staff. This is our seventh year to Please be sure to check in at the use this procedure and it has proven front office if you are volunteering. to be effective. We truly appreciate You will need to have your driver’s you not using the club house as a license available when you enter the pick-up location. Our walkers and building. For security reasons, we bike riders who must cross the ask that you allow your child to stay clubhouse parking area are much until the end of the day. If you Each day bears its own safer now. choose to leave before dismissal, gifts. Thank you again for following the you must sign your child out before arrival and dismissal procedures. you leave. Thank you for your Untie the ribbons. assistance in providing a safe ATTENDANCE REMINDERS campus.

W. J. Cameron As we enter the holiday season, we Theiss Volunteers, want to reinforce the importance of Calendar Of Events school attendance. Every year, Winter has arrived and we welcome the 12/03/14 McFun Night new season with the gift of giving. Our absences spike in the weeks before Theiss community of parents gives and after the holidays as families 12/05/14- Toy Drive for Homeless everyday by sending responsible students squeeze in a few more vacation Shelter ends –Thank you to the families ready to learn and achieve. The many days. We know that just a few that gave so generously! volunteer hours and financial missed days here and there, even if 12/05/14 Doerre Music Holiday contributions are greatly appreciated. they’re excused, can add up to too This year we have a tremendous number 12/11/14 4th Grade Program much lost learning time and put your of parents assisting throughout the child behind in school. We also 12/12/14 Polar Express Day building and we appreciate your gift of Pre-k -5th Pajama Day time. The time you provide to our students know that attendance is a habit that and our school is of tremendous value. If children should learn early if they’re 12/12/14 KHS Holiday you would like to volunteer, please going to succeed in school and Performance 1:25 pm register online at kleinisd.net. We need eventually on the job. Our teachers 12/16/14 Theiss Spelling Bee your time and talents in all grade levels. will be teaching, and our students 9:00 a.m. in the Thank you for your generosity. will be learning, right up until cafeteria vacation starts. So make sure your 12/18/14 Doerre Drama 9:45 child is in school every day and on PTO Meeting 2:00 12/19/14 Holiday Parties Pre-K time. Attendance Counts! 10:00 a.m. & K-5 classes TRANSPORTATION Every Day! Everyone! 2:00 p.m. CARPOOL PROCEDURES 12/19/14 “Speak Up” Survey Deadline Each morning our staff does a TARDY - DON’T BE Today fabulous job welcoming the www.speakup4schools.org/speakup2014 students. If your child is a car rider, LATE! Our doors open at 7:45 be sure to use the designated lanes am and breakfast is served at 7:50 12/22/14 Christmas/Winter Holiday for drop off. For safety reasons, do am. Please make every effort to begins not pull into the teacher parking have your child at school on time. area and have your child walk in Tardy slips are given to students front of the carpool lines. Our arriving late and are posted to your children are too precious to risk child’s attendance record. Students possible injury. At dismissal, the car are dismissed to the classrooms 1/05/15 Classes Resume every morning at 8:00 so they have rider line is long but efficient. We 1/09/15 PTO Meeting 2:00 would like to extend a special time to organize their day. 1/15/13 5th Grade Parent Meeting at thank you to the parents who are 6:00 p.m. at Doerre using their carpool tag and H O L I D A Y P A R T I E S hanging it on their rear view The Theiss Christmas parties will be 1/16/15 Staff Development mirror for easy sighting by the Friday, December 19th at 2:00 pm. Student Holiday 2 THEISS TALK 1/19/15 MLK Holiday teachers have been instructed to 2.) Robotics Club- Mrs. Chadinha request persons without a tag to & Mr. Christy SPEAK UP SURVEY return to the office in order to obtain 3.) Chess Club- Mr. Liptrap, Mr. Please take a minute to help our school one. This procedure helps us Leith and Mrs. Keenan and take the “2014 Speak Up Survey.” ensure the safety of the school 4.) Destination Imagination Speak Up is a national online research environment for your children Mr. Leith project facilitated by Project Tomorrow and gives individuals the opportunity to 5.) Choir- Mrs. Shaw & Mrs. Gary Parents often wish to visit with their share their viewpoints about key 6.) Garden Club- Mrs. Cannon educational issues, particularly child's teacher(s) prior to school 7.) 5 th Grade Strings- Mrs. Multop concerning 21st century education and without having an appointment. technology. Each year, findings are Please understand that the teachers 8.) Math Clubs- Mrs. Chadinha, summarized and shared with national are often times involved in Mrs.Whisnant & Mrs. Griffin and state policy makers. instructional meetings before school 9.) Superheroes- Mrs. Whisnant & Please go online and take a few minutes or they are preparing for the school Mrs. Miler to complete the survey as a community day. We ask that you respect this 10.) Outdoor Learning Center member and as a parent. Go to: time and any other time unless you Laura Basinger & Jen Beall www.speakup4schools.org/speakup201 Boy Scouts Troop 1332 4. Choose 2014 speak up survey, enter have scheduled a conference. your zip code, and then locate Theiss Beautiful Installation Art Work Elementary and take the survey by Created by our Theiss selecting from the various options HOLIDAY MUSIC Students & installed by Laura listed. The survey is open until PROGRAM Basinger & Jen Beall December 19, 2014. Last year Theiss had the most participation of the Klein Our Fourth Grade students will I want to send out a special thank you to schools. GO THEISS TIGERS!!! Thank perform the Holiday Program on the teachers and