Mustang News

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Gunnison Middle School Families,

The movie and game night last Friday was a huge success! We are hosting Club Friday's tonight, March 14th and March 28th from 3:30-5:00pm. We hope that this provides a place for students to hang out on Friday afternoons!

Our second night of Gunnison Middle School Parent-Teacher conferences are on March 12th. Teachers and interpreters will be available in the Gunnison Community School commons from 4:00-7:00pm, no appointment necessary. This is a great time to chat with all of your child's teachers, ask questions, and gain valuable information about their academic progress this year. Thank you to everyone that came this past Wednesday! Make sure to take a tour of the new space while you are in the building.

The wrestling season is wrapping up and track and field will start up in early

April.

Have a great weekend!

If you would like to schedule a meeting with me for any reason, please CLICK HERE.

Take care,

Lance Betts

Lance Betts | Principal | Gunnison Middle School | lbetts@gunnisonschools.net | 641-7710

March 12: Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:00-7:00pm (no appointment necessary)

March 17-21: Spring Break

April 8-11: All-School CMAS Testing

April 11: Spring Dance

April 15-16: 8th Grade Science CMAS Testing

The GMS value and practice for the month of March is "I strive for high academic growth." The wording of this value/practice is very intentional, as we know that each of our students is a unique individual with their own story and educational experiences. We have a lot of opportunities to set some academic goals right now. The end of the 3rd quarter is Friday, March 14th. We will be using student's GPA from the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarters to recognize students who have made honor roll in a special ceremony near the end of the year. Many students that I speak with are working hard to earn that invitation. Setting goals for the 4th quarter is also really important, as that might be the most challenging time for students to maintain motivation. If they have a reason and a "why" behind continuing to work hard in school, there's no stopping what they are capable of. In addition, we have CMAS and final iReady assessments coming, which are another way that students can show academic growth. If you'd like to talk to your student(s) teachers about their academic achievement and goals, we have another night of Parent Teacher Conferences next Wednesday, March 12th, from 4-7pm. And I LOVE talking to students about goals, so if there's ever anything else that I can do to support, please let me know! Go, Mustangs!

Let’s go to our nation’s capital! Mrs. Lamar is organizing a trip to Washington DC during spring break, 2026. Some of the highlights will be standing where Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, going to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, walking in the footsteps of our great leaders on Capitol Hill, and exploring numerous Smithsonian Museums, like the National Museum of Natural History and the National Air and Space Museum. All current 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th graders are invited. Registration is now open! You can sign up online at worldstrides.com/register or by phone at 800-468-5899. 5/6/7 graders use the code 219547 and 8th graders use the code 219069 to sign up. Please reach out to Sara Lamar with any questions: slamar@gunnisonschools.net. Thanks!

Mrs. Lamar and Mrs. Brekke are very excited to announce that we are planning our next trip to the Dominican Republic! We’ll be participating in cultural activities, service projects, and having so much fun in the summer of 2026. All current 5th, 6th, and 7th graders are invited. Registration is now open! Enroll now with this link: www.eftours.com/2680037BT. Please reach out to Sara Lamar with any questions: slamar@gunnisonschools.net. ¡Gracias y vamos!

8th graders, we are going to Costa Rica in June of 2026. This is a 9 day trip to Costa Rica. Your student will experience Costa Rica's incredibly diverse ecology, which makes this trip unique. We will zipline in a cloud forest, travel by boat, river raft, snorkel and so much more. Use the QR code for more information on the full itinerary. Please reach out to Sarah Macort or Krista Drendel for more information. We are excited to share this experience with your student (parents/guardians are welcome too!)

Track and Field season is right around the corner! Practice begins on March 26th.

Mandatory parent meeting is Thursday, March 27 at 5:15.

Requirements for participation: current physical, signed Code of Conduct, payment of $75 fee

The yearbook staff has been working hard to create a showcase of this year’s events! It is still only $20 (the price has not changed for nine years!) but you need to reserve your copy NOW! Order at jostens.com GMS Yearbook 2025 or send $20 cash/check to the GCS Office with your student’s name and Advisory teacher’s name. Questions? Contact Yearbook Advisor Mary Nordberg at mnordberg@gunnisonschools.net

