Welcome Back Message

As we ready for the first day of the new school year tomorrow, I want to offer you a few things that will make the school year a little smoother for you, your child, and everyone else.

Morning Drop-Off
If you feel comfortable allowing your child to walk in alone, please enter the car line on Greenbriar moving north.  Follow the car line east on Swift into the Circle Drive.  There will be only one drop off line, which will be supervised by faculty and staff, beginning at 7:40 a.m.  Planning your morning commute so that you arrive between 7:40 and 7:45 is ideal, and will reduce the time you sit in traffic. Faculty and staff will go into the building at 8:00 a.m.  We ask that all children are in class, ready for learning, no later than 8:00 a.m.

If you prefer to walk your child into the building, please find legal parking on the streets west of Greenbriar.  There is very little legal parking on streets around and behind the school.

First Day Packets
You received an envelope of important paperwork at Meet the Teacher.  Please complete and return that paperwork tomorrow morning.  If you did not attend Meet the Teacher, a packet will be available for you on Monday.

Pick-up
All students will be dismissed tomorrow and Tuesday at 3:15.  Please place the car tag on your rearview mirror with the number facing outward.  Your child should know the car pick-up number.  All cars using the pick-up line should have the car tag.  Cars without the car tag will be asked to park and walk up to this dismissal area.  During the first few days of school, as children learn their car numbers, the pick-up line will move a little slower.

After school care will begin later in the week on Wednesday.  Specialities sign-up is due on Wednesday and classes will begin next week.

Attendance
Students not in attendance tomorrow will be dropped from the roster.  Re-enrollment is based on space availability, and is not guaranteed.

PTO First Day Coffee
We invite you to join us in the Cafe for our annual first day coffee at 8:00 a.m..  Whether wiping away a few tears, or walking with a little spring in your step, sharing a few minutes together is a must do!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 5/26  Inclement Weather Make-up Day (Required Attendance); Roberts Idol Practice, 1:30 pm
Tuesday, 5/27  5th gr Promotion Ceremony, 6:30 p.m. Pershing Middle School Auditorium;
Wednesday, 5/28  5th gr Regal Ranch Trip; 4th gr Greek Festival; Kinder Piano Recital, 3:30 p.m.
Thursday, 5/29  LAST DAY OF SCHOOL; Roberts Idol, 8:15 a.m.; Year End Class Parties


Save the Dates!
Thursday, 8/21
2:30  New Parent Orientation
3:00 - 4:00  Meet the Teacher
4:00 - 5:00  Ice Cream Social and Opportunity Fair

Monday, 8/25  First Day of School!

It's a Big List of Aladdin THANK YOUs...

• 5th graders, who put so much hard work and passion into preparing for the show;
• Esther Pastore, Anjum Khan, Chandra De, Debra Balthazar, Tanya Zeiger, Ms. Savarese, Mary Murrey, PJ Oran and countless other moms who helped make costumes;
• PADRES, who moved us into and out of Hamman Hall; 
• Lamar HS Theatre Department, who served as technical advisors, as we began planning for the show;
• Lamar HS Photography and Journalism students who created our show program;
• Mr. Campbell, our master of sound;
• Our 5th grade teachers;
• Ms. Ballard, who painted sets, helped with costumes, managed shopping lists, arranged and rearranged schedules for rehearsal, and too many other things to mention;
• Ms. Walton, who kept EVERYTHING ELSE afloat on campus; 
• Pat Corte, Corte Enterprises, our Corporate Partner, for designing and building our set; and last but not least,
• Young Audiences Houston, our Arts Partner, who secures experts in the field who not only cherish the arts, but who also know the value of providing top notch arts education for children.

STAAR Scores
Student score reports from recent STAAR administrations will be in this week's Tuesday folder.  The score report will provide information about performance and growth from your child's STAAR score last year.  Please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher if you have questions after receiving your child's report.  (They will not be available before Tuesday.)


Thank you, Courtney Tardy!
Please join me in thanking Courtney Tardy for serving as our PTO President this past year.  You can't imagine the number of emails, phone calls, text messages, meetings and events our PTO Presidents manage, and Courtney has done that with grace.  She has given a tremendous amount of time and talent to align our resources to make Roberts great! Make sure you say thank you when you see her.


Have a great summer!  Stay safe, and make time for reading!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, May 19-Thursday, May 22  Aladdin, Jr. Tech Week
Monday, May 19  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); Aladdin Rehearsal
Tuesday, May 20  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times and 5:30-6:30 p.m.); Aladdin Rehearsal
Wednesday, May 21  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.; Aladdin Rehearsal
Thursday, May 22  Aladdin Dress Rehearsal School Show, gr 2-4, 1:30 p.m.; Aladdin, Jr., 6:30, Hamman Hall at Rice University (tickets required); LAST DAY FOR AFTER SCHOOL CARE & SPECIALTIES
Friday, May 23  Memorial Day Flag Ceremony, 7:45 a.m.; 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Monday, May 26  Inclement Weather Make-up Day (Please make every effort to attend school)

Portfolio Picnic

We look forward to having you join us for a student-led conference with your child.  You may choose to come for lunch on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, or if it is more convenient, come for dinner on Tuesday from 5:30-6:30 p.m.  Bring a picnic blanket and a meal to share while your child shares his or her portfolio.  If you have not let your child's teacher know when you are coming, please do so immediately.  Teachers and students have been preparing for this and are so excited to share this year's learning.

