The Cannon Connection

Good morning, Cannon families,

This week, we had the distinct pleasure of honoring two of our very own at the district Teacher and Paraprofessional of the Year Luncheon. This special event was a wonderful collaborative effort hosted by both the Grapevine and Colleyville Chambers of Commerce. We are so proud to celebrate:

• Ms. Contreras – Teacher of the Year

• Mr. Aitken – Paraprofessional of the Year

It was a joy to see them recognized for their tireless dedication, passion, and the immense impact they have on our students every single day. Congratulations again to these well-deserving members of our Cannon family! We are so lucky to have you leading and supporting our Cubs. ❤️

The Final Countdown is On! Can you believe it? We have only three weeks left of the school year! While the finish line is in sight, we aren't slowing down just yet. Our calendar is jam-packed with celebrations, milestones, and plenty of Cannon pride to carry us through to summer break.

☀️ Kickoff to Fun: Field Day is This Friday!

We are kicking off the home stretch with one of our favorite traditions. This Friday is Field Day! It’s going to be a day full of energy, teamwork, and outdoor fun. Please make sure to check out the detailed information below.

A few quick reminders for a great Field Day:

• Gear Up: Please ensure your Cub wears comfortable athletic clothes and sneakers, and their grade-level color - CUB SHIRT!

• Stay Hydrated: Send a labeled water bottle with your student.

• Sun Safety: Apply sunscreen before school!

• As a reminder, our lunch break is a time for everyone to settle down, use the restroom, eat, and take a little break from the fun. No lunch visitors will be permitted on field day. Any family member joining us for field day activity fun, must an approved background check on file this school year.

🦖 Turning Raindrops into Dino-Tracks! The rain may have washed out our plans for the BIG 3rd-grade field trip to Fossil Rim, but it couldn't dampen the spirits of our incredible team! When the weather forced a change of plans, Mrs. Huggins, Mrs. Donaldson, Mrs. Lyman, and Mrs. Owen (Edgley) didn't just pivot—they flipped the script. They transformed a rainy disappointment into a DINOerrific experience right here on campus for our 3rd-grade scholars! From creative activities to prehistoric fun, our teachers proved once again that the Cannon spirit is "extinction-proof." Thank you to this amazing team for going above and beyond to create magical, memorable experiences for our Cubs, rain or shine. You are the reason there truly is no place like Cannon!

Congratulations to our 2nd and 3rd grade inductees for receiving our Final STEM Hall of Fame Habit o Mind for Striving for Excellence!

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 Monday, May 4 for Striving for Excellence

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!

🏴‍☠️ Ahoy! It’s Time for Showtime! We are extremely excited to announce our very first Cannon Theatre Musical Performance: Pirates! The Musical.

Ms. Rios, her talented cast, and her hardworking crew have been incredibly busy preparing for their "curtain call." From mastering the music to perfecting their pirate swagger, these students are ready to take us on a high-seas adventure you won't want to miss!

Join Us for the Premiere:

• When: Thursday, May 7

• Time: 6:30 PM

• Where: Cannon Cafe

Come out and support our performing arts stars as they bring this treasure of a show to life. We can't wait to see our cast and crew shine on stage! Arrr Cubs!

Let’s make these final three weeks the best ones yet. Thank you for your continued support as we finish this year Cannon Strong!

Proud to be your principal,

Dr. Tina Garrett

#BeCannonProud ☮️💗🐻

This week, we are rolling out the red carpet to celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week.

At Cannon, we know that the "magic" of our school doesn't come from the bricks and mortar—it comes from the incredible educators who pour their hearts, creativity, and energy into our students every single day. From sparking a love of reading to guiding complex science experiments, our teachers are the heartbeat of this community. As the saying goes, "There is no place like Cannon," and that is entirely thanks to the dedicated professionals who make our hallways a place of belonging and growth. To our educators: Thank you for your brilliance, your patience, and your unwavering commitment to our kids. We appreciate you!

