FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

TIGER TALESVOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

Inside this edition of Tiger Tales From the Office of the Principal & Assistant

Principal CME Staff News

Clinic Reading Corner Counselor

Grade Level News Kindergarten & 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade 4th & 5th Grade

School-wide News Physical Education & Art Library Music Student Council

Parent Teacher Organization News President Report Membership Report Treasurer’s Report Gift Committee Report Vice President Report VIPs Committee Report Ways and Means Committee Report Important Announcements

COLONY MEADOWS ELEMENTARY

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

TIGER TALES

…where everyone is a superhero!

Look, down the halls! It’s a student! It’s a teacher! It’s a superhero!

This school year started with a sense of anticipation…what would it hold for the students, the teachers, and for us personally? We have seen our staff work cooperatively and diligently to ensure that the school was ready for a great year academically. We have seen smiling faces as the children met their teachers for the first time and they were overflowing with excitement about the year to come. We have witnessed classes working together to establish class guidelines to ensure a safe and successful year. We have conversed with parents about the upcoming Fall Camp Out and felt their exhilaration about starting a new tradition. We have observed struggling students, who now have a great passion in knowing that they can succeed and be a hero! And we believe, along with them, that they can! We think that it takes a careful blend of traditions and innovative ideas to keep a school flourishing. We truly believe with the combination of effective teachers and staff, involved parents, and hardworking students…Colony Meadows has created an amazing lineup for a super team! This being the first year with the new dynamic duo, Jackie and I are so energized and so optimistic about the 2015-2016 school year; each week brings new challenges and incredible learning opportunities. We are delighted that we will all be on this fantastic ride together this year! We anticipate…a wonderful journey! The Dynamic DuoMelissa Bolding, Principal, & Jackie Boyd, Assistant Principal

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

From the Office of the Principal & Assistant Principal

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

STAFF NEWS

Welcome back to all of our returning students and a special welcome to our new Tigers! I am looking forward to another great school year at CME.I would like to impress upon all parents, how important it is for you to follow the district guidelines regarding illnesses. In order to prevent exposing other students and teachers to an illness, a student should not come to school if he/she has the following symptoms: Vomiting or diarrhea prior to the start of the school day, an undetermined rash, persistent cough, or symptoms of a communicable disease or a fever or 100 or higher within the past 24 hours. If your child has any of these symptoms before school, please keep him/her at home. In regards to fever, every child should be free of fever (without fever reducing medications) for 24 hours before returning to school. If your child is sent home from school with a fever over 100, he/she should not return the next day. If your child becomes too ill to remain at school, we will contact you and you should make every effort to pick him/her up as soon as possible!Please make sure that we have the CURRENT telephone numbers to reach you. We have already had difficulty reaching parents this school year! We will experience a healthier school environment if these guidelines are followed. I HIGHLY recommend flu vaccines for children susceptible to respiratory infections, a compromised immune system, Asthma history or anyone that would prefer to stay healthy this coming year. Please consult your Physician in regards to this matter.Children are not allowed to bring any medication to school with them! This includes cough drops or mosquito spray! Parents must transport all medication (prescription and non-prescription) to and from the school clinic, meet the nurse and complete the necessary consent form with Physician’s signature. This is a FBISD policy and it must be adhered to. ALL medications must be brought in their original containers. Please remember that I cannot give any medications to your children without a Physician and Parent medical form signed.Please remind your children about the importance of not sharing food with others while at school. FOOD ALLERGIES affect nearly 2 million children who are between the ages of 5 and 17. The most common food allergies are peanut, tree nuts, dairy products, eggs, seafood, wheat. It can be dangerous and deadly for some students that have food allergies. We need to try to keep each other safe.If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call or come by the clinic!

Your School Nurse,Allison Jones, BSN, RN

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

From the Clinic

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

STAFF NEWS

When reading, you rely on words and meanings that you already know to help you understand the unknown. So, if you can improve your child’s vocabulary and background knowledge, he/she will become a better reader. Here are some simple ways to do this at home: Read to your child. Choose interesting books that are too difficult for him/her to read independently. Select from a variety of genres and authors to really increase vocabulary. Always speak like an adult. It isn’t necessary to try and speak on a child’s level. When children hear adults around them speaking, they pick up new words. Use those old idioms that your grandparents used back when you were knee-high to a grasshopper. Idioms are difficult for children that have never heard them. Talk about words that have multiple meanings. Practice using them in new ways. Include your children when you run errands, even the very young ones. You’d be surprised at the vocabulary and experiences that can be picked up in a tire store or pharmacy. Word games are great for car trips. For one, you can say common words and start listing synonyms. Take turns and make a game of it. Another game involves making lists of rhyming words. Try rewording a billboard using synonyms. Or, begin to tell a story. After a few sentences, pass the storytelling to your child by saying, “and then…” Your child tells more of the story and then bounces it back to you or to another family member. Have a game night. Word games like Boggle and Scrabble really stretch a child’s vocabulary when they play with older siblings and adults. (Also try Quiddler, Apples to Apples, UpWords, Word Burst, and Tribond.) Always look for opportunities to include your child in your hobbies (scrap booking, fishing, sports, etc.) Each new situation adds vocabulary and experience unique to the hobby. Make the library or used book store a regular family outing. Get caught reading!

