Galesburg Jr./Sr. High School

December is a extremely busy month for our students at Galesburg Junior Senior High School. Our counselors have been very busy working with your students in grades 8 through 11 to get them scheduled for the 2024-2025 school year. We encourage our parents to assist their students in course selection for the coming year. It may be as simple as having a conversation with your student about their interests or future plans. I would like to promote our Galesburg Area Vocational Center, where we offer many opportunities across different career pathways. These courses are available for our upperclassmen, but it is never too early for our students in grades 7 through 9 to make future plans. Attention 6th and 7th grade parents, we will soon be sending you information regarding course selection for our junior high students for next school year. This information should come to you through a Skyward email.

Finally, our seniors should be concluding their meetings with counselors, making final preparations for their commencement on May 26, 2024. Seniors, if you are struggling with a class, please make sure you are working to pass in order to get credit for graduation. If you have questions about your standing towards graduation, please contact your counselor.

Holiday Happenings

Included in this newsletter will be numerous events that will highlight our students who are members of our Choirs and Bands. If you are looking for a free event to attend with your family, please feel free to join us for any of these events. On Tuesday, December 5th, our junior high bands provided the attending audience with wonderful holiday music to kick of the season of concerts. Our junior high choir will perform on Thursday, December 7th at 7:00 p.m. These events are free and open to the public. We just add that you do not bring food or drink into the Hegg Performing Arts Center. We hope to see you there.

Family Fun Nights

We have been busy providing opportunities for our students and families to attend special events at Galesburg Junior Senior High School. We had over 100 people attend our junior high Family Game Night, and we had over 200 people attend our high school Family Movie Night. All of these events are free to our families, and we encourage you to look forward to future events that we will have planned during the second semester.

Shine in 205

This program is aimed to provide recognition for district employees who go the extra mile for students in CUSD No. 205. Each month there will be two staff members selected from the nominations. Parents, guardians, co-workers, and community members are welcome to nominate a CUSD No. 205 employee. To nominate a staff member please use this Form.

School Start Times

A reminder that our students are expected to be sitting in their classrooms at 7:40 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays; and by 9:40 a.m. on Wednesdays. We are noticing that the traffic at the parent drop-off lane at West Circle Drive is getting very light around 7:35 a.m. Please use this route to drop off your students so they can be on time to school.

Bus Riders

Do you have a student who rides the bus? Make sure you have the FirstView School Bus App installed on your phone. The FirstView app allows you to see the location and direction of your student's bus, your student's stop schedule for the current day, and timestamps for school arrivals and departures. Register today at web.firstviewapp.com

Anti-Bullying

Recently you should have received an email from me regarding the school district's anti-bullying policy and procedures for reporting bullying. Please visit the following link which provides more information on the topic of Bullying: Bullying Prevention and Response

On behalf of the staff and faculty at Galesburg Junior Senior High School, I would like to wish all of our families a safe and joyous holiday season. Thank you for your time in reading this newsletter.

In Silver and Gold,

Mr. Hawkins

• Please note that a parent/guardian or approved caregiver who is listed in Skyward as an authorized person for pick-up must present a photo ID to verify their identity.
• When the identity of the parent/guardian or approved caregiver is verified, the attending staff member will then call the classroom to have your student report to the attendance office for pick up.
• Parents/guardians/caregivers must fill out the sign-out sheet before leaving the office.
• If your student is a driver, please notify the office if your student is leaving the building for an appointment. Your student will then need to sign out before leaving the building.

December

2nd- GHS Band and Choir Caroling on Seminary Street

4th-15th- MAP and iReady Testing

5th- Junior High Band Holiday Concert, 7pm

7th- Junior High Choir Holiday Concert, 7pm

8th- Student Council Blood Drive, Hegg Fine Arts Center, 12-7pm

12th- GHS Wind Symphony and Treble Singers Holiday Concert at the Orpheum Theater, 7pm

17th- GHS Symphonic Band and Choirs Holiday Concert, 7pm

21st- End of 2nd Quarter and 1- Hour Early Dismissal

22nd-31st- No School/Winter Break

January

1st-5th- No School/Winter Break

8th- No School/Teachers' Institute

9th- School Resumes

9-12 Grade Students: Pre-order your high school yearbook to capture the memories of your school year! You may purchase the yearbook online (www.yearbookforever.com) or bring cash or check, payable to GHS Reflector, to the GJSHS Main Office with the order form. Click here for the form.

If you have any questions, contact Mr. Bennewitz, at bbennewitz@galesburg205.org.

Student Dress- Student dress (including accessories) may not advertise, promote, picture, or display alcoholic beverages, illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, violent behavior, or other inappropriate images, lewd, vulgar, obscene, or offensive language or symbols, including gang symbols. No head coverings unless for religious reasons or for protective hair covering as approved by the building Principal.

Lunch- You must present a student ID to be served promptly during lunch. Galesburg Junior/Senior High School is a closed campus. This means that students are not allowed to leave campus to get lunch. Our Servery is newly remodeled and provides many nutritious choices for our students. Additionally, our new student commons provide students with a spacious atmosphere to enjoy lunch with their friends.
Start Time- On a regular school day, school starts at 7:40 a.m. This means students are expected to be seated in their classrooms, ready to learn, at 7:40 a.m.

Restrooms- Our restrooms have been newly remodeled. Please use the restrooms appropriately.

Lockers- Students are to place coats and backpacks in their lockers during the school day. It is also a great location to store their cell phone. Students in grades 9-12 may use clear backpacks.

Email: cusd205@galesburg205.org
Website: https://ghs.galesburg205.org/o/ghs
Location: 1135 West Fremont Street, Galesburg, IL, USA
Phone: 309-973-20001
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GalesburgHighSchool205
Twitter: @Galesburg_HS