Memorial Day

Please remember that Monday, May 26 is a required school day. Students who are not in attendance on 5/26 will receive an unexcused absence.  The school will be be held accountable for attendance on that day, and our budget for the 2014-15 school year will be reduced if our attendance rate drops.

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, May 12  Rising 5th gr Parent Mtg, 8:10 a.m.; Aladdin Jr General Tickets Sales begins at 8:30 a.m.; Roberts Idol Auditions - Performers (5th gr only)
Tuesday, May 13  5th gr STAAR Math Re-Test; 3rd gr Field Trip; 2nd gr Field Trip; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show & Dinner, 5:30-8:00
Wednesday, May 14  5th gr STAAR Reading Re-Test;
Thursday, May 15  Student Coalition Meeting, 11:15 a.m.; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 p.m.; Kinder Portfolio Picnic, 5:00; Kinder Performance and Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, May 16  Roberts Idol Final Call Backs
Saturday, May 17  Arty Party School Carnival, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Monday, May 19-Thursday, May 22  Aladdin, Jr. Tech Week
Monday, May 19  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); Aladdin Rehearsal
Tuesday, May 20  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times and 5:30-6:30 p.m.); Aladdin Rehearsal
Wednesday, May 21  Portfolio Picnic gr 1-5 (lunch times); 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.; Aladdin Rehearsal
Thursday, May 22  Aladdin Dress Rehearsal School Show, gr 2-4, 1:30 p.m.; Aladdin, Jr., 6:30, Hamman Hall at Rice University (tickets required); LAST DAY FOR AFTER SCHOOL CARE & SPECIALTIES
Friday, May 23  Memorial Day Flag Ceremony, 7:45 a.m.; 3rd gr Business Fair, 8:30-9:30 a.m.

Monday, May 26  Inclement Weather Make-up Day (Please make every effort to attend school)

Aladdin Ticket Sales

Beginning tomorrow morning, Monday, 5/12, tickets for the 5th grade production of Aladdin, Jr. will go on sale to the full community.  You may purchase tickets to the show at the Reception Office beginning at 8:30 a.m.  We expect this show to sell out, and will not have tickets available at the door.  

Arty Party Carnival Volunteers

Have you signed up yet to help at the school carnival on Saturday?  We still need help at classroom booths, so when you hear from your room parent, a grand ole "YES!" will be music to the ears.  

Big Thanks!

Thank you for taking time last week to show your appreciation for our faculty, staff and administration. Our work is quite rewarding, but the little extras sure are nice!


Your Voice Survey
Don't forget to complete the District-wide school survey.  We need your help to increase our participation rate from last year!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
May 5-9  Stanford Testing; Teacher Appreciation Week

Monday, May 5  Stanford Testing; Roberts Idol Host Auditions (5th gr only)
Tuesday, May 6  Stanford Testing
Wednesday, May 7  Stanford Testing; Roberts Idol Auditions - Performers (5th gr only)
Thursday, May 8   Stanford Testing; Fine Arts Night
Friday, May 9  Stanford Testing; Kinder Field Trip (Bowman, Waterman, Shum & May)

Monday, May 12  Rising 5th gr Parent Mtg; Aladdin Jr General Tickets Sales begins at 8:30 a.m.; Roberts Idol Auditions - Performers (5th gr only)
Tuesday, May 13  5th gr STAAR Math Re-Test; 3rd gr Field Trip; 2nd gr Field Trip; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show & Dinner
Wednesday, May 14  5th gr STAAR Reading Re-Test;
Thursday, May 15  Student Coalition Meeting; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 p.m.; Kinder Portfolio Picnic, 5:00; Kinder Performance and Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 p.m.
Friday, May 16  Roberts Idol Final Call Backs
Saturday, May 17  Arty Party School Carnival, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Monday, May 19-Thursday, May 22  Aladdin, Jr. Tech Week


Stanford Testing
Testing begins Monday and continues all week for grades 1-5.  It is important that children get a good night sleep and have a good breakfast each morning.  Time for make-ups is extremely limited.  Please make sure your child arrives at school on time each day, and remains at school throughout the day.  Children arriving after announcements will not be allowed to enter the classroom until testing is completed for the day.  We will not be able to offer make-ups for missed subtests.

Your Voice Survey
You will find information in this week's Tuesday folder about the District-wide Your Voice survey.  Please take the time to offer your feedback on the work we are doing at Roberts.  Participation rate is one way the District measures our effectiveness, so please make you voice heard!

You will receive one survey for each school you have a child enrolled in this current school year.  The one you receive in the Tuesday folder is only related to Roberts Elementary.  Each survey has a code that can be used to complete the survey online, or you may complete the paper survey provided.  The unique code is to ensure you complete the survey only once for Roberts Elementary.  Please do not return the paper survey to school.  To maintain the integrity of the survey, we cannot accept it.

Teacher Requests

As you may know, one of the District's core initiatives within the Strategic Direction is to ensure a highly effective teacher is in every classroom.  The Roberts Community is so incredibly lucky to have a campus full of highly effective teachers.  There is no teacher on our campus that struggles to offer sound instruction, and a well-developed structure of support exists for teachers new to our campus. 

With that in mind, please let me share with you my thoughts on the often pursued “teacher request”.  I strongly believe requesting teachers builds a culture of favored and disfavored teachers that is toxic to a school community.   Often these impressions of teacher effectiveness are anchored by false opinions and rumors.  We do not accept teacher requests.  I will continue to stand firm on that and request that you honor it as well.

So, how will we make class assignments?  The teachers and administration will work to build strong groups of children that make sense together.  We will consider personality, behavior, academics and social development.  After groups have been formed, I will assign those groups to teachers. 

