ABCs of GES 22-23

Absences: According to state attendance regulations, we must have a parent letter or doctor’s note for any student absence within seven days of the absence. While your phone calls are greatly appreciated, they do not excuse an absence. Parent notes should be emailed to jessica.rickman@gcisd.net and the student’s homeroom teacher. Please reference the student’s first and last name along with the absence date and reason. Absences will only be considered excused in the case of illness, documented healthcare appointments, religious holidays and immediate family funerals. District attendance letters will be sent home per district policy at 3, 5, and 10 absences. Attendance letters are required by state law in order to make parents aware of a student’s attendance. If you have any questions about your child’s attendance record at any time please contact the school office.

Appointments: When your child has a doctor or dental appointment, please get a note from the doctor to excuse the time away from school. If your child arrives after 10:00 a.m. without a doctor's note, it will be counted as an absence, not a tardy. If your child leaves school before 10:00 a.m. for an appointment and does not return, a doctor’s note must be received or they will be considered absent for the day. Please do not call before you arrive at school, as the parent must be in the office before a student will be called from class for an appointment. No child will be called from class after 2:30 p.m. unless you have a family emergency. Please plan appointments accordingly.

Arrival: Students arriving between 7:20 and 7:35 a.m. should walk down the instructional hallways to their classroom doors where faculty members will supervise students. Any student arriving before 7:20 am should be checked in to KIDZU by a parent. The tardy bell rings at 7:40 a.m., and students should be in class ready to begin their day. Any student arriving after 7:40 a.m. will need to use the main entrance off the Hughes Parking lot side to be “buzzed” in.

We respectfully request that parents help instill an “independent start” in their child. Please encourage your child to walk independently into the building. We invite parents to walk students to class the first three days of school. After the first three days of school, we ask that parents allow their kids to walk to class independently. Staff members are stationed throughout the building at 7:20 a.m. each morning to assist students. We will have extra staff available the first few days of school to assist students with locating their classroom. We have found that when students walk to class independently, they experience less separation anxiety and have a better start to their day.

Birthdays: 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, 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. If every student in the classroom is not receiving a birthday party invitation, parents are encouraged to use the PTA directory to send invitations in the mail. 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. So please reserve these types of gifts for home.

Campus Communication: Establishing and maintaining open lines of communication between school and home is important for student success. In our efforts to be eco-friendly, most communication is electronic. To ensure you receive campus news, please make sure both the school office and your classroom teacher have correct email addresses on file.

Campus communication includes, but is not limited to:

Campus and Teacher Websites: Both campus and grade level/teacher websites are available with important information. Teacher websites can be accessed from the campus website at https://ges.gcisd.net/.

Campus Facebook Page: Join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GrapevineElementary. The campus Facebook page is used to share campus stories and communication updates and reminders.

Conferences: Teachers will conduct at least one parent/teacher conferences during the first nine weeks of school. Spring student-led conferences will be held to discuss your child’s progress and goal-setting. If you need to speak with your child’s teacher during the year, please contact them directly to set up a conference. Campus administrators are available to meet with parents and teachers, as well.

Grade Level and Teacher Newsletters: All grade levels will send weekly newsletter updates.

Monday Message from the Principal: The Monday Message is a weekly newsletter sent via email (School Messenger) by Mrs. Hale, and includes celebrations, updates, and calendar reminders.

Twitter: Twitter is used to share campus stories. Follow our school on Twitter @GESStars. Many individual teachers also use Twitter and have accounts that start with @GES(last name). Our teachers and staff use #GESshineon if you’d like to follow the excitement!

Campus Excellence Committee: The purpose of the Campus Excellence Committee (CEC) is to ensure a collaborative process between stakeholders in campus based decision making that focuses on student achievement, promotes continuous improvement, encourages risk taking and creativity, builds trust and mutual respect, promotes open communication, and creates a sense of community. The CEC meets a few times throughout the school year at 3:15 p.m. in the Learning Commons/Library.

Daily Folders: Each day, your child will come home with a folder that contains important information such as notes about events that are taking place at the school, a behavior chart and class work. Please check folders and initial behavior charts daily.

