Campus News 5-7-07

What’s Happening This Week
• Teacher Appreciation Week
This week, May 7-11, is Teacher Appreciation Week and students throughout GCISD are encouraged to take a moment to thank their teachers for their hard work and dedication to educating students.

• Desert wildlife presentations
Third-graders throughout GCISD will get hands-on lessons in the lives of desert animals such as snakes, lizards and other wildlife during presentations at each elementary school the week of May 7-11. The presentations are part of a G-C Education Foundation grant. Information: Julie Brenegan, 817-251-2547.

• GHS volunteer appreciation
Grapevine High School employees will honor all those who volunteered at the school this year during an appreciation event 6 p.m. May 7 in the GHS Library. Anyone who volunteered in any area is encouraged to attend. Following the appreciation, the GHS PTSA will present the Friend of Children awards, Texas Life Membership and senior scholarships during a general meeting. Information: 817-251-5210.

• CHHS Jazz Choir to perform
Members of The Ovation! Jazz Choir at Colleyville Heritage High will present their annual concert at 7:30 p.m. May 8 and 10 in the CHHS Auditorium. The theme for this year’s performance is “Rock-A-Thon.” Information: 817-305-4700.

• CMS new gymnasium grand opening
Colleyville Middle School will celebrate the grand opening of its new gymnasium with a pep rally at 6:30 p.m. May 8. The public is invited to visit the new gym, which is part of the 2005 Bond Referendum approved by voters in September 2005. The celebration will open with a brief PTA meeting to honor student scholarship recipients and Reflections contest winners. Performances by the CMS band, cheerleaders and dance team will follow. Visitors also can participate in a silent auction, with proceeds used for installation of personalized bricks on an interior wall in the gym. Information: 817-251-5503.

• Dove students test knowledge on ‘Jeopardy’
The Dove Elementary School Library is hosting its third-annual Bluebonnet Jeopardy competition May 10. Teams of students in grades three through five will compete to answer questions about the 2006-2007 Texas Bluebonnet books. The winning teams will earn a reward for their class. Fourth and fifth grades will compete at 9 a.m. and third grade will compete at 2 p.m. Information: 817-251-5700.

• GCISD Employee Recognition Reception
GCISD will honor the campus teachers and paraprofessionals of the year during its annual recognition reception from 4-6 p.m. May 10 at the Grapevine Convention Center. The District Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year will be named along with the Carolyn Frank Paraprofessional Award. Other recognitions include retirees, years of service and nurse of the year. Information: 817-251-5503. For a list of the campus educators of the year, visit http://www.gcisd-k12.org/pr/news0607/toy_paraaux_list.htm.

• Elementary field days
Dove Elementary – May 11.
Grapevine Elementary - May 18.

Upcoming Calendar Items
• CHHS PTSA to honor students
The Colleyville Heritage High PTSA will recognize various student winners during its next general meeting beginning 6:30 p.m. May 14 in the CHHS Library. Students recognized include: CHHS scholarship recipients, Destination Imagination team members and Reflections contest winners. Information: 817-305-4700.

• Driver’s Education registration begins
Registration for GCISD’s summer Driver’s Education class begins May 16. The session runs 6-8 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays from June 4-28 and classes are filled on a first-come basis. Separate driving times are available. All classes will be at Grapevine Middle School. Cost is $315 for GCISD students and $365 for out-of-district students plus a $15 non-refundable registration fee for all students. Information: 817-251-5525.

• Registration begins for evening education classes
Registration begins May 16 for Session V of GCISD’s TARGET evening classes for high school credit. Basic courses are offered to allow students to catch up on credits, advance in order to graduate early or open a section of their normal schedule to take another course of their choice. Session V begins June 4 and classes are held at Bridges Accelerated Learning Center, 736 E. Northwest Highway, Grapevine.

Registration forms and payment will be accepted from 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. May 30 at the Office of Continuing Education, 736 E. Northwest Highway in Grapevine. Late registration is 8:30 a.m.-noon May 31 and will include a $15 fee. Cost for the one-semester class is $200 for GCISD students and $250 for out-of-district students. A $10 non-refundable registration fee will be charged per student. Information: 817-251-5525.

• Senior awards ceremonies planned
The Grapevine High School Senior Awards Night will be 6:30 p.m. May 17 in GHS Gym 1. The Colleyville Heritage High School Senior Awards Ceremony will be 6:30 p.m. May 22 in the CHHS Auditorium.

• Fifth-graders present annual musical
Bear Creek Elementary fifth-graders will present their annual musical in three performances May 17. This year’s performances of “Whole Lotta Faintin’ Goin’ On,” will be 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. for BCES students, with a public performance at 7 p.m. during a PTA general meeting. Information: 817-305-4853.

• Athletic physical exams offered at high schools
Colleyville Heritage and Grapevine high schools will host times for GCISD students participating in school-sponsored athletics to obtain their required athletic physical. Physical exams will be offered at CHHS from 2-7 p.m. May 17 in the cafeteria. Cost is $20 and students must have a pre-purchased ticket to receive an exam. All necessary forms must also be completed in order to purchase a ticket. At GHS, physical exams will be offered from 8 a.m.-noon May 19. Cost is $20. Forms and additional information are available online at: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/athletics/athleticinfo.htm.

