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GCISD PRESS RELEASES

Dateline: Grapevine - October 16, 2001 4:41 PM

GCISD FastNews makes its debut Monday

GCISD will debut an innovative communication tool on Monday, an email newsletter which will provide timely news and announcements. GCISD FastNews is a free email newsletter delivered directly to subscribers via their email boxes.

Designed to provide short bits of information to readers, each newsletter will contain links to the district’s website for more information about the featured articles. Although FastNews is viewed at its best with graphics and photos in html supported email programs, it is also available in AOL’s format, as well as text. Those interested in receiving the newsletter need to sign up on the district’s website. For more information about FastNews,

GCISD Council of PTAs hosts state of district program Dr. Kevin Singer, GCISD superintendent, will present at state of the district message on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 7 p.m. at the general meeting of GCISD Council of PTAs. The meeting will take place at Grapevine High’s auditorium. Questions for the superintendent may be emailed in advance by clicking on the PTA link on the GCISD website at www.gcisd-k12.org.

District activities celebrate National School Bus Safety Month

October is National School Bus Safety Month and National School Bus Safety Week will be held October 15-20. T.J. Nichols, 3rd grader at Heritage Elementary School will be honored for winning 2nd Place in the State Bus Safety Poster Contest at the "Texas Association for Pupil Transportation Conference" held in McAllen, TX. this past summer. T.J. will receive his original winning poster, a trophy, savings bond and be honored at a recognition ceremony to be held on Oct. 22, at the State Capital in Austin.

• October 1-31 - Practice bus evacuation drills are now taking place in the morning at all campuses that have bus service. Drills should be completed by the end of October.
• October 17, GCISD Transportation Lounge. The Transportation office staff will prepare brunch for the transportation employees and fleet staff in appreciation for all they do to operate a safe efficient operation.
• October 19, 8:30-11 a.m. - Bransford Elementary School. Drivers who service Bransford Elementary will be presenting the S.T.E.P. Program - Student, Transportation, Education - to students in grades K-5. The S.T.E.P. program was created by GCISD bus drivers to instruct students on safe and proper bus behavior, how to identify the danger zone around the bus and to give students the opportunity to practice an emergency evacuation drill.
• October 20, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. -"Safety Fair" at Dove Elementary.

Transportation will provide a bus and drivers to explain school bus safety and how to identify the bus danger zone. Students will be allowed on the bus and drivers will be available to answer questions.

GCISD people have roles in 2002 Olympics

Torchbearers were nominated by family members, friends or coworkers by the submission of a 50-100-word essay describing how the nominee embodies the Olympic spirit and inspired an individual or community.

A total of 7,200 torchbearers were selected to carry the Olympic Flame on its 65-day, 13,500 mile journey from Atlanta to Salt Lake City.  Torchbearers were selected from more than 210,000 nominees. For a complete list of torchbearers and information about the Olympics, visit the official website at www.saltlake2002.com.

colleyville Elementary

The Dads’ Club of Colleyville Elementary School will host its annual Pancake Breakfast in the school cafeteria on Saturday, Nov. 3, 7-11 a.m. The proceeds from this breakfast will be used to build the Christmas Parade Float, host the Valentine Dance and Beginning of Summer Cook-Out.  Everyone in the community is invited. Tickets are available at the school or at the door.

The students at Colleyville Elementary School will participate in a Dress Up Day on Wednesday, Oct. 31. Each grade level will follow a specific theme. Kindergarten students will dress in a favorite color. First grade students will come as the storybook characters they have been reading about. Second graders will be dressed as pirates and will go on a treasure hunt using the map skills they have been studying. Students in grade three will be dressed as their favorite fairy tale character to go with the language arts curriculum. Fourth grade students have been studying historical characters and they will dress as one of those characters and give a report on that character. Fifth graders will dress as mystery characters to coincide with their study of mystery stories.

In addition to the activities that have been planned for the entire district, Colleyville Elementary will recognize Drug Awareness Week, Oct. 22-26, with the following activities:

• Monday – Pledge Day: Following the theme of Born to be Drug Free, students will sign a pledge, shaped like a baby footprint, to say no to drugs. These will be displayed on a bulletin board in the cafeteria. In addition, “Birth Announcements” for each student will be placed on stakes in front of CES signifying that all CES students are Born to be Drug Free.
• Tuesday – Team Up Against Drugs Day: Students and staff may wear their favorite sport team shirt today with the Red Ribbons distributed by the district. Students will be encouraged to “team up” and take a stand against drugs.
• Wednesday – Turn Your Back On Drugs Day: On this day, students and teachers may wear their clothes backwards. Each student will be encouraged to make up a slogan to discourage the use of alcohol. Students participating in the slogan contest will receive a sticker about “turning my back on drugs”.
• Thursday – Put a Cap on Drugs Day: Students and staff may wear hats or caps to school to express their Red Ribbon Week spirit. Fingerprinting of each student will begin.
• Friday – Wear Red Day: All students in GCISD are encouraged to wear all red today. Fingerprinting of students will continue.

