The Grizzly Growl
April 2022
From the Bear Den
Hello Grizzly Families!
We are heading into the home stretch of the 2021-2022 school year! We have so many great activities planned for the remainder of the year: the school musical, Ring Dance, Prom, and of course, graduation celebrations.
April is the Month of the Military Child. Grassfield is a proud Purple Star School. We recognize our amazing military-connected students and appreciate their family's service and sacrifice for our country. Please see all the celebrations we have planned to showcase these students through the MFLC column in this edition of the Grizzly Growl.
This is the time of year when spring fever starts to afflict some of our students and their minds may wander from their classwork. Please encourage your child to remain focused and finish strong. Take advantage of the many ways we can offer supplementary instructional help. Some of those options are highlighted below. Partner with your child's teacher; we have a common goal, to help your child succeed.
As a reminder, for academic and safety reasons, student cell phone use for non-instructional use is prohibited during instruction time unless the teacher gives specific permission for usage. Earbuds, Airpods, and headphones are also not permitted during class and are limited to one ear during class changes and lunch time. We appreciate you helping us support this important policy with your children.
We wish everyone a happy and restful Spring Break. Friday, April 8 is an early release day for students. The school building will be closed April 11-15.
Please let us know how we can support you and your student.
Be safe out there!
And as always, Go, Grizzlies!
Sincerely,
Mr. Michael Perez
Principal
We have provided LOTS of other important information in this edition of the newsletter.
Please also follow our social media pages on Twitter and Instagram for any last-minute updates. If you have any questions, please contact our administrators at 757-558-4749.
Good Things are Happening at Grassfield!
Mr. Joseph Blacketer is the Chesapeake High School Teacher of the Year
Congratulations to our music department for earning the Blue Ribbon School distinction again!
Band, chorus, and orchestra all earned Superior ratings at their assessments. Our music programs have earned this award 3 of the past 4 school years. Bravo!
Grassfield High School Fine Arts Department proudly presents Mamma Mia!
Mamma Mia! is the story of Donna, an independent hotelier in the Greek islands, who is preparing for her daughter's wedding with the help of two old friends. Meanwhile Sophie, the spirited bride, has a plan. She secretly invites three men from her mother's past in hope of meeting her real father and having him escort her down the aisle on her big day.
This is our first musical in THREE YEARS and we are so excited to bring the music of ABBA to life in the Grassfield High School Auditorium.
April 27, 28, 29, and 30 at 7:00 p.m. The performance on April 29th will be interpreted in American Sign Language.
Tickets are $10.00 and will be pre-sold during all lunches the week of the play as well as at the door. Box office will open at 6:00 p.m.
If your child feels sick, please do not put them on the bus or send them to school.
Please contact the school nurse if your child tests positive for Covid or has a close contact.
The Military and Family Life Counseling, (MFLC) Program
Welcome Spring! April is the month we celebrate the military child. Every year we take this time to honor these amazing children for their selflessness and sacrifice as they serve our country as part of a military family. This school year, Grassfield High School recognizes the service of more than 600 resilient military-connected students among us.
Below are some of the planned activities within our community to recognize the Month of the Military Child:
Operation Military Families, a division wide conference for our military-connected families and students on April 23rd from 9am - 12pm at Great Bridge High School.
Military Appreciation Week, April 25th through April 29th
Monday ~ Honor Navy and Coast Guard
Tuesday ~ Honor Army and National Guard
Wednesday ~ Honor Marines
Thursday ~ Honor Air Force and Space Force
Friday ~ Purple Up to honor all branches and the Military Child
Wall of Honor
Military Recruiters
World Map Designating Military Child Birth place
Certificates of Appreciation
S2S Activities
If your family has a deployed service member at this time, please identify yourself by contacting Assistant Principal, Mrs. Kellie Collins @ Kellie.Collins@cpschools.com. She is planning a special activity for those service members.
Our Military and Family Life Counselor, Mrs. Mary Williams LPC, is available for individual and group counseling services at Grassfield High School every Monday and Wednesday, from 8:30am – 4:00pm. In addition, she is able to schedule appointments outside of her scheduled work day to meet your needs. She can be contacted at 757-404-3112, or williamsm@magellanfederal.com. Parental consent is required for services to students under the age of 18. Confidentiality is assured, excluding legal limits of Mandated Reporting/Duty to Warn.
Mrs. Mary P Williams, MSEd, LPC, CSAC, ACS
Military & Family Life Counselor
Grassfield High School
757-404-3112
FREE TUTORING
SCA NEWS
It's not too late to Join Us for Laps For Lymphoma--Saturday, April 2 from 2-5
Grassfield High School’s Laps for Lymphoma Walkathon is a non-profit event that celebrates cancer survivors, and raises funds for the Lymphoma Research Foundation to promote research, education, prevention, advocacy, and patient services. It is a fun, outdoor fundraising event where participants will be walking around our football field track in honor of those who have battled and are currently battling Lymphoma. This year's event will be held on Saturday, April 2nd. The registration fee is $20 a person, which includes a Lymphoma awareness t-shirt. All profits will be donated to the Lymphoma Research Foundation.
