Yellow Jacket Family News
February 5, 2024
February is Black History and CTE Month!
Greetings Jacket Families!!
Welcome to February! This leap year, February has an extra day, which means it is a longer time to celebrate Black History and Career Technology Education.
February is Black History Month, a time to celebrate the achievements and contributions of African Americans to our nation's history and culture. Throughout the month, our school will host various events and activities to honor this important observance. I encourage all students and families to participate in these opportunities for learning and celebration.
February is Career and Technical Education (CTE) Month, a time dedicated to recognizing the incredible contributions of CTE programs in shaping the future of our students and preparing them for success in various career pathways.
CTE plays a vital role in equipping our students with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive in a rapidly evolving workforce. It provides them with real-world experiences, hands-on training, and a solid foundation in critical thinking and problem-solving. Gwynn Park has many CTE programs that require an application to enroll: Fire Science; AFJROTC; Cosmetology; Culinary Arts; Environment, Agriculture and Natural Sciences; and Information Technology (Computer Science & CISCO). As we celebrate CTE Month, we acknowledge the importance of empowering our students to explore and pursue diverse career opportunities, and celebrate the AMAZING instructors who make this happen!
This week, we will celebrate our Professional School Counselors, in honor of National School Counselors Week, February 5-9, 2024. I am delighted to express my deepest appreciation for the invaluable contributions of our dedicated counseling team. This week provides us with a special opportunity to recognize and celebrate the tireless efforts of our professional school counselors who play a crucial role in shaping the future of our students.
Our counselors are the unsung heroes behind the scenes, providing guidance, support, and a compassionate ear to our students as they navigate the various challenges of academic, personal, and social development. Their commitment to fostering a safe and nurturing environment is truly commendable, and it significantly contributes to the overall well-being and success of our school community. Please take the time to send your grade-level counselor a thank you note: 9th- alicia.greene@pgcps.org ; 10th- brianna.jones@pgcps.org ; 11th- cynthia.critten@pgcps.org; 12th- latasha.mann@pgcps.org.
Throughout the upcoming months, our focus remains on providing a well-rounded education that equips our students with the skills, knowledge, and resilience needed for the future. As you all know, we dropped in our Maryland Report Card rating from three stars to two stars based on School Year 2022-2023. We must work together to address the discrepancies and allow our success to show on our Report Card. More information is forthcoming, but we will continue this year to emphasize the importance of collaboration, critical thinking, and creativity in our classrooms. We will continue Continue to embrace and practice the 3C's! Compassion, Consistency and Celebration!
As we continue to navigate the ongoing challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, I want to remind all families to continue following our school's safety protocols. This includes wearing masks, practicing good hand hygiene, and staying home when feeling unwell. By working together, we can help ensure a safe and healthy learning environment for all.
If you have any concerns, please reach me by email at naima.vinson@pgcps.org. Follow me on Twitter @GPHS_PrinHopVin, and join the band app .
I appreciate the opportunity to serve your family! Let's make February a month of growth, learning, and community involvement.
Your Purposeful Principal,
Naima Hopkins-Vinson
Administrative Team Emails & Communication Apps
Administrative Team Email Communication
12th Grade Assistant Principal
Rashieda Addison, rashieda.addison@pgcps.org
11th Grade Assistant Principal
Yolanda Clark, yolanda.leonardclark@pgcps.org
10th Grade Assistant Principal
Eric Harrison, eric.harrison@pgcps.org
9th Grade Assistant Principal
Colby White, cwhite@pgcps.org
SENIOR CORNER
IT IS YOUR YEAR, 2024!!!
- Kudos to Seniors who met the deadline of January 5, 2024 of submitting their Service Learning Hours Form. You ROCK!
This is a graduation requirement and must be completed! See the 2024 Class CANVAS website for PROJECT 24!
- Please join us for a hands-on FAFSA Workshop on February 8, 2024 at 6 pm at GPHS led by Mr. Palmer, PGCC Partner and Ms. Mann, Professional School Counselor.
- Be sure to bring a charged device.
Remember May/4th quarter is a very short timeframe for seniors.
Attend class everyday, on time and complete all assignments with great effort and excellence!
Student drivers must enter and exit through the main door. Alarms are on other doors to be consistent with the security expectation of the new enhancements.
School Uniform-Black or White Collared Shirts; Khaki Bottoms
NO HOODIES!!!
Cell Phone/Mobile Device Request
While mobile phones continue to be useful tools in education, they have also become a harmful distraction for many teenage learners during the school day. We are asking all parents to help by exploring ways of implementing parental controls on student mobile devices during school hours. We also ask that you have regular conversations with your children about responsible usage of mobile devices and social media. We will be having ongoing conversations with the community about this throughout the year to promote a safe and healthy learning environment for all.
Please note that TEACHERS ARE PERMITTED TO HAVE NO CELL PHONE POLICIES IN THEIR CLASSROOMS, and students must adhere to these classroom rules.
Parental control guides for iPhones, Android, and other devices
Athletic Events This Week
Monday-Track @ PG Sportsplex 1:30 pm
Tuesday- Boys Basketball vs CMIT-South @ GP JV 5:30 and Varsity 7:15 pm
Girls Basketball @ CMIT-South 6 pm no JV
Wednesday-open
Thursday-Boys Basketball @ Surrattsville JV 5:30 pm and Varsity @7:15 pm
JV Girls @ Duval 5:30 pm
Friday- Girls Basketball vs Surrattsville @ GP 6:30 pm (Senior Night)
Saturday-JV Girls Basketball @ Flowers 10 am
Swimming @ PG Championships @ Fairland 9 am
Noteworthy and New
Our Cheerleaders sweep at the CH Flowers invitational!
JV won overall in Intermediate Level
Varsity won overall in Advanced Level
Girl's Summit
Congratulations to Ms. Critten and Dr. Newton for earning a grant to sponsor the annual Valentine's Day Summit. This year will focus on Young Women and will indeed be a monumental event with special treats available to all who sign up.
Parking Enforcement
All parked cars need a parking pass. Student parking passes can be purchased from Security for $10. A copy of a valid license, registration and insurance is required. Towing will be enforced for the remainder of the school year. All visitors to the school can receive a parking pass from the main office.
Testing Updates
WIDA Testing will continue this week.
Benchmark Testing Continues
Upcoming Events
February 6, 2024: PTSA Meeting
February 5-9, 2024: National School Counselor Week
February 12-16, 2024: Winter Spirit Week (More information forthcoming)
February 14, 2024: Girl's Summit
February 16, 2024: Grade Appeal Window Deadline for parent appeals
February 23, 2024: Progress Reports Released
February 28 & 29, 2024: Black History Month Celebrations
Monday & Wednesday Student Service Learning Hours for 9th graders! Contact cwhite@pgcps.org for more information.