Happenings @ the Hill
Last Issue for 2018-2019 (Volume 32)
Upcoming Events / Notices
June 3rd - 8th Grade Recognition Practice Day / Incentive Day for 6th and 7th Grades
June 4th - Field Day (Concessions will be sold. Bring $!)
June 4th & 5th are Half-Days - Students will be dismissed at 11:35am.
Rising 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders - Vote for the 2019-2020 HOUSE Shirt Here
Want to be a HOUSE Leader? Fill out the application below. Due June 5th!
Overdue Notices
Meal Account Negative Balances - Please Take Care of These As Soon As Possible
Field Day Attire (June 4th)
Students may wear athletic/running/soffe shorts on our field day being held June 4. Shirts/tops worn with these shorts should have sleeves that cover/conceal the underarm area. Shirt/tops should be long enough that they could be tucked into shorts and shall cover the belt line when the arms are raised above the head. Please encourage your student(s) to bring a water bottle, wear sunscreen, and to bring a hat and/or sunglasses that may be worn while we are outside for the day.
June 5th is Our 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony
Recognition Ceremony begins @ 9:00am.
Doors to the building and gym will open at 8:30am.
Please send back the early dismissal permission form if taking your student home after program. (This is half-day of school.)
*In order to participate in the 8th grade recognition ceremony, 8th graders must pass 3 core subjects with a 60 or above for the school year (page 22 in student handbook).
8th Grade Recognition Further Details
Dear 8th Grade Parents/Families,
I cannot believe how fast this year has gone by. I have certainly enjoyed getting to know the Class of 2023!
I wanted to provide you information and reminders for our 8th grade recognition program being held June 5th in our gym.
I have listed the important information and reminders below.
- The program begins at 9:00 A.M.
- We will open the outside school doors for parents and guests at 8:10 A.M (This is when we will allow parents/guests to line up inside the building).
- We will open the interior gym doors for event seating at 8:30 A.M.
- Both sets of bleachers and benches on the floor will be available for seating. I would like for everyone to be seated and not standing in doorways for safety reasons.
- The program will last roughly an hour.
- Thank you in advance for not clapping, shouting, or otherwise making noises of any kind while we read our students’ names during the ceremony. These disruptions delay the program and often prevent the audience (specifically parents) of the following student’s name to be heard. There will be a time to applaud and celebrate our 8th grade students at the end of the program.
- Please be considerate of grandparents/guests that might struggle using stairs and give them the opportunity to sit on the front row of our bleachers.
- You may park on the black top in back of the school, the grassy island in front of the school (a police officer will be there assisting), and in the lot by the 8th grade wing. Please do not park in the car rider line.
I look forward to seeing all of you as we celebrate our 8th grade Bulldogs on June 5th!
Sincerely,
Christine McNeil
Student Medication Pick Up - In Person Required
The last day to pick up your child’s medication (prescription or non-prescription) is Wednesday, June 5th by 11:45. Parents must come into the school to pick up the medication. The students are not allowed to carry medication home with them on the bus. Medication left after this date will be discarded per district policy. If you have indicated that your child has a medical condition that may require management in the school setting, please have all necessary paperwork completed during the summer before the start of the new school year. The intention is to make it easier to obtain physician signatures and have the plans/medication forms in place by the first day of school. All paperwork must be updated by the physician annually. Please contact Staci Hyde, GHMS School Nurse, at 803-548-8313 or hydes@fortmillschools.org with any questions.
Parents of 6th Grade Students (Rising 7th Graders!)
Attention 6th grade Parents/Guardians:
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) wants to assure that all children and teens receive recommended vaccines to prevent disease. DHEC reminds parents and guardians that South Carolina law requires that all students entering 7th grade receive one (1) dose of Tdap vaccine. The Tdap vaccine protects preteens and teens from three serious diseases: tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough). It is important to know that there are three other vaccines that all preteens and teens are recommended to receive: human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine, a cancer prevention vaccine, meningococcal vaccine (MenACWY) that prevents some types of meningitis, and the yearly flu vaccine.
We are reminding you now so that you have time to plan for your child to be vaccinated early, before the start of 7th grade. To beat the back to school rush, a good time to get all these vaccines is during a yearly health checkup. Talk to your child’s health care provider now about what vaccines he or she needs. You should also ask about these vaccines at a physical exam required for sports, school or camp. Don’t forget to make sure you get an updated SC Certificate of Immunization to give to your school nurse. This certificate is required by state law for school attendance.
Your local DHEC health department also can provide these vaccines. Call 1-855-472-3432 to make an appointment. For more information about vaccinations in South Carolina, go to scdhec.gov/Health/Vaccinations/.
Pay It Forward - Thank you note from Bulldogs for Change Night.
Parent Portal
Need Immediate Access To Your Student's Grades, Attendance, Lunch Balance, and Other Info?
Use Parent Portal - access the link below to learn how to use this tool.
If you are having any issues with Parent Portal, please notify Dawn Fite @ fited@fortmillschools.org.
Introducing our 2019-2020 One Book, One School Novel & Mark Your Calendar for our Spring STEAM Inspired by Literacy Night April 21st
If you would like to purchase a personal copy of this book in advance for your student to be able to annotate within, please use the pay fees link found below. (This is optional. All students will be provided a school copy to use during our reading time.)
The cost using this link will be $7.00, which is a discount compared to an in-store purchase.
We will close out orders by July 31st so that the personal copies will arrive on time.
Mark your calendars now - April 21st - for our 2020 STEAM Inspired by Literacy Night where you can meet the author, Caitlin Alifirenka.
Year End Report Cards Will Be Sent Home With Your Student on June 5th.
Middle School Hours Change
Washington, D.C. Trip Opportunity for Rising 8th Graders
The tentative dates are May 26-29, 2020 and the anticipated cost will not exceed $735. There will be a brief parent meeting at the end of our "Meet the Teacher" night on August 14, 2019. Stay tuned!
Message from Our Athletic Director, Tate Hamilton
Hello Parents,
I am reaching out to you to let you know about a good opportunity to get your son or daughter his/her sports physical for the 2019-2020 school year. Per the South Carolina High School League, all students participating in school athletics are required to have a sports physical completed and on file with their school. The physical from must be completed on the SCHSL physical form and completed by a trained professional. The form is located HERE which is under the forms/information section on the fortmillathletics.com website.
Doctor’s Care is offering a $15 Sports Physical until the end of August.
Once the physical is completed, it needs to be uploaded to PlanetHS (formerly Arbiter Athlete). Parents can combine their account with their students' accounts if they are under 13. Directions and other information on how to join are located on the main athletic page for Gold Hill Middle School.
Jackson Orthodontics - LEADER OF THE PACK SPONSOR!
Thank you Dr. Jackson for continuing to support our district athletic programs! You are our Leader of the Pack Sponsor by donating an additional $3,500 above your $5,000 donation to our district wide 5k!
Thank you to the following corporate sponsors for your continued support!
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!
Christine V. McNeil, Principal
Website: http://ghms.fortmillschools.org/
Location: 1025 Dave Gibson Boulevard, Tega Cay 29708
Phone: 803-548-8300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMS1998/
Twitter: @GHMSBulldogs