Tiger Times

Congratulations to all of our graduates. Good luck to each and every one of you.

Go out and make the world a better place!

Photo Credit: OurGunter

The 2024 Graduation Ceremony was held in the Event Center and began with the graduates walking in one by one, filling their seats in front of the stage, and waiting patiently for the moment they would get to move that tassel to the other side.

• Berkeley Caple opened the ceremony by reminding the graduates that just 4 short years ago, their world was rocked by 2020 and they had to adjust and overcome all obstacles.
• Mr. Barton thanked staff and faculty for making the school year a success and for coming together to make this ceremony special.
  
• Salutatorian, Jackson Rue, thanked the teachers for their guidance and the parents for sticking by them. He reminded the class that they had been there for each other for 12 years and charged the class to go out and do good things whether they are going to college, trade school, enlisting, or the workforce.
  
• Mr. Barton spoke directly to the graduates reminding them that the future is created, it doesn't just happen. Among the many points of advice he shared, Mr. Barton reminded them to never underestimate the impact of a single individual and to act with integrity.
  
• Valedictorian, Shelby Blansett, shared that it had been her goal from the 5th grade to become the Valevictorian - I did not misspell that :) She eventually learned that she was striving to become the Valedictorian. Shelby went on to thank the teachers who had made a special impact on her during her high school years. Reflecting on her journey with her classmates, she reminded classmates that each and every one of them would remember different things because they are unique. Experiences shape you into the person you become. She charged the class to dream boldly and to chase their aspirations.
• Mr. Martindale accepted the recommendation from Mr. Barton to distribute diplomas and the graduates were called one by one to receive their diploma from the GISD Board of Trustees.
• Makena Fady closed the ceremony by expressing gratitude to everyone at GISD, family and friends. She commended the community and school district for everything they do to set themselves apart to be the best. She charged her class to do the very best for others.
  
• Graduates sang the school song, moved the tassel, threw the hats, and exited the Event Center for the very last time as a GHS student.
  

If you missed the ceremony, we recorded it for you.

You may view it here: https://www.youtube.com/live/-UFVpfuMXlc?si=nJywlPiY5fAiwoZy

Graduation Program: https://5il.co/2mtnb

Photos are available to download

Marion Cole Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/marion_cole/albums/

OurGunter: https://4cmediagroup.smugmug.com/OurGunter/GHS-Class-of-2024-Graduation

Be sure to thank them and give them the proper credit when using their photos.

All graduation photos used in this issue are from OurGunter and Marion Cole

Julie Dorcey has made a tremendous impact on our campus in her three years at GES. She has helped students in multiple grade levels by working hard to ensure a positive learning environment for all students. You can tell the love and respect she has for her students by the way she communicates with them; always calm, always positive. Her "kid-first" attitude inspires anyone who is around her, and she sees the best in all of her students. Not only is she an asset to our students, she inspires our teachers as well. She's willing to listen to teachers and collaborate with them to help figure out what is truly best for our students. Congratulations Mrs. Dorcey, we know that you will continue to make a positive impact for many years to come.

Our GMS teacher of the Year is Sharon Bon! She creates a foundation for every student to be successful and takes great pride in knowing that her students flourish after leaving her classroom. She is passionate about science and leads students to also be passionate about the subject. She explains things thoroughly and her experiments are always interesting and fun. She not only supports her students in the classroom, but can be found attending extra curricular activities to cheer them on in volleyball, basketball, football, and baseball and softball games. Mrs. Bon is an inspiration to our Gunter Middle School staff, students, and community. She exemplifies all that it means to be a dedicated educator, mentor and leader.

Congratulations to Mrs. Toni Gittens for being named the 23-24 GHS Teacher of the Year! Mrs. Gittens exemplifies the dedication, passion, and excellence that every educator strives for. She has an unwavering support for her students and a commitment to creating an inclusive and inspiring classroom environment. Mrs. Gittens you have made a profound impact on our students and community. We are incredibly proud and grateful to have you in our school. Congratulations, Mrs. Gittens, on this well-deserved recognition. Mrs.Gittens has been in education for 35 years and served Gunter ISD for 17 years.

The students who were chosen throughout the 2023-24 school year as the Superintendent's Honor Roll recipients were rewarded with a trip to Pinstack in Allen. They had a great time with Mr. Martindale and several staff members!

For event details, check the newsletter or our Event Calendar on the GISD website @ www.gunterisd.org

• Enjoy your summer!
• June 7-8 - STATE Baseball Tournament @ Dell Diamond in Round Rock
  
• June 12 - School Finance Information Meeting with Lucas Janda of Frost Bank - 6 PM
  
• June 25 - Board Workshop
• Summer Sport Camps are scheduled at various times, check the registration page here: https://www.gunterisd.org/o/gunter-isd/page/summer-camps1

Most people in our district and community have heard about the budgetary struggles many districts across the state are facing in the upcoming school year (2024-25).

