Launchpad. See our NEISD Electronic Resources Guide. The icons on the list show how students will see them in Launchpad. Each icon on the list also links to a basic tutorial as well. Explore our Sora Reading App Learning Menu to found out more about features of the Sora online reading app and see a quick start video.
Douglas MacArthur High School North East Independent School District ________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2923 MacArthur View, San Antonio, Texas 78217 (210) 356-7600 Fax (210) 650-1195 April 5th, 2021 Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students: IMPORTANT REMINDERS Please remember that school starts at 10:00 am. As the flu season is upon us, we want students who are not feeling well and who are showing COVID symptoms to stay home and get well. Here is all the news for the week: ANNOUNCEMENTS U EOC TestingEnglish I and English 2 EOC Testers and Retesters: English I EOC Tues. April 6, 2021 English 2 EOC Thurs. April 8, 2021 All EOC's must be taken in person at MacArthur High School. EOC testing will begin at 9am. If your student must ride the bus to school, they will report to testing as soon as they arrive on campus. Testing Room Assignments will be posted in the courtyard, cafeteria, auditorium windows, & Science Building. Administration & faculty will help students find their room assignments. The English EOC's are 5-hour tests. Students that start at 9am should be done at approximately 2:30pm. Students that start at 10am should be done around 3:30pm. Buses do not arrive at campus to take students home until approximately 4pm. Students will break for lunch in the classroom & lunch will be provided to all students for free. Students may bring a lunch if they wish or if they have a special diet or nutritional needs. If you have any questions regarding EOC testing, please call your student's counselor at 210-356-7625. THE SPRING 2021 STATE ASSESSMENT Information for the Spring 2021 state assessment is now available in English or Spanish. Please see the attached letters. The letter(s) includes a one-page calendar that provides (by level) all spring testing dates or windows. MAC COUNSELORS' CORNER Counselors are available for students and parents through phone, email, zoom and in-person Monday-Friday 8:00 am -4:30 pm. Please reach out to your student's counselor or Cristina Esparza, our STAN counselor, if there is anything we can do to assist or support you and your student. Counselors are assigned alphabetically by student's last name. You can find your counselor's name and contact information in the "Counselors Corner" of the MAC website under "Find my counselor." https://www.neisd.net/Page/21254 Course Selection for 2021-2022: Course selection for next year has closed in Skyward. If students would like to make any changes to their selections, they will need to submit the request in writing with parent permission to their counselor by May 28 at 4:00 pm. Requests are not guaranteed. TSI Testing Dates for Dual Credit: April 10. The link to sign up is on the Dual Credit page of the Counselors Corner website. If students are unable to test on this date, they can go to SAC to take the TSI. If you have any questions, please see Mrs. Obey or Mrs. Reyes, our dual credit counselors. https://www.neisd.net/Page/21257 FROM OUR CCMR SPECIALIST TSI for Seniors The TSI is being offered digitally through Examity. Students are required to complete a PAA and practice questions. If you are interested, please complete the google form and Mrs. Garcia will contact you. Senior TSI Registration link https://forms.gle/KyNnyQAwbQmTGE4z8 Advanced Placement Exams The AP exam testing option survey was sent to the student's email on Wednesday March 31st. The deadline to submit the survey is Friday April 9th at 4:00 pm. Students have the option to choose paper/pencil or digital for some exams. The survey was sent to students who paid for their AP exam. The survey was created in Qualtrics, so if you cannot locate the survey in your email, please check the junk email folder. Please see the links below for more AP exam information. AP Digital Exam Overview https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/about-ap-2021/updates/digital-exams/preview AP Exam Schedule https://drive.google.com/file/d/1phxbY42Q5JIfTXbh6MhGy8-sXSEIzVsX/view If you have any questions regarding the CCMR information, please contact Lisa Garcia at 210-356-7607 or via email at lgarci41@neisd.net COLLEGE & CAREER ADVISING A presentation on "Preparing for Senior Year: Underclassmen Edition", will be held on April 6th, 6:00pm-7:00pm. This presentation is open to freshmen and sophomore parents and students. We will share tips on how your student can prepare