Embedded Files
April 28th - May 2nd, 2025
April 28th - May 2nd, 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Mr. Schilleci
Mr. Schilleci
OCT Families,
We hope you all had a great weekend! Last week was certainly a full one, filled with the excitement of our Egg Drop, the wonderful Festival of Friends, and another round of STAAR testing for our 5th grade tigers.
This week will be very busy as well! We will be wrapping up STAAR testing for the year with the Math STAAR Test. Our tigers have done so well on the tests already, and we are excited to see them finish strong! Please continue to encourage them and make sure they get plenty of rest and a good breakfast the morning of the test. They have worked very hard preparing, and I know they will make us all proud!
Please note that we also have Game On at CMS this Thursday and our exciting Career Day for K-5 this Friday at OCT!
Thank you for your continued support as we head into this busy and important week!
Best,
Principal Schilleci
Principal Schilleci's Weekly News
Principal Schilleci's Weekly News
STAAR Math Testing, April 29th: We will have a closed campus this Tuesday due to our final round of STAAR testing. We will not be allowing any visitors or volunteers on campus. Please make sure to read our Campus Testing Coordinator, Mrs. Priesand's section for information on testing.
GAME ON 2.0, May 1st @ CMS: This Thursday at the Colleyville Middle School Gymnasium, we will hold our Annual Game On event. It will begin at 4:30 and end at 6:30. Please see this flyer if you are interested in attending.
Career Day @ OCT, May 2nd: We would love some "on-demand" videos to be able to show during the day. If you would like to record a short video of your self in the workplace/or in the job please share it with our Counselor, Mrs. Holley.
Field Day, May 9th: We will not be doing FAST passes this year for Field Day. Please come up to the vestibule any time from now until the 9th to collect your badge. If you do not come early you will have to collect your badge in the front vestibule at our kiosks on Field Day. Everyone has to have a badge before entering near the Primary basketball court and playground area on the north side of campus.
Attendance Reminder: Please remember that our academic instruction starts at 7:40. It is vital that our Tigers are in their classrooms at 7:40 and ready to learn at that time.
2025-2026 School Supply Packs: It’s that time of year again — back-to-school prep made EASY! Skip the store runs and order your school supply pack during our early sale to save money and stress.
Each pack is custom-built by your child’s grade level teachers, so you’re only getting what they actually need — no guesswork.
Save $5 when you order by 5/20/2025.
Grade-specific supplies chosen by teachers.
School supply packs are delivered directly to their classroom and ready to go on Day 1.
Visit https://www.educationalproducts.com/ShopPacks to order.
School code: TAY009 (3 letters/3 numbers)
Got questions? Contact octschoolsupplies@gmail.com"
REPEATED ITEMS:
Ready, Set, Register Before May 16: Start your engines by registering your student for the 2025-2026 school year before May 16. The earlier you register, the better we can plan as campuses are staffed based on registration numbers. Registering now helps GCISD avoid last-minute hiring or staff relocations when the school year begins.
Here’s how to cross the finish line:
Returning students: Register via Skyward Family Access
New families: Request a Skyward Family Access account first
Pre-K: Complete the pre-K online application first
New siblings: Log in to Skyward Family Access and add a new student by selecting the “New Student Online Enrollment” tab.
While families can register all year long, let’s cross that finish line together before summer to make next year a smooth ride!
Class Placement Considerations for 25-26: We are starting to think about the 2025-2026 school year. Should you have any information that you would like us to know, we would ask you to fill out the Student Consideration Form to request additional information that you feel will help us in the important task of class placement (Please complete one per child.).
Letter of Intent for 2025-2026 School Year: In preparation for the 2025-2026 school year, we need to know if your child plans to attend O. C. Taylor or not. This helps us as we begin to consider student enrollment in each grade level, staffing, and class placements for next year. Please complete a separate form for each child who currently attends O. C. Taylor.
DAC End-of-Year Potluck: See this invitation for more information. Everyone is invited- the more the merrier!
GRADE LEVEL NEWSLETTERS
GRADE LEVEL NEWSLETTERS
Please read your child's grade level newsletter by clicking on the grade to the right.
