The Cannon Connection

Good morning Cannon families,

Happy Daylight Savings - Don't forget to set those clocks back ⏳

As a reminder, Monday, November 3 is a Staff Professional Development Day - No School for Students!

What a STEMtastic week at Cannon! Our students showed great participation and had a fantastic time celebrating National Red Ribbon Week! This year's theme was centered on making healthy, safe, and drug-free choices by focusing on Fun, Friends, and Healthy Bodies. We want our students to know that it is OK to Say No To Drugs!Thank you to all our families for discussing these important areas with your children to help keep our community healthy, safe, and drug-free.

We want to give a special shout-out to our community partners, Peikar Orthodontics, Toothstory Pediatric Dentistry, and Socrates Villarreal (PTA Programs Chair and Cannon Dad) for their recent engaging and informative wellness presentations! They joined us to celebrate STEM technology and healthy choices, helping our students connect science with their well-being. These presentations were a perfect blend of science, health, instructional technology, and community support. Thank you, Peikar Orthodontics and Toothstory Pediatric Dentistry, for investing your time and expertise in our students! Thank you, Socrates, for setting up this STEMtastic learning opportunity!

Our 5th Annual STEMapalooza was an amazing day full of innovation and creativity for all of our students! Students from Pre-K through 5th grade explored various fields of engineering through exciting, hands-on design challenges.

🚀 Grade-Level Design Challenges

• Pre-Kindergarten: Students became structural, material, and computer engineers by designing a community neighborhood for their robot to trick-or-treat in and programming the robot to visit each house in the "Code-or-Treat" challenge.

• Kindergarten-1st Grade: In the "Happily Ever After" challenge, students acted as computer and structural engineers to code "Little Red Robot" to drive to grandmother's house, avoiding the wolf, and solved a character's problem from a fairy tale.

• 2nd Grade: The "Cannon Community Quest" had students take on roles as mechanical, material, structural, and computer engineers. They designed a sound-producing toy, a community quilt, and Lego scenes for a robot to travel through.

• 3rd Grade: Students in the "Citizens and Heroes" challenge utilized computer, mechanical, software, and sound engineering skills. They coded a robot to construct houses, designed a 3D-printed community artifact, created a video on good citizenship, and developed sound effects for assemblies.

• 4th Grade: In "The Exploration Blueprint: Deep Ocean," students explored computer, mechanical, software, and sound engineering. They programmed a robot to explore the ocean, created a 3D-printed deep-ocean artifact, developed an informational presentation on a deep-ocean animal, and designed ocean sound effects.

• 5th Grade: Students took a deep dive into software, marketing, manufacturing, and sound engineering with "Coasting to Mastery: The Ultimate Amusement Park Design Challenge." They designed a safe roller coaster, created a news report about it, manufactured new "tiny" treats, and designed a soothing soundtrack for riders.

🎨 Specials Design Challenges

All students also participated in challenges in their special classes:

• Art (Pre-K–5th): Students explored material and mechanical engineering by creating their own imaginative films using stop-motion animation, bringing small objects to life by snapping hundreds of pictures.

• PE (Pre-K–5th): Students acted as structural engineers, designing and timing step-by-step cup stacking routines, then using technology to analyze and improve their performance.

• Music: Students used Audio/Sound Engineering skills, with Pre-K–2nd graders using Quaver Song Brush to create a song from their drawing, and 3rd–5th graders experimenting with Quaver Grooves to create their own song.

It was truly inspiring to see students master academic concepts while engaging in authentic engineering practices!

Elementary students are invited to submit original artwork for the cover of GCISD's official holiday greeting card! This year's theme is "A Holiday Journey."

Important Deadline: Students must turn in their artwork and the completed entry form to Mrs. Mattox or the front office no later than November 11th at 4:00 PM.

The winning elementary student's design will be featured on the card sent to community leaders and will receive a $25 prize and Board of Trustees recognition! Be sure to read the attached entry form for all the contest rules!

🌟 Upcoming Fun & Important Meeting! 🌟

Please join us this Friday, November 7th, for a night of community fun!🍿 PTA General Meeting and Movie Night!

We're combining important PTA business with a fun event for the whole family!

• When: Friday, November 7th at 6:30 PM

• What: PTA General Meeting and a family fun movie feature!

• The Movie: We will be showing The Super Mario Bros. Movie!

Come hear the latest updates from the PTA and then stick around to enjoy a night out with your family and friends. It’s a great way to show your support for our school and have a little fun. We can't wait to see you there!

