
TFHS/GFMS Community Newsletter
October 23, 2020 Created by Principal Joanne Menard
In This Newsletter
-Journalism - Read All About It!
-Grades Closing On November 16th
-Reminder About Excused Absences
-GFMS Art
-News from Assistant Principal Tom Gaffigan
-TFHS Scarecrows
-Monte's March
-GMRSD School Calendar 2020-2021
-2020-2021 Student Council E-Board
-Interested in Serving on Student Council?
-Student Emails
-GMRSD Family Technology Resource Page
-Disclosure Statement Read Prior to Each Class
-News from the TFHS Guidance Office
-Acceptable Use Policy
-TFHS/GFMS Student Handbooks
-Care Bags at Staples
-Academic Calendar 2020-2021
-Field Hockey Games
-Golf Matches
-Senior Golf Night
-TFHS Bell Schedule
-Whole School Meetings
-Procedures if Need to Come to School Office
-GMRSD Face Mask Policy
-Upcoming Dates
Journalism - Read All About It!
Some exciting news!!! This week's Montague Reporter features (on the front page!!!) one of our Senior student's journalistic work! So exciting to see the hard work of our students being praised in the community! Take a look at "How COVID-19 Has Affected Western Mass High Schools’ Favorite Sport: Field Hockey".
https://montaguereporter.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/October-22-2020.pdf
Also, stay tuned for more student work in each edition of the Montague Reporter!
Happy and proud to facilitate a growing generation of journalists,
Ms. Dakota-Smith
Grades Closing On November 16th
Just a friendly reminder that grades close on November 16th. As we are getting closer to this date students need to be mindful of their work completion, or lack there of, as students will be receiving percentage grades.
Reminder about Excused Absences
GFMS Art - From Ms. Hicks
GFMS students have been learning the basics of digital art (using Google Drawings) and how to use images as symbols of larger ideas/moods/emotions.
After choosing an image, students edited their images and fonts and created their own text to match the image. Their work was so creative!
This is just a small sampling of the greatness.
News from Assistant Principal Tom Gaffigan
Attendance: Should be taken everyday and submitted to the office as if students were actually here. If there are attendance issues in classes you should contact the grade level Deans; Mike Duprey mike.duprey@gmrsd.org (grades 7,9 and 11,) and Rebel McKinley rebel.mckinley@gmrsd.org (grades 6,8,10, and 12) Please cc myself thomas.gaffigan@gmrsd.org on all attendance issues as both Mike and Rebel are also teaching an RA. We want to engage any student that is missing classes as soon as possible. I believe each teacher would benefit from reaching out first to the family but to eliminate numerous calls after a couple tries please email us and we will take it from there. Mr. Gaffigan and the Deans have started doing community outreach for any students who may need help during remote learning, this can be for attendance issues, behavior issues, emotional issues and technology aid. To eliminate students leaving class after signing in we would like teachers to take attendance at the end of class as well as the beginning to make sure students are still in attendance. Instead of saying students names we suggest that they have an exit question or a check in so students do not realize we are actually taking attendance as well. Eliminating students from just showing back up at the end of class.
Discipline
All school rules apply during remote learning as if we are physically here. We are adding additional rules for remote learning as well.
- Students have the option to not show themselves but should if possible show their face or work at all times.
- If a student is constantly disrupting class, making gestures, showing inappropriate things, not using mute when asked, constantly talking out of turn, you may take away their visual and audio if needed and they can use the comment section to speak in class. If this happens regularly please let the appropriate Dean know and we will have a conversation with home.
- Suspensions can still happen if the offense is warranted. Suspension hearings would be scheduled through the office and held either personally in the conference room or remotely.
- If a parent or outside resource needs to schedule a meeting with any school personnelle, that too will be in the conference room or held remotely.
-Students should not be showing their class code to anyone outside of a particular class. This will keep your classes confidential and with no disturbances from outside influences.
CRA’s
I am continually working with the courts on monitoring our high risk students and that includes students who had a CRA filed on them last school year. When we meet it is now over the phone or in Zoom. This has worked well thus far over the last few weeks.
Hybrid Safety Plan/Full Return Safety Plan
Mr. Gaffigan has started to work on a safety plan for the school such as access to building, dismissal from buildings, one way hallways, mask protocols, hallway monitors etc. There will be no after school responsibilities while in Hybrid since there will be no late bus. Remote after school help can continue however.
Students who could not pick up Chromebooks
For those students still in need of a Chromebook, and are unable to come to school to pick-up, Dean of Students Mike Duprey and Mr. Gaffigan will distribute the Chromebooks to their homes. Please contact the office if in need. We will contact the families the day before arriving.
