August 16, 2024

Welcome back!

Welcome to the 24-25 school year!  We're excited to have so many Gators here at Glenhope this year, both returning and brand new to our campus.  We're looking forward to sharing plans we have for activities that we will be experiencing throughout the year. 

We have begun implementing a new format for my newsletter, based on parent and staff feedback.  This newsletter will house updates from several staff members, and also have links to each grade's newsletter.  This week there may not be much news in the grade level newsletter due to the beginning of school level of activity, but they should be posted so that you can reach them each week through this page.

In the next few weeks we will start holding Parent Information Meetings for each grade level.  We renamed those from the previous "Curriculum Night" because we realized that most of what we discuss is not curriculum, but important information we feel you need to know.  We will show you where you can find grade level curriculum documents but 

We will also begin our annual Greenback Giving campaign.  This is an opportunity for you to contribute to our campus to help supplement the budget we are given from the district for supplies, subscriptions and extras that we might like to purchase for our campus.  This year, our first purchase with our Greenback funds will be a new and larger kiln for Mrs. Towery to use in our art program.  For those of you who have been here previously, you know how much our students have enjoyed making pottery projects.  When it's time to fire those projects in the kiln, ours is quite a bit smaller than the newer models.  This means she has to plan multiple  firings to accommodate all the pieces.  Last year, she had to "borrow" kiln time from the art teacher at OC Taylor!  I'd like to make sure she doesn't spend unnecessary time having to fire repeatedly when a larger (and possibly more efficient) kiln would help that process.

Car tag info

We provided a bright yellow sign for car tags for each family.  There isn't anything special about that sign, so if you need another one, feel free to print an additional one even if it's not on bright yellow card stock!

Change in dismissal plans?

Parents, please let your child's teacher know when there is a change in dismissal plans.  We don't deviate from the previously shared plans because we can't always depend on a child to get the details straight!  Please call the office if it's during the day and email the teacher as well.

School Menus Online

Welcome back! Nutrition Services is excited about the upcoming school year. School Menus, the district charge policy, menu item pricing and more can be found on the department's school menus web page. 

More information, including menu item nutritional information and allergens, may be viewed through the Nutrition Services web page or by downloading the MealViewer app available for download through the Apple Store or Google Play. 

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Thank you, PTA!

We appreciate our wonderful PTA!  They were in charge of school supplies, have provided teachers with start up money for the beginning of the year, and are providing our staff with lunch today!

Thank you for all you do to support our staff and students.

New Assessment Program

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! I hope you all had an enjoyable break with time for relaxation and fun. It’s great to have everyone together for what I know will be an exciting new school year making a positive impact on our students’ development and academic success. 

I am excited to share that our school will be using a new tool for reading and mathematics called i-Ready. This tool will help us support our K-8 teachers in personalizing reading and mathematics instruction for students. Our aim is to give teachers more time for classroom instruction and to bring coherence to instruction, intervention and acceleration.

The i-Ready diagnostic assessment for reading and mathematics will be completed by your student in the next two weeks. Your child’s teacher will provide more information with the  specific days on which this will take place. This diagnostic replaces the resources the District previously used for universal screening at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. 

What is i-Ready?

i-Ready is an online program that will help us determine your child’s strengths and areas for growth, personalize their learning, and monitor their progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child where they are and provides us with data to inform instruction.

The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions based on student responses. Each item a student receives is based on their answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly harder questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier ones. The purpose of this is not to give your child a score or grade but to determine how to best support their learning.

i-Ready Instruction provides students with lessons based on their individual strengths and areas for growth. These lessons are interactive and provide strategic support to keep your child engaged as they learn.

We encourage you to watch this video to better understand i-Ready. We will continue to share information with you regarding student progress results and how you can also be a valued partner in your student’s learning. 

Thank you for your continued support of our campus. We look forward to a successful 2024-2025 school year!

GCISD Announces Gold Card Sessions for 2024-2025 School Year 

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD residents 65 years and older are invited to join the district’s Gold Card program, which grants free entry to all GCISD fine arts and athletic events (excluding playoffs). To become a member and obtain a Gold Card, attendees only need to attend one informational session, with the first one scheduled for 9 a.m., Thursday, August 22, at the district’s Administration Building, 3051 Ira E. Woods Avenue in Grapevine, TX 76051. Attendees are asked to arrive 15 minutes early to the sessions to allow time to check-in and bring their state-issued driver’s license. Visit GCISD’s Gold Card web page to see the schedule of sessions for the 2024-2025 school year.  

New procedure this year

When you have been on campus and are leaving, please be sure you go by the kiosk and sign out.  That is a new procedure this year!

Procedure for Students with Unpaid Meal Charges

Parents/Guardians shall monitor their student’s school meal account to ensure that they always have a positive balance. In the event that a student does not have a positive balance, the student may charge up to five meals to their account. Only reimbursable meals may be charged. A la carte items may not be charged. Communication about a negative meal balance will be sent to parents/guardians via email/text. Students who have exceeded the 5 charged meal limit, will be offed an alternative meal that will be charged to the student’s account.

If you have questions about the Nutrition Services program, please call ext. 5615 or email julie.telesca@gcisd.net. 

