Goodrich Middle School

Congratulations to the following March students of the month. These students were nominated by their teachers, based on many factors, including but not limited to: work ethic, grades, positive attitude, helpfulness and other PRIDE qualities. Congratulations to: Jacqueline Nicholas - 6th (left), Ryser Jenkins- 7th (center), and Stephen Iden - 8th (right)!

CONGRATULATIONS to all students who achieved All A or All A/B Honor Roll for our 2nd Marking Period!

*If your student received all A's or A/B's and are not listed, it means they have a "Do Not Release Photo/Name" flag in their student file. If you would like this removed, please contact our office.

Inspired by the Positivity Project’s trait of LOVE, students at GMS shared what they love most about their school.

What do you LOVE most about GMS?

• “We switch classes and have amazing electives. My favorites so far are French, Art and Tech Class.”
• “It educates me and if I didn’t have school, I wouldn’t know how to do something as simple as reading.”
• “Band! Band is where you can express yourself through music; plus Mr. Hall is very funny!”
• “I get to see all of my friends Monday - Friday.”
• “The teachers are nice and helpful with work if I struggle. There are fun activities to do.”
• “It gives me something to do. If I was home, I would probably just watch “Dance Moms” all day!”

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Pennies for Patients program is working with thousands of schools across the country to raise funds for blood cancer research and patient support services. Our school has partnered with LLS to take on the mission of ending cancer once and for all!

YOU can help our Squad make a huge impact in the fight against cancer by making a contribution to our fundraising efforts! Our fundraiser will begin on March 2nd and end on March 6th!

Please click the link below for more information:

https://events.lls.org/pages/mi/Goodrich-Middle-School-Goodrich-2020

Cottage Books will be on Thursday, March 12th for a BOOK SWAP!

This is how it works: Each student can bring in up to five books from home the day before the swap to give to their ELA teacher. They will be given tickets to use during the book swap during lunch on March 12th to pick out the same number of books at the swap. Students will need to bring in a book in order to get a book.

Here are the rules:

• No more than 5 books can be swapped at each swap event
• Books must be middle school age reading level
• Books must be in good condition (minimal tears with no writing or missing pages/covers).
• No dictionaries, thesaurus or encyclopedias will be accepted.

Our GMS Student Council will be be having a raffle to support “Save My Starving Children.”

Students may make a donation for a raffle ticket for $1, or 6 tickets for $5, to have a chance to throw a pie in the face of one of the following staff members: Mr. Dawson, Mr. Hall, Mr. Wilcox, Mr. Wozniak, and Mrs. Salter!

The pie throwing will take place on Friday, March 27th, the half day before spring break. Raffle tickets will be sold during lunches beginning on March 16th. All tickets will be entered for a chance to WIN!

For more information on the charity this event will be helping, please click on the link below:

https://www.fmsc.org/about-us

The school believes that maximum achievement can only occur with regular attendance in all classes. Based on this, parents and guardians are encouraged not to take their child out of school for reasons that would be considered unexcused per our attendance policy (vacations, hunting trips, working at home, babysitting younger brothers or sisters, etc.).

If your child will be out for one (1) or two (2) days, you are welcome to request work from your child’s teachers directly. In the case of illness or prolonged absences (3 or more days), parents may request work directly from the office. When these types of requests are made, all work must be completed and turned in upon the student’s return. Failure to turn in completed work upon return to school will result in a failing grade for any missing assignments. Work should only be requested while your student is absent if you feel your child would have time during his/her absence to complete it and return it upon their first day back at school. Please note, however, that teachers are NOT REQUIRED to provide work for absentee students until the student returns to school.

We do not believe requesting work in advance is in the best interest of the child (or their family), as students are often loaded up with a week’s worth of assignments and have less time to recover from their illness or enjoy their vacation. Giving assignments in advance also requires additional work on the teacher’s behalf. It is often difficult for a teacher to determine exactly how much work will be covered during a prolonged absence. Teachers regularly adjust their plans based on student needs, therefore students could find themselves ahead or behind on the material upon their return to school.

It is recommended that your child collect their missing work when they return to school, as they will have the same number of days that they were absent to complete and return it.

As a reminder, medically excused absences (with a note from the child’s medical provider), death of an immediate family member/funeral (up to five (5) days), required court appearances and/or religious observances meet our excused absence guidelines. Any other absence, even those excused by a parent, will count towards total unexcused absence accumulation. Additionally, you will need to call or email the attendance office to notify the school of your child’s absence(s).

The U.S. Constitution mandates a census of the population every 10 years. Census statistics help determine the number of seats each state holds in the U.S. House of Representatives and how billions of dollars in federal funds are allocated to state and local communities for the next 10 years.

Mark Your Calendar: Important 2020 Census Dates

● March 12-20: Initial invitations to respond online and by phone will be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

● March 16-24: Reminder letters will be delivered.

● March 26-April 3: Reminder postcards will be delivered to households that have not responded.

● April 8-16: Reminder letters and paper questionnaires will be delivered to remaining households that have not responded.

● April 20-27: Final reminder postcards will be delivered to households that have not yet responded before census takers follow up in person.

● May 13-July 31: If a household does not respond to any of the invitations, a census taker will follow up in person.

Importance of Participating in the 2020 Census

● Statistics from the census are used in distributing hundreds of billions in funding for schools, hospitals, fire departments, roads and much more. The invitations will remind respondents to include everyone living in the household, whether they are related or not. This includes young children. Responses will impact communities for the next decade.

