Grapevine Elementary
Monday Message
GES Families,
One of the things that sets GES apart from other elementary schools is the number of club opportunities we offer for our students! Extra-curricular activities are designed to supplement school curriculum and provide additional opportunities for students to develop skills, character, and leadership qualities. In many instances, extra-curricular activities can also help students discover new interests, hidden talents, and meet other students they might otherwise not encounter.
At Grapevine Elementary, we offer a variety of clubs for student involvement. In an effort to give student club information in a concise manner, we have included a short synopsis of each offering in this document with applications linked. Please take the time to review and discuss the attached club options with your child and encourage them to participate in a club that interests them. Please be aware that several clubs meet on the same days and students will need to make a choice regarding which clubs they would like to participate in most. All applications are provided in digital format to submit through Google.
We are so grateful to our staff and PTA volunteers who go above and beyond to provide these opportunities to our students.
All my best,
Mrs. Hale
Meet the Specials Team
We have a dynamite team that support our PE, art, and music at GES! These ladies go above and beyond both in the classroom and after school to support our students. New to the team this year is Coach Spaide who is joining Coach Basil in the gym. She returns to GES after many years serving as paraprofessional at both GES and HMS. We also have an intern, Joshua Johnson, who is learning from Coach Basil and will be at GES through the end of September.
Contact information can be found below if you need you touch base regarding your student:
Specials Team
Art: Amanda North (Amanda.North@gcisd.net)
Music: Christina Smith (christinam.smith@gcisd.net)
PE: Coach Michelle Basil (Michelle.Basil@gcisd.net)
PE: Lisa Spaide (Lisa.Spaide@gcisd.net)
Campus News and Announcements
Parent Information Night - Aug. 31
We hope you will join us on Thursday, Aug. 31 for Parent Information Night. This is a time for families to come and hear directly from your child's teacher about the school year. They will share what to expect, how grades are done, information about homework, and important information relative to your child's success.
There will be two identical sessions at 6:00pm and 6:30pm in each homeroom class so that families with multiple students can attend more than one session. Doors will open at 5:50pm.
Parents should plan to bring their ID and check-in at our secure vestibule if arriving prior to 6:00pm. Once all of our EDP students have been safely dismissed, it will become a public event and not require check-in.
Attendance Matters: Know the Law
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. 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. Learn more about attendance by visiting our the attendance page on gcisd.net.
Tardies
Friendly reminder that your child needs to be in their classroom at 7:40am. This means they really need to be dropped off no later than 7:35am to give them time to get down the hallways to their classroom. We are starting our KGES announcements immediately after the tardy bell this year and we want students ready to go. Students feel rushed and behind when they aren't able to begin their day with their classmates. If your child arrives after the tardy bell has rung, they will stop by the office to get a tardy slip. A yellow copy should come home in their folder so you are aware. Thank you for helping us to ensure your child is at school on time each day!
College Colors Day - Friday, Sept. 1
Friday, September 1 is National #CollegeColorsDay! This is a great opportunity to increase college awareness and advocate for the importance of college readiness for all of our students. We encourage our students and staff to show off their college pride by wearing their favorite college colors on Friday!
Reading Homework
This week we are starting reading homework across the building from kindergarten to 5th grade. Information should be coming home from your child's teacher regarding the grade level expectations. More than anything, we want your child to develop a love of reading! Reading can be done with a parent or family member, can be listening to a book or reading independently. We encourage students to read their library books, go to the public library to choose books of choice, or get into a book series or author they really enjoy.
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 our front office in order to help us provide that snack for students that arrive at school without it because of those insecurities. This would not pertain to students that simply forgot a snack that day. 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.
Grapevine Elementary CEC
The Grapevine Elementary Campus Excellence Committee (CEC) is a site based decision committee that meets regularly to discuss campus initiatives, plans for improvement, and progress made towards goals. The committee, which meets after school five times a year, is composed of teaching staff, non-teaching staff, a district representative, and parent, community, and business members. We are in need of one parent, two business members, and two community members to join our committee.
