Zootique Volunteers Needed

The Zootique is ready for it's September opening! We made some adjustments to the schedule based on timing last month. We have split up the grade levels into the last 2 Fridays of the month. We would love to have Volunteers help us run the Zootique so we can effectively get through each grade level in 45-60 minutes. Last month several members of our PTA board supported the Leadership Team as we rolled around the building. It was great fun to work with the students and teach some financial literacy as they decided to save or spend their Zoo Bucks! IF you have completed your background check and would like to volunteer to help at one or more grade levels this month, we would love to have you! You can sign-up HERE! 

Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thank you to all the families who have signed up for Parent/Teacher Conferences. Our hope is to meet with 100% of our families before the end of September. Your partnership in your child's education is very important to us. We appreciate you taking time to come meet with us about your child's beginning of the year scores and how we can support them this school year. 

Clubs After School

Please help us by reminding your student if they have an after school club. You might choose to write them a reminder in their behavior calendar on the days they have a club. This would help the teacher have an awareness and your student to remember at the end of the day. We also make announcements on KGES each morning. We have many students going to a variety of clubs each day and this is one way to help them remember. 

Don’t Miss Our GCISD Parent Tech Academy Night September 20

Join us at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, September 20 for the district’s first Parent Tech Academy of the 2023-24 school year. The technology department will demonstrate how to use GCISD apps parents use such as Canvas, Skyward, Lightspeed and Seesaw. Parents will learn about each app and how to use them to stay more informed about their child.

The event will be held at the district’s Professional Development and Education Center (PDEC), located at 5800 Colleyville Boulevard in Colleyville, TX 76034.

Be sure to download our GCISD mobile app where you can read about the latest announcements, review upcoming events and find important documents. Check out our video that demonstrates the features, including how to select a specific school, allow push notifications, add events to your calendar and browse the feed, which has news and updates. Download the GCISD app today on your mobile device via Google Play for Android or the App Store for iPhone.

September 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 EMPATHY! 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.

Math Homework

As we begin the 2023-2024 school year, math continues to be an area of focus for our campus. In looking at our campus data from last year, there is a need to continue to refine our practices to support all of our students. One way we are working towards that goal is by creating a system of math homework that is consistent from 2nd - 5th grade. We will be utilizing the program we purchased last year as a spiral review for grades 2-5. Last year, teachers began using Lone Star TEKSas Target Practice for the 10-minutes of spiral review time at the start of each math block. Through conversations with our teachers, we found that the 10 minutes alloted for spiral review wasn't enough to adequately cover the daily review. 

This year, we have created a system where students will complete the spiral review problems for homework each night Monday-Thursday and then teachers will review them daily in class. We ask for your support in ensuring your child have time to complete the homework on a nightly basis. We do know that many students have activities during the week that could potentially hinder homework time. Because students have the homework for the whole week, they may choose to work ahead. We ask that each day students bring the homework in their daily folder so it is accessible at the start of the math lesson to review. 

Per our GCISD grading policy, homework will never be taken for a grade. We ask that families support their student(s) in trying their best. If your student doesn't know how to complete a problem, they can make their best guess and wait for further explanation in class the next day. You will notice that over the course of the year, the skills on the homework will spiral. Research shows that a spiral review of math skills can increase student achievement by helping them maintain skills throughout the year. However, at times there might be a problem on the spiral review that hasn't been taught in their grade level content yet. For this reason, we simply ask that students try their best and ensure math homework doesn't become frustrational. 

Math homework should not take more than 15-20 minutes per night. If you recognize that this is becoming a regular occurance for your child, please reach out to their math teacher for guidance. 

Wild Wednesdays

To go along with our school theme this year, we invite our students to join the staff in participating in Wild Wednesdays this year. They may choose to wear something with animal print or an animal on it. This is purely optional and just something fun for students and staff as we remember the importance of our school theme throughout the year: Wild about Engagement! 

News for Other Schools

Have News to Share with Other Schools? Use Peachjar!

Peachjar is GCISD’s digital platform to share digital flyers or news with other campuses. If you have information about an event or activity, please use Peachjar. 

The following groups are permitted to distribute approved materials under the designation of being a district-recognized and affiliated school support organization:   

• Campus Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) 

• Campus Parent Teacher Student Associations (PTSAs) 

• Recognized Booster Clubs and Campus Parent Clubs 

• High School Project Graduation Organizations 

• GCISD employees providing District Approved and Sponsored Education, Sports or Fine Arts Camps and Programs for GCISD students in a facility that is rented according to the GCISD facility use policy 

• University/College academic partnerships approved by the Curriculum Department 

• GCISD Education Foundation 

• For-profit entities under contract with the District to provide specific programs or services to GCISD students and parents (e.g. after school education or sports programs, portrait photographers, graduation material suppliers, etc.) 

All flyers shall include the following disclaimer, which shall be in bold print and conspicuous in the material:  

GCISD is not responsible for the contents of this flyer or electronic communication, nor does GCISD endorse any products and/or services referenced in this communication or provided by this provider. Parents sign-up or use advertised programs at their own risk.  

To submit a flyer for distribution to another campus via Peachjar:

• Send the flyer in a PDF format for approval to your campus principal. In the email, include the schools and grade levels that should receive the flyer, along with a URL for more information, if one is available.

• Once the flyer is approved, the principal will forward it to Communications Services for posting on Peachjar.

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. 

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.