Jaguar News
Friday, September 10, 2021
Dear Gentry Families,
Whether you are a returning family or a new family to Gentry, we want to welcome you and your child to the 2021/22 school year! We are so excited to get started and see what this year will hold for all of us. As always we are very thankful for your partnership as we embark on a new year. We take this partnership very seriously and see it as one that is absolutely necessary to ensure the success and overall growth of your student no matter what challenges may lie ahead.
With that being said, please note that every Friday I will email a new issue of this publication (Jaguar News) which will contain timely announcements and important upcoming GMS information. Feel free to reach out to the main school office at 573-214-3240 if you have any additional questions or concerns as the year unfolds and they will be happy to point you in the right direction for whatever guidance you may need.
Picking Your Student Up During School Hours
When you need to check your child out of school during school hours for an occasional appointment, please call the main office (573-214-3240) about 10 minutes prior to your arrival and we will try our best to make sure that your child is waiting in the office with their things when you arrive. Student check out does require a parent signature, so please ring the doorbell when you arrive and we will have you sign your student out.
Upcoming PTSA Meeting
Also, if you have not yet had a chance to sign up to become a member of the PTSA, we would love to have you! In case you’re not familiar, PTSA stands for Parent Teacher Student Association, so this is a place for YOUR voice to be heard. PTSA has provided great support over the years to this building and its students. As an example, today PTSA had the privilege to thank our committed bus drivers by providing coffee and donuts to them after their morning route was complete. It was a welcome act of kindness and benefitted all who were involved.
The PTSA partnership requires active participation of families and faculty to meet the goals we have established for the upcoming school year. If you are interested in becoming a member, simply click here and complete our quick form. Thanks so much for your support! Go Jaguars!
After School Activity Bus- Discontinued Until Further Notice
Due to the shortage of bus drivers that Student Transportation is currently experiencing, we will no longer be able to offer an after school activity bus for students who are staying after school hours to participate in clubs/activities or athletics. Until further notice, our sign-up link for this bus will be deactivated today Friday, September 10. Thanks for your continued patience.
News from Guidance
Welcome Back! We are so excited to have our students in the building this year. It was great meeting many of you this past Wednesday at Back to School Night.
Please note that September is Suicide Awareness Month. The Guidance Department will present Suicide Awareness and Prevention lesson during RTI every Monday the month of September.
Let Them Be Responsible
Middle School is the perfect time for students to start taking on more responsibilities, such as being accountable for all their school materials. We understand that as parents you want to make your student's life easier, however, by not bringing their forgotten items, we allow them to grow and to be more proactive in the future. This will also help us as a school, since it is extremely difficult for us to distribute forgotten items to such a large student population.
With this in mind, we are asking that if you absolutely need to drop something off for your student, you do so before 9:00 am. Items will be distributed to students during 3rd period. If you drop something off for your student after 9:00 am, it will be given to them the next day. Please, keep in mind that this practice includes lunch. If you need to bring lunch for your student, please do it before 9:00 am. Thank you for partnering with us while we help our students grow.
Gentry Caller ID
If you receive a call from Gentry (572-214-3240) please check your voice mail to see who from the school may have called you. Every phone in our school will leave this same number on your caller ID so it will help us to more easily and efficiently direct your return call if you have checked your messages PRIOR to calling us back.
Attendance
Food Orders From Local Eateries
After School Student Pick-Up
- Busses will pick-up along the red fire curb around 2:30 pm. Do not pass the handicapped spots until an administrator has signaled traffic to move forward.
- Pull forward to keep traffic moving. Do not stop to pick up your child until you have reached the car in front of you and traffic has stopped.
- Students may not cross traffic to enter a vehicle. Please pick up along the curb.
- Students may not walk into the lot, across traffic, to enter a parked car without a parent/guardian.
- Once you have picked up your child, you may pull into the left lane to leave the lot.
- Please note that we have both Left and Right exit lanes near the crosswalk.
- Link to a visual: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJicsAhHL_c&t=5s
Picture Retake, New Student Photos and Yearbook Orders
Student photos were taken by Inter-State Studios on Wednesday, August 25th. If you did not have a chance to order photos at that time, but would still like to place an order, you can still do so. Please use the link and code below to place your order.
Order Student Photos Enter code 59424RB
Pre-Order a Yearbook Enter code 62369W
Interstate Studios will return to Gentry on September 27 to retake photos for those students who would like to have their photos retaken. If your student is having their photo retaken, they will simply need to bring their original photo packet and uncut photos to this sitting and give them to the photographer before their photo is taken.