Sally BatesReading Specialist

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

Reading Corner

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

STAFF NEWS

The year is off to a great start with plenty of enthusiasm for learning and caring for one and other. October is Bullying Awareness Month. In classroom guidance sessions, the students are learning about bullying prevention and respect. Each newsletter, I will outline the school-wide programs set up through the counseling office. Up-coming Events: Red Ribbon Week: October 26-30GT Testing : GT testing window, November 2-13 As mentioned above, students are learning about how to recognize signs of bullying versus conflict. I would like to suggest this article about recognizing bully behavior: Recognizing Bullying This is a very informative article that lists the four specific characteristics of bullying behavior. Understanding these characteristics will help parents recognize bullying and assist them in speaking to their children about bullying. Thank you for the support you give your child and all of the children at Colony Meadows Elementary. Please remember that I am available to answer your questions, so feel free to call me. My direct line is 281-634-4124. I am happy to help you, your family, and your child in any way possible.

Jennifer G. LappageCounselor

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

From the Counselor

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

Welcome to CME, new tiger families, and welcome back to those of you that have been through Kindergarten with us before! In just the past two months, we have already had so much fun and want to thank all of the parents that make it possible every day. We were excited to see how apples can be turned into applesauce and even more excited to taste it. We prepared and sang for the ABC Parade day and strutted our stuff down the halls for all CME students to see. Dads and Donuts was another highlight, as we spent time together and showed off our Dads. It’s just the beginning parents, there is so much fun at CME and we are glad you love being a part of it. Get ready for the campout and Red Ribbon Week in October. In November we have a special play for our families and we can’t wait to show you just what Thanksgiving is all about! Please plan to join us on November 20th in the afternoon. We will need some parent helpers the week of November 9-13, for painting vests and pumpkins, so check your calendars! Thanks again for all your support and for continuing to work with your child at home to encourage what is being taught at school each and every day. A strong home/school connection creates successful and happy learners!

The Kindergarten Team

The beginning of school went very well! Our first graders have learned our routines and expectations and are becoming consistent in following them. We had a great turn out at parent open house. Thank you to all that were able to make it. Our first special day was Apple Day. The kids learned all about apples. They read Johnny Appleseed, graphed apples, and learned about the parts of an apple. The best part was making and eating apple pancakes! We enjoyed meeting with some of you during conferences and we hope that you found them helpful. We have several exciting events planned for the remainder of the semester. The special days coming up include Pumpkin Day, Turkey Day and Gingerbread Day. Our field trip will be to Dewberry Farm on November 6th. We will send more information as the date gets closer. These days are informative and fun for all involved. If you ever need anything our doors are always open. We look forward to a great year with you and your kids.

The First Grade Team

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

Kindergarten & First Grade

GRADE LEVEL NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

The CME Second Graders started school caped with backpacks and ready to learn. This first epic period of their 2nd grade year has been full of adventure. As Batman Super Heroes, they have taken advantage of their classrooms where a wealth of knowledge is available. These Batman Super Heroes started the school year by identifying their genius (their own area of smartness). Everyone knows that batman does not possess any super power, but makes use of his genius intellect. This is the goal for our new second graders – making good use of their individual smartness. This led the group into graphing in math – first picture graphs, pictographs and then bar graphs. Other intellectually stimulating math work has included math fact fine tuning in addition and subtraction. Students are becoming more accurate and working faster and with bigger numbers to increase their smartness. Place value became the martial art skill of our students as they discovered that the place a digit is in gives it Kung Fu power. They learned that you never fight using a zero, because no matter where you put it, 0 has no power.In Reading, our little batman heroes flew right into Realistic Fiction as they studied from some of the books of Judy Blume. With their batman detective skills they discovered phony Freckle Juice recipes, Super Fudge, Cool Zones, and a Green Kangaroo second grader. In Language Arts these batman capers learned the difference between common and proper nouns, and how to correct a fouled up sentence. They even swore revenge on over used words like kind and cool, and discovered the pathway to the Gotham Vocabulary City, where they found 10 new WOW words they could use instead.In Science, our Dark Knight’s learned the secret identity of basic lab equipment, and had a chance to dual in a swat game identifying each piece of equipment. They learned that the Scientific Method was the world’s greatest detective tool for discovering things we want to know. Lots of experiments in class have helped our Caped Crusaders discover the Truth behind many problems. Since Batman trains physically, our students found force and motion lessons a real hit. When building their own houses to withstand the turbulent winds of a woman’s blow dryer, our young capers succeeded with the help of lots of tape (I meant their cape). On the social end, social studies that is, we studied the very thing that represents Batman – Justice. It’s a word in the Pledge of Allegiance that all second graders understand now. They studied citizenship and how 2nd graders have rights and responsibilities. Our little batman students know that The Joker is their arch enemy and good citizenship is our enterprise. How our country helps its citizens is through our government. DananananaNanaNanaNanaNanaNana – till next time!

