GEIST GAZETTE
April 29, 2022
GEIST ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Website: https://ges.hseschools.org/
Location: 14051 East 104th Street, Fishers, IN 46037
Phone: 317-915-4260
Twitter: @Geistgators
Message from the Principal
Dear GES Families-
Oh my goodness there are only 15 days until the end of school, but who is counting!
Please check the schedule below for all the activities taking place in the final three weeks of school. Please make sure your background check is up to date if you are entering the school for any classroom events or participating in Earth Day or Field Day. It takes five days for the background checks to be run through the system.
There have been recent news reports regarding adults seeking out young students online and in one specific local case the man was pretending to be a young child named "Lizzy." I would encourage you to have a conversation with your children about not "friending" a person online they do not know. Unfortunately, chat rooms and joint game-play can be a concerning activity for children if not closely monitored. We will continue to teach safe internet skills for home and school. Hopefully our continued team effort between home and school will continue to make a positive difference in our school community.
As always, take time to review all the details embedded in our newsletter!
Thank you-
Christi Thomas
May 2-13 NWEA testing K-4
May 2-6- Staff Appreciation
May 5- Kindergarten performance
May 9- 4th Grade Track Meet
May 9-13- GES Book Fair
May 9-13- Can Food Drive to Support our Community ( Soup and Vegetables)
May 10- Earth Day
May 11- PTO Scoops Night at Bruster's
May 14- Last day for School Supply Kit Orders
May 16- Bongo Boys presents
May 18- Field Day
May 20- Last student day
SAVE THE DATE: Scoops Night at Bruster's
Wed, May 11, 2022, 04:00 PM
Thank an Educator
Hamilton Southeastern Schools is made up of educators of all kinds…teachers, counselors, bus drivers, principals, nurses, coaches, instructional assistants, secretaries, custodians, and food services workers, just to name a few. Collectively, they help our students become the best version of themselves throughout the year. We know HSE is lucky to have such phenomenal people working with our students. Thank an Educator is a wonderful way to show appreciation to anyone who has made a difference for your student this year.
Library Update
Returning Library Books
The week of May 2nd will be our last days for library book checkout. All books will be due the following week. If students have missing books, please dedicate time at home AND school trying to locate them. Contact Mrs. Pidcock at kpidcock@hse.k12.in.us or 317.915.4260, ext. 1691 for replacement information.
Scholastic Book Fair
Excitement is building as we look forward to our first in-person book fair since November 2020. Scholastic Publishing will provide a "books only" fair from May 9th to May 13th. Students may purchase with cash or checks payable to GES PTO. Adults have the additional option of shopping with credit cards.
Shopping Schedule:
- Monday, May 9th 4th grade classes
- Tuesday, May 10th 1st grade classes
- Wednesday, May 11th 2nd grade classes
- Thursday, May 12th 3rd grade classes
- Friday, May 13th Kindergarten classes
- Lifeskills and CFL may shop at their convenience.
- After-school shopping on Tuesday, May 10th from 2:30 to 4:30
Book Fair Volunteers are needed and appreciated and must have a current background check on file. Click here for the PTO link to sign up for your preferred days and time slots.
Summer library hours are back. Detailed information will be in the next newsletter.
Are You Moving?
If your student will not be returning to Geist Elementary due to the fact that you are moving out of the GES boundaries or are transferring to a non-HSE school and have not yet notified our office, please email Ellen Roberson eroberson@hse.k12.in.us.
Finn helped Mrs. Thomas with Thursday's announcements and Pledge of Allegiance
Cafeteria News - Lunch Accounts
Mrs. Barnes will run a report towards end of year regarding lunch account balances. You may check your child's balance on Skyward. If your student has a negative account balance please add funds through the efunds website or by sending in a check/cash. At this time it looks like the meals will not be free for all students next year. If you are interested in the free or reduced lunch program please fill out the form on Skyward.
Sign Up for the FYAP Summer Meals Program
It is time to register for the Fishers Youth Assistance Summer Meals Program. This program will provide grocery items for breakfast and lunch for five days during the weeks of May 31st through July 19th. We are pleased to announce that our program is moving to its new and permanent site at 8766 E 96th St, Fishers, IN 46037 (Old Mash building). Weekly pick up day is currently unknown due to difficulties with scheduled food delivery. We will notify registrants as soon as we know this information. To be part of this program you must sign up by May 15th 2022. The program will be limited, so please register early. Click here to sign up for the program.
School Supply Kits! Orders Due May 14
The PTO is excited to share the opportunity to support GES students and teachers with the purchase of a school supply kit. All the supplies have been carefully chosen by the grade level teachers.
You can also purchase additional classroom supplies, such as sanitizing wipes, hand sanitizer, Kleenex, and zip top bags that are not included in the kits but needed (and appreciated) as classroom supplies.
Go to www.shopttkits.com and type in the account number: 32455 to order your grade level kit and extra supplies! Ordering ends on 5/14/2022.
REMINDER FROM YOUR NURSES AT GES
If you have scheduled medication, Epi Pens, or inhalers in the clinic for child, please remember to let the nurse know how you would like it transported home on the last day of school. Thank you!
