Seems a Lot Like Middle School!

This Week at GCMS:

It has been another busy week around GCMS, as we hit full stride in the third week of the school year.  I told someone this morning that it seems “like middle school” around here this week!  That’s not necessarily bad or good, but anyone who has ever worked in a middle school would understand what that means!  I have just a few notes to share as this week winds down.

Principal’s Advisory Council:

I now have all of the student names for this year’s PAC (Principal’s Advisory Council).  Please encourage students who may have sincere ideas for making our school better to talk to their team representative.  We will plan to have the first meeting of the PAC next Wednesday during first period.  Here are the names of this year’s group.

Team 1…Hunter Pendergest

Team 2…Tallin Smart

Team 3…Nolan Shartzer

Team 4…Cheyenne Decker

Team 5…Grant Manion

Team 6…Stetson Higdon

Team 7…C.J. Johnston

Team 8…Sophia Elmore

Team 9…Tanner Rivera

Team 10…Tiffany Clark

McDonald’s MAC Grants:

MAC grant applications are available online at www.mylocalmcds.com/coops/kentuckiana/macgrants.  These grants are in amounts up to $500 for creative classroom activities.  You can apply as an individual or as a team.  GCMS has had several winners in past years.  Give it a shot!  Deadline for application is September 30. 

PLC Day:

We have a busy day ahead on our first PLC Day of the school year, next Friday, Sept. 4.  We will spend some time on PBIS (universal screeners), Student Growth Goals, Questioning, Tech Tools, Cite Liter (8^th grade only), Special Education issues, and PLC s.  If you have specific PD needs or requests for Friday or for future PLC/PD days, please let us know.

Humana Vitality:

Staff from the Grayson County Health Department will be at GCMS on Wednesday of next week (Sept. 2) to do the Fall Vitality Checks.  These checks include Cholesterol, Weight, Blood Glucose, Waist Circumference, BMI, Height, and Blood Pressure.  There is a sign-up sheet at the front counter.  Go ahead and sign up.  You might be an inch taller this year!  See Kristy Hodge’s email from yesterday for more details. 

School Messenger Lists:

If any team, club, or school group needs a School Messenger list set up, please let Becky Miller or Jim Blain know.  It does take some time to set up a list, so it is better to let us know well ahead of actually needing to place a call.  Right now, we are having difficulty with creating new 6^th grade groups, but this should be resolved soon.  Any 7^th and/or 8^th grade call lists can be built as of now.  Just let us know.

Entering Attendance in Infinite Campus:

Please be diligent about entering your class attendance into Infinite Campus every class period each day.  We have had several errors because of teachers failing to post attendance into Infinite Campus.  Also, please do not assume that the first period attendance is correct.  We have to enter attendance based on the students that are present.  If you know for a fact that a student is with intervention or GATE or at the nurse or the office, etc. count them present.  Otherwise, please post the attendance based on the students that are in your classroom.  This is never a job to delegate to a student.  Thank you.

Quote of the Day:

“All things are difficult before they are easy.” ~John Norley

Coming Attractions:

Aug. 31…Suicide Prevention Certificates due (certified)

Sept..4…PLC Day (no school for students)

Sept. 7…Labor Day (no school)

Sept. 8…Meet the Lady Cougars Night, 6:00

Sept. 10…Program Review Committee, 3:30

Sept. 14…GCEA Rep. in the library (KTRS/Social Security Info), all day

Sept. 16…Dress for Success Day at GCMS

Sept. 17…Team 2 Showcase Lessons

Sept. 18…PGPs and SGGs are due in CIITS

Sept. 22…Aladdin Performance (3 shows, see calendar for times)

Sept. 22…Parent/Teacher Conferences, 4:00-6:00

Sept. 24…Orange and Blue Day, 7:45 am pep session for football teams

Sept. 28…Joe Odhiambo Assembly, 1:30 (for all students with no discipline referrals so far this year)