themselves to be a competitive candidate on their college applications. Questions are always welcome throughout the presentation! The Zoom link is https://neisd.zoom.us/j/2892244234 GRADUATION SPEAKER AUDITIONS The deadline for graduation speaker auditions is April 9th. Please see the attached flyer and go to https://forms.gle/iBi9KzLRcSaymhML9 SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS DEADLINEPlease turn in all scholarship offers to the front office or email a digital copy of your offer to pconno@neisd.net. Scholarships received by April 22nd will be listed in the graduation program. PTSAOn-line orders for our Mac PTA T-shirt are being taken. Please see attached flyer for the TShirt. Order yours today at https://douglas-macarthur-ptsa.square.site/ SATURDAY SCHOOL: For students who may need to make up time due to absences, Saturday School is held at MacArthur from 8am 12pm(noon). Our next Saturday School will be Saturday, April 10th, to sign up, go to the MacArthur webpage Link below https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSczVhJW1cML8sSyfDawnWpRiKjJyOXWK3yHp WD18Et8rpOGdg/viewform Students MUST register by 4:30 pm the Friday before the date they will attend. Cost is $8. Students who complete the 4 hours will earn credit towards absences. ACTIVITIES SOFTBALL Our Brahmas defeated Reagan 4-1 on Tuesday. Madison Collins took the win for Brahmas. The lefthander surrendered one run on two hits over seven innings, striking out ten and walking one. Madison Collins threw a gem on Friday for Brahmas, allowing zero runs and besting Roosevelt by a score of 16-0. Collins led Brahmas to victory by driving in five runs. Collins went 3-for-4 at the plate. Collins drove in runs on a double in the first and a double in the second. Collins earned the victory on the rubber for Brahmas. Collins allowed one hit and zero runs over three innings, striking out six and walking zero. The Brahmas collected nine hits. Collins & Hailey Roman each managed multiple hits for Brahmas. BASEBALL On Tuesday, the Brahmas played a tough game against Johnson falling short 5-3. Our Brahmas played a tough Churchill team on Thursday and fell 9-1. ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIP GOLF TOURNAMENT - On April 25th, the MacArthur Athletic Booster Club will be holding its annual Scholarship Golf Tournament. In addition to raising money to fund two $1,500 scholarships for one male and one female athlete, this is a great opportunity for the athletic teams earn money for their programs. Once the obligations for the scholarships and costs to cover the tournament are covered, all proceeds will go back to the programs that choose to participate. After our last tournament, this amounted to over $6,000 back to the student athletes. A person does not have to be a golfer to enjoy the afternoon. There will be a silent auction, live music, and a BBQ dinner. Please see the attached flyer. TICKET SALES - North East Athletics is moving to online ticket sales as of January 1, 2021 at all middle school and high school games. There will be no cash sales at the gate. · DEPARTMENTS - FROM OUR MAC LIBRARY Library Newsletter: Check out our April Library Newsletter to see how the library is supporting success: https://www.smore.com/z0mpe · Library closures for STAAR Testing: Due to STAAR English I and English II testing and makeup testing, the library will be closed Tuesday, April 6- Friday, April 9th. · April is National Poetry Month o Poetry Month Bingo : Students can participate in our Poetry Month Bingo Game all month long. Each square links to a poetry module in which students produce a poetry product. You must complete 3 poetry modules in a row (vertical, horizontal, or diagonal) and submit their poems via our google form to earn Poetry Month Bingo. We will have a prize drawing at the end of the month for all students who get bingo. o Poetry Month Calendar: Celebrate a new book of poetry or novel in verse every day in April with our Poetry Month Calendar. Each book cover links to its profile in teachingbooks.net where students can find book descriptions, audio excerpts, author interviews, and more. o Take a Poet to Work Every Week in the Library: Wouldn't it be great if you could bring the world's most beloved poets along with you wherever you go? Well, now you can all month long! Every week in April, the library is providing a different set of Take a Poet to Work kits from Tweetspeakpoetry.com. Stop by the library to pick up a poet, color it, cut it out, and secure it to the provided craft stick and you are ready to take your poet on adventures! Show us you poet's adventures around campus by submitting your photos to our Take a Poet to Work Photo Submission Form. We