8th Grade Family newsletter
Week of 12/8-12/12
Embedded Files
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
Reminders
Reminders
December 8-10 Soccer tryouts afterschool
December 11, 2025 6:30pm Fine Arts Showcase (Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Dance, & Art) in the Gym🎉
December 11, 2025 Basketball Game GSMS vs. Couch at South Gwinnett High School @5:30pm
December 13, 2025 Basketball Game GSMS vs. McConnell at Archer High School @9:00am
December 16 & 17, 2025 Connection Final Exams
December 18, 2025 Final Exams Academic 2 & 4 Modified Schedule
December 19, 2025 Final Exams Academic 3 & 5 Modified Schedule
December 18, 2025 Basketball Games GSMS vs. Berkmar at Berkmar High School @5:30pm
Student Attendance- Please be sure when students are absent send in a note to their homeroom teacher (handwritten) or doctor's documentation so we can submit it to our attendance clerk. You may contact our attendance clerk Ms. Jesica Arita - jesica.arita@gcpsk12.org. Please include your child's student number.
CONNECTIONS SCHEDULE
Monday 12-8 B-Day
Tuesday 12-9 A-Day
Wednesday 12-10 B-Day
Thursday 12-11 A-Day
Friday 12-12 B-Day
Upcoming
Upcoming
12-4-25 through 12-19-25 Cheerful Dozen Days
❄️Cheerful Dozen Days: 12-8-25 Holiday Head Gear: Wear Your Favorite Hat, Headband, or Headgear
❄️Cheerful Dozen Days: 12-9-25T-Shirt Tuesday: Wear Your Favorite Winter or Holiday T-Shirt
❄️Cheerful Dozen Days: 12-10-25 Head, Shoulders, Knees, & Toes: Dress in Holiday Wear from Head to Toe
❄️Cheerful Dozen Days: 12-11-25 Socks that Shine: Wear Your Favorite Holiday Socks
❄️Cheerful Dozen Days: 12-12-25 Candy Cane Chic: Deck Yourself in Red and White
This week students will be working on the following concepts:
Predict a Value Not in the Data Using a Line of Best Fit
Continued Practice on Interpreting Points on a Scatter Plot and Types of Association in Scatter Plots
Interpret the Slope of a Line of Best Fit
Continued Practice on Associations and Constructing a Line of Best Fit
Given the Equation of a Line of Best Fit, Interpret the Slope and Y-intercept in Context
Write an Equation for the Line of Best Fit
Use the Line of Best Fit to Interpret the Slope and Y-Intercept of an Equation
Predict a Value Not in the Data Using the Graph or Equation of Line of Best Fit
Write an Equation for the Line of Best Fit Using Technology
Use the Line of Best Fit to Interpret the Slope and Y-Intercept of an Equation
Predict a Value Not in the Data Using the Graph or Equation of Line of Best Fit
This week students will be working on the following AKS:
34a: explain reasons for the establishment of the University of Georgia and for westward movement of Georgia's five capitals by formulating appropriate research questions after analyzing graphs and diagrams
34b: compare similarities and differences to evaluate the impact of land policies pursued by Georgia; include the headright system, land lotteries, and the Yazoo Land Fraud Act
34b compare similarities and differences to evaluate the impact of land policies pursued by Georgia; include the headright system, land lotteries, and the Yazoo Land Fraud Act
34c: analyze artifacts, graphs and diagrams to explain how technological developments, including the cotton gin and railroads, had an impact on Georgia's growth
34d describe the role of William McIntosh in the removal of the Muscogee (Creek) from Georgia by analyzing primary and/or secondary sources
8b. construct an explanation based on experimental evidence to support the claims presented in Newton’s three laws of motion
This week students will be working on the following:
Unit 3 Lesson 4a and 4b -
“New Immigrants Share Their Stories”/ “A Common Bond”
Greetings GSMS Parents and Students,
It's an exciting time! Soccer Season is around the corner! GSMS will have Soccer tryout beginning Monday, December 8, 2025 through Wednesday, December 10, 2025. In order for students to participate in tryouts they must have the following:
1) GCPS Physical form completed and uploaded into Rankone (all four pages) all physicals must be completed by a licensed healthcare provider (due by: December 5, 2025).
2)Students must have Insurance. All forms and sign-offs must be completed in Rankone (due by : December 5, 2025).
Please see the attached file of the GCPS Physical Form & the Soccer Tryout Packet information. Once your student has their completed Physical, please go to www.rankone.com to upload a copy of your Physical form and sign-off on agreements and Insurance.
Copies are also available in the Administrative office on each grade level. Please see your grade level school counselor for copies.
assistant principal
assistant principal
Dr. Ryan James
Dr. Ryan James
Ryan.James@gcpsk12.org
770-554-7740
A Few Reminders:
Student Dress Code
Student Dress Code
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.
Cell Phones & Electronic Devices
Cell Phones & Electronic Devices
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:
Chromebooks
Chromebooks
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
Gearing up for the
Gearing up for the
Class of 2030
Class of 2030
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
Early Dismissal
Early Dismissal
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.
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