Proud to be your principal,

Dr. Tina Garrett

#BeCannonProud ☮️💗🐻

We are looking forward to focusing on GRATITUDE this month! One way to think about Gratitude is “choosing to appreciate the people and things in our lives.” Practicing Gratitude can increase our well-being and our happiness.

At home, you can practice Gratitude by talking about some small, specific things that you are Grateful for. Maybe it's your favorite water cup, the way the cat sleeps on the chair, or when you smell banana bread baking in the kitchen. Spend some time as a family trying to think of at least 10 small things that you have Gratitude for and then choose to notice them this week with a smile.

We are beginning our annual food drive benefitting our own Cannon families for the upcoming holidays. We are collecting non-perishable items from the suggested list provided below. Each grade level will be responsible for specific food items. We will collect food items from November 4th - December 12th. Items should be dropped off in the foyer. Thank you so much for supporting our Cannon community.

Contact Mrs. Coburn

If you would like Mrs. Coburn to contact you or check on your student, you can complete the following link: Request to Talk to Counselor

Please be advised: If you make any changes to your Skyward form for Senate Bill 12 (Counseling Services, Health Services, or Club Participation), you must notify the campus support staff either verbally or via email. The Skyward system does not alert staff of resubmissions, so your communication is necessary to ensure your changes are received.

When: Saturday, Nov 8th - 9AM-2PM (Pick a shift or let us know if you can drop-in)

Where: Meet at Garden behind building

What: We need help from parents, neighbors, and friends to get the Cannon School Garden Winter Ready. Kids are welcome. No experience necessary. We'll clean out weeds, trash, and ready beds for winter crops like spinach and greens. And we'll consolidate some sections for native plant habitat for student interaction. See the link below also to help with snacks, drinks, and supplies.

Sign-Up Genius for Garden Workday

For more information please contact the new Garden Coordinator and 1st Grade Parent, Andrew Fiser at 501-690-5421 or andrewfiser@gmail.com. We are developing a wider network of volunteers, so if this day does not work - let Andrew know you are interested in helping.

Get ready for the annual Literati Book Fair, happening November 17th–November 21st!

We're so excited to bring hundreds of new and popular titles to our school. The best part? The online book fair is already open! You can start shopping now and browse an even wider selection of books.

To make your student's in-person shopping experience smooth and worry-free, we highly encourage purchasing a digital Gift Card online for them to use at the fair. Be sure to connect to our school when checking out! This is the safest and easiest way to ensure your student has their funds for books without the risk of losing cash or the hassle of sending physical money to school!

• Shopping Time: Students will shop with their class only during their assigned Specials period on Monday through Thursday.

• Open Shopping (Friday): On Friday, November 21st, the fair will be open for general shopping for students until 2:00 PM, this includes shopping with Grandfriends!

Happy Reading!

Monday, November 3 - Father of Texas Day; Today is the birth date of Stephen F. Austin. We celebrate and remember him today - a great pioneer patriot and the Father of Texas.

Friday, November 7 - 🕵🏼‍♀️ Hats Off to Learning! $1 wear a hat - All proceeds go toward reducing field trip costs. 🐾Cannon Spirit Gear Friday - Wear your Cub Gear!

Friday, November 7 - STEM Hall of Fame (4th & 5th) -Thoughtful Planning

Friday, November 7 -📽️🍿PTA General Meeting & Movie Night 6:30-8:30 at Cannon

Monday, November 10 - PTA Mario Kart Penny Wars Begin!

Tuesday, November 11 - Veterans Day; Cannon will honor our Veterans with a reception at 1:00 and a 2nd grade performance from 2:00-2:30.

• Veterans Day, November 11, originated as “Armistice Day” on Nov. 11, 1919, the first anniversary of the end of World War I. It became a national holiday 1938. Veterans Day pays tribute to all American military veterans (living or dead). Today, let us all give thanks to veterans who served or serve our country during war or peacetime.

Wednesday, November 12 - Friday, November 14 - 🏕️ 5th Grade Sky Ranch Camp Field Trip!

Friday, November 14 - STEM Hall of Fame (2nd & 3rd) -Thoughtful Planning

Monday, November 17 - Cannon Campus Excellence Committee Meeting - Engineering Lab 3:30-4:30

November 17-21 -📔Cannon Book Fair; Starting November 20 - 🖼️ Cannon Art Show

Friday, November 21 - Cannon's Annual Grand Friend's Day 8:30-10:30! Grand Friends, get ready for some STEMtastic fun! We’re excited to welcome everyone for Grandfriends Day! To help the check-in process go smoothly, we’ll be offering Fast Passes. Please sign up for a Fast Pass only if you are 100% sure you’ll be attending, as this helps us plan and keeps lines moving efficiently. Even with a Fast Pass, we ask that you allow a little extra time for signing in and picking up your pass when you arrive. We can’t wait to celebrate this special day with our grandfriends!