The Second Grade Team

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Second Grade

GRADE LEVEL NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

We’ve started our year off with 130 SUPER third graders. We’ve enjoyed the past eight weeks getting to know our children and their families. This year, we also welcomed some new teacher faces to our 3rd grade team. Mrs. Ivory and Ms. Schleicher have joined Mrs. Russell on our ELA/SS team and Mrs. Shadid has joined Ms. Ballestas and Ms. Heisig to teach Math and Science. Our students and teachers are looking forward to a SUPER HERO of a year.

Over the past eight weeks, in math, our students have been reviewing many of the concepts they learned in second grade including: place value, rounding, beginning multiplication, and estimation. Students should be reviewing their addition, subtraction, and multiplication facts each night. We currently are working on our unit on Addition and Subtraction using place value blocks and in and out boxes.

In science, the third graders reviewed science procedures and rules, learned about matter, and we are starting forms of energy. We are looking forward to Hands-On Science and Math Labs.

In reading, we have been working on reading comprehension, fluency, visualizing, and drawing conclusions while reading Stanley in Space. In writing, we have written our first personal narrative and were able to choose our own topic to publish and share with our school mates.

Communities in social studies have taught us a lot about people living, working, and having fun together. We’ve been able to apply many of these concepts to our home lives and here at school. We are currently learning about geography while studying regions, landforms, waterways, and how we change these over time.

We look forward to watching each of our students strive to be the best they can be in all areas of their lives. The third grade team is looking forward to making every day spectacular this year.

The Third Grade Team

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

Third Grade

GRADE LEVEL NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

In the second nine weeks, students will cover 2 by 2 multiplication, division of a 4 digit dividend by a 1 digit divisor and will be applying these skills in two step problem solving. Geometry will begin with points, lines, rays, and angles. Measuring angles with a protractor is a new skill introduced in 4th grade. Also, we are planning activities for a fall math lab. Watch for a sign-up genius for volunteer information. Please continue to review decimals and rounding, as well as, basic facts. In science, we will study mixtures and solutions with a hands-on lab. We will also learn about force and motion and forms of energy. In mid-November, we will have hands-on-science, which will require volunteers. A sign-up genius will be sent out with more information. In English Language Arts (ELA), students will cover adjectives, adverbs, expository writing, poetry, simple/compound sentences, conjunctions, figurative language, and poetic devices. They will also have to use multiple text features to gain comprehension, as well as, make connections between literary and informational text.

The Fourth Grade Team

In fifth grade, we are rolling right along with our academic and organizational skills. We use our agendas to keep track of assignments and Edmodo to help us out with study materials and homework questions. The ELA teachers are preparing our kids for Patriots Day, which will be on November 6th. Parents, find out how you can help our Patriots Day volunteer committee by contacting Ellie Damiano At 832-474-0434 or elliedamiano@yahoo.com. We are all looking forward to their reports about prominent Revolutionary War figures. We have covered all of the operations in math and are constantly sharpening our problem-solving skills. Does your fifth grader know the multiplication facts fluently? If not, have him or her make use of Reflex Math. The 2015-16 school year is off to a terrific start!

The Fifth Grade Team

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

Fourth & Fifth Grade

GRADE LEVEL NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

This year in P.E. has been a busy one. We have already started to practice our different components for Fitness Testing for grades 3rd -5th. All classes have worked on their volleyball skills, as well as catching and throwing. The weather is starting to get a little cooler, so make sure you find a time after school to go outside and play, after your homework is done, of course. Also, the CME running club is running strong. We have over 140 kids signed up that are jogging between 1-2 miles every Wednesday and Friday mornings. Did you know breakfast is the most important meal of the day? It jumps starts your metabolism and gives you a burst of energy to start the day.

Coach AndrewsPhysical Education

Kinder, first and second graders have been studying the first artist (cavemen) and why we have art today. Third, fourth and fifth graders have been studying about Pablo Picasso. Students have created art that is cubistic, monochromatic and abstract. All classes have created portfolios to contain all work created in art. Students will learn about The Principals and Elements of Art which are: line, shape, form, space, texture, color, value, pattern contrast, movement, rhythm, balance, unity, emphasis. All classes will be using the Principals and Elements to create beautiful works of art in different mediums this year. Several students received a red ribbon from the Fort Bend County Fair Art Contest. Congratulations to the following students: Emma Wang, Jayda Ma, Caitlin Sacayaran, Madison Norris, Ali Mueller, Macy Mueller and Sara Uren.

