East Elementary Edition
Week of July 3
Week of September 4
Upcoming Events
September 4
Labor Day Student/Staff Holiday (No School)
September 5
Watch DOGS Pizza Night (6:00 - 7:00 PM)
September 7
Happy Birthday, Carson Cook! (First Grade Teacher)
September 8
East Elementary Spirit Day $1 - Pajama Day
East PTO Spirit Sales
September 11
Happy Birthday, Christy Lattimore! (4th Grade Teacher)
September 18-29
Charleston Wrap Fall Fundraiser
September 22
LCISD Professional Development Day (No School)
Happy Birthday, Amy Estrada! (5th Grade Teacher)
September 25
Happy Birthday, Erika Newton! (Kindergarten Teacher)
September 27
Happy Birthday, Megan Rodriguez! (1st Grade Teacher)
September 29
East Elementary Spirit Day $1 - Superhero Day
HEB Read 3 - Big Texas Read in (10:00 - 10:30)
October 6
East PTO Spirit Sales
October 12
Family Literacy Night 6:00 - 7:30 PM
Dr. Cross' Connection - Student Leadership Abounds
As we settle into the new year, it is astounding to see our student take on leadership roles in the classroom and across the campus. Some students serve in formal leadership roles, like Pirate Patrol. Others are serving in beautifully organic capacities. All around us, students are helping one another with kindness and empathy.
Pausing in the hallway, it is easy to see students helping others carry breakfast or nap mats as they make their way to morning waiting locations. In the classrooms, peers help others gather materials and regulate emotions. Students line the sidewalks to help unload cars and greet children with a warm welcome. On the playground, children are inclusive and celebrate those who are specially-abled when they are victorious in the gaga ball pit.
Our school community is one to be celebrated. You are doing a wonderful job raising incredible children and we appreciate you entrusting us with these precious humans. It is an honor to observe how they are growing as leaders and to be part of this journey.
Thank you for allowing us to serve you.
Dr. Candice Cross
Principal, Lubbock-Cooper East Elementary
Dismissal Changes - We need your help!
Thank you for your assistance with our adaptations to dismissal procedures last week. Despite some challenges, times to dismiss our 337 drive-up students decreased each day. Some lines are now completed in under 12 minutes and we'll get even more efficient as we continue to move parents to the correct locations quickly. You can help make this process more efficient by lining up in the designated areas, outlined below.
Please see the map below outlining the waiting areas and queueing lines for each pick up area.
Red Drive:
Last Names A-G line up from 137th, facing east. Cars turn north along Elgin Avenue, and then turn east 134th Street. Do not use Detroit Avenue, as this blocks Blue Drive.
Blue Drive:
Last Names H-N line up from 137th, facing east. Form one line ONLY along the south side of 137th street while waiting. Do not form two lines. Cars should then turn north along Detroit Avenue.
*We do understand that the lines for A-G and H-N will merge along 137th Street, but these lines will diverge at the corner of 137th Street and Elgin Avenue as the A-G line turns to cue along this roadway.*
Yellow Drive:
Last Names O-Z line up facing west along 137th Street and turn north on Boston Avenue.
Please make sure that you are lining up in the designated area for your dismissal area. We have several parents who are lining up along streets not designated for those last names. This has caused safety concerns and stress for families and staff. With attention to detail and further assistance from you, we can make sure these are adjustments are implemented correctly. We will continue to utilize Lubbock-Cooper Police assistance this week to help with this transition.
New Morning Drop-Off Location!
Did you know you can now drop off on the west side of school?!?
We are now staffing the blue drive up line in the morning for student drop off to help alleviate wait times and long lines. Swing through the west (blue) drop-off line and see Mrs. Pineda and Mrs. Brewer in the morning! They are happy to greet your child and welcome them into the school building each day.
4th & 5th Grade Extracurricular Music Opportunities
4th and 5th grade students, parents and guardians,
Below you will find information about three extra curricular musical opportunities. Please view through all three images for details.
1. Suzuki violin at East Elementary. This program is free and held after school at East on Tuesday and Thursdays. This is for beginning 4th and 5th graders as well as students who participated in the program last year. Students must provide or rent their own violin. This program is VIOLIN ONLY. Spots are limited. See the flyer below for details and registration. Students must provide their own transportation home.
2. Texas Tech University Strings Project. This is held at TTU and instruments offered are violin, viola, cello, bass, and harp. This program does have a cost. Students must also provide or rent their own instruments. See flyer below for details.
Watch DOGS - Beginning September 11
We are excited to begin our partnership with Watch DOGS for the 2023-2024 school year! The program will be launching at a Pizza Night event on September 6 in the cafeteria here at East from 6:00-7:00 PM. Fathers and father-figures are invited to attend with their children to learn about the program, order Watch DOG t-shirts, and sign-up to join us on campus.
I have attached the registration form below. If you are unable to attend our Pizza Night event this week, please complete the registration form and email it to Joshua Fields, who serves as our East Elementary Watch DOGS Coordinator. Mr. Fields can be reached by email at CooperEastWatchdogs@gmail.com.
Mr. Fields works with our volunteer father-figures to develop a schedule where dads volunteer on campus. They typically give a full-day of their time to work in classrooms, patrol our building, and supervise lunch and recess. Mr. Fields builds each schedule individually, giving each father time in class with their own child and serving in a variety of opportunities around the campus.
