November 1, 2019

SnapChat is on EVERY single phone I have ever had on my desk, whether confiscated or not.  It's honestly everywhere and, I can pretty much guarantee you, that it's on your tween/teens phone as well.  It is the top most used app as well.  

What's the big deal, you ask?  Well, predators can groom and locate minors.  People can be bullied and there can be very serious real-life repercussions.  Users can post a "joke" threat, which can get them arrested.....And the list goes on and on.

Take a moment to watch the video and read the blog.

The holiday season is COMING and can bring a time of great joy and happiness!  It can, however, be a time that causes great stress and depression for many.  
Teen depression is a major concern in our society AND at Green Valley Middle School.  We have noticed, over the last few weeks, more and more students coming to school and changes in their behavior.

Issues with peer pressure, social media, access to information, academics, and more can seriously over power how they feel.  What are the signs that you, as a parent, should look for?  What is "normal" and what isn't?  At what point should medical professionals be included in concerns?  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE (though there are MANY other reputable ones as well) to see what signs to look for!  Please be on the lookout and notify us if there is something we need to know or help with!

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 Toy Drive with Officer Holecek and his Toys for Tots Drive!  Thank you for all of your generosity as we help those that are in need!

Did you purchase your yearbook?  If not, you still have time!  Please visit www.yearbookordercenter.com and use code 7927 or enter "Green Valley Middle School".  Cost is $40 and will go up to $45 after Winter Break.  If you are unsure if you purchased one, please email LynnLa@fsusd.org to double check.  If you double order, we cannot issue refunds =)

Wow.  So many requests for short term Independent Study (IS) have happened ALREADY 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
• Please let us know if your student has an IEP as we must hold an additional meeting
• All assignments are due the day that the student returns
• IS may not be granted depending on percentage of work completed for prior IS requests

We are ALWAYS thinking outside the box to create effective ways to reach all of our students!  Want to be a part of this??  Check out THIS LINK to see the different ideas that our teachers have come up with!!

October 25, 2019

Just when we, as parents and adults, feel like we MIGHT have a small handle on social media- BAM!  There's another app to grab their attention, distract them from school work, distract them from family time and more....Sigh.

There is a way, however, to "arm" yourself in what to look out for.  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE to see how much time, on average, teens and tweens spend on social media (specifically Instagram), what apps are dangerous for our kids, and what we can do to be more educated when it comes to social media.

Many students, parents and families have been asking about Halloween and what is approved at GVMS for October 31.  Yes, our students MAY wear costumes AND they MUST be school appropriate.  They MAY NOT display drugs, drug use, profanity, illegal activity, gang activity, or include a mask.  Thank you!

Want to get involved?  Check out the clubs on GVMS Campus!

• Logic Club (Mr. Swarner): Meets every Thursday after school in F204 until 4:30  for all students to have a safe and fun space to play and talk logically about puzzles and games!
• Yearbook (Mrs. Laffey):  Join the yearbook club that meets every Wednesday after school from 2:50-3:45 in D102 and be a part of making our school memories for all to share!
• Black Student Union (Mr. Thomas): Meets every Wednesday from 3:05-4:00 in E201 to promote activities of common interest, as well as, cultural and educational benefit for all students; to promote community and self enrichment by way of community services and volunteerism; to have a forum for all students to voice their differences, goals and ideas!
• American Sign Language/ASL (Mrs. Pie): Meets every Wednesday during A and B lunch in Room G105 for hearing students and staff to learn how to communicate in sign language as well as learning about deaf culture!
• Lunch Bunch Club (Mrs. Geyer) : Meets Tuesdays and Wednesdays during A lunch in D204 to create a safe space with activities and friendly faces so that NO student at GVMS eats alone!
• College and Career Club (Mr. Pringle) : Meets in the library the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month to get students engaged into college and career activities, including guest speakers and field trips to colleges!
• Be The Change Club (Mr. Lapid):  Meets Thursdays after school until 4 PM to also promote kindness, follow the Challenge Day foundation, create a culture of compassion and acceptance within your school.  If you LOVED Challenge Day, you will LOVE this!
• Invention Convention Club (Mrs. Lindahl): Meets Fridays after school from 3-4 to "match unlimited potential with creative solutions for real-world problem solving!"  Let's CREATE something AWESOME!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR BUBBLE RUN SPONSORS!  WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!!  

We are ALWAYS thinking outside the box to create effective ways to reach all of our students!  Want to be a part of this??  Check out THIS LINK to see the different ideas that our teachers have come up with!!

October 18, 2019

Have you heard of the Lasso App?  We hadn't either and wanted to share what we learned.  

Lasso is an app from Facebook that lets users create and use videos to share.  No big deal, right?  Right unless you don't want complete strangers watching your kids on video.  We know that Facebook isn't as popular as Instagram, which all of the tweens and teens are using, so we also included a parents "guide" to Instagram and what to look out for below!  Educate yourself, especially in this day and age with technology changing in the blink of an eye!

