Thanks for Another Great School Year!

This Week at GCMS:

This school year has come and gone like a blur!  It is hard to believe that we are getting ready to send another group of 8^th graders off to high school.  I want to thank everyone for another great year at GCMS!  As always, we have had ups and downs, but I appreciate the work that you do to help kids to be successful at our school.  I wish everyone a safe and restful summer!

Good Luck:

We want to wish the very best to a couple of folks who will be leaving GCMS at the end of this school year.  As you know, Mrs. Kim Dennis is retiring after 27 years teaching in Grayson County.  She has been here at GCMS for the past 18.  We appreciate the many years of hard work and dedication that Kim has given, and we wish her the very best in retirement.  We also want to wish the best of luck to Mr. Shane Decker.  Shane has accepted a teaching position and head high school football coaching position in Hopkins County.  We will miss Shane as well and we wish him the best in his new adventure.

New Faces and Changing Places:

We are very happy to be adding two experienced teachers to our staff next year.  Mrs. Shannon Loughran will be teaching language arts in Team 8, and Mrs. Paige Shiarella will be teaching math in Team 5.  Mrs. Loughran has been teaching at St. Romuald School the past two years after teaching at GCMS one year.  We are glad to have Shannon back.  Mrs. Shiarella has been teaching at H.W. Wilkey for the past 18 years.  Both ladies are very excited about joining our staff.  I know that you will make them both feel welcome.  A couple of related changes are that Amanda Thomas will move to Team 9 math, and Vickie Hicks will move to Team 4 social studies.  I know that these ladies will be great additions to their new teams as well. 

Great Job:

I want to say GREAT JOB to Miss Banks and Mrs. Embry and the GCMS Drama Club for a wonderful production of “Big Bad” this week!  The students and staff really enjoyed the play, and we appreciate your hard work in putting it together.

I also want to thank everyone who helped with this year’s Field Days.  The Grand Poobah, Mr. Whitmore, along with all the teachers and staff did an outstanding job again this year.  Some afternoon rain showers did not dampen the spirits of our GCMS Cougars!

Friday Procedures:

 I want to share a few reminders about our last day of school procedures for Friday.  Please do not park in the big staff parking lot off of Lee Avenue on Friday.  We want to reserve this lot for parents who are attending 8^th grade commencement programs.  You may park anywhere else on or off campus, but let’s leave the big lot open for parents.  Parents who arrive for the 9:30 and/or 11:00 programs will also be allowed to park in the bus loop.  Please do not have students in the front hallway on Friday.  We will dismiss the gym Friday morning through the bus canopy.  Lunch classes should avoid the front hall going to and from lunch as well.  Please keep your students in their classrooms on Friday.  We cannot have students just wandering around.  They tend to find trouble when that sort of thing is allowed.  Please assist any parent, grandparent, or other visitor who may be lost or confused.    

Our related arts and Title teachers will be parking cars and serving as greeters/crowd control in the hallways.  It will be important to try to keep the crowds moving after each program.  8^th grade parents wanting to see their 8^th grader after the program may meet them in the library and if they would like to take them, they may check them out in the library and then exit through the library exit doors.  Parents should not go up the halls to classroom areas.

We usually get requests for 6^th or 7^th graders to attend an 8^th grade program.  This is only allowable for siblings (brothers or sisters, including steps and halves), not cousins or students who feel “like a brother or sister”.  Any such sibling should have a parent or guardian to check them out of school and then attend the program with that parent/guardian.  You don’t need to announce this.  They will ask.

Quote of the Day:

“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.” ~Albert Einstein

Coming Attractions:

May 28 …8th Grade Awards Evening at 6:00

May 29…Last day for students

June 1…Staff Only Day at GCMS

June 2…Closing Day at GCMS

Aug. 3…PD Day for GCMS teachers

Aug. 4…Opening Day for GCMS (all staff)

Aug. 4…Back to School Open House at GCMS, 4:00-6:00

Aug. 7…District-wide PD day at GCMS

Aug. 10…Not a required work day for GCMS teachers

Aug. 11…Students first day of school in Grayson County

This is a Test, This is Only a Test!