Watch DOGS Pizza Night
Staff Spotlight - Mrs. April Baucum, Assistant Principal
Welcome to East Elementary! My name is April Baucum, and I am blessed to serve as one of the Assistant Principals here at East since the fall of 2019. I have been in education for the last 18 years. I was blessed to be have served as a pre-k teacher at Central for 2 years, an administrative intern at South for a year, and then found my home at East.
I have been married to my amazing husband Jeff for 11 years. We have 2 wonderful boys that attend East. Collin is 10 years old and enjoys playing football, baseball, and golf. Our other son is Carter. He is a sports loving child who has a great love of baseball! We enjoy watching Texas Tech and Kansas City football and hanging out with friends and family.
My WHY:
I believe that trust is the driving characteristic. I want others to know that I am trustworthy and that they can count on me! I am very simple and straightforward.
My goal is to make an impact in the lives of others through relationships and support.
Staff Spotlight - Mrs. Missy Ware, Assistant Principal
I am excited to serve my third year as one of the Assistant Principals at East Elementary. I am beginning my twenty-third year in education at Lubbock-Cooper. Prior to entering administration, I taught 3rd grade for 12 years both self-contained and departmentalized. Then, I worked for 7 years as a Math Interventionist for 1st-5th grades.
I was born and raised in Perryton, Texas. I moved to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech University. I have been married to my high school sweetheart, Allen for 26 years. Our four children, Jarrett (23), Jackson (20), Jillian (16) and Jentry (15) have attended Lubbock-Cooper for their education careers. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, reading books, serving at my church, and watching football. My family’s favorite teams are the Lubbock-Cooper Pirates, Texas Tech Red Raiders, and Kansas City Chiefs.
I look forward to a great 2023-2024 school year. I hope to facilitate growth in students and teachers, and to make a positive impact at East Elementary!
My WHY:
I believe that success happens when relationships are based upon trust. I want to be the person that people can count on. I do that by finding better ways and sharing them.
My goal is to contribute and add value to impact others’ lives.
East Elementary Spirit Days
We are better together! East PTO
We would love to partner with you to make this our best year yet! If you are interested in serving as part of the East PTO, please complete the interest survey linked below:
https://forms.gle/L2649iTXwXGY6xXo9
We are looking for members to assist with:
- Spirit Sales
- Teacher Appreciation
- Fundraising
- Book Fair
- Other great ideas you have!
We look forward to working with you!
Volunteers Needed - Student Health Screenings on Sept. 14
We will hold our annual student health screenings on September 14. We need parent volunteers to help this process run smoothly and would appreciate your assistance!
Please use the link below to sign up and volunteer for a half-day or a full-day. Please bring your driver's license with you when you volunteer if you have not already been scanned into the district system this school year.
Capturing Kids' Hearts - Good Things!
A special part of Capturing Kids' Hearts (CKH) is the sharing of 'Good Things.' A practice that builds community, this time is set aside for students to share something good that is going on in their life. As explained by the CKH organization, Good Things sets a positive tone for the class and supports the leadership skill of positive thinking.
Students applaud their peers for sharing Good Things, showing respect for one another and encouraging them for participating. Students are not required to share, but each child is encourage to take a turn throughout the week.
The idea of Good Things can also be used with your family! We know it can sometimes be difficult to get a response when you ask "what did you learn at school today?" Instead, you can ask, "share your Good Thing from today." Join in on the fun and share your daily Good Thing with your child, too.
HEB Excellence in Education - Nominations are Open!
Created in 2002, the H E B Excellence in Education Awards are designed to honor outstanding public school professionals and to thank them for their dedication and commitment. Through this program, H E B seeks to pay tribute to those educators who go the extra mile each and every day to serve their students and their communities and who inspire others to do the same.
As a community with a local H-E-B store, we are now eligible to participate in the H-E-B Excellence in Education Award opportunities! Nominations are now open and we would love your help in garnering nominations for incredible educators here at East Elementary!
Teacher awards are designed to recognize those educators who display:
- Passion and commitment to the teaching profession
- Innovation and creativity in the classroom
- Professional growth and development
Please join us in nominating the exceptional educators who serve our East Elementary students! Use the link below to help us recognize our phenomenal teachers.
Family Literacy Night - October 12
Please mark your calendars for our first Family Literacy Night! We will come together as a school community on October 12 from 6:00-7:30 as we participate in a variety of activities centered around our first shared reading - Stella Diaz Has Something to Say! by Angela Dominguez.
Families will receive their copy of this book this week. We look forward to reading along together and building a literacy community. A reading calendar and family discussion questions will be provided for you.
Nominate a Teacher for Mrs. Baird's Teachers on the Rise!
Each month this school year, Mrs. Baird's collects nominations at www.MrsBTeacher.com and honors three teachers--one elementary, one middle school and one high school teachers from South Plains schools. We would love to honor one of your teachers here at East Elementary! You can nominate teachers - past and present - who deserve special recognition.
Connect with us Online & on Social Media!
We are excited to launch our East Elementary Google Site, sharing information about our campus. Please check out this wealth of information about our staff family, video highlights of work taking place at East, and news about campus initiatives.
https://sites.google.com/lcisd.net/lubbock-cooper-east/home
On Facebook, follow:
Lubbock-Cooper East Elementary
On Twitter, follow:
@LCISDEast
Other Events & Resources
LCP Band Spectacular - September 26
Join the LCP Band Family for a Night of Music and Celebration! Our Pirates and Patriots will be showcasing their 2023 UIL Marching Shows. Performances will also feature our LBMS and LCMS Band Programs!
Lubbock-Cooper East Elementary
2727 134th Street
Lubbock, TX 79423
P: (806) 993-2342
F: (806) 993-2382