Registration is a mandatory process before schedules or class assignments are released.

Complete by Monday August 15th.

• The Avondale School District is proud to announce that we will be using the mandatory Online Back to School packet for registration, via the MISTAR Parent Portal.  Please access a video tutorial here at this link Intro to ReEnrollment.   For your convenience we have also included a Mobile App Tutorial. 

• The goal of the online registration is to streamline the registration process for families and students.

• This system will be used for the annual online registration for all currently enrolled K-12 students.

• The registration process is a requirement to begin the school year.  All students must be registered in MISTAR.

• Parents will use this system to verify or update information on Emergency Cards; review and agree to Student Technology Use policy; submit Authorization for Administering Medicine; and complete additional forms. Upon completing this registration process, parents will receive information about student schedules, teacher assignments and other pertinent information to start the school year.

• Parent Portal can be accessed via mobile app (Q Parent Connect for both iPhone and Android) or desktop.

To Complete Online Annual Enrollment Process via MISTAR:

• Go to www.avondaleschools.org and click on “Parent Portal” in the middle of the home page.

• Log into your Parent Portal and click on the “Back To School Packet” link at the top of the screen to begin the process. This is required for ALL students.

Need Help?

Click on "forgot pin" or "forgot password"

• On the Back to School Packet screen, click on the “Register Now” button to update student information.

• Make sure to click “submit” after each section to confirm and update your information.

• If you do not have access to a device to register your student, please contact your school building main office for assistance. 

Register Now!  Please Complete the Online Back to School Packet by Monday, August 15th!

Attention middle school students who are taking Biology or Chemistry class at Avondale High School for first hour.

AHS 1st hour is 7:22-8:12. SOC parents are responsible for getting the student to the school, and in-district residents can ride the AHS bus. Please see the district website for the bus routes and times.

Ms. Kristen Cunningham will be the Biology teacher in room C5. The Chemistry is Ms. Spencer in room A3.

 You are strongly encouraged to attend their 9th grade orientation on 8/15/22 from 9-11 am when they open up the building for new students to take a tour. This is in lieu of attending 9th grade orientation on 8/10/22 At that time you can tour the building and ask questions.  

**Remember that students must place into these classes in order to take them.

Update on progress: 

• The makerspace should be mostly complete by the start of school, but we are waiting on the HVAC system to have full occupancy. The HVAC system delivery is delayed so students may not have an opportunity to start going in until mid-September. We will start using it as soon as possible!

• All students will visit the library area within the makerspace on a weekly basis in order to check out books.

• All students will complete a Makerspace challenge once/month!

• Teachers can sign up to use areas within the makerspace to spread out, complete presentations or do small group work.

PTO Committee Sign-Up

GATE families - Everyone is a member of the PTO! We are looking for volunteers to lead up and help on committees for next year.  There are options for every one and every level of availability.  Not sure if leading a committee is for you - just go for it!  You will love meeting other parents, working with the school community and getting involved.  Have an idea of something we should do but don’t see it listed?  Please let us know - avondalegatepto@gmail.com  We can’t wait to work together to make GATE the best school and community for our students!   

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0449adaa2ea0f58-gate1 

• GATE is NOT a nut free building. 2nd-5th grade areas are nut-free. Middle school areas are not nut-free. If a student has nut allergies, it is expected that the student is aware and actively checks the food they consume. If your child has a food allergy, you should complete the relevant forms (see forms within this newsletter).

• Students may NOT bring in food items for their birthday. Other non-food items are suggested, such as small items for each student, a class recess game, etc. 

• Indoor recess will occur if there is rain, if the temperature is below 10 degrees with wind chill, or if the equipment is not safe for use.

• Students should be fever free for 24 hours (without medication) before returning to school after an illness. If your child has COVID, please notify the front office and we will advise when they may return. It will be 5 days after the start of symptoms.

• Students may NOT bring their own laptops to school in lieu of our Chromebooks.

• Students may bring a cell phone to school, however it MUST BE turned off/silenced in their backpack all day. Please see the middle school code of conduct below for more information.

• All GATE students in grades 6-8 are eligible to try out for any Avondale Middle School sports. Please watch the "Mustang News" for tryout information. This is a weekly newsletter published by AMS and sent to middle school families.

• Clubs typically do not begin until September/October. We will share the information when it is ready, however some of the clubs is posted below.

• Grading: 

Grading Vision Components/Statement

GATE grading practices will allow students to show growth, academic responsibility and a collaborative spirit through problem solving, perseverance, and communication between families and school.

Grading Mission Components/Statement

We believe that through perseverance and significant effort, all students can show mastery and growth over time. With access to a common grading platform and a partnership with our staff and school community, GATE students will develop an understanding that they can improve on their performance through self-evaluation and revision.

-MiStar Gradebook/Parent Portal will be used for all student grades. This means parents will have 24/7 access to view grades.

-Students can redo/retake an assignment or test for fixing errors. They cannot do this past the end of the unit or 5 days past when they received the assignment back. We believe in merging the idea of grades with a standards mindset - Students can edit their grades as students are fixing errors and redoing assignments, thus re-learning the material.

-Homework will be checked.

-Grading will include student self-evaluation when possible.

