The Panther Post
Embedded Files
News & Updates from
Gum Springs Elementary
December 18-20, 2023
A Message from Administration
Happy Holidays!
Whether you observe Hanukkah , Kwanzaa, Christmas, or another December tradition, it is a celebratory and yet busy time of the year.
While there is always room for improvement, we have much to celebrate at GSES. Most recently our Lego Robotics Team earned 1st place for their Innovation Project and will advance to the Super Regionals. GSES also had nearly 30 students place 1st, 2nd, or 3rd at our District Technology Competition held at Empower a couple of weeks ago. We also had an amazing group of students participate in our annual Spelling Bee.
We also want to celebrate our community. Our PTO, Partners in Education, and Business partners have been so generous to our students and staff. We could not be successful without the entire GSES community coming together to support our school. Construction on the new LED signage out front is scheduled to begin after the holiday break.
We will release the next lunch sign-up list sometime in January, hopefully after the MLK Holiday. We have had the opportunity to host over 200 families since we began the cafe-style lunches in the atrium. We will continue this second semester.
Lastly, as we prepare for the final push towards the holiday break, we will host multiple grade level celebrations over the next three days. By this time, you have hopefully received access to the Google Form to register for pre-access through our Raptor process. Having parents register in advance is new to us, so we are experimenting with this format and hopefully it will run smoothly. Please arrive early and please be patient as we work to ensure everyone gets to where they need to be on time. We want everyone to enjoy time with their students, but safety is our first concern.
As you check in for your student's party, please let us know if you plan to check out your student(s) after their party. If you do, you will be provided a Student Checkout Slip. You will give the homeroom teacher the Student Checkout slip and your child(ren) will be allowed to leave with you. If you plan to check out siblings from other classes after the party, please let us know when you are checking in. We will call down to classrooms for any sibling checkouts, and those siblings will meet the parent at the front atrium vestibule afterwards. Homeroom teachers will not be required to manage student checkouts. For student safety and sheer volume, please do not plan to bring siblings to other class parties. Parents who are leaving should report to the atrium and not the front office for any other student checkouts. Parents must wait in the front lobby for the next party if staying for another grade level.
WJMS has graciously agreed to let us use their parking lot to assist us with the limited parking at GSES. Please enter and leave the building through the front. Parking will not be allowed in the back of the building, and we cannot open any back or side doors for students or parents.
Enjoy your holiday break, have safe travels, and spend time with your family to rest and recharge. Thank you so much for all that you do to make GSES great!
Joshua Todd
News and Updates
As reminder, this week is a short week. Winter Break for students and staff begins this Thursday. We'll see students back at school on January 3rd. We hope Winter Break brings you special time with family and friends, memories that will last a lifetime, and time to rest and recharge! Happy Holidays from our Panther family to yours!
Expect our next edition of The Panther Post on January 2nd.
Families are invited to join your child's class for their holiday party. Add the dates below to your calendar if you want to join the fun!
Pre-K: Tuesday, December 19, 11:00-11:30 A.M.
Kdg: Wednesday, December 20, 11:15-11:45 A.M.
1st: Tuesday, December 19, 1:00-1:30 P.M.
2nd + Benkoski + Clark: Wednesday, December 20, 12:00-12:30 P.M.
3rd: Monday, December 18: 1:00-1:30 P.M.
4th + Hendley: Wednesday, December 20, 1:00-1:30 P.M.
5th: Wednesday, December 20, 8:30-9:00 A.M., followed by CHAMPS graduation at 9:30 A.M.
Lankford: Wednesday, December 20, 9:45-10:15 A.M.
Cope: Wednesday, December 20, 10:30-11:00 A.M.
If you are attending class parties, please read the following information carefully. Thank you for your help ensuring our holiday celebrations are safe, organized, and FUN for our students and families.
Parking: Please park in the front or along the side of the building or at West Jackson Middle School, if needed. Guests will not be able to park in the back of the building.
Arrival and Check-In: All guests must enter GSES through the main front entrance. Each guest who attends a holiday party will need to go through the Raptor security check-in process. In an effort to speed up the check-in process so that we can get you to where you need to be in a timely manner, we are asking attendees to provide us with information in advance that will allow us to pre-screen you prior to the day of your class party. By providing this information in advance, we can pre-print badges for any parent/guardian who has provided their information in THIS GOOGLE FORM. (This is the same link your child's teacher may have already shared.)
Student Check-Outs: As you check in the front office, you will be provided a green Student Checkout Slip if you are checking out your child when the party ends at 1:30. If you are checking out siblings from other classes after the party, you will have an opportunity to do so then as well. Upon checking in, you will let the front office staff know that you would like a sibling to meet you at the front vestibule at the end of the party. The office will call down to classrooms for any sibling checkouts, and those siblings will meet you at the front atrium vestibule after the sibling's party. Homeroom teachers will not be managing student checkouts.
If you are staying at GSES for another party on the same day, guests will wait in the front lobby between events.
We are excited to celebrate our last few days before break with some great books and festive holiday cheer!
