The Cannon Connection

Good morning Cannon families,

It was truly wonderful to see so many of our families joining us for our Lunch with a Loved One picnic style! The campus was buzzing with energy, and seeing our students sharing a meal with the people they care about most was the highlight of our week.

Events like these are more than just a fun break in the day—they are a vital part of how we grow our campus culture. By bringing our families onto the grounds, we strengthen the bond between home and school and build a deeper sense of community engagement.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to come out, lay down a blanket, and make these memories with us. We are so grateful for your continued support in making our school a second home for our students.

As we continue to celebrate CTE (Career and Technical Education) Month, our campus had some very special guests this week. We were thrilled to welcome students from the Colleyville Heritage High School HOSA team and the GCISD Health Science Department!

In an exciting partnership with Dallas County Health and Human Services and the Dallas Medical Reserve Corps (MRC), our 4th and 5th grade elementary students participated in engaging, kid-friendly presentations led by aspiring health professionals.

What Our Students Learned:

• Emergency Preparedness: Understanding what natural disasters are and how to stay calm and ready.

• Safety First: Practical tips on how to stay safe during unexpected events.

• Community Health: An introduction to basic health concepts and how "real-world" medical teams support our city.

Our goal is to empower our students with the knowledge they need to navigate emergencies while fostering lifelong healthy habits. It was inspiring to see our older GCISD students mentoring our younger ones—the future of healthcare is looking bright!

Congratulations to our 2nd and 3rd grade STEM Habit of Mind Hall of Fame Inductees for Listening with Empathy!

STEM teaching and learning is an instructional approach to learning and development that integrates the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Through STEM education practices, students develop key skills including: problem solving, creativity, and critical analysis. We are PROUD to honor our scholars for exhibiting STEM thinking, and we can't wait to celebrate our next group of inductees Friday, February 20th for Listening with Empathy.

If your scholar is selected, your teacher will reach out to you with ceremony details about the specific date and time for each grade's ceremony. We hope you will join us in celebrating our young innovators!

Our vision to integrate the Engineering Design Process into every aspect of learning continues to shine, and our scholars proved this week that they are truly world-class creators! We were blown away by the Home-to-School Engineered Valentine’s Boxes that arrived on campus. From intricate lever systems to structurally sound masterpieces, these weren't just mailboxes—they were a testament to our students' ability to solve problems with imagination. It was a fantastic, hands-on way for our scholars to apply their technical skills while celebrating friendship and community.

As a reminder, there is No School for Students on Monday, February 16; Our staff will be hard at work with professional development!

A quick reminder to all families: Please pay your outstanding Technology & Lunch Fees as soon as possible; Outstanding fee emails are sent to parents weekly. Paying your fee in a timely manner ensures that your student's device access and digital learning experience remain uninterrupted. Please complete the payment via Skyward at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your cooperation!

Thank you for being such an integral part of our school community. Let’s make 2026 a year of kindness, curiosity, and growth!

Proud to be your principal,

Dr. Tina Garrett

#BeCannonProud ☮️💗🐻

KCan Take 2!

If your scholar is interested in joining our broadcast crew for the Spring semester or would like a 2nd turn, please fill out the application below. Applications will close February 17th and assignments will be emailed out for the remainder of the year by the 18th. KCan is a 4 week commitment with filming taking place on Friday afternoons from 3:00- 3:30. Link to KCan Application

It’s time to get excited! Our next Book Fair is coming February 23–27, and students will be shopping during their regularly scheduled Specials block as well as on Family Engineering Night!

The Best Way to Shop: Digital Gift Cards

To keep things stress-free, we strongly encourage, but do not require, using online gift cards via literati.com/store instead of sending cash.

• No Lost Money: No more worrying about cash falling out of pockets or being misplaced!

• Direct Delivery: The gift cards come straight to me digitally, so I’ll have them ready and waiting when your student arrives to shop.

• Simple Setup: It only takes a few minutes to connect to our school and set a spending limit.

Hello, Heart Heroes! Are you ready?! Kids Heart Challenge is coming to our school soon! We have exciting things planned this year to get us moving, help others and have fun. Get a head start by signing up today and join the NFL PLAY 60 Family Challenge by getting active together as a family for 60 minutes a day! Visit our school page at http://www2.heart.org/goto/CannonElementary or download the AHA Schools app! Our Kickoff Pep Rally will take place on February 23rd. More details will be shared soon. Any questions, please direct to Coach G at julianna.gregston@gcisd.net.

Our school is gearing up to save lives, help our hearts, AND our community through Kids Heart Challenge - a fun and impactful program for students and families!

Sign up early and join us!

http://www2.heart.org/site/TR?fr_id=12402&pg=company&company_id=535637

Guidance

HONESTY is the character trait we are learning about in February. We are talking about it being truthful in what you say and do. Practicing Honesty helps strengthen our relationships and reduce stress. At home you can discuss the importance of being Honest and work together to create a family Honesty pledge. How can you celebrate HONESTY as a family this month?