Show our Teachers the LOVE! 25-26 Teacher Amazon Wishlist & Teacher Favorites

Friday, May 8th, is our scheduled Field Day for Cannon Elementary! Students will participate in various events throughout the day. We have a fantastic day planned for all of our Cubs!

Important Information:

• Events are scheduled from 7:50 - 2:00, Prek and K will end at 11:30, and 1st will end at 1:30.

• We will be using our Cafe for a station so lunch breaks will be in grade-level living rooms (not normal lunch time) and are a time for our classes to take a break from the festivities. We will not have lunch visitors on this day.

• The cafeteria will serve sack lunches on Field Day. Children may prefer to bring a sack lunch from home.

• All background-approved visitors are welcome to attend field day rotations (not lunch). All visitors will be volunteers and help with stations. You will need to have your background check filled out prior to Thursday, April 30th. volunteer background check - Apply Online

• Visitors will rotate with their grade level and will be asked to run activities at each station. If you have more than one Cub, you can bounce between the grade levels. Please understand we need everyone to pitch in and help!

• We ask that each grade level Cub wear their grade level spirit shirt (PreKindergarten - Purple; Kindergarten - Red; black; 1st grade - Orange; 2nd grade - Black; 3rd grade -Yellow; 4th grade - Green; 5th grade - Blue

• Visitors, please wear a Cannon spirit shirt!

• Students’ dress should conform to the guidelines set forth in the student handbook. Please, NO white shirts that day. Students should wear tennis shoes that stay on their feet and are tied, and students are NOT to wear cleats or Crocs.

• We ask you to remember to put sunscreen on your child that day (even if it is a cloudy day) and send it with them if they need to reapply.

• They may bring gloves if they wish for Tug of War.

• Students need to bring a labeled refillable water bottle and should be reminded to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated throughout the day and to take care of their trash and recycling.

• Students will need to bring a beach towel due to our water games to stay dry!

• There will NOT be a concession stand at field day; However, every student will receive a popsicle treat.

• Adults must use the Staff/Adult Restrooms; Student restrooms are for students only.

Please remember that Field Day is for our students! We want each child to have a fun and memorable experience on Field Day. Your presence, support, and encouragement can be a positive reward for your child and all 500 students participating. We know our entire Cannon Community will show Cub PRIDE! ☮️💗🐻

We are looking forward to a fun-filled day with students and parents!

Coach G, P.E. Teacher

julianna.gregston@gcisd.net

Coach Pilar Contreras, P.E. Assistant

pilar.contreras@gcisd.net

If you are interested in joining a unity committee to help support the consolidation and unification of campuses in the 2026-2027 school year, please click here to apply by May 4, 2026. Your voice is vital in helping us build a unified, thriving campus community. Please note that selection involves a year-long commitment to this collaborative process.

The Middle School Elective Course Verification Window will be open in Skyward May 13 -15. During this window, students and parents will be able to view requested courses for the 2026-27 school year and verify that the listed courses are correct.

Please click the link below for instructions on how to view your student's requested courses in Skyward, learn about important information regarding requesting changes to middle school elective courses, and to access the "Course Verification Request Change Form" for your student's specific campus should you need to request a change to the requested elective courses for the 2026-27 school year.

Note, the list of courses you will be able to see in Skyward is NOT the student's schedule; this is only the list of courses that have been requested for your student for the 2026-27 school year.

Middle School Course Request Verification Information

Calling all parents! It's time to sign up for CAREER DAY! We are looking for individuals to come present for students K-5 on Friday, May 15th. Parents will be scheduled in their child's classroom as well as other classes. On the form below please indicate the times you are available to volunteer. All presenters are also required to complete a GCISD background check. Please click the following link GCISD Background Check ASAP so we can verify that you are cleared to present. Complete the next link Career Day Interest Form to let me know your interest and availability.

Our hope is for students to gain knowledge about a variety of possible careers/jobs and the college and/or experiences required to obtain these professions. We would love for you to bring any activities, demonstrations, hands on materials, or pictures that will help the students better understand your job/career. All presentations must be reviewed and approved prior to the presentation. Please upload your slideshow to the Career Day Presentation Folder by May 12th for review. Presentations should only be a total of 30 min each.

