- Family Notes
- 1/13: Middle of Year (MOY) CIRCLE & MAP testing window begins
- 1/16: Coffee with the Principal 8:00 am, Fam. association meeting 9:00am
- 1/17: Q2 Award Ceremony (parents of sparks receiving awards will be invited by teacher)
Click on the image above to download the PDF of the calendar in English and Spanish. Physical copies will be sent home in your student's Homework folder. Extra copies are available at the front office.
Dear SEE families and community,
Welcome to the second semester of the school year! I hope you and your loved ones had an opportunity to enjoy your students during the holidays and welcome the new year on a positive note. It was heartwarming to see all our SPARKS back in the building from the break. I know winter weather was ready for this return to school and many families worry about sending their SPAKRS to school during those days. I want to take a moment here to reiterate our commitment to all our families and students that the safety and well-being of everybody at Southeast elementary is paramount.
When facing strong winter weather, there are several guidelines our school implements to make sure our SPARKS can continue learning in a safe environment. When the temperature is below 50 degrees students do not go outside the building for recess, or physical education. Instead, students have an opportunity to enjoy a structured recess activity in the comfort of their classroom and participate in PE inside our cafeteria.
It is very important for our school’s mission that students attend every day to fully engage in their learning. Our building provides a safe and comfortable space, even on days of extreme cold or heat. Rest assured that when you send your students to us, they will benefit from a comfortable climate and environment as they enjoy their classes. Please continue to encourage their attendance every day!
Thank you,
Jorge Rodriguez
Principal YES Prep Southeast Elementary
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Dear Sparks Families,
Thank you for supporting our Family Association during the "Pancakes & Photos with Santa" fundraiser on December 14, 2024. Your contributions helped them raise over $1,000!
We would like to extend a special thanks to our Family Association Representative, Mrs. Gloria Rivera, and to all the event volunteers who helped plan and execute this wonderful event. It was a joyous occasion, full of holiday cheer for our Sparks. We greatly appreciate your time and commitment to our community!
Suyapa Gomez
Executive Assistant
Leadership Team
- Principal- Jorge Rodriguez : 713.924.5489
- Director of Campus Operations -Wendy Rangel: 713.967.9030
- Assistant Principal- Krestel Tomei: 713.967.8837
- Assistant Principal- Ana Gonzalez 713.924.5381
- Dean of Instruction- Jess Walcik :713.967.9464
- Dean of Instruction - Christian Diaz Muniz : 713.924.0698
- Special Education Manager- Elicia Campbell: 713.967.7893
- Student Support Counselor- Amelia Ruiz Diaz : 713.924.5523
- Executive Assistant - Suyapa Gomez: 713.967.8851
- Compliance Specialist - Ann-Marie Gore : 713.967.78.37
Happy New Year families! We're so excited to welcome everyone back and to celebrate a new year with you all. Below are some Campus Operations Updates as we enter the second half of the school year.
Front Office Staff Changes
It is with a grateful heart that we say goodbye to Mrs. Miriam Rodriguez our previous Registrar. Mrs. Rodriguez is an incredible lady and will be moving on to another YES Prep Campus. We wish her the absolute best and she will always be a part of the Southeast Elementary Family.
We are also very excited that our very own Ms. Maribel Zapata has accepted the position of Registrar at Southeast Elementary effective immediately. Please forward any registration questions to her at Maribel.Zapata@yesprep.org!
Student Devices
All students have now been assigned an individual student laptop and charger on campus as part of their daily in-person learning experience. These devices are provided to all students and all students and families must follow the Student Technology Policy posted on our student handbook and website. As a reminder, any intentional damage or loss of a student device/charger may be subject to a replacement fee of $350 (laptop) and $50(charger). Note: Student devices will remain on campus and it is teacher discretion if they will allow students to take home devices on an individual basis.
Student Technology Policy: https://www.yesprep.org/families/tech
Attendance, Tardies and Early Sign-Out
As a reminder, students must be on campus by 7:25am to get the most out of their instructional day and be considered on-time. Students arriving after 7:25am are missing crucial instructional minutes and will be marked tardy for the day. Students must also be signed in as tardy by their parent/guardian in the front office lobby if arriving after 7:25am. Please do not let your student walk in unattended or alone as this is a safety concern.
Daily attendance is taken at 10am every day. If a student is not on campus by 10 am they are considered absent. We must receive excuse notes for absences within 3 business days of the absence in order to validate and be excused.
Students should only be signed out of school early for emergencies and will require more information when signing out in the front office. The cut-off for signing out students is 1:30pm, no student will be signed out after 1:30pm unless there is an emergency.
