Greenville Middle
Principal Update: Week of April 1
Connecting * Informing * Supporting
Our Day Starts at 8:30 AM & Ends at 3:15 PM
From Principal Andrews
Students will participate in the final set of District Benchmark Assessments on Monday-Wednesday. These assessments will provide teachers with information to assist with planning for the SC READY state assessments later this month and in May. Please make sure students are at school on time and Chromebooks are fully-charged.
Q3 Report Cards and a pamphlet about the SC READY end-of-year assessment will go home with students on Monday. Students who have been identified for our Summer Camp will also receive a letter. Participation in the Summer Camp is required to proceed to the next grade level. As a reminder, Report Cards can be accessed through Parent Backpack.
Support our GMA RAMs Spring Sports teams who will be at Beck Academy on Tuesday and at home on Thursday against Ralph Chandler MS. Cost per ticket is $4. Let's go, RAMs! As a reminder, no pets at the games, please.
Best wishes to our Special Olympics students Olympians as they compete in games at Furman University on Wednesday!
This week, we recognize several special employees for their hard work and support each day:
- National Assistant Principals Week, April 1-5
- Para Professionals Appreciation Day, April 3
- School Librarian Day, April 4
Parents, we need your help to complete the Parent School Climate Survey, which is a part of our school's Report Card. As you know, Greenville Middle has an Excellent Report Card rating. Please access the Climate Survey through Parent Backpack on the My Students page. One survey per family should be completed per student. Parents of multiple students at different school locations may complete a survey for each school their students attend. Parents of students in any grade level are invited to complete a survey. We greatly appreciate your help in providing your input into various aspects of our school.
The PTA Nominating Committee is looking for candidates to serve on the 2024-2025 GMA PTA board. The board meets for one hour on the first Friday of every month and helps guide PTA activities such as fundraising, teacher incentives, student incentives, Reflections, 8th grade day and dance, Frosty Friday, Tasty Tuesday, Spirit Wear, and more. If you would like to nominate yourself or someone else to next year’s board, please fill out this form. The committee will meet at the end of April to review the nominations. https://forms.gle/uM3jWEgVNoJBtp8a7
Time to get more involved with GMA! Our PTA is looking for volunteers to assist each week with Tasty Tuesdays and Frosty Fridays. Click the link to sign up to volunteer for one or more shifts!
RE-POSTED SCHOOL NEWS:
With warmer temperatures, students are reminded to follow our school Dress Code. Students have grown since the fall, so please ensure shorts, skirts, and dresses are at least mid-thigh. Any clothing items shorter than mid-thigh will result in a consequence, up to lunch detention, Principals Afterschool Detention or ISS (depending on number of violations).
Greenville Middle is looking for Mentors! Please consider supporting this initiative at our school. Contact Megan Giordani, school counselor, for more details!
We are looking for parents who would be interested in serving as substitute teachers. The Substitute Teacher position serves to fill in regularly for teacher and aide absences. Application instructions and the application process can be found here.
Parents, please make sure students are not dropped off, unsupervised, before 7:30 AM, when our doors open. Staff are not on duty until 7:30 AM. Likewise, car riders should be picked up from the front of the school no later than 3:45 PM.
GCS high schools will not be allowing any unsupervised middle school students into athletic events for the 2023-24 school year. To be allowed into the game, students must have their parent/guardian with them. Parent/guardian must be at least 19 years of age or older, and they must also purchase a ticket and enter the event. Athletic Events Info
Greenville County Schools distribute one Chromebook and one charger for each student. Chromebooks should be charged, at home daily, and brought to school ready for use. If a student fails to bring the device, they will complete paper and pencil assignments. We will not provide loaner Chromebooks/chargers this year, per district policy.
Join the Greenville Middle PTA to show your support of our school community. Visit our online PTA store for: Membership, Frosty Friday Punch Cards, New GMA Spirit Wear, Birthday Announcements, Friends of the Ram Sponsorships, & Volunteer Opportunities!
Consider becoming a Friend of the Ram! With your generous support, your donation is used to support our school in numerous ways. Learn more and consider a donation (in any amount) by visiting our MemberHub Store.
REMINDERS FOR THE WEEK:
- Our school day starts at 8:30 AM and ends at 3:15 PM.
- Student drop off in the morning is no earlier than 7:30 AM.
- Please do not drop off in the parking lot or on Lowndes Ave.
- Breakfast & Lunch are free this year!
- Students should be in their 1st class by 8:30 AM not to be counted tardy.
- Students should have their IDs on every day. Back-up Student IDs can be purchased through MySchoolBucks.
- Please review the Dress Code. We will have students contact parents for dress code violations.