Upcoming Important Dates
4/28 - 3:00 - 3:45 Student Council
4/29 - STAAR Math (3-5) - No visitors/volunteers
5/2 - Career Day
5/2 - School Lunch Hero Day
5/2 - 3:15 - 4:00 Run Club
5/5 - 5/9 Book Fair
5/6 - 5th Grade Field Trip
5/6 - 5:00pm - 9:00pm Chipotle Spirit Night
5/8 - 6:30 - 7:30 Kinder Parent 101 Night
5/9 - Field Day
5/14 - 3:00 - 3:45 Friends of the Library
5/15 - 6:30 5th Grade Rocks
5/19 - 3:00 - 3:45 Student Council
5/22 - 9:00 5th Grade Continuation
5/22 - 11:45 Early Dismissal (last day of school)
Mrs. Priesand
Mrs. Priesand
Assistant Principal Priesand Updates
Assistant Principal Priesand Updates
OCT Families,
Tuesday is the last STAAR testing for the year! Please review the information below.
A few reminders:
Students testing will need to bring their charged chromebook and headphones on those dates. THIS IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
We will have a CLOSED CAMPUS on these days, so no lunch visitors, volunteers, book readers, etc. Please plan your visits accordingly!
Create a healthy routine of getting a good night's rest and fueling our bodies with a healthy breakfast.
As we approach STAAR testing, I want to remind you that while the test is an important tool, it is not the ultimate measure of your child’s potential. We use the data from STAAR at the school, district, and state levels, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Please encourage your children to do their best EVERYDAY. A positive mindset and effort are what matter most!
It’s important that we stay focused and finish the spring strong. Let’s support our students in maintaining their motivation as we enter into STAAR season with STAAR reviews and testing.
It's a great day to be a tiger!
Mrs.Priesand
STAAR dates:
April 9th- ELAR
April 22nd- Science
April 29th-Math
Holley's Herald
Holley's Herald
As we begin to wind down on the 24-25 school year please continue to have conversations with your kiddos on how to continue to show GREAT Tiger behavior. We encourage and expect for students to show respect, kindness, honesty, and leadership. Spring can be a crazy time but we hope that they are able to finish the year strong!
Career Day will be taking place this Friday 5/2. While our presentation shots are already set we would love some "on-demand" videos to be able to show during the day. If you would like to record a short video of your self in the workplace/or in the job please share it with me or send it to my email. Thank you in advance!
All the best,
Mackenzie Holley
email: mackenzie.holley@gcisd.net
phone: (817) 305-4880
Nurse Katy
Nurse Katy
TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL TRANSITION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL: Parents of 5th graders, please click on this link for more information.
IMMUNIZATION UPDATES: When your child receives immunizations, please submit a copy of the immunization record so I can update the school records in Skyward.
2024-2025 School Immunization Requirements Texas Minimum State Requirements for Students Grade K-12
NOTIFICATION OF ILLNESS/INJURY: If your student is absent due to an illness/injury, please be sure to email Paola (paola.cervantes@gcisd.net) and myself (elissa.faught@gcisd.net). You do not need to call the office. If you have a doctor's note (sick note, dentist, orthodontist, therapy, dermatologist, counseling, etc) please email it to Paola for attendance purposes.
WHEN TO STAY HOME: Students must stay home from school if any of the following are present:
● fever of 100 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours
● vomiting and/or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
● itchy, red eyes with discharge
● unknown rash
● jaundice
● ringworm of the scalp (until treatment has begun)
GCISD has a 24-hour policy related to stomach illness or fever. Students may not return to school until free of fever, vomiting, and/or diarrhea for a minimum of 24 hours without the aid of any medication. If your student is sent home from school with fever, vomiting, or diarrhea, you must still abide by the 24-hour policy, and keep your child home for a minimum of 24 hours after symptoms have subsided without the aid of medication.
Mrs. Water's GT News
Mrs. Water's GT News
DECATS is now open to 5th graders going into 6th!
What are we learning in GT LEAD for the 3rd nine weeks?
1st Grade - Getting the Dirt on Soil
2nd Grade - It's Extinct
3rd Grade - Career Exploration
4th Grade - Rube Goldberg
5th Grade - Exploring Sports and Games
Resources:
Byrdseed Articles
A video of me talking about why gifted kids are different than just “smart kids”
Related: how being repeatedly called “smart” can become a burden.
Does your child seem anxious? This is common.
