Cash awards ranging from $500 to $5,000 per school were given, depending on the number of students served at the school. A total of $2.5 million is being awarded to schools this year under TSSAS. Principals of the seven GCISD campuses were recognized at a meeting on April 4 and presented with certificates for their schools. Honorees include: Colleyville Middle, $5,000; Cross Timbers Middle, $5,000; Glenhope Elementary, $4,090; Grapevine Elementary, $4,766; Grapevine High, $5,000; Grapevine Middle, $4,075; Heritage Middle, $5,000.

-Public invited to attend Board Candidates Forum GCISD Council of PTAs will sponsor a school board candidates forum, April 9, 8 p.m., in the Board Room of GCISD's Administration Building, 3051 Ira E. Woods Avenue, Grapevine. Candidates will have the opportunity to respond to questions posed by a representative from the Tarrant County League of Women Voters and to express their individual goals and areas of interest regarding the district and its schools. The meeting will be videotaped and televised on the district's cable school channels in the week's leading up the May 5th election. For AT&T (formerly Paragon Cable) viewers in Grapevine, GCISD broadcasts on Channel 18 and for AT&T viewers in Euless and Colleyville, school information is shown on Channel 74.

Early voting for the Board of Trustees elections will be available at GCISD's Administration Building, April 18-May 1, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., with extended hours on Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. A run-off election, if necessary, will be held on June 2.

-Schools closed on April 13

GCISD schools will be closed on Friday, April 13, in observance of one of two bad weather makeup days designated on the 2000-01 school calendar. School will be held on Monday, April 16 for the other bad weather day that was used in December.

-Kindergarten roundup dates set

Kindergarten round up will be held at GCISD elementary schools during April and May for the 2001-02 school year. Registration is for students who will be five years of age on or before September 1 of the current school year. Pre-kindergarten students must be four years old and meet income and limited English speaking requirements. To enroll in kindergarten, parents or guardians must present immunization records, birth certificate, social security number and acceptable proof of residence. Students may register at these elementary schools on the following dates: Bear Creek, May 7, 3:15-6 p.m.; Bransford, May 7, 6-7:30 p.m.; Cannon, May 1, 4-7 p.m.; Colleyville, April 9, 6-7 p.m.; Dove, May 1, 4-6:30 p.m.; Glenhope, May 1, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Grapevine, April 17, 5-7 p.m.; Heritage, April 30, 4-6:30 p.m.; O.C. Taylor, May 1, 4-6 p.m.; Silver Lake, May 1, 6:30-7:30 p.m.; Timberline, April 23, 4-7 p.m.

-Destination Imagination teams earn recognition Two GCISD Destination Imagination teams earned high recognition during the recent state competition. Grapevine Elementary's Dynamic Improv Team placed 4th in the state in that challenge and Glenhope Elementary's Anonymously Yours Team placed 3rd in the state in that challenge. Although only 1st and 2nd place winners are able to go to D.I.'s Global Finals in Knoxville, TN, May 23-26, the two GCISD teams achievement propels them into the top tier in within the Texas D.I. program.

Destination ImagiNation is an international organization for kindergarten through college students and community groups that teaches life skills and expanding imaginations through team-based creative problem solving.

-Bus Road-e-o winners advance to regional competition GCISD's annual Bus Road-e-o on April 4, challenged bus drivers to demonstrate their skills, and resulting in the selection of five GCISD bus drivers who will participate in the regional Bus Road-e-o on April 28 at West Mesquite High. Drivers hope to advance to the state competition on June 4 in McAllen. During the road-e-o, drivers maneuvered their eight-ton vehicles through a skills course featuring challenges such as student loading, diminishing lanes, railroad crossings, parallel parking, right turns and backing up. They also take a written test the day before and must find six bus defects within a five-minute time limit. GCISD's top drivers are: Bill Bates, 1st place; Dennis O'Gorman, 2nd place; Debbie Sweany, 3rd place; Tom Harvill, 4th place; Debbie McCoy, 5th place.

-Vital Link provides career connection for students Businesses are invited to give seventh-grade students from Grapevine-Colleyville ISD an insight into the world of work and a first-hand look at careers by hosting student interns in the Vital Link Internship program, June 4 -8. Students come to the business for three hours per day, typically from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m.

The Vital Link program links schools, students and businesses, providing students with the understanding of the relationship between school achievement and career success. Last summer nearly 70 businesses hosted 160 seventh-grade students during the internship program.

