Embedded Files
October 27 - October 31
Week 11
Courtney Brandel
Principal
courtney.cullum@kellerisd.net
Dear Florence Falcon Families,
I hope everyone had a wonderful and refreshing Fall Break! It’s been so fun hearing stories from our students and staff about their adventures from last week, from tropical trips, to peaceful mountain getaways, family visits, and cozy staycations right here at home. Whether you traveled far or simply enjoyed some well-deserved downtime, I hope the week provided time for rest, recharging, and making memories together. It seems like October has come and gone by quickly and we are off to a great start in our 2nd quarter!
This week, we continued our Red Ribbon Week, recognizing the importance of making healthy, safe, and positive choices and loved seeing all of our students and staff who joined in their "Groovy" attire celebrating "Peace, Love, and Health" today! Next week, the fun continues as we're also looking forward to our Storybook Character Celebration next Friday! Students (and staff!) are invited to dress up as their favorite storybook characters as we celebrate the joy of reading and imagination together.
As we begin a new quarter, our teachers and students are diving deeper into learning — exploring new reading, phonics, writing, and math units. One of the most powerful ways families can support learning is by reading with your child every day. Research consistently shows that students who read or are read to daily build stronger vocabulary, comprehension, and overall academic success. In fact, studies have found that reading just 20 minutes a day exposes children to nearly 1.8 million words a year — a tremendous boost for learning and confidence!
We are excited for the cooler days of fall and remind you to please be sure to send a light jacket with your child for recess. Please be sure to label all items of clothing with your child's first and last name.
Wishing everyone a wonderful final week of October!
Warmly,
Courtney Brandel
Principal, Florence Elementary
Peace, Love, and Health with our groovy students and staff during our Red Ribbon Month!
🎨 Hallway Art Spotlight! 🎨
🎨 Hallway Art Spotlight! 🎨
Take a stroll down the Florence Elementary hallway and check out our brand-new student-made collage—a burst of color, creativity, and collaboration! Each piece was designed by our talented 2nd,3rd, and 4th grade Falcons, who layered different geometric shapes into their own collage square. We assembled them by color, creating an impressive abstract mural that brightens up our main hallway in one stunning masterpiece. A huge thank you to Mrs. Lezley Wilson, our amazing Art teacher, for guiding our young artists and bringing this vibrant vision to life! 💛💙
Our Teachers G.L.O.W.!
Our Teachers G.L.O.W.!
Our FES teachers found out which G.L.O.W. (Grow, Learn, Observe, With Purpose) cohort they will be joining this year! Teachers are grouped according to their professional goal areas and will be visiting one another's' classrooms thrroughout this year to learn and share wisdom, experience, and strategies that will impact ALL students at FES!
Want to recognize a FES staff member?
Want to recognize a FES staff member?
Fill out a shout out on this Staff Shout Out Form to help us celebrate excellence among our FES teachers and staff!
*Please note, your response with be shared with the staff member and may be featured in our publications/ social media and any student names that are included may be omitted for confidentiality.
2nd 9 Weeks Events and Activities (Oct-December)
2nd 9 Weeks Events and Activities (Oct-December)
October 30- Red Ribbon Day
October 31- Red Ribbon Spirit Day/Storybook Character Day
November 5- College Spirit Day- Wear your college colors!
November 6- 4th Grade Discover Texas Field Trip
November 7- FES Carnival and Silent Auction 5:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
November 11- Veteran’s Day Program
November 13- Fall Picture Make- Up Day
November 14- Angel Tree Begins
November 17- 2nd Grade Performance/PTA Meeting (6 p.m.)
