Family Handbook Quickview - THE POST OAK SCHOOL
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THE POST OAK SCHOOL
Family
Handbook
Quickview
2019–2020
Challenge the Norm
Welcome Welcome to the 2019–2020 school year
at Post Oak. This booklet provides a quick
glance at information to help prepare for
the year ahead. You can find more detailed
topics in the digital Family Handbook on
our website.
postoakschool and
If you haven’t visited postoakschool.org postoakhighschool
recently, you’re in for a surprise! We’ve
completely updated our website, including
plans for a more robust parent portal to
include current news, events, and resources.
Watch that space for more to come
postoakschool/ and
throughout the school year.
postoakhighschool/
We are grateful your family is a part of this
community and are excited for a wonderful
year ahead.
What does that mean? Common Post Oak Abbreviations
ASEP After-School Enrichment Program IB International Baccalaureate
A-Term April Term MDC Museum District Campus
BC Bissonnet Campus MMUN Montessori Model United Nations
EL Elementary MS Middle School
FD/HD Full Day/ Half Day OWL Our Whole Lives
J-Term January Term POPA Post Oak Parent Association (you!)
LE Lower Elementary PRI Primary
HMI Houston Montessori Institute UE Upper Elementary
HS High School YCC Young Children’s Community
COVER PHOTO BY ALEFIYA AKBARALLY
LO OKING
FORWAR D
to another
WONDER FUL
YE AR !
2019–2020 FA MILY H A NDBOOK QUICK V I EW | 1
Communication, Parent Resources, & Other Notes
We appreciate your efforts to stay connected and submit the required information online. Please see
informed given the volume of data directed at us on the the Family Handbook Health & Safety section for
any given day. For general school information, refer more information.
to the Family Handbook, available online in early
August. Additional hard copies will be available at all VISITOR R EGISTR ATION
orientations. A printed copy of the full school directory The school has implemented Raptor, a visitor
will also be available at both front offices. registration system that enhances school security
by reading visitors’ driver’s licenses, comparing
WEBSITE & BLOG information to a sex offender database, alerting campus
We have a new website! The parent portal includes administrators if a match is found, and (assuming no
news, calendars, and links to resources. Some pages match was made) printing a visitor badge that includes
may be locked to the public, requiring you to sign in. a photo. Raptor provides a consistent system to track
To log in, select the menu in the upper right corner and visitors while also protecting our students.
“Parents” from the list. Your user name and password
are the same as those for My BackPack. All visitors to the school must present a valid state or
government-issued photo identification card to the
We are also excited to announce the transition of our receptionist. If there is no match, the system will print a
monthly printed newsletter, The Post, to a blog format. visitor’s pass, which includes the person’s name, photo,
Articles by our head of school, faculty, students, and so date of visit, and destination within the building.
much more will make their way onto our new website Parents need only to present their ID once, and on
to give families more current, relevant stories and subsequent visits their names will be entered manually
information. to create a visitor badge. No additional data will be
shared with any outside company or organization.
POST HIGHLIGHTS
Each week, we e-mail the Post Highlights, a digital PAR ENT EDUCATION EVENTS
newsletter about upcoming school events, deadlines for Post Oak offers a wealth of parent education events
merchandise orders, and special news or notices. to strengthen child-parent-teacher relationships.
These programs and speakers focus on Montessori
MY BACKPACK educational principles and practice, parenting skills,
My BackPack™ (MBP) is an online portal to update and child development issues.
contact information, register for classes, and more. The
Information about each event is available in the weekly
Getting Started with My BackPack User Guide and login
Post Highlights e-mail and the Family Handbook.
link can be found in the Parent Portal on our website.
Most of the parent education events offer childcare for
If you have any questions about logins or have current Post Oak Primary and Elementary students.
forgotten your user ID, please contact the Parents are asked to make reservations in advance
Technology Office at 281-822-8063 or technology@ online or by contacting the front office—they will be
postoakschool.org. accepted as long as space and staffing allow. The cost
of childcare is $5 per child and will be billed on your
monthly statement.
MAGNUS
The school uses Magnus, a web-based system for form
management, where parents have continuous access ROOM PAR ENTS
to their child’s health records, as well as the ability Room parents are part of the Post Oak Parent
to make updates when needed. In addition to health Association (POPA) leadership team. They are
forms, Magnus handles field trip permission slips, communicators between the teacher or division
handbook acknowledgment forms, and other school- director and class parents. Room parents help support
related forms. Our goal is to eliminate paper forms the work of the teacher in many ways: from shopping
as much as possible and to make it easy for parents to to organizing parent volunteers.
