Dear GES Families,

Field Day is Friday!!! It's such a fun day for our students and we invite families to join us throughout the day as you're able! Please read carefully through all the details below. Here is the Schedule and Map for the day. We recommend saving a screen shot on your phone for easy reference throughout the day. 

Safety and Security

• All visitors AND volunteers should have Raptor stickers on. If you see a guest without a badge visible, please do not hesitate to ask if they have checked in with the front office. It takes all of us working together to keep our students safe. 

• We will be providing Fast Passes so we can have badges printed in advance. Guests can click HERE to sign-up for a Fast Pass. This will be required for all volunteers and encouraged for all families planning to stop by on May 17. Fast Passes can be reserved until 3pm on Tuesday, May 14th. Fast Passes will be available for pick-up on Thursday, May 16 at arrival (7:20 - 8:00am) and dismissal (2:45-3:15pm) and also on Friday morning, May 17 at arrival (7:20-8:00am). Fast Pass pick-up will be in secure vestibule. 

• All restrooms for the day will have signs indicating STUDENT or ADULT. Adults should NOT use student restrooms during the school day. Adult restrooms can be located in the front office, 4th grade hallway, and new 5th grade wing. 

Volunteers Needed!

We still have many available slots for volunteers. If you have a completed Background Check, we would LOVE your assistance helping with a station during the day. Shifts can be short and provide an opportunity to see your child's grade level and help out the campus. We can't have an amazing field day without amazing volunteers! Sign up here to help with Field Day 

Volunteers vs. Visitors

There are distinct differences between our visitors and volunteers that we want you all to be aware of:

• Volunteers - will have a PINK highlighted name on their Raptor tag 

  • Extensive background check

  • Can be responsible for groups of students (think chaperone) and interact with students (lead games)

• Visitors 

  • Only coming to observe

  • Should NOT be responsible for any child other than their own and have limited contact with other students

Swimming

Students must have a signed permission slip to swim at the pool. Students should not bring toys or masks. They may wear goggles. 

PreK-2nd

They will only swim in the wade-in pool side that goes up to about 2 ft. deep. 

3rd-5th

3rd-5th graders will swim in the big pool and have access to the Wibit. Students must pass a swim test (swim half the length of the pool unassisted) or can wear a life jacket and start swimming upon arrival.

Lunch

PTA will be providing CHEESE pizza for all students from Nizza Pizza. If your child would also like to purchase a bag lunch for field day from the cafeteria, please complete this FORM. Students will eat in their classrooms on field day according to their field day schedule. Please complete the form by Tuesday, May 14th.

Snacks

PTA is also providing popsicles from Hip Hop for students and teachers ONLY. 

What to Wear

• Students should wear the GREEN Wild about Engagement shirts from PTA, swimsuits, towels, sunscreen, change of clothes (including undergarments & dry socks), water bottle, lunch, goggles (optional), hat (optional). 

Swimsuit Guidelines:

• Girls should wear a one piece, or a tankini, where their midriff/tummy is not showing. If they wear a two piece, they will need to wear a t-shirt over their swimsuit. No strapless suits will be allowed.

• Boys may not wear cut off shorts.

Weather 

If it is sprinkling, or raining, we will proceed with all activities as long as students are safe and are not in any danger. Lifeguards have procedures of when they need to evacuate the pool for inclement weather so we will follow their rules and regulations.

We cannot wait to enjoy this great day of fun with our stars! 

All my best,

Nancy Hale

Thank You

Thank you for the amazing outpouring of love and support during Teacher Appreciation Week! We loved all the beautiful decorations, treats, gifts, notes, cards, time, and hugs that were showered upon us throughout the week. HUGE thank you to our Staff Appreciation Chair, Jamie Horn, and her committee with our GES PTA who organized a WILDLY amazing week! 

5th Grade Graduation

Our 5th grade Graduation Ceremony will be held the evening of May 22nd at 6:30pm. Doors will open at 6:15pm. 

Fast Passes are not required for this event because it is after school hours. 

GES Summer Withdrawal Form

We are asking any families who know they are NOT returning to GES for the 2024-2025 school year to please complete the following GES Summer Withdrawal FORM. This does not include students moving on to middle school. 

Returning Student Registration & Devices

Any student who hasn't completed Returning Student Registration by Friday, May 17th will be asked to return their student device and charger before the summer. This will ensure that we have all technology should a family not return to GES in the fall. 

To register a returning student click here. 

Families who are awaiting a transfer request should register for the campus they are currently zoned for. Transfer requests will be processed at a later date. To view attendance zones, visit our School Maps Online. 

2nd Grade iPad Pick-up

ALL 2nd grade students will turn in their GCISD issued iPads AND chargers on Thursday, May 16th. We collect 2nd grade iPads at the end of 2nd grade in preparation for our 3rd graders to be issued Chromebooks in August. 

Please ensure your child has their iPad AND district-issued Apple charger (block and cord) ready to turn in on Thursday. All students were provided an iPad and charger when they began with us in either kinder, 1st, or 2nd grade. If your student has lost their charger, please refer to the link below with instructions on how to purchase a district approved charger:

https://gcisdhelp.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045160933-GCISD-Device-Charger-Replacements

Book Vending Machine

Our students in PreK-5th grade who made their expected yearly progress according to their EOY reading data will have a chance to visit the Book Vending Machine this week! Teachers will be sharing mClass and AimsWeb reports this week that show your child's progress. We are so proud of our students for how hard they have worked this year! 

