Weekly GUFS Newsletter
June 11, 2021
The Principal's Message: 8th Grade Award Ceremony
Dear Families,
The 8th Grade Award Ceremony was a success!
I express my deepest gratitude to our families, and teachers for their support and efforts to further develop our young talented students. I thank you all for coming together today in-person, signifying the importance of this event.
Thank you to our staff who have helped to judge the recipients of the awards. Thank you to Michael Twardy and your team for all that you do to prepare for these events. We know it is no easy task. Finally, a big thank you goes out to Cathy Clark who has been our 8th grade advisor and coordinator of all of these amazing events for our 8th graders. Your hard work, Cathy, is noticed and appreciated and we all love you!
It has been an honor these past 8 months getting to know each of your children and to finally have an opportunity to meet all of you. I feel honored to share the achievements of the brilliant students of our school. We believe in excellence in education, which plays a crucial role in a student’s bright future. Our staff here at GUFS is committed to contributing towards each and every student’s success.
Our students proved their ability in academics, extra-curricular activities, service, sports, drama, arts, music and character. They made us proud with their tremendous growth and efforts particularly in such a challenging year.
Congratulations to all the 8th grade students who received their awards today!!! We look forward to our final celebration on June 24th for their well-deserved graduation day!
With gratitude,
Allison Emig
Principal
A Recap of the 3rd Grade Field Trip to the Bear Mountain State Park and Zoo
Diane Metviner, Marisa Gargaro, the Third Grade and Sara Stevenson took the 3rd Grade students on a tour of the Trailside Museum and Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park yesterday. Students learned about native animals and how many of the animal residents are at the zoo because they had either been injured or were domesticated and unable to return to the wild. The group finished off the trip with a picnic overlooking Hessian Lake.
GUFS Recognized as Top Performing School District for DBT
Out of ninety-two (92) teams in forty-one (41) school districts, the Garrison Union Free School District DBT Team, led by School Counselor, Krista DiDiego and School Psychologist, Jessica VanDekker, was selected by Cognitive and Behavioral Consultants as their top performing school district for the implementation of Dialectical Behavior Therapy during the 2020-2021 school year.
As a generation of young people swept up in a global pandemic are experiencing higher levels of mental stress than ever before, the timing of the implementation of the DBT program was pivotal for students, their families, and school staff.
The consultants also commended the Garrison School DBT team for their efforts to expose the benefits of DBT to the larger community, which in turn, will provide greater opportunity to create a culture change and better understanding of mental health challenges that exist for so many.
The Garrison Board of Education, as well as the District and School Administration team is extremely fortunate and very proud of the members of the Garrison School DBT Team. We look forward to seeing how the team will expand on the success of this valuable program!
Time Capsule Ceremony June 25th
Ned Rausch, our PTA president, has donated a real 4" x 13" time capsule to the school! Coulter Young, our GUFS art teacher is currently coordinating with every grade to answer a few questions and to submit drawings about what it was like to be in school during COVID-19. These contents will then go into the capsule to be ceremoniously buried on June 25th at 9:00 AM and will be reclaimed in a decade.
Colonial Day Planned for June 17th & June 23rd
Colonial Day will be held in two parts. Part I will be held on Thursday, June 17th from 9:00 AM to 11:30 AM for the 7th Graders only. Then, on Wednesday, June 23 (a half-day at GUFS), the 7th graders will be running Colonial Day stations such as:
-Blacksmith Demo
-Candle Making Station
-Calligraphy Station
-Tin Tapping
-Apple Cider Making
-Music
-Military Drills
The 4th-6th Grade students are invited to attend this special event!
Regents Exam Dates
Algebra 1 Regents (8th grade): June 23rd at 9:15am
Save the Date: Field Day - June 21st (Rain Date is June 22nd)
Grades K-3 from 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM (Lunch will be from 11:15 AM - 12:00 PM)
Grades 4-8 from 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM (Lunch will be from 12:30 PM -1:15 PM)
More details to follow.
