GALATAS GAZETTE

Denae Wilker, Principal

Candace Mathis, Assistant Principal

Dawn Wright, Assistant Principal

Natalie Weber, Counselor

Through the collaborative efforts of all who pass through our door, we provide a safe learning community that develops lifelong learners and responsible citizens.

Website: http://galatas.conroeisd.net/
Location: 9001 Cochrans Crossing Drive, The Woodlands, TX, USA
Phone: 936-709-5000

Front Office Hours: 7:25 AM-3:45 PM
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GalatasCISD/

The Activity Room will be used for student testing and student events during a few days in February and March.

If there is inclement weather, we will not be able to accommodate lunch visitors on the following dates:

February 20

February 21

February 24

February 26

February 28

March 3

March 4

March 5

March 6

March 18

March 20

March 28

Thank you for your understanding.

Rodeo Springetti is just around the corner, and we cannot wait to see you all on Friday, March 28 from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM!

To make this amazing event come together, we need your help in a couple of very important ways:

• We are looking for businesses and others to help sponsor our event. If you or someone you know is interested, please complete the Sponsor Form below!

• We have a variety of volunteer opportunities open to anyone that is interested in helping, and Springetti wouldn't be possible without our amazing parent volunteers! If you are interested in helping out and meeting other Galatas Parents, follow the Sign-up Genius link below to let us know you’re ready to lend a hand. There is a job for everyone!

This year for Springetti there will be grade level baskets to be used in our online auction and raffles! Each grade will be assigned a certain theme basket which is listed below.

Kinder- Beach Day Fun Basket (ex. floaties, tumblers, coolers, beach toys, etc.)

1st Grade- Family Fun Night Basket (ex. board games, pizza gift cards, treats, etc.)

2nd Grade- Camping/Outdoor Basket (ex. ramblers, picnic items, canopy, lanterns, etc.)

3rd Grade- BBQ Basket (ex. Grilling tools, small portable grill, wood carving boards, etc.)

4th Grade & Special Services- Sports Theme Basket (ex. Sports balls, baseball hats, sports tickets, jerseys, etc.)

If you are interested in participating, you may send any donations with your child to school and have them drop off in the boxes located at the end of their grade level hallway or on the front porch from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM for your convenience. All voluntary donations will be collected starting Monday, February 24th through Friday, February 28th.

The Springetti team has created an Amazon Wish List of items for the grade level baskets. Families can use this wish list to purchase items, but may also feel free to contribute other items as well. The link to the Wish List is below.

If you have any questions, please email springettidonations@galataspto.com. Thank you for your continued support! Springetti will be an amazing night!

Field Day is Coming Up!

Get ready for a fun-filled Field Day at Galatas!

• March 6th – Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd Grade

• March 7th – 3rd and 4th Grade

We need parent volunteers to help run stations and make this event a success! If you’re available, please sign up to assist with games and activities. Click the links below to find more details about stations, times, and how to sign up:

Thank you for your support! We can’t wait for a fantastic Field Day!

**All volunteers must complete a Volunteer in CISD Background Check in order to serve at Field Day. Please visit the link https://apps.conroeisd.net/volunteer/ and be sure to choose and "add" Galatas as the school in which you intend to volunteer.

To simplify the process for our families, CISD is excited to launch a new app that allows you to conveniently report your student's absences! Please note that if there is any supporting documentation, such as doctor's notes, they will still need to be submitted to our Registrar at rcurtis@conroeisd.net, or your student can bring them to school in their PAWS binder.

The reporting app can be accessed through the Parent Portal and directions can be found by clicking the button below.

sci://tech Elementary Science Fair

Inside your family's Parent Portal, Home Access Center (HAC) is active and will operate alongside the Parent Access Center (PAC) until at least Spring Break.

During this transition, parents will have access to both applications. As HAC launches, PAC will display a notification informing users that HAC is now online and that student information in HAC updates in real time.

Please visit the link below for information on how to login to the Home Access Center.

Please support our school by joining our amazing PTO. The link below will take you to the Galatas PTO website, where you can join the PTO and explore ways to get involved at Galatas.

It is a great way to get connected with our Galatas community and other parents.

Volunteers are needed in the Library to help with shelving, straightening, organizing, and assisting students in their library time.

You must be registered with Conroe ISD to volunteer at Galatas, if you have not already completed your application, please go to this link to do so: Volunteer in CISD

For more information and to sign up to volunteer, please visit the link:

Galatas Spirit Items (yard signs and stickers) are available for purchase year-round! Please order at the link below.