Thank you to all my parent volunteers: Rosanna Isaguirre, Rui Lu, Katherine Bingham, Erin Bersin, Sue Patton, Regina Johnston, Celina Zhao, Loreto Salvador, -Malgorzata Bujak, Cora Lee, Jackie Hua, Ajitha Naveen, Ana Khandavalli, Lana Mistretta, Mina Juneja, Sadia Haroon, Fauzia Syed, Jnaneshwari Buggana, George Wang, Melissa Martinez, Heidi Houston, Roxie Casalon, Anu Khandavalli, Monica Storm-Olsen, Van Hoang, Maria Curtis, Michelle Arceneaux, Catherine Linehan, Christina Hsu, Franca Pietropinto, Sejal, Fran Steele, Celina’s Dad, Wendy Levy, Michelle Wang, Aiman Gurji, Sheryl Smith, Bridget Mueller, Sara Fernandez, Pallavi Gambiraopet, and Elham Rabie. I appreciate the extra help!

Mrs. McClureArt Teacher

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Physical Education & Art

SCHOOL-WIDE NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

Reading 20 to 30 minutes each night can have a huge impact on student achievement. Studies show that kids that read regularly excel in school. At Colony Meadows, one of the ways we support student reading is through a variety of reading incentive programs. Pizza Hut Book It - http://www.bookitprogram.com/Teachers set a monthly reading goal for students. Students that reach their goal will receive a coupon for a free personal pizza from Pizza Hut each month. Texas 2x2 Program - http://txla.org/groups/2x2The 2x2 list contains 20 recommended titles for Pre K – 2nd grade. All students that read (independently or with an adult) at least five will be invited to a 2x2 celebration in the Spring. Watch for a 2x2 tracking chart to come home in the next few weeks. Texas Bluebonnet Program - http://txla.org/TBAThe Bluebonnet Reading Program is one of the most respected programs in the U.S. Students in grades 3-6 that read at least five of the 20 titles will vote for their favorite in January. Bluebonnet tracking is done through the library. We will have a bluebonnet celebration in conjunction with our Spring Book Fair in February. Read to Succeed – Students that read at least six hours will earn a free ticket to be used next summer at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. Tracking charts will go home in November. Sugar Land Skeeter’s Reading Club – Students have the opportunity to earn two free tickets to a Sugar Land Skeeter’s game in the Spring. This program will kick off in January. In addition to our reading programs, the library will have sponsor a variety of reading activities throughout the year. Check tidbits each week for upcoming events. Need a book from our library? Check here to see if we have it:http://fbisd.ipac.sirsidynix.net/ipac20/ipac.jsp?profile=cme&lang=eng&reloadxsl=true#focus

Mrs. HodgesLibrarian

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

Library

SCHOOLWIDE NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

I want to extend a warm welcome to our new friends at CME. We are glad to have you in our wonderful school family. If you are a returning member of CME, I am so happy to once again be teaching your student(s) in my classroom.

Our year started off strong with a review/reteach of several top patriotic songs: The Star Spangled Banner, America and This Land is Your Land (a favorite by far!) and has continued with a great focus in music basics. The kinder classes are learning about steady beat, singing voices and music movement. They will continue to learn such basics as high/low, loud/soft, etc. Our first graders are getting a strong review of what they learned last year as well as new songs covering A/B form, movement and rhythm. The second graders are busy deciphering quarter/eighth notes as well as eight rests. They are currently playing triangles and have been reviewing the solfege pitches of mi, so and la. Instruments have been making a great amount of noise in the third and fourth grade classes as they play ostinatos (repeated patterns) on pitched and non-pitched percussion instruments! Soon they will be discovering new rhythms and solfege pitches through several folk songs including one from the Appalachian Mountains (a wonderful opportunity for a quick cross-curricular lesson in geography). Fifth grade has had the fantastic opportunity to learn dance steps to the Minuet (they will say it is not a fantastic opportunity but one day they will look back and see what a great opportunity that had!). They are also busy learning a folk song as well as a patriotic song for the Patriot’s Day Performance on November 5 at 2:00 p.m.

All classes have had an in depth study of a Modern composer: John Williams (1932-present). He has written the musical score to over one hundred movies (including Superman, Jurassic Park and Hook) as well as music for television shows and traditional orchestral works. Ask your students about John Williams to find out more about him! Finally, our Music Theater (a.k.a. Choir) has been practicing the upcoming performance of a parody on the traditional song: “A Partridge in a Pear Tree”. The nighttime performance will take place on December 9 at 6:00p.m. All CME tigers are invited to attend!

