GSD E-Blast September 2026

Welcome back, Marauder families and community!

I hope you had an opportunity this summer to relax, recharge, and enjoy time with family and friends. As we begin the 2026–2027 school year, I am excited to welcome our students back and look forward to another great year across GSD.

This year, we will be celebrating what makes our district and our students so special by highlighting the many ways our students are truly Marauder Made.

Being Marauder Made is about much more than what happens in the classroom. Throughout their time in GSD, our students are discovering their strengths, developing new skills, building confidence, overcoming challenges, and exploring the many opportunities available to them. Whether students find their passion through academics, the arts, athletics, Career and Technical Education, STEM, leadership, service, or something entirely their own, each experience helps shape who they are and who they will become.

Throughout the year, we want to share those stories with our community. Marauder Made may be a kindergartner proudly reading a book for the first time, a middle school student discovering a talent they never knew they had, or a high school student earning an industry credential, preparing for college, developing leadership skills, excelling on the field or stage, or discovering a career they are excited to pursue.

Our students will leave GSD with different goals, different talents, and different paths ahead of them, and that is something worth celebrating. Our responsibility is to ensure that when they take that next step, they do so with the knowledge, skills, confidence, and experiences they need to be successful.

Of course, none of this happens without the incredible people who make up our school community. Our dedicated staff, supportive families, community partners, and neighbors all play an important role in creating opportunities for our students and encouraging them along the way.

As we begin another school year, I encourage you to follow along as we share the accomplishments, experiences, and everyday moments that demonstrate what it means to be Marauder Made. I am incredibly excited about the year ahead and cannot wait to celebrate our students, our staff, our schools, and the community that makes GSD such a special place to learn and grow. Welcome back, Marauders! Here’s to an amazing 2026–2027 school year!

Your partner in education,

Amy Conway

Superintendent

Research shows that being happy and positive primes the brain to be more successful and productive. Promoting positivity will enhance our student’s academic ability and develop them into happy and positive thinkers and leaders. Each month we will highlight a building or staff member that is spreading “The Orange” (Happiness) through Gibraltar!

Congratulations to the 21st graduating class of the GSD Orange Frog Workshop! Over the past nine years, nearly 500 GSD staff members have taken part in this training, which is grounded in the principles of positive psychology. We are incredibly proud of our staff for embracing this work, and we know it directly supports student success by fostering positive, engaging, and encouraging learning environments across our schools.

Carlson High School kicked off the 2026–2027 school year by welcoming students in grades 9–12 to Prep Day 2026! Throughout the day, students took yearbook photos, toured the building, received their class schedules, and located their lockers. Students were also able to secure parking passes and become more familiar with the school before the first day of classes. Clubs and activities hosted informational booths, giving students opportunities to explore the many ways they can get involved at Carlson. Food trucks added to the excitement and helped create a welcoming, community-focused atmosphere. Prep Day provided a great opportunity for students to reconnect, get prepared, and start the new school year with confidence.

Chapman Elementary is excited to welcome several new faces to our Charger family this school year! Sydney Meeks joins us as a first-grade teacher, and Samantha Montry is joining our team as our Speech-Language Pathologist. Pending Board of Education approval, we are also thrilled to welcome Krystal Lesinski as our Upper Elementary CI teacher. Krystal is already a familiar face at Chapman after serving as a long-term substitute in the CI classroom last spring, and we are excited to have her return in this new role. We are also happy to welcome two new paraprofessionals, Heather Jolly and Nicole Hofbauer, who will be supporting our students and classrooms throughout the building. Each of these new staff members brings something special to our Chapman community, and we are grateful to have them joining our team as we begin another great year together!

Throughout the spring and summer, Hunter Elementary received exciting upgrades to all three of our playgrounds! Play is such an important part of the elementary school experience, giving students opportunities to move their bodies, build friendships, practice cooperation and problem-solving, and simply have fun together.

Their students are going to love exploring the new equipment when they return this fall, and apparently, they won’t be the only ones! The upgrades are so much fun that even our Hunter teachers couldn’t resist jumping on and giving them a test run! We can’t wait to see our playgrounds filled with happy Hornets playing, laughing, and making memories this year. 🐝💙

If you’ve driven by Parsons lately, you’ve probably noticed that things are looking a little different around here! Our school transformation is well underway, and it has been incredible to watch the vision made possible by our community’s support of the school bond become a reality.

So much has already been accomplished. Classrooms have been refreshed with new paint, cabinets, shelving, and HVAC units. Our staff bathrooms and K-1 student bathrooms have been renovated, new spaces have been created for Art and Music, and a new hallway now connects us to the extension.

Outside, the transformation continues! Our students will enjoy a brand-new playground, blacktop, basketball court, and four-square area, creating even more opportunities to play, connect, and be active together.