**Click on the link below to view a picture of the yard sign!

All visitors must be able to provide a government issued, photo I. D. at each visit. Photos of the I.D. will not be accepted. Visitors will check in at the front office and receive a Visitor Badge which must be worn at all times in the building. When leaving the building, visitors must check out with the front office and return the badge.

In order to volunteer at school, a Volunteer in CISD Application must be completed each school year.

Please visit Volunteer in CISD to complete the process, or click on “Volunteer (Parents)” in your student's Parent Portal.

EXTRA! EXTRA! Read all about the Greyhound Gab!

We are calling for all student authors to submit their writings to our literacy publication called the Greyhound Gab.

Each class is assigned a month in which Galatas students can submit an original creative writing piece. Topics and types of writings include but are not limited to:

· Book review

· Teacher/staff interview

· Original poetry

· School event report (ex. Red Ribbon Week; Fall Fundraiser, Springetti)

Submissions should be the student’s work; however, parents may provide edits. The work does not need to be long; the purpose of the Greyhound Gab is to foster curiosity, creativity and to have their works published in an online format.

Please submit your child's piece to Gabby Willmore at greyhoundgab@galataspto.com. Once all writing is compiled they will appear with a link in the Galatas Gazette.

Due dates by section number are as followed:

Due Feb 7: Section K5, 16, 25, 34, 45

Due Mar 7: Section K6, 17, 26, 35, 46

Due Apr 4: Section 18, 27, 36, 47, 58

Due May 2: Section 28, 37, 38, 48, 59

Each year for the past 15years, Mitchell Intermediate School has organized a charity event called PAINT THE PATH PINK to raise money for breast cancer awareness and prevention services. Paint the Path Pink 2025 is a 5K run or walk along the scenic Woodlands walking paths near Mitchell​ Intermediate School. This year, the event is on March 1, 2025.

The walk will benefit The Rose Foundation, a respected breast cancer charity right here in the Houston community, and 100% of the proceeds go directly to The Rose Foundation.

The CISD Board of Trustees has approved the 2025-2026 calendar. For your planning purposes, please download the calendar here: 25-26 Calendar

We thank you in advance for planning all vacations and travel outside of the school calendar. When students are absent, they miss valuable instruction that takes place daily. In addition to the loss of that instructional time, Texas schools are rated not only on academic performance, but also on student attendance. Daily attendance plays a large role in our accountability rating from the state.

Dear Galatas Parents/Guardians,

Lice: It's a common problem in every school.

If a child is discovered to have lice, a classroom notification is sent to that child's class.

The following link is from the American Academy of Pediatrics that discusses how to treat for lice and prevent infestation.

Lice (Pediculosis Capitis)—Child Care and Schools | Pediatric Patient Education | American Academy of Pediatrics

Reminders for keeping your child home from school:

• Fever: 100° or greater (37.7 Celcius), or obvious symptoms. Stay out of school until fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications such as Tylenol or Ibuprofen.

• PLEASE NOTE: A child's illness is still contagious even though the fever is reduced to normal with medication.

• Diarrhea: Three or more episodes of loose stools in a 24 hour period. Stay out of school until diarrhea free for 24 hours without the use of diarrhea suppressing medications.

• Vomiting: May return after 24 hours without vomiting and if fever-free.

It is so important and helpful to call, email, or send a note to the nurse and teacher if your child is having any type of health concerns before school, or has been sick. Students come to the clinic all day long with various concerns such as stomachache, sore throat, etc. In general, if a student doesn't have a fever, doesn't appear ill (pale, clammy, upset), ate all of their lunch, and participated in PE and/or recess, the nurse and clinic aide will try to send them back to class. When a parent writes a note or calls the nurse, this alerts the clinic to contact the parent by phone or email, even if there is no fever or malaise noted.

For serious or emergency-type situations, the nurse will always call a parent (deep laceration, vomiting, fever). For a situation that isn't serious or an emergency, the nurse may send an informational email (stomachache after running at recess and not drinking water, no fever). If a clinic visit issue is minor (paper cut, lost tooth, scraped knee), the nurse or aide will simply take care of it. Make sure you add the clinic's email as a contact. If you ever want a list of your child's clinic visits, you may request if from the nurse.

Please continue to provide a change of clothes in your child's backpack in case of accidents. Students may spill, fall in the mud, or not make it to the restroom on time. The Clinic has a limited supply of extra clothing, and having an extra set in your student's backpack will make it easier to change if needed.

