Tiger Time News
News from O.C. Taylor Principal, Lisa Young Pedevilla
April 28, 2019
Dear O.C. Taylor Parents,
Happy Sunday to you! We have many changes coming ahead. Please take time to read each section below. First, if you know of any students coming into kindergarten next year, please tell them about our Kindergarten Round-Up this week on Tues., Apr. 30 from 6:00-7:00 p.m. in our cafeteria. The kids get to meet the teachers! Also, please read below about our Book Fair this week (in Mrs. Bonacci's section below), end-of-the-year, STAAR testing and closed campus, and Staff Appreciation Week!
The PTA section is always at the end of our newsletter each week. This week has very important updates to read: the fun Parents' Night Out tomorrow night, school supply kit purchases for 2019-2020 school year, rock painting, and more Be sure and read!
We love your children and love our school! Go Tigers!
To the BEST of days,
Principal 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.
O.C. Taylor Elementary Events
April 29
4/29 - 5/3 - Book Fair
2:55 - 3:25 K, 1, 2 Tutoring
2:55 - 3:25 3rd/4th Math Tutoring
5:00 - 9:00 Parents' Night Out (Read the PTA section below for details)
April 30
6:00 - 7:00 Kindergarten Round Up
May 1
2:55 - 3:25 3rd/4th Reading Tutoring
2:55- 3:25 5th Science Tutoring
May 2
8:30 Festival of Friends
6:30 Festival of Friends
May 3
PTA Walk to School
8:00 - 12:00 Book Fair
9:00 - 2:00 3rd Grade Field Trip
2:00 - 2:50 Future Explorations
3:00 - 4:00 Running Club
May 6
Teacher Appreciation Week May 6 - 10
8:30 - 2:30 5th Grade Field Trip
May 7
9:00 - 2:00 2nd Grade Field Trip
2:55 - 3:25 K,1,2 Tutoring
2:55 - 3:25 3rd/4th Math
May 8
Nurse's Appreciation Day
Bike to School Day
2:55 - 3:25 3rd/4th Reading
May 9
2:55 3:25 5th Science Tutoring
May 10
3:00 - 4:00 Running Club
OCT and GCISD Updates
No Tardy Party Winner: Ms. Davis' Class!
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SPREAD THE NEWS!
Do you have any neighbors or friends who are coming to kindergarten? If so, please SPREAD THE NEWS:
- KINDERGARTEN ROUND UP! YEEEEEHAWWWW! It is time for Kindergarten Round Up! We will have a Parent Meeting and Child Meeting on April 30th from 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.. and your future Kindergartener will have the opportunity to visit a classroom and meet the kindergarten teachers. We can't wait to meet you!
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Staff Appreciation Week, May 5-11
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Student Transfers
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Unpaid Meal Balances
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End-of-the-Year
5th grade will still celebrate all together and have their Continuation celebration on the morning of the last day of school, Thursday, May 30. This is a very special time for our 5th graders. If you have any questions, please let us know.
K-4th grade will not be having all grade level celebrations this year. They will be celebrating with their teachers in their classrooms.
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STAAR TESTING, No Visitors or Volunteers
Monday, May 13
Third Grade STAAR MathFourth Grade STAAR Math
Tuesday, May 14
Third Grade STAAR Reading
Fourth Grade STAAR Reading
Wednesday, May 15
Fifth Grade STAAR Science
Please remember that we cannot have any visitors or volunteers (for any grade level) in the building during these weeks. This includes during lunch. Thank you for helping us abide by our state regulations.
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Updates from Music, Mrs. Vencill
A Note from Mrs. Vencill....
May is here, and it's time to wrap up another great school year. Here's what's happening in the Music Room this month.
Kindergarten: I can't believe these tiny Tigers are already moving on to 1st grade. Time flies when you're having fun!! Kindergarten students continue working on writing/reading/playing simple rhythm patterns using quarter notes, quarter rests and barred eighth notes. They will also practice using music vocabulary words to describe changes in tempo (presto, largo, moderato) and dynamics (forte, piano, mezzo).
1st Graders are connecting what they know about instrument families with Sergei Prokofiev's famous musical story Peter and the Wolf. They will also remember and review quarter notes/rests and barred eighth notes this month. They will also use basic music symbols in their rhythm compositions including time signature, barlines and double barlines.
