Yearbook Picture Retakes - Tuesday, Dec. 8

In-Person Retakes

If your child was present in-person on Nov. 11 for Picture Day, you should have received an email from Glamourcraft School Photography on Monday, Nov. 16th with directions on how to view and order your child's photo. If you did NOT receive that email, click HERE for directions on how to access your child's photo.

If you would like a retake after viewing their photo, please complete this FORM by Monday, Dec. 7 at 3pm. This will ensure we know to pull your child for a retake picture on Dec. 8th.

IF your child is an in-person learner but was not present in the building on Nov. 11th and they need to have their picture taken on Dec. 8, please complete this FORM by Monday, Dec. 7 at 3pm. This will ensure they are pulled from class for their picture.

Remote Learner Pictures

If your child is a remote learner, please click on this Sign-up Genius to select a time to bring your child to campus for their yearbook photo on Tuesday, Dec. 8th between 8:00-10:00 am. Time slots are very specific, please arrive on time. Parents should pull into our Hall Johnson circle drive and pull up in the car line. Students will enter the building through the picnic table area. A staff member will be at the door to greet students. A camera will be set up in the hallway just inside the building. Students should enter the building wearing a mask, but will take it off for their photo. They will exit the same door and return back to their car. Parents will not be allowed inside the building.

Optional Picture Day at Glamour Craft

For Remote learners that cannot come to campus on Dec. 8th, Glamour Craft is offering two dates for photos to be taken at their studio:

Glamourcraft Studio, 7375 S. Hulen St., Ft. Worth, TX 76131 - NO appointment necessary

1/5/2021 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM

For questions regarding pictures, please call the front office at 817-251-5735 or email regina.sharp@gcisd.net.

Reading Pictures Needed

Thanks to a couple of wonderful PTA families, the GES Learning Commons has 2 new Holiday Trees! Help us decorate them by snapping a picture of your child reading their favorite book. You can upload it to facebook, or email it to Erin.Wahpekeche@gcisd.net.

We will print them and use the pictures as ornaments! Thanks for your help... Happy reading!

December Dress-up Days

Instead of our traditional Friday Dress-up days during the month of December, we are inviting the students to participate in some of the staff dress-up theme days! Here is a list of the dress-up days if your child would like to participate with us:

Friday, Dec. 11 - Ursula’s Ugly Sweater Day (wear a tacky Christmas sweater)

Monday, Dec. 14 - Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer Day (wear antlers or something with rudolph)

Tuesday, Dec. 15 - Santa Hat Day (wear a Santa hat or something with Santa on it)

Wednesday, Dec. 16 - Once Upon a Snowman (snuggle up with a scarf, hat, or mittens)

Thursday, Dec. 17 - Moana’s Mele Kalikimaka Celebration (wear Hawaiian Theme)

Friday, Dec. 18 - Sleeping Beauty’s Pajama Party (wear pajamas)

GES Teachers are Magical

During our month of gratitude, please take a moment to thank a teacher who has gone above and beyond for your family. You can recognize them on our GES Teachers are Magical form. We will link it each week in this Monday Message and then share out the great things our "cast members" are doing during our monthly faculty meetings and weekly staff newsletters.

A Note from Mrs. North

Thank you so much if you participated in the Holiday Art Card contest! I was SO excited to see all the entries and I will be letting you know as soon as I hear the results.

We will be starting weaving after Christmas break. If you are online, please let me know if you need to come pick up a yarn bundle for your weaving assignment. The yarn will be in a bin inside the secure vestibule. I will also be accepting paper weaving projects from online students if you are unable to find yarn at home or unable to come to school to pick it up. My email address is Amanda.North@gcisd.net if you have any questions about this.

Virtual Art Club for all students! I will be posting a large Choice Board in a new class in Seesaw called Virtual Art Club. Be on the lookout for the announcements and QR code to join. This is optional so please join if you are interested in doing some more artwork over the Holidays and into the New Year!

Thank you all for your hard work and commitment to practicing art!!

-Mrs. North

A Note from Specials for REMOTE Learners Only

Please complete your online assignments as posted each week. We are getting great work from most students, however we are regrettably unable to give full credit to students who are not completing their online assignments. If you are online temporarily for quarantine you must check into your specials classes and complete your work as if you were in person. The only way we know that you have completed your assignments is if you have turned in the photos and recordings that are requested in each assignment. We can not accept blank responses or notes such as "COOL!" or "Awesome".

