Tobias Traveler

The mission of Tobias Elementary School, a dedicated partnership of students, teachers, and parents, who find inspiration in our differences, is to ensure that every individual is an empowered problem-solver and passionate learner, by creating collaborative experiences that prepare students to be successful in a changing world.

12/2 Students return from break

12/2-12/13 Middle of Year Math and Reading Screeners/Assessments (MAP and mCLASS)

12/3 PTA Meeting on Campus at 6pm (Library)

12/5 Tobias School Wide Spelling Bee

12/6 Sharpen the Saw Day - Clubs and Habit Award Assemblies

12/9-12/19 Tobias Holiday Dress Up Days

12/18 PreK Winter Holiday Program

12/19 Kinder Winter Holiday Program

12/19 Final Day before break and class Holiday Parties

Dear Tobias Families,

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving break filled with joy and family time. As we transition into the exciting and magical weeks leading up to winter break, I want to emphasize how important it is for your child to be at school every day.

This time of year is not only filled with the excitement of learning and special activities but is also a critical period for assessing student progress. Teachers are working diligently to administer our mid-year universal screeners in both math and reading. These assessments provide valuable insights into your child’s growth and help us tailor instruction to meet their needs in the months ahead.

Thank you for your continued support in ensuring your child is present, engaged, and ready to learn each day. Together, we can make these weeks productive, meaningful, and filled with wonder!

With gratitude,

Melissa English

Tobias Principal

Shout out to the HaysCISD Transportation Team for bringing us some winter fun on our first day back to school after Thanksgiving Break! Look for the Polar Express to visit all elementary campuses and they may even join a a holiday parade or event around town. The kids had an absolute blast and it was the perfect welcome back magic we all needed!

🎯Attendance Goal: 96%

📉Current Attendance Rate: 94.56%

Hi Grown Ups!

Sometimes I am guilty of over-talking after something has happened with my child. Even having studied child development and knowing their attention spans, sometimes I still catch myself trying to over-explain or over-teach a lesson. I saw these tips from The Mom Psychologist the other day and it made me stop and think. Here are some good questions to ask your child next time they are having a hard time.

Warm regards,

Jenny Herbst

Tobias Counselor

What ails the school? Short answer ... A LOT

We have several of our first Flu’s confirmed, a handful of strep, Hand Foot and Mouth (HFM), and whooping cough. For high fever 102+ or fever that persists for 2 days, please take your child to see a doctor.

High persistent fever can be Flu or Strep. Flu can last 7 days if not vaccinated or if you don’t take Tamiflu. Tamiflu needs to be started in the first 48 hours of symptoms. Strep needs antibiotics, without these the person is contagious 2-3 weeks and is at HIGH risk for complications of rheumatic fever and potential permanent damage to the heart

There is still time for a flu vaccine. It takes 2 weeks to build immunity, but Flu season is just beginning and doesn’t end until March.

What to do when your kiddo is sick?

Keep the kid’s home for temp 100 or higher, vomiting, or diarrhea.

They may return once 24 hours free of symptoms without medication (ex Tylenol, Motrin, Imodium, Pepto, Zofran…). 24 hour count begins 6-8 hours after the medicine has worn off

Please email the nurse at if your child is diagnosed with Flu, Covid, or other illnesses. Nurse Email Ashley.Armstrong@hasycisd.net

CHECK OUT my webpage for more Tobias School Nurse Webpage

The Hays High Five program is a way for you to salute any Hays CISD employee who goes above and beyond what is expected. Whether you're a parent impressed with that special touch your child's teacher added to a moment, or you're a coworker who thinks the campus PEIMS clerk doesn't hear often enough about the great job she is doing - you can send a Hays High Five! Anyone can nominate any Hays CISD employee.

Volunteers Needed:

Tobias’ wonderful Counselor, Miss Herbst, started the Extraordinary Explorers Store last year and it’s back this year! It’s a way for teachers to recognize two Explorers each week who went above and beyond by giving them a coin to exchange for a prize at lunch time on Fridays! But we need your help! We’re looking for volunteers to help students pick their prizes during lunch hours, and also donations to the store if you’re able. Please consider signing up to help or donate, thank you!

To sign up for shifts helping Explorers pick their prizes(starting 9/13):

https://m.signupgenius.com/...

Extraordinary Explorers Store wishlist:

https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/XXYZNNIZB15E...

Getting Logged In for the First Time to Schoology

• Navigate to hayscisd.schoology.com and select “Forgot your password”

• Enter the email associated with your student on the Parent Portal and click “Send My Login Info”

• You will receive an email immediately entitled “How to Change Your Schoology Password”

• Click on the link in the email within 10 minutes to set your new password.

