Puster Elementary School
Principal Message
October 12, 2018
A Message from Kevin Parker
Fall is in the air and we are finally getting some relief from the summer heat.  During the week of October 22, we will be observing Red Ribbon Week.  The dress up days for the week are below.  Although we always promote a healthy lifestyle at Puster, we will celebrate the great choices our students make each day.  Please accept my wishes for a great weekend.

If there is ever anything you feel needs immediate attention, please don't hesitate to call or text me at 469-667-2280.
 
Pride in Puster,
Kevin

Follow Mr. Parker on Twitter @peskevinparker and follow what's happening on our campus @pusterlearners. 

Dates to Remember

STUDENT HOLIDAY - FRIDAY OCTOBER 26




October 12 - Alpha Omega Gymnastics
October 15 - Choir and Chess Club
October 16 - Engineering K-1 and Spanish
October 17 - Engineering 2-4 and Spanish
October 18 - Report Cards
October 19 - Alpha Omega Gymnastics
October 22 - 25 RED RIBBON WEEK
October 22 - Choir and Chess Club
October 22 - Fall Family Fun Night
October 23 - Engineering K-1 and Spanish
October 24 - KG Field Trip
October 24 - Engineering 2-4 and Spanish
October 25 - Author Visit
October 26 - Student Holiday
October 29 - Dennis Lee Assembly
October 29 - Choir and Chess
October 30 - Engineering K-1 and Spanish
October 31 - Starbooks Café @ 7:30 am
October 31 - Engineering 2-4 and Spanish


Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
Foundation for Lovejoy Schools
Men's Tailgate Tournament
Tickets on Sale Now!
Gentlemen, please plan to join the Foundation for food, beer, and a double elimination corn hole tournament, guaranteeing all players two games. The tournament will be at the home of John and Kris Dunaway on Wednesday, October 24. Sponsors for the event are Renfrow Dunaway Group, Lee Lewis, Fable Security, Chick-fil-A Stacy Road and Twin Creeks Village, and Lovejoy HVAC. Click here to register now.
 
Please contact Vicki Deerman , Interim Executive Director of the Foundation with any questions.








Campus Information
New Security Procedures
Driver's License must be presented and scanned with every visit and student sign out, no exceptions. 


Start and End Time
School hours have changed for the 2018-2019 school year.  We will still begin the day at 8:00.  Dismissal will now be at 3:10.

Absences
If your child is going to be absent please e-mail Kendra Card at:
kendra_card@lovejoyisd.net 
Lunchroom Visitors

Lunchroom Visitors (PreK-4)
You are welcome to have lunch with your child throughout the year. Please keep in mind that you may only bring food for your child to eat. We have many students on campus with food allergies and this will ensure that students are not put at risk. Also, just as in years past, we ask that only you and your child sit at the designated tables closest to the hallway windows.
 
Morning Drop Off
This routine will stay the same as in years past.  Cars will enter the north driveway and come to the back of the campus.  Either staff or Safety Crew students will be waiting to assist your child out of the car.  On the first day of school, students will go immediately to their classroom regardless of what time they arrive.  Beginning on August 21, students who arrive before 7:45 AM will report to the cafeteria (3 rd /4 th graders) or the gym (KG, 1 st , 2 nd  graders).  They will then move to their classes when the bell rings at 7:45 AM.

Afternoon Pick Up
Students will be dismissed at 3:10.  Car riders will be dismissed to the back of the campus.  Please have your car number visible so this procedure will go as smoothly as possible.  If you plan to walk up to the front door to pick up your child, we will ask that you wait outside until the bus riders come through the front door.  We will then release your child to you.  This ensures the buses get out in a timely manner, as well as, we know exactly who your child is leaving campus with.  Please do not pull your child out of the bus line. The safety of your children trumps everything else we do at Puster.

