The Ultimate 2023-2024 Back-to-School Checklist
for Shawnee Trail Elementary
Last updated July 2023
▢ New to the district? click here to register. Otherwise...
▢ Bring in (or email) your utility bill to the school office
Your child will not be assigned a teacher until you have verified your address. This is usually done by bringing in a utility bill in your name to the school office. Or you can email your Proof of Residency to shawnee@friscoisd.org. Be sure to include your student's name in the subject or body of the email. [ Other ways to prove residency. ]
▢ Buy school supplies
▢ Bookmark your child's class site
Each grade level has a website where spelling lists and grade-specific information are kept. You'll need to this information often. Bookmark it here.
▢ Lunch accounts —SchoolCafé
Fund your child’s lunch account. Even if you child will bring his/her lunch, consider putting some money in this account, just in case they forget it. schoolcafe.com
▢ School fees—online
The district uses the website below to collect field trip-type fees: onlineschoolfees.com
▢ ShawneeTrailPTA.org—Get involved!
• Register /Login— then join PTA!
Our PTA subscribes to Membership Toolkit —an online service that makes it easier to work together for the good of kids. (Registering is free for families!.) Once you've updated your family information and privacy preferences, join PTA for the current school year for $10! As always, volunteering and meetings are TOTALLY optional. But we invite you to do both, and hope you will! Already have a Membership Toolkit account (with another organization or from a previous year)? Use the same log-in here!
• My Volunteer Interests & Skills— Volunteering at Shawnee Trail is largely coordinated through the PTA. And we would LOVE to serve with you! Tell us how you would enjoy being involved at Shawnee Trail, and we will try to get you plugged in.
• Trail Patrol & Party Planners (Room Parents)— Two very important jobs at our school are Trail Patrol and Party Planners. Definitely consider those. Trail Patrol spend one day each year attending school with their kids, setting a good example of manhood, and helping with various tasks. Party Planners (aka. Room Parents) work together with other volunteers in their grade to plan and execute 3 simple parties per year. Click the links to learn more.
▢ Background Check
If you plan to enter our school for any reason (beyond the school office), you will need to request a background check from Frisco ISD. These need to be renewed each school year. FISD uses Voly for both background checks and recording volunteer hours. You can learn more about Voly and sign up here.
If you have never volunteered in our district and plan to do so, click here. If you volunteered in Frisco ISD last year, the system will send you an email to update your account when it expires.
▢ The Trailblazer
If your child is enrolled at Shawnee Trail, you are already signed up for The Trailblazer—an email update sent by our principal each week. Commit to spending 3 minutes each week reading it.
The Basics |
School Hours
The building opens for students at 7:20
School starts at 7:45
Tardies will be counted for students arriving after 7:45am
School ends at 3:05
If your child will go home a different way than usual (with a friend, for example), let both your child’s teacher and the office know— in writing. All changes must be emailed to shawnee@friscoisd.org.
2023-2024 Frisco ISD Calendar
Events |
Attending fun events helps kids feel they are part of a safe and thriving community. This year, the school and PTA are working together to bring to the fun events to Shawnee Trail. Plan to attend at least one event with your child. Here's what we did last year:
Fall
Curriculum Night
Trail Patrol Kickoff
Boosterthon
Read-a-thon
Fall Book Fair
Multicultural Night
Spring
Family Fun Night
Diverseabilities Day
Grade-Specific Learning Programs
Open House
S.T.E.M. Night
Spring Book Fair
Family Movie Night
After School |
Carpool & Walking
The grade of your oldest Shawnee Trail child will determine which door ALL of your children will exit together.
Amazingly, it only takes about 15 minutes to dismiss 600 kids and clear the carpool lanes. So be patient. You’ll be home before you know it!
Pre-K -2nd —( the Red Route)— If your oldest Shawnee Trail student is in K, 1st or 2nd grade, drop off and pick up your children in front of the school (facing Preston Vineyard Dr.)
3rd-5th Grade — (the Blue Route)— If your oldest Shawnee Trail student is in 3rd, 4th or 5th grade, drop off and pick up all of your children at the side entrance to the school (facing Hillcrest Rd.) There is one route for traffic in the mornings, and another in the afternoons (since afternoon is more crowded).
Park and Walk— (the Black route)— If you prefer to avoid the carpool lanes, you can park and walk. Just be sure to use the crosswalks for safety.
When in Carpool Lanes
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Display your child’s carpool tag
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Stay in your vehicle and pull forward as far as you can. A teacher will bring your child to your car at pick up.
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For safety, students should enter and exit vehicles — using the door closest to the curb.
When Walking
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ALWAYS use the crosswalks.
Do not cross in the middle of the street or parking lot. -
Wait to ride bikes and scooters until you are off school property.
After School Care:
YMCA provides on-site services at Shawnee Trail.
8 Great Ways to Get Involved |
1—Join the PTA
Use your powers for good! Shawnee Trail’s PTA is a great group of teachers and parents who combine talents to make Shawnee Trail a better place for kids. Explore membership, volunteering and leadership options on this website.
2— Become a Trail Patrol Dad
If you are a father, grandfather, uncle—or other type of father figure — set aside one day this year to attend school with your child. Your presence will absolutely delight kids, increase security and send a strong message that education is important to men. Learn more here.
3— Have a lunch date with your child!
Certain tables are reserved in the cafeteria each day, so that you can have lunch with your child. Bring Chick-fil-a or a cupcake and enjoy their company for 30 minutes. Note that classmates cannot join you. This is meant to be time with your own child.
4—Take part in the discussion
Attend the site-based Campus Improvement Team meetings. You can also join our school’s closed Facebook group. Click here to send a join our Facebook group.
5—Join the Party Planners team
Support your child’s teacher and work with others parents in the same grade to coordinate and lead 3 parties during the school year. Kids LOVE these parties, and look forward to them eagerly. More info here.
6—Attend the parties
Join your child 3 times each school year for their class parties: Winter, Valentines and the End of Year party.
7—Do just a little
When we as busy parents commit to doing just a little each year, we accomplish a lot as a group! Whether it’s cutting shapes at home while you watch TV or laminating at school for an hour twice a month, your little effort can make a big difference in our community. Smaller jobs include: Power-of-an-Hour Volunteers Laminating/cutting Grade-level photography groups … and more!
8— Take on a leadership role
If you have some extra time, care about kids, and work well with other adults, leadership may be a good fit for you! Contact our PTA president if you would consider a more active role.
Support our kids! |
You are invited to join us as strong supporters of kids at Shawnee Trail!
Our PTA subscribes to Membership Toolkit —an online service that makes it easier to work together. Please register —it's free to families. Then join PTA for the current school year for $10/person! Volunteering and meetings are TOTALLY optional— but we invite you to do both, and hope you will!
