The Whirling Dervish That Is GCMS!

Cougar Notes:

It has been another very busy week at GCMS!  I have heard good things from our teachers about the student efforts of our 7^th and 8^th grade students on this year’s EXPLORE testing.  The Pinocchio play was very well received by our students.  We want to thank Cougar Zone Director Melanie Manion for arranging the play and the Leitchfield Lions Club for helping sponsor the play.  Our 8^th grade manufacturing speakers got started this morning with Team 1 and will continue on Friday morning and Monday morning with Teams 2 and then 3.  All three teams will be touring at MTD on Tuesday.  We appreciate everyone from local industry helping our students learn about the manufacturing opportunities in our community. 

Personnel:

We have several staff members dealing with health concerns right now, as well as staff family members’ with health concerns.  Please remember your GCMS family.  We wish everyone the best in each situation.

Congratulations:

Congratulations to Mrs. Teresa Jarboe and the GCMS Chorus!  Four young ladies from GCMS have made the all-state choir.  We are very proud of Tia Druen, Macy Lively, Makayla Mudd, and Shayana Roach. 

Congratulations to the GCMS 7^th and 8^th grade football teams for advancing to the Conference Bowl Games!  Our 7^th grade team plays for the championship tonight, and our 8^th grade team plays on Tuesday night.  Good luck Cougars!

Showcase Lessons/Peer Observation:

We have several showcase lesson days coming up in the near future.  Team 9 will be hosting showcase lessons on Monday, Sept. 29, Related Arts on Tuesday, Oct. 21, and Team 7 on Wednesday, Oct. 29.  Remember, we are doing showcase lessons in sixth grade, seventh grade, and related this year.  Those teachers involved in Peer Observation this year are welcome but not required to participate in the showcase lessons.  We look forward to sharing some great teaching and learning through both processes.

All Things PGES, Focus on Student Growth Goals:

We have had a productive week during CSI time, taking a closer look at the process for developing student growth goals.  I appreciate Mrs. Miller and Mr. Whitmore for leading the way.  Our teachers are working hard at identifying enduring skills and developing growth and proficiency statements.  This is a learning process that we are all in together, and I am confident that we will get better and better at it.  We will devote most of our regular October faculty meeting to a further discussion of student growth goals.  Like most of PGES, this will be beneficial to our students in the long run.  Since student growth is not part of anyone’s evaluation this year, it is a good chance for us to learn the process without stressing over it.

Quote of the Day:

“Life’s tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.” ~Benjamin Franklin

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 26…Rep. from Kentucky Deferred Comp at GCMS

Sept. 27...GCMS band in the Honeyfest Parade

Sept. 29…Team 9 Showcase Lessons

Sept. 30…Manufacturing Day field trip (8th grade to local factories)

Oct. 1…Faculty Meeting to review KPREP scores, 2:50

Oct. 2…GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 3-10…Fall Break

Oct. 3...GCMS band in the Caneyville Parade

Oct. 13…October Faculty meeting, 3:00

Oct. 17…KIP Survey (6th and 8th graders)

Oct. 21…Related Arts Showcase

Oct. 22…GCMS Staff Health Insurance Enrollment

Oct. 24…Picture Retakes, group/team pictures

Oct. 25…8^th graders and parents field trip to Campbellsville University

Oct. 28…Team 7 Showcase

Oct. 29…Deadline to sign up for the Staff Humana Vitality Check

Hello Again Parents!

Parents’ Corner:

This is the second “for parents” entry in my Cougar Notes blog.  I hope that this information is helpful to our GCMS parents and families.  Also, feel free to email me at jim.blain@grayson.kyschools.us or call 270-259-4175 if you ever have questions or concerns about your child’s education at GCMS.

EXPLORE Testing is Here:

Our 8^th graders completed the interest inventories and demographics Friday morning and will be taking the EXPLORE subject area tests on Monday, Sept. 22.  Our 7^th graders will be taking the EXPLORE on Monday and Tuesday, Sept. 22 and 23.  Please encourage your student to do their very best on this test.  It is the first test in the ACT series, and it gauges how students measure up in the area of college and career readiness.

GCMS Football:

We are excited that our 7^th and 8^th grade Cougar football teams have both advanced to the Conference Bowl Games!  Our boys will play Ohio County in both games.  We will host the 7^th grade game on Thursday evening, Sept. 25, starting at 5:30 pm.  Our 8^th graders will play at Ohio County on Tuesday, Sept. 30, also at 5:30.  Good luck Cougars! 

