Geist Gazette
September 9, 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
Mrs. Many's Kindergators
Playing Math Games
Mrs. Beinecke's Super-Sized Marble Painting
From Mrs. Thomas, Principal
We are off to such a wonderful and busy start! Thank you to all the parents who attended our IPAD help session! We are so excited to help keep your child safe while using their learning tool! Please reference the following document to help set up your IPAD at home if you missed our help session.
I placed a chart below that I thought you might find interesting. I found it on Twitter and I tweeted it out a few weeks ago on our feed @Geistgators. I hope you are following all the amazing work your students are doing during the day!
Education has changed over the past 20 years! When I think back to my schooling, the teacher was the giver of knowledge, we had one single textbook for each subject, and it often did feel like a one size fits all. We now work very hard to create independent thinkers who thirst to find knowledge and self-engage in learning, we use multiple resources to compare, contrast and question, and we differentiate our instruction in many subjects to meet the needs of our various learners. We provide services to meet all types of learners from general education, ENL, high ability, special education, speech, and RTI ( response to instruction).
I'm pleased that my children are educated within the HSE school district so that they can experience a learner-centered education! Don't get me wrong, in looking at the first row of the chart below, we don't ignore the content. However, if content is the primary focus then we missed the point. The students must be at the center and forefront of our instruction each day! We want to create a student-centered environment that allows for choice, challenge, and authentic and relevant learning!
Thank you for supporting your children at home each day and your school! Have a wonderful week and thank you for sharing your beauties with us every day!
Christi Thomas, Principal
A New Dismissal Procedure Coming Soon
SCHOOL DISMISSAL MANAGER is coming to GES. We are pleased to provide the most effective and safest system available at the time! This is our paperless, parent controlled dismissal tool that allows you to dictate where your children go each day, without having to send in notes or make phone calls. Directions will be coming to you via a Skylert as soon as our data is in the system. This could be as soon as Monday, September 19th, and no later than September 26th. Until then, continue to communicate with your teacher, and feel free to call our office to notify of us changes. Please do so prior to 2 pm daily. Remember to notify the YMCA of any changes to your student's plans as well. Thank you for being great communicators, as we have had very little dismissal disruption this year. With SDM (School Dismissal Manager) our delivery success is maximized.
Watch this video for an introduction to School Dismissal Manager.
Lunch Visitors are Welcome at Geist Elementary
Visitors may join students at lunch in our cafeteria. Please note the following procedures to help you enjoy your visit:
- All visitors must have a valid background check on file and show their Safe Visitor Badge upon arrival (see "Safe Visitor Badge and Visitors" below for instructions on obtaining your badge);
- It is not necessary to RSVP. Plan to arrive about 5 minutes prior to your child's lunch time;
- You may bring a home packed lunch (see next item) as we are unable to provide lunch to our visitors;
- Outside restaurant-packaged food and drinks are not allowed for visitors or students. Please do not bring restaurant-packaged food or drinks for lunch;
- You may join your student for lunch but may not accompany them back to the classroom unless you are scheduled to volunteer or have made prior arrangements with the teacher;
- Fridays are Movie Day in the café.
Are you sending in lunch money, book fees, spiritwear orders, etc. with your student?
Parents, when sending in any form of payment (check, cash or otherwise) for lunch or school fees, please include the student's name, ID number and teacher's name. If you are sending registration forms or order forms it is not necessary to include the ID number.
We are blessed with over 780 students - your assistance in processing payments accurately is appreciated! Thank you!
iPad/Student Fees are Now Viewable
iPad (rental if applicable) and student fees are now available to view in Skyward. Fees are due by September 23, 2016. You can view your student’s fees in Skyward Family Access under “Fee Management”. Please note that fees that are not paid (or first payment made) by September 23rd are subject to additional processing fees. Please contact us for any/all questions regarding your child’s fees, we are here to help!!! Please allow 10 days to process fees in to skyward.
Families have two options for payment of student’s fees:
· Option #1 – a check payable to GES for the amount posted in fee management can be sent in with your child. Please indicate your child’s name and student ID number in the memo field. Your student’s ID number can be found in Skyward (your children also know this as their lunch number).
· Options #2 – pay via eFunds. There is a link to eFunds within the “Fee Management” section of Skyward on the upper right corner under “District Links”. Please note first time user will need to register in the new user area, you will also need to know your students six-digit student ID number. You can also click on the link here: https://eps.mvpbanking.com/cgi-bin/efs/login.pl?access=55481
What are other options regarding iPad and student fees?
· Payment plan…you can contact Amy Mudd, the GES Treasurer to set up a payment plan. amudd@hse.k12.in.us
· Applications for free/reduced lunches and TEXTBOOK ASSISTANCE can be filled out online in the Food Service area of your student’s Skyward account. Simply click on “Applications”, click on “Add Application” and follow the steps to complete the online application. Please note applications for assistance MUST be filled out and submitted ASAP. Families that qualified for assistance last year must re-apply each school year. Families will be notified from the Central Office if they are approved or denied for assistance. You can also click on the link here: http://www.schoolnutritionandfitness.com/index.php?page=lunchapps&sid=2205121834271841
Safe Visitor Badge and Visitors
Anyone intending to spend time in the school must have a SafeVisitor ID Badge. Please note this policy also applies to anyone wishing to join students for lunch (see below). If you have been approved as a volunteer with Hamilton Southeastern School Corporation and did not receive an email from info@safevisitorsolutions.com, please email Vicki Foutty (vfoutty@hse.k12.in.us). If you have not yet completed the background check, click here to get started.
