One week until Spring Break!  Looking forward to sleeping in a few days and relaxing.   But don’t forget to change your clocks on Sunday, March 10. 

Congratulations to all our Kingdom Tales authors.  And thank you parents for encouraging your students to participate in this program.  Don’t forget that each published author will have a $3 credit to use at our Book Fair which is March 25 – 29th.  I am so excited about the Book Fair and hope you take some time to browse and buy a few books.  We will have evening hours on Thursday, and each purchase helps Mrs. Teal buy more books for the library.  

The next PTA General meeting will be on Thursday, March 28th at 6:30 pm.  The 3rd grade is hosting.  We will be holding our annual election at this meeting and welcoming a new PTA president and officers.  Looking forward to see you there and at the Book Fair right after!   

Speaking of elections…we still have a few open positions for the 2019-2020 school year. Please visit our website for a list of open positions.  We are so lucky to have parents who are willing to volunteer and help us provide such great programming for our children.  There are many different ways you can contribute.  If you have any questions or need more information, please contact our Nomination Committee Chair Kelly Little (kellybrantleylittle@yahoo.com). 

Do you know any parents with an incoming Kindergartner or new student for the 2019-20 school year?  Please remind them that they need to register their student online on the LISD website (https://www.lisd.net/Page/21761).  Kindergarten and New Student registration will be held on Wednesday, March 27th through Friday, March 29th at 8:30 – 11:30 am and 1:00 – 2:00 pm at the school.  The PTA will be giving school tours, will set up booths explaining our programs, and will have spirit wear available for purchase.

With the year winding down, I hope you continue to participate in each program that our PTA volunteers are enthusiastically planning.  We have a calendar full of events.  Make sure to check our website regularly for updates (www.chepta.net). 

 Please let me know if you have any questions or suggestions. 

Truly,

Nina Samuel
CHE PTA President 2017-2019

Sun & Water Safety Week begins March 4th. It is a time to increase our awareness of sun and water safety practices.

Sun Safety:

With the sun’s rays constant all year round, it is important to make sure you know the best way to protect you and your family. This means that many of us will be stocking up on sun protection products. However, we often find that our sunscreen is not an effective blocker after it’s too late and our skin has already been damaged.

To help educate you and your family about sun protection, here are some common phrases to look for on your sunscreen bottle:

• SPF:Always wear products with an SPF (Sun Protection Factor) of at least 15 (SPF 30 is recommended for children under age 6). If you’re going to be out in the sun longer than an hour, you may want to use an SPF of 30. Also, be aware that SPF indicates the level of protection against UVB (burning rays) and not UVA rays that cause premature skin aging. For the best protection against the sun, look for products that offer broad spectrum protection that contain UVB and UVA filters.
• UVB: (Ultraviolet B Radiation) rays penetrate the upper layers of the skin, causing sunburn. Be sure to consider the recommended SPF to prevent sunburn.
• UVA:(Ultraviolet A Radiation) is a type of radiation from the sun that may cause premature skin aging. It can penetrate the skin and cause damage at deeper levels, even if the skin’s surface feels cool. In fact, the level of UVA is almost the same in the winter as it is in the summer. To protect yourself, use a sunscreen that contains a UVA blocker like avobenzone.
• Broad Spectrum Protection:Sunscreens containing both UVB and UVA filters offer the most coverage against both types of rays. Sunscreens which also contain antioxidant vitamins E and C provide additional protection.

Understanding how to protect you and your family from the sun is the only way to prevent skin damage and premature skin aging. Remember to cover up, find some shade, wear sunglasses and apply the right sunscreen for optimal sun safety.

Water Safety:

Splashing, wading, and paddling — it must mean a great day in the water. Playing at the beach, at a water park, by a lake, or in a pool can be a real treat on a hot day.

Swimming is a lot of fun, but drowning is a real danger. Even kids who know how to swim can drown, so let's focus on staying safe in the water.

Safety is Cool at the Pool!

Following these safety rules will help keep you safe around water:

• Always have an adult watch you / never swim alone
• Don’t go in water over your chest if you can’t swim
• Always walk around the pool - don’t run
• Listen to lifeguards and obey pool rules
• Never play rough games in the water
• Always jump feet first and far away from the side when you jump in
• Never push someone into a pool or jump on someone
• Only dive in a diving area

 Be healthy and stay safe in the sun and water!

The PTA Volunteer Program is one of the best ways that parents can support the students and staff at our school. 

Please review the brief descriptions of each volunteer area and indicate your preliminary interests. Your contact information will then be forwarded to the CHE PTA board member or committee chair that is in charge of that activity.  Someone will be in touch with you soon.

Please be aware that Board Policy requires that each volunteer undergoes a background check before working with students.  You will need to complete the background check during your VOLY account creation process. Go to VOLY now to get started:  

Here are sign up opportunities to support our school, teachers, and students:

YEAR-ROUND

Thanks for volunteering! 

On Saturday, February 23rd, the four Destination Teams from Castle Hills Elementary joined over 170 other K-12 teams for the annual Trinity Valley North Central Region Destination Imagination tournament.  These students have been working weekly the last six months on creating a solution for a chosen or given challenge - Technical, Scientific, Engineering, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Service Learning, or Early Learning.  Though DI is parent-led, the solutions are entirely student-driven and created, and the focus of the program is not only gaining scientific, technical, or performance skills but also teamwork, collaboration, problem solving, and respect for others and their ideas.

The teams did exceedingly well, and we cannot be more proud of them!  This year, our three competitive teams (3rd-5th grade) also chose to do the Service Learning challenge which means they did a community service project in addition to creating a performance.  We are happy knowing that our students were able to lend support to the Scottish Rite Hospital, Operation Kindness, 4Ocean, and the Ocean Conservancy.  

Thank you to the parents, teachers, and friends who volunteered their time on tournament day on behalf of the teams or came out to support the students during their performances.  We appreciate you!

If you would like to know more about the Destination Imagination program at Castle Hills Elementary, you can visit CHEPTA.NET under Programs & Events --> Programs --> Destination Imagination.

Destination Imagination (DI) is a global educational nonprofit dedicated to inspiring the next generation of innovators, leaders and creative problem solvers.

 1st Grade Team - DI Shining Stars

3rd Grade Team - Unicorn Pusheens 

3rd Grade Team - Evil Poisonous Bananas

5th Grade Team - Marconies

PTA's mission is to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.

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