This Week at GCMS:

As we finish up our annual KPREP testing, I would like to thank everyone, students and staff, for a great effort on this year’s testing.  I know that it wears everyone out, but I have heard very positive feedback about this year’s effort.  The old saying that “you don’t make the cow heavier by weighing her more often” comes to mind when we talk about testing, and that is very true.  It is also very true that Kentucky schools are held accountable for how our students perform on KPREP, so at this particular weigh-in, we are glad to tip the scales as heavily as we can.  Thanks again.

Curriculum Changes:

Our GCMS site based council approved a couple of curriculum changes at yesterday afternoon’s regular monthly meeting.  Our 6^th graders will no longer have “math-tech” as a related arts class, but instead they will have a nine week class on technology skills.  We know that our students need to become more competent with technology.  This has been evident from the annual technology survey that our 8^th graders have taken the past couple of years. 

The council also approved a pilot program for 8^th grade GATE students to have the opportunity to take one core class through the Edgenuity virtual school program.  This will allow these students to explore a subject through a digital format and also allow for more in depth study of the content.  We will see how this goes next year, and if it is successful, we may expand the offerings in the future.  I am sending a letter home with 7^th grade GT students about this today.

KPREP Reward:

All of those students who earned 100 percent on the good faith effort checklist will be allowed to participate in a reward afternoon of Tuesday from about 1:00-2:30.  Please have the students sign up for one of four choices:  Movie “Big Hero 6” in the auditorium, Battle Ball (play or watch) in the gym, Chill Zone (social time/electronics/music) in the cafeteria, or outside game time (kickball, whiffle ball, etc.).  It will be helpful if each team turns in a list to Mrs. Viola or Mrs. Venita so we know where students are that afternoon. 

Drama Club Play:

The GCMS drama club will present this year’s school play “Big Bad” with a show for the 8^th grade on Tuesday at 8:00 and for the public at 6:00 pm on Tuesday night.  A show for the 6^th grade will be Wednesday at 8:00 and for the 7^th grade at 9:30 on Wednesday.  We look forward to a great show, and we appreciate Mrs. Embry and Miss Banks for sponsoring the drama club.

Field Days:

Mr. Whitmore has sent out detailed information about this year’s field days at GCMS.  Please review this information and check with Mr. Whitmore if you have questions.

8^th Grade Commencement:

Our traditional 8^th grade commencement programs will be held on the last day of school, Friday, May 29.  Team 1 will be at 8:00; Team 2 at 9:30; Team 3 will be at 11:00.  Our related arts teachers will be in charge of parking and crowd control. 

Quote of the Day:

“We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.” ~Mother Teresa

Coming Attractions:

May 25…Memorial Day, no school

May 26… Drama Club Play for 8th graders at 8:00

May 26…Good Faith Effort Reward, 1:00-2:30

May 27…8th Grade Field Day

May 27…Posting window closes

May 27…Drama Club Play for 6th grade 8:00, for 7th grade 9:30

May 28…6th/7th Grade Field Day

May 28 …8^th Grade Awards Evening at 6:00

May 29…Last day for students

June 1…Staff Only Day at GCMS

June 2…Closing Day at GCMS

Aug. 3…PD Day for GCMS teachers

Aug. 4…Opening Day for GCMS (all staff)

Aug. 4…Back to School Open House at GCMS, 4:00-6:00

Aug. 7…District-wide PD day at GCMS

Aug. 10…Not a required work day for GCMS teachers

Aug. 11…Students first day of school in Grayson County

Is It an Art, or Is It a Science?

This Week at GCMS:

We have gotten off to a great start with KPREP testing this week.  I am very pleased with how hard our students have been working.  The positive attitudes have been reassuring this week.  Thank you to all staff members for assuring this positive environment.

Arts Festival:

In conjunction with Art in the Park, our GCMS related arts department has put together an afternoon arts festival for our 6^th and 7^th grade students as well as the 5^th graders from Wilkey Elementary.  There will be demonstrations and presentations from a wide variety of art forms shared this afternoon.  I appreciate our teachers going the extra mile to put this together for our students.  As many of you know, the local Art in the Park program has been moved to GCMS on Saturday and Sunday because of the high probability of rain this weekend.  If you are interested in coming out to Art in the Park, it will run from 10:00-5:00 each day.  Mr. French has his 5^th grade string day on Saturday, and Mr. Parker and the Bells have the GCMS band concert here on Sunday afternoon, so GCMS is just overflowing with the fine arts right now! 

