Blog Archives

Student Safety- Arrival and Dismissal

1/29/2015

Parents,

Thank you so much for your receptive attitudes about putting student safety above convenience! With a few new practices developing in our arrival and dismissal procedures, we have worked hard to observe, problem solve, and communicate with all staff, parents, and students.

Please see the attached flyer for the back parking lot and specific procedures that are expected to help keep all students safe!

We appreciate all parents for using curbside drop off and pick-up for their children, or for walking their child(ren) safely across the crosswalk to drop off if they are car riders. Our crossing guards are certified crossing guards but always have their eyes on vehicles; therefore , your help is requested in getting your children safely across the crosswalks.

Again, thank you for putting student safety before convenience, and please know all guidelines are implemented in a manner to keep students safe. Student safety is a priority!

Thank you,
Tara Bailey

Parking Overhead View

A few mid-week updates

1/27/2015

Parents,

We've had lots of recent items to communicate to our stakeholders, so I apologize for any inconvenience multiple eBlasts may cause any of you. However, I want to be sure that you are well informed about your child's campus and opportunities available.

Below you will find some information from our THE's Clinic, Nurse Hunsicker, and from Mrs. Martinez regarding a STEM Engineering Festival for Elementary School Students.

THE's Clinic:
?

Nurse's News
As we move forward into the flu season, THE Clinic wishes to remind you that the flu is exceptionally bad this year and continues to infect people at a rapid rate. San Antonio came in second in the Nation for the most flu activity behind Oklahoma City. We are very concerned about the health and wellness of THE students and are asking you to inform us by email, phone call, note, or any means of communication if your child has contracted the flu, strep, mono, or any other illnesses. Tracking this information will help us note trends and will help make us all aware of the health state of Tuscany. Our desire is to keep Tuscany Heights a well and safe place for all to be.

We encourage the students to be proactive and “cover their cough or sneeze with elbow please”. Be reminded to practice this at home along with a good hand washing regimen. Please always keep your child home when they have a fever. Remember they are to stay home until fever-free for 24 hours without giving Tylenol, Motrin, or the like. This just reduces the temperature and not the infectious process.

Another reminder is not to send medicine with your child, even cough drops to school. NEISD policy indicates that students cannot carry it on themselves, in their backpack, or their lunch box at any time. This can cause an office referral with administrative consequences because it causes a student safety concern.

STEM Engineering Festival

Please join us at the STEM Engineering Festival Saturday, January 31st from 1pm – 5pm at Lee High School in the main gym. This is a free, hands-on event for elementary students to expose them to science and engineering in a fun way. ALL CHILDREN MUST BE ACCOMPANIED BY A PARENT/GUARDIAN. Flyer attached! Hope to see you there!

Please contact Claudia Martinez at 356-5501 or cmarti13@neisd.net with any questions.

Teens for Jeans, Johnson PAL Student

1/27/2015

Parents,

We have a Johnson High School Student that serves as a PAL Mentor here on our campus. She has asked if we could help support her in a collection called Teens for Jeans. She presented to the stduents on morning announcements today and left a donation box in the rotunda. If you have any jeans you would like to donate, we are "thanking you" in advance.

We want to support our community and Johnson High School in this collection. See the attached flyer for more information.

Thank you,
Tara Bailey

Teens For Jeans

NEISD District Survey

1/25/2015

District offers Facility Needs Survey January 23 – February 6

North East ISD is asking its community to participate in an online Facility Needs Survey from January 23–February 6, 2015. The survey will collect information on issues related to infrastructure, safety enhancements and facility improvements. The survey supports the district’s "Transforming the Future" strategic plan, which includes a goal to address inequalities across the district.

The community survey results will be used along with data gathered from a needs assessment completed by campus principals and selected district staff to determine future facility priorities. The data will be used by the Superintendent to determine whether to move forward with plans for a future bond program. The Board of Trustees has not called for a bond election and no proposal has been developed at this time.

You may participate in the Facility Needs Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/VB3DQZ8.

