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McNiel Parent Newsletter Aug 15
Back to School Info for 23-24 School Year
Hello, McNiel Families!
The first day of school is almost here! We are excited to get this new year started with your student. We hope you have found the other newsletters helpful. Don't worry if you missed the others because you just got your student enrolled. This newsletter will have all of the same information, plus any new information we needed to share with you.
We were excited to see so many of you last night at Meet the Teacher. There were a few hiccups with Skyward access! We are sorry if that is what you experienced. Please know that students will get a NEW copy of their schedule during their 1st period class along with a map as well.
6th grade students sit in the library/media center in the mornings.
7th/8th grade students sit in the student center in the mornings.
This year 1st period teachers will come to collect their classes starting at 7:20.
8th Grade Girls Athletics should report directly to the GYM. The back entrance is the best place!
Students who want to eat breakfast, which is FREE to all students in WFISD, they would report directly to the cafeteria. They will serve until 7:20.
This newsletter is typically sent out each Friday during the school year. It's a great way to stay connected and informed with campus events.
We know this is going to be a lot of information. Save this email for future reference.
Skyward Family Access
If your student did not attend Meet the Teacher night, they will need to know where their 1st period is for tomorrow. Syward is open for parents and students. You can login and see your student's schedule. All they need is their 1st period teacher's name.
All students will be getting an official paper schedule in their 1st period tomorrow. If you do not know how to login to Skyward, don't stress at this point. We'll get them to their 1st period. Counselors will be unavailable for phone calls and emails until after lunch due to processing new students.
This will take you directly to the login page for Skyward: skyward.wfisd.net
School Time Change
Our school times will be 7:30 - 3:00. Students are TARDY if they arrive after 7:30. Accumulated tardies have consequences. Please have your student to campus on time to start their day! Unlike at elementary, students in secondary can be tardy to each period and absences count for each period. All of these are part of truancy. Being on time and in attendance is critical for student learning!
Please note: The building will be open to students at 7:00 am. Students dropped off prior to 7:00 am will be unsupervised.
Please note: Students should be off campus by 3:20 unless attending practices or scheduled tutorials. Students remaining after 3:20 will be unsupervised.
Our bell schedule is pictured below for next year.
Contact Information - Please update
The counseling staff are back in their offices. If you have scheduling or registration questions, they will be able to assist you at that time.
Students A-L - Mrs. Polly Birkhead - pbirkhead@wfisd.net
Students M-Z - Mrs. Jennifer Bronaugh - jbronaugh@wfisd.net
Registrar - Ms. Finesse Lewis - fsanfordlewis@wfisd.net
Vaccinations - Required
Please email an updated shot record to Pam Myracle (pmyracle@wfisd.net).
Lunch Assignments
Lunch Account questions can be directed to Crystal Brock - cbrock@wfisd.net
7th and 8th grade students are assigned based on their 6th period teacher. Most 7th grade students will eat during B lunch and most 8th grade students will eat in C lunch. There are a few exceptions.
Important to make lunch a smooth process: You student needs to KNOW (memorize) their student ID number. If they purchase a lunch through the school, they have to enter this number in every time they purchase a lunch. Please tell them NOT to share their number with anyone.
This process will be explained to students prior to A lunch.
Lunch - it's important!
School meals for students are not free for all students. However, you may qualify for free or reduced lunch costs for your student. Please complete this form regardless if you think you may or may not qualify. Check out the link
Breakfast has always been free for WFISD students. McNiel starts serving breakfast at 7:00 - 7:25.
Eating with your student:
You are welcomed to eat with your student! However, you are ONLY cleared to eat with your student(s). When you arrive at your student's assigned lunch period, you will be directed to eat in the media center with your student. You can only bring food for you and your student. They cannot invite their friends to eat with you. They cannot take the extra food to their friends. There are government guidelines that regulate this process.
Our Food Service staff, under the direction of Crystal Brock, does a fantastic job in preparing wonderful meals for our students. You can check out the menus at this link. If you have questions about your student's lunch account, please email Mrs. Brock at cbrock@wfisd.net.