Dove Elementary

On Monday, Oct. 15th, Ronald McDonald will visit Dove Elementary at 7 p.m. to present a magic show as a kickoff for Dove’s relationship with a new business partner, McDonalds in Southlake. On that day, between 5 and 6:45 p.m., mention Dove Elementary when you buy food at the Southlake McDonalds and a portion of the sales will go to Dove.

On Saturday, Oct. 20th, Dove Elementary is having a Health and Safety Rodeo, 10 a.m. -3 p.m. at the school. This event includes: two bike courses for children (pre-k to 7 yrs/ 8 yrs & up), car seat check by Park Place Lexus, Grapevine Police and Fire departments, identification engraving on bikes, school bus safety by GCISD Transportation Dept., boat safety information by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, a MADD car, McGruff the Crime Dog, raffle and food items.

The Fall Carnival for Dove Elementary is Oct. 26th, 6-9 p.m. on the school grounds and will feature food, games and prizes. Activities and fun include: a photo booth with festive frames, baby bottle bowling, hair painting, cheeseburger and Frye toss booth (toss a cheeseburger into the mouth of Coach Frye!), a costume contest, and a silent auction with gift baskets, and restaurant gift certificates. All proceeds help the PTA provide wonderful programs for the children at Dove Elementary.

Dove Elementary School celebrates Red Ribbon Week the week of October 22. During the week, Dove will be having a poster contest for drug prevention, and each day will be celebrating by having themes. The themes for the week are: Monday: Crazy Sock Day-Sock out Drugs, Tuesday: Hat Day- Put a cap on Drugs, Wednesday: (Aloha) Hawaiian Day-Say Goodbye to Drugs, Thursday: Sports Day- Say Yes to Sports, No to Drugs, Friday: Pass out gummy worms-Bugs instead of Drugs. In addition, Dove Elementary student council will show its support by handing out red ribbons to be tied on car antennas in the parking lot.

Grapevine Elementary

Grapevine Elementary PTA invites the public to attend a meeting with a guest speaker on peer abuse on Thursday, Oct. 25, 6:45 p.m. in the school’s cafeteria. As awareness of peer abuse increases, parents and teachers need to learn how to respond to this issue. Heather Seale, M.Ed. will speak on “Peer Abuse: A Child’s Crime.”   Free childcare will be provided in the school gym.

heritage Elementary

Third grader wins second place in state safety contest

T.J. Nichols, third grader at Heritage Elementary School, was awarded 2nd Place in the Texas Bus Safety Poster Contest at the "Texas Association for Pupil Transportation Conference" held in McAllen, TX. this past summer. T.J. will receive his original winning poster, a trophy, savings bond and will be honored at a recognition ceremony to be held on Oct. 22, at the State Capital in Austin.

O.C. Taylor Elementary

Others who contributed to the amount were three students (Alyssa Davis, Katie and Mary Price) who raised $256.58 by selling lemonade one weekend.  Approximately $2000 of the total was raised at a Sunday afternoon Family Fun Event at Club Xousia in Bedford. Students and their families ate hot dogs, popcorn, pizza, and played games.

Students were also busy making cards and letters to send to local fire and police departments. Carrie Sargent, third grade teacher, contacted 102.9 FM to volunteer her students to say the pledge on the radio during the station’s daily 7:30 a.m. segment. The station chose her class, recorded them saying the pledge and aired it last week. Kari Sharpe’s class was also recorded and is awaiting notification of when their recording of the pledge will be aired.

Silver Lake Elementary

The Silver Lake Elementary School PTA will sponsor its annual Fall Carnival on Saturday, Oct. 20, 3 p.m. - 7 p.m. on the school campus. There will be food, games, a silent auction, and test drives for adults in new cars/trucks. For information regarding the event, contact Kathy Tisdale through the school office 817/251-5750.

Cross Timbers Middle

CTMS Celebrates end of football season

Celebrate the end of football season with a CTMS Wolf-style Mexican meal and help support the 7th grade cheerleaders. On Oct. 15 and 22, the nights of the last two games, between 6-10 p.m., Miguelito’s Fine Mexican Restaurant in Colleyville will donate a portion of the proceeds to the cheerleaders’ booster club. Diners need to present a CTMS flier, a Wolf ticket or simply tell the staff they are with CTMS.