As a way of enhancing the education of our community, Gunter ISD has invited Mr. Lucas Janda from Frost Bank to host a school finance informational meeting on Wednesday, June 12 at 6:00 PM in the high school cafeteria. Mr. Janda spent 13 years serving as CFO for Leander ISD, Forney ISD and Stafford MSD before moving into the private sector with Frost Bank.

Mr. Janda will address the following topics (and more):

• The 2023-2024 budget and the 2024-2025 budget

• How state and local revenue affect each other

• General increases in Gunter ISD expenditures

• Gunter ISD’s recapture payments

• Gunter ISD’s school tax history

To help clarify a very complicated school finance system, Mr. Lucas was recently invited to speak to the Dallas area school finance and district leaders. Gunter ISD is excited to have the opportunity for him to share his knowledge with our community and we hope you will join us. Having knowledge from both perspectives, public and private, we are sure he will be able to answer any questions you may have regarding Gunter ISD's financial position.

Your child took the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) earlier this spring, and soon you will be able to access your child’s results. The state assessment is one of many ways to measure student learning. Teachers will use STAAR results along with other information to support your child’s learning in the new school year.

Click the appropriate link below to get directions to gaining access to your child's scores.

STAAR EOC Assessment results will be available to families on Friday, June 7, 2024.

STAAR Grades 3-8 Assessment results will be available to families on Friday, June 14, 2024.

Need help logging in? This document created by Gunter ISD Technology is a great resource. Click here: Help Sheet by GISD

This TEA link may also be of assistance. https://tea.texas.gov/student-assessment/testing/staar/2024-log-in-and-learn-more-toolkit

For more information about STAAR or to access your child’s test results, visit the Texas Assessment website.

Click here to view the following Board Briefs:

• May 2024 - Combined Meetings
  

Visit the GISD Board of Trustees page on our website for more school board information; including election information.

** You may now view recorded meetings linked from the Board Notices section of the School Board page on our website.

This North Texas Fusion Center safety bulletin provides information on safety.

Check out the May issue right here: https://5il.co/2mn8c

Thank you, Gunter Board of Trustees, for starting Teacher Appreciation Week off on a warm note with Summer Moon coffee and greeting our elementary students in the car line. The trustees set up a coffee bar at each campus to show their appreciation for our teachers.

3 Days; 3 Campuses; Multiple hours of mastering the grill!

Thank you to Mr. Martindale for slaving over the hot grill to cook the perfect hot dog and hamburger for every employee in the district.The school year was coming to an end and this was the perfect way to get everyone to the finish line!

Thank you to the GHS office for providing Mercados and Cracker Barrel for the teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week! It was delicious :)

You can always check the website to see what they are selling to raise funds for our Tigers! The fan club was instrumental in raising funds to assist with the cost of State rings. https://guntertigerfanclub.org/shop

The PTO family does so much for our campuses, and we appreciate every single thing! Here are a few highlights. They can't do this without parent participation. Thank you for volunteering your time and making such wonderful donations to make our teachers feel loved during this past month.

Check out the photos in the collage below! We were SPOILED during Teacher Appreciation Week. To see a more "up-close" and personal view of what each group did, browse their social media. We can't thank all of the PTO groups enough!

Each campus has a wonderful group of parents who work together to help bring smiles to the teachers and students. Check out their Facebook page or contact information below to join them.

• GHS PTO - Email your name, cell number and email address GHSPTO@mail.com; To join the text Remind thread for the GHS PTO, send a text to 81010 with @ghspto1 as the message.
• GMS PTO - Contact us through our Facebook page @guntermiddleschoolpto
• GES PTO - Contact us through our Facebook page | @gunterelementarypto - Text @gespto1 to 81010 to join

GES PTO

Thank you to the GES PTO for organizing and helping to carry so many fundraising events, such as:

• Partnering with Chubbs Tacos to provide a delicious lunch for the staff at GES.
• Providing a week long celebration for Teacher Appreciation Week. We were blown away by the creativity!
  
• Partnering with Southern Junkiez to provide a "Make Your Own Hat" activity. Some crazy and fun patches made this so much fun :)
  
• GES PTO purchased buckets and collaborated with Gunter community members to provide donations of safety items to place in the buckets. The safety buckets were distributed to classrooms and offices throughout our elementary campus.

GMS PTO

• Thank you to the GMS PTO for "Taking it to the Max" and planning such a great teacher appreciation week celebration. We were taken back in time, and we couldn't have felt any more important than you made us feel. It was tremendous!
• The snack collection for our students during testing was awesome. Thank you!
  
• A huge thank you for helping with Fun Day!
  

GHS PTO

• Thank you to Mrs. Kanouse (TK) and the GHS PTO for combining efforts with local businesses, The Grow and Hair by Candace for providing a succulent, shampoo sample, chapstick and Cracker Jacks for each faculty member during Teacher Appreciation Week.
• The baseball themed Teacher Appreciation Week knocked it outta the park! We loved everything from the snacks to the hot dogs!
  

• The GHS faculty quenched their thirst with their favorite Sonic drinks and movie theater popcorn provided by State Farm Cody Paxman. Thank you for this very kind gesture!

