Cougar Connection

Welcome to our first publication of the Cougar Connection for the 2021-2022 school year.

Soon after being appointed as principal of Greenfield-Central Junior High School, I sent a survey to the parents of students who will be in the 8lth, 9th, and 10th grades for the current school year. I was seeking a parent's perspective on our school to help me better understand the school and its needs. The need for better communication was frequently mentioned as an area in which parents believed we could do better.

I was not surprised to see communication at the top of the list of our parents' frustrations. It's a frequent concern in middle level schools across the country. The transition from elementary/intermediate school is a huge change for our students and their families. Students go from having a few teachers to as many as 7 or 8 different teachers each day. They once had around 160 classmates. Now they have over 350. The students themselves are rapidly changing, no longer the young students who would willingly bring home materials in their backpacks. They are now early adolescents who often cannot even remember the backpack, let alone get papers and communications home from school. The answer to questions about school is often "nothing" or " I don't know." Students once proud to see their parents at school now beg them to stay away. It's a different world that by its very nature seems to isolate parents from school.

This publication is our first attempt at answering that need. Cougar Connection is edited by our new transition coordinator, Mr. Matt Davis. The position of transition coordinator is another strategy intended to improve communication and ease the transition stress students and parents experience as they matriculate from our intermediate schools to the junior high and from the junior high to the high school. As transition coordinator, Mr. Davis will frequently be seen in the second semester at our intermediate schools as he becomes familiar with our soon-to-be new 7th grade students and their families. He will help students and parents prepare for thier new school as he helps our school and teaching teams prepare for our new students long before their arrival at our junior high school.

We hope you can use Cougar Connection as your one stop shop for school related information needs. However, we need your help. What are your information needs? What would you like to see in the publication that might not be present in this first issue. Please feel free to reach out via email to Mr. Davis (mdavis@gcsc.k12.in.us) or me (jbever@gcsc.k12.in.us) with your suggestions and information needs. Together we will make this publication what parents need to keep them informed and engaged in their middle level students' learning experience.

Best wishes,

Jim Bever

1. 2021 - 2022 Registration Fees and Ipad Insurance

• 7th Grade = $150.12
• 8th Grade = $149.05

(State-assisted Students = $32.00)

• iPad INSURANCE (optional) = $35.00

Payment Options:

1. Cash
2. Credit Card - pay at http://www.ezschoolpay.com/
3. Checks payable to: GCJHS

Send with student to our office or mail to . . .
GCJHS
1440 N. Franklin Street
Greenfield, IN 46140
ATTENTION: Jan Mitchell, Treasurer

****Please call Jan Mitchell 317 - 477 -4616 with registration fees questions.

2. Bowen Center Services: Greenfield Central has partnered with the Bowen center to establish a Student Assistance Program (SAP). This program is a benefit to ALL students and provides three PREPAID (free to students) telephonic counseling sessions. This is private and confidential. No one is informed of your decision to access this program. To schedule an appointment, you may call 1-800-342-5653 or go to www.bowencenter.org and click on “Schedule an Appointment”. There is no co-pay or pre-authorization required for these three prepaid visits.

24 Hour crisis hotline: 1-800-342-5653

3. Student Handbook, Menus, calendar and more can be found in the flyer section below. You can also access these through our GCJHS Website.

4. This year students were given an iPad Charger and Cord. If they lose or damage either, the student is responsible for replacing the item.

REPLACEMENT OPTIONS:

1. Available for purchase for $15 in Student Services every Friday morning from 8:20am - 8:30am.
2. Replaced with any lightning cable and 12w charging brick from Amazon, Walmart or Best Buy. It does not have to be an official “apple” charger. Third-party is acceptable.

5. Our building’s staff team pictures can be found below in the flyer section. Coming soon will be separate bios for each of the certified staff at GCJHS . . . a GREAT opportunity for you and students to get to know who is working here each day!

6. Mark your calendars . . . . School pictures, and fall sports pictures, will be taken on Friday, September 17. Specific ordering information will be sent home prior to the date.

7. Have you checked out our GCJHS Website? Click here to access it.

8. GCHS & GCJHS sports calendars for next week can be found below.

9. Masks on the Bus: This is just a reminder that students who ride a bus must wear a mask. Please make sure that they have one.

10. COVID Guidance 21/22: Please see the flyer below for more information on the current COVID-19 procedures at GC.

Email: mdavis@gcsc.k12.in.us
Website: https://gcjhs.gcsc.k12.in.us/
Location: 1440 North Franklin Street, Greenfield, IN, USA
Phone: (317) 477-4616