GALATAS GAZETTE

Denae Wilker, Principal

Candace Mathis, Assistant Principal

Lyndsey Christopher, Counselor

Through the collaborative efforts of all who pass through our door, we provide a safe learning community that develops lifelong learners and responsible citizens.

Website: http://galatas.conroeisd.net/

Location: 9001 Cochrans Crossing Drive, The Woodlands, TX, USA

Phone: 936-709-5000

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GalatasCISD/

Twitter: @GalatasCISD

Please check out the image below for information on what our Greyhounds will be learning, and some fun dress-up days next week!

We are excited to welcome local author Kelly Greenawalt on November 29! If you would like for your child to receive a signed copy of one of her books, please order at the link below before November 15. The books will be delivered to the school for Ms. Greenawalt to sign on the day she visits.

Get EXCITED!!!

Our fall fundraiser Super Hero run is just around the corner! We are pumped to see our students race through obstacles, run through the balloon columns, and laugh as they go through the bubbles! It’s going to be a great time!

The Super Hero Run will be held on the car loop at the back of the school during your child's PE time (see times below) on Friday, November 18. Parents are invited to come cheer on your Greyhound!

You also are welcome to drop off a staked yard sign on November 16th with words of encouragement for your student from 8:10 AM-2:30 PM on the front porch. (Those political or school yard signs work the best.) Signs will not be returned unless picked up directly after school on the 18th

All funds raised for this fundraiser are a direct donation to our school. Our goal is 40k and will go toward educational enrichment. Galatas only has two fundraisers each year and this is always a fun time!

Let’s reach our goal!

Yearbooks are on sale, and early bird pricing ends on November 18!

Purchase your yearbook now at

www.balfour.com.

Top Dog Yearbook Shout Outs!

•Applaud your 4th grader’s achievements with a tribute in the Yearbook! You can purchase an ad for only $20 when you order your yearbook or separately.

• To purchase: go to the link above, click on Order Now, enter your student's information, then select TOP DOG SHOUT OUT. You will be able to design your own ad and submit it online!

For any questions, please e-mail galatasyearbook@gmail.com.

If you would like to display your Galatas Pride in your neighborhood, the PTO has yard signs for sale! Signs are $25, and you can order yours here.

Are you an ExxonMobil employee or spouse of an ExxonMobil employee? Please record your Galatas volunteer hours and ExxonMobil will match it with a corporate donation to our school! You will be contacted by the ExxonMobil Coordinator with further details.

Please sign up here and you will be contacted by the ExxonMobil Coordinator with further details.

Do you have a business you'd like to advertise with Galatas families?

Your business can support Galatas Elementary School by becoming a Corporate Partner. There are new events this year that you can sponsor, as well as purchasing an advertisement in our 2022-2023 Digital Student Directory. The Galatas PTO appreciates all our sponsors!

Please contact Katie Leicht at galatasvppartnerships@gmail.com with any questions. Thank you for your support of our amazing elementary school!

The window is now open for parent nominations for the Spring, 2023 Gifted and Talented screening.

Parents may nominate their 3rd and/or 4th grade student by completing the District GT Nomination packet, available by contacting our Assistant Principal, Candace Mathis, at cdmathis@conroeisd.net. It is strongly encouraged that parents consult with their child’s teacher(s) prior to nominating their child. If your child has already qualified for Gifted and Talented services in some content areas but not all, you must nominate them again if you would like for them to try to qualify in additional areas. Students must take the full battery of tests as specific subject areas cannot be isolated for testing purposes.

Parents of 2nd grade students: Please do not nominate your 2nd grade child at this time! All second grade students will participate in the CogAT assessment in late October which will serve as a GT screener for second grade students. More information to come at a later date.

Parents may nominate their Kindergarten and/or 1st grade student but it is highly advised that parents consult with their child’s teacher prior to nominating their child as tests can be frustrating for younger students due to the amount of time involved in testing.

Spring GT testing will take place at Galatas Elementary during the school day, on dates yet to be determined in late January/early February, 2023.

All completed nomination packets must be returned to Candace Mathis on or before December 13, 2022.

When your child is absent, please call the school attendance line (936-709-5014), the front office (936-709-5000), or email Robin Curtis (rcurtis@conroeisd.net) before 9:00 AM to explain the reason for their absence. To ensure the accuracy of your child's attendance records, please call or email each day your child is absent.