Play It Safe on February 18th

We must have your permission in order for your child to participate in this program. Please indicate OPT IN if you would like your child to participate. Parents/guardians must provide an OPT IN or OPT OUT for their child on the form linked below.

Play It Safe Opt-In/Opt-Out Form

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.

In order to be proactive in our delivery of education concerning Growth & Development our district uses several resources and programs for the elementary school health curriculum.

Puberty programs used in the elementary school:

• Just around the Corner (4th grade girls) - This upbeat and catchy video is shown to 4th grade girls to introduce them to the changes the body will experience during preadolescence. It will be shown to 4th grade girls only.

• Growing Up! For Boys (5th grade boys) and Growing Up! For Girls (5th grade girls) - These videos present basic information about male and female reproductive anatomy and functioning - and the physical and psychological changes that are a normal part of growing up.
• Growing Up! For Boys (shown to 5th grade boys only) provides advice on health, hygiene and good grooming. It points to sources of reliable information and fosters the self-esteem that comes with accepting new responsibilities.
• Growing Up! For Girls (shown to 5th grade girls only) takes a realistic look at the responsibilities of adulthood and promotes dialogue with trusted adults, promoting self-confidence as girls face the challenges of change and growth.

Starting February 9, 2026 through February 20, 2026 4th grade girls and 5th grade parents may preview these videos from a non-district device by following the directions Linked here.

If you have concerns, or need more information, please contact Nurse Kendra.

Every Parent will be asked to fill out a form indicating their preference of participation for their child. If a form is not received from the parent, then your child will not be able to participate.

The form to indicate your choice of Participation is attached to this message.

Here is the link to the form: English/Spanish

Monday, February 16 - Staff Professional Development Day - No School for Students

Wednesday, February 18 - 💗Wear RED on Wednesdays in February for Heart Health!

Friday, February 20 - 🐾Cannon Spirit Gear Friday - Wear your Cub Gear!

Friday, February 20 - STEM Habits of Mind Hall of Fame Ceremony (PreK, Kindergarten, & 1st grade, Music) -Listening with Empathy

February 23 - 27 - ⚙️National Engineering Week & Cannon Book Fair

Monday, February 23 - Kids Heart Challenge Begins

Wednesday, February 25 - 💗Wear RED on Wednesdays in February for Heart Health!

Wednesday, February 25 - Progress Report 3 Grades Post in Skyward: Progress Reports will be available in Skyward this week. To view your student’s progress report, please follow the instructions below:

• Visit www.GCISD.net and click “Quick Links” at the top of the page

• Click the Skyward icon and the “Log In Here” box in the middle of the page

• Click “Progress Reports/Report Cards” on the menu to the left

• Choose 2025-2026 Report Card 3”

Thursday, February 26 - 📸Spring Pictures

Friday, February 27- 🐾Cannon Spirit Gear Friday - Wear your Cub Gear!

Friday, February 27- STEM Habits of Mind Hall of Fame Ceremony (4th & 5th grade, Art) - Being Persistent

Friday, February 27 - Family Engineering Night - 6:00-7:15; This is our Open House/Showcase night Cannon Style! It is a spectacular opportunity for our families to experience our four core STEM pillars (Curriculum, Culture, Community, & College, Career, Military Readiness) and the engineering design process with your Cub(s)! It's going to be a STEMtastic Night!

March 2-5 - Read Across America Week!

Monday, March 2 - Cannon Campus Excellence Committee Meeting 3:30-4:30 (New Date)

Friday, March 6 - 🕵🏼‍♀️ Hats Off to Learning! $1 wear a hat - All proceeds go toward reducing field trip costs.

Friday, March 6 -☕ PTA Principal Coffee - 8:30 am Cannon Cafe

Friday, March 6 - STEM Habits of Mind Hall of Fame Ceremony (2nd & 3rd, Art) - Being Persistent

Saturday, March 7 - Cannon Spirit Night with the Brahmas Hockey Team! See below for more details -

Monday, March 9 - Cannon's Got Talent Show Participation Forms Due; More Information Below-

Monday, March 9 - First Grade Musical Performance: 2:20 Cannon Cafe

March 11 and March 12 - Growth and Development Presentations: Girls (4th/5th) 3/11, Boys (5th) 3/12

Thursday, March 12 - STEM Habits of Mind Hall of Fame Ceremony (PreK, Kinder, 1st, & Art) -Being Persistent

Friday, March 13 - No School for Students/ Instructional Planning for Staff

March 16-20 🌞Spring Break!

Do you know a family interested in a transfer to Cannon? Help spread the word about our upcoming campus tour dates.

Howdy!

We’re excited to announce the Physics & Engineering Festival on Saturday, March 28, 2026! We are hoping to see you and your students at the Festival for some FREE in-person, hands-on science FUN at the Mitchell Physics Complex at Texas A&M University! Please also share this information with your colleagues, families, and friends.

