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| Partner Up for Parent-Teacher Conferences | |
On behalf of students and GDS teachers, we encourage you to sign up for parent teacher conferences at Glacial Drumlin held on Thursday, November 12 and Thursday, November 19 from 3:30-7:30. This is an important opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss your child's progress. The purpose of the fall conference is to share the following:
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Student progress through the first quarter of school
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Acknowledgments of student strengths and targeted goals for the year
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Share assessment scores on MAP (for grades 5 & 6) and Aspire (for grades 7 & 8)
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Develop a consistent plan for communication if necessary
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Establish a Student Support Plan if necessary
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Schedule time with core, encore, and music teachers to check on student progress
Teachers of students in grades 5 and 6 will share the fall MAP tests during conferences. Parents of students in grades 7 & 8 should plan to pick up their child's Aspire test in the cafeteria.
Check out this link for recommendations about Parent-Teacher Conferences:
Parent-Teacher Conference Tip Sheets - Harvard Family ...
We appreciate your support.
Renee Tennant, Principal
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Are you looking for an opportunity to
practice the gift of giving?
The Giving Project will be available in the cafeteria on both conference nights. Parent-Teacher conferences are the ideal time to contribute to this project to help families in need during the upcoming holidays.
This year, the GDS Giving Project is partnering with PTO and UPstanders to purchase Scrip cards to support family gift shopping. We are exclusively giving gift cards this year to allow family recipients to select their own gifts to meet their needs. We have elicited family input related to preferred cards. Please stop by the cafeteria on conference nights and check out the Giving Project.
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| Positive Behavior Support - Red Hawk Focus for November |
This month at GDS, staff and students will focus on Hands to Self as our Red Hawk Behavior. We know middle school students are in their element when they are jostling, jiving, and touching one another. Often pokes, taps, pushes, bumps, etc.... are benign, but not safe or practical as students move through crowded hallways and doorways in a school of 900 students. In an effort to use teachable moments, parents may be notified by staff about this targeted behavior.
Please join us in supporting Hands to Self expectations:
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In the morning transition to class, students need to check their body space with that of other students. Students should not be putting hands on the person's backpack in front of them or pushing through a large group.
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The hallway is no place for piggy-back rides, playing tag, throwing balls, or other types of games that are reserved for outside recess. Students engaging in this behavior will be referred to the office for safety violations.
- In all transitions, students need to check respectful body space in relation to others. This is a life skill. Students should not be bumping, have arms around one another, etc... because this often leads to problems in a crowded hallway. There are many optimal ways to share our friendly feelings with one another (e.g., smiles, words of encouragement).
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| Family Reminders |
ATTENDANCE:
Remember to notify the office if your student is not coming to school. Attendance line is available 24/7. Call 839.8437 x 1030.
GRADING:
When quarter 1 Term Report Cards are available on the portal, you will receive an Infinite Campus message.
EARLY DISMISSAL:
Please have your student bring a note to the office if they will be leaving school during the day for appointments, etc. Students will be given a pass to excuse them from class.
LOST AND FOUND:
Missing a sweatshirt, coat, lunch bag or shoes??
Be sure to check the lost and found table. Remaining lost and found items will be donated to a local charity before winter break.
Lose your glasses, keys, jewelry or electronics... check the office. INFINITE CAMPUS UP TO DATE:
Do you have a change of information such as a new doctor, a new e-mail address or phone number? If there is an emergency at school, we will need to use this information. It is very important that all of your information is up to date on Infinite Campus. Please log into your Parent Portal and enter the new information.
Parents may access Infinite Campus on their mobile devices. The mobile app information can be found at the bottom of the parent portal window. The District ID is GJGZMY.
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MGEF 2nd Annual Gala & Silent Auction
November 14th
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Among the teachers being honored at this year's gala is one of Glacial Drumlin's own: Bob Schlaefer. He received $1000 to construct and maintain the native planting area Hawk's Field at GDS.
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Smooth Drop Off and Pick Up
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Thanks to parents for your cooperation in morning drop off and afternoon pick up. We appreciate your support in keeping the operation running safely and smoothly. Keep up the good work!
Another traffic reminder -- the only designated drop off and pick up point is the upper parking lot. The bus area is not a designated area.
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GDS PTO News
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Please come meet the district Superintendent Dan Olson at November's GDS PTO meeting on Thursday, November 5. Superintendent Olson will listen and share his district-wide perspective on our schools. The meeting starts at 6:30pm in the GDS community room (located to the right of the main entrance). ******************************************************************** GDS Conference Events
GDS Fall Book fair
Volunteers are Needed!
