Renner Middle School eNews

We will distribute our weekly eNews through 2 different platforms (School Messenger & the eNews subscription - https://elist.pisd.edu/).

1. 1st Day Communication

2. Prior to Wednesday, August 12 at 8:25 am - Ensure you can login

3. Parent’s Guide to the First Four Weeks of School

4. How to Join Your Teacher’s Google Classroom

5. Blocked Schedules & Balancing Classes

6. Student Email

7. Tomorrow (August 10) - Additional Distribution Day - Chromebooks, math books, 8th grade ELA Novels, pre-purchased PTA school supplies & pre-purchased PTA spirit wear

8. Student Daily Attendance

9. Free & reduced meal applications(New)

10. Family Hot Spot

Please be on the lookout for communication on Tuesday, August 11th from Mrs. Engelking (through a School Messenger email & eNews) that will provide details about how students will access their classes on the first day of school - Wednesday, August 12.

On Wednesday, August 5, the “Update for Plano ISD Families” (from ask.pisd@pisd.edu) included a link to an important document: the “Parent’s Guide to the First Four Weeks of School” (linked in the next section of this eNews).

Included in this document is information about Chromebook login and use. Prior to Wednesday morning at 8:25, students should use their Renner Chromebook to access webdesk and ensure that they can log in. For login and use information, please go to https://www.pisd.edu/site/Default.aspx?PageID=17316

Plano ISD has prepared a comprehensive Parent's Guide to the First Four Weeks of School. Please take a moment to review this guide to learn about student expectations, attendance requirements and to view sample daily schedules.

Parent’s Guide to the First Four Weeks of School

ON TUESDAY, please follow the directions linked below in order to join your teachers’ Google Classrooms. On Monday, teachers will be creating links through the Webdesk BACKPACK app in order to make classroom codes viewable on Tuesday.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/179ozvUh39iQyU8iGokBeA1NO9dZHC51dVs_lJuSYgec/edit?usp=sharing

Please log in to Parent Portal Monday morning to check your online schedule. Counselors will continue to work through this evening to balance classes, and this could create changes to your schedule as the system will update tonight at midnight. I have the system set to release schedules at 6:00 am on Monday, August 10.

At this time, we are not able to make schedule changes for elective classes.

https://parentportal.pisd.edu/Login.aspx

• Click on "Access and Edit Student Registration Forms"

• Toward the top & left of the screen, you should see a box that says "View 2020-2021 Schedule" - Click there

• In order for your child’s schedule to be released, all registration forms must be updated through parent portal. If your child's schedule does not come up after updating all registration forms, there could be a block due to library fines, cafeteria fees, incomplete immunizations, or returned mail has signaled the need for updated residency documents.

• If your child’s schedule is blocked, please contact the following people in order to clear the block:

• Residency - Maru Lopez (maru.lopez@pisd.edu)

• Immunizations - Brandi Shrier (brandi.shrier@pisd.edu)

• Library Fines - Katie Aycock (katie.aycock@pisd.edu)

• Cafeteria Fees - Rhonda Snyder (rhonda.snyder@pisd.edu)

• Chromebook Issues - Travis Ragsdale or Jonathan Loveday (travis.ragsdale@pisd.edu or jonathan.loveday@pisd.edu)

Students will follow the campus bell schedule (below) as they would on a typical day at school. The first 3 days of school, students will join each class live via the link found in each teacher’s Google Classroom. Beginning on August 17, students’ schedules will alternate between synchronous and asynchronous classes.

Schedule for 1st 3 Days: https://docs.google.com/document/d/11cPCNvFWStdQvqrHnWhTYdZKet-dzO3dW5PIJkDzQLk/edit?usp=sharing

Schedule for August 12 - September 4: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E2fNEJjiXv_UtgAxZ-8eAD41V2MzGAb0BQlqU0SQ1kI/edit?usp=sharing

From the Draft Plan for Parents and Staff - Plano ISD Return to School 2020: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1mqcqHcr3VOnzVycLfEXtSfHUBflzsX__Q2DxWS-FM4w/edit?usp=sharing

Remote Synchronous Learning is defined as two-way, real-time, live, instruction between teachers and students, through the computer or other electronic devices. Students enrolled in PISD School@Home will be assigned a virtual class schedule and must be available for live, synchronous instruction during each school day.