Car/Walker/Bus Tags
You must have a visible car, walker or bus tag to pick up students from dismissal. If you need a new tag, please see our front office staff to request a new one. New tags should be available within 1 business day after the request has been made. For safety and security reasons, you will be asked to show identification and pick-up the tags in person. In order to make our dismissal car line run safely and smoothly, we ask that you do not stop our attendants supporting the car line for questions. This delays the flow of dismissal and draws their attention away from ensuring the line is running smoothly and communications are not interrupted. If you do not have a car tag, please park in the front parking and request your student as a walker so they are dismissed through the front lobby. Our dismissal attendants will only be able to release your student in the car line if you have a visible car tag. Thank you for your support and understanding.
As always if you have any questions, please reach out to me directly via Class Dojo or at wendy.rangel@yesprep.org
Intent to Return Form for 2025-2026 School Year – Southeast Elementary
Please complete the Intent to Return form sent home today in Friday Folders for EACH of your children who currently attend YES Prep Public Schools in grades Pre-K through 5th, 5th grade has a grade level specific survey. Please submit the form no later than February 4th to your students homeroom teacher or front office staff.
Uniform Policy
We should be receiving a new shipment of spirit shirts and outerwear which will be updated in the online store in the next few weeks. Thank you for your patience as we work with our vendors to fill this request.
Tops:
- Monday : Yes Prep Polo
- Tuesday- Thursday : Yes Prep Polo or spirit shirt
- Friday : YES Prep Polo, spirit shirt or College or University Shirt
Bottoms:
Students may choose between pants, skirts, or shorts of the following:
- Khakis (any color) ,Navy ,Jeans (any color) ,Athletic bottoms (any color)
- Students should wear bottoms that allow them to comfortably participate in recess and PE.
- Students may not wear pajama pants or bottoms with holes.
- Shorts and skirts should be no shorter than mid-thigh.
- Bottoms may not have holes/tears below the knee/with leggings underneath.
- Students are not required to wear belts.
Shoes:
Tennis shoes are recommended so students can safely participate in activities at recess and in PE.
For safety purposes, all shoes must meet the following criteria:
- - Closed-toed , Must have backs (i.e. no slides) ,Must have hard soles (i.e. no slippers) ,Any color is permitted ,No shoes with heels over .5 inches & Crocs are not allowed.
You may find additional details on our uniform daily expectations and school policies in our campus supplement posted on our webpage and here in family notes.
Traffic Updates
REMINDERS:
- Students CANNOT walk themselves from the parking lot without an adult. Parents and families must park their vehicles in the front parking lot and accompany students to the front door. We have witnessed several students being dropped off and walking alone which is a huge safety concern. There are many moving vehicles in the parking lot, and we would hate for students to get hurt while trying to get to school.
Important Information
- Parking lot speed limit is 10 MPH
- Arrival: gates will open at the secondary campus at 6:30am if you are entering through the YES Prep light.
- Arrival and Dismissal lines: when entering the side of the building cars will form two lines to alleviate traffic but must be merged into one before entering the loading zone.
- The exit gate on Crenshaw is meant for exiting only, no vehicles will enter through the gate and going against traffic.
- Dismissal: The black gates will open at 2:20pm for car riders to begin the dismissal lane
Updates:·
- There should be plenty of parking in our parking lot to park and drop off students, however if you are also dropping off secondary students, you may need to park at the secondary campus parking lot. All pedestrians must walk carefully on the opposite side of traffic and around the car drop off line for safety and so our car drop off line is not interrupted.
- Parking on 1st Street: We need your help ensuring traffic in our neighborhood is reduced as much as possible. We ask that you please not park on 1st street and walk to/from the campus with your students. There is no crosswalk/guard at this crossing and it causes an unsafe space. There are also neighbors on 1st street that need to get in and out but cannot do so when cars are idle on the street. Below is the map of first street.
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Traffic Flow – Secondary Campus
Greetings families, here is an update that was communicated in Family Notes last week regarding the gate between SEE and the secondary campus.
The gate between our campus and the secondary school will be closed throughout the day to maintain campus safety and ensure smooth arrival and dismissal. The gate will only be open during the following times:
- 6:00 AM to 7:50 AM
- 2:00 PM to 3:50 PM
- Gate will re-open at 4:30 PM
- Please note that families should enter the arrival and dismissal lines through Shaver. Early families should still enter through Shaver and line up on the secondary parking until the middle gate opens. No one should be lining up or parking in the red areas on the map below. Thank you for your cooperation
Update: We have noticed some students and families manually moving the gate open before 4:30pm. This causes the gate to malfunction and not operate properly, leading to costly repairs that have to come from our campus budget. Please do not manually move or force open the gate.
Please note that families should enter the arrival and dismissal lines through Shaver. Early families should still enter through Shaver and line up on the secondary parking until the middle gate opens. No one should be lining up or parking in the red areas on the map below. Thank you for your cooperation!
Backpacks and Water bottles Reminders
Reminder: Clear or Transparent Backpacks and water bottles only. No metal, aluminum or open top water bottles. All water bottles must be able to have a closed top.
