Sept. 13th Roar Report - Families
Sunday, September 13, 2026
You can't hide that Panther PRIDE!
Important Updates/Reminders
Your student will complete the mClass Math Benchmark in the math class in the next few days. The mCLASS Math benchmark is a short assessment given three times a year to check how your student is progressing in key grade-level math skills. Rather than just looking at right or wrong answers, it helps teachers understand how your student approaches problem-solving and where they might need extra support or challenge. Please contact your student’s math teacher or Jen Trievel (jennifer.trievel@colonial.k12.de.us) if you would like a copy of your student’s summary report.
Students will be completing the Fall Benchmark of the STAR assessment this week in all English classes. The purpose of the Star Reading assessment is to measure students' overall reading achievement, comprehension, and vocabulary skills.
Scores can be viewed in Infinite Campus once all testing is complete. Please contact your student’s ELA teacher or Kelli Hewes (kelli.hewes@colonial.k12.de.us) if you have any questions.
- Morning Car Riders- Please have your child ready to exit the car at 7:45am or when you pull into the car rider line. This will allow us to keep the line moving and prevent other parents from attempting to go around the cones causing an unsafe experience for all.
- Please remind all scholars of our dress code. All bellies should be covered during the school day.
School Closed September 15th
Join Us For Open House
Open House is an opportunity for families to walk their child's schedule, meet and ask questions of our staff, and get a feel for what your child experiences each day. We hope to see you there!
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.
*Not every student received their BOY forms.
We will push the Chromebook Agreement Form out for an additional week.*
All game dates and important dates are all on our sports website www.panthers-sports.com
Students who are interested in trying out for Cheerleading or Wrestling must have their DIAA physicals by October 5th to be eligible to try out!
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.
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.)
Looking Ahead
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!
