Goshen Creek Elementary

Dear Goshen Creek Elementary Families,

I want to extend a sincere thank you to each of you for your incredible support throughout January and the start of the new year. Navigating the winter months always brings a few surprises, but your partnership makes our school community stronger than ever.

We are looking forward to a fabulous February with all of you! This month is packed with learning opportunities, school spirit, and fun. To help you stay organized, please see our timeline of events for the month below.

Lastly, I have attached Goshen Creek Elementary Report Cards from the 2024 & 2025 accountability ratings. Please take a few minutes view this information at your own pace. If you have any questions or need assistance at any time, please don't hesitate to call our front office so we can help.

📅 February Important Dates

Week 23 (Feb 2–6): National School Counselors' Week

• Feb 2: Jump Rope for Heart Social Media & Student Sign-up Begins; 3rd Grade Space Day; Reed’s Book Club (After School)

• Feb 5: Girls Empowerment Challenge (During Power Hour)

• Feb 6: 100th Day of School! 🎉; Super Bowl Luncheon for GCES Staff (Hosted by PTA)

Week 24 (Feb 9–13)

• Feb 9: Kids Heart Challenge Begins

• Feb 12: Valentine's Card Exchange (Closed Campus); End of 4th Six Weeks; Student Resource Officer Appreciation Day: Kindergarten Fairytale Ball

• Feb 13: No School for Students (Teacher Professional Development & Work Day)

Week 25 (Feb 16–20): Random Acts of Kindness Challenge & Dress-up Days

• Feb 16: Presidents Day — No School

• Feb 17: Beginning of 5th Six Weeks

• Feb 18: Secure & Evacuate Drill Practice

• Feb 19: Teacher Creature/Dental Hygiene in the Gym (2 sessions)

• Feb 20: Kids Heart Challenge Ends; 7:30 AM Celebration Assembly; Grade Level Attendance Challenge with Popsicles & Principals

Week 26 (Feb 23–27)

• Feb 23: School Board Meeting & Appreciation; 6:00 PM 4th Grade Choir Performance at the Board Meeting

• Feb 24: Garden Club

• Feb 26: 3rd & 4th Grade Reading Benchmark Testing

Thank you for being such a vital part of the Goshen Creek family. Let's make this month a memorable one for our students!

Warmly,

Wendy Ashley

Principal

Goshen Creek Elementary

Wendy Ashley, GCES Principal Email: WAshley@Springtownisd.net

Amy Baker, GCES AP Email: ABaker@Springtownisd.net

Katie Orsburn, GCES AP Email: KOrsburn@Springtownisd.net

Chrystal Sisk, GCES Counselor Email: ChSisk@Springtownisd.net

Officer Dews, GCES SRO Email: NDews@Springtownisd.net

Haley Meeks, GCES Principal Secretary: HMeeks@Springtownisd.net

Nikki Wiens, GCES Receptionist Email: NWiens@Springtownisd.net

Jody Atchley, GCES PEIMS Clerk Email: JAtchley@Springtownisd.net

Ashley Hall, GCES Nurse Email: AHall@Springtownisd.net

School Report Card

Attached you will find a copy of the State of Texas 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 School Report Cards for child's campus. This report is required by the Texas Legislature and prepared by the Texas Education Agency. It is to be sent to the parent or guardian of every child enrolled in a Texas public school. The report provides information concerning student performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®), College, Career, and Military Readiness, as well as information on student enrollment, class size averages, and financial expenditures.

School Report Cards for each of the district’s campuses are also available on the district’s website at this link: https://www.springtownisd.net/page/required-postings or are also available on the Texas Education Agency’s website at: https://rptsvr1.tea.texas.gov/perfreport/src/src_srch.html.

If you have difficulty accessing the information from the website, hard copies of the reports are available at the campus office. Translations may also be provided as needed.

Please help your child to be successful by making sure they get plenty of sleep, eat a good breakfast at home or at school, and being prompt & prepared for the day. Also, please help to make sure appointments are not scheduled on these dates. We appreciate you and working together in a committed partnership for our students.

