Renner PTA

Student Absence: Remember to call the Child Safe Line at 469-752-5800 ext.35800 if your child has an early appointment that requires a late arrival to school or to report an absence.

Need to pick up a student early for a doctor’s appointment? If you know in advance about the appointment please send your child in with a note stating the exact time you will be picking them up. Have them check in with the front office that morning and we will authorize to have them released from class five minutes earlier. This allows them to go to their locker and be in the front office when you arrive to check them out. Remember to get a note from the doctor to turn into the attendance office when your student returns to school. Any questions can be directed to Mrs. Clapper (ext. 25804).

Homework Requests: Requests for homework should be called in to Mrs. Davis at ext. 25802. A request should be made on the third day of absence by 9am. The work may be picked up that afternoon at 3:45.

district calendar

parent view (grades/attendance)

pay online (meals, athletic fees, etc)

Here is a blank copy of the Plan of Work [.doc file] for PTA board members to use every year when planning the budget for the year.

Become a member of a free e-mail news service from Plano ISD. Plano ISD invites you to subscribe to "eNews," a free e-mail news service designed for parents, community members, and students. Sign up to receive e-mail updates from our Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto and a separate one from Renner for announcements and information.

To subscribe:

1. Log on to the Web site


2. Click on the "Sign Up" Button


3. Complete a brief subscriber survey and you’ll begin receiving eNews updates.

It’s almost time to pick up packets and schedules as well as to buy supplies and spirit wear at registration. You must bring a completed emergency form to get the schedule. This form will come to you in the mail over the summer.

August 14
6th grade: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
7th grade: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

August 15
8th grade: 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
New students: 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

School supplies will be available for purchase during registration. These pre-packs are filled with necessary school supplies requested by the Renner teaching teams. Each pack is $53 for all grade levels and do not include sales tax. Additional supplies for electives will also be available. Purchase made during registration will be tax-free. For more information about school supplies, please contact Trish Donaldson, School Store Chairman, by email or by calling (972) 378-5930.

We hope you plan to return to our campus or to another Plano ISD campus as a volunteer. To prepare for next year, you’ll need to renew the Volunteer Application that you completed online this past year.

To Renew the Online Volunteer Application

Please renew your application by going to the Plano ISD website.

New this year: A notarized form will no longer be required to be on file at school. At the end of the session you will not be prompted to print as in the past.

If you do not have computer access you may go to the Human Resources Department at the Plano ISD Administration Building at 2700 W. 15th St., Plano, or to any of the libraries in the City of Plano.

For any technology-related questions about the online Volunteer Application process, contact TEAMS Help at (469) 752-2180 or TEAMShelp@pisd.edu

For questions about the background check process, contact Security at (469) 752-8057.

For general questions about the volunteer process, contact Debby Spitzer at (469) 752-8144.

Again, thank you for all of your hard work!

School supply lists are now available for download:

• 6th Grade Supply List: click here.
• 7th Grade Supply List: click here.
• 8th Grade Supply List: click here

These are the forms and procedures for disbursements and tax exemption.

• Reimbursement Procedures in PDF - Instructions on how to fill out a disbursement request.

• Disbursement Form - Compete all lines with complete and accurate information. You can fill in the form within MS Excel or print it out.

• Tax Exemption Certificate - Texas Sales and Use Tax Exemption Certificate.

• All cash must be counted by two people other than the treasurer and documented in this Itemized Cash form in Excel and in PDF. Please submit the form WITH the cash to the treasurer.

• Deposit Check Record form in Excel and PDF, which you use to list checks that are being deposited.

The Plano Independent School District has an existing agreement with Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Based on this agreement, employees and volunteers are asked to utilize the following guidelines when planning activities and events:

• The Plano ISD/Dr Pepper Snapple Group agreement is in effect until December 31, 2011.
• All events that take place on or at any district facility must serve Dr Pepper products. This includes drinks that are purchased or donated.
• The agreement states that Dr Pepper Snapple Group is the sole and exclusive provider for beverages at all events in the district. Beverages do not include milk, brewed coffee products, tea brewed on the premises or tap water.
• Band students at football games: must be served Dr Pepper Snapple Group products. Dr Pepper Snapple Group has two bottled water products: Deja Blue and Evian.
• Evening socials and weekend events: Dr Pepper Snapple Group products must be served if the event is at a district facility.

Please check the brand list available on Dr Pepper Snapple Group website.