  This week has been so fun! We are so appreciative for the daily gifts we have received.

• Thank you to Ernesto's for the fabulous lunch during our last full week of school.! We appreciate you taking care of our GHS staff!
• Thank you for providing a senior scholarship to a deserving graduate!
  

Thank you, PRINCIPALS, for everything you have done this year! One day is not enough to recognize you for everything you do throughout the year.

Our cafeteria staff is top notch! They truly work so hard to feed our students nutritional and delicious breakfast and lunch each and every school day! BUT... not only do they feed our children, they learn who they are, they recognize each child's likes and dislikes, they are personable, and they make lunch fun. Don't take this for granted, not every district has this type of worker in their kitchens.

Do teachers deserve a whole week of recognition? YES they do!

Teaching is a profession that encompasses so many more hats than what you might think. Teachers teach, but what else do they do?

• Grade
• Mentor
• Stay late for parent meetings
• Classroom Management
• Government paperwork
• Extra-Curricular sponsorship
• Lesson planning and research to stay up to date on material
• Summer trainings
• Plan and carry out field trips
• Create safety plans / practice safety plans
  
• Worry - (The students become their "kids" and yes, they worry about them when they are sick, not performing well, having a bad day, etc...)
• Inspire
• Monitor assemblies
• Elementary teachers - wipe noses, pull teeth, tie shoes, etc...
• So. Much. More
  

I think you get the picture!

GISD is so lucky to have a caring nurse on each campus. These ladies work hard to keep the students healthy and offer health counseling. Thank you, Lauren Rogers, Nicole Sullivan, and Allison Thornhill, for all that you do to keep our students safe and healthy.

In May, each cafeteria held a Chicken Sandwich War. The ladies, individually, created a sandwich for the competition..... and the Chicken Sandwich War Results are in! Students and faculty tasted 3 different sandwiches and voted for the Signature Sandwich of their campus. Congratulations to the following "LUNCH LADY HEROES" who created the winning sandwich on their campus:

Elementary

• Chicken Baconator by Jenny Henshaw

Middle School - (TIE)

• Kicken Chicken by Tabitha Hendrix
• Honey Chicken by Megan Harrington

High School

• Grilled Chicken Pesto on Ciabatta by Brittney Small

These sandwiches will be added to the menu during the 24-25 school year.

April Students of the Month

Kindergarten: Everly Hunter

1st Grade: Tinsley Bailey

2nd Grade: Nevin Kirk

3rd Grade: Emersyn Hardin

4th Grade: Gabe Smith

May Students of the Month

Kindergarten: Logan Omohundro

1st Grade: Jacob Stafford

2nd Grade: Logan Stuart

3rd Grade: Audrey Fiorletta

4th Grade: Brenleigh Long

The 2nd graders set up their market and learned what it's like to be a vendor! Elementary students of all grade levels earned "Market Money" and then got to spend it on Market Day.

Each 2nd grader set up a booth to sell goods they had created or services they provided. They had to keep up with how many items they sold so they could learn the concept of cost and profit.

They all did a great job! Take a look at some of the fantastic displays!

GISD Emergent Bilingual families celebrated Cinco De Mayo at Gunter Elementary. Mrs. Elizabeth Mercado and Mrs. Kristy Colvin hosted this fun event. The families enjoyed dinner from the Mercado’s food truck, dancing, a piñata, games and prizes. It was such a fun night! Happy Cinco De Mayo!

Losing a 🦷 is a HUGE event for our GES kiddos, and this is one way to make them feel super special. Welcome to the club if you lost a tooth this year 😊

Great job readers! Pictured are our 4th 9 weeks "Readers Are Champions" participants. Each student read 475 minutes! We celebrated them with an ice cream party!

Congratulations to the top readers for the 23-24 school year!

Pre K - Aiden Lim & Anastasia Torres
Kindergarten - Brooks Parker & Brooke Ralston
1st Grade - Paxton Howard & Desiree Moore
2nd Grade - Truitt Franklin & Ellah O'Brien
3rd Grade - Ethan Lee & Morgan Rowe
4th Grade - Reid Endsley & Charlie Arther

Michael Hatton, Nora Drewery, Kullen Kincannon, Aubrey Kirk, Lucas Ortiz, Brooklyn Bartlett, Kash George, Evelyn Harrington, Levi Stafford, Owen Franklin, Rachel Kiiru, Everly Hunter, Jake Jordan, Aiden Rodriguez, Alan Dominguez, Luke Donohoe, Conrad Crawford, Paxton Howard, Desiree Moore, Jacob Stafford, Cora Weinmann, Blake Boddie, Hadlee Watson, Kobey Applewhite, Madison Schmidt, Rory Vest, Riley Weistner, Will Karlowicz, and Brooklyn Forner.