Breakfast/Lunch
Breakfast is being served in the cafeteria for all students starting at 7:00 am and ending at 8:00 am. Students arriving between 7:45 and 8am will grab a to-go breakfast to eat in their classroom.
You may access the weekly menus from Child Nutrition Here. Or download the mobile App Nutrislice
Student Handbook & Supplement
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The YES Prep Student Handbook exists here to notify you of the expectations and guidelines students are required to follow while attending a YES Prep campus. Please take the time to carefully read the policies and procedures in the handbook. Hard copies of the handbook and Spanish translations can be requested at the Front Office by completing a Handbook Request Form.
Front Office staff will print a copy, and you will receive it within 7-10 business days. Throughout the year, the handbook may be changed to meet the needs of students, guardians, staff, and the school. If changes happen, we will notify guardians and students through campus notes. We will also post these changes on this page for easy access.
Thank you for entrusting YES Prep with the academic, personal, emotional and social development of your child and/or children. Our employees are a part of a dedicated community of professionals who prove every day that different outcomes are possible when students from under-resourced communities are given access to high quality educational opportunities.
You may also access on our website at Student Handbook & Supplement - Southeast Elementary (yesprep.org)
- The Individual Campus Supplement is an additional resource to assist families and students in understanding how a specific campus carries out policies contained in the YES Prep Student Handbook. Families and students can refer to the handbook to better understand the policies YES Prep enacts.
Please click on the image below to download a copy of our individual campus supplement.
You may also access our ICS here.
Student Assistance Forms
We know that you may have some needs that arise as a parent, or guardian. You can receive direct help by submitting a “Student Assistance Form” or, a SAF. To communicate any support needs you may have, please click on the SAF link on the district website or use the QR code below. The campus Student Support Counselor will follow up with you to determine the best way to get your need met. SAFs can be submitted for:
- Urgent family concerns
- Family or student supplies or resources needed for school (i.e., calculator, books, food)
- Student social and emotional concerns
- Student home or family concerns
- Student relationship concerns
- Concerns about harassment, race, or equity.
Core Values
Campus values drive what communities believe, how they behave, and how they interact with one another. At YES Prep Elementary campuses, all staff and students live by the SPARKS values.
- Quarter 1: Safe
- Quarter 2: Kind and Passionate
- Quarter 3: Achiever and Relentless
- Quarter 4: Self-Aware
Volunteer Opportunities at SEE
If you are interested in participating as a volunteer at SEE please follow the steps below. We understand everyone’s schedules differ and have created many exciting opportunities for you to be involved whether your availability is recurring , occasional, or a one-time opportunity.
Please follow the steps below:
- Step 1:
All volunteers must complete a background check in order to participate.
Raptor Volunteer Background Check
o English :https://bit.ly/3pz3pfb
o Español:https://bit.ly/3D6fwDv
- Step 2:
Join our volunteer list by completing the form below.
https://forms.office.com/r/w86qMZ2bs3
- Step 3:
After completing the volunteer list, you will be added to the 24-25 SEE Volunteers in ClassDojo. This will be our main channel of communication for volunteer requests.
I. Ways to participate:
- Daily /Weekly Opportunities
Volunteers in this category can support in creating instructional materials such as making copies, laminating, cutting, creating folders, flash card, etc. They will not be able to volunteer inside classrooms.
Recurring volunteer opportunities will be shared via the Volunteer ClassDojo channel by our Executive Assistant- Mrs. Suyapa Gomez . She will oversee recurring and campus events volunteers.
- Campus hosted special events
- What is considered a campus special event?Any volunteer opportunity that is not front office help. Such as family engagement nights for example Hispanic Heritage Night, Black Brilliance Night, STAAR culture day,etc.
- How to register for special events?The executive assistant will promote the events via family notes , social media and thru class dojo. Volunteers will need to register using a form shared through the volunteer channel in class dojo and in family notes.
- Family Association hosted special events
- What is considered a family association special event?Our family association will host some special events throughout the year, such as Trunk or Treat, which will be discussed and promoted during monthly Family association meetings.
- How to register for family association events?The family association representative (FAR) will be responsible for contacting & scheduling the volunteers for these events .
Family Association
Family associations at YES Prep campuses exist to support the educational experience of YES Prep students. They foster closer connections between school and home by encouraging parent and family involvement, and they seek to improve the environment at our schools through volunteering and partnering with the school on campus initiatives.
A family association is a group of YES Prep families, teachers, and staff members that facilitates family participation on campus. Family associations are led by YES Prep families and family association representatives. Family association representatives are responsible for the communication and documentation of family association gatherings and volunteer projects. Family Association Members participate in fundraisers, focus groups, campus initiative projects, and campus celebration events.
Interested in joining our family association? Please submit this form to become a member Family Association Member Form 24-25
Join us in the cafeteria the second Thursday of the month at 9:00 am pm, to learn more about the opportunities we offer. The next meeting will be on 1/16/25
- Family Notes