December 1, 2017

It's that time of year again when we, at GVMS, do our best to support those in need!  We are currently collecting new toys for our Toys Drive with Officer Holecek!  Thank  you for all of your generosity as we have been able to donate MULTIPLE backpacks, school supplies and more to those in need due to the wild fires in Nor Cal.

We have a bunch of lost and found in our cafeteria and on our stage.  Please note that all lost and found will be donated on Monday, December 18 to the Clothes Closet at Sullivan Inter-agency Youth Services Center at 2195 Union Ave, Fairfield 94533!   Check out their website HERE!

As we all know, the holidays are right around the corner and we all strive to make our own kids happy.  How do we, then, teach them to be grateful?  Since our kids don't come with an owners manual, sometimes it can be hard to help them understand that being grateful for what they have is important.  Take a look at THESE articles for some great ideas and tips to help teach gratitude during this time of giving and receiving! 

Ahhh grades.  Grades will be final for this semester on December 20.  These are FINAL report card grades.  Please encourage your student and check Parent Portal WITH them to see any and all missing assignments.  All parents, guardians, and students should have access to Parent Portal to see grades at all times.  While this is a courtesy, our teachers strive to update them as often as possible.

If you need another copy of log in instructions to Parent Portal, Google Classroom or Remind, please reach out to your student's teachers.  Almost 100% of our staff use multiple ways to communicate expectations, assignments, and future assessments.

Wow.  We have NEVER seen so many requests for short term Independent Study (IS) as we have this school year.  It is SO very important for our students to be in school, even if they get the work from their teacher.  The instruction that they loose is way too valuable.  PLEASE, parents and guardians, remember the policies for IS as outlined in our student agenda, webpage, and welcome pamphlet:

• GVMS must be given at least 5 school days advance notice prior to the request
• IS must be at least 5 school days missed or more (weekends and holidays don't count)
• IS will not be granted the first two weeks and the last two weeks of school
• All assignments are due the day that the student returns
• For 18-19, IS may not be granted leading up to a long holiday week break (Thanksgiving, Winter Break, Spring Break)

We have already held three parent engagement nights (Back to School Night, Planning for College with RHS, and All Things Tech at GVMS) and we are hoping that you will join us for our next one coming up!  

*NEW DATE* Please join us on Wednesday, DECEMBER 6th from 5:30-6:30 for our first ever STEAM Night, run by OUR students in the gym! Come and see what we have been doing in STEAM, STEM, Robotics, Coding, and more!

Hope to see you all there!

*UPDATED WITH ALL NEW PROJECTS!!*  THERE ARE 11 of THEM!

We are ALWAYS thinking outside the box to create effective ways to reach all of our students!  Want to be a part of this??  All donations are TAX DEDUCTIBLE!!!  Check out THIS LINK to see ALL OF the different ideas that our VERY OWN GVMS teachers have come up with!  NEW PROJECTS HAVE BEEN ADDED!!