Welcome to the GMSD Neighborhood
4.3.23
Reminder that there is no school on Friday, April 7 and Monday, April 10th & GMSD is actively recruiting top teachers
There are so many great things happening in our schools this Spring. Please take time to read this newsletter for insights into events that are meant for the entire district.
In addition to these opportunities for family engagement, we've had some exciting events for prospective teachers in the month of March. Our Snapshots events, which showcased the unique personalities and strengths of each of our schools, have come to a close. The themes for these events ranged from Candy Land, Vegas-style, America's Got Talent, and much more! It was wonderful to see so many students, staff, and parents come together to show prospective staff members why it's wonderful to work at GMSD. We are also thankful to the school teams that pulled off these recruitment events.
We're also thrilled to announce the open teaching positions for the 23-24 school year:
- Elementary Teacher at Forest Hill
- Elementary Teacher at Farmington
- Middle School Teacher at Houston Middle School
- Middle School Teacher at Riverdale
- Science Teacher at Houston High School
Jason Manuel,
Superintendent
Do you have prom photos you are willing to share with our Communications Interns team?
Our team is creating a story about prom. If you have photos or want to share with us what made this year's prom special, please email Emily.Hume@gmsdk12.org.
Germantown Board of Education Budget & April Work Session
This meeting will combine the Budget Work Session with the regularly scheduled April Work Session and will last from 1pm-6pm.
All of our Germantown Board of Education Meetings are held in person in our GMSD Board/Community Room. Meetings are also live-streamed on our GMSD Youtube Channel.
Wednesday, Apr 19, 2023, 01:00 PM
3350 Forest Hill Irene Road, Germantown, TN, USA
Recapping the Germantown Board of Education's March Board Meeting
The Germantown Board of Education approved several important changes. These included updates to our policies, budget amendments, and a project that will bring much-needed lighting upgrades to the football and baseball complexes at Houston High, as well as the soccer field behind Houston Middle. This is an important step forward in improving our sports facilities and ensuring that our student-athletes have the best possible experience.
We also took a moment to recognize the March GMSD Heroes, who were honored with the help of students from Farmington Elementary School. These outstanding individuals have gone above and beyond to make a positive impact in our schools and our community, and they are truly deserving of this recognition:
Earvin Jones, Jordan Schuchardt, Josh Cathey, Mike Maggipinto, and John Truong--thank you!
For those who want to learn more about the exciting programs and initiatives happening in our district, we encourage you to check out the Superintendent's Report. This report highlights some of the innovative ways that we're increasing awareness of the excellent education offered at GMSD, and it's a great way to stay informed and engaged.
Students organize fundraising gala and raise $6,000 for the Project Adam Foundation
The details were impressive. Catering, event photography, decor and a silent auction. For those in attendance, the formal gala on Thursday night was an unequivocal success. The impressive thing about the Houston Hearts Gala is that it was completely organized by students.
The students started setting this event up before school the day of the event. "The amount of people that attended, celebrated, and had a blast was remarkable," said one of the group's sponsors Andy Martin. Great work, Houston Hearts Club.
Green screen lessons, new ways to Use Google Forms, and many other ways teachers are using technology to enhance instruction
Congratulations to Ms. Benzing, Ms. Cantu, and Mrs. Pierce (from FES); Ms. Lowe (DES); Ms. McLaughlin (FHES); Mr. Brashier and Mr. Lawton (RES); T.J. Timmerman (HMS); and the World Language Teachers at HHS for being spotlighted in this month's Teacher Tech Spotlight. Your dedication and innovative use of technology in the classroom is truly commendable and inspiring. It is wonderful to see educators like you who are constantly striving to create meaningful and engaging learning experiences for your students. Keep up the great work! Read about each spotlighted teacher here.
Join Germantown and Collierville choir students for a Masterworks Concert next week
Due to popular demand, the Collierville High School and Houston High School Choir programs have once again teamed up for a Masterworks concert. The concert offers a unique opportunity for students to challenge themselves by performing complex music with a live orchestra. Typically, only those who make all-west or all-state have access to such experiences. However, these masterworks concerts give ALL the students in each schools' top tier choirs the chance to showcase their talent. Each concert focuses on a composer that has positively impacted the directors. This spring, the spotlight is on Handel. Don't miss out on the chance to witness this incredible performance on Friday, April 14th at 7pm!
"These concerts give our students a chance to experience challenging music, and sing with a live orchestra. But, they are also great for the audience" said Houston Choirs Director Kinsey Healy.
Envision Project Expo gives our gifted elementary school students a chance to shine on Thursday
Our gifted teachers across schools have joined forces to bring the Envision Project Expo to ALL 3rd-5th graders in the district. Please join us to walk through their extended research projects. Interact with students and come prepared to ask questions. (Pictures above were taken from an expo rehearsal at Farmington Elementary School)
Students from Dogwood, Farmington, Forest Hill, and Riverdale will be participating! Please note that this event takes place at Hope Church off of Walnut Grove.
HHS hosts annual International Extravaganza this week
Mark your calendars for the Houston High School International Extravaganza on Thursday, April 6th. This is a wonderful event that showcases the diversity of our community and features singing, dancing, food tastings, and a fashion show. It's a great way to celebrate and appreciate the many cultures that make up our district.
You can purchase tickets for $8 at the door or by them now for $6 at this LINK.