El Distrito ofrece cuestionario sobre las necesidades de las instalaciones Enero 23 – Febrero 6

El North East ISD solicita que su comunidad participe contestando un cuestionario sobre las necesidades de las instalaciones del 23 de enero al 6 de febrero de 2015. Este cuestionario recopilará información sobre temas relacionados con la infraestructura y mejoramientos de seguridad e instalaciones. El cuestionario apoya el plan estratégico del distrito "Transforming the Future", el mismo que incluye el objetivo de abordar disparidades a través del distrito.

Los resultados del cuestionario serán utilizados junto con los datos obtenidos de una evaluación de necesidades que llenaron los directores de planteles y el personal seleccionado del distrito para determinar futuras prioridades para las instalaciones. El Superintendente utilizará los datos para determinar si avanzar con los planes de un futuro programa de bonos. La Junta Directiva no ha llamado a una elección de bonos y no se ha desarrollado ninguna propuesta por ahora.

Usted puede participar contestando el cuestionario sobre las necesidades de las instalaciones en https://es.surveymonkey.com/s/VZ28FXM.

THE's Weekly eBlast

1/25/2015

Parents and Students,

School Safety is a PRIORITY! At Tuscany Heights Elementary, we have worked hard to develop and implement systems that keep are students safe during arrival and dismissal times. We have seen a few procedures that have been ignored lately, and we want to remind parents and students of the importance.

Please take a moment to review our campus drop off and pick-up procedures below. We’ve had some parents coming to the front entry way to pick up students in the afternoon; however, this causes a traffic jam indoors as our students are dismissing and we need to properly verify who students are leaving with each day. You are free to walk to the back door to pick up your students should you want to get out of your car. We have an efficient system but need your help to keep things moving forward!

We have also had some safety issues reported with drop off in the mornings with crossing guards, cars, and students and some afternoon concerns at the traffic light. We want all staff and students safe! I will be meeting with my staff to problem solve and look at any changes we may need to make here at THE.

ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL PROCEDURES/ PARKING LOT PROCEDURES

Parking Lot A: STAFF only (1st Parking Lot)

Parking Lot B: VISITORS Only (2nd Parking Lot)

Parking Lot C: STAFF Only (Parking Lot next to 1st, 2nd, 4th, & 5th Grades)

Parking Lot D: PARENT AFTERNOON PARK AND PICK-UP (Back Parking Lot)

***All parking lots are labeled.

BUS RIDERS: All students will have bus tags to identify their bus #.

CAR RIDERS: All students will have a car rider colored/numbered tag attached to their backpack that will match the colored/numbered car tag in their parent/guardian/car pool vehicle.

AFTERNOON PARENT PARK and PICK-UP: All students will be matched with their parent/guardian using the car rider colored/numbered car tag presented by the parents at pick-up time.

WALKERS/BIKERS: All students will be dismissed to their designated areas for dismissal.

DAYCARE: All students will be dismissed to the gym and seated according to their Daycare tag.

We have one VISITOR Parking LOT in the front (far front parking lot). If walking your child into the building, please park in the appropriate lot and use the crosswalk. In the afternoon, if you wish to come into the school to pick-up your child (ren), please use the designated back parking lot. All PARENT AFTERNOON PARK and PICK-UPs will park in the back and meet staff at the Rotunda doors. Parents will show their CAR RIDER TAG and your child (ren) will be sent to meet you. All students leaving in a car must have a CAR RIDER TAG that matches their parent/guardian tag. Otherwise, staff will direct you to the front office to show appropriate ID. We encourage all parents to use the car rider line for the safety of all students.

*If you have a change of transportation and will be unable to provide your car tag, please be sure that an email, note, or fax has been sent to the school.

CAR RIDERS- All car riders need a car rider tag for their vehicle and a matching tag for student back-packs.Students should be dropped off and picked up along the parent pick-up lane in front of the school. The back of the school is open between 7:30-7:45 for morning drop off and in the afternoon for parents wanting to meet their students at the door of the school. We have staff prepared to match their backpack tag with your car rider tag in hand. Please do not use the front of the school for this method as we have students loading cars and traffic consistently moving.