"As our students get a glimpse of the work world, our businesses gain an insight on education," said John Bailey, interim superintendent. "Plus it is a rewarding experience to work with our students." Student applications will be mailed to parents of seventh-graders in early April and are available at middle school counseling offices. A parent information meeting about the program will be held Tuesday, April 17 at 7 p.m. in the lecture hall at Cross Timbers Middle School, 2301 Pool Road.

For more information on the Vital Link program, contact one of the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD middle schools or call Louise Henry, director of development and community relations at 817/251-5481.

-Recognition event to honor volunteers and partners Outstanding programs and volunteers will be honored on Tuesday, April 17, at the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Partners in Excellence recognition breakfast at the Hilton DFW Lakes, at 7:45 a.m. Members of the press are invited to attend.

Representatives from business partnerships, volunteer programs and schools will be recognized for their contributions to student achievement and outstanding volunteers and partners will be announced. To reserve your space at the breakfast or for more information, contact Louise Henry, director, school and community relations, 817/251-5481.

-Colleyville Elementary

The Colleyville Elementary School Geography Club will meet on Wednesday, April 18, at 3:15 p.m. in the Media Center. Loretta Ross, CES principal, sponsors this after school activity.

-The second grade students of Colleyville Elementary will go on a field trip to the Fort Worth Japanese Botanical Gardens on Wednesday, April 18. The purpose of this trip is to apply knowledge they have gained during the second semester. They will be identifying plant parts as well as looking for various types of leaves and plants. In addition they will look for signs of animal life and for ways plants and animals are interdependent.

-On Saturday, April 21 in the Colleyville cafeteria at 3 pm and 7 pm. watch as a young princess is put under the spell of a jealous old woman - a spell that puts her to sleep for five hundred years! Join Missoula Children's Theatre and over 50 students from Colleyville Elementary in an original musical production of SLEEPING BEAUTY.

Missoula Children's Theatre presents SLEEPING BEAUTY, an original adaptation of the classic fairy tale. A new princess is born, and from far and wide the people of the kingdom gather to celebrate. One simple mistake is made, an invitation is misplaced - and the wrath of the vicious Scarella falls upon the poor infant in the form of a spell.

Sleeping Beauty is now destined to sleep for eternity if she should prick her finger on a spindle before she reaches her sixteenth birthday. Sleeping Beauty's Fairy Godmothers do their best to amend the spell, but Scarella, with the help of some nasty Trolls, tricks Sleeping Beauty into pricking her finger and the spell takes effect. Five hundred years pass, and Sleeping Beauty wakes to find herself in a Rock 'n Roll dream! Also featured in this production are the King and the Queen, Spot, the Fairies, the Palace Attendants and the Butterflies. SLEEPING BEAUTY - a Rock 'n Roll Fable for the ages. This is definitely no sleeper!

-MCT, the nation's largest touring children's theatre, has been touring extensively for 28 years from Montana to Japan and will visit over 800 communities this year with 24 teams of Tour Actor/Directors. A tour team arrives in a given town with a set, lights, costumes, props and make-up, everything it takes to put on a play.except the cast. The team holds an open audition and casts 50-60 local students to perform in the production. The show is rehearsed throughout the week and two public performances are presented on Saturday. All MCT shows are original adaptations of classic children's stories and fairytales, providing a twist on the classic stories that you know and love. Also included in the residency are three enrichment workshops presented by the Tour Actor/Directors. Creativity, social skills, goal achievement, communication skills and self-esteem are all characteristics that are attained through the participation in this unique, educational project. MCT's mission is the development of life skills in children through participation in the performing arts.

-To show appreciation to all of the wonderful parents, who have volunteered at Colleyville Elementary School in any capacity, the faculty will host a Volunteer Brunch on Thursday, April 19, at 8:15 in the school media center. All CES volunteers are invited.

-O.C. Taylor Elementary

O.C. Taylor Elementary is pleased to announce it's Annual Bike Rodeo to be held on Thursday, April 19th, 6:30 - 8 p.m. Representatives of the Colleyville Police Department will conduct free bike inspections and rodeo participants may test their skills on scooters, roller blades and bikes on obstacle course set up by the police department. Helmets must be worn and may be purchased for $6.95. A free event sponsored by the O.C. Taylor PTA, the rodeo is fun for the entire family and scouts can earn a badge for bicycling safety!!

