GIPS Back to School - July 2024
Back to School Information
Welcome to the 2024-25 School Year!
With less than a month left before school resumes we are now in that time of year when we are saying “What happened to the summer?".
Hopefully your family had a chance to spend some quality time with one another. Make sure you cherish those times you get to spend together. Having reached that point in life where all of our children are gone from our home I can attest to how quickly that happens.
While we hate to see the summer come to an end we are very excited about having students back in our buildings on a regular basis!
We have had students in and out of buildings all summer for a number of different activities and events. However, that is not quite the same as having all our students and staff back together to continue the critical work of learning. Being able to witness the intellectual, physical, and social growth of students is one of the great joys of life. Something you get to enjoy with your children and something we are very thankful you share with us.
The beginning of every school year brings a certain set of challenges.
We were challenged to fill all of our staff positions. Fortunately with some shuffling around we feel we are in a good spot in that area.
Financial concerns forced us to make some hard choices about some of the opportunities and services we were going to be able to offer. Eliminating 30 plus staff positions forced a number of our employees to shift roles and left a couple of people without jobs. With the federal government money we were receiving after COVID ending we also had to make the hard decision to end much of the student transportation we were able to provide.
We recognize that losing these transportation options will create a real hardship for some families. We know that neighbors being neighbors and figuring out ways to share rides will help people solve many of the problems this creates. In a number of cases we have already seen this happening. We are also grateful to our community for stepping up and offering support where some of our greatest need exists.
Ultimately, we know that there will be some who are still left unsure about how they will get children to school. We want to work with you to find solutions so please do not hesitate to contact your school or the district office if you need assistance.
The excitement of the beginning of a new school year is just around the corner. We are eagerly awaiting that time when we can once more fill buildings with children.
Looking forward to seeing you and your children in our buildings very soon!
#WeAreGIPS,
Matt Fisher
GIPS Superintendent
Being in school matters! When students see coming to school as a gateway to their future, we all have an opportunity to make an impact. Our focus this year is to help students build a habit of good attendance. Part of that process is to know the expectations for attendance. Students should come to school every day possible, with very few exceptions:
Temperatures above 100.4 that is persistent/not fever free for 24 hours
Vomiting/diarrhea within the past 24 hours
Healthcare provider requires staying home for illness
We want you, our families, to communicate with your school whenever you have concerns about your child attending school. We commit as your school partners to ask ourselves each day, “Are we the kind of school where students want to be?”
Download the ParentVue app or use ParentVue online to regularly check absences for your child. Also check out our GIPS Attendance At A Glance.
Part of our responsibility is to ensure that we work with families to create plans when absences start to impact learning. We will begin communicating regularly and will begin formal attendance communication letters after seven unexcused absences and will develop attendance plans with families and students after ten unexcused absences. Our building social workers and counselors, support staff, and community partners will play a key role in providing support. We want to help you, and all of our families and students, create strategies to improve attendance for school success.
Success starts by showing up, so let’s make it happen in 2024-2025!
Grades have different lists of recommended items for school supplies. These supplies are not a requirement to attend school.
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
MIDDLE SCHOOLS
HIGH SCHOOL
- GISH students are told by individual teachers what supplies they'll need.
- GISH Activities
If you would like additional support for school supplies — please reach out to your school directly.
The 2024-25 school year is fast approaching.
With August 14th the first day for Kindergarten, 6th Grade, and 9th Grade, and August 15th the first day with all students, our staff will be busy in the coming weeks getting our schools ready to welcome you and your students.
We also know that preparing for a successful school year means a lot of planning at home too.
To get ready for the upcoming school year, we put together a list of tips for you — our students and families — that may help your household prepare for starting school with positive momentum.
Read the full article HERE.
GIPS will continue offering transportation support for the 2024-25 school year for the following routes:
- Gates & Knickrehm bus routes for middle school students riding to Westridge Middle School (AM/PM)
- Routes running between GISH and CPI and CCC throughout the day supporting CPI and CCC classes as well as Newcomers students
- Elementary Newcomers (Grades 2nd-5th) routes between home schools and Stolley Park Elementary School (AM/PM)
- Middle School Routes AFTER activities practices
- Field Trips & Extracurricular Activities
- Transportation for students who qualify for support from Families in Transition
- Transportation for students who have transportation needs identified in their individual education plans (IEPs) and students enrolled in Skills Academy programs
Please Note: Neighborhood Bus Stops will no longer run.
If your student rode the bus in previous years and you do not see the route on the list above, unfortunately that means we will no longer be providing that route for the 2024-25 school year.
We encourage families to work together to ride or walk together to school. Also, please consider leaving a little earlier in the morning this year as there will be increased traffic at our schools.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your school social worker directly or send an email to communications@gips.org.
If you have not yet enrolled your child for the 2024-25 school year, you will want to do that as soon as you can. Enrollment may be completed online at the link at the bottom.
Once registration is processed the student will be assigned to a class. If the grade level is beyond capacity, the student will be assigned to another school. Transfer requests will be honored based on availability. New transfer requests will be shared before the end of July.
If you have questions about registration — please reach out to the district office at 308.385.5900 or communications@gips.org.