● Census data helps to determine $675 billion in local funding for programs such as food stamps, national School Lunch Program, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Title I aid, and special education grants.

Additional Notes

● Completing the census only takes about 10 minutes and can be done online, over the phone, or by mail.

● Counts everyone where they live and sleep most of the time, even if the living arrangement is temporary or the parents of the child do not live there.

● If a child spends equal amounts of time between two homes, count them where they stayed on Census Day, April 1. Coordinate with the other parent/caregiver, so the child is not counted at both homes.

● The census counts all people living or staying at an address, not just the person or family who owns or rents the property.

● Babies should also be included on the census form even if they are still in the hospital on April 1.

● If you have recently moved, it may be best to complete the census online or over the phone in case the paper form does not make it to you in the mail due to a change of address.

● The Census Bureau does not share information and the information collected is kept confidential. Information collected through the census can’t be used against you. The Census Bureau will never share information with immigration enforcement agencies or law enforcement.

● The census is available in other languages if needed.

For more information visit:

https://2020census.gov/ and https://www.michigan.gov/Census2020

While the deadline has passed to order a personalized yearbook for this school year, there are still a few remaining non-personalized yearbooks that can be purchased.

Click HERE to order yours today!!

FB friends, please like our new GMS page on Facebook!

https://www.facebook.com/Goodrich-Middle-School-107465217452515/

The next meeting is Wednesday, March 11th at 9:00am. All meetings take place in the middle school media center/library. Everyone is welcome!

Spirit wear can be purchased at any time through the K & C’s Special T’s website: https://kcspecialts.com/

For more information, please contact PTO President Sandy Cooper @ 810-444-7849, email the Martian PTO at Martianptoinc@gmail.com or visit the Martian PTO Facebook page.

Click picture above for document

You can now support the Martian PTO by shopping on Amazon. Our PTO will get 5% back on all your purchases. Please sign up and select Martian PTO under charities!

https://smile.amazon.com/ch/81-3000274

March:

3/2 - 3/6: Pennies for Patients Leukemia and Lymphoma Society Drive

3/8: Daylight Savings Time Begins

3/11: PTO Meeting - 9:00am - GMS Media Center

3/12: Cottage Used Books - book swap during lunches!

3/19: Mid-Michigan Therapy Dogs visit GMS - 8:45am-10:45am

3/23: Board of Education Meeting - 6:30pm- Community Ed. Room @ HS

3/27: 3rd Marking Period Ends

3/27: 1/2 DAY OF SCHOOL- Dismissal at 11:00am

3/27: Pie Throwing Raffle Contest!

3/30-4/3: SPRING BREAK - NO SCHOOL

April:

4/8: PTO Meeting - 9:00am - GMS Media Center

4/10: NO SCHOOL/Good Friday

4/12: HAPPY EASTER!

4/14: LATE START (10:30AM) for 6th and 7th Grade ONLY

4/14: PSAT TESTING 8th GRADE

4/14: 8th Grade DC Chaperone Meeting - 6:30pm - GMS Room 103

4/27: Board of Education Meeting - 6:30pm- Community Ed. Room @ HS

Dates and times are subject to change.

Please check our school calendar at https://gms.goodrichschools.org/calendar

for additional information!

For a brief summary of important GMS rules and procedures, please click HERE.

For information on our Dress Code and Technology policies, please click HERE.

Parents, did you know you can see the daily announcements that our students hear each day online at https://gms.goodrichschools.org? Important updates, news and information will be listed under "Student Announcements."

Students are permitted to enter the building starting at 7:00am. Please do not leave your child unattended outside of the building before that time.

Upon entering the building, students should report directly to the cafeteria until 7:20am. Parents should use the circle drive at the front of school to drop children off. The south end parking lot (by the gym) is for bus drop off only. DO NOT DROP OFF YOUR CHILDREN BY THE BUS DROP OFF/GYM ENTRANCE!

Please note the following important safety rules for after-school pick-up and sports practices:

• After-School pick-up is at the north end parking lot ONLY.
• When picking up your student(s), please pull ALL the way forward. Your child(ren) will meet you along the sidewalk. They will be exiting from doors at the north end of the building.

• For safety reasons, students not picked up by 2:45pm will be sent back into the building to wait near the main entrance.

• The circle drive near the flag pole/main entrance is for emergency vehicles ONLY.

• The circle drive AT OAKTREE is NOT an authorized pick-up area for middle school students.
• The parking lot AT OAKTREE is NOT an authorized pick up pick-up area for middle school students.

Unless your child(ren) rides the bus, is signed out for early release in the office by an authorized individual, they should be picked up in the parent pick-up/caravan line at the designated location at the north end of the middle school. Please share this information with anyone who may be picking up your child/children as well.

Student athletes should ride Shuttle Bus #5, which will transport athletes to the High School for practices.

Exceptional Education, Extraordinary People – We Are Goodrich!

Proud to be a Systems Accredited District.

The mission of Goodrich Area Schools is:

“Achievement for Every Learner”

Email: mdurant@goodrichschools.org
Website: http://www.goodrichschools.org/GMS/
Location: 7480 Gale Road, Goodrich, MI 48438, United States
Phone: 810-591-4210
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Goodrich-Middle-School-107465217452515/