April 18, 2019

As we get closer and closer to the end of the school year, do you wonder how to get your student off of their "screen" (whatever screen that may be!) and more focused on their academic!

Take a look at THIS ARTICLE to get ideas on ways to manage screen time, how to monitor and getting the app on YOUR phone that tells you exactly how much time is being spent on the screen!

We know you are well aware of our upcoming SBAC/ CAASPP/CAST testing in Math, English, and Science (for 8th only) that is coming up in April.  We will be on block schedule and we will be sending the schedule home with students via email.  In the meantime, we are getting our Vikings ready for this assessment!  

How can you help at home?  Check out THIS DOCUMENT and the video above (although a little old =) for more information and how you can support your Viking at home!  Please don't pull our Vikings out during our testing!

Our testing dates are as follows:

4/29-5/2 Block Schedule for ELA Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)

5/3 Regular Schedule ELA Performance Task (PT)

5/6-5/9 Regular Schedule ELA PT

5/13-5/17 Block Schedule Math CAT/PT

5/20-5/23 Regular Schedule Science CAST (8th grade only)

5/20-5/23 Regular Schedule 6th & 7th Grade MAP testing

5/28-5/31 Regular Schedule 8th Grade MAP testing

**Please don't forget that ALL students need WIRED headphones for testing (AirPods don't work) so please have them!!

**Please don't forget to send your students with pencil and paper daily!  We still use these!! =)

Sport O Rama is COMING Friday, May 31 from 3:15-5:15 in our gym!!  This is an awesome team building/game playing event that we love to include the whole school and our families!  Cost is $2.00 per person and $5.00 per family!  PE Department will be selling snacks for purchase and it will all be a great time!

Challenge Day is COMING!! 

We are already planning for Challenge Day for 2019-2020 and NEED adult volunteers for September 2019!  Have you already been a part of Challenge Day and want to do it again?  We'd LOVE it!  Interested in participating and want more information?  

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

September 12, 16, & 19 for 2019

Check out their website HERE or cut and paste this: 

https://www.challengeday.org/our-programs/schools/#challengeday  

Please email Mrs. Bates at ElizabethBa@fsusd.org to sign up!  

WE NEED YOU!

We are already planning for and fielding phone calls for 8th grade promotion!  Please mark your calendars for Thursday, June 6 beginning at 10 am!  Here are a few things to note:

• All 8th graders get 4 tickets ONLY
• Tickets are available AFTER Memorial Day weekend and will be signed over to the students directly!  Lost tickets cannot be replaced!
• Rain or shine, we will be outside in the amphitheater
• We ask that all signs, balloons, or anything else blocking the view of other families be left outside or we will hold it in our front office
• If you want to bring your own chair, please do so
• Gates for families promotion will open 9:30 AM
• Any sibling that attends GVMS and wants to attend promotion, MUST be signed out by an adult on their emergency card and must also have a ticket!
• All 8th graders are dismissed immediately after promotion ends

More information will come out as we get closer to the date of promotion!

We have had several parents ask for additional resources, outside of GVMS, to support parenting their students.  We are glad you asked!  There are many resources on the Sullivan Inter agency Youth Services Center that can be used, including Parent Project from the FFPD!  Take a look and get signed up!

Every day, over our loud speakers, we make lots of announcements to our students.  These include: events coming up, clubs to join, sports activities, grading windows, and more.  PLEASE make sure that you all, at home, bookmark this page HERE so that YOU don't miss out on what's happening at GVMS!  We have a LOT of exciting activities coming up that you won't want your student (or YOU!) to miss out on!

Additionally, we review our school rules.  EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Including keeping our hands to ourselves, no play fighting/slap boxing, and stop the negative behavior on SOCIAL MEDIA!!.  PLEASE encourage your student to follow our school rules as they are certainly not complicated: Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe!