Tiger Time News
News from the O.C. Taylor Principal, Lisa Pedevilla
November 30 - December 4, 2020
Dear O.C. Taylor Families,
We hope you all had a safe and healthy Thanksgiving. We are thankful for your precious children!
Students Out Sick: If you are keeping your child home because they are not feeling well OR someone in your house is not feeling well, please make sure to let Nurse Katy know by phone call or email. If you are emailing teachers, include Nurse Katy, elissa.faught@gcisd.net and Ms.Betty betty.jones@gcisd.net
Holiday Fun at OCT: We invite your child to participate in some holiday fun! Not only despite the current circumstances but because of the current pandemic, we want to build fun into the holiday season. We plan to spread joy and build excitement with our annual grade level Reindeer Games and dress-up days. All of these are optional. (See details below).
To the BEST of days,
Principal Pedevilla
Email: lisa.pedevilla@gcisd.net
Website: http://oct.gcisd.net/
Location: 5300 Pool Road, Colleyville, TX, United States
Phone: (817) 305-4870
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OC-Taylor-Elementary-School-361871583888299/
Twitter: @OCTYoung
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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.
Important Dates
November 30
Chinese New Year (Wear red)
December 1
Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree (Wear rock band clothing or green)
December 2
Diwali Day (Dress in bright clothing)
December 3
Merry ChristMASK (Wear a decorated mask)
December 4
Reindeer Day (Wear reindeer ears, any ears, or a hat)
December 7
Kwanzaa and Krafts (Wear black, red, and green)
December 8
Ramadan Day (Wear stars, moon or anything that sparkles)
December 9
Camo Christmas (Wear camo)
December 10
Grinch Day (Wear as much green as possible)
December 11
Happy Hanukkah (Wear blue and white)
December 14
Santa is Coming to Town (PTA is providing Santa hats to all!)
December 15
Menorah Day (Wear blue and bright or light clothing)
December 16
Las Posadas (Wear red, yellow, white and/or green)
December 17
Polar Express Day (Wear pajamas)
December 18
Holiday Party Day (Wear a holiday shirt)
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Holiday Hullabaloo, Nov. 30-Dec.18
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Spring Creek BBQ Spirit Night Fundraiser
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Updates from the Clinic, Nurse Katy
Students out sick: If you are keeping your child home because they are not feeling well, or someone in your house is not feeling well, please make sure to let me know by phone call or email. If you are emailing teachers, include myself elissa.faught@gcisd.net and Ms.Betty betty.jones@gcisd.net
Parents of 5th graders: The Growth and Development program is presented to all 5th graders on each campus as part of the district approved health curriculum. I will be presenting the program to 5th graders at OCT on Friday November 20th. Notification letters were sent home with your student. Feel free to call or email me with any questions you have.
COVID-19 Email Communication Update
As we move into November, GCISD will be making a slight adjustment to the process in which families are notified of a test-confirmed positive COVID-19 case on their campus. Beginning this week, families will receive one email notification identifying all positive cases for that day on their student’s campus, as opposed to multiple emails if there are multiple cases. Families will only receive this email if there was a positive case on your student’s campus that day.
NOTE: This does not change procedures for close contact communication. If your child is determined to be a close contact of a test-confirmed positive case, you will be directly notified by your campus.
Health Screening for Students
All of our in-person learners' parents must pre-screen their student for signs and symptoms associated with COVID-19 before bringing your student to school. The signs and symptoms are to screen for are:
Feeling feverish or a measured temperature greater than or equal to 100.0 degrees Fahrenheit
Loss of taste or smell
Cough
Difficulty breathing
Shortness of breath
Fatigue
Headache
Chills
Sore throat
Congestion or runny nose
Shaking or exaggerated shivering
Significant muscle pain or ache
Diarrhea
Nausea or vomiting
If your child demonstrates any of the above signs or symptoms, they must stay home, and you need to report to the campus nurse the signs or symptoms your child is exhibiting. In the event that your child has a fever, they must be kept home from school until they are fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. Please do not give fever-reducing medication and send your child to school. Additionally, please do not send your child to school if they have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or are test-confirmed with COVID-19.
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GCISD Reads!
Our Tigers read SO MUCH that some of them completed the GCISD Reads Challenge over the summer! If your child has completed one of the challenges please encourage them to continue to grow as readers by participating in another one.
Information about the GCISD Reads Challenge can be found HERE.
Tech Tired?
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Updates from the Counselor, Mrs. Whisman
Hello Tiger Families! Beginning in December, our Character Focus from PurposeFull People is HONESTY. My morning messages, classroom Circle-Ups, and bi-weekly guidance lessons will reinforce that just as a postage stamp sticks to a holiday card to help it arrive at its destination, so honesty sticks with people, to help them make and keep friends and relationships. What a great time of year for our Tigers to practice honest, heartfelt compliments they can give to their family and friends!
If you would like more information about our monthly topic or for ways to get in contact with me, please click here for my newsletter.
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Changing Instructional Model
Changing Instructional Model
As a reminder, parents are able to switch from in-person to remote learning at any point during the school year. In order to make this change, please contact the campus counselor.
