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Nov 8th - K and 5th Grade Athletic Field Day
Nov 9th - 1-4th Grade Field Day
Nov 10th - Coffee with the Headmaster 2nd & 3rd Grade
Nov 10th - Veterans Day Lunch
Nov 13th - 1,000 Gifts Assemblies & Giving Tuesday
Nov 15 & 16th - Grandparents Days
Nov 17th - Literary Character Day for Kinder through 5th or Student Spirit Day
Nov 20-24th - Holiday Break (No School)
Nov 28th - Giving Tuesday
| 23-24 Calendars Available Now! Click the links below to add our campus event calendar to your personal calendars: | |  |
Covered in this Newsletter |
- Field Days 2023
- Leftover EduKits Sale
- Cold Weather Guidelines
- Coffee with the Headmaster
- Veterans Day Lunch
- Grandparents Days
- Literary Character Day
- Dean's Corner
- Intramurals
- Volunteer Opportunities and Parent Events
- Advocacy Corner
- SmugMug
Please remember to scroll to the bottom of the newsletter to see all of this week's content.
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Athletic field days are fast approaching! Field day shirts that were ordered from the school will be delivered directly to students’ homeroom by Friday, October 27th. A signup genius to volunteer on field day will be sent next week. In order to sign up for a volunteer slot, you must have a cleared background check on file with the school. DO NOT sign up for a volunteer spot until your background check has been completed and comes back cleared. If you need to submit your background check, you can submit the online application.
Dress Code for Students on their Athletic Field Day:
- Shirts: Students may wear their field day shirt if they purchased one from the school OR a plain shirt that corresponds to the city-state color for their classroom if they did not purchase one from the school.
- Bottoms: Students may wear regular uniform bottoms OR athletic pants/shorts, which are modest, are not skintight, and are in good repair (no holes, torn sleeves, etc.). No undergarments may be visible. If a scholar would like to wear athletic pants, the shirts must not be tied, tucked in, or gathered at the waist.
- Footwear should be athletic in nature: no sandals, open-toed, or platform shoes.
- Other items: Students may wear a hat, headbands, sweatbands, etc. Hat styles should follow the same guidelines as the handbook.
- Hair should follow school guidelines. NO CRAZY hair on this day, please.
- School spirit: Students may show team spirit by wearing colored bows, headbands, eye black, etc. Please be mindful that school spirit items should not pose a safety risk for students while participating in their athletic events.
- *If a student is deemed to be wearing inappropriate attire, the parent will be notified, and a change of clothing will be required for attendance that day. If you doubt the appropriateness of an article of clothing, check with the school office before purchasing.*
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Leftover Edukits Available for Sale! | |
If you missed out on ordering an Edukit for this school year or want to plan ahead for the next academic year, we've got you covered. We have leftover Edukits available for purchase, and you can secure next year's supplies ahead of time.
Details:
- Available Supplies: While supplies last, we have a limited number of Edukits from this year available for sale. These kits contain all the essential school supplies your child will need.
- Plan Ahead: Planning for the next school year? This is the perfect opportunity to get a head start and ensure your child is well-prepared when classes begin. Don't wait until the last minute!
- Payment Options: To make it convenient for you, we accept both cash and check payments. You can make your purchase at the Lower School (LS) reception.
Act Fast:
Please note that Edukits are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and once they're gone, they're gone. So, be sure to act fast to secure your Edukit for the current or upcoming school year.
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Cold Weather Outerwear Guidelines |
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Outerwear: Jackets and sweatshirts may be worn to school for warmth but must be free of logos and messages, with the following exceptions: small sports team logos (e.g., Griffins, Diamondbacks) and small brand name logos (e.g. the Ralph Lauren “polo”) are acceptable, provided they are tasteful and do not make inappropriate allusions. All jackets and sweatshirts must be solid colored and may have no patterns or distracting/oversized logos of any kind. Jackets and sweatshirts must remain in the lockers, cubbies, or desks for the remainder of the school day.
- Great Hearts uniform sweaters (from Dennis Uniforms/Flynn O’Hara) may be worn throughout the school day all year long. The only outerwear allowable to be worn in the school building are the official school sweater or pullover with the Great Hearts logo.
- Long sleeved undershirts may not be worn underneath short sleeved shirts.
- If you send your student to school with beanies, gloves or scarves please ensure they are clearly labeled with their name and class section.
