England School News

Hello England Families-

It’s hard to believe we’ve already stepped into February! The second semester is in full swing, and there are so many exciting things happening across our campus. Be sure to mark your calendars for upcoming events and opportunities to stay engaged.

A huge congratulations to our England students for earning first place at the McNeil Learning Community UIL meet yesterday! We are incredibly proud of their dedication and hard work. A special thank you to Mrs. Tatum (3rd grade) for not only coordinating UIL for our campus but also leading the efforts across our entire learning community. We would also like to give a shout-out to all of our staff who coached UIL events and/or assisted at the UIL meet. We also appreciate the parents and caregivers who supported and encouraged our students throughout this experience—it truly takes a village!

Our Science Fair season has been a success, with impressive projects from our 4th and 5th graders. This year, our PTA is helping to coordinate 3rd grade science projects as well. If you’re available, we’d love for you to stop by and check out their hard work at our Science Fair Showcase on Thursday, February 6th, from 5:30-6:30 PM in the cafeteria. (Doors close at 6:15.)

With so much happening on campus, we are grateful for the parent and caregiver volunteers who have been instrumental in supporting new initiatives. Your time and commitment make a meaningful impact on our students' experiences.

As we look ahead, please take the time to read this newsletter in its entirety so you don’t miss out on any important updates. Thank you for your continued partnership and collaboration—we are excited for all that’s to come!

With gratitude,

Krystall Williams, Principal

Your Voice Matters: Please share your feedback and/or questions here!

PTA Update:

Our PTA is hard at work planning both beloved traditions and exciting new activities for our school community! Be sure to check out the flyers section below for a fun opportunity for your Leopard to get creative.

Movie night is BACK!

Join us on Friday, February 7th for a fun-filled evening at Elsa England Elementary! Doors open at 6:00 and the movie will begin at 6:30. The students voted on their movie preference and Wild Robot was a clear winner!

- RSVP now to reserve your spot, space is limited! You can use coupon code: SpringMovie if you would like to get the tickets for FREE.

- Food pre-orders only, closing February 3rd.

Don’t miss out! Reserve your spot and pre-order.

Please also mark your calendar for February 21 and join us for our Cultural Heritage Night. Stay tuned—all details coming soon!

It’s not too late to purchase your PTA membership! Your support makes a meaningful difference for our students and staff by funding important programs and initiatives.

Join today by visiting: PTA Membership

To learn more about our amazing PTA and the exciting opportunities available for our England Community, please visit their website!

Reading Interim- Monday, February 3rd:

Tomorrow, February 3rd, all 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students will be taking the Reading Interim assessment. To help them do their best, please ensure they:

- Get a good night’s sleep
- Have a full breakfast in the morning

- Arrive to school on time

We prioritize student well-being, and if your child is feeling unwell, please allow them to stay home and rest. They will have another opportunity to take the assessment when they return. Thank you for your support in ensuring both their health and success!

Arrival During Inclement Weather:

Thank you for your patience during last week’s rainy arrival. On inclement weather days, we do our best to have extra staff in both the front and back to help ensure a safe and smooth arrival process. To help things run even more efficiently, please keep the following in mind:

Expect Longer Wait Times: More families opt to drive instead of walk, leading to a longer car line. Please plan ahead and extend patience and kindness to our staff, who are working hard to get all Leopards inside safely.

If Arriving in a Vehicle- Stay in the Car Line (No Parking to Walk Up): This is our policy every day, but it is especially crucial for safety on inclement weather days. Parking and walking up slows down the line, keeps staff in the rain longer, and creates safety concerns as reduced visibility makes it harder for drivers to see pedestrians. Please remain in the car line to ensure a smooth and safe arrival for everyone.

Use the Crosswalk If You Must Park: If you absolutely need to park, you must use the crosswalk. Cutting in front of cars is extremely unsafe, especially in rainy conditions.

No Street Drop-Offs: Do NOT drop your child off by the street and have them walk up to campus. This is very dangerous, especially in bad weather. A staff member had to step in front of a car last week to prevent students who were dropped off at the street from crossing through our car line during the rain—this put both students and staff in harm’s way.

No Tardies Before 8:00 on Inclement Weather Days: Safety comes first. We do not count tardies before 8:00 on these days, so please stay in the line and do not try to bypass the process.