Bringing outside food:
You can also drop off outside food for your student. You will have to wait for your student to pick it up. You cannot just drop it off and have them called to pick it up. As you can imagine the lunch periods are very busy and our staff is spread extremely thin. We cannot spend time tracking them down. Tell them you are bringing lunch or get their early so we can send a pass for them to come to the office at the start of their lunch.
Please note when bringing lunch for your student, the same rules apply as eating with your student. You can ONLY provide lunch for your student. For example, you cannot bring 2 pizzas and they share with their friends at lunch.
We also will not accept Door Dash, Uber Eats, or any other delivery service for food items delivered for students.
Campus Connect
https://www.facebook.com/mcnielms
Additionally, make sure your contact information (phone and email) is updated in Skyward. When we do 'parent call outs' and emails these are the two modes of communication.
Lastly, a Parent Newsletter will be sent each Friday to the email addresses on file in Skyward. This will have campus news, events, and celebrations.
STAAR Scores UPDATE
We have an update to the STAAR scores. Originally, TEA (Texas Education Agency) told us the scores would be available to parents on Aug 11 in the TEA Parent Portal. We've found out that they have pushed that back to August 16.
While the timing is delayed, the good news is that you'll be able to access the parent portal through a one-click option in Skyward. When you login to your Skyward Parent Portal, you'll see a button in the top-right corner. This is where you'll be able to click and be taken directly to the TEA Parent Portal. You will not need the unique code since you'll already be in Skyward that will provide that information.
We'll send out another reminder at that time as well!
Bus Transportation Information
94-766-2113
Registration - InfoSnap & Proof of Residency Documentation
This message is to remind you that you MUST register your student through InfoSnap each year. This applies to new and RETURNING WFISD students. We have several families who have not completed this process (about 400). The district emailed the SNAPCODE which is necessary in order to register your returning student early during the summer months. If you cannot locate that email, please email Finesse Lewis @ fsanfordlewis@wfisd.net.
Additionally, please remember ALL STUDENTS need to provide current proof of residence. The following forms of documentation are acceptable for residency:
Current electricity bill
Current gas bill
Current water bill
Lease or Mortgage agreement
You can email this document to Finesse Lewis at fsanfordlewis@wfisd.net. Please make sure to include your student(s) name(s) on the documentation or in the email.
If you do not have one of the acceptable documents listed above please contact the student services office to fill out a residence affidavit at 940-235-1000.
If you have any questions, please call us at 940-235-1118.
WFISD Device Usage Fee
PICK UP AND DROP OFF INFORMATION
DROP OFF AND PICK UP Guidelines
Pickup and Drop Off:
The building will not be opened for student access until 7:00.
If you bring your student to school, please drop off after 7:00.
Students dropped off prior to 7:00 should remain on campus near the entrance doors in the well lit areas until the doors open at 7:00.
The back glass doors are locked at 7:30 in the morning. Students should be dropped off at the front entrance if arriving after 7:30. Students will not be allowed entrance through the back doors after 7:30.
Students should be picked up by 3:20 unless attending after school events. Most after school events end at 4pm and rides should be arranged for that time period.
Students who walk to school or walk home should use the designated crosswalk for safety when crossing Barnett or other streets. The expectation is that students who walk home leave campus at the dismissal bell unless attending after school events.
PARKING AREAS
After school is dismissed, parents may pick up their student in the front driveway or the back parking lot. If you choose the back parking lot, please park in the designated parking spaces. The curb area is reserved for busses.
Parking in the front drive is NOT allowed for dismissal until 2:50. Please do not arrive to pick up your student until 2:50. This keeps the driveway clear for parents who are picking up their student for appointments. This also leaves access for emergency vehicles if that need should come up. If you do arrive early, you can park in one of the spaces with yellow lane markers.
PLEASE do not park along the RED curb while waiting for your student. There are two lanes of flow-through traffic in the front drive.
Make sure you get in the correct lane depending on if you need to go LEFT or RIGHT on Barnett Rd.
Other:
Parents should plan in advance to pick up their child for appointments. If you call ahead, we can have the student waiting on you and the process will be quicker. Remember, you will need your ID and come in to sign your child out for an appt.
