Fiest Newsletter

Cate Macgregor- Assistant Principal for LIFE Skills, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th

Looking ahead, students will take their Spring portrait on February 5th. The 2nd graders that are taking a Field Trip to the Lone Star Flight Museum will take their spring picture upon returning to campus from the field trip.

Amy Archer- Assistant Principal for ECSE, PreK, Kinder, 1st and 4th

Attendance Matters! Please ensure that your child is present at school Monday-Friday. Classes with perfect attendance will earn a Bubble Party and/or extra recess time!

PBIS Focus in February

Each week we focus on a specific area. We appreciate you taking the time to review expectations so all children can learn in an environment that is safe and pleasant. Please click here to review our school matrices of expectations as well as common language they hear from Pre-K through 5th grade.

February 3 - Restroom

February 10 - Technology

February 17 - Classroom

February 24 - Playground

School Wide Student Incentive - PBIS Rewards

Staff will continue to acknowledge students with PBIS Rewards Points as it is our schoolwide student incentive. Ask your child how many points they have? Each class has a PBIS store, so they can redeem points from the menu of options the teacher has. A popular purchase is “stinky feet.” The kids purchase stinky feet to have shoes off for the day. There are many other fun incentives for our students to purchase and to think…all their effort with academics and behavior helped them earn it. Hard work pays off!! We appreciate your support. Bear ROAR, Eagles Soar, We Are ONE! 🐻

Self-Managers

As of January 24, we have 208 students that are self-managers at Fiest. There are: 3 in Pre-K, 2 in Life Skills, 25 in kindergarten, 34 in 1st grade, 26 in 2nd grade, 34 in 3rd grade, 29 in 4th grade, and 55 in 5th grade. These students manage their wise, safe choices in all areas of our school. They are great role models for others and lead by example. We can't wait to see who the next self-managers will be! Please view to see who our self-managers are so far. This Wednesday, January 29, our self-managers get to choose to wear a hat to school or bring a stuffed animal. It’s cool to follow the rules.

February 3- Sprit Night at Urban Air on Hempstead Rd. 4-8pm

February 5- Spring Pictures

February 10-13- Kindness Week

February 11- Kindergarten Penguin Ball

February 14- Professional Day/Student Holiday (No School)

February 17- Professional Day/Student Holiday (No School)

Our upcoming events are also on the Fiest website calendar: https://fiest.cfisd.net/fiestcalendar

Please review the Counselors' newsletter here: https://www.canva.com/design/DAE2lYj5v7U/TRQBvhUazirgNtoB8oViBA/view?utm_content=DAE2lYj5v7U&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=uniquelinks&utlId=ha353370b5e

February is Dental Health Month. The American Dental Association (ADA) advises parents to teach children the importance of oral hygiene at an early age, so when they grow up they will continue good habits that will contribute to their overall health. Oral hygiene, just like diet and exercise, should be factored together when teaching children how to keep themselves healthy.

It is imperative that you student is present and on time for school. Please remember that whenever your child is absent, we must have a handwritten note from you explaining why the absence occurred. All notes must include the child’s first and last name, the date of the absence, the reason for the absence, and your signature. If you have a doctor’s excuse, please attach it the note.

Hi Fiest Families-

Time flies when you’re having fun they say! The students in grades K-5 will be taking their assessments in their content areas to help drive instruction for the last few months of 24-25 school year. Please make sure that on testing days your student(s) is at school on time, with a water bottle, and glasses if they wear them. If possible, please try to refrain from your child leaving early so that they may complete the assessment in a quiet, testing environment. Devices are already on campus so they will be ready to rock and roll on testing days. Thank you for helping your student be prepared for testing. Below are the testing dates for February 2025.

Benchmark Testing:

February 4th – 3-4-5 Reading

February 11th – 5 Science

February 19th – 3-4-5 Math

February 3-7 – Kindergarten Math DPM

February 27-28 – 1st grade Math DPM

February 24-28 – 2nd grade Math DPM

TELPAS Testing (ESL Students)

TELPAS ALT – February 18-21

TELPAS K-1 – February 18-19

TELPAS 2-3 – February 24 – Reading and Writing

TELPAS 4-5 – February 25 – Reading and Writing

TELPAS 2-3 – February 26 – Listening and Speaking

TELPAS 4-5 – February 27 – Listening and Speaking

Happy February Fiest Families!