-Colleyville Middle

Colleyville Middle School choirs earned outstanding performance ratings at the University Interscholastic League Concert and Sight-reading Contest at Richland High School. The A Cappella Women's Choir and the Honor Men's Choir earned a Division II Excellent rating in Concert and a Division I Superior rating in Sight-reading. The Varsity Treble Women's Choir was awarded a Division I Superior rating in Concert and a Division I Superior rating in Sight-reading, earning the group a Sweepstakes trophy for the contest.

-Cross Timbers Middle

The Cross Timbers Wolves UIL Academic team once again dominated the UIL District competition held on March 31, 2001, at Coppell East Middle School in Coppell. For the third year in a row, CTMS walked off with the first place trophy in 7th grade, 8th grade and overall Sweepstakes. In the 7th grade competition, CTMS racked up 237 points. Heritage Middle School came in second with 94 points. In the 8th grade, CTMS took first with 212 points, followed by 2nd place Colleyville with 73 points and Grapevine MS with 56 points in third. In Sweepstakes, CTMS accumulated 449 points with Heritage Middle School coming in second with 147 points. Schools are allowed to enter up to three students in each event at each grade level. Points are awarded according to placement with points being awarded for first through sixth place.

In the seventh grade, the math events were dominated by CTMS. In Calculator, Michael Berry was 5th, David DeTomaso placed 2nd and Matt Abel took first. In Number Sense, Will Chemelewski placed 3rd, Matt Abel was 2nd and David DeTomaso was first. In Mathematics, Johnathan Kim placed 4th, Matt Abel was 3rd and David DeTomaso placed first. Science was also dominated by CTMS with Will Chemelewski placing 5th, Kyle Moller taking second and Jon Richardson winning first place. CTMS also had an outstanding showing from their drama team with Jacqueline Edford placing 2nd in Impromptu Speaking and 5th in Modern Oratory. and the Modern Oratory event was won with an outstanding performance by Danielle Baca. In Oral Reading, Jessica Wright took 3rd place. In Dictionary Skills, Kyle Moller placed 4th and Jon Richardson was 6th. In Listening, Sarah Mannen took 3rd and Sean DePriest placed second. Jason Smith earned the gold medal with an outstanding effort in Maps, Charts and Graphs. Kyle Moller also placed 5th in Spelling and in Ready Writing, Kyle placed 4th.

The seventh grade team took one or more of the top six spots in every event.

In the eighth grade competition, CTMS was paced by outstanding performances by their math students. In Calculator, Onita Bhattasali placed first, Dee Wang was second and Valerie Truong was 5th. In Number Sense, Kee Scholten placed 4th, with Travis Betts taking second and Onita Bhattasali placing first. In Mathematics a clean sweep of the top three medals with Dee Wang taking 3rd, Travis Betts placing second and with a perfect score on the mathematics test, Onita Bhattasali placed first. Listening was also dominated by CTMS with Christa Mannen coming in second and Katy Copeland taking top honors. Johnathan Kim represented CTMS taking 6th in Maps, Charts and Graphs. In Modern Oratory, Matt McClure took the gold medal and in Oral Reading, Derek Hockenbrough placed 3rd. In the Spelling competition, Christa Mannen placed 3rd. In Science, Dee Wang took 5th place and Kee Scholten placed 2nd. Rounding out a terrific performance by the 8th grade team, Christa Mannen took the bronze medal in Ready Writing and Kee Scholten took the gold.

The Cross Timbers teams are coached by: Jamie Rogers: Impromptu Speaking, Modern Oratory and Oral Reading; Gypsy Lovvorn: Maps, Charts and Graphs; Norma Cruson: Dictionary Skills,; Lynn Buchwald: Listening; Eileen Dinneen: Science; Kathy Bloyd: Spelling; Gina Pasisis: Ready Writing; and Ruthanne Bloyd: Mathematics, Number Sense, and Calculator.

