school rules

Where to find information. Insights gained through experience and observations. Get the "inside" know-how! Benefit from others' travails!

The most direct way to access some information on your school or the district is via the PISD website. This link takes you directly to the index for their website, which lists each subject individually in alphabetical order. You can find data and/or a website for your school, information about district policies, or even the lunch menu! The information goes way beyond that, though. Some other subjects on the website are: after-school care, attendance zones, breakfast programs, bus transportation, dress code, enrolling in school, gifted programs, grading/reporting, graduation requirements, immunization requirements, kindergarten, menus and more... NOTE: There are many developments to the PISD website - I encourage you to go down the Index to pick up recently added information about programs old and new:

"What is a TAAS score?" you may ask, especially if you have recently moved to Texas from another state. TAAS is the statewide annual testing that is administered to public school students as a means of measuring academic achievement and areas for improvement. The tests are administered in the classroom each spring. To find out more about the TAAS test, visit the Student Assessment section of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) website:

After-school care is an alternative to day care centers and all-day programs for elementary students. This works well if care is only needed between the end of school and 6:30 p.m. on weekdays. Some PISD elementary schools host programs on-site that provide after-school care. These programs are generally much easier on the family budget than day care centers. If your child attends a program at the school he/she attends, you have the added benefits of convenience and lack of confusion or missed buses - your child merely walks to the gym at 3:00. If your child is in 4^th or 5^th grade, he/she will have the opportunity to attend after-school meetings for Student Council, Honor Society, STOP, Pet Club or any other organization - and just walk to the gym after the meeting's conclusion. If your child goes to a program off-site after school, they may have to miss a lot of these meetings, because there is no "late" transportation available.

Generally, these programs operate on school holidays and early release days for additional charges. Be sure to get the calendar for the program so that you can plan ahead for days that school is not in session. On school holidays, the program may meet at a different location. During the week before a school holiday, find out from them what location they will be during the holiday, or you may end up taking your student with you to work after you arrive at the school to find it closed. Summer programs are also available.

If you have recently moved into your home in Plano, you may need to determine which school your child will be attending, according to attendance zones. Start with this locator map from the PISD website:

Oh yeah, that's our favorite part of school - getting the supplies. Well, getting school supplies for your kids is nothing like the "olden" days of going to Woolworth's to get a new jar of paste and a Big Chief tablet! School supplies have expanded in scope to meet the ever-widening range of subjects that today's students cover in school! You might see the supply list and wonder "a battery holder?" Yup, it happens. Baby Wipes in elementary school? I discovered that Baby Wipes do more to de-germ hands than simple soap-and-water handwashing, so they may be part of the school scene...way past the need for their "intended" use - thankfully.

Anyway, here is an important tip for getting school supplies: get the supply list from your school. They are usually available in the last few months of the school session. The "district" supply list, which is usually what is found in newspapers and at stores, may not accurately list the supplies that your child will need, as each school determines their own supplies:

If you do not have the school list, try calling the school office a couple of weeks before school begins. Once our school office kindly faxed the list to me at work, which saved me a lot of trouble. I think that we could have SOLD the school supply list for a lot of money in the aisles of Wal-Mart, as I was the only one in possession of the correct list for our school at the time. Several supply shoppers referred to my list and one even asked to make a copy of it at the store!

Second tip: contact your school in spring and ask if they have an advance school supply sale. This is usually done by the PTA or similar organization at the school. Where this is available, you can order the correct supply package for your child's grade, pay for it and a sealed package of supplies can be picked up at the school on the first day of the session. If you think that you can do better price-wise by shopping for everything yourself, you may save a little money...but you will spend double or triple time getting the supplies and you will more than likely have to go to several stores to complete the list. Stores OFTEN run out of high-demand items very soon and for some reason, no store seems to have ALL of the items that are on the list. Try finding Crayolas in multi-cultural colors at your favorite store!

Third tip: check the supply aisles at grocery stores as well as the large stores like Target and Wal-Mart. Sometimes that one item that the other store was out of can be found at the grocery store. Office supply stores can also be a resource for school supplies.

Finally, how to get supplies to and from school? In the past, backpacks were the standard. Now, certain schools have restrictions about backpacks. Your school, for instance, may require that backpacks are stored in lockers all day during school. It is important to contact your school to find out what their policy is regarding backpacks. I also see students now making use of backpacks on wheels or using wheeled luggage carriers. Whatever the option, be sure it fits in their locker first.

Do you have a child that will be entering Kindergarten in the next year or two? It is very common for the parents of soon-to-be kindergarteners to have many questions concerning their child's readiness to start kindergarten, and whether to "hold back" their child for another year. Deciding whether to "hold back" is a very individual decision, not solely based on the birthdate of the child or the report that the preschool/day care teacher gave to you. Start by reviewing the district policies on Kindergarten:

To best help you in your decision, it is best to inform yourself as much as possible not only on the PISD district kindergarten policies, but also to personally visit the elementary school that your child will be attending.

Each school has different policies, but my experience was outstanding at our elementary when my eldest child was due to enter Kindergarten the following school year. In the spring of the calendar year that she was due to enter Kindergarten, I contacted the school office with questions and I was put in touch with the lead Kindergarten teacher (Hi, Mrs. B). The lead teacher can work with you to discuss your concerns and recommend any ways of evaluating the school and your child's readiness. DID YOU KNOW that some PISD elementary schools have a "Pre-Kindergarten" program?? Read on...

