July Roar Report - Families
August 2, 2026
Sunday, August 30, 2026
You can't hide that Panther PRIDE!
Important Updates/Reminders
- Please have patience with the transportation during the first week of school.
- Monday, August 31st if for 6th Grade Students Only!
- All students report to school on Tuesday, September 1st!
- Teachers have one request for school supplies: pencils! Click the link for an Amazon option that our math teachers love!
- Interested in playing a Fall Sport? Make sure your DIAA Sports Physical is complete ASAP!
Thank you to Everyone Who Showed Up For Our Walkthrough Night!
We had an amazing turn out for Walkthrough Night!
We hope that everyone knows where their classes are
and feels a little more comfortable with the building!
We're ready for a great start to a new school year!
Beginning of the Year Student Forms
Each year, you receive a number of forms to fill out and return.
We want to bring your attention to two specific items.
If you'd like to view the electronic version of our Student Code of Conduct, click here.
Your child will be receiving a Chromebook Agreement Form. Hundreds of chromebooks were intentionally destroyed last year. Your student will be given a chromebook to use for the first week of school without having that form signed, but will not be able to use their chromebook beginning September 8th without that signed form. If you anticipate having issues getting the form returned in a timely manner, please reach out to your grade level administrator.
Arrival and Dismissal
The orange arrows on the photo show the route for car rider arrival.
Students will be asked to stay in their cars until 7:45am as there are no staff available to supervise students before this time. Doors open for students at 7:55am. Please be mindful that if students are dropped off at 7:45am, they will be standing outside, supervised, until doors open at 7:55am.
The blue arrows on the photo show the route for car rider dismissal.
Car rider dismissal begins at 2:37pm.
There are approximately 800 students in the building. For this reason, we ask that all changes in dismissal, including early dismissals, take place no later than 2:10pm. If you come in after 2:10pm or call to make changes in dismissal after this time, the chances that the messages do not get to your student in a timely manner increases significantly and disrupts the dismissal process for the building.
All changes to dismissal need to come directly through the main office. Please do not contact specific teachers with information regarding changes in dismissal as we can not guarantee that they will get this information in a timely manner.
Join Us At Sweet Frog!
The Panther Spirit Shop Is Open!
This spirit wear sale will run until September 10th, but there will be many opportunities to purchase swag throughout the school year!
All students need an up-to-date physical if they plan on participating in school sports.
Physicals must be signed on or after April 1, 2026 and will be good for the entire 26-27 school year.
DIAA Athletic Physical and Consent Forms
Sign Ups for Soccer and Field Hockey will take place in homeroom via Schoology. Sign Ups will run from September 1st - September 4th.
All DIAA phsyicals are due September 8th to be eligible for Fall Sports.
Tryouts will be on September 9th and 10th. Students will be given 2 days to tryout and they must be able to attend both days of tryouts.
Please see or reach out to Mr. Brelick (michael.brelick@colonial.k12.de.us) with any questions.
Opt In To Receive Newsletters via Text/Email
Our weekly newsletters will be posted to our school's Facebook account each week. If you would also like to receive them via email and/or text, please complete the short form below.
Gunning Bedford's Cell Phone Policy
Last week, we shared the Colonial School District's Cell Phone Policy. Below you will find how that policy will be implemented at Gunning Bedford. Please share this update with your child. We are aware that many students were allowed to wear headphones in the hallways and to have their devices out in previous years. This will not be the case this school year, and we do not want anyone to be caught off guard. In addition to you sharing this information with your children, we will also be sharing and reiterating it throughout the start of the school year.
Cell Phones, headphones, iPads, non-school-issued computers are prohibited in classrooms, bathrooms, and hallways at all times. This means they can not be visible.
If a student has a phone visible by a staff member (accidental or intentional), they will be asked to put it in a locked phone locker for the remainder of the class, and they will simply pick it up from the locker when the class is over. This process will hopefully lessen the power struggles with staff as teachers don't have to "take" devices.
