Gullett Gazette - Sept. 3, 2024

Dear Caregivers,

Welcome to September! On the first Monday of each month we will be sharing our “Gullett Gazette” to give our families important schoolwide information. Of course our first Monday for the first month happened to be Labor Day, so this month, Tuesday it is! Our Geckos are definitely in the swing of things. Procedures are firmly in place, and students are working all kinds of learning opportunities as they explore the curriculum.

On Thursday, September 5th PK-4 teachers will host Back to School night to share relevant information with you about the classroom and curriculum goals and expectations for the year. (5th grade will be the following week on September 12th.) The first session begins at 5:00 and the 2nd session is at 5:30. The same information will be shared at both sessions. This event is geared towards grown ups, so please if possible, leave your Gecko at home.

This week students will start on various beginning of the year assessments, including MAPGrowth Reading and Math. I know teachers are looking forward to sharing this information with you at conferences. Of course the best part comes in the spring, when we can show you all the growth they have made this year! In the coming weeks you'll be getting information from your child's teacher about signing up for a time to visit with them. There is no school on Monday, October 14th to allow time for teachers to meet with parents. Teachers will do their best to accommodate times to meet, but please remember they are scheduling with 20 or more different families and only a small window of time to do so. Your support and flexibility is much appreciated! (Also please note that Oct 3rd & 4th are student holidays.)

September has several fun events for our Geckos. Here at Gullett, we love a good dress up opportunity. On Friday, September 13th, we will celebrate international “Dot Day” which is focused on creativity, collaboration and courage. We are encouraging students to wear polka dots on Friday as a symbol of being original and making your mark. On Thursday, September 19th, it is “National Talk Like a Pirate Day!” Feel free to let your child dress up as a pirate on that day. Black shorts or pants and a white T-shirt can often do the trick (no weapons). We will do a school wide treasure hunt and of course there will be plenty of “argh me hearties” to be heard in the halls.

September 15th also begins Hispanic Heritage Month! We will be sharing information during announcements, and teachers will also be incorporating this into their lesson plans. On September 26th, we will be having an all day celebration in honor of Hispanic Heritage month. We are finalizing plans for McCallum’s Ballet Folklorico to join us for a performance, are planning other in class activities, and at night PTA is sponsoring evening activities here on campus from 5:30-7:00. More details to follow so keep an eye out on Konstella and mark your calendars!

Many volunteer opportunities are starting here at Gullett and we are thrilled to welcome our parents into our school! Please remember that to volunteer, you must have a free yearly required background check completed. Please note, volunteer registration for Austin ISD has changed. We will now be using Voly instead of APIE. You can get signed up at https://austinisd.voly.org. Once a volunteer registers through Voly they will receive an email to complete the background check which can be processed as quickly as 5 minutes and a max of 5 days.

Room parents are getting started and AppleCore has already been hard at work. Our grounds team is taking on their next big project of gardening with classrooms, and our animal care team has been adding all kinds of extra touches. On September 12th at 6:00 in the library, we will have our “Gathering of the Guardians” which is a training for “Guardians of the Geckos.” which we launched last year. Check out this flier for more information! This is a great way to volunteer for just one day here at the school and get an up close look at a day in the life of your Gecko. This opportunity is open to all caregivers!

I am looking forward to all the excitement the next few weeks have in store as we continue to kick off the 24-25 school. At Gullett this year our theme is “GROWing Our Story,” Last year, we introduced Geckos G.R.O.W. to teach students Gullett core values. G is for goalsetters, R is for respectful, O is for original and W is for welcoming. We will focus on student growth in all ways and celebrating their successes and special stories. We know our Geckos and families will have so many treasured memories this year-it’s going to be a great 24-25 school year here at Gullett! Thank you again for all of your support and for sharing your children with us - Gullett is definitely a school like no other place!

Sincerely,

Tammy Thompson

Proud Principal, Gullett Elementary

Welcome! My name is DeAnna Mahan, and I am the school counselor for Gullett Elementary School. Nothing gives me greater joy than supporting your Geckos! Please reach out to me with any questions or concerns (deanna.mahan@austinisd.org or 512-414-2082 EXT 56028)

Classroom Counseling Lessons!