Please refer to the attached GT newsletter for information regarding the Gifted and Talented Program
Spring 2026 Window
Referrals open 1/7/2026 - 2/2/2026
Testing begins 2/9
Results will be sent home tentatively by 3/27/2026

Look What We Received!

Thanks to your School Store purchases, our campus book vending machine has arrived! We have already ordered a fresh supply of books to fill it, and they should be arriving on campus very soon.

This six weeks, teachers will recognize one hardworking, top reader from each classroom to earn a special book token. These students will have the opportunity to "cash in" their tokens for a free book as a reward for their dedication to building reading stamina.

We are so excited to celebrate these students at our 4th Six Weeks Celebration Assembly. Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to build a culture of students who love to read!

Signing Up to Accept the Challenge to Save Lives

🚀 Ready to make a difference Goshen Creek Family?

When you sign up for Kids Heart Challenge, you’re helping students build healthy habits, learn lifesaving skills, and create stronger, safer communities. 💙

✨ PLUS: the cutest way to remember healthy behaviors starts here, collect them all! →

Lunch with Loved Ones: Friday, February 20

We are excited to celebrate our students' hard work and dedication! Students selected as a Sharp Pine or Choose Love recipient will have the special opportunity to invite two guests for "Lunch with Loved Ones" on Friday, February 20, 2026.

How will you know if your child is chosen?

• Phone Call: You will receive a call from the front office.

• Teacher Message: The nominating teacher will send a message including a graphic reminder.

At Goshen Creek, we love celebrating our students as they strive to be their best every day. If you have any questions, please reach out to our front office, our team is here to assist you!

1. National School Counseling Week 2026 (Feb. 2-6), sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), highlights the essential contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and the tremendous impact they have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Take a moment to thank your local school counselor(s).

2. School counselors help students in more ways than you may know. This week we celebrate them as a part of National School Counseling Week 2026. Learn more about the role of this essential profession: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/role

3. Every student deserves a school counselor to help with academic achievement strategies, managing emotions, applying interpersonal skills and planning for postsecondary options. School counselors #AmplifyStudentSuccess

4. School counseling programs throughout the U.S. #AmplifyStudentSuccess. Learn more at schoolcounselor.org/role

How do school counselors amplify student success? Find out at schoolcounselor.org/role. #NSCW26

Every day, school counselors make a difference for students. Learn more at schoolcounselor.org/role. #NSCW26 #AmplifyStudentSuccess

Your Back-to-School Guide is here and ready for you! It's packed with everything you need to get your child’s school year off to a smooth start—school supplies, start times, and more!

Find your child’s campus page, check out the details, and make sure you're ready for the first day.

Click here to view: bit.ly/sisdbacktoschool

We can't wait to welcome everyone back on August 13th—it’s going to be a great year! #PorcupineFamily #BackToSchool

Health Services
Nurses now need parent permission to provide care such as first aid, health checks, or screenings (unless it's an emergency).
Without opting in on this form, your student will not be able to visit the nurse—even for something like a Band-Aid

These forms are required for the 2025–2026 school year, and it’s very important that they are filled out as soon as possible.

"Opting in" will help us ensure we can continue supporting your student in every way possible

𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞 & 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡 𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓-𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔!

It’s time to submit your application for free or reduced-price school meals. A new application is required every school year—even if your student received benefits last year.

Apply online at www.schoolcafe.com or download the SchoolCafe app to get started.
Quick
Confidential
Could help even if you don’t think you qualify

Every application submitted helps support our schools. Don’t wait—apply today! #PorcupineFamily

The first day of school is two days away!

If your child will be riding the bus this year, don’t forget to complete the Bus Rider Registration Form so we can get them safely to and from school. Please call the bus barn at 817-220-1700 to verify registration and Goshen at 817-220-0272 to confirm first day, first week, & normal mod of dismissal procedures.

Fill out the transportation form here: bit.ly/busridershipform

Let’s get ready for a great school year! #PorcupineFamily #BackToSchool2025

Our assembly begins promptly at 7:30 AM. It is crucial that all students arrive on time, prepared, and ready to begin. During our assemblies, we will cover:

• Goshen's Golden Rules
• Social norms and character lessons
• Activities to build reading stamina
• Celebrating our birthdays

Additionally, every six weeks, we will recognize our students’ hard work through our celebration assemblies, where we honor achievements in honor roll, attendance, Sharp Pines, and Choose Love Ambassadors.