If your child has a fever, please keep him/her home until 24 hours have passed without fever. Giving Tylenol or Motrin to lower a fever does not keep your child from being contagious to others. From the CISD Health Services Department web page: "...if your child has a fever over 100 degrees, he or she must stay out of school until they are fever free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medications."

Cough drops and inhalers are considered medication. Therefore, students may not have them in class or bring them to school. If you need to check in cough drops, inhalers, or other medication, please come to the school between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on school days - no need to make an appointment. Remember all medications need to be checked into the clinic, including cough drops and inhalers.

I found a really useful website that has all kinds of information about children's health that I wanted to share. South Philadelphia Pediatrics On the homepage, you will see a box on the bottom left called, "Is Your Child Sick?" where you can click on the links to find an enormous amount of information. I hope you find it helpful!

Thank you for the privilege of caring for your children here at Galatas. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at nkendall@conroeisd.net. I look forward to assisting you, and your student!

Nell Kendall, RN

Maintain an open and non-judgmental dialogue about your teen's online experiences and concerns.

Our school start time has moved to 7:55 AM. Students should be in their classrooms by 7:55 AM to view our Galatas morning announcements and begin their day.

The tardy bell rings at 7:55 AM. Students arriving to school after the tardy bell are considered tardy. Students arriving to school after the cones are set up at the entrance to the car rider line should be brought to the front of the school to enter through the front doors. Students must stop at the front desk. A parent should come into the school with the student to sign the student in for the day.

When your child is absent, please do one of the following before 9:00 AM:

• Call the front office (936-709-5000) with your student's absence information,
• Call the school attendance line (936-709-5014) and leave a message stating your child’s name, reason for the absence, person reporting the absence, and a phone number. or
  
• Email Robin Curtis (rcurtis@conroeisd.net) to explain the reason for their absence.

To ensure the accuracy of your child's attendance records, please call or email each day your child is absent, or if your child will be out for an extended period, please let us know by emailing Robin Curtis at the email above.

Attendance is recorded at 9:00 AM each day. If your child is absent at 9:00 AM due to a doctor’s appointment, he/she will be counted present if you bring your child back to school on the same day with a doctor's statement that verifies the appointment.

If your child is not in attendance at school for the entire day for any reason, the student is considered “absent”. There are basically two types of absences:

1. Excused Absence: an absence is considered "excused" when there is prior parental notification (phone call or email) explaining the absence, or a note from a parent or medical professional upon return to school. Absences can be excused if they are related to illness, medical appointment, a death in the family, or other health related reasons. An excused absence does not remove the absence from the student’s record, but it does document that a student is absent for an excusable reason.
2. Unexcused Absence: an absence is considered “unexcused” when there is no prior parental notification, no note or email sent upon return explaining the absence, for family travel/vacation, or other absences not recognized as "excused" by the district or state.

Transportation change notepads will be sent home with each student at Meet and Greet or on the first day of school. Please use these forms any time a student needs to go home in a different way from the permanent designated mode of transportation.

All transportation changes must be received in writing by 2:00 p.m. We are unable to accept a phone call. You may send a written note to your child’s teacher (place it in your student's PAWS folder), or fill out a form in the front office. Please include the date, your child’s full name, section number, bus number (if applicable), and your signature. If an emergency arises, you may send an email to galatastransportation@conroeisd.net . The e-mail must include all of the above information, including a parent signature, and must be received before 2:00 p.m. If you submit a transportation change by email, it must go to the email address referenced above; transportation changes should not be emailed directly to the teacher.

Please send a new note for each day the change occurs; we cannot accept notes for multiple days or with multiple changes. District policy states that a student may only ride the bus they are registered to ride; students may not have a transportation change to ride a different bus.

All visitors must be able to provide a government issued, photo I. D. at each visit. Photos of the I.D. will not be accepted. Visitors will check in at the front office and receive a Visitor Badge which must be worn at all times in the building. When leaving the building, visitors must check out with the front office and return the badge.

Please note that outside (from a delivery service) delivery of food to students is prohibited as noted in the CISD Student Handbook. This includes deliveries from Door Dash, GrubHub, etc... Forgotten lunches from home may be brought to the drop-off table by 10AM for delivery to students before lunch time.

If there are any questions, please call the office for assistance.

Lunch visitors are invited to enjoy our outdoor dining area (weather permitting). On rainy or other inclement weather days, we will have seating available in the Activity Room.

** Please consider limiting lunch visits to once or twice per month for each student, so that all parents have an opportunity to visit for lunch.

