Sloan Creek Intermediate School Principal Message

Hello Sloan Creek Families,


Week 2 proved to be even better than week 1! We are getting in to the swing of things and nailing down our routine. It is so fun to see all the smiling faces in the halls and classrooms. These SCIS students take their studies as serious as they do their fun time. 


With the district theme of "Team Lovejoy" and our campus theme of "Team Creek", we have been talking in depth about what it takes to be a team. We can celebrate all that makes us unique and different and combine all of those qualities to make an awesome team. We learn to cheer on in the good times and uplift in the not so good times. We will continue to wear team jerseys or team shirts every Thursday to honor our "Team" theme. Please see below for some pictures of our awesome students sporting their team outfits!


Please note we have a new dismissal procedure will begin on September 7. I know these emails are long, but they do contain very valuable information.  


I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week and an even better week-end! 


Thank you,


Courtney Halpin

Principal

469-742-8400

NEW!!!!!!! New Dismissal Procedures Starting September 7th

We will start a new dismissal procedure on September 7. Please see the updated map belong along with helpful tips from Officer Jacquez.  


Parent Guide for Dismissal


1.    Once you enter the south driveway, please follow RED arrows to the front of the school.

     a.    (Only 2 lanes will be open) unless it gets backed up on Country                        Club, we will open a third lane.

     b.     Don’t forget to Zipper Merge to one lane on the north side of the gym.


2.    When approaching the front of the school, you will fill the GREEN lane               first then the ORANGE lane second.


3.    We will have students READY and LOOKING!


4.    As time will be of the essence, cell phones are not permitted for students or adults.


5.    Once the GREEN and ORANGE lane are full, the School Marshal will

       indicate when cars can start moving.                

       a.    Please talk to your student and explain to them the importance of                      being  READY and LOOKING.

       b.    GREEN lane will exit out first then ORANGE lane second.


6.    Parents please DO NOT exit your vehicle.


7.    If your child is not inside your vehicle once the car line starts exiting, you will go into the parking lot and a staff member will help you find your student.


***Please do not stay in the loading zone once the cars start to move as other vehicles will not be able to move in***


SCIS dismisses from the front main doors only. Bus riders dismiss at 2:50 PM. All other students dismiss at 2:55 PM. Please be mindful of this when picking students up early for appointments etc. Please DO NOT park in the fire lane. If you need to pick your student up prior to regular dismissal, please park in the front parking lot. 


Any student leaving the campus prior to dismissal needs to have a parent or guardian come in to the office and sign them out. Parents and guardians will need to present their government issued identification card. We will scan the identification through Raptor and verify the adult is listed as an authorized party to pick up the student. Students will NOT be called out of class prior to the adult signing them out though Raptor. We have been asked what the procedure is when picking up a student prior to dismissal. The best way is to enter the parking lot using the north driveway and park in the front parking lot. From there you will come in to the front office and sign your student out. We will then call the student out of class.The buses arrive at 2:30 and the carpool line begins to form at 1:45.  Please plan ahead and allow yourself extra time.


Students are able and encouraged to sign themselves in through Raptor when arriving to school after an appointment etc. Doctor notes will be turned in to the front office or emailed to julie_boardman@lovejoyisd.net. Please remember doctor notes need to be turned in no later 5 days from the absence.


Please click here to review the SCIS Student Handbook. 


If you have a change in dismissal and your student is aware of the change, you DO NOT need to contact the school. If there is a change in dismissal or a message you need to get to your child, please call the office, 469-742-8400. We will take the message and it will deliver it to them during 5th period. Please try to have all dismissal changes in by 2:30 PM. We know emergencies happen and will do our best to accommodate late changes. Please do not email or text the teacher. They are teaching and may not see the message until it is too late. The office is the centralized location for all information.


Student cell phones and cellular devices are to be powered off and in their backpacks between the hours of 7:30 AM and 2:55 PM. (Please reference the student handbook). Students are allowed to use the phone in the office. As a reminder, the phone number will show up on caller id as the SCIS phone number regardless of what phone is used to dial out of the building. If possible, please wait to receive a voice mail message before calling back.

NEW!!!!!! Book Fair is coming to SCIS  

We will be hosting our Fall book fair from September 12th - 16th. We would like to invite parents/grandparents to come eat lunch with their student and then visit the book fair. If you would like to visit the book fair during lunch, please come on the day assigned to your student’s grade and last name alpha.  We will also be open until 6:00 PM on Wednesday the 14th. Hope to see you there!


Lunch visiting schedule:


Monday: 5th grade A-L

Tuesday: 5th grade M-Z

Wednesday: 6th grade A-L

Thursday: 6th grade M-Z


Important Attendance Reminders and Updates

All families should have received their campus’ Beginning of Year Truancy Letter, via Bright Arrow. We felt that it was important to follow up with additional information.

In addition to the Compulsory Attendance Law that was addressed in the letter, there is also the 90% law; state law mandates that a student is in attendance at least 90 percent of the academic year.

