As we settle into the school year, I’m excited to share that our new ACT tutoring program is now available to all high school students, offering expert-level support across all subject areas at no cost to you.

Last week, I had the pleasure of hosting all area superintendents to discuss upcoming issues and explore ways to make our schools the best they can be. Our Falcons also celebrated the first month of school with a fun ice cream night for our Farmington Elementary. Our Mustangs wrapped up the latest taping of GMSD Rewind, featuring the best of our video projects.

As we continue to build a strong community, I’m looking forward to the Hogwarts-style house reveal at Houston Middle School and the exciting events we have planned throughout the district. Thank you for your ongoing support, and let’s make this another fantastic week in #GMSDaWorldofOurOwn.

Jason Manuel,

Superintendent

Spotted in Mrs. Andrea Stark’s 8th-grade science classroom at Houston Middle School: Students recently engaged in building simple electromagnets. Using batteries, paperclips, and a bit of curiosity, they tested the strength of their creations by seeing how many paperclips their electromagnets could pick up. This hands-on activity deepened their understanding of electromagnetism while also allowing them to sharpen their collaboration and problem-solving skills. It’s inspiring to see our young scientists turning classroom concepts into real-world experiments.

Consider joining your local Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) and become an essential part of our school community. Our PTOs are not just about fundraising—it's about building strong partnerships between parents, teachers and administrators to enhance the educational experience for all our students. Pictured above, our Farmington PTO hosted a school spirit night at Baskin Robbins for its young Falcons!

By joining, you'll have a direct impact on school initiatives, support our teachers, and help create memorable events and programs that benefit our children. Whether you have a lot of time to give or just a little, your involvement makes a difference. Let's work together to make our district the best it can be:

Dogwood PTO

Farmington PTO

Forest Hill PTO

Riverdale PTO

Houston Middle PTO

Houston High PTSO

We're excited to announce the launch of our new ACT tutoring program for all high school students across the district! This program offers expert tutoring with four specialized sessions each month in English, Math, Reading, and Science. Additionally, we’re offering comprehensive ACT workshops on Saturdays for those seeking more in-depth preparation.

The program is led by our in-house expert and new staff member, Instructional Supervisor Megan Jackson. In addition to creating the program, she has focused on recruiting students for tutoring sessions based on their subtest scores, selecting the perfect tutors for each subject area, and providing them with training over the summer.

This is a fantastic opportunity for our students to boost their scores at no cost, offering high-quality preparation that’s typically expensive—completely free for our families. Read more about the program here or register your high school student.

The Tennessee Department of Education has asked that we share the following resources with our GMSD families.

Please visit Best for ALL Central or click the links below to access these updated resources!

• Family Reading Resources (Including the Interactive Decodable Book Series)
• Understanding Student Testing: A Toolkit for Families
• Understanding Response to Intervention (RTI2): A Toolkit for Families
• A Guide for Parent-Teacher Conferences and Engaging with Your Child’s School: A Toolkit for Families
• *NEW Understanding Literacy: A Toolkit for Families
• *NEW Understanding a Sounds-First Approach: A Toolkit for Families
• *NEW Supporting Literacy at Home: A Toolkit for Families
• Family Math Fluency Resources

Additionally, the state would love to hear your feedback on some of their offerings:

• Interactive Decodable Book Series Feedback Survey
• Families as Partners Toolkits Feedback Survey

Watch the latest episode of GMSD Rewind, your look at the latest highlights from the Germantown Municipal School District! Hosted by two of our own GMSD Communications interns, Bridget Flaherty and Terrance Wright, this show brings you a curated selection of recent video highlights that showcase the achievements and events happening across our district. Tune in and stay connected with the stories that make our schools shine!

We are thrilled to announce that Houston Middle School’s Alissa Betchick, an exceptional student education teacher, has been awarded the prestigious Novice Tennessee Teacher of the Year Award.

This recognition highlights Ms. Betchick’s outstanding contributions to creating an inclusive and engaging classroom atmosphere, where every student is given the opportunity to succeed.

Ms. Betchick has consistently demonstrated innovative instructional methods that ensure all students have access to a differentiated curriculum tailored to meet a variety of learning needs. Her ability to adapt and enhance student understanding across all subjects sets a shining example for educators everywhere.

This award is particularly significant as it marks the inaugural year of the Novice Tennessee Teacher of the Year Award, which celebrates and recognizes the wealth of excellent novice teachers across the state. Winners from each CORE region and major municipalities were honored, and we are incredibly proud that Ms. Betchick is among them.

Christian Jackson wears many hats at Houston High School—she’s the talented art teacher inspiring creativity in her students and the varsity softball coach. Yet what many might not know about Jackson is her passion for horseback riding. An avid rider, Jackson specializes in hunter-jumper riding and trains at a local stable, where she competes regularly. She’s even shown at the Germantown Charity Horse Show, all while caring for her own thoroughbred, Arlo.

However, the horse that made an appearance at Friday night's home game was not Arlo, but Skeeter, a towering mix of Percheron and Quarter Horse. “Skeeter is steady and focused, which made him perfect for the field,” Jackson shared. Skeeter, who usually participates in fox hunts, seemed to enjoy the spotlight and the attention from the crowd.