On November 17, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) released revised rules establishing a uniform methodology for calculating the grade point average (GPA) of all students in Texas public high schools. The rules will apply beginning with the freshmen high school class of 2009-10.

According to the latest version of the proposed rules:

• The GPA will be calculated on a 4-point scale, with certain courses getting additional weight on a 4.5- or 5-point scale;

• Courses for which a student earns a final grade lower than 70 (and thus will not earn course credit) and courses for local credit will not be factored into the GPA calculation;

• The following courses will count towards the uniform GPA:

  • Course, including electives, listed in 19 TAC 74.63 (b) (1)-(6) and (8)-(11), all Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses, career and technology (CTE) courses aligned with a university course of study (as determined by the CTE Advisory Committee), and dual credit courses, including career oriented courses listed in the community college course manual.

• Out-of-state academic courses in the categories above will be included in the GPA calculation if credit is awarded that counts towards the Recommended or Distinguished High School Program;

• The following courses will receive additional weight (above a 4.0) in the GPA calculation:

  • AP, IB and dual credit courses will all receive an additional weight of 1.0;
  • Pre-A, Honors and Pre-IB courses will receive an additional weight of 0.5 if begun prior to May 1, 2013. If begun on or after that date, Pre-AP and Honors courses will be expected to meet Laying the Foundation, or comparable standards, and Pre-IB courses will be expected to be part of an approved IB program. Continued weighting for Pre-AP, Honors and Pre-IB courses will be reviewed by the GPA Advisory Committee.

• The chart for converting numerical grades to grade points on the three scales also includes provisions for converting letter grades to grade points;

• THECB will establish a 15-member GPA Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from public and higher education and the workforce to oversee implementation of the GPA standards, monitor courses counted in the GPA calculation, and ensure institutional compliance with THECB rules for dual credit courses; and

• Colleges and universities offering dual credit courses will be required to monitor the rigor of those courses.

Public comments will be accepted for 30 days after the rules are published in the Texas Register.

Comments may be submitted to Natalie Coffey, Senior Program Director, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, P.O. Box 12788, Austin, Texas 78711.

Source: Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board Releases New Uniform GPA Rules.

Check out the new parent portal, myPISD.net, for attendance, grades, class assignments, curriculum, calendars and more.

From: http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/safety/school.closure.shtml

Please also read about Inclement Weather information from PISD.

The following information is provided to help parents understand how the district determines whether or not to hold school or delay opening school on bad weather days and the notification procedures which are in place. Please note that student and staff safety is our first priority. The decision to call off school is a very important one and is made only after thorough consideration.

Assume that school will open as usual.

Check with one of the following sources of information to obtain accurate information:

• All major television stations including KDFW - Channel 4; KXAS - Channel 5; WFAA - Channel 8; KTVT - Channel 11; UPN 21; KDAF - WB33, News - Channel 33; and Channel 99, Time Warner Cable (PISD Station).

• Major radio stations including KERA (90.1 FM); KEGL (97.1 FM); KHKS (106.1 FM); KPLX & KLIF (99.5 FM and 570 AM); KRLD (1080 AM); KVIL (103.7 FM); WBAP (820 AM).

• By 6:00 a.m., a voice mail recording at each school will announce if school is closed.

• By approximately 6:00 a.m., at the district’s main number, (469) 752-8100, a voice mail recording will announce whether school is closed or delayed.

The 2009-10 Plano ISD Calendar is now available here.

Shepton PTSA is looking to fill Board positions for the upcoming school year. If interested, you can download the Interest Form here.

Read about immunizations requirement changes here.

For more information, please go to Texas Department of State Health Services, Immunizations Brach.

In light of recent events related to the Swine Flu, the district is suspending all overnight student travel from May 1 through May 10.

Additionally, all inside and outside district student travel and field trips are suspended as well.

All campus based activities, such as PTA events, concerts, shows and recitals can take place on the campus. Banquets for student organizations that are held on and off campus are allowed at this time.

We will continue to monitor the situation.

Bill McLaughlin, Principal, Renner Middle School, (469) 752-5810

The School Supply Lists are now available for 2009 - 2010 school year:

• Renner 2009 6th Grade Supply List
• Renner 2009 7th Grade Supply List
• Renner 2009 8th Grade Supply List

Spring 2009 Final Exam Schedule is now available here.

