2015-2016 Quick Start Guide
MISSION:
The mission of Briargrove Elementary is to cultivate the development of principled, knowledgeable, and
balanced inquirers through diverse and rigorous investigations in a safe, supportive environment. We
aim to foster globally-minded citizens and lifelong learners, thus contributing to a better world and
future for all.
IB PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS:
What is IB?
The International Baccalaureate (IB) is a non-profit educational foundation which encourages
international education in children ages 3-19. IB programmes are known for their academic and
personal rigor to help create globally-minded, lifelong learners. The IB Primary Years Programme (PYP)
focuses on the development of the whole child as an inquirer in school and in the community.
What are the main features of the Primary Years Programme (PYP)?
Students participating in the PYP are between the ages 3-12. Throughout the framework of 6
transdisciplinary themes, the students will use knowledge and skills from multiple subject areas to
explore each theme’s global significance. There is a strong emphasis on inquiry to develop critical
thinking, problem solving, and independence. The goal is to aid in the development of the whole childacademically, socially, and emotionally.
What can we expect to see if Briargrove becomes an IB Candidate school?
 All classrooms will be self-contained, Kindergarten to Fifth Grade
 Students will be grouped in heterogeneous classrooms containing small groupings of students
with similar learning styles with grades 3-5 using a competitive academic model based on work
effort and academic achievement.
 All students will participate in foreign language classes.
 Teachers will be planning Units of Inquiry with high student involvement and multi-disciplinary
studies. Inquiry and concept-based knowledge acquisition increases rigor, depth, creativity, and
complexity.
 Increased awareness of perspective and knowledge of global cultures and the commonalities
among them.
For more information about IB at Briargrove Elementary, visit our school website:
www.houstonisd.org/BriargroveESIB
DRESS CODE: School colors are blue, green, and white. White, navy, hunter green, yellow and red are
acceptable. School uniforms consist of solid color shirts and khaki or blue pants. Skirts must be
appropriate length to touch the length of the middle finger extended with hands beside the body and
include school colors. For safety reasons, students should wear tennis shoes every day. All jackets and
sweaters should be solid color with logos smaller than a fist. Please label all items with your child’s
name.
College and Briargrove spirit shirts can be worn with jeans on Fridays only. No professional sports shirts
should be worn. Friday blue jeans should not have any holes or rips.
Students out of dress code will be expected to call home. If unable to change, we will provide a change
of clothes. Borrowed clothes should be washed and returned to the front office. Repeated uniform
offenses can affect the student’s ability to participate in field trips, parties and special events.
LIVING TREE COMMUNICATION: Living Tree is the primary form of communications between the school
and you. Your child’s teacher should send you an invite for you to join this confidential in-house system
in order to receive the most up-to-date information. Living Tree links you to everything at Briargrove. If
you are not a part of this system, you will be missing everything!
START TIME: Classroom instruction begins at 7:45am each day. If your child will be participating in
breakfast, they must arrive before 7:30. No breakfasts will be served after 7:45am. Excessive tardies and
absences can affect your child’s ability to participate in extracurricular school functions such as field
trips, field day, and parties.
When dropping your child off, please do not allow your child to exit a vehicle in the street. Rather,
please use either the carpool lanes or park your vehicle safely before allowing your child to exit. We
encourage you to arrive early for the speediest drop off.
ITEMS TO BE DELIVERED TO CLASSROOMS: In order to honor classroom teaching times, we ask all
parents to leave item deliveries at the front desk. Homework will not be delivered to classrooms as we
work to build student responsibility. We ask that parents receive classroom passes and teacher
permission to visit or walk students to classrooms during the school day. Teachers are not able to
conference while they are supervising students.
LUNCHTIME: Each class receives 30 minute lunch time supervised by a grade level certified teacher and
teaching assistants. Parents and visitors are asked to enjoy the outdoor picnic area located near the
front foyer with their child. The cafeteria is available for students only. Outside guest lunch
accommodations are not available when weather is less than optimal. Lunches cost $2.25 . Our
lunchroom provides many fresh vegetable selections as well as baked items cleared by HISD dieticians.
Students are not allowed to bring carbonated drinks or candy of any kind. Parents are asked to refrain
from bringing in restaurant food.
DISMISSAL: Students are dismissed in three sections:
1. upstairs walkers, bikers, and enrichment program
2. downstairs walkers, bikers, and enrichment program
3. front and back car pool and buses
Parents are asked to check out students before 2:30pm. After this time, parents must wait outside the
front doors for student-called pickups.
Drivers should be in line at dismissal time. Each child is assigned a number whether riding in a car pool
group or individually. Carpool numbers are supplied by the school and should be attached to the upper
right hand side of the car windshield. Please display the number from the time you enter the line until
after the children are loaded into the car.
Teachers, teaching assistants, and safety patrol members will be loading multiple cars at a time so
please pull up and stop where you are directed. Drivers should remain in their cars at all times. This
process is in place for the safety of your children.
We ask that if you are picking up your child from the blacktop, you use only the side gate located next to
the carpool lane. Please honor the traffic flow and exit with your child through the gate near the bicycle
racks.
