Week of August 17, 2026

WOW! You did it! You’ve successfully navigated the first day of school, and we couldn’t be more proud. We’ve truly enjoyed visiting your classrooms. We’re eager to spend even more time with you and your learners in the days ahead with office visits. Spending time in the café the first day has been such a treat.  It’s given me the chance to connect with many of our new and returning friends. I want to commend you for the outstanding practices you’ve been implementing from day one.  The microphone is in there until Friday.  Please use it so all learners can hear you as you teach expectations.  I'm grateful we have such incredible learners and designers here at Lee, and your hard work is already shining. Go Team Spurs!

DID YOU KNOW:

• our Lee Staff Handbook acknowledgement is due on Friday, August 14 (tomorrow)?  Please screenshot and upload the signature page into the Schoology media album or put a paper copy in my box.  Whatever is easiest!  
• IF a learner must be checked out from school, it should occur before 2:45?  After 2:45, we will request parents wait in the car loop to ensure learners get dismissed safely.  Learners should only leave early if there is a doctor's appointment.  (PLEASE ADD TO YOUR NEWSLETTERS) 
• we do not accept drop offs at school?  Please let parents know that they should not bring learner's iPad, lunch, jacket, water bottle, or school project to school after they have dropped their child off at school. We also ask that only individuals who have an appointment or a specific need to be on campus come to our front entrance during the school day. All visitors requesting entry must present a valid photo ID.   (PLEASE ADD TO YOUR NEWSLETTERS) 
• weekly communication should be sent to your parents through Parent Square every Friday?  Parent Square translates what you send home.  Rosters should now be uploaded.  If not... please use eSchool one more week.  Include pictures of the learning/learners each week so parents see what learning looks like at Lee and keep coming back to "see" more.  
• our Novotech trainer Samantha shared this Hyperlinked resource document?
• on Friday you are to send your Grade Syllabus home to you parents (email from Sabrina Khan on 8/10)?  Please send separately from your newsletter.
• Social Spurs has started collecting money for this year?  $30 for professional staff and $20 for paraprofessionals.  Donations can be venmo'd to @Linda-Hoffmann-9.  

ID BADGES
You are required, by the district, to wear your CISD ID Badge at school. If you see visitors or adults in our building without a badge, you must ask to see their badge.  If they do not have one, then please escort them to the office. 

MAP AND MCLASS WINDOW OPEN

Please see below for the MAP testing calendar for BOY.  The window opens on Monday and below is the schedule the leadership team developed.

• The testing window is open until Sept 17
• Open spaces are the only scheduled days - please make sure to keep the building quiet on these days.
• Closed spaces - please make sure to complete MAP testing by September 11th

If you run into any issues or have questions, please send Julie B. And Holly a Teams message!

RESPECT AGREEMENTS

Please create and post respect agreements with your classes for the 1st 9 weeks by the end of next week.  Remember there should be FOUR quadrants: Learner to Learner, Learner to Designer, Designer to Learner, and Learner to School.  All four quadrants should have 3 to 4 bullets with short phrases (ex: be honest, hands to self, feet off furniture, etc.) avoid negative words like don't and never.  Please share a copy in the Schoology folder "Discipline-Restorative Practices -> 26/27 classroom respect agreements" by August 21.  We appreciate you sharing because we use your agreements when we handle discipline.  Are you a new hire needing help, or want to have a refresh in leading this well????  Ask Chantel, Angel or Angela.  We can co-lead this lesson with you.

STUDENT DISCLOSURE
If you learn that you have a learner who may NOT be photographed, please share that learner name/ID with Zeal so that she can add it to our Photo Disclosure List on Lee Links.  Thank you!

DIGITAL LITERACY AND RESPONSIBLE USE
As part of a district initiative regarding digital citizenship and safety, all learners in grades PreK-12 are expected to take part in an overview of digital citizenship.  An email was forwarded to you from Chantel on August 12 titled: Required BOY Responsible Use of Technology Resources (RUTR) Lesson.  After completing your lessons, please have your learners sign the appropriate pledge and post it in your learning space near your guiding purpose or respect agreement.  For quick reference, Click here for the direct link to the resources.

LET'S CELEBRATE THE UPCOMING ARRIVAL OF OUR NEWEST FUTURE SPUR

Registry located here: https://my.babylist.com/jgtyfbvpm

FLEX LEARNING

We will host our first Flex Learning on Wednesday.  We have built in this time to finish SLO Modules 2 and 3.  If you complete some other flex learning on this day and time, please submit it in Power School.  SLO Module completion will automatically be added to your flex portfolios. 