Plano ISD student expectations for synchronous learning:

• Students attend class on time, per their class schedule.

• Students will follow Plano ISD dress code.

• Students are ready to engage and learn.

• Students should have a designated, distraction-free workspace to engage in learning.

• Students will show their face on the screen to engage with the teacher virtually.

• Students will participate in the class activities, discussions and assignments.

Remote Asynchronous Learning is a curricular experience where students engage in the learning materials on their own time, interacting intermittently with the teacher via the computer or other electronic devices. In this setting, teachers will provide instruction, learning resources and support through the use of Google Classroom.

Plano ISD student expectations for ​asynchronous learning:

• Students will complete asynchronous activities assigned each day.

• Students show proof of participation in daily virtual instruction by satisfactorily completing assignments to demonstrate evidence of student learning, e.g., video, picture or activities submitted as lessons and/or completing assignments.

• Students and parents will communicate with the teacher when needing additional assistance, tutoring, etc.

Every secondary student now has a student email through the district. This is how students should communicate with their teachers and other school officials. Please make sure that you check your email regularly. To gain access to this email, follow these steps on this site.

https://www.pisd.edu/studentemail

Tomorrow, August 10 from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm, we will have a final opportunity to pick up Chromebooks, math textbooks (all grade levels), and 8th Grade ELA novels (in front of Renner). You can also pick up pre-purchased PTA school supplies and spirit wear (behind the school).

As we begin the 2020 school year, we start in a virtual setting and it is imperative that we follow state guidelines in regards to acquiring accurate attendance reporting. When students are in a virtual instructional setting, students who login into the Plano ISD WebDesk each day and engage in teacher-assigned learning apps (including but not limited to Google Classroom) are considered “present” and will not be marked absent. Students who have not logged in by 3:00 p.m. each school day will be marked absent. This absence can be resolved if the student engages in daily learning assigned by their teachers via the Plano ISD WebDesk by 11:59 p.m. that same day.

Parents and students will receive absence notifications via School Messenger after 6:00 p.m. each day and will be reminded of the opportunity to resolve that day’s absence if the student engages in learning before 11:59 p.m. of the same day via Plano ISD WebDesk. (Notifications may be controlled by parents via Parent Portal.)

Any absences recorded but resolved by the student before 11:59 p.m. on the same day will be reconciled based on login records of the Plano ISD WebDesk. Reconciliation will not appear right away and could take a couple of days to become visible to parents.

Webdesk link can be found here.

Free and reduced meal applications are now available at www.schoolcafe.com/pisd.

Student eligibility status from the 2019-2020 school year will roll over only for the first 30 operating days of school or until a new application has been processed. It is important that households complete an application for the 2020-2021 school year as soon as possible.

We encourage households to fill out an application online, however, if a household requests a paper application, we have them available for campuses to print out here. If the parent/guardian completes the paper application at the campus, you can place it in interoffice mail to FANS.

If the parent/guardian takes the application home to complete, they will need to drop off or mail the completed application to: Meal Application Processor; 6600 Alma Drive Suite B, Plano, TX 75023. Households should allow 10 business day for application processing.

If your family is experiencing difficulty with home internet access, please complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSft7BsF4-KA5T-gh0wBrsttWlQM5SqAuAMC1FWXPM9J3DTtEg/viewform

In partnership with the Texas Department of Agriculture, the Plano ISD Food and Nutritional Services Department will be providing free grab-and-go summer meals to the public beginning, Tuesday, May 26, 2020, at the following campus sites:

Effective Monday, April 6, new rules from the Texas Department of Agriculture require that parents picking up free meals from the district must bring documentation for children who are not in the vehicle. Please note that verification is not required when children are present with a parent during meal pickup. Acceptable documentation includes a school-issued student ID, report card, birth certificate or the verification message that parents received from the district. Learn more. See a revised list of grab-and-go meal locations as of this week.