- Please have your car tag displayed to help the afternoon car line run smoothly (if you don't have your tag, you can pull up the dismissal number in Parent Backpack).
MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
- Apr 1-5 - National Assistant Principals Week
- Apr 1 - Quarter 3 Report Cards
- Apr 1 - ELA Benchmark
- Apr 2 - Math Benchmark
- Apr 2 - GMA Sports @ Beck Academy
- Apr 3 - Science Benchmark (6th grade only)
- Apr 4 - School Librarian Day
- Apr 4 - GMA Sports vs. Ralph Chandler
- Apr 4-5 - Benchmark Make-ups
- Apr 5 - PTA Board Meeting
- Apr 6 - GMA Night with The Triumph
- Apr 8 - eLearning Day (due to Solar Eclipse)
- Apr 9 - Spring Sing
- Apr 9 - GMA Sports vs. Hughes Academy
- Apr 11 - Principal Honor Roll Lunch
- Apr 11 - GMA Sports @ Fisher MS
- Apr 12 - A/B and All A Frosty Friday
- Apr 12 - SIC Meeting (w/ Mr. Henson)
- Apr 12 - NJHS Rise Against Hunger
Don't forget to connect with us on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter).
Feel free to reach out to your grade-level school counselor or anyone from our administrative team. We're here for you!
As always, thank you for your support of Greenville Middle Academy! Let's have a great week!
Mark Your Calendars
End of Year Testing Dates
THANK YOU, SUPPORTERS OF GMA!
SCHOOL INFORMATION
eLearning Day on April 8
On Monday, April 8, 2024, Greenville County Schools students will be eLearning due to the solar eclipse. There will be no extended-day programs or after-school club meetings. Outdoor activities and athletic practices may not begin until 4:00 p.m.
GMA Star Wars Night w/ Greenville Triumph
Join us for GMA Star Wars Night with the Greenville Triumph on April 6 at 7:00 PM! Tickets are now on sale. Up to $4 of every ticket sold will benefit our school. All GMA students, staff and families are invited to join the half-time parade. And, the class that sells the most tickets will walk out with the Triumph for the National Anthem! Ticket Sales
6th Grade Parents: Tdap Before August 2024
6th Grade Parents: South Carolina law states that ALL students are required to have the Tdap vaccine BEFORE they enter 7th grade. The Tdap vaccine can be obtained at your primary health care provider or various walk-in clinics. Please ensure this requirement is fulfilled before the end of the school year. Contact Nurse Emma with any questions. Tdap in English / Tdap in Spanish
GCS Virtual Program - Accepting Applications
All Greenville County students have the opportunity to apply for the full-time Virtual Program. The waitlist application for the 2024-2025 GCS Virtual Program opens at 8 a.m. on Thursday, March 1, and will continue through 5 p.m. on Friday, August 2. To apply, students must be enrolled in Greenville County Schools, and parents must have a BackPack account.
Health Careers Night
Join the Greenville Drive, in partnership with Prisma Health & Greenville County Schools, on Wednesday April 10th for Health Careers Night at Fluor Field – an annual celebration and workforce development event aimed to educate and inspire our region’s next generation health care workforce.
All K-12 students will receive a COMPLIMENTARY ticket to Health Careers Night. Click here to learn more event information and to secure your tickets today!
This annual Drive event – taking place for the 8th time in 2024 – is one of the most creative, fun, and impactful events hosted each year at Fluor Field where we engage, excite, and educate middle and high school students and their parents about the wide variety of careers available in the rapidly changing health care industry. The scale & impact of Health Careers Night continues to improve every year, and we’re excited for our best event yet in 2024.
This year’s Health Careers Night event is jam packed with relevant and exciting content, including...
- A robust & interactive health fair on District 356, the entertainment district directly adjacent to Fluor Field, led by Root Cause. This free health fair will provide the community with education, health care access, public health services, and hands on activities to help improve the overall health of the community.
- This year’s District 356 set-up will also include a highly engaged leadership panel discussion which speaks directly to students and parents about “How To Best Pursue A Health Care Career.” This year’s panel will include perspectives from both the clinical and academic side of health care, including…
- Dr. Frank Clark, Prisma Health Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine
- Elizabeth DuBose, Associate Administrator of Roger C. Peace Hospital, Life Center, and Neurosciences Service Line – Upstate
- Mike Cavacos, Chief Nursing Executive, Prisma Health Upstate
- Dr. Candice Lewis, Dean, Greenville Technical College, School of Health Sciences
- And, our moderator, Mr. Eric Williams, Executive Director, College & Career Readiness at Greenville County Schools
- And make sure to stick around following the panel discussion as all attendees will be treated to an ice cream social compliments of our friends at Clare’s Creamery!