HAPPY PHONE CALL HOME

Please, by Sept 1, pick up the phone and call EVERY family. Tell them/leave a message sharing something special about their child.  It will pay huge dividends to take the time to do this!  Parents are used to only getting phone calls when there is something wrong.  Let's change their perception!  It is also a TTESS Domain 4 descriptor and our campus goal.  Specials Designers and Specialists, please pick 25 learners to call.

GET WELL CARDS FOR MS. BRYANT
Our RJL community would love to come together and send some love and encouragement to Ms. Bryant as she continues her recovery!  Students from all Houses and classes are welcome to make a card, draw a picture, or write a special note for her. We will have a central collection bin at school where students can drop off their creations. Once all the cards are collected, we’ll gather them together and make sure they are delivered to Ms. Bryant. Thank you to everyone who helped come up with this sweet idea and is helping coordinate! We hope to fill the bin with lots of RJL love for Ms. Bryant! 💌

📅 Please drop off cards by Friday, August 21 - the bin will be located near the front office where we set up the candy drop off.

EMERGENCY PROCEDURES
Every space should have an evacuation map posted at the door and a Standard Response Protocol poster displayed nearby.  Please make sure you have downloaded the Raptor app to your iPad or mobile device. 

EMERGENCY DRILLS

We will have an evacuation drill this week.  Please make sure, by Monday, that Raptor is on your phone or iPad.  If you need help, please see Angel.  It helps to remember when we evacuate:

• classroom doors should be closed
• learners should exit at level zero and sit at level zero looking away from the building
• staff should be at level zero, too
• please help check in learners when you have a sub in your house
• mark yourself safe- you always think of the kids first and sometimes you forget about this step

ATTENDANCE REMINDERS FOR TEACHERS

Please make sure you are taking your attendance between 10:01 and 10:05 AM.  Thank you, in advance, to those who regularly get attendance in on time and have alarms set so you don't forget.  

ATTENDANCE REMINDER FOR PARENTS

As you make vacation plans this year, remember that missing school can impact your child's learning and success, and it also affects attendance laws. Please schedule trips following the holidays on the CISD calendar to ensure compliance and support your child's education. https://www.coppellisd.com/o/cisd/page/calendar

LIBRARY UPDATES

*We will start library on Monday Aug 17. The schedule is here: Library Schedule

*Classroom Libraries Reminder- Remember that your classroom library list must be kept up to date. Here is the video of how to create your list or update, and info on book selection guidelines.

• Classroom Library Video
• Book Selection Guidelines

HOUSE FUND DONATIONS OPEN

Our annual house fund donations are open now through September 13th. House funds are what we as a PTO use to support all the celebrations we host throughout the year. Please visit rjlpto.org/housefunds to learn more and donate! Your support is greatly appreciated!

FINAL STOCK OF SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND SPIRIT WEAR

Still need school supplies or our adorable RJL Spirit shirt for this year? The remaining stock is available at rjlpto.org/spurstore while supplies last! We will deliver to your learner’s classroom within a few days after receiving your order.

BE YOUR CLASS MVP: BECOME A ROOM PARENT

Please consider signing up to be the Room Parent for your class! This role is an easy way to get involved and can be tailored to what works for you! Find out more and sign up at rjlpto.org/roomparent

ROLL INTO THE SCHOOL YEAR WITH YOUR FAMILEE

Join us for the first big famiLEE event on August 28th at our Back to School Spirit Night at Interskate! Reminder to bring a printed and signed waiver for each skater - rjlpto.org/waiver

LEARNING COACH CORNER

Learner Passwords and Login Card Templates

Reset learner passwords in SSO following the steps below.

1. Open SSO
2. Tap the red menu and select People
3. Select Manage Users
4. Sort by grade level and select your learners (Your class does not appear in SSO anymore)
5. Tap Change Password on the bottom toolbar and enter new password
6. Make sure to uncheck the box that would require learners to reset their passwords at next login.

Feel free to edit these basic login card templates to keep track of learner usernames and passwords. 

• Individual Login Cards
• Login Sheets with Instructions (edit for your grade level apps/websites)

LEEDERSHIP QUALITIES

(thanks Hanna for the updated graphics)

DATES TO REMEMBER:

BOY GOAL SETTING WINDOW OPENS

BOY MAP/MCLASS WINDOW OPENS

August 14- Staff Handbook acknowledgement Forms Due

     Send Elementary Syllabus to your parents

August 16- CISD Compliance Courses Due

August 17- Day 4- First Team Time

     First Library Rotations

August 18- Lariettes Greet in the AM

August 19- Flex Learning (3:15-4:15) Cafe

Auguts 20- Coppell VB Greets in the AM

August 21-  Amber's Birthday

     Responsible Use of Technology Lessons Due and Pledges posted in your space.