Congratulations to the twenty-two math/science team members from Cross Timbers Middle School that are advancing to the State Middle School Math and Science Championships to be held in San Antonio on April 7. The Math/Science team, consisting of 35 members, has competed all year for CTMS bringing home over 60 team and sweepstakes awards and over 400 individual awards. These twenty-two students advanced to state by achieving a preset score in one of the four events: Number Sense, Calculator, Mathematics and Science. Representing CTMS will be: Sixth graders: Aaron Roney in Math and Science, Catie Kreed in Number Sense; Merit Martin in Science; Mia Avramescu in Number Sense; Sarah Mannen in Number Sense, Math and Science. Kyle Moller in Science; David DeTomaso in Number Sense, Math and Science; Will Chemelewski in Number Sense and Science; Michael Berry in Number Sense; Matt Abel in Number Sense and Math; Julie Smith in Science;

8th grader Kee Scholten in Science; Seventh graders: Jon Richardson in Science; Johnathan Kim in Science; Jason Smith in Science; and Mike Russell in Science. Ruthanne Bloyd, Mathematics coach, Eighth graders Dee Wang, Science; Onita Bhattasali, Number Sense, Calculator,and Math; Christa Mannen, Science; Travis Betts, Number Sense; Rory Baker, Science; and Eileen Dinneen, Science coach. 8th grader Erin Cowee competing in Science.

The students and their coaches and chaperones will leave for San Antonio on Friday, April 6, 2001 and return on Sunday, April 8. The competition is being held at the University of Texas San Antonio where over 1500 students from across the state of Texas are expected to compete. The state championships are sponsored by the Texas Math and Science Coaches Association. TMSCA member schools host local competitions from October through early March. Cross Timbers hosted an invitational meet on December 2, 2000 and a regional meet on March 3. Both meets were attended by over 650 students from across the north Texas area representing 45 schools, public and private. For more information about the CTMS Math/Science team or TMSCA, contact Ruthanne Bloyd or Eileen Dinneen at Cross Timbers Middle School.

-Heritage Middle

During their first competition experience, members of the Heritage Middle School UIL Academic Team 2001 earned 147 points and brought home the 2nd place overall sweepstakes trophy on Saturday, March 31, at the district tournament at Coppell East Middle School. The 45 members of the team competed with 10 other north Texas middle schools. In addition, the seventh grade team won the overall trophy for their grade level.

Individual winners were: Spencer Kusi-gold in dictionary skills and bronze in Science I; Mitchell Mom-silver in math and bronze in number sense; Jessie Frazier-bronze in listening; Devery Johnson-bronze in maps, graphs, and charts; Blake Homan-bronze in maps, graphs, and charts; Erin Stempinski-bronze in maps, graphs, and charts; Faheem Khemani-silver in spelling; Aaron Kyle Fisher-bronze in dictionary skills; Kavita Kannan-silver in dictionary skills; Monni Price-gold in impromptu speaking; Scott Taubenheim-bronze in maps, graphs, and charts; Allison Branch-bronze in listening; Danny Golconda-bronze in number sense; Cassandra Gersh-bronze in oral interpretation; Whitney Couch-bronze in ready writing and bronze in listening.

-Colleyville Heritage High

CHHS wrestler Ryan Hueremann will be competing in the high school wrestlers national championships on April 5-8. Ryan takes an undefeated record of 33-0 to the tournament.

-Grapevine High

Grapevine High School Student Council is organizing a Blood Drive for April 18th from 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. in Gym 2. Held with the help of Carter Blood Care, the drive at GHS has a tropic theme: "Be A Lifesaver - Donate Blood." Tropical decorations, beach movies in the recovery area and tropical attire for the student organizers will contribute to the theme. All donors will receive Hawaiian leis and a T-shirt. People are allowed to donate if they weigh at least 110 pounds and are seventeen years of age. Adults from the community are welcome to drop by and give blood. The adults will be given priority in line above the students. If the GHS students are able to get ten percent of their senior class to donate, then the entire student body and faculty are covered in case of an accident or emergency.

-The April 10th mandatory parent meeting for student hoping to be GHS Belles JV has been changed to Thursday, April 12th, 7 p.m., GHS Library

-Grapevine High School students won the UIL District 6-AAAA Academic Contest on Saturday, March 31, at Northwest High School, competing against Carroll, Northwest, Birdville, Brewer, and Boswell. Students competed in twenty-two categories: Literary Criticism, Accounting, Spelling, Ready Writing, Number Sense, Calculator Applications, Computer Applications, Mathematics, Computer Science, Science, Current Events, Persuasive Speaking, Informative Speaking, Prose, Poetry, News Writing, Feature Writing, Editorial Writing, Headline Writing, Lincoln Douglas Debate, Cross Examination Debate and One-Act Play. Four first place teams advance to the regional competition in San Angelo, Texas on April 20th and 21st.

Twenty-six individuals who placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in their events advance as well.