Why your gifted kid shouldn’t be tutoring other students in class.
Gifted kids can be squirmy, fidgety, have high energy… and that’s ok!
Be thoughtful about how you praise kids.
Books
Books
Mrs. Quinn's Corner 📚
Mrs. Quinn's Corner 📚
This is the LAST week of library classes - the library will be closed for the year starting May 9th as I try to recover all my checked out books and start my annual inventory. I do still need parent volunteers! If you would like to help scan books, sort books, repair books, and prepare Makerspace for the summer, I would LOVE your help! You can sign up here, or contact me directly.
Kinder - 2nd grade tigers will get a video sneak peak of the books to be found at the Book Fair!
Our Spring Book Fair is May 5-9th. 40% of ALL Book Fair purchases that week will benefit the OCT Library! The online fair is open all school year long and until May 22nd, any purchases through our school's online fair link will credit our school 10% of all sales. If you would like to volunteer to help run the bookfair, you can sign up here. All volunteers get 20% their purchases at the fair!
The Spring Reading Challenge is underway! The Friends of the Library Club worked hard to come up with the rules - and prizes - for this latest challenge. Students need only to fill out their reading logs each week, and bring the log to either myself or Ms. Griffith to move spaces. On the board there are several challenge spaces that offer prizes for a bonus reading challenge (challenge cards must have an adult signature to verify completion). When tigers reach the finish line they get a treasure box prize, their token gets a sticker and they have the chance to play again or move to the Winners Circle. The second finish line gets 2 prizes and if they complete the challenge 3 times they can adopt a stuffie of their choice from the library or get a 3D printed object from our 3D printer! Let's get reading!
You can find out more about the OC Taylor library policies (including how many books each grade can checkout) on the school webpage. You can view District policies on library materials on their webpage. To see a list of Board Approved books, you may visit the District website.
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, would like to volunteer or donate books and supplies please feel free to contact me! I do accept gently used books so if you are cleaning out your child's room and find there are stories that could live in the OCT Library, send them my way 🤩 The most requested picture book titles are video game characters, mermaids, Disney Princesses, superheroes and popular tv characters (like Paw Patrol, Bluey, Peppa Pig, etc), but I'll be happy to accept whatever you'd like to give!
Johanna Quinn
email: johanna.quinn@gcisd.net
phone: (817) 305-4885
X: @OCTQuinn
Instagram: @octquinn
Mrs. Vencill
Mrs. Vencill
Vencill's Voice
Vencill's Voice
O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, April 2025
Happy Spring, OC Taylor Tigers and families! It’s hard to believe that we are just a few weeks away from the end of another school year. Time flies when you’re having fun!
Congratulations to our 2nd graders on a beautiful Festival of Friends program last week. Thank you for your hard work, Tigers. I am so proud of you!
Upcoming Programs:
Fifth Grade Rocks! , Thursday, May 15 at 8:30 a.m. for students/staff and 6:30 p.m.for parents/guests **EVERY 5th graders is expected to attend BOTH performances.
All 3rd and 4th grade students are invited to audition for the GCISD Elementary Honor Choir. Please open this Audition Information Letter for more information, and contact Mrs. Vencill with any questions.
See you in the music room,
Mrs. Vencill
bethany.vencill@gcisd.net
Coach Mester
Coach Mester
Mester's PE Press
Mester's PE Press
O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, April 2025
See you in the gym!
Coach Mester
jason.mester@gcisd.net
Mrs. Morgan
Mrs. Morgan
Morgan's Art Message
Morgan's Art Message
O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, April 2025
Kindergarten will learn about the artist Pablo Picasso to create a cubist Self Portrait. Students will learn how to draw a self portrait and add facial features. Students will then learn how to weave using painted paper. They will learn how to create a loom and use the pattern of under/over.
1st grade will learn about the artist Romero Britto and his patterned sculptures and paintings. Students will create a patterned art piece using different lines and shapes.
2nd grade will learn how to draw 3D shapes to create a still life of their choice.
3rd grade will learn about different clay techniques to create a clay gnome. Students will learn how to create a pinch pot, slab and attach pieces by scoring.
4th grade will learn about radial symmetry to create a paper relief design by learning three origami folds.
5th grade will learn about different shading techniques to create a still life of their choice. Students will learn about light sources and shadows.