Dress Code
*No athletic shorts of any type/length will be allowed. This is a district policy.
*No pants/joggers with words or images will be allowed.
Here is a link to the updated dress code guidelines. There is a also a slide presentation that includes visuals. The students will receive this same information during the first week of school.
WFISD Apparel Store
To place your order, visit the following link: https://brocro.printavo.com/merch/wfisdstaff2023/
Orders must be placed by the end of the day on Sunday, August 27. Orders will be shipped or ready to pick up at BroCro Creative by September 14.
A portion of all WFISD Apparel Store sales will benefit the WFISD Foundation to be used for teacher grants and other student needs.
School Supplies
Please note: one of the supply items are ear buds. These MUST be wired, meaning they would plug into the chromebook. We do not allow wireless ear buds (air pods).
The District has partnered with TeacherLists to make school supply shopping easier. Click on the link below and then select your child's school and grade level. At the top of the page, you will see an option to purchase the entire list online through a pre-filled cart on Amazon or Target. You can even customize the cart and only get some of the items online or add wish list items if you choose.
Electronic Device Policy (Phones & Watches)
We understand there are times you need to contact your student while they are in school. We ask you do this in two ways: through the main office by calling or use the student's school email account. These will allow your student to stay focused on their lessons during the day.
Here is the full Electronic Device policy that you can look through. Check out this infographic compiled from data gathered last year in our 8th grade College/Prep classes. We wanted to know how often during the day a student's phone alerted them with any kind of notification. It was interesting that this data came from only a 45 minute period and not all day long.
Attendance
You can also use this form to request that a student be in the office for pick up. For example, if you need to pick them up by 10:30 for an appointment, you can submit a request in the morning. We'll send a pass for them and have them waiting for you. However, you have to get this request in as soon as possible.
You can also email notes to Stassi Mier (smier@wfisd.net) if that's easier for you. Student would drop off notes in office A. Please make sure the student's name is on the note.
Calling and asking for Stassi Mier or Emma Morris to request a student to be picked up is still a good format. Either option you use, YOU still have to come into the building to sign out your student.
McNiel Expectations
Each student will receive a booklet, Your Guide to Success at McNiel Middle School, during their 1st period class on Wednesday. We have mini-lessons that the teachers will be going over during the first three days of school. Teachers will also be going over their own classroom expectations.
We know that school is more successful when parents and the school form a partnership to ensure the success of the students. We hope that you'll engage in conversations about these topics with your students when they come home. We hope that you'll support the school as we outline these expectations. Below is a picture that has the schedule and topics we will be discussing with all of the students.
Volunteers - We're always needing some
PTO
We need all parents to help out at some point with something on campus! Please consider joining PTO.
The President this year is Jennifer Peacemaker. If you are interested, please reach out to her via email at mcnielptowf@gmail.com.
We are always needing various volunteers to help out on campus, be a mentor, for field trips, or to be presenters in class. If you are willing to be contacted regarding these opportunties, please complete the volunteer application form for WFISD.
Here is a Parent Involvment Interest Form that we would appreciate you completing. Parent involvement decreases when students enter secondary schools. We believe this is because you are unaware of the opportunities to stay involved! We need you in our partnership to help the campus be the best it can be. If you are interested in being involved, please complete this interest form. Thank you! Remember, all volunteers must have a completed background check. That link is included below.
Here is a link to the volunteer application on the district website.
Athletic Info (7th & 8th grade)
Students participating in Athletics MUST have a completed physical. Here is a link to a form that can be printed to take to a clinic or your family doctor. For Football, they must have a completed physical to receive their equipment.
Information must be completed in Rank One for every athlete. Here are the instructions for completing Rank One.
If you have questions, please reach out to Traci Stegall at tstegall@wfisd.net.
Boys enrolled in Athletics
Jeff Moore is the boy's coordinator. You may reach him at jbmoore@wfisd.net if you have questions.
Social Media Cautions for Parents
Picture Day!
Retakes are Oct 3.
School Calendar for 2023 - 2024
Feedback is always welcome!
Here is a link to our "How are we doing form"?
McNiel Middle School
940-235-1118
FAX: 940-235-1119