8th Grade Events: SAVE THE DATES
- Monday, June 14th at 8:45 AM: 8th Grade Hiking Field Trip to Anthony's Nose
- Monday, June 14th at 12:00 PM: Building New Traditions! Principal's Luncheon with the 8th Graders at El Coyote Restaurant in Garrison
- Thursday, June 24th at 6:00 PM: 8th Grade Graduation at our School Gymnasium. For more information, visit the Gr8 News: Special Graduation Edition Newsletter
5th Grade Events: SAVE THE DATES
- Tuesday, June 15th: 5th Grade Student Middle School Tour during their scheduled guidance times
- Wednesday, June 16th (3:15 PM - 4:00 PM): 5th Grade Middle School Parent Meet & Greet in the School Gymnasium (A parent-only event). Your child is welcome to stay at school while you attend the Meet & Greet. Please be sure to indicate that your child will be staying after school for the "Meet & Greet Parent Event" in School Dismissal Manager. The children will be supervised on the playground by staff members during the meet & greet. For more information, click here.
- Thursday, June 17th from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm: The 5th Grade Bridge Bash for 5th, 6th and 7th Graders at our outdoor pavilion. Click here for more information and to complete the consent form.
- Friday, June 18th: 5th Grade Field Trip to the Taconic Outdoor Education Center
- Monday, June 21st (5th Grade Bridge Bash Rain Date) from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
6/14: Yearbooks Can Be Ordered Via Backpack Mail for $40
Chromebooks & Chargers Used For Remote Home Instruction Are Due Back to School by 6/22/21
Nurse Melissa's Corner
Please know that additional immunizations are required for students entering grades 6 (Tdap) and 7 (Meningococcal). Please plan to complete these immunizations over the summer so your child's education is not interrupted. If you need to check your child's status, please feel free to contact me at mdefonce@gufs.org
If your child is receiving the COVID vaccine please snap a photo of the card or send the dates to Nurse Melissa mdefonce@gufs.org so she can input this information into the system. It is best to wait until both vaccines have been received to send this information in.
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Nurse Melissa continues to offer COVID-19 testing for GUFS students. The next testing date is Monday, June 14th in the morning before school starts. If you wish to have your child tested, please email Nurse Melissa at mdefonce@gufs.org to schedule your appointment.
GUFS COMMUNITY SECTION
Community Organizations & Resources on The GUFS District Website
GCEF Grants Received and Are Being Reviewed
Lost & Found
Calendar Reminders
- 6/14: 8th Grade Hiking Field Trip to Anthony's Nose
- 6/14: Building New Traditions! Principal's Luncheon with the 8th Graders to El Coyote Restaurant in Garrison
- 6/15: 5th Grade Student Middle School Tour during their scheduled guidance times
- 6/16: 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM: 5th Grade Middle School Parent Meet & Greet (Parent-only event)
- 6/17: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: The 5th Grade Bridge Bash for Grades 5-7 at our School Pavilion (Rain Date 6/21)
- 6/17: Colonial Day Celebration Part 1: 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM - 7th Grade Only
- 6/18: 5th Grade Field Trip to the Taconic Outdoor Education Center: 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM
- 6/21: Field Day (Rain Date 6/22) 9:00 AM - 1:15 PM
- 6/22: Chromebooks and Chargers used for home instruction are due back to school
- 6/22: Living Environment Regents (8th grade) at 9:15am
6/23: Algebra 1 Regents (8th grade) at 9:15am
- 6/23: Colonial Day Part 2: Half Day - 7th Grade (plus 4th-6th invited to stations)
- 6/24: 6:00 PM: 8th Grade Graduation at our School Gymnasium
- 6/25: 9:00 AM - 9:15 AM - " Time Capsule" Ceremony
We are GUFS!
Email: slusardi@gufs.org
Website: https://www.gufs.org/Domain/4
Location: 1100 NY-9D, Garrison, NY 10524
Phone: 845-424-3689
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/garrisonufs/