Houston High School celebrated its Class of 2023 with a wonderful graduation ceremony on Friday evening. The event was marked with inspiring commencement speeches by Jenna Cho and Zora Cunningham, which were well received by the students, faculty, and guests in attendance.

The graduates of the class of 2023 were recognized for their achievements and hard work, having earned over $39 million dollars in scholarship monies, 2 Presidential Scholar Semifinalists, 8 National Merit Finalists, 8 National Merit Commended Students, 3 students attending Service Academies, (Merchant Marine, Naval, Air Force).

On behalf of the GMSD Neighborhood, I would like to extend a special thank you to the Houston High School PTSO for organizing both the Baccalaureate ceremony and Project Graduation at Main Event for the seniors. Without their tireless efforts, our neighborhood wouldn't be the same!

Jason Manuel,

Superintendent

Here’s this week’s GMSD App Spotlight:

Under the MORE tab, we are exploring the buttons this week.

There are buttons for Calendars, Directories, Menus, Anonymous Alerts, Let’s Talk, and News Feeds organized by school. There are buttons to pay school fees; access Skyward Grades; learn more about athletics, fine arts, and school board meetings; or send a GMSD Gratitude Grams from your phone.

But, the focus of this week's app spotlight is about a button called School Resources. Once you push that button it will show you specific resources by type for the entire district–resources for students, community members, or prospective staff members.

What’s more, is that if you select CHANGE in the top right hand corner, you can see special buttons specifically for your child’s school. Examples include this screen just for Houston High School students where they can easily access their assignments via Classlink and Schoology, check out the available clubs, revisit rules and regulations in the student handbook, listen to our HHS student podcasts, request transcripts, or solicit technology help. Explore the buttons for parents at your school.

Houston Middle School hosted an exciting event last week called Days of Diversity, which celebrated the rich and diverse cultural heritage of the GMSD neighborhood. This event has been one of the school's largest events for many years, and after a hiatus due to the pandemic, it returned with much enthusiasm and appreciation from the community. Students, staff, and families put in a great deal of effort to make the event a success, showcasing special performances and offering a variety of delicious food from all around the world. The event was a fantastic opportunity for students, parents, and community members to come together and celebrate the unique diversity that makes up our community. We hope that Days of Diversity will continue to be a beloved tradition at Houston Middle School for years to come.

A Rube Goldberg machine is a complex and whimsical contraption that performs a simple task through a series of intricate chain reactions. The machine is named after cartoonist and inventor Rube Goldberg, who created many of these devices in his popular cartoons. Recently, Mr. Thomas Bozeman's class took on the challenge of building their own Rube Goldberg machine to salt their popcorn. The students used their creativity and engineering skills to design and construct a series of interconnected devices that culminated in the perfect seasoning of their snack. The result was an impressive and entertaining feat of engineering. Don't miss the awesome video of their machine in action in the newsletter.

We'd like to thank all the PE teachers, school staff, and parent volunteers who made our GMSD Field Days possible. Despite the rainy weather and muddy conditions, they were there, manning the various physical challenges and tug of war games, ensuring that the event went off without a hitch. Check out some of our favorite shots from field days here.

GMSD is excited to announce that applications are now open for its student positions for the 2023-2024 school year. We are seeking talented and motivated students to join our teams of communications interns, GMSD Ambassadors, and Germantown Board of Education Student Board Representative. These positions are open to seniors and juniors attending Houston High School or GOAL.

The Communications Internship(s) is a paid opportunity with the possibility of dual enrollment credit. We are looking for students who have an interest in business marketing, communications, social media management, broadcast/print journalism, photography, filmmaking, or graphic design.

Our GMSD Ambassador Team is a volunteer position made up of high school seniors and juniors who represent the district at social, business, and political functions. The team will meet to get to know each other, sharpen their business networking skills, and proudly wear the GMSD ambassador blazers.

Finally, we are searching for our next Germantown Board of Education Student Board Representative. This student will serve in the coming school year as the voice of the student body on the Board of Education.

Students can apply for all three positions at the same time, but must submit a resume for consideration. We encourage all interested students to apply and look forward to welcoming our new team members!

The April Teacher of the Month and Youth Excellence winners were honored by the Education Commission at the April 10 meeting of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen.

The April Teacher of the Month was awarded to Mrs. Sabrina Mink, a first-grade teacher at Dogwood Elementary. Parents in particular praise Ms. Mink's remarkable teaching talents. "She appears to spend less time attempting to entertain the students and more time listening and observing to best understand the child's needs and learning style," writes one nominating parent. "My son no longer struggles with sight words and his confidence in reading is greatly improved." Another parent writes: "My daughter struggles with anxiety and Ms. Mink has helped her with different coping strategies and techniques that have allowed her to overcome it and continue in class participation."

