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

Back in the Saddle Again!

First Week of School:

Things are back as they should be at GCMS this week as our students have returned from summer break.  Our student population is on the rise this year as we have topped the 1,000 student mark this year.  This is up from about 970 last school year.  We have had a great first week of school, and I have seen lots of smiling faces of students and staff.  I appreciate your efforts in getting things off to such a great start!

Professional Growth Plans:

The assistant principals and I will be visiting PLC meetings in the near future to get the ball rolling on this year’s professional growth plans and student growth goals.  Remember, these will need to be entered into EDS/CIITS by September 18.  In order to do this, we would like to meet with you about your PGPs  and SGGs as soon as possible.  We have a target date of August 28 to have already met with all teachers  about PGP goals.

Walk-Throughs:

I plan to get into lots of classrooms next week for walk-through observations.  Please remember, when I or the assistant principals or central office staff visits, it is not a big event.  Just continue on with the lesson as if we were not there.  Walk-throughs are never a part of anyone’s evaluation.  I look forward to seeing the great teaching and learning that is going on in your classes.

Student Dress Code:

Please go over the student dress code with our students and make sure that they understand what is and is not acceptable.  Dress codes are somewhat different at the elementary level, so it may be a little adjustment for some students.  Please speak to students individually who may be in violation of the dress code and just advise them not to wear the particular clothing back to school if in violation.  If a student is persistent in breaking the dress code, please contact Mr. Blain or one of the assistant principals, and we will be glad to follow up.

Sunshine Club:

On opening day, we discussed the Sunshine Club flower fund being almost empty.  Please stop by the office to give your contribution of $5, $10, or more if you like, to Mrs. Viola.  The school will give gifts in the amount of $35 value for staff members’ first marriage, birth of first child, retirement, or death in the immediate family.  Thanks for supporting your GCMS family in this way.

Emergency Drills:

As we discussed at opening day, we will be having one of each type of emergency drill during the month of August (2 fire drills).  Please stress to students how important it is to take our drills seriously and follow proper procedures.  In the event of an actual emergency, we will be well prepared since we have practiced properly.  Someone asked me this morning, “what should we do if a fire alarm goes off when we are in lockdown?”  That’s a great question, and the answer is to stay in lockdown.  When in lockdown, you should disregard any other alarm or emergency tones that might go off.  

Quote of the Day:

“As I grow older, I pay less attention to what men say.  I just watch what they do.” 

~Andrew Carnegie

Coming Attractions:

Aug. 17…First Day for Cougar Bookstore

Aug. 18…Cougar Zone begins, 2:40-5:00

Aug. 19…GCMS Site Based Council Meeting, 3:15

Aug. 20…GCMS Home Football, 5:30

Aug. 21…School Picture Day at GCMS

Aug. 26…Team Leader Meeting, 7:15

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

Sept. 7…Labor Day (no school)

Welcome Back!

A New School Year!

Welcome back for another year at Grayson County Middle School!  The summer has flown by, and it does not seem possible that our students will be here next week.  As I start my 26^th year and 9^th year as GCMS principal, I want to thank each of you for helping to make GCMS such a great place to live and work each day.  I am looking forward to a great year with our students and staff! 

Great Start!

Things have gotten off to a great start this week.  The building looks great!  Please brag on our custodians when you see them.  They have worked hard this summer to get our building ready.  I heard many positive comments and conversations about our PD sessions from Monday and our Opening Day on Tuesday.  We had a great crowd for Back to School Night on Tuesday night, even in the pouring down rain.  I think the students (and their parents) are ready for school to start! 

Welcome New Staff:

We have two new teachers and a new custodian at GCMS this year.  I know that you will make these folks feel welcome at GCMS!

Paige Shiarella, team 5 math

Shannon Loughran, team 8 ELA

Glen Cottrell, custodian

District-Wide Day:

Our annual district-wide day is scheduled for Friday at GCMS.  Staff from all over the district will converge on GCMS for breakfast and a vendor fair from 7:00-8:30 and then a staff meeting in the auditorium at 8:30.  Lunch will be on your own, and then we will have PD here at GCMS that afternoon.  Our main session will be led by our own GCMS related arts department and will focus on program review processes. 

Restraint/Seclusion/Bullying Training:

Late that afternoon, I will present a power-point on restraint/seclusion and bullying.  Those staff members who have not completed the online training will need to report to the library for that training.  If you still want to do the online training before Friday, just go to http://www.pbs.org/teacherline/catalog/courses/LEAD1103 and click on the enroll button. You will need a PBS TeacherLine or PBS LearningMedia login to enroll. If you do not already have a PBS account, you will be directed to create one.  It’s quick and easy.  After completing this training, just print your certificate and give it to me or Mrs. House.   Remember, this training is for ALL STAFF, certified and classified.

Suicide Prevention Training:

Classified staff members are not required to complete the suicide prevention training.  Teachers, counselors, administrators, and all certified middle and high school employees are required to complete suicide prevention training.  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.  Please return your certificate to Mrs. House before the end of August. 

Technology:

I appreciate Becky Miller and Becki Pearl training our teachers on the new Infinite Campus format.  Like anything, it will take a little time to get used to, but the new features should make things better as we get more accustomed to it. 

As Kevin Butler emailed you yesterday, we are going to use the ticket system for all technology help requests this year.  Please review Kevin’s email for details on how this works if you are not familiar.

Also, we will all use the digital discipline referral this year.  About ¾ of our teachers used the digital referral in Infinite Campus last year, and it went very smoothly.  Let’s completely get away from the old paper referrals this year. 

Teaching Procedures and Expectations:

It is critical that we do a great job of teaching our procedures and expectations at the beginning of the school year.  Things that seem very simple and common sense to us are not so obvious to our students.  Doing this right at the beginning of the year saves us a lot of time and effort in the long run.

Quote of the Day:

“The quality of our expectations determines the quality of our actions.” ~Andre Godin

“My teacher thought I was smarter then I was—so I was.” ~Six year old

Coming Attractions:

Aug 7.…District-wide Day

Aug 10...Not a required work day at GCMS

Aug 11...Students’ First Day of School

Aug 17...Begin PLC meetings (7:30-8:20)

Aug 17...Begin Related Arts teachers first period classes

Aug 19...Central Office Cookout Lunch for GCMS Staff

Aug 19...GCMS SBDMC, 3:15

Aug 21...School Picture Day at GCMS

Aug 26...Team Leader Meeting, 7:15

Aug 28...PGP meetings with admin by this date

Sept 18...PGP’s due in CIITS

Sept 18...SGG’s due in CIITS

Suicide Prevention Training for Certified Staff

As you know, all Kentucky middle school and high school teachers, counselors, principals, and other certified employees are required to have 2 hours of suicide prevention training annually.  For the past several years, we have used the Jason Foundation modules, but KDE also recommends a training from the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide.  I completed their training this morning and feel that it is high quality.  I would like for GCMS staff to use the SPTS training this year.  This does not count as part of our 4 days (24 hours) of PD, so you are welcome to wait until school starts and complete the training during planning time if you like.  I wanted to go ahead and send you the link though, so you can complete it this summer if you like. 

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, though I’m not sure what the difference would be in South Dakota.  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.  Please return your certificate to Mrs. House before the end of August. 

As you all know, we lost an 8^th grade student to an apparent suicide last school year.  I don’t know if there is anything that anyone at GCMS could have said or done to have prevented this tragedy, but it was a scary reminder that suicide can and does happen everywhere.

I appreciate the care you take in watching over our students.

Thanks,

Jim

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