2 | THE POST OA K SCHOOL
T H E I N F O R M E D P O S T OA K PA R E N T
DIGITAL
Learn
about what’s
Post Highlights email
happening
Find
Website parent portal
My BackPack
Teachers’ newsletters
Blog & Social media
(Facebook & Instagram) parenting
support
PUBLICATIONS
How
Calendar
Family Handbook
Directory
PARENT EDUCATION EVENTS
Parent Coffees
EVENTS/MEETINGS
do I ...
MS & HS Pathways to Independence
Conferences
Parenting the Love & Logic Way
Parent education events
Redirecting Children’s Behavior
Montessori Journey
Parent OWL meetings
and more to come
Prepare
for what’s EVENTS/MEETINGS
Orientations
to come Conferences
Parent education events
Transition meetings for next level
Connect
Alumni Voices event with other
COMMUNIT Y EVENTS
families
Community Coffee
Family Fun Day
POPA Community Service Days
POPA Parent Work Days
Bearkats games
POPA Dinner
Dads Club Events
Book Fair
Parent education events
POPA Parent Celebration
Do you have a question but don’t know where to go? We want to help. Please call the front office at 713-661-6688 or email
frontoffice@postoakschool.org and we will help you find the answer.
2019–2020 FA MILY H A NDBOOK QUICK V I EW | 3
Bissonnet Campus | YCC through Grade 6
Please read the Family Handbook for complete details on REGULAR DISMISSAL
arrivals and dismissals. ◆◆ YCC: at your child’s classroom on the Avenue B side;
REGULAR ARRIVALS ◆◆ PRI: at the Peace Circle;
◆◆ Do not block the pedestrian crosswalk. ◆◆ LE: at the Peace Circle or with UE siblings on the
Avenue B side or as directed by your child’s teacher;
◆◆ Young Children’s Community: at your child’s
classroom door on the Avenue B side; ◆◆ UE: Avenue B side or as directed by your child’s
teacher.
◆◆ Primary: at the Peace Circle (no Primary children
may be dropped off on the Avenue B side);
SCHEDULE & TRAFFIC FLOW FOR
◆◆ Elementary: Avenue B side or Peace Circle (do not DISMISSAL
drop off at any other location).
LEVEL TIME ENTRY PICK-UP EXIT
SCHEDULE & TRAFFIC FLOW FOR ARRIVAL HDYCC 11:45–12:00 1 Avenue B side 2
11:45–12:00
LEVEL TIME ENTRY PICK-UP EXIT FDYCC 2
3:00–3:15
1 Avenue B side 2
HDYCC &
FDYCC 2
8:35–8:45 1 Avenue B side 2 FDYCC 1 3:00–3:15
1 Avenue B side 2
3:45–6:00
7:00–8:10 1 4
FDYCC 1 8:35–8:45 1 Avenue B side 2 HD PRI 12:00–12:15 Peace Circle
PRI 8:15–8:40 1 Peace Circle 4 FD PRI 3:15–3:30 1 Peace Circle 4
Avenue B side
PHE 7:00–8:10 1 Avenue B side
2
PHE 3:45–6:00 1 (PHE gate) 2
(PHE gate)
Avenue B side or LE 3:30–3:45 1 Peace Circle 4
LE 8:15–8:30 1 Peace Circle 2 UE 3:30–3:45 1 Avenue B side 2
Avenue B side or ASEP as scheduled 1 Avenue B side 2
UE 8:15–8:30 1 Peace Circle 2
Gate 3 to the Post Oak campus, from Bissonnet (see
map), is used as an exit during normal hours, excluding
Episcopal High School
arrival and dismissal times. This is a “right turn only”
NO PARKING exit.
Refrain from using your mobile device while on school
4 DRO
PO
grounds, including sending any text messages. Mobile
FF
/PI
phones may only be used if your car is parked.
CK UP
Parking on Campus
Please park in designated parking spaces only, to allow
for unobstructed traffic flow.
VI
3
SIT
Please honor any reserved parking spaces, including
OR
S
DROP OFF/PICK UP
those designated “buddy parking” for employees. These
Bis
CROSSWALK
employees have volunteered to buddy park in an effort
son
net
to conserve parking spaces at the school.
2 1
Avenue B There is no parking on the Episcopal High School
PEDESTRIAN
GATE
campus at any time.
4 | THE POST OA K SCHOOL
Museum District Campus | Grades 7 through 12
Attendance, Arrival, and Dismissal MIDDLE SCHOOL ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
The school buildings open at 7:30 a.m. Students may Advisory groups meet between 8:15 and 8:30 a.m. Plan
arrive after 7:30 when there will be supervision on to arrive as close to 8:15 as possible. Students arriving
campus. after 8:30 will be counted tardy.