One special activity that Ms. Mink does for her students is her morning meetings. During these sessions, the kids share information about their weekend activities or what they're excited for during the week. The result is a welcoming environment where Ms. Mink not only can learn more about her students, but her students can also learn more about their classmates.

Ms. Mink's fellow teachers also appreciate her dedication to teamwork within the school. She serves on the school's Snapshots Committee, which plans a special activity for new teachers, and she hosted the annual Dogwood teacher social event at her home. "Ms. Mink is able to create meaningful solutions to keep our team strong," writes one nominating coworker. "She does so much work for our team but never expects praise or recognition."

Congratulations to the Houston High School Girls Tennis team, who defeated White Station over the weekend and earned the title of Regional Champions! Another big congratulations to Eva Gautreaux who committed to run Track & Field for Vanderbilt University!

Tryouts for next year are gearing up! HHS Girls Soccer has now opened their registration for the Fall 2023 Season. The HHS Boys Basketball team is hosting freshman boys summer team tryouts on May 24 from 2-4pm. This tryout is for any rising 9th grader that wants to play basketball as a Mustang in the coming fall, and a physical is required to participate. Houston High School and Middle school and Riverdale volleyball programs are also preparing for tryouts! HHS will host tryouts on May 24. HMS will be hosting tryout clinics on June 20-21, and their actual tryouts will take place on June 22. This event is for current 5th-7th graders, and it is $30 to attend all three days and $20 just for tryouts. Riverdale volleyball tryouts for rising 6-8 graders will be May 24 and 25 from 5:30pm-7:30pm, and May 26 from 10:00am-12:00pm. HMS is also hosting tryouts for their rising 6th grade girls summer league basketball. These tryouts will take place on May 16 & 17 from 6:00pm-7:30pm. A physical is required. HMS is hosting initial meetings for 7th & 8th graders interested in playing football. For incoming 7th graders, the meeting will be May 17 at 6:00pm, and for rising 8th graders, the meeting is May 17 at 6:45pm. Both meetings will take place at the Houston High School Field House. For more information go to thehoustonathletics.com.

Our Elementary and Middle school students had some special visitors with players from both the Houston Gamblers and the Memphis Showboats coming to their recess. Students from Riverdale, Houston Middle, Farmington, and Forest Hill were so excited to get to know these athletes. And don’t forget, GMSD Showboats game day is May 20th, so be sure to buy your discounted tickets!

Don't miss your chance to come out and see these athletes in action! Have you downloaded our Houston Athletics App? GMSD is excited to announce that middle school feeder programs are also now on the app!

Information about the listed tryouts, required paperwork, and athletic camp registrations can be found on thehoustonathletics.com. Select what sport you are interested in, and the information for tryouts and camps will be listed in the Links, Forms, and Announcements sections.

Houston Middle School Cheer is planning a celebration for Betsy Spurlock and her incredible work for this program. Mrs. Spurlock has been the HMS cheer sponsor for 25 years. Join the HMS cheer family on May 18th from 5-7pm at the Houston Middle School new gym for a reception honoring Betsy Spurlock and her devotion to the World Champion cheer team!

We invite everyone to watch our recordings of the end-of-the-year music concerts, which were spectacular events filled with talented performers showcasing their skills. Thanks to our GMTV students, who worked hard to capture the concerts at GPAC, we were able to preserve these performances for everyone to enjoy.

As summer approaches, GMSD is gearing up to host some amazing summer camps! Over at Houston Middle, volleyball camp registration is open! This camp is for grades 4th-8th is June 6-8 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. Scan the QR code above or click here to register.

Houston’s boys and girls varsity basketball teams will be hosting camps June 19-22 from 9am-12pm, and they are open to 1st-8th graders. The boys camp will take place in the Houston High School gym, and the girls camp will be over at the Houston Middle School gym. Click here to register for the boys' camp. Click here to register for the girls' camp.

Soccer Camp will be held June 5-9 from 8:30am-12:00pm, and it is open to boys and girls ages 4-13. Camp will be at the Mustang Soccer Complex at Houston Middle School. Come learn from the State Champion Houston High School coaches! Scan the QR code above or click here to register.

Football Camp will be June 20-22 from 9:00am-12:00pm at the Houston High School Football Field. Camp registration is open for 1st-8th graders, and campers will need to wear a t-shirt, shorts, and cleats. Please do NOT bring a helmet, but of course, bring a water bottle! Click here to register.

