1. education
2. school

SETTLERS WAY ELEMENTARY
March 2015
Vol.30, No.4
From the Principal:
Great things continue to happen at Settlers Way every day. Our students and teachers are working very hard
and are tackling the last few months of school with great willingness and enthusiasm.
Speaking of enthusiasm, we had a very enthusiastic turn-out and response to our recent Jump Rope for Heart
drive. Settlers Way Explorers raised over $10,000 in donations which will directly benefit the American Heart
Association. It was such a fun, successful event on a beautiful day. I saw both students and adults jumping rope and
having a great time! Way to go, students, parents and staff!
I hope you all will consider supporting our upcoming PTA fundraiser with the same enthusiasm! The PTA
rolled out our annual cookie dough sales a few weeks ago and those sales will end on April 2nd. The cookie dough
will arrive on May 6th, just in time for Mother’s Day, upcoming graduation parties and the start of summer, so plan
and buy accordingly! Make sure and mark your calendars for our cookie dough distribution on Wednesday, May 6th
from 2:30 – 6:00 pm in the cafeteria.
Coming up in the next several weeks our students in third, fourth, and fifth grades will be taking the State of
Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR™) tests. Third grade students will take reading and math, fourth
grade students will take reading, math and writing, and fifth grade students will take reading, math and science. Please
check your child’s Tuesday folder and your email because we will send out more information as the test dates
approach.
As spring arrives, I also want to ask for your continued support in a few different areas. We are having
children dropped off and left unsupervised before 7:30 a.m. Please do not drop off students before 7:30 a.m. as there
is no supervision or staff on duty before this time. Also, if your child participates in an after-school event such as
choir or Girls Club, it is imperative that they be picked up on time. It’s also very important that you continue to check
your child’s backpack daily for important information from school and to remind your children to turn in their
homework on time. When parents are involved in their children’s education at home, their children do better in
school.
In addition to our parents, the Settlers Way PTA plays a very important role in our students’ success. Unlike
many other elementary campuses, our students are fortunate to attend two PTA-sponsored field trips per year and they
benefit tremendously from many instructional items that the teachers and students use daily. We are very appreciative
for a wonderful PTA board and membership.
Our PTA is currently looking to fill vacancies on the PTA board for the next school year too. If you would
like to participate on the PTA Board for the 2015-2016 school year, please call me at (281) 634-4360 or email me at
[email protected]. There are positions open with a wide range of involvement needed. Whether you
have a full time job or are a stay-at-home parent, we have a position for you. We would love to have you as a member
of the Settlers Way PTA Board!
Thank you for all of the time, energy, and support that you give SWE. Our school’s success is due in large
part to your generous help and continued enthusiasm!
Kristi Durham
Explorers:
It’s been an exciting year to date and bigger things are coming! Boosterthon was a huge
success and that is all due to the dedication you have to help your children. We want to
thank you for supporting your PTA and your school!
The PTA Board has some empty posts that need to be filled. We are looking for volunteers
willing to step up to the plate. We hope you are that person! We cannot have a functioning
PTA without someone in these key positions. Open committee positions for next year include
Ways and Means (Fundraising), Newsletter, Website Management, Directory, Publicity,
Membership, Shared Dreams Coordinator and Care Committee.
Some of these positions require more time, while others require less, but all are important.
Please contact me at [email protected] or Mrs. Durham at
[email protected] if you are interested in a position or have questions.
We hope everyone is enjoying the new directory. Our website is tied into it as well so it
makes for a great tool! To access the directory, you must create a login user name and
password with “PToffice.” Also find us on Facebook at SWE Explorers. Our website is
www.swe-pta.org.
This is only the beginning of what we can do!
Sincerely,
Kelley Glore
PTA President
SAFETY CORNER….
ATTENTION ALL DRIVERS: We love our students at SWE and want them to stay
safe. Please obey all traffic signs around the school campus during school hours.
Sugar Land Police can not always enforce traffic laws, so PLEASE do YOUR part to
drive with caution.