**Please limit the number of visitors to no more than four.

**Students may enjoy lunch with their parents/family only; please do not invite other students to eat lunch with your family.

**A driver's license or government issued photo i.d. is required for adults each time they visit Galatas. We are unable to accept a photo of an i.d. Please allow time (about 5 minutes) to complete the required check-in at the front office prior to your child's lunchtime.

**Please keep students and other children at the tables with you; do not allow them to run or play during lunch time.

**Please understand that if you arrive more than 5 minutes after your student's scheduled lunchtime, there is a possibility you will not be able to eat with your child, due to the limited amount of time allotted for lunch.

**We want to ensure the safety and security of everyone as they enjoy time together while visiting at lunch. If a grandparent or other family member wants to visit your child during lunch, the parent must send in written permission to the front office. The note will only need to be sent in once per school year, and at that time a notation will be made in the visitor system so that the school will have a record of the permission being granted. If a note is not sent, we will call a parent to grant permission before the visitor is allowed to join a student for lunch.

Lunchtime is limited to 25 minutes. A staff member will be monitoring the door, and will assist your child in returning to the cafeteria to join their class. Guests should then head back to the front office to return your visitor sticker.

Kindergarten 12:05 PM-12:30 PM

1st Grade 12:20 PM-12:45 PM

2nd Grade 11:50 AM-12:15 PM

3rd Grade 11:35 AM-12:00 PM

4th Grade 11:10 AM-11:35 AM

Please be mindful that the next grade level parents are also excited to visit their children for lunch. We ask parents to exit promptly at the designated time, to allow the next group to have lunch together. Thank you!

The Birthday Book Club is a great way to celebrate your child’s birthday or half birthday and help support the Galatas Elementary Library. We have partnered with Bound to Stay Bound, one of our library book vendors, so book selections can be made directly from the website.

Please visit the link below for more information and ordering instructions.

All students should have a SMART Tag on their backpack. Each day these tags are scanned by our staff members as part of our dismissal procedure to ensure that each student goes home the correct way.

SMART Tags are also used by our CISD Transportation Department, as a way to ensure authorized riders board our buses and improve the safety and security of students who utilize our bus transportation services. For more information on the SMART Tag system, please click SMART Tag Information and Registration.

If your child loses their SMART tag, please notify their teacher and we will replace the tag. There is a $2.00 fee to replace a lost tag; that fee will be assessed in our School Cash system and you will be notified of the charge.

Parent Portal is a free program available to all CISD parent/guardians that allows viewing of helpful information regarding student attendance, report cards, progress reports, daily grades, state test results, Students Achieving Excellence (SAE), discipline, available lunch money, and other district resources. Parents may also sign up to receive an email alert when an assignment score is inputted or updated using the Parent Access icon in the Parent Portal. Parents/Guardians wishing to access this service must have a valid email address.

• Cell phones and smartwatches may be used respectfully and responsibly before school and after school.

• Cell phones and smartwatches should not be used to capture video, audio, or images at school or on the bus.

• Cell phones and smartwatches should be set on silent mode and kept in backpacks, lockers, or other designated storage areas and should not be visible during school hours including instructional time, reward time, free time, lunch, and in the hallways.

• Use of cell phones and smartwatches may be permitted in extenuating circumstances with permission from a staff member. (ex. to notify parent/guardian of a late bus)

School Cash Online is an easy to use and safe way to pay for your children’s school fees.

• Conveniently make payments for student fees online

All you have to do is register, attach your students and in no time, you will be able to make payments online.

Please visit the link below for a link to register.

Conroe ISD Library Services is enabling daily email notifications so you are informed of the items checked out by your student. Daily emails will list the item(s) currently checked out. If the book(s) your student selected is not a good fit, please have your student return it to the campus library and choose a new title. If you have questions about the book(s), please contact the school librarian. Notifications for these daily messages can be managed in your Parent Portal. If you don’t have a Parent Portal account, you will need to register for one to access the email settings. You can also view the item(s) your student checked out by logging in to Destiny Discover through your student's SSO account. You can further manage your student’s access to library materials by completing the Library Access Form found on the Library Services Website along with viewing other helpful information.

Please help your child be fully prepared for their day by ensuring that they have all needed materials (backpack, lunch, water bottle, etc...) before leaving for school in the morning.

To minimize interruptions to classrooms, please limit drop-offs to the following items:

• Water bottles and lunches may be placed on the Drop-off table before 10:00 a.m. at the front office. These items should be labeled with your child’s name and section number to ensure proper delivery. Items are delivered at 10:00 a.m. to a drop-off table at the end of each hallway, so please email the teacher to let them know that you have dropped off the water bottle or lunch. You may email your child’s teacher to let them know to allow your child to check the drop-off desk after 10:00 a.m.

