GMS Newsletter Sponsored by PTA

Click here to see the complete GMS website calendar for more events and details

MONDAY, April 7

AISD Assistant Principal's Appreciation Week Begins

AISD School Librarian Appreciation Week Begins

2024-25 Special Education and Section 504 Family Empower Hour - More information here.

HSR Meeting 4:00pm @ GMS Cafeteria - Information Below:

Join us for an informative session about our district’s Human Sexuality and Responsibility (HSR) education curriculum. This session is designed to provide parents and guardians with a clear understanding of state and local policies, lesson content, and participation options.

Agenda:

• Overview of State & Local HSR Curriculum Policies – Learn about the guidelines that shape our curriculum.

• Opt-In Process – Understand how to review materials and provide consent for your child’s participation.

• Lesson Overviews – Get a preview of key topics covered at each grade level.

• Q&A Session – Ask any questions you may have to ensure you’re fully informed.

We encourage all parents and guardians to attend and engage in this important discussion.

This optional informational HSR Orientation will be offered for parents and caregivers on Monday, April 7th in the Gorzycki Cafeteria at 4:00 pm.

2024-25 Special Education and Section 504 Family Empower Hour - More informatation can be found here.

TUESDAY, April 8

☕Principal's Coffee Talk 2:15pm-3:15pm via Google Meets☕

Wednesday, April 9

❗STAAR Reading Test 6th-8th grades - NO Visitors on campus.

Rising 5th Grade Geometry Test 4:15-6:15pm @ GMS Cafeteria

THURSDAY, April 10

CAC Meeting via Google Meets 4:00-5:00pm

🏃🏻‍♀️Tiger Track Meet 6:00-7:00pm🏃🏻‍♀️

FRIDAY, April 11

STAAR Reading Make-up Test 6th-8th Grade

SATURDAY, April 12

Rising 5th Grade Geometry Test 9:00-11:00am @ GMS Cafeteria

SUNDAY, April 13

MONDAY, April 14

2024-25 Special Education and Section 504 Family Empower Hour - More information can be found here.

TUESDAY, April 15

❗STAAR Science Test (8th Grade) - NO Visitors on campus.

Band Solo & Ensemble Festival 4:00-8:00pm @ GMS Band Hall & Band Aux Rm.

(Students perform solo at their appointment time.)

School Site

School Calendar

Daily Announcements

Bell Schedule 24-25

GMS PTA LInk

AISD Links

Parent Portal

AISD Calendar 24-25

Bus Stop Finder

School Cafe

You can schedule your blood donation appointment here.

The image above is linkable but you can access the link here. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf_r5yyeo2z-ND_ryNYZPHNgAKD02YevIPl-dar-x2eLloBhw/viewform?fbclid=IwY2xjawI_BQdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHYJkVbrS62peRgqNyCM6RP_S1gxREp6oZ88O2i0BaqVVT8hKNJFmWV_gWg_aem_RXzBoUmiRLfP_tIv3Cud7Q

Please click on image above for application or you may copy and past this link into your browser.

https://www.tigerpta.org/gms-pta-scholarship

GMS PTA is excited to feature our Partner in Education

Central Texas Orthodontics

Did you know that middle school is one of the best times to be seen by an orthodontist to make sure a smile is on track to be the best it can be? Dr. Brian St. Louis has been creating awesome smiles at Central Texas Orthodontics for the past 15 years and his office is just down the street at 3413 W Slaughter Lane. Consultations are free and include a review of x-rays to see how your child’s teeth are developing. Dr St. Louis is also highly trained with Invisalign for both teens and parents if you are interested in improving your smile as well.

If you have any trouble linking to the payment portion of the google doc you can access that here.

The Summit STEM Fellowship is a virtual summer program bringing together top rising 9th-12th grade students around the world. As a Summit STEM Fellow, students learn from top mentors at Harvard, Stanford, and MIT and explore diverse opportunities and career pathways in STEM. The fellowship is 10-15 hours per week, and events take place in the evenings and weekends to accommodate students’ summer schedules. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis, so early submission is encouraged. To learn more and apply, please visit www.summitstemfellowship.org For any questions, please email info@summitstemfellowship.org.

We are doing combo camp options again this year for incoming 3rd-8th! Camp is 60% full after one week. You can register for combo or just one on our website! https://bowiegirlsbasketball.org/camps-and-events/

Please reach out if you have any questions.