will showcase photos across our social media all month long. · College, Career, and Military Readiness: Check out Learning Express and PrepSTEP, a fantastic college, career, and military readiness resource that is available in the Library Resources Folder in Launchpad. Students can create their own free account to save their progress on online practice tests, career prep resources, and college and scholarship searches. This resource also has test prep resources for ASVAB, TSI,PSAT, SAT, ACT, and AP tests! · School Library Month: In honor of School Library Month, the library will offer free makerspace kits for students every day. We have a variety of activities to choose from, including decorate your own bookmark, origami kits, crafts, and coloring activities. · Library Services Moving Forward: o Library Open Before/After School: The library will be open before school 9:00-9:50 AM and after school 3:25-4:00 PM Before school, students will enter and exit the library using the Library Courtyard doors. After school, students can enter through our main library doors nearest the A-wing. Students can use the library for one of three purposes: · Pick up library books (our Online Hold and Pickup System will still be in place until it is safe to allow students to browse the library shelves) · Work on homework on a computer (computer stations are assigned for contact tracing purposes) · Work at a table with no more than two seated at table (tables are assigned for contact tracing purposes) o Library Book Check Out: We are still using Online Hold and In-Person Pick-up System for on campus students to check out library books. Please see these instructions for how students can place books on hold for checkout Mac Library is pleased to offer Grab and Go Book Displays for quick checkouts that don't require an online hold request. Stop by and see our new arrivals! · Library Reminders: · Get to Know Your Library Digital Resources: There are a wealth of digital resources available to students through our Library Resources folder in Launchpad. See our NEISD Electronic Resources Guide. The icons on the list show how students will see them in Launchpad. Each icon on the list also links to a basic tutorial as well. Explore our Sora Reading App Learning Menu to found out more about features of the Sora online reading app and see a quick start video. · Expand Your Sora Collection with San Antonio Public Library: Students can connect their NEISD Sora account to the San Antonio Public Library for access to even more digital titles. Click here to see instructions · Online Textbook Guide: Not sure how to access your course's online textbook? See our Online Textbook Guide to figure out how to access your online textbooks in Launchpad · Library and Technology Refreshers for Students: In this 8 Things You Always Wanted to Know About the Library but Were Afraid to Ask learning menu, you can find important library and technology refreshers for digital resources, ebooks, digital note taking, MLA style, turnitin.com, student logins, and email accounts. · Parent OverDrive Accounts: Students already have their own OverDrive accounts, but if you would like to have your own parent account to access ebooks and audio books in OverDrive, please complete this Online OverDrive Parent Registration Form. Please allow 2-3 days for the account to be built. Existing parent accounts must be renewed each year by completing the registration form. · Stay Connected: Follow us on twitter and Instagram @MacArthurLib. Visit our Mac Library Website for more great resources and information FROM OUR MAC CLINIC Please remember that students must have current immunizations, even for online learning. This is a legal requirement. Please make sure that your child's immunizations are up to date. If your child is sick, please do not send them to school. It is important that parents check their students daily for any of the following: · Cough or sore throat · Shortness of breath · Loss of taste or smell · Chills · Diarrhea · Repeated shaking with chills · Feeling feverish or temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit · Muscle pain · Headache · Known close contact in the last 14 days with a person who has COVID-19 If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Health Services at 210-356-9244. PARENT INVOLVEMENTMAC ORCHESTRA BOOSTERS If your child is a part of Mac Orchestra, you need to be a part of this great group of parents. All are welcome. Go Brahma MOPA! MAC CHOIR BOOSTERS If your child is in choir then you need to come out and join this great group of parents and support MAC Choir. Go Brahma Choir Boosters! MAC BAND BOOSTERS Join the Band Boosters - If your child is a member of our awesome Brahma