Dear Serene Sailor Families,

Thank you, thank you, thank you for making our annual Apex fundraiser such an incredible success! We had a blast at our fun run today, and because our school reached our goal, the office team participated in a water bucket challenge in front of the whole school! Our 5th graders wrapped up the day with their tradition of a color battle after their race. Look for pictures from your classroom teachers, PTO, and the SHE Instagram!

We also had our first school-wide assembly this morning. I am so impressed with the students' behavior, and it's always so powerful to bring our whole school-community together. Congrats to all our Super Sailors whose outstanding character and behavior earned them this award.

Fall Enrichment classes begin Monday. Please go ahead and make any changes in Smart Tag, so our teachers can be sure to get each student where they need to be at dismissal.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Warmly,

Keegan Luedecke

Sept. 30: 4th & 5th Grade Author Visit - Mari Mancusi

Oct. 2: Fall School Pictures

Oct. 7-11: LT Homecoming Week (dress-up days below)

Oct. 11: Student Holiday / Teacher PD Day

Oct. 14: Student Holiday / Parent Teacher Conference Day

Oct. 15: Flu Shots for Students

Oct. 16: Unity Day: Wear Orange to show Unity for Kindness

Oct. 23: Early Release @ 11:40, No Extended Care

Oct. 25: Campus-wide Assembly

Oct. 31: Food Exemption Day

Nov. 11: Veterans' Day Assemblies

Nov. 12: School Picture Retakes

Nov. 13: World Kindness Day

Nov. 18-21: Book Fair

Nov. 25-29: Thanksgiving Break

This month, our schoolwide theme is skills for learning: listening, focusing attention, using self-talk to stay on-task, and being assertive when asking for help with a learning task. In our morning announcements and school assembly, we’ll be reminding students of these skills, which help students be successful learners.

Todd Howey, grandfather to 3rd Grader Scarlett Howey, wrote a column about Scarlett running for Serene Hills Student Council. Check it out; it's a great read!

Under the Stetson: Student Council

It is time to recognize the importance of school attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism. The campaign is led by Attendance Works and eight national partners. The goal is to promote the idea that every day a student is in school is an opportunity to learn, build relationships, and access support.

We need ALL sailors to come to school on time, every day, unless sick.

The way we see it, that’s the wrong question: Parents shouldn’t be worried about what the school will allow but what their children can handle. They should pay attention to attendance not because of the rules, but because it matters for academic success, from prek through 12th grade. In the early grades, missing too much school can contribute to trouble reading. In middle and high school, absenteeism can predict dropout rates.Parents need to weigh these consequences as they plot their family vacations.

How many absences are too many? The tipping point seems to be 10 percent of the school year, or about 18 days–excused or unexcused. That may sound like a lot, but it can be as little as two days a month, and that can add up pretty quickly.

The debate on the Motherlode blog reveals that some parents wouldn’t dream of taking their children out of school for any reason beyond illness or true emergencies. Others argue that there is value in a family vacation, both the enrichment that children experience in new places and the the time spent with parents. Still others differentiate between a once-in-a-lifetime trip and an off-season visit to Disney.

Many teachers weighed in, too, saying that the time off is disruptive to the students–not just those missing school but the students left behind who have to wait for others to catch up when they return. Some teacher bristle at having to prepare homework packets, only to see few student actually doing the work.

The blog offers a rubric for determining whether to take a child out of school:
For parents wrestling with the decision of whether to take their children out of school during term time, Sara Dimerman, an Ontario psychologist, suggests a simple acronym, FLAG, to test whether an “illegal” absence is advisable. Here is her advice (paraphrased, with her permission):
Frequency. Is this absence a rare treat, or a regular event? If you take your children out of school frequently, teachers may interpret your actions as lack of investment in school.
Length. How long will your child be out of school? A few days may be reasonable for some children, but for others, the loss of those same days could set them up for long-term struggle.
Ability. Will your child be overwhelmed by the missed instruction or collaboration with classmates? Does your child tend to get anxious or upset by situations like this? Take her temperament and ability into account.
Grade. Missing three days during first grade are not the same thing as missing three days during junior year of high school. Additionally, if your child is on a block schedule, those three days could easily equal an entire week or more of a semester schedule.