If you would like to share special characteristics that should be considered, you are welcome to submit that in writing to me.  You may do that by email or by leaving a letter in the office for me to review between now and the last day of school.  

Please let me thank you in advance for working within the system.  Your trust in our faculty is greatly appreciated.

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/28
Tuesday, 4/29  4th gr Field Trip; Costume Work Day, 9:00-10:30 a.m., Cafe; IB Art Show, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Twain ES; Progress Reports; Aladdin Early Ticket Sales Begin (5th gr families only)
Wednesday, 4/30
Thursday, 5/1  School Tour, 9:00 a.m.; Student Coalition Meeting; 1st gr Performance, 6:30 p.m., Cafe;
Friday, 5/2  PTO Meeting, 8:10 a.m.; Kindergarten Field Trip (Warner, Punch and Miller)

May 5 - 9  Stanford Testing, gr 1-5; Teacher Appreciation Week
Monday, 5/5
Tuesday, 5/6  Your Voice Survey Sent to Parents in Tuesday Folder
Wednesday, 5/7
Thursday, 5/8  Fine Arts Night, 6:00 p.m.; Aladdin Early Ticket Sales End
Friday, 5/9  Kindergarten Field Trip (Bowman, Waterman, Shum, May)

Monday, 5/12  4th gr Parent Meeting, 8:10 a.m., Cafe; Aladdin General Tickets Sales Open, 8:30 a.m. Reception
Tuesday, 5/13  STAAR Math Retests - 5th gr; 3rd gr Field Trip; 2nd gr Field Trip; Zoe's Kitchen Art Show & Dinner; 5:30-8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, 5/14  STAAR Reading Retests - 5th gr
Thursday, 5/15  SDMC Meeting, 3:30 p.m.; Kindergarten Performance & Promotion Ceremony, 6:00 p.m., Cafe
Friday, 5/16
Saturday, 5/17  Carnival, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.



Stanford Testing, gr 1-5, May 5-May 9
What is Stanford Testing?
Stanford is a national, norm-referenced achievement test, measuring your child's performance relative to the performance of other children across the nation.  Stanford contains subtests on reading, math, science and social studies.  Testing will occur daily next week, from Monday through Thursday.  Most testing will conclude before lunch, but some classes will continue with a subtest after their scheduled lunch period.  Please check with your child's teacher if your child has an appointment scheduled for next week.  We have only one day identified as a make-up day, and will not be able to make-up all subtests. Some subtests are used for grade promotion decisions, and is used as a part of the Gifted and Talented Identification matrix.

Stanford is really not something that can be studied for in advance.  The content on the test is general knowledge and application of information.  Teachers have been working with your children to help them understand the format of testing.

Save the Date for Portfolio Picnic!
Monday, May 19-Wednesday, May 21
30-minutes before and during your child's lunch period
or
Tuesday, May 20, 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Spotlight on IB:

What is Portfolio Picnic?

Parent-teacher conferences have been a standard practice, and the primary means of communication between school and home for decades.  Many educators, however, know the benefits of incorporating student-led conferences in that communication loop.  Student-led conferences are one way we can support students in developing ownership over their learning, and support the development of reflection as a learning practice. 

Teachers are preparing students for the student-led conferences that will be held through a Portfolio Picnic during the week of May 19th.  Each person has a role in the student-led conference.  For the student, the job is to lead the review and discussion of the work in their portfolio.  The parent’s role is to listen and review the work, and then participate in the reflection questions.  If your child gets stuck during the conference, here are a few questions that may help:

· Which pieces reflect one of your strengths?

· What challenges do you have in this subject?

· What are you most proud of?

This is also a time for students to set individualized learning goals for next year.  This is a time for parents to listen and coach, but not set goals for the student.

This year parents will have several options to accommodate your work schedule.  We are offering three days during the child’s lunch period, as well as Tuesday evening, May 20th.  

For both daytime and evening Portfolio Picnics, we invite you to bring a blanket and picnic meal to celebrate the conference.  It is a special time for your child, and I hope it will be a special time for you.

  

Intent to Return

Every Spring we begin making plans for enrollment for the following school year.  Part of that process is asking you for information about your plans.  You should have received an Intent to Return through US mail just after Spring Break.  If you did not receive a form, or do not know where your form is, please contact Ms. Sones in the main office.

Please return the form as soon as possible.  If you plan on your child returning to Roberts for the 2014-15 school year, we must receive a new electric bill to verify your place of residence.  The guidelines for residency are included with the Intent to Return.  Please ensure you are providing accurate information.

Your Voice, District-wide Survey

Next week in the Tuesday folder you will receive the district-wide Your Voice survey.  That survey has a unique identifier number to ensure your survey is attributed to Roberts, and to ensure only one survey is completed for each family for each school.  If you have children that attend another HISD campus, you will also receive a survey for that campus. 

You are asked to complete the survey online with your assigned code, or complete the paper survey and return in the postage paid envelope.  Last year only 31% of parents completed the survey.  We are setting the parent participation goal this year at 50% or more.  Please note, we are not allowed to accept your completed survey in the school office. 

News from Mrs. Graves

Wow! More than 35,000 views!

