October 30, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What's Happening This Week

GCISD celebrates Red Ribbon Week
Students and employees are celebrating Red Ribbon Week with a variety of activities. A summary list of events is available on the GCISD website at www.gcisd-k12.org/pr/news0708/rrw.htm; please check with individual campuses for a complete list of school events.

TES Dad’s Club hosts Halloween skate party
The Timberline Elementary Dad’s Club will host its annual Halloween skate party from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Tuesday at Skatetown in Grapevine. All TES students and their families are invited to attend and are encouraged to wear costumes. Admission is free to TES students. Information: Beth Harwell, 817-329-4575 or bbharwell@msn.com.

Bear Creek hosts author, dog sledder
Author and adventurer Pam Flowers will visit fourth- and fifth-grade students at Bear Creek Elementary on Thursday to share her experience dog sledding across the Arctic. Beginning in February 1993, Flowers and her team of eight dogs traveled across 2,500 miles of the Alaskan and Canadian arctic to successfully complete the first and longest solo dog sled expedition by a woman and the first solo by an American. Information: 817-305-4860.

HES students to use map skills in 'Pirate Day' activities
Second-graders at Heritage Elementary will participate in the annual "Pirate Day" from 8:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday. This activity has become a tradition at HES and focuses on applying map skills students have learned in class. Students will dress in pirate costumes and participate in a treasure hunt activity using maps and clues to find "hidden treasure." Parent volunteers will help guide students during the activity. Information: 817-305-4820.

GHS vs. Carroll to be televised, games rescheduled
The Varsity football game between Grapevine High and Carroll High has been moved to Thursday to accommodate a televised broadcast of the game by Fox Sports Network. As a result, the JV and Freshmen football games that week have been moved to Wednesday. The JV teams will take on Carroll at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Dragon Stadium; the Freshmen teams will play at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Mustang-Panther Stadium. The Varsity game on Thursday will begin at 7:30 p.m. at Mustang-Panther Stadium. Information: GCISD Athletics, 817-251-5641.

O.C. Taylor participating in diabetes walk
Families, faculty and friends of O.C. Taylor Elementary are invited to participate in a School Walk for Diabetes on Thursday at Colleyville City Park. Registration begins at 5:15 p.m., with the 1-mile walk beginning at 6 p.m. Cost is $10 and all fees and proceeds will benefit the American Diabetic Association School Walk for Diabetes. Money raised will be used to support programs aimed at curing and preventing diabetes, and improving the lives of those affected by diabetes. Last year, the O.C. Taylor community raised more than $6,500 and the school was awarded the Fall Walk Championship for their efforts. The campus goal this year is $10,000. Information: 817-305-4870.

Timberline Elementary kicks off fund-raiser, fun run
The Timberline PTA will celebrate the success of its "Boosterthon" fund-raiser with the annual TES Fun Run for all students on Thursday. The fund-raiser is designed to encourage and motivate students while promoting education, fitness and character, and will support field trips, educational programs and classroom lessons. The fund-raiser continues through Thursday. Information: Beth Harwell, 817-329-4575.

CHHS Theatre presents 'The Crucible'
Colleyville Heritage High Theatre students will present an Arthur Miller classic, "The Crucible," in its second weekend of performances Friday and Saturday in the Panther Auditorium. Public performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, and 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday. Tickets are $5 for students and $8 for adults and may be purchased by reservation or at the door. Information: 817-305-4752 or www.chhspanthertheater.org.

PTA meetings and activities
Timberline Elementary -- Special guests The Morris Brothers will present a program on character building and dealing with bullying. The program will be 8:30-10:30 a.m. and is sponsored by the Timberline PTA. Information: 817-251-5770.

Upcoming Events

CHHS PTSA presents parent program on teen parties
The Colleyville Heritage High PTSA, in conjunction with Texas PTA and Independent Insurance Agents of Texas, will present the parent program "Party 101: Consequences" for middle and high school students and their parents. The program is an informal presentation regarding parent and teen consequences, responsibilities and liabilities when hosting student parties with access to or consumption of alcohol. Representatives of Texas PTA and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission will be in attendance. The program is 6:30 p.m. Nov. 5 in the CHHS Library. Information: Judy Atwood, 817-858-9531.