The campus is open until 5:00 p.m. The school day ends at 3:30 p.m. Dismissal is from
3:30–3:45 p.m. Students who are not picked up by
Students are required to be on campus from the 4:00 will join the Middle School After-Care and be
beginning of their first commitment of the day until charged a drop-in fee.
the completion of their last commitment. Students
are expected to attend all class commitments, field
HIGH SCHOOL ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
experiences, school trips, class meetings, sports,
activities, and any other required school function. The High School building is open from 7:30 a.m. until
5:00 p.m. The school day begins at 8:30 a.m. and ends
at 3:30 p.m. Students should arrive at school by 8:15
Montrose a.m. to allow time to prepare for their day.
Parking on Campus
As we are a small campus on the edge of a residential
area, please be courteous and aware of all local traffic,
especially along Autrey Street. The Museum District
Campus has a one-way driveway around the buildings
to allow for off-street drop-offs and pick-ups. Traffic
DROP OFF/
PICK UP moves around the buildings clockwise, entering
from Autrey Street (south) and exiting on Montrose
HIGH
Boulevard (east). If you are picking up or dropping off
SCHOOL your child, please drive along Autrey Street from the
east, enter the driveway, and pull around the building
to the back door. Do not park your car and leave it in
the driving lane. When exiting, please turn right onto
Montrose Boulevard (southbound).
Other than the school’s parking lot, there may be street
I-69/US-59
parking available in front of school-owned properties
along Autrey Street.
We encourage all visitors to the school to walk, bike,
or take the Metro to campus. If you must drive,
MIDDLE
consider carpooling with another family; use the
SCHOOL
DROP OFF/
Student/Parent Directory on My BackPack to make
PICK UP arrangements.
Autrey
2019–2020 FA MILY H A NDBOOK QUICK V I EW | 5
Important Ways to Get Involved
ENGAGE
Attend parent-teacher conferences, the POPA
Dinner, events, orientations, workshops, read the
ENGAGE weekly Post Highlights e-mail and our blog to keep
up to date on activities.
VOLUNTEER
Help out for one hour or all year long, at events
or in the classroom. Your gift of time and talent
benefits the students in numerous ways. Also VOLUNTEER
look for the POPA Community Service Days
to join other families in support of our greater
community.
DONATE
Your gifts support the excellence you expect at
Post Oak. Please participate in all fundraisers
D ONATE at a level that is meaningful for your family.
We strive for 100% parent participation in all
fundraisers.
6 | THE POST OA K SCHOOL
ENGAGE
2019–2020 FA MILY H A NDBOOK QUICK V I EW | 7
Community-Building Events & More
The Post Oak School hosts a variety of events designed Family Fun Day November 9
to bring families together throughout the school year. This annual event is a long-standing Post Oak tradition
that’s fun for the whole family. Enjoy the company of
Community Coffee August 30 your fellow Bearkats with a day of great music, giant
All Post Oak parents (especially new parents) are inflatables, a variety of activities, food trucks, and
invited to gather in the Bissonnet Campus gym more! Family Fun Day is a FREE event held on the
for refreshments and coffee. This event is a great Bissonnet Campus.
opportunity to meet Post Oak administration, room
parents, and key volunteers—make new friends and Grand Friends Days November 25–26
catch up with longtime ones. Grandparents and special friends are invited to visit
the Bissonnet Campus on November 25 or 26, and the
Dads’ Club Kick-Off Event September 3 Museum District Campus on November 26. Invitations
Join the Dads’ Club for this informal evening social will automatically be mailed to current grandparents
and get to know a great group! Watch your e-mail for if their address is on file. For friends, other relatives, or
details. grandparents new to Post Oak, please fill out the form
POPA Dinner September 10 on the school’s website to provide this information.
Meet and mingle with other parents at this kick-off to Dads Club Social & Poker Night TBA
the school year (for all parents, trustees, faculty, and This social event raises funds to cover the cost of the
staff ). This adults-only event includes drinks, dinner, spring Family Movie Night event. Whether or not you
and great company. This is not a fundraiser: ticket play poker, be ready for a great night out!
price covers the cost of the event, and donations pay
for faculty attendance. Look for information in Post Book Fair March 29
Highlights. Help build your child’s classroom, school, and at-
home library through recommended booklists created
POPA Parent Work Days (see dates on next page) by your child’s teacher. The Post Oak School earns a
Hosted by our POPA Chairs, this is a great way to percentage of all Book Fair sales, with funds benefiting
meet other Post Oak parents while helping our teachers the school’s library on both campuses. Book Fair takes
accomplish a variety of easy-to-do projects for their place at Brazos Bookstore on Bissonnet.
classroom. Parents, grandparents, and friends are
welcome to attend. These monthly gatherings begin Family Movie Night April 17
in September and run throughout the school year, It’s Friday Family Movie Night sponsored by the Dads’
generally on the first Friday of each month. Please join Club! Bring a picnic, lawn chairs, blankets and the
in as often as you can. whole family to enjoy a movie on the back field, eat
popcorn, and get together with a great group of people!