Friday, November 21 - STEM Hall of Fame (PreK, Kinder, & 1st) -Thoughtful Planning

Monday, November 24-Friday, November 28 - Thanksgiving Break!

We would love to honor Veterans and their families at our Cannon Veterans' Day Reception prior to our 2nd-grade performance! Please help spread the word!

We’re looking forward to honoring our veterans at the 2nd Grade Veterans Day Program and Reception!

Please remember to allow extra time to sign in and get your visitor badge before the event begins.
There will NOT be Fast Passes available for this event, so a few extra minutes will help ensure everyone can be checked in smoothly.

We appreciate your patience and can’t wait to celebrate this special day with our students, families, and veterans!

Grand Friends, get ready for some STEMtastic fun! We’re excited to welcome everyone for Grandfriends Day! To help the check-in process go smoothly, we’ll be offering Fast Passes. Please sign up for a Fast Pass only if you are 100% sure you’ll be attending, as this helps us plan and keeps lines moving efficiently. Even with a Fast Pass, we ask that you allow a little extra time for signing in and picking up your pass when you arrive. We can’t wait to celebrate this special day with our grandfriends!

Hi fellas,

It’s the REAL 'most wonderful time of the year' -- float building season.

We're ready to build another award-winning Cannon Parade of Lights float! If you're not already part of our groupme... sign up here as that's where we'll do more of the quick/day-to-day communication about the build.

Exciting news! Do you or someone you know own a local business and want to partner with the Cannon PTA? We have sponsorship opportunities! If you sign up to be a sponsor between now and September 30, depending on the sponsorship level, your business’ logo will be included on our STEM-A-Palooza t-shirt! Join us here!

The Parent Referral Window for GT/ASPIRE Testing 5th-11th Grade is open!

Parents of students in grades 5–11 may submit referrals for GT or ASPIRE testing in Skyward from October 14–November 3.

Step-by-step directions for completing a referral in Skyward are available on the GCISD Advanced Academics website.

Families are invited to an information session about GT and ASPIRE testing and services on November 12 at the PDEC, starting at 5:50 pm. We hope to see you there!

Get ready for a mouthwatering celebration of gratitude and togetherness! It’s that time of the year again, and we are thrilled to announce our Annual Thanksgiving Meal on Thursday, November 6, where we’ll be serving up a delectable spread that will leave your taste buds dancing with joy!

On the menu:

🦃 Sliced Turkey – Succulent, tender, and perfectly roasted to golden perfection.

🥔 Mashed Potatoes & Gravy – Creamy, velvety mashed potatoes smothered in rich, flavorful gravy.

🌽 Cornbread Dressing – A savory masterpiece of herbs, spices, and cornbread baked to perfection.

🌱 Green Beans – Seasoned and buttery.

🍞 Fresh Baked Rolls – Soft, warm rolls fresh from the oven.

🍏 Warm Cinnamon Apples – Sweet, spiced comfort in every bite.

🥧 Sugar Cookie – A sweet ending to your festive feast.

✨ We hope you’ll join us for this special meal on Thursday, November 6, during lunch!

This institution is an equal opportunity provider

Thinking About Middle School Cheer? This session will explore cheer FUNDamentals—building on core skills while introducing what to expect during middle school cheer tryouts. Participants will gain not only cheer technique and performance confidence but also teamwork, spirit, and self-esteem along the way!

Come learn the basics from Karis Van, Director of the Panteras! In this Let’s Dance class, students can learn the basics of jazz and hip-hop. Students will explore fundamental dance techniques in a fun, active environment that encourages movement, creativity, and confidence building.

GCISD is having a successful start to the school year! Please help us keep that momentum going by taking a moment to review with your students the 2025-2026 Student Code of Conduct and 2025-2026 Student Parent-Handbook, which includes dress code and updates from the 89th Legislative Session.

We welcome our parents to engage in our events throughout this school year! Any parent attending or supporting an event during the school day must have a cleared background check. That includes field trips, holiday parties, field day, and volunteering on campus during the school day!

Background checks must be completed each year! Click here to learn more: GCISD Volunteer Page

Email: tina.garrett@gcisd.net
Website: https://can.gcisd.net/
Location: Cannon Elementary School, West College Street, Grapevine, TX, USA
Phone: 817-251-5680
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cannonSTEM/
Twitter: @canSTEM

Instagram: @CannonSTEM