Band, then you need to come out and be a part of these awesome parents. Please remember, for the latest updates and information as well as current news, information, and schedules, join us on Facebook (Mac Band Parents), Twitter (@MacBandParents), and Instagram (@MacBandParents), or log in to your Charms account. Go Brahma Band Boosters! MAC ATHLETIC BOOSTERS MAC Student/Athlete Parents and Guardians, On behalf of the MAC Booster Club Board of Directors, I hope this email finds you well! As we wind down a year like no other in high school athletics, it's time to look forward to the good things that lie ahead. In preparation for next year, it's time to establish a new board of directors for the Booster Club. All positions are available as all standing board members have completed their max tenure in their current position. Of special need is someone to step into the President and Treasurer positions. The Booster Club works throughout the year to raise funds for the student athletes of MAC. Some of the primary ways in which this is accomplished is through membership, ad sales and production of the sports programs, merchandise design, production and sale as well as the scholarship golf tournament. Without the Booster Club Board, the things above don't happen. If you have been on the sideline, but ready to get in the game and battle for YOUR student/athletes, email brahmabooster@gmail.com to see how you can become involved. Board Positions Include: President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President 3rd Vice President Treasurer Secretary Parliamentarian Join the Boosters - There is still time to join our Athletic Boosters. If your child is a Brahma Athlete or you are just looking for a way to be involved, you need to come out and be a part of these great parents. If you want to keep up with our Boosters, check out the Brahma Booster Club Facebook page link: https://www.facebook.com/brahma.booster.90 Go Brahma Athletic Boosters! Join PTSA!: It is never too late to join PTSA and get involved at MAC. PTSA can also still take your donations (Brahma Bucks) which go right back into the school. The MacArthur PTSA is a vital link in connecting with our parents and families and a great way for every parent to be involved. The beginning of a new school year means it is time to show your support for our students, our school, and our community. We invite all students, parents, and teachers to join! The PTSA is here to advocate and positively influence the lives of all children and families. Make a difference and get involved! To join PTSA, please go to the following link: https://www.joinpta.org/ We want to remind the Mac Family and community to please remember to check out the PTSA website and blog for important information on what is happening at MacArthur. COMMUNITYMAC FOOD PANTRY - The food pantry has been at MAC for 4 years. The MacTEACH food pantry, or the MacTEACH Mini-Mall, came about because of the program's belief that all students matter, & the emotional & social well-being of each student must never be ignored. The food pantry benefits students & families at MAC & any family w/in our cluster that reaches out to us. If someone wants to donate, how can they? There are a couple different ways people can donate. They can drop off any nonperishable food items at the front office and let the ladies know it is for the Food Pantry. Another way is to contact us and we would be happy to pick up any monetary donations or nonperishable items. If you have any questions please contact: Elizabeth Jaramillo Molina, Family Specialist ejaram@nesid.net; 210-356-7709 or Ms. Esparza, STAN counselor cespar1@neisd.net; 210-356-7934 HEALTH and WELLNESS - Our North East ISD community is facing more obstacles than ever in and out of the classroom. This is always a challenge; teachers, staff, students, & parents are now navigating the unknowns of the COVID-19 pandemic. While mental health and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) have always been important to NEISD, the added pressures brought on by COVID-19 prompted the District to focus our support systems, so help is more accessible to our community. NEISD wants its employees and families to put their own mental health, and overall wellness needs first. The District's Student Leadership & Well-Being team launched a new website 34T 34T focused on offering adult wellness resources, from mental health hotlines to virtual fitness classes, professional counseling, and more. This one-stop webpage houses the many programs available to NEISD staff and families. Mental health education and Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) remain a priority for NEISD. To help empower & train staff and parents, the District has partnered with health centers like Laurel Ridge, Clarity Child Guidance Center and Communities in Schools. Visit adultwellness.neisd.net to learn more about the programs & resources that are available. 