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LCE March Newsletter
LCE: A Great Place to Be!
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A Note from the Principal
Dear Little Cypress Elementary Families,
We hope you're enjoying the beautiful beginnings of spring! The flowers are blooming, the weather is warming, and our campus is buzzing with excitement as we look ahead to the final months of our school year.
While we're all eagerly anticipating our end-of-year celebrations and activities, we still have plenty of valuable instruction time ahead. Our teachers and students remain focused on making the most of every learning opportunity in the coming weeks.
Important Upcoming Events
**STAAR Night**: Third grade parents are invited to join us on March 6th from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. This is your chance to learn more about the STAAR test and speak directly with your child's teacher about test preparation. This is a come-and-go event.
**Open House**: All teachers on campus will be hosting Open House on March 13th from 6:00 to 7:00 PM. We welcome all families to visit our classrooms and see the amazing work our students have been doing. This is also a come-and-go event.
**Pre-K and Kindergarten Round-Up**: We have our registration days scheduled for April 1st from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and April 2nd from 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM for our newest Little Cypress Elementary students. See the graphic below for more information about Pre-K and Kindergarten Round-Up.
**STAAR Preparations and Easter Parties**: Throughout April, our teachers will be making final preparations for the upcoming STAAR tests while also planning for our campus Easter parties. Visitor registration for our Easter parties will be included in the April newsletter.
Thank you for your continued support of our Little Cypress Elementary community!
As always, if you have questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out. E-mail is the fastest way to get to me, and my e-mail address is sstjohn@lcmcisd.org.
Sarah St. John
Principal
LCE March Calendar
Save the Date for April:
April 1st - 11th - Visitor Registration Open for Easter Parties
April 1st - Pre-K and Kindergarten Round Up 5:00-7:00 PM - LCE Library
April 2nd - Pre-K and Kindergarten Round Up 8:00-10:00 AM - LCE Room 306
April 2nd - Kindergarten Graduation Pictures
April 3rd - Second Grade Program at North Orange Baptist Church (6:00 PM)
April 7th-11th - National Assistant Principal Week
April 9th-10th - STAAR Reading Test for Third Grade
April 11th - Student Holiday
April 17th - Easter Parties
April 18th - Staff/Student Holiday
April 25th - Birthday Celebration Day
April 29th-30th - STAAR Math Test for Third Grade
LCE Staff Shout Outs
Dear Parents,
We’re excited to introduce our new Staff Shoutouts program, where you can recognize the amazing teachers and staff who make a difference in your child’s education! We believe that celebrating their hard work and dedication fosters a positive school community. Whether it’s a thoughtful lesson, a caring attitude, or going the extra mile, we invite you to share your appreciation. Scan the QR code to submit your shoutouts—let’s show our staff just how much they are valued!
Brittany Lalonde
Assistant Principal
Gifted/Talented and PLUS Class Nominations
LCE provides services to students who are identified as Gifted and Talented. We also have a class in first, second, and third grade called the "PLUS Class." The key distinction between the Gifted and Talented program and the PLUS Class is that G/T programs are designed for students who need a fundamentally different approach to learning, while our PLUS class programs provide enhanced opportunities within a more traditional educational framework. The PLUS class receives grade-level curriculum with enrichment as needed. The students in the PLUS class may be high achievers or identified as Gifted and Talented. Students who are identified as Gifted and Talented receive grade level instruction in the PLUS class with pull out enrichment services to meet their G/T needs.
To nominate your child for the Gifted and Talented program, please use the link below. Nominations will be accepted for 1st through 3rd graders through March. Kindergarten GT nominations ended on December 20th. When all data needed for screening has been completed, the student profile will be reviewed by the campus Admissions-Review-Exit (ARE) Committee for placement. Profiles (matrix/screening document) will be completed for each nominated student and blind profiles will be presented to the ARE Committee(s). The admission decision for Kindergarten will be by February 28th, and the admission decision for 1st through 3rd grades will be after the final screening information is completed in May.
To see the entire elementary GT plan, please visit LCE.LCMCISD.ORG and select Campus Documents.
If you would like to nominate your child to be evaluated for the 2025-2026 PLUS class, please submit the form below. Data will be gathered between April-May for the PLUS matrix. The matrix helps determine who will be placed in the class next year. It is re-done every year. Any child who was in the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd grade PLUS class for the 2024-2025 school year will automatically be evaluated for the 2025-2026 PLUS class. If your child is currently in the PLUS class for the 2024-2025 school year you do not need to fill out the PLUS class nomination form.
You will be notified at the end of the current school year if your child will be placed in the PLUS class for next school year.
For further information about GT or PLUS, please reach out to Counselor Sydney Carr at scarr@lcmcisd.org.
Read Across America Week
We’re thrilled to announce Read Across America Week, a celebration of the joy and adventure of reading! From March 3rd–7th, our school will join thousands across the nation in promoting literacy, creativity, and a love of books. Each day will feature fun activities and themed dress-up days inspired by some of our favorite stories!
A Note from Counselor Sydney Carr
This month Mrs. Carr will be in classrooms providing fun, engaging lessons about Self-Esteem!
How can you help your child boost their self-esteem? Provide opportunities to build confidence, remind them of achievements, teach them that mistakes are a part of learning, and praise their curiosity and exploration!
5 C’s of Positive Youth Development: Confidence, Competence, Connection, Caring & Character
If you're child is in need of a visit with Mrs. Carr, please fill out this form.