For families that are wishing to change from remote to in-person learning, that may only be done at the end of a grading period. The process for changing to in-person learning requires parents to log in to Skyward Family Access and complete the changing instructional models form prior to the end of the nine-week grading period. Instructions on where to find the form and how to complete it can be found here.
Below is a schedule of when the form will become available, when the form must be received by the campus, and when the change will go into effect:
To change after the second nine weeks, parents must complete the form between November 16 and December 4. Your student would begin receiving in-person instruction on January 6.
To change after the third nine weeks, parents must complete the form between February 14 and February 26. Your student would begin receiving in-person instruction on March 22.
If you have any questions regarding the timing of when parents may change the instructional model selected, or the associated process, please contact the campus counselor at stacy.whisman@gcisd.net.
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Updates from Art, Music and PE
Specials reminders:
Remote learners may connect with Specials teachers one day a week through LIVE Webex meetings for the first 15-20 minutes of their Specials time. Webex links are shared in the Specials Seesaw class.
Tuesdays - Mrs. Morgan (Art)
Wednesdays-Coach Mester(PE)
Thursdays-Mrs. Vencill(Music)
A Note from Mrs. Vencill....
Happy holiday season, Tiger families! We are working hard to fill the music room with jolly holiday sounds. Here's what's happening in the OCT music room in the month of December.
Kindergarten/1st Grade: We will continue using the notes and rests we know to write rhythm patterns and play those patterns on classroom percussion instruments. Students will also begin exploring melodic direction and identifying the difference between high and low sounds.
2nd/3rd Grade: We will introduce the musical alphabet and the placement of notes on the lines and spaces of the treble clef staff. We will use Boomwhackers, bells and interactive Orff apps (Quaver) to practice naming the lines and spaces of the staff.
4th/5th Grade: We will take what we know about rhythm and add it to the treble clef staff to create melodies. We will use Boomwhackers, bells and interactive piano/Orff apps to practice naming the lines and spaces of the staff and to create and play simple melodies.
All: We will listen to and sing songs that celebrate a variety of December holidays and make connections to the history and culture behind each celebration.
I wish you all love, peace and good health this holiday season! Fa, la, la, la la.....
Mrs. Vencill
A Note from the Art Room...
For the month of December, students will continue exploring different color theories, as well as learn about value.
Kindergarten and 1st Grade: Students will be learning about the artist Wayne Thiebaud to create a gumball machine by mixing primary colors to create secondary colors.
2nd and 3rd Grade: Students will be learning about the artist Wayne Thiebaud to create a value scale ice cream cone. Students will learn how to create tints and shades, as well as what a hue is.
4th and 5th Grade: Students will be learning about the artist Wayne Thiebaud to create a value scale layered cake. Students will learn what a value scale is and how to create one.
Keep on Creating!
Mrs. Morgan
Physical Education News...
Wow, how the year is flying by! In December, we will be safety participating in creative holiday games and begin learning and playing the game Newcomb. Hopefully, enjoying some physical activity outside as well!
See you in the gym,
Coach Mester
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Update from GT, Kathy Griffin
UPCOMING REFERRAL/ GT TESTING FOR KINDERGARTEN & 5TH GRADE STUDENTS
Referral Window for K / 5th Grades: November 30 through December 11, 2020
GT Testing for K / 5th Grades: January 7 through January 22, 2021
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Free Meals Extension
The USDA has extended its nationwide waiver, allowing GCISD to now offer free meals through June 2021 at all elementary and middle school campuses and meal bundles at curbside locations. Complete information can be found here.
OCT PTA
Please be sure to visit the O.C. Taylor PTA website where you'll be able to fill out some important forms as well as pay your Homeroom Fund Fee (just $10), which helps pay for things during the year like Winter and Valentine's parties and an end of the year gift for the teachers. Our partnership with the PTA is critical for maintaining the exceptional culture we have here at O.C. Taylor!
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Cookie Decorating Kits
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Fall 2020 Council E-Connection Newsletter
Please read the Fall 2020 Council E-connection Newsletter to see some of what O.C. Taylor PTA has been doing on our campus.
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
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Helping Our Community
Every year, O.C. Taylor students and the PTA collect donations for GRACE Grapevine, a local
nonprofit serving the needy in our community. In the past, each grade participated during a
specific month of the school year. We want to maximize our impact in the community by
opening up donation collection to the entire school all year long!
For the month of October, we will be collecting cans of soup and crackers!
The grade that collects the most donations each month will win an extra recess!
Donation drop boxes will be placed in the school hallways and in the lobby.
October - Soup & Crackers (Canned soup and/or crackers)
November - Rice & Beans (Dried or packaged rice, Dried or canned beans)
December - Holiday Toy Drive (Unwrapped toys for children ages 0-18)
January - Spaghetti Night (Dried pasta, jarred spaghetti sauce)
February - Breakfast (Cereal, oatmeal, or other hot cereals)
March - PBJ (Peanut/nut butter, jars of jelly)
April - Stock the Pantry (Canned tuna, meat, fruit, etc.)
May - Mac & Cheese(Packages of everyone's favorite!)