GJH Parent Portal

I was born here in Goshen, but my parents moved to southern Indiana, Brown County, when I was one. I grew up there surrounded by lots of family including 25+ first cousins. I’m the oldest of three girls and a PK (preacher’s kid). I graduated from Brown County High School and then moved to Goshen to attend Goshen College.

At GC, I played softball, volleyball, sang in the choir, and worked as an athletic trainer. I met and married my husband during college. I began teaching at Goshen Middle School in Fall of 1997 as a 7th grade English teacher. I moved to teaching 8th grade English seven years later and also started working in Read 180/Reading recovery.

I have two daughters, Sam and JoLee. Sam is a freshman at Goshen College. JoLee is an 8th grader at GJHS. When the theatre classes started at GMS, I moved into my current position teaching Theatre at what is now Goshen Junior High. I helped with the musical productions for 4 years, but had to stop working those after school hours for family reasons.

What I love about teaching at the middle level the most is the students. I love them even on their bad days! About 10-12 years ago, a student nicknamed me “Mamafus” – I still have students calling me that today and I LOVE it. I’m very proud and blessed to be a part of this community and this school.

The plan for student chromebooks at the end of the school year is:

• 7th graders will keep their school devices over the summer and bring it with them to GJH in August.
• 8th graders will return their devices during the school day on Wednesday, May 25th, and they will get new devices at GHS in August

This year we had a handful of GJHS students participate in the Goshen Indoor Percussion Ensemble!

These students were: Oliver Kauffman (8th Grade), Elijah Witmer (8th Grade), Peter Gichobi (7th Grade), Heriberto Andrade (7th Grade), and Jeanpierre Vela (7th Grade).

They all made tremendous progress this season. The group performed at IPA State Finals with an 8th Place finish and traveled to Dayton, Ohio to perform at the WGI World Championships as well!

Photos courtesy of Mr. Brian Sapp.

Beginning Theatre Arts class fairytale/folktale performances are Thursday, May 12th at 6pm. Two of the three performances will be in English and Spanish.

Advanced Theatre Arts and Competition Theatre both perform on May 17th at 6:30pm. Advanced will perform their own written version of “The Servant of Two Masters” from the Commedia dell arte theatre tradition. The Competition troupe will perform four short one-acts which they rewrote and completed most of their own tech.

Tickets for both events are $3 each.

Students are learning about Relief Sculpture by creating their own Cardboard Reliefs. They are learning how to cut crisp small details and how to create a balanced composition with layered sections to create their art work.

NJHS is holding a fundraiser for the Elkhart County Humane Society! The fundraiser will start Monday, May 2nd and will end on the 13th. Please bring Purina Dog Chow Complete Adult or Purina Cat Chow Complete, Kong toys, peanut butter, or any brand of dog or cat treats. Donations of other brands of dog or cat food or money are also appreciated. All donations will be collected at the boxes in the lobby. See this doc for a picture of the pet food we need.

GJHS apparel is available for purchase from the bookkeeper, Michelle Strite. Short Sleeved T-Shirts are $10, 3/4-Sleeve Baseball Tees, $15, and Hoodies are $20. Cash or check only. All items are adult sizes.

Orders for the 2021-2022 yearbook are still being accepted. Please send the order form (below) and payment of $22 (cash or check made payable to GJHS) In order for spring athletic pictures to be included in the yearbook, they will not be distributed until the beginning 2022-2023 school year. This is different from what was announced in the February newsletter. If your student will be at the high school, yearbooks will be sent there and distributed to students. Any questions may be directed to Bookkeeper, Michelle Strite at 533-0391 ext. 31003 or mstrite@goshenschools.org.

Goshen Public Library offers programs for teens in grades 7-12. All activities are free and no registration is required. Please join us in May for…

· Teen Cafe: Join us every Thursday from 4-5:30 PM in the library's teen space. Grab a coffee drink, make a craft, play a game, or just hang out with your friends.

· Take-and-Make Kits: The end of the school year is a stressful time! Zen out with this month's kit, which includes a mystery craft, DIY stress ball, and other stress-busting materials. Kits are available at the Circulation desk beginning May 6 until supplies run out. No sign-up required, first come first served.

See the file below for more information about summer programs at GPL!

Friday, May 27th Last Day of School

Click this link to access student handbooks in English and Spanish:

https://gjhs.goshenschools.org/about/

Do you know of a GJH staff member who has "gone the extra mile" to make a difference in the life of a child? Take a moment to recognize and thank someone who has shown the Heart of a Redhawk! Click on the link below to fill out a nomination form. This is a simple, meaningful way to thank someone for a job well done.

www.goshenschools.org/heartofaRedHawk

Email: lherschberger@goshenschools.org
Website: https://gjhs.goshenschools.org/
Location: 1216 S. Indiana Avenue, Goshen, IN 46526
Phone: (574)533-0391
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goshen.middle.school/
Twitter: @GoshenJrHigh