News From The Nest

The last day of school for 2024 is Friday, December 20th. We would like to encourage all students to stay and enjoy the entire day with their classmates, but we also understand some parents may have travel plans due to the last day being so close to the holidays. In an effort to make early pick-ups run smoothly, we need an idea of how many students should be released at various times throughout the day. If you plan to check your student out early, please fill out the form below. Please fill out this form completely (one student per form) for each child you would like to pick up before 2:30 p.m. For student safety, our staff will not be able to facilitate pick-ups after 2:30 p.m on this day. All forms are due by 12/17/2024.

Lunch visitors is off to a great start this year! We have welcomed over 60 lunch visitors per day and over 900 for the year so far! We will continue to have lunch visitors on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each week for all grade levels, including PK. In order to make sure we are prepared for each day's lunch visitors, a Sign-up Genius will be sent out via School Messenger and Remind on Monday, January 13th at 10:00 a.m. for the month of January. Please make sure you only sign up for one slot per child, per sign up, as we want to make sure every parent has an opportunity. We will not be able to accommodate visitors who haven't signed up. Thank you for your support.

McGown third, fourth, and fifth graders have had an amazing experience this semester working and learning in our new garden. We can't wait for kindergarten, first, and second graders to start their gardening adventures in January!

Congratulations to our McGown Holiday Card Contest winners. Their winning submissions were sent to the District for the District level contest.

Chizara Imala- 4th Grade

Chizara placed 2nd in the 4th Grade group at the District level.

Please consider packing a change of clothes in your students' backpack for any accident or spills that may happen (for all grade levels). There is very limited clothing in the clinic.

Thank you,

Nurse Palmer

School Adoption

McGown Elementary is thrilled to help make the holidays a little brighter for families in need at our adopted school, Bang Elementary. We have an Angel tree in the front vestibule with ornaments that each feature a specific gift request from a child in need. If you would like to donate a gift for a child, please grab an ornament from the Angel tree and bring the requested unwrapped gift by Dec. 13 to the front office. Please also attach the original ornament tag with the gift so we know who it was purchased for. Each child has been assigned a number for privacy purposes. Thank you for your help in making the holidays special for our Bang Elementary families. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s grade level counselor. Thank you for making the holidays special for our Bang Elementary families.

Anti-Victimization Guidance Lessons

Texas Senate Bill 9 requires written parent/guardian consent before a student is provided with curriculum instruction related to child anti-victimization. Anti-victimization curriculum helps children proactively develop and use problem-solving skills to protect themselves from harmful situations. Our counselors will be presenting information on Child Anti-Victimization on the following day during your child’s PEAMS class:

12/13/2024 during PEAMS (PE, Art, Music, Spanish)

Please complete the Anti-Victimization Guidance Lesson Permission Form to indicate if you prefer to opt-in or opt-out of your child participating in the child anti-victimization instruction. If we do not receive your signed consent on or before December 6th, your child will not receive the important anti-victimization instruction. If permission is not granted, your child will participate in an alternative instructional activity provided in a separate location on our campus. Please note, if they report to a separate location, they will not be subject to disciplinary action, academic penalty, or other sanction.

If you have any questions, please visit our district webpage where information on the lessons can be found, contact our counseling office at 832-349-7708, or send an email to jennifer.koester@cfisd.net, kara.redmonsingleton@cfisd.net, or amanda.white@cfisd.net. You may also schedule a time with your counselor to view the lessons during the school day.

Tips to Keep Children Safe During Arrival & Dismissal:

1. Teach your children to stay on the sidewalks and avoid standing or walking in grassy areas close to the street. In Zone 2, parents, students, and pets should never stand in the school driveway.

2. Remind your children to always wait for staff and crossing guards’ signals and follow their instructions.

3. Remind your children to walk their bikes and scooters in the crosswalks, on the sidewalks near the school, and in the grass outside of Zone 1.

4. Discuss with your children the importance of looking both ways before crossing any street and staying alert for distracted drivers.

5. Encourage your children to also avoid distractions, such as using phones or headphones while walking or biking.

6. Parents should not stop their cars in crosswalks or school zones to drop off or wait for their children. Children arriving or departing by car should utilize the car rider line. Note: In Zone 3, the school zone extends into the neighborhood. It is illegal to park here and walk across the crosswalk.

7. Please drive cautiously. Follow all school zone speed limits and laws and comply with the crossing guards directions. CFISD PD and Precinct 5 may issue citations for violations.

As a reminder, parents accept responsibility for their child’s safe journey to and from their home. McGown Elementary is not responsible for stolen or damaged property. By following these guidelines, you can help create a safer environment for all children going to and from school.

Volunteers are a very important part of making McGown a great school. Please take a moment to fill out the VIPS Interest Form and let us know how you would like to get involved at our "owl"mazing school!

Calling all VIPS! Do you want to show your McGown spirit while volunteering? Place your order now on School Cash. The first order is due by December 18th for delivery in January.

Celebrate your child's special day with a $25 donation to the McGown student activity fund. As a part of your donation your child's name will appear on the digital marquee during the week of their birthday. Please make sure to print your School Cash receipt and attach it to our Birthday Marquee Announcement flyer form below. Birthday reports will be pulled once a week. Due to the large number of students purchasing this item, we suggest you purchase at least two weeks in advance. Thank you.

We want to stay connected with you! Please visit our website at www.cfisd.net, select schools and then McGown Elementary. This will take you to our website. We will also regularly post photos and news on the Official McGown Facebook and Twitter pages. To locate our pages, search @CFISDMcGown.

Our VIPS are now on Instagram! Follow their page @mcgownVIPS for up to date news and stories about the "owl"mazing things happening at McGown.

Email: mcgown@cfisd.net
Website: https://www.cfisd.net/McGown
Location: 21211 Tuckerton Road, Cypress, TX, USA
Phone: 832-349-7700
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cfisdmcgown
Twitter: @cfisdmcgown