THE POST OAK SCHOOL

Family Handbook Quickview

2019–2020

Challenge the Norm WelcomeWelcome to the 2019–2020 school year at Post Oak. This booklet provides a quick glance at information to help prepare for the year ahead. You can find more detailed topics in the digital Family Handbook on our website. postoakschool and If you haven’t visited postoakschool.org postoakhighschool recently, you’re in for a surprise! We’ve completely updated our website, including plans for a more robust parent portal to include current news, events, and resources. Watch that space for more to come postoakschool/ and throughout the school year. postoakhighschool/ We are grateful your family is a part of this community and are excited for a wonderful year ahead.

What does that mean? Common Post Oak Abbreviations ASEP After-School Enrichment Program IB International Baccalaureate A-Term April Term MDC Museum District Campus BC Bissonnet Campus MMUN Montessori Model United Nations EL Elementary MS Middle School FD/HD Full Day/ Half Day OWL Our Whole Lives J-Term January Term POPA Post Oak Parent Association (you!) LE Lower Elementary PRI Primary HMI Houston Montessori Institute UE Upper Elementary HS High School YCC Young Children’s Community

COVER PHOTO BY ALEFIYA AKBARALLY LOOKING F O RWA R D to another WONDERFUL YEAR!

2019–2020 FAMILY HANDBOOK QUICKVIEW | 1 Communication, Parent Resources, & Other Notes

We appreciate your efforts to stay connected and submit the required information online. Please see informed given the volume of data directed at us on the the Family Handbook Health & Safety section for any given day. For general school information, refer more information. to the Family Handbook, available online in early August. Additional hard copies will be available at all VISITOR REGISTRATION orientations. A printed copy of the full school directory The school has implemented Raptor, a visitor will also be available at both front offices. registration system that enhances school security by reading visitors’ driver’s licenses, comparing WEBSITE & BLOG information to a sex offender database, alerting campus We have a new website! The parent portal includes administrators if a match is found, and (assuming no news, calendars, and links to resources. Some pages match was made) printing a visitor badge that includes may be locked to the public, requiring you to sign in. a photo. Raptor provides a consistent system to track To log in, select the menu in the upper right corner and visitors while also protecting our students. “Parents” from the list. Your user name and password are the same as those for My BackPack. All visitors to the school must present a valid state or government-issued photo identification card to the We are also excited to announce the transition of our receptionist. If there is no match, the system will print a monthly printed newsletter, The Post, to a blog format. visitor’s pass, which includes the person’s name, photo, Articles by our head of school, faculty, students, and so date of visit, and destination within the building. much more will make their way onto our new website Parents need only to present their ID once, and on to give families more current, relevant stories and subsequent visits their names will be entered manually information. to create a visitor badge. No additional data will be shared with any outside company or organization. POST HIGHLIGHTS Each week, we e-mail the Post Highlights, a digital PARENT EDUCATION EVENTS newsletter about upcoming school events, deadlines for Post Oak offers a wealth of parent education events merchandise orders, and special news or notices. to strengthen child-parent-teacher relationships. These programs and speakers focus on Montessori MY BACKPACK educational principles and practice, parenting skills, My BackPack™ (MBP) is an online portal to update and child development issues. contact information, register for classes, and more. The Information about each event is available in the weekly and login Getting Started with My BackPack User Guide Post Highlights e-mail and the Family Handbook. link can be found in the Parent Portal on our website. Most of the parent education events offer childcare for If you have any questions about logins or have current Post Oak Primary and Elementary students. forgotten your user ID, please contact the Parents are asked to make reservations in advance Technology Office at 281-822-8063 or technology@ online or by contacting the front office—they will be postoakschool.org. accepted as long as space and staffing allow. The cost of childcare is $5 per child and will be billed on your MAGNUS monthly statement. The school uses Magnus, a web-based system for form management, where parents have continuous access ROOM PARENTS to their child’s health records, as well as the ability Room parents are part of the Post Oak Parent to make updates when needed. In addition to health Association (POPA) leadership team. They are forms, Magnus handles field trip permission slips, communicators between the teacher or division handbook acknowledgment forms, and other school- director and class parents. Room parents help support related forms. Our goal is to eliminate paper forms the work of the teacher in many ways: from shopping as much as possible and to make it easy for parents to to organizing parent volunteers.

