News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 10/27  
Tuesday, 10/28  NTB Reading Day
Wednesday, 10/29  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 10/30
Friday, 10/31  Field Day; NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30

Magnet Awareness Week, 11/3-11/7
Monday, 11/3  School Tours, 9:00 & 1:00
Tuesday, 11/4  Election Day; NTB Reading Day
Wednesday, 11/5  School Tours, 9:00 & 1:00
Thursday, 11/6  School Tours, 9:00 & 1:00
Friday, 11/7  PTO Meeting, 8:10, Cafe; School Tours, 9:00 & 1:00; NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30; Jungle Book Rehearsal, 1:30-3:00

Saturday, 11/8  RE Family Day of Service at Books Between Kids (sign up on our website)

Wednesday, 11/12  4th Grade Production of Jungle Book, 6:30 pm

Field Day

Friday is our annual Field Day.  Make sure your child is dressed for an active day. Children should have athletic shoes for the day.  No Crocs or sandals, please.  Your teacher will be providing a schedule and any details specific to class participation.

RE Family Day of Service - 11/8
Thank you to everyone who has already signed up. Please join us to help count, sort, and pack donated books for kids who don't have their own books. We are looking for 50 more volunteers. Please go to www.robertselementary.org for a link to our volunteer sign-up. 

Note From Our Webmaster:

Hi Roberts parents,

If you'd like to access the parents-only areas of the school website and don't yet have an account, please email roberts.info.services@gmail.com with your full name and your child's name and grade. You'll receive a return email with instructions for signing in.

3rd Grade Musical 
Just Around the Corner
Our musical theatre program, in its second year, allows students to be involved in a full stage production, either during the school day or after school.  All 3rd graders will participate in the program, learning the part of the chorus during weekly music class.

This week sign-up information will be sent home to all 3rd graders about our afterschool magnet enrichment classes for stage craft, principal roles or dance roles.  Our 3rd graders will be performing Disney's 101 Dalmations Kids.  

Please note that while there is no charge for this afterschool experience, it is not childcare. Students will be expected to be engaged in the work.  This is a fantastic experience for students who show an interest.

And in case you didn't know, our musical theatre program is a collaboration with Young Audiences Houston, who helps us find local expert artists for instruction.  In fact, Psophonia, who works with our dancers, is listed #4 as one of the Top 10 Contemporary Dance Companies in Houston by Houston Press magazine! http://blogs.houstonpress.com/artattack/2013/11/the_rest_of_the_best_houstons_21.php

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 10/20  
Tuesday, 10/21  NTB Reading Day
Wednesday, 10/22  
Thursday, 10/23  
Friday, 10/24  Family Camp Out (Ticketed Event)

Monday, 10/27  
Tuesday, 10/28  
Wednesday, 10/29  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm; Parent Conferences
Thursday, 10/30
Friday, 10/31  Field Day; NTB Book Talk, 11:30-12:30


Transcript Request
Fifth grade families will begin thinking about middle school options over the next few weeks. We will provide one full copy of your child's transcript upon request.  Please request early, as it may take up to one week to process your request.  

10 Tips for a Successful Parent-Teacher Conference
from familyeducation.com

1. Talk to your child.  Ask your child if there is anything that he would like you to discuss with the teacher.
2. Be prepared. Jot down everything that you want to talk about at the conference.
3. Be on time.  Arrive promptly or a few minutes early.
4. Start off on the right foot. Begin with positive comments about the teacher or the classroom.
5. Stay on track.  Avoid lengthy discussion of topics that are not related to the purpose of the conference.
6. Listen to what the teacher has to say.  Be open-minded to suggestions from the teacher.
7. Stay calm.  Keep your emotions under control.
8. Tell your child what you discussed.  Take notes about what has been discussed to share with your child.
9. Show gratitude.  Express appreciation for the conference.
10. Stay within your conference time.  Do not stay beyond your allotted time.

Bullying or Not?

Through our work with +Works, we have been able to offer parents a handy resource for helping a child who is struggling with a classmate, +Parenting Guide.  You can find the guide on the Roberts website if you don't have a copy.  

We are often quick to term any social struggle as bullying, but it is very important that we help differentiate behaviors to help our children resolve occasional conflicts with peers and friendship issues on their own.  

The article in Teaching Tolerance, There are No Bullies, Just Kids Who Bully, offers good information and explores bully behaviors.  Bullying is repeated, targeted behavior, and is defined in the article as:

For behavior to qualify as bullying, two conditions must exist:

• The aggressor must intend to hurt or intimidate someone less powerful.
• The behavior must be repeated.

If you have concerns about social interactions between your child and a classmate, make sure you reach out to your child's teacher.

School Grounds Closed Friday

The school grounds will be closed on Friday, beginning at 5 p.m. and will re-open on Saturday morning at 10:00 a.m.  

