Pace Referral

If you would like to have your child assessed for PACE, Plano ISD’s Gifted and Talented program, please complete and return the front page of a referral packet to Mrs. Jones by 3:00 PM on Wednesday, December 7.  

Packets and additional information can be found at the following website: http://www.pisd.edu/parents/advanced.academics/gifted.pace/index.shtml

Feel free to either email the completed packet to Mrs. Jones or return a hard copy.  Questions?  Please contact Kaya Jones, Christie PACE teacher, at kaya.jones@pisd.edu

Fit to the Beat

Hello Christie Parents, 

This year PE/Fitness is wanting to incorporate a drumming fitness activity into our workout. However, we want to make sure our students have the materials they need to succeed, so I just created a DonorsChoose.org classroom request.   Please click on the Fit to the Beat link below to donate.

Fit to the Beat

When you give to our classroom by October 6, 2016, your donation will be doubled thanks to DonorsChoose.org. Just enter the code LIFTOFF during checkout and you'll be matched dollar for dollar (up to $50). 

Thank you so much,
PE/Fitness Team

P.S. If you know anyone who may want to help all our students, please pass this along! 

Quality Time With Your Family

We have survived 3 weeks of school with 33 more to go. As students, parents, administrators and teachers settle into our routines, it is important to remember family time with our loved ones is so important.Quality time with our families is so important each day. Reading with your children each night is great quality time.

A strong family finds that opportunities for quality time emerge from quantity time: The more time you spend together, the better chance you have of sharing quality experiences. Eating meals together, talking about the events of the day, sharing joys and defeats, doing household chores together and spending some evenings popping corn and watching movies are examples of shared activities. Some families even schedule one evening every week for special family activities.

Doing things a child or spouse wants to do also sends a strong message of love. It’s a good idea to identify the things family members want to do together. In my family, we spend our summers showing goats together. Every weekend we pack up the coolers, show equipment, children and goats, and we head to the next show.

Children will not forget meaningful one-on-one time

How much time should families spend together? That varies from family to family. Families with young children usually spend the most time together because young children need a great deal of physical care and guidance. Families with teenagers may spend less time together because teens naturally want to spend more time with their friends. Single parents need a break from their children and may need more opportunity to enjoy the company of other adults.

Healthy families keep a good balance between “too much” and “not enough” time together. They spend enough time to satisfy all family members. Children learn to bring balance to their lives when they see their parents setting aside time for what they value.

Where should you start if you’re not spending enough time with your children?

Start with the family meal. “A family that dines together stays together” is a phrase that I have heard for years. Having a meal with your children away from distractions such as the TV, video games and cell phones can help start those conversations that you would like to, or need to have with your children. For more information about family meal ideas go to Family Meals are Important.

STAAR NEXT WEEK

Greetings,

Next week we will have STAAR testing on our campus. Please remember there are no visitors allowed on campus Monday-Wednesday.

                                       



                    STAAR Schedule 



Grade 3

Monday, May 9----Math
Tuesday, May 10----Reading


Grade 4

Monday, May 9----Math
Tuesday, May 10----Reading


Grade 5

Monday, May 9----Math Re-test
Tuesday, May 10----Reading  Re-test
Wednesday, May 11----Science

Happy Spring Break to You All

I want to wish each and every family a Happy Spring Break! We all need a break to enjoy our families and relax. Parents look on Groupon for great fun family deals. Let's all come back refreshed and ready to take STAAR test for grades 3, 4, and 5. We are on the downswing for ending school and let's make the best of the last few months of this school year. I love you all and Happy Spring Break!

Ms. Kelly

Does Parental Involvement really matter for the success of a child

Have you ever asked yourself does my parental involvement truly make a difference in my child's life. For example, does it really matter if I attend hi/her play, basketball game, soccer game, etc. Well, the article below should shed some light on this question.

Why is Parental Involvement Important?

