
England School News
March 2, 2025
Principal's Update
Hello England Families-
We hope you had a wonderful weekend and had the chance to enjoy the beautiful weather! I took a nice long walk with my husband and spent time strolling around downtown Austin with my daughter, which made me even more excited for all the outdoor fun ahead—especially our FIRST-ever PTA Sponsored England Community Picnic next weekend! Be sure to check out the details below and make plans to join us.
It’s hard to believe we’re already in March! The last few months of school always seem to fly by, so we encourage you to stay informed by reading these updates and your child's classroom newsletters. Communication is a priority, and we strive to share information in plenty of time to help you stay prepared.
This week’s newsletter is packed with important updates, so please take a moment to read it thoroughly. Also, check out the volunteer opportunities—there are so many ways to get involved, and your support truly makes a difference.
Thank you for being such an essential part of our England community and for partnering with us to create an environment where all of our Leopards thrive!
With gratitude,
Krystall Williams, Principal
Your Voice Matters: Please share your feedback and/or questions here!
PTA Update:
Help fund assemblies, field trips, EEE family events, classroom resources, and much more by donating to England PTA’s Direct Donation Drive! (See flyer below for details!)
Class & Grade-Level Prizes:
March 8th Deadline – The grade level that raises the most by March 8th wins a Pizza Party on March 13th!
March 14th Deadline – The grade level with the most donations from March 10-14th wins a Bubble & Chalk Party on March 28th!
Classroom Bonus – The classroom with the highest total raised at the end of the drive gets 10% of their donations to fulfill their teacher’s wish list!
Grand Prize: If we hit our school-wide goal, we’ll celebrate with a popcorn party for everyone!
Teacher Bonus: The teacher whose class raises the most in total funds will receive a $50 gift card as a thank-you for supporting the campaign!
Let’s work together to support our PTA—every donation counts! 💛🐆
The England PTA is hosting a Community Picnic on Saturday, March 8 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at the basketball court and playground at England Elementary.
Come enjoy live music by The Kristen Gibbs Band, purchase delicious treats from food trucks like Kona Ice, Crepe Crazy, and Tacos la Catrina, and participate in a variety of games and activity booths for all ages!
This is a free event for our school community—don’t miss out on the fun! Pre-register using the QR code on the flyer below!
Join today by visiting: PTA Membership
To learn more about our amazing PTA and the exciting opportunities available for our England Community, please visit their website!
Lost and Found Message:
Everything that is in the Lost and Found will be placed outside the school from March 7-14, a week before Spring break starts, after which anything left behind will be donated to charity. Please take a moment to look for any missing belongings.
SEL Week:
Our England SEL Vertical Team is thrilled to kick off SEL Week tomorrow! SEL (Social Emotional Learning) Week is filled with fun activities promoting mindfulness, gratitude, movement, kindness, and self-expression!
Each day has a special theme and dress-up opportunity, from Mindful Monday to Fun Friday, where students will engage in exciting activities like mood tracking, thank-you notes, workouts, SEL discussions, and hobby showcases.
Let’s celebrate emotional well-being and connection—see the flyer below for all the details!
Climate Survey: Share Your Voice!
Your feedback is invaluable! We read every response and use the survey results to guide our decisions and refine our systems and processes. Right now, 27.7% of our community has submitted the survey, and we’d love to see that number reach at least 80% to ensure we have a well-rounded picture of our strengths and areas for growth. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey—you’ll find the link in your inbox (and be sure to check your spam folder). The survey closes tonight, so don’t miss this opportunity to share your voice!
Arrival Traffic Reminders:
We are excited to welcome more families to our growing England community, now at 1,019 students and counting! With this growth, arrival time is very busy, and we appreciate your help in keeping it safe and efficient.
✅ Keep the carline moving – Do not park or idle in the drop-off lane. Some parents need to drop off before 7:15 AM and must be able to move through the line.
🚫 No parking and walking up – We must keep traffic flowing and cannot safely stop for walkers in the drop-off lane.
🚶♂️ Walkers & bikers – Use the sidewalks on either side of the building for safe entry.
⚠️ No parking lot or middle of the street drop-offs – Do not stop in the driving lane on Pearson or have your child cross through moving cars.
🚸 Follow the Crossing Guards Requests– Safety is our top priority, and we’ve had too many close calls recently.
