Pony Express
Connecting GMS In One Place
11/17
I hope everyone is excited for the Thanksgiving holiday. I think we all deserved a break. It’s hard to believe that we’re almost finished with the first semester. Please take the time to enjoy your family and thank you for supporting the GMS family. We appreciate you.
As you know, GMS is a great place to be! Here’s what you need to know:
We are FAMILY! This is OUR HOUSE! Great students come from GREAT FAMILIES!
#OurHouseGMS
Challenge Coin Winner
Collegiate Academy
College Readiness
Duke Tip:
The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke TIP) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving academically gifted and talented youth. Duke TIP's talent searches serve as the entry point to academic benefits and programs for gifted and talented students in grades 4-12. For more information, or enroll your child online:
7th Grade https://tip.duke.edu/programs/7th-grade-talent-search/enroll-now
6th Grade https://tip.duke.edu/programs/4th-6th-grade-talent-search/enroll-now OR
via paper applications at any time during the enrollment periods. Fees are paid only once, and need-based financial aid is available.
Students must have attained a qualifying test score at or above the 95th percentile on at least one accepted subtest area of a grade-level standardized achievement test (Stanford or Iowa Test of Basic Skills), or achieved a score of a 125 or above on an aptitude test (OLSAT, CoGAT, NNAT) or mental ability test (IQ test such as WISC), or met the Duke approved score on a state criterion-referenced test (STAAR).
Qualifying 2017 STAAR Scores:
ENGLISH- 5th Grade: Reading 1774 or greater; Math 1849 or greater, Science of 4702 or greater 6th Grade: Reading 1782 or greater; Math 1879 or greater
SPANISH- 5th Grade: Reading 1745 or greater; Math 1710 or greater, Science of 4145 or greater Here’s a link to information on how access your student’s STAAR scores: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Page/46681
Grapevine Middle School’s Duke Tip school code is: 819555-GA
Aim for Success:
Aim for Success is an age-appropriate presentation that challenges students to focus on their dreams and goals and to save sex for marriage. More information can be found at www.aimforsuccess.org
Students at GMS will see the Aim for Success presentation on these dates:
6th grade--Feb 7, 2018
8th grade--Nov 29, 2017
Questions may be addressed to Mrs. Lemke at 817-251-5673. Parents will find the opt-out here: Aim For Success Opt-out
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Play It Safe:
Play It Safe is a multi-session curriculum about healthy relationships. It is presented by The Women’s Center.
Students at GMS will see the Play It Safe presentation on these dates:
6th grade-- Nov 1 and March 22
7th grade--Oct 12, Nov 9, and Feb 28
Questions may be addressed to Mrs. Lemke at 817-251-5673. The opt out is here:
English--Play It Safe English
Spanish--Play It Safe Spanish
PTA Reflections Art Contest: Judging of GMS PTA Reflections entries was completed on 11/17. Results will be announced after Thanksgiving break. For questions please contact LaToya Sneed at gmsptareflections@gmail.com or 817-874-4242.
Happy Thanksgiving! We are so grateful for the support of all our PTA members! Our
family continues to grow, and we are now 309 members strong. We just met our goal of
100% faculty membership this week and will be earning the Golden Apple Award from the
Texas PTA. This is a major accomplishment and we are so thankful to have the support of
our campus leaders, teachers, parents, students, and the community. Our student PTA
members had a meeting on 11/8. Students were excited to hear about their “give back”
project and shared their ideas. It’s never too late to join GMS PTA. You can join online at
http://www.joinpta.org/ or pick up a form in the front office.
7th Grade Dance: 7th graders please mark your calendars for December 1 for the annual 7th grade winter dance from 7-9pm in the cafeteria. Invitations were emailed to all 7th grade parents on Monday, 11/13. Tickets will be $5 at the door. You can also check out the “Totally 80’s” invite on our Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/grapevinemiddleschoolpta/
If you would like to help on the 7th grade dance committee, please contact LaToya Sneed at sneedl@swbell.net or 817-874-4242.
GMS Scholastic Book Fair: The Book Fair will be here December 4-8 in the Learning Commons. Mrs. Steeves is looking for volunteers to help during the day with cashier duty & to help answer any questions. Please sign up using this link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A44AAA729A57-gmsscholastic
One on One Support
Pony Crew
STEM Ambassadors
AVID Check-in Conferences Part 2- 7th and 8th grade ONLY
Part one of the check-in conferences are complete! We LOVED meeting one-on-one with the students! It’s now time for phase two. Your student now share with you what we discussed and record your conversation in the following two weeks. For a full description of the assignment, including requirements and deadlines, please go here. Student/Guardian conferences and their reflections are due November 30th
What’s happening in AVID?
Check out our Facebook page for class updates, pictures and more!
Community Service
Please remember that the first ½ of community service hours are due at the end of the semester
The STEM Department would like to thank you for sharing your students with us each day! We love learning with them and seeing them grow. Please take time to relax and enjoy your time with family over the holiday break. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Upcoming:
Please take time over break to check in with students regarding supplies. Do they have markers, earbuds, pencils etc? It’s a good time to restock and prepare for finals.
Double check Skyward and make sure students are reassessing and/or turning in missing work. With finals rapidly approaching, students don’t want to get too far behind.
Wish list:
Duct tape, hot glue sticks, popsicle sticks, and card stock are always appreciated as we use them for design challenges in class.
