Principal's Book Club

We are excited to announce the launch of our Principal’s Book Club this school year! This initiative is designed to foster a love of reading and promote literacy skills that are crucial for young students' academic growth and lifelong success. 

At the heart of this club is the belief that strong literacy skills are the foundation for learning. Reading not only enhances vocabulary and comprehension but also stimulates imagination, critical thinking, and creativity. By engaging students in reading from a young age, we help them build these essential skills, which will benefit them throughout their educational journey.

The Principal’s Book Club will meet on select Wednesdays throughout the year from 3:00-3:45pm. It is designed for students and guardians to enjoy together and will be hosted in our GES Learning Commons by myself and Mrs. Wahpekeche. During these gatherings, we will explore different pieces of literature together, discuss themes, and practice strategies for reading aloud with students. Parents and guardians will have the chance to learn effective ways to support their children’s reading at home, participate in fun reading activities, and even take home ideas for activities to try as a family. 

Each month, we will focus on specific grade levels and themes, tailoring the experience to meet the needs and interests of our students. (See graphic for dates, grade levels and our first theme!) Whether it's exploring adventure stories, learning about different cultures, or diving into classic fairy tales, there will be something for everyone.

Click HERE to Sign-up for the Sept. 18th Club so we know how many people to prepare for. Please sign-up by 4pm on Tuesday, Sept. 17th. 

Breakfast in Cafeteria

Friendly reminder that breakfast is served each morning from 7:20-7:35am for students that would like to purchase it. If you are needing your child to eat breakfast when they arrive, please drop them off at 7:20am to give them ample time to eat and get to class on time. At 7:35am the doors close and students aren't able to access breakfast as our cafeteria staff is cleaning up and beginning to prepare for lunch service. If you are running late, please ensure your children eat at home. 

Student Holiday - Sept. 23

Friendly reminder that our students do not have school on Monday, Sept. 23. Our teachers will be in professional development that day. 

Clubs Dismissal

If your students are participating in clubs, please be mindful of the day of their club and time your child's club dismisses so you are available for pick-up. All Clubs will dismiss from the Hughes Parking lot side of the building at their designated time. 

End of 1st 6 Weeks

Friday, Sept. 20th marks the end of the 1st 6 weeks of school. Progress report grades will end on Friday and grades will post in Skyward on Wednesday, Sept. 25th. 

Summer Reading Challenge

All of our 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students who have met their summer reading challenge have had the chance to visit the Book Vending Machine. 

We will continue to pull students this week as schedules allow to celebrate those kindergarten and 5th grade returning star students who maintained their reading level over the summer. Students will bring home a bookmark and new book to share! 

GCISD Hosting Facebook Live about the VATRE

GCISD is hosting a virtual information session about the voter-approved tax ratification election (VATRE). Join the session to hear details about the VATRE, its impact to GCISD and tax rate information. The session will be streamed via Facebook Live at 5 p.m., Wednesday, September 18, on the GCISD Facebook page. ‘See’ you there! 

September is Fruit and Vegetable Month and National Coloring Day is September 14

Get ready to celebrate the goodness of eating your fruits and veggies! Nutrition Services is excited to provide a fun coloring sheet for every elementary student. This is a fantastic activity to enjoy in the classroom or at home. Coloring sheets will be available to students by Thursday, Sept. 12th. Color your sheet and turn in your beautiful artwork to your teacher or the cafeteria by September 20! Watch it shine on the serving lines during the week of September 23!

We can't wait to see all the amazing artists show off their creativity! 

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 to the front office in order to help us provide that snack for students that arrive at school without it because of the insecurities. This would not pertain to students that simply forgot a snack that day. (Snack for those that simply forget can be donated to the classroom teachers directly.) 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.

September Star Student Character Quality

Each month, GES students receive a lesson with Mrs. Horn, school counselor, focused on a character quality. Homeroom teachers nominate one student from their class as the Star Student of the Month who demonstrates that trait the most or shows the most growth with that trait. EMPATHY is the character quality focus for September! You can partner with GES by browsing the Empathy newsletter HERE!

Three Facts About the VATRE

GCISD registered voters will be asked to consider adding three cents to the Maintenance & Operations tax rate through a voter-approved tax ratification election on the November 5 ballot. Here are three quick facts:

• Even with the VATRE, GCISD’s total tax rate will be lower - Even with the three additional pennies from the passage of the VATRE, the GCISD total overall tax rate (M&O plus I&S) will be lowered by $0.0014. 

• Funds are not subject to recapture - Tax funds collected through these additional three pennies would stay within GCISD and not be subject to recapture, meaning that 100 percent of these funds would remain in the district. 

• The three-cent increase to the Maintenance and Operations (M&O) tax rate would generate approximately $6 million - These funds would be for school district operations, which includes instruction, staff, transportation, maintenance, extracurricular activities and other daily operating expenses, excluding projects included in the recent bond. Bonds are paid for by a separate Interest & Sinking (I&S) fund, which is debt service.

Learn more at www.GCISD.net/VATRE.

Lunch Visitors

Beginning in September visitors may join us for lunch with their child if they are signed up in advance HERE. 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!  

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!