Gracie Estrada-Rolen, Evelynn Quillen, Andrew Waterland, Keiren Hemman, Landon Jupiterwala, Tania Rodriguez, Marley Rowlette, Isaias Castaneda, Darcy Sikes, Kolton, Hindsley, Kaiden Garcia, Lizzy Anderson, Tatum Halley, Gabe Smith, Luis Mendoza and Brystol Graves

The Gunter Tigers were back at AT&T Stadium in Arlington in May... The little tigers, that is!

Our 4th grade class took a field trip to the stadium and got to see all the "behind the scenes" areas in the building. They were able to get on the field and dream about playing there when they get to high school (and beyond). They had a great time!

Mrs. Fieszel's class enjoyed a day at the Frank Buck Zoo. Talking to the animals is always fun!

Mrs. Keel's students enjoyed an end of the year Glow Party!

Pre-K wrapped up our GES Tigers Helping Tigers Service Projects program with their "First Responder Stuffed Animal Drive". Our Pre-K students collected 76 new stuffed animals and donated them to our Gunter Fire Department to hand out to children who are involved in a crisis.

Mrs. Keller, GES Principal said, "It has been a joy to watch our students learn about kindness and compassion through our Tigers Helping Tigers Service Projects." Each grade level completed a service project within the school year.

The GES students always compete with heart! Check out all of our ribbon winners from the GES Track and Field Fun Day!

Imagine being between the ages of 5 and 8 and driving up to your school expecting your teachers to be opening your car doors... but NO! A baseball player opens your door, and your day just got BETTER! Yes, our guys made it happen. Check out the smiles :)

The Middle School Awards Assembly was a fun day to celebrate our students. Certificates were handed out for A/B, A and Principal's Honor Roll, and Classroom Awards. The students had a great year! Congratulations to all those who received a certificate.

The GMS gang gathered together to celebrate a wonderful educator who has served 22 years in Gunter ISD. Mr. Fletcher has been influential in so many students lives and has had a huge impact on the middle school. We are sad to see him go but excited for his next adventure. Enjoy that rocking chair! Congrats on your RETIREMENT Mr. Fletcher! You will be dearly missed.

Our 5th graders earned a Bingo Party for surpassing their grade’s collective improvement goal for their End of Year “Reading, Math, and Science MAP tests!” Great job, 5th grade! We are proud of you for working so hard to achieve this goal. Pictured are the bingo winner.

Mrs. Loewen and her team are the absolute best! They always find ways to celebrate with their students.

Ms. Loewen's class sure does appreciate our GMS Librarian Holly Hoel. She always finds the most fun and interesting activities for the students to participate in. For the 2nd year in a row, they watched the caterpillars metamorphose into beautiful butterflies and then released them in the Tiger Garden.. Thank you Mrs. Hoel for loving on all of the GMS kiddos!

GMS art students welcomed special guest, Rob Jordan, a local artist and GISD alumni. Throughout the day, Mr. Jordan engaged each class, sharing insights into his sports and wildlife-themed art, demonstrating techniques for achieving accurate proportions in paintings. Students found themselves captivated by his work and the knowledge he imparted. It was a special day in the Tiger Lane Studio!

Lava Lamps are GROOVY and are making a comeback from the 70's! Our 5th grade scientists in Mrs. Bon's class spent some time creating test tubes filled with a "lava-like" substance. Drops of color was added to the mixture and something spectacular happened! Turning out the lights and shining a flashlight into the tubes made it an extra fun experience.

The 5th graders and their teachers would like to thank Parkhaven Dental for sponsoring their annual field trip to the Perot Museum. This is a FUN and EDUCATIONAL place that our kids love to go!

The 6th grade spent some time at Collin County Adventure Camp having some end of the year fun.

The GMS students had a great time organizing their teams and playing at the FCA sponsored Volleyball Tournament. Thanks, Sarah Kulbeth, for organizing this event!

Kari has completed the dual credit EMT course at Grayson. She is planning on taking the National EMT certification exam during the summer. She was invited to join Grayson’s Omnicron Psi chapter of Phi Theta Kappa, which she has done. Kari will be a senior at Gunter HS next year! Congratulations and good luck to you on your exam!

HOSA sponsored a Powder Puff Tournament and the students had a great time. We flipped the roles and had the girls playing football and the boys cheering them on. Lots of laughs and some fierce competition!

It was our honor to recognize the top students in each class for the 2023-2024 school year at the Annual Academic Banquet! Students were honored and presented a medal to signify this outstanding accomplishment. The evening also found some special faculty members being recognized. Each senior chose and honored one teacher who has made an impact on their life. Congratulations to everyone who was honored:

9th Grade: Prezley Grant, Kalli Bernard, Sarah Smith; 10th Grade: Karlee Beavers, Nicholas Damon, Ellyat Henry, Preston Tarpley, Juliana Moore; 11th Grade: Caitlin Badillo, Chloe Johnson, Madison Smith, Ella Pinkernell, Regan Spurgin, Madelyn Martindale; 12th Grade: Shelby Blansett, Jackson Rue, Paxton Cox, Berkley Caple, Makena Fady, Kase Carlile, Ryli Bracewell, Brelee Mauldin, Shey Menkhoff