Perhaps the most exciting part is what is still coming. Four brand-new classrooms and our new gymnasium are taking shape right before our eyes! These spaces will continue to come together throughout the school year, and we cannot wait to see our students learning, playing, and growing in them. Next year, we will also get new flooring and the completion of our student bathroom renovations.

We are so grateful to our community for investing in our school and giving us the opportunity to create spaces that will serve Parsons Pirates for years to come. We may be building classrooms, hallways, and a gym but ultimately, we are building a future!

At Downriver STEM at Weiss, we love finding fun ways to celebrate the amazing people who make our school so special! Since we are a STEM-focused school, we thought it would be fun to add a little science to our weekly staff shout-outs.

Each week, Mrs. Krimmel will recognize one outstanding staff member as our “Mad Scientist of the Week,” giving our Wildcat families a chance to get to know the incredible people who make Downriver STEM at Weiss such a special place.

Our first Mad Scientist is Mrs. Hunter! Mrs. Hunter is truly the heartbeat of our school. She greets students, families, and staff with a smile and has an incredible knowledge of all the moving pieces that make our school run each day.

As a new principal, I can’t say enough about how invaluable Mrs. Hunter has been during my transition. She has made stepping into this role so much easier, and of course, she has a way of making just about everyone laugh along the way!

For all of these reasons and so much more, Mrs. Hunter is our very first Mad Scientist of the Week!

Thank you, Mrs. Hunter, for everything you do for our Wildcat family. We truly don’t know what we’d do without you! 💙🐾

Shumate Middle School was excited to welcome students and families to our annual Prep Day! The event gave students an opportunity to prepare for the new school year and take care of several important tasks before the first day. During Prep Day, students received their schedules and locker assignments, picked up their Student IDs, had their school pictures taken, ordered Shumate spiritwear, and received their Chromebooks. Our incoming 6th graders also had the opportunity to take guided tours of the building with our First Mates, helping them become familiar with their new school and easing some of the first-day jitters.Parents of 6th grade students also participated in a brief informational meeting with Mr. Cassie and Mr. Anderson, where they learned ways to best support their students as they begin their middle school experience. The Hungry Marauder Food Truck was also on site throughout Prep Day, providing students and families with a variety of lunch and dinner options while giving everyone a chance to reconnect with friends after a long summer. It was a great way to kick off the school year, and we were thrilled to see so many of our Marauders and their families back at Shumate!

Lakeshore Virtual School kicked off the new school year with a successful Prep Day, welcoming students and their families back and helping everyone feel prepared for the year ahead. Students had the opportunity to receive their student IDs, meet staff, and learn more about the expectations and routines that support success in a virtual learning environment. Staff also helped students and families navigate the online platforms and resources they will use throughout the year, while answering questions and making sure students had the tools and information they needed to get started. Prep Day provided a great opportunity to build connections, establish expectations, and set the stage for a successful year of learning at Lakeshore Virtual School!

Gibraltar School District is required by law to provide families with certain annual notifications. Please take a moment to review the Gibraltar School District Annual Notifications.

The Transportation Department has been working hard to finalize bus routes for the upcoming school year. Families will be able to view their child’s assigned bus stop and transportation information in the Parent Portal by August 25, 2026. We also encourage families to check the Parent Portal again just before the first day of school, as adjustments to routes and stop times may be necessary as we prepare for the start of the year.

As we begin another school year, we appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding as our drivers and Transportation Department work to safely transport our students each day. A few friendly reminders for our bus-riding families:

• Please have your child at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled pick-up time. Buses may occasionally arrive a few minutes early, particularly if students are absent from stops earlier along the route.

• Likewise, buses may sometimes run later than scheduled due to trains, construction, traffic, weather, or other circumstances outside of the driver’s control.

• The first few weeks of school are always an adjustment period as students settle into routines and our Transportation Department works through stop changes, route adjustments, and timing.

Most importantly, we ask for a little extra patience and grace for our bus drivers, especially during these first few weeks. They have an incredibly important responsibility, and their number one priority is getting our students to and from school safely. Our drivers and Transportation Department work very hard to keep routes running as smoothly as possible, and we greatly appreciate our families partnering with us as everyone settles into the new school year.

Thank you for helping us start the year with patience, flexibility, and a shared commitment to the safety of all of our students!

Cherie Fraser- Asst. Director of Transportation

As we welcome our students and families back for another school year, there has been a tremendous amount of work happening behind the scenes to make sure our schools are ready for a great start!

Throughout the summer, our custodial teams have been busy cleaning, organizing, and preparing classrooms, hallways, and learning spaces across the district. Their hard work and attention to detail help ensure our buildings are safe, welcoming, and ready for students to return. We are incredibly appreciative of everything they do to take such great care of our schools.

