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Sept 20th Big Give Kick-Off Tailgate
Sep 20-21st The Big Give 2023
Sep 21st PSO Open Info Meeting
Sep 22nd Circus Maximus (Mentor/Mentee Event)
Sep 29th 6th Grade Coffee with the Headmaster
Oct 2-6th Upper School Spirit Week
Oct 9-13th Parent Teacher Conferences and Fall Break
Oct 21st The Mum and Garter Dance
| 23-24 Calendars Available! Click the links below to add our campus event calendar to your personal calendars: | |  |
Covered in this Newsletter | |
- Headmaster Letter
- The Big Give 2023
- Attendance Competition
- Operations Updates
- Open Lunches
- Dean's Corner
- Circus Maximus
- Mum and Garter Dance
- Nurse's Corner
- Upper School Housekeeping
- The Academy Advisory Committee
- Free or Reduced Lunch Application
- The Music Nook
- Intramurals
- Athletics
- Volunteer Opportunities
- 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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Dear Spartan Families,
We have so much to be grateful for here in Spartan country … Our football teams are undefeated, our guilds are full, the Upper School library is now open, we debuted our first ever men’s volleyball team, our student House Council elections went well, cross country has its largest team yet, the JV and Spartan girls’ volleyball teams are undefeated, Agoge has only one loss, the sand volleyball court has fresh sand (thank you HS Football team!), our parents did themselves proud at Curriculum Night and fall weather seems to be finally heading our way.
This next week we are looking forward to the BIG GIVE tailgate party and football games on Wednesday and Circus Maximus on Friday hosted by our Mentors for our new students. I also understand that if you are a parent of a new student, the PSO has an adult event planned for you at the same time right here on campus.
As always, be sure to read through all the info listed in the newsletter so that you do not miss out on the activities that interest you and your Spartan!
Trinette Keffer
Upper School Headmaster
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The Big Give is a 24-hour giving event from 6 PM on Sep 20th to 6 PM on Sep 21st, benefiting our Community Investment campaign that fills the funding gap for for facility updates, teacher retention, and and much much more. Donors receive car decals and be entered in to Spartan Swag Giveaways.
See the schedule linked here for Matching Minutes and Spartan Swag drawings. Help us reach our $50,000 goal--any contribution matters! Please contact Ryan Travis if you or your company are interested in becoming a matching gift donor or Spartan Business Partner.
Kick-Off Tailgate
Join us for the Big Give kickoff starting at 5PM Wednesday, September 20th, at the Middle School and JV Football home games (MS Football vs. Valor at 5pm & JV Football vs IDEA at 6pm). Come enjoy:
- Free Food
- Bob's Aguas Frescas
- Limited edition Spartan Swag Raffles
- Live DJ
- Activities for scholars
- Football games
- 6:10 PM Matching Minute
Big Give Pro-Tips:
- Prepare your donation before Match Minutes.
- Split a $300 gift into three $100 donations during Matching Minutes to double your contribution.
- Stay tuned to our social media and emails for updates and winners.
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Parent Teacher Conferences | |
October 9th, 10th, & 11th | Parents save the dates for Upper School Parent Teacher Conferences on October 9th, 10th, and 11th. As a reminder, parent teacher conferences will only be held on those 3 days. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet with all 6 of your scholar teachers at one time! Please be sure to watch for the sign-up genius that will go out to families this week so you are able to sign up. |
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Lobbies Closed During Afternoon Pick-Up
Please note that the lobby will be closed from 3-4 pm on full days and from 1-2 pm on Early Release days until after the carline is completed. The lobby will then re-open for Athenaeum checkouts.
If parents need to check out their children early from school, it is recommended to do so before 3 pm on full days and before 1 pm on Early Release Fridays. Checking out students beyond these times could cause delays in getting them to their families on time. This is because end-of-day routines in class, such as packing up and locker visits, transitions between classes, Athenaeum pick-up routines, and club/intramural rotations occur after 3/1 pm.
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Open Lunches at Upper School | |
Parents/guardians of scholars in grades 6th through 10th can accompany their scholar during their lunch period on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Parent/guardian must sign up for a slot prior to visiting for lunch. This will ensure that there is enough seating available for scholars and their guests on that day.
