Gratz Brown Elementary
December Newsletter
Accredited with Distinction
Moberly's Mission Statement:
Create a safe environment that fosters mutual respect and responsibilityInspire and value life long learners,
The Spartan Way is excellence for all!
GBE's Partners in Education:
El Vaquero
Sonic Drive-In
Art's Appliance
Central Bank of Moberly
Dates to Remember:
Monday, December 7th
PTO Food Drive Continues up to 12/11/15
PTO Meeting at GBE from 5:30 to 6:30
Tuesday, December 8th
Board Of Education Meeting at Central Office from 5:30 to 6:30 pm
Randolph County Literacy's Candy Cane Lane at Little Dixie Regional Library on December 8. This event is for preschool-5th grade. There will be books, Santa, crafts and sugar cookie decorating. This event will begin at 5:30.
Wednesday, December 9th
Thursday, December 10th
Reading Counts Lunch for those students Earning Eating Lunch with the Principals
5th Grade Team A and B Math Fair from 1:45 to 2:45
5th Grade Awards Assembly 2:45 to 3:45
Friday, December 11th
Box Top Deadline Pick Up for this Quarter
Monday, December 14th
Announcement of the Classes from each grade level that collected the most Box Tops!
Intruder Drill at GBE Today-- Parent Letter will come home prior and after the drill.
4th Grade Awards Assembly from 9:35 to 10:35
3rd Grade Performing Arts Performance at GBE Gymnasium from 6 to 7 pm
Tuesday, December 15th
4th Grade Team A & B will have their parent involvement activity on Tuesday December 15th:
Team A will be from 9:30-10:00
Team B will be from 2:10-2:40
Students will be celebrating their writing!
Spartan Chorale Tour Around Moberly!
Santa Store Runs from December 15th to the 17th
Wednesday, December 16th
Spartan Chorale sings in the gym at 8:25
Holiday Feast During Lunch times at GBE-- Parents invited to attend; Letter was sent home this previous week asking for an RSVP
Grade Level Winners for the Food Drive Receive a Popsicle Party from PTO
Thursday, December 17th
3rd and 4th Grade PBS Success Celebrations
Friday, December 18th
Friday Dec 18 early release- we get out at 12:50
Caroling Around the Christmas Tree at the school square 9 am
Classroom Holiday Parties Take Place this day at Varying Times; your classroom teacher will send out the specific time.
Spartan Tutoring will run as normal these last weeks prior to break-- Thank you!
Christmas Break from December 21st to January 3rd!
Happy Holidays and See you in the New Year-- 2016!!
GBE Winter Book Celebrations for the remainder of the Month:
12/8- Grinch Day-- Look Grinchy!! Grinchy Treat for students at Lunch. Read Aloud at the Morning Assembly.
12/15- Polar Express Day -- Wear PJ's or Cozy Clothing; A treat and Read Aloud as other days
12/18- Festive Sweater Day-- Wear your most festive sweater!
Caroling Around the Tree at 9 am in the School Square.
Children's Literature Festival Coming up this Spring
Our GBE PTO and local donations will assist our school in taking 50 students to the Children’s Literature Festival at Truman State University in Kirksville on April 15. Mrs. St.Clair has been communicating to students in 4th and 5th grade how they can qualify to attend this annual event. Please encourage your child to attend by reading the required books, meeting their Reading Counts goal each month and completing an application when they become available in March. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. St.Clair, GBE Librarian.
Six Flags Reading Logs
Winter Weather is Upon Us:
Pick Up Reminders for Each Day:
If you plan on picking your child up early please make sure to call into the office and arrive before 3:20. We are in transition at this time and are often unable to easily pull students from other areas of the building that they are normally assigned as their end of the day routine.
On Early Release days, we ask that you pick your child up by 12:35 from the office, if planning on picking up your child early these days.
Thank you for helping us to help keep our students safe!
Note from our PTO President, Michelle Goon
I want to reach out to you about our Holiday class parties at GBE. You had said at the beginning of the school year you would be willing to help in some fashion, either with parties in the class rooms or with donations. So I wanted to let you know that there was a form that went home with each child on Tuesday before break in regards to the Christmas parties on December 18th. If you would be able to help please mark the form and return it to your child's teacher. Please note that if you only want to send in items such as food, drinks and or items for the treat bag please put your contact information on the form. If you wish to help in the classroom or bring a game/craft the day of the party please check the boxes on the bottom as well. We will get the forms to the class coordinators and they will be calling you to let you know what we need.
I did have a few of you that expressed interest in helping coordinate the parties and we are still in need of 3 coordinators for the 3rd grade classes. If you are interested in helping with this please respond to this email with your name and phone number and I will get in touch with you so we can discuss what will need to be done.
Inclement Weather Letter & Snow Routes have been posted to the district website-- Please listen for announcements on School Closings during Inclement Weather:
Please Excuse the Error Regarding our Holiday Feast
Mrs. Lewis AND GBE Spartan Chorale
GBE Spartan Chorale Performs the National Anthem at a Boys Basketball Home Game Last Week!
Mrs. Forsyth and Students that are in GBE Nerdy Book Club Eat Lunch Together
Is It ELF???? No, wait a minute! Its Mr. Samuel!! He's got the Spartan Spirit!
Message From Mrs. Doss
I hope this newsletter finds each of you doing well. We have just transitioned from the Thanksgiving Holiday and are swiftly swirling into the Winter Holidays! We are festive here at GBE and are excited and thankful our amazing Custodial Staff worked hard over the last break to assemble our beautiful tree. Soon we will gather as a school family to sing carols around this tree and the children are excited.
Although we are in the spirit for the holidays, we are still focused on our learning. Prior to Thanksgiving Break Progress Reports were sent home with your child. If you have any questions in regards to this progress report please make sure to contact your child's teacher. Our students are working on their Winter Benchmarks at this time for Reading and Math. The children will be taking their Winter DRA and STAR assessments up to January. Students have also been working on finishing up their recent writing pieces of expository writing to inform. I was lucky enough to be able to read a student's piece of writing that was shared with us in the office. This student focused on our Custodians here at GBE and the hard jobs they have to help keep our building running smoothly. This piece of writing not only informs the reader in detail the numerous jobs our custodians oversee, it also warms to heart to see how appreciative our students are of Mrs. Harris, Mrs. Martin and Mrs. Thomas. What a great message to hear during this time of year filled with thankfulness and gratitude for what we each have in our lives.
As we enter this busy time of year, Teachers will be sending home reminders or flyers to let you know of events coming up this month. Please take time to check your student's planner and Friday folders for any important information that comes home.
Thank you for sharing your child with us here at GBE! We value our partnership!
Mrs. Angie Doss