Thursday, December 18, 2014

Merry Christmas from GCMS!

This Week at GCMS:
We have had a very busy week at GCMS as we finish up the first semester and head into Christmas Break.  I want to thank everyone who has gone the “extra mile” in making this week special for our students.  Everything from the band, orchestra, and chorus concerts to the drama club play to the ugly Christmas sweater contest have been great.  We have had a plethora of seasonal activities going on and all the while kept our focus on instruction.  That is tough to pull off, but I appreciate how you have succeeded.  I want to wish each student, parent, teacher, and staff member a very Merry Christmas.  I wish you a restful break, time to spend with your families and friends, and a happy, healthy New Year!

Health Concerns:
Please remember Karen Likins as she recovers from her recent foot surgery.  I understand that the surgery went well, and I know that you join me in wishing her a speedy recovery.  Cassie’s daughter, Alyson also had surgery this week, and we wish her a speedy recovery as well.  There are many students and staff members down with the flu and other sickness right now.  We hope that everyone gets feeling better as break starts and that we can get more back to a healthy “normal” when we start back to school on January 5.

Congratulations!
I would like to congratulate a couple of groups of GCMS students who have represented our school very well recently.

The GCMS delegation to this year’s Kentucky Youth Assembly won “Best Delegation” out of 35 middle schools competing in this year’s KYA!  Several of our students won individual awards for speaking, for media reporting, and for bill writing.  Four of our bills passed both houses in Frankfort.  We are very proud of these 55 students and their sponsors:  Teresa Blain, Stacy Pierce, and Melanie Manion.  We also appreciate the parents who attended and helped make this year’s KYA such a success!

Congratulations to our 7th grade Lady Cougar basketball team for winning the Green River Valley Conference tournament at Butler County last Thursday night.  We look forward to hanging another banner in the Cougar Gym.  Great season, ladies!  I know that Coach Morris, Coach Oller, and everyone at GCMS is very proud of you!

State Compliance Visit:
I have not said much about it, but Grayson County Schools will be having a state compliance visit on January 20-22.  Folks from KDE will be looking at how various programs in Grayson County Schools work, and they will likely make suggestions for improvements.  Some of the areas that they will be looking at include Title I, program reviews, special education, PGES, alternative ed., pre-school, etc.  There will likely be folks visiting our building at least one of those three days.  If you are interviewed, just think of it as a great way to share some of the great things that are going on at GCMS!

Quote of the Day:
“Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas...perhaps...means a little bit more!”
― Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Coming Attractions:
Dec. 19…Cougar Bucks Award (see school calendar for details)
Dec. 20-Jan. 4…Christmas Break
Jan. 16…PLC Day (no school for students)
Jan. 30…Students grades 3-12 should have tested their IC user IDs and passwords by logging into IC.
Jan. 30…Teachers will review their PGP and record reflections in CIITS.
Jan. 30…Deadline to have all Peer Observations completed
Jan. 30…Deadline to have all 2nd Mini-Observations completed (non-tenured teachers)

Feb. 16…PLC Day (no school for students)

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