6th- Classes Resume

14th- Magnet Application Deadline at 3PM

20th- Martin Luther King Jr. Day ( No School)

27th Staff Development Day ( No School)

28th- SOT Meeting 4:30 PM

Dear Gilbert Academy Families,

Welcome back and happy new year! We hope you had a restful and joyful winter break, filled with warmth and special moments. As we begin the second half of our school year, we want to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful accomplishments of the first semester.

The winter season brought such incredible performances, and we are so proud of all our students. Our Winter Matinee showcased the amazing talents of our young performers, with the 5th grade bringing the magical world of Frozen to life, the 3rd grade dazzling us with their Xmas Files, the 2nd grade entertaining us with Tacky the Penguin, and the 1st grade delighting us with Flakes. These performances truly highlighted the creativity and dedication of our students and staff.

A very special thank you goes to our Kindergarten class for their delightful Candy Cane performance during intermission—it was the perfect touch to our holiday celebrations!

As we move forward into the second half of the year, we look forward to many more exciting learning experiences, performances, and opportunities for growth. Thank you for your continued support and involvement in making Gilbert Academy such a vibrant and creative community.

Here’s to a fantastic year ahead!

Warm regards,

Deborah Faltinosky
Principal, Gilbert Academy of Creative Arts

Dear Gilbert Academy Parents,

My name is David Williams, and I am honored to introduce myself as the new Assistant Principal at Gilbert Academy of Creative Arts. I am thrilled to be here and excited to join this outstanding team of educators who are dedicated to helping students connect the arts to their academic studies.

With over 35 years of educational experience, I have had the privilege of serving as a teacher, curriculum specialist, and elementary school principal. After retiring in 2021, my husband and I relocated to Las Vegas, where I felt a strong desire to return to the field of education, leading me to join the Clark County School District.

At Gilbert Academy of Creative Arts, I am particularly eager to engage with our students who share a passion for the arts. Singing has always held a special place in my life, as I was fortunate to participate in the Kansas City Men's Chorus. As a father of four sons, all of whom have participated in music and theater throughout their schooling I deeply appreciate the power of the arts.

I look forward to meeting you and your children soon and learning more about our wonderful community at Gilbert Academy of Creative Arts.

Sincerely,

David Williams

Assistant Principal

If you have a student or know a family interested in joining our Giraffe Family, please let them know that magnet applications are open through the CCSD website. Link Below

As we return from Winter Break, our teachers are busy preparing engaging lessons to ensure your child's academic success. There are many ways you can support your child at home to reinforce learning in reading and math. Here are some helpful strategies:

For Reading:

1. Create a Daily Reading Routine: Set aside time each day for reading. Encourage your child to read independently, but also read aloud together. This helps build fluency and comprehension.

2. Ask Questions About What They Read: After reading a story, ask your child questions about the characters, plot, and setting. Encourage them to make predictions and share their thoughts on the story.

3. Use Fun Reading Games: Play word games like “I Spy” with letters, rhyming words, or sight words. You can also try digital apps or board games that focus on vocabulary and reading skills.

4. Read a Variety of Books: Offer books that are both fiction and nonfiction to expand your child’s vocabulary and understanding. Talk about the different types of texts and what makes each unique.

5. Encourage Writing: Help your child write a short story, journal, or even letters to family members. Writing supports reading skills by reinforcing word recognition and sentence structure.

For Math:

1. Incorporate Math into Daily Life: Point out math in everyday activities. Whether you're baking, grocery shopping, or measuring things around the house, ask your child to help with the math involved, such as counting items, comparing prices, or measuring ingredients.

2. Play Math Games: Use card games, board games, or math-focused apps to make math fun. Games like “Uno” or “Connect 4” can improve number recognition and strategic thinking.

3. Practice Basic Math Facts: Review addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division facts regularly. Flashcards or quick quizzes can help solidify these skills.

4. Problem-Solving Together: When your child encounters a challenging math problem, walk through it step-by-step. Encourage them to explain their thinking and try different strategies to find the solution.

