Cannon Connection
A newsletter for Cannon Elementary parents - 2017-2018
Week of December 4, 2017
Hi Cannon Parents!
It's hard to believe that it's already December, isn't it? During this busy holiday season, we hope that your family will participate in some of the great activities that are planned! This week will be a busy week at Cannon, so be sure to check out information in this newsletter about:
- Hour of Code will be celebrated at Cannon this week and 100% of K-5 students will participate in coding!
- December Kindness Challenges are included in this newsletter and we hope that all of our Cannon Cubs will participate. We are promoting kindness & compassion through a variety of activities at Cannon this month! Please encourage your child to participate!
- Santa Shop -open for Cannon students to shop on their designated day, 12/6-12/9.
- Grapevine Parade of Lights - on Thursday 12/7, beginning at 7:00 pm on Main Street in Grapevine. Our Cannon Dad's Club has been busy creating an incredible float to represent our school in this parade. Make plans to come out and support our school and cheer for the Cannon float! Please read this information from the City of Grapevine about the parade route & parking changes for this year's parade.
- Pancake Breakfast at Cannon on Saturday, 12/9 will feature the Cannon choirs singing holiday music, pictures with Santa, and a final opportunity for students to shop at the Santa Shop!
Thank YOU for all you do to support our students, staff, and school!
Proud to be your principal,
Mrs. Blizzard
HOUR OF CODE IS THIS WEEK!
This week our Cannon scholars will take part in Hour of Code, a worldwide effort to celebrate computer science! Students will have multiple opportunities to explore aspects of coding in the classrooms through various activities and lessons. Each grade level will also make connections with others outside the classroom.
Kindergarten, first grade, and second grade scholars will be working with fourth and fifth grade scholars to understand the use of coding loops using dance.
Third grade scholars will work with students from the GMS Computer Science class to understand the foundations of coding.
Fourth grade scholars will be connecting with local maker, Manny Alvear, to understand the connection between computer science and makerspaces. They will also be connecting with industry experts from Intel to learn about how computer science is applied in video game design.
Fifth grade scholars will be connecting with GMS Computer Science students to get a glimpse of advanced programming skills.
CHECK OUT DAY OF CODE @ FT. WORTH MUSEUM OF SCIENCE & HISTORY ON 12/9
Are you looking for ways to engage in coding activities for the whole family? Our partners at Ft. Worth Museum of Science & History are offering an incredible day of coding fun on Saturday, 12/9 from 10:00-3:00 pm. Check out the link below to sign your child up for fun sessions, including Computer Take-Apart; Exploration Code Stations; Binary Bracelets; Logic Puzzles & more!!
Click here for more information about this fun day of coding!
SEEN @ CANNON LAST WEEK!
Spanish Spelling Bee
2nd Grade Visits Historical Grapevine!
Learning Through Debate in 5th Grade
ENCOURAGE YOUR CHILD TO TAKE THE DECEMBER CANNON KINDNESS CHALLENGE!
Help us promote KINDNESS at Cannon all month long!! Below is an image of a Kindness Challenge Calendar for our Cubs to use for ideas on ways to do an act of kindness each day of the month! Click here for a PDF version of this challenge and share it with your children. We are doing many things throughout the month to promote acts of kindness for all of our Cubs, including our annual campus-wide community service project! More details about this community service project are coming soon!
Mark Your Calendars.....
12/4-12/15 Nomination window for Kindergarten & 5th grade gifted & talented programs - see information in this newsletter
12/5 Cannon Choirs Field Trip to Main Street 8:40-10:40 am
12/5 Wonder movie @ Southlake Harkins Theater (for families who signed up)
12/6-12/8 Santa Shop open for students during school - see information in this newsletter
12/7 Grapevine's Holiday Parade of Lights - 7:00 pm Come see Cannon's float, designed by the Cannon's Dad's Club!
12/9 Holiday Breakfast - Pancakes & holiday music from Cannon Choirs- 9:00 am
12/11 Cannon Choirs Holiday Concert - Grapevine High School- 6:00 pm
12/12 Parent information for 5th grade parents about middle school Gifted & Talented programs- 6:00 pm @ PDEC - see information in this newsletter
12/15 Candy Houses With Kindergarten Dads - 8:00-10:00 am - Cannon cafeteria
12/21 Class Holiday Parties 10:15- 11:15 am
12/21 Early Release @ 11:45
12/22-1/8 Student Holiday Break
1/9 Students return to school
Parent Information For Students Nominations for Gifted & Talented - Kindergarten & 5th grade
Please see information below about the nomination process for Kindergarten & 5th grade students to participate in Gifted & Talented programs. Information about this process for 1st-4th will be provided in the spring semester.
