Don't miss your chance to explore local history...

Marsh House

You don't have to travel hundreds of miles to find exciting historical sights. LaFayette's very own historical mansion, The Marsh House, will be putting on a special program for Gilbert students and their families on Thursday, February 9th at 5:00 p.m. Light refreshments will be served and you'll have a chance to win door prizes. There is no charge for the event.

Members of the Walker County Historical Society will be on hand to tell fascinating tales about the people who built and lived in the Marsh House. The house was built around 1836. Did you know that the house survived General Sherman's march to the sea? You'll learn the answer and so much more on Thursday night.

Don't miss the opportunity to visit the Marsh House, see the many beautiful antiques, and learn more about our city's past. 

To learn more about our city, county, and state, please visit the following sites:

• The Marsh House
• Civil War in Georgia 
• Walker County, Georgia

Congratulations!

In December, teachers were asked to choose the top three pieces of writing from students' writing samples. The writing was to be done without help from the teacher. Once chosen, the works were submitted to the Young Author's Fair Committee. The committee read all submissions and chose the top three works from each grade level. Students were recognized on the news with a certificate and a small prize.

 Young Author's Fair

Round 1 Winners

December 2011

 Kindergarten

1st Aubrey Price

2nd Becca Neal
3rd Tanner Barrett

First Grade
1st Emerald Davis
2nd Bella Bray
3rd Joey Durham

Second Grade
1st Cameron Cavanaugh
2nd Hunter Stills
3rd Eveline Murray

Third Grade
1st Railee Lynn
2nd Daisy Dockery
3rd Courtney Dover

Fourth Grade
1st Chyanne Avans
2nd Gavin White
3rd Victoria Walker

Fifth Grade
1st Haley Underwood
2nd Cora Brown
3rd Amber Kendrick

Valentine's Dance Announced

Mark your calendar, Gilbert Gators!

Mr. Harris announced this morning that our school will host a Valentine's Dance after school on February 14. The dance begins right after school and parents need to pick up students by 4:30.  The cost for the dance is $5. Permission forms will be sent home soon!

MLK Holiday

 

There will be no school on Monday, January 16 in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Martin Luther King Day is a federal holiday held on the third Monday of January. It celebrates the life and achievements of Martin Luther King Jr., an influential American civil rights leader. He is most well-known for his campaigns to end racial segregation on public transport and for racial equality in the United States. 

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once said, "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'What are you doing for others?'" He believed in serving his fellow man. He worked diligently to improve things through non-violence and by showing love to everyone. We could learn a lot from Dr. King.

His most famous address was the "I Have A Dream" speech. 

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

Do you have a dream? What will you do in the future? Are you willing to work hard to achieve your dream?

Until next time,

Mrs. R :)

P.S. If you'd like to listen to Dr. King's speech, click here.

Honor Society Meeting

Gilbert  Honor Society Announcement

Our next meeting is Thursday, February 2nd!

Report to Mrs. Richardson's classroom upon dismissal. Please remember to make your transportation arrangements ahead of time, as you will not be allowed to call home the day of the meeting. We will dismiss from the gym at 3:15 p.m.

Winter Weather

A Note about Winter Weather

Parents please be advised that students will continue to go outside for recess using the following guidelines:

• If the temperature feels like 25 degrees and above, we will have outdoor recess (20 minutes).
• If the temperature feels like 16-25 degrees, we will have an abbreviated outdoor recess (5-10 minutes).
• If the temperature feels like 15 degrees and below, we will have inside recess.

On cold days, students should dress appropriately. Hoodies and sweatshirts are fine for mild weather. However, coats should be worn if it's colder than 45 degrees. Toboggans and gloves are acceptable. Please take a moment to write your child's name or initials inside his or her coat to prevent lost items.

If schools should close due to inclement weather, families will be notified using School Cast. Please be sure to update your School Cast information if your information should change. Contact the school for further information on updating contact numbers. School closings will also be announced on local television and radio stations.

Welcome to 2012!

Welcome back to school!

The faculty and staff at Gilbert Elementary want to wish you and your family the best in 2012! Now that we're back, we are settling into our routines. This time of year is always busy as teachers continue instruction to help students meet grade level requirements. For third, fourth, and fifth graders, it's crunch time! Students and teachers have 13 weeks until CRCT testing begins. To help us ensure that students do his or her best on the CRCT, we ask that you help by having your child to school on time each day. If you have Internet access at home, allow students to use Study Island or Ga OAS (Georgia Online Assessment System). Your child's teacher can help you obtain log in information.

We would like to announce the attendance winners for December's attendance contest. Congratulations to the following classrooms:

Kindergarten - Mrs. Paseur

1st Grade - Mrs. Vinyard

2nd Grade - Mrs. Hurley

3rd Grade - Mrs. Scott

4th Grade - Mrs. Brooks

5th Grade - Mr. Campbell

CBE - Burnett and Jackson