Pinocchio is Coming:

Cougar Zone Director Melanie Manion has arranged for an off Broadway troupe to come to GCMS again this year.  The troupe will be presenting the play “Pinocchio” for all three grades in three sessions on Wednesday, September 24.  This company has brought us productions of “Tom Sawyer” and “Hansel and Gretel” the past two years, and our students have responded very positively.

GCMS Walkathon:

The annual GCMS Walkathon is scheduled for October 2, the last day before Fall Break.  Our walkathon is the only school wide fundraiser conducted at the middle school, and we hope that all GCMS students will participate.  The 90 minute walk provides students with the opportunity to help their school and a great and healthy interaction time.  Students raise money by asking friends, family, neighbors, and other community members to sponsor them for a total pledge amount rather than a per mile amount.  To participate in the walk, students must have a minimum of $5.00 pledged and turned in by the morning of October 2.  To be eligible for prizes, all money must be turned in by Wednesday, October 1.  There are various prizes for different amounts raised, and the top three individual fund raising students will win either a 2015 season pass to the Leitchfield Aquatic Center, a Fat Head wall decoration, or Nike shoes and socks.  The first place fund raiser gets first choice, then the second place, and then the third gets the remaining prize.  The GCMS Beta Club will be selling bottled water during the walkathon.  We want to thank parents in advance for sponsoring students and supporting GCMS in this way!

Quote of the Day:

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.” ~Franklin D. Roosevelt

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 19 and 22….EXPLORE Testing for 8th grade

Sept. 22 and 23…EXPLORE Testing for 7th grade

Sept. 24…Pinocchio Play at GCMS for each grade, actors’ workshop during Cougar Zone

Sept. 25…GRVC 7^th Grade Football Bowl Game at GCMS, 5:30

Sept. 30…GRVC 8^th Grade Football Bowl Game at Ohio Co, 5:30

Oct. 2…GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 3…GCMS 7th and 8th Grade Band performs in the Caneyville Parade

Oct. 3-10…Fall Break

Oct. 17…KIP Survey for 6^th and 8^th grade

Oct. 17…GCHS Band performs at GCMS, 2:00 (tentative date)

Oct. 25…Field trip for 8^th graders and their parents to Campbellsville University

That's the Way the Ball Bounces!

Cougar Staff:

It has been another busy week at GCMS!  We have enjoyed having the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Mobile Science Center here this week for our 7^th graders to experience.  The students were able to use corn based materials to make their own biodegradable plastic (in the form of bouncy balls).  What middle school student doesn’t love a bouncy ball?   Our students were able to learn a valuable lesson about conservation at the same time. 

Personnel:

Please continue to remember Melanie Manion’s mother.  She has been in the hospital this week with heart related issues.

Attendance:

GCMS students responded in a big way for the annual “High Attendance Day”.  We had two teams (Team 6 and Team 7) that had perfect attendance today!  We had more teams that met the 98 percent goal, and we will announce those just as soon as Mrs. Venita figures in any sign-ins or sign-outs.  Our overall attendance for the day looks to be above 97 percent, so that is about 2 percent better than an average day.  Great job!

As always, please remember to check and post your class attendance in Infinite Campus each period.  We need to have accurate attendance records for many reasons, accountability for student safety being the number one reason.  I know that teachers are more interested in teaching and learning than they are in posting attendance, but it is crucial that we always check and post accurate attendance each and every class period.  Thanks.

EXPLORE Testing:

Please encourage your students to do their very best on the upcoming EXPLORE testing.  Our 8^th graders will be testing on Friday and Monday, September 19 and 22, and our 7^th graders will be testing on Monday and Tuesday, September 22 and 23.  The 8^th grade EXPLORE results comprise the college and career readiness component of our school accountability score, so it is very important that the students give their very best efforts.

He Thinks He’s a Real Boy!

Pinocchio is coming to GCMS on Wednesday, September 24.  There will be showings for all three grades during the day.  Thanks to 21^st Century Learning Director Melanie Manion for bringing this off Broadway troupe to GCMS for the third or fourth consecutive year.  This is the company that has brought us plays like “Tom Sawyer” and “Hansel and Gretel”. 

Walkathon:

Our annual GCMS walkathon is planned for Thursday, October 2.  Once again, our related arts department will be spearheading the organization of the walkathon.  Mr. Blain will speak to the students about the walkathon in the gym on Friday morning, September 19, and materials will be distributed to students during related arts classes that day.

Quote of the Day:

“Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” ~Jim Ryun

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 19 &22…EXPLORE Test for 8^th grade

Sept. 22-23…EXPLORE Test for 7th grade

Sept. 24…Pinocchio Play at GCMS (for all 3 grades)

Sept. 30…Manufacturing Day field trip (8th grade to local factories)

Oct. 2…GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 3-10…Fall Break

Oct. 17…KIP Survey (6th and 8th graders)

Hello Parents!

