Gilmer Elementary

GES Families,

It’s hard to believe we are already wrapping up the first quarter! One of the things I’m most excited about is the growth we are seeing in our classrooms—not only in what students are learning, but in their confidence as learners.

This week, our teachers completed our first round of Writing Calibration Meetings, and one message was consistent across every grade level: our students are writing more than ever! Even better, students are becoming more excited about writing and more confident in seeing themselves as writers. That is something worth celebrating! ✏️🧡

As we move into the second quarter, we’ll continue building on that momentum while maintaining high expectations across all areas of learning. Thank you for the many ways you support that work at home—getting your child to school each day, reading together, asking about what they’re learning, and encouraging them when something feels difficult.

We have had a strong start, and there is still so much growth ahead. Thank you for partnering with us as we continue helping EVERY Buckeye RISE!

Together, we RISE! 🧡🖤
♥ Gina Treadway

October 7th Fall Twirl Clinic at GHS

October 8th Report Cards/Hooves & Halos Field Trip

October 8th Big Kahuna Fundraiser Pick-up Day

October 9th FFA Livestock Show

October 12th-16th Yamboree Holiday - No School

October 20th Fall Picture Retakes

October 22nd Academic Celebrations (K & 3rd)

October 23rd Academic Celebrations (1, 2nd, & 4th)

October 26th Red Ribbon Week/Scholastic Book Fair

October 27th Fall Family Night

October 28th STARS Mini Camp

November 12th Progress Reports

November 19th 2nd Grade Field Trip

Nov. 23rd-27th Thanksgiving Holiday

We are so grateful for the incredible support you showed through our Big Kahuna Fundraiser! Because of you, we are able to provide special incentives, field trips, and enrichment opportunities that make school even more memorable for our students.

📦 Fundraiser Pickup: Thursday, October 8

Small items may be sent home with students. All other orders must be picked up between 12:00–5:00 PM, especially refrigerated items, which must be picked up that day.

Thank you for supporting our Buckeyes! 🧡🖤

We are excited to celebrate our K–4 students during Academic Celebrations later this month! To help ease traffic and ensure a smooth day, celebrations are spread across two separate days. Please check the schedule carefully so you know which day your child’s grade level is being recognized.

Check-In Procedures

• Bring your car tag for a quick check-in and visitor badge.

• If you do not have a car tag, please check in at the front office with your driver’s license.

• Visitor badges allow access to the gym only—grade-level hallways remain closed to visitors.

Reminders

• Student Checkout: We encourage students to remain for the full school day, as instruction continues after the celebration. If you must check out early, please do so through the front office.

• House Colors: Students are encouraged to wear their House colors on their celebration day (please, no full face paint).

• Lunch Visitors: We are unable to accommodate lunch visitors on celebration days.

Dates & Times

Thursday, October 22nd

Kinder - 10:10

3rd - 1:15

Friday, October 23rd

2nd - 8:45

1st - 10:10

4th - 1:15

Thank you for helping us honor our students’ achievements while keeping the focus on learning. We can’t wait to see you at the celebration!

🍂 You’re Invited to Fall Family Night! 🎃
Join us on Tuesday, October 27th from 5:30–7:00 PM (doors close at 6:45).

Families will enjoy an evening of fun, including:

• 🎯 Family STEM Challenges

• 🎃Pumpkin Decorating Contest

• 🎲 Games for All Ages

• 🌭 Dinner To-Go – Corn dogs for the family

Don’t miss this chance to spend time together as a school community. We can’t wait to see you there!

Parents and students . . . we are looking for the BEST storybook pumpkins. We will have a pumpkin decorating contest the week of October 27th!

Contest Rules

• Pumpkins must be decorated as a storybook character
• Pumpkins must be completed and delivered to Gilmer Elementary by 12:00 noon on Tuesday, October 27th
• Pumpkins may not be delivered prior to October 23rd.
• NO carving or hollowing out the pumpkin.
• Prizes will be given to the 1st place pumpkin in each grade-level.

Judging will take place in 2 stages.

STAGE 1--GES students will vote for grade-level winners during the day on Wednesday, October 28th. Winning students will receive a goodie bag along with a $25 Wal-Mart gift card.

STAGE 2--Families will have an opportunity to vote for favorite pumpkin on the evening of October 27th. The top 3 pumpkins with the most votes will win a goodie bag along with a $25 Wal-Mart gift card.

• CAFETERIA MENUS

Parent Information Slides

Our instructional day is 7:45 AM to 3:25 PM. Students arriving at 8:00am or after must be signed in at the front office by a parent or guardian.

Please ensure your child is in class by 8:00 AM prepared to learn. Consistent punctuality is crucial for academic success.

We need your help ensuring all students are in class on time, ready to learn by 8:00 AM every day. Please have your child at school no later than 7:45 AM if you wish for them to eat breakfast. We stop serving at 7:55 AM.

Parents are allowed to come eat lunch with their students at their designated lunch time. You may bring food from McDonald’s, Pizza Hut, etc. However, you may not have food delivered to your student through a delivery service such as Door Dash.

LUNCH TIMES

11:00 - 11:30 Third Grade

11:10 - 11:40 Fourth Grade

11:45 - 12:15 Second Grade

11:55 - 12: 25 First Grade

12:20 - 12:50 Kinder

We are unable to accommodate LUNCH VISITORS on the first week of school, party days, academic celebration days, state testing days and Early Release days. Lunch times may vary on these days.

All students receive FREE breakfast and lunch.

Changes are limited to emergencies only. All transportation changes must be received by the school office in writing no later than 1:30 PM on the day of the change. We cannot accept changes over the phone.

You may send a written note with your child or email gestransportationchange@gilmerisd.org.

• Car rider notes must include: student’s name, grade, teacher, car tag number, and whether the change is one-time only or every day.

• Bus rider notes must include: student’s name, grade, teacher, bus number, the address where the child will be going, and whether the change is one-time only or every day.

⚠️ Please do not send notes in advance—only send them on the day of the change.

In addition to communication through ParentSquare, the monthly GES Smore newsletter will be emailed to all parents with details about what is going on at our campus. We will also send Buckeye folders home with our students EVERY THURSDAY. These folders will have graded papers from class, flyers and other important information. Communication from the GES office, lunch menus, book fair brochures, picture days packets — it will all be in the folder! Please be sure to return your student’s folder each Friday.

If you are picking up your child early, please come to the school office to do so by 2:45 PM. ALSO — if your student has a doctor’s appointment and misses any part of the school day, please send a doctor’s note with them when they return to school so that the time they were absent may be marked “excused”. Notes may be submitted up to 3 days after an absence or early pick-up.

At GES, we prioritize maximizing instructional time while also valuing the chance for parents to celebrate important milestones with their children. Parents and/or guardians are invited to attend academic celebrations for the 1st and 4th quarters, as well as their child’s Christmas and End-of-Year parties.

To help us protect valuable learning time, we strongly encourage families to allow students to remain at school and finish the instructional day after events.

When you attend an event, always park in the gravel parking lot or the other areas that are indicated through signage. DO NOT park in the front circle or the lanes of the main entrance; these areas must remain clear for emergency vehicles should the need arise. The circle may only be used for short office visits (drop off for tardy students, picking up your child for an appointment, etc.)