Friday, March 14, 2014

Do a Happy Dance!

Cougar Staff:
It would be an understatement to say that this has been a busy week.  I think that happens when we try to pack so much into a week after missing so many days.  This was one of those weeks that felt like climbing a mountain, but guess what?  It’s Friday!  We are at the top of the mountain looking over into that promise land weekend!  Time to do that Happy Dance!  I hope that everyone has a great one!

Personnel:
I want to thank everyone who has donated sick days to Stacy Pierce.  I am continuously impressed with the generosity and compassion that this staff shows for one another in time of need.  If anyone else still wants to donate, just stop by and see Mrs. House to sign the appropriate form.  Thanks again to those who have already done so.

I heard from Mr. Drake this week, and it sounds like he is doing very well in his recovery from spinal surgery.  You can’t keep a good man down, and you can’t keep Chris Drake down either!  J

Thank You Team 3
Hats off to our Team 3 teachers (unless you have a hat sticker) for a great job on showcase lesson day!  We appreciate them opening up their classrooms to their colleagues yesterday.  I saw highly engaged students and teachers and some excellent use of questioning.  I am convinced that this process is a positive benefit to teaching and learning at GCMS!

School Culture Visits:
The school culture team from Allen County had lots of good things to say about their two days at GCMS this week!  They were impressed with our students, staff, and our school overall.  They will be returning to share their report with us at an after school faculty meeting in April.  All staff will be welcome to attend that meeting to hear their report.  I want to again thank Mary Anne Hack and Tez Hawkins for accompanying me on two days at Allen County-Scottsville High School this week as well.  We had two good days at another great school and picked up a few ideas that we may be able to use at GCMS in the future.  We will also be returning to ACSHS sometime in April for an after school meeting to share our report with their faculty and staff.

School Calendar:
The Grayson County School Board approved make up days at last night’s board meeting.  We will have school on March 31, April 1, and April 2.  We will be off April 3 and 4 for an abbreviated spring break.  We will also go to school on a to be announced Saturday OR on Memorial Day.  Other makeup days will be added to the end of the school year, making the students’ last day be May 30.  We will still have some staff only days after the students’ last day.  Mr. Anderson stated that if we were to get any “waiver days” that the first one would replace having to go on a Saturday or Memorial Day.  Any other waiver days would come off of the end and possibly make the students’ last day be earlier than May 30.  Stay tuned.

8th Grade Activities:
Thank you to everyone who has been helping with the 8th grade activities this week.  I appreciate those teachers who came out Monday night for the parent involvement program and also all of your help with 8th graders registering for high school classes.  It seemed to go very smoothly with Diane Horn spending a day with each team.  We certainly appreciate Diane’s efforts.  If any of you are her sister (Pam Armstrong), please relay our appreciation of Diane!

We will be having Reality Store and Operation Preparation next week for our 8th graders.  Hopefully, be running both programs on the same days, we can share these great “real life” programs with less disruption to the classroom.  A special note on lunch times:  Teams 1 and 2 will need to switch lunch times on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.  Math switches with math, science with science, etc.

Quote of the Day:
“The supreme accomplishment is to blur the line between work and play.” ~Arnold Toynbee

Coming Attractions:
Mar. 18-20..Reality Store and Operation Preparation
Mar. 19…GCMS SBDMC meeting, 3:00
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
April 3 and 4…Spring Break


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