Dear Lakeside Lion Families,
Welcome to the ‘21-‘22 school year! I wanted to take this opportunity to introduce our theme for the year. We are delighted to be able to gather our community together this year with a vision of our purpose at Great Hearts.
Our theme was inspired by The Mwindo Epic, a story from the Banyanga people. Mwindo, the hero, is born to a vengeful father who will not tolerate a son. Mwindo’s supernatural powers protect him from his father’s wrath, but he falls into the vicious cycle of violence and revenge that his father has initiated, using his powers to serve his own ego. He brutally defies anyone who resists him until his father’s sister Iyangura, the mentor and teacher, instructs him: “Widen your heart… heal them without harboring further resentment against them.” And Mwindo concedes. After a journey to the underworld where he reconciles with his father, and a journey into the heavens where he must be instructed in the mysteries of the cosmos, Mwindo finally returns to his village and brings new law and order. His reputation goes out into the earth and people from far and wide come to pay him allegiance. We are able to see that Mwindo is born with the power to do the heroic work his village and the greater world needs, but he must grow in wisdom and the virtue of magnanimity to channel his powers to accomplish this purpose.
Merriam Webster defines magnanimity as “loftiness of spirit enabling one to bear trouble calmly, to disdain meanness and pettiness, and to display a noble generosity.” This is the virtue to which our name, Great Hearts, is pointing. While this virtue is our aim, when you’re trying to find a theme for a K-6 school, we have to consider whether the kindergarteners will be able to pronounce the word. Plus, it must be in Latin to be legit!
So, with the help of Ms. Baptiste, our Latin teacher, we settled on Florescor, or, “grow your heart.”
Like Mwindo, our scholars come to us with many gifts and an innate potential for noble action. We want to cultivate their gifts, to educate them in the tradition of the noblest human achievements, and like Iyangura, encourage them to grow their hearts. In future newsletters, we will talk more about how your scholars will be interacting with this theme and our nine Great Hearts virtues throughout the year.
With a Large Dose of Lion Pride,
Katy Monwai
Assistant Headmaster
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Please take a moment to watch this welcome video from David Denton, Executive Director of Great Hearts North Texas. |
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Great Hearts Texas Safe Return |
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There have been many calls and emails regarding changes to the the Great Hearts Texas Safe Return policy. Please be assured that the administration of Great Hearts Lakeside is in daily communication with our regional leaders to ensure safety in the coming year.
Any updates or changes to the Great Hearts Texas Safe Return policy will be made at the Great Hearts Texas level, not at the academy level and will be communicated to you via a separate email.
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Parents, please do not allow scholars to bring toys or fidgets from home. If a scholar needs a fidget as an accommodation, the school will provide one. Smart watches are not allowed at school.
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2021-2022 Family Handbook |
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We ask that every family read through the Lower School Family Handbook.
Once you have downloaded and read the handbook, follow the link below to acknowledge that you have received and understand the policies within the Lower School Family Handbook 2021-22.
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Please take a few moments to read the Traffic Flow document linked below. |
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MealTime System Error
Many of you have expressed concerns regarding the negative account balances on your students' MealTime account. Please DISREGARD that message. This was a system error at the network level. The charges will be reversed/negated within 48 hours. No further action is necessary.
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This school year, Great Hearts Texas will be offering healthy meals every school day to all scholars at no cost!
While no further action is required from you to participate, we highly encourage you to fill out the Free and Reduced Application for other discounts and benefits to our school. Please see full information and instructions in the email link immediately below.
If you did not receive your scholar’s Mealtime ID in the email on June 30, please reach out to our Receptionist, Mrs. Woodruff or email info@greatheartslakeside.org.
You can find out more about our meal provider. Preferred Meals, here: https://preferredmealsmenu.com/. The menus for breakfast and lunch are attached. Please remember that menus are subject to change without notice.
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If you would be interested in a paid position serving breakfast and lunch at GH Lakeside with Preferred Meals, please email
call 469-379-0418.
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If your 5th or 6th grade scholar is interested in Girls Volleyball or Cross Country, you must complete the paperwork on Register My Athlete. All scholars must have a physical before tryouts (for volleyball) or the first cross country practice. Please send documentation with your scholar.
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The fee for each sport is $250 and will be due once the season begins.