If you know someone that we should contact for the business or community slots who are not current parents, please email Nancy Hale @ nancy.hale@gcisd.net.
Clothes Donations for Clinic
If you have any used clothing that you might be getting rid of that your children have outgrown, Nurse Lindsey is looking for donations for the clinic to have as extras in the event that a student needs to change and doesn't have clothes in their backpack. Specifically, we are in need of boys clothes from 5T- Youth Large. We are also always in need of new child size underwear for both boys and girls. Thanks so much!
Campus Activities and Events
This is a live Google Calendar that we will keep updated throughout the year with campus activities. Click the calendar to open it up so you can switch to week or month view and look at future dates. Please check back frequently for new additions.
PTA Announcements
Dads' Club September Meeting
Dads' Club will be having their first meeting of the year on Sunday, September 10th at 3 PM at The Londoner. All GES dads are welcome to attend and learn more about Dads' Club this year!
September Guest Speaker
Please join us Wednesday, September 13th at 6:30 PM. We will have a brief PTA meeting and then welcome guest speaker Amy Kirchhoff, LPC NCC who will be speaking about Parenting and Teaching in the Wild - loving and leading our children through anxiety and sensory overwhelm. Special Thanks to GES PTA VP Programs Anna Rotenberry for planning this program for GES families.
Torchys Spirit Day
Please save the date! Tuesday, September 26th is GES Spirit Day at Torchys! Visit Torchys on this day, mention you are with GES, and 15% of your order will be donated to GES PTA.
Last week to be entered in drawing!
If you have not already, Please join PTA here for the 2023 - 2024 school year here. It is our goal to have as many PTA members as we have students achieving a voice for every child. Everyone who joins by August 31st will be entered in a drawing to win a $100 Amazon Gift Card generously sponsored by Julie Stansell with Walnut Creek Realty. The drawing will take place at our September PTA meeting.
GCISD News
2023-2024 Back to School Attendance Updates
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. The campus may accept a phone call from the parent, but reserves the right to require a written note. A note signed by the student will not be accepted unless the student is age 18 or older or is an emancipated minor under state law. The campus will document in its attendance records whether the absence is excused or unexcused.
Extended Day Program is HIRING!
Please include the following in your campus newsletters:
Extended Day Program is HIRING!
EDP is seeking to hire part-time staff in order to accommodate more students into the after-school program. Work hours are 2:00 PM - 6:30 PM, and the starting rate is $17/hour. Click here to apply.
Repeated Information
Click the video above to hear about our district safety procedures.
Emergency Management Drills
Below is information regarding Standard Response Protocols. GCISD partners with the I Love U Guys Foundation and uses the Standard Response Protocols (SRP) to respond to any situation or emergency that takes place at school or in the district.
Each campus will conduct drills throughout the school year. These drills are based on the Standard Response Protocols of Secure, Lockdown, Evacuate, Shelter, and Hold. GCISD developed one additional protocol known as Clear the Classroom.
Completion of the drills is mandatory for each campus during the first two weeks of school, so that students and staff are prepared. Drills help us learn and know how to respond in the case of a real emergency at school. Our drills also help us to check certain equipment and responses. Our emergency management leaders on each campus will work with students and staff to complete our drills and document the results.
Your child's classroom has the SRP Poster displayed. We will be discussing these and practicing these drills the next week of school. More information about Safety and Security in GCISD can be found at https://www.gcisd.net/page/security-emergency-mgmt. If you have any questions, GCISD Director of Emergency Management and School Security, Allen Smith, is very receptive to speaking with parents about our safety practices and may be reached at allen.smith@gcisd.net.
Zoo Bucks & Zootique
Part of our WILD about engagement theme this year is to provide positive reinforcement for students that are following our GES Guidelines for Success. Students will have the opportunity to earn Zoo Bucks throughout the day in many different settings. Students can then spend their Zoo Bucks for special privileges or prizes such as coupons to "sit wherever you want at lunch" or "read to another class." Homeroom classes will have opportunities for students to spend their Zoo Bucks as in year's past, but we have a new addition this year, too! We will have a campus Zootique or school store where students can spend their Zoo Bucks! It will open up about once a month on a scheduled basis. Students will be able to purchase fun toys and trinkets if they choose.
