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Opal Smith Elementary

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Opal Parent Newsletter ~ Week of 9/1

Posted Date: 9/01/25 (8:30 AM)
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Parent Newsletter

 
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Student Hours

7:30 AM Doors Open
no adults will be allowed in the building
7:30-7:50 AM Breakfast
7:50 AM Doors Close (Tardy Bell)
Parents will be required to walk students into the front office and sign students in.
3:35 PM Dismissal
All students must be picked up by 3:55
Parents will be required come into the office and sign students out if parents arrive after 3:55.
Check out Alphabest flyer below if you need your child enrolled for extended day.
Alphabest Hours 3:35-6:30PM
 

Week of September 1-5

Dear Pirate Families,

Three weeks down—and what a fantastic start to the school year it has been! 🎉 At Opal Smith Elementary, our focus remains on strong Tier 1 instruction, and we are proud to share that our administrative team has already completed 51 classroom observations to provide feedback, support growth, and reinforce best practices.
Rising in Strength | Rooted in Growth 🌱✨

📊 What’s Next?
Next week, students will begin their Beginning of Year (BOY) assessments. These assessments help us understand where students are starting and guide us in tracking their progress throughout the school year.

💡 Student Learning in Action
Our classrooms are alive with energy—students are leading discussions, working collaboratively, and even making predictions in the science lab!

🎶 New Specials Schedule (Started the week of Aug. 25)
  • Grades 2–5: PE (3x/week) | Music (2x/week) | Art (1x/week)
  • Grades K–1: PE (4x/week) | Music (1x/week) | Art (1x/week)
  • Library Time: Now built into the reading block to help students strengthen their reading skills while deepening their love of books!

We are so excited about the opportunities these changes bring and look forward to a year filled with growth, learning, and success.

Together, we are One Crandall, One Family, One Purpose! 🏴‍☠️

With Pirate Pride,
Jennifer Scott
Principal
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Students participate in various activities in a school setting.
 
CISD 25-26 District Calendar
 

Upcoming Events

SEP 1: Student Holiday/ Staff Holiday - NO SCHOOL
SEP 2: Big Kahuna Kick-Off (9/2-24)
SEP 2-18: Homecoming Candy Drive
SEP 5: Picture Day (individual/class) Student/Staff
SEP 24: HOCO Parade 5:30 PM
SEP 25: Student Holiday/ Staff Learning Day NO SCHOOL
SEP 26: Student Holiday/ Staff Work Day - NO SCHOOL
OCT 2: Pirate Fest 6-8 PM @ HMS
OCT 13-15: Student Holiday/Staff Exchange Day - NO SCHOOL
OCT 16-17: Student Holiday/Staff Exchange Day - NO SCHOOL
NOV 7: Student Holiday/ Staff Learning Day NO SCHOOL
NOV 21: Turkey Trot (info coming soon)
NOV 24-28: Student Holiday/ Staff Holiday - NO SCHOOL
DEC 1-5: Winter Shop (info coming soon)
DEC 18: Jingle Bell Run (info coming soon) & Early Release @ 12 PM
DEC 19: Student Holiday/ Staff Work Day - NO SCHOOL
Example calendar with dates pinned
Poster promoting a homeroom contest to win a popcorn party, with a due date of September 2nd.
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A colorful promotional graphic for a Dino World fundraiser, featuring cartoon dinosaurs.

Important Dates for your Big Kahuna Fundraiser Coming Soon!!!

KICKOFF DATE: Tuesday, September 2nd
END DATE: Wednesday, September 24th
LAST DAY FOR LATE ORDERS & ONLINE SALES: Thursday, October 2nd
DELIVERY DATE: Tuesday, October 21st - Opal Parking Lot
An event flyer for Opal Smith Elementary's 'Lunch & Laughs with Grands' event.
A flyer announces a Gifted and Talented Parent Informational Meeting at Heartland Middle School.
A flyer announces a Crandall High School Homecoming Parade and Candy Drive.
 

Campus Expectations

 
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Arrival & Dismissal Procedures

 
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ARRIVAL

7:30 AM Doors Open
7:30-7:50 AM Breakfast
7:50 AM Doors Close (Tardy Bell)

  • All students will enter the building using the front entrance on their own. Staff will greet and provided assistance when needed.
  • Parents: Please pull forward to drop of student using on lane for safety reason. No parking in the car line. If you need to enter the office, please park in the parking lot.
  • Any student that arrives after 7:50am, parents will be required to walk students into the front office and sign students in.

DISMISSAL

3:35 PM Dismissal
  • Car Riders: All car riders will be dismissed from indoors. Please utilize both lanes, pull forward to the cones, and ensure your car rider sign is visible when you arrive. Life Skills car riders: Please refer to the above map for designated dismissal location.
  • Walkers, Bike/Scooter Riders: Students in this group will continue to exit the building under staff supervision, these students will exit out of the cafeteria.
  • Bus Riders: All bus riders are escorted to the gym to load the buses.

Crosswalk Reminder

All individuals (parents and students) must only cross the street at a designated crosswalk location, this is for both LEGAL and SAFETY purposes.

Ride Changes Procedure

Email: OSRideChange@crandall-isd.net BEFORE 2:00 PM to request a ride change.
 

Attendance Matters

 
An infographic from Opal Smith Elementary shows an average daily attendance of 96.27%.
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Title goes here

MISS A DAY, MISS A LOT!
Your child's academic growth is dependent on attendance everyday. When students arrive late and leave early, they are missing out on learning opportunities.

DOCTOR'S NOTES
All doctor's notes must have a date and the date(s) of the absence.
Bring your scholar back to school after a doctor's. appointment and receive credit for a full day attendance.

90 % ATTENDANCE IS A STATE REQUIREMENT - Compulsory Attendance Laws
If your scholar needs to be absent:
1. Send a written note justifying you scholar's reason for absence within 3 school days (only 3 per semester)
OR
2. Send a doctor's note to verify the scholars absence
Submit Absent Notes
 

Lunch Schedule

 
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Free & Reduced Meals


Children need healthy meals to learn. Crandall ISD offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $2.25; lunch costs PreK-5th grade is $3.50, and 6-12th grade is $3.75. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-meal prices. Reduced-price is free for breakfast and $0.40 for lunch. Contact amitchell@crandall-isd.net for questions.
Remember to (re)apply for free or reduced school meals for the
2025-2026 school year online. 
Apply for Free & Reduced Meals
 
Meal Payments & Balance
 
Parent Resources
 
Vaping & E-Cigarette
 
National Bullying Prevention
 
Ticketed Events Clear Bag Policy
 
A group of people wearing matching jerseys pose for a photo indoors.
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Leadership Team

Principal Jennifer Scott - jscott@crandall-isd.net
Assistant Principal Wade McElroy - kmcelroy@crandall-isd.net
Counselor Crystal Jones - cjones2@crandall-isd.net
Test Coordinator Taylor Bruce - tbruce@crandall-isd.net
Interventionist Charvin Moore - cmoore@crandall-isd.net
ARD Facilitator Rebekah Lemons - rlemons@crandall-isd.net