Many students, parents and families have been asking about Halloween and what is approved at GVMS for October 31.  Yes, our students MAY wear costumes AND they MUST be school appropriate.  They MAY NOT display drugs, drug use, profanity, illegal activity, gang activity, or include a mask.  Thank you!

Want to get involved?  Check out the clubs on GVMS Campus!

• Logic Club (Mr. Swarner): Meets every Thursday after school in F204 until 4:30  for all students to have a safe and fun space to play and talk logically about puzzles and games!
• Yearbook (Mrs. Laffey):  Join the yearbook club that meets every Wednesday after school from 2:50-3:45 in D102 and be a part of making our school memories for all to share!
• Black Student Union (Mr. Thomas): Meets every Wednesday from 3:05-4:00 in E201 to promote activities of common interest, as well as, cultural and educational benefit for all students; to promote community and self enrichment by way of community services and volunteerism; to have a forum for all students to voice their differences, goals and ideas!
• American Sign Language/ASL (Mrs. Pie): Meets every Wednesday during A and B lunch in Room G105 for hearing students and staff to learn how to communicate in sign language as well as learning about deaf culture!
• Lunch Bunch Club (Mrs. Geyer) : Meets Tuesdays and Wednesdays during A lunch in D204 to create a safe space with activities and friendly faces so that NO student at GVMS eats alone!
• College and Career Club (Mr. Pringle) : Meets in the library the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month to get students engaged into college and career activities, including guest speakers and field trips to colleges!
• Be The Change Club (Mr. Lapid):  Meets Thursdays after school until 4 PM to also promote kindness, follow the Challenge Day foundation, create a culture of compassion and acceptance within your school.  If you LOVED Challenge Day, you will LOVE this!
• Invention Convention Club (Mrs. Lindahl): Meets Fridays after school from 3-4 to "match unlimited potential with creative solutions for real-world problem solving!"  Let's CREATE something AWESOME!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR BUBBLE RUN SPONSORS!  WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!!  

We are ALWAYS thinking outside the box to create effective ways to reach all of our students!  Want to be a part of this??  Check out THIS LINK to see the different ideas that our teachers have come up with!!

October 11, 2019

We really strive to help build empathy in our students as well as focusing on the positive EVERY day.  Some days are easier than others, for sure.

Whether it is through Good News Referrals, Student of the Month candidates, Pride Cards, or anything else, we really try to get our students to be KIND, CONSIDERATE, and CARING!  We also know support from home is CRITICAL!  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE to get some helpful ways and techniques to support your Viking, at home, to build empathy which can carry over to GVMS!

As parents, we all STRIVE to teach our kids responsibility and, in middle school, it can be especially challenging.  How do we handle this and how do we encourage this when they aren't in our care and are at school?  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE on ways to encourage your middle school student to make smart decisions, be kind, be responsible, and to do the right thing EVEN when no one is watching!

We continue to do our best to encourage our student to make SMART and KIND decisions at GVMS and in life.  That being said, many students (especially when they get to middle school) feel it's time to express themselves and repeat the disrespectful words that they hear others use.  PLEASE encourage your student to not use foul language.  Click HERE for an article on ways to curb foul language.  You would be VERY surprised to hear what comes out of the mouths of some of our students. 

Many students, parents and families have been asking about Halloween and what is approved at GVMS for October 31.  Yes, our students MAY wear costumes AND they MUST be school appropriate.  They MAY NOT display drugs, drug use, profanity, illegal activity, gang activity, or include a mask.  Thank you!

Want to get involved?  Check out the clubs on GVMS Campus!

• Logic Club (Mr. Swarner): Meets every Thursday after school in F204 until 4:30  for all students to have a safe and fun space to play and talk logically about puzzles and games!
• Yearbook (Mrs. Laffey):  Join the yearbook club that meets every Wednesday after school from 2:50-3:45 in D102 and be a part of making our school memories for all to share!
• Black Student Union (Mr. Thomas): Meets every Wednesday from 3:05-4:00 in E201 to promote activities of common interest, as well as, cultural and educational benefit for all students; to promote community and self enrichment by way of community services and volunteerism; to have a forum for all students to voice their differences, goals and ideas!
• American Sign Language/ASL (Mrs. Pie): Meets every Wednesday during A and B lunch in Room G105 for hearing students and staff to learn how to communicate in sign language as well as learning about deaf culture!
• Lunch Bunch Club (Mrs. Geyer) : Meets Tuesdays and Wednesdays during A lunch in D204 to create a safe space with activities and friendly faces so that NO student at GVMS eats alone!
• College and Career Club (Mr. Pringle) : Meets in the library the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month to get students engaged into college and career activities, including guest speakers and field trips to colleges!
• Be The Change Club (Mr. Lapid):  Meets Thursdays after school until 4 PM to also promote kindness, follow the Challenge Day foundation, create a culture of compassion and acceptance within your school.  If you LOVED Challenge Day, you will LOVE this!
• Invention Convention Club (Mrs. Lindahl): Meets Fridays after school from 3-4 to "match unlimited potential with creative solutions for real-world problem solving!"  Let's CREATE something AWESOME!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO ALL OF OUR BUBBLE RUN SPONSORS!  WE APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT!!

