8th Grade Family newsletter
Week of 9/22- 9/26
Week of 9/22- 9/26
Our Mission
Grace Snell Middle School provides a culture of excellence that prepares all students to reach their maximum potential today, tomorrow and beyond.
Our Week at a Glance
September 22, South Gwinnett Spirit Week: Multicolor Monday (Tie Dye)
Tacky Tuesday
Wild Hair Wednesday
Throwback Thursday (Decades Day)
South Gwinnett Homecoming Game vs Grovetown
September 22nd PBIS Perfectly Present Popsicles (for students with perfect attendance)
September 22-26, 4:30 - 6:00pm, Monday - Friday, Cross Country Practice, Outside
September 22-26, 4:30 - 6:00pm, Monday - Friday, Dance Practice, JLC (Room 1.057)
September 25, 5:15pm Title I ESOL (Room 1.077)
September 25, 6:00pm Hispanic Heritage Family Night in the GYM
September 26, PBIS - Walk and Talk (no major referrals during Connections)
Cheerleading Practice in the GYM 7:30am - 8:30am T,W,TH
CONNECTIONS SCHEDULE
Monday 9-22 A- Day
Tuesday 9-23 B-Day
Wednesday 9-24 A-Day
Thursday 9-25 B-Day
Friday 9-26 A-Day
Interims Begin 10/3 - 10/8
Fall Break begins 10/9 - 10/13
Early Release 10/22 & 10/23
PSAT (8th Grade Only) 10/28
ELA - Interim October 3rd. Students began Unit 2 "Horror Genre" today.
MATH - Students will be Finding Rate of Change in Proportional Relationships Using Different Scales, Rate of Change and initial value of a graph in context, Non-Proportional patterns and comparative rates of change. Unit 2 Assessment October 3rd. Interim is October 8th.
SCIENCE - Interim is October 7th. Students are reviewing Unit 2 "Waves:, wrapping up "Wave behaviors" and moving on to "The Doppler Effect"/ Unit 2/ Part 2 Test will be on September 30th.
SOCIAL STUDIES - Interim is October 6th. Unit 3 test will be Friday, September 26th. Students will need to review Unit 3 notes in their interactive notebooks. Unit 3 covers State Government: Judicial Branch & Local Government. We will begin Unit 4 the week of September 29th, "Georgia's Beginnings and Colonization."
Ryan.James@gcpsk12.org
770-554-7740
A Few Reminders:
Grace Snell dress code is designed to reduce the likelihood of distraction or disruption and to maintain an academic focus in the classroom and on campus. Instruction is interrupted when a student has to be seen by an administrator because of inappropriate dress. If dressed inappropriately, the student will be required to change clothing. Missed instructional time while waiting for a change of clothing will be regarded as unexcused. Parents may be called to bring a change of clothing for the student. Our GSMS Student Dress Code policy includes but is not limited to the following:
All shorts lengths will be NO SHORTER THAN 5” above the knee.
The highest point of any slit in a dress, skirt, or shorts must be NO MORE THAN 3” above the knee. This rule applies to shorts, skirts and even worn with any type of tights or leggings.
Student pants/shorts: No holes, slits, rips, or tears that show skin above the knee.
For additional information on GSMS Student Dress Code, please reference the GSMS Student Handbook.
Students’ cell phones should be silenced and placed in their bookbags. Cell phone use is not permitted at any time during the school day (including the lunch period), for any reason, inclusive of, but not limited to: contacting parents/guardians, family members, other students, or engaging in online or social media activities, or any entertainment purposes.
If staff observes students with cell phones, the following steps will be taken:
All school issued materials (instruments, chromebooks, and textbooks) to students should be treated as borrowed property. In the event of loss or abuse of school issued materials, whether accidental or purposeful, students must pay for the loss in accordance with the scale fixed by the Board of Education. See the fees chart below:
Portrait of a Comet
Watch this video to get a snapshot of the competencies our scholars are developing at Grace Snell Middle School now, to prepare them to reach their maximum potential today, tomorrow and beyond!
8th Grade Assistant Principal
Dr. Ryan James
Ryan.James@gcpsk12.org
770-554-7740
State law requires that children between the ages of 7 - 16 attend school DAILY.
Students will be excused from school for the following legal absences:
Personal illness
Death in the immediate family
Recognized religious holidays observed by your faith
Absences mandated by governmental agencies
Service as Page in the Georgia General Assembly
Visit with parent or legal guardian prior to deployment or while parent is on leave (up to 5 days)
Instances where attendance would be hazardous
Students absent from school for legal reasons stated above, will be excused IF they bring a written excuse from a parent, guardian, or medical provider, stating the reason for the absence.
The written excuse must be given to the desk clerk in the front lobby on the day the student returns to school.
8th Grade Office
School Hours
8:55 AM - 4:00 PM
No drop-offs before 8:50 AM
Missed instructional time is detrimental to a student’s performance.
Parents are urged to make dental, medical, and other appointments before or after school hours.
If it becomes necessary for a student to check out during the day, parents must report to the desk in the front lobby to sign out the student.
Parents will be required to show picture identification in order to check out their children.
No check-outs or transportation changes shall be made after 3:30 PM.
It is the expectation that students make up missed assignments whenever they are absent from school, or check-out early.