2nd graders are so excited about their upcoming multicultural program, Festival of Friends, Thursday, May 2 at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. They have worked so hard to learn several songs and dances from around the world. After the program, 2nd graders will make connections between music and science by experimenting with vibration and sound waves.
3rd graders are wrapping up the school year remembering and reviewing rhythm and pitch. We will use our classroom Orff instruments and a piano app on iPads to practicing reading/performing rhythm and pitch.
The sweet sound of the recorders fills the Music Room every morning with our talented 4th graders still working towards earning another Recorder Karate belt. These students are becoming more and more confident reading and playing music from a written score. This is a skill I hope they will carry with them for a lifetime!
Mark your calendar for the GREATEST SHOW of the year...5th Grade Rocks, Tuesday, May 21 at 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. The 5th graders have created an awesome show, and I can't wait to see the final product.
We're going to enjoy every last second of our time together in the OCT Music Room this school year. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. And, as always, you are always welcome in the Music Room!
Mrs. Vencill
Music Teacher
OC Taylor Elem.
817-305-4870
@OCTVencill #OCT4U
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Updates from Art, Mrs. Morgan
A Note from Mrs. Morgan…
For the month of May, we are finishing up our 3D sculptures and reviewing important art terms.
· Kindergarten finished up their painted paper weavings. Students are now reviewinglines, shapes and colors by reading the story Monsters Love Colors. They will create their own monster using lines, shapes, and colors. They will choose a variety of materials to color in their monster.
· First grade is working on their warm and color weavings. Students finished up painting a variety of paper and are learning how to weave using the over under pattern. Once done, they will add another layer to the loom by weaving a second weft on top.
· Second grade finished their radial paper plate weavings. Students are now reviewingforeground and background, and learning about middleground. Students will create a3D landscape of their choice and use a variety of mediums.
· Third grade finished up their designs of food items for their printmaking piece. Students focused on drawing their food 3-dimensional. Students will learn the printmaking process and create 3 prints.
· Fourth grade is finishing up sculpting their Claes Oldenberg inspired doughnuts. Students learned about the art term form by using paper, aluminum foil and plaster strips to hold the doughnut together. Students will now add their finishing details by learning how to make their frosting.
· Fifth grade learned about the 4 clay vocabulary words; pinch pot, coil, slab, andscoring. Students sculpted their clay texture slabs by adding a variety of textures or carvings. Students then attached (score) initials, symbols or images to their piece. Students will finish their slab by painting and applying a clear coat.
Students made a portfolio this year to store all of their artwork. I will be passing out the remainder of the work during the month of May. Be on thelookout for your child’s art portfolio!!
Cristie Morgan
Art Teacher
O.C. Taylor Elementary School
Twitter-@OCTMorgan
817-305-4870
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Updates from P.E., Coach Mester and Coach Mac
We began Fitnessgram testing in the gym this week. Students are being tested on their flexibility, muscular strength and endurance, and cardio-respiratory endurance. These assessments will be sent home with 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders final report card. I am so proud of the progress they have all made this school year. We will continue stressing teamwork and sportsmanship and begin practicing and preparing for Field Day. OC Taylor Field Day is Friday, May 24th!
Jason Mester
Physical Education Teacher
O.C. Taylor Elementary
817-305-4870
@OCTMester #OCT4U
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Updates from the Clinic, Nurse Katy
- Carter BloodCare blood drive: The Carter BloodCare bus will be here at OCT on Tuesday May 21st from 10-1. Click on the link below and help save a life! The classroom with the most donations will win a popsicle party! https://ww3.greatpartners.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/103883
- Field trips: If your student has medication at school for asthma or life-threatening allergies, please know that these are sent with their teachers when they go on field trips. All classroom teachers are made aware of their student's health conditions and are checked off on Epi-pen administration every school year.
- 24 hour rule: Please remember our district policy- Students MUST be fever-free (temperature under 100 degrees) and symptom-free (no vomiting or diarrhea) for a MINIMUM of 24 hours without medication before returning to school. Thank you for helping us keep our students and staff healthy!
