• Make Your Mark at Hisle with a DIRECT donation to help fund field trips and student enrichment!
• Mark your calendar for September 19th for our Hisle PTO Meeting at 6 pm
• Complete permission form for EACH child for Child Protection Unit

Can you believe we're half way through the first nine weeks of school? Students are participating in reading groups and routines are in place! In classrooms, each child participates in independent reading, istation, responding to reading and more while the teacher works with a small group! Books should be coming home this week for your child to read along with Friday Folders!

This week, Friday's Folder will include information you will want to make sure you examine. Each child will bring home a progress report AND two reports about reading and math! Remember, Hisle reports on standards and skills of each child...so there aren't a TON of numbers! We will report if your child is reading below, at, or above grade level along with learning standards your child has been working on during the first part of the nine weeks!

Regarding MAP and ISIP, both are online assessments that each child participates in throughout the year.

• I-STATION: ISIP (Istation Indicators of Progress) is reported to families three times a year (September, January, and May). Each child takes a 20 minuteish assesment monthly to check various literacy components such as listening comprehension, spelling, fluency, vocabulary, and more depending on the age of the child. It does NOT replace the teacher reading with each child, but it does give each teacher data to consider when working with your child. Our goal is that each child is scoring within Level 3-5 monthly.
• MAP: Each child takes this assessment in the fall, winter, and spring. The length of the assessment depends on how students answer the questions. It typically takes between 20-40 minutes per child. Your child will receive two scores: one that is based on achievement. This score tells you where your child performed in relation to other children that are in your child's enrolled grade level. The other score is about percentage of growth from Spring 2024 if your child took the test. Our goal is that each child is scoring within the yellow, green, or blue band for achievement and growth.

Remember, all of this is information and it does not tell the whole story of your child's academic career. Our goal is to inform you of what we know so that you can truly partner with us to give your child the best learning! I often say to people in my life "it's okay to be where you are, it's not okay to stay there." Growth and learning is GOOD! As always, please reach out if you have questions.

We appreciate your partnership! Remember, Hisle Hounds howl loud and proud!

Niki

Our campus started learning about the different type of emergency drills. At the end of August, we practiced our EVACAUTION drill. In the next few weeks, we will be reviewing sheltering in place in case of inclement weather with each grade level. During this drill, students move away from windows into the hallway to "duck and cover". We will do a lockdown drill that includes turning off lights and moving away from the doors and windows to sit quitely away from sight until the building is clear. There are designated locations inside each classroom for students to be with their teacher.

Before we do the drill, all staff have participated in safety training. The training discuss our standard response which is outlined in this video. We are doing some learning with students on our campus wide announcements too! Sometimes, drills can be a bit scary, and we do our best to talk about circle of control! Our focus for each drill is "what can you do" during these drills. For example, during a lockdown, you can sit quietly and listen to the teacher. Our standard response protocol lists actions teachers and students can take! While emergencies are NOT something we like to consider, it's important that we have systems to follow.

Hi Hisle Families! I am wrapping up Minute Meetings with students, but it’s been a joy getting to know each one individually. Additionally, I'll be in the classrooms in September for a whole class lesson, so be sure to talk to your child about what they learned and how their school counselor can help. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for supporting your child’s education.

-Best, Mrs. Isaac, Hisle Counselor

The Friday Backpack Food Program provides free bags of food every Friday to take home for those students experiencing food insecurities. This is a free service provided to any student in need. It is one bag per student donated by the Student Charities and LISD18+ Program. If you are in need of this service please complete the enrollment form HERE. If you have any additional concerns or questions please email me at Renata.Isaac@leanderisd.org, or call 512-570-8400. Thank you for your support!

As you know, teachers in Leander ISD utilize the Second Step curriculum to teach children important skills for getting along with others and doing well in school. It also helps our school be a safe and supportive place where everyone can learn.

To meet the required State of Texas Health TEKS for the instruction to prevent child abuse, Leander ISD counselors will utilize lessons from the Second Step Child Protection Curriculum. These lessons will teach students three types of skills: Personal Safety, Touching Safety, and Assertiveness. In order for students to participate in these lessons, parents must complete the grade-level Opt-In/Opt-out form for each student here at Hisle. You can find this form below for each grade level:

• Kinder Parent Permission Form and Link

• 1st Grade Parent Permission Form and Link

• 2nd Grade Parent Permission Form and Link

• 3rd Grade Parent Permission Form and Link

• 4th Grade Parent Permission Form and Link

• 5th Grade Parent Permission Form and Link

It is highly recommended that students keep a change of clothing in their backpack. Please make sure that clothing is labeled with your student’s name.

You are invited to the upcoming parent webinar, Balancing Brilliance: Nurturing Executive Function and Mental Health in Gifted Kids, on September 10, 2024, at 6:30 PM CST!

This free hour-long webinar is designed to empower parents with the knowledge and skills to better understand and help their gifted children develop and enhance their executive function abilities. Led by Dr. Erika Lucas and supported by current research, this webinar is a valuable resource for any parent seeking to navigate the intricacies of their gifted child's executive function. RSVP here. This webinar will have a live Spanish translation during the event. Learn more about the speaker and download the Facilitator's Guide.

Each year, we do hearing and vision for the majority of our students (Prek4, Kindergarten, 1st, 3rd, and 5th). Nurse Dodd could use a few extra sets of hands to help organize materials and traffic flow during this time. If you are available and would like to volunteer, please contact kimberly.dodd@leanderisd.org. You can opt to volunteer for a full day or half day! It's what works for you!

This Friday (9/13), we will kick off our Make Your Mark Campaign! This is a direct contribution fundraiser, which means 100% of the funds raised will go to the Hisle PTO to support student enrichment, field trips, community events, staff appreciation, and more! Be on the lookout for more information this FRIDAY!