Last year I included a Ted Talk video that explains what music does for our brain. I wanted to make sure all new and returning CME members had an opportunity to view this wonderful explanation of the benefits of music in our life. http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-playing-an-instrument-benefits-your-brain-anita-collins#watch

Ms. SotoMusic Teacher

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Music

SCHOOLWIDE NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

Sponsors Ms. Heisig and Mrs. McClure are excited to announce the Student Council for 2015-2016 school year:

Fifth Grade Representatives:

Ms. Bartel’s class: Ahmet Candir and Olivia HendrixOnofrey’s Class : Griffin Culver and Olivia WillisMs. Hitzel’s Class: Thomas Evertes and Lanae MutayobaMs. Ndu’s Class: Iyan Sonesra and Jessye FanMs.Graves’s Class : Thomas Palakapilly and Ariya DattaMs. Delome’s Class: Alex Aquirre-Acosta and Samantha Ponce de LeonLiz Mallory 5th grade representative at large Fourth Grade Representatives:

Ms. Osborn’s Class: Izack Waczko and Isabella KarimMs. Carter’s Class: Wenda Huang and Emma WangMs. Short’s Class: Logan Rudolph and Amanda LiuMs. Meanor’s Class: Kean Liu and Bushra KausarMs. Hand’s Class: Dimitri Shadid and Gavin PharesMs. Kutach’s Class: Robby Nielsen and Julia SamanAnais Lagoutte 4th grade representative at large

Members are off to a great start! We are recycling and getting ready for the East Fort Bend Family Food Drive.

Mrs. McClure & Ms. HeisigStudent Council Sponsors

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Student Council

SCHOOLWIDE NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

CME Tiger Families, Between Spring Creek Spirit Night, Open House, Donuts with Dads, Book Fair, and Literacy Night, it has been a great and busy start to the school year. Thank you for attending these events! We have such great parent support at CME! Also, thank you to those that came to the PTO presentation at Open House. I hope you were able to learn a little bit about the efforts of the PTO. If you were not able to attend, you can view the presentation by going to www.cmepto.org/pto-board and selecting the link found at the bottom of the page. There are still a lot of events coming up this fall, like CME Camp Out on October 23rd, 5th Grade Patriot’s Day on November 5th, and Classroom Winter Parties on December 17th & 18th. And of course in the spring on April 1st, we will have the CME 25th Anniversary Celebration and Gala – “A Night to Remember” – at Sweetwater Country Club. The auction committee is already planning for an elegant and fun evening out for CME parents, staff, and guests. Please mark your calendars, and I hope to see you at these different events. As always, please email the PTO Board with any questions or comments – colonymeadowsptoboard@gmail.com. There is also a lot of information that can be found on the PTO website www.cmepto.org. Best Regards,

Heather RudolphPTO President

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PTO President

PTO NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

The PTO Membership Tiger Drive has been a success!

Thank you to all of the parents that have participated and donated. We would also like to thank our wonderful staff members and teachers for engaging the students and communicating with the parents.

A special shout out to the classes with 100% participation: Mrs. Short's class, Mrs. Ndu's class and Mrs. Aggarwal's class.

If you have not had a chance to participate, it’s not too late. Extra copies of membership forms are available at the front desk. Membership is free and donations are appreciated.

Thank you for all of the donations that we have received to date!

White “Royal” Bengal Tiger Level ($250 and up):Sedat Ademoglu, Sedoh Ademgolu, Sri & Lakshman Anand, Winas Boonsomchin, Sudha Dhanani, Ritu & Nick Elisha, Kosay El-Rayes, Gurdip Saluja & Sunit Kaur, Kenneth Lang & Aimee Mao, Courtney Newton, Kwandeuan Phanmhud, Melinda & Andy Riseenhilm, Kshitij Kukreja & Trapti Sadhwani, Li & Ying Sun, Senait & Daniehl Tescfai, Robert & Audrey Trevino

Bengal Tiger Level ($150-$249):

Paul & Wendy Acton, Said Baidji, Jessica Bellew, Katherine Bingham, Vijay Chaudhary, Freddy & Chris Cuellar, Kathy Daoura, Tuti Jhaveri, Sam & Lilly Karim, Ravi Gummadi & Madhuri Kolli, Courtney Landry, Chris & Adhi Lee, Melissa & Khayleel Lee, Yanan & Joseph Liang, Ping Li & Enru Liu, Adrian & Melissa Martinez, Jeff & Tinera Mathews, Cliff & Lana Mistretta, Kelly & Wade McKnight, Anila & Nick Mehdi, Bryant &Bridget Mueller, Ranjeeta Mani & Ashutosh Niraj, Jun Yang & Li Peng, Belinda & Todd Phares, Nicole & Mark Pierce, Debora Ross, Gretchen & Robert Sawchuk, James & Gigi Shadid, Ingrid Song, Sridevi Dharmarajan & Ramakrishnan Sritharan, Reji & Jason Thomas, George & Michelle Wang, Yan Wang, Kelley & Vicky Wise, Fung Nai Wong, Peter & Rachel Wung, Lihai Yu & Xin Xu