We have accomplished so much this school year but still have so much more to learn. Below you will find a little blurb informing you about what each grade level is learning about in math and science here at Fiest.

2nd Grade Math:

- Fractional Parts and Measurement (measuring length, area, and telling time)

2nd Grade Science:

- Measuring Weather and Different Types of Severe Weather

3rd Grade Math:

- Geometry and Perimeter & Area of Shapes

3rd Grade Science:

- Conserving Natural Resources & Organisms and their Environments

4th Grade Math:

- Geometry and Measurement (Including Time)

4th Grade Science:

- Weather and Climate & Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

5th Grade Math:

- Measurement & Coordinate Planes

5th Grade Science:

- How Organisms Interact with their Ecosystems & Structures and Functions or Organisms

Please continue to practice those math facts at home and study vocabulary words in your child's science study guide!

Language Arts in February: What Your Child is Learning!

Third Grade
This month, third graders are diving into biographies, poetry, and informational texts in reading. They are honing their skills in making inferences and exploring figurative language, helping them uncover deeper meanings in what they read. In writing, they craft opinion-based essays and improve their work by revising and learning how to combine sentences for clarity and impact. Social studies lessons highlight the importance of writers, artists, and inventors who have shaped the world, encouraging students to appreciate creativity and innovation.

Fourth Grade
Fourth graders are exploring informational texts and realistic fiction in reading. They focus on text and graphic features, as well as understanding different points of view, which helps them analyze what they read more critically. In writing, they are mastering opinion-based essays by revising their claims and crafting strong closings to leave lasting impressions. Social studies lessons are centered around the Annexation of Texas, teaching students about this key event in history and its impact on our nation.

Fifth Grade
Fifth-grade students are immersed in poetry, studying its elements and discovering how authors use their craft to convey powerful messages. In writing, they are refining their opinion-based essays, focusing on the art of combining sentences to elevate the quality of their work. In social studies, they are learning about significant historical events, including the Great Depression, World War II, and the remarkable contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen, connecting past events to present-day lessons.

February is a month filled with learning and growth across all grade levels. Be sure to ask your child about what they’re reading and writing—you’ll be amazed at their progress!

We have a lot of learning happening (as always) for the month of February in our PK-2nd grade classrooms! Our students have been working hard reading on Amira, our online reading program, and challenging themselves to read more books each week! Did you know students can access Amira from home on any device? All they need is their student ID and password and can go to my.cfisd.net to access!

Our Kindergarten and First Grade students will be taking a math DPM this month. One way to practice math skills at home is by practicing their addition and subtraction facts. Students can use anything at home as manipulatives (cheerios, blocks, beads, beans, etc.) to help them solve these math problems.

Thank you for always supporting our students in their learning.

Please join us in congratulating our talented Fiest Artists in their achievements:

In the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Contest, 5 Fiest Bears were entered into the contest and all 5 won Blue ribbons!

Novae Grant (Callahan)

Mimian Nguyen (Salinas)

Dorothy Pierce (Miller)

Ava Rowlands (Arechiga)

Mia Tran (Hooker)

And congratulations to Mimian Nguyen for advancing to NRG Finalist, for her work, “Aspiring Hero”!

In this year’s 5th-Grade Yearbook Cover Contest, the following Fiest Bears won awards:

1st Place/Cover Winner: Mimian Nguyen (Salinas)

Runner-up: Katelynn Vongsakhamphony (Salinas)

3rd: Ellie Dao (Salinas)

4th: Tatiyana Turner (McAlarnen)

5th: Ava Rowlands (Arechiga)

We look forward to our artistic bears’ next creations!

We are seeking volunteers for our exciting Readers in Action program. Here's what you need to know:

• Read to a class for just 20 minutes
• Books provided by the teacher
• Teacher remains in the classroom
• Volunteer as often as you'd like
• Read to any class, not just your child's homeroom

Your participation is crucial to make this program a success! Whether you're a parent, grandparent, or community member, we welcome your support in fostering a love of reading in our students. Sign up today with any of the links below and become a literacy hero!

PreK: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084EAAA629A1FC1-54338276-prek

Kinder: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084EAAA629A1FC1-54338860-kinder

1st: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084EAAA629A1FC1-54339064-1stgrade

2nd: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508084EAAA629A1FC1-54377833-2ndgrade

Special thanks to Friends of Fiest for bringing our staff delicious Taco Soup! Also, thank you to all the Fiest families that have supported our school on Fiest Spirit Nights this year!