GALATAS GAZETTE
October 15, 2021
Contact Information
Denae Wilker, Principal
Candace Mathis, Assistant Principal
Lyndsey Christopher, Counselor
Through the collaborative efforts of all who pass through our door, we provide a safe learning community that develops lifelong learners and responsible citizens.
Website: http://galatas.conroeisd.net/
Location: 9001 Cochrans Crossing Drive, The Woodlands, TX, USA
Phone: 936-709-5000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GalatasCISD/
Twitter: @GalatasCISD
Report Cards
-Students in kindergarten and first grade received a paper Report Card, because the format of those report cards is not available online.
-Second, third, and fourth grade Report Cards are available to view and print from the Parent Access account.
Parents Welcome at our Storybook Parade!
The parade will begin at 8:30 AM. As part of our parade route this year, our students will exit through the gym doors at the rear of the school, around the car loop, and then back into the school through the other set of gym doors. Families will be able to view the parade around the car loop at the back of the school. Please see the map below for specific details.
Parking will be available at Cattail Park, and there will be limited spots at Community Baptist Church as well. Please be careful and courteous, as the pre-school will be having their drop-off at the same time. Please do not park or drive through the Good Shepherd parking lot.
Students may come to school dressed as their favorite storybook character (no weapons, masks, face paint, or spray-painted hair, please), and should bring the character book to carry in the school-wide parade. Students should be able to change out of their costume independently; parents will not be able to enter the school to help students put on or take off costumes.
It's Book Fair Time!
We’re excited to invite your child to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. This event is an opportunity for students of all ages to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
After missing out on many beloved traditions, our fall Book Fair will be a familiar and safe event for our students.
We will have two great ways to shop the Book Fair and support our school.
You may shop on line at the virtual fair beginning October 18th. Enjoy hundreds of titles, free shipping on book-only orders of $25 or more, and a portion of the proceeds go directly to Galatas!
Students may shop in person at the book fair from October 18-22. Students will be able to purchase books from our fair during their library time, recess, and/or when teachers allow during Book Fair Week.
This year, our in-person Book Fair will be a “books only, kids only” fair.
Scholastic eWallet is an easy way to have your child shop the in-person fair without having to carry cash. Previous year, eWallets were set up as an “Account”, and any unused funds on the eWallet fell off the credit card hold at the close of the fair. This year, eWallets are charged in full at the time of purchase, and any unused funds will be transferred to an eGift card. These eGift cards do not expire and can be used to shop online, with Book Clubs, or to fund another eWallet during a future fair.
Click the link below to set up eWallet, or to shop virtually!
Here’s the link to our book fair website:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/galataselemschool
Sales tax is not included in the prices and is 8.25%.
Forms of payment will be cash or eWallet.
Thank you and we look forward to seeing you at the fair!
Mrs. Michalsky
Librarian
COMING SOON!
Yearbooks on Sale Now...Early Bird Discount!
Yearbooks are on sale, and
early bird pricing ends November 20!
Purchase your yearbook now at www.balfour.com.
Top Dog Yearbook Shout Outs!
•Applaud your 4th grader’s achievements with a tribute in the Yearbook! You can purchase an ad for only $20 when you order your yearbook or separately.
• To purchase: go to the link above, click on Yearbook, then TOP DOG ADS
For any questions, please e-mail galatasyearbook@gmail.com.
YEARBOOK COVER CONTEST!
Students will have a chance to help us create the cover of this year’s Galatas yearbook!
The theme this year will be "Galatas in Toyland"!
Guidelines:
• Entries should be original student artwork, and may be done with marker, pastels, paint, watercolors, etc…
• Maximum size should be 8.5”X11” and must be a portrait (vertical) layout.
• Artwork should feature a Greyhound!
• No need to include our school name or the year...those will be printed on the yearbook by the publisher.
• All submissions must be received by Wednesday, November 3.
Initial submissions will be collected electronically - we will select one winner from each grade to be featured on the inside, as well as an overall design winner for the cover. We will then make arrangements to collect the original artwork from the selected students.
Please email a photo of your students' artwork to galatasyearbook@gmail.com, and include their name and section number in the email (images will be judged anonymously by grade level).
Join the PTO and Support our Greyhounds
Please support our school by joining our amazing PTO. The link below will take you to the Galatas PTO website, where you can join the PTO and explore ways to get involved at Galatas.
It is a great way to get connected with our Galatas community and other parents.
Galatas Lunch Visitors Sign-up
Please sign up by clicking the button below, using the following guidelines:
1. Please be sure to sign up under the correct grade level and date.
2. When signing up, use only one slot per family. Please add your child's name first, then add the visitor names in the comment section. We ask that you limit the number of visitors to three, please!
3. Please sign up no more than once per month for each student, so that all parents have an opportunity to visit for lunch.
4. Please remember that family members may only eat with their child.
With the change in the CISD COVID Alert Level, we now have an opportunity to welcome back lunch visitors to our campus. This is a very exciting time for us and we hope to make it a special experience for our Greyhounds and their guests!
