January 27, 2021 - Welcome to the Spring Semester! - Houston ISD
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January 27, 2021
Welcome to the Spring Semester!
We're so excited that Bush Elementary will start the second semester with more children
returning to in-person learning!
We have many protocols and procedures that must be followed for the safety and security of
all students, faculty, staff, and parents. Here is an overview to the procedures that were
explained at the beginning of the school year.
Arrival must be staggered to ensure students are staggered and therefore, socially
distanced.
Carpool students will be screened from their cars starting at 7:20 a.m.
True walkers/bikers (you leave your house and walk/bike to school) will be screened by
the bike rack starting at 7:20 a.m.
Daycare riders will be screened starting at 7:20 in the bus lane.
NO student will be dropped off and left to wait outside the building.
Parents may not park their car and walk their students to the walker line. If you leave your
home in a car to come to school, then your child must be dropped off in the carpool lane.
Morning arrival will take longer than before because the Bush Wellness Team must take
the temperature of every child before leaving the carpool lane or the walker line.
All adults and children must wear a mask at all times while on school property.
Patience will be needed as we adjust to the morning arrival procedures.
All students will need to take part in lessons on a technology device during the day and will
need to bring a technology device to school daily. Please make sure this device is charged.
Also, students should bring headphones if they have them. All classrooms previously had
technology devices, but we had to distribute them to families that needed technology at home.
For the past few years, technology use has been a daily part of the instructional program.
The school day will be different as the students will stay in their classroom all day and the
switch teacher and specialist will come to the classroom for instruction. All students, faculty,
and staff must wear a mask at all times in the building. All students will have a 30 minute
recess time daily and will be required to wear a mask outside as well. Students will need to
bring a water bottle to school daily as all water fountains on campus are off-limits to reduce
touch points.
Lunch will be eaten in the classroom, with the exception of second and fth grades eating in
the cafeteria. Students may remove their masks while they are eating. As soon as they're
nished eating, then the mask must be worn. If students are not eating the HISD sack lunch,
then the students must bring their lunch from home. There will be no drop offs of lunch or any
other items during the day. Reading glasses and technology are the only items that may be
dropped off at the o ce.
Dismissal will be staggered to ensure we can keep everybody six feet apart. All students need
to have a dismissal number in case your child is being picked up in the carpool lane or as a
walker at any time throughout the year. Parents will receive a detailed paper explaining times
and locations to wait for the start of your grade level's carpool dismissal time when they pick
up their dismissal number.
Dismissal number pick up for students returning to in-person learning is Thursday, January 28
from 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. in the bus lane.
Dress code guidelines are shown a few articles below.
There will be no after school activities or visitors to the building during the fourth six weeks
from February 1 - March 12.
We look forward to the return of over 50 students to Bush Elementary!!!
Fourth 6 Weeks
We're excited to have 448 students return to in-person learning. Bush Elementary is moving to
a concurrent learning model for the rest of the school year. This means in-person and virtual
students will be learning live with the classroom teacher. There will no longer need to be
teacher changes each 6 weeks. In addition, if a child or class needs to quarantine, then it is a
seamless switch without changing teachers or schedules.
It will take some time to get used to this new learning model for teachers and students. The
fth grade teachers and students started in the concurrent learning model on December 7 and
have done a great job adapting to this style. We are using the lessons learned from their
rollout to prepare for the other grades moving to concurrent learning. While we would have
like to have teachers just for in-person students and teachers just for virtual students, our
b f t d t i hl i t l d h l t l k thi i bl
option. Over 90% of all HISD elementary schools have been utilizing the concurrent learning
model since October when schools opened for in-person learning.
Bush Elementary has the most incredible, creative, hard-working, and dedicated teachers who
are planning and preparing to make the rest of the school year from February 1 - June 11 a
powerful learning experience.
Parent Meeting Live Event Recording - January 26, 2021
Ms. Rose held a virtual parent meeting on Tuesday to share information about our new
learning model and answer parent questions. In case you were unable to watch the meeting
live, here is a link to the recording of the meeting. Please follow these steps to watch it: Click
on the link, Click on Download, Click Download Anyway, Click Open, Click View Downloads,
then open the recording.
Parent Meeting Live Event Recording - January 26,
2021
Dismissal Number Pick Up - Bus Lane
If your child is returning to Bush Elementary for in-person learning from February 1 - March 12,
then you will need to stop by to pick up a dismissal number and directions. All carpool riders
and true walker/bikers will need a dismissal number to ensure a safe and socially distanced
dismissal.