PRE - K News
To see Pre-K News  click here

PUSTER NEWS


Puster Campout 2019
Be sure to put the  2nd Annual Puster Campout dates on your calendar: April 26-27, 2019!  A pretty fantastic group of volunteers is busy putting plans in place to make this event even better than last year's.  We're adding more activities and bringing back all the favorites, including the 25-foot rock wall, giant inflatable hamster wheels and the glow dance party.  Want to get involved as a volunteer?  Email the campout team  here.

Sponsorship Opportunties
Last year, with the help of 49 generous sponsors, we raised over $100,000. The money raised enabled us to create and update the technology in the computer/collaboration lab, hire a math interventionist and enhance our hands-on, STEM-based workstations in the library.  This year our goal is $125,000.  I know we can do this.  The sponsorship drive opened Monday, October 1.  We have sponsorship levels from $500 up and many in-kind opportunities are available.  Do you know of a business that would like to partner with Puster and have direct access to nearly 500 residents in our community?   Here you can find the sponsorship packet for 2019.  You can also let the leadership team know of potential sponsor opportunities by sending an email  here.  Sponsorships aren't limited to businesses.  As they did last year, sports teams and groups of families in neighborhoods can group together as a sponsor!









Volunteer Background Application Now Available
  For the safety of our students, a criminal history record is obtained annually for every person interested in volunteering at a LISD campus. Upon completion of the background check, applicants will be notified of approval to volunteer.
 
Please  click here  to access the Online Volunteer Application. The online application is a secure link.
 
All information regarding volunteer applications received for the 2017-2018 school year has been deleted. If you submitted an application prior to August 2018, you will need to complete another application.
 
Thank you for your assistance with this very important matter. Your interest in serving as a volunteer is appreciated. Should you have any questions, or require assistance, please contact:
 
Stacey Dillon
Assistant to the Superintendent
469.742.8003

NEW AND RETURNING PUSTER FAMILIES:
Please Complete FERPA and General Waiver Forms
It is, once again, time to complete the FERPA (Family Education Rights and Privacy Act) and General Waiver forms electronically. Also, please take the time to verify that all other required forms have been completed. You can find these forms on line by:
1. Go to the LISD Website .
2. Click on Parents,
3. Power School Parent Portal
4. Input your user name and password for existing families/ Create an Account for new families.
5. You should now be in PowerSchool Click on Enrollment and Student Forms.
6. There are multiple forms you can click to update, but the required forms are the two tabs on the top right hand side of the screen: "FERPA" and "General Waiver"
7 . MAKE SURE TO HIT "SUBMIT" at the bottom of the page when completed .
If you have any questions, please give Kendra Card a call at 469-742-8283.


Watch D.O.G.S. 2.0 "Another Year, Another 100"
Take a day or ½ day to be a hero for your child. Get your picture on the  Puster Watch D.O.G.S. wall with your child.
Signup below for your day. Let's see how fast we can fill this up.

What is WATCH D.O.G.S. and how do you participate?
Watch D.O.G.S. is a program that helps bring dads and other male role models into our school. Dad's spend a day with their child at school and get to interact alongside the teachers, help with carpool, monitor hallways, help out in the classroom, help with specials...the possibilities are endless.
Have you completed the districts background check?
Lovejoy ISD Volunteer process for the 2018-2019 school year is not yet open. Should be soon.
Each Watch D.O.G. dad is encouraged to wear a Watch D.O.G.S. T-shirt on the day he is volunteering at the school. Your child/children may also want a "My Hero" shirt to wear that day too. Below is the link to purchase your t-shirts. Watch D.O.G. t-shirts are not required but it's encouraged.

Here is the link to purchase your t-shirts:

If you have any questions you can contact Henri Friloux at  henri.friloux@gmail.com or 972-365-5478.

 


Want to keep up-to-date on everything happening at Puster?  Please join the Puster PTA so that every child can have a voice. Your 'no-strings' membership keeps you in the loop on Puster activities for students and parents.  We are still about 100 members short of this achievement this year, so we urge you to join as soon as possible. Remember, all members your family (including grandparents & children) can join! 