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Coffee with the Headmaster 2nd & 3rd Grades | November 10th, 8:00 AM to 9:15 AM | |
8:00 AM to 9:15 AM
Parents and guardians of 2nd and 3rd Grade scholars are invited to gather in the Lower School for refreshments, discussion, and fellowship with our Headmaster of Lower School and her leadership team.
Please click the button below for more details and to RSVP:
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Dear Spartan Veterans and Active Duty Military,
On Friday, November 10th. Spartan Parents/Guardians who are Veterans or Active Duty Military Personnel are invited to have lunch with their scholars on campus to celebrate Veteran's Day. See the lunch schedule and RSVP using the button below.
We look forward to seeing you there!
| Veterans Day Wall of Honor | In honor of Veterans Day, we are inviting faculty, staff, families, and students to recognize their family members who have served in the military. Students were sent home with a Wall of Honor page that we are inviting you to help them complete and turn in so that we can add them to our first-ever Wall of Honor that will be on display from November 10th – November 17th in our lower school lobby. Forms will be returned to students the following week. |
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November 15th & 16th, 9:00 to 10:30 AM | |
Spartan Grandparents, join us to connect with your grand-scholars and explore our unique educational environment.
Date and Time:
Nov 15: Grades 3, 4, and 5 Grandparents
Nov 16: Grades Kinder, 1, and 2 Grandparents
9:00 AM - 10:30 AM at the GHWH Gym Entrance
RSVP:
- Must RSVP by Nov 12th.
- Please make individual RSVPs for each individual grandparent, even if sharing a household. It is very important that you RSVP separately for each grandparent. (EXAMPLE: If one scholar is accompanied by three grandparents, each attendee should RSVP individually using separate names, emails, and addresses, even if they reside in the same household.)
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Literary & Historical Character Dress Up Day | |
Guidelines for Literary Character Day Dress Up Day:
Students may dress up as any character from any book on the K-8 Classics to Keep List, a grade-level read-aloud book, Greek or Roman Mythology or a historical character from our curriculum at Western Hills and come to school primed for a joyful day filled with reading.
- Students who do not wish to wear a costume should come to school in his or her regular uniform or wear a school spirit shirt with uniform bottoms.
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Parents MUST fill out and turn in a Costume Proposal Slip to their teacher on or before Wednesday, November 15th in order for your student to participate in Character Dress up Day. The costume MUST be approved by the teacher. Forms will be sent home with students in October for you to complete and return.
- No masks or all-over face paint (freckles, mustaches, etc. are okay).
- Hats, gloves, ears, etc., are acceptable as long as they stay on and are not a distraction (the teacher will confiscate them if that happens).
- If the costume calls for props, please choose carefully. Props that are dangerous or that can harm someone will be confiscated.
- If the costume is such that it needs clothes underneath, it should be their uniform.
- Please keep in mind that students will be going to recess in their costumes, so one that allows free movement is encouraged.
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Hello Spartan Family!
The virtue of the month is integrity. We are individuals of strong ethical values, who make consistently good choices in keeping our knowledge of right and wrong. We seek wisdom of others in cases of moral uncertainty. We walk tall in truth. We want to teach our scholars to do the right thing even when no one is looking. Having integrity is a great foundation in friendship and in life.
Please see a few crucial areas where we ask for your continued partnership as a Western Hills family:
Dress Code: Please make sure that students abide by the dress code. Parents can reference the guidelines in the GHWH Family Handbook.
- As we enter into fall and temperatures drop, please ensure that your student has a Great Hearts sweater to wear at school. Non-Great Hearts sweaters and thicker outer layers may only be worn during drop-off, dismissal, and recess.
Tardies: A meeting will be set if tardies become habitual.
Car Line:
- The carline is closed at 7:48 each morning.
- Pick-up ends at 4:05.
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Parents must stay in their vehicles during the carline.
- Parents are not allowed to be on their phones while in the carline, and vehicles must be placed in the park when the vehicle stops.
- Parents must use the placard card given by the school.
Discipline – We will nourish the minds and hearts of scholars to do what is right, not for glory but for the sake of goodness. On the way to children understanding virtue, they will need to learn what goodness looks like by also recognizing the opposing forces of evil. If we are to cultivate these character traits in our scholars, it is helpful if our families partner with the faculty in modeling them. We challenge our parents and guardians to read great stories and poetry together--stories that illustrate right and wrong, good and evil.