We encourage all parents to sign up for Skyward Access, as it is essential for monitoring your child's grades and progress throughout the school year. More information will be coming soon about our student handbook & grading information.

Attendance Information

Attendance Information- All absence excuse notes/letters are to be sent to Mrs. Jody Atchley in the front office. If you have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact her at JAtchley@Springtownisd.net.

Attendance Laws- Regular school attendance is essential. Absences from class may result in serious disruption of a student’s education. The student and parent should avoid unnecessary absences. Two important state laws—one dealing with compulsory attendance and the other with how attendance affects the award of a student’s final grade or course credit—are discussed below:

1) At the elementary level, students are considered absent if they come to school 20 minutes after the start of the school day or if they are checked out from school 20 minutes before the end of the school day.

-Upon returning to school after being absent, late to school, leaving early from school, or sent home, the student must bring a note that is signed by the parent/guardian that describes the reason for the absence

-When a student incurs three or more unexcused absences within a four-week period, the law requires the school to send notice to the parent. The notice will:

• Remind the parent of his or her duty to monitor the student’s attendance and require the student to attend school;

• Inform the parent that the district will initiate truancy prevention measures.

A court of law may impose penalties against the parent if a school-aged student is deliberately not attending school. The district may file a complaint against the parent if the student incurs ten or more unexcused absences within a six-month period in the same school year.

2) Attendance for Credit or Final Grade (All Grade Levels) To receive credit or a final grade in a class, a student must attend the class at least 90 percent of the days it is offered. A student who attends fewer than 90 percent of the days the class is offered will be referred to the attendance review committee. The committee will determine whether there are extenuating circumstances for the absences and how the student can regain credit or a final grade.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we kindly ask that you take a few moments to review our morning and afternoon drop-off zones. The Parent Hub contains more detailed information regarding these procedures, which are designed to ensure the safety and efficiency of our student pick-up and drop-off.

Car Tags:
Your child will receive their car tags with student ID numbers during the Meet the Teacher event. These tags will be essential for parent pick-up starting on day one. All parents, guardians, or individuals picking up students must display their car tags visibly in the window.

Identification Check:
If you do not have your car tag, you will be required to park and present identification for student safety.

Emergency Contacts:
Please ensure that all your current information is up to date within Skyward. Make sure that anyone who may pick up your child is listed as an emergency contact.

Helpful Tips for Smooth Drop-Off/Pick-Up:

• Familiarize yourself with the designated drop-off zones and their procedures.
• Arrive a few minutes early to reduce wait times.
• Follow all staff directions to ensure the safety of all students.
• Remind your child of their pick-up location and process.

We appreciate your cooperation as we work together to keep our students safe. Thank you for your attention to these important details!

Six Helpful Tips to Help Prepare Your Child

1. Practice Name Responses:
   Have your child practice responding after hearing their first and last name. This will help them respond quickly during dismissal when we call names.

2. Arrival Time for Pick-Up:
   Please don’t arrive for student pick-up until 3:00 PM. Students will not be released until 3:20 PM. Arriving at three helps prevent traffic jams on Pojo and Highway 199.

3. Use Your Car Rider Tag:
   Ensure you have your car rider tag every day. This is crucial for the safety and efficiency of the pick-up process.

4. Be Kind in Line:
   Remember that the first week can be challenging. Kindness and patience in line will help us all succeed.

5. Assistance with Buckling Up:
   If your child needs help buckling up, please pull into the parking lot or out of the way of the loading zone. This allows the line to continue moving smoothly.

6. Observe Speed Limits:
   Speed bumps have been added in both the pick-up and drop-off lines to encourage slower speeds and enhance safety for everyone.

After a few weeks, the pick-up line will clear in just 15-20 minutes. We appreciate you sharing your precious child or children with us and working together to ensure everyone is safe, secure, and successful.

Warm regards,

Wendy Ashley
Principal
Goshen Creek Elementary School