• SANTA VISIT, 12/17- Mark your calendars!! Santa is coming to visit O.C. Taylor on Wednesday, December 17th! PK-2nd grades will be in the AM and 3rd-5th will be in the PM (detailed schedule will be shared next Sunday). Parents will be invited to come and join in this fun during their student's time slot to see Santa in the cafeteria. 

The goal is to allow each grade level to have an opportunity to take a picture together with Santa and then to quickly get them back to class!

• HOLIDAY CLASS PARTIES, 12/18: We will have our classroom holiday parties from 10:45-11:45 next Thursday!  If you are planning on attending the classroom parties on December 18th, please feel free to come up anytime this week or next week to collect a badge and skip the lines on the 18th. Feel free to share this with any family members that are planning on attending. This will help to make sure you can quickly go celebrate with your tiger!

• REFERRALS FOR GT/ASPIRE KINDERGARTEN-4TH GRADE: From December 1–15, parents can refer kindergarten–fourth grade students in Skyward for GT/ASPIRE testing. See this flyer.

• MOY iReady Testing Window, 12/1-12: Our MOY iReady Diagnostic testing will be wrapping up this week! It is vital that our tigers do their very best on this assessment to set them up for growth for the rest of the school year. Please remind them that we need their best effort to get accurate data! Thank you!

• FORGET-ME-NOT-SHELF AT OCT:   As a reminder, please drop off students' belongings that are needed for instructional purposes or lunch. Please make sure to label your child's belongings and place them on the designated grade-level shelf. We are having an increase of items being dropped off. Our staff and students make every effort to check, but we appreciate your understanding if items aren't retrieved. Thank you for helping your child be prepared each day with their charged devices, lunches, and other needed items. 

• Back to Back Parade of Lights Float Champions: I am excited to report that our amazing Dad's Club won the 1st place float in the Parade of Lights for the second year in a row! They have worked incredibly hard putting in late nights and time over the weekend to make this happen so please congratulate them when you see them this week! They really are the "Kings of Christmas" in GCISD!!!

• Drop Off in the Mornings: Please understand that our teachers/staff will be closing the doors at 7:35 when the bell rings and all late students will need to go to the front doors to be let in by the front office. Our teachers/staff have responsibilities in the building and students waiting for them in classrooms and they cannot wait at the doors for students being dropped off after the bell rings. Thank you for understanding!

Happy December,

As we wrap up 2025 we will be discussing COOPERATION. Working with others comes with its share of challenges, but is something we learn to do in order to be successful. Stay tuned for events coming in the new year!

All the best,

Mrs. Holley

817-305-4880

mackenzie.holley@gcisd.net 

• HaPPy ThAnKsGiVinG Break! 🦃 Please take this time to rest and recover.  Love on your family and friends.  Focus on GRATITUDE.  One of the most powerful ways to rewire your brain for more JOY and less stress is to focus on gratitude...  THANKFUL for all of your support!❤️

• CLINIC WISH LIST: We are in need of a few items in the clinic, if you are willing/able to donate.  Thank you in advance! 🥰

-peppermints, life saver mints, & regular sized bandaids 🩹

• POP TABS DONATIONS: We are collecting pop tops! This is an easy way we can help support the families at Ronald McDonald House.  Bring in all kinds of pop tops and tabs!  There is be a labeled bucket in clinic for donations. :) 🥫

• LION'S CLUB RECYCLE FOR SIGHT PROGRAM:   This is another way we can be servant leaders.  Donate any old eyeglasses/lenses/cases!   There are collection boxes in the front vestibule and in the front office.  Most of the recycled glasses are sorted and distributed to people in need in developing countries where they will have the greatest impact. 👓

Repeated Information:

• FAILED VISION & HEARING SCREENINGS: I am still  sorting through screening results and re-screening any students who failed vision and/or hearing.  If they fail twice, I will email parents to make sure are on the lookout for a referral letter.  My goal is to be finished by Christmas break.  🤞🏼

What a fun week filled with mystery books and fun games!

Next week, everyone will get a chance to play Robot Winter Games with a variety of our coding robots in the library. Students will learn how to use our easy coding robots, how to use the coding apps to move our Dash and Sphero robots and more!

The Friends of the Library Reading Challenge is underway! It's another mystery sticker poster 🧩🤩There are 3.996 stickers to earn in order to reveal the mystery picture! Every picture book logged gets 5 stickers, and every chapter in a chapter book also gets 5 stickers. Logs will also be available in the library and on Mrs. Griffiths door and can be redeemed only on Fridays. Every full log gets a chance to spin the Lucky Library Wheel for prizes! Let's stick to reading to reveal the mystery! The challenge will continue through January 9th, or until the poster is finished. 

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! Even if the volunteer schedule is full, please email me -  on any given day I might have more tasks that need to be tackled.

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!

Calling all rising 3rd graders! If you are in 2nd grade and interested in joining the Friends of the Library Club for the 26-27 school year have we got a treat for you... in January we will have our Junior Library Ambassadors to come join a Friends of the Library meeting to preview what club membership entails. As honorary Junior Library Ambassadors, you'll have a chance to help with library maintenance, come up with reading challenges, and promote the love of reading. Applications will be accepted from October 6th-January 9th. Families will be emailed with details on the club by January 12th.

