OUR GRAY HAWK FAMILY works together to help students feel safe, loved, and inspired so they can be empowered learners and engaged citizens.

Please check out the important dates below.

CONFERENCES ARE THIS UPCOMING WEEK!

Please sign up for a conference with your child(ren)'s teacher. The times designated for these conferences are Wednesday October 20 and Thursday October 21. If you are unable to come in person, our teachers can accommodate a Zoom or phone call. Please do not ask teachers to have a conference on a different day. They are working so hard and are spread thin as it is. Thank you for your consideration!

Wednesday, October 20 Report Cards distributed. Conferences from 4 - 8 pm

Gray Hawk Specials Teachers will be here on Wednesday only and will spend Thursday at Linwood Elementary. If you would like to speak to Mrs. Penfield, Mrs. Ramsey, or Mr. Eller please stop by their rooms on Wednesday evening.

Thursday, October 21 from 1:00 - 7:00 pm *

Friday, October 22 is a day off for staff. *

Students will NOT come to school on Thursday, October 21 or Friday, October 22.

Stop by Daylight Donuts at 15518 Pinehurst Drive on Saturday and pick up some delicious donuts or ice cream treats and a portion of each sale will come right back to OUR GRAY HAWK PTO for programs that directly support OUR GRAY HAWKS! See you there!

In a little over a week, OUR GRAY HAWKS have reported over 600 acts of kindness. We are so proud of their efforts! They are more than half way to OUR school goal of 1,000 and almost a quarter of the way to Springer's Goal of 2,5000. We still have three days and I know we can do it but it is going to take a collective effort from OUR GRAY HAWK COMMUNITY as well. Please write down the kind acts that YOUR FAMILY is doing and we will have kids write it on their orange slips to display in the lobby here at Gray Hawk.

Our incredible music teacher - Mrs. Penfield - is preparing a program to honor our veterans.

Details will be coming soon but parents and community members are invited to bring lawn chairs and enjoy the program as each grade level will perform a song honoring our veterans. Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for more information.

Gary Paulsen is our featured author this week to commemorate his passing. Gary Paulsen died at the age of 82, on Wed. October 13th.

Paulsen wrote over 200 books for young readers and was nominated for many awards. His books often focused on survival, particularly in the wilderness. His classic book Hatchet has been a must read for intermediate students for many years.

Gary Paulsen had a very different childhood. He started out life with an alcoholic mother and no father. When he was 5 years old his mother put him on a bus to go and live with an aunt and uncle in Minnesota. He developed his love of the outdoors there.

He would either head to the woods or the library during his years in Minnesota. There he met a librarian who gave him a library card, books to read, and a notebook with a pen. Gary Paulsen worked as a truck driver, a farm worker, a ranch worker, sailor and carnival worker before he sold his first book. He now has sold more than 35 million copies.

As you can see Gary Paulsen lived a very diverse life. He even spent 2 years sailing around the world.

Featured Book: Hatchet

(Thank you Mrs. Kenton and Miss Quinby for another great author!)

As a part of our commitment to ensuring that our students are exposed to the contributions of people of color and from different backgrounds, we kicked off this past week by giving daily clues to a famous person from history that has made our world a better place. This past week, the students heard the following clues:

• I was born in India on October 2, 1869. I am most known for organizing non-violent protests in my country.

• I fought for India to not be ruled by the British Empire. I encouraged people not to fight, but to instead do things like refuse to work or boycott the government.

• One of my most successful protests was called The Salt March. The British put a tax on salt so I walked 241 miles to the sea to make my own salt. Thousands of people joined me on this 24 day journey.

• In India, my name means “Great Soul” and I am also called “The Father of the Nation”.

• Later in my life, I had very few possessions: I only had my sandals, a robe, reading glasses, a bowl, a wooden spoon, and a pocket watch. I died on Janaury 30, 1948. I was an inspiration to many people after me including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

The answer this week was Mahatma Ghandi

This week is all about understanding our own Windows of Tolerance. We each have a window of tolerance and when we are within this window of tolerance we are able to effectively cope and manage our emotions. However, when a person has been impacted by trauma or is under constant chronic stress, this window can become quite narrow. Check out the video for more information.

Email: dspringer@usd458.org
Website: http://ghes.usd458.org/
Location: 16000 Garden Parkway, Basehor, KS, USA
Phone: (913) 662-7170
Twitter: @drspringer12301