GTA July Update

Thank you, Ms. Khandwalla, Ms. Momin, Ms. Lee, Mr. Pulliam, Ms. Rincon, Ms. Diaz-Wu, and the INCREDIBLE GTA STUDENTS pictured above for representing the BEST OF THE GTA

at FBISD's IgnitED! GT Conference on Monday, July 20th, 2026!

FBISD Transportation recently updated Mr. Pena, telling him that new Stopfinder invitations will be emailed to parents the last week of July, so keep your eyes open for these invitations.

FBISD Transportation revises their routes and stops each year to tailor them to need. In doing so, they consider a multitude of logistic concerns, costs, and realities. This year's (2026-27) bus routes/schedules are likely to be very similar to last year, but adjusted and revised based on logistics determined solely by FBISD Transportation.

NOTE: In designing the transportation schedule, FBISD Transportation cannot consider personal requests for alternate bus stops, pick up or drop off times, etc. In your mind, there might be a superior or more convenient stop, but--given the BIG PICTURE being evaluated by Transportation--it is not possible nor reasonable to expect them to consider personal requests.

As noted above, the FINAL bus schedules will not be available until right before school starts. In the meantime, if you haven't already, you should download the Stop Finder App. When it's ready, route information will be communicated in this app, so installing it ahead of time is helpful. BELOW YOU WILL FIND INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSTALLING THE STOPFINDER APP..

If you have not already done so, NOW is the time to register for the QVMS Rising 6th Grade Orientation otherwise Known as RAIDER CAMP.

Who? Rising 6th Graders (students beginning 6th grade in the 2026-27 school year)

Note: Raider Camp is STUDENTS ONLY. Parents, however, are encouraged to come to the GTA parent meeting at the end of the day @ 2:30 pm.

When? Wednesday, July 29th from 10:00am-3:00pm

What to Know

• Eat breakfast before you arrive.
• You can be dropped off starting at 9:45 am.
• It will be informative and fun. 😜
• You will get a pizza lunch. Hurray!
• You must be picked up promptly at 3:00 pm.

Agenda

10:00am-12:30pm - ALL QVMS 6th Graders Together: Orientation and Activities

12:30pm-1:00pm - PIZZA LUNCH. Yum.

1:00pm-3:00pm - GTA 6th Graders Only*

*Because GTA students come from all over the district and from various schools, we will spend 2 additional hours (1:00-3:00pm) to get to know each other better and learn a few more familiar faces before the first day of school.

GTA Parent Meeting (2:30-3:00pm) - As Raider Camp wraps up, Mr. Bernhart will meet with GTA6 parents in the library to review some things to know for the upcoming year.

WHAT IF I CAN'T ATTEND? If you can't attend, it's OK. We realize not everyone will be available that day. Mr. Bernhart will share the Parent Meeting Information and crucial student need-to-knows via the newsletter, and the GTA6 Teachers will be ready to support and help ALL GTA6 students on the first day of school.

The GTA does NOT receive extra funding as an academy in FBISD. Thus, in order to offer the multitude of incredible, unique field experiences and on-campus programming for which the GTA is known, grade level dues are collected each school year. NOTE: Scholarships are available if needed. It is the goal of the GTA to include all of our students in all of our specialized programming.

GTA grade level dues will be paid in RevTrak and information about paying them will be shared in August. The first payment will be due Friday, September 11, 2026. We are sharing this information in advance simply to give those who need it a chance to plan ahead regarding dues. Dues this year will be as follows:

GTA6 = $100

GTA7 = $250* (may be paid in 2 installments)

GTA8 = $200* (may be paid in 2 installments)

*GTA7 and GTA8 dues include incredible overnight trips that cost a lot!

SCHEDULES

Schedules will NOT be finalized until the week or days right before school starts. When they are finalized, they will be visible in Skyward. Even after they become available in the days before school starts, your child might have some schedule changes as counselors level and finetune enrollment.

IN GENERAL, student schedules will be correct, and students will have their first or second choice electives. In the initial days of school, ONLY CORRECTIONS will be addressed by our counselors. Corrections are issues like being scheduled to the wrong grade level for a period, missing a period, being scheduled to a class twice, etc. (Our counselors are VERY GOOD, but they--and the software they use--are not perfect.) The counselors will NOT address nor be able to accommodate PREFERENCE schedule changes. PREFERENCE schedule changes are requests like trying to get in the same ELA period as a friend, changing one's mind about what elective he/she wants, etc. The schedule is BUILT AROUND the course selection students completed in the spring, including STAFFING and countless logistic concerns, so there simply is not room for PREFERENCE requests.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES

In middle school, most teachers will distribute SPECIFIC school supply requests in the first week of school. Thus, prior to the start of school, if you're going to buy any school supplies, limit those purchases to universal GENERAL supplies like lined paper, markers, colored pencils, pen, pencils, erasers, etc. This will avoid purchasing unnecessary supplies. Once school begins and teachers distribute their SPECIFIC supplies will be the best time to go shopping for school.

GTA7 and GTA8 students are already members of their respective Schoology courses. IF YOU'RE AN INCOMING 6TH GRADER, IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE GTA6 SCHOOLOGY COURSE!

To join a Schoology course, log in to Schoology via 1-Link (you will find 1-Link on FBISD's homepage, if needed). Once you're logged in, you will see a "My Courses" link on the top right-hand side of the screen. When you click on that, you will be able to "Join a Course" by clicking on the button on the top right-hand side of the screen again. The Join Code for the GTA6 Schoology course is Q9JZ-F7Q6-4685F.

Once you join, get started by following the instructions in the "Hi! Let Me Introduce Myself" discussion post you will find in the course.

In FBISD, starting in grade 6, all students are issued a laptop by FBISD. Once it is distributed in the first week or two of school, your child's laptop will remain in his/her possession YEAR ROUND until he/she completes 8th grade. Click the link below to learn more about FBISD's 1:1 Laptop Initiative.

NOTE: Laptop insurance is available, affordable, and highly recommended when laptops are distributed.

Joseph Bernhart

Academy Coordinator

Gifted and Talented Academy

Quail Valley Middle School

joseph.bernhart@fortbendisd.gov

(281) 634-6687