At the front of the school, weather permitting, we provide between 10 safety patrol students and some of our staff to open car doors and greet each student at the start of each day as well as to say good-bye to them in the afternoon. We encourage all parents and students to use our car rider line as it allows for a safe practice as well as one where we can build relationships with students and families while greeting.

Buses will drop off and pick up in the back parking lot.

On another note, it was a great week and our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders worked hard to show all their knowledge during their benchmark assessments. We are proud of them!!!

We hope to see you Sunday, January 25th at the SPURS Game to kick off our Run for the Heights and hear our choir sing!!

Also, please join us Feb. 3rd for our K-2 Leadership & PTA Night. Flyer Attached!

Other community happenings...we love to spend money on our students and instructional resources that they need! So, here is an opportunity for our PTA, who is always very generous with supporting student needs, to earn $1,000.

“Attached you will find a flier for the Red Dress 5K Fun Run & Walk Methodist Stone Oak Hospital is sponsoring on Saturday, February 7, 2015. In addition to being a great opportunity to get active with your peers, NEISD Employee Benefits has been advised that Methodist Stone Oak Hospital will be giving $1,000 to the PTA of the school with the most participants! To ensure your school receives credit, make sure everyone who registers from your campus includes the school name on the registration link (2nd page).”

This sounds like a great warm up to our Run for the Heights that will be coming February 28th! Let’s get heatlthy!!!!

Thank you to all for your continuous support of our staff and students!

Thank you,

Tara Bailey

Upcoming Events

Jan. 25th: SPURS Night- THE Choir Performs 3pm

Feb. 3rd: PTA Meeting/ K-2 Leadership Night (Flyer coming home soon)

Feb. 5th: Founder’s Day

Feb. 9th: Author Lisa Wheeler Presents to K-2

Feb. 24th, 25th, & 26th: Early Dismissal Days/ Student Led Conferences

Feb. 28th: Run for the Heights Fundraiser 5K/Fun Run

PTA News

Watch D.O.G.S. – We had a great turnout for our Donuts with Dads and filled over 50 Watch D.O.G.S. positions for the spring semester! It’s not too late to be a hero of the hallway! Contact Lawrence Saiz at watchdogs@tuscanyheightspta.org for more information. T-shirt order forms are due February 5. Click here to download an order form.

5th grade students – Shirts were delivered this past week. Don’t forget to make your mark by showing off your 5th grade spirit shirt on WILD Wednesday!

Want an extra shirt?
Don’t want to do laundry so often?

Printer’s error = THE’s gain! Buy reprints for $7.50

"Sweet for your School" Box Top Shop Returns

The “Sweet for your School” Box Top Shop is returning to Tuscany Heights for the second year! Shop at HEB for the Bonus Box Top Promotion from January 23-February 5. Purchase 10 Box Tops items and receive a coupon at checkout worth 60 Box Tops or $6 for PTA sponsored programs at our school! Attach all unexpired Box Tops to a Box Tops form with either tape or glue. Then bring your Box Tops to the shop in the rotunda February 9th-13th between 7:10 am-7:40 am. A minimum of one full sheet is required to buy a prize, but partial sheets will also be happily accepted. Click here for more Box Top sheets! Start collecting and clipping!!!

Winter Spirit Wear – Limited adult sizes are available in the office

Adult Long Sleeve Shirts - $20

Adult Hoodies - $27

Run For The Heights Race Registration is OPEN!!

http://runfortheheights.tuscanyheightspta.org/

Run For The Heights is just 5 weeks away! Race Registration contests flyers and forms have gone home (see links). Our student and class contests end Feb 6th! Keep bringing in those registrations!! Online registrations can be designated for your class as well. Student incentives include a spirit stick, extra tech time in class & a special lunch in the library. Class rewards include extra recess, the Tusky 50 Yard Dash, & a bounce house during PE. The top 2 classes bringing in the most registrations will earn a brick building party from Bricks 4 Kidz!!