• Pre-k-8 Breakfast - $1.65; Reduced Breakfast - $0.00 (this school year only)

• Elem. Lunch - $2.90

• Reduced Lunch - $0.40

• Adult/Guest Lunch - $4.50

Trustees Lower Tax Rate, Call Voter-Approved Tax Ratification Election for November Ballot

At its August 12 Special Meeting, the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to call a voter-approved tax ratification election (VATRE) that will be on the November 5 ballot. Trustees also approved the 2024 tax rate, and even with the three additional golden pennies from the passage of the VATRE, the total overall tax rate (Maintenance and Operations, plus Interest and Sinking) will be lowered by $0.0014. 

GCISD officials will schedule informational meetings about the VATRE to share details and answer questions. As soon as those meetings are finalized, information will be shared through the district’s regular communication channels. In the meantime, residents are encouraged to visit www.GCISD.net/VATRE for more information.

2024-2025 Back-to-School Attendance Updates

Important attendance information: Attendance matters! Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s learning and educational experiences. Parents and students are encouraged to avoid unnecessary absences. Two important state laws govern attendance. In efforts to promote student attendance and learning, please note the following reminders and updates to GCISD attendance requirements. 

Laws Governing School Attendance: 

Compulsory Attendance (AKA Truancy) 

Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten 

Students enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten are required to attend school and are subject to the compulsory attendance requirements as long as they remain enrolled at a campus.

Ages 6–18 

State law requires that a student who is at least six years of age, or who is younger than six years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not yet reached their 19th birthday, shall attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction program, extended-year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt. Students/families who do not meet compulsory attendance will be referred to the GCISD Attendance Review Board and/or referred to Tarrant County Court for truancy. If a student fails to attend school without excuse on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period but does not fail to attend school for the time described below, the district shall initiate truancy prevention measures on the student. 

Attendance for Credit or Final Grade (AKA 90% Rule) 

To receive credit or a final grade in a class, a student in kindergarten–grade 12 must attend at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered. With the exception of absences due to serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, must be considered in determining whether a student has attended the required percentage of days. Students who are in danger of losing credit or promotion will be contacted by the campuses with plans for opportunities to regain lost instructional time. 

Official Attendance-Taking Time 

Official attendance is taken every day at 10:00 a.m. Attendance is taken at 8:55 a.m. at Collegiate Academy and 12 p.m. for Bridges. 

Documentation after an Absence 

Up to eight days per year (four per semester) may be excused by a parent note for missed attendance beyond medical, approved excused, and statutorily exemptions. Vacations taken during the school year will be coded as unexcused absences. All absences whether excused or unexcused count toward the 90% rule. 

A parent must provide an explanation for any absence upon the student’s arrival or return to school. The student must submit a note signed by the parent. The campus may accept a phone call from the parent, but reserves the right to require a written note. A note signed by the student will not be accepted unless the student is age 18 or older or is an emancipated minor under state law. The campus will document in its attendance records whether the absence is excused or unexcused.

Electronic device policies

At the July 29th board meeting, a few updates to board policies were approved that aim to reduce interruptions and distractions, and contribute to a positive learning environment. These policies are regarding the usage of electronic devices, which have become an increasing issue amongst schools over the past decade.

• Elementary students may use telecommunications devices before and after school only. They may not use telecommunications devices during school hours.

At Glenhope and most elementary schools in the district, students will be required to place electronic devices, including smart watches, in their backpacks.  Due to the newness of the policy, we will warn students several times before moving to the approved consequences.

• First offense: The student will be given a warning and the cell phone or electronic device shall be confiscated by the teacher until the end of the class period and may be picked up after school by the student or parent. 

• Second offense: The cell phone or electronic device shall be confiscated by the teacher and turned into the main office. The teacher will contact the parent and the device and may be picked up after school by the student.

• Third offense: The cell phone or electronic device shall be confiscated by the teacher and turned into the main office. The teacher or a campus administrator will contact the parent and the device may be returned only to the parent from the front office during normal school hours. 

• Fourth offense and subsequent offenses: The cell phone or electric device shall be confiscated by the teacher and turned into the main office. The teacher or a campus administrator will contact the parent. The device may be picked by the parent from the front office after paying a fee of $15. 

• The campus principal may use discretion for appropriate discipline consequences for persistent misbehavior if repeated infractions occur. 

• Refusal to surrender the phone is a violation of the student code of conduct and will result in disciplinary consequences in addition to the consequences outlined above. 

• If a personal telecommunications device is not retrieved, the District shall dispose of the device after providing notice required by law. The district shall dispose of the devices for which timely notice has been given at the end of each semester.

Safety Patrol (4th and 5th graders only)

4th and 5th graders who are interested in joining Safety Patrol should fill out the application and turn it into the box in the front office by Wednesday, August 21. Parent permission is required. Please contact Mrs. Vossen with any questions. 

Safety Patrol Application 

Counseling CanaFACTS

Hello Gators! Mrs. Canafax here, and I am so excited to be your new school counselor. This week, I began our first round of guidance lessons with students, where I did a brief “Introduction to the Counselor” lesson. I will see all grade levels by the end of next week. We discussed the role of a school counselor, when they will see me, and how they can request to meet with me. Ask your child what they learned!

Are you curious about the role of a school counselor? Our GCISD Elementary Counseling website explains the roles and responsibilities of school counselors. You can also see a preview of our monthly guidance curriculum and much more on that website. I encourage you to check it out! 

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your student, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Email: lauren.canafax@gcisd.net

Phone: 817-251-5725

Grade Level & Department Newsletters