Gator Connect

Aug 31st-Sept 6

Principal Message & News

What a wonderful week it's been! Our gators continue to thrive, and we're so excited to see them continue to shine. This week, we had a blast celebrating College Colors Day and were thrilled to see so many of you at Curriculum Night. We truly value your partnership and support in your child's education.

As we look ahead to next week, we'll begin our weekly highlight of "Gator Way Winners." These students will be recognized for being a model example of our school's core values. We can't wait to celebrate their positive contributions!

Our Pre-Auction goes live on September 2nd. In this auction, we will be offering a few new experiences. One of those is to invite Spike (our gator mascot) to your child's classroom for a popcorn party. Another experience we are offering are club hopper passes. The last Friday of every month, we are going to have some time for clubs "Gatorville" during school. These clubs range from coloring to disc golf to volleyball to 3D art printing. Students get to pick ONE club they would like to be in each semester. With this special club hopper pass, a student will get to get their friend and be a "club hopper" and experience more clubs. Be on the lookout for these during Pre-Auction, as there is only one available per grade level.

A quick but important reminder: SB12 forms go into effect on September 1st. These include the counseling, nursing, and club forms. Please log into Skyward and complete them today. It only takes a minute or two and will ensure our staff can continue to provide essential services to your children.

Thank you for everything you do to make Glenhope great!

Let's show some appreciation for our staff! If you are feeling grateful for anyone on our staff and would like to pass that message along, please share it here. We will share it in our weekly staff newsletter!

Do you have a question I can help answer, or feedback to make Glenhope even better! Please complete the form!

-Alishia Ilic

GHES Principal

Grade Level Newsletters

Important Dates

September 1st, Holiday/District Closed
September 16th, Fall Picture Day
September 22nd, Professional Development/No School
September 24th - Progress Report 1 Grades Post in Skyward
September 25th, Coffee with Principal Ilic
September 26th, Pep Rally/Gatorville Day
October 15-17, Skyranch for 5th Graders

Friendly Reminder of School Hours:

7:20 am: Doors Open

7:30 am: Warning Bell Rings

7:35 am: School Day Begins

3:05 pm: Dismissal

Starting Monday, please walk in your child if you arrive at 7:36 or after. They will be counted tardy starting Monday if they arrive after the bell., I suggest adjusting your drop-off time by about 10 minutes. Our data shows that the arrival line is significantly shorter between 7:15 and 7:25 a.m., which could help you avoid the rush of the people getting in line last.

If you need more pick up passes, please email rebecca.garrett@gcisd.net with your request and current number and child's name!

Glenhope Curriculum Night

Coffee with Principal Ilic

I am excited to host Coffee with Principal Ilic this year so I can meet families, share great news that is happening at our school, and get feedback. Our first event will be on September 25th.

Our topics will include campus goals, campus safety, parent partnerships, STAAR, and more!

Have a topic you’d like to hear about this year? Complete THIS FORM to share your idea!

Cafeteria Visitors

Welcoming Lunch Visitors

We're so excited to welcome cafeteria visitors for lunch starting on September 2!

To make your visit enjoyable, we've set aside special visitor tables near the back where you can sit with your own children. For the safety and routine of all students, please note that friends will need to remain with their class at their designated table.

During the last five minutes of each lunch period, we go to level 0 and cleanup. This helps signal that it's time to start cleaning up and helps create a calm environment as students finish their meals.

A quick reminder: Please remember to bring your ID with you every time you visit Glenhope. We can't wait to see you!

Lost & Found

Click here to view and claim from the Lost & Found at Glenhope!

GCISD News

Senate Bill 12 Requirements and Updates

ACTION REQUIRED: Families should review the information below and log into their student’s Skyward account to complete the pop-up permission forms.

Senate Bill 12, passed during the 89th Legislative session, requires school districts to obtain parent permission for student club participation as well as health services and school-based counseling and support services. It also contains requirements for sharing instructional plans and the prohibition of assisting with social transitioning. The new laws go into effect for the 2025-2026 school year. Families should review the information below and log into their student’s Skyward account to complete the pop-up permission forms.

Student Club Participation

SB 12 requires that parents give written consent before a student may participate in a student club authorized or sponsored by the school. School districts may not authorize or sponsor a student club based on sexual orientation or gender identity. All clubs authorized or sponsored by GCISD will be in accordance with all applicable laws and policies.

If a parent does not give general permission, they will be contacted about each individual club or activity for which their student expresses interest in attending. A paper permission form will be sent home and must be completed and returned to the school prior to the student being permitted to attend or participate in any club meetings.