parents for so you for your help. Thursday, December 11th. It is generously giving their time and talent to always a joy to witness the talent of our Theiss students. Box Tops Means $$$ our students and recognize their for Theiss Keep sending in your hard work in preparing for this wonderful program. We are very Box Tops Tigers! We earned over proud of them. We would like to LIBRARY NEWS $1000 from the Box Tops submitted thank Mrs. Gary and Mrs. Shaw who between August and November. worked hard to coordinate a festive November was a busy month in the Big shout out to all of our Theiss and entertaining program. Special Theiss library. For the second year Tigers that sent these in and to Mrs. thanks to the moms that assistant! in a row, we introduced our Theiss Claus for cutting, packaging and Tigers to the art and rich history of mailing in our box tops. Keep cutting MC FUN NIGHT quilt making. Handmade quilts were out those Box Tops! Our next McFun Night was a huge success! spread throughout the library for homeroom competition is in the students to enjoy as well as the Laurie Glaser Swift is happy to planning stages and will kick off on stories on which the quilt patterns donate $686.29 for the Theiss January 6, 2015. Visit were based. We are always excited McTeacher Night! Thank you to the www.btfe.com for additional ways to when a student comes to the library support our school. Go Tigers! parents and teachers that made this to announce, “I’ve earned my Star night a success. The check amount SECURITY Reader t-shirt!” Already our Theiss is because of YOUR support! Also, VISITORS TO THEISS Tigers have read over 80 million Parents are encouraged to visit our Santa is coming to McDonald's of words! To date, 90 students have school at any time. It is a pleasure Gleannloch Farms next Saturday, earned their t-shirts and many more to show you our educational Dec. 13th from 11 am - 2 pm. If you are well on their way to achieving program as well as having you visit want a picture with Santa, you don't their goal. Parents, thank you for for lunch. You are encouraged to have to go to the mall. making reading a priority. visit with us; however, in order to ensure maximum protection for your children, visitors must sign in at THANKS TO OUR THEISS BIRTHDAY the office and receive a visitor’s SPONORS FOR ORGANIZING CLUB tag. You will be requested to THE SCHOOL CLUBS! The Theiss Birthday Book Club wall provide proper identification before is filling up with the names of being allowed entry. Our V-soft 1.) Duct Tape Club- Mr. Longtin & students who have selected a very security system will run a criminal Mrs. Windsor special library book dedicated in check on all visitors to Theiss. The their honor! We appreciate all of

The district URL is: www.kleinisd.net Phone Number: 832-484-5900 3 THEISS TALK those that have generously  Adopt a needy family for the supported this program as many holidays. students have a book dedicated in THE LATEST NEWS their behalf for the previous 6 years  Start a food drive in your The district Web site at they have attended Theiss! A big neighborhood. www.kleinisd.net provides detailed round of applause to Mrs. Parr and information about the district and the Mrs. Lorehn for making our library  Collect old coats and individual campuses. The daily #1 in Klein! blankets for the needy. KleINTOUCH e-mail message is another good way to stay “in the INTERNET SAFETY  Help serve food at a know.” You may subscribe on-line Internet Safety is a key focus in the homeless shelter. by clicking KleINTOUCH on the left library. Students have participated column of the home page of the in age appropriate lessons on how  Sing carols at a nursing district’s Web site. Another to stay safe online. The Klein district home. important way the district has recognized the importance of communicates with its citizens is internet safety and has created  Volunteer at a local school through the quarterly Klein District lessons to educate, engage, and or recreation center. News. This newsletter always empower children on how to be includes a letter from safer on- and offline and to keep  Visit a sick person in the Superintendent Dr. Jim Cain to the personal information safe. Parents hospital. community. and guardians can go online to the If you do not receive the Klein Netsmartz website @  Help raise funds for a local District News or there is a www.netsmartzkids.org to meet charity. neighborhood, street, or road where Clicky & his gang, view valuable Charity is a gift from the heart that the newsletter is not being received, information and video clips on how delivers a valuable reward to both please call Ms. Linda Burdge at to keep your children safe. the giver and the receiver. 832-249-4173 so that the district can correct that problem. Printed with permission from Harriet Meyerson

PHYSICAL EDUCATION PETS ON CAMPUS Parents, please remind your child SCIENCE FAIR Unfortunately we have had that they are to wear tennis shoes to The Fourth Grade Science Fair was children bitten by dogs on a leash school on the days they are fabulous. Students began working at dismissal time. The sweetest scheduled for Physical Education. on their science fair projects in dog can be frightened by the The tight schedule does not allow October by deciding on a topic number of students dismissed, adequate time for the students to question for their experiment. For sudden movement or unfamiliar change shoes for PE activities. the analysis, students were sounds. For safety reasons, Thank you for sending your children encouraged to put their please do not bring your pets to prepared for PE. Thank you observations and measurements in campus when picking up or coaches! a chart or graph. The reports dropping off your children. featured at least one paragraph that Teacher permission is necessary GIVE TO OTHERS stated the results and conclusions for pets to be brought to school