2018-2019 Reflections Competition
 
Celebrate the arts during the National PTA Reflections competition, where students can unleash their creative potential and share an interpretation of this years' theme, 
"Heroes Around Me!" Students may submit work in Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Musical Competition, Photography, and Visual Arts. Entries are reviewed at local, council, state, and national levels, and will be judged on how well the student uses their artistic vision to portray the theme, originality and creativity.  Please click here for more information regarding this program, and  click here for a copy of the student entry form. Entries are due on 
Friday, November 2, and can be turned in to the front office. Contact Alice Robison ( alicerobison@hotmail.com



Boxtop Collection Time! 
It's Box Top collection time! Start bringing in your box tops to class and be sure to write your teacher's name on it.  As your class brings in Box Tops your teacher will start climbing on Mt. Box Top - who will get to the top first??? You can also drop your box tops in the collection bin under the bulletin board on the way to the cafeteria. 


LIBRARY LOWDOWN
An Evening with the Author

Author Troy Cummings has graciously agreed to spend an evening with some Lovejoy ISD students and parents! Any student that would like to enter for a chance to spend the evening with the author and play Pictionary, needs to fill out the Google form linked below.  Please make sure that your child is available to attend should their name be drawn. This event is limited to the student drawn and their parents. Due to space and budget constraints, siblings will not be able to attend.
Date: Tuesday, October 23rd
Time: 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Location: Barksdale Williams House 780 Country Club Rd. Fairview, TX
Dinner:  A meal will be provided

It's Pumpkin Time!
We have a special tradition here at Puster called the "Book Character Pumpkin Patch". This is an optional family project to be completed at home and then brought to display in the library. The theme of the pumpkin decorating is "My Favorite Book Character". Pumpkins may be decorated with paint or markers, yarn, pipe cleaners, fabric scraps, cardboard, glitter, construction paper, etd. Carved pumpkins will not be accepted because they turn bad quickly, make a mess, and attract pests!

We will begin accepting pumpkins Monday, October 15 for display, Please bring a copy of the related book (or a picture of the front cover) to be displayed on an easel beside the pumpkin. We will have tent cards ready to complete in the library. The card will have the name of the character on the outside and the student/family name on the inside.

Pumpkins will be shared at Fall Family Fun Night in a slideshow on the cafeteria projection screen and on display in the library from October 15 through Friday, October 26. Students will be able to vote on their favorite entries. Creators of the top three pumpkin characters with the most votes will receive Spring Book Fair gift cards!

Pumpkins will go home with students on October 26. If your student will need help transporting the pumpkin character, please make necessary arrangements to help with pick up. You will be able to display the pumpkin at your home in time for Halloween!

Author Visit-- Troy Cummings will be visiting Puster on Thursday, October 25. We will be reading his books in book clubs as well as in our library read aloud times to become familiar with his work. Mr. Cummings is an author and an illustrator, so he will be sharing his entire creative process with us. He will host three assemblies for large groups and then work with 4th graders in smaller groups later in the day. 

We will be offering his books to order in advance and have signed while he is here. You are also welcome to buy books on your own and send them in for autographs the week of the visit.  To order books through Puster from Barnes and Noble Booksellers,  follow this link to Revtrak .

Once the books arrive, we will keep them in the library until Mr. Cummings visits and autographs them. We will distribute the books as soon as possible-- hopefully that same day!

Read with Me, Therapy Dog volunteers-- We are excited to continue our Read with Me program where licensed adult volunteers and their dogs read quietly with kids in the library. This has been a HUGE hit with our students, and we would like to involve as many kids as we can. If you are, or know someone who is, licensed with Pet Partners, please contact Alison Smithwick or Emily Peabody to start the process as a Read with Me volunteer. The more the merrier!  





