Merry Christmas from GCMS!

This Week at GCMS:

As we race to the end of the first semester and enjoy all the celebration of the season, I want to wish everyone my sincerest wishes for a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Prosperous New Year!  As we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the season of giving, family gatherings, and all that goes with it, I hope that each of you is able to relax and enjoy some down time and rest.  To say that GCMS has been busy would be quite an understatement, but I have to say this place has been rockin’ lately.  From Santa Hats to Reindeer Antlers, the school has been a very festive locale.  I have also been able to get into several classrooms to see that “Yes Virginia, the Children are Still Learning!”  I have a few notes to share as the week draws to a close.

School Christmas Play:

Our GCMS drama club did a wonderful job entertaining our students with the play “Santa Lives” on Tuesday.  The classic tale of “Yes Virginia, There is a Santa Claus” came to life on the GCMS stage, and toward the end of the play, the madcap comedy and action really peaked!  Great job, drama club!

                              61 GCMS Students At 2016 KYA

GCMS at KYA:

Congratulations to the GCMS KYA Delegation!  GCMS brought home many awards including: 

• Best Delegation (out of 48 schools)
• Bailey Richardson was elected as KYA Governor
• Chloe Cox was elected to KYA Leadership Team
• Caden Woodcock and Nate Pennington were elected to Parliamentarian Team
• The following students won speaking awards:  CJ Johnston, Ellie Evans, and Ella Robinson
• The following students were recognized for outstanding bills:  Chase Richardson, Zeb Bratcher, Kaylor Decker, and Max Daley.  Nolan Hornbeck, Austin Walker, and Dawson Gorby. 
• GCMS also won the Service Award and Delegation of Excellence.

Good Luck Cheerleaders!

Our 3^rd Region Champion GCMS Cheerleaders will be travelling to Alltech Arena in Lexington on Saturday to compete in the KAPOS Cheerleading State Championship competition.  I would love to hang another State Champions sign out front to go along with the 2012 GCMS State Champs!  Good luck cheerleaders!

Observations:

(Repeated from previous Cougar Notes)  Observation reminders:  all non-tenured (and probation year) teachers will need a second mini-observation by January 13.  Please contact your observing administrator to schedule your observation.  Those teachers who need a peer observation this year should have those completed by January 13 as well.  Full observations for summative year teachers may be completed any time after your peer observation has been completed.

Quote of the Day:

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.” ~Roy L. Smith

Coming Attractions:

Dec. 15…GCHS Chorus performs for GCMS, 1:45 (students to gym starting at  1:30)

Dec. 15…GCMS Orchestra Concerts, 3:00-8:00

Dec. 16…Cougar Bucks Battle Ball and Movie, 6^th and 7^th pds

Dec. 17…GCMS Cheerleaders at State Competition in Lexington

Dec. 17-Jan. 2…No School, Christmas Break

Yes Virginia, This is GCMS!

                                Kentucky Science Mobile

This Week at GCMS:

What a busy time at GCMS!  It has been a flurry of activity lately, with things sometimes reaching a break-neck pace!  With ballgames, holiday concerts, cheer competitions, the Kentucky Science Mobile visiting GCMS, our 8^th graders visiting the high school tomorrow, and Christmas in the air, our heads have been spinning around here.  I have just a few notes to share as our week winds down.

GCMS is a Great Place to Be!

I was reviewing the 2015-2016 School Report Card Summary that we sent home with the students last Friday, and one number really  jumped out at me.  While state teacher turnover is currently at 17.8 percent, and our district teacher turnover rate is at 8.3 percent, the teacher turnover rate at GCMS is only 4.3 percent.  I credit this low turnover rate to the family atmosphere that has developed over the years at GCMS.  We have a team here that really works well together and enjoys working together! 

State Spelling Bee Runner Up:

Congratulations to GCMS student Stephenie Miller on finishing 2^nd in the state DHH spelling bee!  Also, congratulations to Jessica Bernard, Team 3, and all of her teachers! 

