Gayle Newsletter

Week #11: October 18 - October 23

Dear Gayle Middle School Families,

I hope our Panthers have enjoyed the long weekend and taken time to rest and recharge! We look forward to welcoming students back for the start of Quarter 2 on Tuesday, October 20.

As we begin a new quarter, we also join our division in reinforcing the importance of kindness, inclusion, and student safety. This Wednesday, October 21, is Unity Day! We encourage everyone to wear orange to show our support for a school where every student feels welcome and belongs.

Bullying involves unwanted, intentional harm, a real or perceived power imbalance, and behavior that tends to repeat over time. While rude behavior, conflict, and bullying are different, every student concern deserves attention. If your child shares something hurtful or concerning, listen calmly, gather details, and contact the school. You do not need to decide whether it “counts” as bullying before asking for help.

Your child’s grade-level counselor is a great place to start:

• 6th Grade: Adam Fulton, fultonam@staffordschools.net

• 7th Grade and Counseling Director: Tracy Williams, williamstd@staffordschools.net

• 8th Grade: Virginia Clemo, clemova@staffordschools.net

Additional mental health resources are available at staffordschools.net/families/mental-health.

Thank you for partnering with us to help every Panther feel safe, supported, and ready to learn!

With Panther PRIDE,

Deanna Fierro-Kin
Principal, T. Benton Gayle Middle School

Membership is quick and easy! Simply scan or click the QR code to register and become part of this impactful organization. Together, we can continue to make a positive difference for our Panther Pride!

Purchase Spirit Wear Here! Click here for details.

Registration Link: https://tbgmspta.givebacks.com/store/items/875037

Family-Teacher Conferences are a great opportunity to connect with your child’s teachers about their progress, goals, and next steps. Conferences will be held Monday, October 19, from 10:00 AM–6:00 PM.

Families can schedule conference times online through StudentVUE. The scheduling window is open now through Monday, October 12.

Need help scheduling? View our step-by-step guide or this helpful video tutorial, created by one of our sister schools.

If you experience any issues with scheduling, contact the school and we’ll be happy to help.

Gayle Families, we are excited to invite you to join us for our Veterans Day Breakfast on November 10 from 9:30–10:30 a.m. as we recognize and celebrate the veterans who are special to our students and families. Space is limited, so families interested in attending should RSVP at https://tinyurl.com/GMSveteransbreakfast. A reminder email with additional details will be shared with registered families closer to the event date.

Survey Closes October 30

With last week being a short, three-day school week, we're taking a brief break from our Panthers of the Week recognitions. We'll be back next week celebrating our amazing Panthers who continue to demonstrate PRIDE through their actions each day!

This school year marks an exciting milestone for Gayle and all Stafford County middle schools as we welcome our first School Security Officers (SSOs)!

This important step was made possible through the advocacy of faculty and staff across our middle schools, school administrators, families, and Superintendent Dr. Daniel Smith. We are grateful to our School Board for approving this additional layer of support for school safety, allowing administrators to dedicate more time to improving instruction, supporting teachers, and planning meaningful learning experiences and activities for our students.

At Gayle, we're excited to welcome Mr. Travis Willis as our new School Security Officer! Our Dean of Students, Ms. Ashley Hairston, was busy giving him the grand tour of GMS!

With over 15 years of law enforcement and security experience, Mr. Willis brings valuable expertise and a strong commitment to keeping our Panthers safe.

Please join us in welcoming Mr. Willis to the Pride of Stafford!

A big thank you to Profesor Bryan Rodriguez and Mrs. Navarro-Lopez for their awesome work leading this year's Hispanic Heritage Month activities and sponsoring the inaugural year of our Hispanic Heritage Club, which is open to all students!

We're also excited that they, along with Ms. Regina Reyes, will be taking a group of students to this year's Stafford County Multicultural Fair! Students of all backgrounds are encouraged to participate, celebrate their heritage, and showcase what makes their culture special. Our teachers will help students prepare for the event!

Thank you to these amazing educators for creating opportunities for our Panthers to celebrate their cultures, learn from one another, and share their pride!

Congratulations to our final Hispanic Heritage Month trivia winners: Jacob Y., Ekua T., Adaleigha F., Ramy E., and Aiden G.!

Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month, our morning announcements featured fun facts about Hispanic cultures, history, and traditions, giving our Panthers opportunities to learn something new each day! Thank you to Rebeca C.R. make the last announcement.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped us celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month at Gayle!