Bowie Baseball summer youth camp registration is OPEN! Register online at bowiebaseball.org/store

The Silver Stars will be hosting a Summer dance camp June 16-June 19 for (incoming) kindergarten to 9th grade. Registration is open at silverstars.org

Save the Date Bowie Basketball Summer Camp

June 16-19 & July 14-17

Registration Link will be posted by the end of March!

Hey Dawgs - anyone missing those Friday Night Lights? Mark your calendars - it's coming!

Registration for Weight & Conditioning and Freshmen Football Camp will be available soon on www.bowiefootball.org

We are dedicated to helping young girls achieve their goals and develop a lifelong love of movement. We offer a range of programs, designed to improve overall fitness, build confidence, and foster a healthy lifestyle. Our experienced coaches provide personalized instruction and guidance to help each girl reach her full potential in a supportive community environment. Click on the photo below or the link provided to signup and get more details. www.girlstrainingacademy.com

Please review the flyer below for more details.

Congratulations to our latest round of Gorzycki Middle School Band Principal Players of the Week!

Put your hands together for the following GMS Band Members:

Drumroll please….

Brady B. from Honors Band!

Ayden Z. from Symphonic Band!

Mateo M. from Concert Band!

Anderson R. from beginner flute class!

Adam P. from beginner euphonium class!

The above mentioned students were chosen as Principal Players because they always follow our GMS acronym:

Give 100%

Manage Yourself

Show Respect

Join us in congratulating our Principal Players for this week!!

Thank you for being outstanding members of the Gorzycki Band!! Kudos!!!

Congratulations to 59 of the 7th and 8th grade orchestra students and Shelby Dickey who just performed magnificently at CARNEGIE HALL! Mrs Dickey and these dedicated musicians have been preparing for this performance on Friday mornings at 7am since late August. Dreams do come true!

Again, huge thank you to all the teachers, administrators, parents and supporters that make these dreams come true.

Rules and Reminders for the Health Room

1. Resting in the health room is for 15 minutes only unless you are going home due to illness or injury. After 15 minutes, students must either go back to class or contact their parent to go home.

2. No cellphones/electronics allowed in the health room unless you have been given permission to call/text a parent.

3. The health room staff will not provide notes for students to not participate in PE/athletics. Notes must come from a parent or doctor.

4. The health room staff cannot provide ANY medications to students unless they have been provided by the parent and have a doctor's order. (This includes cough drops.) We do not have any medications in the health room except emergency medications.

5. Students are not allowed to self carry and self administer medication. Do not call your parent and ask them to "drop off" medicine for you in the front office. If your parent is bringing medication, they will need to hand it directly to you.

6. The health room staff does not provide snacks, bottled water, or ice to eat. Please bring your own snacks and water bottles.

7. If coming to the health room during passing periods, please check in with your next teacher first to obtain a pass.

Join the PTA

COMMUNICATION PLATFORMS

• Sign up to receive notifications for the Gorzycki Middle Campus Community Course at: https://aisdblend.instructure.com/courses/111130
• Follow the OFFICIAL GMS Facebook Page: Gorzycki Middle School
• Catch up with the latest student stories, events and news. It's everything Austin ISD, in your pocket. If you haven't already, download the app! You can find it on your phone in your app store via Google Play or Apple App.
• For Android
• For Apple

PRINCIPAL COFFEE TALKS
The first Principal Coffee Talk will be held Tuesday, September 10th at 2:15PM.

• Coffee talks will be held via Google Meets - link to be provided.
• You can find all the dates of all the Coffee Talks here.

BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION

Download the Box Tops for Education app and start scanning your receipts! Every little bit counts and adds up quickly for GMS. How do box tops raise money for your school, click here to read more. GMS contact: fundraising@tigerpta.org

POPCORN FRIDAY DONATIONS NEEDED

GMS Popcorn Fridays needs your help. All donations go towards appreciating the GMS teachers with popcorn, drinks and snacks. Please contact Kelly Granger at popcorn@tigerpta.org if you would like to donate.

UPDATED: SCHOOL TRAFFIC PLAN

Arrival: During the morning arrival and after school pickup, vehicles approaching the front of the school will be channeled into two lanes of traffic, the inside lane closest to the school and the outside lane closest to Slaughter (the middle lane will be blocked off so that students can safely walk up to the crosswalk). Buses will drop students off at the awning in the back of the school. Afternoon dismissal for car riders will be in the front of the school. Parents arriving early for pick-up will be expected to park in one of the two lanes behind the crosswalk. Parents will queue up behind designated markers. Parents are to stay in your vehicles.

ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL
Arrival: The building is open from 7:50 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Tardy Bell rings at 8:20. Upon arrival, 6th grade students will report to the cafeteria. 7/8th grade students will report to the Commons. Students are to sit on the floor in the Cafeteria/Commons area. Students must be supervised in the building outside of school hours.

Dismissal:. Students who stay for an activity/tutoring session should remain in their designated area with the Gorzycki staff member in charge of the after school activity. Parents should pick up their child within 10 minutes of a given activity ending time. Failure to be picked up in a timely manner may result in restrictions from after-school activities.

AFTER SCHOOL PICK UP PROCEDURES
Please follow the GMS procedures for arrival and dismissal from school. We ask that student pick-ups occur in the loop in front of the school. Stopping to pick up students on Slaughter is NEVER acceptable. To help reduce some of the congestion, we ask that if you are turning left on Slaughter after picking up your child, you enter the school using the left two lanes. If you are turning right on Slaughter, please use the right lane for student pick-up. This will help reduce the changing of lanes when leaving campus.

GMS also asks that you not use Allerton Avenue for student pick-up. GMS is trying to be good neighbors and the parking issue after school is creating very unsafe situations.

Parents and caregivers are not permitted to move the orange cones.

LOCKERS
All grade levels were issued lockers and a combination lock. Backpacks are not allowed in classrooms or in the cafeteria; students need to keep their backpacks in their lockers. Students can carry Chromebooks and notebooks to class in a Chromebook case.

MEDICATIONS ON CAMPUS
ALL MEDICATIONS ON CAMPUS REQUIRE DOCTOR'S ORDERS in addition to a parent authorization form. This means that all prescription and over-the-counter medications require a doctor's order and will not be allowed on campus at all without it. In the past, the prescription label on the bottle served as an MD order but AISD has changed the policy and now requires the MD order. Students are not allowed to self-carry ANY medication without doctor's orders and parent authorization.

Daily medications and/or emergency medications such as inhalers, epipens, seizure or diabetic medications can be dropped off. The medications cannot be accepted without the necessary paperwork completed. You may visit the GMS website at gorzycki.austinschools.org to print and complete all necessary paperwork. Please call the health room with any questions or to make other arrangements to drop off medication. Health Room # 512-841-8620, or email to jessica.bram@austinisd.org.

DROPPING OFF ITEMS AT SCHOOL
In order to assist students with self-responsibility and to keep classroom disruptions to a minimum, GMS does not make deliveries nor do we contact the student while they are in class to let them know that their item was dropped off. You may tell your student before school that you will be dropping off an item or you can email their teacher. The student will then have to pick it up from the front office. (delivery exceptions are contact lenses or glasses).

PERMIT TO LEAVE SCHOOL EARLY
When students leave school early, written permission from a parent or guardian is required. Please follow these steps:

1. The student must bring the note to the front office in the morning to receive a pink slip. Students who need to leave school early must be picked up before 3:15 due to traffic and parking availability.
2. The student will show the pink slip to the teacher when it is time to leave; the teacher will allow the student to go to the front office for parent pick-up. **Without a pink slip, students are not allowed to leave class**
3. Parent/guardian(s) must sign the student out in the front office before leaving campus. Please bring your photo ID.

REDUCED-PRICE MEAL SIGN UP
We encourage families who currently have reduced-price status to complete an AISD meal benefits application at www.SchoolCafe.com/AustinISD to ensure their eligibility through the entire school year.

Breakfast:

• Full Price: $2.00
• Reduced-price: FREE

Lunch:

• Full Price: $3.50
• Reduced-price: $0.40

SPORTING EVENT PICK-UP
Students are welcome to all Athletic events. Please remember that students are to be picked up from the event 10 minutes after the game is over. This is NOT a set time and can be anywhere from 8:00 - 9:00. Students who are not picked up on-time will not be allowed to attend future events.

The PTA works diligently to provide resources for our students, teachers and staff, but we can be more successful with the help of our many partners in the community! The Gorzycki Partner Program enables your business to have significant exposure and visibility in our community while providing vital funds to support our students. This opportunity is available to all businesses and families. Contact Susan Crum at partners@tigerpta.org with questions.

The PTA would like to thank the businesses that support our school!

Gorzycki Middle School

7412 W. Slaughter Lane, Austin TX 78749 Phone 512-841-8600 Fax 512-841-8601