Star Gazette

Join us as we celebrate 50 years of Mahanay. All are welcome...past, present, and future students, community members ,and staff! Hope to see you!

Alief ISD is writing to inform you that the 2022-2023 Federal Report Card (FRC) for campuses and the district is posted on the district’s website: Please click on the link below.

Dear Families,

We love having your children at school all school year!

This is the time of year when winter weather takes a toll on school attendance. Cold weather and rain can make it hard to get your children to school. So can illnesses such as colds, flu, and fevers.

These absences, even if they are excused, break the routine of daily attendance that contributes to students feeling connected and engaged in learning. Please consider these steps to keep your children healthy and in school this winter.

1) Develop back up plans for getting your children to school. Check who can give your children a ride if you can’t take them or form a “walking school bus” to walk to school with other families in your area.

2) If your children get sick talk to your child’s medical provider or the school nurse for advice.

3) Stomach pain and headaches can be signs of anxiety and may not be reasons for keeping a child home. If you feel that anxiety or stress is playing a role, talk to your child’s teacher, the school nurse, school counselor, or your medical provider about how best to support your child.

4) Encourage children to wash their hands before and after eating and after using the restroom.

5) Avoid sharing cups and utensils with other individuals.

6) Dress your children for the cold weather. If you need help with winter clothing, call the school.

7) Encourage healthy habits such as getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, drinking fluids and getting exercise.

8) If your children need to stay home for a prolonged period due to illness, talk to your child’s teacher to find out about resources, including computer or internet access, that they can use at home to keep learning once they feel well enough.

Let us know how we can help you. If you’re having trouble, need resources or advice, please call us at 281-983-8355 and ask to speak with our Attendance Clerk.

Thank you for partnering with us!

If it is your child's birthday, we want to celebrate him or her! Please feel free to send store bought cupcakes or individually packaged treats with your child. Please send enough for the whole class. Please do not send other food items, juices, or decorations (including balloons).

Birthday treats will be shared and eaten immediately after your child’s lunch, which is their designated recess time.

Alief ISD uses a program known as SmartTag which is designed to increase safety and security for students riding on the bus.

By using SMART ID cards and iPads mounted inside each bus, students will scan onto and off of the bus each morning and afternoon.

SMART tag technology provides real-time information on students loading and unloading data to the school, the Alief ISD Transportation Department and to you, the parent.

If your child is a bus rider, his SMART TAG ID is also their school ID, which allows them to check out books in the library and to scan as their lunch tag during lunch.

It is very important that they do not lose, or leave their IDs at home.

Benefits

• It ensures that students load on the right but and unload at the correct bus stop.

Requirements:

• All students must keep their SMART ID cards attached to their shirt or on a lanyard.
• Students must wear the cards home each day and back to school the next day.
• Cards are $5 to replace.

Kindergarten Riders:

• Families of Kindergarten students will continue to use the established system for authorized guardian releases at bus stops.

If you have any questions, please contact the Alief ISD Transportation Department at 281-983-8400.

Students are having a great time learning! In order to receive all of this great learning, it is important to get students to school on time. Remember, students are tardy after 7:55 a.m., and a parent or guardian must escort the student inside if they arrive after 8:00.

Daily Schedule

• School doors open at 7:15 a.m. daily
• Pre-Kindergarten- 4th Grade- 7:55 a.m. -3:20 p.m.
• Your child is tardy at 7:55 a.m.
• If your child arrives after 8:00 a.m., they must be brought inside by whomever drops them off.

If you need to change your child's transportation, please send a note in writing to your child's teacher. Make sure your child knows to give it to the teacher first thing in the morning. You may also come to the front office to make a change in person.

Transportation changes must be made prior to 2:30 p.m. the day of the transportation change.

Please display your blue car rider tag on your dashboard when picking up your child. Please leave it in place until after you have picked up your child. If you need another car rider tag, please come to the front office to pick up a replacement. Please do not park and get out of your car to pick up your child. Students will be released to parents in the car rider line.

Walkers are released on the High Star side of the school. If your child is a walker, please pick them up by 3:30 p.m.

Please make sure your child comes to school in dress code daily.

• Any solid color collared shirts
• Pants or knee-length shorts (khaki, navy, or blue jeans)
• Leggings may not be worn unless they are worn under a skirt or dress.
• Dresses and skirts must be knee-length (Khaki or navy)
• Fridays are college shirt day! Wear the college shirt of your choice!
• Mahanay School Shirts can be worn any day of the week.
• Jeans may be worn with a Mahanay School Shirt any day of the week
• Shoes: Close-toed shoes- No Crocs
• Our students run and play a lot at recess and PE, and we want them to be safe.

Parents, another way to stay connected with Mahanay Happenings is to join our Parent Remind. With Remind, you can receive important school information. To join, text @feakhf to 81010. If you have trouble connecting using 81010, try texting @feakhf to (774) 353-0907

The best way to communicate with your child's teacher is through class dojo. Please make sure to connect so you don't miss out on important information! We look forward to partnering with you to help your child have a successful school year!

During time of emergencies, the district sends out calls, emails, and texts to district staff or parents. If you are not receiving these notifications and you would like to, please proceed through the steps below.

If you have may have opted out (blocked notifications) from receiving notifications from Blackboard.

• Users can opt back into: Phone calls: Call the Blackboard Phone Hotline at "855-502-STOP (855-502-7867)" from the phone line that has been opted out.
• Text (SMS) messages: Reply START to "60680" from the phone line that has been opted out for non-emergency messages. Reply START to "54968" for emergency messages.