Week of August 10, 2026

You’ve truly hit the ground running, and it’s been such a joy to witness the teamwork, laughter, and focused energy throughout the building and the district. This week affirms we have a winning team.  We will continue with a year full of connection, FUN, and powerful collaboration. I am so proud of the how you have worked together, already. You’ve tackled this pre-season with heart and hustle, and I hope time spent together in your learning spaces in the coming days helps ease some of the stress as you gear up for #rjlyear13. We’re officially in Team Lee Spurs mode, and with a team like this, we’re bound for an unforgettable learning season! Go Team!

DID YOU KNOW:

• that we have $1300 to help support you with extra duty pay when you are tutoring learners after school?  If we don't use the money, we lose it, so if you tutor...come see Chantel to learn you how to get some $$$.
• there is a link to responses to our Faculty Favorites in case you want to know your famiLEE members better or surprise them with a treat?  Home addresses are hidden for your privacy.
• while weather is extreme, you can check here to see how it impacts Recess and PE?
• communication from CK was sent out to parents about "all things beginning of the year?"  Here is the link if you want to include in your introduction email to parents.  Content is continually added and updated. You will want to read it, too.
• it is expensive to set up a classroom?  If you need help, CISD allows solicitation through Donor’s Choose through your school email.  If you create an Amazon wishlist to help with your classroom, please use your personal email account and only share with your friends and family, not famiLEEs.
• we will use the hashtags #rjlyear13 and #TeamLeeSpurs this year? Parent engagement is our campus goal, so please make it a priority to tell our story. Please ask parents in your BOY Google Forms if you can use learner pictures in your newsletters and on social media and communicate with the front office if you get a NO from them. You can engage with Lee online through @FamiLEErjl on Instagram and Richard J. Lee Elementary on Facebook. No learner ID numbers in posted pictures, please.
• Lifetouch will send the first round of badges ASAP? Please use paper copies in the meantime. Sleeves and clips will be in your mailboxes soon.
• we are going to recognize your birthday's in a new way? Stay tuned for more information.

THURSDAY

• 8:00-11:00  Convocation (see info below and email from CISD sent today)
• 11:30-12:30 Lunch on your Own
• 12:30-3:30 Grade Level and Content area PLC Time
• Design lessons for first full week of school 
• Create Back to School communication to introduce yourself to your learners and their parents Communication will be sent out on Friday @ 3:45 PM
• SPED working on schedules and prepping for house Bridging meetings
• We will establish grade level Norms and Collective Commitments at first TEAM TIME

    *Art, Music, PE , STEAM, Library collaboration time for TEAM TIME

CONVOCATION

CISD's Convocation is Thursday, August 6, at the Coppell High School arena. We suggest you carpool because traffic can be a challenge. There will be a variety of breakfast items at tables in the CHS Commons cafeteria area starting at 7:30 a.m., and those who pre-ordered a Convocation t-shirt will be able to pick up their shirts. The program will begin at 8:30 a.m.  We added a 30 minute buffer to our schedule to help with the traffic after Convocation. Wear your Lee CHEER t-shirt (the one with baby blue on the front) that we gave you on Monday.  We can't wait to see you in your spirit wear.  

FRIDAY

You can dress summer casual on this day.

• 7:45-8:15 Breakfast from Admin (Market Street)
• 8:15-11:15 Work in your space, when not scheduled below
• Meet with support staff to review your IEPs, MLI, 504, GT, ESL learners at these times:
• 8:15-8:45 Blue House 
• 8:50-9:20 Green House
• 9:25-9:55 Purple House
• 10:00-10:30 Red House
• 10:35-11:05 Yellow House
• 11:10-11:40 Specials
• Re-establish House Norms and Collective Commitments with CK at these times:
• 8:15-8:45 Specials
• 8:50-9:20 Blue House 
• 9:25-9:55 Green House
• 10:00-10:30 Purple House
• 10:35-11:05 Red House
• 1:10-11:45 Yellow House
• 12:00-1:00  Lunch on your own
• 1:00-2:00 
• CISD Ethics Training (30 min) 
• Employee Handbook (30 min) 

• 2:00-3:30 
• Work in your spaces time

MONDAY

Please wear jeans and your green and pink Team Lee t-shirt.

