East Weekly

I recommend opening the newsletter in a new window/browser to improve readability.

What an exciting start to the school year!

The first two days have been filled with energy, enthusiasm, and the joy of seeing our students back in the classroom. I’m looking forward to what’s to come as we settle into our first full week together next week. If students are expressing concern about not being in classes with friends, I encourage you to remind them to get to know their new classmates and teachers!

Starting today, you’ll receive the East Weekly every Friday. This newsletter will include a note from me, updates from our dedicated staff, upcoming event dates/information, new information, and reminders of important details. My goal is to keep you informed and connected throughout the year. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns. I truly value open communication and am here to support you and your children in any way I can.

Finally, I want to THANK YOU for your continued patience with transportation. Your understanding has been greatly appreciated as we work through the beginning-of-the-year adjustments.

Looking forward to a fantastic year ahead!

Take care,

Megan Kirsten

Principal- Gahanna Middle School East

August

August 22: 6th Grade Curriculum Night @ 6:00-7:30

August 27: 7th Grade Curriculum Night @ 5:30-7:00

August 27: 8th Grade Curriculum Night @ 6:00-7:30

September

September 2: Labor Day - No School

September 3: PTA Meet the Principal & Grand Opening! (see flyer below)

September 6: 6th grade Adventure Day

September 9: PTA Meeting @ 7:00-8:00

September TBD: Parent/Teacher Conferences

Adventure Day is SEPTEMBER 6! Keep your eyes out for information coming as early as next week!

All parents/guardians,

Be on the lookout for an email from your student’s house teacher which includes some beginning of the year information and a survey for you to fill out about your student! Each parent should have a 3R’s & Classroom Expectations paper to read over and sign. Papers should be brought back to house on Monday.

ELA: 7th grader students need a copy of Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie by Thursday.

GERRARD ONLY MATH BLOCK ½ - Need a folder :)

No current updates

PTA meetings take place on the 2nd Monday of each month in the GMSE library at 7:00pm. All are welcome! We would love to see you at the first meeting on September 9th.

Please consider joining the Middle School East PTA.

Help support and fund numerous initiatives for students and staff throughout the year. Stay tuned to our Facebook page, “GMSE Parents” (new members be sure to answer the questions to be admitted), and upcoming newsletters for more information about what we do and how you can help.

Attention Kroger Shoppers! Please take a moment to link your Kroger Community Rewards to the Gahanna Middle School East PTA. This is an easy way to earn money for the school just by shopping the way you already do.

As we start the school year, I wanted to share an important information regarding our cell phone policy at Gahanna Middle School East. This policy will be in place across all district middle schools for the 2024-2025 academic year.

We will be implementing a "No Cell Phone Policy" (which includes AirPods, earbuds, Bluetooth headphones, smartwatches, and similar devices) throughout the school day. This decision comes as a response to the growing impact cell phones have on our learning environment. While these devices offer valuable communication and information access, they also present numerous distractions that can affect students' focus and academic performance.

Findings by U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy highlight concerns about social media’s effects on youth. According to Murthy, social media usage among teenagers is widespread, with up to 95% of them using these platforms, often constantly. Excessive time spent on social media can increase the risk of poor mental health outcomes, including symptoms of depression and anxiety. You can read more about this in his advisory here.

Starting from the first day of the school year, all students will need to turn off their cell phones and store them securely in their lockers or backpacks during school hours. This policy applies to all areas of the school, including classrooms, hallways, cafeterias, and during lunch and recess. We appreciate your support in reinforcing this policy with your child.

As a potential incentive, we may introduce designated times for phone use during lunch and recess later in the school year. These opportunities will be limited to once a week, subject to certain criteria being met.

The goals of our policy are as follows:

• Enhancing Focus: Removing cell phones as a distraction to improve students' concentration and engagement.
• Promoting Social Interaction: Encouraging in-person interactions to build stronger social skills and foster a healthier school community.
• Ensuring Cyber-Safety: Reducing the risk of cyberbullying and inappropriate online behavior by limiting phone use.
• Emergency Situations: Our school office will be available to relay urgent messages if needed.

We ask for your cooperation in discussing this policy with your child and emphasizing its importance. Should a student’s device be used or visible during school hours, it will be confiscated by staff and turned over to the office. Parents or guardians will be notified via email, and for the first infraction, the device can be retrieved after school. For subsequent violations, the device must be picked up by a parent or guardian, and additional consequences may be applied.

We believe that this policy will contribute positively to our students’ academic success and well-being. Your support in implementing this change is greatly appreciated as we work together to create a productive learning environment.

Thank you for your understanding and continued partnership. We look forward to a successful and enriching school year.

Being on time for class is crucial as it sets a positive tone for the class and ensures that students do not miss important instructions or learning opportunities. Arriving promptly helps students transition smoothly into the learning environment, fostering better focus and participation from the start. Consistent punctuality also instills a sense of responsibility and respect for others' time, which is essential for academic success and developing good habits for the future.

At Gahanna Middle School East we do have a discipline procedure for students being late to class. Each classroom teacher keeps track of their own tardies, however they all follow the notification and consequences chart below. You will receive communication via email about student tardies.

Thank you for your support with this policy!

Doors open for breakfast at 8:50 & 8:55 for non-breakfast eaters. Students will report their their House by 9:05.

• You must enter from Clotts Rd.

• Use the entire loop as shown.

• Pull up tight to the person in front of you in our pick up line.

• These things will help keep all of the cars off of Clotts Road and allow for our buses to enter the lot.

• If you would like to park in the basketball lot and wait for your student, that also works, but make sure the outer loop is free from parked cars.

• After your student is loaded, exit via Clotts Road.

• Lastly, BE CAREFUL! There are a lot of students and cars in the lot!

To help maintain a secure and organized environment, each student will be assigned a locker for their personal use. Please review the following guidelines regarding locker use:

1. Locker Assignment: Each student will receive an assigned locker. Lockers are school property and able to be searched at any time.

2. Combination Lock: Students are required to provide their own combination lock to secure their locker. This is essential for ensuring the safety of personal belongings. We are not responsible for lost or stolen items.

3. Combination Submission: For emergency purposes, students must submit their locker combination to their house teacher. This can be done through a Google Form that will be provided at the beginning of the school year.

4. Access Times: Students may access their lockers at the beginning of the day, before and after lunch, and/or at the end of the day. *This is subject change depending on grade level teams.

Please adhere to these guidelines to ensure a smooth and secure locker experience. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to your house teacher or the school administration.

**We kindly ask that you do not decorate the outside of your locker. Please feel free to customize the inside!

The Heart and Pride Award recognizes two outstanding staff members each month who make a profound impact on our students and Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.

The Heart & Pride Nomination Form will remain available year-round and is open to any member of our staff, regardless of position.