Johanna Quinn

email: johanna.quinn@gcisd.net

phone: (817) 305-4885

Instagram: @octquinn

O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, December 2025

Music - December Update

• Please  join us for the choir’s performance of the holiday musical, Surfin’ Santa  on Tuesday, December 16  at 8:30 a.m. (for students and staff) and 6:30 p.m. (for parents/guests) in the OCT cafeteria.

• Hooray!!! Recorders are here! Please open this link for more information on 4th grade recorders.

Wishing you all a very happy holiday season filled with love and laughter!

Mrs. Vencill

bethany.vencill@gcisd.net

O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, December 2025

Art - December Update

For the month of December, students will be learning and understanding weaving, organic/ geometric shapes, color theory and sculpture.

Kindergarten will learn about the primary colors and why they are important to color theory. They will learn about the artist Piet Mondrian to create a lined abstract piece.

1st grade will learn about organic and geometric shapes by learning about the artist Henri Matisse. Students will be creating paper collages using a variety of organic and geometric shapes.

2nd grade will learn about radial symmetry. Students will then create a paper plate radial weaving using yarn. Students will learn the terms loom, weft, warp and the pattern over/under. 

3rd grade will learn about Frida Kahlo and her self-portraits. Students will learn how to draw facial features for their self-portraits and design a background of their choice. 

4th grade will learn how to create sculptures of their choice by using recycled materials as an armature and learn about the artist Claes Oldenburg. Students will learn how to apply plaster strips to make it stable.

5th grade will review radial symmetry to create their own color wheel. Students will learn how to transfer their design and mix their own colors.

O. C. Taylor Yearbooks are on Sale!

You can order a yearbook and create an ad/ dedication page online at yearbookordercenter.com. Our order number for O.C. Taylor is 17833.

We are offering both softcover and hardcover yearbooks this year!

Last day to order an ad/ dedication page is March 14th.

Last day to pre-order a yearbook is March 28th.

Keep on Creating!

Mrs. Morgan

cristie.morgan@gcisd.net

O.C. Taylor Specials’ Curriculum Update, December 2025

PE Update:

Don't forget to bring your “Fitness Around The World” photos to Coach Mester or Coach Reyna so we can display them on the bulletin board outside the gym.

Please wear tennis shoes that allow you to perform your best and bring your GREAT Tiger attitude each day!  We are looking forward to moving and learning in the gym and outside.

See you in the gym!

Coach Mester

jason.mester@gcisd.net

So thankful for all of my GT LEADERS! Thank you for sharing them with me. 

What is my child learning in GT LEAD?

1st grade - Authentic Research

2nd grade - Simple Machines

3rd grade - Spy School

4th grade - Detective School

5th grade - Independent Research

Important Dates:

• 5th Grade testing begins: Nov. 10th - Dec. 12th

• K-4 referral window: Dec. 1st - 15th

• K- 4th GT testing: January 8th - 30th

WE RISE BY LIFTING OTHERS! 

by Robert Ingersoll

WELCOME TO O.C. TAYLOR PTA!

Extra Class Shirts Available on the Spirit Shop! 

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!

For 2025-2026 our Back to School PTA forms will continue to be all digital! Forms will go live on August 11th, once Homeroom Teachers are announced!  Visit https://octaylorpta.membershiptoolkit.com/  for all your PTA needs & purchases! CLASS SHIRTS CLOSE ON SEPTEMBER 1ST (these are mandatory and worn for several different events). If you plan on volunteering this year, make sure to complete your volunteer background. It must be done yearly. Volunteer Background Check 

STAFF FAVORITES

Staff Favorites Found Here!

GRACE DECEMBER TOY DRIVE!

Please bring your unwrapped toys to place under the tree in the front lobby of the school. These will go to GRACE for their Christmas Cottage to help those in need. Thank you!

CONGRATS DAD'S CLUB ON YOUR 1ST PLACE PARADE WIN!

Congratulations on the 1st place win in the Grapevine Parade of the lights for the 2nd year in a row! We are so proud of you all! And we are so grateful for all you do for the school and its families, especially in helping building amazing memories!

POLAR EXPRESS DAY/SANTA VISIT ON DECEMBER 17TH

Santa will be visiting on December 17th. Please keep an eye out for more information coming this week.

CLASS PARTIES ON DECEMBER 18TH

Keep an eye out for emails from your GLCs and teacher about the class parties on December 18th. It is an early release day so parties will start at 10:45 am. 

SAVE THE DATE! 

December

12/12 3:15 - 4:00 Run Club  (bring an unwrapped toy to donate to GRACE's Christmas Cottage)

12/16 Holiday Choir Performance - 8:30 am and 6:30 pm

12/17 Polar Express Day (Winter Movie Day)/ Santa Visit (Pre-K through 2nd before lunch, 3rd through 5th after lunch)

12/18 11:45 a.m. PreK - 5th Early Release/Last Day of First Semester 

12/18 Spirit Rally/Attendance Recognition/School Sing-a-Long, 9:30 (PreK-2nd) and 10:00 (3rd-5th)

12/18 Class Holiday Parties at 10:45 a.m.

12/19 - 12/31 Winter Break for Students 

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!

Veronica Walker

President / O.C. Taylor PTA

octaylorptapresident@gmail.com 

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