The Panther Post
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News & Updates from
Gum Springs Elementary
May 20-21, 2024
A Message from Administration
Congratulations on completing another year of school! The 2023-2024 school year has flown by and I know our students and staff are ready for a break. I want to thank you for allowing me to serve as your child's principal this year. I have loved getting to know our GSES community and look forward to serving you next year. We will communicate over the summer about plans for the upcoming school year. Until then, I hope everyone has a safe summer and enjoys some time off from the hustle and bustle of the school year.Â
All the best,
Joshua Todd, Principal
News and Updates
We had a great turnout to celebrate our Pre-K, Kindergarten, 3rd grade, and Adaptive classes at their Awards Day celebrations last week, and we're looking forward to seeing family and friends of our 1st, 2nd, 4th, and 5th graders this week. Please read the following information carefully if you plan to attend an Awards Program and pass it along to any other family members who may be coming as well.
Arrival: All entry and exit for Awards programs will be through the gym at the back of the school building. We have ceremonies happening back-to-back, so please do not plan to arrive more than 15 minutes early.
Parking: Guests may park in the front, side, or back of the building. No parking in the back of the building for programs starting after 11:30 A.M. due to bus arrival times.
Check-Outs: We will do check-outs in the gym after Awards ceremonies for anyone who would like their child to leave early. ANYONE WHO PLANS TO CHECK OUT A STUDENT MUST SHOW PHOTO ID. We will not be able to look up IDs on the computer. If your child is being picked up by someone other than a guardian who is listed on your emergency contacts list (such as if your child is going home with a friend), the student must bring a signed hand-written note to their teacher the morning of their awards program (no Remind messages).
Thanks for your help keeping our process as efficient and timely as possible. We
have so much to celebrate, and we hope you can join us!
LAST CALL FOR GSES BOOKS! Please check your backpacks, back seats, beside tables, and any other favorite reading spots for GSES LIBRARY BOOKS AND GUIDED READING BOOKS to return ASAP! Thanks!
Upcoming Events
May 20-21: End-of-Year Celebrations and Awards Days (See graphic below)
May 21: Last Day of School
If you did not purchase a yearbook, you can still place an order through the publisher. Orders may be placed online and will be shipped directly to your house. See details below.
Let Us Hear from You!
Please help us reach our school goal of 75% Family Participation in the annual Federal programs school survey. (Please note: this is a different survey than the one shared a few months ago.) Scan the QR code above or click HERE.
SCHOOL SPOTLIGHTS
Congratulations, Retirees!
This week was a special time of celebration as GSES recognized four of our staff members who will be retiring this year. 2024 marks the end of an era for this group of dedicated individuals. Congratulations to Kindergarten Teacher Mr. Bob Stone, EIP / MTSS Teacher Ms. Dede Davis, Music Teacher Ms. Jackie Cooper, and 2nd Grade Teacher Ms. Kadi Tate. These dedicated employees will always be remembered and will hold a special place in the hearts of our GSES family. Thank you for your commitment and service to our school and community. We love you!
National SLP Day
May 18 was National Speech Language Pathologist Day. Gum Springs would like to recognize and thank our wonderful SLPs - Mrs. Beatty, Mrs. Crawford, Mrs. Carlson, Mrs. Lackey, and Mrs. Shiver! They support our students and always have their best interests in mind. They are also great supporters of our staff and are always willing to jump in and lend a hand for anything we need at GSES. We appreciate how you give so selflessly to our students and our school!
Welcome Back, Panthers!
One of our favorite days of the year is when we get to welcome our alumni back into the halls of GSES! Nothing makes an elementary school teacher prouder than seeing her/his former students all grown up and successful! We loved seeing them parade through our halls and inspire our current Panthers to be their best selves as they continue their educational journey. Congratulations to the JCHS Class of 2024! You make us Panther Proud! Go do big things!
FIRST EVER CLAW OF THE YEAR: RED CLAW!
Congratulations to our first-ever GSES CLAW OF THE YEAR: RED CLAW! Red Claw claimed top prize by earning 9,395 PAWS tickets this year for showing PRIDE in our school, having a positive ATTITUDE, doing their best WORK, and helping keep our school SAFE. We celebrated them with a special parade on Wednesday where the whole school wore red in their honor. Red Claw members also got to go to a special winners-only GLOW PARTY that day to celebrate their victory. The win will be commemorated with a special banner displayed in the school.
