Giesinger Gazette
August 15, 2021
Eagles Soar to Excellence
Our Campus Mission:
The mission of Giesinger Elementary is to ensure high levels of learning to facilitate continuous growth of the whole child.
Our Vision:
We envision a school in which staff provide a safe, caring, and positive learning community for all children; create a collaborative culture among children, families and staff; establish high levels of learning by frequently monitoring student progress; and demonstrate a personal commitment to the academic success and general well-being of each child .
2014 National Blue Ribbon School
Dates to Remember
August
08/31 - PTO catalog fundraiser kick-off
September
09/06 - Holiday
09/09 - PTO and Title I meeting (virtual) 5:00 pm; Parent Information Night (virtual) 5:30 pm
09/21 - Watch Dog Kick-off 6:00 pm (tentatively virtual)
09/22 - Read For A Better Life and storybook character parade 9:00 am
09/23 - Giesinger Spirit Night at Papa John's Pizza
09/28 - Fall pictures
A Message from Mrs. Ralston
As we continue to ensure that the safety of our students and staff are our highest priority, I want to update each of you on some information related to COVID-19 and our precautions associated with the pandemic. Please know that much of this information is also shared in additional detail throughout the Gazette.
- We will continue to stress proper hand hygiene throughout the year, and we will continue to have hand sanitizer available throughout the building.
- The District continues to e-mist facilities on a regular basis.
- Pursuant to the Governor's executive order, masks are not required. I, along with Conroe ISD, encourage every student, staff member, and visitor to wear a mask. I will wear a mask in any situation where I am not alone in a room.
- We will also limit volunteer opportunities for the time-being. At this point, volunteers will be limited to projects that can be completed within the front office or at home.
We continue to take precautions to promote the safety of our students, our staff, and our community.
There is a lot of additional information in this beginning of the year edition of the Giesinger Gazette. It is lengthy, but there is information about arrival and dismissal procedures, beginning of the year events, and many other things that will help us all prepare for an amazing 2021-2022 school year.
Stay safe,
Melissa Ralston
Principal
Roadmap to Remaining Open
Transportation Information
Dismissal begins each day at 3:10. Please know that dismissal at the beginning of school year always takes longer than usual.
For those of our families who make use of the car rider line, please know that we continue to grow in terms of student enrollment. We anticipate longer waits in the car line both for arrival and for dismissal.
Modes of Transportation
1. Bus rider. (Students are eligible to ride the bus if their home is further than one mile from the school.) Bus routes are posted online on the Conroe ISD web site. (Click on Parents/Students>Transportation>Find Bus Route.) Please check the website to find your child’s bus number, pick-up/drop-off locations, and times. Students must be eligible and registered to ride the bus and may only ride the bus they are registered to ride. You can register your child at the website here. Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten students will not be dropped off without an adult present at the bus stop to meet them. Parents should bring the yellow bus sign with them to help the driver identify the guardian. The buses may run late the first couple weeks as the drivers get students to their stops.
2. Car rider. The car rider line is at the front of the school. In the mornings, cars come into the line from both directions on White Oak Blvd. We ask that while waiting on the street you move over as far to the right as possible to let through traffic pass. Once in the school parking lot, stay as close to the right curb as possible. By doing so, you will allow school staff to enter the faculty lot. When leaving the parking lot during arrival, cars must turn right. Beginning at 7:30, there will be staff on the front porch to open doors to let students out of their cars. Please have your child sit on the passenger side of the vehicle so that they can exit directly onto the front porch. After 8:00, staff members return to their instructional duties inside the building and are not available to open doors for arriving students. (Car line dismissal procedures are described in the next section below.
3. Day Care. Day care vehicles drop off and pick up students in the back of the school with school buses. If your child will not be riding the day car bus due to an early pick-up or transportation change, please notify the day care so they know your child will not be riding that day.
4. Biker/Walker. Pr-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, and First grade students must have a parent, guardian, or designated adult present at the side gate by the PK-1st playground (White Oak Blvd) at dismissal in order to walk or bike home. The school must have signed permission from the parent/guardian for second-fourth graders to walk or bike home alone.
On severe weather dismissal days, students will not walk or bike ride home. If you select biker/walker as your child's primary mode of transportation, they will be placed in the car rider line for severe weather.
Bus and Car Rider Procedures
Buses and day care buses unload and load at the back of the building.
Car lines for arrival and dismissal are at the front of the school. Student drop off begins at 7:30. There is no staff on duty to supervise students before 7:30 each morning. Arrival procedures for the car line are discussed in the section above. Please do not block the driveway entering our school. We must maintain a clear entrance at all times. If the circle line begins forming and there is not room to enter our car line, please park along White Oak until the line begins moving. Parked cars will be asked to move in order to keep the path clear.
If you need additional time securing your children during the loading process, please move forward to the open space at the front of our driveway. Keeping the main lane directly in front of our school moving allows for a safe, more efficient dismissal.
Finally, if you arrive after our dismissal line clears and there are no staff members on the front porch, we ask that you park and come in with a valid ID to pick up your child.
Each student will receive transportation tags. These are available at the front office. Anyone picking up a student through the car line must have a transportation tag. Once a staff member has called for your child, do not change your location in the car line as students will be dismissed in the order transportation calls were made.
As you move through the car line, remember these safety reminders:
- Children will load on the passenger side of the car. This lets them entry the car directly from the front porch and keeps them out of the driveway.
