First Day of School Safety and Security

Walking your child to class on the first day of school is a time-honored tradition. We want all of our families that choose to be able to walk their child to class on Wednesday, Aug. 14th and take pictures before giving their kids a big hug and wishing them a great day! However, we need your help! In order to safely have all visitors in the building, EVERYONE (over the age of 18) will need to Raptor in at our kiosks in the vestibule. In an effort to alleviate long lines on the first morning of school, we are allowing families to print their "First Day of School" visitor badge in advance. You may do this at Meet the Teacher on Monday, Aug. 12 from 4:30 - 6:00 OR on Tuesday, Aug. 13 from 8:00-4:00pm. You will simply scan your valid ID and print the badge, then hold onto it until Wednesday morning. When you arrive on campus Wednesday, please plan to wear your badge on your shirt where it can be visible to all staff and have your photo ID available as you enter the building so we can ensure it matches the badge. We will have plenty of staff at the main foyer entrances to allow all those with a printed badge to enter quickly. We appreciate your support and cooperation as we continue this tradition in a safe manner for all students and staff. 

Independence Day this year will be on Thursday, Aug. 15th! Families will be able to walk their children to the foyer entrances and send them off into the building independently from there. We will have lots of adults stationed and ready to help escort students to their classrooms. 

School Supply Lists

If you missed the PTA School Supply order in the spring and will be shopping on your own, HERE is a copy of the GCISD School Supply list for elementary students. Teachers will determine how supplies are handled within their classrooms. If you have a strong preference for your child to only utilize their own supplies, please let your child's teacher know. Ensure your child's supplies and pencil box are clearly labeled to help them keep track of their items. 

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!  

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.

Lunch Visitors

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. 

The Sign-up Genius for lunches will begin the week of September 3rd. A link will be available soon here in the Monday Message. 

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. 

Telecommunication Devices Policy Update

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.

GCISD 24-25 Dress Code

Over the summer months, we have focused on communicating our updated dress code to help you and your students better prepare for a successful year. Campus leaders have developed plans to ensure consistency across campuses in enforcement and consequences. Parents, we ask for your partnership in reminding your student of the updated Dress Code expectations and solutions that will be implemented for students not in compliance.

Junior Captain Applications are Now Open

Sign-ups for Junior Captains are officially open! 

As a Junior Captain, pre-K through fifth grade students can step onto the field to deliver the game ball at a home football game and join the team for the coin toss. The applications are open until August 16, and you will find out if your student was chosen in the random drawing by August 23 in an email. We can’t wait to welcome your student into the big lights on Friday nights. Apply today. 

2024-2025 Back-to-School Attendance Updates 

Important attendance information: Attendance matters! Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s learning and educational experiences. Parents and students are encouraged to avoid unnecessary absences. Two important state laws govern attendance. In efforts to promote student attendance and learning, please note the following reminders and updates to GCISD attendance requirements. 

Laws Governing School Attendance: 

Compulsory Attendance (AKA Truancy) 

Pre-kindergarten and Kindergarten 

Students enrolled in prekindergarten or kindergarten are required to attend school and are subject to the compulsory attendance requirements as long as they remain enrolled at a campus.

Ages 6–18 

State law requires that a student who is at least six years of age, or who is younger than six years of age and has previously been enrolled in first grade, and who has not yet reached their 19th birthday, shall attend school, as well as any applicable accelerated instruction program, extended-year program, or tutorial session, unless the student is otherwise excused from attendance or legally exempt. Students/families who do not meet compulsory attendance will be referred to the GCISD Attendance Review Board and/or referred to Tarrant County Court for truancy. If a student fails to attend school without excuse on three or more days or parts of days within a four-week period but does not fail to attend school for the time described below, the district shall initiate truancy prevention measures on the student. 

Attendance for Credit or Final Grade (AKA 90% Rule) 

To receive credit or a final grade in a class, a student in kindergarten–grade 12 must attend at least 90 percent of the days the class is offered. With the exception of absences due to serious or life-threatening illness or related treatment, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, must be considered in determining whether a student has attended the required percentage of days. Students who are in danger of losing credit or promotion will be contacted by the campuses with plans for opportunities to regain lost instructional time. 

Official Attendance-Taking Time 

Official attendance is taken every day at 10:00 a.m. Attendance is taken at 8:55 a.m. at Collegiate Academy and 12 p.m. for Bridges. 

Documentation after an Absence 

Up to eight days per year (four per semester) may be excused by a parent note for missed attendance beyond medical, approved excused, and statutorily exemptions. Vacations taken during the school year will be coded as unexcused absences. All absences whether excused or unexcused count toward the 90% rule. 

A parent must provide an explanation for any absence upon the student’s arrival or return to school. The student must submit a note signed by the parent or the parent may email Candice.patton@gcisd.net. The campus will document in its attendance records whether the absence is excused or unexcused.

School Menus Online 

Welcome back! Nutrition Services is excited about the upcoming school year. School Menus, the district charge policy, menu item pricing and more can be found on the department's school menus web page. 

More information, including menu item nutritional information and allergens, may be viewed through the Nutrition Services web page or by downloading the MealViewer app available for download through the Apple Store or Google Play. 

Procedure for Students with Unpaid Meal Charges

Parents/Guardians shall monitor their student’s school meal account to ensure that they always have a positive balance. In the event that a student does not have a positive balance, the student may charge up to five meals to their account. Only reimbursable meals may be charged. A la carte items may not be charged. Communication about a negative meal balance will be sent to parents/guardians via email/text. Students who have exceeded the 5 charged meal limit, will be offed an alternative meal that will be charged to the student’s account.

If you have questions about the Nutrition Services program, please call ext. 5615 or email julie.telesca@gcisd.net. 

Meal Prices

• Pre-k-8 Breakfast - $1.65

• High School Breakfast - $1.85

• Reduced Breakfast - $0.00 (this school year only)

• Adult/Guest Breakfast - $3.25

• Elem. Lunch - $2.90

• Middle Lunch - $3.10

• High School Lunch - $3.45

• Reduced Lunch - $0.40

• Adult/Guest Lunch - $4.50

Adults and guests may not charge.

Free and Reduced Lunch Applications 

Starting on July 10, 2024, free and reduced-price meal applications were made available to fill out for the 2024-2025 school year. Families are encouraged to complete the Application for Free and Reduced-Price School Meals available online at www.schoollunchapp.com. A paper copy may be downloaded from the website or requested at any campus or Nutrition Services office.

 The application will determine a child’s eligibility for free and reduced-price meals and may assist in the determination of eligibility for other state or federal benefits. Only one application needs to be completed per household. Schools will notify the household of the child’s eligibility. The Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) administers school nutrition programs in Texas and offers an eligibility calculator at www.SquareMeals.org/ProgramEligibility.  

Decisions regarding payment for school meals are made at the national-government level, not by the school nutrition team or TDA. The dedicated staff in Nutrition Services is looking forward to serving healthy, balanced meals to students in the new school year.  If you have any questions, please call 817-251-5617 or email child.nutrition@gcisd.net. 

Texas legislation has approved a 2024-25 biennium budget, which includes $3.3 million per year to cover the cost of school breakfasts for students eligible for reduced price meals. Students that are approved for reduced-priced meals may eat breakfast at no cost this school year. Lunch price is $0.40.

This institution is an equal opportunity provider. 

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