Baseball is hosting two camp sessions this summer! Both camps are open to K-7th grade. The first session is June 5-8 from 9:00am-12:00pm, and the second session is June 12-15, also from 9:00am-12:00pm. Both camps are at Bill Avant Field at Houston High School. Click here to register.

Houston High School Cheer is hosting camp for grades K-5, June 14-16 from 9:00am-12:00pm. Camp will be held at the Houston High School gym, and campers will need to wear a t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes. Be sure to bring water and a snack! For a free t-shirt, register by June 5th! Scan the QR code above or click here to register.

HHS Pom is holding a mini dance camp! Camp will be held July 26-28 from 9:00am-12:00pm, and it is open for grades K-5. It will take place at the Houston High School gym, and a snack and t-shirt will be provided! Scan the QR code above or click here to register.

STEM Camp is for rising 5th graders, and there are only 40 spots open! This camp is June 10-13 from 9:00am-12:00pm at Houston Middle School. Students will get to explore the new STEM labs and learn about airplanes, catapults, solar cookers, and more! Scan the QR code above or click here to register.

Houston Middle School Band is hosting music camp! June 19-22 from 10:00am-12:00pm students will get to learn, play, and make music together in the new band room at HMS. Scan the QR code above or click here to register.

Mrs. Malone from Farmington is hosting Cursive Camp! There are three weeks available, with two sessions for each day: June 5-9, June 12-16, and July 10-14. Each day there will be a session from 10:00am-11:00am and a session from 4:00pm-5:00pm. This camp is for students age 8 and up. Message Mrs. Malone to register! elizabeth.malone@gmsdk12.org (This is a non-GMSD affiliated camp).

GMSD is hosting so many amazing camps this summer! From football camp, to STEM camp, there really is something for everyone. These summer camps vary in age range, start date, and availability, so be sure to check out each one to see what is right for your student.

To submit a camp or learn more about sponsorship, contact emily.hume@gmsdk12.org. We can't wait to see you all this summer!

VISIT OUR SUMMER CAMP HUB

Next year, Houston High is expanding our Career Technical Education (CTE) offerings to include an Aviation Flight Program. Please help us spread the word that we are looking for a teacher to lead students in these classes. Prospective applicants who hold only some of the endorsements and requirements listed in the job description are strongly encouraged to apply. GMSD is committed to the success of the Aviation Flight program and supporting a strong candidate in completing course requirements.

Would you or someone you know like to hear more about this opportunity or the program vision and goals? Please contact Mark Ethan Constant, mark.constant@gmsdk12.org.

Tennessee First Lady Maria Lee announced the fifth annual Tennessee Kids Serve Summer Challenge, which encourages students from across the state to get involved in their communities by serving others throughout their summer break.

The challenge, which is part of First Lady Maria Lee’s Tennessee Serves initiative, is open to rising kindergarteners through rising sixth graders from June 1 to August 1.

To fulfill the challenge requirements, participants must complete one activity in two of the eight service categories and meet a two-hour service minimum. Students who complete the challenge will be invited to join the Governor and First Lady for a carnival at the Tennessee Residence in September.

Since launching the summer challenge in 2019, more than 1,100 kids from across the state have participated, serving 4,511 collective hours in their communities.

Parents and guardians can register their child and find additional information about the challenge on the First Lady’s website.

Beginning on April 17, the City’s contractor will begin a pavement reclamation project along Dogwood Road, from Kimbrough Road to Lansingwood Drive. The process involves taking the existing asphalt and pulverizing it, tearing it up, reclaiming it and making a new base layer using a combination of the recycled pavement along with cementitious material.

Over the years, this roadway has experienced surface failures, which require frequent asphalt overlays to keep it in good shape. The full-depth reclamation of the roadway base and asphalt layers will result in a longer lasting and safer roadway. Dogwood Road from Kimbrough Road to Birchton Drive was chosen for pavement reclamation during fiscal year 2023 during the. The portion of Dogwood Road from Kimbrough Road to Lansingwood Drive, is the first of three phases of reclamation that will be completed along Dogwood Road. In fiscal year 2024, Public Works intends to ask the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to consider the second phase which would continue along Dogwood Road from Birchton Drive to Brachton Avenue. A third and final phase of the reclamation project is planned from Brachton Avenue to Forest Hill Irene Road.

The first phase of the roadway work is expected to last approximately two months, weather permitting. While one side of the road is stabilized and paved, all traffic will be diverted to the other side of the road and vice versa. Two way traffic will be maintained throughout the duration of the project. In addition, access to the private driveways and the St. George's Independent School campus will be maintained. Solid waste, recycling and yard waste collections will also continue as scheduled for residents along the project site.

Motorists are encouraged to choose an alternate route, if they are able to, throughout the extent of this project.