Medication Pick Up

• If your child has medication in the health office, parents must pick up the medication by June 5, 2009. No medication will be released to the students.
• After June 5, 2009, all medications left at school will be destroyed.
• Almost every child who has medication at school received a notice to bring home indicating the name of the medication and how much was left in the container.

Action Plans for Students with Serious Health Problems.

• Students with asthma, severe allergic reactions and seizure disorders received a packet that contains all of the paper work needed for next year.
• Please ask your doctor to complete the forms over the summer. Please do not plan to see the school nurse on the very first day of school to discuss your child’s medications and medical concerns. The nurse will be in the office in the 2 weeks before school starts. Please call to make an appointment to be sure she is in.

Immunizations for 7th graders in August ‘09

• Every child who still needed immunizations as of 5/22/09 received a small reminder notice that included a copy of the current vaccine dates that we have on file for the student. Try to have this information in to the nurse before the schedule pick-up day. Currently, over 350 students still need to present updated shot records. It will be a very long line!

Avoid the line by getting your child immunized ASAP or get a copy of the updated shot record from the doctor ASAP. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself.

Send a copy to school with your child by June 5. OR Mail a copy over the summer to: School Nurse, Renner Middle School, 5701 W. Parker Rd., Plano, TX 75093. OR Scan and e-mail a copy to judith.grace@pisd.edu OR Drop a copy in the office in an envelope marked “School Nurse” before June 25, 2009. OR Drop a copy off to the office or nurse after August 5, 2009.

Every child who still needed immunizations as of 5/22/09 received a small reminder notice that included a copy of the current vaccine dates that we have on file for the student. Try to have this information in to the nurse before the schedule pick-up day. Currently, over 350 students still need to present updated shot records. It will be a very long line!

Avoid the line by getting your child immunized ASAP or get a copy of the updated shot record from the doctor ASAP. Be sure to keep a copy for yourself.

Send a copy to school with your child by June 5. OR Mail a copy over the summer to: School Nurse, Renner Middle School, 5701 W. Parker Rd., Plano, TX 75093. OR Scan and e-mail a copy to judith.grace@pisd.edu OR Drop a copy in the office in an envelope marked “School Nurse” before June 25, 2009. OR Drop a copy off to the office or nurse after August 5, 2009.

All Plano ISD volunteers must have a background check every school year. Volunteer applications for the school year 2009-2010 can be entered after July 1. The volunteer application process is online only. Please use this link to register.

Volunteers without home internet access, may use their local library’s internet resources, computers available at the PISD Administration Building (Human Resources Dept., 2700 W. 15th St.) or computers at their child’s school library (please check with school office staff).

For instructions, please see Online Instructions for more information.

• Grade 6 - August 13 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
• Grade 7 - August 13 - 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
• Grade 8 - August 14 - 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon
• New Students - August 14 - 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Download the new PTA Membership Info Form for 2009-2010 school year and support your PTA and all the events.

All students will have their pictures made on Tuesday, September 8, through their social studies classes. Picture information will be sent home with your child on Monday, August 31. Package details and prices will be included on the form. Parents may return their orders on picture day by completing the order form, or they may order online at mylifetouch.com.

Ordering online provides an opportunity to pay by credit card, to choose from multiple looks per package, and to print an order receipt.

State Relaxes Immunization Requirements!

Late on Monday afternoon, Texas State Health Department officials extended the time period for students to obtain the new immunizations required of 7th graders. We are grateful that so many parents were able to complete the immunization requirements before the first day of school. If your student still needs to complete any of the three vaccines : DPT, Varicella, Meningitis, the documentation must be received in the nurse’s office by September 30. If you still need to know where to obtain the vaccines, please feel free to contact Miss Grace at 469-752-5809.

Does Your Child Have a Potentially Serious Allergic Reaction (Anaphylaxis)?

We have noted that a number of children are allergic to bees, nuts, shellfish, and other foods that may cause a serious reaction. If your student has a severe reaction to a substance that they might come into contact with at school, we would like to be prepared to manage a possible emergency.

Please contact Miss Grace by phone or email to explain your child’s severe reaction. It may be advisable for us to keep an Epi-Pen on hand for your child. If this is the case, please complete an Allergy Action Plan, a Medication Authorization form, and a Physician Delegation form that permits trained personnel (other than the nurse) to administer epinephrine in an emergency.

We appreciate being prepared and in the know when it comes to your children.

