Happenings @ the Hill
Volume 1 Issue 16 (Week of February 4-8)
Thank you Ms. Ross, Mr. Wesseling, and Ms. Cappiello for being awesome school guidance counselors! We appreciate all you do.
Help us show our appreciation this week.
Thank a school counselor today!
Our counselors are #1!
"Quick List" (On Our Campus This Week)
Tuesday - Polar Plunge Popsicles for $1 at all lunches today! / Boy Scouts of America Parent Meeting @ 7pm in Media Center for Interested Students and Parents
Wednesday - Teacher of the Year and Support Staff Member of the Year Announcement!
Thursday - Polar Plunge Popsicles for $1 at all lunches today! / NAEP Assessment for Selected 8th Graders (Media Center)
Friday - $1 Hat Day for the Polar Plunge!
"Scout Me In" Parent Meeting is Tuesday Night @ 7pm in our Media Center
During FLEX This Week (8:15-8:45am)
- Monday - ELA Groups and Article of the Week for 7th/8th; 6th Graders attending a guest speaker from Boys Scouts of America
- Tuesday - StuCo Meeting/UpStanders Meeting / You be the Chemist Challenge (written assessment piece) https://www.chemed.org/programs/challenge/
- Wednesday - ELA Groups
- Thursday - Another Great Day to Be a Bulldog!
- Friday - Pay It Forward Friday!
@ FMHS - Rising 9th Grade Parent Night and Curriculum Fair @ 6:30pm
8th Grade Junior Scholars Ceremony is Monday, February 11th @ NAFO - 6:00pm
Fort Mill School District
8th Grade Junior Scholars Recognition Ceremony
Helpful Hints
Event: Fort Mill School District 8th Grade Junior Scholar Recognition Ceremony
Purpose: To celebrate and honor middle school students from several school districts who have met the State identification of academic achievement on the PSAT or through the 7th grade Duke Talent Identification Program (SAT or ACT).
Date: Monday, February 11, 2019
Location: Nation Ford High School Auditorium 1400 A. O. Jones Blvd, Fort Mill, SC 29715
Directions from GHMS: Take a Left to Highway 160 and turn Right on Gold Hill Road. Continue straight. Gold Hill Road will become Springfield Parkway (continuing past Captain Steve’s Restaurant). Turn Left on A.O. Jones Blvd. (There is a traffic light here.) Nation Ford High School -1400 A.O. Jones Blvd is on the Left.
Arrival Time: 5:30-5:45 pm in the Nation Ford High School Auditorium. GHMS students will report to the Right Section of the Auditorium. There will be stickers with student’s last names on the backs of the seats, find your name and be seated.
Note: Please report promptly to this area so that we can get our students lined up in alphabetical order. The Ceremony will start at 6:00 pm.
Behavior: This program will be attended by FMSD Superintendent Dr. Chuck Epps, GHMS Principal Christine McNeil, GHMS School Counselors, and FMSD officials. The ceremony is considered a school event and we expect your best behavior. All GHMS rules for behavior apply. We expect you to be respectful, attentive, and represent your family, school, district, and yourself with pride and dignity.
Please do not: talk, cheer, jeer, laugh, or distract others from hearing and participating in the ceremony. Refrain from using cell phones, games, and other devices that may cause a distraction. If possible, we encourage you to leave cell phones at home. Please be polite and respectful in your interactions with students from other schools.
GHMS students will be honored and celebrated with students and school representatives from Fort Mill Middle School, Springfield Middle School, Banks Trail Middle School and Pleasant Knoll Middle School. Please honor and respect everyone’s moment of recognition with quiet reserve.
Junior Scholar Ceremony Attire Guidelines and Helpful Hints
Attire: In the past, there have been photographers to take group pictures for each school. Please wear dressy attire and abide by the following guidelines for your clothing selection. This photo can be a Jr. Scholar group picture in the GHMS Yearbook and/or on the GHMS website and other social media accounts. These hints and guidelines in no way communicate a requirement for you to go shopping. We want you to look your best for the ceremony and for pictures. We want you to wear clothing items that you already have in your closet that meet the recommendations below. **Use what you already have in your closet.
Male
Solid colored Dress slacks (blue, black, or khaki)
Pressed or Ironed Dress shirt and tie
Blazer or matching suit jacket—Optional
Dress Shoes cleaned and shined
*It may be chilly in the auditorium, so you may bring a sweater or jacket.
