Tiger Time News
News from the O.C. Taylor Principal, Lisa Young
Young@Heart, February 25, 2018
Dear O.C. Taylor Parents,
Please remember to scroll down and read our PTA newsletter portion and specific grade level newsletters. Click here to see the Tiger Time News, student video version.
Thank you to all who came last week on the rainy, frigid evening to support OCT at Spring Creek BBQ! Wow! We had a blast... fun, food, and fellowship. We love our OCT families!
Motivating children to read is an important factor in student achievement and creating lifelong successful readers. Research has shown that children who are motivated and spend more time reading do better in school. On Friday, March 2, O.C. Taylor will be celebrating Read Across America Day (also the birthday of Dr. Seuss)! Please partner with us to develop a love of reading in your child. On March 2, tell your child what your favorite childhood book is and why. Spend time snuggling up and reading together.
"You're never too old, too wacky, too wild, to pick up a book and read with a child." ~Dr. Seuss
To the BEST of days,
Principal Young
Email: lisa.young@gcisd.net
Website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=16665
Location: 5300 Pool Road, Colleyville, TX, United States
Phone: (817) 305-4870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OC-Taylor-Elementary-School-361871583888299/
Twitter: @OCTYoung
OCT Vision: To empower our children today to create a better tomorrow.
OCT Mission: To create life-long learners and develop servant leaders through authentic, real-world experiences.
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Upcoming Dates
Monday, February 26
Tuesday, February 27
8:00 - 12:00 Spring Picture Day - Individual/Class Pictures
Wednesday, February 28
1:00 - 1:45 PreK-2nd Boosterthon Pep Rally
1:45 - 2:30 3rd-5th Boosterthon Pep Rally
3:00 - 3:45 Yearbook - Group B
Thursday, March 1
2:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. 1st Grade Music In Our Schools
2:55 - 4:00 p.m. Choir
Friday, March 2
Dr. Seuss' Birthday... Read Across America Day! Wear red or dress like Dr. Seuss.
3:00 - 3:45 p.m. Running Club
Monday, March 5
8:15 a.m. PTA Executive Board Meeting
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Special Olympics - Triple Threat Shootout (GHS)
Tuesday, March 6
Exercise your right to vote by participating in the 2018 Texas Primaries
Wednesday, March 7
3:00 - 3:45 Yearbook - Group
Thursday, March 8
5:00 - 6:00 p.m. 4th Grade Sky Ranch Parent Meeting in Learning Commons
6:00 - 7:00 p.m. Portrait of A Graduate Showcase/Open House
Friday, March 9
Boosterthon Fun Run!!! All are invited!
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A Note from GCISD Superintendent, Dr. Robin Ryan
Like you, I watched in horror last week as we witnessed the reports of another tragic school shooting. This one, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, took the lives of students and staff. Everyone associated with schools: students, parents, staff members and community members feel the pain and trauma each time this happens in our country. We search for answers to questions like: “How could this happen again?” and “How can we keep it from happening in the future?” As we grieve with the families in Florida, we also look to the security measures we have in place to protect our students and staff.
In GCISD, we practice several different types of scenarios and implement security measures accordingly. We make every effort to physically keep our students safe and we are taking additional steps thanks to our supportive community. In 2016, GCISD voters approved a bond package that included measures to secure students and staff including new security cameras, controlled entrance access for campuses and a fully integrated network security system.
Additionally, each secondary campus has a police officer that is stationed at the school every day and our counselors have resources for reporting concerns on their websites. We work closely with our local police departments and school resource officers to investigate every concern quickly and thoroughly, and we communicate with staff, parents and the community when matters arise that need a wider response. We understand that when we do have to communicate, there are questions that may be left unanswered for our families based on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which prohibits the district and campuses from sharing specific information related to the incident or students. Please know that we do have policies and procedures in place for addressing these incidents, even if we are unable to provide you with those details. For more general information on the district’s disciplinary guidelines, please review the Student Code of Conduct.
The most important thing that we can all do is to build a strong sense of togetherness and pride in our community’s schools and ensure our adults are building healthy relationships with students. Beginning with ‘“circle up” time in elementary schools, our students begin to build those relationships with their teachers and with each other. Those relationships are the foundations that are built upon when students get to middle and high school. This provides a safe space to have conversations with students when issues arise on campus, in our community and in our nation.
We also encourage everyone to report if they have a suspicion that something might be wrong. The adage of “see something, say something” may seem like a basic concept, but it is critical in our ability to get ahead of a potential threat.
We will continue to practice, review and refine our safety and security measures as the safety of our students and staff is our top priority of the GCISD Board of Trustees and our staff members.
