HaPpY Holidays to one and all!!!
This is the time of year when lots of things are going on. I hope everyone enjoyed Thanksgiving and are now looking forward to all the December holidays and the New Year. This time of year, there is lots of singing going on especially from our Snapping Dragons under the direction of Mr. Isom. As always, the Snapping Dragons represented Castle Hills beautifully while performing at the Hebron Feeder Concert. I always get lots of congratulations after they sing. They are absolutely the best even if I am a little bias. This group also brought holiday cheer to the shoppers at Stonebriar Mall with their beautiful voices.
To those of you who took the time to come to my coffees, thank you. The conversations at every grade level were wonderful. Many of your suggestions have already been implemented. It is only together, communicating with one another can we make Castle Hills an even better school for your children.
BIG Kudos to all parents! As you are aware we have been working very hard in trying to lower our morning tardies. Reducing morning tardies is part of our Campus Improvement Plan and supports maximizing academic time in the classroom. Below is data from the first nine weeks. What a FANTASTIC job on getting your children to school on time. Thank you!
To keep our tardies headed in the right direction, please note that as the weather gets colder the drop off line gets longer. Take this into consideration and plan on leaving your house a few minutes earlier. Remember our doors open at 7:15. Students still need to be at school by 7:35am and in their classrooms ready to learn at 7:45am. Thank you in advance for your help with this.
The holiday time is very busy for your family and filled with lots of activities both on the weekends and on school nights. Help your students by making sure they get a good night’s sleep and breakfast before coming to school. This will help them focus in school and keep the holiday excitement at bay.
A friendly reminder about prearranged absences and signing your student out before the end of the day. - The district allows up to 5 school days to be excused and I will not approve more than 5 days at any time. If you choose to take more than 5 days, the balance of the time your children are gone will be unexcused. What that means is that they can’t receive a grade for any work, quizzes, or tests on those unexcused days. This definitely affects their overall grade. Also, please understand that even the excused days are part of the 90% state rule for attendance. Tardies: The State considers a tardy to be any part of the day that a child is not at school. Therefore, when you take your child out before the end of the day, this is considered a tardy. Most of this time students are taken out early for a doctor’s appointment. The office staff makes it a point to ask you to bring a note from the doctor so the “tardy†can be excused and any work missed including tests and quizzes can be made up. If you choose to take your child out early for any other reason (ex: Adventure Guides Campout, going out of town, etc..) please fill out a prearranged absence form so that your child’s tardy can be excused. Please contact Norma Umanzor or myself if you have any questions.
This is a joyous time of the year and is absolutely contagious. It is also the time of year when we tend to be reflective and count our blessings. As I reflect and count my blessings, I want to thank you for allowing me to be a part of and serve such a fantastic community. You and your children are one of my many blessings. The support you provide to the staff, faculty, and me is phenomenal. It also makes Castle Hills Elementary more than just a school where students learn. Castle Hills Elementary is a family where we guide, teach, and provide for the well-being of the whole child. I wish you all a safe, happy, and healthy Holiday and New Year. See you in 2019.
Mrs. Donna J. Taylor, M.Ed
With Thanksgiving behind us and the Winter break just around the corner, we get so excited about the fun activities and delicious food that we forget to take care of ourselves. Tack on the crazy weather of a Texas fall/winter…freezing temperatures one day followed by hot temperatures the next. We can easily open ourselves up to illness.
Currently, allergies and a cold virus are hanging on for long periods of time. And now, we’re headed into the flu season. There are a few things that have changed over the years regarding the flu and its symptoms, but there are still some things that remain the same.
The CDC (https://www.cdc.gov/flu/takingcare.htm ) tells us that we do not always get a fever with the flu. In times past, we were told that the flu came on suddenly with a high fever. While it still comes on suddenly, it isn’t always accompanied by a fever. This is good to know. Other symptoms can include: runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting and sore throat.
If you think you or a family member have the flu, contact your primary physician. You only want to go to the E.R. if there are symptoms that indicate the need for immediate medical attention. Of course, the symptoms vary depending on the age of the individual. But in general, medical care needs to be received when there are no tears when a young one is crying, or skin has a blue color, or there is trouble breathing. Dizziness, confusion, or severe vomiting also warrant an exam.
The rules for preventing the spread of the flu have not changed over the years. Handwashing is at the top of the list. Wash hands before eating and before touching your face. It is also a good idea to wash your hands when you arrive home. Keeping hands away from eyes, mouth and nose are the hardest things to do, but it is a key to keeping viruses at bay. If you have sneezing and coughing be sure to use a tissue, or at least the crook of your elbow.
Whether it’s you or your child who are sick…please stay home and rest. Continuing to go to work or school spreads the virus onto technology items around you, not to mention the people near you.
I hope we have fewer cases this year than we had last year. Let’s all make an effort to stay healthy.
Lillanne Kohler RN
Castle Hills Elementary
Office: 972-350-5303
