Welcome Back!
August Update #EveryChildEveryDayInEveryWay
Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year!
I want to officially welcome all of you to the 2020-2021 school year! I hope you and your families had a restful summer and that your children are recharged and ready to have fun learning with us! I am excited to begin my fifth year as your KGE principal, 9th year at KGE, and 27th year in education. This will be one we will definitely remember! I do have to say that I wouldn't want to experience this with any other school community. You have all truly continued to stay positive and supportive throughout these times of uncertainty.
This year we will continue to work together to ensuring EVERY student at Kay Granger Elementary is actively engaged in person or remotely in rigorous learning while developing social-emotional skills that will foster resilience, perseverance, and empathy. The district’s theme this year is “Every Child, Every Day, in Every Way!”
I know you have so many questions right now. We are diligently working on all the things...Kindergarten Round Up, Meet the Teacher, breakfast and lunch, recess, specials, Chromebooks, hot spots, materials students will need, etc. Please know that we will share updates as they become available via email, Facebook, and our website. Below this message you will see links to important NISD sites. Updates will be posted at www.nisdtx.org/returntolearn and shared through Dr. Warren's Facebook Live on Thursday, August 6 at 6 p.m.
We appreciate your continued flexibility, understanding, and support.
Michelle McAdams, Principal
817-698-1101
Important Links:
For important information and updates:
Preparing for Back to School 2020-2021
As we prepare for an unusual way to start back to school, we wanted to share a few tips prepare your child mentally for this new school year.
· Talk to your children, regardless of their age, about their feelings.
o Do a gut check about how, as a parent, you are feeling about it, because kids can pick up on our own feelings, and it's important to try to maintain a sense of calm regardless of how anxious you might be about it.
o Find out how they're feeling about going back. Each child will have a different experience, depending upon what this period of time has been like for them. Some kids will be very excited about going back to school and others may feel nervous or scared, so check in with them to see how they're feeling.
· Check along the way for signs of any significant stress.
o Changes in behavior, difficulty sleeping, changes in appetite, and unprovoked aggression or withdrawal are some examples of ways children express may project their stress.
· Take time to reflect on your own feelings.
o Parents, students, and teachers are disappointed that school is not “normal” this year. It is important to acknowledge these feelings. Talk about it with a trusted person, take time to process, and have your own feelings clear. Then, first and foremost, listen to what your children have to say, before you share your own thoughts and feelings about it. Hear what their disappointments are. Allow them time to express themselves and sit in those feelings for a bit before moving on.
· Help your kids also have an understanding - just because they're going back to school (remote/in-person), it doesn't mean that it's going to be like any other school year. This is going to be a very different school year. It's important to talk about those differences in advance to make sure that the children have an understanding, regardless of their age, that it's important that they comply with whatever the guidelines are at the school.
o Practice wearing masks at home
o Practice hand washing routines
o Model and practice social distancing
o Discuss the importance of being flexible and grace-giving
· Start easing back into nighttime and bedtime routines.
· Be encouraging! This is not going to last forever, even though it feels like it. We realize this a challenging time, but children take their cues from their parents. As much as possible, being the calm in this storm is what children crave the most.
· We will get through this together. Our Granger family is made of an amazing community of students, parents, teachers, families, and stakeholders. We have always, and will continue to meet challenges with courage, perseverance, and love. #GRANGERSTRONG
Christy Buce, M.S.
School Counselor
Kay Granger Elementary
National School of Character
Northwest ISD
817-698-1104
** To request a remote visit with Mrs. Buce, the school counselor please click here.
“You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Please Make Sure You Register for the 2020 - 2021 School Year:
Whether your preference is face to face or remote learning, students will need to register for the 2020-2021 school year.
Completing the returning and new student registration for next year is very important to our planning. If you have not yet registered for next year, please take time to complete the process. This information allows us to appropriately staff the school, plan for class placements, etc. For registration information visit the NISD Website.
When completing the registration process for returning students, all proof of residency documentation can be sent to our Office Manager, Lynda Dahlstrom , at lynda.dahlstrom@nisdtx.org If you have any difficulty logging in to the Home Access Center to complete the returning student registration, please contact Lynda Dahlstrom. Thank you for your assistance in helping us plan for the 2020 - 2021 school year.
New this year! Document verification can be done online this year, and NISD has created a secure portal for document uploading. All new to NISD parents and those who are missing documents were emailed a link to this portal last week from NISD data services. To upload documents, please use this form.
DEADLINE TO MAKE A DECISION ON IN-PERSON LEARNING: August 6th
Many families have already completed the Preference Form to let us know if they prefer to remain in Remote Learning (after September 11) or if they prefer In-Person Learning. We are asking families to inform us of their decision by tomorrow, August 6th. If you would like to change your Preference, or if you previously indicated that you weren’t ready to make a decision, we need to hear from you by August 6th. You can re-submit the form found at: https://forms.nisdtx.org/Forms/PreferenceForm
We will use this information to build our classes. We value the relationship between the teacher and student and would like to put our students that will stay remote together in a class.
All NISD students will begin the 2020-2021 school year as Remote Learners, from August 20 to September 11. NISD plans to offer the choice for In-Person Learning beginning Monday, September 14.
Chromebook Pick Up for Students
Students will need their own devices to engage in remote learning! Many families received one device per family during remote learning in the Spring, and will need to make sure each student has a device for the upcoming school year. Plan now for picking up any additional devices your family needs. For details and information please check the link below. https://drive.google.com/…/1syP74VMty3Xd-84H-2ZFhehiV…/view…
New KGE Staff!
Welcome Lindsey Pesina to our Special Education Department!
Meet Lindsey
I am originally from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania but grew up in the DFW area. I graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Arts in History. This will be my second year as an educator. I taught 5th and 6th grade last year in Keller ISD. My family lives in the community. My son Ivan, a former Wrangler, is an incoming 7th grader at Tidwell. My son Maks is an incoming 2nd grader at Granger. We love sports! We enjoy cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, Dallas Mavericks and Texas Rangers. I also enjoy cooking/baking, working out and spending time outdoors. I am so thrilled to be part of the amazing Kay Granger staff!
Welcome Back to Fifth Grade, Cassie Gilbert!
Meet Cassie
Welcome Kaylan Russell to Third Grade!
Meet Kaylan
I have been a Granger parent, PTA member and volunteer for the past 6 years and now I am beyond excited to be teaching 3rd grade! A bit about me...I was born in California, then moved to Oklahoma before starting middle school. I stayed through college, where I met my husband at Oklahoma State University. Go Pokes!! We celebrated 15 years of marriage this year and have two daughters - Amelia who is headed to Tidwell as a 6th grader and Sally who is going into 2nd grade at here at Granger. As a family, we love to travel and enjoy going on long road trips each summer. I have been a 3rd grade teacher for the past 2 years. I love teaching because I love to make learning fun and I am looking forward to a GREAT year!
NISD Student Nutrition Offering Curbside Meals
NISD Student Nutrition is preparing for the 2020-2021 school year by offering curbside meals for all remote learning students. A parent survey has been created to gather information on the number of students who will be taking advantage of the Curbside Meals Program while participating in the remote learning plan. We encourage all families to participate in the survey to better serve our students.
As a reminder, applications for free and reduced-price meals are still available at www.northwestisd.schoollunchapp.com, at any Northwest ISD school, or at the Food Services Department at 220 County Road 4840 Haslet, Texas.