GES Families,

I have some VERY exciting, TOP SECRET news to share! We are anxiously awaiting the launch of our One School One Book program again this January! We are thrilled to offer our students another opportunity to celebrate reading! Last year our students had a wonderful reading adventure with Wedgie and Gizmo. If you are new to GES, One School One Book is a family engagement program where the whole school including students, staff, and families read the same book together at the same time! We have nightly reading assignments (designed to be completed in 10-15 minutes) and trivia questions for prizes each day. The students get very excited about it! We had so much fun last year reading together and we hope you will join us on a new adventure this year! 

Shhh! The next part is a secret from the kids! Please, don't tell your children so we can keep it a surprise for everyone. We want them to learn about it together with their classmates when we reveal the book at school to kick-off the program in January. At that time, families will receive more information about the program including the reading calendar, quiz questions, and more! 

This year we will be reading The Wild Robot by Peter Brown! You may have heard that Pixar recently released the movie. If you haven't seen it yet, we encourage your children to read the book first! They are definitely somewhat different and the book is rich with details, characterization, and imagery that will have them painting pictures in their minds. If you already saw the movie, rest assured your child will still love reading the book with the whole school and searching for details each night for the daily drawings. 

In an effort to make the program more cost effective and sustainable for years to come, we are asking for families to purchase a copy of the book (currently $8 on Amazon) if possible or borrow from a local library. We will only provide copies of the book for families that specifically request it. Please select the one option that works best for your family by our deadline - December 2nd! We only need one form completed per family. You can find the form here: https://forms.gle/nTjm7x7jfJQer1Qe6 

Thanks so much and we look forward to beginning a new reading adventure in just a few weeks!

All my best,

Mrs. Hale

GCISD Voters Approve VATRE; Generate $6 Million in Revenue for District

According to unofficial results from Tarrant County, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD voters have approved the school district’s Voter-Approved Tax Ratification Election, listed as Proposition A on the ballot, with 57.9% of voters in favor and 42.1% against. Thanks to our community’s support, the VATRE will provide approximately $6 million in much-needed funding for school district operations. View this message from Superintendent Dr. Brad Schnautz.

November Character Quality

This month will be focused on GRATITUDE. It can be defined as choosing to notice and appreciate things in our life, things in others, and things in the world. Circle Up topics, counseling lessons, and more will  include this character trait. Please consider partnering with GES by browsing the Family Connection Newsletter for conversation starters and ideas at home.

Lunch Visitors

Visitors may join us for lunch with their child if they are signed up in advance HERE. Available November dates are Nov. 6-22. Please be sure to share our Sign-up link with your family members who wish to come eat with your child. Also, it is critical that anyone coming to lunch with your child, if not accompanying the guardian, is on your child's emergency contact list. 

Lunch guests will sign-in through our secure vestibule with a valid ID, stop by the front office to check-in and receive a visitor badge, and then meet their GES star at the entrance to the cafeteria. Families will have the option to sit outside in the picnic table area for lunch or in our cafeteria at an empty table near the windows. Parents are welcome to bring in outside food when having their lunch with their child. We ask that you please be courteous to the rest of the community and limit lunch visits with your child to no more than one per month so that all families have the opportunity to visit. We appreciate your cooperation. 

Each family needs only 1 slot reserved. For example, Mom, Dad, and sister may all come eat lunch with Nancy. Only Mom needs to be registered as 1 visitor to reserve 1 picnic table together. When it asks for quantity of visitors, please select just 1. Lunch visitors may only eat with their child or student. You may not invite friends to sit with you when coming for lunch. 

Volunteer Background Check

We LOVE our volunteers at GES! This year we are encouraging all families who plan to come to campus and interact with students to go ahead and complete the background check. Volunteers must complete this EACH YEAR beginning in August! It can take 1-2 weeks for your background check to clear. If you plan to be a guest reader, volunteer at a class party, chaperone a field trip, volunteer with PTA, open car doors with our Dad's Club, etc. you will need a completed Background Check!  kjkhkuh

The following link takes you to the online Volunteer Handbook and background check: https://www.gcisd.net/o/gcisd/page/volunteer-background-check 

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.

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.

Follow us on Facebook

If you are on Facebook, we would love for you to follow our Grapevine Elementary Facebook page if you're not already. We post activities and campus life in addition to helpful reminders. We would love for you to follow our story!