Tiger Time News
News from O.C. Taylor Principal, Lisa Young Pedevilla
December 16, 2018
Dear O.C. Taylor Parents,
- BOOK FAIR APPRECIATION -Thank you to the many volunteers who served in our Book Fair this week! Thank you to all of the parents who purchased books! Remember to read to your children and with your children over the break. Snuggle up and grab a book! We appreciate you, Mrs. Bonacci, for organizing this opportunity for our community!
- THANK YOU - Thank you to Mrs. Vencill for directing another amazing holiday production! The OCT Taylor Tiger Choir program was amazing! Thank you, parents, for your support and help.
- VOLUNTEERS NEEDED - We could use some volunteers in the library to reshelve books. If you are interested and come, please let us know! We will take any little time you can offer. Please email Mrs. Bonacci.
- HOLIDAY PARTIES - Our holiday parties will be this Friday starting at 10:45 a.m. Parents are invited to set up and prepare during the Sing-A-Long. The Sing-A-Long is for students only.
- HOLIDAY HULLABALLOO - We honor all December holidays and festivals with our fun dress up days.
To the BEST of days,
Principal Young Pedevilla
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.
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.
OC Taylor Elementary Events
Monday, December 17
8:10 - 8:35 CHHS Jazz Choir (Cafeteria)
1:30 - Santa's Visit (parents and families welcome)
5:00 - 8:00 Chick-fil-A (Euless Location) Wear your sticker and get a free ice cream.
Tuesday, December 18
Deer Season - All are invited to wear camo or dark colors
Wednesday, December 19
Thursday, December 20
10:00/2:00 PPCD Parties
Polar Express - All are invited to wear pajamas to school
No Choir Rehearsal
Friday, December 21
9:30 - 10:30 School Sing-A-Long (students only, parents prepare for the parties)
10:45 Holiday Parties - all are invited to wear festive party attire
11:45 Early Dismissal
Talent Show Applications due
Mon., Dec.24 - Jan. 4
Student and Staff Winter Break-NO SCHOOL for students and staff
January 7
NO SCHOOL for students
Staff Professional Development DAy
January 8
3:00 - 4:30 Talent Show Auditions
January 9
3:00 - 5:00 Talent Show Auditions
January 10
2:55 - 4:00 First Choir Rehearsal
3:00 - 5:00 Talent Show Auditions
January 11
PTA Walk to School
2:00 - 2:50 Future Explorations
Talent Show Videos Due
OCT and GCISD Updates
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Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night, Dec. 17, 5-8 pm
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Conflict Resolution Wheel -
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Updates from the Learning Commons, Mrs. Bonacci
LIBRARY VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
If you are interested in helping out in the Learning Commons (Formerly known as the Library) please email me at dawn.bonacci@gcisd.net
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Updates from Counseling and Guidance, Mrs. Whisman
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Updates from Gifted and Talented, Mrs. Griffin
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Updates from the Clinic, Nurse Katy
GCISD health guidelines- when to keep your child home:
- Fever of 100 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours. Students are allowed readmission to school when they have been fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication.
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
- Itchy, red eyes with discharge
- Unknown rash
- Ringworm of the scalp (until treatment has started)
- Head lice (until treatment has started)
- Jaundice
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Here Comes the Bus app
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is happy to announce the adoption of an innovative mobile device app and website entitled, Here Comes the Bus®.
What is Here Comes the Bus:
Here Comes the Bus allows you to view the real-time location of your child’s school bus on your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Here Comes the Bus is free and enables you to:
- See the real-time location of your child’s bus both before and after school
- Confirm that your child’s bus has arrived at the bus stop, at school or both
- Receive a push notification* or email message when the bus is near your stop, has been substituted, or when we have important information to relay
Getting started:
Available in three languages (English, Spanish and French), the Here Comes the Bus app can be downloaded from the App Store or Google Play.
- Download the Here Comes the Bus app* or visit herecomesthebus.com
- Click the Sign Up button
- Enter school code 79915 and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
- Complete the User Profile information
- Click “Students” and enter your child’s last name and student ID number when prompted
- Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus!
To sign up on the website, or to learn more about this service, visit the Here Comes the Bus website.