34T 34T VOTER REGISTRATION By law, every high school principal is a deputy voter registrar. As such, I make sure that we have voter registration cards available here at MAC in the principal office. However, you choose to register, if you are able to vote, then please make sure to do so. Voting is a precious right, and it is your right to exercise and let your voice be counted. I encourage all of you to register and participate in our civic duty. "We do not have government by the majority. We have government by the majority who participate." - Thomas Jefferson https://www.votetexas.gov/register/index.html Go Brahma Voters! BRAHMA FANS The following protocols are to be followed at all NEISD venues: · The clear bag policy is in effect for all NEISD Facilities. You can access the policy at the following link: o https://www.neisd.net/cms/lib/TX02215002/Centricity/Domain/139/Clear-BagPolicy-main.pdf · Everyone should self-screen prior to coming to an event and we ask that you do not attend if you or someone in are household are experiencing any of the following: o Cough or sore throat o Shortness of breath o Loss of taste or smell o Chills o Diarrhea o Repeated shaking with chills o Feeling feverish or temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit o Muscle pain o Headache o Known close contact in the last 14 days with a person who has COVID-19 · All spectators including all adults and students must have a face covering to enter an event and must adhere to social distancing and wearing of face coverings at all times. · There will be no parent spirit lines on the field. · Spectators, including band parents, will not be allowed to cross the field except for after game shows in order to manage equipment. · Seating is marked so that rows with blue X's are rows where you cannot sit. · There are green dots in the general seating areas indicating 6 foot spacing. · There are decals in the student section where we ask for a maximum of 2 students between each decal. Please see the photo below. · Please note that due to spacing requirements, the student section has moved to the area closest to the ticket booth. Please see the photo below. · Members of the same household, and those who arrived in the same vehicle are allowed to sit together. · While waiting to enter the event and at the concession stands, we ask that you observe distancing and wearing of face coverings. Please know that we want everyone to enjoy the event and support our teams. However, we must all do our part to ensure the safety and wellbeing of everyone. We want to remind all of our parents, students, and guests who attend games or any event at home or away, that we need your assistance to ensure that we observe appropriate spectator behavior. This includes observing COVID safety requirements. Spectators are required to wear a mask or face covering at all times while in the stadium. Please observe social distancing with persons who did not travel to the game with you or are not members of your immediate family or your household. Also, it is okay to disagree with a call and to be a little loud when supporting our Brahmas. It is not okay to be disruptive or engage in personal attacks or confrontations with Coaches, referees, or students. Cursing, making profane comments or threats will not be allowed. Anyone causing a disturbance or verbally abusing the officials, coaches, or students will be removed from the game and may face removal from all athletic events. Please let the coaches take care of the coaching and dealing with the officials. It is extremely important for us to model appropriate behavior at any function. Your cooperation and support are greatly appreciated. Go Brahmas! 17T IMPORTANT REMINDERS - Since students and employees began returning to school, we have been able to put many safety processes into place. These measures have proven to successfully mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within NEISD. As with any new situation, it is necessary to occasionally evaluate these processes and look for areas which may be improved. The communication, cooperation, and support from employees, parents, guardians, and the community has been so helpful in allowing us to respond to different COVID-19 situations appropriately. Face coverings help reduce the spread of COVID-19 by reducing droplets if the face covering is worn securely over the nose and mouth. According to the CDC, cloth face coverings offer some protection to you and are also meant to protect those