We are also reminded by our FBISD Police Department that any cell phone usage while
operating a moving vehicle (even during drop-off and pick-up lines) is illegal if not using
a hands-free device. Please set a good example for our students by following the law.
Can you believe we’re nearing the end of another school year? Good grief, where has the time
gone? With that said, there are still many opportunities to help at Settlers Way Elementary.
Here are some ways where you can help: Special Programs, Fundraising, Library, Tuesday
Folders, Teachers Center, Cultural Awareness Programs, Literacy Reader or just helping out in
our very own VIPS room. Wherever you want to help and give of your time, it is truly welcomed
and appreciated.
January's VIPS of the Month is Allison Fisher. What an amazing volunteer! Allison is the 3rd
Grade Coordinator, a room parent in kindergarten and always very willing to help when and
were help is needed. Lately, you can find Allison at the Teacher Center doing die-cuts. Thank
you Allison for all you do for the children at SWE!
February's VIPS of the Month is awarded to two people: Shane Huebel and Tanya Warren.
They acted as our “Zero the Hero” characters and are just awesome people! It has been such fun
walking the halls and going into the classrooms with these two “heroes” and seeing the smiles
on the faces of ALL our kids and teachers. A special thanks goes out to Ms. Edwards, our PE
Aide, for filling in for Ms. Warren during the 100th Day of School celebration.
Let’s keep volunteering and loving our kids,
Kristie Crandall
VIPS Coordinator
Congratulations
to our
2014-2015
Science Fair
Winners!
(Shown left to right)
Vail Chen, Kobe Ngo,
Kaitlyn Janak,
and Jonathan Lorine
Fun Times at
Above: SWE students have the volunteer spirit (Top Left - Mrs. Borque’s class won the Golden Can
award for the student council can drive, Top Right - Girls Club Christmas Tree Project)
Below: SWE students have some fun with friends, class parties and the 100th day of school!
Settlers Way
Fifth grade performance at the
Sugar Land Town Square Tree Lighting!
Fly Dance Company from Young Audiences of Houston come to present a Healthy Hip Hop program for the
school. The students learned about how healthy habits like exercising, eating healthy food and getting good sleep
will help you perform at your best. The group of 5 entertained the children with stories, skits and hip hop
dancing moves and educated them on the hip hop culture. The students really enjoyed the presentations!
Congratulations to our Pro Award
winners for the second nine weeks!!
Milstead am
Milstead pm
Dillon
Coffman
Jaggi
Crowley
Tyler L
Bhargav T
Ernesto R
Caleb M
Jensen R
Noah C
Rika F
Aliya
Jayla C
Beesley
Mohammad
Chloe L
Lenecek
Maler
Ezell
Taylor/Mani
Fanian
Reiland
Hickman
Johannessen
Nommensen
Singleton
Elson
Dawson
Lott
Koinis
Honsberger
Borque
Vest
Zimmerman
Ellefson
Baker
Megna
O'Brien
Guest
Blasdell
Kish
Thiele
Calvert
DeMont
Guzman
Cook
Robichau
McDonough
Deurlein
Damian V
Ryan B
Saajan C
Zachary G
Nathan T
Jonah T
Suhaib R
Christopher M
Langston H
Leo C
Noah T
Alvin R
Ziyad E
Hassan E
Eric W
Nathan P
Brandon H
Jacob F
Alex J
Ferni L
Parker K
Daniel W
Jhanghir B
Aishwarya S
Ryan J
Collin R
Sanjay K
Logan A
Ryan B
Ben G
Rouel S
Kobe N
Jacob
Hailey D
Hannah P
Niharika M
Rachel L
Angelina C
Samantha S
Lyra G
Taylor S
Holly H
Raina S
Elena T
Katherine K
Angela S
Yan R
Angelina S
Valerie H
Ann T
Huan Z
Farah A
Charlize L
Angelina J
Mizuki F
Jocelyn H
Claire W
Eisa K
Hannah L
Makenzie W
Grace Y
Sonia T
Cierra K
Crystal N
Natalie W
Ananya M
Lena B
Counselor’s Corner
SWE is continuing to build character,
maintain a supportive and safe learning/
working environment, and develop a
college and career readiness mindset on
our campus. We are also focusing on
acceptance and embracing our differences.