COVID At-Home Testing Kits Available
The Indiana Department of Health has supplied HSE Schools with COVID test kits to provide to our families. Test kits are available for families to pick up at the school or if your student is being sent home from school with COVID-like symptoms, the nurse will offer to send a test kit home with your student. Testing does not take place in the school by nursing but can be sent home for a parent/guardian to perform.
R.A.V.E. REVIEW
Recognizing All Valuable Employees
Do you know an employee who makes HSE Schools a better place for others? Do you know someone who exemplifies the Mission of HSE Schools? Have you observed an employee who goes above and beyond their job responsibilities/duties to make a difference?
These individuals deserve a 5-star “RAVE Review!”
The goal of the RAVE (Recognizing All Valuable Employees) Review is to identify and honor those, in their contributions and service to HSE Schools, exemplify our mission. Click here to submit a nomination.
Miss Schmitt Bailey & Wood Mortgage and RE/Max Complete RAVE gift card winner!
CANNED FOOD DRIVE MAY 9-13
Lost and Found to be Donated
We have over 80 coats, jackets and hoodies in our lost and found along with many other items. Please ask your children to look at the lost and found for anything they're missing. We also have quite a collection of eyeglasses in the office. You may visit the school during school hours to check it as well. All of these items will be donated when school is out.
Graduation Open House for our Seniors!
Congratulations to our Gators who are graduating from high school this year! These students are invited to join teachers and staff after school on Wednesday, May 11 from 3:00-4:15. Help us spread the word! This event is limited to the seniors and current and former staff members.
SEL at GES - UPDATE
Check out the upcoming SEL lessons on mindfulness, focus and awareness. Click the links for more details.
PTO Needs Your Help!
As families have moved on from GES, we have had some important committee roles to fill on the PTO in the coming school year.
The GES PTO welcomes everyone from staff, parents and caregivers to grandparents, aunts and uncles. Whether you can help once a week or once a month, we need your help to be able to continue to do what we do for the GES staff and students. Please visit the PTO website to learn more about the positions that we need to fill before the end of the school year.
GES Cafe Cashier/Monitor Position Open
Looking for a fun and flexible career? Join the HSE Food and Nutrition Department. We're hiring full-time and part-time positions with competitive pay and benefit options. No experience necessary.
Geist Elementary has a Cashier/Monitor Position available! Hours are 10-2 each school day.
This is an opportunity to make a difference in the community by working in the public schools. The HSE Food and Nutrition Department promotes a family-like work environment. You can work a schedule that fits with your child's school hours. No evenings or weekends ! Want to to learn more? Contact June Barnes, GES Cafe Manager at 317-915-4260 or jbarnes@hse.k12.in.us
NWEA Testing Grades K, 1, 2, 3, and 4
The NWEA Spring testing window is Monday, May 2nd through Friday, May 13.
Be on the lookout for classroom communication for the ELA and Math assessment schedules.
ILEARN Grades 3 and 4
Grade 3 and 4 ILEARN Testing Window opens Monday, April 18th
Our GES third and fourth students are prepared with the tools to be successful on the Indiana Department of Education required ILEARN assessment. ILEARN is Indiana’s online computer-adaptive assessment designed to measure your child’s proficiency of the Indiana Academic Standards for Grades 3-8. In grade 3, students participate in ELA and Math assessments. Grade 4 students participate in ELA, Math, and SC assessments.
GES 4th grade students will participate beginning Monday, April 18th.
GES 3rd grade students will participate beginning Monday, April 25th.
In preparation for ILEARN, we are asking for your support at home in the following ways:
*Fully-charge your child's iPad the night before testing.
*Families are a part of each child's team and academic success. Share with your child how proud of them you are and build their confidence approaching the assessment; Just provide encouragement and help your child get a good night's sleep.
You've got this!
*Have your child eat a healthy breakfast to provide the brain energy: protein, protein, protein.
*Arrive at school on time. We will begin the assessment promptly at 8:10AM each morning.
We are proud of our Geist Gator students, we know they will rock ILEARN!
Mudsock Youth Athletics Updates
Boys Volleyball is BACK this Spring:
Due to interest, Mudsock Youth Volleyball will be running sessions for 3rd - 8th graders from April 22nd - May 15th on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons. Participants can register NOW at myathletics.com. Parents/guardians, thank you for letting us know if you'd like to coach on the online form. Learn everything you need to know, including the format here. We’ll see you on the courts soon! Questions? Email mudsockvolleyball@gmail.com.
Knights Travel Cheerleading Tryouts:
Calling all incoming 5th and 6th graders! Do you want to stunt, flip, jump, and cheer for the Knights Travel Football Team? Attend the callout meeting on April 25th for all the details. The Knights Cheerleading 2022 season tryouts will be held Sunday, May 15th, from 4:30-7 p.m. at DeVeau’s Gymnastics. Find information and registration details here.
Fall Sport Registration Opens May 1st:
Mark your calendars! Open registration for football, cheerleading, soccer, girls volleyball, cross country, co-ed field hockey, fall baseball and softball will take place on May 1 – May 31st at myathletics.com. Find fall season information from our leagues here.