The health and safety of our students and staff remains our top priority, so as we begin to reopen to lunch visitors we will have a limited number of guests per grade level, per day. This will allow us to maintain our current spacing for students and provide a pleasant experience for our guests. We will only allow parents who have made a reservation through SignUp Genius to enter the building, so please do not show up for lunch without completing this step.
Once you have secured a lunch reservation, you will enjoy a picnic lunch outside on our fourth grade hard top area, located adjacent to our cafeteria. Unfortunately, this means that on rainy days, we will not be able to host lunch guests. If this happens, you may sign up for a different date. If all of the slots are full for the month, please contact the front office and we will help you reschedule.
Lunchtime is limited to 25 minutes. Please allow time (about 5 minutes) to complete the required check-in at the front office prior to your child's lunchtime (a driver's license is required for adults each time they visit Galatas). You will meet your child at the cafeteria, and then proceed to the 4th grade hard top for lunch.
Once the lunch time has ended, you will drop your child at the cafeteria doors to return with their class to the next activity. Then you will head back to the front office where you will return your visitor sticker.
Please be mindful that the next grade level parents are also excited to visit their children for lunch. We require parents to exit promptly at the designated time, to allow the next group to have lunch together.
Here are the lunch times for each grade:
Kindergarten 11:30-11:55 AM
1st Grade 11:05-11:30 AM
2nd Grade 12:20-12:45 PM
3rd Grade 12:30-12:55 PM
4th Grade 11:55 AM-12:20 PM
Volunteer Opportunity
We are able to have a few volunteers assist in the Office Copy Room. This volunteer opportunity will be in the Copy Room off the front office only; it will not involve any interaction with students.
All volunteers must have completed the CISD Volunteer by visiting https://apps.conroeisd.net/volunteer/
Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up.
- Copy Room volunteers will make copies and laminate materials for staff members. Prior Copy Room experience is preferred; we cannot provide training on how to use the copier. If you have volunteered in another school making copies, this copier is the same as other schools.
- Volunteers must adhere to all current District and Campus guidelines relating to health and safety. When checking in at the front desk, staff will ensure that guidelines are understood and followed.
- Only the volunteer that signs up may enter the building. We cannot accommodate children or other visitors at this time.
Please call 936-709-5000 with any questions. Thank you!
Counselor's Corner
19th Annual CISD Police Coats for Kids Drive: October 4-18
Last year, 700 coats, jackets, and hoodies were collected and distributed!
Save the Date!
TWHS Parade and Pep Rally
TWCPHS Reveliers Trunk or Treat
TWCPHS Band Tamale Fiesta
Gifted and Talented Nomination Window Now Open
The window is now open for parent nominations for the Spring, 2022 Gifted and Talented screening. Nominating packets are available by contacting our Assistant Principal, Candace Mathis, at cdmathis@conroeisd.net.
Parents of 3rd and 4th grade students may nominate their student by completing the District GT Nomination packet. It is strongly encouraged that parents consult with their child’s teacher(s) prior to nominating their child. If your child has already qualified for Gifted and Talented services in some content areas but not all, you must nominate them again if you would like for them to try to qualify in additional areas. Students must take the full battery of tests as specific subject areas cannot be isolated for testing purposes.
Parents of 2nd grade students: Please do not nominate your 2nd grade child at this time! All second grade students will participate in the CogAT assessment in late October which will serve as a GT screener for second grade students. More information to come at a later date.
Parents or Kindergarten and 1st grade students may nominate their student, but it is highly advised that parents consult with their child’s teacher prior to nominating their child as tests can be frustrating for younger students due to the amount of time involved in testing.
Spring GT testing will take place at Galatas Elementary during the school day, on dates yet to be determined in late January/early February, 2022.
All completed nomination packets must be returned to Candace Mathis on or before December 10.
CALLING ALL CREATIVE WRITERS!
The Greyhound Gab is our school’s quarterly literary publication. This year to accommodate both traditional and remote learners, students can submit an original creative writing piece to the issue associated with the first letter of your last name. If your last name begins with A, B, C or D and you would like to contribute to the November issue of the Greyhound Gab, please submit your piece to Christina Benavides at galatasnewsletter@gmail.com no later than Friday, November 12, 2021. Submissions should be labeled with student’s first name, last name initial, and section number. Publication date will be Friday, November 19, 2021. (See table below for future issue dates and when you can contribute.)
Examples of creative writing types/topics (no puzzles please):
-- Book review
--Teacher/staff interview
--Original poetry
-- School event report (ex. First Day of School, Reading Week, Book Fair, etc.)
While submissions should be student work, there may be a need for parent edits. The pieces do not need to be long; the purpose of the Gab is for our Greyhounds to be creative and see their work published!
Drop-off Procedures for Forgotten Items
Please help your student be fully prepared for their day by ensuring that they have all needed materials (backpack, lunch, water bottle, etc...) before leaving for school in the morning.