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events

Monday, 10/13
Tuesday, 10/14
Wednesday, 10/15  4th Gr Field Trip; Middle School Information Night, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 10/16  2nd Gr Field Trip; SDMC Meeting, 3:30
Friday, 10/17  

Monday, 10/20
Tuesday, 10/21
Wednesday, 10/22  
Thursday, 10/23
Friday, 10/24  

Wednesday, 10/29  Early Dismissal - Parent Conferences

Communicable Disease Management

Taken from Health and Medical Services webpage on www.houstonisd.org

Infectious and communicable diseases account for millions of school days lost each year, most often as a result of colds and flu. Because students are in group settings in which people are in close contact and share supplies and equipment most of their day, transmission of infections from person to person can occur. During flu season it is especially important to use good hygiene practices to reduce the spread of germs. Please help to keep your child and our schools healthy by:

• observing your child each day for signs of infection which may include coughing, colds, fever, itching on the skin and scalp and unusual rashes. 
• keeping sick students at home and seeking medical attention for severe illness.
• encouraging your child to practice good hand hygiene.
• adopting healthy practices, such as disposing of used tissues and coughing into a sleeve rather than into a hand.
• keeping children home until free of fever for 24 hours (without fever reducing medication) reduces the risk of spread.

Choosing the Right Middle School

You have so many wonderful choices for middle school!  Choosing the right school for your child may seem like a daunting task.  There are a number of online resources to help you with choosing the right school for your child. I particularly like the checklist found on greatschools.net 

Here are a few things they recommend to a prospective parent for consideration:

· Do the classrooms look cheerful?

· Is student work displayed, and is it appropriate for the grade level?

· Do teachers seem enthusiastic and knowledgeable? (Notice whether they are asking questions that stimulate students and keep them engaged.)

· Is the principal confident and interested in interacting with students, teachers and parents?

· Do students act respectfully toward each other in class, during transitions and at lunchtime?

· Are facilities well maintained, the bathrooms clean and well supplied and do the grounds look safe and inviting?

· What is the school’s state rating?

Here is a list of MUST SEE places when you are visiting a campus:

1. Go into the bathrooms to see if they are clean and feel safe.

2. Ask to visit the cafeteria during the lunch period if it is not on the standard tour.

3. Make a stop in the library.

You may want to talk with any students or parents who might be helping with the tour.  How do the students feel about their school?  What is the best thing, and what is the most challenging?  Ask parents about the PTO.  An active parent group will help you stay connected at a time when it is difficult to stay connected with your child’s life away from home.

You can also do some of your research online before you go.  Visit the school website to learn about special offerings, extracurricular activities and special awards the campus may have received.  Visit the HISD website for the school profile.  It will tell you about academic standing, attendance, discipline, and enrollment.  You may also visit the Texas Education Agency website for a school academic profile. 

Middle School is a dynamic time in the life of your child.  While this decision is definitely a decision for parents, it is important your child is involved in that process.  

I would encourage you to visit schools first without your child.  Apply to many schools then take your child to tour after you receive admission letters.  It may save some heartache if the first choice school really isn’t an option.   

If you want to take your child with you on the first round tours, all area Middle Schools will host tours in the afternoons during Magnet Week.  Removing your child during the afternoon for those tours will not impact your child’s attendance record.  I remind you though that absences to visit schools when official attendance is taken at 9:30 are unexcused.

  

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events

Monday, 10/6
Tuesday, 10/7
Wednesday, 10/8  Kinder Parent Meeting, 8:10 Cafe
Thursday, 10/9
Friday, 10/10  Altered School Day - Dismissal 12:30; International Festival 3:00-6:00

Monday, 10/13
Tuesday, 10/14
Wednesday, 10/15  4th Gr Field Trip; Middle School Information Night, 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Thursday, 10/16  2nd Gr Field Trip; SDMC Meeting, 3:30
Friday, 10/17  



Kinder Parent Meeting
On Wednesday morning, October 8th, from 8:10-8:45 a.m. I will be available to meet with Kindergarten parents who have questions about how we are addressing and supporting instruction in Kindergarten classrooms.  


Altered School Day - International Festival
This Friday, our community will come together to celebrate the diversity of our school.  The International Festival volunteers have been working very hard to organize an event that will amaze.  

Students will attend classes from 8:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., and then are encouraged to come back to campus with a parent or guardian for the International Festival at 3:00 p.m. Students will be given a passport and are encouraged to visit all countries to learn about the music of the culture.  Students will also receive a schedule of events and performances.

Dismissal at 12:30 will be a full school dismissal, as there will be no after school child care or Specialities.  There will be no HISD bus service, but we have communicated with the private child care providers that usually pick up at Roberts.  You may want to communicate directly to make sure they understand the altered schedule.

We will provide an opportunity on Wednesday for you to tell us how your child will go home.  We will send a paper form for you to complete and return on Thursday.  We will create a dismissal plan after we know how many families will choose each option.  The dismissal plan will be sent home on Thursday. 


Planning Trips for the Holidays
Planning a big trip for the holidays?  As you make plans for holiday travel, please take a moment to look at the school calendar.  Travel cannot be excused, and any student with three or more unexcused absences are in violation of compulsory attendance laws.

To avoid violating attendance laws, some international families have chosen to withdraw their students and then re-enroll upon their return.  I am very concerned, specifically for families of kindergarten students and magnet students.  Because of the high enrollment in Kindergarten, we will not be able to re-enroll your child in Kindergarten.  Magnet students are attending on a magnet transfer, and upon withdrawal, we have been told the transfer is no longer available.  

Please feel free to email our Registrar, Ms. Walji (awalji@houstonisd.org), about your specific situation if you have questions.

Thanksgiving: November 26-30.  School resumes Monday, December 1
Winter Break: December 20-January 5.  School resumes Tuesday, January 6


***Exciting Field Trips just around the corner!  Are you an approved Volunteer through the VISITS system?  If not, please contact Ms. Niksch for more information.

Have a great week!