Cougar Choice Awards:

Thank you to everyone who took part in the first annual GCMS Cougar Choice awards!  Lots of students were recognized on Tuesday evening, and lots of proud parents were in attendance.  I believe this sort of recognition encourages students to work even harder and achieve even more!

8^th Grade Trip to GCHS:

Our 8^th graders have been invited to Career Day at GCHS on Friday, December 9.  Team 2 will leave GCMS at 7:45 and return by 9:15.  Team 1 will leave at 9:15 and return by 10:45.  Team 3 will leave at 10:45 and return by 12:15.  This should be a great opportunity for our students to learn about high school programs, clubs, and activities as they start thinking about class registration and their high school careers which are right around the corner.

Video Chat With Dee Dee Webb:

Reminder:  Video Chat with new Grayson County Technology Integration Specialist, Dee Dee Webb, will be in room 122 this afternoon at 3pm.  Come and learn more about what her new technology position will allow her to do for you.

Drama Club Christmas Play:
We are looking forward to the GCMS drama club's presentation of "Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus".  The play will be held for each grade level during school on Tuesday with 7th grade at 8:15, 8th grade at 10:00, and 6th grade at 12:55.  The play will also be performed for the public on Tuesday evening starting at 5:30.  I appreciate Mrs. Embry and Mrs. Dangerfield and all of the drama club for performing for our school!  

Merry Christmas:

I want to remind you of our upcoming Christmas activities at GCMS.  We are having our Santa hat on Monday, reindeer day on Tuesday, elf day on Wednesday, and Christmas sweater day on Thursday as we have in the past.  New events include: On Friday dress up as your favorite Christmas character from a book or movie.  We also are having a bulletin board decorating contest per team or department.  Boards will be judged on December 14^th.  We will have a staff and student sweater contest on Thursday morning in the gym, so plan accordingly and let the ugliness begin!  The board will be providing breakfast on Monday, December 12^th.  We will have a staff lunch on Thursday, December 15^th catered by Kay’s.  Menu will include, roast beef, chicken tenders, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, harvest salad and chocolate cake, and sugar free banana pudding for dessert.  It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at GCMS!

Observations:

Observation reminders:  all non-tenured (and probation year) teachers will need a second mini-observation by January 13.  Please contact your observing administrator to schedule your observation.  Those teachers who need a peer observation this year should have those completed by January 13 as well.  Full observations for summative year teachers may be completed any time after your peer observation has been completed.

Quote of the Day:

“The man on top of the mountain didn’t fall there.” ~Anonymous

Coming Attractions:

Dec. 6-8…Kentucky Science Mobile at GCMS for 7^th grade

Dec. 8…GCMS Choir Concerts, 3:00-8:00

Dec. 9….8^th graders to GCHS for high school information

Dec. 9…Meet the Lady Cougar Volleyball Team Night, 7:00

Dec. 10…GCMS Archery Competition at Bowling Green

Dec. 11-13…GCMS delegation at KYA

Dec. 13…Drama Club Christmas Play, during school and at 5:30 for the public

Dec. 15…GCMS Orchestra Concerts, 3:00-8:00

Dec. 17…GCMS Cheerleaders at State Competition in Lexington

Dec. 17-Jan. 2…No School, Christmas Break

December at GCMS!

                                            Sun Up at GCMS

This Week at GCMS:

I hope that everyone had a nice Thanksgiving and got to spend time with family and friends.  We had a good visit with Scott before he had to hop on a plane back to Minnesota.  We look forward to a longer visit during Christmas time.  It has been good to get back to a normal 5 day week this week.  I have a few notes to share with you as the week starts to wind down.

Good Luck Cougars!

