I know we are all looking forward to Spring Break. Let's all use this week as chance to spend time with family and friends, to rest, and to come back ready to do our best work yet.

Among a few other items discussed at the Germantown Board of Education's February Business Meeting, your elected officials approved the bid for the Houston Middle Painting Project. Also, my Superintendent's Report provided updates on the progress of the Houston High School Master Planning Project.

Jason Manuel,

Superintendent

Treble Choir is an audition choir for elementary and middle school students. Each year, students across the state audition and only a select few are chosen to perform in the prestigious group. They perform at the annual Tennessee Music Education Association Conference. The following students were selected:

McKay Boston, Victoria Britson, Ashlyn Campbell, Molly Lovan, Rainorah Pare', Lara Yaligar, Campbell Conaway, Timothy McCarver, Sofia Ovando, Ellis Saffer, Jonah Timmons, Addelyn Simpson, Fletcher Horrell, Harper Tilson, Petula Kruzan, Madelyn Hughey, Audrey Cox, Lucy Brooks, Carter Kidd, Emily Chow, and Rini Hinkle. Also pictured are their supporting choir/music teachers Amy Assad, Thomas Timmerman and Peter Simons.

The Scholastic Art Awards are a nationally recognized competition in which students compete in categories such as painting, illustration, fashion design, mixed media, and photography. The Scholastic Awards Honorable Mentions, Silver Keys, and Gold Keys–the highest distinction. Students who receive Gold Keys in TN are advanced to the national competition. We’d like to recognize our gold key winners tonight.

In High School Visual Arts: Grayson Auger, Eleanor Hsueh, Sydney Kong, Shirley Kong, Addie Smith, Renee Wang, and Claire Yang.

In High School Writing: Harrison Shao

In Middle School Visual Arts: Aubree Jiang, Yifei Ren, and Rachel Yan

These students were joined by their art teacher, Hillary Higginbotham.

For the FIRST YEAR, the state of TN has organized its own version of All-West and All-State for theater students. Houston High School placed several students in the All-West Theater program, but only two were selected for All-State.

Sarah Johnson (Technical Theater)

Megan Waugh (Musical Theater)

Jon House, a second grade teacher at Forest Hill elementary, has been named the GMSD Teacher of the Year for grades PreK-4.

Mr. House. You have made a significant impact on the students and community at Forest Hill. You have helped raise thousands of dollars to plan for a learning garden to help teach your students about the importance of environmental conservation. You are lively in how you teach, whether it’s incorporating your ukulele skills or getting your students engaged in hands-on learning. You are always encouraging your students to think creatively and explore the joys of learning. Your dedication to making the classroom a fun and engaging environment shows just how much you care about your students, and it makes you well deserving of being named Teacher of the Year.

Alicia Breen is an 8th grade Social Studies teacher at Houston Middle School who has made a significant impact on her students' lives.

Ms. Breen. You are so loved by not only your current students, but also your former students. Many of them have even credited you for the reason that they themselves went on to become teachers. You inspire your students everyday to work hard, and be the best they can be. You are passionate about making sure that those around you feel loved and cared for. You lead the hospitality committee to make sure birthdays and anniversaries are never forgotten. You serve as the Blue Chip Mentor for new Houston Middle School educators, to make sure that they are taken care of and well informed. Your dedication to your students and your co-workers has made so many of those around you remember that they are loved and cared for, and you are such a good representation for Teacher of the Year.

Valerie McKinney, an AP English and AP Seminar teacher at Houston High School, has been named the Teacher of the Year for grades 9-12.

Ms. McKinney. You are recognized by your colleagues and students as always helping to create and foster a positive culture. You are a dedicated and excellent teacher, and you have contributed to this school community in so many ways. You communicate the needs of your department, you support your colleagues in whatever way you can, and you set high expectations for your students. You encourage your students to grow both, and you are always there to help them on their way to success. You help the staff stay connected with one another by organizing get-togethers, and you always ensure to prepare excellent instruction for your students. Your colleagues and your students alike have said that you are an inspiration to them, and we couldn’t agree more. You are an inspiration, and you are deserving of Teacher of the Year.

Shamira Davis - Principal of the Year

Ms. Davis. During your two years as Houston Middle School’s principal, those around you have recognized your exceptional leadership qualities and your dedication to your students and your staff. You have helped to create a positive and inclusive school culture, where every student feels like they belong. Your joyful spirit shines through in all of the work that you do, and you encourage your students and your staff to have a similar spirit in their work. Your efforts have lifted student opportunities and engagement, and you continue to put students first in all your work. You are invested in this community, and we are so happy to recognize you as Principal of the Year.