Spring is the thing! I found that January-April are the best months for making your inquiries about Kindergarten for the upcoming school year. Start in January by contacting your elementary school to see if they have any programs for incoming Kindergarten students. Such programs offer an opportunity for pre-K students to visit the school on program days to sample typical Kindergarten activities such as "centers" and story time. It is also an opportunity to meet some of the Kindergarten teachers. The program days are typically in the afternoons after 3:00 p.m., twice a month. They are not drop-in programs, so call the school first and sign up before attending. Check the individual pages for schools on the PISD website to see if they offer this program.

Also, each elementary school has a date for their "Kindergarten Round-Up", which is just the enrollment period for students that will begin Kindergarten in the upcoming school year (which is the first week of August here, y'all).

Here's the page with Registration info, for specific information about Round-Up dates, contact the office of your elementary school:

Again, contact the office of your elementary school and confirm: 1) date/time of kindergarten enrollment 2) what paperwork/shots/information are needed at the time of enrollment. Before the day of enrollment, obtain a copy of your child's immunization records to bring with you. Review immunization requirements here:

Finally, after many years, PISD schools will have ALL-DAY KINDERGARTEN. Naturally, this decision arrives too late for my children to benefit from, but it has to make a lot of other people very happy. Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, Kindergarten will be on the same all-day schedule as the rest of the elementary grades. Working parents will no longer have to struggle with the decision to go to public school or send their children to all-day private school. Here is the link for reading about this rather monumental change:

Your assignment: Prepare your child (and yourself) for attending Kindergarten in PISD. Homework is required. You will be graded on a curve, as in the curve of the stress level that you will experience during the course:

Expect to see a small crowd of parents accompanying their children at the beginning of school. Help your child on their first day: explain in advance that Kindergarten is just for students, not parents, and you won't be able to come in to the classroom with them. Compliment your child on being a "big" boy or girl who is ready to go to school on their own. Remind your child of all the fun and exciting activities to look forward to in Kindergarten. Have your child's backpack and school supplies ready and packed in a way that the child can easily manage alone. A friendly note from home can be included in their backpack. Go over the routine your child will follow when Kindergarten is dismissed: you pick up after school...look for day care bus...go to gym for on-site after-school program etc. Be sure the TEACHER knows your child's after-school plans so that your child may be directed the right way when school dismisses.

HINT: Try to curb your impulses to lurk outside the classroom door or peek in the windows! The BEST way to get a glimpse of their school day and meet classmates is to find out if there are any volunteer opportunities in the classroom that are available for parents. These opportunities, of course, will be during the class times, so if you need to pre-arrange some time off at your work for your volunteer or special event time, do so. You will find that your visits to the classroom are worth the trouble and go a long way to make your child feel special, even if you can't attend every event.

Parental Assurance: Whether your child is enrolled in AM or PM, with or without buddies in their class/session, does or doesn't know their alphabet, has or has not had preschool, does or does not separate well from their parent, it will all work out! Typically everything settles in by October, once the students have become familiar with the routines and their classmates.

Parents of PISD 5th-graders have a unique opportunity to consider. For one week scheduled during the school year, the 5th graders from each elementary school can choose to attend Camp Classen. I have two children who have attended Camp Classen. The experience was very positive for both of them, and seems to have been an overwhelmingly positive experience for all that attended, adults and students alike. For those who opt not to attend Camp Classen, a week-long special program at their school is available. The cost for Camp Classen has, in recent years, been under $200. This includes all transportation from Plano, room, board and instruction. The curriculum for the week includes classroom instruction, as well as outdoors field trips, hikes and similar experiences. Many arrangements are in place for concerns such as medical needs, rooming with a familiar friend, emergency contacts etc. Personally, I encourage all parents to send their student to Camp Classen. If the cost is a concern, there are programs for assistance. The benefits seem to far outweigh any negatives.

Your school will, typically, begin to communicate with 5th grade parents about Camp Classen near the beginning of the school year. Why wait? Start informing yourself now so that you can be prepared to make this important choice with confidence. There is a Camp Classen website to start you off:

Contact	Information	Link
Practical Parenting	A PISD-sponsored organization, established nearly 20 years ago to provide valuable support to parents and all adults that work with students	PISD link Practical Parenting site
Plano Parental Rights	A private website offering information and communication regarding PISD issues	http://www.planoprc.org/
Parent organizations	Links to find PTA, PTO and similar organizations in the area	http://www.pisd.edu/Partners/parentor.htm

It's finally happened - in this world of virtual education, PISD has high school courses that can be taken online for credit. Before anyone starts making plans about breezing through high school from the comfort of their bedroom, know that the courses are about $300 each - and not all of your classes are offered this way! If you have some extra time and money on your hands and you'd like to get to college sooner, read this information:

PISD A-Z & Registration	TAAS Scores
After-School Care	Locate Your School
School Supplies	Kindergarten - full day in 2002!
Camp Classen	Parent Information Resources
High School Online Courses!

A	happy parents, happy student. Student skips into class with a "See ya!" salutation and parent cheerfully goes about other business.
B	student sniffles and hesitates before entering school, parent reassures student and is able to accomplish other tasks.
C	happy student, parent lurks near school all day, hoping to catch a glimpse of son/daughter when they go out for recess; arrives an hour before school is dismissed to get a "prime" pick-up position in the traffic circle.
D	student pulls out all the stops, cries and has to be gently, but firmly escorted into the classroom - parent hangs around in the classroom, considering home schooling.
F	there is no Failure!