Our fifth grade class prepared for their
transition to middle school by visiting their
future middle school and participating in the
course selection process.
After-school questions
Asking “How was school today?” might not
get you very far. Instead, try these
questions for a better picture of your
youngster’s day:
● “What’s the coolest thing that happened?
What wasn’t so cool?”
● “Pretend you’re the teacher — how would
you describe the day?”
● “What made you laugh?”
● “What was the most creative thing you
did?”
● “How were you kind or helpful today?
Was anyone kind or helpful to you?”
● “What new word did you hear today?”
Anetria D. Woodard M.Ed.
School Counselor, SWE
(tel) 281-634-5321
(e-mail) [email protected]
Library News
The library has been a busy place this year, and I want to give a special thanks to all of
our wonderful library volunteers who help out…Thank you!
Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students have been busy reading and voting for their
favorite Bluebonnet books in the library. SWE students who read 5 or more of the 20
nominated Bluebonnet books voted for their favorite book this January. SWE students
were part of 130,997 students in the state of Texas that participated in choosing this
year’s award winning book. And….This year’s winner is The Day the Crayons Quit –
Drew Daywalt, author; Oliver Jeffers, illustrator.
Texas Reader’s Club is also in full swing. Students need to continue reading and
completing projects for eligibility. Please check with your child’s teacher for grade level
requirements. Remember all books need to be read and recorded in the Texas Readers
Folder by the first Friday in May.
The different grade levels are also busy learning in the library. Here is just a small look
at some of the things we are learning. Kindergarten students are learning how to choose
books, and they are also listening to quality literature. They will be learning how to
choose books from the shelves after spring break. First graders have been learning
about the features of fiction and non-fiction books and pairing fiction with non-fiction
books with the same topics. Second grade students have learned how to use the
catalog and put books on hold. Our 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students have been busy
reading Bluebonnet nominated books and other award winning books as well as going to
library stations.
Spring is just around the corner and so is our spring book fair which will be the week of
May 18th-22nd. We will have several days to purchase books and many opportunities to
volunteer, just keep an eye out for more announcements
Happy Reading!
Mrs. Sackllah
Thanks to our
Girls Club sponsors!
Anetria Woodard &
Brenda Wrenn
Dates to Remember:
April 2nd– PTA Cookie Dough Sales End
April 7th - PTA Board Meeting
April 21st - 3rd and 4th grade STAAR Math
April 22nd - 3rd and 4th grade STAAR Reading
April 22nd - 5th grade STAAR Science
April 29th - Progress Reports are sent home
May 6th - National School Nurse’s Day
May 6th - PTA Cookie Pickup Day
May 18th - 22 - Book Fair
May 21st - Choir Performance and PTA meeting
May 29th - Field Day
April is National Autism Awareness Month
May is Teacher Appreciation Month
Congratulations to our Writer’s Club
winners for the second nine weeks!!
Dillon
Colin H
Jaggi
Crowley
Beesley
Lenecek
Maler
Ezell
Taylor/Mani
Fanian
Reiland
Hickman
Johannessen
Nommensen
Singleton
Elson
Dawson
Lott
Koinis
Honsberger
Borque
Vest
Zimmerman
Ellefson
Baker
Megna
O'Brien
Guest
Blasdell
Kish
Thiele
Calvert
DeMont
Guzman
Cook
Riley M
Hridya A
Malaya S
Rachel S
Reagan S
Murphy N
Jayson Y
Aadithya V
Rohan W
Ava T
Raina M
Deonc B
Katherine D
Hirsh C
Carson K
Takeshi A
Bailey S
Nathan T
Katherine F
Han Z
Tata H
Noah L
Maelynn B
Laurice D
Rayne W
Hannah Y
Kelis Z
Ishita J
Joshua B
Abia M
Andrew D
Zahra A
Leah G
Robichau
Samantha N
McDonough
Sarah B
Deurlein
Braden M