Karen Dodd of Student Services

Ms. Dodd. You support the needs of our students and families everyday in the outstanding work you do. You are passionate and dedicated, and you have been so instrumental in creating an inclusive environment for all students. You have led our assistant principals in professional development to further improve our district and our community as a whole. You are always thinking of new ways to support our students and staff, and this dedication to our community has not gone unnoticed. Our administrators are excited about both the Empower and Activate Cohorts–parents love the attendance magnets. Yes, those were her idea! We are so excited to present you with this award. Keep innovating, and we wish you luck on your next leg of the journey!

Congratulations to our HHS Literary Magazine students, who received a rating of Superior in the 2022 National Council of Teachers of English and is now ranked as first in the state among high schools.

Editor and senior, Victoria Pastor shared that the goal of the magazine was to highlight students’ work and to encourage people to continue pursuing their art, while also creating bonds between students who may not realize that there is a writing community within Houston High School. “It helps to foster connections…and getting an award for what we’ve worked so hard on was very validating.”

Please join me in celebrating Meg Canady, Denise Fisher and Christy Law during National School Social Workers Week. Listen to Houston High School's Denise Fisher explain the role of social workers in the school setting.

People become social workers because they have a strong desire to help others and make our schools a better place. During Social Work Month we urge you to educate yourselves about this amazing profession, thank the social workers in our schools, and help support the profession. Visit the link below to visit GMSD's Student Readiness Hub on the website.

Riverdale’s The Little Mermaid Jr. played to packed houses throughout the weekend. They also hosted two field trip experiences for neighboring Memphis Shelby County Schools and for senior citizens at the Villages. We love that they are using their talents to make connections to our broader community!

GMSD also wants to congratulate the cast and crew of Chicago from Houston High School. There was expert level talent in that production and we cannot wait to see how many awards they are going to receive at the High School Musical Theater Awards this year.

Three great productions, all of them with an army of backstage crew members. From members of the outstanding student orchestra to crew members coming in to assist their former schools--we saw our GMSD students truly come together to pull off these productions.

And of course, behind every great production are great directors. Congratulations to Christina Hernandez, Cheryl McClurg, Kell Christie, and their creative teams. Check out a behind the scenes exclusive about the making of Falcon Footlight’s Beauty and the Beast Jr. to see what goes into putting on these productions.

Kazo Kibuishi, author of the Amulet book series, was at Forest Hill Elementary last Monday. Students were able to hear him speak about writing, and they had the chance to ask him questions about what might come next in the series and how he creates his unique characters. They were able to come to the library with their favorite books from the Amulet series and get them signed by the author. Not only did Kibuishi sign the books, but he would also draw students' favorite characters inside of the front cover as well. Students were overjoyed to see these beloved characters be brought to life right in front of them.

Spring Sports are starting up, and our team parents have been preparing for the baseball home opener next week with the annual tradition of the baseball facility cleanup day. The baseball parents Jill Moffit and Richelle Kidder show incredible support by getting the grounds looking good for opening day. "It was baseball facility cleanup day yesterday. An annual tradition where the baseball parents do all we can to get the grounds looking good for opening day," said Kidder. Last weekend, the Mustang Baseball Boosters hosted another long-time tradition, "Mustang Madness" event. A party and fundraiser, the boosters kicked off the upcoming spring season with live music, an auction, hors d'oeuvres, games, and baseball merchandise sale.

Varsity baseball will face Brighton at home on March 13.

Boys and Girls track and field saw success at the indoor state meet, placing fourth in the Girl’s Distance Medley Relay, Zoe March also placed fourth in the Girl’s mile run, and Cory Young placed fourth in the boy's long jump. Eva Gautreaux became a state champion as she placed first in the 400. Track and Field is also getting ready for their home opener with the West Tennessee Jamboree on March 9. Houston High School Tennis opened this past weekend with their Doubles Tournament at Collierville.

Don't miss your chance to come out and see these athletes in action! Have you downloaded our Houston Athletics App? GMSD is excited to announce that middle school feeder programs will be added to the app and website in Quarter Four.

Houston High School’s award winning Pom team wants you to be a part of their program. Pom tryouts will take place March 20, 21, and 23 for any rising 9-11 graders. Houston’s volleyball program is also preparing for tryouts on May 24th. Tryout packets for both of these incredible teams are available on the Houston Athletics website.