Please come to the bus lane on Thursday, January 28th from 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
Valentine's Fundraiser
We have Nothing BUNDT Love for our Bush Bobcats!
Bush PTO is pleased to partner with Nothing Bundt Cakes – Energy Corridor to bring you a fun
Valentine's Day fundraising event! We are selling individually wrapped Bundtlet miniature cakes
for $5 each. You can purchase cakes for your student, their teachers, administrators, cafeteria
staff, custodians, or any of our other fantastic Bobcats!
The cakes come in Chocolate Chocolate Chip, Classic Vanilla, Lemon, or Gluten Free
Chocolate Chocolate Chip. In person students, faculty and staff will receive their deliveries in
their classrooms, and we will have a socially distanced drive through pick up as well for virtual
students
Don’t want a cake, but you want to show your appreciation for all of our hard-working staff?
You may also make donations that will go towards ensuring that ALL of our Bush teachers
and staff receive a treat showing them just how much we appreciate all of their hard work
during this very di cult time.
The deadline for ordering your Bundtlets is 12:00 noon on Tuesday, February 9, so visit our
website at www.BBEPTO.com to place your order, or make your donation, today!
Guiding English Learners to Success: TELPAS Parent
Informational Meeting
The Multilingual Programs Department is hosting the 1st annual district-wide Texas English
Language Pro ciency Assessment System (TELPAS) Parent Informational meeting on
Saturday, February 6, 2021. (see attached yer). The event offers our district's parents and
communities an opportunity to access important TELPAS resources, learn what questions to
ask, and how to support English language development at home.
TELPAS-Parent-informational-M… drive.google.com
Food Distribution for Greater Houston - January 29
More than 1.1 million people in Greater Houston are considered food insecure, meaning they
lack consistent access to enough nutritious food to fuel a healthy life. To help address this
staggering issue, the University of St. Thomas has partnered with the Houston Food Bank to
help ll the pantries of those in need.
We invite the Houston community to attend the St. Thomas/Houston Food Bank Mobile Food
Distribution on Friday, January 29, from 4 - 6 p.m., to pick up pre-packaged groceries free of
charge, while supplies last.
For us to meet the needs of everyone who attends, we kindly ask that you follow these
instructions upon arrival. If you have any questions, please contact the University Events
Department at: events@stthom.edu.
Event Details
Date: Friday, January 29, 2021
Time: 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: 3800 Montrose Boulevard, Houston, TX 77006
Directions: Click here
Who Can Attend?
Anyone who is experiencing food insecurities is welcome to attend all of the Mobile Food
Distributions hosted at the University of St. Thomas campus. These events are intended tohelp families throughout Greater Houston who are in need of fresh produce and nonperishable
items, and is not limited to members of the University.
What Protective Measures Will Be Taken?
The mobile food distribution is a contactless, "drive-through" service
· Volunteers follow safety precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including wearing
masks and gloves
· Volunteers load pre-packaged bags of dry goods and produce into trunks/hatchbacks, so
please make room
· Tra c control will be implemented and enforced
· If you have any symptoms of COVID-19 please stay home and arrange for someone to pick
up food for you
Bush Elementary Dress Code Guidelines 2020 - 2021
While there is no speci c dress code, there are dress code guidelines that must be followed.
Masks
Masks must be worn over the mouth and nose at all times while at Bush Elementary,
whether inside the building or on school property.
Shirt
Must have sleeves and cover the stomach (ie. no tank tops, no crop tops)
No jerseys or team uniforms unless it’s for a speci c school event.
Dresses/Skirts
Must be longer than the tip of ngertips while standing up with arm along the side
No ball gowns, fancy dresses, or costumes
Pants
No rips, tears, holes, words on the pants
Leggings may not be worn as pants, but may be worn under an appropriate length
dress/skirt
Pants must be at the waist
No sweatpants, jogger pants, compression pants, athletic pants
Shorts
No rips, tears, holes, words on the shorts
Leggings may not be worn as shorts, but may be worn under and appropriate length
dress/skirt
Shorts must be at the waist
No athletic or team uniform shorts
Shoes
T i h d df f tToes must be covered and the heal is secured in the shoe
No ip ops, sandals, shoes with heals
Earrings
May not be longer than 1/2 inch
Hats
No hats may be worn inside the building, unless there is a spirit day
Clothing must not be disruptive to the educational process.
Rolling Backpacks
Will be allowed due to carrying extra materials
Parent Illness and Positive COVID Student Cases
For the safety and health of all Bush Elementary students, faculty, and staff, we need parents
to keep their child(ren) at home if you (the parent) is sick and/or you're waiting for your COVID
results. All the positive cases of students we’ve had at Bush Elementary have come from the
students getting COVID from their sick parents. Parents are putting all of Bush Elementary at
risk for COVID when you are sick and send your child (even healthy) to school.
