Dear Gullett Caregivers,
How am I already writing this letter to close out our semester? I am still in shock that the first half of the 23-24 school year is coming to a close! The next few weeks will be fast and furious. Teachers will be keeping things as normal as possible, while still providing fun and engaging activities. There is a lot of information to be shared these days and this letter is no exception. While we do our best to avoid Konstella fatigue, sometimes it is inevitable. Please note that there will be separate additional communications in these next weeks regarding enrollment, science fair, holidays, and of course, the fence. I promise clear subject lines so you know exactly what the messages are and can search if needed!
As a school, we will be having spirit days all related to our overarching theme: “Holidays around the GLOWbe.” It’s a mashup of our year long theme “Grow to Glow” with holidays around the world. We are kicking things off this Friday with our “Cultural Heritage Fair” and encouraging everyone to wear something that represents their culture. Perhaps you have a hat or t-shirt that represents something special about your culture or your family origins? Do you know the colors of a flag you have family from? Maybe you have traditional clothing or a folk costume such as lederhosen, a kimono, a sari, a kilt, a dashiki, a beret or even a sombrero? If it represents your culture (and is school appropriate), we can’t wait to see you in it! We have expanded the times for viewing and will even have a schoolwide sing along/dance party at the end of the day. If you would like to join us, come grab a visitor badge at the office and head on down to the gym. There are other spirit days for the holidays happening as well and each one will be posted on the Konstella calendar along with the class holiday party schedule.
When focusing on being a culturally responsive school, we look at honoring everyone here at Gullett. We continue to strive for classrooms to be windows and mirrors for students. We have already learned about several important holidays this year such as Diwali, Dia de los Muertos, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. This month the calendar has given us opportunities to discuss Hanukkah, Christmas, Las Posadas, Kwanzaa, and the winter solstice. There is so much to celebrate for every culture, and we are lucky that we are able to do it throughout the year!
I know the changes in daylight hours and the chilly mornings can make it hard to get moving. We are so happy to see your children every morning no matter what time they arrive, however, it is always easiest for your student to be here on time at 7:30 to start their day with their classroom routines. Please allot plenty of time as I know that trek across campus can be lengthy and once the fence is finished possibly more complicated!
On a similar note, please do not arrive to check students out for the day after 2:45. The end of the day can be hectic, and we want to make sure all students get where they need to be safely. The fence is nearing completion and locks will be added soon. I know we have sent out several communications, but it is still a BIG change for our community and how we operate. I have attached the fliers again explaining those changes. Once the fence is locked, it will impact both coming and going to school, so please make sure to allot enough time to do so. The car line starts moving at about 3, so those of you parked in a visitor spot may find yourself stuck until after 3:20.
One last big thing. As you may have seen from district communications, it is time to register for next year. You are not mistaken-this is much sooner than our typical enrollment timeline! In the past this process began in late spring, so I wanted to make sure I shared this change with you all. While it may seem a bit early to be planning for the future, having all students registered is crucial for us as it directly impacts our ability to make informed decisions regarding staffing and resource allocations. To register, please visit https://www.austinisd.org/enroll/2023-24 or log in to your parent portal. I will be sending out more information on this and am happy to answer any questions you may have. It is a new system and that can be confusing! To further incentivize registration, we are offering a popcorn party to the first grade level that is 95% registered for the next year. Your commitment to timely registration is invaluable and much appreciated!
I hope that each of you enjoy the extra time we are getting with families as we close out December and start the New Year. We look forward to welcoming all you back on Tuesday, January 9th!
Kindly,
Tammy Thompson
Proud Principal, Gullett Elementary