Attendance is recorded at 9:00 AM each day. If your child is absent at 9:00 AM due to a doctor’s appointment, he/she will be counted present if you bring your child back to school on the same day with a doctor's statement that verifies the appointment.

If your child will be out for an extended period, please let us know by emailing Robin Curtis at the email above.

Please use the Transportation Change forms any time a student needs to go home in a different way from the permanent designated mode of transportation. If you need a notepad, please let your child's teacher know and we will send one home.

All transportation changes must be received in writing by 2:00 p.m. We are unable to accept a phone call. You may send a written note to your child’s teacher (place it in your student's PAWS folder), or fill out a form in the front office. Please include the date, your child’s full name, section number, bus number (if applicable), and your signature.

If an emergency arises, you may send an email to galatastransportation@conroeisd.net . The e-mail must include all of the above information, including a parent signature, and must be received before 2:00 p.m. If you submit a transportation change by email, it must go to the email address referenced above; transportation changes should not be emailed directly to the teacher.

Please send a new note for each day the change occurs; we cannot accept notes for multiple days or with multiple changes. District policy states that a student may only ride the bus they are registered to ride.

Please support our school by joining our amazing PTO. The link below will take you to the Galatas PTO website, where you can join the PTO and explore ways to get involved at Galatas.

It is a great way to get connected with our Galatas community and other parents.

Lunch visitors are invited to enjoy our outdoor dining area (weather permitting). On rainy or other inclement weather days, we will have seating available in the Activity Room.

** Please consider limiting lunch visits to once or twice per month for each student, so that all parents have an opportunity to visit for lunch.

**Please limit the number of visitors to no more than four.

**A driver's license or government issued photo i.d. is required for adults each time they visit Galatas. We are unable to accept a photo of an i.d. Please allow time (about 5 minutes) to complete the required check-in at the front office prior to your child's lunchtime.

**We want to ensure the safety and security of everyone as they enjoy time together. If a grandparent, family member, or adult other than the parent of the student wants to visit your child during lunch, the parent must send in written permission to the front office. The note will only need to be sent in once, and at that time a notation will be made in the visitor system so that the school will have a record of the permission being granted. If a note is not sent, we will call a parent to grant permission before the visitor is allowed to join a student for lunch.

Lunchtime is limited to 25 minutes. A staff member will be monitoring the door, and will assist your child in returning to the cafeteria to join their class. Then, please head back to the front office to return your visitor sticker.

Kindergarten 11:30 AM-11:55 AM

1st Grade 11:15 AM-11:40 AM

2nd Grade 12:00 PM-12:25 PM

3rd Grade 12:25 PM-12:50 PM

4th Grade 11:50 AM-12:15 PM

Please be mindful that the next grade level parents are also excited to visit their children for lunch. We require parents to exit promptly at the designated time, to allow the next group to have lunch together.

All visitors must be able to provide a government issued, photo I.D. at each visit. Photos of the I.D. will not be accepted. Visitors will check in at the front office and receive a Visitor Badge which must be worn at all times in the building. When leaving the building, visitors must check out with the front office and return the badge.

In order to volunteer at school, a Volunteer in CISD Application must be completed.

Please visit volunteer-in-cisd to complete the process.

Please help your student be fully prepared for their day by ensuring that they have all needed materials (backpack, lunch, water bottle, etc...) before leaving for school in the morning.

To minimize interruptions to classrooms, please limit drop-offs to the following items:

• Water bottles and lunches may be placed on the Drop-off table before 10:00 a.m. at the front office. These items should be labeled with your child’s name and section number to ensure proper delivery. Items are taken at 10:00 a.m. to a drop-off table at the end of each hallway, so please email the teacher to let them know that you have dropped off the water bottle or lunch.

• If you need eye glasses delivered to your child, please do not put them on the drop-off table. Bring them to the office staff for immediate delivery to your child.

• Any class work or homework that is dropped off will be placed in the teacher’s mailbox to be picked up during the day.

Delivery of flowers, balloons, etc. to students at school are not permitted.

Children are encouraged to bring water bottles each day. Please clearly write your child's name on the bottle with permanent marker. Students may refill their bottles during the day at one of our new water bottle filling stations.

Please keep your child home if they are showing any signs of illness or reporting that they do not feel well.

For example, if your child comes to you in the morning and reports any of the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, stomachache, or headache, or tells you they had diarrhea or vomiting, DO NOT send them to school. Please keep your student home and monitor the symptom or symptoms until they resolve.

