Family Wellness Wednesday

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Dear GPISD Families,

November invites us to pause and give thanks for the people and everyday moments that bring meaning to our lives. Gratitude can be a simple family practice, and children of every age can participate!

For our little learners, try sharing one good thing about the day, drawing a thank-you picture, or noticing the people who help them at home and school. For teenagers, invite them to share something they appreciate, send a thoughtful message to someone who has supported them, or choose a small act of kindness to do together. These moments can spark meaningful conversations and help us feel more connected.

This is also a great time to check in on your child’s learning. Start by reviewing grades in Skyward together, celebrating progress, and asking where they may need help. Then reach out to their teachers to see how things are going and discuss next steps. Your partnership with the school makes a difference!

We also recognize that the holiday season can bring added challenges. If your family needs holiday assistance or support with basic needs, please contact your school counselor or our GPISD Social Work Hub. We welcome the opportunity to connect you with available resources.

I am grateful for the care, encouragement, and partnership you bring to our school community. Wishing your family a November filled with connection, kindness, and moments of gratitude.

- Maria Herrera, LCSW

maria.herrera@gpisd.org

(972) 623-9000

Parent/Guardian support significantly improves a child’s reading comprehension by building vocabulary, background knowledge, and daily reading routines at home.

4 Proven Strategies to Build Reading Comprehension

Help your child become a stronger reader with simple, engaging activities at home!

1. Story Retelling: Encourage your child to retell a story from beginning to end to practice remembering details, identifying main events, and putting ideas in order. Use toys or pretend play to make it fun!
2. Graphic Organizers: Use simple drawings, story maps, or charts to help your child organize information, identify characters and settings, and understand problems and solutions.
3. Ask Questions: Encourage your child to ask and answer questions while reading. Questions can help them find facts, connect ideas, make predictions, and relate stories to their own experiences.

4. Build Vocabulary and Make Connections

   Help your child become a stronger reader by discussing new words during read-alouds and keeping a “Word Collector” notebook to record and review unfamiliar words. Encourage your child to connect stories to personal experiences, other books, and the world around them by asking thoughtful questions.

   
   

Source: Pride Reading Program

This delightful, colorful picture book is perfect for family bedtime reading story time, especially during the Thanksgiving season. Featuring vibrant illustrations and a memorable character who faces a challenge many of us can relate to, this heartwarming and inspiring story is an excellent choice for children in kindergarten through third grade.

Real-world examples of how caregivers can build a bridge to learning during everyday routines. It includes easy ideas like reviewing weekly folders together, setting up reading routines, and turning household tasks into learning moments.

What Does Living Healthy Mean?

Prioritizing you and your families’ overall health is important to living happy, meaningful lives. And living healthy means more than just eating a well-balanced diet, it includes your physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Children grow and learn in many ways. It is the shared responsibility of families, schools and communities to develop the “whole child.” This means looking at all aspects of children holistically, from social, emotional and cognitive skills to academic subjects like literacy and math. Together they can ensure that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported and challenged.

Click on website below to learn more on how to create these opportunities at home:

https://www.pta.org/home/programs/Healthy-Lifestyles

In honor of National Family Engagement month (November), Frankly is hosting a webinar event for PARENTS AND CAREGIVERS in ENGLISH and SPANISH on HOW TO HAVE A MOTIVATED CHILD!

Ned Johnson, Author of the Self-Driven Child, will share with families practical parenting strategies that boost student agency in learning.

We are excited to begin another year of learning with our GPISD families! This year, we will continue offering virtual workshops and will also provide new opportunities for families to participate in person.

Our Parenting on the Go sessions are designed to provide families with helpful information, practical tools, and resources to support their children at home. Topics include academic support, family wellness, safety awareness, and more.

Can’t attend a live session? We invite you to explore our library of recorded workshops and watch them whenever it is convenient for you.

Click here to visit our website and learn more about our past recordings and upcoming sessions. We look forward to learning with you!

Check attendance daily and inform your campus of any discrepancies.

Ensure that your contact information is up to date. GPISD regularly sends communication and will only use what is recorded in Skyward.

Check grades often. This is a GREAT way to see how your student is doing.

• Discuss with your student any concerns before it's too late to address with teacher.
• Sit together and find out what may be the cause of any issue.
• Help your student advocate for themselves in the classroom if they are old enough. If they are unable to do so, request a teacher conference to share your concerns. Our teachers are always willing to support our families.
• Give your student positive feedback when your student is doing well. You'd be surprise how far these positive nuggets help!

If you don't know your login information for your Skyward Family Access account, please contact your campus front office for assistance.

Visit https://www.gpisd.org/skyward to access account and to view some tutorials on how to use.

Grand Prairie ISD is excited to introduce you to Rooms by Apptegy, our new parent-teacher communication app. Rooms will help families stay connected to the school, teachers, and the district.

With Rooms, you can:

• Message your child's teacher

• Receive important school and district updates

• Keep all district messages and announcements in one convenient place

Get started right now in 3 easy steps!

1. Download the Grand Prairie ISD app: www.gpisd.org/rooms

2. Follow your child’s school

3. Get involved and stay connected!

Need Help?

Additional information is available at: www.gpisd.org/rooms.

We're excited to bring this new communication experience to our GPISD families and look forward to helping you stay connected throughout the school year!

Get ready to shake, rattle and roll as your toddler dances, marches and runs their way to literacy success!

This interactive discovery time gives your child the opportunity to explore their world with new friends as they begin to move about.

Click here to see the spanish flyer

Myth: Your meal application stays on file every year.
Fact: Families must submit a new application each school year—even if they applied last year.

Completing an application helps eligible students receive nutritious meals and may provide additional benefits, including reduced or waived fees for college applications and ACT, SAT, and AP exams. Applications also help our schools receive additional funding and resources to support students.

Please complete one today! If you need assistance please call our help line at 972-343-4410 or email at Child.Nutrition@gpisd.org.

This facility provides a wide array of essential services, including assistance with student registration, language proficiency assessments, assistance with lunch applications, access to food, clothing, school supplies, and much more.

Established with the objective of minimizing travel across the district, the center offers a supportive and welcoming environment to efficiently meet the diverse needs of our families.

Click here to see the spanish flyer.

• in a homeless, domestic, or other similar type shelter
• in a motel or campground due to the lack of an alternative adequate accommodation
• in a car, park, abandoned building, or bus or train station
• doubled-up with other people due to loss of housing or economic hardship

If you answered yes to any of the above, your child might be able to receive help through a federal law called McKinney-Vento Act.

Please click here to provide us with some basic information and someone will reach out to you.

GPISD will be offering English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for parents and/or guardians of students in our district.

At GPISD we are committed to fostering a community of learning and growth not only for our students but also for our esteemed parents. We understand the significance of language proficiency in navigating various aspects of life, and we are excited to provide adult English Classes at our school district.

Classes will be available in-person throughout the school year. They are completely free and will be held at the Grand Family Service Center.

To sign up for classes click here and we will contact you with more information.

Email: maria.herrera@gpisd.org
Website: https://www.gpisd.org/FamilyCommunityEngagement
Location: 1301 E Coral Way, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
Phone: 972-522-3196
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GPISDfamilyengagement/