(cont’d on next page)

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PTO Membership

PTO NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

Tiger Club Level ($90-$149):

Dilachew Adebo, Traci & Chip Buczo, Suma Yellajosyula & Somnath Chilukuri, Hui Cao, Joseph & Karem Chandler, Keri & Kevin Cooke, Lifang Ying & Zhineng Fan, Caroline Punch Forde & Trevor Forde, Angela & William Fraley, Ronald Guidry, Julie & John Patton, Abhishek Kumar & Preethi Jain, Sean & Doris Liu, Ying Zhou & Wing Ma, Stacy Mei, Lucy & Tony Ponce de Leon, Patrick & Cathy Plummer, Greg & Heather Rudolph, Zohra Sonesra, Shizuka Mita & Vince Trinh, Siri Varm, Jason Wang, Shasha Wang, Xin Li & Kevin Xu, Wen Yang, Guilian Zhang, Mei Zhu, Hung Le, Catherine & Jim Linehan, Rasida Momin, Mercedes Hernandez, Kevin & Sheryl Smith, Ram Sarma & Sowmya Holla, Al Roemershauser, Emiley & Victor Hendrix, Faith & Nslkak Umoh, Pallavi Gambiraopet & Praveen Sirupa, Monllea & Sebastian Tumer, Steve & Stephanie Shafer, Jin Pan & Yang Chen, Haiying Liu, Stephen Uren, Wa Xian & Frank Mckean, Pete & Debbie Yackus, Yue ming Zhang, La Wu, Sangee & Peter Paysan, Ilma Lopes, Jaime & Brenda Mandel, Nafisa Infau Ali, Huimin Fuan, Haijin Lin & Tommy Yu, Walter & Candace Teem, Michelle Manukonda, David & Regina Johnson, Rui Lu, Yanhong Hui, Huan Feng, Wenjun Li, Mazen Darwich, April & Eric Jenkins, Valerie Diaz, Yong Luo, Ping Zhou & Xiaoyan Li, Valerie Diaz, Sridhar Sana & Aruna Malla, Andy Tang, Zhen Qin & Wei Fan, Dongmei Chu & Gang Yao, Subhash Ghorpade, Roxie Casal, Qiong Xie, Kitee Valentz, Kelli & John Nguyen, Charlie & Keri Saman, Subash Selvaraj, Shuping Jia, Jimmy & Rachell Hood, Moij Maknojiyu, Min Wu, Jing Chen, EE Chung, Jon Zhong Xue, Aaron & Rhonda Payne, David & Christina Hsu, Farah Awan, Hairong Qu, Maria Curtis & Mark Namver, Xiping Liu & Yongying Jiang, Catherine & Chris Robinson, Timothy & Catherine Ho, Becky & Antonio Morales, Shadid Bhaidani, Yi Wang, Carl & Amy Spitznagel, Richard & Myla Sacayanan, Ricardo & Patti Rodriguez, Rangarajan Sanshanagopaln, Bill & Machielle Machmer, Malgorzata Bujak, Kelly Hunter, Bipin Pillai, Yu-Ching Cheng, Taqi Rizvi, Anupama & Shashank Khandavalli, Bosiljka Nikolic, Jose Xavier & Bindhu George, Dianne LaBarbera, Brandon Myers, Sirajbhai Dholasania & Simoona Bhai, Stephanie Gross, Theresa Lacy, Beaven Mandimutsira, Sharon Liu / Peihou Zhang, Peter Huynh, Kristen & Steve Boucher, Zhineng Fan / Lifang Ying, Mrudula Madireddy, Pamchal Razavi, Deepak & Bhakti Gidvani, Zhengzheng Jiang, Irene & Nathan Chang, Boying Liang, Rodrigo & Sara Fernandez, Andrea Blackman, Venkatesh Srinivasan, Yunyun Ni, Ling Cai & Hany Soliman, Dana Lagoutte, Wen & Anthony Wing, Sangeetha Athis Rajh & Athis Arunachalan, Anitha Chandran, Diana Nassar & Elie Nassar, Shailendra Mehrotra & Charu Malhotr, Saiyad Manasia, Elizabeth Reizer, Vanida Wongchukit, Hans Jan Evertse, Mahesh Nagarkatti, Harvinder Singh, Lisa Kolluri, Sheeba Datta

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

PTO Membership (cont’d)

