GSD E-Blast November 2026
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!
🧪🔬 Mad Scientist of the Week: Mrs. Hughes! 📚💙🐾
Our Mad Scientist of the Week is Mrs. Hughes, and we are so lucky to have her at Downriver STEM at Weiss Elementary!
Mrs. Hughes works tirelessly to inspire our students to discover the joy of reading in the Weiss Library. Not only does she see every class weekly, but she also volunteers her lunch time to lead book clubs with students across different grade levels!
She works with our fifth graders and coordinates pen pal opportunities with other schools, helping students build connections beyond our own school community. She also tends to our school garden, teaching students about the foods and herbs they grow and the delicious things they can create with them!
And that’s not all! Mrs. Hughes helps bring the magic of the stage to life through our drama club, making sure our students have an amazing production to look forward to. She is also a pivotal part of our PTO and always brings her enthusiasm and creativity to our school community.
Whether she’s dressing up for Spirit Week, celebrating Unity Day, or finding new ways to make learning fun, Mrs. Hughes brings joy, dedication, and a whole lot of Wildcat spirit to everything she does!
Mrs. Hughes is a true gem, and we are incredibly grateful for all she does to make Downriver STEM at Weiss Elementary such a special place! 💙🐾
Carlson Homecoming!
Marauder pride was on full display as Carlson celebrated Homecoming the week of October 12th! From spirited dress-up days to friendly class competition, the week was filled with energy, excitement, and school pride. The freshman class claimed the coveted Spirit Jug, and the announcement of our Homecoming King added to the celebration. Friday night brought the community together to cheer our Varsity Football team to a Marauder victory and celebrate the crowning of our Homecoming Queen. The festivities wrapped up Saturday night with a Homecoming Dance filled with music, laughter, and memories. What a wonderful week to be a Marauder!
Chapman Chargers Team Up for Fire Safety!
Chapman Elementary’s Chargers got an up-close look at the people and equipment that help keep our community safe during a fire prevention assembly with Rockwood Fire Department! Students watched a demonstration of firefighters’ protective gear and had the exciting opportunity to explore a fire truck and ambulance. These experiences brought safety lessons to life while helping students become more familiar with the first responders who are there to help in an emergency. We are grateful to our Rockwood community partners for sharing their time and expertise, building positive connections with our students, and making fire safety learning memorable for our students!
DCTC Students Bring Career Exploration to Hunter Elementary Fifth Graders
Hunter Elementary's fifth-grade students recently had an exciting opportunity to explore a variety of career pathways through a hands-on learning experience led by high school students from the Downriver Career Technical Consortium (DCTC). All three fifth-grade classes participated in interactive stations highlighting Aviation and Drones, Automotive Technology, Education, Dental Health and Health Services, Welding, Digital Media, Marketing, and Construction. At each station, DCTC students shared their knowledge, experiences, and enthusiasm for their respective programs, giving our younger learners a firsthand look at the skills and opportunities associated with different career fields.
What made this experience especially meaningful was the opportunity for elementary students to learn directly from high school students who are already exploring their own career interests. Through hands-on activities, demonstrations, and conversations, our fifth graders were encouraged to ask questions, try new things, and imagine the possibilities for their own futures. The visit was a wonderful example of students inspiring students and the value of connecting learning across grade levels. Hunter Elementary is grateful to the DCTC students and staff for sharing their time and talents and providing an engaging experience that helped our Hornets see how today's learning can connect to tomorrow's opportunities.
Our Parsons Pirates blew our Fun Run goal right out of the water! We set a goal of $25,000, and our amazing school community raised an incredible $28,636, plus $11,000 in sponsorships! That is an amazing accomplishment, and we are so grateful to our families, sponsors, and community for making it happen!
The students had a fabulous day celebrating with our Color Run. The sunshine was beautiful, the music was playing, and the day was filled with exercise, laughter, and plenty of colorful fun! Our Pirates ran, danced, cheered, and made memories together. As promised, Mrs. Aherne kept her end of the bargain by wearing an inflatable suit ALL DAY! Our students certainly enjoyed seeing their principal dressed for the occasion!
So, where does all that money go? Our Fun Run funds help provide wonderful opportunities for our students, including assemblies, playground equipment, teacher grants, family events, field trips, buses, and so much more. These funds help us create meaningful experiences that go beyond the classroom and make Parsons an even more special place to learn and grow.
Thank you, Parsons families and sponsors, for showing what happens when our Pirate community comes together! We are so proud of our students, grateful for your generosity, and already looking forward to the next opportunity to celebrate our amazing school.
🔬🐾 What an AMAZING Family STEM Night at Downriver STEM at Weiss! 🐾🔬
We had such a wonderful time seeing so many of our Wildcats and their families come out for an evening of hands-on learning, creativity, exploration, and FUN! It was incredible to watch our students dive into the activities, try new things, solve problems, and learn together.
The excitement and engagement throughout the evening were contagious! Events like these remind us that learning happens everywhere, especially when we give our Wildcats opportunities to explore, create, experiment, and discover the world around them.
A HUGE thank-you to our amazing Weiss staff for planning and providing such engaging activities and to all of our families who came out to participate. Your support helps make our school community so special!
We are proud to be Downriver STEM at Weiss, where our Wildcats learn by doing! 💙🤍🐾
6th & 7th Grade STEM Field Trip to Rev's Up Fun
For the second year in a row, Shumate’s 6th and 7th graders headed to Rev’d Up Fun for a half day of hands-on STEM learning and fun while our 8th graders remained at school to complete the Fall PSAT Practice Assessment. At the heart of this trip was learning, as every student participated in three physical science STEM activity sessions designed to connect classroom concepts with real-world applications. These engaging, interactive lessons encouraged students to explore scientific principles, apply critical-thinking skills, and learn through hands-on experiences. Of course, there was also time for laser tag, climbing, putt-putt, and arcade games! It was a great combination of meaningful STEM learning, teamwork, and fun for our Middle Marauders, and proved to be a valuable learning opportunity while helping maintain a productive testing environment for our 8th graders here at SMS!
Apple Crunch Day!
Michigan Apple Crunch Day is an annual celebration held every October—during National Farm to School Month—to promote healthy eating, highlight local agriculture, and support Michigan apple growers.
Gibraltar celebrated with fresh Michigan Apples, Apple Crisp, Apple Cucumber Salad and Michigan Apple Cider!
Homecoming Recognition!
In a play straight out of the ultimate game plan, the Carlson High School varsity football team traded their playbooks for pen and paper to deliver the season’s most meaningful handoff. Each player wrote a heart felt letter of appreciation to a teacher or staff member who made an unforgettable impact on their lives, handing over their game jersey for them to proudly wear all day. Seeing the hallways transformed into a sea of blue and white worn by staff was a powerful reminder that while games are won on the field, the real MVPs are made in the classrooms, kitchens and hallways.