All students participate in Tier 1 counseling services via classroom counseling lessons. Our first lesson will be an introduction/review of the role of the school counselor. We will also practice some mindfulness strategies that you can use at home! (Other Tier 1 counseling services include brief check-ins upon request by school staff, parents, or students.)

Mini Meetings!

Mini meetings, also Tier 1 counseling services,, are scheduled periodically throughout the school year. These are private, informal check-ins with every student to ensure that each student has an opportunity to meet one on one with the counselor.

Small Group Counseling Sessions!

Tier 2 counseling services are available to students needing additional support in order to succeed academically and/or socially. PreK and Kindergarten students referred by teachers or parents for Tier 2 services have the option of participating in a play group. Students in grades 1-5 may be referred by their teachers or parents to participate in the counselor’s lunch bunch. Parent permission is required (Gecko Lunch Bunch Permission Form). Gecko Lunch Bunch meets weekly up to 6 times during the student’s lunch period. These small group sessions will be based on the “Character Strong” curriculum and are designed to teach positive mindsets, knowledge and skills. Sessions will focus on coping, regulation, relationships, and/or self-management.

Individual Counseling!

Tier 3 counseling services are delivered individually and are designed to help students improve their classroom behavior, support academic progress, assist them in gaining insight into themselves and others, enhance self-concept, and to achieve skills in problem solving, decision-making, and social interactions.

The school counselor checks in with students on an as needed basis during the school day.. Parents may refer students for individual counseling Consent for Individual Counseling.

Hello, Gecko Musicians!

Welcome to the 24-25 school year, where the Wednesdays are wacky and the music rooms are busy! 3rd-5th graders need to have recorders at school ASAP so we can get started earning belts. If your student can’t find theirs, we can provide them with one. Please feel free to make a donation online so we can continue this service.

Meet your music teachers: read Mr. Jurgens’ and Mr. S’ teaching bios.

Here are some upcoming events:

• 9/17: 5th grade performance Jazz it Up!--auditions due 9/13

• 9/19: Austin Jazz Workshop (3rd-5th graders)

• 10/16: 3rd grade performance Nightsong

That’s all for now, but plenty more will be coming soon. Please email us with questions!

Sincerely,

Will Jurgens and Marc Sustaita

Gullett Music Staff

Welcome back Gecko families! In PE, students will participate in a variety of activities in accordance with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills. We look forward to teaching your child many movement skills along with cooperation and good sportsmanship. Please help your child be prepared for active participation in both P.E. and recess by wearing athletic shoes. Your student’s P.E. days will not always fall on the same days of the week, so it is very important that your child wears comfortable clothing and athletic shoes EVERY DAY!

PE will be taught by Ms. Garcia, Coach Rose, and Mr. Victor again this year.

Ms. Garcia is an Austin native, AISD, and St. Edward’s University graduate. This is her 7th year teaching PE at Gullett. When she’s not teaching, Ms. Garcia loves spending time with her daughter Sophia (10 months old) and husband Ruben. She also enjoys playing soccer and watching movies while relaxing at home!

Coach Rose has been teaching elementary school physical education for 20 years and this is her 3rd year here at Gullett. When she’s not teaching young people, she also enjoys sharing her passion for fitness with adults, teaching group fitness classes at Lifetime. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, doing yoga and spending time with her family and friends.

Mr. Victor was born in Zitacuaro, a city located in the State of Michoacan in Mexico. He migrated to San Jose California at age 20. Moved to Austin and has been here for 5 years now. This is his 3rd year teaching PE at Gullett. Mr. Victor coaches his son's soccer team.

What we are learning

We are currently in our cooperation unit where students will review and practice teamwork and good sportsmanship.

Marathon Kids

Students in grades K-5 will participate in Marathon Kids again this year. Marathon Kids is a running program that works for any kid, at any fitness level. Kids set their goals and track their progress on a journey to complete four marathons, or 104.8 miles, over the course of the year. Marathon “Kick-Off Day” coming up on Wednesday, September 18th. Please be on the lookout for further details.