GES Families,

Thank you to all our families who supported our Book Fair last week whether you sent money with your child to shop or joined us for lunch! We had a wonderful turn out for Lunch with a Loved One on all three days, and our Book Fair grossed nearly $10,000! Not only did we see many parents, but we saw grandparents, aunt, uncles, and friends, too! Thank you for inviting so many loved ones to visit our campus and share in celebrating the love of reading with our students. Because of your generosity, we will be able to use almost $3,000 to update our GES library with new books for students and continue to help purchase books for our Book Vending Machine for students to earn. 

Reading is the foundation for all learning and we are so lucky to be able to share so many opportunities with our students to build their love of reading during their elementary years. We hope you enjoy reading all your new books with your students! Consider how you can engage your child in talking about what they are reading. Whether it's a new book from the Book Fair or one they brought home from the library, HERE is a great list of comprehension questions to get them talking about their reading! 

We will continue to promote strong reading habits for students both inside and outside of school because we know that one of the greatest indicators of student academic success can be tracked back to early literacy opportunities. 

All my best,

Mrs. Hale

Principal Book Club - Feb. 26

Our next principal book club is scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 26 from 3:00-3:45 in the Learning Commons. The target age group is Prek and Kinder, but any families are welcome to join. Please sign-up HERE if you plan to join us so we have enough materials prepared. We will do a read aloud, discuss and model reading strategies to support your children at home, and share some reading engagement activities you could try at home! 

Spring Pictures - March 4-6

Angela Wengrenovich Photography will be on campus March 4-6, 2025 to provide Modern School Photos for our Spring Photos. More information can be found in this letter. Students will have their photos taken based on grade level as follows.

Tuesday, March 4- Kindergarten and 1st Grade

Wednesday, March 5 - 2nd and 3rd Grade

Thursday, March 6 - PreK, 4th and 5th Grade

Angela will be photographing GES Siblings together if you register your sibling group by Tuesday, Feb. 25. You can register siblings, request an individual gallery password, or allow for a model release here - https://forms.gle/p8D212EeL7JiscEz7

Any questions you may have will be answered by Angela directly at awengrenphoto@gmail.com. 

Puberty Education for 4th Grade Girls and 5th Graders

Parents of current 4th grade girls and all 5th grade students should have received Skyward notification regarding the upcoming Puberty Education opportunities. Families must Opt IN or Opt OUT of this opportunity via Skyward. 

• GES 4th and 5th grade girls will hear this presentation on Wednesday, March 12, 2025. 

• GES 5th grade boys will hear this presentation on Thursday, March 13, 2025. 

The preview window is open NOW through February 22, 2025. You may access these videos from a non-district device by following the directions below:

 Parent Portal - Access The 4th and 5th Grade Puberty Videos Playlist

If you have concerns or need more information, please contact Nurse Lindsey. 

Increase in Illness

We are seeing an increase in student and staff illness. It is the time of year when we frequently hear of students with head colds and fevers. Please help us stop the spread of illness by reminding your children of good hygiene habits such as washing their hands frequently with soap and water, sneezing or coughing into their elbow, etc. We also ask that you keep your children at home when they have fever, severe cough, difficulty breathing, or vomiting. Students should be fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT medication in order to return to school. 

Recognize Excellence with Stars of GCISD!

Do you know a GCISD employee who goes above and beyond? Nominate them for the next Star of GCISD award! Each month, we celebrate outstanding team members for their passion and dedication to GCISD. Nominate today at www.GCISD.net/StarsOfGCISD and help us honor the people who make GCISD shine! 

Telecommunication Devices Policy Reminder

We know many students received new devices or watches over the holidays and we have seen more students bringing them to school on a daily basis. As a reminder, students are not to have any telecommunication devices on during the school day, this includes any watches that can be used for communication purposes. They must remain OFF in their backpacks during the school day. We have included the information from the GCISD policy that was shared at the beginning of the year as a reminder. 

Policy FNCE(LOCAL) limits the use of telecommunications, most commonly cell phones, during the school day. This is also applicable to Smart Watches being used as a communication device. The updated appropriate times and uses of devices are as follows:

• Elementary students may use telecommunications devices before and after school only. They may not use telecommunications devices during school hours.

The Student Handbook is also being updated to include the following consequences if students are not in compliance: 

• First offense: The student will be given a warning and the cell phone or electronic device shall be confiscated by the teacher until the end of the class period and may be picked up after school by the student or parent. 

• Second offense: The cell phone or electronic device shall be confiscated by the teacher and turned into the main office. The teacher will contact the parent and the device may be picked up after school by the student.

• Third offense: The cell phone or electronic device shall be confiscated by the teacher and turned into the main office. The teacher or a campus administrator will contact the parent and the device may be returned only to the parent from the front office during normal school hours. 

• Fourth offense and subsequent offenses: The cell phone or electric device shall be confiscated by the teacher and turned into the main office. The teacher or a campus administrator will contact the parent. The device may be picked by the parent from the front office after paying a fee of $15. 

• The campus principal may use discretion for appropriate discipline consequences for persistent misbehavior if repeated infractions occur. 

• Refusal to surrender the phone is a violation of the student code of conduct and will result in disciplinary consequences in addition to the consequences outlined above. 

• If a personal telecommunications device is not retrieved, the District shall dispose of the device after providing notice required by law. The district shall dispose of the devices for which timely notice has been given at the end of each semester.

Checking Skyward Grades for 3rd-5th Grade 

Regularly checking your student's grades in Skyward is essential for their academic success. By reviewing their grades frequently, you can easily identify any missing, incomplete, or failing assignments. This proactive approach allows you to address any issues early on, ensuring that your child stays on track and receives the support they need. Open communication about academic performance fosters a positive learning environment and encourages students to take responsibility for their education. Your involvement makes a significant difference in their academic journey!

Here is a Google Slideshow to help you look at Skyward on your child's school device. 

Open House - Save the Date

This year our instructional calendar includes the Friday before Spring Break as a Bad Weather make-up day, so Open House will be Tuesday, March 11 from 6-7pm. This will be a come and go event as it has been in the past for students to share the amazing work they have been doing in class and progress towards their goals. We hope you will plan to join us! 

Optional Home Reward and Chore Chart

Our PBIS committee is pleased to offer an optional Reward Chart and Chore Chart for families to use at home! These tools are designed to help connect school routines with home life, creating a consistent environment for our students. The Reward Chart can be used to acknowledge and celebrate positive behaviors, while the Chore Chart encourages responsibility and accountability at home. By aligning these charts with school expectations, students will understand the importance of their actions at school and at home. We encourage you to customize these charts to fit your family's needs and to engage your child in the process. Together, we can foster positive habits and reinforce the skills they are learning at school!

Pre-Kindergarten Lottery Open NOW

The tuition-based pre-K lottery for the 2024-2025 school year opens January 13, 2025. Give your child the chance to shine with GCISD's exceptional curriculum and dedicated faculty!