The Howl at Timbers Elementary

This past week we enjoyed our third Timbers U of the school year. At Timbers El, we believe student choice is a critical part of motivating and engaging students in their learning. It is always an exciting day when the TU course selection board visits each classroom. Our students are chefs, architects, engineers, police officers, vets, and so much more! We love Timbers U!

• December 3-7, Santa Shop
• December 4, Chick-fil-A Spirit Night, 5-8 pm
• December 7, Deadline for Yearbook cover contest
• December 11, PTO Meeting, 9 am
• December 14, Wear PJs to school for Polar Express Day/Classic Christmas Day
• December 14, Cookies with Santa, 5-7 pm
• December 17, Spelling Bee
• December 18, 4th Grade program, 6 pm
• December 19, Magic Show for students that qualified from the fundraiser
• December 20, Winter Parties, 10:30-11:30 am
• December 20, Early Release, Noon
• December 21-January 7, School Holidays
• January 8, 2019, Classes resume

We are beginning our study about Choices! We will be learning about thoughtful choices, smart choices, and healthy choices. Children will begin to consider and evaluate the pros and cons of their actions as they make decisions. They will learn about the importance of maintaining healthy eating habits, daily exercise, strategies for relieving stress, and regular visits to the doctor and dentist.In Math we will continue practicing one-to-one correspondence, geometric shapes and counting. Since we can describe the attributes of different objects, we will begin to notice patterns and read the pattern out loud. Our students have grown up in so many ways and continue to learn new things every day, we can't wait to see what the new semester brings and as the new year approaches.

In 5th grade we are wrapping up our unit of study incorporating traditions. The students really enjoyed researching their own traditions and learning about the traditions of others. Tying it all back to the early Americans will mark the end of this unit of study. We look forward to the coming weeks when we will learn about winter traditions, holidays, and fast forwarding towards the end of the semester.

Remember to please send your student with a snack each day. Our lunch times are at 12:35 and 12:40 and students really do function better with a snack during the mid-morning.

Manners banquet is coming up in January. Parents of 5th graders, please be on the lookout for information on how you can be involved. The cost per student will be approximately $20.

As our temps continue to fall, please don't forget to send your student with a jacket or coat. The lost and found is already starting to fill up. Encourage your student to check the rack if they come home missing a coat/jacket. Parents, now is a good time to get out that Sharpie pen and label your student's jacket.

PTO Party Money and Dues Collections: PTO will now have scheduled dates for collecting money. School staff is no longer allowed to accept money on behalf of PTO. This covers Party money, Membership dues, and Birthday signs. Classroom Collection dates in December are: 4th, 7th, 10th, 13th, and the 19th.

Chick-fil-A Spirit Night: Join us December 4th from 5-8 pm at the Atascocita Chick-fil-A on West Lake Houston Pkwy. for Timbers Spirit Night. Must mention Spirit Night at the register. Proceeds benefit 5th grade activity fund.

Grinch Grams: Wish your student, friend, teacher, or sibling a happy holiday with Grinch Grams! The spirit sticks will be delivered to the student's class on December 14th. Spirit Sticks will be picked from random from the ones shown on the order form that was sent home with your student this week. Order deadline is December 7th. Quantities are limited.

Cookies with Santa: Mark your calendars for Friday, December 14th 5-7 pm. Details to follow.

Timbers PTO Online Service: You can now purchase Timbers gear, pay party money and membership fees online! Please click on the link to see our fabulous items or pay your PTO fees. Thank you for your support! We know our kids love their school parties! https://squareup.com/store/timbers-elementary-pto

• Safety: Due to new security measures, we will need to have everyone entering campus to have their ID. Please be patient as we work through the new system.
• Early Check-Outs: To reduce the number of disruptions during the end of the day as teachers are ending lessons, providing instructions for homework, and preparing for dismissal we ask that you not check your student out after 3:00 PM. Thank you!
  
• Attendance Reminder: When your child(ren) are absent from school, you must call the absence hotline at (281)641-2019, for each day absent and send a note to school the next day when they return to school. If the school does not receive a phone call or note from a guardian, the absence is considered unexcused.
• Dismissal: Grades K-2 and their older siblings are back car riders. Grades 3-5 students without younger siblings are front car riders.

• Birthday Treats: Parents may purchase a frozen birthday treat for their child’s class during their lunch time. Frozen treats may be purchased from the cafeteria for 75 cents each to be distributed after the children finish their lunch. Please notify the cafeteria at (281) 641-2008 one week prior to the event in order to have enough treats on hand for all interested.

  If parents wish to bring cupcakes to school, they may do so. However, please ensure that the treats are store bought as well as notify the teacher two days in advance so that the teacher has ample time to contact the parents of those with allergies arranging for an alternate treat. Parents may drop off the treats at the front office so that birthdays may be celebrated the final 20 minutes of the school day.

  As a reminder of district policy, students are not permitted to pass out party invitations at school.

• Donor's Choose- Take a look at our teacher's Donor Choose Projects
• https://www.donorschoose.org/school/timbers-elementary-school/17558/?active=true
• Timbers had 5 projects funded on Donors Choose. Mrs. Frey will be getting new robots for innovative learning in the computer lab. Mrs. Davis will be getting iPads for her students to experience more digital learning. Mrs. Wilson will be getting STEM activities for students to explore in the library. Mrs. Fairchild will be getting robots, flexible seating, and STEM supplies for her students. A big thank you goes out to Chevron for fully funding all 4 projects. Mrs. Pugh will get 5 brand new iPads for her classroom.
• Discovery Education's Money Smart Kids Contest-Pledge to make financial education a priority by using the Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids program in the classroom or with your family for a chance to win $10,000 for your school, plus an additional $1,000 for a charity of your school’s choice. Click the following link and vote daily from now until December 13th. https://www.cha-chingusa.org/contest

Have you gotten the new Timbers 2018-2019 Spirit Shirt? They are only $10 Cash. Stop by the office and get yours. We wear our Timbers shirts on Friday.