Summerour Blue Devil Blast

• August 17 - GCPS Board Meeting (ISC, Suwanee)
  
• August 22 - Curriculum Night
• August 23 - Social Media for Parents Night
• September 4 - Labor Day - No School
• September 8 - Progress Reports Go Home
• September 15 - Digital Learning Day #1
• September 15 - First Day of Hispanic Heritage Month
• September 21 - GCPS Board Meeting (ISC, Suwanee)
• September 30 - JLC Raider Event (Parkview HS)
• October 5-9 - Fall Break

Last night, 100 community members participated in Multi-Language Learner (MLL) Night. The presentations were in Spanish, with English translation available. Families learned how we can support OUR MLL students, strategies for learning English at home, and how to practice Math at home!

Thanks to Ms. Gray and Ms. Carlson from Title I. Thanks to Mr. Bradshaw, Ms. Obando, Ms. Hall, and Mr. Westpheling for greeting and presenting!

Gwinnett County Public Schools Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council (SSAC) is a unique opportunity for middle and high school students to share their feedback, school experiences, and perspectives on various issues affecting students, schools, and communities with Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts.

Through the council, students are able to voice their ideas, share suggestions for improving our schools and our district, act as thought partners as they connect with fellow students, and build their leadership capacity alongside students with whom they may not otherwise work alongside.

The application for the 2023-24 SSAC will be available in the Student Portal from August 9-27, 2023.

Click the video below for a short overview of the student portal. This is geared to students/families new to Gwinnett County Public Schools.

Ms. Belinda Terry

6th Grade Assistant Principal

Belinda.Terry@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Tannia Wood

6th Grade Counselor

Tannia.Wood@gcpsk12.org

Dr. Toni Weir

7th Grade Assistant Principal

Toni.Weir@gcpsk12.org

Mr. Al Sadler

7th Grade Assistant Principal

Al.Sadler@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Angelica Rosas

7th Grade Counselor

Angelica.Rosas@gcpsk12.org

Mr. Faust is jumping right into finance in his classes. Here is one of his classes, getting a grasp on finances.

Ms. Christy Gray

8th Grade Assistant Principal

Christian.Gray@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Robin Blackwell

8th Grade Counselor

Robin.Blackwell@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Allegra Morgan

Gear Up Counselor

Allegra.Morgan@gcpsk12.org

On Monday, only day 4 of the new school year, and 8th grade is working hands-on in Science. Getting students engaged!

Spotlight on Ms. Hall

In-School Suspension (ISS) Coordinator

Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Coach

She has served as an educator of Gwinnett County Public Schools for over 15 years, the last 11 of which have been here at Summerour Middle.

She is the Founder of Positive Forces, Inc., a 501c3 nonprofit organization. She is delighted to remind you that Positive Forces Inc. have partnered with Summerour and opened a food pantry and hygiene closet for enrolled students and individuals in their household. If you have a need to receive items, please contact her here at the school; pick up is on Fridays 🙂.

OUR PBIS endeavors this year to assist your child with being successful. SummerOUR has many incentives for students as we continue to have high expectations and hold them accountable to being the best version of themselves. She is implementing Parent Talk, a discussion forum which will consist of parents and educators meeting to brainstorm ideas, share strategies, and discuss parenting skills to ensure that OUR students thrive and flourish. We Are Better Together!

• GCPS offers healthy and delicious meals for our students.
• With the expiration of USDA Covid-19 waivers after 2021-2022, students are once again charged for meals based on their individual eligibility for 2023-2024.
• Please take the time to apply for Free or Reduced Lunch for your child. You can access the 2023 - 2024 Meal Application online. New applications are required each school year.

This Year's Prices

• Breakfast Prices: $1.50 (Full Pay) and $0.00 (Eligible Free)
• Lunch Prices: $2.50 (Full Pay); $0.40 (Eligible Reduced Pay); and $0.00 (Eligible Free)
• Milk Only Full Pay: Breakfast and Lunch ($0.40)

GCPS has adopted a new form of school-to-home communication called ParentSquare. This communications platform is designed to keep parents and guardians informed and encourage engagement and connection with your child’s school and Gwinnett County Public Schools.

District and school information will now be sent to your computer or phone via email and/or text via ParentSquare. Download the ParentSquare app (available for free for iOS and Android devices). Some schools and teachers may still use other district-approved tools for the 2023-2024 school year to communicate with their families.

