Stanley Middle School

1. AirPods (if you use them on the bus, leave them in your bookbag when you arrive at school)

2. Heelys

3. Vapes

4. Water bottles filled with soda, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc

These items are becoming distractions and disruptions.

Click HERE to vote for the 2023-2024 GCS School Calendar.

1. Students who want breakfast need to report to cafeteria immediately upon arrival. Eat breakfast before you go to class.

2. Students who need to use the restroom upon arrival, go to class and get a hall pass and then go to the restroom. This will help control the amount of students in the restroom before school begins and allows us to aware of where students are in the building.

3. Please clean out your bookbags of unnecessary school items as this helps our morning metal detection go much faster. A clean bookbag also keeps you more organized as a student.

4. School starts at 8:30. Students who are late to school start out their. Our doors open at 7:50. Please make sure your child is on time for school.

It is hard to believe that we are already preparing for the second i-Ready® Diagnostic. The diagnostic is a computer-based test that provides information about how well your child is progressing and performing academically this school year. Please stress the importance of doing your best on the test as the results will help us make good decisions about the levels of instruction for your child during the second semester.

We are asking parents to do all they can to motivate their child as they prepare to take the i-Ready® Diagnostic test. Below are a few tips that we would like for you to take into consideration:

▪ Make sure your child gets a good night’s sleep before taking the test. (Dates are located in the Calendar portion of the newsletter)

▪ Have your child at school on time, especially on test days so the schedule is not interrupted.

▪ Talk with your child about why the test is important. You can say:

“The test helps you find out how much progress you have made since the beginning of the school year.”

“The test lets your teacher know about and celebrate your achievements.”

“Do your best; do not rush through the test, but don’t spend too much time on one question either.”

“As you go along, questions on the test change based on your answers to previous questions. You will see some questions that you do not know, and that is OK. Just try to do your best.”

We appreciate your efforts to provide encouragement for your child, and we thank you for taking an active role in your child’s learning. Working together, we are confident that this school year will be a productive and successful one for all of our students.

8th graders - Make plans to attend the GCS Choice Fair February 3 or 4 to learn about all GCS high school options.

Click HERE for more information.

Come hear our chorus and support SMS

SMS STUDENT AND STAFF REWARDS AMAZON WISH LIST

We will continue to update the list quarterly as we see what become the hot items. This week, students and staff loved mystery grab bags which contained several prizes.

JANUARY

16 - MLK Jr. Holiday

17 - iREADY 6th and 8th Math MOY testing

18 - iREADY 7th READING MOY; HS Magnet Choice programs speak to 8th graders

19 - iREADY MATH MOY; Science Fair

20 - Honor Roll Celebration

21- SMS Chorus sings @Checkers Game 3:00

23 - Basketball@Grier (students must have adult attend with them)

24 - School Spelling Bee

26 - Basketball@SMS

30 - Basketball@BCMS

FEBRUARY

2 - Basketball@SMS

3 - PTO Dance 3:30-5:00

3 - Choice Fair 5:00-8:00 Gastonia Conference Center

4 - Choice Fair 9:00-4:00 Gastonia Conference Center

6 - Basketball@SMS

9 - Interims go Home

9- Basetball@Holbrook

13- Basketball@SMS

16 - Basketball@Chavis

20 - No School for Students

21 - Basketball@Belmont

24 - Battle of Books Competition

27- Basketball@SMS

MARCH

2 - Basketball Playoffs

3 - Cheershow Case

4 - Robo Gaston

7- Boys Basketball Championship

8 - Girls Basketball Championship

9 - Dismissal - Parent Conferences

10 - No School for Students

GCS acknowledges that parents may opt to allow students to bring cell phones/two way communication devices (including watches) on school property for the purpose of communication as long as they are not activated, used, displayed or visible during the instructional day (which is as soon as students enter the building). School employees are permitted to confiscate any device which is activated, used, displayed or visible once students go thru metal detection. Phones which require parent pick up must be picked up by parent or guardian.

Therefore, the expectation is that if parents allow students to bring phones to school that they remain in their bookbag, OFF and AWAY, from the time they arrive at school until they leave at the end of the day. Students with communicati9on devices on watches are not to use communication devices during the school day.

See Rule 18 in the GCS Code of Conduct for full policy.

Please reference this electronic handbook if you have any questions regarding general polices and procedures for school.

Students who wear hoodie sweatshirts to school need to make sure their hood remains off their head inside the building.