December Monthly Update

Mission: At Grand Prairie, we dedicate ourselves to creating a caring and safe learning environment for our students while partnering with our families to teach the whole child.

As we step into the magical month of December, the halls of Grand Prairie Elementary are filled with joy, excitement, and the spirit of the season. This is a time of reflection, gratitude, and celebration as we wrap up a wonderful year of learning and growth. Together, we’ve built a community where students thrive, friendships flourish, and memories are made.

December is a time to come together and embrace the joy of the season.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We wish you and your family a season filled with warmth, laughter, and love.

As the temperatures drop, we want to remind families to ensure students come to school dressed for the cold weather. Warm coats, hats, gloves, and scarves are essential for outdoor recess and arrival times. If your child needs assistance with winter clothing, please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help. Let’s keep everyone safe, warm, and ready to learn this winter season!

Below you will find the district guidelines

Cold Weather Guidelines

Above 32 °F with or without wind chill-Outdoors

15 F to 32 °F with or without wind chill-Principal Discretion

Below 15 °F with or without wind chill-Indoors

Precautionary Measures:

Schools should exercise the following precautionary measures if holding recess outdoors:

Precipitation: snow and icy conditions should be evaluated for student safety and attire

Student preparedness: Parents/guardians and principals should ensure that students are properly dressed for outdoor recess during all seasons. During the winter months, students should be reminded to wear coats, gloves (without strings), hats, and boots.

Playground safety: the playground equipment and surface (i.e., icy conditions) should be evaluated to determine whether students can safely play outdoors

***"With or without wind chill" means how cold it feels, whether it is caused by wind chill or not. For example, if the straight temperature reading is 10 degrees or if it's 20 degrees with a wind chill of 10 degrees, recess should be held indoors.

Mrs. Moss likes to do a fun competition between the teachers the week before we go on break. I am looking for gift basket donations. These can be simple such as gift cards or as elaborate as gift baskets goodies. Please send these to the office before December 13th as the competition starts Monday the 16th.

Last years gifts were great and the staff really enjoyed the fun!!

This month, our students at Grand Prairie Elementary will be taking their Winter i-Ready assessments, an important opportunity to measure their progress and growth. These tests help us understand where students are excelling and where they might need extra support, guiding our teaching to best meet their needs. As we prepare, it’s essential to encourage our students to try their very best and approach the assessments with confidence and focus. Remind them that these tests are not about perfection but about showing what they’ve learned so far. With a positive mindset and their best effort, they’ll do great, and we’ll gain valuable insights to help them continue to grow!

There is a celebration planned for students who increase their score and try their absolute best. This is to encourage all students to try and have growth mindset that they can do hard things!

Racism, in any form, is harmful and divisive, impacting individuals, families, and entire communities. It denies people the respect and opportunities they deserve based on who they are, their culture, or their appearance. In our school community, we have the unique opportunity—and responsibility—to guide children in understanding the value of kindness, empathy, and inclusivity. Teaching children to respect differences and be kind to others is essential in creating a welcoming environment for everyone. As parents, teachers, and community members, we can model acceptance, talk openly about respect and kindness, and work together to make sure all children know the importance of treating each other with fairness and understanding. By doing this, we help our students grow into compassionate individuals who will contribute positively to a diverse world.

Addressing racism, including harmful stereotypes like the "black monkey" stereotype, is critical for fostering a respectful and inclusive school community. This kind of racist language perpetuates prejudice, ignorance, and hurt, often targeting Black individuals with dehumanizing associations. As a school community, it’s essential for families, students, and educators to come together to confront and educate against such biases. We can do this by openly discussing the impacts of racism, teaching empathy and respect, and embracing diverse cultures and experiences within our school. By supporting one another, promoting positive representations, and standing against harmful language and actions, we can create a more inclusive environment where all students feel valued and respected.

Please know Grand Prairie Administration will take all racism matters seriously and consequences such as loss of privilege's or even school suspension will occur as a result.

Here is all you need to do to participate:

1. Go to https://www.schoolstore.net/sid.t?0000176687 to sign up.

2. Send form emails inviting family, friends and co-workers to support your child.

3. Shopping online using this link, benefits our school. https://www.schoolstore.com/cgi/SSCHomePage?orderid=SS381268320241031

Thank you to those families who helped us sell chocolate bars. We are very excited. Students will be enjoying an assembly brought to them by the funds raised. Over winter break coming up, all students will be receiving a little something in the mail to show Grand Prairie Pride. Once all the money has been collected, our school profits about $5,000.

December is a month full of vibrant cultural celebrations and cherished traditions observed around the world. Christmas is celebrated by many, honoring the spirit of giving, love, and community with festive decorations, gift exchanges, and gatherings. Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, brings eight days of joy, marked by lighting the menorah, enjoying foods like latkes, and sharing prayers. Kwanzaa highlights African American heritage with its seven principles focusing on unity, creativity, and community. In Mexico, Las Posadas reenacts Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter, while in Sweden, Saint Lucia’s Day celebrates light and hope. Japan observes Ōmisoka, a time to prepare for the New Year with cleaning and special meals. These celebrations, though unique, remind us of the universal themes of togetherness, reflection, and joy that define this special time of year.