2 | THE POST OAK SCHOOL THE INFORMED POST OAK PARENT Learn DIGITAL about what’s Post Highlights email Website parent portal happening My BackPack Teachers’ newsletters Find Blog & Social media (Facebook & Instagram) parenting support PUBLICATIONS Calendar Family Handbook Directory PARENT EDUCATION EVENTS Parent CoŠees EVENTS/MEETINGS Ho MS & HS Pathways to Independence Conferences Parenting the Love & Logic Way Parent education events Redirecting Children’s Behavior Montessori Journey Parent OWL meetings do I and more to come Prepare EVENTS/MEETINGS for what’s Orientations to come Conferences Parent education events Transition meetings for next level Connect Alumni Voices event with other families COMMUNITY EVENTS Community CoŠee Family Fun Day POPA Community Service Days POPA Parent Work Days Bearkats games POPA Dinner Dads Club Events Book Fair Parent education events POPA Parent Celebration

Do you have a question but don’t know where to go? We want to help. Please call the front o”ce at 713-661-6688 or email fronto”[email protected] and we will help you find the answer.

2019–2020 FAMILY HANDBOOK QUICKVIEW | 3 Bissonnet Campus | YCC through Grade 6

Please read the Family Handbook for complete details on REGULAR DISMISSAL arrivals and dismissals. ◆◆ YCC: at your child’s classroom on the Avenue B side;

REGULAR ARRIVALS ◆◆ PRI: at the Peace Circle; ◆◆ Do not block the pedestrian crosswalk. ◆◆ LE: at the Peace Circle or with UE siblings on the Avenue B side or as directed by your child’s teacher; ◆◆ Young Children’s Community: at your child’s classroom door on the Avenue B side; ◆◆ UE: Avenue B side or as directed by your child’s teacher. ◆◆ Primary: at the Peace Circle (no Primary children may be dropped off on the Avenue B side); SCHEDULE & TRAFFIC FLOW FOR ◆◆ Elementary: Avenue B side or Peace Circle (do not DISMISSAL drop off at any other location). LEVEL TIME ENTRY PICK-UP EXIT SCHEDULE & TRAFFIC FLOW FOR ARRIVAL HDYCC 11:45–12:00 1 Avenue B side 2 11:45–12:00 LEVEL TIME ENTRY PICK-UP EXIT FDYCC 2 Avenue B side 3:00–3:15 1 2 HDYCC & 8:35–8:45 1 Avenue B side 2 3:00–3:15 FDYCC 2 FDYCC 1 3:45–6:00 1 Avenue B side 2 7:00–8:10 HD PRI 12:00–12:15 Peace Circle FDYCC 1 8:35–8:45 1 Avenue B side 2 1 4 FD PRI 3:15–3:30 Peace Circle PRI 8:15–8:40 1 Peace Circle 4 1 4 Avenue B side Avenue B side PHE 3:45–6:00 1 (PHE gate) 2 PHE 7:00–8:10 1 (PHE gate) 2 LE 3:30–3:45 1 Peace Circle 4 LE 8:15–8:30 1 Avenue B side or 2 Peace Circle UE 3:30–3:45 1 Avenue B side 2 Avenue B side or ASEP as scheduled 1 Avenue B side 2 UE 8:15–8:30 1 Peace Circle 2 Gate 3 to the Post Oak campus, from Bissonnet (see map), is used as an exit during normal hours, excluding

Episcopal High School arrival and dismissal times. This is a “right turn only” exit.

Refrain from using your mobile device while on school DRO P O 4 F F / P grounds, including sending any text messages. Mobile I C

K

U P phones may only be used if your car is parked.

Parking on Campus Please park in designated parking spaces only, to allow

VISITORS for unobstructed traffic flow. 3 Please honor any reserved parking spaces, including Bissonnet DROP OFF/PICK UP those designated “buddy parking” for employees. These employees have volunteered to buddy park in an effort CROSSWALK to conserve parking spaces at the school. 2 1 PEDESTRIAN GATE Avenue B There is no parking on the Episcopal High School campus at any time.