Kindergarten Gifted and Talented Program (GT LEAD)
The two week window for nominating your child for gifted and talented testing opens on Monday, December 4 and lasts until Friday, December 15. If you missed the information meeting in November about this process, please click here to see the presentation that was shared. Please contact the homeroom teacher if you are interested in having your child tested, which will begin after the winter holiday break in January. A digital parent survey and permission-to-test form will be shared through email, or you can pick up a paper copy from the Cannon front office.
GT LEAD classes will begin in February and will be 45 minutes each week for kindergarten.
5TH Grade GT LEAD/ASPIRE/Middle School Gifted and Talented Meeting
There will be a meeting on Tuesday, December 12 at 6:00 pm at the Professional Development Center, at 5800 Colleyville Blvd., Colleyville for parents who are interested in the Middle School GT program for their:
- current 5th grader (non-GT identified) student testing for the gifted and talented program, or
- current 5th grader (Identified GT) student testing for the Aspire Academy, or
- current 5th grader (Identified GT) student looking for their placement options for Middle School.
There will only be one district-wide meeting, but then a video of it will be put on the Advanced Academics website. The referral window for parents to refer their child for gifted testing is December 4-15, and please contact either your child's homeroom teacher or email me if you are planning to do so. The actual fifth grade testing will occur January 10-17th.
Please contact Melanie Gable, Cannon GT Specialist should you have any questions or concerns. Melanie.Gable@gcisd.net
PTA QUICK PICKS!
This week's "quick picks" of reminders & information from PTA:
We need help with two big events this week!
Santa Shop - https://goo.gl/rvapMp
Pancake Breakfast - https://goo.gl/LGZPQ6
Santa Shop is our holiday store allowing students to purchase gifts for family and friends. Please return envelopes with the completed list of people to purchase gifts. Items are less than a dollar up to $15 an item. Volunteers are needed to help kids select gifts.
Pancake Breakfast with Santa is December 9. We invite all Cannon Cubs to join us for breakfast with Santa. Santa will be taking pictures in the gym, we are serving pancakes in the cafeteria and last chance shopping at Santa Shop. The Cannon Choirs will be singing in the cafeteria. Please plan to join us for this family fun holiday event.
Stay connected by following Cannon PTA on social media. Click here to "like" the PTA Facebook page. Follow them on Twitter @CannonPTA.
Check Out The Santa Shop Video!
Amazon Smile
Holiday Shopping on Amazon? Purchase on Amazon Smile and they'll give 0.5% to Cannon PTA. Bookmark this link and support us every time you shop! http://smile.amazon.com/ch/75-2454480
School Calendar for 2018-2019
On Monday, November 13, GCISD Trustees approved the Student and Staff Instructional Calendars for the 2018-2019 school year.
A few highlights from the 2018-2019 student instructional calendar:
- Students will begin classes on Monday, August 20.
- Students will have a four-day weekend in October for Columbus Day weekend; staff will have a three-day weekend.
- Students and staff will have a four-day weekend in April (dependent on the need to makeup one or both inclement weather days).
- Students are finished on May 30 with graduation following that afternoon and evening.
To view the 2018-2019 student instructional calendar, click here.
To view the 2018-2019 staff instructional calendar, click here.
To view the 2018-2019 iUniversity Prep instructional calendar, click here.
To learn more about how the district develops the instructional calendars, please watch the video below:
GRAPEVINE HISTORY BOOK FUNDRAISER
Grapevine: A Visual Journey Through A Beloved Texas Town is a 152-page book that highlights Grapevine's intriguing history public art, working artists, attractions, and seasonal events. Fifty percent of book proceeds will go to the GCISD school of the buyer's choice until January 1, 2018. Books must be purchased at the approved website, www.GrapevineTexasJourney.com to meet fundraising requirements. The cost of the book is $49.95 (plus tax and $5 shipping).
I want to make you aware of where you can see information and resources, specifically about the Cannon construction project. Also, check out the awesome exterior renderings of our new school below!!
Please reach out to me to let me know of any questions you may have about this project. This is a VERY exciting time for our Cannon school community and I want to make sure all of our Cannon families stay informed!
Click here to see project updates on all GCISD Bond programs
Click here to sign up for construction updates by email about the Cannon project!
STEM IN GCISD BLOG
This blog will have the most updated information about upcoming events specific to Cannon, GMS STEM, and the future STEM program at GHS.
Cannon Elementary: A GCISD STEM School
Email: tona.blizzard@gcisd.net
Website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Domain/1428
Location: 1300 W College St, Grapevine, TX, United States
Phone: 817-251-5680
Facebook: facebook.com/CannonSTEM
Twitter: @canSTEM