If a student does not comply with the teacher’s request, an administrator will be called and the phone will be confiscated for the remainder of the day.
If a student refuses to release their device to their administrator, other consequences may be necessary.
If a student needs to contact home, they may go to any office/staff center to call their family. If a parent/guardian needs to speak to their student, it is the expectation you call the main office and we will bring your student down.
Students may use technology responsibly at lunch (no recording/photos, audible music, etc.)
Greetings from your school nurse!
My goal is to collaborate with students, parents and school staff
to keep students on task, in class and ready to learn.
What does a school nurse do?
● Assess student’s health status
● Provide direct care for injuries and illness
● Dispense medicine
● Manage care plans for students with special health needs
● Provide screening and referral for health conditions
● Postural gait (scoliosis) screenings completed with all students/vision and hearing screenings completed with all 7th grade as mandated by the State of Delaware and DOE
● Promote a healthy school environment
● Manage health emergencies and urgent situations
● Lead efforts designed to prevent or mitigate the spread of disease
● Liaison between school, family, health care professionals and the community
School Nurse Contact
● Olivia Taylor olivia.taylor@colonial.k12.de.us
● Office Phone: 302 834-9367
● Office Fax: 302 834-6729
Health Exams: Entry, Athletics
Students who are entering GB as a first time student to a Delaware Public School must have a physical exam (within 2 years), up to date immunizations, and TB risk screening (within 1 year) submitted to the school nurse. This is a Delaware law; if noncompliant, your student’s classroom instruction may be interrupted until the documents are received.
Medication
Colonial School District guidelines and state law regarding medication:
- All medication must be brought to school and picked up from school by a parent/guardian.
- All medication must be in the original container and prescription medication must be labeled for your student.
Asthma/Allergies/Seizures/Diabetes/Self-Administration Forms
Action plans are required to be updated yearly by their physician. All students with known diagnosis of asthma, allergies, seizures, or diabetes should have their inhalers/nebulizers, Epi-Pens/Auvi-Q, Diastat, insulin and any other needed supplies brought into the nurse’s office by parent/guardian. Students with life-saving medication may also carry this on their person with appropriate consent documents.
Health Screenings
Orthopedic (postural/gait/scoliosis) screenings will be given to all students at GB. Vision & hearing screenings will be given to all 7th grade students. These screenings will be completed at the beginning of the school year and as class schedule allows. If your student fails their screenings, we will mail home a letter recommending an evaluation by their physician.
Illness/sickness
All students going home due to a health issue must be evaluated by a school nurse first. The school nurse will contact the parent/guardian and the student will be sent home from the school nurse's office. Students should not text/call/email their parents asking to be picked up from school. Use of their personal cell phone is in conflict with the code of conduct
Looking Ahead
August 31st- First Day for 6th Grade ONLY
September 1st- ALL Students Report to School
September 4th- Schools Closed
September 7th- Schools and Offices Closed (Labor Day)
September 15th- Schools Closed (Professional Development Day)
September 17th- Open House
September 25th- Spirit Day- Show Your School Pride by Wearing Your Orange and Black!
September 28th- Field Hockey/Soccer Away Games @ Ps. DuPont
September 30th- Field Hockey/Soccer Home Games
Staff Directory
We are here to support your student to ensure their school year is the best experience possible. If questions or concerns ever arise, please don't hesitate to reach out to your students administrator, counselor, or secretary.
Principal: TeRay Ross
Main Office Phone: (302) 832-6280
6th Grade Staff
Assistant Principal: John Sopkanich
Counselor: Allison Sheppard | Secretary: Valerie White
7th Grade Staff
Assistant Principal: Kristina Lamia
Counselor: John Arent | Secretary Deanna Gilbert
8th Grade Staff
Student Advisor: Patrick Krajewski
Counselor: Shaheda Pine | Secretary: Jennifer Hayman
Click HERE for the full staff directory.
Infinite Campus
Families are encouraged to access and regularly check Infinite Campus. Here, you can stay up to date on your student's attendance, grades, and more--updated in real time!