4 | THE POST OAK SCHOOL Museum District Campus | Grades 7 through 12

Attendance, Arrival, and Dismissal MIDDLE SCHOOL ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL The school buildings open at 7:30 a.m. Students may Advisory groups meet between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. Plan arrive after 7:30 when there will be supervision on to arrive as close to 8:15 as possible. Students arriving campus. after 8:30 will be counted tardy. The campus is open until 5:00 p.m. The school day ends at 3:30 p.m. Dismissal is from 3:30–3:45 p.m. Students who are not picked up by Students are required to be on campus from the 4:00 will join the Middle School After-Care and be beginning of their first commitment of the day until charged a drop-in fee. the completion of their last commitment. Students are expected to attend all class commitments, field HIGH SCHOOL ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL experiences, school trips, class meetings, sports, activities, and any other required school function. The High School building is open from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. The school day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends at 3:30 p.m. Students should arrive at school by 8:15 Montrose a.m. to allow time to prepare for their day.

Parking on Campus As we are a small campus on the edge of a residential area, please be courteous and aware of all local traffic, especially along Autrey Street. The Museum District Campus has a one-way driveway around the buildings to allow for off-street drop-offs and pick-ups. Traffic DROP OFF/ PICK UP moves around the buildings clockwise, entering from Autrey Street (south) and exiting on Montrose

HIGH Boulevard (east). If you are picking up or dropping off SCHOOL your child, please drive along Autrey Street from the east, enter the driveway, and pull around the building to the back door. Do not park your car and leave it in the driving lane. When exiting, please turn right onto Montrose Boulevard (southbound).

Other than the school’s parking lot, there may be street parking available in front of school-owned properties along Autrey Street. We encourage all visitors to the school to walk, bike, or take the Metro to campus. If you must drive, I-69/US-59 MIDDLE consider carpooling with another family; use the SCHOOL Student/Parent Directory on My BackPack to make DROP OFF/ PICK UP arrangements. Autrey

2019–2020 FAMILY HANDBOOK QUICKVIEW | 5 Important Ways to Get Involved

ENGAGE Attend parent-teacher conferences, the POPA Dinner, events, orientations, workshops, read the ENGAGE weekly Post Highlights e-mail and our blog to keep up to date on activities.

VOLUNTEER Help out for one hour or all year long, at events or in the classroom. Your gift of time and talent benefits the students in numerous ways. Also VOLUNTEER look for the POPA Community Service Days to join other families in support of our greater community.

DONATE Your gifts support the excellence you expect at Post Oak. Please participate in all fundraisers DONATE at a level that is meaningful for your family. We strive for 100% parent participation in all fundraisers.

6 | THE POST OAK SCHOOL ENGAGE

2019–2020 FAMILY HANDBOOK QUICKVIEW | 7 Community-Building Events & More

The Post Oak School hosts a variety of events designed Family Fun Day November 9 to bring families together throughout the school year. This annual event is a long-standing Post Oak tradition that’s fun for the whole family. Enjoy the company of Community Coffee August 30 your fellow Bearkats with a day of great music, giant All Post Oak parents (especially new parents) are inflatables, a variety of activities, food trucks, and invited to gather in the Bissonnet Campus gym more! Family Fun Day is a FREE event held on the for refreshments and coffee. This event is a great Bissonnet Campus. opportunity to meet Post Oak administration, room parents, and key volunteers—make new friends and Grand Friends Days November 25–26 catch up with longtime ones. Grandparents and special friends are invited to visit the Bissonnet Campus on November 25 or 26, and the Dads’ Club Kick-Off Event September 3 Museum District Campus on November 26. Invitations Join the Dads’ Club for this informal evening social will automatically be mailed to current grandparents and get to know a great group! Watch your e-mail for if their address is on file. For friends, other relatives, or details. grandparents new to Post Oak, please fill out the form POPA Dinner September 10 on the school’s website to provide this information. Meet and mingle with other parents at this kick-off to Dads Club Social & Poker Night TBA the school year (for all parents, trustees, faculty, and This social event raises funds to cover the cost of the staff ). This adults-only event includes drinks, dinner, spring Family Movie Night event. Whether or not you and great company. This is not a fundraiser: ticket play poker, be ready for a great night out! price covers the cost of the event, and donations pay for faculty attendance. Look for information in Post Book Fair March 29 Highlights. Help build your child’s classroom, school, and at- home library through recommended booklists created POPA Parent Work Days (see dates on next page) by your child’s teacher. The Post Oak School earns a Hosted by our POPA Chairs, this is a great way to percentage of all Book Fair sales, with funds benefiting meet other Post Oak parents while helping our teachers the school’s library on both campuses. Book Fair takes accomplish a variety of easy-to-do projects for their place at Brazos Bookstore on Bissonnet. classroom. Parents, grandparents, and friends are welcome to attend. These monthly gatherings begin Family Movie Night April 17 in September and run throughout the school year, It’s Friday Family Movie Night sponsored by the Dads’ generally on the first Friday of each month. Please join Club! Bring a picnic, lawn chairs, blankets and the in as often as you can. whole family to enjoy a movie on the back field, eat popcorn, and get together with a great group of people! MDC Coffeehouses Oct. 4 Drop by to hear Middle School and High School POPA Parent Celebration April 29 students share their musical and spoken word All Post Oak parents, including our newest community performances in this relaxed setting. (See calendar for members whose children will start in the fall, are more dates.) invited to this adults-only social gathering. Join us as we raise a glass, thank our many volunteers, honor Reading between the Wines! starts in Oct. parents of our graduates, and prepare to wrap up the This informal and fun parent group reads books related school year. to parenting teens(!), and gets together to discuss and enjoy a glass of wine. This is a “no stress” book club— Commencement May 22 read the book if you have time, or don’t if you want to Join us for the commencement of our senior class hear about it from others—just come ready to share of 2020. All parents, family, alumni, and students thoughts and laugh a little. Oct. 10, Jan. 16, Mar. 25, are invited to attend as we acknowledge the 7:00–9:00 p.m. accomplishment of this class upon the completion of their Post Oak studies.