You may register the day of the event but you will not be guaranteed a t-shirt. Any questions please contact Alicia.white@cpschools.com.
Senior News
PROM IS ON! Midnight at the Main
On Saturday, May 21, 2022, the Class of 2022 will celebrate their final year of high school with their senior prom: Midnight at the Main. This formal event will take place at the lovely hotel, Hilton: The Main in downtown Norfolk from 8pm - 11pm. Seniors may bring one guest (aged 15-20 as of 5/21/22) to accompany them for an evening of dancing and celebration. Hors d'oeuvres and desserts will be served and the Prom Court will be crowned during the event.
All class dues must be paid in full for each year of attendance at Grassfield High School and all obligations, including library fines, must be cleared prior to purchasing a prom ticket. In addition, all attendees must have parental permission and admin approval to attend. These requirements will be fulfilled via a prom permission slip and verified prior to ticket sales. Permission slips will be distributed to all members of the class of 2022 on Monday, April 18 and will be due no later than Friday, April 29. Completed slips may be turned in to the main office, or to one of the senior class sponsors: Mrs. Anderson in D103, Mrs. Mongold in D112, or Ms. Knight in D117.
Tickets will be $75 for seniors, and $85 for their guests. Sales will begin online using OSP (credit card only) on Friday, May 6 and will continue until Friday, May 13. A payment link will be available in the Class of 2022 Schoology Group and on the Senior Page of the Grassfield website. Cash sales will take place during all four lunches on Wednesday May 11, Thursday May 12, and Friday May 13. No tickets will be sold after Friday, May 13, 2022.
If you have any questions, please email the senior class sponsors at grizzlygraduates@gmail.com
Cap and Gown Pictures: Candid Color will be at Grassfield on April 26 for Cap and Gown photos. These are supplemental senior portraits and they are not used for school purposes. Look for information about registration on G-News and on social media.
Cap and Gown Dates
- April 18 - First Cap and Gown Delivery (During Lunches)
- April 26 - Cap and Gown Pictures (Auditorium)
- May 2 - Cap and Gown Delivery (Make-Ups) (During Lunches)
- June 3 - Cap and Gown Delivery (Make-Ups) (After School 4 - 6)
Ring Dance
The Counseling Corner
ACCESS Information
Grizzlies please visit Mr. Kellys Virtual Office for wonderful resources and to sign up for an appointment
SENIOR STUDENTS:
- Parents, did your senior student sign up for Access College Commitment Day on April 26, 2022, at Chart way Arena? There is still time to register. The last day to sign up is April 18th. You don't want to miss it. You don't have to commit to a college to be able to attend, you just have to be accepted into at least one school. Click this link to REGISTER
- Seniors the Access Scholarship is due May 2, 2022. Click this link to APPLY
- Mr. Kelly is available to help navigate and understand the financial award process.
SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO:
· Receive assistance with the FAFSA
· Follow Mr. Kelly on Remind
· Complete college applications
· Review scholarship opportunities-- Mr. Kelly's suggestion is that seniors approach applying for scholarships like a FIFTH class!!
· Not sure if college is your next step? Let's discuss other possible possibilities
· Please fill out the Access Fee Waiver Application and the Access Release Form to see if you are eligible for waivers to take the SAT, ACT, apply to colleges, AP tests, and apply for the eligibility center to play sports.
The countdown to graduation is on so let's make sure we are utilizing all available resources!
JUNIOR STUDENTS:
· FREE SAT WAIVER by filling out these Forms and Joining Mr. Kelly's Khan class. SAT waivers are available to all juniors regardless of income. Waivers will be given on a first-come-first-served basis.
· Follow Mr. Kelly on Remind
· Check this out Preparing for College Junior Checklist
· Visit Mr. Kelly's Junior Class Lobby
· Internship possibilities Next Gen- Pathways
Connect with Dual Enrollment and TCC
A TCC advisor will be at Grassfield April 19, 20, and 21 to help students who have selected a dual enrollment class for next year begin the enrollment process for TCC. Students will receive appointment times to meet with the TCC advisor.
If you have a student who is interested in TCC, please see the TCC Prospect Interest Form.
SCHOLARSHIP NEWS
Spring is the season to apply for scholarships in earnest! Be sure to check ScholarshipVue weekly to learn about new scholarships.