GCMS Parents Corner

After starting a blog last year to improve communication with our staff at Grayson County Middle School, it occurred to me that blogging could also be a great way to improve communication between the school and parents of our GCMS students.  I want GCMS parents to always feel well informed about what is going on at GCMS, so I encourage our parents to follow this blog and contact me at GCMS whenever you have questions or concerns about your child’s education or school activities at GCMS.  Entries intended to provide information for our staff are posted weekly.  Parents are certainly welcome to review those notes, but I will make posts specifically to parents in order to try to provide you with as much helpful information about our school as possible.  Here we go!

Introduction:

My name is Jim Blain, and I have worked in the field of education since I graduated from Western Kentucky University in 1988.  My career has included being a substitute teacher, a part time college history teacher, a high school social studies teacher, a gifted and talented (GATE) teacher, an assistant principal in both Breckinridge and Grayson Counties, and I am starting my 8^th year as principal at GCMS.  My wife Teresa is the GATE teacher for Grayson County Schools, and we live in Leitchfield.  Our son Scott is a student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and our daughter Tessa is a student at H.W. Wilkey Elementary.  I am a big Cincinnati Reds fan…they will be better next year!  I enjoy reading, working in my yard, and almost all types of music. 

GCMS Activities:

GCMS is a very busy place for students and staff!  We are very proud of all of our activities, and there is virtually something for everybody!  We have outstanding performing musical groups, including band, orchestra, and chorus.  We offer competitive sports at the middle school level in football, boys basketball, girls basketball, cheerleading, and volleyball.  GCMS has a great academic team program which includes quick recall, future problem solving, and written assessment.  GCMS students also have the opportunity to “play up” in GCHS high school sports in baseball, softball, cross country, track, golf, soccer, tennis, and basketball.  Clubs established at GCMS include Beta Club, Junior HOSA, Junior DECA, KFC, and Drama Club.  Many of these clubs meet during our after school 21^st Century Learning program that we call Cougar Zone.  Our Cougar Zone Director, Melanie Manion, coordinates the after school program which lasts until 5:00 pm each Monday through Thursday.  The students have a healthy snack, then an hour of tutoring or homework help, and then an hour of fun activities.  Some of these fun activities include archery, cooking class, drama, aviation class, robotics, fiddle lessons, drumming lessons, kick ball, craft club, and on and on!  Again, as you can see, there are many opportunities for students to be actively involved at GCMS!

EXPLORE Testing is Coming:

The EXPLORE test is coming soon to GCMS!  The test, which is the first step in the ACT testing program, is scheduled for GCMS 8^th graders on Friday, September 19 and Monday, September 22.  The test is also scheduled for GCMS 7^th graders on Monday, Sept. 22 and Tuesday, Sept. 23.  It is important that students give their very best efforts on the EXPLORE test.  This test is how students show their levels of college and career readiness in middle school.  Our goal at GCMS is to get every student on track to be ready to start college or a career when they graduate from high school. 

Writing at GCMS:

Grayson County Middle School believes that in order for our students to be successful both in and out of school, their communication and writing skills need to be developed to include traditional pen and paper writing activities, as well as 21st Century forms of communication.  Our students are expected and encouraged to apply their thinking and writing skills in every content, and not just in the Language Arts classroom.  The intention of writing assignments is no longer just to develop a polished product like the traditional portfolio.  Instead, attention is given to the writing and thinking processes needed to communicate information through multiple genres.   In the next few weeks your student may be assigned research projects in 6th grade Social Studies, lab reports in Science, creation of historical graphic novels in 8th grade Social Studies, development of fitness or nutrition plans in health and PE, posters and presentations in 8th grade Science, or videos attached to QR codes to explain art processes in Art class.  We hope that you will take the time to find out what your child is doing in their classes to communicate with others.  It is also our hope that we are preparing your child to continue to successfully communicate in a world with ever changing needs and possibilities.  Please encourage your student in their writing.  Who knows?  The next James Patterson, John Grisham, or J.K. Rowling may be walking the halls of GCMS right now!

Quote of the Day:

“Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.”  ~ James Baldwin

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 15….No Cougar Zone today

Sept/ 16…GCMS Home Football game vs. Hancock Co., 5:30

Sept. 17…GCMS site based council meeting, 3:15

Sept. 16-18…Kentucky Dept. of Agriculture Mobile Science Unit visits GCMS (7^th grade)

Sept. 19 and 22….EXPLORE Testing for 8^th grade

Sept. 22 and 23…EXPLORE Testing for 7^th grade

Sept. 24…Pinocchio Play at GCMS for each grade, actors’ workshop during Cougar Zone

Oct. 2…GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 3…GCMS 7^th and 8^th Grade Band performs in the Caneyville Parade

Oct. 3-10…Fall Break

Full Throttle at GCMS!

