Geist Gazette
March 2, 2018
GEIST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Website: http://www.hse.k12.in.us/GES
Location: 14051 East 104th Street, Fishers, IN 46037
Phone: 317-915-4260
Twitter: @Geistgators
Note from the Principal
Happy Friday Gator Families-
We have had a busy two weeks at Geist. We are happy that today is our last day of official ISTEP testing- ROUND 1. Please know we will doing make ups Monday-Wednesday of next for any child that was out sick. We are very proud of our students in taking this opportunity seriously to show how much they have learned so far this year. Thank you for your efforts at home in getting them mentally, physically and emotionally ready for State testing days. As a mother of two children who take ISTEP, I realize that is NOT always an easy task :-)
We are excited to be in the beginning stages of planning our Give Back Study Trips. Thanks to our PTO and your generous support, we will be providing our students the opportunity to help others this spring.
The Geist vision is for all students to be independent, lifelong learners who use their individual gifts and problem solving skills to lead meaningful lives and serve others. Our is for students to learn that they can serve other people through dedicating their own time and talents to help others. Be on the lookout to see how your children will be giving back to the community this spring. It is a blessing to give financially and it is even a greater blessing to know that through our own hands and perseverance we can make a positive difference in someone's life!
Geist students will be giving back through helping those in need of food, bringing joy and fun to the elderly, promoting health and fitness to our community, assisting in keeping our community clean, and educating others about energy and waste consumption. Your children are doing amazing work!
Please take time to read all the information in our newsletter this week. There are lots of reminders and important infrormation to assist you!
Thank you for sharing your children with us each day,
Christi Thomas
Attention: 4th Grade Parents....Fall Creek Transfer Option for Next Year
2018-19 Fall Creek Transfer Option
Hamilton Southeastern Schools has opened enrollment at Fall Creek Intermediate School (FCI) and Fall Creek Junior High School (FCJH) to students in the Hamilton Southeastern Intermediate/Junior High School (HIJH) attendance boundary for the 2018-2019 school year. This means students currently in grades 4-7 who would attend HIJH, may choose to attend FCI or FCJH next school year.
Please complete the official 2018-2019 Fall Creek Transfer Application (powered by SurveyMonkey) using the link below.
THERE IS NO NEED TO COMPLETE THIS FORM IF YOU WANT YOUR STUDENT(S) TO ATTEND HIJH AS SCHEDULED THIS FALL.
An approved transfer application offers the following assurances:
1. Transportation: HSE Schools Bus Transportation will be provided.
2. Continuity: Students electing to transfer may attend FCI/FCJH through their eighth grade year.
3. Sibling Consideration: Siblings of 2018-19 Fall Creek Transfer students may attend FCI/FCJH through their eighth grade year as well.
4. Book rental fee (excluding iPad) waived for the 2018-19 school year for each new Fall Creek transfer student.
Families will receive written confirmation of their voluntary transfer request via email within two weeks of receipt of application.
**This application is for current 4-7 grade parents, in the HIJH attendance area, who want to have their student(s) attend Fall Creek Intermediate or Fall Creek Junior High beginning this fall for the 2018-19 school year. THERE IS NO NEED TO COMPLETE THIS FORM IF YOU WANT YOUR STUDENT(S) TO ATTEND HIJH AS SCHEDULED.**
LINK TO FALL CREEK TRANSFER APPLICATION FORM: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QL7JV6W
Enrolling in Kindergarten at GES next year?
If you are enrolling a kindergarten next year please click here. If you have an older student who will be new to us, click here. Instructions for enrollment, including document requirements can be found at each link. Please remember to upload all required documents at the time you submit the enrollment.*
*If your student has not received all his/her immunizations at the time of enrollment you may submit the enrollment, on the basis the immunizations will be complete by the start of school.
Please note: Current GES students do not need to re-enroll each year.
Ms. Chandler from HSE High School celebrates Dr. Seuss with Ms. Kappus' class
.....and Ms. Barmore's Kindergarten room....