Our grounds crew has also been hard at work throughout the summer keeping our campuses looking their best. From maintaining our grounds to preparing outdoor spaces for the start of school, their efforts help create campuses that our students, families, staff, and community can be proud of.

What a summer it has been for our maintenance team! With so many projects taking place across the district, they have worked tirelessly alongside our construction partners to keep projects moving and prepare our buildings for the new school year. Much of their work happens behind the scenes, but the impact can be seen and felt throughout GSD.

There has certainly been no shortage of activity across our campuses this summer. At Carlson High School, the auditorium received a complete renovation and work continued on updates to the front façade. Parsons Elementary received classroom ventilation replacements and other improvements, while Rockwood Early Learning Center saw significant changes including parking lot restructuring, complete bathroom renovations, classroom updates, and exterior improvements. And those are just a few of the many projects that have been underway!

Each of these improvements represents our continued commitment to providing safe, welcoming, and engaging learning environments for our students. We are grateful to all of the employees, contractors, and partners who worked throughout the summer to make it happen.

Our schools are looking better every day, and we are excited for our students and families to see the progress as they return. It has truly been a summer of improvement across Gibraltar School District, and we cannot wait to see our buildings filled with students once again.

Welcome back, GSD! Here’s to a great 2026–2027 school year!

We’re excited to welcome students to the cafeteria with fresh meals, fun programs, and a focus on nutrition and safety!

Beginning with the 2026–2027 school year, Gibraltar School District is participating in the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP), which allows students to receive school breakfast and lunch at no cost. Because meals are available to all students through CEP, families will no longer complete the traditional free and reduced-price meal application.

However, it is still very important that families complete the Education Benefits Form.

Information collected through the Education Benefits Form helps Gibraltar School District identify student and community needs and supports important state and federal education programs, including Title I. We respectfully ask every household receiving a form to complete it, even though school meals are provided at no cost through CEP. Information provided will be kept confidential and used only for authorized program purposes.

Please complete the Education Benefits Form using one of the methods below:

• Complete the form online (quickest, and preferred): Follow the link to the Online Education Benefits Form, complete and submit it electronically. This is the quickest, easiest, and preferred method. You can find this link on the Food Service page on our district website.

• Download and print the form: Download and print a copy of the Education Benefits Form from the Food Service page on our district website, complete one per family, and return it to any of our schools’ main offices.

• Pick up a printed copy: Visit the main office of any Gibraltar school or district building to obtain a printed copy. Complete the form and return it to your student’s school.

Depending on household income and eligibility, your family may qualify for additional district programs or support. If eligible, you may receive additional information at a later date with an opportunity to opt in.

Menu Info at Your Fingertips

Check daily menus, nutrition facts, and allergens on the Nutrislice app or at https://gibdist.nutrislice.com

More Information

Visit the food services page at https://www.gibdist.net/page/food-service for important information on adding funds to student accounts, food allergies and special diets, menus, hiring opportunities, and to learn more about the fun nutrition programs your student will experience this year.

As we begin another school year, the safety and security of our students and staff continues to be one of our highest priorities. Throughout the year, Gibraltar School District continually reviews our safety procedures, provides training, and works closely with local law enforcement and first responders to help ensure our schools remain safe and welcoming places for students to learn.

The SmartBoot System has now been in place throughout the district for over a year and continues to provide an additional layer of physical and technological protection in our schools. The system allows for quick classroom lockdowns, immediate communication throughout a building, and direct connection with law enforcement during an emergency. Color-coded room signage throughout our buildings also helps staff and first responders quickly identify locations when needed.

As students return to school, we will continue to reinforce the importance of respecting all emergency and safety systems, including the SmartBoot System and fire alarms. These systems are in place to protect everyone in our schools and should never be tampered with or falsely activated. Misuse of any emergency or safety system may result in school disciplinary action and potential legal consequences. We appreciate our families reinforcing this important message at home as well.

This year, the district has also replaced outdated building radios with new radios in each of our schools. Reliable communication is essential during both everyday situations and emergencies, and this investment will help strengthen communication among staff throughout our buildings.

Safety training, drills, and reminders will continue throughout the school year to ensure our procedures remain effective and our staff and students know how to respond in the event of an emergency. We also continue to work collaboratively with our local police, fire, and emergency response partners to review and strengthen our safety practices.

Keeping our schools safe is a responsibility we take very seriously, and we appreciate the continued partnership of our students, families, staff, and community. Together, we can help ensure GSD remains a safe, welcoming, and supportive environment for every student.

Have a safe and successful school year!

Ken May
District Crisis and Safety Coordinator