Would you like to see our principals run the Fun Run dressed as a Super Hero? Would you like to get prepared for the 5K? You can do both by completing the 28-day Activity Challenge. If we have at least 350 T.H.E. students complete the daily activity log AND register for the Fun Run for 5K, then our principals will run the Fun Run dressed as Super Heroes!!! Let's synergize and reach our goal!! Start Monday, Jan 26 in order to be finished by Feb 23. Turn in the completed forms to the front office.

Are you not able to make it to Run For The Heights? You can still be a "Spirit Runner" for only a $10 donation. Contribute to Run For The Heights while you sleep in for Tusky!! These 100% taxable donations will still count towards the registration contests! (No t-shirts or goody bags provided for spirit runners.)

We are looking forward to a great event! See you on Feb 28th!!

PTA opportunities

If you’ve been waiting to settle in to the new school year before getting involved, or maybe you’re new to our campus, wait no longer! PTA could still use your help!

We’re looking for volunteers to fill the following chairs:

Cafeteria – Lost and Found – Legislative Action – Historian

We’re also looking for a volunteer to help with school pictures in the spring. If you would like more information or have any questions about any of the volunteer opportunities please don’t hesitate to ask. I’d be happy to visit with you.

Alana Harris, PTA President president@tuscanyheightspta.org

Plug in with PTA and Back the Future!

THE PTA Website www.tuscanyheightspta.org

Tuscany Heights Volunteers Link http://www.volunteerspot.com/group/35885320036

Methodist Stone Oak Red Dress Run Flyer
Top Dog Night 2014 K-2 Flyer

Author Lisa Wheeler Visits Feb. 9th

1/22/2015

Parents,

We have an Author, Lisa Wheeler, coming to visit K-2 on February 9th. Please see attachment if you would like to order autographed books.

Thank you,
Tara Bailey

Lisa Wheeler Pre Order Form

THE's Weekly eBlast

1/18/2015

Parents and Students,

NO SCHOOL MONDAY, January 19th – In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

We’ve had a busy, yet great week! This week our assistant principal, Mrs. McCurry, was introduced to our students on morning announcements. Some students gave her a very warm welcome and showed great leadership by stopping us in the hall to introduce themselves to her. We can’t wait until she is here officially. Mrs. McCurry is scheduled to start at THE on January 22, 2015. When you are on campus, please take a moment to welcome and meet our newest member to the Tiger Family.

Please join us Feb. 3rd for our K-2 Leadership & PTA Night. Flyer Attached!

On another note, we love to spend money on our students and instructional resources that they need! So, here is an opportunity for our PTA, who is always very generous with supporting student needs, to earn $1,000.

“Attached you will find a flier for the Red Dress 5K Fun Run & Walk Methodist Stone Oak Hospital is sponsoring on Saturday, February 7, 2015. In addition to being a great opportunity to get active with your peers, NEISD Employee Benefits has been advised that Methodist Stone Oak Hospital will be giving $1,000 to the PTA of the school with the most participants! To ensure your school receives credit, make sure everyone who registers from your campus includes the school name on the registration link (2nd page).”

This sounds like a great warm up to our Run for the Heights that will be coming February 28th! Let’s get heatlthy!!!!

Thank you to all for your continuous support of our staff and students!

Thank you,

Tara Bailey

Upcoming Events

Jan. 19th: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Jan. 20th: 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Math Benchmark- Closed Campus for our testers until 11:30

Jan. 21st: 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Reading Benchmark- Closed Campus for our testers until 11:30

Jan. 22nd & 23rd: 4th Grade Writing Benchmark- Closed Campus for our testers until 11:30

Jan. 25th: SPURS Night- THE Choir Performs 3pm

Feb. 3rd: PTA Meeting/ K-2 Leadership Night (Flyer coming home soon)

Feb. 5th: Founder’s Day

Feb. 24th, 25th, & 26th: Early Dismissal Days/ Student Led Conferences

Feb. 28th: Run for the Heights Fundraiser 5K/Fun Run

PTA News

Watch D.O.G.S. – We had a great turnout for our Donuts with Dads and filled over 50 Watch D.O.G.S. positions for the spring semester! It’s not too late to be a hero of the hallway! Contact Lawrence Saiz at watchdogs@tuscanyheightspta.org for more information. T-shirt order forms are due February 5. Click here to download an order form.