8th grade Parents:
Please mark your calendars for December 14th. This will be the first informational meeting about the 8th grade STEM Field trip. The meeting will be held in the lecture hall at 4:00 and 6:30. *same information each time, choose which works best.
Boys Athletics
Science Experiment
Geography Bee
Tuesday night the Ponies ran in their first Cross Country Meet of the season. The 8th Grade Boys A Squad placed first with 32 points. The 8thGrade B Squad placed 1st with 25 points. 7th Grade Boys A Squad places 3rd with 68 points and the 7th Grade B Squad places 4th with 89 points. 7th Grade Runner of the week was James Hines. 8th Grade runner of the week Brian Guerva.
Places: 8th Grade A Squad-Walker St.John 1st overall-11:08, Josue Granados 2nd overall-11:32, Brian Guerva 8th overall 12:02 and finishing out the top 10 was Alex Morales 9th overall 12:32. 8th Grade B Squad- Damien Lezama 2nd overall 12:40. Skyler Wright 3rd overall 12:50. Micheal Milano 4th overall 13:17. Matthew Monson 7th overall 13:17 and rounding out the top 10 was Austin Kelsoe 9th overall 13:37
7th Grade A Squad- Alberto Rayon places 2nd overall-8:21. Austin Fye finishes just outside of the top 10 finishing 11th overall-9:21. 7th Grade B Squad- Logan Vorachard finished 8th overall-9:50. The Ponies run their next Nov 28th at CTMS.
Cross Country Announcements
HMS CC Meet Nov. 14th @ CTMS
8th Grade Outstanding Performers –
Lila Nicodemus – Most Valuable Performer
Lia Nicodemus placed 1st in the A race running the 2 mile course in 13:16.
Morgan Cominsky – Player of the Week
Morgan Cominsky place 4th in the B race with a time of 15:12, which will qualify her to run her next meet on Nov. 28th on the A squad.
7th Grade Outstanding Performers –
Marina Barrera – Most Valuable Performer
Marina was the top finisher for the A team placing 11th out of 35 finishers in the A race.
Jayce Cleveland – Player of the Week
Jayce Cleveland placed 4th in the B race. Her time of 10:46 earned her a place on the A team next cross country meet.
8th Grade A Race
On Tuesday, November 14th the Cross Country team competed in the Heritage Invitational Cross Country Meet Cross Timbers Middle School. The 8th grade girls placed 3rd behind Carroll Middle School & host Heritage Middle School. Placing 1st overall was Lia Nicodemus, 3rd was Jackie Molina, 16th Nicole Tovalin, 20th places was Ella Williams, 25th was Yoana Contreras. Also competing for GMS in the A Team race were Abby Castellanos & Madison Harsfield.
8th Grade B Race Highlights
Placing 4th was Morgan Comiskey, with Julianna Vargas placing 7th, and Addison Galante 12th. Also competing for GMS in the B race were Michelle Granados (15th) & Joyce Amaya (16th)..
7th Grade A Race
The 7th Grade A team place 4th out of the five team. The top finisher for the Lady Ponies, placing 11th of Marina Barrera with a time of 10:02. Following close behind Marina were Jaycee Martin 12th, Amanda Coy 16th Sirenia Granados 17th and Jade Juline 20th. Also competing for the A Team race were Madison Redwine (30th) & Karina Tovar (35th).
7th Grade B Race Highlights
Jayce Cleveland 4th, Alexa Crome 7th, and Amy Escobedo 28tht out of 117 competitors in the 7th grade girls B race.
Dual Language 8th graders have been working hard during our Spanish AP exam practice before school. This time is used to increase their abilities for the end of year exam. We will have a practice exam on Dec. 9th to give students an idea of where they are at and what they need to work on. I am so proud of their efforts!
General Information
What: The 'Hour of Code™' is a nationwide initiative by Computer Science Education Week and Code.org to introduce millions of students to one hour of coding. It was launched in December of 2013 to demystify and promote the concepts of computer science. Over 200 million students have participated worldwide since its inception. This is our 5th year to do HoC in GCISD, so join the movement!
When: December 4-8, 2017
So: GMS will be participating during Corral!
Click here to judge or referee (training on December 1).
Click here to volunteer for 2-hour shift(s).
Students compete by maneuvering their robot on a field to complete increasingly complex challenges. Additionally, students present to panels of judges regarding teamwork, robot construction, and a problem-solving project.
In order for this event to be successful, we need many judges, referees, and volunteers. Judges hear presentations from each group and score those according to a rubric with a panel of judges. Referees watch field competitions in the gym on the competition table and score each maneuver as successful or unsuccessful. Each table is scored by a team of referees.
Judges and referees will attend a training on December 1st at 4 p.m. at Cannon Elementary.
The event will begin at 8 am and judging is generally finished around 2 or 3 p.m.
Please consider volunteering as a judge or referee. Ask your spouse, significant other, neighbor or friend to join you.
Shortly after you register as a judge or referee you will receive an email to complete a background check along with details regarding the training event on December 1. Thanks for helping to make this event great.
Grapevine Middle School
Email: laura.koehler@gcisd.net
Website: http://www.gcisd-k12.org/gms
Location: 301 Pony Parkway, Grapevine, TX, United States
Phone: 817-251-5660
Facebook: facebook.com/GrapevineMiddleSchool
Twitter: @GrapevineMiddle