Dr. Robin Ryan
GCISD Superintendent
OCT Updates
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AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK ONE OF OUR CROSSING GUARDS
CLARIFICATION: THANK-YOU CARDS & PICTURES FOR ONE OF OUR CROSSING GUARDS"
Last week's newsletter re: the stepping down of one of our crossing guards needs clarification. The crossing guard in front of the school, Mr. Bob, is STILL our crossing guard. He will be out for about 1 month but rest-assured he plans to return!
However, the crossing guard who stood closest to Compass Center (at the entrance to Summer Tree) will no longer be a crossing guard, our beloved Mr. Thomas Bailey. If you and/or your children would like to make him a card/picture, we will be collecting them in a box at the front office through March 1st. Officer Williams, from our Colleyville Police Department, will deliver them.
Questions? Contact Betsy Dodson at Betsy.Dodson@gmail.com
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Read Across America, March 2
NEA's Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that calls for every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children's author Dr. Seuss. We will be spending time reading, and teachers will share their favorite childhood book. Students are invited to dress like Dr. Seuss or to wear red.
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Pre-Kindergarten
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A Note from Music, Mrs. Vencill
The days are flying by as we continue learning and making beautiful music in the OCT music room. Parents - please mark your calendars for our upcoming music events and programs.
Thursday, March 1 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.: 1st Grade Music In Our Schools Celebration in the OCT cafeteria. Our 1st graders will sing, dance and play instruments to highlight the importance of music in our public schools. This is a musical celebration you won't want to miss.
*1st grade students are expected to participate in BOTH performances!
Thursday, March 22 at 6:30 p.m.: The Taylor Tiger Choir will perform at the beginning of our PTA Spaghetti Dinner in the OCT cafeteria. Look for Spaghetti Dinner order forms to go home in your student's Monday folder soon! The Taylor Tiger Choir will perform the same songs for our OCT students and staff Thursday, April 5 at 2 p.m.
**Save the date for our 2nd Grade Festival of Friends program Thursday, May 3 at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. and Fifth Grade Rocks Thursday, May 22 at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.!! Our 2nd and 5th grade Tigers are already working hard to learn music and practice their performance etiquette for these special programs.
Congratulations to our Kindergarten students for a job well done in their Kindergarten Rodeo. These students will focus on basic rhythm notation and melodic direction over the next several weeks. We will use percussion instruments and Orff instruments to support these skills.
3rd graders will take a short break from playing Orff instruments to discuss the 4 instrument families. Students will learn how sound is produced and the pitch is changed in each family, and will be able to identify and group instruments by sight and by sound.
The perseverance our 4th graders show every day as they continue working through their Recorder Karate songs is amazing. These students are asked to read and perform rhythmic notation, identify and play notes from the treble clef staff, follow basic music symbols, and create a beautiful sound on their recorders by using the perfect amount of air and finger placement. That's a LOT to think about during ONE activity. I am so proud of these awesome musicians.
Please feel free to call or send an email if you have any questions about the fun happening in the OCT music room!
Mrs. Vencill
Beth Vencill
Music Teacher
O.C. Taylor Elementary School
Twitter - @OCTVencill #theoctway
817-305-4870
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A Note from Art, Mrs. Morgan
For the month of March, students will be finishing up their artist study. Once students are finished, we will be exploring parts of a landscape, contour line drawing, drawing/ shading, and one-point perspective.
Kindergarten will be looking at the artist Piet Mondrian to review primary colors and shape terms. They will create an abstract piece using horizontal and vertical lines.
First grade will learn how to draw a still life using small and large objects. They will also review different types of lines to add to their still life.
Second grade will review the terms foreground and background by creating a 3-D landscape. They will also learn about how the sizes of the items are related to the foreground and background.
Third grade will learn the terms foreground, middle ground and background to create a landscape. Students will also learn about intermediate colors.
Fourth grade will learn about the different types of shading, like cross-hatching, stippling, blending, and hatching. They will also get to explore contour line drawings.
Fifth grade will learn about one-point perspective and vanishing points. They will also explore shading to make objects 3-dimensional and identify where the light source is coming from.
Cristie Morgan
Art Teacher
O.C. Taylor Elementary
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A Note from Physical Education, Coach Mester and Coach Mac
We just finished competing in our own OC Taylor Winter Olympic Games, and I was incredibly impressed with your teamwork and sportsmanship! Who knows, maybe one day we will see some of you up on stage receiving a real Olympic Medal.
Next month, we will have fun improving our endurance, strength, and flexibility. We will also be working on building character along with our awesome Boosterthon Team. Tigers, keep making healthy food choices, exercising 60 minutes a day, and drinking lots of water!
