GSD E-Blast September 2024

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Happy First Week of School! I hope you and your family have enjoyed a fun and relaxing summer! As we prepare for another amazing school year, I encourage you to enjoy the little things that make the first week of school so special. We are so glad that you are a part of GSD!

Over the summer, our incredible maintenance and custodial teams have worked hard to ensure our schools are in excellent condition. They have dedicated countless hours to cleaning, repairing, and completing various projects throughout the district, all to prepare for the year ahead. I cannot thank them enough for their hard work and commitment to our GSD staff and students. If you see any of these wonderful individuals in your child's school, please take a moment to express your gratitude for their hard work!

We remain committed to the safety and security of our students. Over the summer, we have continued to enhance our safety procedures and measures, ensuring that our schools remain safe havens where children can learn, grow, and thrive. We take this responsibility seriously, recognizing the vital role that safety plays in fostering a positive and productive learning environment.

As we start a new academic year, I am excited to share that our dedicated educators and staff have worked diligently to create an engaging and enriching learning environment. Our focus remains on providing your children with the highest-quality education possible. Whether it's our successful Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, our outstanding Robotics and STEM programs, or the countless other programs and extracurricular activities we offer at GSD, we continue to inspire innovation and creativity in all of our students.

The 2024-2025 school year promises to be filled with new learning opportunities and celebrations of what makes GSD so special. We are excited to return to what we do best—educating and preparing our students for a bright future.

Your partner in education,

Amy Conway

Superintendent

This fall, Gibraltar School District voters will be asked to make a decision on two significant ballot proposals. Both are renewals and will significantly impact our school district's future.

We need your help sharing information about the renewals and how they support maintaining and improving the quality of our educational programs and facilities.

Proposal 1: A Non-Homestead Millage Renewal

• The Non-Homestead Millage Renewal is a continuation of an existing tax on businesses, second homes, rental properties, and vacant land.

• This millage will not change the current tax rate on a homeowner's primary residence (the home in which a homeowner lives).

• To receive their full share of state aid, Michigan law requires all school districts to levy 18 mills on non-homestead property.

• The revenue from this millage supports the educational programs, classrooms, and services provided to all of our students.

• All Gibraltar School District registered voters can vote on this proposal even though there will be no change in the tax-rate on their primary home.

Proposal 2: Sinking Fund Restoration and Renewal

• The Sinking Fund Renewal generates revenue for ongoing repairs and improvement of our school buildings and infrastructure.

• The sinking fund covers various needs, from replacing roofs, updating heating and cooling systems, and upgrading technology.

• Due to requirements of the Michigan Constitution, the sinking fund has been “rolled back” to 0.4817 mills from 5.0 mills Gibraltar voters approved. This reduces the amount of revenue received by the school district.

• Restoring the sinking fund to the original 0.5 mills approved by voters will cost the average homeowner in a $200,000 market value home (with a $100,000 taxable value) an additional $1.83 per year… or about 15 cents per month.

For more information, please visit: https://www.gibdist.net/page/election-information

Research shows that being happy and positive primes the brain to be more successful and productive. Promoting positivity will enhance our student’s academic ability and develop them into happy and positive thinkers and leaders. Each month we will highlight a building or staff member that is spreading “The Orange” (Happiness) through Gibraltar!

On Tuesday, August 20th, and Wednesday, August 21st, Chapman, Hunter, Parsons, and Weiss welcomed our newest Marauders! The incoming Kindergarten and Young Fives students, who make up the class of 2037, had the opportunity to participate in a Mock Signing Day, similar to the one high school athletes experience when committing to college. During this event, students met with teachers, answered some questions about kindergarten and young fives, and then celebrated becoming a part of GSD. We hope this event not only heightened their excitement but also helped ease any first-day jitters.

Welcome back, Carlson High School students! We hope you had a fantastic summer and are excited to kick off the 2024-2025 school year. It was wonderful to see so many of you at Prep Day, where the energy and enthusiasm were truly contagious. Whether you were catching up with friends, meeting new classmates, or getting everything organized for the year ahead, the day was filled with positive vibes that set the perfect tone for a successful year.

As we embark on this new journey together, we want to remind you that the Carlson community is here to support you every step of the way. From our dedicated teachers and staff to your fellow students, we're all in this together. Let's make this school year one to remember, filled with learning, growth, and plenty of fun along the way. Welcome back, Carlson HS—you’re going to make this year amazing!

We extend a very warm welcome the following new staff members of our Chapman family! Welcome, Chargers! ⚡

• Ms. Kiley Elbaor: Kindergarten CI Classroom

Ms. Elbaor recently graduated from Siena Heights University and brings about much experience teaching students with special needs. She is so excited to be a part of the Gibraltar community and is looking forward to a great first year at Chapman!

• Mr. Joshua Griffith: Social Worker

Mr. Griffith joins us from Carlson High School! His experience as a social worker in the secondary setting will be a wonderful asset as he works with our elementary-aged students. Welcome, Mr. Griffith!

• Mrs. Cari Yielding: Paraprofessional

You may have seen her friendly face around Chapman the last few years! Mrs. Yielding, one of our beloved lunch aides, will be transitioning into a paraprofessional role in our new Kindergarten CI classroom. We are lucky to have her on staff full time now!

