Kids Heart Challenge

A big thanks to all students who have learned Hands-Only CPR, earned characters delivering heart healthy messages and are spreading awareness through texts, emails and social media! We have raised $18,814.06 of our $17,500 school goal! WOW! We hope 200 students will join the team, and 181 have already signed up. 30 students have completed Finn’s Mission and entered the NFL Sweepstakes for two tickets to Super Bowl LIX in 2025! By supporting the AHA, you also help our P.E. program earn more equipment.  

Any student that raises $150 will get to pour a cup of Glitter Slime on Coach Basil or Principal Hale!!! We currently have 50 students who have made the list! 

Students can continue raising funds through Friday, October 13th! 

Smartwatches

Reminder: Cell phones are expected to be turned off during the school day for all elementary students. Smart watches have the same functionality and capabilities as a cell phone and students must follow the same expectations. We appreciate your support in reminding your students. 

Math Homework 2nd-5th Grade

Now that we have reached a point in our math homework program where we are no longer spiraling skills from the previous grade, we are hearing an increasing amount of feedback from families about the frustrations at home with new concepts that haven't been taught. The intent of math homework in a spiral review format is research based and intended to support students' knowledge throughout the school year. However, we recognize the problem created when the spiral review doesn't follow our district scope and sequence. We didn't have the same difficulties last year when we began this program in January because students had a greater knowledge base at that time. We are in discussion about the best way to proceed for the 2nd nine weeks to best meet the needs of our students. We will notify families as soon as a solution has been reached. 

Unity Day - Wednesday, Oct. 18

WEAR AND SHARE ORANGE to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to send a visible message that no child should ever experience bullying.

Save the Date - Book Character Parade

Our Book Character Parade is a beloved GES tradition! Save the date for Tuesday, October 31st at 8:00am. Parents are invited to come stand and watch from the exterior of the building as students and staff parade around the outside. 

Students are encouraged to dress up as a Book Character of their choice. This will be in combination with our Red Ribbon Week dress-up days that you will see below. 

October Zootique Volunteers Needed

We have loved having volunteers come in and run our Zootique for students to spend their Zoo Bucks! If you have a completed background check and are interested in volunteering your time and sharing in some financial literacy with students as they save and spend, you can sign up HERE. 

We also have continued to add to our Amazon wishlist and have some new seasonal items that we thought students might enjoy to add to the Zootique. If your family would like to make a donation, you can find the wishlist HERE. New this month, we will also have campus coupons that students can purchase for experiences such as eat lunch on the stage with a friend or lunch with the principal! 

Thank you so much for all the donations we have already had this year! Our GES families are the absolute best! 

Book Vending Machine

We were able to call the rest of our 2nd and 4th grade students who met their Summer Challenge to the Book Vending Machine. 

We had the following percentage of students who maintained their reading level over the summer:

• 2nd Grade:  53/73 (73%) maintained reading level from end of 1st to 2nd

• 4th grade: 43/63 (68%) maintained reading level from end of 3rd to 4th

October is Dyslexia Awareness Month

Did you know:

• Dyslexia affects how you process language but that doesn’t mean you’ll never learn to read. In fact, you can still learn to read when you have dyslexia - it just might take a little longer for you to process after intervention

• Dyslexia is hereditary…meaning there is a greater chance that you will have it if someone in your family has it.

Myth vs Fact:

Myth #3:  Dyslexia is a sign of below-average intelligence.

Fact:  Despite reading ability, people who have dyslexia can have a range of intellectual ability. Most have average to above average IQs and, much like the general population, some even have superior to very superior scores. (Dr. Sally Shaywitz, Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity)

Myth #4:  Kids with dyslexia just need to try harder to read.

Fact:  Research shows that dyslexia is caused by how the brain functions and effort has nothing to do with it. If anything, a child with dyslexia needs a lot of grace!

October Character Quality & Star Student of the Month

In GCISD, and in alignment with the state, monthly character qualities are highlighted in guidance lessons. Homeroom students are also selected by homeroom teachers for each monthly character quality to have demonstrated that trait in a big way or having made a large amount of growth in demonstrating that trait. This month is RESPONSIBILITY! Families can partner with GES staff by reviewing connection ideas HERE! PreK through fifth grade newsletters are included; scroll through to find your Stars' grade level. Please let Mrs. Horn know if you have any questions at this time at angela.horn@gcisd.net or 817-251-5740.

Car Signs

Campus issued car signs must be present when you pick your child up in either car line after school. If you do not have a car sign, we will ask you to park and check-in with the front office so they can check your ID and ensure you are able to pick-up the student. IF you need to add an emergency contact for pick-up purposes please email candice.patton@gcisd.net with the first name, last name, email and phone number of the individual. 

IF you need additional car signs, please email regina.sharp@gcisd.net. 

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. 

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. 

You can sign-up for lunch from October 2-31 HERE. 

Volunteering

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.