Welcome to October!

Fall Break Already?

The scriptures say “For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.”  (James 4:14)  I think that this passage certainly applies to the first eight weeks of the school year!  It seems like we just started school, but here we are about to start fall break.  Everyone has worked really hard to get off to a great start, and I appreciate your efforts.  Please enjoy your break, spend some time with family and friends, and get some well-deserved rest.  Thanks for all that you do!

Walkathon:

Thank you to everyone who helped out with this year’s GCMS Walkathon!  As of Cougar Note press time, we are very close to breaking the school record for walkathon fundraising at close to $21,000.  I appreciate all of the work of our Related Arts teachers and Title teachers in organizing and supervising the walkathon, and all of our students and staff for such enthusiastic support of our annual school-wide fundraiser. 

School Report Card:

The annual school report cards are now available to the public.  I know that I shared some basic information about our GCMS results already, but if you would like to check out our school report card in more detail, you may go to the KDE website and view our school report card as well as those of other schools in Kentucky.  Go to http://applications.education.ky.gov/SRC/ to see school report cards.  Some areas showed improvement for GCMS students, while a couple of areas were down.  I think that it is important to look at the 4 years of data that I shared with team leaders yesterday.  Every assessed area has shown growth over the past four years, and every assessed area has seen steady novice reduction.  This is due to the hard work of the students and teachers at GCMS!  Keep up the great work!

Manufacturing Week:

Thank you to everyone who helped out with the 2^nd annual Grayson County Manufacturing Week.  We had guest speakers from local industries here to speak to 8^th graders for three consecutive mornings, and our 8^th graders got to tour a local manufacturing plant yesterday.  One team visited MTD, one toured Plastikon, and one team went to Kelley Beehive Company.  It is very important for our students to start thinking about what type of jobs are available right here in our community.  Thanks to everyone who helped out.

Quote of the Day:

“Dig the well before you are thirsty.” ~Chinese Proverb

Coming Attractions:

Oct. 1…..GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 2-11…Fall Break

Oct. 16…end of 1^st nine weeks

Oct. 16…GCHS Band to perform at GCMS, 1:45

Oct. 19…faculty meeting, 3:00

Oct. 20…Team 1 Showcase

Oct. 21…Dress for Success Day

Oct. 22…GCMS SBDMC Meeting, 3:15

Oct. 23…Walkthon Rewards, 6^th/7^th periods

Oct. 26-30…Red Ribbon Week

We Are Grayson!

This Week at GCMS:

We have had another positive and productive week at GCMS!  We had a good crowd of parents in attendance at Tuesday evening’s parent/teacher conferences.  It was good to see lots of smiling faces and hear many productive conversations about student progress.  Thanks for putting in the extra time to make our conferences a success.  I enjoyed the pep session for our Football Cougars this morning.  The students showed good school spirit in cheering for their classmates this morning.  I have just a few notes to share as this week winds down.

Here Comes Joe!

As a student reward, Mr. Whitmore and our KYCID committee has arranged for world champion basketball dribbler, Joe Odhiambo,  to put on an assembly at GCMS this coming Monday afternoon.  All students who have not had a discipline referral this school year will be eligible to attend the assembly.  This promises to be a great performance and a well-deserved reward for our students!

Manufacturing Week:

We appreciate local industries helping us to offer Manufacturing Week activities for our 8^th grade students.  There are some nice displays set up in the front lobby, and guest speakers from local industries will be here to speak to all 8^th graders on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday during first period in the auditorium.  Our 8^th grade teams will be touring local factories on Wednesday morning.  We hope that we can continue this initiative each year to expose our students to opportunities right here in our own community.

Supervision:

It is very important to always help supervise students during class changes.  Please be visible at your doorway or in the hallway or restroom areas as much as possible.  Students are much less likely to misbehave if you are there.  As the year progresses and students start feeling more comfortable, many will also become more likely to horseplay and rough-house in the halls and restrooms.  Please remind them of our expectations and be as visible as possible.  Thanks.

Quote of the Day:

“If you can find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere.” ~Frank Clark

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 23...GCMS Football hosts East Hardin, 5:30

Sept. 24, 28, 29…Manufacturing Speakers for 8^th grade, 7:50-8:20 am

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

Sept. 30…Factory Tours for 8^th grade, leave GCMS at 8:10 am, return at about 10:00 am

Oct. 1…..GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 2-11…Fall Break

All About Success at GCMS

This Week at GCMS:

It’s been another very busy week at GCMS!  I enjoyed getting to spend some time in lots of classrooms this week and saw some great teaching and learning in action! 

Extracurricular Activities/High School Participation:

We are very proud of our many students who participate in sports and extracurricular activities.  I probably talk more about our football, basketball, and volleyball participants because their activities take place right here on our campus, but we also have a large number of students who participate in high school programs.  Many middle school students participate in high school band, soccer, cross country, track, volleyball, golf, baseball, softball, tennis, and more.  We are very proud of all of these students who go above and beyond!

