GES Families,

This year, GCISD has made our returning student registration available earlier. Typically this occurs in July and August. Returning student registration will open on Monday, May 3 and will remain open until May 21. While parents are able to register up until the first day of school, the district is trying to gather enrollment numbers as early as possible for planning purposes. To register your returning student click HERE.

If you are awaiting a transfer request, please register for the campus you are currently zoned for. Transfer requests will be processed at a later date. To view attendance zones, visit our School Maps Online.

Registration for new students, as well as pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students, remains open. To register a NEW student, click here. Prior to completing online registration, students enrolling in pre-kindergarten must have completed a separate online application, which may be found here.

Students new to the district (including those entering Kindergarten) must provide proof of residency, birth certificate, social security number, immunization record, emergency contact numbers and a report card from the previous school unless enrolling in kindergarten.

During the registration process, parents will also be able to register as a bus rider for the 2021-2022 school year. If you have specific questions regarding bus registration, please contact Transportation at 817-251-5590.

If you have questions regarding the registration process, please call the front office at 817-251-5735.

All my best,

Nancy Hale

May the Fourth Be With You - May 4

Our magical school year wouldn't be complete without celebrating May the Fourth Be With You! Students are invited to wear their Star Wars or Mandalorian shirts or costumes. We just ask that the lightsabers remain at home. :)

Progress Reports

The final progress report of the school year will post on Wednesday, May 5 in Skyward for your review.

STAAR Testing Dates

Reminder that we will have STAAR testing on the following dates for students. On these dates, we will be closed to visitors and volunteers. We also appreciate you ensuring students are here on time and have a healthy breakfast!

May 11 - 3rd, 4th, 5th Math (In Person)

May 12 - 3rd, 4th, 5th Reading (In Person)

May 13 - 5th Science (In Person)

May 18 - 3rd, 4th, 5th Math (Remote)

May 19 - 3rd, 4th, 5th Reading (Remote)

May 20 - 5th grade Science (Remote)

Lost and Found

The Lost and Found will be outside for all grade level picnics this week. Please stop by and take a look to ensure you get back any coats and jackets, hairbows, and water bottles that may belong to your family. Anything left on May 27 will be donated.

Student Class Placement for Next Year

In the coming weeks, we will begin to develop our class lists for next school year. In creating these lists we take into account district guidelines and keep in mind the need to create a balanced classroom for our GES Stars. This process involves multiple variables. Below you will find some of the variables we will consider as we develop class lists for the 2021-2022 school year:

• Gender balance

• Academic mix

• Personality and learning styles

• Peer relationships

• Class size

• Special needs

The objective is to place all students with a teacher in a balanced class that will support individual learning and growth. At GES, we are very fortunate to have an exceptional group of teachers and staff to work with our students and families.

Families have the optional opportunity to fill out this student class information form. This form will not be used for requesting a teacher, but will give you a chance to share valuable information about your child. There will also be a spot for your child to share. We will NOT be honoring specific teacher requests. The form will be available online to families May 3-May 20. This form is optional, but will provide important information in helping guide your child's placement for next school year.

Grade Level Picnics

We are asking all families to please let us know if they plan to attend. You may sign up on the appropriate grade level form below by Sunday, May 2nd.

• PreK Sign-up - May 6 - 10:15 - 10:45

• Kinder Sign-up - May 3 - 10:45 - 11:15

• 1st Grade Sign-up - May 4 - 11:15 - 11:45

• 2nd Grade Sign-up - May 6 - 11:45 - 12:15

• 3rd Grade Sign-up - May 3 - 12:15 - 12:45

• 4th Grade Sign-up - May 4 - 12:45 - 1:15

• 5th Grade Sign-up - May 6 - 1:15 - 1:45

Please be aware of the following procedures as you come to join us on campus:

• You may park on either side of the building and walk towards the large playground.

• We will check parents in at both gates leading from the parking lots to the playground beginning 15 minutes before the assigned lunch time (not our vestibule visitor kiosks).

• All visitors will need to wear a mask at all times unless you are sitting and eating lunch.

• Please bring a blanket or towel for you and your child to sit on. Each space must be socially distanced from other families and children. Parents are responsible for finding their own place on the playground field or court.

• Only members of your family may share a single blanket/towel. Please do not plan to ask other students to sit with you.

• Our cafeteria staff will be providing sack lunches on the day of your student’s class picnic for all students who request one in advance. Half-sheets will be sent home on Monday, April 26 and are due April 29. If you would like to bring your child something else to eat that day, please feel free to do so. All visitors will need to provide their own lunch if you wish to eat with your student. Our cafeteria will not be able to provide any guests meals.