Back to School Info:

I know that everyone is making plans for the summer, and you are interested in what our back to school calendar looks like.  I have included those dates in the “Coming Attractions” section below.  We will not have any whole staff PD days until the first week of August.  

Supervision:

We are entering a time of year that supervision is more important than ever.  Students tend to get a little “spring fever” this time of year and inappropriate behaviors can take place.  The best approach to this is for staff members to be very visible and supervising at all times.  This goes for the hallways, the restrooms, the common areas and the classrooms.  Our students are always less likely to misbehave if a staff member is there.  Thanks.

Quote of the Day:

“A sense of humor snuffs out our sparks of friction before they get to our fuel tank.” ~Fred Smith

Coming Attractions:

May 13-20…KPREP Testing Window

May 19… No school for students – PLC Day for staff

May 20…Posting window opens

May 25…Memorial Day, no school

May 26… Drama Club Play for 8th graders at 8:00

May 26…Good Faith Effort Reward, 1:00-2:30

May 27…8th Grade Field Day

May 27…Posting window closes

May 27…Drama Club Play for 6th grade 8:00, for 7th grade 9:30

May 28…6th/7th Grade Field Day

May 28 …Awards Evening at 6:00

May 29…Last day for students

June 1…Staff Only Day at GCMS

June 2…Closing Day at GCMS

Aug. 3…PD Day for GCMS teachers

Aug. 4…Opening Day for GCMS (all staff)

Aug. 4…Back to School Open House at GCMS, 4:00-6:00

Aug. 7…District-wide PD day at GCMS

Aug. 10…Not a required work day for GCMS teachers

Aug. 11…Students first day of school in Grayson County

When Time Stands Still

This Week at GCMS:

This has undoubtedly been one of our toughest weeks at GCMS, as our school lost one of our 8^th grade students, Adam Minton, this past weekend.  It has been very difficult for his classmates, his teachers, and everyone at our school, but I do appreciate everyone pulling together to help our students and staff get through this difficult time.  We are very much a family at GCMS.  I was impressed to see many students and staff members at the funeral home last night.  Our band program was especially well represented.  I know that many are planning to attend the funeral this afternoon as well.  Please continue to pray for his family and for our school.  Thanks.

Staff Appreciation:

Being Teacher Appreciation Week, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our teachers and staff for the work that you do each day on behalf of the students at GCMS.  A special thanks goes out to Faye and Kelzey for providing the hospitality room on Wednesday!  We plan to have breakfast sandwiches and donuts from Best Donut for our staff on Friday morning, and Kim Dennis will be bringing a cake from GCEA as well.  Thank you again for being the best staff around!

Congratulations!

We have many GCMS students participating in spring sports this year.  Congratulations to the tennis teams for advancing to state competition, including 8^th grader, Spencer Sharp, in boys singles.  Good luck at state!

One-on-One:

Mrs. Miller, Mr. Whitmore, and I are continuing to enjoy meeting with students one-on-one about our upcoming KPREP testing.  A thousand students is a lot of kids, but it is also a lot of fun for us!  We have had very positive conversations and heard very positive responses from our GCMS students.  Please continue to encourage the students to give their very best efforts on this year’s testing.

Hungry, Hungry Human Hippos:

We are planning a little fun for the students on Monday morning for this year’s KPREP Kickoff.  Mrs. Miller and Mrs. Pearl will be sending out info if they have not already.  It promises to be quite a spectacle!

Supervision:

We are entering a time of year that supervision is more important than ever.  Students tend to get a little “spring fever” this time of year and inappropriate behaviors can take place.  The best approach to this is for staff members to be very visible and supervising at all times.  This goes for the hallways, the restrooms, the common areas and the classrooms.  Our students are always less likely to misbehave if a staff member is there.  Thanks.

Quote of the Day:

“The world is moving so fast these days that the person who says it can’t be done is generally interrupted by someone doing it.” ~Elbert Hubbard

Coming Attractions:

May 8… Living History for 8th graders in the auditorium at 1:00.

May 13-20…KPREP Testing Window

May 19… No school for students – PLC Day for staff

May 20…Posting window opens

May 26… Drama Club Play for 8th graders at 8:00

May 27…8th Grade Field Day

May 27…Posting window closes

May 27…Drama Club Play for 6th grade 8:00, for 7th grade 9:30

May 28…6th/7th Grade Field Day

May 28 …Awards Evening at 6:00

May 29…Last day for students