March Dyslexia Newsletter
March is National Nutrition Month!
2024-2025 Yearbooks
Yearbooks for the 2024-2025 school year are on sale! Click the link below to order a yearbook for your child. The yearbooks will be delivered to our school at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year.
Car Line Procedures
Morning Drop Off
Afternoon Pick Up
DROP OFF:
LCE students should be dropped off between 6:50 - 7:10 a.m. The tardy bells rings at 7:15 a.m. and instruction begins at 7:20 a.m.
Only 2nd and 3rd grade students and Self-Contained students can be dropped off at the front of the school in the mornings. Everyone else will need to be dropped off in the back.
Parents with both LCI and LCE students may drop their LCE student off in the LCI car line between 6:50 - 7:10 a.m. After 7:10, all LCE students are to be dropped off at the LCE campus.
For safety reasons, please have your child ready to exit the vehicle on the passenger side. Please talk to your child about what it means to be ready to exit the vehicle. Please also stress to them not to run but to walk safely.
We know it will take a few days to get everyone used to drop off procedures again. After a few days, we will begin shutting the back doors at the 7:15 a.m. tardy bell.
Once the back doors are closed, you will need to drive to the front of the school, park, and escort your child into the building.
TURN RIGHT when exiting Meeks during drop off and pick up hours.
For the safety of your child and others, please do not use your cell phone while in the car drop off and pick up lines.
PICK UP:
The dismissal car line begins at 2:50 p.m.
Students cannot be checked out through the front office after 2:30 p.m. as we are in our final transition for the day. We will ask you to join the pick up line at that point.
The pick up line will run a little long for a few days, but after we get into the routine, it normally ends right at 3:10 p.m.
Please ensure that you are in line to pick up your child by 3:10 p.m.
If your child needs assistance to buckle, please pull ahead into the grassy area.
THE SCHOOL ISSUED CAR RIDER TAG MUST BE VISIBLE IN ORDER TO PICK UP YOUR CHILD. THIS IS A SAFETY MEASURE.
TURN RIGHT when exiting Meeks during drop off and pick up hours.
For the safety of your child and others, please do not use your cell phone while in the car drop off and pick up lines.
Bus Rider Information
Changes? Call Transportation at 670-4601 by 1:30 p.m.
Students must ride the bus to their assigned drop off location (home address/licensed day care).
All bus transportation changes must go through the Transportation Department 409-670-4601. Changes must take place before 1:30 p.m.
Without a note, the child will follow their established routine.
In an emergency, a phone call will be accepted but will require the student's last four digits of their social security number.
An adult must be present at the bus stop for all PK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students to be dropped off.
All students are eligible for FREE breakfast and lunch this year.
Upcoming Lunch Visitor Schedule
We rotate lunch visitors weekly, but we also allow two Skyward approved guests on your child's birthday. If your child has a birthday on the weekend, you can come the Friday before or Monday after.
The week of March 3rd: First Grade
The week of March 10th: Second Grade and Life Skills Grades 1-3
The week of March 24th: Third Grade
The week of April 3rd: Pre-K
The week of April 7th: None (STAAR Testing)
The week of April 14th: Kindergarten / ECSE
As a reminder, only two guests can attend lunch, and they must be listed and approved through Skyward. Guests must sit in the assigned guest lunch area or at the assigned table for their child's class.
Guests are not allowed to take photos of other students on campus, and other students are not allowed to sit with guests. Food can only be shared with your child.
Dress Code
The district prohibits any clothing or grooming that in the principal’s judgment may reasonably be expected to cause disruption or interference with normal school operations.
Shorts and skirts should be at least mid-thigh length and be hemmed.
Shirts should cover the midriff and have at least two (2) inch shoulder strap or sleeves. No muscle shirts or spaghetti straps.
Pants must fit at the waist or be belted. Baggy pants and jeans with holes above the knee will not be allowed. Holes above the knee with backing are allowed as long as the backing is intact.
All students are required to have shoes that are safe for participation in all physical education activities. Backless shoes, high-heeled shoes of any type, and flip-flops are prohibited. This is a safety issue and is in the best interest of the student. All rubber soled, laced up, closed back shoes (tennis shoes or any athletic type shoe) will be acceptable. Crocs are not allowed in PE.
Should you have to remove your child during the school day, please sign him/her out at the front office. School personnel will call for your child to meet you.
Please remember to send any doctor's notes upon the student's return to school. When absent, the student must have a signed parent note or doctor's excuse upon their return to school. New for the 2024-2025 school year: Absence notes must be turned in within 5 school days for a student to be counted excused.
Dear Families,
We are excited to announce that we adopted a new form of school-to-home communication at LCMCISD called ParentSquare. This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with LCMCISD. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:
Send and receive school and class information
Share pictures and files
See calendar items
Sign up to volunteer
Schedule parent-teacher conferences
and much more . . . all in one centralized place!
Parents—Getting Started Video
All district and school, grade level and classroom information for next school year will be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).
Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.
We are asking parents to go ahead and download the ParentSquare app to be ready for next school year!
Little Cypress Elementary Contacts
5723 Meeks
Orange, Texas 77632
409-886-2838
Sarah St. John, Principal
Brittany Lalonde, Assistant Principal
Sydney Carr, Counselor
Lisa Fisher, Secretary
Bianca Sanchez, Registrar
Misty Coleman, Nurse
Meagan Washburn, At-Risk Coordinator
Tammi Halliburton, Librarian