- 7 Bs: Spring has sprung! Injuries and allergies are on the rise. To help keep clinic traffic to a minimum, please review the 7 Bs (reasons to come to the clinic) with your children at home. This list is posted in every classroom for teachers (and students) to refer to before leaving the classroom and missing important instruction time. * Bleeding * Broken Bones * Barfing * Bee Stings * Big Bump * Breathing Bad *Burning Up
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Updates from the Learning Commons, Mrs. Bonacci
Dear OCT Families,
I am excited to share that our Learning Commons will be renovated this summer! We look forward to having an updated space where kids can continue to explore and grow. We will begin packing the books soon and need all library books returned no later than April 26th (sooner is better). We will be packing on Saturday, May 11th and you are welcome to join us! Let me know if you would like to help.
Our Spring BOGO Book Fair is just a week away! This annual event helps put books in the hands of our Tigers for their summer reading. The fair will begin on April 29th and end on May 3rd. If you are interested in volunteering for the Book Fair please contact Mrs. Bonacci (dawn.bonacci@gcisd.net).
To get a sneak preview of what we will have at the fair check out our Book Fair Homepage:
The deadline for the GCISD Reads Challenge is May 1st. If your child has met the requirements for this challenge please remind them to notify their teacher so that information can be shared with the district. We want all of our Tigers to be recognized for their hard work and dedication. Forms can be found at: https://www.smore.com/snt5p-arrgg-2018-2019-gcisd-reads
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Updates from Counseling and Guidance, Mrs. Whisman
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Updates from Literacy Specialists/Dyslexia, Ms. Griffith and Ms. Honeycutt
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Please Don't Climb On Our Tiger
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Bus Rider Information
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 form must be completed 48 hours in advance. To ensure the safety of our bus riders, we do not accept notes from parents or administrators in place of the form.
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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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GCISD IS HIRING!
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD - Open Positions
- Bus Drivers: Provide safe and efficient transportation service so that students may enjoy the greatest possible advantage from the district’s curriculum and extracurricular programs. Paid training available; starting salary once CDL is obtained is $17.43/hr!
- Cafeteria Food Service Workers (Nutrition Specialist): Prepare and serve nutritious meals for students and staff following USDA and TDA guidelines.
- After School Care Aides (Kidzu): Responsible for assisting the Site Coordinator with daily activities at their individual school; supervision of the children in the program; and the communication with students, staff members, and parents. Great opportunity to work w/students after school & be a role model!
- Early Childhood Caregivers: Assist the Lead Caregiver in providing child care with appropriate learning activities, instructional assistance, and other responsibilities as assigned by the Assistant Coordinator. Maintain a safe, enriching and inviting atmosphere working directly in a daycare with children 0-4 years old.
- Bus Monitors: Assist the bus driver in transporting students with disabilities to and from home and the complete range of curricular and extracurricular activities offered.
- Custodians: Follow routine cleaning and maintenance procedures to maintain a high standard of safety, cleanliness, and efficiency of building operations and grounds. No weekends!
GREAT BENEFITS!
- Part-time or Full-time hours! Weekends Off!
- Competitive salary!
- Health & Retirement benefits!
- Fun team environment!
Please visit our website at www.gcisd.net and select Employment
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!
School Supply Pack Pre-Sale Begins April 30th!
School Supply Pack Pre-Sale Begins Tuesday, April 30th!
OC Taylor PTA is working hard to make back-to-school time as easy as possible for our families! We are moving to online-only ordering for school supply packs for 2019-2020. This will help us eliminate the lines at Meet the Teacher night in August, and allow you and your child to focus on meeting their teacher. Here is how to order:
1. Order your child's school supply pack online between April 30th and June 16th on the Educational Products website at https://www.educationalproducts.com/ShopPacks/
2. Enter our school code TAY009
3. Select your child's grade level school supply pack. Make sure to choose your child's grade for NEXT year, not their current grade level. You can order supply packs for all of your children in the same order.
4. After receiving your order confirmation, your child's school supply pack will be waiting in your child's classroom in August!
Questions? Contact Melissa Adkins, School Supplies Chair at melissa.adkins@gmail.com
WE WILL WE WILL ROCK YOU! FOR THE O.C. TAYLOR ROCK GARDEN!
Students! Parents! On April 29 and May 10, students will paint their very own rock to add to the O.C. Taylor Rock Garden. Many thanks to Cristie Morgan our wonderful O.C. Taylor Art Teacher, who is helping us achieve more artistic expression at the foot of our Tiger.