We want to keep Bush Elementary open for in-person learning. However, when there are too
many teachers and staff quarantined along with classes of students, we don't know if we can
safely be open and run school.
Please do not send your child to school if you (the parent) are sick with any COVID like
symptoms mentioned in the article below. The two positive cases we had today occurred
because parents were sick and sent their children to school. The parents ended up testing
positive and then, as can happen if you don't quarantine in your house, your child(ren) will
most likely end up testing positive for COVID as well.
We understand parents may not be able to quarantine themselves from their children when
they're sick. If that is the case, then keep your child at home and we can switch your child to
virtual learning.
Quick Morning Carpool Lane
The morning carpool lane is moving quite quickly and most mornings (with the exception of
rainy days) we're nished taking the temperatures of students in the nal cars by 7:43 - 7:45
a.m. Please make sure you're in line by 7:40 a.m. so your child will not be tardy.
Walker/Biker LineThe walker/biker line is for families that live close by and walk/bike to school. Parents are not
to park their car along Parkway Plaza Dr. or Westerloch and walk their children to the walker
line. If you are driving your child to school, you must go through the carpool lane.
We know many parents are parking around Bush Elementary and walking their children to Bush
to be a "walker" as the neighbors are calling us to report the cars blocking exits to
neighborhoods.
Masks On!
It is vital while children are in school that we remain a safe environment and we all play a part
in preventing the spread of COVID-19. As a sensible precaution, parents and ALL visitors of
any age are required to wear a mask at all times while on school property including during
pick up and drop off times if outside their cars. Bush Elementary property is all land inside the
street-side sidewalks.
A Healthy Bush Elementary
The most up-to-date articles about keeping Bush Elementary healthy are in the current week's
Paw Prints. Many times parents just scan over these articles because it doesn't currently apply
to them. Hopefully, your child will not be exposed to a presumed positive or positive person
whether at school or outside of school times. However, if your family or your child have an
exposure to a presumed positive or positive COVID case, then you will need to thoroughly read
the health articles in that week's Paw Prints. Next, you will need to contact our school nurse,
Dianne Guider, R.N. at dguider@houstonisd.org and our school secretary, Zonia Flores at
zonia. ores@houstonisd.org as they will explain next steps.
Thank you to all the families that are going above and beyond to help keep their children
healthy and safe as this keeps all Bush Elementary's students, faculty, and staff healthy and
safe!
School Board Recognition Month!
Thank you, Holly Flynn Vilaseca, for serving as our HISD
School Board Trustee.
In-Class Instructional TechnologyPlease make sure to send your child to school with a charged technology device every day. Cell phones are not an appropriate technology device to use during the instructional day at school. If you are in need of a technology device to bring to school each day, then please contact Jennifer Bard at jbard@houstonisd.org and she will get back to you with the permission forms once a device is available. Cell phones must be kept in a student's backpack from 7:30 - 3:00 and be on mute. A Healthy and Safe Bush Elementary Please continue to practice healthy habits. Please do not send your child(ren) to school if exhibiting even one of the COVID symptoms shown below. Please email Dianne Guider, our school nurse, dguider@houstonisd.org and our school secretary, Zonia Flores at zonia. ores@houstonisd.org or call the school at 281 368-2150 if your child is at home sick. Nurse Guider will need to determine when your child can return to school. If your child is exposed to someone who is a presumed positive COVID case or a positive COVID case, then your child will need to quarantine from school for 10 days (this is a change from 14 days) from the exposure date according to HISD's policies. If a student is a presumed positive, then your child will need to quarantine for 10 days. We appreciate all the families that are being honest and letting us know of exposure or possible exposure and are self-quarantining. If you need to quarantine due to an exposure, then we will switch your child to a virtual teacher for the quarantine time period so instruction can continue. Health and Safety Above All Else HISD has a VERY broad de nition of a presumed positive COVID case – you only need to exhibit symptoms with no COVID testing. Look at the symptom list below and you will notice many of the common cold symptoms will trigger a presumed positive designation. Children that are sick, regardless of a temperature, need to stay home. Previously, the nurse’s message was if there’s no fever, but sni es and a sore throat, the child could be at school. Now, those symptoms qualify as a presumed positive COVID case. HISD is considering any individual exhibiting one or more symptoms of COVID-19 as presumed positive. Please do not send your child to school if exhibiting the symptoms shown below. Please email our school nurse, Dianne Guider, at dguider@houstonisd.org and our school secretary, Zonia Flores at zonia. ores@houstonisd.org to determine when your child can return to school COVID-19 symptoms: *F li f i h dt t t th l t 100 00 F