WHAT RESEARCH SAYS ABOUT PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION In Relation to Academic Achievement Where Children Spend Their Time: School age children spend 70% of their waking hours (including weekends and holidays) outside of school When Parents Should Get Involved: The earlier in a child's educational process parent involvement begins, the more powerful the effects The most effective forms of parent involvement are those which engage parents in working directly with their children on learning activities at home Impact: 86% of the general public believes that support from parents is the most important way to improve the schools Lack of parental involvement is the biggest problem facing public schools Decades of research show that when parents are involved students have:         Higher grades, test scores, and graduation rates         Better school attendance         Increased motivation, better self-esteem         Lower rates of suspension         Decreased use of drugs and alcohol         Fewer instances of violent behavior Family participation in education was twice as predictive of students' academic success as family socioeconomic status. Some of the more intensive programs had effects that were 10 times greater than other factors The more intensely parents are involved, the more beneficial the achievement effects The more parents participate in schooling, in a sustained way, at every level -- in advocacy, decision-making and oversight roles, as fund-raisers and boosters, as volunteers and para-professionals, and as home teachers -- the better for student achievement Parent Expectations and Student Achievement: The most consistent predictors of children's academic achievement and social adjustment are parent expectations of the child's academic attainment and satisfaction with their child's education at school Parents of high-achieving students set higher standards for their children's educational activities than parents of low-achieving students Major Factors of Parent Involvement: Three major factors of parental involvement in the education of their children: Parents' beliefs about what is important, necessary and permissible for them to do with and on behalf of their children The extent to which parents believe that they can have a positive influence on their children's education Parents' perceptions that their children and school want them to be involved Type of Involvement: Although most parents do not know how to help their children with their education, with guidance and support, they may become increasingly involved in home learning activities and find themselves with opportunities to teach, to be models for and to guide their children When schools encourage children to practice reading at home with parents, the children make significant gains in reading achievement compared to those who only practice at school Parents, who read to their children, have books available, take trips, guide TV watching, and provide stimulating experiences contribute to student achievement Families whose children are doing well in school exhibit the following characteristics: Establish a daily family routine. Examples: Providing time and a quiet place to study, assigning responsibility for household chores, being firm about bedtime and having dinner together. Monitor out-of-school activities. Examples: Setting limits on TV watching, checking up on children when parents are not home, arranging for after-school activities and supervised care. Model the value of learning, self-discipline, and hard work. Examples: Communicating through questioning and conversation, demonstrating that achievement comes from working hard. Express high but realistic expectations for achievement. Examples: Setting goals and standards that are appropriate for children's age and maturity, recognizing and encouraging special talents, informing friends and family about successes. Encourage children's development/ progress in school. Examples: Maintaining a warm and supportive home, showing interest in children's progress at school, helping with homework, discussing the value of a good education and possible career options, staying in touch with teachers and school staff. Encourage reading, writing, and discussions among family members. Examples: Reading, listening to children read and talking about what is being read. Student Interest: Most students at all levels - elementary, middle, and high school - want their families to be more knowledgeable partners about schooling and are willing to take active roles in assisting communications between home and school When parents come to school regularly, it reinforces the view in the child's mind that school and home are connected and that school is an integral part of the whole family's life School and District Leadership: The strongest and most consistent predictors of parent involvement at school and at home are the specific school programs and teacher practices that encourage parent involvement at school and guide parents in how to help their children at home School initiated activities to help parents change the home environment can have a strong influence on children's school performance Parents need specific information on how to help and what to do Obstacles: School activities to develop and maintain partnerships with families decline with each grade level, and drop dramatically at the transition to middle gra

What is the Proper Bedtime for a School-Age Child

What is the right bedtime for your school-aged child

As a parent you always try to what is best for your child. Sometimes, life takes over; extra-curricular activities, family dinners, homework, you name it . There just isn't enough time in the day! As an educator, we always see students so exhausted each day. So, in this blog I will post some strongly recommended times for all school-aged children to be in bed.

Children 3-6 Years Old: 10 - 12 hours per day

Children at this age typically go to bed between 7 and 9 p.m. and wake up around 6 and 8 a.m., just as they did when they were younger. At 3, most children are still napping, while at 5, most are not. Naps gradually become shorter as well. New sleep problems do not usually develop after 3 years of age.

7-12 Years Old: 10 - 11 hours per day

At these ages, with social, school, and family activities, bedtimes gradually become later and later, with most 12-years-olds going to bed at about 9 p.m. There is still a wide range of bedtimes, from 7:30 to 10 p.m., as well as total sleep times, from 9 to 12 hours, although the average is only about 9 hours.

12-18 Years Old: 8 - 9 hours per day

Sleep needs remain just as vital to health and well-being for teenagers as when they were younger. It turns out that many teenagers actually may need more sleep than in previous years. Now, however, for many teenagerssocial pressures conspire against getting the proper amount and quality of sleep.

WebMD Medical Reference


I need to work on this with my own child. She is in so many activities, homework demands, etc. She gets less than the recommended number of hours of sleep each night.