Good Morning Manara STEM Families,
This week is the last week in our 4th 6 week period. There are a lot of things going on this week, such as STAAR Interim for scholars in grades 3 - 8 for math and reading, Friendship Day, and completing final grades for the end of the 4th 6 week period. Our campus will be closed to visitors on Tuesday, February 13 and Thursday, February 15 for our STAAR Interim testing so we can create a quiet, secure testing environment with as little disruptions as possible. Parents will not be allowed in the building on these days, so if you have items you need to drop off to your child, please place the item(s) on the "Forget-Me-Not" table by the front entrance labeled with your child's name and grade level and Ms. Tabatha will make sure to get it to your child. Also, please make sure your child is ON TIME to school, as testing will begin first thing in the morning! Reach out to Ms. Tabatha if you have any questions pertaining to the closed campus to visitors on these days.
Please add to your calendars that March 25 is now a school day. Originally it was a "bad weather make-up day", and since we had a bad weather day off in January, we will be making up that day on March 25 (the Monday after Spring Break).
And don't forget...Cookie Grams are on sale through Tuesday, February 13! Cookie Gram deliveries will take place on Wednesday afternoon. Your child can fill out an order form with their teacher when bringing in their money, or receive an order form from the front desk.
Happy Sunday! We look forward to seeing everyone by 8:00am tomorrow morning!
#MAWAY
Principal Vinten
The mission of Manara Academy is to provide students with a creative, adaptive and ethical environment to become knowledgeable inquirers and future leaders in a diverse and evolving global society where we master languages, honor cultural heritages, and respect diversity.
March 25, the Monday after Spring Break, will be our bad weather make-up day. School WILL be in session that day! We are looking forward to seeing all scholars on Monday, March 25!!
The image below, even though it states middle school, can be applied for all grade levels. Attendance for the entire school day matters in ALL grade levels! Being late each morning or a few mornings each week, and/or being picked up early, even one day of the week, adds up! We want to create good habits in our children so those habits can follow them throughout their school career. If you have any questions about this, please reach out to Mrs. Vinten or Mrs. Wilson!
We are in the midst of planning a fun event in April for Autism Awareness Month. The link below will take you to the custom ink website to order Autism Awareness t-shirts. We would love as many people as possible (adults and students) to participate in purchasing a t-shirt to be able to wear at the event in April (more information to come). Thank you for your support!
Cookie grams are currently on sale through the PTO! Don't miss out on ordering one (or several) to celebrate Friendship Day on our campus! This is the 10th annual Cookie Gram fundraiser through the PTO, so let's make it the best one yet! Cookie grams are $1.00 each, and order forms are available from each teacher or at the front desk. The deadline to order them is Tuesday, February 13, so don't delay! We love celebrating friends at Manara STEM!
Know of a family who would like to enroll their child or children for the 2024-2025 school year at Manara? Let them know we are here to help! Any current family who recommends a family for enrollment and they come to register their child(ren), your child (or all children who attend our campus currently) will receive the last 6 weeks Friday dress down days for FREE (you won't have to pay for the last 6 dress down days!). Just tell the family coming to enroll that you recommended them to enroll!
Please share the information below with them!
It is that time of the year where illnesses are at a peak. If your child has a fever or has vomited while at school, you will be called to pick them up, and in order for them to return to school, they must be fever-free or vomit-free for 24 hours. Thank you for contacting us when your child is out due to illness. Please send in any doctor notes so that your child's absence can be counted as excused.
Our campus is being cleaned with special cleaning products over the three-day weekend to help eliminate further spread of germs throughout campus. If you are able to donate any boxes of kleenex or bottles of Clorox wipes that we can give to classrooms, you can drop them off at the front office and we will make sure they are given to classrooms that need them. Thank you, in advance, for any donations so we can help continue to stop the spread of cold & flu germs!
Excused absences in the State of Texas include:
Observing a religious holiday
Attending a required court appearance
Appearing at a governmental office to complete paperwork required in the child's citizenship application
Taking part in a naturalization oath ceremony
Serving as an election clerk
A child in the conservatorship of the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) participating in a documented activity that is court ordered
Being temporarily absent for a health care appointment for the student/child (not the parent appointment)
Absent due to serious or life-threatening illness or absent due to illness or treatment (doctor/clinic documentation required)
Visiting with parent/legal guardian who is active duty military and parent has returned from continuous deployment of at least four months
Conducting activities related to enlistment (student must be 17 years of age or older.
Visiting an institution of higher education during a student's junior or senior year
A student in grades 6-12 sounding "Taps" at a military honors funeral held in Texas for a deceased veteran.
All of the above Excused absences require documentation. Absences are not excused without documentation even if they are on the allowable list.
All EXCUSED ABSENCES Require DOCUMENTATION. Please contact your school with the required documentation.
State law requires children who are six years old as of September 1 to attend school through their 19th birthday or until they graduate with a high school diploma (whichever occurs first). Compulsory attendance also applies to students who are younger than six who have previously been enrolled in first grade and to students below the age of six who are voluntarily enrolled in pre-kindergarten or kindergarten.
90% Rule:
Texas Education Code section 25.092 requires that a student in grades kindergarten through grade 12 be in attendance for at least 90 percent of the days a class is offered in order to receive credit for the class or a final grade. Most absences that are excused are still counted when determining whether a student is in compliance with the 90 percent rule.
Truancy:
Truancy is DIFFERENT than the 90% Rule. Truancy counts unexcused absences. Did you know that 3 or MORE unexcused absences Full Day or PARTIAL day in a four week period is considered Truant and 10 or MORE unexcused absences Full Day or PARTIAL day in 6 months is considered Truant. Parents can be held accountable and responsible in Texas Truancy Court with fines of up to $500.00 for contributing to their child's absences. Please be aware of truancy and cooperate with the school in getting in your documentation from the excused list.
Absences & Illnesses
(Mark your calendars!)
Feb 12 - 16 STAAR Interim Testing Week (grades 3 - 8) - details on specific testing days to come
Feb 13 Last day for Cookie Gram sales!
Feb 13 Campus closed to visitors - STAAR Interim testing - grades 3 - 8 Math
Feb 14 Friendship Day (if classes are doing something special for Friendship Day, they will reach out via Dojo)
Feb 15 Campus closed to visitors - STAAR Interim testing - grades 3 - 8 Reading
Feb 16 End of the 4th Six Week Period
Feb 19 No School - Presidents Day
Feb 20 No School for Scholars - Professional Development Day for Staff
Feb 20 Start of the 5th Six Week Period
Feb 29 Birthday Thursday!
Apr 4 UTA Planetarium Field Trip for grades 3rd - 5th (field trip permission slips will be sent home at a later date)
May 10 Six Flags Over Texas Field Trip for grades 4th - 8th (field trip permission slips will be sent home at a later date)