Phone: 469-752-5809

e-mail: judith.grace@pisd.edu

Link to forms:

• Allergy Action Plan - signed by physician and parent
• Medication Authorization Form - signed by parent only as long as proper pharmacy label is intact on medication.
• Physician Delegation form - signed by Physican

Open House for 7th & 8th grade parents is set for September 10 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Read letter from the Principal here.

The Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) will be administered to all 7th graders on Thursday, September 17th. Testing will take place through the advisory classes from 8:30am until 11:00am. I encourage you to stress the importance of this test with your child.

Students will not need to study, as the test has no impact on their report card or transcript. The CogAT is one of the tools used for placement in classes for next year, therefore it is important that the scores are an accurate measure of your child’s ability.

If you have any questions regarding the test, please feel free to contact Brad Allcorn, 7th Grade Counselor by email or by calling (469) 752-5815.

H1N1 Flu and Seasonal Flu - Reporting Cases is Everyones Responsibility

A major component of preventing the spread of any flu-like illness is being able to track its progress in the community. Here at Renner and in all of PISD, we cooperate with the Collin County Health Department by reporting the number of cases of flu-like illness that are causing absences in the school. No names are used, just numbers. This allows the county to monitor trends and make recommendations to us and to health care providers.

When you call school to report your child’s absence, please indicate if they have a temperature above 100 and any other flu symptoms such as body aches, sore throat, headache and respiratory symptoms. If your child is diagnosed with the flu, please contact Miss Grace at 469-752-5809. Remember to keep them home for 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medications.

There are already sporadic cases of flu being reported in the county. Many are not being tested for H1N1 because it takes a long time to get the results back. Anyone testing positive for any type of flu is being treated with anti-viral medications and given guidance about isolation. This includes not attending school, church or other group functions and staying out of public areas such as malls and movie theaters. At home, the person should stay in one room as much as possible and be cared for by the same person consistently to reduce the spread of the flu in the family.

HOMEWORK REQUESTS

Homework may be requested through the front office on the 3rd day of absence. This request may be made by calling Mrs. Davis at 469-752-5802 by 9:00 am.

Lost and Found?

Is your child missing a lunch bag? Gym clothing? A jacket? Check the lost and found table located in the cafeteria. Parents are welcome to sign in at the front office and check for their child’s belongings.

Lunch Guidelines

According to federal guidelines (FMNV), parents may only bring in food for their child during lunches. Food may not be shared with other students. This includes pizza, all fast foods, cookies, birthday cakes, etc. Please do not deliver food for your child to share with others at lunch. We appreciate your cooperation in following these guidelines.

ATTENDANCE

If your child is sick or will not be at school for any reason, please call the Child-Safe line at 469-752-5800, and choose option #3. Please leave your child’s name (with the spelling of their last name), their grade, and the reason for their absence. When your child returns to school, please have them bring a note to the front office specifying the date and reason for absence. Your child has 3 days to turn in a note. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence. A parent call does not excuse the absence. We must have a parent note.

DOCTOR APPOINTMENTS

If your child has to leave school during the day for an appointment, please have your child bring a note to the front office before school. We will sign the note so he/she can be released from class and report to the office at the appropriate time. Your child will need to bring a doctor’s note to the front office upon returning to school. The state requires us to have a doctor’s note on file when a student is gone for part of the day for a doctor’s appointment. Your child has 3 days to turn in a note. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence.

FORGOTTEN ITEMS

Please bring all forgotten items to the front office. You will need to log the item in so that it can be delivered to your child. Please be sure to put your child’s name on the item to be delivered.

LUNCHES

If your child forgets his/her lunch, please come to the front office and log the item in and we will deliver their lunch to their classroom. VERY IMPORTANT: We will not deliver fast food lunches to the classroom. You may leave the lunch in the office and your child can pick it up on the way to lunch.

The United States Department of Education (USDE) requires all state and local education institutions to collect data on ethnicity and race for students and staff. This information is used for state and federal accountability reporting as well as for reporting to the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

School district staff and parents or guardians of students enrolling in school are requested to provide this information. If you decline to provide this information, please be aware that the USDE requires school districts to use observer identification as a last resort for collecting the data for federal reporting.

Please answer both parts of the following questions on the student’s ethnicity and race. United States Federal Register (71 FR 44866) by visiting the Questionnaire.

