Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! I am thrilled to welcome our new and returning Knights to another year of learning together. Our staff looks forward to hosting back-to-school events to help your middle school student become acclimated with our campus, make new friends, and explore their learning environment. Below you will find important events and information to help the year start smoothly.

While there is a lot for students to know, the most important thing is that our students feel valued, supported, and encouraged during their time at LTMS. Relationships matter most and in order to be successful, every child must know how much we care about their success.

We look forward to seeing everyone soon. Stay tuned for more weekly updates and we hope you enjoy these last few weeks of summer!

Go Knights!

Rebecca Hudson
Principal

• 8/7: Athletics Parent Meeting @ 5:30 in both Gyms
• 8/9: Student schedules go live in Skyward
• 8/12: Knight Games from 8:30-11 am
• 8/12: Round Up from 1:30-4:30 pm
• 8/14: 1st Day of School
• 8/22: Beginning Band Social @ 4:10
• 8/24: XC Intra Squad TRI meet @ HBMS
• 9/5: Curriculum Night
• 9/6: XC @ St. Andrews Invitational
• 9/9: Football 7th White/Black @ Westridge (WLHS) 5:00
• 9/10: XC @ Burnet MS Meet
• 9/10: Football 8th White/Black vs Westridge @ 5:00
• 9/12: Volleyball vs. HBMS

New Smart Device Protocol

Beginning on the first day of instruction, Wednesday, August 14, students in PK-8 grade will not be permitted to use smart devices during the school day. Smart devices include cell phones and wearable technology such as smartwatches, earbuds, and other personal devices. The school day is defined as the period from when students enter the building in the morning until dismissal time at the end of the day. During the school day, smart devices must be turned off and out of sight.

Reasons for the Change

This decision was made after careful consideration and consultation with our district’s School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) which includes students, teachers, administrators, parents, and community members. Furthermore, the responses gathered through our Spring 2024 Stakeholder Survey align with and support the implementation of this change.

1. Enhance Focus on Learning: Restricting the use of smart devices will minimize distractions in the classroom, allowing students to fully engage with their lessons and participate actively in discussions and activities. This uninterrupted focus is crucial for academic success.
2. Prevent Bullying: By limiting access to devices during instructional hours, schools can effectively deter opportunities for cyber bullying and other negative student behaviors.
3. Improve Social Interaction: Encouraging face-to-face interactions among students will help them develop essential social skills such as effective communication, empathy, and teamwork. These skills are vital for personal growth and future success.
4. Promote Physical Activity: Without the temptation of cell phones and wearable technology, students are more likely to participate in physical activities during recess and lunch breaks. This not only promotes a healthy lifestyle but also helps improve concentration and behavior in the classroom.
5. Support Digital Wellness: By reducing screen time during the school day, we aim to promote a healthier balance between online and offline activities. This is essential for students' mental and emotional well-being.

Implementation and Consequences

The implementation of this protocol seeks to nurture smart kids, not smart devices. To ensure compliance with our smart device protocol, we will implement appropriate consequences for any violations. These include:

• First Offense: Smart device will be confiscated; the student may pick up the device at the end of the school day
• Second Offense: Smart device will be confiscated; parents may pick up the device at the end of the school day
• Third Offense: School consequences in accordance with the enforcement of campus rules

We understand that this change may require some adjustment, and we are committed to supporting our students and families through this transition. More information will be provided by our campus administrators as we approach the start of school.

Family Contact Information

We recognize that smart devices are often used by parents and students for important communication. In the event that you need to contact your student, parents can always reach the school office, and we will ensure that messages are relayed to your child.

We Appreciate Your Support!

The change in our district protocol regarding smart device usage by students in Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade will have a positive impact on our school community. Together, we can create an environment that fosters learning, personal growth, and well-being for all students. If you have any questions or concerns about this new protocol, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s campus.