November 20- Kinder Feast
November 21- Thanksgiving Lunch
November 24-28- Thanksgiving Break- No School
December 3- College Spirit Day
December 3- PTA Executive Board Meeting
December 3-5- MOY MAP Window (Reading- in reading class)
December 4- Marimba Choir Performance
December 8- Spelling Bee
December 9-11 MOY MAP Window (Math - in math class and Fluency Dec. 11th)
December 9- Angel Tree Due
December 12- Nutcracker Day (during Co-Curr)
December 8-12 Students can begin bringing Nutcrackers for Nutcracker Day on
December 16- CEIC Meeting
December 19- Christmas Parties- (in classrooms) Early Release Day/ End of the semester
December 22- January 4- Winter Break, no classes
*View our full calendar on our website.
2025-2026 District Calendar
2025-2026 District Calendar
InstructionalCalendar_2025-26.pdfStudent Lunch Times
Student Lunch Times
Kindergarten: 10:25-10:55
1st Grade: 10:55-11:25
2nd Grade: 11:25-11:55
3rd Grade: 11:55-12:25
4th Grade: 12:25-12:55
Story Book Character Dress Up Day
Story Book Character Dress Up Day
On October 31, students are invited to dress up like a favorite character or something related to a favorite book! Students may wear their costume for the duration of the school day, so please ensure that they are able to sit, move, and participate in the day while wearing their costume. We ask that all costumes be school appropriate and follow general KISD student dress guidelines and pay attention to the following:
No scary, gory, or violent costumes
No masks that cover the student's face (students must be identifiable).
No weapons or pretend/toy weapons including swords, guns, knives, num-chuks, laser shooters, etc.
No inflatable costumes
Students must be able to move independently while wearing their costume and should be able to navigate and function in a regular classroom setting and hallways.
We encourage students to bring their book or a picture of their book along with their costume. Teachers are planning for fun activities during the day that incorporate their books.
Storybook Character Parade Info
Storybook Character Parade Info
On Friday, we invite all of our families to join us for our Storybook Character Parade which will begin between 9:00 and 9:15 (as soon as our quarterly assembly has ended), which is slightly earlier than we had previously communicated. We invite parents to join us by finding a spot to watch the outdoor parade around the loop of our south parking lot. Please plan to park in the north parking lot library side of the building, as the south lot will be closed off at 9:00 AM to allow for the parade route to be cleared for our students.
Parade Route
Our students will begin the parade through our main entrance and will take a lap around the south parking lot before returning to their classrooms. 4th grade will be leading the way, followed by 3rd, 2nd, 1st, and kindergarten.
All of our Future Falcons (younger siblings of our students and their parents) are invited to wrap-up our parade by joining in after our kindergarten students as they come outside in front of our front entrance.
Rain Plans
In the event of rain, we will NOT have a whole school parade outside, but will provide students the opportunity to see one another at the end of our morning assembly.
Q1 Grade Reporting and Weekly Progress Reports in Parent Portal
Q1 Grade Reporting and Weekly Progress Reports in Parent Portal
As a part of our goal of ensuring that we are consistently communicating the academic progress of our students, we encourage families to utilize our existing systems to monitor your child's progress. When logging into the Parent Portal in Aeries, parents should expect to see and monitor their students progress through the Parent Portal in Aeries for grades 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
There are two different grading scales in elementary; Standards Base Grades and Grade Reporting.
Standards-Based Grading (SBG) - Kindergarten and 1st: Students will not have a progress report, only a report card. Report cards will be posted in the Parent Portal at the end of the 9-week marking period. For all subjects, students will be evaluated on their learning progression. These established pieces of evidence will align across campus grade levels, and be based on giving parents the most accurate developmental picture possible of their child's progress. Parents do not see weekly updates in the Aeries Parent Portal for SBG grading. Your child's progress can be seen through work that is sent home each week by the teacher.
Grades Reporting - 2nd, 3rd and 4th: Throughout the nine-weeks, teachers will assign grades in the categories of RLA, Math, Science and Social Studies consisting of Formative and Summative categories, and progress reports are be reported at the 4th week of the marking period. Completed assignments will be posted in the electronic gradebook and visible to parents in the Parent Portal. Report cards will be posted in the Parent Portal at the end of the 9-week marking period.
