GVMS October Newsletter

Building Strong Learning Habits Together

Our first quarter of the school year is almost over! It is amazing how quickly the year is moving. By now, students have settled into their classes, we are wrapping up football and volleyball seasons, and the temperatures are beginning to cool. As we head into the second quarter, this is a great time to pause and reflect with your child about their goals for the year and how the first quarter went.

At Grand Valley Middle School, we are committed to creating a culture of learning—one where students are safe, engaged, supported, and challenged to grow. Families play an important role in helping us build that culture. The small habits students practice every day make a big difference in their success.

We encourage you to talk with your child about the importance of:

Coming to school every day and being on time. Regular attendance and arriving to class prepared allow students to make the most of their learning.
Bringing the supplies they need. Being prepared is an important step toward becoming an independent learner.
Giving their best effort. Learning can be challenging, and students won't always get things right the first time. We want students to understand that mistakes are a natural and important part of learning. What matters is that they learn from mistakes, persevere, and keep growing.
Making positive choices. Encourage your child to listen, participate, follow directions, and take responsibility for their learning and behavior.
Treating others with kindness and respect. Middle school can be challenging socially, and every student deserves to feel safe, included, and respected at school.

Our school structures and expectations—including our no-phone policy, getting to class on time, and expectations for respectful behavior—are designed to keep the focus on learning and help create a safe and productive environment for everyone. When students and families support these expectations, we send a consistent message that learning matters.

And finally, remember that kids make mistakes. Our goal is not for students to be perfect. Our goal is to help them become responsible, resilient young people who can make a mistake, take ownership, learn from it, and make a better choice next time.

Thank you for partnering with us and reinforcing these habits at home. Together, we can help our Cardinals make the most of their middle school experience and continue building the resilience, relationships, and independence they need to thrive.

Ms. Davis

Lost and Found!

Our Lost and Found bin is already full! Please have your student check this bin, located in the entry near the office, to claim their items. We have a large number of sweatshirts, jackets, water bottles, pencil pouches, notebooks and more!

Event Information

Fall Music Concert

When?

Thursday, Oct 8, 2026, 07:00 PM

Where?

Grand Valley Middle School, Sipprelle Drive, Battlement Mesa, CO, USA

location_on Open maps

Important Dates

Mark your calendars for these important dates!

October:

10/1: Football vs. Craig @ GVHS
10/3: Volleyball Tournaments TBD
10/6: 7th grade Career Fair, pm
10/6: Fall Sports Pictures after school
10/8: Fall Music Concert
10/13: Fall picture retake

November:

11/2: Parent Teacher Conference
11/3: Boys BB vs Basalt
11/10: Boys BB vs Riverview
11/12: Boys BB vs Aspen
11/17: Boys BB vs Rifle
11/19: Boys BB vs Glenwood
11/23-27: Thanksgiving Break

December

12/1: Boys BB vs Riverside
12/4: Middle School Theatre Performance
12/5: Boys BB Tournament
12/8: Winter Music Concert
12/18: End of Quarter 2

Winter Break: 12/19-1/4

Phone Policy Reminder

Cell Phone Reminder: Learning Comes First

As we prepare for another great school year, we'd like to remind families that Grand Valley Middle School maintains a no cell phone policy from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. During the school day, phones should remain off and put away in lockers.

Our priority is creating a safe, engaging learning environment where students can focus on building knowledge, relationships, and independence. Research consistently shows that the presence of cell phones can reduce attention, increase distractions, and negatively impact learning. Studies have also found that frequent phone use during the school day is associated with increased anxiety, social conflict, and cyberbullying, making it more difficult for students to build healthy, face-to-face relationships.

In the event of an emergency, it is also important that students do not use their phones. Large numbers of personal calls and messages can create confusion, spread misinformation, and interfere with emergency responders and school officials as they work to communicate accurate information and ensure everyone's safety.

We appreciate your partnership in supporting this expectation. If you ever need to reach your child during the school day, please contact our main office at 970-285-5707, and we will ensure your message is delivered promptly. Likewise, if your child needs to contact you, they may do so through the school office.

Thank you for helping us keep the focus where it belongs—on learning, meaningful relationships, and a safe school environment for every student.

Parent Access to Canvas and Infinite Campus

As a parent, you can have access to Canvas (our learning management system) and Infinite Campus (our student information portal). These sites will support you with your child's homework, assignments, grades and more. Follow the links below for more information. There is also a link to our Technology department for helpful instructions.

Technology - Garfield County School District 16

GVMS October Newsletter

October 1, 2026