5th grade students – Shirts were delivered this past week. Don’t forget to make your mark by showing off your 5th grade spirit shirt on WILD Wednesday!

Want an extra shirt?
Don’t want to do laundry so often?

Printer’s error = THE’s gain! Buy reprints for $7.50

Run For The Heights Race Registration

Online registration is now OPEN!! Race registration contests flyers and forms have gone home. You can start collecting registrations from family & friends to earn cool rewards. Are you not able to make it to Run For The Heights? You can still be a "Spirit Runner" for only a $10 donation. Contribute to Run For The Heights while you sleep in for Tusky!! These 100% taxable donations will still count towards the registration contests! (No t-shirts or goody bags provided for spirit runners.)

PTA opportunities

If you’ve been waiting to settle in to the new school year before getting involved, or maybe you’re new to our campus, wait no longer! PTA could still use your help!

We’re looking for volunteers to fill the following chairs:

Cafeteria – Lost and Found – Legislative Action – Historian

We’re also looking for a volunteer to help with school pictures in the spring. If you would like more information or have any questions about any of the volunteer opportunities please don’t hesitate to ask. I’d be happy to visit with you.

Alana Harris, PTA President president@tuscanyheightspta.org

Plug in with PTA and Back the Future!

THE PTA Website www.tuscanyheightspta.org

Tuscany Heights Volunteers Link http://www.volunteerspot.com/group/35885320036

Top Dog Night
Methodist Stone Oak Red Dress Run

THE Night with the Spurs

1/14/2015

LAST CHANCE! FORMS DUE BY Friday, JANUARY 16th!

5th Annual Run for the Heights 5k Rally and THE Night with the Spurs, Sunday, 1/25, 3:30 PM: Join us for a night of fun with the Spurs! Take pics with the Spurs Coyote and Tusky, watch the Spurs warm-up, listen to our very own Tiger Beat choir perform on the court, and shoot a free-throw after the game! Tickets include a meal. Click here for THE Night with the Spurs form and return to your teacher by Friday, 1/16. Go, Spurs, Go!!!

THE Assistant Principal eBlast

1/12/2015

Parents and Students,

It is with such great pleasure that I eBlast a message to introduce our T.H.E. Assistant Principal. We have been anticipating this since before the holidays, and tonight, NEISD School Board approved Elizabeth "Beth" McCurry. We are thrilled to share this journey with her and I know that you will reach out and welcome her to our community. She is no stranger to NEISD, and we are honored for her to share her skills and passion for education at Tuscany Heights. We do not have an exact date of her arrival but within the next two weeks. I look forward to introducing her personally.

Below is a message from your assistant principal:

Dear Tuscany Heights Families,

I am very excited to join the Tuscany Heights team as the new Assistant Principal!

Currently, I am a Special Education Grade Level Chair and Co-Teacher at Oak Meadow Elementary. Over the past six years, I have served students in grades K-5, co-led our Organizational Health Team, created campus schedules, developed and delivered staff professional development and faculty meetings, hosted community coffee chats, and positively impacted student learning and behavior. This year, I received the Trinity Award for outstanding teaching and educational leadership.

I am passionate about Leader in Me and can’t wait to see how it’s implemented at Tuscany Heights. In 2013, I received the Superintendent’s Award for establishing procedures that led Oak Meadow to Leader in Me Lighthouse status. In 2014, I organized and led our school/community Leader in Me Careers on Wheels event, and I have led the student leadership rallies at Oak Meadow.

In December 2014, I graduated from the University of Texas in San Antonio with a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership.

Prior to becoming a teacher, I was a corporate event planner for four years in Austin. My husband and I are both proud graduates of the University of Texas in Austin, and we are the parents of three crazy dogs. I enjoy running, cooking, and spending time with my family.

I’ve heard amazing things about the faculty, students, and community at Tuscany Heights, and I am honored to become a Tiger!