The 2026 Physics & Engineering Festival will feature:

• The Science Circus: Rhys Thomas blends science, comedy, and circus arts with stunts from bowling ball juggling to six-foot-tall unicycling

• Michael E. Fossum ’80 Lecture: “Aggie in space” by NASA astronaut and Vice President of Texas A&M University

• Dr. Don Lincoln Lecture: “What keeps me up at night: Unanswered Questions in Fundamental Physics” by Fermilab scientist and author

• Sir Konstantin Novoselov Lecture: “Materials for the future” by Nobel Laureate and professor

• Over 200 exciting hands-on demonstrations!

If you have any questions, the festival website has:

• the schedule
• information about passenger car and bus parking
• photos and videos from previous festivals

• a link for downloading the 2026 festival poster for your classroom

For all festival updates, please follow our social media channels.

We look forward to seeing you and your students at the Festival!

Department of Physics and Astronomy | Outreach
Texas A&M University

https://physicsfestival.tamu.edu/

https://cannonpta.membershiptoolkit.com/store/22174

We are thrilled to host a Cannon Spirit Night with the Brahmas Hockey team on March 7. This special evening gives families the chance to enjoy a fast-paced hockey game while giving back to our PTA. With our promo code, tickets are only $10, and $5 from each ticket purchased will be donated back to Cannon PTA. We hope to see our community out in full force, showing school spirit and supporting the programs that make Cannon such a special place. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in making a difference for our students and teachers!

Ticket Link: https://www.etix.com/ticket/p/79608204/lone-star-brahmas-vs-amarillo-wranglers-north-richland-hills-nytex-sports-centre?gclid=

Talent Show & PTA Meeting — Mark Your Calendars! Join us for one of our favorite nights of the year—Cannon’s Annual Talent Show—on March 27 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM! Our talented students will take the stage to showcase their creativity, confidence, and hard work, and it’s always an evening full of fun and school spirit. More information about the talent show and auditions coming soon...

Before the show begins, we will also hold our General PTA Member Meeting, which will include the election of our new board members for the upcoming year. We encourage all members to arrive early, participate in this important process, and then stay to cheer on our amazing performers. We hope to see you there for a night of leadership, talent, and community celebration!

The talent show is open to Cannon Elementary students in grades K-5

● Soloists and groups are eligible.

● Students may perform in only ONE act.

● One entry per group must be submitted no later than Monday, March 9th. Entry form completion will include selecting an audition time. No walk-ins will be accepted on the day of auditions.

● If you are sick or absent from school on the day of your performance, you may not take part in the Talent Show that night.

● Rated G, please! Lyrics, costumes, and performances should comply with the district dress code of conduct and be appropriate for al elementary school age groups. You are expected to review the lyrics and content of the songs submitted.

● Single acts are limited to a maximum of 1 minute and 30 seconds, and group acts can be 2 minutes.

● Lip-syncing is permitted ONLY if the act includes choreographed dance steps or lip-synching is incorporated into a skit.

● SINGERS: We want YOU to be heard so please make every effort to avoid singing over an artist’s voice for your performance. A karaoke digital file is recommended.

● Music must be included in the shared Talent Show Google Drive. Include specific start and end times. We play all songs from a single computer; We cannot play off another device, YouTube, or the Internet.

IMPORTANT DATES:

Participant Entry Form Deadline: Monday, March 9th, 2026

Show and MC Auditions: Monday, March 23, 4:30-6:30 Cafe (At least one parent must be raptored and present with the auditioning act.)

DRESS Rehearsal: Wednesday, March 25, from 4:30-6:30 Cafe (At least one parent must be raptored and present with the auditioning act.)

Cannon’s Got Talent Show: Friday, March 27 from 6:30-8:30 (6:00-6:30 General PTA Meeting)

Cink here -

GCISD is exploring expanding the Extended Learning program to offer more services and opportunities for students. Your feedback through our Extended Learning Survey will help us design offerings that truly meet the needs and interests of GCISD families through meaningful enrichment opportunities and flexible learning experiences.

Additionally, GCISD is exploring the development of an enrichment program designed to serve homeschool families in the DFW metroplex. Please help us get the word out by sharing this Community Feedback Form with any families you know whose children do not currently attend a GCISD school.

Elementary and Middle School Parents: Please see the Mathematics Telescoping flyer for information regarding telescoping testing for the Spring 2026. Additional information is also available on the mathematics telescoping website.

The GCISD Bilingual Services Department is hosting two parent sessions this month:

• STAAR/TELPAS Parent Information Session – Wednesday, February 12, 12:30–2:00 p.m.

In this session, we will explain what TELPAS is, the requirements for reclassification, give an overview of STAAR, and share strategies families can use at home to support their child’s success as an emergent bilingual learner.

• Community Engagement Event – Wednesday, February 18, 12:30–2:00 p.m. (rescheduled from January 28)

In partnership with TEA, this session will highlight community events and programs that provide helpful resources and skills for parents, families, and emergent bilingual students.

Both sessions will be held at the JPS Building, 3050 Timberline Dr., Grapevine, TX 76051.

We look forward to partnering with you to support your child’s success!

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