If you have any questions concerning your child's academic progress, whether it is SBG or Grade Reporting, please reach out to your student's teacher.
SpellingBee2025 (1).pdf3rd and 4th Grade Spelling Bee
3rd and 4th Grade Spelling Bee
We have a "spell-tacular" event for our third and fourth graders to participate in! All third and fourth grade students will be given the opportunity to participate in their grade level spelling bee, which serves as our qualifying round. The top 15 students of each grade level will advance to The Florence School Spelling Bee.
Grade Level Spelling Bee
The grade level spelling bee will take place on Tuesday, November 4th. Use the link below or the QR code attached to sign your student up for their grade level spelling bee. The deadline to sign up is Sunday, November 2nd.
Note: This preliminary qualifying round of the spelling bee will not be open for families and visitors to attend.
Florence School Spelling Bee
Students who qualify for the school spelling bee will be announced at the end of day on Tuesday, November 4th. The Florence School Spelling Bee will take place on Monday, December 8th. Families and visitors are welcome to join in as an audience for the school spelling bee! More information on the spelling bee will be sent with spellers who advance!
If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Howell! (destiny.howell@kellerisd.net)
Math Support at Home- KISD Smore Curriculum Overview
Math Support at Home- KISD Smore Curriculum Overview
We are continuing to work on mathematical fluency as a campus goal this year! We are jumping into some new math units over the next 9 weeks and encourage you to click on the link for your child's grade level SMORE. This document provides you with an overview of concepts that will be learned, common misconceptions, and ways you can help support your child's learning at home. There are also some fun games to help support our numerical fluency goals at home!
2nd 9 Weeks - SMORE Math Curriculum Overview - 2025-2026.pdfCounselor Connection
Counselor Connection
FLORENCE ANNUAL CARNIVAL & SILENT AUCTION IS IN TWO WEEKS!
FLORENCE ANNUAL CARNIVAL & SILENT AUCTION IS IN TWO WEEKS!
The annual FES Carnival and Silent Auction are coming up soon! Mark your calendars for Friday, Nov. 7 from 5-7:30 p.m. as we enjoy games, food, bidding on Silent Auction items, and fun for the whole family right here at Florence.
Sponsors Needed
We're still looking for sponsors to help make this year's Carnival the best one yet. Sponsorship levels range from Silver ($150) to Diamond (over $500) and include recognition in the yearbook, on banners, and at experience booths. Families and individuals can sponsor the carnival, too!
If you, your family, or your business are interested in becoming a sponsor, please contact PTA Carnival Chair, Deborah Fleming: deborahfleming79@gmail.com; (817) 269-6676.
Silent Auction Baskets
Thank you everyone for your contributions to each classroom's silent auction basket! We have some great themes this year, including: Pickleball, Mahjong, "Wicked," Date Night, Family Fun Night, Moms Spa Night In, Keller Indians, Travel, Sports Moms, Minecraft, Barbie, Legos, Labubu, and MORE!
Do you (or someone you know) own a small business, offer a service, or have something unique to contribute? Ideas include: spa services, photography sessions, gift cards, weekend stays (e.g. Broken Bow, South Padre Island, or other Airbnb/VRBOs), cabin getaways, or fun experiences. Big or small, every donation helps support our students! Thank you to those who have already donated!
All donations are tax-deductible and are a great way to give back to Florence while also getting your business name out in the community. If you'd like to donate or have questions, please reach out to PTA's Silent Auction Chair, Jocelyn Kaspar: jocelyn.kaspar@gmail.com; (580) 748-1664.
REFLECTIONS ART PROGRAM
REFLECTIONS ART PROGRAM
Reflections is a PTA-sponsored arts recognition program where students can express their creativity in the categories of dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, visual arts, and accessible arts. All participants will be recognized, and there are advancement opportunities at the district, state, and national levels!
Participating is easy!
Brainstorm your masterpiece -- What makes YOU feel like you belong?