May Zootique Volunteers Needed

We have 1 more opportunity this school year for students to spend their Zoo Bucks in the Zootique! We will open the Zootique on Tuesday, May 14th for kinder, 2nd, and 5th grade. We will open it on Wednesday, May 15th for 1st, 3rd, and 4th grade. In order to effectively run the Zootique, we rely on parent volunteers to help students count their money and make their purchases. If you have completed a background check and are available to help for an hour, we would love your assistance! You can sign-up HERE. 

Wildly Amazing Student Wednesdays

Each Wednesday in May, to wrap up our WILD year, we will be celebrating our WILD Wednesdays by catching students who are exhibiting our GES Family Values! Through a generous donation from Kids Heart Challenge, we were able to obtain lanyards for each students and many different animal key chains. Students will be working each Wednesday to earn a different animal based on their safe, kind, helpful, and respectful choices. Students can choose to keep and wear their lanyards all month long, just on Wednesdays, or attach the keychains to their backpack. We hope this is a little extra motivation and engagement with our GES Guidelines for Success as we wrap up a wonderfully WILD year! 

• • May 15 - No Monkey Business in the Halls

GCISD Bond Approved by Voters

Thank you to the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD community for approving the school district’s $150,000,000 bond referendum. Unofficial results of the election show:

• Proposition A passed with 61.83% of voters in favor and 38.17% against. 

• Proposition B passed with 62.91% of voters in favor and 37.09% against.

• Proposition C passed with 60.18% of voters in favor and 39.82% against. 

The passing of this bond will provide funding to address safety and security, aging facilities, update technology infrastructure, and make improvements to the swim center. A detailed list of projects is available at GCISD.net/Bond. 

Click here to read more information about the May 4 election.

Safe Storage of Firearms

GCISD Families,

Texas law now requires school districts to distribute information to parents and guardians about the safe storage of firearms. The following resources will help you learn about options for, as well as how to talk to your child and others about, the safe storage of firearms.

In 2021, 4,613 Texans experienced gun-related deaths. The Texas Department of State Health Services (SHS) reports that 55% of Texas firearms deaths in 2020 were suicides and that 59% of all suicides in Texas were by firearms. Suicide attempts involving firearms have a 90% fatality rate. Restricting access to guns is critical in reducing acts of violence, whether as self-harm or towards others. Acts of mass violence and interpersonal violence often end in suicide.

It is unlawful to store, transport, or abandon an unsecured firearm in a place where children are likely to be and can obtain access to the firearm. Under Texas Penal Code 46.13, a person commits the offense of making a firearm accessible to a child if the child gains access to a readily dischargeable firearm, and the person with criminal negligence:

• Failed to secure the firearm; or

• Left the firearm in a place to which the person knew or should have known the child would gain access

The penalty for allowing a child access to a firearm can range from a Class C misdemeanor (punishable by a $500 fine) to a Class A misdemeanor (punishable by a $4000 fine, a year in jail, or a combination of the two).

Texas exempts the purchase of firearm safety equipment from Texas Sales and Use Tax.

Remember, a gun should be stored unloaded in a safe or locked container, with ammunition stored elsewhere. You can learn more and find additional resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety at https://safegunstoragetexas.com.

Safe gun storage is critical to preventing suicide, unintentional shootings, and other tragedies.

Spend Your Summer With EDP! 

Enroll now to give your child a summer they will never forget!  Weekly registrations available.  Registration link is here.

Registration for 2024-2025

Returning student registration is open! While parents are able to register up until the first day of school, parents are encouraged to register by Friday, May 17 to help the district gather enrollment numbers as early as possible for planning purposes. 

To register a returning student click here. Prior to completing online registration, students enrolling in pre-kindergarten must have completed a separate online application, which may be found here. 

Families who are awaiting a transfer request should register for the campus they are currently zoned for. Transfer requests will be processed at a later date. To view attendance zones, visit our School Maps Online. 

New student registration is also open and can be completed here. Students new to the district (including those entering kindergarten) must provide proof of residency, birth certificate, social security number, immunization record, emergency contact numbers and a report card from the previous school unless enrolling in kindergarten.

Families needing assistance with registration for the 2024-2025 school year should contact our campus registrar, Candice Patton, candice.patton@gcisd.net. Families who need additional assistance or have specific questions or concerns may also call the front office at 817-251-5735. 

For more information, visit GCISD’s 2024-2025 registration page.

Class Pictures Available

If you would like to order a class picture from your child's year, you can go to the Glamourcraft website using our school code below. All orders will be shipped to your home. 

Must be ordered online at our website HERE. 

ALL ORDERS WILL BE SHIPPED TO THE HOME.

Click the link above & enter the following code.

SCHOOL CODE IS :

gvine24grps

Congratulations Mrs. Couch, 

GCISD Elementary Teacher of the Year

We are thrilled to share that at a recent luncheon put on by the Chambers of Commerce for both Grapevine and Colleyville, Mrs. Couch was announced as the GCISD Elementary Teacher of the Year! She will now represent GCISD in the Region 11 Teacher of the Year contest. Please join us in congratulating her and wishing her well at the next level! 

Mystery Student Mondays

Each Monday beginning today through the end of May, we will have a mystery behavior. This concept comes from our Positive Behavior Intervention System. The teachers know each Monday morning what the mystery behavior will be and they are looking all day for a student in their classroom that exemplifies that behavior trait. At the end of the day, all staff members can choose a student to be recognized as their mystery student and they get to visit our toy machine in the foyer. 

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 May 1-23 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.