Health Services

SB 12 requires that staff must have parent consent before providing a student with any care, unless it is a life-threatening emergency. This includes:

Assessment of minor injuries and providing basic first aid (like a scraped knee)
Assessment and management of common health issues and illnesses
Checking vital signs such as temperature, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiratory rate, and pulse oximetry
Monitoring chronic conditions and implementing care plans as appropriate
Provide general health teaching to students on topics such as hygiene, illness prevention, and healthy habits
Proving state mandated screenings
Administration of epinephrine delivery system for anaphylactic reaction or an opioid antagonist, such as Narcan or naloxone, in accordance with TEC and GCISD Board Policy
Application of topical preparations such as Aloe Vera gel, first aid spray, Benadryl cream, etc.

Additionally, you will find a full list of detailed services provided by GCISD campus nurses within the form in Skyward.

School-Based Counseling Services and Support Services

SB 12 requires that parents give permission prior to student participation in school-based counseling and support services. This includes setting academic goals and creating academic plans, guidance lessons, developing social well-being, and access to our character education curriculum, known as Character Strong.

What Support May Include:

Setting academic goals and creating academic plans
Developing social well-being
Checking in about emotions, challenges, or concerns
Learning coping strategies and managing stress
Addressing school-related issues (e.g., attendance, test anxiety, behavior, peer conflict)
Building friendship and conflict-resolution skills
Guidance lessons utilizing the Character Strong program
Participating in short-term individual or group sessions on school-related topics*

*Parents/guardians will be notified and asked for additional consent if individual or group counseling is recommended.

School Counseling Does Not Include:

Therapy or long-term mental health counseling
Assistance with social transitioning

Sharing Instructional Plans

SB 12 requires that teachers share an instructional plan or course syllabus with parents at the start of each semester. Teachers will email parents directly using email addresses provided in Skyward.

Prohibition of Assisting with Social Transitioning

SB 12 prohibits school district employees from assisting students with social transitioning, which includes helping them change their name, pronouns, or other expressions of gender identity that differ from their biological sex at birth.

Any applicable GCISD policies will be amended to be in alignment with state law.

GCISD Parent Tech Academy

Are you a parent looking to stay informed about your child's technology use at school and at home? Look no further than the GCISD Parent Tech Academy! Our next session is at 6 p.m., Tuesday, August 26, on Webex. Here is the Webex link. At the Parent Tech Academy, we will go over how to access parent weekly emails containing your children’s internet history, how to become a Canvas observer, and other parental access tips. Join us for the Parent Tech Academy and learn how to be better informed on your child's technology use.

Volunteer Background Check

Apply Online

GCISD utilizes Raptor Technologies for volunteer applications and signing up for volunteer opportunities.

Find How-Tos and Resources for Rooms, GCISD’s Two-Way Communication Tool

The beginning of the school year is the perfect time to ensure you are receiving all updates and information from your campus, teachers, or extracurriculars. If your student’s teacher uses Rooms as a communication tool, all messages and announcements can be found right in the GCISD mobile app, alongside other district and campus news and events! You can download this app on both Apple and Android devices.

Click here for a step-by-step sign up guide. If you have not yet received a text message or an email inviting you to sign up, your student is not yet assigned to a class within Rooms. Teachers are still in the process of setting up those groups, so you could expect to get notifications over the first few weeks if Rooms will be utilized for two-way communication.

Finally, click here if you need assistance troubleshooting any issues or email info@gcisd.net.

Counseling CanaFACTS with Mrs. Canafax

Senate Bill 12 Required Forms

Please be sure to read the updates in this newsletter about Senate Bill 12, which impacts school counseling. If you have any questions about what counseling looks like at Glenhope or in GCISD, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly or to explore the GCISD Elementary Counselors webpage. **If we do not have a consent form on file for your child, or if you decline consent, your child will not participate in Guidance Lessons, Lunch Bunches, or any other Counseling services beginning on September 1st**

Welcome to the Swamp Lunch for New Gators!

"Welcome to the Swamp" lunches for our new-to-Glenhope 1st-5th graders will begin on September 10th. If your student is new to Glenhope and you have signed the consent for counseling services, be on the lookout for an invitation coming in your child's take home folder. The lunch will take place in the Counseling classroom during their regularly scheduled lunch time. New students will be able to connect with one another, learn more about Glenhope, and have fun!

September 10 - 2nd and 3rd Grade
September 11 - 4th and 5th Grade
September 12th - 1st Grade

Guidance Lessons Begin Mid-September!

