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MIDDLE SCHOOL SOUTH
October 6, 2023
This Week at GMSS
From the Desk of Ms. Murdock
Good afternoon!
We are a few weeks away from the end of the first quarter at GMSS. There is still time to work on your grades and set goals for yourself to finish strong. Outside of the quarter ending, there is much happening over the next month!
Lost & found- If you have been in the building you will see the very large collection of Lost & Found. This is located directly outside of the cafeteria. Please swing by and collect items as we do not hold items all year. Left items will be donated at the end of each quarter.
School Pictures: Last Call!
Pictures this round are for any student who was absent or new to South since the schedule pick up date. Any student wanting a retake, must bring back their original package for replacement or order a new one. If you are getting a retake, HR imaging will not replace the school ID.
Book Fair:
Our annual Book Fair will be Monday, October 16th - Friday, October 19th in the GMSS library!
From the desk of Mr. Bonath
KONA ICE is this Wednesday, October 11th during lunch periods! The cost is $4.00
The Color Battle is here! Monday, October 9th - students will learn how to kick off this fundraiser, earn prizes and be ready for the Color Battle on Thursday, October 19th. Please bring your Chromebook fully charged- meetings will be during Related Arts periods.
GJEF
Please check the following flyer from the GJEF sponsoring the Monster Dash 5K "Run for Education. Early registration to ensure a T shirt is by Thursday, October 12th. Come join the fun.
PTO
We are extremely grateful to our PTO and families for the support and donations for our conference dinners. Your kindness means more than you know.
Blood Drive-- A final reminder that the Blood Drive is Thursday, October 12th from 2pm to 7pm. Please see the flyer and sign up to donate. This event is in the GMSS library.
From the Guidance Office
Ohio State University’s Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is sharing an exciting opportunity for middle school and high school students interested in STEM. BMES is hosting its annual STEM day on Sunday, October 22, 2023 from 12:00 pm to 4:00 pm. STEM day is a free event in collaboration with OSU College of Engineering students and faculty, where middle and high school students can participate in hands-on activities and challenges in STEM. The event will be hosted in person @ OSU’s Fontana Laboratories.
This year’s activities are an ultrasound lab where students will use and learn to use and read real ultrasound machines, an EMG lab where students will learn how to take an EMG and read the signals from their own muscles, and a coding activity where students can learn some of the basics of web design and programming. Lunch is also provided.
This is a fantastic opportunity for any student who is interested in STEM to have hands-on experiences with real world technology, and learn more about STEM opportunities at OSU!
Sign-ups are open now and are limited to 45 students
If you have any additional questions, please reach out to Rachel Horvath (horvath.269@osu.edu) and/or Kate Herr (Herr.419@osu.edu).
Sign up link: go.osu.edu/stemday-signup
Mental Health Matters:
Most of our students are not getting enough sleep. Middle and high school students are a population more likely to run on sleep deprivation. Research suggests that about 6 out of 10 middle school students and 7 out of 10 high school students do not get enough sleep.
➠Is your student getting enough sleep?
Children ages 6-12 should regularly sleep 9-12 hours a night and teenagers ages 13-18 should regularly sleep 8-10 hours a night.
➠Why is sleep so important?
Students who are not regularly getting the recommended amount of sleep are more likely to…
have lower gpas, fall asleep in school, and have more school absences/tardies
have greater difficulty with focus and attention
engage in more risky behavior
struggle with concentration, memory, and decision making
have a difficult time regulating feelings, resulting in a more irritable mood
report higher levels of stress
At each phase of sleep, important physiological processes are allowing your student to
create new pathways for learning and memories
restore energy
fight off sickness
➠How can I help my student get more sleep?
Encourage your student to spend some time outside daily. This helps maintain the body’s sleep and wake cycle. You might go outside to talk to your student about their day, suggest that your student study outside, or encourage your student to go for a walk.
Find ways for your student to get some physical activity/movement in their day.
Help your student practice time management with their school work and plan for the next day prior to bedtime.
When possible, stick to a regular meal schedule and avoid heavy meals before bed.
Help your student avoid caffeine after school.
Try to help your student go to bed and wake up as close to the same time every day. Sleeping in on a Sunday will make it harder for your student to get back on schedule for their school week.
Discourage napping. Naps, especially after school, can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night. Many students also report feeling less motivated to work on homework after waking up from a nap.
Turn off the screen an hour before bed. The blue light emitted by phones, computers, TVs and other screens can disrupt the body’s natural sleep rhythm.
Remove electronic devices from the bedroom even if your student has already fallen asleep. Getting texts and updates/alerts after falling asleep can wake your student up. Many of our students also report waking up in the middle of the night and feeling tempted to check their phone or play a game on a device.
Tip: Some devices offer a “night” setting so that the screen gives off less blue light in the evening hours.
Find a few calming things your student can do nightly to cue their body and brain that it is time for bed (examples may include deep breathing, stretching, journaling, having a glass of decaf tea)
Sources:
Center for Disease Control
National Institute of Health
If you are looking for more tips on this topic or if you have a suggestion for the next topic in the “Mental Health Matters” section of our parent newsletter, please contact: Andrea Johnson, LPCC-S
Mental Health Specialist
(614) 479-1328
Do not hesitate to reach out to our counseling team with any questions or concern.
Mrs. Artis (students with last names A-K) artisa@gjps.org
Miss Lubinski (students with last names L-Z) lubinskij@gjps.org
This week in Athletics
Gahanna Home Admission- NO CASH SALES
- Online sales only (Presale & at the Gate)
- $5.00
Gahanna Athletics Box Office Link:
https://gahannalincolnathletics.com/buy-tickets/
Gahanna South Events Week of 10/9-10/13
Date Day Time Team Location Opponent
Oct. 5th- Oct. 10th Thurs.- Tues. TBD East, South, West Volleyball Away 7th Grade Marysville Tournament
Oct. 9th- Oct. 11th Mon.- Wed. TBD East, South, West Volleyball Home Gahanna 8th Grade Tournament
October 11th Wednesday 5:30:00 PM 7th Grade Football Home Pickerington Lakeview
October 12th Thursday 5:30:00 PM 8th Grade Football Away Pickerington Lakeview
Include Upcoming School Events
Mark Your Calendar
October 12th - Blood Drive- GMSS Library 2pm-7pm
October 13 Final Picture Make up Date
October 10th - 21st - Color Battle
October 20th - End of 1st quarter
October 23rd- Conferences Comp Day - No School
October 24th - Teacher PD Day No School for Students
November 13th - Teacher PD Day NO School for Students
November 22nd- 24th Thanksgiving Break
December 21st- January 2nd- Winter Break
February 16th - Teacher PD Day No School for Students
March 11th - Teacher PD Day No School for Students
April 8th -12th - Spring Break
May 3rd - Teacher PD Day No School for Students
May 24th - Last Day of School
349 Shady Spring Dr
Gahanna, Ohio, 43230
614-337-3730