Thank You Team 2:

We appreciate Team 2 opening up your classrooms for your colleagues to observe lessons today.  This is a great way to see new strategies as well as new approaches to using old strategies.  I found the lessons very interesting, everything from finding the author’s purpose in local stories and advertising to human sensitivity to touch with toothpicks to a Socratic seminar on Columbus to scientific notation in real world math.  The students were highly engaged in every classroom.  I heard many positive comments and conversations about today’s lessons!

Dress for Success was a Big Success:

Our first Dress for Success Day went very well on Wednesday!  We had a high level of participation, and those who dressed up really seemed to feel good about themselves yesterday.  Our Culture and Climate Committee has planned to have Dress for Success Day on the third Wednesday of each month during this school year. 

PGP and Student Growth Goals:

Most teachers have already submitted your self-reflection, professional growth plan, and student growth goals into CIITS.  Thank you for getting this taken care of.  Tomorrow is the due date that I have asked for all of these tasks to be in CIITS.  The assistant principals and I have enjoyed talking with teachers about goals for the year, and we look forward to supporting and assisting with the accomplishment of these goals.

GCMS Expectations Drawings:

Our students have done a great job of memorizing the GCMS Expectations:

Give Your Best Every Day 

Consider and Respect Others

Make a Positive Difference 

Strive for Excellence

Our next step is to have teachers to recognize examples of students carrying out one or more of the expectations.  We would like for teams to submit two names for a weekly drawing for prizes.  Teachers, see Mr. Whitmore’s earlier email for more details.

Quote of the Day:

“Worry often gives a small thing a big shadow.” ~Swedish Proverb

Quote of the Day:

Sept. 18…PGPs and SGGs are due in CIITS

Sept. 18…Progress Reports go home

Sept. 21…Walkathon Kickoff, through Related Arts classes

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

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

Sept. 23...See You at the Pole, 7:30 am

Sept 24…High Attendance Day in KY

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)

Oct. 1…..GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 2-11…Fall Break

September Already!

This Week at GCMS:

It has been another busy week at GCMS!  I was thinking this morning how quickly time has past over the past nine years.  We had a young lady here as a substitute teacher yesterday who was an 8^th grader my first year as principal, and we have a young lady subbing here today who was a 7^th grader my first year as principal.  When did we approve teenagers as substitute teachers??  I’m still as young as ever, so there has to be an explanation!  I have just a few notes to share as this week comes to a close.

Congratulations:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Mrs. Nell Elmore for her many years of work and dedication to the students of GCMS.  Nell has decided to retire from teaching as of the first of November.  We will all miss Nell and wish her the very best in retirement.

Dress for Success Days:

GCMS has declared every 3^rd Wednesday to be Dress for Success Day at GCMS!  We tried this in the spring and had a very good response.  The students seemed to really feel good about themselves when they were all dressed up.  Our first Dress for Success Day of the school year will be this coming Wednesday, September 16.   Please encourage all of your students to participate.  If anyone has neck ties, bow ties, or other dress clothing that you would like to donate, that would be great!  Let’s make Dress for Success a big success at GCMS this year!

Orange and Blue Fridays:

GCMS has declared every Friday to be Orange and Blue Day at GCMS!  We are encouraging all students and staff to wear orange and blue to show your school spirit each Friday this school year!

GCMS Takes the Bronze!

Grayson County Middle School is one of 12 Kentucky schools receiving the 2015 National Healthy Schools Bronze Award for leading comprehensive health, physical activity, and wellness efforts during the 2014-2015 school year. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation will recognize each school at the National Healthy Schools Award for transforming their environment into a healthier place at the Leaders’ Summit.  To earn the Award schools improved their nutrition and wellness services and physical activity programs to meet or exceed stringent standards set by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program. 

School Publicity:

Whenever you are doing an especially good learning activity and would like some publicity for our kids and our school, feel free to contact Caryn Lewis at the central office.  Caryn is great about coming out to the schools, snapping photos, and writing stories to publicize the great things going on in Grayson County schools.  Just give her a call or an email, and she can get your class on the website or in the papers.

KTRS and Social Security:

GCEA plans to have someone here at GCMS all day on Monday to share information about the crisis with our Kentucky Teachers Retirement System and the correlation with Social Security’s windfall elimination.  Even if you are a young teacher and see retirement as a distant notion, you need to be aware of how the system works and the nature of the present situation with teachers retirement.

Team 2 Showcase:

Our first showcase lesson day of the school year is planned for this coming Thursday, September 17.  Please stop by and visit in a Team 2 classroom during your planning period that day.  We appreciate Team 2 opening up your classrooms to your colleagues and sharing teaching and learning strategies that are working well for you!