Pull All the Way to the First Cone: Stopping midway causes delays and results in staff staying outside in the elements longer than necessary. We work quickly to get all students under the awning and inside as efficiently as possible.

We truly appreciate your cooperation in following these guidelines to keep all students, staff, and families safe during arrival. Thank you for your partnership!

Coffee with the Principal – Let’s Connect!:

One of my favorite ways to connect with families is through Coffee with the Principal! This informal gathering gives us a chance to chat about celebrations, concerns, and upcoming events, while also providing an opportunity for families to connect with one another.

We all share the common goal of building a supportive and encouraging community for every Leopard. I’d love for you to join us!

📅 Monday, February 10th
⏰ 9:00–9:45 AM
📌 RSVP here: February Coffee with the Principal

Hope to see you there!

Cafeteria/MySchoolBucks:

Did you know that our online lunch account system, MySchoolBucks, does more than just allow you to add funds? It also provides a convenient way to view what your child has been purchasing—whether it’s the daily lunch or additional snacks and drinks. If you’d like to place any restrictions on what your child can purchase, our cafeteria manager, Jihee Park, is happy to assist.

You can reach her at:
📧 Email: england_cafeteria@roundrockisd.org | ji_park2@roundrockisd.org
📞 Phone: (512) 704-1228

We hope this helps make managing lunch accounts and purchases a little easier for your family!

Volunteer Opportunities:

We truly appreciate the collaboration and partnership as we offer these opportunities for our Leopards. Your support makes all the difference!

We’re thrilled to highlight our Weekly Workroom Volunteers this month! A huge thank you to our PTA Homeroom Coordinator for organizing this wonderful opportunity that supports our classroom teachers. Tasks include prepping materials, making copies, laminating, and more—helping to take a little something off our teachers’ plates so they can focus their energy on other priorities. You’re welcome to sign up for a day outside of your child’s grade level, and our goal is to provide this support for teachers each week. It’s also a great way to connect with other parents and contribute in a meaningful way to our school community. For more details, check out this document outlining the role. Keep an eye out for sign-ups each month!

We’re also looking for Kindergarten Recess Monitors to help our younger Leopards learn, grow, and, of course, have fun! You don’t have to be a kindergarten parent to join the fun—it’s a wonderful opportunity to engage with our students and brighten their day. Plus, it’s so rewarding to see their smiles as they enjoy this time to play and explore. If you’re available, we’d love to have you join us.

Additional Volunteer Opportunities:

Artsonia Sign-Up

Coming Soon: England Exceptional Experiences

Thank you for helping us create a supportive and connected school community!

To volunteer, you must be approved through RRISD. You can apply using this link.

Career Day:

Our amazing counselors are in the process of planning Career Day, which is set for Thursday, March 13th. This event will offer students the opportunity to explore different careers by interacting with professionals from various fields. If you are available and would like to participate, please fill out this Google Form . We would be thrilled to hear from you.

Presenters will present for about 25 minutes (including time for questions and answers), starting at 8:30 A.M. We will have three sessions, and you have the option to do one, two, or all three sessions. Props and slides are welcomed to help showcase your career in a fun and engaging manner. This is a great opportunity for you to get involved at England Elementary and make an impact on our students' future.

Keeping Our Leopards Healthy:

As we work together to keep our students and staff healthy, we kindly remind families to keep students home when they are sick. Students should be fever-free for 24 hours without medication before returning to school.

This helps prevent the spread of illness, allows your child to rest and recover fully, and protects the well-being of classmates and staff. We understand that students may not want to miss a special activity they’ve been looking forward to, but their health—and the health of others—must come first.

If your child has the flu, we kindly ask that you notify our nurse, Caitlin Weisel, at caitlin_weisel@roundrockisd.org. This information helps us take proactive steps to monitor classrooms for additional cleaning and potential symptoms, ensuring a healthier environment for all our students and staff. Thank you for your cooperation!

Thank you for helping us maintain a healthy learning environment for everyone!

Clothing Donations Needed for Our Clinic:

Our school clinic is in need of children’s clothing for emergency clothing changes. If you have gently used items you’d like to donate, we’d greatly appreciate it! Donations can be dropped off in the front office.