Renner’s campus code is 049. Ask your child for his/her Student ID number.

1. Many children are being tested for type A flu, but not for H1N1. The H1N1 test is expensive and may be 40-60% inaccurate. If a student has Type A flu, it is assumed that it is the H1N1 strain at this time.
2. Not every ill person is prescribed Tamiflu or other antiviral medication. It depends on the person’s medical history and the severity of the symptoms. Observe your child carefully for changes in their breathing status and call your doctor if there is a change.
3. If you have anyone in your family with the flu or strong evidence of flu-like symptoms, AND your other children begin to show mild symptoms - please keep them home too, even without a fever.
4. Some kids are not getting a high fever. Don’t wait for the fever to keep them home if they are already complaining or sore throat, cough, runny or stuffy nose, chest congestion, weakness, body aches or extreme tiredness.
5. We are all, parents, teachers and nurses alike, having some trouble figuring out if a child’s mild symptoms are a cold, allergy or flu. Sometimes it takes a progression of symptoms to tell the whole story. PLEASE consider that if your child has any respiratory symptoms or fever that are likely to be contagious, whether it is a cold, strepp throat or the flu. We all value good school attendance, but not when a child is likely to be contagious.
6. We still hold the CDC guideline as our return policy: 24 hours fever free without the use of fever reducing medications.

If you have any questions about how we are managing at Renner, please feel free to e-mail the nurse at judith.grace@pisd.edu . Please don’t call - it’s a little hectic in the health office right now.

WASH YOUR HANDS!

Judith A. Grace, RN, NCSN Certified School Nurse Renner Middle School 469-752-5809 469-752-5814 (fax)

Picture re-take day is Wednesday, October 14. If you child was absent when school pictures were taken on Sept. 8, or if you are unhappy with the pictures that were taken, your child may have his/her picture made during Social Studies class on October 14. If this is a re-take, you child must bring back his/her picture packet.

Information forms are available in the front office. Students may stop by between classes, at lunch, or before or after school to pick up a form.

Renner leather jacket is now available for ordering. The order form is downloadable here: Leather Jacket Order Form. Please make checks payable to RENNER PTA.

For more information, please contact Sam Clement, Yard Signs/Decals Coordinator, by email.

Show your RENNER PRIDE with personalized yard signs and car decals!!!

Available for all Renner activities, clubs, and events, these sturdy signs are designed to last throughout the middle school years. You will receive your yard signs and car decals in a couple of weeks. Please make checks payable to RENNER PTA.

The order form is downloadable here: Spirit Supplies Order Form.

For more information, please contact Sam Clement, Yard Signs/Decals Coordinator, by email.

If you joined PTA and did not pick up your directory, they are in the school store and can be picked up by you or your student during lunch. The school store is open from 11:00 - 1:00.

Fall 2009 exam schedule is now available here.

The Plano Independent School District has an existing agreement with Dr Pepper Snapple Group. Based on this agreement, employees and volunteers are asked to utilize the following guidelines when planning activities and events:

• The Plano ISD/Dr Pepper Snapple Group agreement is in effect until December 31, 2011.
• All events that take place on or at any district facility must serve Dr Pepper products. This includes drinks that are purchased or donated.
• The agreement states that Dr Pepper Snapple Group is the sole and exclusive provider for beverages at all events in the district. Beverages do not include milk, brewed coffee products, tea brewed on the premises or tap water.
• Band students at football games: must be served Dr Pepper Snapple Group products. Dr Pepper Snapple Group has two bottled water products: Deja Blue and Evian.
• Evening socials and weekend events: Dr Pepper Snapple Group products must be served if the event is at a district facility.

You can find the list here.

If you are interested in serving on the Board, please complete this form and return it to Renner, attention: Laura Morris, Parliamentarian, by January 29, 2010, to be included for consideration.

Please contact Laura Morris if you have any questions about the election process or job descriptions.

The Volunteer Interest Form can be downloaded here.

The Renner Nominating Committee submits the following nominees for the 2010-2011 Renner PTA Executive Board to be voted on at the General PTA Meeting on Monday, March 8, 2010:

President: Julie Myers

1st Vice President Programs: Kelley Eggleston

2nd Vice President Volunteers: Susie Learmont

3rd Vice President Ways & Means: Jenny Woods

4th Vice President Membership: Lori Baum

Secretary: Jennifer Fuller

Treasurer: Sandy Seaton