Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'

Cougar Staff:

It’s been another very busy week at GCMS!  As the week winds down, I have a few notes to share with you.  Head em up, move em out, and have a great day!

Congratulations!

I would like to congratulate our newly elected GCMS site based council members.  Parent representatives for 2014-2015 will be Keith Lucas and Jenny Cummings.  Teacher representatives for 2014-2015 will be Elaine Holley, Lea Ann Frank, and Ashley Johnson.  I appreciate all those who have served on the council, and I look forward to working with the new council this coming year.

I would also like to congratulate some of our GCMS teachers on being selected for participation and been awarded scholarships for some prestigious summer institutes.  Both Ellen Thomas and Laura Goff have been selected to participate in the McConnell Center’s Summer Institute for US History in Annapolis, MD this summer.  Lea Ann Frank and Angie Escue have both been selected to participate in the NEED Energy Conference in Savannah, GA.

Thank You!

I appreciate everyone who went with us on Monday evening to ECTC!  The 7^th graders and their parents seemed to really enjoy the experience, and I heard many positive comments that evening and since.

I want to thank Tez Hawkins and Mary Anne Hack for serving with me on the School Culture Assessment team.  We finished the process by presenting the school culture report at Allen County-Scottsville High School yesterday afternoon.  Each school will take the data received and work to continue improvement of school culture.

I want to thank Lori Carroll for serving with me on the District Certified Evaluation Committee.  We have had lots of meetings about developing next year’s one year evaluation plan before we go to “full blown” PGES the following year.

I want to thank Melanie Gallagher for serving as Math Plus teacher leader for our new Math Plus grant program.

Holly Milliner and Shane Decker are serving in the content network and district instructional leadership team for science and social studies.  Again, lots of meetings, time, and effort goes into this work.

I know that there are lots of others going above and beyond at GCMS!  Thank you everyone for what you do to make things better for students and fellow staff members!

Tuesday Assembly:

We have a motivational assembly scheduled for our student body this coming Tuesday afternoon, April 29.  This assembly will take 6^th period that day.  Check out the group from Remix Education at www.remixeducation.com.

8^th Grade Career Camp on Friday:

Our 8^th grade Career Camp is planned for Friday, April 25.  Staff from the GC Tech Center will be here at GCMS to present the program.   Remember, we will be going to our Mon-Thurs schedule that day.  All students will report to their regular first periods and then start the rotation schedule promptly at 8:00.  Please notice that I have related arts teachers scheduled to take some groups so that team teachers do not lose all their planning time that day.  Also, please notice that we are flipping 7th with 8th grade lunch schedules.  We will plan to have 8th grade band, 8th grade chorus, and 8th grade advanced math to have class that afternoon, knowing that many of those students will be participating in the career camp at those times and miss those classes.  This should be a great opportunity for our students to get a closer look at the types of activities offered by the GC Tech Center and the related careers.

KPREP is Coming:

As you know, our KPREP testing is slated for May 15, 16, 19, 21, and 22.  Mrs. Majors emailed out our testing schedule last week.  Yesterday, I also sent you the afternoon schedule for each day so that we will not be missing the same class periods every day during the testing.  Each teacher will need to diligently monitor students during all testing sessions.  I expect teachers to be up and circulating during testing sessions rather than sitting at the computer or reading a professional journal.  I (and central office staff) will be coming around and may be in and out of rooms some.  We will be quiet and careful not to disrupt.  It will be necessary to leave all classroom doors unlocked, and as always all door windows uncovered during testing.  I emailed the good faith effort checklist a couple of weeks ago, and I will email that out again.  Please mark this checklist for each student.  At the end of the testing, we will have a good faith effort reward afternoon on May 22 in which students who have received 100 percent good faith effort will be able to choose activities in the gym (battle ball), a movie in the auditorium, fun activities outside (Frisbee, whiffle ball, etc.), or chill zone electronics time in the cafeteria. 

One on One Meetings with Students:

Mr. Whitmore, Mrs. Miller, and I will begin meeting with students about the upcoming testing starting on May 5 during study skills classes.  We will review student data from last year’s KPREP as well as current year data from DEA and try to help motivate students to do their best.  Our plan is to come to your team area during your skills time starting on May 5 and visit each day until we have had a chance to meet with every student.  When we finish the study skills groups, we would also like to visit with students who are in music classes toward the end of that week.

Quote of the Day:

“Luck is the dividend of sweat.  The more you sweat, the luckier you get.” ~Ray Kroc

Coming Attractions:

May 9…Jean Day for $5 donation to Relay for Life

May 15-22…KPREP Testing

May 21…GCMS Site Based Council Meeting, 3:00

May 22…Good Faith Reward, 1:00-2:30

May 23…KPREP Make-up Day

May 20…No school for students – Staff training day

May 26…Memorial Day – No school for students or staff

May 30…Students’ Last Day, 8^th Grade Commencement Programs, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00

June 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 will be staff training days.

June 7…Closing Day