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/21
Tuesday, 4/22  STAAR Math gr 3&4
Wednesday, 4/23  STAAR Reading gr 3 & 4; STAAR Science gr 5
Thursday, 4/24  Teacher Appreciation Luncheon; Barnes & Noble Book Fair & Piano Performances
Friday, 4/25  Kinder Trash Fashion Show, 8:30 am

Monday, 4/28
Tuesday, 4/29  4th gr Field Trip;  IB Art Show at Twain ES, 5:30 pm
Wednesday, 4/30
Thursday, 5/1  School Tour, 9:00 am; Student Coalition Meeting, 11:15 am; 1st Grade Program, 6:30 pm
Friday, 5/2  PTO Meeting, 8:10 a.m.; Kinder Field Trip (Warner, Punch & Miller)

Intent to Return
Within the last few weeks you should have received an Intent to Return through the U.S. Mail, at the address on file with Houston ISD.  If you did not receive the Intent to Return by mail, you may request that we mail another copy.  You will not be able to pick up a copy in person.

Please return the form, with current proof of residency as soon as possible.  An electric bill is requested.  In the event you do not pay for electric service, Ms. Sones can help you identify another acceptable proof of residency.  We will be reviewing anticipated enrollment to make plans for next year.  It is very important that we know what your child's plans are for the upcoming school year.

If you have moved out of the Roberts attendance zone, Ms. Sones can help you identify which HISD school you are zoned to attend.


Tuesday Folder Volunteers
We will be administering STAAR on Tuesday.  The campus will be closed to visitors until testing is finished for the day.  Tuesday folder volunteers will receive an email around 1:00 p.m. to notify them that testing is over so that they may come to stuff folders.  As always, thank you for sharing your time with us!

District Policy on Medication at School

The District policy on medication may seem like an insurmountable obstacle on the rare day your child isn’t feeling well.  Parents are often tempted to send what seems like a benign cough drop in the backpack.  The big problem though is that having medication of any kind at school can be a very dangerous situation.  With allergy season in full swing, I thought it might be a good idea to remind you about the policy and consequences of sending medication to school with your child without the proper documentation with the nurse.

Procedures for requesting the nurse administer medication can be found on the HISD website by selecting H from the Department Locator.  The dropdown menu will allow you to select Health and Medical Services.  In addition to guidelines for requesting medication be administered to your child, you will find helpful information on childhood illnesses, and guidelines for vaccinations.

Having a prescription medication at school without proper documentation for the nurse to hold and administer is a Level III violation of the student code of conduct.  Because of the significant threat to the health and safety of all children on our campus, this would be treated very seriously.  Consequences identified by the school board include suspension or for older children, a referral to an alternative setting.

Please don't hesitate to give Ms. Felder, our school Nurse, a call to ask for assistance if you aren't sure. 

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/14
Tuesday, 4/15  5th grade Costume Work Day (need volunteers), 8:15 Cafe
Wednesday, 4/16  School Tour, 9:00 am
Thursday, 4/17  PTO Meeting, 8:10; ADHD Parent Ed, 8:15 CFI; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 4/18  Hank the Cowdog Performance, K-2 8:15, 3-5 9:30

Monday, 4/21 
Tuesday, 4/22  STAAR Math gr 3-4
Wednesday, 4/23  STAAR Reading, gr 3-4 & STAAR Science 5th
Thursday, 4/24  Barnes & Noble Book Fair and Piano Performance
Friday, 4/25

Friday Attendance

As I mentioned in my blog last week, Friday, 4/18 is a make-up day and classes will be held as usual.  If your child will be out in observance of the religious holy day, please send a written note or email to your child's teacher immediately stating that your child will be out due to religious observance.  Any student observing a religious holy day will have the absence removed from his or her record, in accordance with state attendance guidelines.  All other absences on Friday will be treated accordingly.

Early Pick-up

We are finding that more and more students are leaving early.  Every minute of instruction counts, and leaving early is very disruptive to the classroom.  Please make every effort to leave your child at school until we dismiss at 3:15.  I will be reviewing early pickup records this week and will make a point to meet with parents who are frequently picking up their children early.  

STAAR Testing and Tuesday Folders

Our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders will be taking STAAR tests on April 22 and 23.  As before, the school will not be open to visitors while children are testing.  We will send an email to Tuesday folder volunteers to let you know when testing has finished so that you can come to do your folders.  It will likely be close to 1:00 p.m.  Please do not come to campus prior to receiving the email.  Thank you in advance for your cooperation and flexibility.  

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 4/7
Tuesday, 4/8   Ms. Allison's Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Wednesday, 4/9  School Tour, 9:00 am; Ms. Barnes' Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Thursday, 4/10  Ms. Rodriguez's Class Play, 8:45-9:30 am, Cafe; Ms. Sheets' Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Friday, 4/11  Ms. Estrada's Class Play, 8:45-9:30 am, Cafe; Ms. Vanunu's Class Play, 2:00-2:45 pm, Cafe
Saturday, 4/12  MPCA Easter Egg Hunt @ Roberts, 9:00 am

Monday, 4/14
Tuesday, 4/15  Costume Work Day, 8:10 am, Cafe
Wednesday, 4/16  School Tour, 9:00 am;
Thursday, 4/17  PTO Meeting, 8:10 am Cafe; Parent Education: ADHD, 8:15 am Library; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 4/18 

Good Friday Religious Observation
Originally Friday, April 18th was scheduled as the Spring Holiday, but was always identified as a make-up day should the district be forced to close schools due to weather.  As you know, we have had to close schools twice this winter, and our first make-up day will be Friday, April 18th.

For some, Good Friday is a day in which families come together for religious observance.  The State allows families to decide to keep children out of school for some religious holidays without the penalty of an absence.

If your child will be out of school on Friday, April 18th, please send a letter as soon as possible to notify the school office that your child will be observing a religious holiday and will not attend school.  The school administration will be able to remove the absence from your child's record if we have a letter identifying Friday as a day of religious observance.