See you all soon,

Beth McCurry

THE's Weekly eBlast

1/11/2015

Parents and Students,

It was a great first week of the 2nd Semester! We enjoyed having the students back with us and hearing about all the fun shared over the Winter Break. As you know the second semester can pass very quickly, so we dove right back into the instructional lessons this past week. We have district benchmarks for 3rd – 5th grade students, and Istation (Reading) and AMC (Math) Assessments for Kinder- 2nd grade students coming up at the end of this month. These assessments will let our teachers know the success of their instruction and the understanding the students have with many concepts. It also gives our teachers understanding of what needs to be taught and what needs some reteach time for students. We look forward to gathering this data and working with our students to reach success. We appreciate your support at home!

We did great with our 98% goal the 1st and 2nd nine weeks and slipped a little at the end during the start of the winter as expected with the flu and cold season. Please help us work together to meet our 98% attendance goal. With us all working together, we have increased our attendance rate each nine weeks in comparison to last year. With the students present, we can make great academic gains for all! Thank you for your support!

Congrats to our 5th grade students and teachers! They were in the top three NEISD Elementary Schools with the recent 5th grade Science Benchmark Scores. We scored a 90% passing rate along with Roan Forest Elementary. Encino Park and Vineyard Elementary Schools scored a point or two higher, 91% and 92%. We are so proud of their performance!!!

On another note, NEISD School Board meets tomorrow night, January 12th and among items on the agenda will be the Tuscany Heigths Elementary Assistant Principal. I can’t wait to share our school with someone fabulous. As soon as the board meets and approves, I will send an eBlast out to all our families. It will be a little later than my normal eBlasts but I will do my best to beat the social media sites, because I know everyone is anxious to hear about our new assistant principal.

Thank you to all for your continuous support of our school, staff and students!

Thank you,

Tara Bailey

Upcoming Events

Jan. 12th: NEISD School Board Names Tuscany Heights Elementary Assistant Principal

Jan. 15th: THE Spelling Bee

Jan. 19th: Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

Jan. 20th: 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Math Benchmark

Jan. 21st: 3rd, 4th, and 5th Grade Reading Benchmark

Jan. 22nd & 23rd: 4th Grade Writing Benchmark

Jan. 25th: SPURS Night- THE Choir Performs

Feb. 3rd: PTA Meeting/ K-2 Leadership Night (Flyer coming home soon)

Feb. 5th: Founder’s Day

Feb. 24th, 25th, & 26th: Early Dismissal Days/ Student Led Conferences

Feb. 28th: Run for the Heights Fundraiser 5K/Fun Run

PTA News

Watch D.O.G.S. – We had a great turnout for our Donuts with Dads on Thursday and filled over 50 Watch D.O.G.S. positions for the spring semester! It’s not too late to be a hero of the hallway! Contact Lawrence Saiz at watchdogs@tuscanyheightspta.org for more information.

5th grade students – Don’t forget to MAKE YOUR MARK by wearing your new t-shirts on Wednesdays!

5th Annual Run for the Heights 5k Rally and THE Night with the Spurs, Sunday, 1/25, 3:30 PM: Join us for a night of fun with the Spurs! Take pics with the Spurs Coyote and Tusky, watch the Spurs warm-up, listen to our very own Tiger Beat choir perform on the court, and shoot a free-throw after the game! Tickets include a meal. Click here for THE Night with the Spurs form and return to your teacher by Friday, 1/16. Go, Spurs, Go!!!

Run For The Heights Race Registration

Online registration is now OPEN!! Race registration contests flyers and forms have gone home. You can start collecting registrations from family & friends to earn cool rewards. Are you not able to make it to Run For The Heights? You can still be a "Spirit Runner" for only a $10 donation. Contribute to Run For The Heights while you sleep in for Tusky!! These 100% taxable donations will still count towards the registration contests! (No t-shirts or goody bags provided for spirit runners.)

Plug in with PTA and Back the Future! THE PTA Website www.tuscanyheightspta.org

Tuscany Heights Volunteers Link http://www.volunteerspot.com/group/35885320036