Jaguar News
Volume 2, Issue 20 - January 4, 2019
For January, the Diversity Committee has chosen to recognize Mental Health Wellness month. Be on the lookout for information in upcoming newsletters as well as in the hallway including mental health challenges in adolescence, mental wellness in the Winter months, and self-care tips and ideas. For further information or community resources for mental health, feel free to contact Outreach Counselor Erin Maynard!
Advisory for Jan 7-11
During the week of Jan 7th to Jan 11th are lessons on “Healthy Relationships” This week students will begin to see how situations have both positive and negative qualities to them and how focusing on the positive makes us feel better. Also, students will understand that support is essential in healthy relationships.
Monday: Silent Sustained Reading
Tuesday: Advisory Lesson (Challenging Situations)
Wednesday: Academic Day!
Thursday: Advisory Lesson (Offering Support)
Friday: Academic Day!
Link on how to understand middle school relationships:
Chili Supper and Silent Auction Fundraiser
Our 5th annual Chili Supper and Silent Auction Fundraiser is right around the corner! This year it will take place after our winter break on Tuesday, January 8th from 4:30-6:00 pm. All proceeds will go to our amazing Gentry athletics program.
The value of athletics in school is significant and cannot be overlooked. It has a profound impact on our students and the school as a whole. It can bridge gaps, bring students with relatively nothing in common together and gives students unbelievable, life-altering opportunities.
Facts about GMS athletics:
• Gentry has approximately 400+ student athletes who compete in various sports each
year.
• The CPS budget for athletics is the same for every middle school in Columbia despite our
middle school being the largest in the district.
• Costs for replacement uniforms/equipment, transportation expenses and salaries to cover the cost of officials continues to rise as our student population increases. Past history tells us that GMS will exhaust our allotted budget well before the school year is over.
• We couldn't keep our athletic program running efficiently without the support of our great
Gentry families!!
With that being said, and as the weather begins to get down-right cold, please plan on enjoying us for supper and a ball game for a good cause! Tickets are $7 each (in advance) and will get you a warm bowl of chili with the fixin's, a hot dog, cookie and a beverage. Your ticket price will also include admission into our 8th grade girls basketball game vs. Oakland scheduled to begin at 6:00 pm that same night. Go Jaguars!
January Lunch Menu
6th Grade Co-ed Winter Intramural Basketball
Our 6th grade winter intramural basketball program is scheduled to begin in late-January. Registration forms will be sent home with interested 6th grade students next week. Be sure that your student returns their completed registration form to the main office no later than January 25. Please see the attached registration form. As always, if you have any questions, please contact the main office.
For Current 8th Grade Families
The fair is scheduled January 23, 2019 from 6:00 to 7:30 pm.
Attention 8th Grade Students and Parents: Work Begins on 4 Year High School Individual Career and Academic Plans
Last week, our school counselors worked in 8th grade social studies classrooms to introduce students to high school scheduling and give them an opportunity to work on their 4-year plan called their Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). The 4-year plan is not the student’s registration for 9th grade classes, instead it is an outline that students will be able to revisit as they work through their high school years.
All 8th graders are enrolled in a Schoology course called “Class of 2023.” In this course, students have access to the power point shown in class, a blank ICAP, course offerings by grade level and the High School Registration Guide. Students were given time in class to begin their 4-year plan and were then encouraged to work alongside their parent or guardian on completing and submitting this plan. We recommend that you take some time over the upcoming break to review the above material and work with your 8th grader on their plan by: helping them understand how courses build upon one another, explaining how some classes require prerequisite courses prior to enrolling, navigating the various course descriptions with them and offering wisdom on how enrolling in certain courses will help prepare them for certain academic and career paths post high school graduation. Students have been instructed to upload their completed ICAPs to Schoology by January 2.
9th grade high school registration will not begin until Jan 23. Organizing this ICAP plan now should give you and your student ample time to ask questions and be fully prepared once registration begins.
Please reach out to your student’s counselor if you have any questions or concerns!
Raine Fick (last names A-D): rfick@cpsk12.org
Mark Holman (last names E-M): mholman@cpsk12.org
Lexie Davis (last names N-Z): aldavis@cpsk12.org
Counseling Office: (573) 214-3243
Look Around Boone: Creative Art Contest
Columbia Area Career Center (CACC) Showcase- Open House, January 10
Looking Ahead (January 7-13)
Please see listed below the clubs and/or activities along with their locations that are occurring at GMS for the upcoming week. Please know that activities are subject to occasional last minute changes.
Monday, January 7: (A Day) IPR's Go Home
2:35-4:15 pm- 8th Boys Basketball Practice
2:35-5:00 pm- Cheer Squad Practice/Up Commons
2:35-4:00 pm- Mary Poppins Rehearsal/Cafe
4:15-6:00 pm- 8th Girls Basketball Practice/Gym
Tuesday, January 8: (B Day)
7:00-7:20 pm- Glee Choir/Annex N
2:35-4:00 pm- Mary Poppins Rehearsal/Rm. 100
2:35-4:00 pm- Gentry Chess Club/Rm. 205
4:30-6:00 pm- Chili Supper and Athletic Fundraiser/Cafe
5:15-6:00 pm- Cheer Squad Cheering for Home Game/Commons
6:00 pm- 8th Boys Basketball Game vs. Oakland @ Oakland
6:00 pm- 8th Girls Basketball Game vs. Oakland @ GMS
6:00 pm- PTSA Meeting/Media Center
Wednesday, January 9: (A Day)
7:00-7:20 am- FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes)/Rm. 203
4:00-5:15 pm- 8th Boys Basketball Practice/Gym
6:00- 8th Girls Basketball Game vs. OLLIS @ GMS
Thursday, January 10: (B Day)
7:00-7:20 am- Glee Choir Rehearsal/Annex N
2:35-4:15 pm- 8th Girls Basketball Practice/Gym
2:35-4:00 pm- Mary Poppins Rehearsal/Stage
2:35-4:00 pm- Tennis Club/Locker Rooms
2:35-4:00 pm- French Study Hall/Annex K
2:35-4:00 pm- Science Olympiad/Rm. 116
4:15-6:30 pm- 8th Boys Basketball Practice/Gym
6:00-8:00 pm- Archery Club/Up Commons
Friday, January 11: (A Day)
2:35-4:30 pm- Show Choir Rehearsal/Stage
5:15-6:00 pm- Cheer Squad Cheering for Home Game/Up Commons
6:00 pm- 8th Boys Basketball Game vs. Sedalia @ GMS
6:00 pm-8th Girls Basketball Game vs. Sedalia @ Sedalia
Saturday, January 12:
4:00 pm- Show Choir Competition/RBHS PAC Center
Sunday, January 13:
4:00-6:00 pm- 8th Girls Basketball Practice/Gym
6:00-8:00 pm- 8th Boys Basketball Practice/Gym
Dates to Remember
1/7- Grade Cards Sent Home
1/8- Chili Supper Athletic Fundraiser
1/8- PTSA Meeting @ 6:00 pm in the Media Center
1/9- Boundary Change Open House/6-8:00 pm in the Cafe'
1/15- 8th Grade AVID Classes field trip to RBHS
1/15- Band Enrollment Night for Incoming 6th Grade Students @ 6:30 pm
1/21- Martin Luther King's Birthday/School Not in Session
1/22- Spelling Bee
1/30- 9th Grade High School Enrollment Forms Due
Jaguar News
Dr. Fairouz Bishara
Email: fbishara@cpsk12.org
Website: https://www.cpsk12.org/Domain/17
Phone: (573) 214-3240
Twitter: @FairouzBishara