn how bats are a key factor to her studies. To hear about her journey, click on the link below scan.

i-Ready
An online program for mathematics that provides students with lessons based on their individual skill level and needs. This will give your child an opportunity to have personalized learning at a pace that is just right for them while monitoring their progress throughout the school year.

These lessons are fun and interactive to keep your child engaged as they learn.
Allows the teacher to meet your child exactly where they are and provides data to increase your child’s learning gains.
Just a minimum of 15 minutes a day can be completed anytime, but we have made sure to implement it into our virtual classroom schedule each day.

Online Textbook
Students are able to access the textbook through the Alief Hub.
Students may use the textbook as an additional resource for learning.

• 5th grade will being using Math in Focus Ed(HMH)
• 6th grade will be using Go Math HRW(HMOF)

Schoology

Social networking service and virtual learning environment that allows users to create, manage, and share academic content.

• Teachers may have students complete and submit quizzes online.
• Students are able to message teachers directly through this platform as an additional way to communicate with their teacher.

If you have any questions and/or concerns after speaking with your child’s math teacher, please contact Lataviya Washington via email (lmwashin@ga.aliefisd.net) or phone (‪832-758-3915 or 832-377-8580).

In Social Studies, our 5th and 6th graders are focusing on identifying and describing the historical influence of individuals or groups on various contemporary societies. Therefore, please join us as we continue to celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15th to October 15th, by celebrating the histories, culture, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.

Marie Wells, Fifth Grade Assistant Principal

R. Nicole Haywood, Sixth Grade Assistant Principal

The first nine weeks have sailed by and we are excited to accomplish even more with technology during the second nine weeks. Students have been trained on the district’s AUP/RUP policies and teachers have consistently reminded students of the expectations whenever using technology. This ensures that students are safe when online and helps them become responsible digital citizens. If you are interested in learning more about digital citizenship and ways to help your child be responsible online, explore Google’s FREE Be Internet Awesome program.

The new members of Youngblood’s WPBN (Wildcat Pride Broadcasting Network) have taken over the studio and are doing an amazing job running announcements each morning. Students are learning the basics of running the studio and will soon learn more about graphic design and video production.

In Technology elective, students are developing coding and creativity skills through Apple's Everyone Can Code and Everyone Can Create curriculums. Students have created self-portraits and their very own emojis while also learning basic commands and sequences in Swift Playground. During the second nine weeks, students will learn to code functions, loops, and coditions while also creating a movie in Clips.

While students are quite busy during the school day, there are many ways to extend their learning at home. One program available is BrainPop. This is a collection of cartoon-based videos that explain concepts from all content areas. The program also includes quizzes, games, and other activities to help students learn the content. All students have access to BrainPop.com by logging in using ID numberYGB as the username and the Alief Hub password. Another great program is Flocabulary. This website includes videos with songs and raps to help students learn important information. Most students access Flocabulary using their Alief Google accounts. If your child is unsure how to log in, check with his/her teacher.

Thank you for your partnership is making this a successful school year!