To minimize interruptions to classrooms, please limit drop-offs to the following items:
- Water bottles and lunches may be placed on the Drop-off table before 10:00 a.m. at the front office. These items should be labeled with your child’s name and section number to ensure proper delivery. Items are taken at 10:00 a.m. to a drop-off table at the end of each hallway, so please email the teacher to let them know that you have dropped off the water bottle or lunch.
- If you need eye glasses delivered to your child, please do not put them on the drop-off table. Bring them to the office staff for immediate delivery to your child.
- Any class work or homework that is dropped off will be placed in the teacher’s mailbox to be picked up during the day.
Delivery of flowers, balloons, etc. to students at school are not permitted.
Transportation Changes
Transportation change notepads will be sent home with each student on the first day of school. Please use these forms any time a student needs to go home in a different way from the permanent designated mode of transportation.
All transportation changes must be received in writing by 2:00 p.m. We are unable to accept a phone call. You may send a written note to your child’s teacher (place it in your student's PAWS folder), or fill out a form in the front office. Please include the date, your child’s full name, section number, bus number (if applicable), and your signature. If an emergency arises, you may send an email to galatastransportation@conroeisd.net . The e-mail must include all of the above information, including a parent signature, and must be received before 2:00 p.m. If you submit a transportation change by email, it must go to the email address referenced above; transportation changes should not be emailed directly to the teacher.
Please send a new note for each day the change occurs; we cannot accept notes for multiple days or with multiple changes. District policy states that a student may only ride the bus they are registered to ride; students may not have a transportation change to ride a different bus.
Parent Information Sheet
Please download and print this handy Parent Information sheet for quick reference of some of our school's most frequently accessed information.
Teacher & Staff Excellence
- Log in to Parent Access.
- Click on communication.
- Choose Teacher/Staff Excellence from the drop down menu.
- Select the employee to receive recognition from the drop down menu.
- Click create TAE.
- Click any of the pre-populated choices that apply.
- Type any additional comments in the Additional Comment box.
- Click the box labeled Create Teachers Achieving Excellence button.
21-22 Student Handbook Addendum
Roadmap to Remaining Open
The content on the Roadmap to Remaining Open webpages are designed to provide information relevant for the 2021-2022 school year. The details on this page are subject to change as we receive guidance from the Texas Education Agency, Governor’s Office, and State and local officials. Please check back often for the most up-to-date information.
Currently, the District Safety Alert Level is Level 4. To see the full Safety Alert Levels chart, please click on the Roadmap to Remaining Open button below.
A Message from the School Nurse
Please keep your child home if they are showing any signs of illness or reporting that they do not feel well.
For example, if your child comes to you in the morning and reports any of the following symptoms: cough, sore throat, stomachache, or headache, or tells you they had diarrhea or vomiting, DO NOT send them to school. Please keep your student home and monitor the symptom or symptoms until they resolve.
Keep students home if they are waiting for results of a COVID test (even if the student is asymptomatic). You may refer to the CISD Roadmap to Remaining Open at the link above for specific health information.
NEW Update - When a student has a positive COVID result, parents will now self-report through their student's SSO at sso.conroeisd.net
- Log-in to the student's SSO portal (same as scheduling a test) and click on the Self Report button.
- Parent acknowledges they are the parent/guardian of this student and enters their name.
- Parent completes the required information and clicks submit.
- Parent receives a popup with information about isolation, severe symptoms, attendance, and a return to school date.
- Parent receives an email with the information contained in the popup.
Free COVID-19 testing is available to all CISD employees and students Monday-Friday at the CISD Police Department located at 2900 N. Loop 336 E. Conroe, TX 77301. You must schedule a test through the CISD SSO in the COVID Central app prior to arrival.
Medication at school: If your child needs medication while at school, please email Mrs. Riggs, Galatas School Nurse at kriggs@conroeisd.net to set up an appointment to drop off the medication.
Upcoming Events
October
18-22 Book Fair
19 Virtual Bedtime Story Night
22 Storybook Parade 8:30 a.m.
25-29 Red Ribbon Week
29 Science Day
November
9 PTO Meeting- 10:00 AM
9 3rd Grade Program, Sections 31, 33, 35, 37 6:30 PM
11 Individual Picture Retakes
11 3rd Grade Program, Sections 32, 36, 38 6:30 PM
12 Movie Night 6:30 PM
15-19 Generation Texas Week
18 Thanksgiving Festivities, Kinder and 1st Grade
19 Galatas Fun Run
22-26 No School: Thanksgiving Break
December
6-10 Hour of Code
10 4th Grade Choir Program 8:30 AM
13 Holiday Party: Kinder (1:30 PM)
14 PTO Board Meeting-9:00 a.m.
14 Holiday Parties- 2nd (10:30 a.m.) & 1st (2:00 p.m.)
16 Holiday Round Robin–3rd (10:00 a.m.)
16 Holiday Party/Service Project- 4th (8:15 a.m.) & Special Programs (1:45 p.m.)
17 Polar Express Day (Students wear p.j.’s)
17 Early Release Day, End of Nine Weeks– 12:10 p.m.
December 22-January 4 Winter Break
January
5 Classes Resume