Monday Message
News from Mrs. Hilcher- Principal of Grapevine Elementary
Week of August 22-August 26
2016-2017 Begins
*Make sure to use the hashtag #GCISDfirstday on Twitter for your first day pictures and you may be featured on the district's social media pages!
Arrival & Dismissal Procedures
Morning Arrival:
Students are expected to be dropped off at the school no earlier than 7:15 unless enrolled in KidzU's before school care
GES staff will supervise students in the gym (3-5) and cafeteria (K-2) from 7:15am until the first bell rings at 7:35am-when they are dismissed to their classrooms
All GES students will walk independently down the instructional hallways to their classrooms after the first three days of school.
Students must be in their seats in their classrooms at 7:40am or they will be counted as tardy
Afternoon Dismissal:
- All students will be escorted to their dismissal locations by a staff member. Please do not arrange to meet your child in the foyer, work room or library after school.
- Students have designated pick up areas depending on their mode of transportation home. KidzU and daycare bus riders will be escorted to the cafeteria. Car riders and walkers have set locations outside the building that their teachers will escort them to, as well.
- Walkers will meet their siblings, neighbors and/or walking parents and quickly proceed to the crosswalk nearest their homes. Walker Station areas should be cleared out within minutes of dismissal
- K-2 students walking to the northern crosswalk (Hall Johnson & Hazy Meadow) will be dismissed from the picnic table area only
- K-2 students walking to the southern crosswalk (Hall Johnson & Hughes) will only be dismissed from the area near the front entrance to the school only
- Friendly reminders: dogs are not allowed on campus grounds due to student allergies; the small playground is reserved for KidzU until 6:30pm Monday through Friday.
Volunteer Requirements
1. Read the Volunteer Handbook, watch the appropriate video included in the handbook and electronically sign the volunteer verification form.
2. Complete the volunteer background check. A link is included in the handbook.
The following link takes you to the online Volunteer Handbook and background check: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=474
Please be sure you've reviewed the handbook and completed all requirements prior to signing up to volunteer at GES.
Update on Spanish
In 2011, our community developed a districtwide strategic plan, called LEAD 2021, that challenges us to constantly look for ways to improve the education experience in GCISD for our students. Beginning in the 2014-2015 school year, conversations took place with several campus groups regarding the future transition of our elementary specials classes.
Seven elementary school campuses made a transition over the last two years from offering a Spanish/art combination specials class to offering an art only course after some vacancies to teach elementary art/Spanish became available across the district. This summer, the remaining Spanish teaching positions became vacant and they have been filled by art teachers to teach a re-designed art class entitled ‘A World of Art’. We are so excited to have Mr. Justin Burns at Grapevine Elementary School to help lead our students through a year-long study of art with an emphasis on cultures and the importance of Global citizenship.
I want to assure you that GCISD understands the desire to offer Spanish instruction for elementary students. You may recall, a survey was distributed in the Spring of 2016 that inquired about interest levels in a variety of after school extracurriculars. In total, 473 responses were received and the district will now work to develop a plan of implementation to offer several after school extracurricular activities - including Spanish. Our goal is to determine logistics in the first nine weeks of the school year so that we are able to offer these additional opportunities to students during the fall semester.
Thank you for a wonderful Meet the Teacher Night on Thursday. The GES Staff and I look forward to a fantastic 2016-2017 school year!
Respectfully,
Liz Hilcher
Principal
Birthdays at GES
Birthdays are special! Student birthdays may be recognized in the classroom at the end of the day. Birthday celebrations may not be conducted in the cafeteria while meals are being served. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, we recommend the following: donate a book to the library in your child’s name, or choose a new pencil or cool eraser for each student in your child’s class. Due to the high number of students with food allergies, we are not allowed to celebrate birthdays with any food items. Birthday sweet treats or snacks will no longer be served. Flowers, balloons, etc… for students should not be delivered to the school (per the handbook). These will not be brought to the classrooms and cannot go home on the buses. So please reserve these type of gifts for home.
Students may distribute birthday party invitations only if they are including the entire class. If every student in the classroom is not receiving a birthday party invitation, invitations will not be distributed at school. In this case, parents are encouraged to use the PTA directory to send invitations in the mail.
Rainy Day Dismissal Procedures
Walkers
All walkers will be dismissed to their usual walker locations even on rainy days.
K-2 students who walk north (toward the Hazy Meadows crosswalk) will be dismissed through the picnic table areas at the front of the school.
K-2 students who walk south (toward the Hughes crosswalk) will be dismissed through the front foyer doors.
3-5 students will be exited through the back foyer doors.
If the conditions are not safe for students to exit the building, then all dismissal will be halted until it is safe for students to exit. If you wish to pick up your walker in a car on rainy days, please call the front office to notify your child’s teacher prior to 2:30pm or email your child’s teacher prior to 1:00pm.