PTO NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

Kathy HennessyPTO Treasurer

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

PTO Treasurer

PTO NEWS

27,723.00

87.48

9,665.00

710

354.78

38,540.26

1,770.49

563.95

Multi Purpse Pavillion 37,991.21

37,991.21

724.02

835.82

278.52

1,100.00

735

20.91

948.24

10.62

24.78

597.11

443.12

55.66

59.99

83.35

5,804.28

1,800.00

2,974.24

309.79

100

12.25

57,243.35

-18,703.09

VIPS of the Year

VIPS Room Supplies

Total Expense Planned 2015-2016

Net Income

Jul 1 - Oct 7, 15

Previous yr expenses paid

Publicity

Spirit Wear Expense

Spring Dinner/Auction Exp

Subscriptions

Treasurer

Landscaping

Membership Drive Expense

Miscellaneous Expense

Parent Appreciation

Patriots Day

President

Grade Level Activity Fund

Guided Reading Library

Hospitality

In-House Programs

Insurance

KGRR

Total Income to Date

Expense

Classroom Enhancement Fund

Gift Maintenance

Gifts

Total Gifts

Income

Membership

Retail Share Programs

Spirit Wear Income

Spring Auction/Dinner Income

Uncategorized Income

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

At the end of each school year, the PTO Board votes on the gifts to be purchased from funds acquired through PTO fundraising activities, membership drives, and any other sources. At the end of last year, the PTO Board voted to purchase two gifts for Colony Meadows Elementary, including landscaping and a Multi-Purpose Pavilion. The landscaping includes replacing the Bradford Pear trees on the side of the school by the playground that are past their life stage and need to be removed. Over the summer, the district removed 5 of the 19 Bradford Pear trees at no cost to the PTO. The PTO is planning to replace those trees this fall with five 45 gallon Drummond Red Maples that will be planted near the playground. In addition, one 30 gallon Redbud tree will be planted at the front of the school near the Butterfly Garden to replace the existing Bradford Pear. The PTO estimates spending approximately $10,120 for this phase of the landscaping project (which includes the removal of one tree, purchase of six new trees, installation, two years of tree maintenance, and over $4,000 for irrigation modifications needed to accommodate the new trees). The Multi-Purpose Pavilion will provide shade and rain protection for all of our students. The Multi-Purpose Pavilion will be a 74’ x 69’ metal structure covering half of the hard top at the back of the school. The PTO Board estimates spending approximately $66,700 for materials and installation of the Multi-Purpose Pavilion. At the request of the FBISD Board of Trustees, the Colony Meadows Administration facilitated a community meeting on October 13 at 5:30 PM. The PTO Board heard input from parents, teachers, and community members. On October 14, the PTO Board discussed the points addressed at the community meeting. The PTO Board voted to continue to move forward with the gift of the Pavilion to Colony Meadows Elementary subject to the acceptance of the gift from FBISD. The FBISD Board of Trustees is scheduled to vote on whether FBISD will accept the gift of a Multi-Purpose Pavilion at a future board meeting. For additional information and updates on the gift of the landscaping and Multi-Purpose Pavilion, please check out the Colony Meadows Elementary PTO website at: http://www.cmepto.org/ Boba Nikolic & Kelly McKnightGifts Committee

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

PTO Gifts

PTO NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

Your support of the PTO has allowed us to bring some amazing programs to our CME students yet again this year.

In September, the PTO brought the Julian Franklin production, Heroes without Capes, to all grades. The kids enjoyed puppetry, story telling, and a little bit of magic in a show themed to help them realize their potential as an ‘every-day’ hero. This program was a great way to kick off our school Superhero theme.

At the end of October, the library will welcome author Adriana Brad Schanen to visit our campus. She is the author of the popular book, Quinny and Hopper.

Wildlife Encounter’s Australian Animals will be our program at the beginning of December. This program for all grades will showcase live animals and talk about their survival, natural history, geography, natural behaviors and conservation education. Grab your passport and come on an adventure to the Land Down Under. Live animals from Australia, New Guinea and New Zealand will be featured.

Jenni KenningtonPTO Vice President

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

PTO Vice President

PTO NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

We have so many enthusiastic volunteers! We appreciate all that you do for our school. We still have plenty of opportunity for you to help at Colony Meadows. If you haven’t signed up yet for something you can do so here: http://goo.gl/forms/b33aAoeayw

There is a ton of cool stuff planned for the kiddos this year, like the Campout, Holiday Parties, and Field Day to name a few. We also have fun and educational events such as Destination Imagination, Math and Science Night, and others. We have committees that help the teachers so that they can focus on teaching, such as helping in the Guided Reading library, or the main library, or photocopying. We also have our Auction fundraiser, and all that money goes right back to the school to make these programs and others possible.

