GCISD Voters Approve VATRE; Generate $6 Million in Revenue for District

According to unofficial results from Tarrant County, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD voters have approved the school district’s Voter-Approved Tax Ratification Election, listed as Proposition A on the ballot, with 57.9% of voters in favor and 42.1% against. Thanks to our community’s support, the VATRE will provide approximately $6 million in much-needed funding for school district operations. View this message from Superintendent Dr. Brad Schnautz.

I told you back in September that the kiln was in process.  It is in process but it is proceeding very slowly!  We have to have the existing space inspected to determine if additional amperage is needed for the larger kiln, and also to evaluate the current exhaust system.  We are currently on hold waiting for an electrician to perform the inspection.

Counseling CanaFACTS

Glenhope Giving Tree begins November 19th

If your family is interested  in bringing joy to other Glenhope families this holiday season, please consider visiting our Glenhope Giving Tree. Our Giving Tree will be decorated with several ornaments. Some ornaments will include a list of wants/needs for a Glenhope student or the sibling of a Glenhope student, while other ornaments will include requests for grocery gift cards for Glenhope families. Your family will shop for the item(s) listed on the ornament you take from the tree, then will return the items to Glenhope by December 9th. All items must fit into the bag provided when you pick up your ornament. 

Because we have so many wonderfully giving families who want the opportunity to help, please only take one ornament per family. Students will not be allowed to touch the tree, so a parent is required to come in to the school to pick an ornament. You will be asked to sign for your ornament so that we can ensure all ornaments are accounted for. Please make plans for a parent/guardian to check in with the front office and take an ornament from the tree beginning November 19th if your family wants to participate.  

If your family misses out on getting an ornament, or if you are hoping to help beyond one ornament, please consider donating toys to the Grace Christmas Cottage or to the Grace Food Pantry. Grace works closely with many families in the GCISD community! 

The Giving Tree would not be possible without the help of our amazing volunteers, who decorate the tree and organize the gifts! If you have questions, about gifts for your angel, please reach out to our lead volunteer, Jenny Thomas, jennythomas84@yahoo.com or to Mrs. Canafax, lauren.canafax@gcisd.net. 

 
November's Character Trait is GRATITUDE

When students visit me for Guidance in November, we will discuss Gratitude. Students will learn that Gratitude is "Choosing to appreciate the people and things in our lives."  Kindergarten through 2nd grade will discuss what it means to be grateful and will do a project identifying what we are grateful for in our own lives. 3rd through 5th grade will play a fun game that challenges them to find things to be grateful for in made-up scenarios.

Daily Gratitude Questions

Teachers will be invited to have students share what they are grateful for during Circle Up time with daily gratitude questions from November 11-22  If you want to extend the discussion at home, here are the questions they will aim to ask each day. Ask your child what they shared and why. Share your own answer and discuss it as a family. This is a great way for you to encourage and model gratitude, as well as to get your child talking about what happened at school! 

 There are so many benefits to gratitude! Parents are encouraged to learn more about the benefits of gratitude and how to encourage it in your children. Check out this article for more information about the benefits of gratitude and how you can cultivate it at home. 

If you would like to learn more about the role of a school counselor, please visit our GCISD Counseling website. Reach out to Lauren Canafax (lauren.canafax@gcisd.net) if your student needs a check-in or if you have any questions/concerns. 

Repeated information

       ATTENDANCE INFORMATION

We want to remind you about the 90% attendance rule in Texas. According to state law, students must maintain at least 90% attendance in order to receive credit for their courses. This means that students cannot exceed 18 full or partial day absences throughout the school year.

If your child has to miss school due to a doctor’s appointment or any other reason, please remember to send a doctor’s note to Ms. Tanya within 5 days of the absence. These partial day absences will be coded as doctor appointments and will not count toward the total number of absences.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us support your child's education!

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.

Please email Nurse Liz (elizabeth.giblin@gcisd.net) and Tanya Hill (tanya.hill@gcisd.net) whenever your child will be out sick.

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