Dismissal:

All students will be escorted to their dismissal locations by a staff member. Please do not arrange to meet your child in the foyer, work room or library after school. Students have designated pick up areas depending on their mode of transportation home. EDP and bus riders will be escorted to the cafeteria. Car riders and walkers have set locations outside the building that their teachers will escort them to, as well. Friendly reminders: dogs are not allowed on campus grounds for student safety; the small playground is reserved for EDP until 6:30pm Monday through Friday.

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 who walk will be dismissed through the front foyer doors.

2nd-5th grade students will be exited through the back foyer doors.

Car Rider: PreK-1st grade car riders will be dismissed from the Hall Johnson circle drive. 2nd-5th grade older siblings will meet their younger siblings in the circle drive. All other 2rd- 5th grade car riders will be dismissed from the Hughes Parking lot side. Please display car signs from the back of the passenger visor or hang from your rearview mirror. This will help the line move quickly and efficiently. Students will not be released to the parking lot areas.

Bike/Scooter Rider: PreK-5th grade bike/scooter riders will dismiss from the racks in the back of the building. We encourage students to lock bikes/scooters at the racks upon arrival. GES will not be responsible for damaged or stolen property. Students must walk their bikes/scooters while on school property.

EDP and Daycare: Students attending Extended Day Program (formally KidzU) after school will be checked in at the cafeteria at dismissal. PreK-5th grade students riding a daycare bus will be dismissed from the cafeteria to their bus in the Hall Johnson circle drive.

Siblings: 2rd – 5th grade students with younger siblings in PreK – 1st grade will meet their younger siblings at the K-1st grade Walker Station or in the Hall Johnson car rider line.

Inclement Weather Dismissal: Please note that severe weather, including lightning, could delay dismissal to ensure student, parent and staff safety. We appreciate your patience on adjusted dismissal days. If you wish to pick up your walker in a car on rainy days, please call the front office to notify your child’s teacher prior to 2:30pm or email your child’s teacher prior to 1:30pm.

Walkers: All walkers will be dismissed to their usual walker locations even on rainy days.

PreK-1st grade students who walk will be dismissed through the front foyer doors.

2nd-5th grade students will be exited through the back foyer doors.

Car Riders: All car riders will be held inside the building on rainy days and proceed to their usual

car loops as names are called. If your child is a car rider, please DO NOT walk up to the building and attempt to pick up your child on rainy days, as this slows down the dismissal process. If you plan to park and walk up to get your child, you will need to call ahead of time and make arrangements for your child to be dismissed with the walkers.

Deliveries: Gifts, such as flowers and balloons, for students should not be delivered to the school. These will not be delivered to the classroom.

Dress Code: Students will be dressed and groomed in a manner that is clean and neat and that will not be a health or safety hazard to themselves or others. The district prohibits any clothing or grooming that in the principal’s judgment may reasonably be expected to cause disruption of or interference with normal school operations. In order to assist the parent and student with appropriate student dress and grooming, the specific criteria listed below were adopted. Student’s whose religious beliefs require exemptions from the District’s dress code be granted an exemption, provided the student presents a written statement, expressing the religious objection to the dress code to campus administration for approval. Refer to the GCISD Student-Parent Handbook for further information.

Drop-Off: The front and back circle drives are the safest student drop off point. Please do not drop students off in the back parking lot or outside lane of the front drive, as this increases the potential for accidents. Be aware of your speed and exercise caution when driving on campus.

Early Checkout: If your child is checked out early, it counts as a partial-day absence and will be considered unexcused. To excuse the absence, the student must bring a doctor’s note when they return to school. Students will not be called to the office until the parent has arrived and signed them out for the day. Additionally, students will not be called to the office for early release after 2:30 p.m. This helps ensure all students are prepared for dismissal and in the proper dismissal line with the assigned teacher before the 3:00 p.m. bell. We will work with parents in the event of an emergency.

Free/Reduced Lunch Forms: Application forms are completed in Skyward during registration and are available from our Nutrition Services department, the GES main office, or online at www.schoollunchapp.com .

Handbook: The GCISD Student-Parent Handbook and Student Code of Conduct is available online at https://www.gcisd.net/students/student__parent_handbook.

Homework: Homework is an opportunity to reinforce skills previously taught in the classroom. Students will be assigned Reading and Math homework nightly. Reading homework may include reading a designated number of minutes or books. Math homework will include both skill review and fluency practice. Completing homework is a study skills expectation.

