This Week at GCMS

Cougar Staff:

It’s been another busy week at GCMS!  Things seem to have gotten back more to our regular routine after getting a couple of weeks without weather interruptions.  Let’s keep out fingers crossed about this weekend, as the forecast is threatening some wintery weather for Sunday night and Monday.  Let’s hope that it stays all rain in our area.  Either way, enjoy your weekend!

Personnel:

We were glad to have Elaine Holley back to school this week after her recent stay in the hospital.  Please remember Chris Drake as he goes in for back surgery next week and Jeremy Meredith as he recovers from gall bladder surgery.  We have many staff members with health concerns right now or family members with health issues:  Pam Armstrong, Stacy Pierce, Cassie Jarboe, Lea Ann Frank, Wendy Butler, Melanie Gallagher, Debbie Carman, Nycol Hart, and others.  Please keep your GCMS family in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank You:

I appreciate Chris Drake serving as a substitute administrator for the past couple of days.  Mr. Drake has been a big help, not only this week, but throughout the year, in helping out with supervision duties, covering for people who were out, etc. when he did not have students in detention.  Mr. Drake does a great job for our students and school!  Thanks Chris!

I appreciate Melanie Gallagher accepting the role as Math Plus Teacher Leader.  Our math department is part of a new math grant through GRREC that will provide a great deal of math specific professional development and resources to our math teachers over the next three years.  Melanie will be sharing some information with the math department during next Friday’s PLC session.

I appreciate Mary Ann Hack and Tez Hawkins serving on the school culture assessment team for GCMS as part of the Leading to Learn grant.  We were in training yesterday and today and learned a great deal about the importance of having a positive school culture.  This is something that we all know already, but it is also something that sometimes gets pushed onto the back burner.  We will be asking you to complete a short (13 question) survey sometime next week about our school culture at GCMS, then there will be a team from Allen County School District visiting with us on March 10 and March 13 to conduct interviews and unobtrusive observations.  Tez, Mary Ann, and I will in turn visit a school in Allen County to conduct an assessment for them on March 11 and 12.  I hope that you feel good about the culture at our school, and I hope that you will continue to work together to make it even better!

GCMS Data Team:

Also as part of the Leading to Learn grant with GRREC, our school is going to be involved in a “data retreat” in Bowling Green on June 18, 19, and 20.  I appreciate those who have already agreed to participate:  Susan Higdon, Stacy Downs, Amanda Thomas, Nycol Hart, Becki Pearl, Becky Miller, David Whitmore, and myself.  I have a couple of more slots if anyone would like to be a part of this team.  We would love to have a related arts teacher and/or a Title teacher, or anyone who has the desire to participate in our school improvement process.  Just let me know!

Quote of the Day:

“Remember, happiness doesn’t depend on who you are or what you have; it depends upon what you think.” ~Dale Carnegie

Coming Attractions:

Feb. 28..Please do not spend any 920X classroom funds after this date

Mar. 3..Kickoff date for American Heart Association Events

Mar. 10..8th Grade Night, 6:00…all 8th grade teachers should attend

Mar. 11-13..Freshman Registration through teams

Mar. 13..Team 3 Showcase Lesson Day

Mar. 18-20..Reality Store and Operation Preparation

Mar. 21……WKU History Contest

Mar. 24……GRVC Volleyball Tournament at GCMS (24th, 25th, 27th)

Mar. 26..Reward Assembly for all students with no office referrals, 1:45

Mar. 28..Battle for Heart, AHA Event

TGIF (Thank Goodness!)

Cougar Staff:

I was reading a headline earlier this week that a certain eastern Kentucky school district had already missed 36 days of school this school year.  So while our 11 days out of school is a lot, it could be much worse.  Our board has a plan for making up the days without us going very far into June, but none of us need to be making any early-mid June vacation plans this year.  The kids have been a little extra squirrelly this week, so I hope that everyone enjoys a well deserved rest this weekend.  When we have to open up a "detention annex", everyone knows that it has been a tough week.  Hang in there, next week will be better.

Personnel:

Elaine Holley has been suffering from some health problems this week and was hospitalized for a couple of days earlier in the week.  I know that you join me in wishing Elaine a speedy recovery.  We have many staff members with health concerns right now or family members with health issues:  Pam Armstrong, Stacy Pierce, Cassie Jarboe, Lea Ann Frank, Elaine Holley, Chris Drake, Wendy Butler, Melanie Gallagher, Debbie Carman, Nycol Hart, and others.  If I leave someone off, it’s mainly because being principal at a middle school for seven years tends to garble your mind, not because I am not concerned.  Please keep your GCMS family in your thoughts and prayers.