If you would like to help contribute to our Zootique this year, we would be grateful for donations from our wishlist. You can find the Zootique Wishlist here!
Birthday Marquee Messages
Want a new way to say "Happy Birthday" to your child on their special day? You can sign up to have your child's "Happy Birthday" message placed on the GES digital marquee from 6:30am - 8:30pm on their big day! Complete this digital form, and then send payment to GES by September 15th! You can send $15 cash or check to the front office with your child or drop it by the secure vestibule. Please put cash in an envelope c/o Gina Sharp with your child's name. Messages will begin as early August 28, but payment must be received in advance.
Celebrating Birthdays at School
Birthdays are special! Student birthdays may be recognized in the classroom at the end of the day. Birthday celebrations may not be conducted in the cafeteria while meals are being served. If you would like to celebrate your child’s birthday at school, we recommend the following: donate a book to the library in your child’s name, or choose a new pencil or cool eraser for each student in your child’s class. Due to the high number of students with food allergies, we are not allowed to celebrate with any food items.
Students may distribute invitations only if they are including the entire class OR every child of the same gender. Parents are encouraged to use the PTA directory to send invitations in the mail whenever possible. Birthday sweet treats or snacks will no longer be served. Flowers, balloons, etc… for students should not be delivered to the school (per the handbook). These will not be brought to the classrooms and cannot go home on the buses. Please reserve these type of gifts for home.
GES in the News
Community Impact Newspaper was here at Grapevine Elementary School on the first day of school. Check out the story HERE!
GES Guidelines for Success
We wanted to share our Guidelines for Success with you so that you can have conversations with your students about the expectations that we have at GES. We have specific guidelines that we use in our hallways, in the cafeteria, on the playground and in each classroom. Students can earn compliments and rewards for following our guidelines for success in the building. Your child may also receive a "glow or grow" note from their specials teachers, Mrs. Wahpekeche, or Mrs. Ganus for their behavior in classrooms outside of their homeroom.
Label Student Items
Please label all of your student's items! This includes water bottles, lunch boxes, backpacks, and any outerwear such as jackets or sweatshirts. Our lost and found already has several water bottles and lunch boxes from last week! If they are labeled, we can be sure they get back to the correct student.
2023-2024 School Lunch Updates
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 website here.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Nutrition Services offers a simplified lunch menu during the beginning of each school year. This allows students time to adjust to the school cafeteria environment. It also allows distributors that partner with the district to adjust to the supply and demand challenges faced at the beginning of each school year. The four week cycle menu for plate lunch will begin on September 11, 2023.
Beginning with the 2023-2024 school year, 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-price meals may eat breakfast at no cost this school year. Lunch price for students that qualify for reduced price meals will remain $0.40.
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
Texas House Bill 114
Effective 9/1/2023, Texas House Bill 114 requires a student to be placed in the DAEP if the student possesses, uses, or is under the influence of, or sells, gives, or delivers marijuana, THC, or an e-cigarette to another person within 300 feet of school property or at a school-related event. The District encourages all families to talk with their students regarding the dangers associated with vaping or drug usage and to discuss the implications of this new law with your children, emphasizing the importance of adhering to school policies and laws for their own welfare and for the betterment of the school community as a whole.
GES Arrival and Dismissal Procedures
For safety and security purposes, all parents/guardians are asked to use the car lines and walker stations on either side of the building for drop-off and pick-up. Families are not allowed inside the building during arrival and dismissal. If a parent needs to access the front office at any time during the day, including arrival or dismissal, they should enter through the secure vestibule (Hughes parking lot side) and follow our visitor procedures to check-in with their Driver’s License. We appreciate your support as we keep all of our star students and staff safe.
Morning Arrival
Students are expected to be dropped off at the school no earlier than 7:20 a.m.
Parents/guardians may use the front OR the back driveway to drop students off in the morning. Parking is available in the main parking lot off Hughes Road before and after school. Please do not park in the circle drive off Hall Johnson Road to walk your child into school. This slows down the traffic in the car line.