I will begin whole-class Guidance Lessons in mid-September. For these lessons, we will focus on our CharacterStrong character traits for both September and October: Empathy and Responsibility. We will also discuss Bullying Prevention and how to identify and report bullying. More information to come!

Check-Ins

If your child is ever in need of a check-in or if you have any concerns to discuss, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at lauren.canafax@gcisd.net

Library lowdown with Mrs. Arnold

Sora: Dive into Digital Resources

Every student has access to Sora through Classlink, which has thousands of E-Books and audio books that students can check out. This would be great for those books that we don't have in stock in the library, long car rides, or even a family read aloud book!

Here's how you access Sora on your students' device:

Log into "ClassLink" (Your student knows how to do this)
Look for the green LEARNING COMMONS folder
Select the App "Sora"

You may need to "click to register", but it won't need a password or anything once you click. You can filter for books, look at books based on your students reading level, interests and more. You can even create a shelf of books you approve. This is especially helpful for our younger readers, so you can be sure they are reading books at their level.

Need any ideas of books, just let me know. I'm happy to help find a way you can use this in your home!

GLenhope Pta

Get your GATOR Gear Here!

Our Gator Spirit Shop is officially open! We’ve got everything you need to show off your school spirit in style!

Visit the Spirit Shop Here: https://glenhopeelempta.membershiptoolkit.com/SpiritShop

From Fun Gator gear to awesome new items, this year’s collection is better than ever! Whether you're a student, parent, or teacher, there's something for everyone to show their Glenhope pride!

The PreSale Shop will be open until August 5 and items will be ready for pickup at Meet the Teacher on August 11. After August 11, all orders will be sent home with students each week!

Let’s go, Gators!

Make Your Gator’s Birthday Extra Special!

Start a sweet tradition your family will cherish forever — order a digital birthday sign on the Glenhope marquee for just $15! Imagine looking back one day at those proud birthday pictures in front of the school… It’s a memory you’ll want when your Gator grows up.

We are now accepting birthdays starting August 1 through the school year

Order at least 2 weeks in advance

Order here: https://glenhopeelempta.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/311414569

Workbox Wednesday!

Check out our Campus Calendar for important events!

Repeated Information Below

iReady Beginning of Year Testing

The i-Ready diagnostic is a powerful tool that helps us understand each student's specific academic needs in math and reading. These assessments are not a test to study for; they simply give us a starting point for the year. This information is crucial for our teachers as they plan differentiated instruction to help every child succeed.

Students in kindergarten through fifth grade will be taking these assessments on their devices, and we have approximately three to complete them. Please make sure your child brings their fully charged device (iPad or Chromebook) and a pair of headphones to school every day starting Monday, August 18. Having a charged device and headphones is essential for a smooth testing process.

Please read this letter, which explains more about i-Ready and its purpose.

School Supply List

FINAL 25-26 Elementary School Supply List.pdf

2025-2026 District Calendar

25-26_Instructional_Calendar (1).pdf

GCISD Committees

GCISD has a variety of committees that provide District leaders with valuable feedback while offering opportunities for employees, parents, and community members to become more involved and make a positive impact on the education of GCISD students.

To Apply, click here!

Important Information from Nutrition Services

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 website here.

More information including menu item nutritional information and allergens may be viewed through the nutrition services website or by downloading the Meal Viewer app through the apple or android store.

In accordance with program guidelines, the Free and Reduced application will be available online as part of skyward registration. The free and reduced application should be filled out electronically at https://www.nlappscloud.com/. For those parents that still would like to complete a paper application, they may download an application on the website or stop by the Nutrition Services office at 5800 Colleyville Blvd.

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 5 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 offered an alternative meal that will be charged to the student’s account.

If you have questions about the Nutrition Services program, please call ext. 5618 or email child.nutrition@gcisd.net.

Meal Prices

Pk-8 Breakfast - $1.85
High School Breakfast - $2.05
Reduced Breakfast* - $0.00
Adult/Guest Breakfast - $3.25
Elem. Lunch - $3.10
Middle Lunch - $3.30
High School Lunch - $4.00
Reduced Lunch* - $0.40, after Sept. 1, No cost
Adult/Guest Lunch - $4.75

*(Reduced priced at GHS, CHHS, Bridges is $0.30 breakfast, $0.40 lunch)

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Glenhope Elementary

Email: alishia.ilic@gcisd.net
Website: https://ghes.gcisd.net/

Location: 6600 Glenhope Cir N, Colleyville, TX 76034

Phone: 817-251-5720
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlenhopeGators/

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