Congratulations:

I sent out an email a week or so ago congratulating Mr. and Mrs. French for being named the Kentucky String Directors of the Year by their professional association.  We are very proud of Adam and Stacy and the work that they are doing with our students in Grayson County! 

We are also very proud of Mr. Barry Duvall who was recognized by KMEA for his 30 years of service (actually 31).  As the BOE tweeted yesterday, Mr. Duvall has served in three districts, worked with 7 superintendents, 15 principals, approximately 8,000 students, and a partridge in a pear tree!  Mr. Duvall eats lunch in the cafeteria with our students each and every day.  He has done an outstanding job for a long time and even had time to tell a joke or two. Mr. Duvall does plan to retire at the end of this school year, and we want to thank him for all that he has done for the students of Grayson County.

Great Job Team 4!

I appreciate Team 4 teachers opening up their classrooms to their colleagues with showcase lessons this week.  I heard many positive comments from other teachers about what you observed.  We are starting to wind down showcase lessons for the year.  Our next showcase lesson day will be hosted by Team 3 on March 13.

GCMS Data Team:

As part of the Lead to Learn grant with GRREC, our school is going to be involved in a “data retreat” in Bowling Green on June 18, 19, and 20.  I appreciate those who have already agreed to participate:  Susan Higdon, Stacy Downs, Amanda Thomas, Nycol Hart, Becki Pearl, Becky Miller, David Whitmore, and myself.  I have a couple of more slots if anyone would like to be a part of this team.  We would love to have a related arts teacher and/or a Title teacher, or anyone who has the desire to participate in our school improvement process.  Just let me know!

Physical Activity/Brain Activity:

www.gonoodle.com

The link above is a website that Shane learned about that incorporates physical activity into the classroom through brain breaks.  Remember, we are not requiring exercises in regular classes, but most of the students will be glad to do this voluntarily.  Just what we learned about from Dr. Payne. Thanks, Shane!

Workman’s Comp:

It is always very important to fill out Workman’s Comp paperwork right away if you are injured on the job.  This must be done within 24 hours and turned in to me, to Mrs. House, or to Karen Colyer at the central office.  If you even think that there is the slightest possibility that you might have to seek medical attention as a result of something that happens while you are on duty, it is best to go ahead and fill out the paperwork.  Mrs. House has the forms in her office.

Wireless Updates:

I appreciate the work that Mr. Butler and other techs from around the district have done in installing our new wireless access points.  As I understand, the work is about three fourths finished, so you should be getting better wireless service in most parts of the building now. 

Quote of the Day:

“To love what you do and feel that it matters – how could anything be more fun?” ~Katharine Graham

Coming Attractions:

Feb. 21-22…All District Band

Feb. 28..Please do not spend any 920X classroom funds after this date

Mar. 3..Kickoff date for American Heart Association Events

Mar. 10..8^th Grade Night, 6:00…all 8^th grade teachers should attend

Mar. 11-13..Freshman Registration through teams

Mar. 13..Team 3 Showcase Lesson Day

Mar. 18-20..Reality Store and Operation Preparation

Mar. 21..WKU History Contest

Mar. 24-25..KUNA

Mar. 24..GRVC Volleyball Tournament at GCMS (24^th, 25^th, 27^th)

Mar. 26..Reward Assembly for all students with no office referrals, 1:45

Mar. 28..Battle for Heart, AHA Event

Back to Business

Cougar Staff:

It has been good to get back into school this week after six consecutive snow days.  Hopefully, we can continue to be in school from here on without many (if any) more snow days.  The weathermen are talking about snow for Friday afternoon and Friday night, but I am hopeful that this doesn’t affect school on Friday and is gone before Monday.  I know that everyone will continue to make the most of each and every school day we have whether that be in February or in June. Just try to stay away from the sinkholes.

Personnel:

Please continue to remember those with health concerns and family members with health concerns.  Both Cassie Jarboe's and Lea Ann Frank’s husbands have surgeries coming up.  Jeremy Meredith and Chris Drake both have surgeries in the near future as well.  Stacy Pierce is continuing with chemo treatments every three weeks, and is about half way through the series of treatments.  It was good to have Wendy Butler back this week after her time off with surgery.  It is also good to have Mary Jane Crawford back after the passing of her father.   I know that you join me is wishing each of these and others the very best.

Faculty Meeting:

We will have our February faculty meeting after school on Monday.  Our main agenda item will be discussion of the Ruby Payne webinar.  The district has temporarily blocked all streaming video, so if you have not already viewed the webinar, we are trying to come up with a solution to allow you to do so.  We will let you know asap.  If you have already viewed the webinar, please post to http://padlet.com/wall/7xgr1oph7g.  I appreciate Becky Miller setting up this padlet discussion for us.