*Please read the Lunch Guidelines before RSVPing
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Cell Phone Locker Reminder | |
Just a reminder about our new Cell Phone Lockers!
Students are required to drop their phones off in their assigned cell phone lockers first thing upon arriving at the campus in the morning and pick them up upon being dismissed to Carline. The only places a student may store their phone is in their cell phone locker or, in certain circumstances, the W. If a student fails to have their cell phone properly stored in their cell phone locker, they will receive an In-School-Suspension (ISS).
If your student does not have a cell phone locker and intends to bring a cell phone at any time to campus, they should swing by the Swag Shop before the start of the first period or during morning break to get one assigned to them.
If your student loses their cell phone locker key, they should come by the W immediately for assistance on how to proceed.
We are so happy to give the students this opportunity to focus on their classwork and enjoy the company of their friends!
John Womack
Dean of Students, Upper School
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Upper School Housekeeping |
Dismissal Cut-Off
The Upper School carline ends at 4:10 PM. Scholars who are not picked up at this time will be placed in the Homework Club and will be charged $1/minute.
Please review the following wave times-
3:30-3:40 PM Upper School Students Only
3:40-4:00 PM Upper School Students with Lower school siblings
4-4:10 Homework Recovery/Detention
Teacher Tutoring
Tutoring has begun! All teachers have their tutoring times posted on their classroom doors. Teachers offer tutoring during the morning break and by appointment.
| Scholars can find this station around the corner from the kitchen in the gym (across from the Coach's office). |
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Academy Advisory Committe | |
The Academy Advisory Committee, or AAC, is composed of parents who nominated themselves for appointment, our two Headmasters, the Director of Community Engagement, and two additional faculty. The committee uses their semesterly meetings as opportunities for the school leadership and parent stakeholders to exchange valuable insight and discuss goals concerning campus safety, facility improvement, culture, and communication. This is a vital way our school leadership is able to share and hear our community's voices in these areas.
To that end, AAC meetings are open to the public. Though non-AAC attendees may not contribute during the meeting discussion, any family with relevant concerns, ideas, encouragements, or valuable insight can contact the AAC members listed on our website and request that they bring them to the committee's attention. The next AAC meeting is September 18th at 4:30 PM in the Upper School Library.
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Apply for Free & Reduced Lunch! | |
Great Hearts participates in the Free & Reduced Lunch (FRL) Program. Your family may qualify for breakfast and lunch meals at a minimal or no cost. You can submit an application at https://linqconnect.com/public/meal-application/new?lang=English
This state application is still required even if you applied and qualified for preliminary assistance with the campus over the summer.
If you have any questions, please email Meals@GreatHeartsTXSchools.org
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Please Note: 9th-grade students who are taking music first semester will need a 1” black 3-ring binder.
Welcome! This list of SA Music Performances is just a snapshot of the opportunities for live music in SA. I am hoping it will encourage families to attend performances and experience the beauty of live music! If you are interested in a different genre of music performance, please reach out to me so I can share those opportunities.
Mrs. Lewis, kathryn.lewis@greatheartstxschools.org
Music Instructor, Upper School
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Here is the updated and FINAL practice schedule for both sports.
Flag Football:
Monday and Wednesday from 4:15-5:15
Volleyball:
Pevensies and Reepicheep will practice on Monday from 4:15-5:15 and Wednesday from 5:15-6:15
Baggins and Oakenshield will practice on Tuesday from 4:15-5:15 and Thursday from 5:15-6:15
Intramural Volleyball families, just a reminder for the practices held from 5:15-6:15: You will need to pick up your scholars in Carline and then drop them off in front of the gym before practice starts. If your child is already signed up for Athenaeum or Homework Club, they may stay there until practice starts. Please let me know that your scholar is doing that so I can inform you who is in charge.
Also, please make sure your scholar brings a water bottle to practice.