Cougar Notes:

Things are going full throttle at GCMS this week!  We had a great turnout for parent/teacher conferences on Monday night and another big crowd for Meet the GCMS Lady Cougars Night on Tuesday evening!  Bow tie Tuesday was a big hit, and thanks again to the Board of Education for hosting a Family Fun Night for employees and their families on Tuesday evening.  With our GCMS football team at home to host Butler County this evening, we continue this busy week.  I hope that you can get out to support the team tonight and/or Tuesday night of next week.  I have enjoyed getting into lots of classrooms this past week.  I have found your learning targets posted on the board and activities matching up with the targets.  I have also been impressed that I am seeing very similar work going on within CSI teams.  It is clear that you are coordinating your plans within the same grade/same subject area for the benefit of our students.  Keep up the great work!

Personnel:

Please remember your GCMS family.  I know that several staff members are dealing with health issues and have family members with health issues right now.  Also, please say a prayer for Chailey Maples.  She has been in the hospital this week with some issues.

GCMS Parents Blog:

I am planning to start including more parent information in my blog.  The Cougar Notes entries are typically geared toward GCMS staff members, so I am also going to start doing some entries geared more toward our students’ parents.  I want our GCMS parents to always feel well informed about what is going on at our school, and I hope that expanding the blog plus doing a weekly announcements call through School Messenger will be steps in that direction. 

Monday’s Faculty Meeting:

Just a reminder, our September faculty meeting will be Monday, Sept. 15 and will be dedicated to Testing Ethics and Accommodations Training.  We need everyone to plan to stay for our meeting.  We will try to start as early as possible (hopefully 2:50), since we are required to have everyone participate in both parts this year.  Those with late duty should come straight to the library from duty. 

Observations:

If any teachers would like to go ahead and schedule your observation, please contact the administrator in charge of your evaluation.  We can go ahead and observe for any teacher who is in year one or year two of your evaluation cycle.  This will be a "mini" observation which will last 20-30 minutes.  For non-tenured and other teachers in your summative year (year 3), the peer observation must be completed before your full observation by a principal.  Mr. Shane Decker gets the door prize for having Mr. Whitmore conduct our first mini observation today!

 

All Things PGES (I am going to start intentionally touching on a specific area of PGES on a regular basis in the Cougar Notes.  This week’s entry addresses peer observation.)

Peer Observations:  (this pertains to teachers in the summative evaluation year: all 8^th grade teachers and all non-tenured teachers)

As we start the process of peer observations, I want everyone to keep in mind that this process has basically three parts:

1.            Pre-observation conference…Please start thinking about when you would like to have your peer observation and get together for a pre-conference a day or two beforehand.  Please let the office know if you need someone to cover part of a class to free you up for your conference.  Typical pre-conferences will take about 15-20  minutes.  Peer observers will be looking for evidence in Domains 2 and/or 3.  I think it would be ideal for the teacher being observed to suggest a component to focus on (for example 2C Classroom Procedures or 3B. questioning, etc.).  Perhaps the component that you focused on in your PGP would be the best choice.  The pre-observation forms in our CEP are fine to use, but that is optional.  You will not be required to turn these in to the office.  The only required documentation will be what needs to be entered into CIITS. 

2.            Observation…The peer observation falls into the category of “mini or partial” observation and should last 20-30 minutes.  When the peer observer logs into CIITs, you will need to find “my observation caseload” and your 3 or 4 teachers should be listed.  You will click on “new” over to the right of that teacher’s name; you can click “announced” to set up the date and time, and then “partial” to open the observation.  You can do your scripting on a laptop by clicking “notepad” or you may prefer to do this in a Word document.  You might prefer to just do your scripting by hand instead of on the computer and then enter your evidence into CIITS after the observation.  If you use the notepad or a Word document, you will need to copy/paste statements of evidence into appropriate component boxes for Domains 2 and/or 3.  A piece of evidence might match more than one component.  You do not have to worry about entering anything for Domains 1 or 4 for peer observations.