We would argue with the contention that early absences aren’t as important as those that come later. After all, research spells out the consequences of chronic absenteeism for early reading and math skills. But it’s true that the effects are often felt more immediately in high school, when absences can pull down a semester grade and affect a student’s GPA.

Dear Lake Travis ISD Parents and Guardians,

Lake Travis ISD has partnered with Lake Hills Pharmacy to provide flu vaccines to students in grades PK-8 on October 15-17 as follows:

October 15:

● Serene Hills Elementary

● West Cypress Hills Elementary

● Lake Travis Middle School

October 16:

● Bee Cave Elementary

● Rough Hollow Elementary

● Lake Travis Elementary

● Hudson Bend Middle School

October 17:

● Lake Pointe Elementary

● Lakeway Elementary

● Bee Cave Middle School

Please note, the flu shots are optional, and they will only be administered with written parental

consent. Consent forms (linked here) must be filled out completely, signed, and returned to your

child’s school by Wednesday, October 9. You may write in your prescription insurance information or

submit a copy of your insurance card. Individuals who do not have prescription insurance coverage

must provide $20 cash with the consent form.

Students who do not submit a form with cash payment or insurance information by Wednesday,

October 9, will not receive a flu shot at school.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu vaccine is the best defense against the influenza virus. For more information about the seasonal influenza vaccine and a copy of the most current Vaccine Information Sheet (VIS), please CLICK HERE. If you would like for your child to receive the flu vaccine prior to these in-school flu shot clinics, please contact your local pharmacy or pediatrician. Also, children older than six months who are uninsured or underinsured can receive flu shots at the Shots for Tots/Big Shots clinics provided by Austin Public Health. To make an appointment, please call 512-972-5520.

Should you have any questions, you may reach me via email at ennisj@ltisdschools.org, or by phone at 512-533-6015.

Sincerely,

Jamie Ennis, RN

Lead Nurse, Lake Travis ISD

Click the link below to purchase individual tickets for open seating or go in with a group of friends and purchase a table. We brought this parents only event back last year and could not wait to do it again! We will be at Back 2 School Bash tonight to answer any questions.

https://www.betterunite.com/serenehillselementaryschool...

Attention LTISD Parents and Guardians,

The Discovery Program, otherwise known as Gifted and Talented, is now accepting parent referrals for GT Screening via this google form.

Transfer students, who were already identified as GT coming from their previous district, should submit their Google form as soon as possible, as the transfer student screening will be set within 30 days of the first day of school. Parents should send proof of their child's selection/participation in the previous GT program directly to the campus GT coordinator. See below for a campus contact list.

Parents can submit referrals for screening up until the end of the first 9 weeks, by October 18, 2024. Students in Grades 1-5 will be tested during the 2nd 9 weeks of instruction. If the referral and permission forms are not submitted by the deadline, the student will have to wait until next year's screening opportunity, as the spring screening session is only for students moving in new to the district after the fall testing window is closed.

Kindergarten students can be referred for GT testing beginning in January 2025. More details will be shared regarding this process at the end of the first semester.

The forms and further information about the program can be found here. A virtual Discovery Parent Information Meeting will be held September 27th at 11:30 AM.

Once the request is submitted through the Google form, the campus GT coordinator will contact parents via email after October 18th to share pertinent information.

You are also welcome to contact your campus GT coordinator at any time with questions.

Useful Links:

Serene Hills:

Serene Hills Elementary Homepage

Transportation:

LTISD Transportation

Transfinder

SmartTag

Food and Nutrition Services (FANS):

LTISD FANS

My School Bucks

Menus

Lake Travis ISD Mobile App

LTISD Extended Care Program

The Serene Hills Elementary community commits to engaging every student in innovative, collaborative learning focused on growth and to igniting a passion for learning in which everyone is valued.

Website: https://www.ltisdschools.org/SHE
Location: 3301 Serene Hills Drive, Lakeway, TX, United States
Phone: 512-533-7400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/serenehillspto/
Twitter: @SHEsailors