Student in grades 9-11 were recognized for their academic achievements at the GHS Awards Assembly. Congratulations to all the students who were named to the A/B, A, and Principal's Honor Rolls! Congratulations to the students who received a departmental award from their teacher, you made an impression! Pictures from the event are right here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/pYf9dgaVU6Lig86z6

Students in Advanced Health Science completed the Ready or Tot Baby Project where they were each responsible for a robotic baby for 24 hours. During that time they had to tend to the infant's physical, social, emotional and intellectual needs as well as calm the baby when it cried, which on average was 19 times in the 24 hour period. It appears at one point, Principal, Josh Barton and Assistant Principal, Lance Lemberg took on a babysitting gig

Although they did have fun taking the pictures, many student's reflections mentioned their lack of sleep and that this was an eye opening project.

The GES/Community playground got a facelift thanks to Art teacher, Kendyll Harden, and her art students. They created the designs and gave the playground a fresh new look.

The seniors in Coach Applewhite's Outdoor Ed class had the opportunity to tour Tender's and witness the grill-masters create their magic. They watched and learned how to prep for a day in a smokehouse restaurant and then sat down to sample the mouth-watering BBQ! Thank you to Tenders for taking care of our students!

FFA members gathered at the 23-24 Annual FFA Banquet to celebrate the success their chapter had this past year. During the banquet, the following awards were given to members:

Greenhand Degree Recipients:

Shelby Ellis
Jacob Endsley
Rylan Fryar
Grant Gartrell
Aeris Herman
Addison Hinkley
Colby Rizor
Emily Saindon
Noah Saindon
Halston Standerfer
Charli Whitney
Riley Zey

Chapter Degree Recipients:

Brody Bracewell
Zaiden Choate
Micah Fisher
Cyleigh Floyd
Kyla Gortmaker
Harlee Keel
Jacob Krupa
Emma Marks
Tristan May
Ava McComb
Luke Menser
Tatum Myers
Chase Nichols
Creed Rainer
Joseph Rathbone
Braden Robison
Samantha Scano
Elyson Schafer
Hayden Standerfer
Liv Thomas
Maci Verden

Lone Star Degree Recipients

Peyton Beavers, Avery Diers, Grace Fugett, Brooks Griggs-Bell

Star Greenhand Degree - Riley Zey

Star Chapter Degree - Micah Fisher

Star Lone Star Degree - Avery Diers & Grace Fugett

Departmental Awards:

• Animal Science - Maci Verden
• Horticulture - Grace Fugett
• Agricultural Mechanics - Braden Robison

Scholarships:

• Gunter FFA Alumni: Alexis Gann & Grace Fugett
• Kenyan Woods Scholarship: Avery Diers
• Horizon Scholarship donated by the Griggs/Bell family: Gavin Dupler

The following students in Ms. Loving's classes earned their TSFA certification. The Texas State Florists' Association Knowledge-Based Certification is a Current Industry Based Certification that tests the student's knowledge of the floral industry; common terms associated with daily floral tasks and identify common tools and plants used in the floral industry.

Congratulations to: Kane Bolt, Brody Bracewell, Landrie Brummett, Zaiden Choate, Presley Cobb, Rhys Dainauski, Camden Doty, Colt Elvington, Sergio Falcon, Hayden Farrell, Cyleigh Floyd, Mitchell Gage, Alexis Gann, Jeremy Gee, John Gonzales, Kyla Gortmaker, Zachary Hales, Cash Harpole, Jason Henry, Alexzander Hernandez Vera, Tate Howard, Sadie Jones, Harlee Keel, Hudson Kelly, Norah Layman, Beckett Lytle, Emma Marks, Lilly Martin, Tristan May, Faith Miller, Tatum Myers, Brooklynn Neufeld, Chase Nichols, Emilee Padgett, Colin Peacock, Ella Pinkernell, Jacie Rathbone, Joshua Roane, Braden Robison, Hayden Rodges, Elyson Schafer, Gillian Schneider, Mia Smith, Jude Spencer, Hayden Standerfer, Jasmine Tapia-Alverez, Esther Thomas, Lyla Thomasco, Maci Verden, Kailyn Vest, Jordan Villagrana, Karson Williams, Trevor Wright

Special thanks to Grace Bible Church for hosting Baccalaureate and the Senior luncheon this year. Pastor, Roy Layman, is very involved in the Gunter ISD community and we were happy for our students to hear his message at the ceremony.

Senior Night - The night where we celebrate the Class of 2024 and all they have achieved and start looking forward to their future.

We were honored to award the students with certificates for A/B, A, and Principal's Honor Roll. The students work hard to maintain their grades, and we love to give them the recognition they deserve.

