GATE Gazette

Principal: Anita.Steward@avondaleschools.org

Assistant Principal: Angela.Castaldi@avondaleschools.org

Secretary: Angela.Williams@avondaleschools.org

Attendance Clerk: Divya.Majjari@avondaleschools.org

Website: http://www.avondaleschools.org/gate-magnet-school
Location: 1435 W. Auburn Rd, Rochester Hills, MI 48309
Phone: (248) 537-6400

Hours: Full Day- 8:11a.m-3:11p.m

Half Day- 8:11a.m-11:25a.m

Early Pickup for your student and changes to dismissal ends at 2:45p.m.

Middle School Webpage: https://sites.google.com/avondaleschools.org/gatemiddleschool/home

If you have a question or to report your child's absence please email Mrs. Majjari at divya.majjari@avondaleschools.org.

Please review the attendance and dismissal procedures for GATE Magnet School to familiarize yourself with the process.

avondale.nutrislice.com

Hello Griffin Families,

Today was an exciting day at GATE, and it was wonderful seeing our students smile throughout the building as they celebrate the fall season with celebrations in class. For many of our families today is not only the start of our fall break but also the beginning of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. To all of our families who celebrate this holiday, Mrs. Steward and I would like to wish you all a Happy Diwali!

As you know, today we are officially halfway though the first semester. Teachers spent their afternoons making sure that Powerschool is up to date, as well as prepare for our conferences, scheduled for November 7-13th. If you haven’t had the opportunity to select a time to meet with your child’s teacher, please do so by clicking on the link further in this newsletter.

When we return to school on Wednesday, November 6th, our hallways will be a bit emptier than usual, as our 8th grade students will be on their much anticipated Washington DC trip. This year, I am excited to be joining them on their adventure! I am looking forward to sharing some amazing photos when I return on November 11th.

Mrs. Steward and I hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing, and fun filled fall break!

Sincerely,

Mrs. Steward, Principal and

Mrs. Castaldi, Assistant Principal

11/1-11/5 - No School - Diwali & Fall Break

11/7-11/13 - Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences

11/15- Cookies and Canvas, 6pm. More information below!

11/18- School Board Meeting, 7pm @ Auburn Elementary

11/21-PTO Meeting on Zoom ID 204 024 3974/ password GATEPTO

11/25-11/29 - No School - Thanksgiving Break

This year the bus will depart from GATE-Magnet School on the GATE Middle School side. Families should arrive Tuesday, Nov, 5 at 11:40 P.M. and the Bus will depart Midnight Nov. 6, at 12:00 A.M. and return to Gate Magnet School on Saturday, Nov 9 at 7 AM.

Please see Slide Deck as well as the Suggested Packing List and the Emergency Contact Forms for families linked below.

Suggested Packing List

Emergency Contact Forms - Due Friday, Nov. 1st at 3:00 P.M.

Thank you so much!

Mr. Kaczanowski

The middle school team worked together to select the winner for the Wreath Laying Ceremony. This year's winners are....

Adyoth Sural

Charlotte Yakima

Riya Gupta

Ethan Torvik

Congratulations, and have an amazing trip!

Dear Families,

This week, our school community will focus on the character strength of Bravery. Bravery means you act with mental, moral, or physical strength, even when you know things are difficult or scary.

Bravery refers to voluntary (not coerced) action in the face of a dangerous circumstance. This strength involves judgment; the brave person must have an understanding of the risks and consequences involved in acting. According to Socrates and Plato, forethought separates acts of valor from acts of rashness. This means that bravery isn’t simply fearlessness but instead the overcoming of fear.

Overcoming fears is critically important in individual development, as it allows the person to do more and become more. A person can be brave every single day. For example, some people with social anxiety are brave just by leaving their houses and talking with people. On a physical level, bravery allows us to overcome fears, such as swimming or playing a sport. And, on a moral level, doing what we know to be right, despite the risks, gives us the sense that we are acting on behalf of a larger purpose.