Participants and results include:

Accounting: Jamie Douglas 4th place

Chris Castillo 1st place Michelle Dearth 10th place 1st Place Team-Advances to Regionals Coach: Sharon Shope

Calculator Applications: Maysa Alavi

Nelson Hui 1st place Joss Scholten Jason Hui 5th place Alternate: Will Carter Coach: Glenda Price

Computer Applications: Molly Eberly 4th place Coach: Sharon Shope

Computer Science: David Feil 4th place Kristiann Rushton 6th place Chris Koenig, Thomas Meglasson Alternate: Travis Frederick Coach: Angela Annis

Current Issues and Events: Graham Sowa 5th place Michelle Moller tie for 6th place Nick Chu, Alternate: Daniel Sheppare 2nd Place Team Coach: Ann Turpin

Literary Criticism: Laura Davidson 3rd place Carly Fallini 7th place Ashwini Habbu 6th place Alternate: Alex Lugo 2nd place 1st Place Team: Advances to Regionals Coach: Susan Pittman

Mathematics: Tolga Cengiz, Maysa Alavi

Sritha Reddy 3rd place Kristiann Rushton 5th place Alternate: Nelson Hui Coach: Glenda Price

Number Sense: Will Carter 12th place Jason Hui 1st place Joss Scholten 11th place Nelson Hui 2nd place 1st Place Team: Advances to Regionals Alternate: Maysa Alavi Coach: Glenda Price

Ready Writing: Josh Martin 3rd place

Aaron Block 1st place Stacy Yee 2nd place Coach: Janice Cook

Science: Justin Banta, Maysa Alavi Nelson Hui, Kristiann Rushton, Jason Hui Coach: Travis Day

Spelling and Vocabulary: Adam Avramescu 3rd place Ann Beshai, Alan Koda 1st place 1st Place Team-Advances to Regionals Coach: Pat Fox

One-Act Play: All Star Cast: Lara Seibert, Trevor David, Honorable Mention:Aaron Kosak, Matt Arnold, Coach: Becky Bailey

Persuasive Speaking: Michael Collins 2nd place Maysa Alavi 1st place Jennifer Miller Alternate: Graham Sowa

Coach: Ann Turpin and Jane Boyd

Informative: Ashleigh Collins, Vasanth Elaverasan, Michelle Moller Alternate: Nicholas Chu Coach: Jane Boyd and Ann Turpin

Poetry Interpretation: Brian Carey, Kerry Wall 2nd place Roderick Hudson 6th place Jennifer Miller Coach: Shawn Hawkins

Prose Interpretation: Aaron Kozak 1st place Craig Cheatham, Carly Laywell, Kelsey Gist Coach: Shawn Hawkins

Lincoln Douglas Debate: Maysa Alavi 1st place Vasanth Elaverasan 4th place

Michael Collins 2nd place Alternate: Jennifer Miller Coach: Jane Boyd and Ann Turpin

Cross-Examination Debate: Ashley Bowen 2nd place Brett Brady 2nd place Alex Kohlmann 3rd place Graham Sowa 3rd place Michelle Moller 4th place Kathryn Thorne 4th place Coach: Jane Boyd and Ann Turpin

Journalism:

News Writing: Megan Jacob, Chris Hires, Morgan Busch 1st place Alternate: Brian Harkin Coach: Julia Copeland

Feature Writing: Katie Van Over,

Sheena Martin 4th place Sarah Cladwell, Alternate: Megan Jacob Coach: Julia Copeland

Editorial Writing: Katie Van Over,

Sarah Caldwell, Jeff Daily 2nd place Alternate: Josh Martin Coach: Julia Copeland

Headline Writing: Katie Van Over 1st place Megan Jacob 4th place Brian Harkin 3rd place Alternate: Sarah Caldwell Coach: Julia Copeland

-Congratulations to the Grapevine High School Adult Spelling Bee Team. Competing against local businesses in the area, they won the Corporate Spelling Bee on March 29th. Catherine Henry, Betsy Burrell, Ninfa Gonzalez and Linda Horton were the GHS Spelling Bee team members. Proceeds from the GCISD Spelling Bee go to the GCISD Education Foundation.

-The Grapevine High Fabulous Fillies, under the direction of Kay Lynn Renfro, will be hosting their annual Spring Craft Fair, Saturday, April 28, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Grapevine High School, 3223 Mustang Drive. With participation by over 80 crafter of unique and hand-crafted items, the fair will also feature door prizes, concessions and face painting for children. Adult admission is $2.