Online Yearbook Sales are Closed
Online orders for yearbooks closed Monday April 7th. If we have extras, they will be on a first come, first serve basis.
More information will be sent out at a later time.
Grapevine- Colleyville ISD
District Art Show!
Everyone is invited to attend the District Art Show. Student artwork from all campuses will be on display at the Grapevine Convention & Visitors Bureau, 636 S. Main Street.
Exhibition will be on display from
April 8th- April 24th, 2025
Make sure to stop by and see all the amazing artwork!
Keep on Creating!
Mrs. Morgan
cristie.morgan@gcisd.net
OCT Cafeteria
OCT Cafeteria
Nutrition News
Nutrition News
GCISD NUTRITION SERVICES: Click here to see the school menus.
FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATIONS: Starting on July 10, 2024, free and reduced-price meal applications were made available to fill out for the 2024-2025 school year. Families are encouraged to complete the Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals available online at www.schoollunchapp.com. A paper copy may be downloaded from the website or requested at any campus or Nutrition Services office.
The application will determine a child’s eligibility for free and reduced-price meals and may assist in the determination of eligibility for other state or federal benefits. Only one application needs to be completed per household. Schools will notify the household of the child’s eligibility. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) administers school nutrition programs in Texas and offers an eligibility calculator at www.SquareMeals.org/ProgramEligibility.
Decisions regarding payment for school meals are made at the national-government level, not by the school nutrition team or TDA. The dedicated staff in Nutrition Services is looking forward to serving healthy, balanced meals to students in the new school year. If you have any questions, please call 817-251-5617 or email child.nutrition@gcisd.net.
Texas legislation has approved a 2024-25 biennium budget, which includes $3.3 million per year to cover the cost of school breakfasts for students eligible for reduced price meals. Students that are approved for reduced-priced meals may eat breakfast at no cost this school year. Lunch price is $0.40.
PROCEDURE FOR FAMILIES 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 6 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. Students who have exceeded the 6 charged meal limit, will be offered an alternative meal that will be charged to the student’s account.
O.C. Taylor PTA
O.C. Taylor PTA
PTA News
PTA News
WELCOME TO O.C. TAYLOR PTA!
Our goal is to connect with our school community by hosting fun events such as Tiger Fest, Grandparents' Day, Neon Night and so much more. We provide classroom needs and support our teachers in any way we can. We partner 100% with our wonderful school to make it the very best! We continue to raise funds for much-needed upgrades to our outdoor play area.
We hope you'll join us in our efforts to make O.C. Taylor the best it can be!
PTA WEBSITE & PURCHASES
For 2024-2025 our Back to School PTA forms will continue to be all digital! Visit https://octaylorpta.membershiptoolkit.com/ for all your PTA needs & purchases!
TEACHER FAVORITES
SAVE THE DATE!
4/29 - STAAR Math (3-5) - No visitors/volunteers
5/2 - Career Day
5/2 - 3:15 - 4:00 Run Club
5/5 - 5/9 Book Fair
5/6 - 5th Grade Field Trip
5/6 - 5:00pm - 9:00pm Chipotle Spirit Night
5/8 - 6:30 - 7:30 Kinder Parent 101 Night
5/9 - Field Day
5/15 - 6:30 5th Grade Rocks
5/22 - 9:00 5th Grade Continuation
5/22 - 11:45 Early Dismissal (last day of school)
BIRTHDAYS AT O.C. TAYLOR
We love to celebrate birthdays BIG at O.C. Taylor! We provide two options to purchase through our PTA to help celebrate:
Name In Lights - Your child's name on our marquee for the day - $25
Tiger Gram with Taylor the Tiger - Have Taylor the Tiger deliver a goody bag and balloons to your child's classroom - $40
Save $5 and purchase BOTH for $60.
Please purchase these AT LEAST two weeks in advance. We cannot promise our availability if not purchased in advance. Purchase on our website https://octaylorpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
If you have any questions or need assistance of any kind, please don't hesitate to reach out!
Looking forward to a GRRREAT year!
Jessica Schmulen
President / O.C. Taylor PTA
octaylorptapresident@gmail.com
O.C. Taylor Dad's Club
O.C. Taylor Dad's Club
Dad's Club News
Dad's Club News
Questions? Contact oc.taylor.dads.club@gmail.com
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