Absences on Monday for travel cannot be excused.


Costume Work Day
We will begin working on costumes for Aladdin on Tuesday, April 15th.  If you are available, join us for a really fun time together.  You do not have to have experience with sewing, but if you have a machine, bring it with you.

We also may need a couple of irons and ironing boards, a couple of glue guns, and we need any scrap ribbons or other embellishments.

RSVP with Esther Pastore at esther.pastore@comcast.net.  She can tell you what we still need.


3rd Grading Cycle Perfect Attendance
Congratulations to the 387 students who had perfect attendance during the last grading period!  Those students were awarded two free tickets to an upcoming Astros game.  Anyone who returned the ticket request on or before Friday will find the tickets in their Tuesday folder.  Any questions about the tickets can be directed to Ms. vanRavenswaay or Ms. Brown in Reception.


Building Persistence and Showing Your Work
I have spent time talking with teachers and parents recently about how often our brightest students are making simple mistakes on math problems that are well within their range.  We are seeing it more as the learning objectives demand that students be able to solve complex, multi-step word problems, or require students to identify the equation that would solve the problem rather than find the solution.

We are finding that our students have great number sense and can solve many problems without having to do much more than mental arithmetic.  The problem arises when they face more complex problems that require persistence and tenacity.  We are placing a stronger focus on "showing your work", and need you to help us with that when you check your child's homework.  When your child has nothing but a solution, ask him to go back and show his plan and show his arithmetic.  It is important in developing your child's ability to work through more difficult problems, but also helps the teacher identify what they are doing well and the areas in which they still need help.  Your child's teacher can gather information to support reteaching.

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 3/31
Tuesday, 4/1  5th gr STAAR Math; 4th gr STAAR Writing; Report Cards go home
Wednesday, 4/2  5th gr STAAR Reading; 4th gr STAAR Writing
Thursday, 4/3
Friday, 4/4  Rice Baseball Bash
Saturday, 4/5  Spring Community Night, 6:00 pm

Monday, 4/7
Tuesday, 4/8
Wednesday, 4/9  School Tour, 9:00 am
Thursday, 4/10
Friday, 4/11


STAAR Testing
4th and 5th graders will take STAAR exams this week on Tuesday and Wednesday.  Because of the various small groups, all offices and the library will be used for test administration.  Volunteers and visitors to campus will be limited while students are testing. 

Tuesday folder volunteers will receive an email when the folder contents are ready.  Please do not come to campus until you receive that email.  If you need someone to stuff folders for your class, please call the school and leave a message with the receptionist.



Enrollment Guidelines: What is Residency?

I am committed to keeping class size low at Roberts.  There are a number of factors that contribute to enrollment shifts.  The causes of increased enrollment tend to be very complex in schools like Roberts were enrollment fluctuates with the economy.  Our close proximity to the Medical Center makes us an ideal campus for medical personnel.  As grants and fellowships change with the economy, so does our enrollment.  At a time when there is little in the way of single family dwellings available in the neighborhood, much of our enrollment shifts come from multifamily dwellings such as apartments and condos.  These often serve as temporary housing while families look for homes in the area.  In addition to fluctuations resulting from the economic climate, enrollment can be impacted  by the reputation of the school.  Roberts has a reputation of being a very fine public school. 

With those things in mind, it is our responsibility to ensure that space is available for children from our community, and for those children accepted into our Magnet Program from outside of the school attendance zone.  We have a responsibility to confirm that all enrollments are valid, and comply with District policy and State law.

The question that often arises during enrollment relates to residency.  Residency is what qualifies you as an “in-zone” student.  So, what is residency?  Generally it is referred to as where you live and sleep every night, but here are some of the more detailed and specific criteria. 

1.   Does the parent/guardian who establishes residency own, rent or lease a home, condominium, apartment or living quarters within the attendance zone?

2. Does the family have furniture and personal effects in the attendance zone with no furniture or personal effects at a previous residence?

Does the parent/guardian receive personal mail in the attendance 1. zone?

2. Are the parents/guardians registered to vote in the attendance zone?

3. Does the parent/guardian regularly live in the attendance zone and plan to live there indefinitely?  Have all licensed drivers in the household complied with DPS regulations for changing address?

  

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 3/24  NTB Competition
Tuesday, 3/25
Wednesday, 3/26
Thursday, 3/27
Friday, 3/28   Kinder Field Trip

Monday, 3/31
Tuesday, 4/1   STAAR 5th gr Math, 4th gr Writing; Report Cards go home
Wednesday, 4/2   STAAR 5th gr Reading, 4th gr Writing
Thursday, 4/3
Friday, 4/4    Rice Baseball Bash
Saturday, 4/5  Spring Community Night


NTB Competition Day!
Tomorrow our Name That Book competitive team will take on five other HISD elementary NTB teams at 9:30 at MC Williams Middle School.  All NTB students are invited to wear their team t-shirts in a show of support.  The competitive team, along with our 10 invited team members will be leaving Roberts at 8:30 and will return after lunch.  Go team!

STAAR Testing
State tests begin next week for our 4th and 5th graders.  This is the first set of exams, with the remaining exams to follow later in April.  It is important that your child maintains a regular schedule this week and next week, getting adequate rest so that he or she may focus on the work ahead. You can help your child by reading the class blog for updates, and ensuring homework is done regularly. For upcoming testing dates, you will find a testing calendar in a previous blog post.

Have a great week!

