Upcoming Events

Feb 15th 7th Grade Field Trip, Austin, TX

Feb 16th 8th Grade Field Trip, San Marcos, TX

Feb 16th PSO Info Night & Used inform Sale

Feb 17th No School

Feb 20th President's Day - No School

Feb 28-March 2nd 9^th Grade High School Trip

March 4th 9^th Grade My Antonia Dance

March 10th Academic Field Day

March 20-31st Read-a-thon

March 24th 7 & 8 Grade Coffee with the Headmaster

April 1st PSO Fiesta

Click the links below to add the campus event calendar to your personal calendars:

*DON'T FORGET TO SCROLL ALL THE WAY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE NEWSLETTER TO VIEW ALL THIS WEEK'S CONTENT!

Quick Links

Bonus: Click here to join the GHWH PSO Facebook Group

Covered in this Newsletter

Operational Updates
HEB Foundation Camp
Student IDs
Read-a-thon
Snowflake Fund
Grade Level Blogs
House Swag Store
PSO Corner
Guilds
Athletics & Intramurals
Advocacy Corner
SmugMug

Operational Updates

Lost and Found

All items left behind in Lost and Found will be donated on Thursday, Feb. 16^th. Please encourage your student to check for missing water bottles, lunch boxes, notebooks, and sweaters.

Dismissal Reminder

All students MUST be picked up by 4:20 PM (2:20 on early release days) unless they are enrolled in an after-school activity (please be aware that clubs and many athletics will not begin until September). After 4:20 PM (2:20 PM on early release days), students will be monitored by Athenaeum/Homework Club, and a charge of $1 per minute will be incurred. Parents arriving after 4:20 PM (2:20 PM early release) will need to park in the Lower School Lot and sign their child out at the front desk.

*PLEASE DO NOT USE CELL PHONES WHILE IN THE SCHOOL ZONE OR IN CARLINE ON CAMPUS.

Attendance

Attendance matters! Here’s why:

Our campus funding is dependent on scholars attending school. This is the number one way WH receives funding from the state.
The amount we receive from the state is based on our average daily attendance. Every day your scholar attends school, our campus receives over $45 in state funding.

How you can help us:

If your scholar is out sick, please send an email or doctor's note to our attendance mailbox at attendance@greatheartswesternhills.org for each day(s) your scholar is out sick.
Please be sure to have your scholar in their classes when attendance is taken each day at 9:50 AM.

Click here for more info on our Spartan Business Partnerships!

9th Grade HEB Foundation Camp

Feb 28th - March 2nd

Who: 9^th Grade Students

When: Tuesday, February 28 - Thursday, March 2

Where: H.E. Butt Foundation Outdoor School, Kerrville, TX

GHWH Upper School, in partnership with the H.E. Butt Foundation Outdoor School, will provide our 9^th grade students with free, transformative, and educational overnight experiences, each set within the rugged beauty of the Texas Hill Country.

The Outdoor School is situated along the banks of the Frio River on the 1,900-acre H. E. Butt Foundation property deep in the Texas Hill Country, 13 miles north of Leakey on U.S. Highway 83. This trip is an extension of the Biology and Sciences curriculum offered at the upper school. By participating in hands-on, highly active activities, as well as journaling their observations of nature, we hope students can take what they learn about the outdoors as well as themselves and apply it to their life back home.

We hope that the awe of nature inspires students to recognize their impact and fulfill their roles as caretakers of their natural spaces through close encounters with the beautiful Texas landscape.

For more information, please contact Headmaster Keffer, or Ms. Koci.

Student IDs

Starting January 17, students were issued and required to wear a student ID.

This ID will include their student number and picture and will streamline the process of ordering lunch and is part of our initiative to heighten student security on campus. Students will be issued a generic black lanyard but may purchase a House lanyard from the House Swag Shoppe.

They will become a required piece of the school uniform (uniform infractions will be issued for missing IDs), so we suggest that students plan to either leave it in their locker every afternoon or place it in their backpack in the same place every day so that they avoid losing it. Lost IDs will be charged $2 for a new one.

Snowflake Fund Corner

It's time for the Snowflake Fund again!

This is the one time during the year when we as a Great Hearts community can come together and give our teachers a financial gift to say "Thank You!" for all they do for our scholars day in and day out.

