Parent STAR News
February 26 - March 2
From Dr. Ryan, GCISD Superintendent
An open letter to the community:
Like you, I watched in horror last week as we witnessed the reports of another tragic school shooting. This one, at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, took the lives of students and staff. Everyone associated with schools: students, parents, staff members and community members feel the pain and trauma each time this happens in our country. We search for answers to questions like: “How could this happen again?” and “How can we keep it from happening in the future?” As we grieve with the families in Florida, we also look to the security measures we have in place to protect our students and staff.
In GCISD, we practice several different types of scenarios and implement security measures accordingly. We make every effort to physically keep our students safe and we are taking additional steps thanks to our supportive community. In 2016, GCISD voters approved a bond package that included measures to secure students and staff including new security cameras, controlled entrance access for campuses and a fully integrated network security system.
Additionally, each secondary campus has a police officer that is stationed at the school every day and our counselors have resources for reporting concerns on their websites. We work closely with our local police departments and school resource officers to investigate every concern quickly and thoroughly and we communicate with staff, parents and the community when matters arise that need a wider response. We understand that when we do have to communicate, there are questions that may be left unanswered for our families based on the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), which prohibits the district and campuses from sharing specific information related to the incident or students. Please know that we do have policies and procedures in place for addressing these incidents, even if we are unable to provide you with those details. For more general information on the district’s disciplinary guidelines, please review the Student Code of Conduct.
The most important thing that we can all do is to build strong sense of togetherness and pride in our community’s schools and ensure our adults are building healthy relationships with students. Beginning with ‘“circle up” time in elementary schools, our students begin to build those relationships with their teachers and with each other. Those relationships are the foundations that are built upon when students get to middle and high school. This provides a safe space to have conversations with students when issues arise on campus, in our community and in our nation.
We also encourage everyone to report if they have a suspicion that something might be wrong. The adage of “see something, say something” may seem like a basic concept, but it is critical in our ability to get ahead of a potential threat.
We will continue to practice, review and refine our safety and security measures as the safety of our students and staff is our top priority of the GCISD Board of Trustees and our staff members.
Dr. Robin Ryan
GCISD Superintendent
REMINDER TO OUR VISITORS - PHOTO ID REQUIRED
Thank you for providing us feedback on the changes to the CAR Lane.
Our biggest priority is to keep our students safe and it has been a busy week in the parking lot and along Dooley. In addition, it has been a high traffic week because of the rain and cold temperatures so we appreciate your patience as we work to refine our new procedures. If you have been in the car lane, you can see our staff working to provide support for our students and parents.
We appreciate the feedback and continue to consider all options to ensure safety and speed up our process. We have also reached out to our district resource police officer so that he can observe our lanes and ensure that everyone is following the traffic laws. As you drive through the car lane if you see or think of something that will help us be more effective, please contact the school so that we can talk. I am happy to discuss the changes and any suggestions that you might have.
Dr. Cole
The 2018 SLE Yearbook Now on Sale!
The cost is $20 if purchased by March 4. Simply call 1.866.287.3096 or visit: www.YearbookOrderCenter.com
(Use order number 20935 when you order by phone or online.) There is no additional fee to order online!
To pay by cash or check, refer to the yearbook order sheet distributed Feb. 16.
PERSONALIZED PROGRAMS LOTTERY INFORMATION
817-251-5363
Parents who have questions regarding the lottery for tuition-based Pre-K, dual language, or STEM programs may use this phone number .The lottery application will open on Friday, February 9 and remain open until March 9. If a lottery is needed, it will occur Thursday, March 29.
There are also some websites that may be helpful as well.
Information about Personalized Programs
Information about the Expo (scheduled for February 8 from 5:00 - 7:00 @ CTMS)
Information about Tuition-Based Pre-K
Parking Lot - Mornings - Limited Access
We have begun limiting access to our front parking lot from 7:20 - 7:40 each morning. During that time all parents will need to use the back driveway to drop their students off as only staff will be allowed to enter and park. We have monitored the safety of our lot for almost two years and have met with city engineers, our Campus Excellence Committee, and our student voice committee seeking creative solutions and our safest route in the morning is for parents to drop their students in back driveway each day.
If you have medicine to bring or need to visit the front office, please arrive before 7:20. If you have questions or concerns, please call or stop by the front office during the school day. I would be happy to discuss the safety of your children and the procedural changes with you.
Dr. Cole, Principal
PRE K INFORMATION FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR
Math Telescoping Exams
MARCH 2 READ ACROSS AMERICA
We are having a class dress up day for Read Across America day - Friday, March 2nd. Students and teachers are encouraged to dress up like any character from any Dr.Seuss book! There will be a fabulous prize for the winning class!!!!
SLE PTA NEWSLETTER
If you are looking for a way to support your child's math skills...Here is a great resource.
Have fun with your child!
BIRTHDAY TREATS REMINDER
Thank you!
BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR DONATIONS
Thank you for supporting our community and helping with this annual tradition.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is making some changes to the School Messenger automated calling system. Currently, when GCISD sends a phone message, it uses the main district line. Moving forward, calls will come from the following number: 866-264-0350. By using this toll free number, call recipients will be able to place a call back to this number to hear any missed calls, which is an added benefit to all families. Please save this number in your contacts as a reminder that these calls are coming from GCISD.
Silver Lake Elementary
Email: shannon.cole@gcisd.net
Website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=17379
Location: 1301 N Dooley St, Grapevine, TX, United States
Phone: 817-251-5750
Twitter: @iamsjcole