November has been another busy month here at GAMS!
We wrapped up the first quarter and celebrated many of our students' academic successes with grade-level honor roll assemblies. Almost half of all our students earned either honor roll (no grade lower than 83%) or distinguished honor roll (no grade lower than 94%) for the first marking period—a huge accomplishment! Congratulations to all our students who have demonstrated commitment to their academic achievement!
On November 11th, GAMS hosted a Veterans Day breakfast with many families and veterans in attendance. Our students did an outstanding job organizing the event—thank you to the GAMS student council, 6th grade chorus, 6th grade essay winners, as well as the GAHS JROTC Color Guard and LTC Mohler, GAHS JROTC instructor, for their involvement in making our breakfast a success!
As we enter the holiday season, let’s embrace our core values: Be Here, Be Involved, Be Committed, Be Kind. These principles guide us in creating a welcoming and supportive environment where everyone can thrive. Being here every day ensures students don’t miss important lessons and opportunities. Getting involved, whether in class, activities, or community events, helps students grow and stay connected. Commitment to their goals and academic success is key to their future, and kindness builds the positive culture that makes GAMS a great place to learn and grow.
Thank you for your continued partnership in supporting your child’s success. Let’s finish this calendar year strong by working together to uphold these values.
It’s a Great day to be a Warrior!
Kristy Caywood
Follow @gams_warriors on Instagram for school updates and highlights
Dec. 2 - No School for Students - Thanksgiving Holiday
Dec. 6 - GAMS THON Social - 6-8pm
Dec. 12 - 7th & 8th Grade Band, Chorus, and Orchestra Winter Concert - 7pm
Dec. 13 - Early Dismissal - 11am
Dec. 17 - 6th Grade Band, Chorus, and Orchestra Holiday Concert - 7pm
Dec. 23-Jan. 1 - No School for Students - Winter Break
To view sporting events, click here: Gettysburg Warriors
To view the district calendar, click here: GASD District Calendar
IMPORTANT!
- Unified Arts and Chromebook fees are now in Skyward. You can pay online through Skyward or by check made out to GASD. If you have an outstanding Library Book Fee and return the book, the fee will be removed.
- Attendance notes must be submitted to the office within 3 school days of the absence. You can submit notes via Skyward, emailing MSAttend@gasd-pa.org, or sending a note in with your child. This also applies to early dismissals.
- The student will only be called down to the office when the parent arrives for pick-up.
- If someone other than a parent is picking up your student, you MUST include that in the early dismissal note. The person picking up the student will need their ID.
Screen Time and Adolescents:
One topic that comes up often from students and parents is screen time. Whether it's the impact that screen time has on our students' sleep schedules, or the impact that social media is having on mental health, we should all be invested in helping our children learn how to use screens in a healthy way. The Child Mind Institute has wonderful resources available for families to learn more about setting healthy screen boundaries, monitoring for mental health concerns, and more. Check out their website here for more information: https://childmind.org/topics/screen-time-technology/
Reminder that you can reach out to your child's school counselor by phone or email to discuss any concerns you have. The school counselors are:
Mrs. Swogger
Mr. Musser
It's December already! We know this can be an exciting and joyful time, but for some, can be an equally difficult time. Please reach out with anything you need and we will do what we can to support you as best as we are able. We will continue being out in the community and we encourage parents and families to stop by and say hello, ask any questions about school or community resources/services, or express student concerns. We look forward to connecting with you at one of the times listed below:
Friday, December 6, 11:00 am - 1:00 pm @ Waldo's
Tuesday, December 10, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm @ Dunkin' Donuts
Friday, December 20, 9:30 am - 11:30 am @ Adams County Library (basement)
As mentioned, sometimes the holidays can bring hardships. We encourage you to join us at a co-sponsored event with our school district and Healthy Adams County; an evening dedicated to inspiring hope and healing. The event will be on December 12th from 5:45 until you feel it's time to go. We will meet at the Gettysburg Presbyterian Church - 208 Baltimore St, Gettysburg, PA 17325 and take a group walk around the square. See this invitation for additional information.
Additionally, please consider applying for our district’s Free and Reduced Meals Program. Even if you are unsure if you qualify, we encourage the application. Follow this link and reach out if you have any questions!
https://www.gettysburg.k12.pa.us/services/food-services/about-food-services
Tara Zimmerman
(717) 334-6254, option 2, ext. 6104
Rachel Hastie
(717) 334-6254, option 4, ext. 7139
37 Lefever Street, Gettysburg, PA, USA
Phone: 717-334-6254, option 3
Fax: 717-334-6999