We would love to have as close to 100% of parent involvement as possible, even if it is for 15 minutes of help. Not only would we love it, but your kids, and teachers and staff love it as well. There are great volunteer opportunities for you before school, during school, and some in the evenings.

How do you get involved? Easy…..Please go to WWW.CMEPTO.ORG and click on the "Volunteer" tab. Then click on "Sign Up to Volunteer”, or click here to go directly to the form: http://goo.gl/forms/b33aAoeayw Fill out the form and check any boxes that you might be interested in or would like to find out more information about. That chair will be in contact with you about those opportunities. If you don’t fill out the form, then we don’t have your email, then we have no way of contacting you.

Some major needs right now include:Field Day (co-chair needed)Library Re-shelving (coordinate volunteers to do this)Science Fair

**You must complete a background check to volunteer at the school. The link is also on the PTO website, under the Volunteer tab. http://www.cmepto.org

If you have any questions about the different volunteer opportunities, please let one of the VIPS Coordinators know:Heidi Houston (heidihouston2@yahoo.com) Gretchen Sawchuk (gretchn_red@yahoo.com) Cher Grey (CHER_D_WASHINGTON@yahoo.com)

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

PTO Volunteers In Public Schools (VIPS)

PTO NEWS

FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL

SHOPAROO is a Great Way to Earn Money for CMEWant to help earn easy money for CME? Hurry and download the FREE app SHOPAROO on your smartphone today. Shop for anything, at any time, from any store. Take a picture of your receipt and submit within 14 days. It's that simple! Participating stores include but are not limited to: Target, Walmart, CVS, Walgreens, Best Buy, Chick-fil-A, McDonalds, Costco, Macy's, Office Depot, Dollar Stores, Pet Supply Store and hundreds more....literally EVERYTHING!!! Together, let's make a real difference for our school and build a team of supporters to earn for CME!!!

Save Your BOX TOPS!Keep your eyes open for those little pink BOX TOPS coupons found on many items you buy every day! Each one is worth $0.10 for our school, which can add up to a lot of money when we all pitch in. All you need to do is clip ‘em and stick ‘em on the Box Tops Collection Form. Then send the completed forms to school with your child. Remember to include your child’s name and homeroom teacher on the form. How to collect Box Tops Each completed activity sheet = 1 LUNCH BUDDY PASS!!The class that collects the most Box Tops will win a POPSICLE PARTY & CLASS TROPHY!!

Kroger, Amazon Smile, Randalls, and Target: link your reward cards to CME. It is probably the easiest of all the ways we earn money for the school. Every time you shop at these stores and use your Kroger rewards card or Target REDcard they will be donating a percentage of your purchases to our school. To link your Kroger Card to Community Rewards,please click:http://www.krogercommunityrewards.com/ and enter our school code 81892.

We still have classic CME t-shirts, hoodies, ball caps, visors, and car decals ready for immediate purchase. Complete the order form linked here, turn it in to the front office with your cash or check payment, and your purchases will be delivered to your child in his or her homeroom. Sample sizes are available at the front office if you need to verify the fit. Thank you for supporting the CME PTO! Questions? Contact Nicole Pierce at nicole.d.pierce@gmail.com or 281-782-3970.

Planning for the spring auction event is well underway. Lend your talents to the planning! Sign up to help at www.cmepto.org.

Ana Gantt, Nicole Pierce, Reji ThomasPTO Ways and Means Co-Chairs

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

PTO Ways and Means

PTO NEWS

Upcoming Dates to Remember:

October 23 - CME 2nd Annual Family Campout 4:30 pm - 8:30 amOctober 26 - Author visits in the library during outclass, 2nd-5th gradesOctober 26 - 30 - Red Ribbon WeekOctober 27 - Makeup/Group PicturesOctober 30 - Pumpkin DayOctober 30 - Career DayNovember 23-27 – Thanksgiving BreakDecember 21-January 4 – Winter Break

Family Camp Out:

In lieu of our Fall Carnival, we invite you to join us for our Second Annual CME Family Campout which will be Friday, October 23 at 4:30pm to Saturday, October 24 at 8:30am. Please join us for this FUNtastic event. With the purchase of a ticket, you are welcome to come enjoy all of the fun activities even if you prefer not to actually camp out. Please click here for more information.

Tiger Tidbits:

Don’t miss out on what’s going on! Please email Kitee Valentz at kiteevalentz@gmail.com to be added to our distribution list for our weekly email about PTO related activities.

VOL 24, ISSUE 1 OCTOBER 2015BROUGHT TO YOU BY PTO PUBLICITY

Important Announcements

PTO NEWS

You can follow the tweets of the FBISD Superintendent, Charles

Dupre, at…https://twitter.com/superdupre

And find the Fort Bend ISD Chat with Charles…

http://www.fortbendisd.com/lets-talk