We have many GCMS student activities and competitions going on in the next few days.  Our boys basketball team hosts Muhlenberg North tonight (Dec. 1).  Our Lady Cougar basketball team kicks off the GRVC Conference Tournament at Muhlenberg North on Saturday.  If we win, our 7^th grade girls would play again on Monday night and our 8^th grade girls would play again on Tuesday night.   Our Cougar Bands will be very busy this weekend, with the 7^th/8^th grade band marching in the Leitchfield Christmas Parade and the 6^th grade band performing at the nursing home on Saturday.  The band’s Christmas concert is scheduled for this Sunday afternoon at 2:30.  Our GCMS cheerleaders will compete at DuPont Manual in Louisville on Saturday, and our GCMS academic team is hosting the regional 6^th Grade Showcase on Saturday as well.  Good luck to all of our GCMS students!

Next Week:

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s Mobile Science Center will be at GCMS next week.  Our 7^th graders will get to visit the center, with Team 6 on Tuesday, Team 4 on Wednesday, and Team 5 on Thursday.  The Center will be available to all GCMS students through Cougar Zone on Tuesday after school.  This is the third year that we have been able to have the Mobile Science Center to visit GCMS, and our students always get a lot out of it. 

Our 8^th grade teams have been invited to GCHS on Friday, December 9.  High school programs, organizations, and activities will be set up in the gym for our students to learn about.  We appreciate our colleagues at GCHS hosting us for this informative day. 

Congratulations Ms. Goff!

I want to congratulate Laura Goff on being accepted into WKU’s Doctoral program!  This is a very exciting opportunity, and I am proud that Laura is going to pursue her doctorate. 

Merry Christmas:

Mrs. Miller sent this out yesterday, but I want to remind you of our upcoming Christmas activities at GCMS.  We are having our Santa hat, reindeer, elf and Christmas sweater days as we have in the past.  New events include: On Friday dress up as your favorite Christmas character from a book or movie.  We also are having a bulletin board decorating contest per team or department.  Boards will be judged on December 14^th.  We will have a staff and student sweater contest on Thursday morning in the gym, so plan accordingly and let the ugliness begin!  The board will be providing breakfast on Monday, December 12^th.  We will have a staff lunch on Thursday, December 15^th catered by Kay’s.  Menu will include, roast beef, chicken tenders, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, harvest salad and chocolate cake, and sugar free banana pudding for dessert.  It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at GCMS!

Christmas Play:

The GCMS Drama Club will present the school Christmas play "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus" on December 13, with performances for each grade during the school day and a public performance at 5:30 that evening.  

Observations:

Observation reminders:  all non-tenured (and probation year) teachers will need a second mini-observation by January 13.  Please contact your observing administrator to schedule your observation.  Those teachers who need a peer observation this year should have those completed by January 13 as well.  Full observations for summative year teachers may be completed any time after your peer observation has been completed.

Quote of the Day:

“No one is useless in this world who lightens the burden of it to anyone else.” ~Charles Dickens

Coming Attractions:

Dec. 3….Academic Team 6^th Grade Showcase at GCMS

Dec. 3…..Band in Christmas Parade and at Nursing Home

Dec. 3…...Cheerleaders at DuPont Manual

Dec. 3-8…GRVC Conference Tournament at Muhlenberg North

Dec. 4….GCMS Band Christmas Concert, 2:30

Dec. 6-8…Kentucky Science Mobile at GCMS for 7^th grade

Dec. 8…GCMS Choir Concerts, 3:00-8:00

Dec. 9….8^th graders to GCHS for high school information

Dec. 9…Meet the Lady Cougar Volleyball Team Night, 7:00

Dec. 10…GCMS Archery Competition at Bowling Green

Dec. 11-13…GCMS delegation at KYA
Dec. 13....GCMS Drama Club Christmas Play, during school and at 5:30 for public

Dec. 15…GCMS Orchestra Concerts, 3:00-8:00

Dec. 17…GCMS Cheerleaders at State Competition in Lexington

Dec. 17-Jan. 2…No School, Christmas Break