News From Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 3/10  +Works Community Concert, Pershing
Tuesday, 3/11  Spring Pictures, class and individual
Wednesday, 3/12  1st gr Field Trip
Thursday, 3/13  SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 3/14  Field Day

Monday-Friday, 3/17-3/21  SPRING BREAK

Monday, 3/24  NTB Competition
Tuesday, 3/25
Wednesday, 3/26
Thursday, 3/27
Friday, 3/28  Kindergarten Field Trip
Saturday, 3/29  Hermann Park Kite Festival

Big Thanks
Wow!  The auction was a huge success this year!  So many people pitched in to make the event a very successful fundraiser and a wonderful celebration of the incredible community of our school. We are working on the final totals, and will be able to share the results just after Spring Break. Thank you for donating, underwriting, attending and/or bidding. Every form of participation is important to the process and we very much appreciate that you have supported us to raise money that will go to curriculum enhancement, technology upgrades, grounds enhancements, teacher training and classroom materials.

Jump Rope for Heart
Another example of the incredible generosity of the Roberts community!  Mr. Lytton reports that students raised $12,782.07 this year, benefiting the American Heart Association, with our top fundraiser, Hayden Hancock raising $510!

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 3/3   1st Day of Session III: Specialties
Tuesday, 3/4   Spring Picture Day; Election Site; 1st day of 5th gr Musical Rehearsals
Wednesday, 3/5  Jr Name That Book Competition; School Tour, 9:00 am
Thursday, 3/6  
Friday, 3/7   PTO Meeting, 8:10 am
Saturday, 3/8  Mardi Gras Masquerade Auction, 6:30 pm

Monday, 3/10  +Works Community Concert
Tuesday, 3/11
Wednesday, 3/12  1st gr Field Trip;
Thursday, 3/13  Staff Appreciation Luncheon; SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 3/15  Field Day; Lost and Found Clean Out; No After School Activities

Testing Schedule
Tuesday, 4/1 STAAR 5th Gr Math, 4th Gr Writing
Wednesday, 4/2 STAAR 5th Gr Reading, 4th Gr Writing
Tuesday, 4/22 STAAR 3rd & 4th Gr Math
Wednesday, 4/23 STAAR 3rd & 4th Gr Reading, 5th Gr Science
May 5-9 Stanford Gr 1-5


Mardi Gras Masquerade Auction
Saturday, March 8th, 6:30 pm
I do hope that you are planning to join the fun on Saturday evening!  The annual school auction is the primary fundraiser for our PTO, and raises money that goes directly to Roberts Elementary.  The PTO works to raise money to support classroom instruction and essential learning opportunities.  Money raised from ticket purchases and auction purchases that evening are important to providing professional development such as IB training, Rice University Mathematics School Program, and curriculum enrichment, such as Writers in the Schools and Young Audiences Residencies.  And its just a whole lot of fun spending the evening together!

Big thanks to the many people who are working tirelessly to put the finishing touches on our big event. Liz Singleton and her crew are working hard to make this a great evening for the rest of us! 


Magnet Enrichment
Our 5th graders will begin rehearsals on Tuesday for their stage production of Aladdin, Jr.  They will begin with auditions on Tuesday and Thursday.  All students interested in taking part in the after school enrichment will be given spots as members of cast, dance or crew.  Students not interested or able to stay after school for primary roles, will be learning the music during their music ancillary class, and will be members of the chorus.  All 5th graders will have a role in the production.

We want to get feedback on the last production from our 3rd grade parents.  Please take a moment to tell us what you think!

Magnet Enrichment Survey for 3rd grade parents:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/YY22C5Q





 

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 2/24
Tuesday, 2/25
Wednesday, 2/26
Thursday, 2/27  3rd grade Musical: Annie, Jr, 6:30 p.m; 4th gr Austin Field Trip
Friday, 2/28

Monday, 3/3
Tuesday, 3/4   Spring Picture Day
Wednesday, 3/5  School Tour, 9:00 a.m.
Thursday, 3/6
Friday, 3/7   PTO Meeting, 8:10 a.m.
Saturday, 3/8   School Auction, 6:30 p.m. (ticketed event)


Mardi Gras Masquerade
Auction
Saturday, March 8th, 6:30 p.m.
Rice University Grand Hall
Have you turned in your response card to let us know you are joining us for the Mardi Gras Masquerade? Turn those in as soon as possible!  This event is one of the most important fundraisers each year for Roberts Elementary.  You will have a great time and help improve teaching and learning in every classroom.  

**NEW** Online Auction Catalog now available!


Roberts Elementary presents Annie, Jr.
Thursday, February 27th, 6:30 p.m.
This year we have grown our Fine Arts program to include musical stage productions.  This week our 3rd graders will be performing Annie, Jr. on the Roberts' stage.  You are invited to join us for the performance.

With full stage musicals, we are using more elaborate lighting, sound, costumes and props.  We will not open the house for seating until 6:15 p.m. to allow for sound checks and to ensure our stage crew has adequate time to set props and costumes.  We will ask that you wait in a line at the back entrance in the south hallway when you arrive until the stage crew opens the door.


Enrollment and Residency
Many times families move during a school year and are interested in staying at Roberts. The only way to stay at Roberts if you have moved out of the school attendance zone is to apply for a magnet transfer.  Magnet Transfers are granted by lottery, when space is available in the specific grade level.  

The question that often arises during enrollment relates to residency.  Residency is what qualifies you as an “in-zone” student.  So, what is residency?  Generally it is referred to as where you live and sleep every night, but there are more detailed and specific criteria.  Simply owning property in the school zone does not qualify your child as an in-zone student if you actually live somewhere else.

