GMS Principal's Corner
January 17, 2021
Dear Galvin Families,
As we celebrate the life and work of Dr. King, I am reminded that his work for humanity is timeless and continues to be urgent and imperative. When trying to decide which quote to feature in this newsletter, there were so many that felt appropriate. Ultimately, I chose the quote above: "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter," because as educators we work with children and what we do, what we say, and what we stay silent about matters to the children and families that we serve.
Words have power. As an English teacher I believe that. Sometimes that power comes in written form and sometimes it is in spoken form. There are times, as well, that the power of words comes from what is left unsaid. It is important that our school and district strategic plans state clearly that we are doing the work that matters. The Galvin is committed to the work of Educational Equity and to becoming a school where everyone feels an authentic sense of belonging. We are not a school that just writes these words down though and moves on. We find ways to intentionally take action because it matters and makes a difference for our students. We do not want what's important to be left unsaid.
We are doing the work. For the last two years we have talked as a staff about how to build strong relationships with students so they feel like they are loved and cared for at school. We are evaluating and adapting our curriculum for bias and to ensure representation of all students. Most importantly, we are having difficult and meaningful conversations about equity so we can evaluate our own practices as a school and as individuals. We are talking about race, gender, ability and so much more. We are choosing to be vocal about the things that matter because for us, every child in our school matters.
Do we have more work to do? Absolutely. Do we make mistakes? Yes, and we learn every day from them. Are we committed to this work? 100% - we cannot stay silent. As Dr. King said, "It is not possible to be in favor of justice for some people and not be in favor of justice for all people." So, we as educators, must ensure we are fighting for justice for our students of color, for our students who identify as LGBTQ+, for our students of varying abilities and for each and every student who enters our building.
Best,
Sarah
Inauguration Day ~ January 20, 2021
In addition, below are some general guidelines and questions you can use when talking with your child(ren) this week:
- Give your child your attention. Sometimes the best conversations happen over dinner, in the car and at bedtime. When we, as adults are distracted with other things, our children are less likely to be open with us.
- Ask your child what they've heard about the Inauguration.
- Ask your child how they are feeling about what they've heard. Validate their feelings and use this as an opportunity to talk about your family beliefs and values.
- Ask your child where they get their news.
- Use this as an opportunity to talk about the validity of their news sources and the difference between fact and opinion, especially if their new sources are primarily celebrities and influencers.
- Encourage and teach your child to research all perspectives and to have respectful dialogue with those who think differently that they do.
Traveling This Weekend?
- If you plan to travel out of state for the holidays, we want to remind you of the Massachusetts COVID-19 Travel Order which went into effect on 8/1/2020. The Travel Order states that if you visit a “high-risk” state and return to Massachusetts, you are required to quarantine for 14 days unless you provide proof of a negative PCR COVID test. Much more information on this order can be found here: Travel Order Information
GMS Clubs - Session Two: Sign Ups NOW OPEN!
Looking for something for your middle schooler to do virtually to connect with others?
Love gathering with friends to talk about things you enjoy?
Join a GMS after school club! Our clubs are 100% virtual and run daily from 3:00 - 4:00pm. Each session we offer new and different clubs along with our regular favorites. If there's a club your child is interested in participating in and it's not on the list, have them let us know and we can discuss how to start it.
Sign ups can be found online. Please click here to register by Friday, January 22, 2021.
GMS Yearbook - Order Now!
Each year, our GMS Yearbook Committee produces a quality hardcover yearbook. Inside are hundreds of photos capturing moments such as school spirit days, Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and candids, in addition to individual student photos. There are so many fun theme pages, such as "Galvin favorites", “trends” and “throwbacks” as well. Yearbooks are a great way to remember these years!
Ordering a yearbook is easy! Simply click on the link below or go to the GMS website. The cost is $35, and the deadline for personalization is January 29th. Please go to this link and order yours today.
http://jostensyearbooks.com/?ref=A03431970
Thanks so much for your support!
Liz Cormier
Julie Ghostlaw
Yearbook Advisors
School Pictures- Part II
- Tuesday, January 19th @ 9 am - Cohort A retakes
- Wednesday, January 20th 4-6 pm - Remote Students (see below for more information)
- Thursday, January 21st @ 9 am - Cohort B retakes
Picture day for remote students is Wednesday, January 20th anytime between 4-6 pm. On Wednesdays the school is cleaned thoroughly by our custodial staff and all in-person students have been remote during the day. Please check in at the main office anytime between 4 - 6 pm, and pictures will be in the cafeteria.
If you prefer to not come into the building on January 20, students also have the option of submitting a picture for the yearbook. A submitted picture should be just of the student’s head and shoulders, 2 x 3 inches, at 300 dpi. That will mean less cropping for the yearbook company. Please email the student photo to the following link:
https://images.jostens.com/415464032. The retake day for remote students will be on Wednesday, February 24 between 4-6 pm.
GMS Student Work Spotlight!
Ashlyn E.
Eric W.
Madalyn G.
From the GMS CAPT...
Want to help earn money for GMS?
There are two ways to help! Sign up for Stop & Shop A+ School Rewards and Amazon Smile to earn money for our school while you shop!
1) To sign up for A+ Rewards visit http://www.stopandshop.com and:
- Register for an online account or sign in to an existing one
- Go to My Account
- Choose Rewards & Programs
- Choose A+ and select GMS by entering our School ID: 08122
- You can register up to 2 schools!
2) To sign up for Amazon Smile go to https://smile.amazon.com/ch/84-2311578 and choose William H. Galvin School CAPT Inc.
Buying gift cards? Check out Scrip! Earn up to 20% on EACH card for the Galvin Middle School!
Enrollment Code: B618B87365682
https://www.shopwithscrip.com/
Or get the app and have your gift card to use within minutes!
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shopwithscrip.app&fbclid=IwAR0Ah1e2XlOtU0t7zjaR_GKRgmOqjUIgAdgDcn-hOYBI6aIlsgIaZOOjvn0
If you have any questions you can email GalvinCAPT@gmail.com.
Thank you from the Galvin CAPT!