• Ms. Kimberly Ksiazek: Paraprofessional

Ms. Ksiazek is a newly hired paraprofessional in our Kindergarten CI classroom. She will be working alongside Ms. Elbaor, Mrs. Yielding, and our youngest Chargers!

This summer, Hunter Elementary School became a hub of learning and creativity as it welcomed over 150 students for the Gibraltar School District's Summer Academic Program. Tailored for students entering first through sixth grades, the program offered a well-rounded experience that combined academic rigor with creative projects and social interaction. With a focus on enhancing literacy and numeracy skills, students participated in targeted activities aimed at strengthening their reading, phonics, and math abilities. Additionally, a dynamic STEM curriculum was introduced, bringing concepts to life through hands-on projects that covered topics like weather patterns, plant growth, and water pollution.

The Summer Academic Program was more than just an academic initiative; it also emphasized social growth and relationship-building. Students from different schools had the opportunity to interact and form new friendships, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. This social aspect was a key component of the program, ensuring that students felt connected and engaged throughout their summer learning experience. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the 18 staff members who helped make this program a success!

Parsons students and PTO had a great time participating in the Gibraltar July 4th Parade. Students traveled in a "rocket ship" to commemorate last year's theme of Parsons is Out of This World! Students loved throwing candy and waving to friends. They were dressed to impress in their red, white, and blue. We had an amazing time seeing all of our friends in the community and showing off our school pride!

As part of our three-year partnership with the Toledo Zoo, the Weiss Teachers recently participated in an exciting professional development day. We explored our Weiss prairie and learned how to incorporate it into our lessons. We studied different prairie plants, their growth, and their importance. We also learned how our prairie will continue to mature for the next three years. This hands-on experience will help us involve students in citizen science and inquiry-based learning, encouraging them to ask questions, make observations, and measure what they see. We are proud to be part of Project PRAIRIE as an EVERGREEN and STEM school and eagerly anticipate the enriching experiences it will offer to our students and the wider community. Together with the Toledo Zoo, we are cultivating knowledge, conservation, and discovery, looking forward to the flourishing of our native prairie in the coming years.

This year’s SMS Prep Day was a fantastic success, marking a smooth start for students gearing up for the new school year. Attendees had their first chance to receive their schedules and Student IDs, have their school pictures taken, address any Chromebook issues, and order SMS Spiritwear. Sixth graders enjoyed guided tours of the building with our First Mates, adding an extra layer of excitement to their prep day. To top it off, the event featured a tasty array of food trucks in the bus loop, including Kona Ice, Poppo’s BBQ, Galinda’s, Little Caesars, and a coffee truck, making for a delightful day for our students and families. .

LVS had a fantastic day welcoming students back to school at our annual prep day. Students were able to meet our staff, talk to their mentors, and catch up with friends. Students also had the opportunity to learn about the expecations and policies of a virtual school, hear about our leadership club, and programs such as dual enrollment and DCTC. We are excited to have students back in the building and help them have a successful school year!

Gibraltar School District is required to provide families with certain notifications, as required by law, which can be accessed at this link. Please take a moment to review these notifications.

We are excited for our school year to begin! We have put the routes together and the families can view their assigned stops in their parent portal. Please check your parent portal just before school starts to make sure there have been no changes. We are hiring bus aides. If you are interested, please contact us at (734) 379-6370.

Cherie Fraser- Asst. Director of Transportation

Thank you to our custodial staff for another job well done! Coming down to the wire in some cases they have made our buildings shine! Another shout out to our grounds staff who stayed on top of everything to keep our district looking its best all summer. Our maintenance staff was hard at work all summer as well. They completed so many different projects at Weiss, Chapman, Stark, and Shumate. From new paint to whole new construction they didn't miss a beat. We have such a great team and we are looking forward to another amazing school year! Also Congratulations to Mark Druyor and Bob Esordi on their retirement and best wishes for the future. They are such an asset to GSD and will be missed.

Greg Timmons- Director of Operations

Food Service Update

We are pleased to announce that Gibraltar Food Truck is ready to be used throughout the district. Our plan is to use it at each building to offer other options for our students to experience culinary delights on wheels.

Once again breakfast and lunch are free for each student this school year! Parents will still be asked to fill out a free and reduced lunch form regardless of income. We encourage all families to complete the form. Here is the link to the district letter explaining the process and the application.

GSD Food Service Fall Letter 2024/25

Child Nutrition and Education Benefits Application

Brian Bahr- Director of Dining Services

Welcome back! As we kick off the new school year, we're excited to share some important updates on the safety and security measures implemented across the district over the summer. We’ve made significant strides to ensure our schools remain safe spaces for both students and staff. Emergency flip charts have been completed and distributed to each building, providing clear and accessible instructions in case of emergencies. Additionally, all buildings have been zoned and numbered as part of the first phase in preparing for the transition to our new lock-out system. Finally, our secretaries, administrators, central office staff, and bus drivers received training in de-escalation strategies, equipping them with essential skills to manage challenging situations effectively.

Ken May- District Crisis and Safety Coordinator

We are pleased to share some key IT updates. We’ve strengthened student password security with new protocols and introduced Linewize, a cutting-edge web filtering program to enhance online safety. Additionally, all devices that remained on campus over the summer have been thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. These improvements are designed to provide a more secure and effective learning environment for your child.

Jaime Williams- Director of Technology