Our goal is to raise $15,000 during the month of February to divide up among our teachers and give to them right before Spring Break. If you'd like to give, money will be collected during afternoon carline throughout the month, or you can visit https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8R9UahRluS to give directly.

If you'd like to help our efforts in other ways, we need help collecting during carline or collecting prizes to give away during raffles. Please contact the Snowflake Fund chair, Chris Via, at 719-963-4586 to find out how you can get involved. With everyone's help, we can "make it snow" for our teachers this month!

PSO Corner

PSO Community Info Night & Used Uniform Sale

When: Feb 16th

Time: 6:00 p.m

Where: Lower School MPR

Like to know more about how you can get involved and upcoming PSO community events? Our PSO info night is the perfect time to get informed!

Come early to the MPR to show our PSO-hosted Used Uniform Sale to grab gently used items like skirts, sweaters, shirts, and pants at a huge discount!

Teacher Luncheon

Nachos, Tacos Y Mas!!! Our next teacher luncheon is coming up (Friday, Feb.24th) and nothing says love like tacos!! Please take a look at the sign-up and all the help/donations are very greatly appreciated.

Lower School sign-up

Upper School sign-up

Lunchroom Volunteers Opportunities are back!

Lunchroom Volunteer Opportunities are back! If you are interested and have completed the volunteer background and training (in-person and online), please review and sign up! We look forward to seeing you!

Click here to Volunteer at Lunch.

PSO Talks

Click below to enjoy the first video in our series from the PSO--this time with some of the volunteers championing our libraries!

Upper School Blogs

These blogs will be a way for parents to know of upcoming tests, projects, events, or grade printouts. This will also be a way for us to inform parents of grade-specific events including field trips, house events, or other similar events. We will not be posting specific homework assignments or actual pdfs of assignments.

6th-8th Grade Blog

9th Grade Blog

Guilds

Guild sign-ups will go live on Feb 6th Guilds go live at 6pm. Details forthcoming.

Feb 13th First Week of Guilds begins.
Guilds will run from 4:20-5:20 PM.

Pick up will be at the upper school and will run from 5:20-5:35. Any student not picked up by 5:35 will be brought over to the lower school and admitted to the afterschool program, where fees may apply.

Spring Guild offerings:

Book Guild 6/7
Book Guild 8/9
Theater Guild
Mathletes Guild
Publication Guild
Robotics Guild
ASL Guild
Swordsmanship Guild
Duke of Edenborough Guild (9^th Grade Leadership Training)
Golf Guild

House Swag Store

Pick-Up and Purchases Tuesday & Thursday

How to Purchase?

Click here for Configio OR Send exact cash or check in with your scholar or visit the parent payment portal.

Where to pick it up?

Students will have an opportunity to pick up items at the “Swag Locker Station” located in the lobby of the Upper school campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

*If your online purchase is intended as a gifted surprise for our scholar, please email nicole.glowe@greatheartswesternhills.org with your request.

Uniform Tie	$25
Scarf	$25
Beanie	$20
Cinch Bag	$15
Lanyard	$8
Decal	$3
Patch	$2

Athletics & Intramurals

BIG SHOUT OUT TO OUR MATHLETES TEAM FOR WINNING THEIR FIRST EVER REGIONAL COMPETITION AND QUALIFYING FOR STATE!!!

Weight Room Update

Spartans, we asked, and you answered! Thank you so much to the families who have helped supply our needs for the weight room! Because of you, are 8^th & 9^th grade scholars are starting to learn to lift on Tuesdays and Wednesdays during our Morning Break. We have updated our needs list. If you would like to still donate, see below for items we could still use:

-Trap Bars (AKA Hex Bars)

- Barbell Holder such as the one below:

https://www.amazon.com/Eapele-Barbell-Storage-Olympic-EZ-Bars/dp/B07ZYH7BRV/ref=sr_1_3?crid=9OPKI98VBE97&keywords=barbell+holder&qid=1676043886&sprefix=barbell+holder%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-3

-Dumbbells or Kettlebells in the following weights: 8 lbs, 10 lbs, 15 lbs, 20 lbs, 25 lbs.

