Geist Gazette
December 16, 2016
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
Principal's Message
We have had an exciting two weeks at Geist Elementary. Many classes experienced the hour of code as well as the hour of play! It was great to see our young gators learning the language of code.
Please know that NWEA reports will be sent home via the Skylert system. Please note that this assessment is a small snapshot of your child's progress. At school we use multiple pieces of data to measure your child's progress. If you have any questions about your child's progress at school please contact your child's teacher after winter break. Your child's teacher can review the reading level assessment as well as in-class work to give you a picture of the progress.
We hope everyone has a safe, relaxing and joyful winter break.
Students use code to plan moves for characters.
Parents - Your help at dismissal is critical
GES is using School Dismissal Manager to direct students to the right place after school. We thank parents who have been using our system and have received many comments about its effectiveness.
It is important that parents become familiar with SDM. If your student's plans at the end of the day are different than normal you must log in to SDM and adjust it accordingly. All parents were sent a user name and password, along with instructions. Click here to learn more.
Ongoing activities such as clubs or piano lessons can be set as a recurring dismissal to allow for long-term changes, but this feature is NOT accessible on a phone or ipad. You can see two weeks only on a phone. You can set long-term recurring dismissals on a computer.
Please help us by setting up and using SDM. If you have questions give us a call at 317-915-4260.
HSE Weather Delay and Cancellation Policy
Dec. 5: Leah Z
Dec. 12: Sam I
Art Room News
If your workplace has unwanted paper or card stock, please consider donating it to the GES art room. It can be of any size of color. Thank you!
I would like to thank all the families for the gifts I received this week. I truly appreciate each one. Thank you for thinking of me and have a wonderful winter break!
Here’s a summary of what’s been going on in the art room this semester. Look for monthly updates next semester. Remember, you can view completed works of art by your student on Artsonia.com.
First Grade: We are working our way through learning the seven elements of art. So far we have made our way through line, shape, texture, and color. We began with line paintings, shape collages, and stamped Legos to create buildings. Color was added using texture rubbing plates. For color, we learned warm and cool color groups. We created a tissue paper collage using cool colors for the background, then cut fall trees out of paper using warm colors. Our current project is a winter landscape combining these art elements. We will look at the art of Charley Harper for inspiration in finishing this project.
Second grade: Our first project was inspired by the work Numbers by Jasper Johns. Using addition math facts, we created artwork representing one number with four number sentences. We then studied the work of Romero Britto, a contemporary artist who uses bright colors and bold patterns. Students created a dog or cat in his style keeping these qualities in mind. The next project was to create an owl using pattern, then a painted background using warm colors. We are now working on snowmen water color paintings. The focus is to create the snowman from an alternate point of view other than straight-on.
Third grade: We started the year by comparing a contemporary stained glass window and one created for a cathedral in the 1400s. Using the contemporary piece as inspiration, students created a graffiti background then added a stained glass outline like those in traditional windows. Our next focus was the element of art, space. Two landscape pieces have been created. One is contemporary landscape collage inspired by graphic artist Aaron Draplin. Currently we are finishing a traditional fall landscape based on Lake George by Georgia O’Keeffe. We have learned how using certain techniques help create the illusion of space in a piece of art.
Fourth grade: The first project was based on the Robert Indiana’s LOVE. Students were asked to choose a word with four letters that represented their wish for the world. Their work was to be created in a similar look to Indiana’s. We then focused on mixing paints to finish the work. Next, we learned about Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) that is celebrated in Mexico. Although often confused with Halloween because of the similar dates, it is instead a celebration of the life of those friends and family who have passed away. After viewing many examples of the art associated with this celebration, students had the choice of how they wanted to represent their work depicting this tradition. Currently we are working on three dimensional masks with a focus on shapes and texture. The artist we studied is Kimmy Cantrell, a contemporary American artist.
Friends of the Library
Thank you and congratulations to the December Friends of the Library Club members. Books have been donated by Isabella B., Alex H., Ella F., Charlotte R., Delaney M., Julia G., Iliana N., Christopher B., Parker C., Jordan C., Gavin B., Isabel B., Caroline S., and Nicole D.
Santa's Workshop Writing Entry
Taylor D's report 'Santa's Workshop' has been chosen to be featured in this week’s 12/6 Night Times, Mrs. Taylor's collection of the week’s best writing! Congratulations!
There is only one entry chosen per category from hundreds of entries each week, so it's a great achievement.
Here is her Published Featured Writing:
Santa's Workshop
By Taylor D.
2nd Grade
One foggy night it was another day at Santa’s work shop. A sleigh sat in the middle of the work shop with all of Santa’s elves are gathering around the sleigh. Santa’s sleigh was so shiny I could not believe my eyes. There were tables all over the place. The tables were as brown as Hersey chocolate.
It was Christmas Eve when all the elves were working I could see them make all the boys and girls presents even mine. I thought to myself it’s really messy in here.
I saw the Christmas tree in the corner. It had a beautiful sparkles star on the top. There were glowing lights on the Christmas tree. I even got to see Santa’s coat. It was really furry. There was even a little sparkling Christmas tree on Santa’s coat.
I could see Mrs. Claus baking delicious cookies for all the elves in the work shop. Those cookies were tasty.
Then I moved on to the next room. I even saw a golden slide. I saw an elf slide down the shiny slide. The elf that slide down the slides name was Caitriona.
I looked out the window I saw a penguin sliding on his stomach in to the icy water.
Back to the work shop. Santa was so busy making a note of who is naughty or nice. I was on the nice list. Ethan my brother was on the nice list, too. Santa’s work shop was the best thing I have ever done.
Dress your child for recess please - it's cold outside!
Parents, please dress children appropriately for the winter weather. We believe recess and time to play outside is very important in a child's day. When the team/wind child is 15 degrees or higher at the time of recess, we will go outside. We recommend that children not wear shorts to school during the winter months. Please send your child with a coat, gloves, and hat during the winter months to assure your child is properly dressed for school and recess.
Student Council Donation
Save your change - Pennies for Patients
Science Fair - January 25
Lunch Menus and Visitors
Click here to see what's being served in the café.
Click here for the food services website.
We love our lunch visitors! Please remember that we are unable to offer lunch to our visitors. You are welcome to bring your lunch; please no restaurant-packaged food.
Want to keep up on what's happening at school?
Geist Elementary PTO
Check out the Great Work of our HSE Foundation
The Hamilton Southeastern Schools Foundation has been hard at work for you.
http://hsefoundation.org/impact
http://hsefoundation.org/what-we-do