Dolphin Tales
A Newsletter for Dove Elementary Families
December 18-December 21, 2017
A Note from the principal...
We had an amazing week at Dove Elementary this past week! Our students exemplify the IB Learner Profile attribute of caring every day, but especially this week! Our Toy Drive for Grace ended this week, and Mrs. Golden was able to take dozens of donated toys from Dove to the Grace Christmas Cottage. Our families' generosity will have a huge impact on our community! Also, the fifth graders at Dove raised over $1,000 earlier in the fall for victims of Hurricane Harvey. This week we were able to mail a check with their donations to Hood-Case Elementary in Alvin ISD where we know their fundraising will have an impact on many of the families still struggling after Harvey.
The GMS Honors band and choir visited Dove Elementary on Friday afternoon, playing a variety of holiday songs to help get all our Dolphins in the holiday spirit! Our Book Fair was set up all week in the Dove Learning Commons, and the funds raised will go directly to our instructional learning needs in the learning commons! Dove 3rd grade took a field trip to see Wonder in the movie theatre, which they all had just read in class. The connections made between a book and a movie require a deeper level of comprehension, and we thank our Dove PTA for making this learning experience possible for our Dolphins! Speaking of making learning experiences possible, the GCISD Education Foundation parade made a stop at Dove Friday morning to award TWO Innovative teaching grants- one to our Kindergarten teachers for a phonemic awareness program that will strengthen the reading skills in our littlest Dolphins, and one to Mrs. Hunter and Mrs. Covert for a Swivel recording and feedback device that will make a huge impact on the quality of instruction in our teachers at Dove! We thank our Education Foundation for their generosity in these grants! Be sure to follow our story on Twitter using the hastag #DESisBEST. It's a great day to be a Dove Dolphin!
Proud to be your principal,
Heather Landrum
@DES_Landrum
From Ms. Diggs, Dove Librarian
The GCISD Reads initiative is designed to build a love of reading in students - encouraging them to read a large quantity and a wide variety of books. Students have a choice of the challenge they wish to complete. Students can participate in one of the following challenges:
- 1,500 pages (K-2)
- 2,500 pages (3-5)
- 100 Book Challenge (K-2)
- 25 Book Challenge (3-5; books should be at least 100 pages)
- Genre Challenge (1-5)
First through fifth grade students also received a Six Flags 6 Hour Reading form in Monday folders last week (Kindergarten is documenting for students in the classroom). Students just need to document 6 hours of reading outside of school in order to earn a free ticket to Six Flags! Outside reading done for GCISD Reads will also count for this. This form is due to teachers by Friday, February 9, 2018.
Lost & Found
Please bring your ID!
Volunteers Needed!
From Dove PTA
From the Dove PTA President:
First and foremost, I want to thank our Dove PTA Members, Executive Board Volunteers, and every single person who has donated time and/or money to one of our many events so far this year. All of the amazing work Dove PTA has done this year is all because we have the best Volunteers and Parents around! Thank you for supporting Dove PTA and helping us make our school the best!
As we come to the end of the 2017 portion of our school year, I wanted to take a few minutes and brag on all of the amazing work Dove PTA has done this year. I want to share this list of AWESOME. This list makes me so proud to be a part of this organization. I love the work we are doing for our school, and I hope this makes you proud to be a part of Dove PTA, too.
SO far this school year, Dove PTA has:
Awarded $5302 in staff scholarships across all grade levels and campus improvement projects. Teachers and staff write grant requests for items that they want in their classrooms and on campus that are not covered by the school budget. We approved and funded 18 of the 19 total grant requests we received.
Approved to fund $2800 for the two water fountains in the main hallways to be retrofitted with Water Bottle Filler Stations. This has an environmental and cost savings impact for all of our students.
Gifted a $50 Amazon gift card to every classroom at Dove as a reward for exceeding our Boosterthon goals. Each classroom is able to spend the gift card on anything they want for their class. Total gift to classrooms was $1,600!
Reimbursed teachers and staff $50 each for classroom supplies purchased out of their own pocket.
Purchased a pair of headphones for every student in the school for $3,500.
Purchased the entire Staff Dove school themed t-shirts for the 2017-18 school year.
Purchased a new electric piano and software for Mr. Strang and the music room for $1,300.
Treated the entire Dove Staff to a back-to-school luncheon at Wise Guys Pizzeria in August.
Purchased two new all-weather bluetooth speakers with microphones to be used for Cardio Club and to play music on Fridays at drop-off and pick-up.
Approved the purchase of a brand new refrigerator with in-door ice dispenser and filtered water for the teacher’s lounge.