• We were introduced to the Honor Grads, the Top 10%, Salutatorian, and Valedictorian.
• Cords were given to the HOSA students for completing their program of studies and/or blood donation.
• We had several guests present who presented many of our graduates with scholarships. Thank you so much for being there to greet the students in person.
• Other scholarships were announced that the students had earned. The numbers were mind-blowing! The list of all the scholarships are published in the Graduation program and the Celebrations magazine.
• We celebrated students who earned a certification in welding, for signing up to serve our country, and for completing many requirements in Engineering courses throughout their high school career.
• Grace Fugett addressed her classmates with the utmost grace and courage. Her story of family and persistence was touching as she encouraged her classmates to expect obstacles in life, but to face them head on. Grace, we are so happy that your mom was present to hear you as you spoke so eloquently about her and what she means to you.
• The traditional Rose Ceremony ended the first portion of the evening. Two roses were given out by each senior to people who have touched their lives in some way. It's always a great event to witness!

Finally, to top off the evening, the seniors and their parents relived their past with the senior slide show. Each senior submitted a baby photo and 2 photos from their senior year. Thank you, Laci Bracewell, for putting together such a great slide show!

All of the photos from the event may be found here: https://photos.app.goo.gl/wTBZ4W7k8XiMa6gp9

Just 8 short years ago, they graduated from the 4th grade at GES... my, how time flies! Now they are headed out into the world to either attend college, trade school, join the service, or enter the workforce.

One of our favorite events is having our seniors walk through the halls of the elementary in their cap and gown where the hallways are lined with cheering little tigers. High fives may happen between the students, but if you look just at the right moment, you will catch one of our "big" seniors embracing their elementary teacher from long ago. In that short moment, you realize that it is not just the high school teachers who have made an impact on our graduates, it is every teacher at every level. Go ahead, let that tear slide down your cheek, we love you seniors!

Having the littles watch them walk is one way we inspire our kiddos to dream big!

We are excited to celebrate such a great accomplishment with Ayla!

Ayla entered a competition called "Catwalk for Water" where she had to create a hair, clothing, and makeup look based on "Saving the Environment" and then explain the look. She created the look at her house and then sent pictures to the director at the art institute. Once the pictures were accepted, she was invited to recreate the look at the school while competing against other prospective students and having a time limit. Her model, Reanna, had to walk down the runway while judges rated her work.

Her work got NOTICED and Ayla was awarded a full scholarship to Aveda Arts & Sciences Institute worth $40,000! She starts on June 20th in the cosmetology program.

The GMS and GHS District Art Show was full of some of the best works of art! We definitely have some talented artists at Gunter ISD. Thank you to those who came out and witnessed it in person.

GMS & GHS Theatre students had 4 outstanding performances of "Matilda, the Musical," A story about a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence and psychokinetic powers. She loves reading, overcomes obstacles caused by her family and school, and helps her teacher to reclaim her life. Our GISD audiences were in awe at our student's stage presence in this full length Broadway musical.

We are lucky to have Mrs. McGaughey directing our students on stage. She does a great job with One Act Play and GISD Theatre events. If you see her, give her a high five for all she has done this year!

Thank you to Laci Bracewell for the awesome photos!

The GMS and GHS Bands ended the year with their Annual Spring Concert. The music was beautifully played! The band and their directors would like to thank the administrators, teachers, parents and students for all of the support this year.

Our Symphonic Band competed in the NRH2O Music festival and earned a 1st Division trophy. To make this even better we were awarded Best In Class in our division! The bands in our class more than doubled the amount of students we have, which goes to show the kind of quality band students we have here in Gunter. Congratulations on such a fantastic day :)

Our Beginner Band attended the Pride of Texas Music Festival @ Alley-Cats and performed incredibly! They earned a 1st Division trophy, the best rating you can receive from all 4 judges! A rating like that shows just how much you learned throughout the year. (Imagine the applause right here!) After the band performance, all the kids had a blast playing games and riding on rides.

The GHS Band students took a well deserved break from their instruments in early May and spent their energy at HeyDay.

We have some awesome photographers at our events. Download some awesome pics from Marion Cole (https://flickr.com/photos/marion_cole) and OurGunter https://4cmediagroup.smugmug.com/OurGunter for free. Their pictures are highlighted below!

Dates are beginning to be posted for sport camps hosted by our coaches. If you are looking for some extra training for your kids over the summer, check out their summer camps. All camps offered by our coaches will be listed on this page -- check back often, they are just now in the process of planning. Summer Camps 2024 Web Page

24-25 Physical Form to print and take with you to your doctor.

Children's Health Brochure: MS and HS students are invited to complete their 24-25 sports physical at any of their sports medicine facilities in Plano, Frisco or Prosper. $35/ Appointment Only. 469.303.3000

Playoff Season

• District Champions
• Bi-District Champs vs Grand Saline - 3 Game Series (16-3 | 10-0)
• Area Champs vs Ponder - One Game Playoff 1-0
• Regional Quarterfinal Champs vs Edgewood - 3 Game Series (3-0 | 1-2 | 4-0)
• Regional Semifinal Champs vs Tatum - One Game Playoff 9-2
• Regional Final Champs vs Boyd - 3 Game Series (3-1 | 3-2 )

STATE SEMIFINALS - FRIDAY, JUNE 7

ROAD TRIP FOR THE TIGERS! Get your hotels booked and let's go!

