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