Scholarships of the Month:
GHS Carolyn F. Bernard
GHS Cliff Bernard Memorial Scholarship
GHS Alumni Scholarship
GHS Faculty Scholarship
GHS American Legion Scholarship Award Medal
GHS Lance Cpl. Cody Childers Memorial Service Award
GHS Anne E. McKim Memorial Scholarship
GHS Megan Curry Memorial Scholarship
GHS James A. Leftwich English Scholarship
GHS JoAnn Lindell-Overton Memorial Scholarship
GHS Jennifer White Art Scholarship
GHS W. Randolph Nichols Scholarship
GHS Cavalier Auto Group Scholarship
GHS TCC Outstanding High School Graduate Scholarship
Hugo Owens Middle School PTSA Scholarship
Students can find more details about each of these scholarships on ScholarshipVUE!
Get your Yearbook!
Attendance Notes
In order for an absence to be excused, a note must be provided within 4 days. Once the note is submitted, the absence will be changed to AE (absent excused). If a note is not submitted within 4 days, the absence will show AUV (absent unexcused, but verified). Notes can be emailed to Lisa.Curling@cpschools.com
Student Attendance Matters--Potential Loss of Credit
Your child's attendance is posted in ParentVue. A letter alerting you to a potential loss of credit is posted in ParentVue when your child reaches 6, 9, and 10 absences in each class. This is your official notification of excessive absences, so please check ParentVue often to monitor your student's attendance. Students can make-up a portion of missed time by attending extended day.
If a student must be absent, please email or bring a note to our attendance secretary (lisa.curling@cpschools.com) so we can code the absence appropriately.
Mrs. Pallister (our Assistant Principal for Instruction) should be notified in advance about trips, vacations, and other lengthy unexcused absences to ensure student progress in class. Please email or send a note to Beth.pallister@cpschools.com explaining the absence prior to the absence.
The Chesapeake School Board has defined an excused absence to include any of the following: Sickness of a student, medical appointments, severe illness or death in the family, exposure to contagious disease, religious holidays, or extenuating circumstances such as fire, accident, or extremely inclement weather. Absences other than those listed above will be recorded as unexcused absences.
MEDIA CENTER NEWS
Help us celebrate School Library Month! Swing by our library to see all of our new activities we have added this year! We now have a book review station, puzzles, games, coloring sheets and a green screen. We also have a great display of new books on top of our shelves!
The Literacy Jam deadline is quickly approaching. This year’s theme is “Reigniting Our Passion for Literacy.” Students can submit an original poem, essay or short story. The requirements are 12 point font and no more than one page single spaced. Student submissions should be turned into Mrs. Gabel by April 8.
Visit our Grizzly Media Center Google Site to participate in our monthly activities. For every activity you participate in your name will be entered into our monthly drawing for an Amazon gift card! Click on the tab labeled April to access the activities!
Book Review Station
Literacy Jam Submission
April Fools’ Day Jamboard
Earth Day Jamboard
Follow us on Instagram (grassfield_mc) and Twitter (@GFH_Mediacenter)
Interested in joining our book club? Use this code to join our Schoology group (67Q9-PKKF-DGBWS). We meet during lunches typically every two weeks. Our current book is The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde.
Grassfield Parent Teacher and Student Organization
Parents- if you have not joined our PTSA , please consider becoming a member and supporting our school community. Seniors who wish to apply for the GFHS PTSA Scholarship must be a member. The cost is $7.00 per member and you may join by using the link below.
https://grassfieldhigh.memberhub.com/store
Please follow the GFHS PTSA on twitter @GrizzlyPTSA and our Facebook page is GrassfieldPTSA.
Athletic News
Tickets, Schedules, and Live Streaming
Watch the Games Live - All Grassfield High School sporting events that take place at Carolyn F. Bernard Stadium or Grassfield's gymnasium can now be live streamed through the NFHS Network. Go to NFHS Network and set up your monthly or annual subscription and watch the varsity football and volleyball games this fall, basketball games this winter, and boys and girls soccer this spring.
Grassfield High School Sports Schedules - Want to know who's playing and when? Go to Southeasterndistrictva.org, click on Grassfield and you'll find all the fall, winter, and spring sports schedules listed. Sign up for the app using your smartphone to receive updates on schedule changes and postponements. Schedules are also listed on the Grassfield website.
Rite Aid - Gives Back to Grassfield High School
Please use this link
Be Careful Driving Near Our School
GFH Honor Code
Students at Grassfield are expected to abide by the Honor Code; it's the Grizzly Way. Students are expected to verify that the work on each assignment is their own. Collaborating with another classmate on any assignment must be pre approved by the teacher.
Grassfield High School
Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @grassfield_hs. Our website is updated regularly for additional information.
Email: beth.pallister@cpschools.com
Website: https://cpschools.com/gfh/
Location: 2007 Grizzly Trail
Phone: 757-558-4749
Twitter: @grassfield_hs