District Dress Code Prohibits the Following:

• Exposed undergarments, chest, midriff, or buttocks
• Crop tops, strapless tops, halter tops, backless tops, and shirts with spaghetti straps
• Shorts, skirts, or dresses that expose any undergarments or private areas of the body
• Clothing advertising tobacco, alcohol, illegal drugs, violence, or material that is offensive
• Spandex or form-fitting attire that does not cover buttocks

Items That Do Not Belong at School:

• Weapons, including pocket knives
• Tobacco, tobacco products, and electronic cigarettes
• Drugs, alcohol, or drug paraphernalia
• Skateboards, rollerblades, or shoes with wheels

Wearing school-issued Smart Tag ID card on a lanyard is an expected part of the dress code. Students must wear their ID card over the front of their clothing (not on their backpack) and must have this to purchase lunch, check out library books and get assistance at the Tech Depot. This is critical to the safety and security of our building. All staff and students must wear their IDs during the school day. We appreciate your assistance reminding your students of this important requirement. Should they lose their badge or need a replacement, these can be purchased at the front desk anytime during the school day or before school.

For a more detailed list, see the LTISD Secondary Student/Parent Handbook.

It is our priority to keep students and staff safe and focused on high quality education. Therefore, we respectfully require that all visitors sign-in at the office upon entering through the front doors and wear a visitor’s badge while in the building. The badge verifies that you have checked in the office, presented proper identification and made clear the purpose for your visit. In addition, you must have a pre-scheduled meeting with your child's teacher in order to have a parent-teacher conference.

For the first two weeks of school, we will not have visitors for lunch. This allows students time to adjust to school procedures as well as build relationships with classmates.

Deliveries of forgotten items to students should be limited, so that important instructional time is not interrupted. Parents needing to drop off a lunch or other school items to their child will be able to do so by dropping the labeled item(s) in the Main Office. Items will be delivered to the students as soon as possible.

We do not allow lunch deliveries from outside vendors (Grub Hub, Uber Eats, Door Dash etc.).

Incoming 6th Graders and New 7th and 8th Students

These students will receive their Chromebooks and chargers during the first few days of school. They will not be expected to have a computer at school before these are issued.

Returning 7th & 8th Graders

On the first day of school these students will need to bring their fully charged LTISD Chromebook and charger that were assigned to them last year.

View the LTISD Chromebook Handbook here. We highly recommend purchasing the LTShield Chromebook protection plan.

If you have any further questions regarding technology support, feel free to reach out directly to any of the following:

Technology Helpdesk: helpdesk@ltisdschools.org or call 512-533-6565

MORNING DROP OFF

Car Rider Drop Off

All LTMS students (grades 6-8) are to be dropped off at the Main Entrance in the front of the school. Parents, as you enter the front loop, please pull as far forward as possible in order to allow as many vehicles into the front loop drive at one time.

Please, DO NOT drop your student off in the faculty and visitor parking lot. LTMS does not have staff available in the morning to monitor the crosswalk for safety.

Thank you for your cooperation in this process and keeping students safe in the morning.

Additional Information

• Please have your child/children ready to exit the car prior to entering the drive
• Pull all the way up to the sign that says, “Pull Up to Here” in a single line near the sidewalk to drop off your child/children
• Allow your child to exit anywhere on the sidewalk, rather than waiting until you are directly in front of the doors
• Stay in your vehicle once you enter either drive, just as your would at the airport
• Please allow enough time for morning traffic (especially on rainy days)
• All car riders should be dropped off from the car rider lane only
• For the safety of your child, do not let your child exit your car and walk between parked vehicles, as this is not a safe option
• The car loops are one way at all times, both morning and afternoon
• Being on time allows your child to begin their school day without feeling rushed

Other Transportation Options

• Walkers and bicycle riders will enter the building through the Main Entrance front doors
• Bus riders will be dropped off at the back entrance by the café

AFTERNOON DISMISSAL

There are 4 dismissal options:

• Bus Riders
• Car Riders
• Walkers
• Bike Riders

Bus Riders

ONLY buses pick up at the back of the school building. Please do not enter the bus lane at the back of the school. Bus riders will exit the back doors of the main hallway. Buses will transport ONLY eligible riders. Bus riders MUST have their SMART Tag on each day to ride the bus.

Car Riders

6th and 7th grade car riders will be picked up at the main front entrance. (See Below)

8th grade car riders will be picked up in the side of the school by the tennis courts. (See Below)

Cars will be directed into both lanes of the loading zone. Please pull as far forward as possible and do not leave a large gap between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. The next group of cars will be held up to wait at the Traffic Control spot by a staff member.

Students are to watch for your vehicle and move down the sidewalk anticipating where you will stop.

Please wait to proceed from the pick up location until motioned forward by Traffic Control.

Working together with the number of cars that are coming through, pick will be completed by approximately 4:25pm.