Criselda Arredondo
Lower School Dean of Students
Safety Coordinator
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Below are your grade level blogs. Follow along to learn about the projects events and everyday magic inside your scholar's classrooms. |
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This is the second week of Co-Ed Intramural Soccer! Families that are signed up, should have received an email from Ms. Boring welcoming your scholar to their team. If you did not receive that email, please email Ms. Boring at hannah.boring@greatheartstxschools.org
5th and 6th grade! It is not too late to sign-up! If you are interested even a little bit, we would love to have you out there! We especially need more Reepicheep's and Pevensie's to sign up! Sign-up here: www.registermyathlete.org
Here is the link to make the payment:
https://greatheartswesternhills.configio.com/pd/1106/23-24-lower-upper-school-intramural-soccer
Practice Schedule: 4:14-5:15
Coach Travis: Reepicheep - Monday & Wednesday
Coach Orozco: Pevensies - Tuesday & Thursday
Coach Pressley: Baggins - Monday & Wednesday
Coach Hernandez: Oakenshield - Tuesday & Thursday
Tentative Game Schedule
Game 1: Baggins vs. Oakenshield- 4:30 pm
Nov 16 Pevensies vs. Reepicheep-4:30pm
Game 2: Oakenshield vs.Reepicheep-4:30 pm
Dec 1st Baggins vs. Pevensies- 4:30 pm
Game 3: Oakenshield vs. Pevensies-4:30pm
Dec 8th Baggins vs. Reepicheep- 4:30 pm
Game 4: Seed 1 vs Seed 4- 4:30 pm
Seed 2 vs Seed 3- 4:30 pm
Dec 13th Wednesday
Game 5: Championship- 4:30 pm
Dec 14th
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Parent Service Organization | |
The transformative education offered at Great Hearts Western Hills will only be possible through the generous and passionate commitment of a Parent Service Organization (PSO).
Upcoming Events
Nov. 6th - Nov. 10th - Thanksgiving Food Drive
Nov. 10th - Thanksgiving Themed Staff Luncheon
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Holiday Meals for Spartan Families | We are officially in the “Giving” season fellow Spartan Community and we can use your help in proving a holiday meal for a few of our Spartan families that find themselves in need this season. Please click the link below to see how you can help. | |
Copy Room Volunteer Needed | Still not sure about where to start volunteering? Well, the Copy Room is the right place to start especially if you can spare as little as thirty minutes a day starting at 8 a.m. Tasks can range anywhere from making copies to laminating. Sound like something you would be interested in? If you have a cleared background check please click the link below to get connected with Jenny, our Copy Room Committee Lead. Our teachers will love you! | |
Lower School Library Volunteers Needed | |
Sign up below to help the L.S. Library - assist scholars with checking in and checking out books and restocking the shelves.
Please note a clear background check is required to volunteer.
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Lower School Field Day is upon us! Please sign up to be a part of this fun event! | |
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Texas Education and Legislative Updates:
- With the current 30-day special legislative session ending on Tuesday, November 7, Gov. Abbott this week expanded the special session’s initial call beyond Educations Savings Accounts, border security, and COVID vaccine mandate legislation to include school finance. The governor announced on Tuesday that he and House Speaker Phelan had reached an agreement on school choice, but late Thursday House Public Education Chairman Brad Buckley told reporters that "it's too tight for the House to move something in the [current] special."
It is expected that a 4th special Legislative session will be called immediately once this 30-day session ends so that the negotiated bill can be scheduled for a committee hearing late next week.
- The release of TEA’s revamped accountability ratings has been put on hold after a Travis County judge granted a temporary injunction preventing TEA from issuing 2023 A-F ratings. This injunction will remain in place until either TEA successfully appeals or when the case goes to trial in February 2024.
- Stay up to date on critical charter school bills and action alerts from the Texas Public Charter School Association (TPCSA). TPCSA is the statewide organization representing Texas charter schools to state leaders, lawmakers, and state agencies.
All parents can stay informed by subscribing to TPCSA’s emails and alerts. To receive TPCSA emails and alerts, please click this link.
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As the academic year progresses, photographers from Upper and Lower will continue to share photo memories from our campus on our new SmugMug site. Just use the password "plato" to enter and view. | | | | | |