Coach Mester and Coach Mac
Physical Education Teachers
O.C. Taylor Elementary
817-305-4870
#OCT4U
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Don’t Mess with Texas Art Contest
Students in grades K-12 are invited to participate in this art contest to help promote litter prevention and keep our state of Texas beautiful. Students can create artwork that promotes Keep Texas Beautiful or Don’t Mess with Texas. The entry deadline is April 20, 2018. For more information, please visit the website https://www.ktb.org/don-t-mess-with-texas-art-contest#Entry
Doodle 4 Google
Students in grades K-12 are invited to participate in the Doodle 4 Google contest. The theme for the contest is “what inspires me.” Students can use a variety of materials to create their doodle but it needs to include the letters G-o-o-g-l-e. The entry deadline is March 2nd, 2018. For more information please visit, https://doodles.google.com/d4g/
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Updates from OCT Counselor, Mrs. Whisman
Please click here to see the March Counselor Corner Newsletter.
Our GCISD Rachel’s Challenge Rally will be on April 21, 2018 at CHHS! Start spreading kindness everywhere you go!
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Updates from the Learning Commons, Mrs. Bonacci
Many O. C. Taylor students have completed the GCISD READS Challenge. Remember to submit the list of books that you’ve read this year to Mrs. Bonacci so you can be part of the end-of-year celebration! If you haven’t completed the challenge YET, don’t worry! There is still time. The challenge deadline is May 11th. If you have completed it see if you can do the next challenge. For more information, check out this Smore. Happy Reading!
Access to all of our high quality, subscription-based resources is easy through the GCISD ClassLink app. This tool makes it easy to see what is available and it uses just ONE login. If you need assistance accessing any of these resources please email me at dawn.bonacci@gcisd.net I am always happy to help!
Thank you to everyone who has supported our Green Screen Production Studio! The National Education Associationstresses the importance of developing the “4 C’s” (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity) to prepare learners for the future and the green screen room helps to do that and more. Our Tigers love being able to share their learning and they are highly motivated to improve with each video they produce.
For information about the Learning Commons Programs and Services visit this link-
https://www.smore.com/wk447-o-c-taylor-learning-commons
Check out our YouTube Channel to see the student version of the Tiger Time News- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNyhxtBhBp-_OPAja5yoffQ
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Updates from Gifted and Talented, Mrs. Griffin
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5th Grade Parents of Future Colleyville Middle
5th Grade Parents,
It was so wonderful getting to meet so many of you at our CMS 5th Grade Showcase! Click here to see a letter from us on how to sign up for band and the process of selecting an instrument. If you were unable to attend last evening, there is a link included that will take you to our sign-up genius so you can get your student set up for an interview.
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!
Thank you,
Lauren Jones
Director of Bands
Colleyville Middle School
817-305-4905
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Applications Due
The applications for dual language, STEM programs and tuition-based pre-kindergarten will be open online beginning Friday, February 9, 2018. The application window will remain open until March 9, 2018. If more applications are received than there are available seats, a lottery will be held on March 29, 2018, at 10 am.
Once the application system is open, the application link will be available at this website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Domain/3802
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Watch Dogs
We are so excited to have the Watch Dog program back again this year! Thank you to those who have signed up to be a Watch Dog. The process this year is a little different. Here is the form that needs to be submitted along with your background check and t-shirt purchase. Once those things are taken care, Jennifer Howard will send an email with the Signup Genius so you can choose a day to volunteer. We ask that you plan a week in advance when signing up. The calendar will be closed after Friday mornings for the following week to ensure teachers and the volunteers receive schedules. Thank you for understanding and respecting our process and procedure of this program.
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Special Olympics Annual Fund Raiser, Mon., March 5
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Math Telescoping Exams
Registration for the April 21 Math Telescoping Exams will open on February 22 and close on March 8. Please click here for more information from the district website. Our second testing date will be June 20th with registration from May 3-23, 2018. Click here to read the flyer.
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Note from GCISD Nutrition Services
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GCISD is Now Hiring! Join the GCISD TEAM!
Do you know someone ready to join the GCISD Team? Please help spread the word! Great opportunities are available in our auxiliary departments:
- Nutrition Specialists –Part Time with benefits – Work while your students are in school!
- KidzU Extended Care Program Site Aides – Part Time with benefits – Great schedule for local college students!
- Night Custodians
- Bus Drivers & Monitors
- Maintenance Engineers
Apply online at: www.gcisd-k12.org
GCISD is looking for new Subs! Apply Online!
Hey parents and community members! Do you find yourself always on campus volunteering and helping out? Want to be more involved in the classroom and get a paycheck? Then subbing might just be for you!
We are hiring qualified candidates to substitute teach for GCISD. If you are looking to impact kids and help make a difference, we want you! You must have a minimum of 60 college hours to apply. Apply online: www.gcisd-k12.org
If you have any questions, contact erica.pasvar@gcisd.net.