for The holiday season affords made from the experiment. The a specific classroom activity. numerous opportunities to help the students had a couple weeks to less fortunate. If you would like to create their displays and put provide such assistance, check with together their project. The students your local volunteer association and learned that a science fair project KISD CROSSING choose a charitable activity. As you must include the question, research, GUARDS help others, you will build your own hypothesis, materials list, Klein ISD is always looking for confidence, because you will procedures, a graph, and a crossing guards. An individual must become more aware of your value. concluding report. We want to send be available a minimum 3 hours a a special thank you to our teachers Here are a few ways to contribute: day. Anyone interested in becoming and parents for supporting a crossing guard should contact, Mr. instruction. The projects were Send the utility company a Wendland at 832-249-4265 between  stellar! check for someone less fortunate 9:00 am and 2:00 pm for further to put toward their bill. information. The district URL is: www.kleinisd.net Phone Number: 832-484-5900 4 THEISS TALK TEACHER PHONE/EMAIL activities, projects, and expectations. your child’s name on his/her Encourage communications through MESSAGES belongings will help return the items conversation and questioning. to the owner. WRITE YOUR CHILD’S Teachers have shared their  Monitor your children's NAME ON THEIR BELONGS!  classroom telephone numbers and extracurricular activities closely. email addresses with you so that Whenever possible, arrange specific they can be directly contacted. after-school activities or supervised care, always monitor television Please note that phones and MESSAGES Only emailing will not be utilized during watching, and install computer software to block inappropriate websites. Also be messages of an emergency nature the instructional time. The teacher can be relayed to students by the may return your phone call or email mindful of video game content. If you can't be home right after school, call or front office. Therefore, please be request during conference periods, email frequently to check in with your sure that your child knows what to after school, or the following school children, or have a trusted neighbor, do in unusual circumstances or day. Please give the teacher 24 to relative, or friend stop by. Search out rainy weather. Another matter of 48 hours to reply. If you have after-school programs and association importance, please make sure that activities that could serve as alternatives homework questions please check your child has the necessary items the teacher’s webpage. for children going home alone after school. when leaving home each morning. If you desire a conference with your Children will not be allowed to call child’s teacher, you may leave a  Reading books, magazines, and home for forgotten assignments or message and the teacher will newspapers and talking about what is supplies. This will help the child, learned from them is another important contact you with a time that is you, and us. aspect to pursue at home. Discussing convenient for both parties. current events and/or the day's activities LIBRARY BOOKS MAKE-UP ASSIGNMENTS is a good habit to develop. Tell stories, All students have the opportunity to share problems, and write letters, notes, check out library books and messages to one another. These Upon request by a parent, make-up weekly. Students are assignments will be prepared for types of communication bring families closer together, especially today, when expected to keep up with their students who have been absent for books. Payments will be at least three (3) consecutive everyone is busy with his or her own individual activities and commitments. required for lost or damaged days. Please call the school office library books. no later than 10:00 of the third day  Stay in touch with teachers and of the absence. The homework can school staff, and express sincere be picked up in the school office at interest in your children's progress at student dismissal time. school. Work together with your children's teachers to set age- A Holiday Blessings STUDENT SUCCESS STARTS appropriate goals and standards, and to IN THE HOME recognize and promote special talents. May you be blessed with the spirit Compliment your children and share of the season, which is peace, You probably know that a student's school success stories with family and The gladness of the season, academic success is affected by many friends. Which is hope factors. When it comes to achievement, activities outside the classroom,  Be a positive role model. And the heart of the season, especially at home, can be just as Demonstrate ways that achievement Which is love influential as what happens inside the relates to hard work and dedication. Somehow, not only for the Holidays classroom. Discuss the value of a good education But all the long year through, to possible career options, and explore Following are five important areas to The joy that you give to others ways your children can turn their true Is the joy that comes back to you. emphasize to ensure the success of interests into satisfying career your children: possibilities.  Establish a daily routine by And the more you spend in blessing providing a quiet time and place for your The poor and lonely and sad, children to study. Be firm about The more of your heart’s bedtimes so the child is well-rested and possessing alert in the classroom. Having dinner LOST AND FOUND Returns to you glad. together as a family is also important, We have many unclaimed jackets, because it gives you an opportunity to sweaters and lunch kits in our lost John Greenleaf Whittie talk about your children's daily school and found. Remember that marking

The district URL is: www.kleinisd.net Phone Number: 832-484-5900