In order to receive credit for a final grade in a class, a student is required to attend 90% of the days a class is offered, regardless of whether the student’s absences are excused or unexcused. 

All absences count towards the 90% law and Truancy, except for the following absences with the proper documentation: 

  • Religious Holidays with written request prior to the absence 
  • Attending a required court appearance
  • UIL eligible absences- Educational Competition administered by school staff
  • Academic, Athletic, and music contests (uiltexas.org)
  • Medical-Related absences, when the student attended a portion of the school day and presents documentation from the health care professional for the same day
  • All day Medical-Related absences do NOT exempt a student from the 90% law or Truancy. Medical Documentation for a full day absence is only used in consideration by the Attendance Committee)
  • Sounding “Taps” at a military honors funeral held in Texas 

Attendance notes for an absence must be submitted to your student’s campus no later than 5 school days after the absence. Notes will NOT be accepted after the 5th day, and your student’s attendance will not be changed.

Absence notification timeline, all absences are counted, (excused and unexcused):

  • A letter will be sent home if your student is absent 3 times in a 4 week period
  • Another letter will be sent home once the student has accrued 6 absences
  • Intervention will begin with the campus attendance committee
  • A 10 day letter will be sent home once the student accrues 10 absences
  • Your student can be referred to Truancy Court

 Although we know that students will get sick or other challenges may arise during the school year, consistent and timely school attendance is of the utmost importance. We all share the goal of enabling the students to reach their full potential and achieve all of their educational goals. The way to allow a student to reach their full potential and educational goals starts with consistent and timely attendance.

 

 

Attendance is compulsory and essential for student success. Beginning at the intermediate level, attendance is taken for each class period. Students must attend at least 90% of the days the class is offered. There are some updates to Lovejoy ISD's Attendance Policy including, but not limited to:


  • Doctor's notes must be turned in no later than 5 days after the absence. Notes will not be accepted after the 5th day, and the student's attendance will not be changed.
  • Updates to Truancy policy

Please reference Lovejoy ISD attendance policy in the Student Handbook for more detailed information regarding the attendance policy. 


For any attendance questions or to submit doctor's or parent notes, please call or email Julie Boardman at 469-742-8303 or Julie Boardman@lovejoyisd.net.  


ParentPortal Update Needed

ParentPortal Update Needed by Friday, September 16



The PowerSchool ParentPortal is now open for you to complete the online Enrollment & Student Information Forms. Please click here to access the Parent Portal. Completion of these forms is required every year for each student, and need to be completed by Friday, September 16th.

Instructions for completion are attached.

 

If you need assistance with account access or password reset, please use this link . Access requests and password resets will occur during business hours: 8:30am-4:30pm. We are unable to fulfill requests after hours, holidays or weekends. You’ll be notified via email once your request is complete.

Important Upcoming Dates

September

5- Student and Staff Holiday-No School

6- Student Holiday-No School

9- Coffee with the Principals, 8:00 AM-9:00 AM, SCIS Cafeteria 

12-16- Fall Book Fair 

19- PTO Meeting, 10:00 AM, SCIS Cafeteria  



Lunch and Delivery Information 

We DO NOT allow any type of third party delivery service for students. Examples would be Door Dash, Grub Hub, Uber Eats, etc. Parents can bring their student, and ONLY their student, lunch. We will have a cart/table in the front entry way of the building. There will be a short form that needs to be completed and attached to the lunch. We ask that you communicate to your child prior to school if you will be bringing them lunch. The cart will be moved to the cafeteria prior to lunch and the student will retrieve it from there. Parents are more than welcome to join their child for lunch. You will need to check in at the front office and present your government issued identification card. You will be scanned in as a visitor and receive a badge and lanyard. Both the badge and the lanyard will need to be worn at all times while on campus. 


If your student happens to forget something and you need to drop it off, we will follow the same procedure as lunch drop offs. We will ensure your student receives the item. 


As an additional reminder, we do not allow any birthday treats,trinkets, or invitations to be brought to, passed out, or delivered at school. This would include balloons, flowers, donuts, etc. 


The USDA waiver that allowed us to offer free lunch to all K-6 students last school year was not renewed. Congress did not provide funding for the program. 


We will be returning back to the National School Lunch Program. The elementary paid lunch price will be $4.00 ($4.75 premium meal). To qualify for free/reduced-priced lunch, households are encouraged to complete the 2022-2023 Meal Application found on the LISD Student Nutrition webpage.

https://www.lovejoyisd.net/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=388507&type=d&pREC_ID=881393



NEW!!! LISD Friday Night Lights 

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Dear Lovejoy Community,


The magic of Friday Night Lights is upon us.  The first football game of the year will be this Saturday night as our Leopards take on College Station High School in the Tom Landry Classic at Allen’s Eagle Stadium.  Tickets are still available at www.lovejoyleopards.net .  As exciting as the game is, the pageantry of a Friday night football game is special because so many of our students get to be involved.  Whether it is the band marching at halftime, the cheerleaders getting the crowd on their feet, or the student trainers ensuring the safety of our players, the event is more special when more students are involved.


