School News & Updates

From: Mrs. Werner, Principal

Week 3

__________________________________

IMPORTANT DATES:

Aug. 30-31

School Picture day- during PE class

Sept. 1 and 4

No school-Labor Day 

Sept. 6-8

VA SOL Growth Assessments for Reading & Math

Sept. 25

No school- Yom Kippur

FAMILIES- Your help is needed at arrival

We need your help in getting your student to school on time. 1-2 period instruction begins at 9:20 a.m.  If your student is a walker or a car rider, please have your student arrive at Gayle between 8:55-9:10 a.m. This allows students an opportunity to get breakfast, drop off instruments and athletic equipment as well as go to their lockers to prepare for the day prior to instruction beginning. When students who walk or are dropped off at Gayle arrive at 9:20 or after, they are missing important teaching and learning that is happening in the classroom. 

PARENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

If you are interested in volunteering your time at Gayle, please fill out the following form: Volunteer. Mrs. Werner will follow up with you regarding an informational meeting. 

ATTENDANCE MATTERS

Physical and mental health-related absences are one of the top reasons students miss school. These absences put students at risk of being chronically absent. Occasional absences related to health reasons are to be expected. But absences can quickly add up when a child has an undertreated chronic health condition, lacks access to care or experiences anxiety or other mental health issues.The attached flyer, Anxiety, has information to aid families in assessing anxiety, helpful interventions, and how to take advantage of school resources.

SCHOOL PICTURE DAY

School pictures will be on August 30 and 31 during your student’s P.E. class. In early September, your student’s portrait will be available on vosphoto.com for viewing and ordering. Your code will be your student’s ID number. Please email Mrs. Wallace at wallacedr@staffordschools.net with any questions. 

TARDY POLICY for WALKERS & CAR RIDERS

1-2 period instruction starts at 9:20 a.m. Students who are walkers and car riders are marked tardy after 9:20. Students should arrive as close to 8:55 a.m. as possible. 

Documentation for unexcused tardies to school will begin on Monday, August 28.  

Students will be issued a consequence after earning 3 unexcused tardy slips. Teaching & learning is a top priority at Gayle. 

GAYLE’S CHORUS STUDENTS SINGING AT FRED NATS GAME

Gayle’s Advanced Chorus will be performing the National Anthem at the Fredericksburg Nationals baseball game on August 29 (Virginia Credit Union Stadium). The performance will begin at 7:05. Tickets for the baseball game can be purchased at Fred Nats tickets. Panther PRIDE!

SCHOOL COUNSELOR’S CORNER

We invite our Panther families to join us for our inaugural Counselor's Corner on Thursday, September 14! The GMS counseling team will host parents in the cafeteria from 9:30-11:00 for an informal open house where parents can ask questions, have more detailed conversations about their students, or just get to know their student's counselor better. There will be coffee and donuts served as light refreshments, along with a counseling pamphlet and other helpful resources. Our administrative team will also be available to be part of discussions upon request. We hope that you will join us, and that this is the first of many we will host throughout the school year! Flyer attached. 

MILITARY CONNECTED FAMILIES 

Welcome or Welcome Back to Gayle for the 2023-2024 school year.

If you are Active duty, a Reservist, or in the National Guard, please take a moment to fill out this very brief form.  We want to make sure we support all our military connected families.

Military Connected Family Survey

ATHLETIC SCHEDULES FOR FOOTBALL, FIELD HOCKEY & VOLLEYBALL

Please find the game schedules for football, field hockey & volleyball attached. 

A reminder that students must be accompanied by an adult when attending after school athletic events. Students will not be permitted to attend home games without an adult chaperone. 

BUS RIDERS

We want to thank our Panther families for your continued patience and support with school transportation. You can locate your student’s bus information through Versatran (student ID and birth date required for Login) and can get real-time information from the MyStop app (Student ID for username and password). 

SCPS MIDDLE SCHOOL CELL PHONE POLICY

Electronic Devices (including cell phones) must be powered off and stowed away during the instructional school day, 9:20 a.m.-3:50 p.m. Students are able to use their cell phones before and after school.

SCPS NUTRITION

Free and Reduced applications are available through SchoolCafe- On-line application

GAYLE PTA

GMS PTA will be hosting a committee interest meeting on Wednesday at the Howell library in room 4 at 5pm. See attached flyer for more information.  

Spirit Wear sale ends on Sept. 15th. Get your Gayle swag now at 30% off! See attached flyer for details. 

Please consider joining the PTA!  The various memberships are: Family, Parent/Guardian, Student and Staff (flyer attached). JOIN GAYLE PTA

The PTA will host meetings the 1st Thursday of each month with the exception of August 17 and January 18. The meetings will be held at 6 p.m. in Gayle’s library. The next meeting is scheduled for September 7. 

You  may reach the PTA anytime by emailing GMPTA@staffordschools.net 

CONNECT WITH US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: @GaylePanthers

Instagram: @gaylepanthers

Twitter: @Gaylepanthers

Attachments:
 messages/attachments/4b0de3bca3300d2968234a3d12797397/Anxiety_Handout.pdf (275.6 KB)
 messages/attachments/86d3db8250953e304097ec1ba57623c4/Coffee_with_the_Counselors.pdf (362.7 KB)
 messages/attachments/5505a01c6203e69feabe4c861d6ed97d/GMS_ATHLETIC_SCHEDULES- _Football%2C_Field_Hockey%2C_Volleyball.pdf (993.8 KB)
 messages/attachments/8d51235ad88c21f17f1298caf885e9fb/PTA_Committee_interest_meeting.png (224.5 KB)
 messages/attachments/1f45d2aee4888831242b58fb4a537b10/PTA_Spirit_Wear.jpg (98.8 KB)
 messages/attachments/9f637c00a25ed4f07db08d7919f65768/Join_Gayle_PTA.jpg (160.2 KB)