around you in case you are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 and don't have any symptoms. Certain types of face coverings are more effective than others. Beginning November 30, 2020, masks with valves are not permitted for students or employees. Gaiters and bandanas are only permitted for outdoor use. We will have extra masks for those that do not have them. Below are some diagrams that outline the safe use of face coverings. Remember that we are all in this together, and we are only successful if we all follow the necessary precautions. SCHOOL HOURS: School begins promptly at 10:00 am. Administrators and faculty will be posted around campus to direct students to their classes. Students will attend their classes as scheduled. Students who arrive before 10 am will be required to wait in designated areas unless they are at a practice for one of the extra-curriculars. ARRIVAL & TRANSPORTATION: As much as possible, we highly recommend that parents transport their children to and from school as they return. Students should arrive no earlier than between 8: 30 and 9:00 am. If your child needs to ride a bus to and from school, you can check the bus number and pick-up times at the following link: http://www.infofinderi.com/ifi/?cid=NEI05464638120 Buses will begin arriving at MacArthur starting at about 9:15 am. Students will be directed to the cafeteria or designated areas until 9:50 am. Classes will end at 3:25 pm. If you are transporting your child, you may pick them up at the front of the school after 3:25 pm. Buses will arrive between 3:55 and 4:15pm. Students who must wait for a bus will wait in designated areas until buses arrive unless they are participating in an extra-curricular practice. Students will have the opportunity to engage in Blended learning online from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. STUDENT DROP-OFF Please do not drop off or pick up your child on the street. This creates traffic issues, and it is not safe. The same is true at pick up time. In the past I have even seen parents picking up kids in the middle of the street. This is VERY dangerous, and you can be ticketed. Please keep your child's safety in mind. The few minutes you believe you save can never compensate if something bad happens. Thank you. TRAFFIC AND PARKING: The front circle is open for drop-off only in the morning. It will be locked at 9:30 am and is not re-opened until approximately 4:40 pm. There are Student Parking Tags available. All parking tags are sold on a first come first served basis. The cost for a parking tag is $30. Students must have a visible parking tag in order to park on campus. This is in effect on the first day of school. Student vehicles without tags will be ticketed and can possibly be towed. If your child does not have a parking permit, please remind them that they may not park on campus. · There is no parking allowed on the Band Practice field. Student pick up after activities will be in the front circle area. · Traffic Flow - The front parking lot has a one-way entrance and exit. It is very important that we observe the traffic flow to allow easier and safer access to and from the front lot. Failure to follow posted traffic flow can cause dangerous situations and, for students, it can result in the loss of the parking tag. The entrance is in the area closest to CVS. The exit is in the area right by the front circle. We also ask that parents picking up their students to please park in the available parking spaces to wait for and pick up your child. SCHOOL SAFETY: As you know, all NEISD schools have additional security measures that were put in place last year with additional Safety measures required due to COVID 19. Below are some important considerations: · FACE MASKS Students must have a face mask, and they will be worn at all times except when eating lunch. · WATER BOTTLES & SANITIZERS Students should bring a water bottle with them. Water fountains are available only to refill water bottles. Every classroom will have approved hand sanitizers. Students may bring a small personal bottle of hand sanitizer, but it may not be shared with anyone. · HALLWAYS All Hallways and Stairwells are 2 ways. However, for safety, all students should walk on the right side of the hallway at all times. · ELECTRONIC DEVICES While students will be in face-to-face instruction, all students should bring their electronic devices, power cords and earbuds/headphones, so that can work as needed during their classes. · BREAKFAST AND LUNCH Thanks to available federal support, Breakfast and Lunch are free of charge. The only charge will be for A La Carte items, and if a student gets a second tray. Students may bring a lunch from home. Due to