* Loss of taste or smell * Cough * Di culty breathing * Shortness of breath * Fatigue * Headache * Chills * Sore throat * Congestion or runny nose * Shaking or exaggerated shivering * Signi cant muscle pain or ache * Diarrhea * Nausea or vomiting We have lots of folks under our roof every day. For the health and safety of ALL students, faculty, and staff, it is very important that children stay home when they are ill. Students who have thrown up during the night or who are running a fever cannot be sent to school. If your student complains of and exhibits any COVID19 related symptoms, they will be sent home to quarantine for 10 days. Please contact Dianne Guider, our school nurse, at dguider@houstonisd.org and our school secretary, Zonia Flores at zonia. ores@houstonisd.org to determine when your child can return to school. HISD COVID Terms - A Primer HISD has different quarantine timeframes for the various designations. Below is an overview to all the terms being used: Exposure - Students not showing signs of any symptom, but was around and in close contact with a presumed positive COVID individual or a con rmed positive COVID individual. This is a 10 day quarantine because the individual has not shown any symptoms, but could over the 10 day time period. There is now an option for early return. Students may return early after a 7 day quarantine with a negative test result taken on or after day 5 from the exposure date. If the test is negative, the student may return on day 8. Presumed Positive - Individual is exhibiting or complaining of one or more of the COVID symptoms. Individual must quarantine for 10 days, but may return early with the a doctor's note diagnoses an ailment other than COVID and a negative COVID test. Con rmed COVID Positive - Individual has tested positive for COVID with or without symptoms. Individual must quarantine for 10 days and NO early return. If your child needs to quarantine, then we switch your child to a virtual teacher for the quarantine time period so instruction can continue. Early Return from an Exposure
HISD identi es any student as an Exposure case if the student was around and in close
contact with a presumed positive COVID individual or a con rmed positive COVID. The student
falls into the exposure category without showing any symptoms and must be quarantined.
Exposure is now a 10 day quarantine, down from the previous 14 days. There is now an option
for early return. Students may return early after a 7 day quarantine with a negative test result
taken on or after day 5 from the exposure date. If the test is negative, the student may return
on day 8.
If your child needs to quarantine, then we switch your child to a virtual teacher for the
quarantine time period so instruction can continue.
Early Return from Presumed Positive Quarantine
HISD classi es any individual exhibiting one or more symptoms of COVID-19 (listed below) as
presumed positive and needing to quarantine for 10 days. Please do not send your child to
school if exhibiting the symptoms shown below.
COVID-19 symptoms:
* Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.00 F
* Loss of taste or smell
* Cough
* Di culty breathing
* Shortness of breath
* Fatigue
* Headache
* Chills
* Sore throat
* Congestion or runny nose
* Shaking or exaggerated shivering
* Signi cant muscle pain or ache
* Diarrhea
* Nausea or vomiting
If your child needs to quarantine, then we switch your child to a virtual teacher for the
quarantine time period so instruction can continue.
Students can return early from a presumed positive 10 day quarantine if they meet both of the
following requirements:
A note from a doctor stating that the symptoms s/he was experiencing are related to
something other than Covid-19 (allergies, cold, food poisoning).
A negative Covid-19 test.
Please scan and email these items to Dianne Guider, our school nurse, at
dguider@houstonisd.org and our school secretary, Zonia Flores at zonia. ores@houstonisd.org
or bring them up to the o ce. Dianne Guider is the only person with the authority to allow for a
t d t' l t f d iti tiPK Lottery 2021 - 2022
On September 19, HISD School Choice opened up the system to apply for the PK lottery for the
2021-2022 school year. The Bush PK program is only for families that are already enrolled at
Bush Elementary and have another child that will be 4 on or before September 1, 2021.
Students must meet PK eligibility requirements such as being economically disadvantaged or
qualifying as English as a Second Language.
The site will accept applications from September 19, 2020 - April 30, 2021. Families will be
noti ed by HISD School Choice on May 20 if their child was accepted into Bush Elementary's
PK program or if their child is on the waitlist. Go to HISDChoice.com to apply. Bush
Elementary's PK program is only one class with 22 students that must be comprised of
siblings of currently enrolled Bush students. The only way to apply for and be part of the
lottery for Bush Elementary's PK program is to apply online at the address shared above.