Funded the launch of our new Spirit Shop that has been a great success and encourages school spirit!
Funded 2nd and 3rd grade field trips so far this fall.
Purchased and gifted a brand-new Buddy Bench for the playground.
Purchased t-shirts and snacks for the 5th Grade Sky Ranch Field Trip.
Funded $25/per 5th Grade student for the Sky Ranch Field Trip thus directly lowering the cost of the field trip for every 5th grade family.
Approved the funding snacks and supplies for all grade-level holiday parties averaging $150-$200 per grade level.
Paid for our incoming PTA President to attend PTA Leadership Training in Houston, Tx over the summer.
Coordinated and funded 3 major All-School events including the All-School Picnic, Family Movie Night, and the upcoming Breakfast with Santa!
The Semester is not done yet! We're also working on the following items:
We are providing a holiday lunch for teachers and staff the week before Christmas.
We are in the planning stages for 3 additional All-School events including the “Dove’s Got Talent” Talent Show, the Spring Sock Hop, and Field Day!
We have an All-School super fun program scheduled for the Spring! Stay tuned for the announcement of our big SURPRISE event!
Funds are allocated for Kinder, 1st, and 4th grade field trips, Valentine’s Parties, and 5th Grade Graduation.
Overall PTA Funds spent for the benefit of Dove students and staff so far this year = $25,033!
Staff Favorites
Dove Apple Tree
District Information
TEA School Report Card
In addition to the School Report Card, the more detailed Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR) for our campus can be accessed online at https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/perfreport/tapr/2017/srch.html?srch=C.
If you have any questions about either report, please contact me. Paper copies of both reports can be viewed in our main office.
Play it Safe
GCISD offers the "Play It Safe" program for all students in grades K-5. The GCISD School Health Advisory Council (SHAC is a volunteer council comprised of parents and community members that reflect the values of the district and community) has previewed and recommended these programs for all GCISD elementary schools. The curriculum and presentations are aligned with district philosophy. This program is a personal safety program and does not address human sexuality. Play It Safe is a child abuse prevention and awareness program that incorporates individual grade level, age-appropriate scripts and movies to teach children how to reduce the risk of sexual and physical abuse, and sexual assault. It teaches them to recognize potentially abusive behavior, provides the tools to respond to threatening situations, and encourages them to report abuse to a trusted adult.
Parents have the option to request that their student not participate in the above program(s). The form for non-participation is located on the GCISD website:
http://www.gcisd-kl2.org, Departments, Health and Physical Education, Nonparticipation forms.
A parent preview of the program will be held on Tuesday, January 16th, at 10:00 am or 6:00 pm at the GCISD Administration Building - Board Room, 3051 Ira E. Woods Ave., Grapevine, Texas 76051
If you are unable to attend the parent preview, but wish to view the material, please contact The Women's Center of Tarrant County, Inc. at 817-927-4040 and ask for the Play It Safe department. They will schedule a time for you to go to their center and view the videos.
2018-2019 School Calendar Approved
Grapevine: A Visual Journey Through A Beloved Texas Town
Upcoming Events
December 18-
- Geography Bee in Dove Cafeteria at 8:30
- Spirit Night at Fuzzy's Tacos
December 21- Polar Express Day-Wear PJs to school!
- 9:30-9:45 December All-School Assembly Caring Student of the Month & Drawing for two bikes! (Students with no tardies and no absences) *Time change
- 9:45-10:45 DDD/Choir School Performance
- 11:00-11:45 Grade Level Christmas parties
- 11:45 Early release for students
January 9, 2018-
- School starts!
- January 9- PTA Executive Board Meeting
January 12-
- Atten-Dance Celebration for 2nd nine weeks
- Doors with Dads
- Spirit Shop Open
January 12-
- Atten-Dance Celebration for 2nd nine weeks
- Doors with Dads
- Spirit Shop Open
January 15- No School
January 16&17- Spirit Night at Wise Guys!
January 19- Dove Talent Show!
January 26- All-School Assembly
February 2- Spirit Night at Dave & Buster's
January is School Board Appreciation Month!!
February 2- Dave & Buster's Spirit Night
February 8- GCISD Personalized Program Expo 5-8 p.m.
Contact Us
In a partnership with parents, students, teachers, and community, Dove Elementary provides a safe and supportive environment in which students develop an understanding and respect for self and others. We cultivate learning through encouragement of inquiry and empower students to make a difference in our ever-changing world.
Follow our story on Twitter at #DESisBEST
Email: heather.landrum@gcisd.net
Website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Domain/1594
Location: 1932 Dove Road, Grapevine, TX, United States
Phone: 817.251.5700
Twitter: @DESDolphins