Quote of the Day:

“If you don’t think every day is a good day, just try missing one.” ~Cavett Robert

Coming Attractions:

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

Sept. 16…Dress for Success Day at GCMS

Sept. 16…GCMS Site Based Council meeting, 3:15

Sept. 17…Team 2 Showcase Lessons

Sept. 18…PGPs and SGGs are due in CIITS

Sept. 21…Walkathon Kickoff, through Related Arts classes

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

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

Sept. 23...See You at the Pole, 7:30 am

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)

Oct. 1…..GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 2-11…Fall Break

Laboring On Toward Labor Day

This Week at GCMS:

Everyone at GCMS has been abuzz this week, and the students too!  It is fair week in Grayson County, and that always means lots of excitement is in the air.  From pageants to thrill rides, the fair has something for just about everyone…and it also makes things interesting around the schools.  Thanks for your patience with our students this week, as our Cougars are roaring a little louder than usual around GCMS this week!  I have just a few notes to share as our week comes to a close.

Friday PLC Day:

We will start our PLC Day tomorrow morning at 8:00 in the library.  Our agenda will include several items inc

• Tech Tools…….Becky Miller
• PBIS Universal Screener……..David Whitmore
• Discrimination Issues……….Jim Blain
• Student Growth Goals………Blain/Whitmore            
• Cite Lighter Training (8^th Grade Teachers and   Related Arts who have 8^th graders)….Miller
• Lunch (on your own)
• Testing Data (individual student scores to teachers who have the students this and last year)…..Becki Pearl

Great Start With Discipline/Behavior:
Mr. Whitmore sent out the August Discipline Report a couple of days ago, and it was a very impressive report.  I hate to jinx us, but only 16 referrals in 15 school days was our best month ever, and zero fights for the first month of school is un-heard-of. 
 

Fast Path Signage:

Some of our students and staff have been asking about the new signage hanging in the hallways at GCMS today.  These signs are for the new Fast Path program designed to allow emergency responders to locate classrooms in school buildings more quickly in the event of an emergency.  While the signs are mainly for use by emergency responders, we plan to have training for our staff as well, so that we are all familiar with the system.

Quote of the Day:

“You may have to fight a battle more than once to win it.” ~Margaret Thatcher

Coming Attractions:

Sept. 3….GCMS home football game, 5:30

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. 21…Walkathon Kickoff, through Related Arts classes

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

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

Sept. 23...See You at the Pole, 7:30 am

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)

Oct. 1…..GCMS Walkathon

Oct. 2-11…Fall Break

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)

Same Song, Next Verse!

This Week at GCMS:

It has been another great week at Grayson County Middle School.  We have gotten the “first week jitters” out of the way, and most everyone seems to be getting used to the routine of the school year.  Our students are doing a great job following our procedures and expectations.  Please continue to stress the importance of following proper procedures.  Training the students at the beginning saves a great deal of time and effort later in the year!

Thank You GC Central Office Staff!

Thanks again to our Grayson County Schools Central Office Staff for preparing and providing our staff with a very nice cookout lunch on Wednesday.  The rainy weather cleared up just in time, and it turned out to be a very nice day.  We appreciate Mr. Robinson and all of the CO staff for taking time out to do this for our GCMS staff!

Professional Growth Plans:

I have been talking to PLC teams this week about professional growth plans.  Please complete the paper copy of the self-assessment and then follow the template for creating your goals.  You will need to meet with Mr. Whitmore, Mrs. Miller, or me to finalize your PGP, and then it will need to be in CIITS by Sept. 18.  For those who do not have a regular morning PLC meeting, I will place these forms in your mailboxes. 

Clubs/Extracurricular:

If any club sponsor, coach, or director would like to provide information about your group to be sent home to students and/or placed on the school website, please send this information to me this coming week.  A parent at the site based council meeting mentioned that this would be helpful, and I agree.  If you could get that to me by next Friday, August 28, that would be great.

GCMS Virtual Marathon:

As Becki Pearl and Cassie Jarboe shared with you on opening day, we are going to have a virtual marathon for GCMS staff members during the month of September.  The goal will be to walk and/or run a total of 26.2 miles during the month of September.  The cost of entry is $10, which will include a super nice GCMS Marathon tee shirt.  This should be a great way for us to start getting healthier, and I encourage you to participate!  See Mrs. Pearl or Mrs. Cassie for more details.

Suicide Prevention Certificates:

All teachers and other certified staff members should complete the suicide prevention training and turn your certificate in to Mr. Blain or Mrs. House by the end of August.  Just go to www.sptsuniversity.org.  On the left hand side under the Log-In section, click “create new account”.  You choose your own username and password and complete a quick registration.  After you are registered and logged in, choose the module “Making Educators Partners in Youth Suicide Prevention: Act on Facts” (National).  No need to do the South Dakota version.  The program takes about 2 hours to complete (depending on your reading speed, transition time, and if you repeat any video segments), and then you should print off your certificate of completion.  This training is only required of certified employees, but if classified employees are interested; feel free to complete this FREE training.  It would also be good information for parents or grandparents.

Quote of the Day:

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on the schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” ~Steven Covey

Coming Attractions:

Aug. 20…GCMS Home Football, 5:30 pm

Aug. 21…School Picture Day at GCMS

Aug. 26…Team Leader Meeting, 7:15 am

Aug. 31…Suicide Prevention Certificates due (certified)

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

Sept. 7…Labor Day (no school)

Sept. 18...PGP due in CIITS

Sept. 18...SGG due in CIITS