• Grapevine Elementary hosting reception for inaugural class
Grapevine Elementary will honor its inaugural class of kindergarten students with a special recognition and reception at 6:45 p.m. May 17 during a general PTA meeting. These students, who attended kindergarten during the school’s inaugural year in 1994-1995, make up the first class from GES to complete their entire education through 12th grade. Past and present GES faculty, students and family are encouraged to attend the special reception. Information: 817-251-5735.

• GHS students present Centennial Baccalaureate
The Senior Class Baccalaureate Committee at Grapevine High School will present a farewell address to the GHS Class of 2007 during a Centennial Baccalaureate ceremony 3 p.m. May 20 in GHS Gym 1. Special guests include Grapevine Mayor William D. Tate and speaker Neal Jeffrey, associate pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas. A reception will follow in the Student Activities Center. Information: Melissa Benton, 817-577-3898; Danielle Cochran, 817-791-1055; or Alissa Howard, 817-421-4882.

• Last day of school
The last day of school for GCISD students is May 24. Students will have early release times beginning May 22; check your campus or the GCISD website for specific release times and dates. The last day of school for teachers is May 25. Information: www.gcisd-k12.org.

• GCISD Summer Enrichment
GCISD’s Summer Enrichment program begins June 4 for kids in kindergarten through eighth grade. The program, “Explore and Discover Summer,” offers a variety of classes including fine arts, cooking, cultural studies, math and science, social skills, sports/recreation and technology. There are six, one-week classes offered, with both morning and afternoon classes available. Information about GCISD summer programs is available on the district’s website, http://www.gcisd-k12.org/instruct/sschool_main.html or 817-251-5206.

• GCISD registration for 2007-2008
Registration for GCISD campuses begins in July. Dates, times and other pertinent back-to-school information for specific campuses is available on the district’s web site, http://www.gcisd-k12.org/pr/backtoschool.htm. The first day of school is Aug. 27.

Awards and Announcements
• GCISD bus drivers take top spots at regional competition; now headed to state
Three members of the GCISD School Bus Safety Road-eo team earned the top spots at the regional competition May 5 in Plano and will go on to compete in the state competition in June in Waco. In the conventional bus division, Helen Copeland placed first and Dorie Ferguson placed third. Ferguson is the first-place winner of the GCISD competition. In the transit bus division at regionals, Dennis O’Gorman placed second. In addition, the GCISD team took the overall team trophy.

• CHHS athletic trainers earn top honors
Student athletic trainers at Colleyville Heritage High placed second overall recently in the North Texas Athletic Trainer Society Symposium in Mesquite. Students Chris Ball, Erika Caywood, Stacia Chavarria, Melissa Johnston and Jenson Keele competed in the Student Trainer Olympics, which required them to compete in multiple events related to their duties as athletic trainers. Those events included taping an ankle, splinting an arm, wrapping an injured leg muscle and carrying a cooler. Out of 14 teams, CHHS placed first in the preliminary race and second in the finals. In addition, Melissa Johnston competed in the finals for the ankle-taping contest.

• GHS journalism students recognized in local, state contests
Journalism students at Grapevine High were recognized recently at the Dallas Morning News High School Journalism Day and the state journalism convention. Newspaper students receiving honorable mention in the Morning News contest were senior Mia Avramescu for headline writing, senior Jon Groves for graphics, and senior Nicole Marxen for cartoon/illustration. Also honored were sophomore Maggie Ingram, junior Lindsey Gorden and Avramescu for the project “Costly Decisions,” a series of features about students and spending. The project, “A Different Perspective,” focusing on GHS students with disabilities, brought honors for senior Ashleigh Schmitz, Groves and Avramescu. In addition, Groves was named Most Valuable Staffer.

At the Interscholastic League Press Conference, the state journalism convention, both the Mustang yearbook and The Manestream student newspaper received the highest rating. In addition, the newspaper and yearbook students won a combined total of 21 awards for their work.

• Top Special Olympics athletes announced
GCISD Special Olympics athletes were recognized May 2 during an awards banquet and awards for male and female athletes of the year, and volunteer of the year, were announced. Erik Cobb of Colleyville Heritage High was named male athlete of the year. Kendal Bivins, a Transitions student, was named female athlete of the year. Volunteers of the year are Kathy Meyer of Glenhope Elementary and Linda Mansoor of Grapevine High. The banquet, hosted by the Grapevine Rotary Club, is an annual event emphasizing the achievements of all GCISD Special Olympics athletes.

• CMS vocalist earns spot on honor choir
Landry Ayres, eighth-grader at Colleyville Middle School, has been selected as a member of the prestigious Texas Choral Director’s Association (TCDA) Middle School Honor Choir. Ayres was selected from more than 1,000 students who auditioned from across the state. He will perform with the 200-voice choir in July during the TCDA Convention.

• CTMS teacher nominated for presidential award
Kris Botterman, math teacher at Cross Timbers Middle School, has been selected as a nominee for the 2006 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Botterman will attend an awards ceremony May 17 in Washington, D.C. She also has been named the 2006-2007 CTMS Teacher of the Year.