8 | THE POST OAK SCHOOL save the date for the Post Oak Parents Association Annual Welcome Dinner

Tuesday, September 10, 2019 Cohen House, Rice University

Details and invitations coming in August. Event Chairs: Erinn Boyle & Sandhya Sabhnani

POPA Parent Work Day Parents, grandparents, and friends are all invited!

Hosted by our POPA Chairs, this is a great way to meet other Post Oak parents and friends while helping our teachers accomplish a variety of easy-to-do projects for their classroom. These gatherings generally fall on the first Friday of each month at the Bissonnet Campus. Please join as often as you can!

FALL SPRING Sept. 6 Jan. 10 Grandparents Oct. 4 Feb. 7 welcome! Nov. 8 Mar. 6 4 Dec. 13 Apr. 2

2019–2020 FAMILY HANDBOOK QUICKVIEW | 9 VOLUNTEER

10 | THE POST OAK SCHOOL Volunteer Many activities on The Post Oak School calendar VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES simply would not take place without the commitment ◆◆ Assist with field trips, special events, plays, and other and hard work of our parent volunteers. Events such class projects. as the POPA Dinner, Book Fair, Family Fun Day, and Gala are organized by parent committees under the ◆◆ Assist with parent education programs. leadership of the Post Oak Parents Association chairs. ◆◆ Work on community special events. ◆◆ Work in the Bissonnet Campus library, art room, or WHAT IS POPA? school office. As a parent of a Post Oak student, you are automatically a member of the Post Oak Parent ◆◆ Assist as an annual fund class captain or with other Association (POPA). POPA organizes many of the fundraising projects. community events and activities happening throughout ◆◆ Participate in beautification projects around the the year. Our POPA chairs encourage all parents to school. sign up and start volunteering. They are happy to ◆◆ Introduce elements of your cultural heritage or answer any questions about events and volunteer professional expertise to your child’s class. Contact opportunities. the teacher to discuss your ideas. POPA Chairs ◆◆ Serve as a room parent to provide direct support to Laura De Vera the classroom teacher. Contact your child’s teacher if 281-467-4495 [email protected] you are interested. Carlin Putman 281-467-6391 [email protected] ◆◆ Join other Post Oak families for service projects Daniela Sanchez throughout the Greater Houston area. 956-693-0482 [email protected] ◆◆ Sign up to share your alma mater experience with a High School student interested in your school. Dads Club The Post Oak Dads Club holds special events such as Signing Up Is Easy the annual Social and Poker Night to get to know one Attend the morning Community Coffee on Sept. 7 another and build community. Dads Club contacts are: (watch the Post Highlights for details) to sign up for activities. It’s also a great way to meet other parents. David Hamilton 832-566-2650 [email protected] Sign up via a link on our website to volunteer for Jeffrey Tapick school events or other on-going projects. 713-252-5986 [email protected] POPA Parent Work Day (BC): Most first Fridays of the month beginning in September, POPA hosts a Family Community Service work day where parents help teachers with a variety of Most months, there will be an opportunity for you and small tasks. Come for an hour or stay all morning. Your your children to join other Post Oak families to serve help is always appreciated and you’ll get to meet other our Greater Houston community. The community Post Oak moms, dads, and relatives. Grandparents are service chair is: welcome! Sara Loperena 713-299-6830 [email protected] Speak with your child’s teacher about helping in the classroom: chaperoning field trips, cooking with Room Parents and Post Oak Fund Class Captains students, helping with class events, bringing in a These volunteers are also part of the POPA leadership cultural presentation, becoming a room parent, or team. For a full list of names and contact information, volunteering as a class captain for The Post Oak Fund. please see the Family Handbook.

