Thursday, May 8, 2014

Down the Stretch They Come!

Cougar Staff:
Whew!  Rounding the last turn and to the top of the stretch they come!  This week has felt like we are entering that home stretch and hoping we have enough horse left under us to cross the finish line at Churchill Downs!  Busy is an understatement are GCMS these days.  I have a few notes to share with you as our week winds down.

Teacher Appreciation:
As Teacher Appreciation Week comes to a close, I want to share my heartfelt thanks to all teachers and staff at Grayson County Middle School.  I have worked at GCMS as principal for seven years, and I can truly say that I have never worked with a more dedicated and caring staff that really cares about kids.  Thanks for all that you do each day to make GCMS a great place for students and for adults!  A special thanks again to Faye Critchelow, Kelzey McCubbin and our FRYSC for providing such a nice hospitality room for our staff yesterday!

Personnel:
Please continue to remember those who have lost loved ones this week.  Patsy Wilkerson’s father, who is also Cyndi Frank’s father-in-law, and Lea Ann Frank’s grandfather-in-law passed away this week.  Also, David Whitmore’s uncle passed away this week.  I know that the families appreciate your prayers.

Congratulations:
If you have Grace Gorby in class or see her around GCMS, please congratulate her on winning the girls singles championship!  Also, congratulations to Leann and Shawn Majors on their son Brett making it to state in doubles tennis!

One-on-One Meetings:
I have had the most fun that I have had in a long time this week in meeting one-on-one with students at GCMS about our upcoming state assessments.  Mr. Whitmore and Mrs. Miller have also been meeting with students, and we hope to finish up these meetings early next week.  The students have been very receptive and really seem to buy in to the notion that great effort brings great results.  Please continue to stress to the students how important it is for them to do their very best on the KPREP tests this year!

State Assessments:
We will be starting our KPREP testing this coming Thursday, May 15.  Please keep track of students’ good faith effort with the checklist that I sent out earlier.  I will send it again in the near future if you have misplaced the first one.  Students who get 100 percent good faith effort points will be rewarded at the end of the testing with their choice of watching a movie in the auditorium, playing or watching battle ball in the gym, chill zone time in the cafeteria where they can play their electronics, or outside time to play Frisbee or whiffle ball.  Please encourage the students to be here every day throughout testing and to give their very best on the tests!

Please see Mrs. Majors’ earlier emails about the testing schedule for May 15, 16, 19, 21, and 22.  Also, I have sent out a schedule for which classes we will attend in the afternoons.  There is a day or two that we will go to first and second period I the afternoon instead of fifth and sixth.

We are emphasizing more than ever the importance of proper monitoring during testing sessions.  Teachers should be up and circulating around the room while the students are testing.  Please do not be working on the computer, reading professional journals, knitting baby booties, talking on a phone, etc.  You will need to take up student cell phones during testing and give them back after the entire group is finished with testing. 

Quote of the Day:
“High expectations are the key to everything.” ~Sam Walton

Coming Attractions:
May 8…GCMS Data Team will meet after school
May 9…Last day for Friday Schedule
May 9…Jean Day for $5 donation to Relay for Life
May 12…SBDMC training for all SBDMC members, 5:00 at GCHS
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, 8th Grade Commencement Programs, 8:00, 9:30, 11:00
June 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 will be staff training days.

June 7…Closing Day

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