Math Grant:

Mrs. Pearl and I will attend a kickoff training on Tuesday regarding the Math-Plus grant that we have been awarded through GRREC.  We hope to have a lot of good information to share with the math department next Friday during CSI time.

Calendar for 2014-15:

As Mr. Anderson emailed earlier this week, he plans to recommend Calendar option A with some minor adjustments to the Grayson County School Board at tonight’s board meeting.  This is the calendar option most similar to this year’s calendar.

Attendance Contest:
The district is once again sponsoring an attendance contest for the month of February.  The school in Grayson County with the best percentage of improvement compared to last February will receive $1500.  The other schools will receive $500 in recognition of attendance efforts as well.  Please encourage your students to be here every day!

Living Well Promise:

Don’t forget that if you enrolled in one of the Living Well health insurance plans this year, that you are required to go online and complete the “Living Well Health Assessment” between now and May 1.  This is located online at www.livingwell.ky.gov.  Sarah Crume sent out a helpful email with detailed instructions back in December.  I can forward that email for anyone who may have misplaced it.

Quote of the Day:

“A winner is big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.” ~John Maxwell

Coming Attractions:

Feb. 14..Dance sponsored by Volleyball and Y-Club, 3:00-5:00 (weather permitting)

Feb. 17..Makeup Day, School will be in session

Feb. 17..after school faculty meeting

Feb. 18..Team 4 Showcase Lesson Day

Feb. 19..GCMS SBDMC Meeting, 3:00

Feb. 28..Please do not spend any 920X classroom funds after this date

Mar. 26..Reward Assembly for all students with no office referrals, 1:45

Mar. 28..Battle for Heart, AHA Event

That #$%# Groundhog!

Cougar Staff:

Will there be school tomorrow?  Won’t there be school tomorrow?  Will somebody please sing the School Messenger call?  Maybe Monica Heavrin could do it for a little variety?  Do you prefer Swamp People or Appalachian Outlaws on TV tonight?  Oh, the satellite is frozen.  Forget it.  How many cars off the road today?  Do you remember the blizzard of 1978?  Did you really go to school on Saturdays that year, and if so, did you really get to watch cartoons?  And so it goes this year.  I am hoping that we can get back to normal next week, though the forecast does not look very encouraging.  I hope that everyone is staying warm, dry, and above all safe during this cold and “weathery” winter!

Parent/Teacher Conferences:

We do still plan to have our parent/teacher conferences on Monday, February 10 from 4:00-6:00 if we are in school on Monday.  If we were to get more bad weather and be out Monday, then we would cancel the conferences.  As always, please try to have positive, productive conversations with our parents.  Start out each conference by pointing out something positive about the student and be sure to end on a positive.  In between, please have those needed conversations about areas for growth and improvement.  Hopefully, we will have a good turnout on Monday night.

Back to the Future:

We also still plan to have our 7^th and 8^th grade Back to the Future Day on Tuesday, February 11.  This is a great opportunity to authentically engage parents in their child’s learning.  I have done a School Messenger call about this event, but please remind your students on Monday and the parents on Monday night.  The parents who attend these events are generally very interested in their child’s success in education.  That’s why they are here, and that’s why we are here!

"Keys to Educating Middle Grades Students in Poverty":

Between now and our next faculty meeting, I would like for you to view the webinar "Keys to Educating Middle Grades Students in Poverty" with Ruby Payne.  We will follow up on the webinar at our February 17 after school faculty meeting.  Mrs. Miller will set up a Wall Wisher for you to post to as we get closer to the meeting date.  Please look for specific strategies that you can use in your classrooms or with your advisory students.  Here’s the link:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szncUEECSjc&feature=em-share_video_user.

Living Well Promise:

Don’t forget that if you enrolled in one of the Living Well health insurance plans this year, that you are required to go online and complete the “Living Well Health Assessment” between now and May 1.  This is located online at www.livingwell.ky.gov.  Sarah Crume sent out a helpful email with detailed instructions back in December.  I can forward that email for anyone who may have misplaced it.

Quotes of the Day:

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness?” ~John Steinbeck

"The groundhog is like most other prophets; it delivers its prediction and then disappears."  ~Bill Vaughn

Coming Attractions:

Feb. 10..Parent/Teacher Conference, 4:00-6:00

Feb. 11..7th/8th Grade Back to the Future Day

Feb. 17..Makeup Day, School will be in session

Feb. 17..after school faculty meeting

Feb. 18..Team 4 Showcase Lesson Day

Feb. 28..Please do not spend any 920X classroom funds after this date

Mar. 26..Reward Assembly for all students with no office referrals, 1:45

Mar. 28..Makeup Day, School will be in session

Mar. 28..Battle for Heart, AHA Event