• All students will join the grade level picnic on their designated day. This is not dependent on a family member joining them. If you are unable to attend, our teachers will eat lunch with your child.

Success Ceremonies

PreK-4th Grade via Webex

• PreK- Monday 24th: Finch @ 8:00am; Rottman @ 8:30am

• Kinder - Tuesday 25th @ 8:00am (all classes)

• 1st - Monday 24th @ 9:00am (all classes)

• 2nd - Tuesday 25th: Fortune, Calvin, Leu @ 9:00am; Lewis, Faurot @ 9:30am

• 3rd - Wednesday 26th: Smallwood, Webster @ 9:00am; Still, Choppy @ 9:30am

• 4th - Wednesday 26th: Hickerson, Curnow, Stackfleth @ 8:00am; Riski, Cade @ 8:30am

5th grade in-person May 27th

• Gray - 8:00am

• Bailey - 9:00am

• Hendrickson - 10:00am

5th grade Webex May 27th

• Scott - 10:45am

college, career, and military day

Our annual school-wide College, Career, & Military Day for all students PK-5 is on Monday, May 17th and we need your help! If you are interested in being a presenter live or by recording...or know someone that would be willing, please complete THIS form by next Monday, May 10th.

We would appreciate adults talking to our students about what they do and even show examples if possible. Parents can send in a video by

May 12th to angela.horn@gcisd.net or sign-up to present a live webex. There are so many jobs, careers, professions, and military experiences available and it would be incredible to expose the students to as many of them as we can. Some questions to consider when recording your preparing to present via Webex are included on the Google Form.

Live webex presentations will be scheduled for 30 minutes long. Please be sure to leave 5-10 min at the end of your time for students to ask questions. Recorded messages should be no longer than 15 minutes. We are hoping for presentations to be motivating and exciting for the students so feel free to show visual aids, slide shows, pictures, videos, props or more.

I believe it is important for our students to be educated about future careers and opportunities because it can help motivate them to set goals for their future.

April Star student of the month

Congratulations to our newest star students of the month! Check out why our teachers nominated them for COOPERATION at this Flipgrid!

May character quality

Throughout this month, GES staff and students are focusing on CREATIVITY! Partner with us at home by reading the grade level PurposeFULL People newsletters included below!

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.

Nutrition Services Survey

Let us know what you think! Nutrition Services is requesting your feedback about the in-person meals offered for breakfast and lunch during the 2020-2021 school year. The survey takes less than 5 minutes and will help the Nutrition Services team plan for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year. We look forward to serving your student!

Link to survey: https://forms.gle/79pH3CA71tiDUs4c8

Child Nutrition Week May 3-7

Child Nutrition Appreciation Week is May 3-7. Have you thanked a school lunch hero today? Let them know how much they mean to the students and the school day!

To kick off Child Nutrition Appreciation Week, GCISD schools will celebrate School Lunch Hero Day on May 7. School Lunch Hero Day provides an opportunity for parents, students, school staff, and communities to thank those who provide healthy meals to 30 million of America’s students each school day.

Parent Tech Academy - Parent Internet Reporting

To support strong communication with our families beyond the school day, we are pleased to introduce a new resource available to our parents. Parent Internet Reporting is an on-demand tool for parents that allows guardians to view their children's online activity and increases the measures already taken to protect our students while using a District device. Through this platform, parents will receive weekly email reports summarizing internet activity on District devices, as well as the ability to access real-time reporting of what their students are doing online. In an effort to help our parents control screen time while students are home, the system will also allow for a guardian to pause the internet on a GCISD device.

In order to receive access to the Parent Internet Reporting tool and if you were not able to attend the virtual session on April 20, there is an online course that will explain the Parent Internet Reporting that needs to be attended. You must complete the course to receive access to the parent internet reporting tool. The course can be found at www.gcisd.net/ParentInternet.

2021 Summer Enrichment

More than 90 different courses will be taught by certified teachers in a variety of areas. These 3-hour courses are designed to be fun, engaging, and educational for students completing K-6th grades.

Full course listings and the brochure can be viewed on the GCISD Summer Programs page: bit.ly/SE2021gcisd.

When: One-week sessions from June 7 – July 16 (no courses July 5-9)

Times: 8:30 – 11:30 and/or 12:30 – 3:30

Cost: $125/course (if noted, a course may have an additional materials fee)

Location: Cross Timbers Middle School

Registration has begun online in Skyward!

Part-Time KidzU Care is available for students enrolled in Summer Enrichment before and after classes.

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