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Please do NOT pay for Girls Volleyball until AFTER tryouts.
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Girls Volleyball
Tryouts are August 16-17 from 3:45-5:15 pm in the MPR.
Team decisions will be emailed to families by Tuesday, August 17 at 9 pm.
For tryouts, girls should wear:
- a Great Hearts spirit shirt or a solid gray shirt
- black shorts
- tennis shoes
- volleyball knee pads (if you already have them)
We anticipate practices to be Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45-5:15, beginning on August 19.
Scholars will always be picked up from the school campus.
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Boys and Girls Cross Country
There are no tryouts for cross country.
For practices, scholars should wear:
- a Great Hearts spirit shirt or a solid gray shirt
- black shorts
- tennis shoes
We anticipate practices to be Wednesdays from 3:45-4:45 beginning on August 25.
There will also be an additional workout for scholars to complete on their own before the next week's practice.
We will begin and end practice at GH Lakeside. Scholars will always be picked up from the school campus.
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Volleyball Tryouts
Monday, August 16-Tuesday, August 17
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Tryouts will be in the MPR from 3:45-5:15.
PICK UP FROM TRYOUTS: Coaches will bring all scholars outside to the metal awning at the far end of the school. Please form a line with your blue pick-up card in hand. All scholars should be picked up between 5:15 and 5:30pm.
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Half Day Friday
Friday, August 20
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Curriculum Night
Thursday, August 26
Time to be announced
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This event is a parent only event and allows you to join your child’s teacher for a brief presentation regarding classroom curriculum, schedules, and routines, as well as to learn more about Great Hearts in general, and to meet specials teachers, and other staff members. Don’t miss it! |
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Volunteer Training
Friday, August 27
8 am - 9 am
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We are grateful to you who have already expressed interest in volunteering your time at Great Hearts Lakeside. A short, but mandatory volunteer training is required of everyone who wishes to volunteer. More details concerning location (in-person or virtual) to come! |
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Spirit Day
Friday, August 27
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Spirit Days occur on the last Friday of every month, not every week. Scholars may wear their spirit shirt with the uniform bottoms. Spirit shirts are available through the PSO Lion Shop. |
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Labor Day
Monday, September 6
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Grandparents Day
Tuesday, September 7- Friday, September 10
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Tuesday, September 7: Kindergarten
Wednesday, September 8: First and Second Grade
Thursday, September 9: Third and Fourth Grade
Friday, September 10: Fifth and Sixth Grade
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Full Day Friday
Friday, September 10
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My name is Donna Ogden and I am privileged to serve as the Director of Community Engagement & Academy Giving and to have two scholars at GHLS.
My role at GHLS is to help support our school community through communications and events, in addition to partnering with our community to raise funds that make our educational model possible. I will be sending out more information in the coming weeks about our funding gap, upcoming events, and ways you can be involved at GHLS!
Sincerely,
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Donna Ogden
Director of Community Engagement & Academy Giving
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Click on your scholar's grade level to view the upcoming week's newsletter. |
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Should your scholar need medications to be kept and administered at school, you must bring in the medication yourself and sign a medication authorization form. Please do not send medications to school with your scholar, regardless of age or grade.
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Registration for Athenaeum is open!
Our team is diligently preparing for a safe return to programs when academies return to in-person learning, and we are excited to welcome our scholars back! To register or find more information on our pricing and options, CLICK HERE!
For further questions or if you believe you may qualify for financial assistance for the 2021-22 school year, please contact Kayley Walker, our Campus Coordinator at Programs@GreatHeartsLakeside.org
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Parent Service Organization |
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Volunteers are still needed for the upcoming school year. Where would you like to serve?
Tell us by clicking HERE!
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Grade Level Facebook Groups |
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All parents and guardians of registered scholars are welcome to join Great Hearts Lakeside Facebook groups linked below. We hope these groups offer you a means to build community with other GHLS families.
These groups are not heavily monitored, however all posts are subject to review and could be removed is deemed inappropriate or negative. FB groups are not an official channel of communication. Your primary source of information is the weekly school newsletter.
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Forms, Calendar, and Handbook |
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Consent to Background Check |
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Academic Calendar 2021-22 |
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7633 Harris Parkway
Fort Worth, TX 76123
817-409-9098
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