Notes from the Headmasters

Dear Great Hearts Families,

This school year marks a great new phase in our community’s history and growth. The Upper and Lower School now occupy their own respective campuses, and students are enjoying the benefits of more space and a larger learning environment. Our community has grown, allowing opportunity to open our doors to many new students from Kindergarten into the High School. Along with our new families, we are joined by a group of dedicated teachers, bringing a multitude of backgrounds and experiences with them to educate our students in the pursuits of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty. In the Upper School alone, our new teachers bring a combined total of over 100 years of teaching experience.

Irving is one of the most diverse regions in the world, and this growing community unites every morning in honor of the most noble endeavors. For eight hours a day, we set aside distinctions that trouble our broader society and we follow in the footsteps of our culture’s greatest minds and souls in a unified pursuit of Wisdom and Goodness.

We celebrate this year of growth with you because of you. Our success depends upon our community’s collective dedication to this vision of education we share, one which is so profoundly needed.

On behalf of the families and friends of Great Hearts Irving, we write to you with an appeal for your generosity. We call on you to support North Texas Giving Day on Thursday, September 19, 2019. This metroplex-wide Day of Giving provides us with a unique opportunity, for one day, to show our dedication to education and support our school with a donation. Early giving has already started.

Charter school students in Texas receive significantly less public funding than public school district students. This public funding gap affects the budget and funds most needed in our classrooms and facilities. Great Hearts Irving asks our families through Community Investment to contribute $1,200 per child each year to help cover all our actual costs. We appreciate every family’s participation at any level of support.

Please consider making the time for your donation to our community now. Please join us for “Donuts and Dollars for North Texas Giving Day” at both campuses as soon as you drop off your students the morning of September 19. Laptops will be set up for easy access. You can also visit either Greatheartsirving.org or Northtexasgivingday.org to make your donation. We are looking for 100 percent participation. Paying the fee is greatly appreciated. All monetary gifts are tax-deductible and stay at Great Hearts Irving.

To maximize your giving, learn about Matching Gift Programs and Cash Back Reward Programs here.

We strive to achieve our goals together; this donation is worthy of sacrifices, fittingly sustained by the goodwill and civic virtue of you, our families. To those who have already given or who have pledged to give to the school, we thank you on behalf of our Great Hearts Irving parents and students. If you have not yet had an opportunity to contribute this year, please consider joining us on September 19, North Texas Giving Day and show support for Great Hearts Irving.

Sincerely,

Marcy Finn

Interim Headmaster, Lower School

Philip G. Althage

Headmaster, Upper School

Parent Service Organization (PSO) News

Please join us at the September PSO Workshops!

Upper School PSO Workshop: Monday, September 23 at 8:00 a.m. We will be discussing our House and Room Parents and Fall Festival.

Lower School PSO Workshop: Tuesday, September 24 at 8:00 a.m. in The Commons. We will be working on Fall Festival.

See here for more PSO news.

Please email Eva Klassen at [email protected] with any questions.

School-Wide Fall Festival

Fall Festival is fast approaching! Bring your whole family Saturday, September 28 from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m. to the Lower School parking lot for games, fun, and food. Please see here for opportunities to support and volunteer at this annual community-building fundraiser for PSO. Any students who volunteer for their House, will get a ticket for a free cup of Rita's Ice at the Fall Festival!

School-Wide Spirit Day

Our next Spirit Day is on October 11. Join GHI families for a picnic at Cottonwood Park following early release and celebrate the end of the first quarter with a time of fellowship with your old and new GHI friends.

Lower School students may wear their red spirit shirt to school on October 11. All grades are welcome to attend. More details coming soon.

Floresco Parties

Tickets still available for Floresco parties! Please contact Paulina Moreno at [email protected] to purchase.

Mexicanisimo will be held on October 19. Join us for mariachi, margaritas, and authentic Mexican food prepared by our Latino moms. Tickets cost $35 per person.

Hosted by Kristi and Will Stacy, the Holiday Gift Exchange Party will be on December 6. Tickets cost $25 per person.

Lower School Pick-up

To avoid interfering with our teachers' end-of-day routines, students leaving early for the day must be signed out at the front desk at least 45 minutes prior to the end of school-2:30 p.m. on full days and 12:35 p.m. on early-release Fridays. After this time, students will need to be picked up in carline as normal. Thank you for helping us protect your students' valuable instructional time.

Lower School Athenaeum Pick-Up

A friendly reminder to all parents that Athenaeum students must be picked up by 6:00 p.m., when program is over. Thank you.

Lower School Singapore and Spalding Night

On September 19, we invite all parents to our Spalding and Singapore Night. Come explore the philosophical and practical aspects of these programs. Adults only of Kindergarten, first, and second grade are invited from 4:30 - 6:00 p.m. Adults only of third, fourth, and fifth grade are invited from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. We will gather in the Forum.

Lower School Window into Wonder Tours

Lower School families are invited to join your Headmaster for one of many Window into Wonder tours beginning on September 27 , where we will spend time exploring the rich instruction your children experience every day. Click here to register.

Coffee with the Lower School Headmaster

Fifth grade parents are invited to our Coffee with the Headmaster on Monday, September 30 from 8:00 - 8:45 a.m. Please sign in at the front desk.

Lower School Attendance

As a public school, our funding is tied directly to attendance. Every day your child is absent is a day we miss out on funding from the State of Texas. If your student must be absent, please email [email protected], and be sure to bring a doctor's note if you were at a medical appointment.

Coffee with the Upper School Headmaster

Please join us for Coffee with the Headmaster at Great Hearts Irving Upper School. 

Ninth Grade parents are invited to our Coffee with the Headmaster at Great Hearts Irving Upper School next Wednesday, September 25 at 8:00 a.m. To sign up, please click here.

Openings remain for the  Eighth Grade on Wednesday, September 18 at 8:00 a.m. You may reserve your spot  here.

Please contact  [email protected] with any questions.

Upper School Orchestra

Last call for registration for Upper School Classical String Orchestra! We need six more students to start the program by Friday! Spread the word and sign your student up today. Only $90/month for a weekly two hour orchestra instruction. Email [email protected] for questions. 

Upper School Curriculum Nights

Remember that Curriculum Night is this Wednesday (Grades 6 and 7) and Thursday (Grades 9-11) this week. More details can be found here.

"Education First" College Tours Meeting 10/2

Families of tenth and eleventh graders are invited to meet to learn about visiting colleges in Seattle this June with Education First (EF). The parent interest meeting is October 2, 2019 from 6:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. to review the cost and itinerary of this wonderful opportunity. Click here to learn more.

Upper School Carline

When turning from Carbon Road into the Upper School's drive, please form only one line on Carbon Road.