The idea to incorporate a live ‘mustang’ into the pregame show was the brainchild of GMSD Athletic Director Marvis Davis. “He really wanted to bring something special to our home game, and the idea of a live horse was perfect,” Jackson explained. After a few practice runs, with the right trainer, rider, and of course, Skeeter, the vision came to life.

The finishing touch? A customized Houston Mustangs bonnet, expertly sewn by one of Jackson’s own softball players, Ella McKnight. “We found everything we needed in Skeeter and the amazing team behind this effort,” Jackson said with a smile.

It’s clear that Coach Jackson’s talents extend far beyond the classroom and the softball field—her love for horses has added a unique and unforgettable element to Houston High’s spirit.

Do you know a school employee who goes above and beyond? Nominations for the 2024-2025 Tennessee RISE (Recognizing Inspirational School Employees) Award are now open, and it’s your chance to recognize those unsung heroes! The RISE Award celebrates classified school employees—like paraprofessionals, day porters, clerical and administrative professionals, bus drivers and cafeteria workers—who make a big difference in our schools.

Anyone can nominate, whether you’re a director, principal, teacher, parent or student. Nominations are open until September 16, so don’t wait! Know someone who deserves a shoutout? Nominate them today at the RISE Award website.

Our GMSD Gratitude Grams are now live! We've made it easy to send shoutouts to your favorite GMSD staffers with four ready-made templates: The MVP, You Are Appreciated, Top Notch Customer Service and Someone Wants to Celebrate You! Simply select the staff member you want to recognize, type your positive feedback in the text box, and be specific about what they did that impressed you or made a difference. You can choose to leave your name or remain anonymous. Once your Gratitude Gram is approved, the recipient will receive an email with your message and an attached, easily printable graphic they can proudly display on a bulletin board or wall. Take a moment to spread some appreciation today!

We're excited to announce a special opportunity for our talented students to take the stage at the Germantown Chamber of Commerce meetings. We're searching for exceptional solo singers who can captivate an audience with their vocal talent.

If you have a passion for performing and the confidence to sing in front of a live audience, we want to feature YOU! Whether you have a backing track, your own pianist or can accompany yourself, we're looking for soloists who can prepare three to four songs to dazzle Germantown's business leaders at a luncheon on September 18.

Selected soloists will be paired with three other talented singers, and together, you'll provide unforgettable entertainment, showcasing the amazing talent we have here at GMSD. We'll supply the PA system (and digital piano if needed)—just bring your voice and your passion for music.

If your child is interested in this incredible opportunity to perform, reach out to Kate Crowder at Kathleen.crowder@gmsdk12.org for more information and to apply. Don’t miss your chance to be a part of this performance—let's show Germantown what our students are made of!

GMSD is also excited to be providing a stage for The Houston Band Woodwind Quintet to perform on November 20 and for The Houston Orchestra Quartet to perform at upcoming Chamber luncheons.

**It’s Time to Shine, Wildcats!**

Auditions for *High School Musical Jr.* are NOW OPEN!

Whether you’re a Troy, a Gabriella or ready to bring your own unique flair, we want YOU to take the stage! Auditions are open to Farmington, Dogwood, Forest Hill and Houston Middle students.

https://sites.google.com/gmsdk12.org/falconfootlights

Varsity football started their season off with a bang! The pregame show was spectacular with pyrotechnics and Coach Christian Jackson riding out on a horse decked out in Houston gear. The game itself was a time to showcase that these Houston Mustangs are ready to take on this season. With a huge win over Briarcrest, defeating the Saints 45-3, the Mustangs dominated this game. The excitement did not stop there! The Houston Band premiered their new show “Pale Blue Dot”, and varsity pom showcased a sneak preview of their 24-25 routine. The student section also showcased the strong community bond that Mustangs have, sharing that this game was in honor of Luke Caver and presenting a giant card for people to sign for him. With Gates Mims in attendance, he was also honored as fans put a #30 in the air for kickoff. This was a great start to the season to show that the Houston and GMSD community is here for another year of inspiring personal excellence not just through victories on the field, but also through community support. Next up, it’s Mustangs at. Desoto Central this Thursday, August 29 at 7:00pm. Make the trip down to support our team!

Houston Varsity Pom is inviting all Mini Mustang Dancers to join them on the sideline for a home football game! On September 20, we want to celebrate all of our Future Mustang dancers, so be sure to register!

Make sure that your senior registers with a non-GMSD email address in our Alumni Portal! Click here.

Click here to view a digital copy of our ALUMNI magazine.

The GERMANTOWN MSD app – Our school district in your pocket. Sync our calendar seamlessly across all your devices. Access student information, attendance, assignments, grades and more – all in one convenient place. Get a personalized feed tailored to your preferences. Choose your schools and news sources for a streamlined experience. Stay informed, stay connected – with the GERMANTOWN MSD app.

You can quickly download the NEW GMSD app to access all of these features. First, you'll search for 'Germantown MSD' in your preferred app store (iOS or Google). As a parent or caregiver, you'll select 'App Login' to access your child's information. The login process includes a one-time passcode that connects to the cell phone or email you have listed in Skyward--so there's no passwords to learn or memorize! If you need assistance logging in, we are standing by to help.

Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/germantown-msd/id6446898026

Google: http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blackboard.community.gmsdk12

*If either of the two links above are not working, you can also find the app by searching Germantown MSD.