To practice and encourage the character strength of bravery at home, please visit The Positivity Project’s mobile-friendly P2 for Families (available in English and Spanish), where you will watch a video together and discuss a quote and three questions. Below are links to this week’s P2 for Families lessons. Click on the grade level that best meets your child’s needs.

Pre-K–K

Thank you for your support!

All GATE staff will conduct Fall conferences between 11/7-11/13. Please click on the link for more information.

NWEA Reports: During conferences parents will receive a copy of their child's NWEA report.

Our lost and found has grown considerably in the last couple of weeks! Please be sure that your student's belongings are marked clearly with their name so that when things get lost we can return it to the owner. If you child is missing any items, please encourage them to look through the lost and found.

Attached is the information for After School Programs. Registration is open.

Update:

The technical difficulties with the registration link have been resolved. You can now register for the Fall 2, Winter, and Spring terms.

https://cp.mystudio.io/e/?=PKSA165/4241/619893//1725453293

Mad Science will begin on Monday, September 30th. The make-up from the canceled class on Monday, September 23rd will be a 2-hour class on the last day of the Fall term, Monday, December 16th.

MATHCOUNTS

• All GATE students that have expressed interest in registering for MATHCOUNTS competition were able to do so once the registration payment was received.

• Currently there are 10 GATE students registered. For 2025 MATHCOUNTS allows schools to register up to 14 students.

• This means there are 4 open spots available for any additional students wishing to register. Spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis, based on payment received.

• Sanja Sljivar Lovria has received permission to register Avondale GATE School for the MATHCOUNTS Competition.

• The registration cost is $45 per student, which must be paid before registration and is non-refundable.

• Registered students will participate in the Chapter Competition, scheduled for February (date, location, and time TBD). Parents and guardians are responsible for transporting students to the competition.

Note: Last year, we were not informed of the chapter competition date or location until December, and the schedule of events was released in January.

• Students may qualify for the State Competition in March; however, last year's state competition details were not available until February..

• Last year’s contests can be found here: Past Competition

• It is highly recommended that students with no MATHCOUNTS experience attempt to solve last year’s Chapter Level Sprint and Target Rounds before deciding to register.

• Due to the material covered in MATHCOUNTS problems, it is best suited for students currently enrolled in Algebra 1 or a higher-level math class.

IMPORTANT: There will be no organized coaching for students. Materials provided by MATHCOUNTS will be emailed to the parents of registered students for their use in preparation.

To register a student for MATHCOUNTS, please complete the following form:

Registration Form

AMC 8 COMPETITION

• AMC 8 contest will be administered by a staff member on Wednesday, January 22nd, 2025, during school hours.

• This is a middle school contest, but it is open to ambitious elementary students who have a solid grasp of middle school math concepts and ideally some experience with competitive math problem solving.

• Students with no prior AMC 8 experience are strongly advised to attempt solving a recent AMC 8 contest before registering.

• If you wish to register a student, please fill out the interest form below. An additional form will be emailed to those who complete the interest form to finalize registration:

Interest Form

IMPORTANT: Registered students will be eligible to take the contest at school, but they will need to prepare individually, as no coaching will be provided. Previous contest problems and solutions can be found here: AMC 8 Problems and Solutions.

Please join us for a fun evening of painting and conversation! The evening of November 15th, our wonderful art teacher, Ms. Lowe, will be hosting our first cookies and canvas event. She will lead a directed painting for those that purchase a ticket. All proceeds from these events will go directly back to the art room. We would love to see you there!

Being part of a committee is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to our school community, develop new skills, and collaborate with fellow parents, teachers, and students.

Important: Each individual can sign up for a maximum of two committee spots. This ensures that everyone has a chance to participate and contribute meaningfully.

Explore the different committees and find the ones that match your interests and strengths. We look forward to your involvement and the great ideas you'll bring to our school!

Thank you for your enthusiasm and commitment to making our school the best it can be!

To view and sign up for our PTO committees, click HERE

Please click to read Avondale's Weekly News & Notes.

Please use the Google doc link to sign up for the program.