Here are a few reminders as we kick off our first home game of the season on September 2 against the Argyle Eagles:


Ticketing

  • Tickets will be available for purchase during the week of the game at                  www.Lovejoyleopards.net
  • To expedite admission into the stadium, please download your ticket to your phone prior to arriving so our ticket takers can quickly scan your ticket


Parking

  • Parking will be at a premium this year as we expect very large crowds.  Arrive early in order to park in the stadium parking lot
  • Be patient as our parking lot attendants help you find available parking spaces
  • Overflow parking will be available at Willow Springs Middle School, Hart Elementary School, and Grace Church (just east of LHS on Estates Pkwy)
  • Shuttle buses will be constantly moving between each sight and the stadium throughout the night
  • WANT TO RESERVE A PARKING SPOT FOR THE SEASON?  WE HAVE 42 PARKING SPACES UP FOR AUCTION HERE!  THESE ARE THE BEST SPACES IN THE PARKING LOT!  AUCTION ENDS ON SEPTEMBER 28 at 10:00 PM!!!


Concessions

  • We are happy to announce that Chick Fil A will be served at our concession area for all home games this season


Seating

  • Section A: Middle School Student/General Admission
  • Section B: General Admission
  • Sections C-G: Season Ticket Holders
  • Section H: LHS Student Section
  • Section I: Band Section


General Information

  • There will be designated high school and middle school student seating.  All students 6th grade and younger will be expected to be seated with their parents
  • The stadium gates open at 6:00 PM 


NEW!!! PTO Information 

Please consider Joining our PTO and making a Leopard Drive Donation. Each school has a Leopard Drive fundraiser. If you donate at that school, 100% of the dollars stay at Sloan Creek. We rely on these funds to support our teachers and bring programs to our students. 


JOIN and DONATE

We would love for you to sign up to be apart of the Sloan Creek PTO. The $8 membership dues go towards programs that benefit each student. Please sign up your students and spouses or join as a family. Your membership allows you to have access to our online directory and volunteer opportunities.


There is also an opportunity for you do donate to our Leopard Drive. This is different than your donation to Foundation for Lovejoy Schools. Those donations benefit the district as a whole. Our Leopard Drive stays at Sloan Creek to help put on programs like See you at the Creek, Kool off with Kona, teacher appreciation and many more.


Please click on the link below to become a member and donate.


Join and Donate Here



STOCK THE TEACHER LOUNGE

The PTO is responsible for stocking the teacher lounge a few times a year. Please see the sign up genius below to sign up to drop off snacks for our teachers.


Thank you

Kim Rollins 

SCIS PTO President 2022-23

https://ptoscis.membershiptoolkit.com/Our_PTO


GT Referral Window 

Lovejoy ISD Community News

NEW!!! 

NEW!!!! 

Leopard Fishing Club 

6th grade student anglers – if you love to pond fish and bass fish at the lake…come join us! We would love to have you join the Middle School Leopard Fishing Club. The purpose of the Club is to educate and prepare future Leopard Fishing High School Team anglers for competitive bass fishing. As a Club member you will be introduced to competitive bass fishing, interact with the high school fishing team, participate in fish camp and enjoy many pond fishing excursions.

 

Join us for a meeting on August 30th at 6:00pm at WSMS Cafeteria. All anglers need to be signed up for the club by September 6th. Email us with any questions:  

Leopardfishingclub@gmail.com 

NEW!! LISD Leopard FishingClub

Ladies Coffee


The Council of PTOs would like to invite all “new to Lovejoy” moms (grades 1st – 12th) to our welcome coffee on September 13th.

Please RSVP and let us know that you are coming. We can’t wait to meet you!


Red-Out 2022 Homecoming T-Shirts are on sale!!!!!! 



ENROLLMENT OPEN FOR LCDC!


Enroll now for the 2022-23 school year for any of the 3 exemplary child care and early childhood programs housed at the Lovejoy Child Development Center. 


If you would like to be contacted with information regarding our programs, please complete the LCDC Interest Form by using the link below or scanning the QR code.  You may also email us at childdevelopmentcenter@lovejoyisd.net with any questions.  


LCDC Interest Form


In addition, Lovejoy ISD is excited to share with you that we will be offering a FREE prekindergarten program for eligible students who are 4 years old by September 1, 2022, and meets at least one of the following criteria:

  • Limited use of the English language 
  • Is eligible to participate in the free or reduced-price lunch program 
  • Meets the definition of homeless 
  • The child of an active duty member of the armed forces of the United States, including the state military forces or the reserves and/or injured or killed while serving
  • Is or ever has been in foster care 
  • The child of a recipient of the Star of Texas Award 


*Students who do not meet any of the above eligibility requirements may participate as a tuition student.  

*Lovejoy ISD employees receive discounted tuition for all programs offered at the LCDC.



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