9th Grade HEB Foundation Camp

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.

PSO Corner

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

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. 

Guilds

Reminder: Semester 1 guilds have ended. There will be no guilds this week . 

Please be on the lookout for Semester 2 guild offerings and signups in later newsletters!

House Swag Store

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.

Registration is through Aktivate: www.registermyathlete.com

Registration will CLOSE on January 30th, and practices will begin on February 6th.

If this is your first intramural sport of the year, you must purchase an intramural shirt. Shirts from last year are allowed in the competition.

Requirements for Intramurals

1. Students must be academically eligible to compete. This is determined by receiving a 70% or above in all classes.
2. A medical physical completed by a physician clearing the student for a physical activity must be on file before students can participate.
3. Registration through Aktivate (www.registermyathlete.com including a preparticipation form, medical physical, and signed athletic handbook). Click here for PDF
4. Parents must read and understand that by signing up for intramural sports, you have accepted and acknowledged the sports club disclaimer at checkout).

Payments will be made in Configio; the link will be sent out next week.

For any questions, please email Intramural Athletic Director Hannah Boring@hannah.boring@greatheartswesternhills.org

Texas 88^th Legislature: Charter School Advocacy

·      The Texas Legislature has convened in Austin for its biennial session. Between now and May, Great Hearts needs parent voices from each campus to advocate for our classical charter schools. If you feel called to serve as a parent advocate for your campus, email Family Advocacy Manager Bridie Chaudoir at bridie.chaudoir@greatheartstx.org.

·      TPCSA’s Legislative Priorities: A bill was filed last week in the state senate to end municipal discrimination against public charter schools, which are often targeted with additional fees, zoning, and permitting schemes that divert state funding from the classroom.

To follow updates on this critical charter legislation, please click this link to subscribe to action alerts from The Texas Public Charter School Association. TPCSA is the statewide organization representing Texas charter schools to state leaders, lawmakers, and state agencies. 

·       Online Advocacy Workshop: TPCSA has opened registration for its next Parent Advocate Leader program (PAL). This program trains parents to become advocacy champions. TPCSA's goal is to win in Austin. Parent voices will make a difference in helping to achieve this goal!

The online sessions will be held three consecutive Wednesdays beginning on January 25.  Register today by completing this form: PAL 2023 LINK The time options are 7:30-8:00 AM; 10-10:30 AM; 6:30-7 PM, or 7-7:30 PM.

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