West University Elementary FAQ
Folders – There are 3 main folders to be familiar with:
- Monday Folder: There is a West U folder that every student will get. It is sent home on Mondays. Please check it carefully – it will contain the weekly Pony Express (newsletter) and other important information. Return the West U folder the next day. The Pony Express is a vital way for the school and PTO to communicate with you. It will come home in the Monday folders. Please review it each week.
- Homework Folder – most younger grades have a homework folder that is also sent home on Mondays. It contains information about the week’s work and additional items that can be completed at home. Return this with the homework inside when completed (generally by Friday).
- Friday Folders: Folder(s) with graded work from week and conduct chart.
PTO Website – www.westupto.org
Updated regularly with important information about dates, forms, etc. Please bookmark it and check it often.
Magnet / Ancillary
- Ancillary: Every day the class will have an ancillary or magnet class (classes rotate among the following – Library, Computer, Math, Science, PE and Literacy Lab. Your teacher will have your schedule.
- Magnet: Once a week they also have a “magnet” class (rotates between math, computer and science). They have math and science in their home classroom as well. The magnet class is just an extra dose of these classes. Your teacher will have your schedule.
Parents Meeting
A week or so after school starts the teachers hold a parent meeting (during the school day) to explain the schedules, curriculum, etc.
Drop-off and Dismissal
The classrooms open at 7:35 AM with the first bell and the tardy bell rings at 7:45 AM which is when all students should be in their classroom. If you bring your child late, your need to sign them in at the office. Dismissal is at 2:58 PM. Some kindergarten teachers take their students out front 5-10 minutes early. Check with your teacher.
Carpool & Parking
The mornings and afternoons are very busy on the streets around the school. Please observe all parking signs and remember that there is NO cell phone use while driving in a school zone. You may either park and walk your child up to school or go meet them in the afternoon outside of school, or you may choose to use the carpool lane. The carpool lane is the far right hand land on University Blvd headed west. The carpool lines run along University only. Do not get out of your car. 5th grade students (known as Patrol students) will help get your child in or out of your car. Please have patience and exercise extreme caution while driving in the area – there are kids everywhere! If you choose to walk or park and walk, please use the crossing guards to cross the streets.
VIPS approval & Visiting the School
- If you want to do attend events on campus with the kids, you need to get VIPS approved for many of them. Register at the VIPS link at www.houstonisd.org and then take your driver’s license to the office for them to make a copy. All parents and any grandparents or other caregivers that want to be at some of the special functions should also get approved.
- To visit the school for any reason, you must sign in with the office and get a visitor’s badge.
Room Parents
A form asking for room parent volunteers will come home the first day of school. Please return this ASAP to your teacher if you are interested in being a room parent. Room parents help coordinate all of the volunteer activities for the class and disseminate information as needed.
Open House (9/8 – early evening)
You and your child go to the classroom and they get to show you around their space. This is also the time to meet your room parent(s) and sign up to volunteer for different things (class parties, field day, reading in the classroom, computer ancillary…). Bring your calendar!
Cafeteria
You can go and meet the kids for lunch. If your child wants to buy lunch, you put $ on their lunch card either at the office or through www.parentonline.net The teachers keep the cards and pass them out on their way to the cafeteria.
Carnival (10/15)
A fun day for the kids. University Blvd is blocked off and games and inflatables are put up. Confetti eggs are a big hit. You can buy your tickets ahead of time at the Red Apple Sale or through fliers that will be in the Monday Folders.
Snow Cone Fridays
5th grade raises $ by selling snow cones and candy in the courtyard on Fridays after school. This is fun. Bring money.
Sociables
Sociables are parties hosted by parents. Each sociable has an event for either kids or parents (sometimes both!). You pay a per person or per couple set price to attend and the money goes to the PTO. Many have limits on the spaces, so be sure to sign up as soon as you get to the auction.
Directory
A school directory will be distributed later in the fall. Your room parent will give you a class roster during the first few weeks of school.