If you received our notification about ParentSquare and you have questions about confirming your account access, please send an email to PSQHelp@gcpsk12.org.

Need the app?

Apple Store : Google Play Store

Thank you, Parents, for your continued support of the Summerour mandatory school uniform policy. See the requirements below:

• Collared shirts, solid colors: white, navy, or grey
• Only SMS logo t-shirts can be worn: navy or white
• Outerwear (sweatshirts, etc.) - must be plain with no designs - logo smaller than a quarter
• Shirts must be long enough to be tucked easily into shorts, pants, or skirts
• Pant, short or skirt colors: khaki, navy plaid, navy, black - No Black Jeans
• Crocs are permitted in neutral colors only (black, white, navy, tan, grey)
• No leggings, jeggings, or sweatpants - Uniform Joggers are permitted
• Jeans on non-uniform days only and must not reveal skin
• Students are not permitted to wear slides or house slippers
• “Fingertip” rule applies to short and skirt lengths
• Hats are off and hoods are down in the school building.

What happens if I wear something that does not meet the dress code? You may call your parent/guardian to come and bring you a change of clothes. If there are continued dress code violations, students may face local school consequences such as Morning Detention and Saturday School.

Fridays are no uniform days and a great time for students to demonstrate individuality.

Clothing with offensive statements/images or clothes that depicts, promotes, or advertises gang affiliation, illegal activity, illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco, sexual references, offensive words or designs, and other clothing which is disruptive to the learning environment.

Cars must not enter the front bus ramp from 8am to 10am in the morning, nor may they enter the bus ramp between 3pm to 5pm in the evening.

Click on the map to see appropriate pickup and drop off locations.

Walker/Rider Form

All students ride the bus by default. If you want to have your child be a car-rider or a walker, you must fill out our walker/rider form. Open and print the form image below and bring it in to the school to get your child on the walker/rider list. Students who are not marked for walking and/or riding will not be released to do so. Walkers must live within a reasonable walking distance from the school.

Bus Lane

The front bus lane is for busses only, morning and afternoon. Please do not use the bus lane for your cars. If you need to pick up a child or drop off a child, you must go to the car rider lane in the rear of the building. If you need to check out your child during the school day, check out must be completed by 3:30 p.m.. For checkout, you will park in the front parking lot (or side lot, if the front is full) and enter the front of the building.

IB Learners are Risk-Takers. Risk-Takers approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs.

IB Learners transition well to challenging university settings and show resilience and determination in their work. In academics, they have the confidence to approach new or unfamiliar subjects or material.

All parents MUST go onto My Payments Plus to sign off on required documents: from Title I acknowledgements to Student Handbook Acceptance. EVERYONE must use My Payments Plus to sign off on our required documents.

Go to our Parent Resources page on the website and click on "Signing Docs & Making Payments" about 1/2 way down. You'll see a description and links for assistance.

Our Parent Center is located on our first floor, so it's easy to get to. Come check in at the front office, then use the Parent Center to volunteer, check-out resources, and get engaged!

More information is on our website, or you can reach out to Rosanna Carlson, our Parent Instructional Support Coordinator.

The A+ Education Reform Act of 2000 established school councils in Georgia to bring communities and schools closer together in a spirit of cooperation to achieve the following: solve difficult education problems, improve academic achievement, provide support for teachers and administrators, and bring parents into the school-based decision-making process. In short, School Councils provide advice, recommendations, and assistance to principals and local boards of education. The Summerour school council meets four times a year.

If you are interested in joining the Summerour School Council for the 2023 - 2024 school year, contact Joielle Parker.

Cell phones are not allowed during the school day at Summerour.

• No phones in classrooms
  
• No phones in hallways
  
• No phones in restrooms
  

Phones should be left at home or turned off and left in backpacks/book bags all day long. Any student who is using the phone for cyberbullying (as determined by Discipline Coordinator) will lose privileges of bringing a cellphone to school.

• Student Tutoring - 8:15 - 8:50 a.m.
• Student Arrival - 8:50 a.m.
• Tardy Bell / Late Arrival - 9:15 a.m.
• No Check Out After - 3:00 p.m.
• Dismissal Bell - 4:00 p.m.