- Please wait for the line to move forward once your child has been loaded into your vehicle. For everyone’s safety, do not pull around other cars.
- Remain in your vehicle while in the car rider line.
- In order to keep the car line moving, please take the time to teach your child to unbuckle and buckle their own seat belt/safety belt. Please do not stop the line or exit your vehicle.
Cars must turn right when leaving the school driveway at dismissal. On some days, there will be a CISD Police Officer on duty at the entrance to/exit from the school during dismissal.
Overflow Parking
Drop-Off Procedures for Forgotten Items
If you need eye glasses delivered to your child, please bring them to the school. We will deliver them to your child immediately. Any class work, binders, or books dropped off at the school will be placed in the teacher's mailbox to be picked up during the day.
Free School Breakfast and Lunch
The first regular school breakfast and lunch is free for every student in Conroe ISD this year. Additional meals can be purchased for $2.60 (breakfast) and $3.85 (lunch).
While meals are free during the school year, it is still very important for those who are eligible for free or reduced lunch to continue to submit the application during the registration or records update process. The number of students eligible for free or reduced lunch has the potential to affect the state accountability rating and funding for the school.
It's more than a meal application...
Did you know that meal applications assist in so much more than just meals?
* P-EBT
* AP Tests
* College Application Fees
* Most Sports
* School Funding
* Internet Access
* School Meals
Conroe ISD families can complete an online meal application beginning July 19, 2021. Applying is fast and easy at www.myschoolapps.com
Lunch and Specials Schedules:
Lunch Schedule:
- Pre-Kindergarten 11:10-11:40
- Kindergarten 11:10-11:40
- First Grade 11:20-11:50
- Life Skills 11:45-12:15
- Third Grade 12:00-12:30
- Fourth Grade 12:25-12:55
- Second Grade 12:35-1:05
Specials Schedule:
- Fourth Grade 8:35-9:20
- Third Grade 9:25-10:10
- Second Grade 10:15-11:00
- Pre-Kindergarten 11:05-11:50
- Kindergarten 1:15-2:00
- First Grade 2:05-2:50
Sign-up for School Messenger
Get Connected!
Stay in touch with CISD by downloading our new mobile app!
Download the app on your mobile device today and select ‘yes’ to receive push notifications with the latest news and updates from the District.
Key Features:
- Push Notifications - Select ‘yes’ when you download the app to receive the latest push notifications from the District.
- Calendar Events - Add events to the calendar on your personal mobile device directly from the calendar section on the app.
- News - Check out the latest District-wide and school news all in one place!
Parent Access Login
To access your child’s information online you must register for an account.
Please go to the following link and follow the directions below:
Click the “Student/Parent” tab
Click on “Parent Access Center”
Click “Register”
Would You Like to Join the Giesinger PTO?
Our PTO believes in the students, staff, and families at Giesinger. By contributing to our fundraisers, you are making all kinds of quality programs and events available to ALL of our students!
Membership Donation Levels:
$10 Bronze Individual Membership
$25 Silver Individual Membership
$50 Gold Individual Membership
https://giesinger.conroeisd.net/committee/get-involved/pto/
The purpose of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is to:
(a) promote the welfare of children at Giesinger
(b) to foster cooperation between parents and teachers in the education of children at Giesinger
(c) to unite school and community efforts in securing for all children the best education
(d) to engage in fundraising activities for the educational and recreational benefit of Giesinger, its children, teachers, and staff as determined by the PTO and in accordance with the PTO by-laws.
Amazon Smile~ You shop. Amazon gives.
Select Giesinger Elementary School as your charity!
What is AmazonSmile?
AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organizationHow do I shop at AmazonSmile?
To shop at AmazonSmile simply go to smile.amazon.com from the web browser on your computer or mobile device. You may also want to add a bookmark to smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile.How do I select a charitable organization to support when shopping on AmazonSmile?
On your first visit to AmazonSmile smile.amazon.com, you need to select a charitable organization to receive donations from eligible purchases before you begin shopping. We will remember your selection, and then every eligible purchase you make at smile.amazon.com will result in a donation.School Information
- Our doors open at 7:30 for all students.
- Students are counted "tardy" after 8:00. Instruction begins promptly at 8:00 and we want our students present and ready to learn!
- Please do not drop off students before 7:30 as there is no adult supervision on the front porch.
- Breakfast is served from 7:30-7:55.
- Transportation changes need to be made by 2:00. Emergency transportation changes can me made no later than 2:30.
- Students will not be checked out after 2:30.
- Dismissal begins at 3:10.
- Please display your car or walker sign when picking your students up each day. This is for the safety for all students and to help our staff and substitutes on duty.
- Thank you for your continued support. Eagles Soar to Excellence in All We Do!
Connect With Us!
"Eagles Soar to Excellence In All We Do!"
Email: giesinger@conroeisd.net
Website: http://giesinger.conroeisd.net
Phone: 936-709-2600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GiesingerCISD/
Twitter: @GiesingerElementary
The Conroe Independent School District (District) as an equal opportunity educational provider and employer does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, or disability in educational programs or activities that it operates or in employment matters. The District is required by Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as amended, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as Board policy not to discriminate in such a manner.
For information about Title IX rights or Section 504/ADA rights, contact the Title IX Coordinator or the Section 504/ADA coordinator at 3205 W. Davis, Conroe, TX 77304; (936) 709-7752.