Illnesses: Students must stay home from school due to illness if any of the following are present:

fever of 100 degrees or higher in the past 24 hours
vomiting and/or diarrhea in the past 24 hours
itchy, red eyes with discharge
unknown rash
head lice or nits
jaundice
ringworm of the scalp (until treatment has been started)

For the 2021-2022 school year, please refer to the GCISD COVID-19 Protocols on our COVID-19 website.

Internet Access: Grapevine Elementary has internet access available in the computer labs and classrooms. Students working on specific assignments are supervised by their teacher, and students are provided with clear directions for internet use. GCISD makes every effort to filter access to inappropriate websites, and a parent permission to use web-based material was a part of registration.

Late Pick-Up: We understand that there will be unexpected circumstances when you may be unable to pick up your child at 3:00 p.m. When students have not been picked up by 3:10 p.m., we will begin calling parents. At 3:15 p.m. please be aware students may be checked in to KIDZU (there is a fee for this service).

Lunch:

Visiting your child for lunch is a special treat. When visiting your child for lunch, please sit at the picnic tables on the outdoor patio. Students may not invite friends to join them.

Lost and Found: Please clearly label everything that comes to school with your child with his/her first and last name. During the school year unclaimed articles of clothing are displayed in Lost and Found in the cafeteria. If your child is missing a sweater, jacket, coat, lunch box, etc., periodically take time during the year to check Lost and Found. After providing parents with adequate notification, remaining Lost and Found items are donated to a local charity each school year.

Meals: Student lunches are $2.70; breakfast is $1.45 and is served from 7:20-7:40 a.m. You may send a check or cash to pay for your child’s meal. You may also pay online (see district website for details). A computerized account will be kept and your child will charge his/her meals against their balance. Extra snacks are available at an additional charge. All meal payments are to be taken to the cafeteria manager in the morning. All prices are subject to change. Parents have the option to restrict items purchased by students. The form can be found on the district website under Nutrition Services Department or you can email GES Cafeteria manager at lisa.stansbury@gcisd.net.

GCISD school cafeteria follows a calendar-cycle menu at breakfast and lunch. The menu can be viewed online using our menu system MealViewer. If you have questions please contact child.nutrition@gcisd.net. GCISD Nutrition Services looks forward to serving your family in the upcoming school year!

Medicine: If your child will receive medicine at school, please refer to the Student Parent Handbook section on “Medicines at School.” Medication may NOT be given unless these conditions are met, and students may not keep medicine in their backpacks or desks (cough drops can be stored in the clinic). Medication Authorization Forms are located in the nurse’s office. Nurse Lindsey can be reached at (817) 251-5742 or lindsey.holmes@gcisd.net

Office Hours: Grapevine Elementary School office hours are from 7:15 a.m.-3:30 p.m. daily. Office phones will be forwarded to voicemail at 3:30 p.m.

Parking: Visitor parking is not available in the Hall Johnson circle drive. Spaces in the Hughes Rd. parking lot are available for visitors. Please note that our doorbell is located on the large parking lot side of our building, which is also where our secure vestibule is located. During special events, parking will be at a premium. We encourage families to carpool or walk to school for these events.

Personal Electronic Devices: Use of electronic devices, including cell phones, is not permitted in the classrooms unless the teacher provides permission for the devices to be utilized for educational purposes. If students bring such items to school for before or after school use, each student is responsible for his/her items. Any personal electronic devices must remain in a student’s backpack and be turned off during the school day. The school is not responsible for the loss and/or damage of these items. Refer to the GCISD Student-Parent Handbook for additional information regarding electronic devices at school.

Pets: For the safety of our students and your pets, we request that pets not be brought to school. This includes bringing pets to student arrival and dismissal. While your pet may be friendly, many children have pet allergies and/or are afraid of animals and large groups of people and traffic can be upsetting to pets. We appreciate your support in this effort.