(More details to come - watch our website and social media or go to https://www.uiltexas.org/baseball/state for all the information.)

Photo Credits: OurGunter

State Tournament Results - Lake Palestine - 5/18-19

390 Teams Competed

Team Gunter Placed 38th with 14.47 total lbs / 6 fish

Individual Teams

• 27th Place - Logan Hill / Colton Lee | Total Weight: 12.46 lbs.
• 180th Place - Trevor Wright/Kane Bolt | Total Weight: 2.01 lbs.

State Tournament Results

Girls State Tournament

• Girls Team Placed 3rd

• Freshman Lauren Keirnes won 3rd as an individual

Boys State Tournament Results

• Team Placed 4th

Playoff Season:

District Placement: 2nd Place Tie (Bells)

4/26 - Bi-District Champs vs Prairie Land (1-0 | 13-1) - 3 Game Series

5/3 - Area Champions vs Paradise (4-3 | 1-3 | 7-6) - 3 Game Series

5/8 - Regional Quarterfinalists vs Whitesboro (0-17) - One Game Series

Great Season Ladies!

Post Season Accolades

All District Awards: Skylar Pogue-Utility Player of the Year, Rylee Dunn-Offensive Player of the Year; 1st Team: Aeris Herman-Outfield, Shey Menkhoff-Infield; 2nd Team: Jacie Rathbone-Outfield, Ella Thompson-Outfield,Madison Vest-Infield, Keeli Sweet-Infield,Michelle Perez-Catcher; Honorable Mention: Mary Nichols, Sadie Jones, Grace Geisendorff

Academic All District: Keeli Sweet, Shey Menkhoff, Skylar Pogue, Mary Nichols, Madison Vest, Jacie Rathbone, Michelle Perez, Grace Geisendorff and Aeris Herman

Having a little fun at the end of the year... they turned the field into a Slip N Slide kickball field. It's always good to have some fun with good friends!

The Gunter Middle School Special Olympics Athletes competed at the Van Alstyne Track and Field Meet and won the following medals and ribbons:

• Alayna Hulsey: 4th place in the Tennis Ball Throw and Gold Medal in the 25 Meter Walk
• Grace Kruzie: Silver medals in the Tennis Ball Throw and the 25 Meter Run
• Joshua Robinson: Gold Medal in the Javelin Throw and Bronze Medal in the 100 Meter Dash
• Clark Smith: Bronze Medal in the Javelin Throw and Silver Medal in the 100 Meter Dash
• Noah Green: Silver Medal in the Softball Throw and Bronze Medal in the 100 Meter Dash
• Chance Nichols: Silver medal in the Softball Throw and Gold medal in the 25 Meter Run
• Ayden Perez: Gold medal in the Javelin Throw and Gold Medal in the 100 Meter Dash
• Noah Wade: Gold medal in the Tennis Ball Throw and Silver Medal in the 50 Meter Run

District 11-AAA Boys and Girls District Champs!! Brought 12 to play today and have 12 going to Regionals!

• Jake Tackett and Jackson Rue - 1st Boys Doubles
• Parker Hoel - 1st Boys Singles
• Hailey Hoel - 1st Girls Singles
• Paige Yosten - 2nd Girls Singles
• Mason Jeffs and Juliana Moore - 2nd Mixed Doubles
• Grace Dainauski and Chloe Johnson - 2nd Girls Doubles
• Angel Mercado and Kynlee Chalker - 3rd Mixed Doubles
• Luke Wilde - 3rd Boys Singles

Regional Tournament Results

Three Gunter Tigers qualified for the State tournament!

• Jackson Rue and Jake Tackett - Boys Double Regional Champs! (State Qualifier)
• Parker Hoel - 2nd Place Boys Single (State Qualifier)
  
• Mason Jeffs and Julianna Moore 4th Place

State Tournament - Our students played great! Congratulations on a great year :)

5/2 - STATE Track Meet - Austin

• Boys 4x400 Relay - Bronze Medalists - Season PR and new school record of 3:19.41
• Boys 4x100 Relay - (W. Overman, Peacock, E. Overman, Martin) - 5th Place 42.25
• Boys 4x200 Relay - (Martin, Harris, Peacock, Gage) 6th Place 1:27.50
• Boys 300 Hurdles - Koen Scallorn - 4th Place 38.29
  
• Girls Long Jump - Abby Elmore - 6th Place 17-0.00
• Girls High Jump - Abby Elmore - Gold Medalist 5-7.00
• Girls Shot Put - Abby Elmore - 5th Place 40-1.75
• Girls 100 Hurdles - Abby Elmore - Silver Medalist 14.03
• Girls 300 Hurdles - Abby Elmore - Bronze Medalist - 43.96
  

Other Accolades:

• Congratulations Abby Elmore on being named to the TGCA Track & Field Legacy All-Star team!

There is no better way to end a successful year than to get the team together for some food, fun, and team recognitions in the "Indoor"!