Student drop off is not permitted in the parking lot at any time.
Once in the school, students will walk directly to their classrooms and sit outside the classroom doors from 7:20 - 7:35 a.m.
GES staff will supervise students in the instructional hallways until 7:35 a.m. when classrooms open. We encourage students to have a book and spend this time reading.
Students must be in their seats in their classrooms at 7:40 a.m. or they will be counted as tardy.
Students who wish to eat breakfast may purchase in the cafeteria from 7:20-7:30am.
Afternoon Dismissal
All students will be escorted to their dismissal locations by a staff member. Please do not arrange to meet your child inside the school building.
Students have designated pick up areas depending on their mode of transportation home:
EDP (Extended Day Program) and daycare bus riders will be escorted to the cafeteria.
Walkers will meet their siblings, neighbors and/or walking parents and quickly proceed to the crosswalk nearest their homes. Walker Station areas should be cleared out within minutes of dismissal.
PreK-1st grade students and their older siblings walking home will be dismissed from the area outside the foyer doors near the cafeteria on the circle drive side of the building.
2nd - 5th grade walkers will be dismissed to the Hughes parking lot side near the bike racks.
Car Riders
PreK - 1st grade students AND their older siblings will be escorted to circle drive off Hall Johnson Road for the car line.
2nd - 5th grade students WITHOUT younger siblings in PreK-1st will be escorted to the car line off Hughes Road where the large parking lot is located.
Dismissal Changes
Requests for dismissal changes should be sent in advance whenever possible to your child's homeroom teacher. If there is an emergency and you need to change your child's regular dismissal plans on the day of, please call the front office at 817-251-5735.
Friendly reminders regarding dismissal:
Parents may NOT park and walk through the building to pick-up PreK-1st graders on the Hall Johnson side of the building.
Student pick up is not permitted in the parking lot at any time.
Dogs are not allowed on campus grounds due to student safety.
The small playground is reserved for EDP until 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Thank you for your cooperation as we ensure the safety of all of our students!
What to Bring to School
Your child will need the following items on a regular basis. Please label everything!! Some grade levels may also ask for students to keep a change of clothes in their backpacks. We kindly ask that toys and other electronics stay at home.
Backpack
Water bottle
Snack (no peanut products for the classroom please)
Lunch box (if not purchasing from the cafeteria)
District issued Chromebook or iPad (new devices will be issued soon!)
School Supplies (contact counselor Angela.Horn@gcisd.net if you need assistance with supplies)
Tennis shoes (PreK-2 go to PE daily; 3rd-5th go 3 times per week)
Welcome Officer Cartwright
We would like to introduce Officer Cartwright to our GES Community. He will be our new School Resource Officer at GES. He was in the Marine Corp for 8 years prior to beginning his career with GPD. He is excited to be with us and eager to serve the community.
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Free and Reduced-Price School Meals Application
Starting July 17, 2023, applications opened for the 2023-2024 school year. To apply, please visit www.schoollunchapp.com. You can also download a paper copy from www.gcisd.net or request one from any campus or the Nutrition Services office.
Completing the application will determine your child's eligibility for free and reduced-price meals, as well as potential eligibility for other benefits. Only one application is required per household. You will be notified by email from the nutrition services department regarding your child's eligibility.
Our dedicated Nutrition Services staff is excited to provide healthy and balanced meals to students in the upcoming school year. For any inquiries, please call 817-251-5617 or email child.nutrition@gcisd.net.
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!
Lunch Visitors
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 August 28-September 29 HERE.
PreK: 10:45 - 11:15
Kinder: 11:45 - 12:15
1st: 11:30 - 12:00
2nd: 11:00 - 11:30
3rd: 12:05 - 12:35
4th: 12:55 - 1:25
5th: 12:25 - 12:55
Volunteering
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:
read the Volunteer Handbook (this replaces the previous face to face volunteer trainings held on campus)
watch the appropriate video included in the handbook
electronically sign the verification Google form for each campus you plan to volunteer
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.
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