SPECTACULAR SCIENCE
The Spectacular Science Word for the week of January 25th
is magnetism.
Bobcat Birthdays!
Ms. Rose would like to wish a very special birthday to:
Ahava V. who turns 9 yrs. old on January 30th and is a third
grader in Ms. Dow's class.
Happy Birthday and Welcome to the Bush Birthday Book Club!
HISD launches COVID-19 Dashboard to Track Confirmed
Cases
“As we navigate this pandemic together, we want to ensure that we are transparent as we
provide crucial updates,” HISD Interim Superintendent Grenita Lathan said. “This new
dashboard will give our staff members and families the information they need in an accessible
and easy-to-use way to make informed decisions.”
The dashboard was developed using Texas Education Agency guidelines for reporting COVID-
19. It will be updated daily, allowing users to review student and staff data by location anddistrictwide. It also includes a map to visibly show where cases are throughout the district.
The district will strictly follow all applicable privacy laws as it relates to the release of
personal health information.
To view the COVID-19 dashboard, go to https://www.houstonisd.org/COVID19Dashboard
The Parent Institute
January 2021.pdf drive.google.com
Dismissal Number Pick Up - Bus Lane
When
Thursday, Jan. 28th, 8:30-11am
Where
13800 Westerloch Drive
Houston, TX
Student Holiday
When
Friday, Jan. 29th, 7:30am-3pm
Where
This is an online event.
More information
Friday, January 29, 2021 - No Students - This is a Teacher Work
Day as it's the end of the rst semester.Fourth 6 Weeks Begins When Monday, Feb. 1st, 7:30am Where 13800 Westerloch Drive Houston, TX Report Cards on Connect When Friday, Feb. 5th, 3pm Where This is an online event. Yearbook Sales Order your 2020 - 2021 Yearbook Today! $30 (Price will increase to $35 on March 13th) CLICK HERE TO ORDER No Yearbooks will be sold after March 21st, so please order now! Yearbook Fifth Grade Dedication Ads Do you have a graduating 5th grader? Give them a shout-out in the yearbook! Dedications are $20 for 25 words or less. Order on the website at www.BBEPTO.com. (Dedications are available for 5th graders only.)
Yearbook Photos
If your child(ren) did not get their picture taken at school, please ll out this FORM. DO NOT
FILL OUT THIS FORM IF YOUR CHILD ATTENDED PICTURE DAY IN PERSON. We will send you
a unique PORTRAIT ID # for each child and instructions on how to take a picture for the
yearbook. Deadline to submit the form is January 29.
We need more Pictures!
We are still looking for some pictures for the yearbook. We need pictures for the following
pages: "Siblings," "Candid pictures”, "Spirit Night", “Holiday Pictures”, "Breakfast with a Buddy"
or any pictures that you think would be great for the yearbook. Please send no more than 5
photos to bushptoyearbook@gmail.com and label pictures with students' grade.
Underwriting Campaign
PTO’s largest fundraiser is our Underwriting Campaign. Each year, PTO asks Bush Elementary
families to donate directly to the PTO to help cover the cost of programs and materials which
directly bene t our school. This year, PTO has already been hard at work making sure our
school is prepared for Reopening by stocking our Nurse Clinic and helping teachers with the
supplies they need to be ready to teach in-person or virtually. Understandably, the uncertainties
and economic downturn this year have impacted many in our community, but any donation you
can make will help ensure the continued success of our school. Each donor of $25 or more
will receive a mask lanyard (one per Bush student). This year’s Underwriting Campaign has
also been extended until June 30, 2021 (February 28, 2021 if you would like your donation
recognition included in the Yearbook), and we are offering payment plans if you choose to
donate at the $500 Red & Navy Club level or above.
Visit www.BBEPTO.com for more information or to make your donation.
School Store
School Store is now selling various T-shirts, long sleeve and short sleeve polos, and eece
hoodies for those chilly classrooms. Let us help you adhere to the new dress code guidelines
by shopping online at www.BBEPTO.com! We also have school supply packages still available
as well as agendas, notebooks, zipper bags, and more. Order now for classroom delivery (for
in-person students) or Friday drive-thru pickup (for virtual students).
Did you remember to join the PTO?
Our Directory will be arriving soon, and we want to make sure that everyone receives one!
Go online TODAY to Join the PTO to make sure you get yours!
NEW for 2020: Become a PTO Pal for $10 and help purchase a PTO Membership for those
who cannot. Your optional donation will be recognized in a BBE PTO publication.
Join online at www.BBEPTO.com to purchase your membership or become a PTO Pal today!You can also read