 

DISTRICT NEWS
NEW! 10th Annual Turkey Chess Tournament
Saturday, November 3rd
Register now for Lovejoy's 10th Annual Turkey Chess Tournament. This is a five round USCF (United States Chess Federation) event that will be held at Sloan Creek Intermediate School. Click here to register for the event.



Circle of Partners
 
Lovejoy ISD is pleased to welcome Tutoring 101 to the Circle of Partners . Tutoring 101 and Lovejoy ISD have formed a revenue generating/sharing partnership to bring their services to Lovejoy families. Please see below for several offerings.
 
Private tutoring is available for students in grades K-12 in all subjects. Tutoring 101 recommends once a week tutoring for an hour to increase grades and learn subject matter more deeply. A once a week appointment usually results in an increase of one letter grade or more. Turn those C's into B's.
 
What is your SAT/ACT score? Want a better one? What do you need it to be?
Invest in a PSAT/SAT/ACT Prep program not just a class. Tutoring 101 helps high scorers get top scores, average students raise their scores and poor test takers achieve the scores colleges want. Tutoring 101 students have earned admissions and scholarships, and have saved thousands of tuition dollars every year. 
  • Specialize in working with individual students and their specific needs
  • Day-of-test strategies
  • One-on-one/small groups
  • PSAT/SAT Classes: Tues or Thurs or Saturdays
  • ACT Prep Classes: Mon/Wed or Sat
  • One on One and Online Prep also available
  • School District Employee Discount
Learn about Tutoring 101's all-inclusive PSAT/SAT/ACT programs:
 
  • 11th-12th Grade SAT/ACT  
  • 10th-12th PSAT/SAT/ACT 
  • 9th-12th Grade PSAT/NMSQT/SAT/ACT 
  • Duke Tip (7th Grade) 
 
Classes are conveniently located at Lovejoy High School. Call 972.359.0222 or email Robyn@Tutoring101.com for additional information.






New! Senior Project
To Raise Funds for Autism
Zachary Taylor , a senior at Lovejoy High School, thanks the Lovejoy community for their support of his Senior Project:
 
"Hello! I would like to extend a huge thank you to everyone who bought a ribbon or two at Leopard Friday and to those who donated online for the Autism Walk this past weekend.  We had a great turnout and the weather was perfect during the walk.  We finished just in time before the rain started to come down on us.  Not only did I meet my goal of raising $500 toward the walk, the donation total was over $700. If you would still like to donate, the deadline is October 29. The combined donations from the ribbons sale and the walk was over $850.  We had a fun time walking for such a great cause. Thank you everyone for your love and support of Autism Awareness!



ATHLETIC NEWS

NEW! Lovejoy Leopards, Inc. Annual Golf Tournament
Monday, October 15
 
The 10th Annual Lovejoy Leopards, Inc. (LLI) Golf Tournament has been moved to Monday, October 15 at "The Dye Course" at Stonebridge Country Club. The start time also has been changed to 1:00 PM. Registration and check in begins at 12:00 PM. The cost is $150 per player, which includes green fees, cart, gift bag and awards luncheon. To register visit  www.lovejoyathletics.com and click on the LLI Golf Tournament link.
 
The Tournament is limited to 144 golfers. Golfers should indicate the booster club they are playing in support of and LLI will return 90% of the net after expenses to that booster club. Golfers may also purchase a Super Ticket for $50, which includes 10 raffle tickets and all games on the course.



2nd Annual Lovejoy Professional Network Golf Tournament
Friday, November 2nd
The Lovejoy Professional Network is pleased to announce the 2nd Annual Lovejoy Professional Network Golf Tournament on Friday, November 2from 1:30 PM - 8:00 PM at Heritage Ranch. This year the proceeds will benefit the Lovejoy family of Casey and Jamie Sullivan. Casey passed away earlier this year.  He was an avid golfer, music lover, coach and proud father of Ainsley (9th), Ryder (8th) and Piper (4th).
 