5. Use Visual Aids: Help your child understand math concepts with visual tools like number lines, drawing pictures, or using objects to represent numbers. These visual cues can make abstract concepts more concrete.

Your involvement and support at home can make a significant difference in your child’s academic progress. By encouraging reading and math practice in a fun and consistent way, you’ll help build confidence and success!

We are excited to share with you the latest results from the MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) assessments. These results provide valuable insights into your child’s academic growth and areas where we can focus our efforts for improvement.

Highlights from the MAP Data:

• Math: We are pleased to report an 8% increase in student performance in math! This improvement reflects the effectiveness of the strategies we've implemented, including the increased usage of the district-approved math curriculum. We will continue to focus on maintaining and building upon this progress.

• English Language Arts (ELA): While we saw a 4% decline in ELA, we view this as an important area of focus. We are committed to improving our approach and addressing the challenges that students are facing in reading and language arts.

Action Steps for Improvement:

1. Math: The positive trend in math is largely due to the increased usage of the district-approved math curriculum. We will continue to emphasize this curriculum and encourage its use both in the classroom and at home to further support student growth.

2. ELA: In response to the decline in ELA, we are prioritizing the continued and consistent use of our district-approved reading resources. Our teachers will receive ongoing professional development to better integrate these resources into daily instruction. Additionally, we will work closely with students to provide targeted support where needed.

How You Can Support:

• Reading at Home: Encourage your child to read daily. You can ask them about what they are reading and discuss the story together to build comprehension skills.

• Math Practice: Support your child by providing opportunities to practice math outside of school. There are many online resources and apps aligned with our curriculum that can help reinforce math concepts. For example, students can access Exact Path through Clever.

Together, we can continue to support your child's academic success. Thank you for your partnership in fostering a positive and productive learning environment!

We are excited to introduce Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to our school community this year! PBIS is a proactive approach to creating a positive school environment where students are encouraged to engage in positive behaviors, build meaningful relationships, and develop essential life skills.

As part of our PBIS initiative, we have also developed an Expectation Matrix. This matrix clearly outlines the behaviors we expect from students in various settings, such as the classroom, hallway, cafeteria, and playground. By setting clear expectations and consistently reinforcing them, we aim to create a supportive and respectful learning environment for all students.

Key Components of PBIS:

• Clear Expectations: We have defined expectations for behavior in all areas of our school. These expectations are communicated regularly to ensure all students understand how to demonstrate attentive, responsible, teamwork and safety.

• Positive Reinforcement: Students will be recognized and rewarded for following these expectations. This reinforces good behavior and encourages them to make positive choices every day.

• Consistent Support: Teachers and staff are dedicated to supporting all students by providing consistent guidance, feedback, and encouragement.

We encourage you to support the PBIS process at home by reinforcing the same expectations and behaviors we promote at school. By working together, we can help our students thrive both academically and socially.

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping create a positive, respectful school environment for all!

Gilbert Current Chronic Absence Rate

We want to update you on our school's attendance data for the first semester. This year, we have seen 54 students on our chronic absenteeism list, which is a decrease compared to previous periods. However, this still represents 11% of our population, and we are committed to continuing our efforts to improve overall attendance.

As part of our Magnet Program, attendance is a key component of the contract that families sign at the beginning of the school year. Regular attendance is essential for your child’s success and ensures they are engaged in all the academic opportunities we provide. We want to remind you that students who do not meet the attendance requirements may be placed on probation by the Magnet Office.

If a student’s attendance does not improve, it could impact their ability to return to the Magnet Program the following year. We strongly encourage you to prioritize regular school attendance to support your child's academic growth and continued participation in our program.

How You Can Help:

• Ensure Your Child Attends School Regularly: Please make every effort to avoid unnecessary absences and schedule appointments outside of school hours when possible.
• Stay in Communication: If your child is absent, please notify the school and provide appropriate documentation.
• Encourage Consistent Attendance: Help your child understand the importance of being present every day to ensure they stay on track academically.

We appreciate your partnership in ensuring your child’s continued success. Together, we can work to improve attendance and help all students thrive.

Thank you for your support!

https://everyday.ccsd.net/get-help/

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