1. Does the parent/guardian who establishes residency own, rent or lease a home, condominium, apartment or living quarters within the attendance zone?

2. Does the family have furniture and personal effects in the attendance zone with no furniture or personal effects at a previous residence?

3. Does the parent/guardian receive personal mail in the attendance zone?

4. Are the parents/guardians registered to vote in the attendance zone?

5. Does the parent/guardian regularly live in the attendance zone and plan to live there indefinitely?  Have all licensed drivers in the household complied with DPS regulations for changing address?

News from Mrs. Graves

More than 30,500 Pageviews!  Thanks for following!

Upcoming Events
Monday, 2/17
Tuesday, 2/18  4th/5th grade Field Trip: Lamar Theatre
Wednesday, 2/19  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm; NO AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Thursday, 2/20  Student Coalition Meeting, 11:15-11:45; SDMC Meeting, 3:30
Friday, 2/21  3rd grade Field Trip

Monday, 2/24
Tuesday, 2/25
Wednesday, 2/26
Thursday, 2/27  4th gr Field Trip: Austin; 3rd gr production of Annie, 6:30 pm
Friday, 2/28

President's Day
Many of you may have tomorrow off, but at Roberts we will be working hard! Know your children will be learning and well-cared for, and enjoy your day off. Maybe it's time for a spa day or a round of golf.

Transportation Services
Magnet students have long relied on district-provided transportation to get to and from school. Some of you may have never used district transportation before, but will in the coming years if utilizing the school choice system to attend a magnet middle school.  You may ask yourself, so how does transportation work?
 
The Transportation Department is a centralized service of the Houston ISD.  There are two primary divisions of transportation that you may come in contact with, Routing and Scheduling, and Motor Pool.

Routing and Scheduling uses an automated system to build the most cost-effective routes based on the number of students and stops.  Usually, stops for elementary school students are located on elementary campus and stops for middle or high school students will be located on similarly leveled campuses within 2 miles of the rider's home.  After the automated system creates a route, drivers provide feedback for about two weeks and then the Routing and Scheduling department makes manual adjustments to the stops.  These adjustments may be due to unforeseen traffic patterns or unexpected riders.

The Motor Pool is responsible for the drivers and the condition of the buses, and basically anything after the initial request for transportation and route creation.  It is most likely that you will have contact with the Motor Pool if your child is a bus rider.  There are people attending to incoming phone calls as long as any bus is still in route.  You can call at any time and ask for the location of your child's bus, or request an estimated time of arrival if the bus is not there on schedule.  The Motor Pool maintains a GPS location on all buses.

Any problems you have with transportation should be reported to the Area Manager or Terminal Manager and the school bus coordinator (Ms. Verner at Roberts).  We like to know if you are having trouble with a route so that we can also contact the people in transportation to help you resolve the problem more quickly.
You can find the numbers for the Northwest Motor Pool, or the people in charge of transportation, on the HISD website by accessing the Transportation Department webpage and viewing "Contact Us".  Or, print this blog post for handy reference.

Northwest Motor Pool       713-613-3049

Chandra Robertson – Terminal Manager                          713-613-3049 (ofc)    713-553-9847 (cell)

Email: crobert1@houstonisd.org

Tawana Rubit- Area Manager                                             713-613-3049 (ofc)    832-453-7568 (cell)

Email: trubit@houstonisd.org

Chester Glaude – Operations Mgr. - Transportation        713-613-3093 (ofc)     713-933-7017 (cell)

Email: cglaude@houstonisd.org

Aladdin
Our 5th graders will begin rehearsals during Session III of our Magnet Enrichment.  There is no cost, but there is quite a commitment required.  If your 5th graders is interested, get those forms in by the end of the week.

Auditions will take place the first and second day of rehearsals (Mar 4 and 6) to match skill to role for those interested in principle roles in the cast or those interested in dance.  All interested will be cast in the production.

The performance will take place on May 22nd on the Rice University Campus at Hamman Hall.  Seats are limited, and tickets will go on sale in the coming weeks.  Ticket sales will open for 5th grade families first, and then will be made available to the school community at large.  Want to get the best seats in the house?  Five seats, front row, center, will be auctioned off on March 8th!


New on the Library Shelves
Last week we received another shipment of books for the school library.  More than 300 new titles, including award winners in all genres are now available for our students! What do 300 new titles cost? About $7500!  That is in addition to the acquisitions last summer and the $2500 spent last fall to complement our IB Units of Inquiry, all part of the annual expenditure of $13,000.



Big Thanks!
Dan Easley, PTO Grounds Chair spent his Sunday afternoon on campus with a small work crew to trim the Crape Myrtles and clean out the water fountains.  You can show your appreciation by telling Dan thanks the next time you see him!

And next time you are on campus for an evening event, take a minute to appreciate the new lighting on the outdoor stage.  This improvement for our school community was funding by the PTO and installation was completed during the past week.