Medication at school: If your child needs medications while at school, please email the nurse at kriggs@conroeisd.net to schedule a drop-off time. Students may not bring medication to school; all medication must be checked in with the School Nurse by a parent or guardian.

Prescription medications must be in the original prescription container and unexpired. Scheduled prescription medications must have a specific scheduled time on the prescription label, not a time range, and be in the original prescription bottle. Over the counter medications must be age specific and have directions on the manufacturer's label for your student's age.

All students who require an Action Plan must have a new and up to date form completed by the physician for the 2022-2023 school year.

Extra change of clothes: Please include a change of clothing in each student’s backpack in case of a spill, fall in the mud, or restroom accident. The nurse has a very limited supply of extra clothes and will try to find something suitable for the student to wear, but having their own set of clothes will save time and help the student be more comfortable.

If you have questions about COVID-19, please refer to the District's informational web page here.

Thank you,

Katy Riggs, RN

Do you want to recognize an AWESOME Galatas Staff member? If so, follow the steps below:

1. Log in to Parent Access.
2. Click on communication.
3. Choose Teacher/Staff Excellence from the drop down menu.
4. Select the employee to receive recognition from the drop down menu.
5. Click create TAE.
6. Click any of the pre-populated choices that apply.
7. Type any additional comments in the Additional Comment box.
8. Click the box labeled Create Teachers Achieving Excellence button.

When you visit Galatas, we have designated the 8 parking spaces at the entrance (closest to the school) as "visitor" spots. We welcome you to use these spots when you visit the campus. The lower parking lot has been designated as "staff" parking, (as well as a couple of spots that are reserved for our Springetti Parking winners).

If all the visitor spots are full, we ask that you please park at either Cattail Park, the row of spots closest to Galatas in the Community Baptist Church, or the closest end spots at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. These two churches have graciously offered these spots to us as our Galatas Family grows.

Thank you for your help with parking!

Sometimes it is necessary for a student to be checked out of school before dismissal.

If you know that you will need to check-out your child during the school day, please let their teacher know so that they can help your child gather their belongings and prepare for an early departure.

As a reminder, to ensure the safety of all students at dismissal, the latest a student can be checked out of school is 2:45 p.m.

With the exception of service animals, dogs and other pets are not allowed on school grounds, including at the top of the hill during arrival and dismissal.

This is for the health and safety of our students and staff members.

The speed limit in the Galatas school zone is 20 mph. This is to ensure the safety of all of our community members during very busy times in the morning and afternoon. As families enter and exit the car line, please take care to drive slowly and carefully.

In addition, cell phone use in a school zone is prohibited. As you enter areas around schools, please end your calls and put your phone away.

The CISD Police and Montgomery County Sheriff's Department patrol our school zones to ensure everyone's safety, and will issue citations if necessary.

Thank you for your help in keeping our community safe!

Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

--Only cross at crosswalks! Our crossing guards and staff are here to keep everyone safe and ensure that families cross intersections in an efficient manner.

--Please do not park behind staff cars in the school parking lot. Please park in a parking space, as blocking cars could cause a safety concern in case of an emergency.

--Please be considerate of our neighbors at Hayden's Run and Wyndspire South. Please keep the sight lines at the entrance clear for entering and exiting vehicles.

--Please be considerate of our neighbors at South Silvershire Circle. Please do not park on the grass or lawn of the homes. Take care not to block driveways and leave enough room for residents to easily drive in their neighborhood at all times.

The CISD Board of Trustees has approved the 2022-2023 calendar. For your planning purposes, please download the calendar here.

November

14-18 Generation Texas Week

15 PTO Meeting- 10:00 AM

18 Galatas Fun Run

21-25 No School: Thanksgiving Break

December

5-9 Hour of Code

9 4th Grade Choir Program- 8:30 a.m.

13 PTO Board Meeting-10:00 a.m.

13 Holiday Party- 2nd 12:30 p.m.

14 Holiday Parties- Kinder (9:30 a.m.) & 1st (1:30 p.m.)

15 Holiday Round Robin–3rd (9:30 a.m.)

15 Holiday Party/Service Project- 4th (9:10 a.m.)

16 Polar Express Day (Students wear p.j.’s)

16 Early Release Day, End of Nine Weeks– 12:10 p.m.

December 19-January 3 Winter Break

January

4 Classes Resume