Cómo iniciar sesión por primera vez en Schoology

• Vaya a hayscisd.schoology.com y seleccione “Olvidó su contraseña”

• Ingrese el correo electrónico asociado con su estudiante en el Portal de Autoservicio para padres de familia y haga clic en “Enviar mi información de inicio de sesión”.

• Recibirá un correo electrónico inmediatamente titulado “Cómo cambiar su contraseña de Schoology”

• Tiene 10 minutos para hacer clic en el enlace del correo electrónico para configurar su nueva contraseña.

• Please note that students eating with families will be asked to eat on the stage area and families may not invite other friends to join them during lunch.

• District policy prohibits any parents from dropping off meals in the front office from outside restaurants. This policy includes parents bringing food from a restaurant to drop off at the front desk.

• If you are brining a student a forgotten lunch box or dropping off lunch, please do so at least 30 minutes prior to student lunch times. We will call students down to get their lunches.

• Our front office staff is usually very busy during lunch time and depending on the day, they may not be able to bring a lunch down to the cafeteria right at the start of student lunches.

• Please note that for special campus events such as Grandparents' lunch and Thanksgiving Lunch we allow families to eat in the cafe and adjustments to lunch schedules are made in order to accommodate our increase in people using the cafe.

• 🥪 Designated Nut Free Zones
• Students with nut allergies and food allergies will have designated areas at cafe tables to help keep them safe
• Students will sit with their classes at their class cafe table
• Students who have similar allergies or get a tray from our cafe are permitted to sit within the nut free zone
• Custodians will utilize safe cleaning procedures to avoid cross contamination and we will follow district guidelines and policies to ensure students with allergies are able to remain safe in our cafes.

🎯 LEADING @ HOME

What is the difference between “making children do chores” and “empowering children to contribute to the family?” While both approaches may get the job done, the first is focused on task completion, while the second is focused on practicing leadership and contributing to a team.

Habit 6: Synergize teaches us together is better and we all have strengths to contribute to the family team.

FAMILY LEADERSHIP ROLES

1. Share that everyone in your family is a leader and can contribute to the family team.

2. Discuss the family needs and how you can use your strengths to contribute to the family through a leadership role.

Some examples of family leadership roles include:

• • Materials Manager: Help take care of the home and the materials inside. Make the bed, vacuum or sweep, put away toys, put away laundry, or wash the car. Clean up messes made from projects, games, or play-time activities.
• • Meal Monitor: Help set the table, clear the table, or do the dishes. Older children can even make their own lunch and clean up after themselves.
• • Buddy-Watch Captain: Help watch a younger sibling or play independently when it is important for a parent or caregiver to accomplish a task.
• • Information Officer: Report on the weather to the family and draw a picture of the weather that day with the date. Make a note of something fun or something that challenged you during the day and share with your family at dinnertime. 3. Use the Family Leadership Role Poster and curious questions to co-create a leadership role with your child. CURIOUS QUESTIONS 1. What family leadership role are you interested in? 2. What leadership qualities do you have that will help you fill that role? 3. What will you do in this role and when will you complete it? 4. After your child has completed the role for several days, ask, “How is your leadership role going?” Discuss how it’s going, make adjustments, express appreciation, and celebrate success!

CURIOUS QUESTIONS

1. What family leadership role are you interested in?

2. What leadership qualities do you have that will help you fill that role?

3. What will you do in this role and when will you complete it?

4. After your child has completed the role for several days, ask, “How is your leadership role going?” Discuss how it’s going, make adjustments, express appreciation, and celebrate success!

Please utilize these calendars to plan vacations or make appointments for students. Attendance plays an enormous role in student success. Please use our district calendar student holidays when planning any vacations or trips during the school year.

Hays County Food Bank

https://haysfoodbank.org/get-help/

Attendance: tes.attendance@hayscisd.net

Transportation: transportation@hayscisd.net

Cafeteria: tescafe@hayscisd.net

Principal-Melissa English

melissa.english@hayscisd.net

Assistant Principal-Jenne Brauchle

jenne.brauchle@hayscisd.net

Principal Secretary: Becky Rodriguez

becky.rodriguez@hayscisd.net

Counselor: Jennifer Herbst

jennifer.herbst@hayscisd.net

Counselor Website

Hays Hope Line

Nurse: Ashley Armstrong

ashley.armstrong@hayscisd.net

November 25-29: Thanksgiving Break

December 5 School Wide Spelling Bee

CONGRATULATIONS to NEW PTA Board for 2024-2025!

President-Chelsea Stogsdill

Vice-President-Jordan Long

Secretary-Gabrielle Morgan

Treasurer-Kristen Lowery

Parliamentarian-Karen Snyder

Membership Drive has begun. Come join PTA and support our school in 2024-2025

Email: melissa.english@hayscid.net
Website: hayscisd.net/tobias
Location: 1005 FM 150 Kyle, TX 78640
Phone: 512-268-8437