Summer Theatre Camp ~ Mark your calendars! (for those entering 6th - *8th grade in the Fall, or of that age group) We're going for a 2-week camp this year--NOT two separate weeks, ONE CAMP THAT LASTS FOR TWO WEEKS! More time to plan and write and create! Woo-hooo! Monday, June 16th - Friday, June 27th M-F, 9am - 3pm *Regarding the MS camp--many dedicated campers from past summers are entering high school this fall (HOW DARE THEY). If they'd still like to attend camp this summer, I'd love to have them. I have offered high school camps in years past, but have never had enough interest to run one. I totally understand if your actor has moved on or feels too much older to want to participate, but if they DO want to, they are WELCOME!With endless thanks and a lot of hope, Heather Hughes Co-Founder/Artistic Director/Camp Director, The Gunnison Valley Theatre Festival

Heads up! Mountain Roots summer camp registrations open up this coming Monday - March 10th at noon. This year we'll be using new software (HiSawyer, same as Trailhead) - you'll register and pay on the same website. You can access the registration links for all of our summer camps here: https://www.mountainrootsfoodproject.org/summer-camps

We have a multi-week parenting course coming up in in Gunnison called Guiding Good Choices. It is for parents of 9- to 14-year-olds. There will be a Spanish and English option. Childcare and dinner will be provided. It is $25 but we can waive the fee for any families. Can you help spread the word to parents? I attached flyer Here is the registration link: https://forms.gle/AyHUZLtocmG9iXm2A

Recently, Measles outbreaks have been reported in Texas and New Mexico and while no outbreak has happened in Colorado to date, people who are not up to date with vaccines are at increased risk. The majority of cases identified during these two outbreaks are in unvaccinated individuals.

Measles is a very contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It spreads through

the air through coughing and sneezing. Measles starts with a fever, runny nose, cough,

red eyes, and sore throat, and is followed by a rash that spreads all over the body. An

infected person can spread measles to others for days before developing symptoms.

Two doses of Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine provide protection against disease. MMR vaccine is routinely recommended between 12-15 months and the second dose before entering school, at 4-6 years. Waivers to the school requirements are available for health and personal conviction reasons. However, in the event of alocal outbreak of measles students with waivers may be excluded from school until the outbreak is declared over. It is important for you to check your child’s immunization records to make sure they have received two doses of MMR vaccine.

If your student needs the MMR vaccine, please call your healthcare provider or Gunnison County Public Health (970)641-3244. Please remember, the best way to protect your student is to ensure they have had two doses of MMR immunization.. For more information on measles, please visit https://www.cdc.gov/measles/.

If a student becomes ill or has an accident during the school day, they must report to the office. The office staff will determine if the student needs to leave school and contact parents/guardians as necessary. Students should not text their parents/guardians during class.

Please remember to check PowerSchool with your child on a weekly basis. This is the best way to keep up with your child’s academic progress in the classroom and their current grades. Students and Parents/Guardians can check grades on their Chromebook or through the PowerSchool app. For PowerSchool access and other questions contact Jill Peterson, GMS Office Manager, at (970) 641-7710. GMS Homework Club is offered every Wednesday from 2:00-3:30pm. This is a great opportunity for students to receive extra support from Gunnison High School student tutors. We do not have school bus service at 3:30 on Wednesdays so please plan for your child's transportation home. Contact Ms. Brekke for more information rbrekke@gunnisonschools.net

All forms of harassment should be reported to school administration immediately. The Gunnison Watershed School District also utilizes the Safe2Tell program for reporting concerns. Safe2Tell provides students, parents/guardians, and community members a safe and anonymous way to report information about any issues that concern their safety or the safety of others. Safe2Tell Phone Number: 1-877-542-7233, Website: https://safe2tell.org/ For more information, or to report an incident of bullying, visit our GMS Handbook and contact Renee Brekke, GMS Assistant Principal, at rbrekke@gunnisonschools.net

GMS is a cell phone free school. We encourage families to have conversations around cell phone use on a regular basis. Visit Wait Until 8th and Away for the Day for parent resources. For more information, contact Renee Brekke-Ebbott, GMS Assistant Principal, at rbrekke@gunnisonschools.net or review our GMS Cell Phone Agreement (English) GMS Cell Phone Agreement (Spanish).

Parents/guardians can help their child by talking about Chromebook and charger care at home and reporting any repair or replacement requests to Ms. Brekke at rbrekke@gunnisonschools.net or (970) 641-7710. Headphones are no longer supplied by GWSD schools. Please make sure your child has their own pair of headphones or earbuds for classwork. Review the GWSD Technology Package & Fee document for more information.

The Gunnison Middle School community supports the growth of all learners to think critically and engage as empathetic, respectful, healthy, and responsible global citizens.