Thank you for your support in helping our students!

Tardies and Absences:

Starting the school day on time is crucial for helping students feel prepared, connected, and ready to learn. The early minutes of the day are dedicated to routines, social-emotional learning activities, and building relationships with teachers and peers—key moments that set the tone for the rest of the day.

To help avoid tardies, we encourage families to arrive as early as possible. Doors open at 7:15 a.m., and we typically see minimal traffic at that time. You have the option to drop off at either the front or the back of the school. Please note that the doors at the back close promptly at 7:35 a.m. Teachers in the back will return to their classrooms at that time, so if it’s close to 7:35, we ask that you plan to drop off at the front of the school instead.

With colder weather upon us—bringing more walkers into cars and adding to traffic—families may want to plan for a slightly earlier departure to account for the additional vehicles. With over 1,000 students, arriving early helps ensure a smooth drop-off and allows your child to begin their day on time.

If your child is absent, please complete our Absence Reporting Form to ensure their absence is recorded accurately. Attendance is taken at 9:00 a.m., so students not in the classroom by that time will be marked absent.

For any questions regarding attendance or tardies, feel free to reach out to our registrar, Shannon Chambless, at Shannon_Chambless@roundrockisd.org. Thank you for your cooperation in helping us support every student’s success by fostering punctuality and good routines!

Congratulations to our talented 4th and 5th grade students for their outstanding achievements at the First Lego League Robotics Tournament!

• Devin S., Atharv K. (4th grade) placed 3rd in the Waco tournament, advancing to Regionals in February 2025.
• Adhvik K., Anirudh U., Arjun V., Om M., Parth B., and Vihaan S. (5th grade) earned 2nd place at the Austin tournament, also securing a spot at Regionals.

Competing against mostly middle school teams, these Leopards showcased their skills in coding, robot design, and innovation. We are so proud of their hard work and wish them the best in the next round!

• K-12 New Student Enrollment begins on January 8.
• Pre-K 3, Pre-K 4, and K-5 Transfer Applications open on April 1.

Find detailed information about the enrollment process from RRISD here.

Important Dates for Students/Families:

• February 3rd-7th: School Counselor Appreciation Week
• February 3rd: Battle of the Bluebonnets (3rd-5th)
• February 3rd: Reading Interim (3rd, 4th, 5th)
• February 4th: England Site Based Committee/CCNA (rescheduled from 1/21)
• February 4th: PRMS Elective Night (5th Grade @ PRMS)
• February 5th/6th: Spring Individual and Class Pictures
• February 6th: Science Fair Showcase Night
• February 7th: PTA Sponsored 3rd-5th Grade Assembly: The Physics Circus from UT
• February 7th: PTA Sponsored Movie Night!
• February 10th: Coffee with the Principal (9:00-9:45) RSVP Here
• February 14th: Valentine's Day Parties!
• February 17th: Student and Staff Holiday
• February 21st: PTA Sponsored Cultural Heritage Night

Looking Ahead/Save the Date:

• March 3rd: England Family Trivia Night (RSVP only)
• March 8th: PTA Sponsored Community Picnic
• March 27th: 5th Grade Music Performance
• April 1st: Early Learning Day (Incoming Kinder/PreK Tours)
• April 3rd: 4th Grade Music Performance
• April 4th: Field Day
• April 8th: RLA STAAR (3rd, 4th, 5th)
• April 10th: 3rd Grade Music Performance
• April 15th: Science STAAR (5th)
• April 22nd: Math STAAR (3rd, 4th, 5th)
• May 8th: England SPOTlight Night

LEOPARDS: Loyalty Empathy Open-Mindedness Perseverance Appreciation Resourcefulness Discipline Service

Shannon Chambless, Attendance Specialist

Jude Eaton, Counselor

Helen Frink, Counselor

Stephanie Johnson, Counselor

Emily Kupersztoch, Librarian

Taryn Ostendorf, Assistant Principal, Administrative Special Education Contact

Erik Weiler, Instructional Technology Specialist

Virginia Wilder, Assistant Principal, Administrative 504 Contact

Email: krystall_williams@roundrockisd.org
Website: england.roundrockisd.org
Location: 8801 Pearson Ranch Road, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-704-1200
Twitter: @kwilliamsEEE