MDC Coffeehouses Oct. 4
Drop by to hear Middle School and High School POPA Parent Celebration April 29
students share their musical and spoken word All Post Oak parents, including our newest community
performances in this relaxed setting. (See calendar for members whose children will start in the fall, are
more dates.) invited to this adults-only social gathering. Join us
as we raise a glass, thank our many volunteers, honor
Reading between the Wines! starts in Oct. parents of our graduates, and prepare to wrap up the
This informal and fun parent group reads books related school year.
to parenting teens(!), and gets together to discuss and
enjoy a glass of wine. This is a “no stress” book club— Commencement May 22
read the book if you have time, or don’t if you want to Join us for the commencement of our senior class
hear about it from others—just come ready to share of 2020. All parents, family, alumni, and students
thoughts and laugh a little. Oct. 10, Jan. 16, Mar. 25, are invited to attend as we acknowledge the
7:00–9:00 p.m. accomplishment of this class upon the completion of
their Post Oak studies.
8 | THE POST OA K SCHOOLsave the date for the
Post Oak Parents Association
Annual Welcome Dinner
Tuesday, September 10, 2019
Cohen House, Rice University
Details and invitations coming in August.
Event Chairs: Erinn Boyle & Sandhya Sabhnani
POPA Parent
Work Day
Parents, grandparents, and
friends are all invited!
Hosted by our POPA Chairs, this is a
great way to meet other Post Oak parents
and friends while helping our teachers
accomplish a variety of easy-to-do projects
for their classroom.
These gatherings generally fall on the first
Friday of each month at the Bissonnet
Campus. Please join as often as you can!
FALL SPRING
nts Sept. 6 Jan. 10
d pare
n
Gra lcome
! Oct. 4 Feb. 7
e
w Nov. 8 Mar. 6
4 Dec. 13 Apr. 2
2019–2020 FA MILY H A NDBOOK QUICK V I EW | 9VOLUNTEER 10 | THE POST OA K SCHOOL
Volunteer
Many activities on The Post Oak School calendar VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
simply would not take place without the commitment ◆◆ Assist with field trips, special events, plays, and other
and hard work of our parent volunteers. Events such class projects.
as the POPA Dinner, Book Fair, Family Fun Day, and
Gala are organized by parent committees under the ◆◆ Assist with parent education programs.
leadership of the Post Oak Parents Association chairs. ◆◆ Work on community special events.
◆◆ Work in the Bissonnet Campus library, art room, or
WHAT IS POPA? school office.
As a parent of a Post Oak student, you are
automatically a member of the Post Oak Parent ◆◆ Assist as an annual fund class captain or with other
Association (POPA). POPA organizes many of the fundraising projects.
community events and activities happening throughout ◆◆ Participate in beautification projects around the
the year. Our POPA chairs encourage all parents to school.
sign up and start volunteering. They are happy to
◆◆ Introduce elements of your cultural heritage or
answer any questions about events and volunteer
professional expertise to your child’s class. Contact
opportunities.
the teacher to discuss your ideas.
POPA Chairs ◆◆ Serve as a room parent to provide direct support to
Laura De Vera the classroom teacher. Contact your child’s teacher if
281-467-4495 llmillerroxy@yahoo.com you are interested.
Carlin Putman
281-467-6391 carlinb1@aol.com ◆◆ Join other Post Oak families for service projects
Daniela Sanchez throughout the Greater Houston area.
956-693-0482 dlopeznegrete@mac.com ◆◆ Sign up to share your alma mater experience with a
High School student interested in your school.
Dads Club
The Post Oak Dads Club holds special events such as Signing Up Is Easy
the annual Social and Poker Night to get to know one Attend the morning Community Coffee on Sept. 7
another and build community. Dads Club contacts are: (watch the Post Highlights for details) to sign up for
activities. It’s also a great way to meet other parents.
David Hamilton
832-566-2650 david@hamiltonshirts.com Sign up via a link on our website to volunteer for
Jeffrey Tapick school events or other on-going projects.