Mentor program needs adult volunteers to spend one hour weekly with a student who needs some help coping or someone to talk to. Students are nominated by a teacher to participate in this program. Meetings are during the school hours.

Bring Stove Top Stuffing, Jell-O and canned fruit food donations to give to GRACE Oct. 22 –26. Donations may be left in the front office collection box or may be taken to the school social on Friday, Oct. 26.

Students may purchase CTMS 2001-2002 yearbooks October 15—26 in the SAC and room E-3. Make checks or money orders payable to CTMS for $30.00 or $33.00 for a personalized edition.

CTMS Social for CTMS students, Friday, Oct. 26 in the CTMS SAC. Sixth graders attend from 6:30-8 p.m., 7th & 8th grades from 8:15-10 p.m. Cost is $4 and student I.D. will be required. Hot 100 will be the DJ and give away prizes.

October 22 is the deadline for entering the 2001 Reflections contest. The theme is "I hold in my hand......" and all entries should reflect this theme. Entry forms and rules are in the CTMS office. Remember, parent's signature is required on entry form, students should NOT sign the front of the artwork, no late entries will be accepted, and projects should be turned in to the front office.

Colleyville Heritage High

Colleyville Heritage Panther Marching Band receives superior rating

According to band director Duane Minnick, in the finals, The Panther Band was a crowd favorite with their "Portraits of Spain" show and was awarded 9th place, with its best show so far this season. This coming weekend on Saturday, Oct. 13th, The Panther Band will compete in The Birdville Invitational Marching Contest at 4:30 p.m. Marching band and music fans are encouraged to attend and support the CHHS band.

CHHS earns high state award and advances to national

Colleyville Heritage High has been selected by a Texas Department of Education review panel as a Texas Blue Ribbon school, and the school’s application will now be submitted for U.S. Blue Ribbon School status. Ten other GCISD schools have earned the designation of U.S. Blue Ribbon School, with Glenhope and Timberline Elementary schools winning the award last year.

Eligible for the first time this year, the five-year old school received notification this week. A committee of staff members, community members and students wrote the comprehensive application and will make the recommended changes to the application before returning it the state, who will then forward it to the national review panel in November. The blue ribbon designation honors schools with a high level of success in academics, outstanding extra and co-curricular activities, a well-developed mission and culture that supports learning, safety of students and communication with parents, as well as other areas of emphasis.

“It is an honor to have people from outside the district recognize our successes and affirm that we are heading in the right direction,” said Dr.

Marlin Stanberry, CHHS principal. “We believe that Colleyville Heritage is a good place to learn and work. This honor is affirmation that we are succeeding, but success is a process and we are just getting started. The information and suggestions from the review panel will help us build on our successes.”

GCISD Superintendent Kevin Singer said CHHS is very deserving of the honor that highlights the schools accomplishments. "Through the outstanding efforts of the students, parents, teachers and administration,” said Dr. Singer, “Colleyville Heritage has met the stringent requirements and deserves to be among the outstanding schools in Texas that are designated Texas Blue Ribbon Schools. We have no doubt that the school will also earn the most prestigious honor among schools - the U.S. Blue Ribbon award." U.S. Blue Ribbon schools are selected by a national review panel, which conducts a site visit and a thorough evaluation, involving administrators, teachers, students, parents and community representatives in the completion of the nomination forms. This process includes assessing schools' strengths and weaknesses and developing strategic plans for the future. Winners will be announced in May and will be honored in Washington D.C. at an award ceremony in the fall.

Grapevine High

GHS Sophomore, Renni Gawrys won first place in the Santa Gertrudis Calf Division and won overall Calf Champion at the State Fair of Texas on Oct. 7th and 8th when Grapevine High School's FFA ( Future Farmers of America) students competed. Thirteen students participated in the Beef Cattle Show; these cattle are fed and cared for by the students. Also winning were: Jessica Steen -1st place, Brangus; Whitney Sanders - 2nd place, Santa Gertrudis; Shelby Brock -2nd place, Santa Gertrudis; Stephanie Whitman - 3rd place, Limousin; Jarrod Eberly - 4th place, Beefmaster; David Clark - 6th place, Santa Gertrudis; Josh Jaggears -7th place, Santa Gertrudis; Mark Preston - 9th place, Santa Gertrudis; Kathleen Davis - 9th place, Brahman; Miranda Thorton -10th place, Santa Gertrudis; Deana Robertson - 11th place, Santa Gertrudis; Caro Kauffman -14th place, Beefmaster. Bill Burton is the Vocational Agriculture teacher at Grapevine High School.

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