TFHS Scarecrows
Monte's March
This year, it’s even MORE important to raise money for the Food Bank of Western Mass, as the pandemic has resulted in lost jobs and even more food insecurity in our community. Please consider joining our march and/or supporting this essential event. Feel free to reach out to Ms. V or Ms Luc with any questions: jvachula-curtis@gmrsd.org<mailto:jvachula-curtis@gmrsd.org> and jluciano@gmrsd.org<mailto:jluciano@gmrsd.org>
Link to sign up sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1tAT34lyC-1mnYNX0wMGcD_Zl53d7W6OSa5iwiL4qf9k/edit?usp=sharing
GMRSD School Calendar 2020-2021
2020-2021 Student Council E-Board
President: Mercedes Bailey, Senior
Vice-President: Dylan Burnett, Junior
Secretary: Maddie LeBorgne, Sophomore
WMASC Delegate: Ceci Wood, Senior
Officer at Large: Anna Baskowski, Sophmore
Treasurer: Catie Reynolds, Senior
School Committee Reps: Haley Bastarache, Senior; Audrey O'Keefe, Senior
Interested in Serving on School Council?
Student Email
The district has turned on GMail as a Google app for our MS and HS students. This means that through their @gmrsd.us Google accounts, students are able to get into GMail and receive email messages. Email messages received and sent out will be limited to only within the domain; and only with their teachers. Presently, we will not be allowing them to email each other until we determine that it is appropriate to do so.
Your child(ren) will not have to do anything different from logging into their Google accounts. They will receive emails, and can access their email messages, by going into the "waffle" and selecting GMail.
Seniors will be in a more open domain to allow them to work with their college applications. We will work with Guidance to set this up. The students' @gmrsd.org accounts will be able reach them directly from any college. Anything sent to from a college to a @gmrsd.us account is directly forwarded to the student's @gmrsd.org account.
Please note that the GMRSD Acceptable Use Policy does apply to student emails. The policy is below.
GMRSD Family Technology Resource Page
Disclosure Statement Read Prior to Each Class
It is important that we follow our school rules when we meet through the computer. We will be respectful of each other's words and ideas. Students and their families may not save, record, share or post this session or any photos from this session. If students or families do not agree with these requirements, please disconnect from this meeting. Families may contact me for a different learning plan.
News from the TFHS Guidance Office
Acceptable Use Policy
CHROMEBOOK ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY:
School issued Chromebooks should be used for educational purposes and students are to adhere to the Acceptable Use Policy at all times. Chromebook devices are enrolled under the gmrsd.us domain making it inapplicable for any other use.
GMRSD’s administrative staff and faculty retain the right to collect and/or inspect Chromebooks at any time, including via electronic remote access, and to alter, add or delete installed software or hardware.
Inappropriate media may not be used for Chromebook backgrounds or themes. No images or graphics containing people can ever be used as a background or theme. The presence of guns, weapons, pornographic materials, inappropriate language, alcohol, drug, gang-related symbols or pictures will result in disciplinary consequences.
Manufacturer and school barcode tags and name labels shall not be removed, covered or marked upon.
Teachers, school administrators, and the Technology Services staff use monitoring software that allows them to view the screens and activity on student assigned Chromebooks.
The school district uses an Internet content filter that is in compliance with the federally mandated Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA). All Chromebooks, regardless of physical location (in and out of school), will have Internet activity protected and monitored by teachers, school administrators, and the technology staff. If an educationally valuable site is blocked, students should contact their teachers to request the site be unblocked. Such requests will be given consideration following administrative review.
TFHS/GFMS Student Handbook
To view the TFHS Student Handbook, please go to the gmrsd.org page, then the high school, and then under parents.
To view the GFMS Student Handbook, please go to the gmrsd,org page, then the middle school, and then under parents.
Care Bags at Staples
Academic Calendar 2020-2021
Field Hockey Games
Golf Matches
Senior Golf Night
TFHS Bell Schedule
Whole School Meetings
High School Whole School Meetings will be held on Tuesdays beginning at 9:10 a.m. Principal Menard or Mr. Gaffigan will be sending out the link for all high school teachers to share with students on the Monday prior to each meeting.
Procedures if Need to Come to School Office
GMRSD Face Mask Policy
Upcoming Dates
Monday, October 26th - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, October 27th - TFHS Morning Meeting, 9:15-9:38 a.m.
Wednesday, October 28th - GFMS Culture & Climate Club, 7:45 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.; TFHS Culture & Climate Club, 9:15 a.m.
Friday, October 30- GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.
Monday, November 2nd - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45 a.m.-8:00 a.m.
Tuesday, November 3rd - TFHS Morning Meeting, 9:15-9:38 a.m.
Wednesday, November 4th - TFHS Culture & Climate Club, 9:15 a.m.
Friday, November 6th - GFMS Morning Meeting, 7:45-8:00 a.m.; Community Newsletter published
Great Falls Middle School
222 Turnpike Road
Montague, Massachusetts 01351
413-863-7200