• Armstrong Middle School *(pickup at this location is the bus lane at the rear of the building)
  3805 Timberline Drive, Plano, TX 75074
  
  

• Bowman Middle School
  2501 Jupiter Road, Plano, TX 75074
  
  

• Christie Elementary School
  3801 Rainier Road, Plano, TX 75023
  
  

• Daffron Elementary School
  3900 Preston Meadow Drive, Plano, TX 75093
  
  

• Mitchell Elementary School
  4223 Briargrove Lane, Dallas, TX 75287
  
  

• Sigler Elementary School
  1400 Janwood Drive, Plano, TX 75075

Updated curbside grab-and-go meal serving times for these locations will be from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Children 18 years of age and younger will receive a lunch for that day and a breakfast for the following day. Anyone picking up meals for students, without the student present, must bring appropriate documentation in the form of a school issued ID, report card, birth certificate or the verification letters families are currently providing during meal pick up.

The Plano ISD Food and Nutritional Services Department has established curbside meal pickup locations to provide PISD School@Home students with meals for offsite consumption on instructional learning days.

Beginning August 12 through September 4, meals will be served Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Students purchasing meals will receive a lunch for the day and a breakfast for the following day. Meals will no longer be free of charge for all students as provided during the spring remote learning and the summer feeding program. Free and reduced priced meals are available for qualifying students.

Learn more here about curbside meal procedures, locations, etc.

The following parent letter and guidance provides details for families receiving special education services regarding support for students and staff as we launch school for the new school year: 2020-2021 Parent/Guardian: Special Education Guidance Document

Plano ISD acknowledges that many students with medically-associated disabilities served through Section 504 are among our most vulnerable learners during the COVID-19 pandemic. 504 Return to School Plan

For Parents/Guardians inquiring how to pay FANS negative balances:

To remove your negative balance, please mail a personal check or cashier’s check made payable to Plano ISD fpr the exact amount owed to:

Food & Nutritional Services

Attn: Emma Ramos

6600 Alma Dr Ste B

Plano, TX 75023

In order to plan for the 2020-2021 school year, we would appreciate information from families who are planning or considering a move from the Renner/Shepton attendance zone during the summer. This information is very important and helps in accounting for all students that do not return for the 2020-2021 school year. Students who are unaccounted for will be reported as dropouts. We do not want this information to follow your student.

If you know for certain or if you are considering a move (this includes your student attending a private school), please complete the information below. If you know the name and address of the school your child will be attending next year, please include that information. (This form is for Renner use only, if your plans change and your student returns to Renner/Shepton in 2020-21, this form will be discarded.)

Thank you,

Maru Lopez - Registrar

EMAIL COMPLETED FORMS TO: Maru.Lopez@pisd.edu

(If you are unable to provide a scanned copy, you may email Mrs. Lopez with the information below.)

For a printable copy of the form, click here or on the image below.

The SMU Center for Family Counseling at Plano ISD is now offering telehealth counseling services provided free of charge. Services are provided by SMU Counseling Program students during their Practicum and Internship experiences and will be supervised by SMU full-time and adjunct faculty. Services are for adults, children (play therapy), adolescents (activity therapy), couples, and families for a variety of presenting concerns including anxiety, depression, behavior difficulties (e.g., opposition, defiance, aggression), grief and loss, peer relationships, stress, trauma, career transition, and parenting.

Additionally, clients are being accepted for five new support groups: Adult Mindfulness Group, LGBTQ+ Parenting/Caregiver Support Group, Adolescent Support Group, LGBTQ+ Adolescent Support Group, and LGBTQ+ Adult Support Group.

Service hours and contact information is as follows:

Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Appointments are available - please call to schedule (469) 752-3098.

A FAQ for Telehealth Counseling services may be found HERE.

Check out the Renner PTA website for important information about our school! From this website, you can purchase your membership, check out school supplies, and buy spirit wear. It's also a great place to find out about upcoming PTA opportunities to help out Renner Middle School.

Renner PTA Website: https://rennerpta.membershiptoolkit.com/

Jill Engelking, Principal

Website: www.pisd.edu/renner
Location: 5701 W Parker Rd, Plano, TX 75093
Phone: 469-752-5800