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School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)
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SAVE THE DATE! PARENTS' NIGHT OUT Thurs., March 29th, 6 - 9 pm
Please join us for OC Taylor’s first ever Parents’ Night Out!
WHEN: Thursday, March 29th from 6-9pm.
WHERE: Sloan & Williams Winery in Grapevine
Sloan & Williams will be giving back 30% of all proceeds spent on wine and food that evening!
We will also be hosting a Silent Auction including a Gift Card Grab, Head or Tails Games, and Fun Packages - including 4 Disneyland One-Day Park Hoppers!!
Childcare will be provided at OC Taylor from 5:30-9:30 for all current students for $10 per child, including pizza, drinks, snacks, and tons of fun! We cannot accomodate children who are not attending O.C. Taylor.
It’s a night you and your kids don’t want to miss! Be on the look out for more details!!
HELP O.C. TAYLOR PTA WIN $1,000 TO FURTHER SUPPORT OUR SCHOOL! JOIN PTA!
Chrysler is partnering with Texas PTA to award three $1,000 prizes to those local PTA's who have increased their previous years membership by 5%. The O.C. Taylor PTA is only 5 members away from being eligible for the contest. If you haven't already, please consider joining the PTA. Plus if you join, you get the super useful O.C. Taylor phone directory!
To join our O.C. Taylor PTA, click on this link: http://www.joinpta.org/
PLEASE DONATE! GALLON-SIZED ZIPLOC BAGS & EARBUDS
As part of our support for Rachel's Challenge, O.C. Taylor has been asked to collect donations of gallon size Ziploc bags and earbuds. All donations will support the 2018-2019 GCISD Back To School Fair.
Please drop all donations in the box in the lobby.
We are excited about the other Rachel's Challenge activity, the Fun Run and Rally on April 21st!
Contact OCT Diversity Council Chair, Rebecca Rodriguez at beckeg@yahoo.com with any questions.
Thank you!
THE VOICE: TEXAS PTA NEWSLETTER - CHECK IT OUT
FIRST GRADE SUPPORTS GRACE CEREAL DRIVE!
February is 1st Grade's turn
TO SUPPORT THE GRACE CEREAL DRIVE
Collection baskets will be outside FIRST GRADE classrooms for the month of February. Buy an extra box of cereal and SPREAD THE LOVE!
Questions? Concerns: contact Athena Wiginton at apw@thewigintons.com
APPLE TREE PROJECT
Don't forget the O.C. Taylor Apple Tree! Teachers need items from the Apple Tree. Apple Tree is an easy way to donate items teachers and staff need at the school.
Simply click he link below to see different "needs" around the school. If you choose to help, please make sure to mark as taken! Once taken, please send your item(s) to school with your child, attaching the name of the staff member for who it is intended.
Apple Tree List
Thanks so much! If you have any questions, please contact:
Jenifer Richards – Apple Tree coordinator
Jennifer Ditto - VP Volunteer
February:
2/27 Spring School & Club PIctures
2/28 Boosterthon Pep Rally
March
3/1 2 pm and 6:30 pm First-Grade Music In Our Schools Program
3/8 6:30 pm OPEN HOUSE
3/9 Boosterthon Fun Run
3/12 - 16 SPRING BREAK
3/22 6:30 PTA Pizza & Salad Dinner, Choir Program & Spirit Shop
3/29 6 - 9 pm PARENTS NIGHT OUT!
3/30 No School (if no Inclement Weather Days)
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Thank you!
We think your kids are..... G-G-G-G-reat!
GCISD - Building Excellent Schools Together
GCISD LEAD 2021- BUILDING EXCELLENT SCHOOLS TOGETHER!
The mission of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is to be THE BEST and through the district’s strategic plan, called LEAD 2021, we continue building on the foundation started in 2011-2012. LEAD stands for Leading Excellence – Action Driven. For more information about LEAD 2021, please visit the district website. There are some exciting educational experiences going on in GCISD!
GCISD’s WHY?
Redefining Education because your future matters today!
GCISD’s Portrait of a Graduate
Skilled Problem Solvers
Communicators
Global Citizens
Self-regulated Learners
Collaborators
Stay Connected at O. C. Taylor Elementary School
We have a number of ways to keep in touch with our school. Be sure to read, subscribe to and join these resources to get all the latest news.
Facebook: If you’re a Facebook member be sure to join the O.C. Taylor Elementary Facebook Group to get updates in your feed. This group is meant to provide another way to get news and updates.
Website: The school’s website has the latest news, updates, and calendars, as well as general information about the school, resources for parents, volunteer opportunity information, event information and ways to donate.
Twitter: We regularly post events and upcoming news on Twitter. Follow me on Twitter: @OCTYoung and follow our hashtag #OCT4U.