We will provide breakfast and lunch for presenters that will be on campus during those times.

Contact Mandy Coburn, Cannon Counselor, if you have any questions.

(817) 251-5684 or amanda.coburn@gcisd.net

As the school year comes to an end we are learning about Courage & Creativity in guidance lessons. Sometimes we need courage to be creative when solving problems and trying to do new things. Many of us have seen people practice these character traits in ways that have inspired us. Stories are powerful tools for connecting as a family. Take time to share stories how you all have shown courage and creativity.

April 20 - May 9: PreK End of Year Assessment Window

April 27-May 16: K-2nd grade End of Year iReady Assessment Window

May 4 -16: 3rd-5th grade End of Year iReady Assessment Window

Monday, May 4: STEM Hall of Fame (PreK, K &1st, Specials) - Striving for Excellence

May 4-8: National Teacher Appreciation Week - Show our Teachers the LOVE! There is no place like Cannon! 25-26 Teacher Amazon Wishlist & Teacher Favorites

Wednesday, May 6: Progress Report 4 Posts in Skyward

Wednesday, May 6: School Nurse Appreciation Day - Show Nurse Kendra some LOVE!

Thursday, May 7: Cannon Theatre Musical Performance; Pirates the Musical 6:30 pm

Friday, May 8: Cannon Field Day! If parents/guardians would like to attend, you MUST have an approved background check. Background checks must be completed each year, and can take up to 72 hours to complete! Click here to learn more: GCISD Volunteer Page

May 11 - 15 GCISD Celebrate Freedom Week

Friday, May 15 - Cannon Career Day

May 18-21 🎖️EOY Success Ceremonies (Save the Date Below): All ceremonies will be conducted in the CAFE! Click the Fast-Pass indicator to have your visitor badge pre printed for that specific grade level, date, and time.

• Monday, May 18 - Kindergarten 9:30 (Fast Pass); 3rd grade 12:30 (Fast Pass)
• Tuesday, May 19 - PreKindergarten 8:30 (Fast Pass); 1st grade 10:00 (Fast Pass); 4th grade 1:20 (Fast Pass)
• Wednesday, May 20 - 2nd grade 10:30 (Fast Pass); 5th grade all-day picnic; Former Cannon Cub Grad Clap Out at 2:00
• Thursday, May 21 - 5th grade Success Ceremony at 8:00 (Fast Pass) and Clap Out at 9:30!

Our last day of the 2025-2026 school year is Thursday, May 21 and it's an early release day; we will begin dismissal at 11:45. Tag you are it! ☮️💗🐻

Want to avoid the hassle of back-to-school supplies shopping? Order our pre-packages school supply kits!

• Order online using our school code - CANGRA
• All orders are customized to the district's approved list of supplies
• Supply kits are delivered to our school in advance for free right to our school. Your student will have exactly what they need on the first day of school.
• You get to avoid busy shopping lines, empty shelves, and save money with lower prices

Elementary Honor Choir is composed of 4th and 5th grade students from all elementary campuses in our district. Participants in the Elementary Honor Choir collaborate with students across the district to work on higher level repertoire and performance skills. This group rehearses every Tuesday from 5:00-6:30 pm beginning August of 2026.

Auditions for this choir are being done by video or in person the week of May 4 at their elementary campuses during the school day. To audition, your child must be a participant in their own campus choir next school year (if one is available for their grade level). For the video, your child will need to sing the audition materials. The honor choir directors will watch them and send an email with audition results the first week of summer. More information and audition materials can be found below in the folder labeled, Audition Materials - Spring 2026. Please complete the Google Form by Friday, May 1st to register your child to audition.

The wheels are up and we are moving full speed ahead with 2026-2027 school year enrollment. To all new and returning families: make sure you secure your seats before the summer break.

• Returning students: Check in through Skyward Family Access

• New families: Request a Skyward account first

• Pre-K: Complete the Pre-K online application first

• New siblings: Log in to Skyward Family Access and add a new student by selecting the “New Student Online Enrollment” tab

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