GHS PTSA presents program on college planning
The Grapevine High PTSA will present "How to Plan for College" for middle and high school students and their parents. Representatives from local and state colleges and universities, college prep and financial advisors will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. The program is 7 p.m. Nov. 5 in the GHS Auditorium. Information: GHS Counseling Office, 817-251-5210.

GCISD College Night
GCISD will host College Night for students and parents of Colleyville Heritage and Grapevine high schools from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov 6 at CHHS. More than 100 representatives from colleges around the nation are expected to be on hand to discuss their campuses and answer questions. Financial aid workshops also will be conducted during the evening. For more information, see your high school counselor.

Veterans Day activities planned
Students and employees will honor our country's veterans and military personnel with a variety of Veterans Day activities. A summary list of events is available on the GCISD website at www.gcisd-k12.org/pr/news0708/veteransday.htm; please check with individual campuses for a complete list of school events.

Final GHS Corral planned
Corral, a PTSA-sponsored party after home football games for Grapevine High School students, will host its final gathering of the season on Nov. 9 in the Student Activity Center and Gym 1 at GHS. The event starts immediately after the GHS football game and ends at 12:30 a.m. All GHS students are encouraged to attend. A valid GCISD high school ID is required to enter; guests from outside the District will not be admitted. Admission is $5 per person and includes all food and beverages. For information, visit the GHS website under the link to the PTSA. If you would like to volunteer, contact Cindy Warner at cfseiko@aol.com.

Special Services to host multi-district Fall Social
The GCISD Special Services staff will host a Fall Social from 6-9 p.m. Nov. 12 for current Special Education students, graduates and their families from GCISD, Carroll ISD, Northwest ISD, Keller ISD and Hurst-Euless-Bedford ISD. Members of local support groups are also invited to attend. The event will be at Paradise Cove on Lake Grapevine, 3029 Midway Road in Southlake, courtesy of Tina Kirkpatrick-Hammond. Entertainment will be provided courtesy of local vocalists The Andersons and light refreshments will be served. Information or RSVP: Laura Epperson, 817-251-6888 x2922 or laura.epperson@gcisd.net.


Awards and Announcements

Education Foundation, Trustees honor National Merit Scholars
The Grapevine-Colleyville Education Foundation hosted a reception honoring the district’s 11 National Merit Semifinalists, nine National Hispanic Scholars and two National Achievement Scholars on Monday prior to the Board of Trustees meeting. Student scholars also were recognized during the meeting.

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists

National Achievement Scholarship scholars

National Hispanic Recognition Program scholars

Bridges students create photostories
Students at Bridges Learning Center are incorporating new technology methods into a research project about trends throughout U.S. history that have effected cultural change. As part of their "Doing the Decades" project, students are using mp3 players, digital cameras and computer software to create photostories illustrating a particular decade and trend. Information: 817-251-5503.
Pictured are Bridges students Maria Santos-Rivera, left, and Stephanie Shaw researching for their photostory projects.

HMS sponsoring GRACE food drive
HMS PTA is sponsoring a canned foods and dry goods drive to support GRACE. Drop-off containers are located at each door of the SAC.

GHS debaters bring home trophies
Ten Grapevine High debate students earned top finishes and trophies during the recent 24th-annual Florida Blue Key National Tournament and Round Robin at the University of Florida. They competed among several hundred students from across the nation. Top individual results include:

• Eric Frazier and Julian Melendea, second and top speaking team, Policy Debate Round Robin
• Mike Gajewsky and Tonia Beglari, third, Policy Debate Round Robin
• William Hix, second, Lincoln Douglas Debate Round Robin
• Farhaud Mirzadeh, fifth-place speaker, Policy Debate Invitational
• Farhaud Mirzadeh and David Jagneaux, quarterfinalists, Policy Debate Invitational
• Eric Frazier and Julian Melendez, quarterfinalists, Policy Debate Invitational
• Emily Allen, quarterfinalist, Lincoln Douglas Debate Invitational