Females
Solid Dress shirt, sweater, or blouse
Dress slacks or knee length skirt
Solid Material Dresses with modest and appropriate neckline fit and hem length
Shoes with reasonable heel, comfort, and age appropriate style (you will be walking up/down 2 sets of stairs, onto a stage)
Appropriate color and coverage of foundations (i.e. slips or camisoles) so that clothing can’t be seen through (the stage is brightly lit)
*It may be chilly in the auditorium, so you may bring a sweater.
Evening Fashion No’s (DON’Ts)
Jeans, athletic gear, or shorts
Articles of clothing with holes or tears
Message shirts or ties
See-through clothing (You will be on a stage with bright stage lights.)
Flip flops or athletic shoes
Mini skirts
Low necklines
Extremely high heeled shoes (You will have to walk up and down stairs and across a stage.)
Please contact School Counselors-- Ms. Ross & Mr. Wesseling or GHMS Administrators (Mrs. McNeil, Mr. Eppes or Mr. McCallum) if you do not have certain items (i.e. belt or tie) or if you have financial hardship securing appropriate attire.
Is Baseball or Track your kid's jam? If so, read on...
Physicals need to be uploaded to Arbiter Athlete in order to participate. For the 1st day, the student may bring a copy of his/her physical with him/her to tryouts if you have not had time to upload. All information must be completed on Arbiter Athlete by the end of tryouts. Information on how to upload and complete the forms can be found by following this LINK.
Baseball: Mon. 2/4 – Thur. 2/7 at school until 5:30pm on Monday. Remaining days will be at Carolina Baseball Center @ 225 Olympic Street, Charlotte, NC 28273.
Track: Practice will begin Mon. 2/4 after school until 5:00pm. (Track is open to everyone! There are no "cuts" in this sport.)
Yearbook News
LAST DAY for Yearbook ADS is February 8th!
This is our school-specific link to your online Jostens yearbook offer.
http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01085939
This link prevents the purchaser from having to enter school name or city/state when going to www.JostensYearbooks.com.
Our Pay It Forward Projects
Bulldogs 4 the Plunge '19 - Pay It Forward House Challenge
Thank you for your continued support of our projects!
BBEL Academy
This summer a group of GHMS teachers plans to travel to our sister school, BBEL Academy, in Uganda. Our goal is to help BBEL Academy in whatever ways we can including working on the physical space and also doing some teaching!
This website has been developed to better explain our partnership with BBEL and the ways you can help Pay It Forward. Thank you in advance for your support!
Let's Do Lunch!
We need YOUR HELP to make this happen. So far we have 17 volunteers.
To cover one day of lunch duties, we need 9 people each day across 5 days unless our parents cover more than one lunch block in a day.
Please consider volunteering! We would love to have you visit campus!
Need Immediate Access To Your Student's Grades, Attendance, Lunch Balance, and Other Info?
Use Parent Portal - access the link below to learn how to use this tool.
Please note that we are not sending home written progress reports this year. An email alert and reminder (as well as this newsletter) will be sent out regarding progress report dates encouraging you to check Parent Portal.
If you are having any issues with Parent Portal, please notify Dawn Fite @ fited@fortmillschools.org.
Save the Date(s) for 8th Graders
February 19th - Rising 9th Grade Parent Meeting hosted by Gold Hill Middle (gym) @ 6:15pm
February 28th - IGP Day @ GHMS
April 26th - 8th Dance (7:00-10:00pm)
June 3rd - Recognition Practice Day
June 5th - Recognition Ceremony @ 9:00am (Half day of school.)
Save the Date (s) - ALL Bulldogs
February 21st - Progress Reporting - Check Powerschool for your student's mid-term progress
March 19th - Bulldog Bash (Home Soccer Game)
March 22nd - Incentive Day
March 25th - Q3 Ends - 135th Day of School
March 29th - Teacher Work Day* (*weather makeup, if needed)
April 3rd - Report Cards Go Home
April 15th - 19th - Spring Break
April 30th - Bulldogs for Change STEAM/Literacy Night 6-8pm
Thank you to the following corporate sponsors for your continued support!
Need More Information About Athletics?
Jackson Orthodontics - LEADER OF THE PACK SPONSOR!
Thank you Dr. Jackson for continuing to support our district athletic programs! You are our Leader of the Pack Sponsor by donating an additional $3,500 above your $5,000 donation to our district wide 5k!
HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEK!
Christine V. McNeil, Principal
Website: http://ghms.fortmillschools.org/
Location: 1025 Dave Gibson Boulevard, Tega Cay 29708
Phone: 803-548-8300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GHMS1998/
Twitter: @GHMSBulldogs