When: Thursday, November 12th & Thursday, November 19th
Time: 3:30pm - 7:30pm (during parent/teacher conferences)
We are looking for volunteers to work 1� hour shifts during the nights of the book fair. Shifts are from 3:30pm-5:00pm, 5:00pm-6:30pm, and 6:30pm-8:00pm. Volunteers are also needed to help setup the book fair for each night (1:30pm-3:30pm on Nov. 12th and 2:30pm-3:30pm on Nov. 19th).
The book fair will also be open in the morning before school starts on November 13th - 19th. Additional volunteers are needed during these times as well. Volunteers can sign up for one or multiple shifts. Please click here to sign up.
GDS Conference Meal For Staff
When: Thursday, November 12th & Thursday, November 19th
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After-school Fused Glass Club
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GDS students are invited to explore the wonders of fused glass in this four week after-school enrichment class. Projects vary with each session. Common projects include magnets, pendants, earrings, coasters, wind chimes, holiday ornaments, picture frames, or mirrors.
Register online with the Village of CG Recreation Dept
Session 1
November 24, December 3, 10, 17
Session 2
January 26, February 2, 9, 16
Fee: $40 for class and materials
Time: 3:30 - 4:30 pm
Place: GDS Community Room
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Food Baskets and Giving Project
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Need a little extra help during the holidays? Sign up for our Giving Project to receive food baskets and gifts during the holiday season! Contact our school social worker, Nichole Carlisle, to sign up for Food Baskets (Thanksgiving, Winter Break and Spring Break) and to register to receive free gifts for your children for the winter holidays.
Contact information for Miss Carlisle is:
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Cold Weather Reminder
|  Each year around the beginning of November, students are reminded to prepare for the colder temperatures. Students will need to remember to bring proper outerwear (coats, hats, gloves/mittens, etc.) for going outside during the lunch recess time. After finishing their meals, students, at all grade levels, are invited to go outside. The exception to this would be during inclement weather; primarily when it is raining outside, the temperatures are below zero, or the recess area is not passable. Parents are asked to be sure that students have necessary outerwear. If there is a need for assistance with obtaining such articles of clothing, please contact the Glacial Drumlin School Student Services team. |
Students Hit the Jackpot!
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The students in 7th grade Computer Applications class learned how to write and format personal business letters. The unit was broken down into two parts - learning the purpose and formatting of the letters and then applying the material to write letters to actual companies and creating screen casts to show their understanding. Kids in both of the classes wrote to companies all over the country -- ranging from Culver's to Nike. Some companies sent letters thanking the students for their interest, while others sent them merchandise or coupons. The kids loved hearing back from the companies.
Teagan Tolley and Hayley Dunn hit the jackpot when they wrote to Hershey's this term. They received a box of goodies full of chocolate, beach towels, Under Armour shirts, and a hand written letter from the company.
It was great to see the kids realize of how they can use personal business letters in real life and show their understanding of the material using technology.
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Parenting Tip of the Month
by Kevin Mikelbank
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Family Dinners
Research has consistently shown that teens in families who regularly eat dinner together are less likely to use alcohol and other drugs, be clinically depressed, and become pregnant. They are also more likely to have higher grades and self-esteem. The results are greatest when families are able to have dinner together 5 nights a week, but each meal makes a difference. For ideas on conversation starters and meal tips go to http://thefamilydinnerproject.org If you would like a TIP of The Week (most weeks) just email me. Please continue to send me topics you would like to hear more about @ [email protected]
Thank you for your involvement in your child's education!
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Students of the Month - October
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CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR OPTIMIST STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
5th: Vivi Thomas, Savannah Rodefeld
6th: Jacob Sale, Ben Vigdal-Olson, Aliza Kaiser
7th: Schyler Koopmans, Quentin Simmons, Kaylee Terhall
8th: Andrea Wendricks, Laura Lugo
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Box Tops Winners
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Thank you all for your help with the Fall 2015 Box Tops submission.
We collected 15,731 box tops, which equates to a $1,573.00 check.
GDS's Fall box top homeroom winner is:
Ms. Hendrickson!!
Your pizza party awaits you...
Other homerooms winning treats are:
Ice cream treat: Ms. Short and Ms. Buchanan
Small treat: Ms. Olin, Ms. Wautlet, Ms. Becker, Mr. Swance, Ms. Casey, Ms. Hoppenjan, Mr. Huebner, Ms. Ranum and Ms. Vervoort
Thanks again for all your support!
KEEP collecting those box tops.
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Upcoming Concert:
Cornucopia Suite for String Orchestra
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On Tuesday, November 17, at 7:00 PM in the GDS gymnasium, the 7th and 8th grade orchestras will be premiering a new composition by local musician/educator/composer Katherine Punwar, titled Cornucopia Suite for String Orchestra. Read more...
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