Jaguar News
Friday, October 16, 2020
Dear Gentry Families,
Earlier this week, our School Board made the decision to continue virtual learning for middle schools and high schools. I realize this has created a flood of emotions. I believe that everyone involved in education wants what’s best for kids. The conflict arises when people disagree on how to achieve that goal. When assessing decisions I disagree with, I revert back to positive intentions. As we move forward I want to make a couple comments:
Understand that building administrators and especially teachers don’t make these decisions. Teachers are only doing their job and they’re working as hard as they can to provide your child with the best education possible under these circumstances. No teacher ever said they wanted to teach virtually during a pandemic.
If you still have questions or concerns about grades, contact your child’s teacher. They want to help. A lot of issues can be solved with communication.
If you’re having tech issues, come by Gentry or we can come to you. Don’t wait to get frustrated.
Since IPRs, teachers may be adjusting their instruction based on student performance.
Teachers are noticing many students are not turning on their cameras during class and not responding to them. It is difficult to tell if students are engaged and following along. I will be instructing teachers to make a note if a child is not showing themselves during class in case concerns come up about that student’s learning.
Please let us know if there is any way we can help you.
7th/8th Grade Girls and Boys Basketball- Tryouts Begin Monday, October 19
Girls and boys basketball tryouts will begin on Monday, October 19. Be sure that your child has turned in all of their MSHSAA paperwork to the main office PRIOR to tryouts. This paperwork can be found on our website located under the Extracurricular Tab on our homepage. Coaches will NOT be permitted to allow any student to begin the tryout process until all of this paperwork has been completed and is on file in the main office. Hope to see them there! Go Jaguars!
Tryout Dates/Times: All Tryouts will be held Monday, Oct. 19- Thursday, Oct. 22 in the Gym
8th Girls Basketball Tryouts- 3:00-4:30 pm
7th Boys Basketball Tryouts- 4:30-6:00 pm
8th Boys Basketball Tryouts- 6:00-7:30 pm
7th Girls Basketball Tryouts- 7:30-9:00 pm
Basketball Coaching Staff:
7th Girls Basketball Coach: Tara Frearson tfrearson@cpsk12.org
7th Boys Basketball Coach: Angie Roberds aroberds@cpsk12.org
8th Girls Basketball Coach: Dale Sykes Dsykes@cpsk12.org
8th Boys Basketball Coach: Ken Welty kewelty@cpsk12.org
Drop Off and Pick Up COVID Safety Plan:
- Please drop your student off by the main school entrance.
- Students should remain outside the building until a coach greets them to ask them a series of COVID questions and have their temperature checked.
- Students will then exit the school after tryouts through the North side of the building. Please pick them up after tryouts in the bus loop (by Gentry Estates).
PTSA Family Eat Out Fundraiser- Shakespeare's Pizza
PTSA Points to Ponder
PTSA has also been busy sprinkling kindness by providing COVID Care Packages (see photos below) to our families that are in need of a little extra help. If you are interested in donating to this cause feel free to donate at https://venmo.com/Gentry-Ptsa or contact a board member for more information.
The next upcoming PTSA meeting will be held via Zoom this upcoming Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 6:00 pm.
Local Hy-Vee Grocery Stores Offer Free COVID Testing
Basketball Cheerleading- Tryouts Begin on Tuesday, October 20th
If your student is interested in participating in basketball cheerleading this year, please fill out this form: Basketball Cheerleading Interest Form to receive more information. For the winter season cheerleaders support all four basketball teams (7th girls and boys, 8th girls and boys) by cheering on the sidelines and performing at half time. 7th and 8th grade girls and boys are encouraged to try out! If you have any questions please contact Coach Noltie bnoltie@cpsk12.org or Coach McCormick cmccormick@cpsk12.org.
Free Influenza Vaccination Date Revision- November 9th!
The GMS Student Influenza Vaccination date has been changed from October 23 to the new date of Monday, November 9th from 9:00-11:00 am in the GMS cafetorium. The reason for this change is to give elementary students priority since they will be returning to an in-person school day before students at the secondary level. Again, thanks for your patience and understanding as we navigate things from week to week.
Please be sure that you have completed our Influenza Consent Form which was included in our Back to School series of acknowledgement forms that parents had the option to submit virtually prior to the start of school. If you did not already complete this form for your student during this back to school process and would now like to take advantage of this service for your student, please complete the form below and email it to our Gentry school nurse, Jennifer Ferguson at jferguson@cpsk12.org no later than Friday, November 6th. She also can be reached at 214-3240 to answer any questions that you may have. Don't hesitate to contact the main office if you have forgotten whether or not you actually completed this form for your student. Our nurse would be happy to look this up for you.
Social Distancing Guidelines for the Day of the Event:
- Students only will be allowed into the building. We are asking parents to wait in their vehicle.
- Students will enter through the main entrance and be escorted to the appropriate alpha ordered registration table.
- Students will then be directed into the cafetorium to receive their vaccination and will then exit through the doors that lead to the bus circle.
- Masks will be required.
Media Center Minute
Schoology Parent Alerts – Did you know that you can receive alerts from Schoology when your student fails to turn in an assignment? Schoology offers 2 types of alerts for parents to choose from. To learn more about the alerts and how you can enable them. Follow these directions.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10Xxl0DX5n5P078VkiXaGlY_qlApVthLv/view?usp=sharing
Zoom Tech Help – If your student needs help with their iPad, but they are able to Zoom, the media center can help them out! This could save you a trip to the school, or your student from losing time not being able to access something. To set up Zoom technology help, have your student either email Mrs. Spurling at cspurling@cpsk12.org or send a message through the Media Center course in Schoology. She will contact your student and set up a time where they can zoom and walk through the tech problem.
Grading Time – Please note that when your student turns in an assignment to Schoology, it will not automatically take away the NHI in Home Access. NHI is an entry that teachers have to remove after they have graded the assignment and reloaded the grades from Schoology to Home Access. So don’t stress! If you have entered your assignment and see that it says “Submitted”, the NHI will go away shortly.
6th Grade Students Interested in Joining an Online Book Club- Reminder
Attention Parents of 8th Grade Students
Please have your student head to this link: 8th Grade Weekly Homework Document each week to review the homework that has been assigned by their teachers. Teachers will email parents and students once a week as well to elaborate and communicate any necessary information. Please have your student reach out to their teachers if they have any questions or concerns. Go Jaguars!
Boone County Mental Health Coalition Checklist
Our students and teachers will be completing the first round of the Boone County Schools Mental Health Coalition survey through October 23rd. If you have questions, please check the Frequently Asked Questions document or contact Outreach Counselor Erin Maynard at emaynard@cpsk12.org
Future Dates to Remember
October 19-22- 7th and 8th Grade Girls and Boys Basketball Team Tryouts
October 20-22- Cheerleader Tryouts
October 21- PTSA Meeting via Zoom @ 6:00 pm
October 22- Shakespeare's Pizza Family Eat Out Fundraiser
November 3-4- School Not in Session Due to Teacher Collaboration Days
November 6- Live "Virtual" Fall Play @ 7:00 pm
November 7- Live "Virtual" Fall Play Matinee @ 3:00 pm
November 9- Student Influenza "Flu" Vaccination Day from 9:00 am-11:00 am @ Gentry
November 13- School Not in Session Due to Teacher Collaboration Day
November 25-27- School Not in Session Due to Thanksgiving Break
Josh Johnson, Principal
Email: Josjohnson@cpsk12.org
Website: https://www.cpsk12.org/Domain/17
Location: 4200 Bethel Street, Columbia, MO, USA
Phone: (573) 214-3240