Thank you for helping us ensure a smooth and safe arrival for all students! 💛🐆
RRISD Early Learning Day:
Our friends and neighbors are invited to Early Learning Day on April 1 from 9 to 10 a.m. and 1 to 2 p.m.
Early Learning Day is an opportunity for families of young learners to explore our campuses and learn more about the enriching educational opportunities we offer. Registration is required.
Cafeteria/MySchoolBucks:
Did you know that our online lunch account system, MySchoolBucks, does more than just allow you to add funds? It also provides a convenient way to view what your child has been purchasing—whether it’s the daily lunch or additional snacks and drinks. If you’d like to place any restrictions on what your child can purchase, our cafeteria manager, Jihee Park, is happy to assist.
You can reach her at:
📧 Email: england_cafeteria@roundrockisd.org | ji_park2@roundrockisd.org
📞 Phone: (512) 704-1228
We hope this helps make managing lunch accounts and purchases a little easier for your family!
Volunteer Opportunities:
We truly appreciate the collaboration and partnership as we offer these opportunities for our Leopards. Your support makes all the difference!
We’re thrilled to highlight our Weekly Workroom Volunteers this month! A huge thank you to our PTA Homeroom Coordinator for organizing this wonderful opportunity that supports our classroom teachers. Tasks include prepping materials, making copies, laminating, and more—helping to take a little something off our teachers’ plates so they can focus their energy on other priorities. You’re welcome to sign up for a day outside of your child’s grade level, and our goal is to provide this support for teachers each week. It’s also a great way to connect with other parents and contribute in a meaningful way to our school community. For more details, check out this document outlining the role. Keep an eye out for sign-ups each month!
Additional Volunteer Opportunities:
England Exceptional Experiences
Thank you for helping us create a supportive and connected school community!
To volunteer, you must be approved through RRISD. You can apply using this link.
College & Career Spirit Days at England Elementary:
Get ready for an exciting opportunity to explore the future! Elsa England Elementary is hosting College & Career Spirit Days on March 12th & 14th, 2025 to engage students in conversations about their future goals and career pathways.
📅 Wednesday, March 12 – College, Trade & Military Day
Show your spirit by wearing gear from your favorite college, university, military branch, or skilled trade!
📅 Friday, March 14 – Your Future Starts at England
Wear your Elsa England gear—shirts, jackets, or caps—(or school colors!) to celebrate our amazing school community!
Let’s inspire our students to dream big! 🚀🔍🎓
🏫 Future Leopard School Tours! 🐆
We are excited to welcome potential future Leopards and their families for a guided tour of Elsa England Elementary! These tours are a great way to explore our campus, learn what makes our school special, and ask any questions you may have. Tours will be held on select dates this spring, starting promptly at 3:25 PM. Please feel free to share this opportunity with those new to the community!
📌 For full details and RSVP information, click here.
Keeping Our Leopards Healthy:
As we work together to keep our students and staff healthy, we kindly remind families to keep students home when they are sick. Students should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.
This helps prevent the spread of illness, allows your child to rest and recover fully, and protects the well-being of classmates and staff. We understand that students may not want to miss a special activity they’ve been looking forward to, but their health—and the health of others—must come first.
If your child has the flu, we kindly ask that you notify our nurse, Caitlin Weisel, at caitlin_weisel@roundrockisd.org. This information helps us take proactive steps to monitor classrooms for additional cleaning and potential symptoms, ensuring a healthier environment for all our students and staff. Thank you for your cooperation!
Thank you for helping us maintain a healthy learning environment for everyone!
Tardies and Absences:
Starting the school day on time is crucial for helping students feel prepared, connected, and ready to learn. The early minutes of the day are dedicated to routines, social-emotional learning activities, and building relationships with teachers and peers—key moments that set the tone for the rest of the day.
To help avoid tardies, we encourage families to arrive as early as possible. Doors open at 7:15 a.m., and we typically see minimal traffic at that time. You have the option to drop off at either the front or the back of the school. Please note that the doors at the back close promptly at 7:35 a.m. Teachers in the back will return to their classrooms at that time, so if it’s close to 7:35, we ask that you plan to drop off at the front of the school instead.
With colder weather upon us—bringing more walkers into cars and adding to traffic—families may want to plan for a slightly earlier departure to account for the additional vehicles. With over 1,000 students, arriving early helps ensure a smooth drop-off and allows your child to begin their day on time.