The following awards were handed out:

Team Awards:

Top Female Athlete: Abby Elmore

Tiger Pride: Norah Layman (Not pictured)

"It Takes What it Takes": Makena Fady

Top Male Athlete: Jace Martin

Tiger Pride: Mitchell Gage/Colin Peacock

"It Takes What it Takes": Koen Scallorn/Parker Harris

We are excited to have had two more Gunter Tigers sign their letter of intent to compete at the next level.

• Brady Harris signed to play basketball at Oklahoma City University.
• Taylor Latham signed to run cross country at Jacksonville College.

Before they were interviewed by the news team, Coach Vansell spoke about Brady's leadership and perseverance and Coach Parker spoke about Taylor's commitment to his team. Coach Fieszel congratulated the athletes and wished them well.

Congratulations to these athletes and best of luck to you in your future!

GES 24-25 School Supply List

Click here to view the upcoming school year Academic Calendar.

Registration for the 2024-25 school year is in progress. Please log into your Parent Portal account to register for the upcoming school year. EVERYONE who will be attending school at Gunter ISD next year must register. Follow the instructions on our Registration Page of the website.

Register your child for transportation services!

2024-25 Bus Registration is now open. Click here to begin registration: https://forms.gle/4EvnJimQgcpMHzVp9

IMPORTANT DATES for BUS REGISTRATION…

• Deadline to register to ride the 1st three days of school (August 14th thru 16th) will be Friday, August 2nd. If you need your child to ride the bus the first 3 days of school please make sure they are registered between 4/22/24 and 08/02/24.
• Deadline to register to ride the 1st FULL week of school (8/19/24-8/23/24) will be Friday, August 9th.
• IF YOU DO NOT REGISTER YOUR KIDS TO RIDE THE BUS BEFORE THE ABOVE DEADLINE DATES, THEY WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE TO RIDE THE BUS UNTIL MONDAY, AUGUST 26th.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Even if your child was registered to ride the bus during the 23/24 school year they MUST be registered each year to ride the bus.
• Registering your child for school DOES NOT register them to ride the school bus. Bus registration is completely separate. Please register your child to ride the bus through the Gunter ISD Transportation link at the top of this page.
• Your child will be routed by how you register them. If you only register them for the AM route to school, they will only be eligible to ride the AM route. Please make sure you register them for both routes if you need them to ride the bus to and from school.
• If you ever need to update your child’s address, add them to an AM or PM route or any other route changes you MUST fill out a new bus registration form. If you have any questions please contact Nicole Mann at nmann@gunterisd.org or (903)696–1500.

Go to the Football webpage for all the scoop! https://www.gunterisd.org/page/football

Gunter Football Key Dates - 2024

Composite Football Schedule 2024
-7th | 8th | 9th | JVB | V

Football Equipment (JH/HS) 2024

Click here for Spanish Translation

We are excited to announce that we adopted a new form of school-to-home communication in Gunter ISD called ParentSquare. Remind has been purchased by ParentSquare, and Gunter ISD has made the decision to make the transition to ParentSquare as well! We will still have access to Remind until August 14th to help us with this transition.

This unified communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage greater engagement and connection with Gunter ISD. It provides a safe way for district administrators, school principals, teachers, staff, and parents to:

• Send and receive school and class information

• Share pictures and files

• See calendar items

• Sign up to volunteer

• Schedule parent-teacher conferences

• and much more . . . all in one centralized place!

Parents—Getting Started Video

We are beginning our initial rollout with staff over the summer to provide training and familiarization. The complete rollout for GISD will commence on August 9th, 2024. We wanted to give you advance notice of these changes that will be implemented in August.

District, campus, grade level and classroom information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text. For even more convenience, download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices).

Have questions? Click the question mark in the top right corner of the desktop version or the Help tab on the app (tap the triple bar icon at the top left) to find answers to most of your questions.

Getting Started Guide

The health department is offering Back 2 School Vaccination Clinics!

Call for an appointment - limited walk-ins available. 903.893.0131 EXT 1235 or 1237

Monday - Friday - 8-11 AM | 1-4 PM

$20 per child/per visit or Texas Medicaid

They cannot accept CHIPS or private insurance.

** You must provide shot record, and it must be translated to English

Stay up to date with announcements, news, the calendar, and lunch menus by downloading the app. You can customize to see your child's school! Search for Gunter ISD in your app store.

Construction Zone: Fencing has been placed between the middle and high school. Construction on the Gunter Bond 2022 projects is beginning and that area is not accessible to you. For your safety, please DO NOT enter that area.

For bond updates, please visit our Bond Update website at https://www.gisdbondprogress.com/ or follow our progress on Facebook using the hashtag #gunterisdbondprogress

Important: All checks must be made payable to Gunter ISD. You are encouraged to use the memo line to identify the organization or campus. Thank you!

Website: www.gunterisd.org
Location: Gunter, TX, USA
Phone: 903.433.4750
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gunterisdschools
Twitter: @Gunter_ISD