________________________
Dear KIPP Texas Families,
It brings me so much joy to show you some of our amazing KIPPsters being welcomed and educated in person! Our entire Team & Family is so excited to see KIPPsters in person again. Last week, I had the opportunity to be on a school campus and check in with almost every car rider to ask about their day. Every single KIPPster told me they had a great day. Every single one. They loved meeting their teachers in person and seeing all of their friends. From our brand new to KIPP 5th graders and kindergarteners to our returning KIPPsters, each KIPPster with whom I spoke felt loved and cared for. 
https://youtu.be/iE6tFBvnRyU) so they can see what safety and health protocols they can expect; thank you for practicing wearing a mask, not sharing their food or water, maintaining social distance, and all the other protocols found in the Back-to-School Guide (click here for the guide) and at a glance guide (click here for the at a glance guide); and thank you for partnering with KIPP Texas so we can make sure your child receives a a safe, joyful, academically excellent, and equitable education!
______________________
Student Health and Wellness Survey Reminder
Starting yesterday, Sunday, October 18, you should have started receiving the Student Health and Wellness Survey. You will receive it weekly every Sunday and Wednesday evening via email and text. Please make sure that you respond to this survey prior to your KIPPster coming to school so we can help stop the spread of COVID on our campuses. Here are some key reminders:
- You can click on the survey link from your email or text, but you only need to complete the survey once. If you can’t find the survey in your email, check your spam / clutter folder.
- If the survey says your KIPPster should not come to school, please contact their school and keep your child at home.
- If you fill out the survey incorrectly, please contact your KIPPster’s school. You are still able to bring them to school.
- If you have not received the survey, please contact your KIPPster’s school to let them know and use the Daily Health Self Assessment Checklist (click here for the checklist) to verify if your KIPPster should come to school or not.
Back to School Checklist
If your KIPPster is going back to in-person learning, we’ve put together this handy checklist to help remind you what they have to have with them as they come back.
Please click on this link to download it: shorturl.at/buJU2. We recommend keeping it on your phone or printing it and keeping it somewhere handy so you can refer to it when preparing your KIPPster to go to school.
Grab & Go Meals Update
Our Little KIPPsters’ health and well-being remains a top priority for us. We are committed to ensuring that our KIPPsters have the nutrition they need throughout the day to learn, be it in-person or virtually.
Starting today, October 19, all KIPP Texas families can pick up Grab & Go meals for their Little KIPPsters during the evening from 4 – 6 pm daily at select locations. To find an evening meal pickup location near you, go to the Curbside Grab & Go page on our website. Evening pickup is in addition to the normal pick up time of 9 am to 1 pm.
Our curbside meals are intended for our KIPPsters learning virtually. If your KIPPster is learning in-person, they will be offered breakfast and lunch daily at their school. Breakfast is free to all students at all schools. Lunch is free at all schools which were open last year. KIPPsters attending our new schools must complete a meal application this year only for free and reduced lunch.
As a reminder, we also added additional curbside pickup locations at our new KIPP Paseo campus, located at 6800 Metropolis Drive in Austin and the new KIPP Mosaic campus, located at 12751 Hillcroft Avenue in Houston. Remember, you can pick up meals at any KIPP Texas campus; you are not limited to the campus your KIPPster attends.
Whether your child is learning at home or inside a classroom, we encourage you to take advantage of our meal program, designed to support good nutrition, and improve health and learning. Since school started in August, KIPP Texas is proud to have served close to 40,000 meals to our Little KIPPsters.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
In an effort to keep these messages as short as possible, we have moved the Frequently Asked Questions to a separate document. You can find them here.. Please come back to this document weekly, as we continue to add and update information that is shared in these letters.
As early voting continues until Friday, October 30, and we draw nearer to election day on November 3, I want to encourage you to make a plan and make the time to vote and encourage those around you to do the same.
I made my plan, researched what would be on my ballot in my county, and went to vote last week (that’s me and my “I voted” sticker in the picture above). While it took some time and effort, I make it a priority to vote for my family, my community, and our KIPPsters – for their futures.
With gratitude,
Sehba Ali
Important Links
Virtual Learning Portal
At a Glance Back to School Guide
Complete Family Back to School Guide
Grab & Go meals
Register to Vote