Want to keep up on what's happening at school?
Follow @geistgators on twitter. We tweet throughout the day.
Check our website: hse.k12.in.us/GES
This newsletter, the Geist Gazette, goes out every other Friday (although it may be sent again next week). We will send it to you via email, and post it on our website under the News tab.
Geist Elementary building calendar
Lunch & Breakfast Menus
Geist Elementary PTO
Click here for this week's edition of the PTO Corner.
Our fantastic PTO has a facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/GeistElementaryPTO/
VolunteerSpot changed its name to SignUp.com. Everything looks the same and works the same, but the new link is "https://signup.com/Group/34755766093/" When you type this in, it will create a link to access our group page. See below:
Please sign up for Geist Elementary PTO activities on SignUp.com today!
Mrs. Erickson's 4th Graders Mini-PBL
Showcasing their work around the school
The goal is to spread the GES Motto
Great Choices
Empathy
Safety
EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AT GEIST:
Calling All 4th Grade Spellers!
One of the privileges of being in fourth grade at Geist Elementary is being given the opportunity to compete on the Spell Bowl Team. In order to select participants, I will be giving a spelling test Wednesday, September 14 that highlights 12 words off of the competition list. This will be during your recess session…sorry! Then, I will select the top spellers with good character from this test and invite these students to participate on the Geist Spell Bowl Team. Please understand that this score is not recorded for your child’s spelling grade. It is simply used as a tool to select spell bowl participants. The selected team will meet Tuesday mornings from 8:10-8:45. We will also have one practice session during recess before the competition date. (A detailed calendar of dates/times will be sent home with participants who make the team.) Please note that Spell Bowl is a competitive team and if you wish to compete your attendance is mandatory. Special circumstances need to be discussed with the coach. (We can work something out if you need to miss a practice.)
The competition is Thursday, November 17. Selected students will be notified by September 19 and provided with a list and calendar of practices. If you would like to see the list ahead of time students can get a list from Mrs. Tappendorf (room 25) or you can feel free to log on to the following website: www.iasp.org/pdf/spellelemwordlist.pdf
These will be the words used throughout our season. Thank you for your time and help!
Please contact me with any questions.
Coach Sarah Tappendorf
915-4260 ext. 1625
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS:
S.P.O.R.T.S.
S.P.O.R.T.S. Boys Travel Basketball
Travel Team Camp/Tryouts: Each player must wear a plain white t-shirt that can be written on with marker.
Fishers Tigers - FHS Auxiliary Gym 3rd grade - September 15, 19 & 20 - 6:00-7:30 p.m. 4th grade - September 13, 14, & 21 - 6:00-7:30 p.m. 5th grade - September 13, 14, & 21 - 7:30-9:00 p.m. 6th grade - September 15, 19, & 20 - 7:30-9:00 p.m.
HSE Roysal - HSEHS Auxiliary Gym 3rd grade - September 14, 18 & 20 - 6:00-7:30 p.m. (18th 1:00-2:30) 4th grade - September 14, 18 & 20 - 7:30-9:00 p.m. (18th 2:30-4:00) 5th grade - September 12, 13 & 19 - 6:00-7:30 p.m. 6th grade - September 12, 13 & 19 - 7:30-9:00 p.m. 4th, 5th and 6th grade call backs will be on September 22. Visit the boys basketball website for more information.
S.P.O.R.T.S. Basketball Registration – Open registration for boys and girls basketball closed on August 31. The leagues are still accepting rec registrations with a $10 late fee. We do not have the final closing date so we encourage you to register as soon as possible. Registration forms are available at the S.P.O.R.T.S. office, on the S.P.O.R.T.S. website, at all HSE schools, and the Fishers Library. Parents may also register online and can pay with a credit card or can print the form and submit it to the S.P.O.R.T.S. office with a check or cash payment. Credit cards are not accepted in the office.
S.P.O.R.T.S. Girls 3rd Grade Travel Basketball Tryouts
Tryouts for girls basketball 3rd grade travel teams will take place on the following dates:
Fishers - Tuesday, Sept. 20th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Sand Creek Intermediate;
HSE - Tuesday, Sept. 20th from 6:30-8:00 p.m. at HSE Junior High Main gym (use door 5)
Wednesday, Sept. 21st from 6:30-8:00 p.m. HSE Junior High Main Gym (use door 5)
HSE girls should attend both nights of tryouts.
There is no pre-registration required. If you have any questions, please contact Fishers travel commissioner JD Trueblood (jdtrueblood@gmail.com) or HSE travel commissioner Arlene Weber (aweber30@comcast.net)