The Lovejoy Professional Network's goal is to fill the course with 144 golfers. The event will include a dinner with a silent auction and raffle giveaway. If you are unable to attend the tournament, you are invited to attend the celebration dinner for Casey. You may click here for details. Please contact Mark Urbin for additional information.  

Lovejoy Upper 90 Soccer Boosters Host Juggling-A-Thon
Saturday, October 13th
The Upper 90 Soccer Booster Club will host a "Juggling-A-Thon" to help raise money for the program.  Each Soccer player will have 30 minutes to get his or her highest number of consecutive ball touches.  Prior to this event, the players will be seeking sponsorships for the number of touches they complete during their 30-minute juggling drill.  Please help support our 2019 Boys and Girls Soccer program with a sponsorship. 
 
For additional information, please contact:
 
Alex DuranHead Boys Soccer Coach
Ian Keeble, Head Girls Soccer Coach
 
The team will perform their juggling drills for funds on Saturday, October 13th.  
Additional information will be made available as the event nears



FINE ARTS NEWS
Upcoming Performances & Galleries


WSMS Theatre
Save the Date! Saturday, October 20
Sebastian and Friends Sing-A-Long
Join Sebastian and his "Under the Sea" friends for a morning of singing your favorite Disney's The Little Mermaid tunes! Meet the characters and enjoy fun activities with the cast of Disney's The Little Mermaid, Jr. Click here for more information. Tickets $25 per student and can be purchased online at the Parent Payment Portal.
 


WSMS Theatre and Choir Department
Presents The Little Mermaid, Jr.
Save the Date! November 1, 2 and 3
The WSMS Theatre and Choir department will be presenting Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. Tickets go on sale Monday, October 15, 2018 at 10:00 AM.






LHS Band
Have you purchased your Red Out Homecoming Shirt?
Lovejoy Homecoming is October 26. Be a part of the Homecoming Tradition by wearing the Red Out Spirit Shirt. Click here for more information and a printable order form. The deadline to order is Friday, October 12. Shirts are $10 each. Red Out shirts will be sold during the lunch periods at both WSMS and LHS during Homecoming Week.
 


LHS Majestics Dance Team
Mums the Word!
The Lovejoy Majestics will be selling mums in the high school commons area during A, B and C lunch now through October 22 between  11:25 AM and 1:00 PM; and in the evenings, on Tuesdays and Thursdays between 5:30 PM and 8:00 PM.
 
Majestic Mums are a great Lovejoy tradition with all profits supporting the Majestics Dance Team. A dazzling array of mums and garters will be offered to suit any taste and budget.  Unique custom designs are available for mums and garters with numerous decorative ribbons, bling, and sports specific trinkets from football, basketball, baseball, band, theater, choir, fishing, wrestling and so much more.  Come by the LHS Commons Area to see the offerings.  Click here for additional information.


LHS Cheer
Lovejoy Cheer is proud to offer flamingos for purchase, which will be displayed in the LHS yard for Pink Out. Click here to order a flamingo in honor of a friend or family member who battled cancer or is currently battling cancer. Proceeds benefit breast cancer research and the Lovejoy Cheer program. Place orders by October 10.

 
LHS Band Spirit Day
Tuesday, October 23
The LHS Band will host its second Spirit Day on Tuesday, October 23 from 10:30 AM - 8:30 PM at Kelly Family Farms Burger Stand, located at 1989 W. Lucas Road
Just mention you are there for the Lovejoy High School Band and Kelly Family Farms will donate a percentage of their sales to the band.


LHS Band Garage Sale
Saturday, October 27
Join the Band for the Lovejoy Community Garage Sale on October 27 from 8:00 AM - 1:00 PM. The event will be held in the back parking lot of Lovejoy High School by the tennis courts. You rent a spot, you keep the profits!  Click here to rent a spot or click here for additional information. 


 
Lovejoy Fine Arts Festival
Save the Date! November 30 and December 1
The Lovejoy ISD Fine Arts Festival is around the corner. Click here for updates on performance schedules, art galleries, and more!