COVID restrictions, we cannot accept food deliveries and we cannot let students out to get food from you. That may change as we move forward with the transitions, but we MUST adhere to this expectation. In addition, MacArthur is a closed campus, and students may not leave campus for lunch. · CLEAR BACKPACKS - All students must have a clear backpack. This applies to any bag the student may use to carry their books and/or school items such as messenger bags, briefcases, etc. It does not apply to small purses, gym bags, band cases, dance/cheer equipment bags. Remember, Clear Backpack or No Backpack! · CAMPUS ACCESS - All exterior doors will remain locked. The gate at the bus circle going into the courtyard, and the gates at the front circle will be closed at 10:00 am. Anyone arriving after 10:00 am will have to buzz in for entrance. · STUDENT ID'S Students should have their student ID with them. If your student needs an ID please have them see an administrator in the cafeteria during their lunch. DRESS CODE As always, dress code is in effect the first day of school. We need your help in ensuring that your children are properly dressed for school. · Girl's skirts, dresses, and shorts must be of an appropriate length. · Boys must wear their pants at their waist and should have a belt to secure their pants. · No halter-tops, bare midriffs, or muscle shirts allowed. · No translucent or see-through clothing. · No hats of any type for boys or girls. o Students should not bring hats or caps to school because they will not be allowed to wear them at any time. o This includes hanging them on their belts, backpacks or anywhere else. They are subject to confiscation. · Hair should be a neatly groomed and not distracting. · No piercings anywhere other than the ears. Students will be required to remove any facial or other visible piercings and they are subject to confiscation. · Please help us with this issue. Remember that students who are out of dress code are subject to disciplinary measures. STUDENT BEHAVIOR: TOBACCO/VAPE PRODUCTS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY The following is directly from the NEISD Student Code of Conduct, which can be found at: https://www.neisd.net/cms/lib/TX02215002/Centricity/Domain/205/20192020%20District%20Student%20Code%20of%20Conduct.pdf North East ISD prohibits the following in accordance with Texas Education Code Section 38.006 and Texas Health and Safety Code Section 161.081: 1. Any adult and/or student from smoking cigarettes, tobacco, tobacco products, electronic, vapor, smokeless or any other substitute form of cigarettes, tobacco, or tobacco-like products, as well as the use of any devices which are used for the purpose of ingesting or transmitting any type of tobacco or tobacco-like products at a school-related or schoolsanctioned activity on or off school property. 2. Students from possessing or using cigarettes, tobacco, tobacco products, electronic, vapor, smokeless or any other substitute form of cigarettes, tobacco, or tobacco-like products, as well as the use of any devices which are used for the purpose of ingesting or transmitting any type of tobacco, or tobacco-like products at a school-related or school-sanctioned activity on or off school property. North East ISD will ensure that school personnel will enforce the tobacco/vapor rules. State law prohibits the possession, purchase, consumption or acceptance of an electronic cigarette, cigarette or tobacco product by an individual who is younger than 18 years of age. An offense under state law is punishable by a fine. Additionally, students will face disciplinary consequences which could include a DAEP placement or an expulsion for a THC or CBD related violation. Vaping has become epidemic with our teens. It is something we address on almost a daily basis. In addition to our concern over the health risks this behavior poses, we have seen a number of students expelled for the possession or use of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana). We want to reiterate that possession or use of THC on campus will result in a recommendation for disciplinary placement up to and including expulsion for students who are found to be vaping THC or have THC in their possession. This strong stand is imperative not only to remain compliant with state law and the North East ISD Student Code of Conduct, but also to help to deter a behavior that is endangering our students. Regardless of personal opinions on this issue, possession and use of e-cigarettes/vaping devices remains illegal under state law for persons under 18. All devices, oils, and other paraphernalia are explicitly prohibited by the North East ISD Student Code of Conduct for students of all