If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Boring. hannah.boring@greatheartstxschools.org
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New Pick-Up Procedure for After-School Athletics & Intramurals
We have seen how congested our pick-up area is getting with the amount of students needing to be picked up and with games now starting to take place. Now that we know what the upper school guild schedule and release look like, we are hoping this new procedure will help us reduce the time it takes to pick up your scholar from upper school athletics.
a. Students will exit the upper school with the coaches through the front doors.
- Parents should enter via the Midhurst entrance towards the upper school (this includes parents of 5th graders participating in intramurals).
- Parents should utilize the upper school carline and line up in a single file line - They should NOT line up side by side like is done for morning drop off & and afterschool pickup.
- Once a parent has their child, they may exit the carline by pulling into the free lane, the rest of the cars may then pull up.
- Students will NOT be permitted to cross past the line to a car on the opposite side and must wait until their car is lined up by the sidewalk.
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Athletics Shoutouts:
-Thank you to all the parents who answered the call and assisted us with the Great Water Outage of 2023!!!
-Cross Country participated in the Great Hearts Meet on Saturday 9.9.23. Middle School girls placed 4th overall, and MS Boys placed 2nd!
Upcoming Athletic Competitions:
Monday September 18th:
HS Girls VB vs. GHFH – 6 pm – Home
Agoge Girls VB @ BASIS Jack Lewis JR – 6:30 pm - Away
HS Boys VB @ Harmony SA – 7 pm -Away
Wednesday September 20th – BIG GIVE TAILGATE STARTING AT 5 PM!
MS FFB vs. Valor – 5:00 pm – Home
HS FFB vs. IDEA Converse – 6:00 pm - Home
HS Boys VB @ IDEA Walzem – 6:00 pm – Away
Spartan VB @ IDEA Burke – 6:00 pm - Away
Thursday September 21st –
MS FFB vs. GH Invictus – 5:30 pm - Home
Friday September 22nd –
Agoge VB @ SST Hill country – 5:30 pm – Away
HS Boys VB @ IDEA Mays – 6:30 pm - Away
Saturday September 23rd –
Cross Country Meet – River City Believers @ River City Community Church Athletic Fields (Old Verizon Wireless Amphitheater)
16765 Lookout Rd, Selma, TX 78154. (Across the street from Retama Park). Races start at 8 am.
HS FFB @ Lighthouse Public (Location: Alamo Sportsplex) – 10:00 am
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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
September 21st - PSO General Meeting for Upper and Lower School Families, Lower School MPR at 6 pm
September 22nd - Circus Maximus, New Parent Social
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Upper School Library Volunteers Needed | We're excited to get the library open and available to our scholars and we need your help. | |
Care and Concern Comittee -- Items Needed! | Care & Concern is asking for help with lunches, click on the Signup Genius link for more info: | |
Daily School Lunch Volunteers | It takes many hands to make sure our students are fed quickly every day. | |
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Texas Education and Legislative Updates:
The Texas Education Agency this week announced the release of A-F accountability scores for school districts and campuses would be delayed until at least late October. The new accountability scores were set to be released on September 28 following the agency’s transition to exclusive online STAAR tests and its intensive process of refreshing the cut scores, which had remained unchanged since 2017.
A 2017 state law requires a periodic refresh to the accountability system to adjust cut points and indicators in the state’s STAAR accountability system with the goal of ensuring that Texas is meeting goals for student progress and achievement. Cut points are the specific numerical targets that districts and campuses must reach in order to receive a particular grade.
The state education agency cited the additional month “will allow for a further re-examination of the baseline data used in the calculation of ‘Progress’ to ensure ratings reflect the most appropriate goals for students,” according to the TEA’s Sept 12 press release.
Lawmakers convened the 88th Texas Legislature in May without passing a school finance package. It is expected that a special legislative session will be called – likely in October – to tackle increases to the state’s rate of per-pupil funding, teacher pay, and more. In the spring, the Texas House’s omnibus school finance bill would have decreased per pupil for charter schools. TPCSA is working hard behind the scenes, garnering support for increases in state funding for charters, in particular, to address their inequitable facilities funding.
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.
To learn more about charter advocacy, contact GH’s Family Advocacy Manager, Bridie Chaudoir, at bridie.chaudoir@greatheartstxschools.org
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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. | | | | | |