If your child is not going home in the regular carpool, please write a note or call your child’s teacher.
Also please notify your carpool and bus services any change of plans.
Children not picked up by 3:45pm will go to the After School Enrichment Program where you may sign
them out and pick them up. There is a $5.00 charge for late carpool pickup until 4pm and $5.00 each 10
minutes after.
Please do not use your cell phone while driving on campus or picking up children.
GRADING and REPORTING: Student progress is evaluated on the basis of collected student work and
grade level expectations that guide the teacher’s evaluations about student achievement. Parents will
receive a four week and nine week report for grades and comments. Nine week reports will be
accompanied with an IB Programme Learner Profile assessment providing additional information
detailing students’ strengths and weaknesses.
Failure conferences are required to be held. All other conferences will be held on an “ as needed” basis.
Please do not hesitate to call the front office or set conferences with your child’s teacher during their
planning times.
HOMEWORK: Homework is planned to reinforce the students’ classroom learning. Students who focus
on their homework and work diligently will complete it in a reasonable amount of time. On the average,
the time required to complete homework should be as follows:
First and second grade 30 minutes a day
Third and fourth grade 40 minutes a day
Fifth grade 50 minutes a day
Students are encouraged to be independent in carrying out their assignments. Parents can help best by
providing a quiet work setting and a regular work schedule for their child. Too much parental help
should be avoided.
LEARNING DIFFERENCES/ EDUCATIONAL TESTING: For students with documented learning differences
we offer a variety of supports to help them attain their educational goals. For these students, we
provide appropriate academic support through strategies and accommodations. The support plan for a
student will take in consideration testing completed by a licensed diagnostician, physician, or
psychologist, the child’s developmental needs, and current school performance. Parents are encouraged
to work with their child’s teacher and administration through this process. Speech therapy, learning
resource, and a Dyslexia Specialist are available on campus to support students and parents.
AFTER SCHOOL TUTORING: Briargrove Elementary provides tutoring support for students after school.
Please visit the front office for additional information.
AFTER SCHOOL EXTENDED DAY: Briargrove contracts with Elite Music and Fine Arts After School
Program which offers an array of group and individual activities supporting learning until 6pm each
school day. Jere Derouin can be reached at 832-477-5555 and http://www.elitemusicfinearts.com.
ACTIVITY PERIOD: Faculty and staff sponsored clubs which meet before and during the first fifteen
minutes of school. Clubs change from year to year and some between semesters. Students arriving after
7:30am will not be able to participate in activity period and will be participating in silent reading in the
cafeteria. A student-produced program is broadcast via the internet in all classrooms.
SCHOOL LIBRARY: The school library is the heartbeat of literacy on our campus. Students will have
multiple opportunities to check out and in books before, during, and after school during the school year.
All students will come to the library with their class at least once a week for an amount of time and an
activity that is appropriate for their age and grade level. The goals of the library are to foster the love of
reading in all our students and to assist them in becoming independent library users.
In addition to a book collection that is large and diverse, the library has numerous technological
resources and will be accessing Accelerated Reader to encourage reading comprehension on and above
children’s reading level.
Each year Briargrove invites visiting authors and/or illustrators to meet with students and share their
talents and passion for children’s literature. Parents are also invited to join these special events as well
as volunteer throughout the year.
FIELD TRIPS: All grades take educational field trips. Permission forms must be signed by the parents and
returned to the teachr for all trips off our campus or the student will not be able to participate.
For all school sponsored field trips, students travel on school buses with professional drivers. When
chaperones are needed, parents will be asked to accompany the group.
BIRTHDAYS: Celebrations should be arranged with your child’s teacher. Cupcakes and sweets are not
allowed in the classroom until after 2pm and should only be shared with their homeroom. Private party
invitations or gifts should not be brought to school or distributed unless the entire class is invited.
Limousines for small group parties are not permitted on campus.
HEALTH CARE, MEDICAL FORMS and MEDICINE: Each student must have a completed medical form on
file in order to attend classes. Any student who becomes ill at school should notify the teacher
immediately. The teacher or office personnel will contact our school nurses to determine the action to
be taken. If a student has been home ill they must be “ fever free” for 24 hours before returning to
school.
Taking any prescription medications at school must be arranged through the nurse. Possession of any
prescription drug without the nurse’s approval is potentially a disciplinary matter that can have serious
consequences. Medications taken on a daily basis must be listed on the health form.
The school nurses reserves the right to require a written dated order from a medical doctor before
dispensing any substance.
Students should never offer or accept medication from a fellow student or a teacher.
VOLUNTEERING AT BRIARGROVE: We love our volunteers! For safety, all volunteers must register online
and pass a criminal background check before one can participate as a volunteer. Once you have
registered, you must visit the front desk and show proof of identification. Volunteer opportunities are
available through your child’s teacher and the PTO website: http://bgroadrunners.org.
ALL visitors and volunteers MUST sign in at the front office and receive and wear a visitor badge. Staff
members have been directed to stop anyone in the building without a visitor or HISD badge. This is
solely for the safety and security of our students.