Are you a framer or do you know one?
Our after school art club has created a mosaic reproduction of Vincent van Gogh's Starry Night for the Auction on March 8th.  We are looking for someone to donate framing services.  Contact Ms. Ballard if you can help!  jballard@houstonisd.org

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 2/10  Peace Rally, 2:30 pm
Tuesday, 2/11  5th Grade Leaves for Camp; Progress Reports go Home
Wednesday, 2/12  
Thursday, 2/13  
Friday, 2/14  Valentine Parties

Monday, 2/17
Tuesday, 2/18  4th/5th Grade Field Trip (Lamar)
Wednesday, 2/19  Early Dismissal, 12:30 pm
Thursday, 2/20  SDMC Meeting, 3:30 pm
Friday, 2/21  3rd gr Field Trip


NTB Qualifier Test
Students began reading books for Name That Book last spring when the list of 34 titles was announced. More than 50 students began spending their lunch on Tuesdays reading in my office.  And over the last three months, more than 35 students have been joining together on Fridays during lunch to talk about those books.  The time has come to select the 6 most prepared Name That Book team members to represent us in the District competition. 

On Monday, beginning at 7:25, we will administer the NTB Competitive Team Qualifier test.  Students who have been reading the books from the NTB list should be at school no later than 7:20. The test will contain a quote from each of the 34 books. Participants will match the book title to the quote.  Students with the six highest scores will serve on the team.  The student with the seventh highest score will serve as the alternate.  I will also be selecting the next 10 highest scoring students to attend the competition to cheer on our team.


5th grade Goes to Camp
The weather forecast is showing temperatures as low as 32degrees with rain on Tuesday with it possibly rising to 72 degrees by Friday. Students need to come prepared for this weather. Please pack appropriate clothing for this weather.

Also, we had originally asked for parents to pack clothing in a large black (Olympia) or white (Forest Glen) garbage bag, depending on which camp your child is attending. If you are having difficulty finding the specific color requested, please pack the items in a garbage bag of any color. We will take care of this Tuesday morning and will ensure bags are labeled correctly and sent to the right camp.


Peace Week
Students are invited to wear a tie-dye tshirt or a shirt with a peace sign, or something that represents peace tomorrow for our Stand Up For Peace Rally.

We are collecting used men's button down dress shirts for our upcoming production of Annie. Can you help us out?

News from Mrs. Graves

Upcoming Events
Monday, 2/3
Tuesday, 2/4  District Spelling Bee; NTB Reading Day
Wednesday, 2/5  School Tour, 9:00 am
Thursday, 2/6  Student Coalition Meeting, 11:15 am
Friday, 2/7  PTO Meeting, 8:10 am

February 10-14  Peace Week
February 11-14  5th Grade Camp

Monday, 2/10  NTB Competetive Team Qualifier Test, 7:25 am; Peace Rally, 2:30 pm
Tuesday, 2/11  Progress Reports Go Home
Wednesday, 2/12
Thursday, 2/13
Friday, 2/14  Class Valentine Parties

Wednesday, 2/19  Early Dismissal Day (Professional Development), 12:30 pm

Kinder Stanford (SAT-10) Scores
Kindergarten parents will be receiving score reports from the December administration.  This administration is considered a baseline score for your child, and is not used for promotion decisions at the end of the year. The SAT-10 gives us a comparative look at your child’s academic performance level and that of other children across the nation in the same grade level.  The SAT-10 is designed with stretch, meaning the test includes prerequisite skills for Kindergarten, as well as items that test skills more traditionally taught in the grade level above.  The letter included with your score report will give you information on how to read the report, but a good place to start is by looking at the column labeled PR-S.  This column will tell you your child’s percentile rank and stanine.  A percentile rank of 50 is considered average, or typical for this test.  You may use the stanine to help you determine performance in broader bands.  Stanines 1, 2 and 3 represent performance that is below average.  Stanines 4, 5 and 6 are in the average range.  Stanines 7, 8 and 9 are above average performance.  Be cautious about using the GE (grade equivalence).  This information is often misunderstood.  A kindergarten student with a grade equivalence of 3.2 on the reading subtest, does not suggest the student is performing at the 3^rd grade 2^nd month level, but instead suggests the student made the same score as a 3^rd grader would on the kindergarten reading test. 


Magnet Enrichment
5th Grade Musical: Aladdin
Session III: March 4-May 22
5th graders will receive information this week about participating in our 5th grade musical this spring. Students will be able to choose their level of participation.  Students interested and able to stay after school will be able to choose from being part of dance, cast or stage crew.  Those who are not able to stay after school will be part of the chorus and will learn the music during their music ancillary class.

There is no fee for participating in the Magnet Enrichment after school, but students must be committed to the work.  Students who chose to take on a role as cast, dancer or stage crew are expected to attend all after school enrichment classes, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30-5:30.


Inclement Weather Make-Up Days
from www.houstonisd.org

HISD schools will now be open April 18 and May 26 for students, faculty and support staff to make up the days lost to wintry weather last Friday and this Tuesday.  The decision, made Thursday, adheres to the district’s 2013-2014 calendar adopted by the HISD Board of Education, which designated the Spring Holiday and Memorial Day as makeup days.

The Texas Education Agency mandates procedures for setting calendars and for designating and publicizing makeup days, and the public has an extended opportunity in advance of adoption of the calendar to comment on those days.  The calendar, as well as the 2014-2015 calendar, are posted on this website, as well.

For FAQs on makeup days, go to http://blogs.houstonisd.org/news/2014/01/27/your-make-up-day-questions-answered/.

Science Night
UT Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
Saturday, February 15th, 3:00-6:00 pm
Roberts families have been invited to Science Night, hosted by UT GSBS and MD Anderson Cancer Center.  Find more information in your Tuesday folder.


Pershing MS Accelerated Math and Science Placement Test
Many of our 5th graders will be attending Pershing in the Fall.  You can ensure your child is placed in the appropriate level math and science class by taking the placement tests scheduled for Saturday, 2/22 or Saturday, 3/1.  You will receive more information in this week's Tuesday folder.