Please communicate with your students to make sure that they are watching for your vehicle in order to move to where your vehicle stops. This way we do not have to call out names, which slows up the process. Thanks for your cooperation in making this process safe and efficient.

Walkers and Bike Riders

Exit out of any exterior door. Only walk/ride on sidewalks or cross at the striped crosswalk on Bee Creek Rd. Bike Riders and Walkers must use the crosswalk at the very front entrance/exit area to the school off Bee Creek Rd. This is the safest place to cross.

Please view the maps below for the different dismissal locations

• School bus rules are available on our district website on the Transportation page.
• All students will be issued a complimentary Smart Tag badge to start the school year. Replacement badges are available at your campus office for a fee. Smart Tag badges from the last school year will work for this school year.
• Changes in Smart Tag for the 2024-2025 school year are coming. Watch for a district email regarding Smart Tag changes.
• Bus Routes will be available on August 7th. This information is on our district website Transportation page in the infofinder link.

Returning Students WITH Prior Service

All students who received transportation services this past spring (January 2024 to May 2024) do not need to re-register for the 2024-2025 school year. Your child's ridership will be assigned according to the established routes from last year. However, if you have recently moved, you will need to update your contact information in Skyward Family Access using the "Address Change" tile. This form must be reviewed and verified by the campus registrar before any changes are accepted.

Returning Students WITHOUT Prior Service

Returning students who did not utilize transportation this past spring will need to register for services for the 2024-2025 school year. The form is available in Skyward Family Access and includes a simple checkbox asking if transportation services are needed for the student.

Newly Enrolled Students

Students new to the district who have completed enrollment in Skyward Family Access for the 2024-2025 school year and have elected for transportation services as a part of that process do not need to re-register. Please note, the form can be completed and resubmitted multiple times, so it is normal for parents to still see the Bus Registration tile in Skyward Family Access.

Route Assignments, Updates, and Activation Timelines

Ridership will be assigned according to the routes established in the spring of 2024. For all students who utilized transportation services this past spring and for new registrations entered by July 31, 2024, route assignments will be posted by August 7, 2024 in SMART tag and at Infofinder. Please allow three to five business days to obtain route assignments for any new registrations requested after July 31.

If your child is absent on the first day of school, please contact your campus registrar to establish enrollment and a start date. Transportation routing will be reactivated once your child is present at school during official attendance time. Please allow three business days for this to occur.

While we strive to accommodate all registered students, transportation services will be provided based on available resources including driver availability and route capacity. At this time, we are unable to provide transportation to neighborhoods which did not receive services last year. If you have any questions regarding your registration or need further assistance, please contact our Transportation Department at 512-533-6070. Thank you for your cooperation and support as we work to provide safe and reliable transportation for our students.

· Parents can access Free & Reduced Meal Program applications online starting August 1, 2024. Information about the program and applications are located on the Food & Nutrition Services webpage.

· MySchoolBucks will also open on August 1, 2024. The MySchoolBucks service charge is $3.25 for all credit card transactions and $2.75 for all electronic checking account transactions. There is a $120.00 maximum deposit per transaction. Please visit MySchoolBucks FAQs for additional information.

· Free pre-payments are accepted via cash or check in all FANS cafes. Checks should be made out to LTISD FANS.

· For proper account credit, cash or check prepayments must be in a labelled envelope with the student ID# and full name.

· Deposits to accounts made in person will be available for use immediately, those made via MySchoolBucks could take up to 24hours to process.

· Students will not be allowed to purchase snacks or a la carte items (anything besides a CLASSIC meal) without a positive balance on their meal account.

· Chick-Fil-A sandwiches will be sold once a week. Students must have a positive balance in their meal accounts to purchase Chick-Fil-A.

· Students balances from the previous year roll over to this school year.

· You may sign up for MySchoolBucks or download the free app to utilize the transaction history and other features.

· If you would like to limit purchases on your student’s meal account, Meal Restriction forms are available our the Food & Nutrition Services webpage HERE

· Information regarding Special Diets and Meal Accommodations can be found on the Food & Nutrition Services Meal Accommodations page webpage HERE.

· For more information, visit the Food & Nutrition Services main webpage, call 512-533-6037, or email foodservice@ltisdschools.org

We will provide an exceptional educational experience for your child, but he/she must be here on time and stay all day for us to do so. The entire school day is needed to deliver the full instructional program.