As summer approaches, Houston’s boys and girls varsity basketball teams are excited to announce their summer camp information. The boys and girls basketball camps will be held on June 19-22 from 9am-12pm, and they are open to 1-8 graders. The boys camp will take place in the Houston High School gym, and the girls camp will be over at the Houston Middle School gym.

We are working on a summer camp roundup to be published after the break. Make sure to submit your camp information in time!

Deadline: March 21st.

Email submissions to Emily.Hume@gmsdk12.org.

March is National Athletic Training Month, and we are wanting to recognize the Athletic Training staff at Houston High School. Tripp Turner has been the athletic trainer at Houston for 28 years, and he is a champion for the Germantown community. He has held positions with the Tennessee Athletic Trainer’s Society and served on the TSSAA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, and he was recently appointed to the Union University Master of Athletic Training Curriculum Advisory Board.

Middle schoolers from the Raider News Network took a special field trip to HNN News: Your Home for Everything Houston on the high school campus. The future is looking bright for our students that are interested in broadcast journalism.

The Houston Middle Mustangs also took their classes on the road last week. As an add-on to studying the Judicial system, students were invited to the Shelby County Justice Center to see the judicial system in action. Students were able to sit in on a variety of court cases, speak with and ask questions of the judges, and explore different areas of the courtroom.

Is your high school student interested in law, emergency services, or entrepreneurship? Take a look at a new program being offered by Leadership Germantown for teens. And, check out a commercial made by our very own GMSD communication interns.

Beginning on March 13, the City’s contractor will begin a pavement reclamation project along Dogwood Road, from Kimbrough Road to Lansingwood Drive. The process involves taking the existing asphalt and pulverizing it, tearing it up, reclaiming it and making a new base layer using a combination of the recycled pavement along with cementitious material.

Over the years, this roadway has experienced surface failures, which require frequent asphalt overlays to keep it in good shape. The full-depth reclamation of the roadway base and asphalt layers will result in a longer lasting and safer roadway. Dogwood Road from Kimbrough Road to Birchton Drive was chosen for pavement reclamation during fiscal year 2023 during the. The portion of Dogwood Road from Kimbrough Road to Lansingwood Drive, is the first of three phases of reclamation that will be completed along Dogwood Road. In fiscal year 2024, Public Works intends to ask the Board of Mayor and Aldermen to consider the second phase which would continue along Dogwood Road from Birchton Drive to Brachton Avenue. A third and final phase of the reclamation project is planned from Brachton Avenue to Forest Hill Irene Road.

The first phase of the roadway work is expected to last approximately two months, weather permitting. While one side of the road is stabilized and paved, all traffic will be diverted to the other side of the road and vice versa. Two way traffic will be maintained throughout the duration of the project. In addition, access to the private driveways and the St. George's Independent School campus will be maintained. Solid waste, recycling and yard waste collections will also continue as scheduled for residents along the project site.

Motorists are encouraged to choose an alternate route, if they are able to, throughout the extent of this project.

What is Snapshots?

Hear from teachers, administrators, and other surprise guests at each of our six schools. Discover what makes working at Germantown Municipal School District special as you enjoy a tour, engaging activities, and casual conversation.

Houston High- Tues. March 7th from 3:30-5:30

Forest Hill Elem- Thurs. March 9th from 5:00-6:30

Houston Middle- Tues. March 21st from 3:30-5:30

Dogwood Elem- Thurs. March 23rd from 5:00-6:30

Farmington Elem- Tues. March 28th from 4:30-6:30

Riverdale Elem- Thurs. March 30th from 4:30-6:30

National School Breakfast Week March 6-10, 2023

At GMSD, we believe in starting the day off right—and that includes a nutritious breakfast for all students. By celebrating National School Breakfast Week (NSBW) every year, we’re encouraging all students to recognize the importance of a healthy start to the day for fueling their academic success.

Did you know children who eat breakfast are more likely to...

· Reach higher levels of achievement in reading and math

· Score higher on standardized tests

· Have better concentration and memory

· Be more alert and maintain a healthy weight

But when the school week gets busy, it’s easy for students to rush out the door in the morning without having a nutritious meal. That’s why school breakfast is such a great option! In fact, students who participate in school breakfast tend to have better attendance rates and fewer behavioral problems.

Celebrate National School Breakfast Week and enjoy a wonderful breakfast!

Monday March 6th French Toast Casserole

Tuesday March 7th Turkey Ham & Egg Burrito

Wednesday March 8th Strawberry Banana Smoothie

Thursday March 9th Fluffy Pancake with Turkey Sausage

Friday March 10th Honey Glazed Chicken Biscuit