Our GSES PTO Holiday Shop is in full swing and continues this week. Your child's teacher will let you know what day your child's class will be shopping at the Holiday Shop. Students may bring cash or a check made out to GSES PTO. As a reminder, the Holiday Shop is open for students only, so we can surprise our families with gifts. Gifts range from $1-$20 and include a wide variety of options for all ages. If you'd like to help support our Holiday Shop, here's how:
Give TIME: Making the Holiday Shop happen requires lots of extra hands, and we'd love your help! It's a lot of fun and very rewarding to see how excited our students get to experience the joy that comes with giving to people they love. Please click HERE if you are able to sign up to help as a volunteer shopping assistant or gift wrapper.
Give MONEY: Generous donations also make it possible for each student to be able to purchase at least one gift, even if they can't bring money from home. If you'd like to contribute to helping us make that happen for all students, you can Venmo @gumspringspto and include "Holiday Shop Donation" in the memo.
Give DONATIONS: If you have extra gift bags, treat size bags, or tissue paper that you can donate for wrapping, please drop off or send to school with your child to help our elves add some holiday flair to each and every purchased gift!
Thanks for helping us make this holiday season a happy one for our special
students!
In an effort to continuously grow and improve as a school system, the Jackson County School System is requesting your feedback through a survey which will be instrumental in helping us continue on our path of growth and improvement. We appreciate your partnership as we strive for academic and extracurricular excellence at GSES and in the JCSS school system. Click HERE to share your feedback on the JCSS Family Input Survey.
Pre-Kindergarten lottery registration for the 2024-25 school year is now open. Families can register for the lottery through Friday, February 16. Please note this application does not guarantee admission into a Pre-K program inside the Jackson County School System, but is rather an application into the lottery. JCSS will hold a lottery drawing in March and families will be notified following the drawing. To register for the lottery, click HERE. Please help us spread the word to families in our JCSS community who have rising Pre-K students.
Upcoming Events
December 18-20: Hoilday Parties
December 20: 5th Grade CHAMPS graduation, 9:30 A.M.
December 21- January 2: Winter Break
January 3: Students return to school after Winter Break
If you send out family holiday cards, add GSES to your mailing list! We'd love to display your family's holiday card with our school collection.
Art Orders Extended
Thanks for helping make nearly $10,000 in student art orders during our recent Original Works fundraiser! We love seeing our students' great artwork shared and celebrated. Orders placed by the initial deadline will be sent home with students this week.
If the deadline to order personalized student artwork slipped by you, Original Works is accepting late orders through December 21st at 11:59 P.M. Contact art teacher Mrs. Hannifin if you need help placing your order. Thanks for supporting our school art program!
SCHOOL SPOTLIGHTS
Tech Competition Winners
GSES had a great showing the recent Jackson County School System district Technology Competition! Seven GSES student teams placed first, earning them the chance to move on to the Northeast Georgia Regional Competition next month in Winder. We are excited these Panthers will have the honor of representing the Jackson County School System at the competition. We were also proud to have a long list of 2nd place, 3rd, place, and Honorable Mention winners. Congratulations to all of these students for their hard work and innovation. You make us Panther Proud!
Book Blast GRAND OPENING!
Friday was a special day at GSES as we had a chance for the whole school to open gifts at the same time! Our Book Blast shipments arrived just in time for the holidays, and we enjoyed a GRAND OPENING of over $60,000 of new books on Friday afternoon! It was a treat to see how excited our students were to receive their gifts. Thanks to your generous donations, every single GSES student received at least 2 books on Friday. Please let friends and family who supported your child in this year's campaign know how much we appreciate their support!
Happy Holidays!
We've had so much fun celebrating great holiday stories this week at GSES and dressing up in holiday themes to accompany each story. Even Gus has shown up in costume to join the fun several days! Be sure to visit our school Facebook page to see more pictures from our Holiday Book Themes.
Our Book Buddies
are a Gift!
Mrs. Lyle's Pre-K Pals had fun celebrating the holiday season with their 4th grade Book Buddies from Mrs. Suggs' class this week. The 4th grade Buddies brought each Pre-K Pal a special gift....a book! Pre-K Pals are so lucky to have such kind and generous buddies to share their love of reading and books! After opening their gifts and enjoying a great book with their buddy, everyone had fun decorating ornaments together.
Leaderboard Legend
Top kindergarten Fun Run prize winner Carson Evans cashed in on his "Leaderboard Legend" prize this week to take over Principal Todd's job. He had a great day as our school leader! Visit our school Facebook page to read more about Carson's exciting day!
Making Spirits Bright
We loved having our alumni and friends from the West Jackson Middle School Band and Chorus perform two great shows for our students and staff this week and helping spread some holiday cheer. Thank you for sharing your talents with us!
Holiday Cheer is Here!
What a fun surprise we had at GSES on Thursday! The Jackson County School System Transportation office staff greeted our bus riders in true holiday fashion. Thanks to the Transportation Department for starting our day with so many big smiles!
PANTHER SUPPORTERS
Thanks to the many donors who made our recent Staff Family Fiesta a great success! We appreciate your donations!
If you want to join a great team, mark your calendars to visit the Jackson County School System Career Fair next month! Help spread the word to your friends in surrounding areas so we can recruit the best and brightest to the Jackson County School System!
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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