713-252-5986 jtapick@gmail.com
POPA Parent Work Day (BC): Most first Fridays of
the month beginning in September, POPA hosts a
Family Community Service
work day where parents help teachers with a variety of
Most months, there will be an opportunity for you and
small tasks. Come for an hour or stay all morning. Your
your children to join other Post Oak families to serve
help is always appreciated and you’ll get to meet other
our Greater Houston community. The community
Post Oak moms, dads, and relatives. Grandparents are
service chair is:
welcome!
Sara Loperena
713-299-6830 sara.loperena@gmail.com Speak with your child’s teacher about helping in the
classroom: chaperoning field trips, cooking with
Room Parents and Post Oak Fund Class Captains students, helping with class events, bringing in a
These volunteers are also part of the POPA leadership cultural presentation, becoming a room parent, or
team. For a full list of names and contact information, volunteering as a class captain for The Post Oak Fund.
please see the Family Handbook.
2019–2020 FA MILY H A NDBOOK QUICK V I EW | 11Giving
A long-term financial objective of The Post Oak School ENDOW MENT
is to fully cover basic operating expenses through In working to ensure the school’s long-term vitality,
tuition/fee payments and earned income. At the same the board has established an endowment. By design,
time, the school engages in fundraising, as do most the corpus of the endowment will remain untouched.
other non-profit independent schools in Houston. Its income is used to support the school’s program
initiatives and financial assistance. To help build the
The school has two main fundraising programs, both
endowment, a percentage of annual giving goes into
supporting the operating budget. One is the Post Oak
that fund. More significant building of the endowment
Annual Fund and the other is the Gala, which happens
results from major gifts. The school encourages support
in alternating years. Money raised through the two
for the endowment from individuals and foundations,
major fundraisers supports:
either through outright grants or through planned
◆◆ the endowment;
giving.
◆◆ student financial assistance;
◆◆ teacher training and faculty development
(including the sabbatical fund); MAJOR GIFTS PROGR A M
◆◆ physical and programmatic enhancements The board has established a major gifts program to
and enrichment; fund future capital projects and other strategic school
◆◆ unexpected expenses; needs, both facilities and program-related, and to grow
◆◆ capital expenses. the endowment. This program is a permanent part of
Post Oak’s fundraising operations.
THE POST OAK FUND
Post Oak’s major annual fundraiser is The Post Oak STOR E R EBATE PROGR A MS
Fund. These annual gifts are tax-deductible, and The Post Oak School endeavors to enlist the support
payments can be made until May of the giving year. of all parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and other
Gifts may also be eligible for matching funds from community friends in securing funds from a number
employers. Reaching 100% parent participation in The of store rebate programs. Currently the school is
Post Oak Fund is important as is reaching our financial enrolled in programs operated by Randall’s, Lands’
goal of $350,000. Each family is strongly encouraged to End, and Target. Beneficiary organizations receive a
give to its ability, and to fulfill pledged commitments. quarterly check reflecting a percentage of the store
purchases made by participants. The more people who
participate, the more money the school is able to raise.
THE BIENNIAL GALA
Forms are available on the school’s website.
Every other year, Post Oak has a Gala celebration
fundraiser hosted by our parent association. This
adults-only event includes dinner, dancing, silent and OTHER WAYS OF GIVING
live auctions, and one amazing evening. The 2019– You can also give to the school through planned giving
2020 school year is a non-gala year. vehicles, stock, insurance policies, and inclusion in
your estate. If you are interested in this method of
ensuring your continued support, please contact the
BOOK FAIR
Development Office.
Help build your child’s classroom, school, and at-home
library through recommended booklists created by All fundraising activities and acknowledgements are
your child’s teacher. The school earns a percentage of all managed through the school’s Development Office.
sales with funds benefiting the school’s library on both For more information, please contact Development
campuses. The next Book Fair is Sunday, March 29 at Director Christina Kopanidis-Cantu at 281-822-8024.
Brazos Bookstore.
The Post Oak School is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
corporation.
12 | THE POST OA K SCHOOLD ONATE
The mission of The Post Oak School
is to prepare an outstanding Montessori environment that fosters
collaboration, cooperation and peace, and to provide experiences
that promote curiosity, inquiry and engagement. Designed according
to the physical, emotional, social, and intellectual characteristics and
needs of the learner, our methods guide and nurture each individual
from infancy to adulthood. The school’s approach is grounded in the
principles of AMI Montessori education.
Bissonnet Campus: 4600 Bissonnet Street, Bellaire, Texas 77401
Phone 713-661-6688 ■ Fax 713-661-4959
Museum District Campus: 1010 Autrey Street, Houston, Texas 77006
832-538-1988 ■ Fax 832-538-1926
www.postoakschool.orgYou can also read