Playgrounds: The playgrounds are not supervised by GES staff before or after school. Students will not be released to meet their parents on the playground. If your family plans on visiting one of our playgrounds after school, students will need to be picked up at the “Walker Station.” The small playground is reserved for KidzU until 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

PTA: GES has a very active PTA and we encourage you to participate. An invitation to join PTA is included in online registration. More information regarding PTA membership and opportunities to volunteer can be found on the website: www.gespta.org. PTA meetings are scheduled throughout the school year, and various activities, including the GES Carnival, are planned each semester.

Report Cards/Progress Reports: At the end of every six weeks, a report will be made available via Skyward for your child stating the progress being made and any areas of needed improvement. Your child’s report card will be available every nine weeks in Skyward. Both of these items need to be reviewed. After each report card, teachers will send home a reflection sheet to complete with your child and return to school.

School Hours: 7:40 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

7:20 a.m. – Building opens, staff on duty in hallways

7:35 a.m. – Students enter classrooms

7:40 a.m. - Tardy bell rings/class begins

3:00 p.m. - Dismissal bell rings, students are released from class

Secure Entrances: All GCISD campuses will remain locked throughout the school day. All visitors should proceed to the entrance of the building and press the intercom button located on the wall by the entry door. Our main entrance is off the Hughes Parking lot side. Designated campus personnel will respond and determine whom the visitor(s) is/are and the purpose of the visit. Once access is granted, visitors must check-in through Raptor in our secure vestibule. This system is used to track visitors, students, faculty, contractors and volunteers at our schools, thus providing a more secure, closely monitored environment for our students. Per district policy, all visitors will be required to show a valid ID upon each visit to the school.

STAR Behaviors = Success: Grapevine Elementary has adopted a common set of student expectations or “guidelines.” These expectations are aligned with our campus values and mission statement, and focus on building capacity in students to be productive citizens in our community. Each guideline is defined by what that looks like and sounds like in various building settings (e.g. classroom, hallway, cafeteria, etc.) to ensure a safe and productive learning environment for all. Behavior expectations are written with a positive presupposition, and require that students recognize that they are responsible for their actions. Parents will be informed daily of their child’s behavior on the calendar found in the STAR folder. Once you have reviewed the STAR folder, please initial or sign your child’s behavior chart.

Be helpful and kind

Self-monitoring words and actions

Be safe

Keeping yourself and others out of harm’s way

Be respectful

Putting empathy into action

Student Activities: Extracurricular activities provide enrichment and extension opportunities for students. Student activities currently offered include: Student Council, Running Club, Choir, Instrumental Ensemble, KC Club, Safety Patrol, Environmental Club, Art Club, Cheerleading, Diversity Club, Dollars and Cents, KGES, and Primary STEM Club. All after school activities are dismissed from the Hughes parking lot side of the building.

Student Success Ceremonies: Student Success Ceremonies are held at the end of each school year and are an opportunity to recognize students for their accomplishments.

Tardies: A student will be considered tardy if they are not in his/her classroom when the 7:40 am tardy bell rings. According to state attendance laws, tardies are considered a partial day absence, so please be mindful of the number of tardies your child receives. A large amount of tardies can negatively affect your student’s overall attendance record.

Transportation Changes: To ensure the message is communicated to the teacher and the child, all changes in transportation must be made by 1:30 p.m. We encourage parents to email the teacher with transportation changes in advance. We will work with parents in the event of an emergency, as not all teachers have the opportunity to check their email during the school day.

Visitors: We always want you to feel welcome to visit the school. For the safety of all, district policy requires all volunteers and visitors to our building sign-in with the Raptor system and receive a visitor badge in the secure vestibule. If you are not wearing a badge, you will be stopped by a staff member and escorted to the secure vestibule to obtain a badge. Please remember to sign out from the front office when you leave. Per district policy, all visitors will be asked to show a valid ID upon each campus visit.

Volunteers: We love our parent volunteers! If you would like to volunteer in the classroom or the school library, help with class parties, attend field trips, etc., please complete the application process. In order to volunteer at GES, or around GCISD, all volunteers must complete the following two steps: (1) Read the Volunteer Handbook, watch the appropriate video included in the handbook and electronically sign the volunteer verification form. (2) Complete the volunteer background check. The following link takes you to the online Volunteer Handbook and background check: https://www.gcisd.net/cms/one.aspx?pageId=195550 Please be sure you've reviewed the handbook and completed all requirements prior to signing up to volunteer at GES.