We are also proud to report that this year, our GSES Panthers collectively earned 48,652 PAWS tickets! That's 48,652 times our students were recognized for showing positive behaviors. What a great reason to celebrate! Congratulations, Red Claw!
Career Day
Career Day was held this week for GSES 3rd-5th grade students. Thank you to the community members who joined us to help our students explore the many opportunities that await them in their future!
Special Thanks to....
Benjamin Green, Judge
Meghann Verrier, Graphic Designer
Michael Hamrick, U.S. Geological Survey
Chelsea Miller, Optometrist
Mandi Roberts and Abbey Skidmore, Veterinarian
Nicole Drury and Charles Cooper, NGHS Medical
Richard Lacey, SWAT Officer
Roxana and John Farrar, Banker and Restaurant Owner
Ben Vester, Landscape Specialist
Krista Marsingill, Banker
Laura Srbljanin, Nurse
Jerica Pinson, Respiratory Therapist
Ashley Watkins, Respiratory Therapist
Rick Dustin, Vice President of Engineering
Matt Long and Webster Marshall, Firefighter
Ashley Talbot, CPA
Yova Reeves, Real Estate Agent
Tess Fetterly, Twisted Horns Goat Farm
Jessica Beck, Delta Flight Attendant
Spencer Ellis, Firefighter
John Cornell, Pilot
Sarah O’Neal, Personal Trainer
Whooo Did You Eat?!
School may be winding down, but the learning hasn't stopped at GSES! 4th graders, who have been learning all about food chains, food webs, and energy transfer in different ecosystems did some investigating recently to learn more about animal interactions. Students enjoying dissecting owl pellets and doing some detective work to try to identify what each owl's food source was. Using keys, they were able to match bones dissected from each pellet learn more about an owl's diet and the owl's role in an ecosystem's energy transfer.
Top Tater
5th grade proudly hosted the inaugural Potato Olympics at GSES this week! Students decorated and named their potatoes, who went on to complete against other spuds to claim the title of Top Tater! This interdisciplinary event included challenges based on 5th grade learning goals, such as measurement and data collection, research, scientific concepts, creative writing, and more. It was a fun way to apply many of the skills our students have learned and practiced this year. Students enjoyed being specTATERS as each of their classmates coached their potato in various Olympic-style events, such as the high dive, skiing, gymnastics, and more. This aPEELing challenge certainly had our students thinking creatively and critically!
Celebrating
Gus' PAW-STARS!
At GSES, our students who are consistently following PAWS expectations for student behavior are recognized as Gus' PAW-STARS. Their photos are featured on our PBIS hallway Wall of Fame throughout the year in recognition of their extra effort to be a good school citizen. This week, they were treated to a rainy, but fun Luau party, featuring Kona Ice, as a special reward. We are proud of our PAW-STARS for being great role models and leaders in our school.
Sign Up for Summer Camp!
The Jackson County School System will be hosting summer camps throughout the district. Regardless of location, camps are open to students at any school in the district. Click HERE to learn more about the camps being offered. We are especially excited to be offering a fun STEM Camp right here at GSES! Scan the QR code below or go to SchoolPay to register and invite your child's friends to join us for a fun week too!
The GSES STEM Camp age group has been extended to include current 5th grade students! Click HERE to register!
PANTHER SUPPORTERS & COMMUNITY NEWS
During one of our busiest weeks of the year, it was quite the nice surprise for our staff get a message that lunch had been delivered for our team! Thanks to Riverstone Corner Bistro and the Farrar family for the DELICIOUS lunch! You really made our week!
Jackson County 4-H is offering LOTS of fun and exciting summer opportunities for 4th and 5th grade students. Whether you are looking for day camps, a weekend camp, or even a full week spend-the-night camp, you'll find lots of great opportunities for a variety of interests in the Jackson County 4-H offerings. Click HERE for details.
Tackle football and sideline cheer registration are open through Jackson County Parks and Rec April 1-June 2. Sign up at www.jacksonrec.com. Information is also available about summer camp opportunities.
The second Thursday of every month from 4:00 P.M. until supplies last, Free Chapel Braselton is hosting a Mobile Food Pantry. This will be an opportunity for families in need to receive FREE groceries. There is no sign up; all you must do is show up and receive your groceries. We appreciate their community support.
Want to know more about how you can support our school? Click below for details. Feel free to contact Mrs. Hannah Freyre at hannah.freyre@jcss.us with questions.
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