• 8:00-8:10 Staff Picture on front steps
• 8:10-11:30 Work in your space time
• 11:30-12:30 Lunch on your own
• 12:30-3:30
• Intervention Services Presentation (1 hour) 
• Tech Board Training (1 hour)
• Safety and Security Updates from Mr. Bradford (1 hour)
• 3:30-4:30 Work in your spaces 
• 4:30-5:00 Dinner provided by Admin (pizza)
• 5:30-6:30 Meet the Designer Night

MEET THE DESIGNER NIGHT

I KNOW you will make Meet the Designer Night memorable for our FamiLEEs.  You only get one chance to make a first impression, and I am certain you are planning ways to make this memorable for ALL.  I can't wait for the children and their families to see YOU!  Remember that your room DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PERFECT for Meet the Designer Night, just tidy.  You can stay in your Lee Spirit t-shirt for Meet the Designer Night.  Specialists and Specials, please get with Admin so we know where you will be helping on the sidelines.

TUESDAY

You can dress summer casual on this day.  Please feel free to either come in an hour late or leave an hour early today to make up for having to attend Meet the Designer Night.  We appreciate you so much!

• 8:00-9:00 Work in your spaces 
• 9:00-10:20
• Teacher Incentive Allotment/ SLO Updates (30 mins)

• Counselor Updates including Student Safety Protocols (30 min)

• Nurse Updates (10 min)

• LAS Updates (5 min)

• Secretary Updates (5 min)

• 10:20-10:30 Q&A Time
• 10:30-3:30 Work in your spaces time

WEDNESDAY- FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

The first week is about building SOLID and TRUSTING relationships with the children and their famiLEEs.  My expectation for you, this first week, is to ensure that time spent together is SO FUN and SO EXCITING, that the learners do not want to leave our school. 

Please be here by 7:00 on the first day and come down to the library steps as soon as you arrive to take your "First Day of School" photo.

All learners will be permitted to be walked to class by their parents on the first day.  We open the school doors at 7:20.

Kindergarten parents are welcome to come to the cafeteria to meet with PTO and Campus Administration before they leave.  Kinder team, remind them to head down there.

Specials will come to each house at 2:00 to help with taping backpack tags on the first day.  They are here to help on Thursday and Friday, too.  Please let them know what you need.

KINDER CONNECT

Kindergarten parents, need to read this important information about the first week of Kindergarten.  Kinder, once you sort out where our learners will stay, let Chantel know so we can communicate to parents.

STAFF TREAT FROM PTO ON WEDNESDAY

PTO will have the Boba Truck at the front of the school at 3:15 on Wednesday.  Please come on down and treat yourself to celebrate the end of the first day of school.

WHO IS ON YOUR TEAM ROSTER

Class lists are starting to be populated in eSchool (and hopefully in your CISD programs). Remember these are constantly changing, so please do not make class labels or email families until we give you the "all clear."  We need every minute to verify and enroll as many learners as we can.  We are almost done!  We will also grant you access to the Final Class Lists as soon as we can.

All grade level designers will email your welcome to learners and invitations to Meet the Designer Night scheduled to send out at 3:45 PM on Friday, August 7.  We must only send emails to learners who have been verified (their ID box will be green on our 26-27 Final Class List document that will be emailed to you by Friday). Our system of emailing, individually, is to ensure we get residency verification from EVERY child on your list. You need to use eSchool to communicate and send BOY emails as Parent Square is not updated.

CONNECT WITH PTO AT MEET THE DESIGNER NIGHT
PTO is so excited to welcome everyone back to school for an amazing year at LEE! Please come find them in the cafeteria & gym on Meet The Designer Night from 5:30-7:30. We will have all pre-purchased spirit wear and swag bags available for pick up. We will also be selling additional school supply packs, and spirit wear for those who did not get a chance to purchase ahead of time. Make sure to stop at our back to school photo op and grab an ice cream from the Mr. Softee Food Truck right outside the cafeteria doors! We can't wait to see you soon!

BE YOUR CLASS MVP ROOM PARENTS NEEDED

Please consider signing up to be the Room Parent for your class!  This role is an easy way to get involved and can be tailored to what works for you!  Find out more and sign up at rjlpto.org/roomparent.  Sign up with open on Sunday, August 9.

SIGN UP FOR BOY OFFICE VISITS

Please take time to sign up for beginning of the year office visits with each of our Principals and our school counselor.

