Tiger Times

Join us at the Book Fair! Students will have opportunities to shop October 12-16 and families can get in on the fun at Family Night October 12th. Use the links below to preview the fair, set up digital payment for your student, volunteer, and donate to help make the fair accessible to all our students!

Preview the fair

Set up an ewallet

Volunteer!

Help students purchase books

Our students use the EL curriculum in their ELA classes. Classes are in their first units. 6th grade will be reading Percy Jackson. 7th grade reads A Long Walk to Water, and 8th grade reads Summer of the Mariposas. For information about the curriculum, please check out the materials for families on the EL website.

In Septmeber, we talked about close reading and the skills we need to be close readers and thinkers about what we read. In October, we challenge you and your family to practice your reading stamina! Visit the library, find a book at home, or check one out at school. Then read as a family! Your student can log their minutes in Beanstack for a chance to win prizes. Use the link here to sign up! The challenge is issued--can everyone in the family read 30 minutes per day for 30 days?

Math classes use the Open Up curriculum along with supplemental materials. Students will be receiving their first unit workbooks soon! You can also access all the student and family materials online using the links below. When you or your student needs even more help, check out Mr. Morgan's Math Help for videos explaining the strategies.

Math 6 Family Materials

Math 7 Family Materials

Math 8 Family Materials

Math 1 Family Materials

Math 2 Family Materials

North Carolina has updated Science standards for middle grades. If you would like to look at what concepts are covered in each grade level, check out the link to the standards here!

In social studies, students in 6th grade learn all about ancient civilizations. In 7th grade, they study world history events. In 8th grade, students focus on American history. Check out the specific standards in the links below:

6th Grade

7th Grade

8th Grade

North Carolina General Assembly House Bill 959 regulating the use of cell phones and other wireless communication devices during school instructional time in all grades K-12. “...shall prohibit students from using, displaying or having a wireless communication device turned on during instructional time.”

Kiser School Policy

Students are not allowed to have cell phones or headphones out during the school day (8:00AM-3:20PM). Cell phones and headphones are to be powered off and placed in your bookbag, not visible, before the beginning of the school day and remain there the entire school day.

Students are not permitted to call/text from their personal devices, including smartwatches, throughout the day. If it is necessary for a student to call home, they will have access to the school phones in the classroom or in the front office. Parents should call the front office if they need to get a message to their student.

Personal electronic devices, including phones and earpieces/headphones/earbuds, may be collected from students who use them during the school day. This includes smartwatches used for communication. Repeated offenses will require the parent to pick up the device. The school does not take any responsibility for lost, damaged or stolen electronic devices including cell phones, chargers, earpieces/headphones/earbuds. In addition to device collection, students who violate the cell phone and headphone policies will receive disciplinary consequences.

As you look towards the new school year, take time to review the Kiser Family Handbook for important information about the school day, student expectations, and other policies and procedures. Check out the behavior expectations matrix below and begin discussing it with your student.

Handbook Link: https://docs.google.com/document/d/15LvNn8JiYgDWsb9IRebjupJJVx6dsjdi6xcnOLz4dn4/edit?usp=sharing

Parents of Academically/Intellectually Gifted Identified Students,

Our annual meeting will be held on October 7th from 5:30-6:00pm in the media center. Students in grades 6-8 who were formerly identified as well as those newly qualified will receive an Annual AG meeting invitation and 1st quarter newsletter to take home early next week.

We need you! Click the links below to sign up.

To help with classroom libraries:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0445AFAD2AA7F94-66149946-classroom

To help with the bookfair:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090B4FAFA92BA4F58-65919509-kiser

We also need folks to help us make baggies of ice for first aid. if you are interested, let Dr. Bocci know at boccim@gcsnc.com!

Want to support teachers and students at Kiser? The PTA is like the booster club for the whole school!

You can support us (and Kiser) by

JOINING

VOLUNTEERING

ADVOCATING

SPONSORING

DONATING

If you're already a member, keep an eye out for our bi-monthly newsletter with lots more PTA details and check Facebook and Instagram for up to date opportunities!

• Infinite Campus (where you see the grades)

Need an account? All you need is an email address in Infinite Campus and your student's ID number. Use the links below!

Need to Create an Account?

Campus Passport

• Canvas (where you see what students are working on in class)

Use the link here for step-by-step instructions: https://community.canvaslms.com/t5/Observer-Guide/How-do-I-sign-up-for-a-Canvas-account-as-a-parent/ta-p/540

Use the link here for the login to Canvas: https://gcs.instructure.com/login/canvas

• Dragonfly (where you upload all the forms for athletics and see schedules)

Click here to access the Dragonfly portal, watch help videos, create an account, and upload your student's documents: https://www.dragonflymax.com/parents-academy

• Here Comes the Bus (where you track the bus and get alerts of bus changes)

Click here for the code to register and more information: https://www.gcsnc.com/families/transportation

• SchoolCashOnline (where you make all school-related payments)

Register at https://Gcsnc.schoolcashonline.com, so you will receive notifications and be able to make payments for items involving your child, including: field trips, yearbooks, spirit wear, athletic fees, and more.

• Attendance Form (where you set up early dismissal or provide absence notes)

Use this form to let us know when you need to check your student out early or provide reason for an absence.

The fall athletic season is here! We welcome fans at all our events. Tickets for students are $3 and adults are $5. Student fans must leave campus at the end of the school day and return for the game. Unchaperoned students must be picked up within 15 minutes of the conclusion of play.

Try-Outs for Boys Volleyball and Girls Soccer begin Oct. 5! Be sure your physical is in DragonFly before try-outs!

Plan ahead!
Boys volleyball, girls soccer, football, and cross-country will take their sports photos on Oct 8! You can order using the info provided by the photographer.

Kiser offers a variety of clubs. We will continue to add to the list below as new meetings get set up. Students should also check the TV announcements for updates about new clubs and meeting times. If there is a club you'd like to start, talk to your teachers and see if you can find an adult sponor!

Battle of the Books with Ms. Wasserman--Interest meeting on 9/23

Coding and Robotics with Ms. Algood

Chess Club with Mr. Brown

Dungeons and Dragons--details TBA

FBLA with Mr. Tanner

FCCLA with Ms. Louis

Girls Who Game with Ms. Perry

Jazz Band

Music Theatre Club with Mr. Maltby

SGA with Mr. Johnson

Yearbook Club with Ms. Smith--meets Thursdays after school