Arrive before 8:50 am and stay until 4:10 pm every day. If your student is arriving late or leaving early, they may only do so through the Main Office.

ENTERING FUTURE ABSENCES

Parents can enter future absences into Skyward Family Access. This short video will provide you with instructions on how to enter an absence for your child. Once you log into Skyward Family Access, select the “Attendance” tile to enter an absence.

DOCUMENTATION OF ABSENCES

Documentation such as doctors notes for absences can also be uploaded through Skyward. To do this, please log into Skyward Family Access and select the tile labeled “Attendance Documents Upload”. This form will allow you to upload supporting documentation for absences.

Any absences or early release requests submitted for the same day will be accepted prior to 2:00 pm through Skyward. Students will not be released after 3:40 pm until dismissal at 4:10 pm. All supporting documentation must be received within 3 days after the student returns to school.

Please email ltmsattendance@ltisdschools.org with any questions or information regarding your student's absences.

Prescription and Non-Prescription Drugs

• Must be dropped off and picked up by a parent/guardian in the health office.
• Must be in the original container, unexpired.
• Parent or guardian must complete and sign the “Request for Medication Administration” form, found HERE (Spanish version)
• Physician signature required for: all prescriptions given more than 10 school days and all nonprescription medications
• Must remain in the health office, not with the student (except for asthma medication and epi-pens with written permission signed by the physician…Spanish version).

Immunization Information

• Texas Law requires all students to be current with their immunizations or have an up-to-date exemption form on file with the school nurse prior to the first day of school. These records must be in the nurse’s office by August 7th to ensure your student will receive their schedule of classes. Any student whose immunization records are incomplete or who does not have an exemption on file with the school nurse will not be allowed to attend classes.
• Entry into 7th grade requires proof that your student has received the Tdap and Meningococcal vaccines.
• All new students enrolling must complete registration with all required documents and immunizations. This must be submitted before the first day of school. The nurse will contact you for any missing immunizations.

Special Health Conditions

• If your child has a severe allergy, asthma (Parent Forms), other chronic medical condition, or requires medication at school please notify the nurse , so she can create a plan before school begins.
• Immunization records and emergency care plans may be scanned and attached to email to Nurse Spendolini

Returning Student Verification for 2024-2025 is required to be completed annually. The primary parent/guardian must complete the verification process for each child before August 14, 2024. If your child will not be returning to Lake Travis ISD for the 2024-2025 school year, please email ltisdenrollment@ltisdschools.org and submit the summer leaver form.

To complete the Returning Student Verification process, log into Skyward Family Access and click on the “Returning Student Verification 2024-2025” tile (refer to image).

This online form includes the following steps:

1. Student Demographic Verification
2. Emergency Contact Verification
3. Title I Part C Education Program
4. Foster Care
5. Military Connected
6. Student Directory Information Notice
7. Student Health Information Update
8. Student Handbook Receipt
9. Chromebook Policies and Insurance Information
10. Food/Nutrition Services Information
11. General Student Records Acknowledgement

Please note, while returning students are automatically enrolled for the coming school year, student information must be verified and/or updated annually. If any information listed within the form needs to be updated, please follow the directions in the form and contact your campus registrar. To facilitate the timely processing of requested address and emergency contact changes, use the “Address Update” and “Update Emergency Contacts” tiles in Skyward Family Access.

Students in all three grade levels have been assigned required summer reading texts. Note that Honors and On-Level students have a different number of required texts.

• 6th Grade Summer Reading List
• 7th Grade Summer Reading List
• 8th Grade Summer Reading List

While our campus leadership team works collaboratively with all students and teachers, the following information should help you reach the appropriate administrator or counselor for your child's grade level should a concern or question arise. We are committed to serving our students and appreciate the opportunity to work together with families to support our learners. Towards the start of the new school year, each counselor and Assistant Principal will be assigned new duties to individual grade levels, and we will share that information with families and students at that time. In the interim, please feel free to reach out to any member of our leadership team for assistance.

Principal:

Rebecca Hudson

Administrative Assistant:

Leslie Adams

Assistant Principals:

Ms. Rizzoli Kierdorf

Ms. St. Clair

Mr. Looney

Counselors:

Ms. Casares (6th grade students A-Ma, All 8th Grade)

Ms. Melanie Dykhoff (6th grade students Mb-Z, All 7th Grade)