• Chantel and Angel's sign up for an office visit  (will last about 20 mins)
• Initial August "meet the counselor" visit sign-up

SOCIAL SPURS

It's that time of year again to donate to Social Spurs! The donations are used to spread sunshine and kindness on behalf of the staff, as well as for the staff. More information will be shared soon, but for those who are familiar with Social Spurs and would like to donate, you can bring to Linda Hoffmann or Venmo @Linda-Hoffmann-9

HMH CURRICULUM
As I read this article about implementing new curriculum, one message really stood out to me: implementing a new curriculum isn't just about learning new materials, it's about giving ourselves permission to be learners again. Success won't come from expecting perfection on day one, but from trying, reflecting, collaborating, and growing together over time. As we begin our journey with HMH Reading this year, I encourage you to take a few minutes to BREATHE and give yourself GRACE as you learn all the new "equipment."  You will get communication from Angel about when to pick up your HMH "gear."

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

You attended a session on the CISD Technology Framework. On this landing page is our Responsible Use Expectations under "Digital Citizenship." Before deploying your iPads to learners, please review Responsible Use of Technology Resources (RUTR) Agreement and have your learners sign the printable pledge document. This document should be posted in your learning space.

LIBRARY UPDATES

We will move to a fixed library schedule this year with different book turn-in procedures. I will send you an email soon with your day/time and more details. We will begin library classes on Mon 8/17.

• HEADPHONE UPDATES
• On Tuesday, Holly will deliver a classroom set of headphones to Ms. Guice. 
• If returning teachers need additional headphones to start the year or for new students throughout the year, please fill out this google form. (This is also in Lee Links.) I Need More Headphones @ RJL
• If you have extra headphones after school begins, please return them to the library.
• When you have a damaged or defective headphone, please put a post-it note on it with your name and the problem. Place it on my desk or in my box. You don't need to fill out the google form. I will get you a replacement ASAP.
• Remember to individually label/number each headphone for your classroom and assign each headphone to a specific student. If there is damage, I will need to know which student was using that set. There should also be an organized storage space in the classroom for the headphones.

• REMINDERS FOR STUDENTS
• Cables are very delicate. Do not put them in your mouth, chew on them, repeatedly bend/kink them, or twist where the cable attaches to the headset.
• Do not peel any barcodes or labels off of the headset or cable.

COACHES CORNER

Schoology Courses are Live! Set-Up: ✅Gradebook & 📁Folder Structure

🚨 Action Items for Rostered Schoology Course Setup:

1. Review the course names and section names of all of your new courses. Your course names should match eSchool. DO NOT CHANGE THE COURSE NAMES! However, feel free to make changes to the section names to denote various class periods or subjects. 

➡️ Click here to learn how. 

2. 4th & 5th Grade: Configure the gradebook for every Schoology course/section through the eSchoolPlus section in Schoology to allow for grade syncing. (Note:  Adding categories to the Grade Setup page in Schoology is NOT configuring the gradebook.)

➡️ Click here to learn how. 

3.  Decide if linking is for you! Linking courses can be useful for collaborating with other educators who are using the same instructional materials and resources for your grade level. That way you can create content once and share it with your team.

➡️ Click here to learn how. 

4. Self Contained Educators through 3rd Grade: Consider using one course and housing all of your instructional materials and resources for every subject within that course. Adding icons can make it easy for learners to locate the appropriate course. 

5. Dated & organized folders are ready! The Curriculum & Instruction Resource Group has a CISD Schoology Course Template ready for this year that has all the organizational folders created so you can organize by unit or date and know that you’re meeting the Schoology set up requirements.

Need more support with anything above? Reach out so I can assist in what you need to get set up for success this year!

LEE LIFE PRINCIPLE:

Excellence- To stand out with valuable quality.

LESSON IN LEADERSHIP:

Quickly learn the names of other designers and learners in the school and greet them by name.

LEE QUOTE OF THE WEEK:

“Excellence is never an accident.  It is always the result of High Intention, Sincere Effort, and Skillful Execution”-Aristotle

DATES TO REMEMBER

August 10- Campus Day

     Meet the Designer Night (5:30-6:30)

August 11- Campus Day

August 12-14- Kinder Connect Week

August 12- First Day of School

     1st Day Photos (7:00)

     PTO Yahoo BooHoo Breakfast (7:30-8:30)

     Boba Truck for Staff (3:15)

August 14- Staff Handbook Signature page due 

August 16- CISD Compliance Due

FIRST TEAM TIME AND LIBRARY STARTS AUGUST 17