ages. Confiscated devices, cartridges and oils will be subject to immediate on-campus chemical testing. Students who are in possession of any item which tests positively for THC will be recommended for DAEP placement or expulsion as such possession is a state jail felony. Note that possessing or being under the influence of any controlled substance as detailed above can also result in separate criminal penalties as determined by law enforcement. For the safety of our children, please help us to reinforce the serious safety and disciplinary consequences, which can result from vaping. You can access https://www.neisd.net/escapethevape for additional resources, which may help you to initiate this conversation with your child. Thank you for your continued collaboration as we strive to ensure the safest possible educational environment for all students. BULLYING, THREATS, HARRASSMENT: Any threat to engage in any type of violent act against another student, a staff member, or the school itself, will not be tolerated. This includes any threat made via social media. Consequences will include disciplinary action and could result in criminal prosecution. Additional information regarding threats is detailed on page 36 of the Student/Parent Handbook, which can be accessed via the following link: https://www.neisd.net/cms/lib/TX02215002/Centricity/Domain/205/20202021%20ENGLISH%20Secondary%20Handbook.pdf The Student Code of Conduct can be found at the following link: https://www.neisd.net/cms/lib/TX02215002/Centricity/Domain/205/202021%20English%20SCOC.pdf Students, parents, and guardians should immediately report any information concerning any apparent threat to student or staff safety to campus administration. Information may also be provided to the North East Police Department at 407-0911 or via NEISD's anonymous 24-hour tip line at 655-CARE (655-2273). ATTENDANCE: Student attendance is based on their being in school and in class on a daily basis. · Students who are out can still retain their attendance by logging in to the Google classroom and completing the assignment for the day before 12 midnight. · If you are picking your child up early for an appointment or any other reason, they must be signed out at the attendance office. They will be called to the front office. Thank you for your cooperation. IMMUNIZATIONS: Student immunizations must be current, or the student will not be allowed to attend classes. Immunizations will be checked for all students. URGENT NOTICE! Whenever we receive returned mail, we are required to get a new verification of residency. Please be aware that any student for whom we have received returned mail will not be allowed to attend school until we have a new verification of enrollment. In addition, any student attending MacArthur on a Power of Attorney (POA) or a Living With must have renewed the POA or Living With before the start of school. If your child (ren) fall within any of these categories, you will be contacted to provide the necessary documentation or pick up your child until the necessary documentation can be provided. We want your child (ren) in school, but these are legal requirements that must be fulfilled. UPDATE ADRESS AND EMAILS If you have moved recently, please make sure that we have a correct address and proof of residency. Many of you may not have a current or correct email address in our system. You are missing out on important communication. Please make sure you take time to go into your Family Access account to update or ensure that you have a correct email entered so that we can adequately communicate with you Here are the events going on in Brahmaland the Week of Apr 5th: I. Calendar a. Monday 040521: i. Leadership Meeting @ 8:00 am b. Tuesday 040621: i. EOC STAAR Testing - All Day ii. PTSA (Assistant Principal Recognition) All Day iii. Varsity Baseball v. Reagan @ Blossom 4:30 iv. JV Softball v. L.E.E. @ MAC 5:15 v. PTSA Board Meeting Virtual 5:30pm vi. Varsity Softball v. L.E.E. @ NE West Complex 5:00pm c. Wednesday 040721: i. Girls' Varsity Wrestling District Tournament @ BAC - All Day d. Thursday 040821: i. Girls' Varsity Wrestling District Tournament @ BAC - All Day ii. EOC STAAR Testing iii. JV Baseball v. Reagan @ MAC 5:00pm e. Friday 040921: i. Varsity Boys' Wrestling District Tournament @ BAC ii. JROTC Air Rifle @ Central Catholic 8:00am iii. Varsity Baseball v. Roosevelt at NESP (DM) f. Saturday 041021: i. Varsity Boys' Wrestling District Tournament @ BAC ii. JROTC Orienteering Competition @ Camp Bullis g. Sunday 041121: i. n/a h. Monday 041221 i. Leadership Meeting - 8:00am ii. Choir UIL Concert and Sightreading @ Johnson All Day Have a Great Week! Melvin Echard, Acting PrincipalMicrosoft Word for Microsoft 365