Dr. Dickey's Newsletter4-13-2026

Posted Date: 04/13/26 (12:24 PM)

Gator Gazette

Dr. Dickey's Newsletter

April 13, 2026

What's Happening Around the SWAMP!

Good afternoon, Gator families,

As we enter the final six weeks of the school year, we are focused on finishing strong both academically and behaviorally. This week, students are participating in STAAR testing, and we are confident they are prepared to do their very best.

We want to make families aware of a small dress code adjustment—students may wear athletic-style slides for the remainder of the year. Please note that house shoes, slippers, and any furry footwear are not permitted.

Examples are included below for clarity.

We are also continuing to reinforce accountability through Gator Grind and the Gator Gauntlet. These expectations are in place to support student success and ensure that time during the school day is used appropriately.

Thank you for your continued support as we work together to close out a strong and successful year.

Dr. Dickey 💚🐊

STAAR Staff Snack Bar Donations Needed

Banks families, we are gearing up for STAAR testing and would love your support in helping provide snacks for our staff on testing days.

Our STAAR testing dates are April 8, 9, 14, 16, 21, and 23. To help make those days a little easier for our team, we are collecting snack bar donations.

Donations are due by Thursday, April 2

Drop off location: Front office

If you would like to sign up to donate, please use the link below:

www.signupgenius.com/go/20F0845A5A92DA8-6317024-ebjh#/

Thank you for supporting our staff during this important testing season. We appreciate the Banks family so much.

8th Grade Typhoon Texas Field Trip

Our 8th-grade students will have the opportunity to attend a field trip to Typhoon Texas on Friday, May 15th. The cost is $50 and includes admission and lunch, with payment due by April 30th.

This trip is a celebration of a strong school year, and eligibility is tied to maintaining positive behavior. We encourage all students to stay focused, make good choices, and finish the year on a high note so they can be part of this experience.

2026–2027 Required Student Transportation Form

All Lamar CISD parents and guardians must complete the required Student Transportation Form. This form confirms each student’s main mode of transportation and allows families to officially request bus transportation for the 2026–2027 school year. The form is available on Skyward for parents and guardians.

Important deadlines for 2026-2027:

Submit the form no later than August 2, for students to ride the bus for the first day of school.
If a form is not submitted by August 2, students WILL NOT receive bus transportation until August 24.
For all forms submitted between August 3-21, bus transportation will begin on August 24.
Contact the student's campus to request any change in transportation choice after August 21. Please note that any changes made after August 21 may take up to five business days to go into effect.

REMINDER: All families are required to complete the student transportation form. Even if your child is a car rider or attends daycare, please still select “bus” as an option. This ensures your child can be assigned a bus route number if needed.

Important Updates: Semester Exam Exemptions & Early Checkout Procedures

Dear Gator Families,

We have some important updates and reminders regarding semester exam exemptions at Banks Junior High. With the recent update to LCISD Board Policy EIAA (Local), there are new expectations for student attendance on exam days even if a student is exempt from the assessment. Please review the guidelines below to ensure your child maintains their exemption and that checkout on exam days runs smoothly.

Attendance Requirements for Exempt Students

All students must report to their regularly scheduled class each exam day and be counted present by the teacher no later than 10:45 AM.
Students arriving after 10:45 AM will be marked absent for the entire day and will lose their exemption.
If a student is absent on the day of the exam, they will be required to take the assessment at a later date set by campus administration.
If the assessment is not completed, the student will receive a zero for the final/semester exam grade, per district policy (EIAA Local).

On-Campus Plan for Exempt Students

After attendance is taken, an announcement will be made releasing exempt students.
Exempt students who remain on campus will move to designated locations by grade level.

Early Checkout Procedures

If parents/guardians choose to check out an exempt student early:

All normal campus checkout procedures must be followed.
The adult checking out the student must:
Present a valid ID
Be listed on the student’s Skyward emergency contact list
Please expect possible delays during peak checkout times and plan accordingly. We appreciate your patience as we ensure a safe and orderly process.

Please refer to the attached schedule for exact exam dates and times. We have made a few small updates to reflect these procedures.

Thank you for your partnership and support as we work to provide a smooth and successful exam experience for all students. We wish our Gators the best of luck on their finals!

Ella Banks Final Exams Letter

Staff of the Month Spotlight

March

COMING SOON

Name & Position:

Years in Education:

My favorite thing about Banks:

My students would be surprised to know…

Favorite snack or treat:

Best piece of advice I’ve ever received:

When I’m not at school, you’ll find me…

My personal motto or “teacher truth”:

COMING SOON

Name & Position:

Years in Education:

My favorite thing about Banks:

My students would be surprised to know…

Favorite snack or treat:

Best piece of advice I’ve ever received:

When I’m not at school, you’ll find me…

My personal motto or “teacher truth”:

Accessing Library Materials

Breakfast Menu-April

Lunch Menu-April

Add Money to Lunch Account HERE

Looking Ahead:

4/13/2026:

TSA Student STAAR Make-Up Testing

4/14/2026:

8th Grade Science STAAR-CLOSED Campus
Print and Review SW5 Report Cards

4/15/2026:

TSA Meeting @ 5:00 PM

4/16/2026:

8th Grade Social Studies STAAR-CLOSED Campus
Boys and Girls Soccer vs. Briscoe @ Foster HS
National School Librarian Day

4/17/2026:

Gator Grind 5:00-7:00 PM

4/18/2026:

Gator Gauntlet 8:00-12:00

Upload Enrollment Paperwork

Early Bird Yearbook Orders

Sponsorship Links

Hatchling Sponsor: https://lcisd.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/9674/315/False/True

Swamp Guardian: https://lcisd.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/9675/315/False/True

Building Legacy in the Swamp: https://lcisd.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/9676/315/False/True

Rules Around the SWAMP

LCISD Policy and EBJH Rules

DRESS CODE

Reminder hats are not to be worn indoors unless for religious reasons. We have been seeing a lot of baseball caps. Please leave these for the outdoors.
ID Badges are a part of the dress code, and consequences for repeated printing and not wearing badges will be given.
NO SLIDES of any type are to be worn.
Shorts: at this time, we are asking for mid-thigh; many girls differ in height.