Car Riders
All car riders will be held inside the building on rainy days and proceed to their usual car loops as names are called.
K-2 students and their older siblings will be held inside the K-2 hallway and exit through the picnic table area and proceed directly to their cars when their name is called.
3-5 students will be held in the gym and exit through the gym door directly to the back car loop when their name is called.
Upcoming Events
Monday, 8/22 First day of school; PTA's Boo Hoo & Yahoo Breakfast (7:30-8:30am Learning Commons)
Thursday 8/25 'Independence' day for students at arrival
Thursday, 9/1 Parent Information Night K-5 (6:30-7:30pm)
Friday, 9/2 College Colors Day!
Monday, 9/5 Labor Day holiday
Tuesday, 9/6 KGES Auditions (7:30am)
Friday, 9/9 PTA Executive Board meeting
Wednesday, 9/14 KC Club & Student Council (2:55pm)
Friday, 9/16 GES College Colors Day!
Monday, 9/19-Friday 9/23 Texas Constitution Week
Tuesday, 9/27 Campus Excellence Committee meeting (3:10pm)
Counselors Corner: Information From Mrs. Horn
Restorative Practices
Restorative Practices include Circle Up and Restorative Chats. Circle Up is a short period of time at the beginning of each school day directly following our schoolwide announcements. It includes four expectations: (1) Speak from the heart—your truth, your experiences, your perspectives (2) Listen from the heart—let go of stories that make it hard to hear each other (3) Trust that you will know what to say—no need to rehearse (4) Say just enough—without feeling rushed, be concise and considerate of the time of others. In this exercise, students prove to foster a quicker and deeper relationship with each other and with the teacher based in trust and respect. Because of an environment with an increase in conversations regarding emotions, it has been found that less time is utilized in classroom interruptions, student discipline, redirections, and allows more intensive time on academic instruction. Topics and/or questions are sometimes proposed to the students; current grade level and/or campus issues are sometimes discussed.
Restorative Chats can occur at anytime. They are designed with these questions: What happened? Who was involved/affected? What were you thinking/feeling when it happened? Who was affected or hurt by what happened? How were they affected? What needs to happen to make things right? Is there anything else we want to say? What agreements can be made to see that this doesn’t happen again? When will we check-in to make sure our agreements are working? In a restorative chat, emotional awareness is put at the front of the conversation where social and emotional learning can take place. Because the initial action is typically emotionally-fueled, the resolution should be as well. This approach also holds students more accountable for their actions and offers the opportunity to acquire new skills for emotional regulation. These chats can include the teacher with one student, multiple students, the counselor, and any other parties involved in the initial experience.
Please see your classroom teacher, your counselor, and/or http://www.restorativecommunities.org/home.html for more information!
GES Information & Announcements
GCISD Device Agreement
We wanted to make you aware of the new GCISD Device Agreement for 2016-2017. Every parent needs to sign the Parent Device Agreement and pay a one-time elementary fee of $50 regardless of whether their student will take home their iPad. Students that already paid $35 last year for iPad Take Home privileges will only to pay $15 this year to complete the $50 device fee. New students will need to pay the $50 device fee. Even if a student is not taking the device home, parents still must sign the agreement and pay the $50.
Cash, or checks made payable to Grapevine Elementary School, will be accepted in the front office. You may choose to pay online at the following site: https://gcisdschools.revtrak.net/tek9.asp (Select Annual Device Replacement Protection Plan Fee). Please note that only $50 fees can be paid online and there is a $5 surcharge for paying online.
Device Agreements were printed and distributed at last week's Meet the Teacher night. A link is provided below if you would like to read the agreement. Parents will need to sign the device agreement and it can be brought into the front office.
National College Colors Day
September 2, 2016 is National College Color Day! On the first Friday of each college school year, students, parents, family, fans and alumni celebrate National College Colors Day throughout the United States. This day is annually celebrated by wearing your college’s (or the college you support) favorite colors and/or university apparel.
Remember to send your GES star in his or her favorite college t-shirt or college colors on Friday, September 2nd. We look forward to seeing many colleges represented throughout the school!
PTA Information
Survey
GCISD Information
Important Links
- GCISD's online volunteer handbook & background check
- 2016-2017 Parent-Student Handbook and Student Code of Conduct
- The ABC's of Grapevine Elementary
- Counselor Horn's website
Follow Our Story
Follow the excitement on Twitter and Facebook:
- On Twitter follow:
Principal Mrs. Hilcher: @GESHilcher
Assistant Principal Mrs. Landrum: @GESLandrum
Grapevine Elementary: @GESStars
Your favorite teacher: @GES[lastname]
All GES classrooms by checking our #GESshineon
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GrapevineElementary