3.            Post-observation conference…after the observation, the peer observer should complete the entry of evidence in CIITS and then click “share draft”.  This will send an automated email to the teacher who has been observed with the evidence that the peer observer has entered.  The observed teacher then enters information into the appropriate boxes in CIITS as teacher feedback.  This could be further explanation, clarifications, supporting examples, and/or artifacts.  Artifacts can be attached in the categories of documents, videos, or images.  The observed teacher clicks share to send an automated email back to the peer observer.  After these steps have been completed, the post conference can be held.  Remember, the peer observer does not rate the teachers observed.  Only the principals will assign the 1-4 ratings for each component.  Peer observers should click “submit observation” after the post conference has been completed.  Post conferences (like those that principals do) should be completed within 5 school days after the observation.

Peer observation is for information purposes, not ratings or evaluation.  This should take much of the pressure out of the situation.  The peer observation process should be a great way for us to help each other improve our practice and ultimately benefit our students.

All Window 1 Peer Observations should be completed by November 7.

If any (or all) of this is unclear, I will be glad to sit down with you during your planning time and try to help.  Just let me know.

I considered just setting up days for everyone to pre-conference, for everyone to peer observe, and for everyone to post-conference and hiring subs to cover classes….but I know that everyone is at a different point on readiness and when you would prefer to have the peer observation.  With all that said, just contact the office, and either one of the administrators, counselors, Mrs. Pearl, or a classified staff member will cover for either the peer observer or the observed teacher for your pre-conference, for your observation, and for your post-conference.  With Mrs. Pearl and Mrs. Holley’s schedules, there is more flexibility and covering shouldn’t be required, but it will be needed for Mr. Helm, Mr. Parker, and Mrs. Mullins.

Quote of the Day:

“Life is an echo; what you send out comes back.” ~Chinese Proverb

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 15…September Faculty Meeting (testing ethics training), 2:50

Sept. 16…Staff Tailgate/Corn hole before the GCMS home football game (game time is 5:30)

Sept. 16…District-wide GATE Parent meeting at the BOE, 6:00-7:00

Sept. 16-18…KY Dept. of Agriculture Mobile Science Center at GCMS (7th grade)

Sept. 17…GCMS SBDMC Meeting, 3:15

Sept. 22-23…EXPLORE Test for 7th and 8th grade

Sept. 24…Pinocchio Play at GCMS (for all 3 grades)

Sept. 30…Manufacturing Day field trip (8th grade to local factories)

Oct. 2…GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 3-10…Fall Break

Oct. 17…KIP Survey (6th and 8th graders)

Into Month Two!

Cougar Notes:

It has been another good week at Grayson County Middle School!  We have the first month of school in the books, and things have gotten off to a very good start this year.  Our students have learned the daily routines and expectations and are doing very well.  I enjoyed getting to visit several classrooms again this week and was pleased to see high levels of student and teacher engagement in the classrooms.  I have just a few notes to share with you this week.

Personnel:

Congratulations to Mrs. Mary Jane Crawford, who will be retiring at the end of October.  We appreciate the years of work and diligence that she has put forth for the children of Grayson County.  We will miss her but wish her many happy years of retirement.

Parent/Teacher Conferences:

Our first parent/teacher conferences of the school year are scheduled for this coming Monday evening from 4:00-6:00 pm.  Please make every effort to have positive and productive meetings with each parent who attends.  It is important to get off to a good start and to let the parents know that you want the same thing for their child that they want, for that child to succeed.  Parents are always much better to work with when they understand that we are on the same side. 

Peer Observations:

The first peer observation window is now open and will last until November 7.  The second peer observation window runs from November 10-January 30.  Those of you involved in the peer observation process this year (8^th grade teachers and non-tenured teachers except interns) should have received a separate email from me listing who is in which window and which peer observer has been assigned to each of you.  Please let me know any questions you have about the peer observation process.  I am still learning too, but I will be glad to help you find the answers to your questions about peer observations.  Please remember, your peer observation must come before your formal observation (this pertains to those in their summative year). 

Quote of the Day:

“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” ~Will Rogers

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 8…Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:00-6:00 pm

Sept. 9…Bow Tie Tuesday at GCMS

Sept. 9…Meet the Lady Cougars Night, 6:00

Sept. 9…GC Schools Family Fun Night at Leitchfield Aquatic Park, 5:30-7:30

Sept. 15…September Faculty Meeting, 3:00

Sept. 16…Staff Tailgate/Corn hole before the GCMS home football game (game time is 5:30)

Sept. 16-18…KY Dept. of Agriculture Mobile Science Center at GCMS (7th grade)

Sept. 17…GCMS SBDMC Meeting, 3:15

Sept. 22-23…EXPLORE Test for 7th and 8th grade

Sept. 24…Pinocchio Play at GCMS (for all 3 grades)

Sept. 30…Manufacturing Day field trip (8th grade to local factories)

Oct. 2…GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 3-10…Fall Break

Oct. 17…KIP Survey (6^th and 8^th graders)