ARRIVAL
Students who will be riding to school in a car will need to be dropped at the front of the school in the circle drive (no student drop off in parking lot). There will be school staff to greet them and help them out of the car. The bus ramp on the side of the building is used only for bus rider drop off. Children will be allowed to enter the school at 8:10 AM. Please do not drop off your child before this time.

In order to make our car rider line quicker, and to avoid tardiness, it is recommended students be dropped off earlier than 8:30 since our car line tends to be longer in the last 10 minutes before school. During inclement weather, the line moves slower than usual so you should probably leave a little earlier on these days. Students who arrive after 8:40 AM will need to be checked in by a parent and will be counted tardy.

DISMISSAL
Students who are car riders should be picked up in the front of the school in the circle drive. Car riders are dismissed through the front of the building and will sit in their designated car rider number area under the covered area. You will be assigned a car tag to place in the front window of your car identifying your family. Please make sure it is hanging from your mirror each day when you pick up your child in the car rider line. If you do not have your car tag, we will ask that you park and come into the building with your ID to check out your child. Your family car tag number will be called and students will be lined up when you drive to one of the assigned spots. A staff member will help them into your vehicle. A staff member will accompany children who are walking home or riding a bicycle to the end of the driveway and across Strake. You may meet your child across the street if you are walking or riding with them.

Due to the unsafe conditions it causes, parents will not be allowed to park and come get their child from the car rider area.
If your child needs to be signed out at the end of the day, you will need to sign them out before 3:15 PM. All students and teachers are preparing for the end of the day and getting ready for dismissal at this time. No students will be pulled from their classes after 3:30 PM, so please make arrangements to arrive at the school before this time.

WATCH D.O.G.S.
Fathers wishing to sign-up for the Watch D.O.G. program must sign-up every year, and must complete the TISD Volunteer Application (found on TISD Website under Community then Volunteers). Once the application has been approved, bring a copy of the approval along with your ID to either of the TCES Open House events to the Watch D.O.G. volunteer table.

VISITING THE SCHOOL
When visiting our school, it is necessary to check in at the front office so you can be checked in by our V-soft system. This will require a picture ID such as a driver’s license, passport, or state ID. When leaving, a visitor must check out at the front desk and return their nametag. When you are visiting for lunch, there are tables at the back of the cafeteria for visitors to sit with students. Your child will not be able to invite other students to sit at the visitor table with them.
When visiting the classroom, it is required that an appointment be made with the teacher so the classroom will not be inappropriately interrupted. Parents are welcome to walk their child to class on the first day of school. On Tuesday and Wednesday of the first week, parents may walk their students to class to support needed transition and separation, but must sign in at the front desk and get a visitor’s badge. In order to build student confidence and independence, beginning Thursday of the first week, your child will need to walk to their classroom by themselves. Timber Creek staff members will be available to escort any reluctant or hesitant students to their classes.
An appointment can be made with the teacher during her planning time if it is necessary to discuss a student’s progress. Please be aware that teachers check their emails and phone messages only periodically during the day, but their time to reply is limited to during their planning time and before or after school.

ABSENCES
When a child is absent, a signed note must be sent within two days of your child’s return to school that states the date(s) of absence and the reason. A letter will be sent home when a student has numerous absences as a reminder of the importance of attendance. If a student misses more than 10% of the school year, they could be in danger of retention. When a child has been absent for 3 days, class work can be requested to be sent home.

CHANGING TRANSPORTATION
We understand that it is sometimes necessary to change the way a student will go home. Please make those changes before 3:00 PM so that we can make certain the change gets to the student’s teacher. Due to our safety measures we cannot accept changes over the phone or by email. The change in transportation must be done either by fax, in person, or by sending a note with your child. Our fax number is 281-357-3061. All changes must go through the front office.

2023-2024
www.tomballisd.net