Stay In-the-Know: This Week’s Top News You Can’t Miss
- Prospective family tour tomorrow, November 18th, at 9am
- The Casis Annual Food Drive continues this week through Wednesday
- Middle School Info Session this Thursday, November 20th, at 10am. More info below
- Make sure to read Mr. Tinnon’s message about bike safety below
- Be thankful! There’s no school next week!
Cougar PRIDE Families,
It’s going to be another great week at Casis! ‘Book Fair Week’ was a rousing success and so well-supported. Special thanks to our parent volunteers who helped Ms. Ewing throughout the week. And our annual Veterans Day Program was so very special for our school and community. Events like these truly do help to ensure that our school community remains unified, strong, and thriving. And this week, we look forward to our first ‘Prospective Parent Tour’. I hope that everyone enjoys the upcoming Fall Break and spends time with family, recognizing how grateful we all should be. As we close out the month of November, December promises to be a month of continued fall semester activities that will focus on student learning growth and enrichment opportunities, as well as on safe and secure practices. Please see important information for the week below.
Mr. Tinnon
NEWS FROM THE PRINCIPAL
FALL PROSPECTIVE PARENT TOUR
Prospective Parent Tours are great opportunities for families to get to learn about our school culture and programming, as well as take a tour of our new facility and amazing outdoor learning spaces. School Administration and PTA Leadership will lead these adult only tours. We look forward to sharing and showing all of the things that make Casis Elementary such a stellar educational choice for their children. The first tour of this school year will take place on Tuesday, November 18 at 9am – 10am. Can’t wait to show these potential new families our amazing school community!
BIKE SAFETY & RULES AT CASIS
Student bikers have not been consistently following important bike safety rules on both campus and city streets. All students must walk their bikes while on school grounds and use the provided bike racks to secure them, but many forget and leave their bikes propped against walls or on the ground, which creates safety hazards—especially during busy morning and afternoon times when foot traffic is high. Riding through campus at these times is particularly unsafe for smaller children and other pedestrians. Additionally, there have been reports of students riding their bikes in city crosswalks and performing stunts, such as popping wheelies, doing donuts, and weaving through Casis Village and the crosswalks. These actions are not only disruptive but also very dangerous. Parents are encouraged to talk with their children about treating bike riding as a privilege and not a right, and to remind them about the importance of safe, respectful conduct at all times when biking to and from school.
CHARACTER STRONG IMPLEMENTATION & PRACTICES
This year, AISD and Casis Elementary are implementing a new Character Education and Behavioral Support program called Character Strong. This program is meant to provide students with the necessary skills and strategies to be the very best humans that they can be in the world. Students will hear morning messages and receive lessons from their teachers about topics like respect, gratitude, honesty, courage and more. Teachers will be providing weekly lessons and sending home monthly information to families about the different program topics learned each month. The lessons derive from a program called, “Purposefull People”. Here’s a Family Introductory Letter about Purposefull People. Each month we will cover a different Character Strong topic and resources will be shared to help families have meaningful conversations at home about the learned trait. Here’s an Overview of the monthly topics that will be taught. The Character Strong trait for the month of November is Gratitude. Here’s the Family Connection Newsletter – Gratitude for this month’s theme. We are so excited to be ‘Character Strong’ at Casis Elementary!
IMPORTANT DATES
November – Native American Heritage Month
Tues., Nov. 18 – Prospective Parent Tour at 9:00am
Mon., Nov. 24 – Fri., Nov. 28 – School Holiday (Fall Break)
Mon., Dec. 1 – Fri., Dec. 5 – AISD Special Education Staff Appreciation Week
Tues., Dec. 2 – Fall Picture Retake Day
Tues., Dec. 2 – CAC Meeting at 3:30pm (Community Room)
Mon., Dec. 8 – Fri., Dec. 12 – Inclusive Schools Week
Mon., Dec. 22 – Fri., Jan. 2 – Winter Break (School Holiday)
January – School Board Appreciation Month
Mon., Jan. 5 – Staff Development Day / Student Holiday
Tues., Jan. 6 – School Resumes
TRAFFIC SAFETY PROCEDURES
Please adhere to the guidelines in your particular arrival/dismissal area (Front Circle Drive or North Parking Lot). See Arrival & Dismissal Plan here. We continually ask for your patience and cooperation in exercising safe practices in your area.
Additionally, please see the following reminders/updates:
- Walkers should use crosswalks at all times.
- Bikers should park bikes at bike racks and walk bikes through crosswalks.
- Drivers should ALWAYS be aware of our foot and bike traffic.
- Drivers should consider TURNING OFF ENGINES when not moving forward.
- Avoid Parking in the Casis Village, if conducting school business.
- Front Circle Drive & Hillview are available for parent parking during the day.
- The North Parking Lot is designated for staff parking only.
- Vehicles using the North Parking Lot during arrival and dismissal (3rd – 5th) should be aware of all walkers who are using the parking lot crosswalks.
- Vehicles cued on Northwood for Circle Drive afternoon pick-up should remain in one moving line to avoid double-parking.
Vehicles who need to enter the North Parking Lot for morning/afternoon drop-offs/pick-ups of 3rd – 5th graders may safely by-pass the ‘Circle Drive’ vehicles to enter the parking lot.