Spotlight on the Germantown Municipal Council PTO
A heartfelt congratulations go out to this year's STAR Award recipients. Thank you for being a part of our neighborhood. The GMC PTO will present the STAR Award recipients at a red carpet event on Thursday, April 20th.
The GMC PTO also took a group of students to Nashville for their annual Day on the Hill. On Wednesday, March 29th, the GMC PTO hosted the annual trip to visit the capitol building in Nashville. Students who participated began their day with meeting Governor Bill Lee and posing for a photo, then onto a mock session in the House chambers. We then were led on a tour of the capitol building, followed by lunch in the Legislative Lounge, where students met Representatives Mark White and Kevin Vaughn, Secretary of State Tre Hargett, and the Legislative Librarian. The visit was wrapped up with a visit to the Tennessee Archives, which just opened in 2021. GMC PTO is honored to be able to offer this opportunity to GMSD students in grades 6-12 each year and we are always impressed with how well students represent our district. We appreciate our adult chaperones, too, including GMSD School Board Member Angela Griffith and GMSD Teacher of the year, Alicia Breen. Special thanks to Terry Rogers, GMC PTO Legislative Chair and each of the Legislative Chairpersons at the school PTOs who worked ltogether to make this day happen.
Lastly, the GMC PTO will announce the student winners of their annual art and writing contest later this week! We are looking forward to seeing the winning works.
Student Spotlight: Hosting the SGA Convention
Go behind the scenes of these incredible students who pulled together a state conference on the Houston High School Campus.
Register NOW for GEF Run for Education 5k & Color Run!
Have you registered for the GEF Run for Education yet? Just a reminder that the top 3 teachers in each school will receive prizes valued at $300, $200, and $100. Classrooms are also eligible for pizza and popsicle parties.
Join us Sunday, April 23, for the annual Germantown Education Foundation (GEF) Run for Education 5k & Family Fun Color Run! Proceeds from the event are given back to each school in two ways – directly to the school based on their registered participation, and through school and classroom grants administered by the Germantown Education Foundation. Last year, the GEF granted $162,000 to GMSD schools and teachers. Your support of this event matters!
More than just a run, the day kicks off at 12:30 with a festival featuring inflatables, fun, food trucks, vendors, and bands.
Register for the 5k or 1-Mile color run event, or a combination of both. Early bird registration continues through March 31 and provides a $5 discount off the normal $30 registration. To register, visit https://gefrun2023.raceroster.com/
Mustangs Scores and Schedules
The Houston Mustangs have much to celebrate! Girls' Varsity Tennis won every match in straight sets on Thursday! The Mustangs’ Varsity Baseball team collected four more wins this past week in tournament play. They next face off against Collierville tonight at Home at 7:00pm. Come out to the park for this one! If you are unable to join us at the game, this game will also be livestreamed! Visit the Houston HS Baseball Twitter account @WinTheLastGame to log on and watch the game. Our Boys’ Varsity Lacrosse is celebrating a big victory over Collierville this weekend. The boys played through two overtimes to get the win 9-8. Their next game is tomorrow, April 4 at 6:00pm vs. ECS. Girls Varsity Lacrosse also plays tomorrow night, but they will be battling it out against Lausanne at 6:00pm. Last Thursday, Boys Varsity Soccer had a big win over Germantown winning 6-0. They face Madison Jackson tonight at Houston Middle School at 6:00pm. Varsity Softball defeated ECS 18-1 this past week, and they next play Cordova at Houston High School tonight at 4:30pm. Go Mustangs!
Tryouts for 2023-2024
Tryouts for next year are gearing up! Girls Soccer has now opened their registration for the Fall 2023 Season. This registration is up on the athletics website! Houston High School and Middle school volleyball programs are also preparing for tryouts! HHS will host tryouts on May 24th. 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.
Houston High School Cheer is also preparing for tryouts.Tryouts will take place in the Houston High School Gym April 12,13, and 14 from 4:00pm-6:00pm. The required paperwork can be found on the home cheer page of the athletics website. This paperwork is a requirement for tryouts! There will also be a $25 tryout fee.
GMSD's March Athlete of the Month
The results are in for GMSD’s March Athletes of the Month! Houston High School senior Jaden Sallie is representing the varsity baseball team well with his athletic drive, positive spirit, and encouragement to all of his teammates. Riverdale eighth grader John Lee, also a baseball player, is being recognized for not only his athletic accomplishments, but as an honor student as well. Congratulations to these two incredible student athletes!
Never miss a game again
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 will be added to the app and website in Quarter Four.
How to Register for Tryouts and Summer Sports Camps
Information about the listed tryouts, required paperwork, and 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.
Summer Camp Corner
Volleyball Camp
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. Click here to register.
Boys and Girls Basketball Camps
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. To register, go to thehoustonathletics.com and select Boys and Girls Varsity basketball.
Boys and Girls Soccer 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! Registration is open on thehoustonathletics.com on both the Girls and Boys Soccer pages.
Football Camp
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 Camp
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.
STEM Camp
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 to register.
Elementary Music Camp
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 to register.
Cursive Camp
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
Submit Your Camp, Clinic, or Tryout Information
We are working on a summer camp roundup. Make sure to submit your camp information as soon as possible!
Email submissions to Emily.Hume@gmsdk12.org.
If you have any questions about the contents of this newsletter--or wish to make a submission for our next newsletter, please email kathleen.crowder@gmsdk12.org or visit us at Let's Talk.