On this same day, we will also be taking photos of those students who missed having their initial photo taken at our Schedule Pick Up Day. Whether you decide to place a photo order or not, we still take photos of all students for yearbook purposes. If you have any further questions, please contact Inter-State Studios at 573-449-3090.
Media Center Minute
Here are a few things you can do to help your student be successful with their iPad.
- Set up a dedicated charging station for their iPad using their school issued charger.
- Use of the school device should be exclusive for the student it is issued to. Do not let other siblings use the school iPad. Many devices get broken this way and then your student has to spend time without their device.
- Use the school issued account on the iPad and do not sign in with personal accounts, such as YouTube. Keep personal apps on personal devices. This will assure that they can connect to what they need when they are at school.
- Set up a routine so they will not forget to bring their iPad to school each day. They will need to use it here everyday.
- If your student is having difficulties accessing WiFi at school or at home, have them turn off Cellular Data on their iPad and it should connect better.
Thank you for supporting your student with their technology device. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the media center.
News from the Nurse
As we start the new school year, this is a good time to review the CPS illness guidelines.
Students exhibiting the following symptoms will be sent home and/or should remain at home if they exhibit any of the following:
- Temperature of 100 degrees or greater
- Vomiting with associated signs of illness
- Diarrhea
- Unusual or unexplained rash
- A concerning health condition that may require further medical evaluation
- Ongoing symptoms of discomfort or immobility from an injury
**If the use of crutches or a wheelchair is needed at school, please provide a doctor's note**
Students may return to school when:
- They are fever free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication
- Vomiting and/or diarrhea free for 24 hours
- Other conditions (rash, injury or health concern) subside or with a provider’s note
Please also note, that in middle school, students have the freedom of responsibility to carry a dose of their own over the counter (OTC) medication. In middle school, students have permission to carry one day’s dose of over the counter medication to school in a labeled container. Examples are ibuprofen, Tylenol, Benadryl, allergy and cold medicine, cough drops, throat lozenges, eye drops, TUMS, Pepto-Bismol and Imodium.
Reminder to athletes staying after school for sports: Don’t forget to carry with you to practice and games any medications such as inhalers, diabetic supplies, etc. that you may need during these events should symptoms arise. Quick access to your supplies can prevent emergencies!
September Secondary School Lunch Menu
2020/21 GMS Grade Level Lunch Schedule
B Lunch (8): 10:25-10:50 am
C Lunch (6/8): 10:50-11:15 am
D Lunch (7/8): 11:15-11:40 am
E Lunch (7/8): 11:40-12:05 pm
F Lunch (7): 12:05-12:30 pm
Rock Bridge High School Football Games
We have relayed to our 6-8th grade students that if they plan on attending a Rock Bridge High School football game, they must be supervised by a parent. Rock Bridge High School does not allow middle school age students to be dropped off without parent supervision. Thanks for you help with this. Go Bruins!!
Bike Riders
If your student rides their bike to and from Gentry during the week, please be sure to encourage them to lock it to the bike rack that is located by our parking lot while they attend school. We have many students who we observe in the morning that simply roll their bike onto the rack and then walk away without securing it for the day. Better to be safe than sorry!
Athletic Passes
We are currently selling GMS athletic passes in the main office for $50. This pass allows a family of five to attend both home and away middle school athletic games and matches (excluding invitationals and non-CPS, out of town games/matches). While all CPS middle schools sell these passes, if purchased at GMS all of the proceeds stay at GMS and directly benefit our athletic program. Checks should be made payable to Columbia Public Schools. If you do not purchase an athletic pass, our normal admission prices for athletic events are: $3/adult and $2/students. Hurry in and get your pass today! Our GMS games and matches begin the second week in September. Go Jaguars!
Past Jaguar Newsletters
Future Dates to Remember
9/6- School Not in Session Due to Labor Day
9/15- PTSA In-Person Meeting in the Media Center @ 6:00 pm (An on-line Zoom option will also be available for those who would feel more comfortable meeting virtually.)
9/17 Interim Progress Reports Sent Home
9/22- School Not in Session Due to a Teacher Work Day
10/4- School Not in Session Due to a Teacher Work Day
10/18- Student Flu Clinic 8:00 am-10:00 am
10/27- Picture Retake Day
10/28 and 10/29- School Not in Session Due to Teacher Work Days
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