Snack Donations

For some of our families, providing a nutritious snack each day to assist their GES star’s performance throughout the day does not happen consistently because of food insecurities. If you are able, please donate individually packaged Goldfish or pretzels in order to help us provide that snack for students who arrive at school without it because of the insecurities. If you would like to order on Amazon, and send donations directly to campus, you can find a link HERE. This would not pertain to students that simply forgot a snack that day. If your Star forgets his/her snack often, sending multiple days worth of snacks might help. For questions, please feel free to contact Angela Horn at angela.horn@gcisd.net or 817-251-5740. Thank you for your continued generosity and thoughtfulness.

Kindergarten & 5th Grade Parent Referrals For Gifted & Talented Services

The referral window for students in Kindergarten and 5th Grade who are interested in Gifted and Talented identification is open November 30, 2020, through December 11, 2020. Referrals are only for Kindergarten and 5th Grade students at this time. This referral window also applies to any current 5th Grade GT LEAD student who is interested in applying for the ASPIRE ACADEMY.

If you are interested in referring your child for testing, an informative presentation is available on the Advanced Academics page of the district website, at this site: http://bit.ly/2rtZzFv

If you have further questions, please contact the GT specialist at our campus: Tressa Maddux

Parents interested in referring their child for testing need to complete this form by December 11th, 2020 at this site: https://bit.ly/2NT0M0y

GT specialists will administer any necessary testing from January 7, 2021, through January 22, 2021. Parents will be notified regarding results as soon as the assessment process is completed.

Thank you for your cooperation and support of Grapevine-Colleyville ISD and its educational programs.

December Character Quality

HONESTY will be the focused character trait in December! Campus guidance lessons, Circle Up topics, and more will highlight HONESTY! You can partner with us from home by browsing the included family newsletter and host suggested discussions, activities, etc.!

I am here and ready to help! At any time this year, whether learning remotely or in-person, please click the I want to talk with Mrs. Horn form to request a visit. This form is also be included in grade level newsletters and Seesaws, and stays housed in my email signature, on the GES Counseling district website, and as many locations as possible.

Winter Break Curbside Meals

Grapevine-Colleyville ISD has already been providing free meals to students as part of the Seamless Summer Option (SSO) program. Sponsored by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), this program allows any student 18 and younger to receive free meals during holiday breaks.

Nutrition Services is pleased to provide curbside meal bundles during the winter break for all students in the district. Curbside meals are free to all children in the community 18 years and younger. Curbside Meals may be picked up on Wednesday, December 23 and 30 at Grapevine Elementary, Cross Timbers Middle or Grapevine Middle from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The meal bundles will include seven breakfasts, seven lunches and 1 gallon of milk per child. Heating instructions will be included so that families can prepare the meals at their convenience.

In addition, parents are encouraged to continue filling out the free and reduced application online at www.schoollunchapp.com. The benefits from being approved for free or reduced-price meals, may include discounts for transportation, standardized tests, college application fees and technology fees to name a few. If you have any questions, please email child.nutrition@gcisd.net or call 817-251-5617.

Technology Assistance

GCISD Technology Resources is committed to serving students and staff, especially during the District's remote learning instruction. Please keep in mind these very helpful resources:

ClassLink - GCISD's single sign-on portal for students and staff. ClassLink allows users to sign in once and have access to all of their accounts at the click of a button.

Help Desk - Students and staff can submit help requests to GCISD's Help Desk at any time. If you need your student's password reset, or are having trouble accessing ClassLink, please call 817-251-5629 during our extended help desk hours. For all other issues with student devices, please fill out a help ticket at help.gcisdstudents.net.

Outdoor WiFi Access - As a reminder, wireless network access is available outside of many GCISD campuses for use by students, parents and staff. Click here for locations, maps and instructions on how to connect.

Volunteers are significantly limited at this time, but there may be opportunities later in the year. Go ahead and apply now so you're ready when the time comes.

In order to volunteer at GES, or around GCISD, all volunteers must:

1. read the Volunteer Handbook (this replaces the previous face to face volunteer trainings held on campus)

2. watch the appropriate video included in the handbook

3. electronically sign the verification Google form for each campus you plan to volunteer

4. complete the volunteer background check. A link is included in the handbook.

The following link takes you to the online Volunteer Handbook and background check: https://www.gcisd.net/cms/one.aspx?pageId=195550

When you are ready to volunteer at GES, feel free to call the front office at 817-251-5735 to verify that both of the required steps have been recorded as completed. We appreciate your support as you complete these steps and volunteer to work with our GES students.

Parents and loved ones are not able to come up for lunch at this time. We are currently limiting visitors in our building.

Lunch Times

• PreK: 10:15 - 10:45

• Kindergarten: 10:45 - 11:15

• 1st Grade: 11:15 - 11:45

• 2nd Grade: 11:45 - 12:15

• 3rd Grade: 12:15- 12:45

• 4th Grade: 12:45 - 1:15

• 5th Grade: 1:15 - 1:45