Your child needs to be a registered bus rider in order to ride a GCISD bus. If you are wanting to register your child to ride the bus, please do so in Skyward. If you are needing to temporarily change your child's bus transportation (i.e. riding home with a friend for a day, etc.), please complete this form. This app tracks only GCISD buses, not individual students.
Questions:
Should you have any questions, please contact Misael Ruiz at misael.ruiz@gcisd.net or (817) 251-5595. If you need additional assistance, contact Here Comes the Bus customer support. You will be asked to provide the following information:
- Your name
- School District Name or 5-digit School Code
- Email address used for your Here Comes the Bus account
- Your child’s first and last name, and student ID #
- Description of the question
GCISD Safety First
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Cafeteria and Menu Updates
Attached is a copy of the calendar menu, it may also be viewed on the district's website. Nutrition information may be viewed through the nutrition services website or by downloading the new Meal Viewer app through the apple or android store.
If you have questions about the Nutrition Services program, please call ext. 5615 or email julie.telesca@gcisd.net.
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Join the GCISD TEAM!
Great opportunities are available in our auxiliary departments:
- Nutrition Specialists -PT w/ benefits – work while your students are in school!
- KidzU Site Aides – PT w/benefits – great schedule for local college students!
- Night Custodians
- Bus Drivers
- Maintenance Engineers
Apply now to work with the BEST! www.gcisd.net
School Health Advisory Council (SHAC)
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. We are excited about the new LEAD 2.0 and hearing from all parents! 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
We think your kids are..... G-G-G-G-reat!
O.C. TAYLOR’S TIGER TREE - GIFTS FOR GRACE CHRISTMAS COTTAGE
O.C. Taylor is still accepting gifts for the Grace Christmas Cottage. If you would like to donate a gift kindly pick-up any gift of your choice and place under the tree by Thursday, December 20th.
If you have already donated to our tree Thank You for your participation!
We hope that many of you are still able to visit the Tiger Tree and take a paw as this is only a small list of items in need.
Thank you.
Dawn Hall, GRACE Liaison
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Talent Show
The 2018-2019 Talent Show is quickly approaching! We can't wait to see your many talents! We will have two audition date options. Please keep an eye out for the audition form that will be going out soon and due back before Winter break. Students must be in 3rd-5th grade to participate in the Talent Show. Start preparing your acts now...we cannot wait to see you at auditions!
Please feel free to contact Joy Arita with any Talent Show questions or concerns:
Joy Arita
Talent Show Coordinator
817-308-1710
Lost and Found
APPLE TREE PROJECT
The O.C. Taylor Apple Tree has grown new branches! 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 this link 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.
Jill Tate - VP of Volunteers jhbu99@aol.com
Box Tops and Amazon Smile
This year, we will be increasing donations to the OC Taylor PTA thru Box Tops for Education and Amazon Smile! It's a simple way to donate to our school! Here's how you can help:
#1 Clip out Box Tops for Education and place them on the Box Top collection sheet or in a Ziploc bag. Be sure to place your child's grade level on the bag or collection sheet! We will be counting box tops for our Racing to Recess Challenge. The grade level with the highest level of Box Tops each semester will earn an extra recess and Popsicle party!
After 16 laps, the WINNER of the Racing to Recess Challenge for the fall semester is 3rd Grade with 1089 box tops!! It was a close race, with 2nd Grade in 2nd place with 1062. 3rd Grade will receive 30 minutes of extra recess on Tuesday, December 18th! Thanks to everyone who turned in Box Tops! We'll start another race when we return from winter break!
We received our first Amazon Smile check for $44.51!
Join the PTA!
Thank you to all our parents and staff that joined the PTA already! We truly appreciate your support!
If you did not join the PTA at Meet the Teacher, we encourage you to do so. The annual dues are only $7.50 per membership. That's the lowest price in town for PTA memberships and its the BEST, in my opinion! Membership in the PTA allows you to improve the education and opportunities for our students. When you join the PTA, you become a member of the Texas PTA and you will receive a copy of our 2018-2019 Paw Prints student directory! This valuable directory contains classroom lists, phone numbers, addresses and other vital information you will use all year! To join the PTA it's so simple, visit http://www.joinPTA.org.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Liz Payne- VP Memberships
Thank you!
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