2019–2020 FAMILY HANDBOOK QUICKVIEW | 11 Giving A long-term financial objective of The Post Oak School ENDOWMENT is to fully cover basic operating expenses through In working to ensure the school’s long-term vitality, tuition/fee payments and earned income. At the same the board has established an endowment. By design, time, the school engages in fundraising, as do most the corpus of the endowment will remain untouched. other non-profit independent schools in Houston. Its income is used to support the school’s program initiatives and financial assistance. To help build the The school has two main fundraising programs, both endowment, a percentage of annual giving goes into supporting the operating budget. One is the Post Oak that fund. More significant building of the endowment Annual Fund and the other is the Gala, which happens results from major gifts. The school encourages support in alternating years. Money raised through the two for the endowment from individuals and foundations, major fundraisers supports: either through outright grants or through planned ◆◆ the endowment; giving. ◆◆ student financial assistance; ◆◆ teacher training and faculty development (including the sabbatical fund); MAJOR GIFTS PROGRAM ◆◆ physical and programmatic enhancements The board has established a major gifts program to and enrichment; fund future capital projects and other strategic school ◆◆ unexpected expenses; needs, both facilities and program-related, and to grow ◆◆ capital expenses. the endowment. This program is a permanent part of Post Oak’s fundraising operations. THE POST OAK FUND Post Oak’s major annual fundraiser is The Post Oak STORE REBATE PROGRAMS Fund. These annual gifts are tax-deductible, and The Post Oak School endeavors to enlist the support payments can be made until May of the giving year. of all parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and other Gifts may also be eligible for matching funds from community friends in securing funds from a number employers. Reaching 100% parent participation in The of store rebate programs. Currently the school is Post Oak Fund is important as is reaching our financial enrolled in programs operated by Randall’s, Lands’ goal of $350,000. Each family is strongly encouraged to End, and Target. Beneficiary organizations receive a give to its ability, and to fulfill pledged commitments. quarterly check reflecting a percentage of the store purchases made by participants. The more people who THE BIENNIAL GALA participate, the more money the school is able to raise. Forms are available on the school’s website. Every other year, Post Oak has a Gala celebration fundraiser hosted by our parent association. This adults-only event includes dinner, dancing, silent and OTHER WAYS OF GIVING live auctions, and one amazing evening. The 2019– You can also give to the school through planned giving 2020 school year is a non-gala year. vehicles, stock, insurance policies, and inclusion in your estate. If you are interested in this method of BOOK FAIR ensuring your continued support, please contact the Development Office. Help build your child’s classroom, school, and at-home library through recommended booklists created by All fundraising activities and acknowledgements are your child’s teacher. The school earns a percentage of all managed through the school’s Development Office. sales with funds benefiting the school’s library on both For more information, please contact Development campuses. The next Book Fair is Sunday, March 29 at Director Christina Kopanidis-Cantu at 281-822-8024. Brazos Bookstore. The Post Oak School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation.

12 | THE POST OAK SCHOOL DONATE The mission of The Post Oak School is to prepare an outstanding Montessori environment that fosters collaboration, cooperation and peace, and to provide experiences that promote curiosity, inquiry and engagement. Designed according to the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual characteristics and needs of the learner, our methods guide and nurture each individual from infancy to adulthood. The school’s approach is grounded in the principles of AMI Montessori education.

Bissonnet Campus: 4600 Bissonnet Street, Bellaire, Texas 77401 Phone 713-661-6688 ■ Fax 713-661-4959 Museum District Campus: 1010 Autrey Street, Houston, Texas 77006 832-538-1988 ■ Fax 832-538-1926 www.postoakschool.org