As we settle into our Thanksgiving Holiday, I first want to say how grateful I am to be a member of this community. Despite the difficulties of this strange year, I still feel an overwhelming sense of support and am delighted to be serving this wonderful community.

On Friday we sent out two communications to the Great Hearts Irving Upper School Community. The first was about precautions we have in place for the safety of our community when we return to campus for in-person learning after break. The second concerns the Return to Campus Survey for Semester 2 that will be sent to families when we return from break. You can find links to both communications below.

Please see below for other important dates and reminders, and, as always, please reach out to me with your questions.

Yours in Partnership,

Michael Cowan

Headmaster, Upper School

Great Hearts Irving

November 23-27 | Thanksgiving Break

November 9-December 11 | Open Enrollment

December 1 | NHS Toy Drive Deadline

December 1 | Great Hearts Texas Virtual Information Night

December 2 | Picture Day

December 2 | Senior Parent Lunch with the College Counselor

December 2-11 | MAPS Testing

December 7-11 | Texas Charter School Lobby Week

Winter MAP testing for 6^th to 9^th grade students will begin Wednesday, December 2^nd and will continue through Friday December 11^th. Please click on the link for scheduling, technical information for distance learners and general information about the importance of the exams.

Join Great Hearts Texas on Tuesday, December 1st at 6:00pm for a virtual informational session. Learn how our education cultivates the hearts and minds of students in the pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

The GHI National Honor Society is collecting toys for the Warren Center's Operation Santa 2020. The Warren Center serves students with disabilities. Bring your donations to campus Monday, November 30th and Tuesday, December 1st! There will be a box in the school lobby to drop off your donation. For more information please see the flyer below. Thank you for your generosity!

Upper School Picture Day has been rescheduled for Wednesday, December 2!

Please reach out to Patrick Malone (patrick.malone@greatheartsirving.org) with questions.

To pre-order pictures go to www.mylifetouch.com and enter the Picture Day ID GFBTKJTVE.

On Wednesday, December 2nd, parents of seniors are invited to join Mrs. Michelle Fitzgerald, Director of GHTX College Counseling for a virtual lunch about supporting students through the entire college application process. Topics to be discussed will include: acceptance decisions, financial aid, scholarships, and much more. After the presentation, Mrs. Fitzgerald will take questions.

It’s that time of year! The Snowflake Fund is just around the corner, keep an eye out for more information coming soon! For any families interested in giving faculty and staff a gift this holiday season, the Snowflake Fund makes life a little easier by providing the opportunity for a family to make a single monetary contribution to the fund. The fund will be distributed to all GHI faculty and staff as cash gifts just in time for winter break.

1. Your current Great Hearts student has a sibling whom you want to attend Great Hearts next school year.

2. You would like your currently enrolled Great Hearts student(s) to attend a different Great Hearts academy next school year. Click here for transfer eligibility requirements and process.

Please visit the athletics page located under "Academy Life" on the GHI website for all news and updates for Mustang Athletics. Contact our Athletic Director, Gary Gray, with questions (gary.gray@greatheartsirving.org).

If you or someone you know has interest in applying, please use the links above to complete an online application today! Please reach out to careers@greatheartsamerica.org with any questions!