If your child is absent, please complete our Absence Reporting Form to ensure their absence is recorded accurately. Attendance is taken at 9:00 a.m., so students not in the classroom by that time will be marked absent.
For any questions regarding attendance or tardies, feel free to reach out to our registrar, Shannon Chambless, at Shannon_Chambless@roundrockisd.org. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us support every student’s success by fostering punctuality and good routines!
PDF with Links:
🏆 Congratulations to Our Fifth Grade Regional Science Fair Participants!
England Exceptional Experiences!
Our second round of England Exceptional Experiences has been fantastic! While our staff led sessions last semester, they continue to work hard this semester, teaching engaging sessions alongside community members and high school volunteers, who are now bringing new expertise and experiences to our students. Fridays have quickly become a favorite for our Leopards!
We could still use your help with transitions and classroom assistance. There are three more sessions left, and we'd love for you to join us in making these experiences even more special.
Thank you for your support in creating these exceptional learning opportunities!
Student Achievement in the Community!
Congratulations to Prisha B. (2nd Grade - Bronze Award), Neil Y. (5th Grade - Silver Award), and Parth B. (5th Grade - Silver Award) for receiving a Volunteer Service Award in recognition of their dedication to community service. These students have generously given their time to initiatives such as Adopt-a-Street, where they help clean up local streets, organize food drives, and volunteer at the Austin Food Bank to sort and pack food for those in need. We are so proud of their commitment to making a difference in the community!
Congratulations to Ara A. for being selected to participate in a Meet & Greet event at the Round Rock Library in recognition of her book, King Morbid the Jungle King! This is an incredible achievement, and we are so proud to celebrate her success as a young author.
📚 Learn more about the event here: Local Author Meet & Greet – March 22
Way to go, Ara!
Registration for the 2025-2026 School Year
- K-12 New Student Enrollment begins on January 8.
- Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4, and K-5 Transfer Applications open on April 1.
Find detailed information about the enrollment process from RRISD here.
Calendar
Important Dates for Students/Families:
- March 3rd-7th: SEL Week
- March 3rd: England Family Trivia Night (RSVP Only)
- March 7th: Third Round of England Exceptional Experiences (Sign up to volunteer)
- March 8th: PTA Sponsored Community Picnic (See above flyer for details!)
- March 10th-14th: College and Career Week (See above flyer for details!)
- March 11th: 2025 RRISD Virtual Battle of the Bluebonnets
- March 12th: Third Grade Economics Fair
- March 13th: Career Day
- March 14th: Fourth Round of England Exceptional Experiences (Sign up to volunteer)
- March 17th-21st: Spring Break- Student and Staff Holiday
- March 25th: Third Grade Field Trip to Meadows Center
- March 27th: 5th Grade Music Performance (Student Arrival: 5:15, Doors Open: 5:45, Performance 6:00-6:30)
- March 28th Final Round of England Exceptional Experiences (Sign up to volunteer)
- March 28th: Kindergarten Field Trip to Crowe's Nest Farm
- March 31st: Student Holiday/Staff Development
Looking Ahead/Save the Date:
- April 1st: Early Learning Day (Incoming Kinder/PreK Tours)
- April 3rd: 4th Grade Music Performance
- April 4th: Field Day
- April 8th: RLA STAAR (3rd, 4th, 5th)
- April 10th: 3rd Grade Music Performance
- April 15th: Science STAAR (5th)
- April 22nd: Math STAAR (3rd, 4th, 5th)
- May 8th: England SPOTlight Night
- May 21st: Fifth Grade Graduation @ 8:30 AM
Character Education
LEOPARDS: Loyalty Empathy Open-Mindedness Perseverance Appreciation Resourcefulness Discipline Service
Support Staff
Shannon Chambless, Attendance Specialist
Jude Eaton, Counselor
Helen Frink, Counselor
Stephanie Johnson, Counselor
Emily Kupersztoch, Librarian
Taryn Ostendorf, Assistant Principal, Administrative Special Education Contact
Erik Weiler, Instructional Technology Specialist
Virginia Wilder, Assistant Principal, Administrative 504 Contact
Krystall Williams, Principal
Email: krystall_williams@roundrockisd.org
Website: england.roundrockisd.org
Location: 8801 Pearson Ranch Road, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-704-1200
Twitter: @kwilliamsEEE