-Grades are not given as a reward for hard work. Grades are a reflection of content knowledge.

-Academic behaviors will be shared for every subject area.

-All GATE students will only use an A-F grading scale. (No standards-based grading)

-We are now on a quarter/semester calendar district-wide. Parents and students will receive progress reports at 1st and 3rd quarter, and report cards at the 1st and 2nd semesters.

GATE Griffin Clubs Fall 2022-2023 

Yoga, Mindfulness, and Meditation via Red Lotus: 

Grades 2-5/3:20-4:20 in the gym, or outside weather permitting. $78

MONDAYS: 9/26, 10/3, 10/10, 10/17, 11/7, 11/14

See flyer for registration info and QR code. 

Ultimate Sport via SkyHawks:

Weekly themed static and dynamic warm ups, instruction and game play - kickball, volleyball, Capture the Flag, track and field, tennis, floor hockey, speed and agility obstacle courses. 

Grades 2-5/3:20-4:50 in gym or outside, weather permitting. $110

TUESDAYS: 9/20, 9/27, 10/4, 10/11, 10/18, 10/25, 11/15

Follow this space for reg info to follow! 

Futsal via SkyHawks: 

Grades 2-5/3:20-4:50 in the gym. $125

WEDNESDAYS: 9/21, 9/28, 10/5, 10/12, 10/19, 10/26, 11/2, 11/9, 11/16

Follow this space for more reg info to follow! 

Chess: 

FRIDAYS

Go to Michiganjuniorchessarena.com  

Math Olympiad:

Coach: Ms. Michelle Gierman  

More info to come!

More teacher-led clubs to come!

Hey Middle School!!

Let's kick off the year with an afternoon of WhirlyBall! Join us Sunday, September 18th from 12-2pm at the Novi location. Cost is $25/student and space is limited to the first 50 registrants. All riders must be at least 54' tall to ride - riders will rotate in groups in the two courts we have rented just for our GATE students! Hope to see you there! Register at the school store link below:

https://gateschool-store.cheddarup.com 

If your child is in need of medication during school hours, please complete the "Permission Form for Prescribed Medication" form below. If it involves a food allergy, please also include the FARE form and submit them to angela.williams@avondaleschools.org. Remember that these must be submitted to the front office every year.

Link: https://mistar.oakland.k12.mi.us/avondale/parentportal/ 

You will need your child's log in. Please email kristen.richey@avondaleschools if you do not have it. (Please email after August 20)

We expect our students to "take care" of themselves, others, and the school. We teach and continually re-visit these expectations throughout the year. Please review it with your child prior to the start of school. When students don't meet these expectations, we believe in restorative practices so students can repair and improve their relationships. Please see the student code of conduct for further details.

The Avondale School District is 1:1 with students : chromebooks. Students are taught how to use these devices because appropriate technology use is of the utmost importance. You will read and sign the Technology Agreement for the district in the Back to School packet online, but we always take it a step further at GATE so all students can learn the expectations. Please review this with your child prior to the start of school.

1. I agree to use the chromebook at school for educational purposes only.

   1. I understand that this means I cannot go on other gaming or other websites unless my teacher has given permission.

2. I agree to use Google Apps appropriately.

   1. I understand this means that I am responsible for appropriate use of email.

      1. I understand that I should not email my parents during the school day.

         1. The only exception is if I am sharing a school-related document with a parent using the “share” feature.

      2. I understand that I should not email my classmates about non-school related topics.

      3. I understand that if I want to send personal emails, I need to create my own personal email account with my parent’s permission at home. 

   2. I understand that I am not allowed to use the comments or chat features unless given permission by my teacher..

   3. I understand that if I am working in a group, I am required to share the doc or slides with all of my teammates. This means they should always have editing access.

   4. I understand I should not create any documents or slides on Google that are not related to schoolwork or assignments.

3. I agree to Keep all food and drinks away from the Chromebook.

   1. I understand that I should wash or sanitize my hands after eating before using the Chromebook.

4. I agree to routinely wipe it down to keep it clean.

5. I agree to sign out at the end of each day.

6. I agree to plug it in and charge it each night in the cart.

The use of Avondale’s chromebooks is a privilege that I must take seriously. I agree and understand that if I do not follow these agreements, I may not be allowed to use the chromebook for a period of time.

1. In order to volunteer in the school, on field trips, or any other school-related activity, each year you must complete the Volunteer Application Form. See below. You will need to include a copy of the FRONT and BACK of your driver's license with the completed form. Please email it all to angela.williams@avondaleschools.org 

2. Apply to be a Classroom Ambassador. See below.

3. Connect with Mrs. Megan Marx, our PTO President and Maker Space Para to volunteer at megan.marx@avondaleschools.org 

4. Everyone is a member of the PTO! If you are interested in volunteering and getting involved, contact our PTO President at avondalegatepto@gmail.com.

5. Read the information below about our Lunch/Recess Aide!

• Students can bring a cold lunch or purchase a hot lunch. There are two choices each day, "A" and "B". 

• The newsletter sent out each Friday will have next week's menu.

• Please read the Information Regarding Food Service documents below.

• Register for Meal Magic! See information below.