Gullett Gazette - March 3, 2025

Dear Gullett Caregivers,

I feel like I blinked and am now writing a March newsletter! The last nine weeks of the year has so much going on for the current year and for information regarding next year as well. I will probably send out a few more reminders as I know things can get lost in inboxes.

We are so excited for field day Thursday, March 13th! It will be our last day together before the break as we have Friday, March 14th off this year. Our PE team has worked very hard to ensure that we have a fun day ahead with many opportunities for our Geckos to display great sportsmanship, build community, and show their physical education skills. Please let us know if you are coming as either a volunteer or visitor by filling out this form: Field Day Visitor Sign Up. This will help us streamline checking adults in on that day with pre printed badges. This form will close on 3/12 at noon. On Field Day from 7:20-8:00, Pre-Printed Badge check in will be at the back gate on Bullard by the track. After you get your badge you can head right over to your child's classroom. At 8:00 once the field day begins, we will be locking the gates! Anyone coming to campus after 8 am can check in through the front office to pick up a badge or sign in. If you are unable to complete the form for a pre printed badge, don’t worry, you can still bring your ID to the front office to sign in. Remember K-2 events are from 8:00-10:30 and 3-5 events are from 11:30-2:15.Please allot yourself plenty of time!

March has an opportunity for us to join communities all over the nation celebrating Women’s History and at the local level we also celebrate Music in Our Schools Month and Youth Art Month. As a campus focused on creative learning, we are excited to share these opportunities with our students. After we return from Spring Break, we will celebrate PRIDE week. This is a time to highlight the district's commitment to creating a safe, supportive, and inclusive environment for all. This year’s Austin ISD Pride Week will take place March 24th-March 28th. Next week, I will be sending out a “PRIDE Gazette” with detailed information about our plans.

As part of planning for next school year, we will soon start the process of placing students in classes. If you have information about your student’s learning style you would like for administration to consider, you may choose to complete this optional form. This does not guarantee a specific teacher or peer placement for your child. This form is confidential and is not shared with teachers or other staff. There are many pieces to the process of creating classes. Our goals are to use a variety of pieces of information to create classes that are balanced (a range of academic achievement, behaviors, peer compatibility, special population needs, etc.) Teachers will work in grade level teams to create those classes alongside essential areas, special education staff, the counselor and administrators. At a later date administration will assign those classes to specific teachers. Thank you for your cooperation, understanding and trust that we will find the best match. Please note that requests for a particular teacher will not be honored, so please refrain from using specific names. The “Parent Consideration” form will not accept any responses after 3:00 P.M on Monday, March 31, 2025. Please do not send a separate email as that can get lost in the shuffle-only use the parent consideration form.

I hope all of you enjoy Spring Break with your families whether you are heading off for an adventure or enjoying the simple pleasures of home and a more relaxed schedule. When our Geckos come back, we will be entering our last quarter of the year and plan to make every minute count and end our year with wonderful memories for every student and for our community. I am looking forward to all that this last part of the spring semester will have to offer our students and continuing to support our incredible community! It’s great to be a Gecko!

Sincerely,

Tammy Thompson

Proud Principal, Gullett Elementary

At Gullett Elementary School, we are dedicated to providing our students with the best opportunities for growth and development. This month, we proudly launched our career exploration program, a key part of our commitment to preparing students for their future.

Recognizing the importance of early exposure to various career paths, our counseling activities introduced young learners to a wide range of professions and industries. It was thrilling to see their curiosity and imagination sparked as they began to connect their interests and skills with future possibilities. Most students participated in a career interest inventory, which helped them identify a career cluster that might suit them. The Career Clusters included:

• Administration and Sales

• Arts and Humanities

• Business

• Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

• Health and Human Services

• Law, Public Safety, and Security

The highlight of our program was Gecko Career Day 2025! Our amazing community volunteers generously shared their experiences and insights with our students. These interactive sessions offered valuable exposure to diverse careers and allowed students to engage directly with our Gullett family experts.

To further support career exploration, we encourage family activities such as field trips to local businesses, universities, and other institutions. These outings provide students with a firsthand look at various workplaces and educational environments, helping them see real-world applications of their school learning and envision themselves in different roles.

We invite you to have conversations with your children about their interests and aspirations. Together, we can help our students build a strong foundation for success and fulfillment in the years to come!

~ Ms. Mahan

Hello, Gullett Musicians!

We might be barely coming out of winter, but the rest of the school year will be a blur in the music rooms! Some grade levels are preparing for 3 different events at the same time while covering our TEKS-based curriculum and earning recorder belts. It’s never dull around here!

Upcoming Events:

• 3/3: Young People’s Concert (4th/5th)

• 3/25: Texas!–4th Grade Program

• 4/5: Recorder and Ukulele Festival (open to all 3rd-5th)

• 4/15: Where the Wild Things Are–2nd Grade Program

• 4/26: Music Memory (3rd-5th, audition only, spots limited)

• And a very busy month of May!

Let us know if you have any questions!

Sincerely,
Will Jurgens and Marc Sustaita

Gullett Music Staff

Field Day 2025

Currently we are preparing for our annual Field Day coming up on Thursday, March 13th! Classes are learning and reviewing all field day games while demonstrating good sportsmanship and cooperation! Please be on the lookout for a Konstella post with more details. We are looking forward to a great day!

Wellness lessons this month are focused on the muscular system. When we return from spring break students will learn about topics related to self care like sleep and stress management.

Archery

Earlier this month, we had Coach Deline from Bat City Archery and his team from Lamar Middle School come and showcase their archery program to our 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. The students truly enjoyed learning about the sport, and it definitely left a lasting impression. If your Geckos are interested in learning more, Bat City Archery will be offering 3 camp sessions over the summer. Coach Deline recommends session 2 for any new archers. Link to more information here.

Thank you for your support!

~ Coach Rose, Coach Garcia, and Coach Victor

PE Team

March - Music in Our Schools, Youth Art Month, Women’s History Month

3/13 - Field Day

3/14 - Spring Break Begins!

3/24-3/28 - Pride Week

3/25 - CAC, 4th Grade Performance

3/28 - Career Fair

3/31 - No School!