https://www.amazon.com/BalanceFrom-Rubber-Encased-Dumbbell-Pairs/dp/B096L54LY8/ref=sr_1_6?crid=3PA6PMB44EMLV&keywords=10+lb+dumbbells&qid=1676043848&sprefix=10+lb+dumbbells%2Caps%2C121&sr=8-6

Upcoming Athletics Games:

High School Soccer

2/13/23 – 5:00 pm vs SA Prep – Location TBD (please monitor Big Teams)

MS Girls Soccer

2/18/23 – 10 am vs. Harmony Science Academy – Soccer Central Field 3

MS Boys Soccer

2/18/23 – 1:15 am vs. Harmony Science Academy – Soccer Central Field 3

You may find the full schedule on our athletics website at: www.greatheartswesternhillsathletics.org.

There will be $2 admission charge to middle and high school athletics games. Great Hearts Western Hills students will not be charged admission.

Game Day Reminders for Soccer:

Soccer Central does not have bathrooms, porta-potties are available.
All facilities are still under construction therefore OFF LIMITS. Persons found violating this, or entering roped-off areas, will be immediately escorted off the grounds, and banned for the remainder of the season.
There are no benches, please bring a chair to sit.
No parents or spectators are allowed on the field at any time. They must remain behind the fence.
Thank you so much for adhering to these guidelines so we may offer a safe and enjoyable experience to our athletes and to you!

Spring Sports Update:

If interested in participating in any sport, please make sure your registration has been updated on Big Teams at www.planeths.com. Email Coach Disney at Elizabeth.disney@greatheartswesternhills.org if you need assistance.

Track & Field

-Last day to register on Big Teams was 2.10.23.

-First official practice begins on Monday 2.13.23 – if you are unable to make the practice please speak to Coach Chisholm at travis.chisholm@greatheartswesternhills.org.

Softball:

-There is NO open practice the week of 2.13-2.17 due to no school on 2.17.

-The LAST open practice will be 2.24 from 4:30 – 6:00 pm

-Tryouts will be 2.27, 2.28, 3.1 after school. Rosters will be announced Mar 2^nd.

HS students attending the HEB Science Trip will be notified next week of when their tryouts will take place.

Baseball:

-Open Practices on 2.11.23 and 2.18.23 from 9-11 am

-To make sure you receive baseball communications, please make sure you are registered in Big Teams at www.planeths.com. If you need assistance, please email Coach Disney at Elizabeth.disney@greatheartswesternhills.org.

SPECIAL BASEBALL ANNOUNCEMENT!

We have had a GREAT turnout and are so excited to be starting up this new sport. We have just enough boys to make a team, however, after special consideration of the age ranges and skill level, we have decided to not have a competitive baseball team this year. We will instead be turning baseball into a guild, starting in March, and hope your son will continue to join us as we prepare to have a competitive team next year. More information will be emailed to the families who are registered on Big Teams next week – please make sure your scholar is registered there so you may receive information

GHWH Athletics Website

Intramurals

We are off to a good start with our intramural basketball season! I have seen a lot of very skilled basketball players at practice!

Middle Earth basketball players! If you have the 5:15-6:15 practice, you are able to leave your scholars at school for a study hall before practice. They will head to their study hall at final push. You are also able to pick your scholar up in car line, just make sure they are dropped off in front of the gym before practice.

Our first game is on February 25^th. Playing at 9 a.m. is girls' Narnia vs. Oakenshield and playing at 10 a.m. is boys' Narnia vs Baggins! Please come out and support your houses to VICTORY!

Advocacy Corner

Texas 88^th Legislature: Charter School Advocacy

· Did you know that the Texas Capitol building is pink because of the "Sunset Red" granite used to build it? The 88th Legislative Session is well underway, and public charter schools are one of the major topics on the legislative agenda!

Register to learn more about the charter school association’s legislative priorities and how you can help by clicking this link. The information sessions are on Thursday, February 15, 2023, from 10:00-10:30 AM OR 6:30 - 7:00 PM. Select your preferred time when you register. Once your registration is received, an invitation will be sent to your email.

· The Speaker for the Texas House of Representatives has named the chair of the House of Public Education as Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado). You can view the full list of members here.

· Stay up to date on critical charter school legislation 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.

Campus Photos on SmugMug

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.

Click here to view photos

Great Hearts Western Hills | Website