Pick your category -- Dance, film, literature, music, photography, or visual arts
Create your project -- Big ideas, bright colors, bold moves...make it YOU!
Complete your entry form -- Make sure your artist statement connects your work of art to the theme
Turn it in by Friday, Oct. 31 -- Don't miss the deadline!
Be sure to check the rules by category to ensure student work meets all guidelines: www.txpta.org/reflections-participation.
Questions? Reach out to PTA Cultural Arts Chair Lyndsay Lovell: lyndsay.lovell@gmail.com.
follow fes pta on facebook
follow fes pta on facebook
Follow FES PTA on Facebook for up-to-date information and PTA news!
FES SPIRIT WEAR NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
FES SPIRIT WEAR NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE
Florence spirit wear shirts are now available for purchase online! Choose from a variety of shirt options, all offered in both youth and adult sizes.
New shirt designs: $20 each
Last year’s shirts: Only $5 each
Don’t miss out -- grab your favorite designs while supplies last! Shirts will be sent home with your student. Shop now: https://florenceelempta.membershiptoolkit.com/store/19046.
Extracurricular and Club Opportunities
Extracurricular and Club Opportunities
Last Chance to join R.O.C.K. Club!
Last Chance to join R.O.C.K. Club!
Calling all 2nd through 4th grade students! Would you like to be apart of the R.O.C.K club? Each grade level is taking 15 members who like to help other, do good deeds and make others happy. Please see the flyer and sign up using the links below:
Pajama Drive - Google Docs.pdfPAJAMA DRIVE Sponsored by R.O.C.K. Club
PAJAMA DRIVE Sponsored by R.O.C.K. Club
Nov. 10th - 20th
Nov. 10th - 20th
ROCK Club will be participating in the Great Bedtime Story pajama drive November 10th through November 20th. Be on the look out for more information.
Co-Curr and Lunch
Co-Curr and Lunch
Cafeteria Information
Cafeteria Information
What time is breakfast? Breakfast will begin at 7:30. The line will close at 7:50 for students to be in class at 7:55.
What is offered? This school year Sodexo will be offering 3 hot side options and 2 cold side options.
How do I add money to my child’s cafeteria account? You may place money on your child's lunch account by setting up an account for them on School Cafe. The link is below and you will need your student's ID # to do so.
Sodexo - Breakfast and Lunch.
Contacts
Contacts
FES Front Office: 817-744-4700
FES Front Office: 817-744-4700
Tyler Lamon- Front Office / Attendance: tyler.lamon@kellerisd.net
Leah Dimmitt Front Office / Substitutions: leah.dimmitt@kellerisd.net
Terra Peters- Campus Secretary: terra.peters@kellerisd.net
Sue Piehler - Nurse: susan.piehler@kellerisd.net
Jessica Sustaita- Librarian: jessica.sustaita@kellerisd.net
Christina Jones - Counselor: christina.jones@kellerisd.net
Chelsea Price - Assistant Principal: chelsea.price@kellerisd.net
Courtney Brandel - Principal: courtney.cullum@kellerisd.net
Nicole Seidel - PTA President: ptaflorencees@gmail.com
Connect with and Follow Us!
Connect with and Follow Us!
Volunteers
Volunteers
We are grateful for our volunteers as an essential part of our school! If you are interested in volunteering this year, please fill out the Keller ISD Volunteer Application.
All FES visitors are required to enter through the front office, provide picture identification, and obtain a visitor badge before proceeding to any part of the building. This procedure ensures the safety and security of our campus as we know who is in the building at all time. Office staff will verify the visitor is a parent, guardian, or approved contact for the student.
Guests must have their visitor badge worn on their shirt and visible at all times.
Guests are only allowed in designated areas to minimize disruption of the learning environment.
Guests are required to exit the building through the front doors during school hours.
Parent Square Communications
Parent Square Communications
Be sure that your email is correct in your infosnap to be sure you receive all of our Parent Square communications (email, text, and app.)
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