.....and Mrs. Many's Kindergators too!
Important Safety Item Reminders
- Buzzer protocol - When you ring the buzzer for entry, remember that the office staff will ask you your name, intent, child's teacher’s name to ensure those that enter GES should enter.
- Photo ID - Whether picking up or dropping off, please have photo ID such as your driver's license ready for identification purposes.
- Door 1 entry - All visitors must enter via door 1 regardless of time of day.
- Bus lot - Do not enter bus parking lot while buses are in the lot.
- Drop-off - Please make all attempts possible to have your child exit your vehicle on the side of the curb. Exiting the opposite side and walking in between cars is not safe.
- Finally to our car drivers, thank you for your patience in allowing buses priority during arrival and dismissal. We appreciate you stopping and allowing buses in and out of the lots. Passing on the side to avoid cars is not safe. Thank you for assisting the district in safely transporting 21,000 students and managing over 300 buses and routes. It truly does take a village!
Congratulations to Olivia B. for placing first in the First Grade Division at the Central Indiana Regional Science Fair.
Reminders - The school handbook says:
Reminders:
- No birthday invitations are to be sent home via school. Please use the Skyward address book to assist you with emails to send your invitations. Invitations sent to school will be sent back home. (Pg 20)
- Please wear tennis shoes on PE days. (Classroom Guidelines) Click here to see the specials schedule.
- Please do not bring flowers or balloons to school for your children. The district does not except balloons and flowers to be delivered to children. (pg. 20)
- Please do not turn left in the morning between the hours of 8:40-9:00. Failure to follow the traffic pattern the Fishers Police established put people at risk and slows the line. Thank you for helping to keep the school parking lot a safe place for everyone. (Times are posted at the driveway entrance to the building and sent out to parents)
Wonder what is in the student handbook?... click here to learn more!
Keller's Clips
2017-18 Pennies for Patients Fundraiser Update
At GES, we feel it is important to support a worthy organization with our fundraising efforts. Our students gain a sense of ownership and pride from their philanthropic efforts. We seek to offer a global view of the world and to support outreach efforts for those in need. At Geist Elementary, we are blessed to have wonderful support from our students, families and staff.
Our Pennies for Patients fundraiser at Geist Elementary generated $3194.83!!
Our students were able to beat our goal of $2300.00 in a stellar fashion! Much thanks to one of our Geist Elementary graduates, Luke Andritsch, and his mom for their visit and inspiring conversation with our 3rd-grade teachers and students about Luke’s battle with Leukemia and the challenges he faced in his early years of recovery. What an inspiring story and an exemplary young man! Much thanks are extended to our Student Council, as well, for leading the charge during car-line student drop off on the last day of our Pennies for Patients fundraiser.
Great work Geist Elementary!
Growth Mindset at GES
Growth Mindset is taught and lived at Geist ElementaryJ. Our students learn that life is about challenge and that learning comes from
1. Having a Growth vs. a Fixed Mindset
2. Learning from Mistakes
3. Perseverance, and
4. A love of Challenge.
Students are taught that their minds are powerful muscles and when exercised through challenge, they grow and learn. In order to grow, students are to use their inner voices or thoughts to calm, motivate and challenge themselves. Instead of using Fixed Mindset statements, like “I can’t do this!”, students are instructed to use Growth Mindset statements, like “I can do this, one step at a time”. Other Growth Mindset statements might be “What am I missing?”, or “I’ll use a different strategy”.
The approach to Growth Mindset challenges students to change their thinking about their potential and their abilities. It highlights the importance of critical thinking, thinking about ‘thinking’, and it teaches students to learn from failure. Mistakes and failure are the basis for re-thinking, re-direction and new pathways.
A great read for parents is an article, entitled The Secret to Raising Smart Kids, by Carol Dweck. The research demonstrates that a focus on the process of learning, rather than on intelligence or ability, is the key to success in school and in life.
Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart News:
Congratulations to Grant B. and family from Mrs. Carter's class for raising the most money for Jump Rope and Hoops for Heart. He raised an amazing $850. Grant will be able to cut Mr. Sutherlin's hair next week during his PE class. (I think it adds up to $1 per hair since I don't have very much) Thanks again to everyone for all of your support. With just the online donations, we have raised over $18,000 as of 9:00 this morning!!!!!! WOW!
Spring Pictures - Wednesday, March 21
Order forms are being sent home. Orders may be placed online as well. Only those students who return a form or who have placed an online order will be photographed.
To order online please visit
and use the order code: 27420ZB
Pop Tabs for Ronald McDonald House
Send your tabs in with your student and their teacher will have them deliver tabs to the collection location - If you have an abundance of tabs, feel free to leave them in the front office with your kiddo's name AND Mrs. Brown’s name on them. Thank you for your help in teaching our kiddos that any little bit “CAN” help others!
Art News
Congratulations to the Artists of the Week for Feb 22:
K: Maya Y. in Mrs. Blake's class
1: Owen T. in Mrs. Cameron's class
2: Noah M. in Mrs. Wolf's class
3: Ella D. in Mrs. Ellis' class
4: Alli S. in Mrs. Erickson's class
Congratulations to the following students who will have their art on display at the Indiana State House for the month of March! If you have a chance, check out the display celebrating Youth Art Month in the rotunda.
K: Amelia D. in Mrs. Blake's class
1: Leighton B. in Mrs. Beck's class
2: Liberty B. in Miss Schmitt's class
3: Jack M. in Mrs. Harvey's class
4: Maria Y. in Mrs. Erickson's class
2017-2018 Yearbook Sale is on Now! Order by March 16.
Yearbooks are now on sale for the 2017-18 school year.
This is the only time to order. Do not rely on extra yearbooks being available to purchase! Order today!!
Orders may be made online only:
Please visit www.inter-state.com/yearbook
Our school code is 25304E
The cost is $15 each.
The last day to order is Friday, March 16.
No orders can accepted after this date! No exceptions!
If you are unable to place orders online, or have questions regarding yearbooks, please contact Ms. Green: egreen@hse.k12.in.us
Geist 5K
Hello All Geist Gators,
The Geist Half Marathon, 10k, and 5k races were organized to inspire health and wellness in the children in and around the Geist Reservoir community because we believe healthy bodies contribute to healthy minds which result in improved student outcomes and stronger communities. Thanks to your involvement our organization has donated over $400,000 to Geist area schools! We can’t wait to have your student runners with us this May!
If you would like to sign up for the race, please tap the attached link to register. https://secure.getmeregistered.com/get_information.php?event_id=128206
Please make sure you choose the pay now portion of the link. If you have questions, please don't hesitate to call or email me.
317-915-4260 ext 1690
I am looking forward to seeing lots of Gator Runners in May!
Rod Sutherlin
Geist Elementary
Physical Education
Lunch Menus and Visitors
Click here to see what's being served in the café.
Click here for the food services website.
Visitors with a Safe Visitor badge are welcome in the cafeteria and may bring a sack lunch. Please do not bring restaurant-packaged food. Thank you!
Geist Elementary PTO is the best!
Want to keep up on what's happening at school?
Follow @geistgators on twitter. We tweet throughout the day.
Check our website: hse.k12.in.us/GES
This newsletter, the Geist Gazette, goes out every other Friday (although it may be sent again next week). We will send it to you via email, and post it on our website under the News tab.
Click here to see our building calendar. This lists activities before, during and after hours.
Text-A-Tip
Submit Via Text
Texts can be sent to 274637 (or CRIMES). Start the actual message with the # symbol and a building-specific keyword. For a list of keywords, click here...
See what the HSE Schools Foundation is up to this month.
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT GEIST:
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS:
HSE Schools Community Bulletin Board
HSE Schools has created a Community Bulletin Board on its district website. This will serve as a central location to find information about activities and events promoted by organizations that serve our students and their families. This is where the Fishers Library, YMCA, S.P.O.R.T.S. and other groups' registration information will be located.