- Inside the ballpark, the Fluor Field concourse will transform into a career fair with various displays and exhibits related to the Health Care industry. This year’s event will include new exhibits from Prisma Health’s Mental Health and Physicians of Color groups as well as from Shriner’s Hospital. Additional exhibitors will include USC School of Medicine-Greenville, Greenville Technical College’s School of Health Sciences, Clemson University’s School of Nursing, Furman University, various Prisma Health clinical departments (Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Recreational Therapy, the Transplant Center, and more) and programs (Emergency Medicine Training, Cardiovascular Training, etc.), and the Prisma Health Education and Research Institute… with more and more groups still being confirmed on a daily basis!
- In addition, the CRNA Program (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists) at USC will have a highly impactful display set up in the Fluor Field Power Alley discussing & displaying the highly exciting world of Anesthesiology including full simulations, ultrasounds, intubations, and much more
The excitement & impact of Health Careers Night at Fluor Field continues to deepen and broaden every year, and we’re excited to engage our community’s next generation health care workforce on April 10th!
Again, all K-12 students will receive a COMPLIMENTARY ticket to Health Careers Night. Click here to learn more event information and to secure your tickets today!
The health fair on District 356 opens at 5pm with the panel discussion following at 5:30pm. Stadium gates open and the concourse career fair begins at 6pm with first pitch of the Drive game against the Bowling Green Hot Rods scheduled for 7pm. We can’t wait to see you at Fluor Field on April 10!
Summer Learning Opportunities
Start your application or continue applying today at scgsah.org/apply-now! Check out this 1-minute introductory video to the school!
Internet Safety Tips
Parent to Teacher Communication
SCHOOL EXPECTATIONS & POLICIES
RE-POSTED ITEMS
Car Line Procedures
Please adhere to the following procedures when dropping off and/or picking up your student. Student safety is our priority. Please be courteous and take turns at the intersections. Click image to the right to view video of our afternoon carline.
MORNINGS:
- Student drop off begins at 7:30 AM & no earlier. Do not leave students unattended.
- Stay in line to the far right for drop off. Students should quickly exit wherever they stop in the line at the front of the school, and walk to the entrance of the building.
- Do not park on Lowndes and allow students to exit your vehicle.
- Do not drop off or pick up students except in the designated area at the front of the school.
- Students cannot be dropped off in the school parking lot. Please use the car line.
AFTERNOONS:
- Please be mindful that we have many students who walk to the church and walk home from school.
- All cars will line up single file in the front of the school as far right as possible.
- Do not block roads, intersections, or private driveways.
- When the right lane fills up from the building entrance to the school entrance, traffic will begin to line up on Perrin Road in a single line.
- Pull as close to the curb on Lowndes and Perrin, as school buses will need to pass on your left.
- We strongly encourage exiting to the right once leaving campus. This route will easily take you towards downtown and Pleasantburg Road.
- At 2:45 PM, a double car line will be created. No early dismissals after 2:30 (you will get stuck in the carline).
- At 3:15, we dismiss students using the SAS System to assist us with a safe dismissal process. Please pay attention to the staff directing cars in the line.
- If your student doesn’t come out with their group, pull up to the Ram statue (RAMBO).
Please Note: Crossing Guards do not direct traffic. If you have a concern regarding crossing guards, please contact the Greenville County Sheriff’s Department.
Remember, we’re all learning procedures during the first few weeks of school, so please be patient.
Join the PTA & Volunteer Now - We Need YOU!
Order your GMA gear now! Shop online at https://gma.memberhub.com/store. On this site, you can also:
- Join the GMA PTA ($5/individual or $20/family)
- Purchase a Frosty Friday punch card ($10)
- Celebrate your child’s birthday at school ($10)
- Become a Friend of the Ram ($25)
- Learn about parent volunteer opportunities
If you’re looking for an easy, fun way to get involved with the GMA PTA, then Tasty Tuesdays & Frosty Fridays are for you! Every Tuesday and Friday beginning Aug. 22 (Tuesday) and Aug. 25 (Friday), the GMA PTA will sell snacks & ice cream to students for $1 during lunch times. It’s a highly popular event that requires parent volunteers to be successful. Parents are welcome to work as many shifts as they’d like.
Volunteers must be pre-approved as Level I or Level II to work during Tasty Tuesdays & Frosty Fridays. Once approved as a GCS Volunteer, you may sign up using this link.
PARENT RESOURCES
Greenville Middle Academy
Email: gmaoffice@greenville.k12.sc.us
Website: https://www.greenville.k12.sc.us/gvillem/
Location: 339 Lowndes Avenue, Greenville, South Carolina 29607, USA
Phone: (864) 355-5600
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gvillerams
Twitter: @gvillerams