We also wanted you to know because you may notice some of the rocks missing--do not worry! They will be returning in finely painted form done by our very own TIGERS!
Interested in volunteering? Contact Laurie H. Ackermann to lend a hand!
Staff Appreciation Week
Staff Appreciation Week – May 6-10
You Mean the World to Us!
Our staff is such an amazing group of individuals! We appreciate all they do every day, but we have one week to show them just how much we appreciate them!
Our theme this year is, “You Mean the World to Us.”
We are going to spend the week showering our staff with goodies, gift cards, food and fun!
Sign-ups are available to help with lunch duty on Monday, May 6th, provide food for the trail mix bar and the breakfast we will provide, gift cards for drawings each morning, and finally, the staff members' favorite things so that we can shower them with some of their favorite things on Friday morning, May 10th to finish the week of fun!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4aa4ac2ba5fe3-staff2
O.C. Taylor’s GRACE Food Drive
Calling all Kindergartners!!!!!
This will be your last week to bring in items for GRACE. I am swimming in Ketchup and I can’t thank your little hands enough for bringing in over 50 bottles so far.
However, as this will be our last week for the GRACE FOOD DRIVE. Please feel free to bring in any canned item that your little hands can carry.
Items in Need: YOUR CHOICE (canned items please)
Number Needed to Win: 68 more items
Collection Baskets are right outside the Kindergarten Classrooms and will be until May 3rd. Let’s go Kindergarten! You can do it!
So Who’s Leading the GRACE Food Drive?
First Grade: 194 Items / 88 Students = 220.5%
Third Grade: 131 Items / 78 Students = 167.9%
Second Grade 89 Items / 63 Students = 141.7%
Fourth Grade 93 Items / 73 Students = 127.4%
Fifth Grade 63 Items / 72 Students = 87.5%
PPCD/PREK 33 Items / 39 Students = 84.6%
Questions? Concerns? Please Contact: Dawn Hall
Parents' Night Out April 29th
Our 2nd Annual Parents’ Night Out event is Monday, April 29th from 5-9pm at Sloan and Williams Winery in Grapevine. We’ll have a great Gift Card Grab, fun games of Heads or Tails at 6:30, 7:00, and 7:30 pm, as well as fun Silent Auction packages. While you take a break, drop off your kids at Altitude in Grapevine. For $20, your tiger can jump from 5-9pm and enjoy pizza, drinks, and dessert with some of our fabulous OC Taylor teachers! While pre-registration is not required, it will help us have an idea of how much food to order. Please click here to register for Kids' Night Out at Altitude on April 29th from 5-9 pm. In order to expedite the check in process that night, please click here to complete the Altitude Waiver (online form) prior to arriving that evening (all children from your household may be included on one waiver). We hope to see you there!
Colleyville Receipt Race
The Colleyville Receipt Race is BACK! The City of Colleyville and GCISD have partnered to help businesses affected by SH26 construction. Shop anywhere in Colleyville March 1st through April 30th and turn in your receipts! Send them in to your child's teacher in an envelope marked "Colleyville Receipt Race" or drop them in the box in the front office! Help us support local Colleyville businesses and earn money for our PTA all at the same time!
Amazon Smile
Be sure to shop smileamazon.com. 0.5% of all your purchases will go to the OC Taylor PTA. Log on to smileamazon.com and select PTA Texas Congress 1610 O C Taylor Elementary as your preferred charity. It's an amazoningly easy way to earn money for our school!! Remember, you must log on to smileamazon.com every time you shop to ensure your purchases earn money for our school! We just received another check for $68.37! That’s $112.88 in just one semester. Keep up the good work!
Box Tops Fundraiser
It's a new semester and time for a new Box Top Racing to Recess Challenge! The winning grade level will earn an extra 30 minute recess! Clip out Box Tops for Education and place them on the Box Top Collection Sheet or in the Ziploc Bag that was sent home last semester. If you've already sent in that bag, just write your child's grade level on a new ziploc bag. Send your Box Tops in to your child's teacher or place them in the blue bin in the front lobby.
After 15 weeks, 3rd grade has a huge lead with 681 box tops, 5th grade is in 2nd place with 455, and 2nd grade in 3rd place with 358.
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 it's 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 JOINPTA.ORG
Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Liz Payne- VP Memberships
Thank you!
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