• If you need eye glasses delivered to your child, please do not put them on the drop-off table. Bring them to the office staff for immediate delivery to your child.

• Any class work or homework that is dropped off will be placed in the teacher’s mailbox to be picked up during the day.

Lunches/food from delivery services as well as delivery of flowers, balloons, etc...to students at school are not permitted.

Children are encouraged to bring water bottles each day. Please clearly write your child's name on the bottle with permanent marker. Students may refill their bottles during the day at one of our water bottle filling stations.

Sometimes it is necessary for a student to be checked out of school before dismissal.

If you know that you will need to check-out your child during the school day, please let their teacher know so that they can help your child gather their belongings and prepare for an early departure.

As a reminder, to ensure the safety of all students at dismissal, the latest a student can be checked out of school is 2:45 p.m.

The speed limit in the Galatas school zone is 20 mph. This is to ensure the safety of all of our community members during very busy times in the morning and afternoon. As families enter and exit the car line, please take care to drive slowly and carefully.

In addition, cell phone use in a school zone is prohibited. As you enter areas around schools, please end your calls and put your phone away.

The CISD Police and Montgomery County Sheriff's Department patrol our school zones to ensure everyone's safety, and will issue citations if necessary.

Thank you for your help in keeping our community safe!

When you visit Galatas, we have designated the 8 parking spaces at the entrance (closest to the school) as "visitor" spots. We welcome you to use these spots when you visit the campus. The lower parking lot has been designated as "staff" parking, (as well as a couple of spots that are reserved for our Springetti Parking winners).

If all the visitor spots are full, we ask that you please park at either Cattail Park, the row of spots closest to Galatas in the Community Baptist Church, or the closest end spots at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. These two churches have graciously offered these spots to us as our Galatas Family grows.

Thank you for your help with parking!

Here are a few safety tips to keep in mind:

--Only cross at crosswalks! Our crossing guards and staff are here to keep everyone safe and ensure that families cross intersections in an efficient manner.

--Please do not park behind staff cars in the school parking lot. Please park in a parking space, as blocking cars could cause a safety concern in case of an emergency.

--Please be considerate of our neighbors at Hayden's Run and Wyndspire South. Please keep the sight lines at the entrance clear for entering and exiting vehicles.

--Please be considerate of our neighbors at South Silvershire Circle. Please do not park on the grass or lawn of the homes. Take care not to block driveways and leave enough room for residents to easily drive in their neighborhood at all times.

With the exception of service animals, dogs and other pets are not allowed on school grounds, including at the top of the hill during arrival and dismissal.

Thank you for your assistance in keeping everyone comfortable and safe.

The CISD Board of Trustees has approved the 2024-2025 calendar. For your planning purposes, please download the calendar here: 24-25 CISD Calendar

We thank you in advance for planning all vacations and travel outside of the school calendar. When students are absent, they miss valuable instruction that takes place daily. In addition to the loss of that instructional time, Texas schools are rated not only on academic performance, but also on student attendance. Daily attendance plays a large role in our accountability rating from the state.

We appreciate your support and look forward to a great school year!

February

17 NO SCHOOL: Presidents' Day Holiday

25 2nd Grade Program: 6:00 PM

28 Go Texan Day

March

4 PTO Meeting: 10:00 a.m.

6 Field Day: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, & 2nd Grade

7 Field Day: 3rd Grade & 4th Grade

10-14 NO SCHOOL: Spring Break

20 Spring Pictures

28 Springetti: 5-8 PM

April

1 PTO Meeting: 10:00 AM

1 Volunteer Thank You Celebration 11:00 AM

7-11 Spring Book Fair

14-17 STAAR Testing-Campus Closed to Visitors

15 STAAR Reading, 3rd and 4th grade students

18 NO SCHOOL: Student Holiday

21 NO SCHOOL: Student Holiday

28-30 STAAR Testing-Campus Closed to Visitors

29 STAAR Math, 3rd and 4th grade students

May

1-2 STAAR Testing-Campus Closed to Visitors

6 PTO Meeting: 10:00 a.m.

8 4th Grade Program: 6:00 PM

12-14 Galatas Science Camp

20 Yearbook Signing

23 4th Grade Clap Out: 10:00 a.m.

23 Early Dismissal: 11:55 a.m. Last Day of School