Want to help and come out and support us!  Click THIS LINK and join in the FUN!!!

Just a few friendly reminders that were announced during our morning announcements:

• The daily bulletin is on our website and is read each morning.  It can be found HERE.
• We know that short SHIRTS are super cute....AND need to be left at home please!  
• We follow FSUSD dress code policy, so please make sure that you and your Viking are aware of it or they will need to change.  It can be found HERE. 
• Please do NOT bring gum to campus.  It ends up EVERYWHERE!  Mints are totally fine!
• Earbud, wireless or not, MAY NOT be used during passing periods any longer.  It has become a safety hazard and we need all of our students to hear what's going on.  If teachers allow earbuds to be worn in class, with permission, then that is up to the teacher!
• PE Clothing can be purchased before and after school still.  
• Please make sure that your Viking has money on their lunch card.  We cannot give emergency lunches in middle school.  The website can be found HERE.
• If you still haven't created your Parent Portal account or need the instructions, please call the office or come in.  If you need the website again, you can find it HERE.
• If your Viking needs assistance from a different teacher than they are going back to for tutorial, they MUST arrange that the day before to get a pass!

We are ALWAYS thinking outside the box to create effective ways to reach all of our students!  Want to be a part of this??  Check out THIS LINK to see the different ideas that our teachers have come up with!!

October 4, 2019

We truly try our very best to promote kindness DAILY with our students and, yes, it is a GREAT struggle EVERY day at GVMS.  We truly need your help to encourage this at home while we promote it at GVMS.  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE at ways to help support this at home.  We want a campus where every student is KIND to one another!  Thank you!

We know that MANY of our students LOVE to post videos on multiple sites, but do we all TRULY know what is going on with them?  

STUDENTS!!  Check out WHY middle school students NEED to work on their digital footprint, help you find your screen time purpose, and build a POSITIVE "personal" brand on social media!  It's a SHORT video, I promise!

Want to get involved?  Check out the clubs on GVMS Campus!

• Logic Club (Mr. Swarner): Meets every Thursday after school in F204 until 4:30  for all students to have a safe and fun space to play and talk logically about puzzles and games!
• Yearbook (Mrs. Laffey):  Join the yearbook club that meets every Wednesday after school from 2:50-3:45 in D102 and be a part of making our school memories for all to share!
• Black Student Union (Mr. Thomas): Meets every Wednesday from 3:05-4:00 in E201 to promote activities of common interest, as well as, cultural and educational benefit for all students; to promote community and self enrichment by way of community services and volunteerism; to have a forum for all students to voice their differences, goals and ideas!
• American Sign Language/ASL (Mrs. Pie): Meets every Wednesday during A and B lunch in Room G105 for hearing students and staff to learn how to communicate in sign language as well as learning about deaf culture!
• Lunch Bunch Club (Mrs. Geyer) : Meets Tuesdays and Wednesdays during A lunch in D204 to create a safe space with activities and friendly faces so that NO student at GVMS eats alone!
• College and Career Club (Mr. Pringle) : Meets in the library the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month to get students engaged into college and career activities, including guest speakers and field trips to colleges!
• Be The Change Club (Mr. Lapid):  Meets Thursdays after school until 4 PM to also promote kindness, follow the Challenge Day foundation, create a culture of compassion and acceptance within your school.  If you LOVED Challenge Day, you will LOVE this!
• Invention Convention Club (Mrs. Lindahl): Meets Fridays after school from 3-4 to "match unlimited potential with creative solutions for real-world problem solving!"  Let's CREATE something AWESOME!!!

Have you sent in your Bubble Run participation sheet?  This is going to be a great family event!  Don't miss out on this SUPER fun event!   Flyers went home and can be found on our website!  There is still time to sign up!  The Bubble Run will happen on October 18, right after school!  Kona Ice will be here as well!

Just a few friendly reminders that were announced during our morning announcements:

• The daily bulletin is on our website and is read each morning.  It can be found HERE.
• We know that short SHIRTS are super cute....AND need to be left at home please!  
• We follow FSUSD dress code policy, so please make sure that you and your Viking are aware of it or they will need to change.  It can be found HERE. 
• Please do NOT bring gum to campus.  It ends up EVERYWHERE!  Mints are totally fine!
• Earbud, wireless or not, MAY NOT be used during passing periods any longer.  It has become a safety hazard and we need all of our students to hear what's going on.  If teachers allow earbuds to be worn in class, with permission, then that is up to the teacher!
• PE Clothing can be purchased before and after school still.  
• Please make sure that your Viking has money on their lunch card.  We cannot give emergency lunches in middle school.  The website can be found HERE.
• If you still haven't created your Parent Portal account or need the instructions, please call the office or come in.  If you need the website again, you can find it HERE.
• If your Viking needs assistance from a different teacher than they are going back to for tutorial, they MUST arrange that the day before to get a pass!

We are ALWAYS thinking outside the box to create effective ways to reach all of our students!  Want to be a part of this??  Check out THIS LINK to see the different ideas that our teachers have come up with!!