Bryan Rodriguez, Profesor Rodriguez, is stepping into a new role as Gayle’s library assistant after supporting our sixth grade math classrooms as a long-term substitute. We’re excited to have him continue supporting our students and staff in the library!

Our teachers took a turn as students during Professional Learning Day! Our principal, assistant principals, and School Improvement Team led sessions focused on strengthening instruction, collaborating, and putting our new School Improvement Plan into action.

Excellence by Design starts with learning together!

Stafford County Public Schools is helping students in need of winter coats! If your Gayle Middle School student needs a coat, please complete the request form by Friday, October 23.

Complete one form for each student who needs a coat.

Coats are expected to be delivered to students at school in early December.

Request a coat here: https://tinyurl.com/CoatDriveGayle

Keeping our Panthers warm, one coat at a time!

SCPS MUN Registration Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfulC0PHiSPlDQFqBZyt-qsyzowKmCqerbuOTRItneFyKQjAw/viewform

It's almost October and time for a new Book of the Month. It's spooky season and time for reading! Will your next book be creepy or cozy?

Each month students will have a choice of books to enjoy and will earn a prize for completing their selected book. Although, the real prize is the joy one gets from reading.

Get a pass to come to the library from your teacher, and check out a fun, fall read.

Important Requirement for ALL Athletes:
A current VHSL Sports Physical

The following list of events require implementation of the Clear Bag Inspection Process: All ticketed events at Middle and High Schools, including sporting events and graduations. This ensures a consistent, effective, and transparent approach to enhancing security and safety for all students, staff, and visitors during school-sponsored events.

Cash only and while supplies last. Funds raised support our athletics teams.

Families of students receiving special education services are encouraged to share their feedback through the Special Education Parent Involvement Survey.

This survey provides an opportunity for parents and guardians to share input on their experiences and help improve services and support for students with individualized education programs (IEPs).

Parents may access the survey using the provided link. Families with more than one child receiving special education services are asked to complete a separate survey for each child.

Deadline to complete the survey: December 11, 2026

Your voice is important in helping us continue to strengthen our programs and better serve our students and families.

On Tuesday, November 3, Stafford County voters will consider a referendum on an additional local sales and use tax of up to 1%.

If approved, the referendum would authorize the County Board of Supervisors to implement the tax, which would go toward school facility projects throughout our division.

This funding could support:

Construction of new schools

Replacement of aging school buildings

Major renovations and modernization projects

Restoration or replacement of critical building systems

Classroom and instructional-space improvements

Eligible additions to existing schools

Eligible bond or loan financing costs associated with school capital projects

Specific projects would continue to go through established planning, budgeting, procurement, and approval processes. Approval of the referendum would not automatically authorize or fully fund every project.

Learn more and find answers to FAQs: https://www.staffordschools.net/salestax

To ensure student safety, any change to a student’s normal dismissal plan must be requested by a parent or guardian listed in the student’s information profile. These requests may be made by email, phone call, or written note before dismissal.

** When calling the school, families will be asked to verify identifiable student information so we can confirm the caller’s identity.

For example:
If a student who normally rides the bus or is a car rider has been given permission to walk home, the front office will issue a green slip once the parent request has been received and verified. Students must have this green slip to leave campus as a walker.

Please note:

• A green slip does not allow a student to ride a different bus.

• A green slip does not allow a student to ride a bus if they are not assigned to one.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain safe and accurate dismissal procedures.

For safety reasons, we will not pull students from class in advance based on a phone call from a parent or guardian. All adults entering the building for early dismissal must present a valid photo ID at the entrance before the student will be called from class.

Please plan your arrival time accordingly, as it may take a few minutes for your child to be dismissed once you arrive. This process helps us ensure that every student is released safely. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

Medication Drop-Off Instructions

If your child requires medication during the school day, it must be brought to the clinic by a parent or guardian. All medications must be in their original, labeled container and accompanied by the required Stafford County Public Schools medication form. Students may not carry medications on their own unless specifically authorized for emergency use (such as an inhaler or EpiPen). Please contact our school nurse for any questions or to schedule a drop-off time.

All rising or new 7th grade students must have proof of required immunizations on file.

Per the Virginia Department of Health’s School and Day Care Minimum Immunization Requirements, students entering 7th grade must have received the following after their 11th birthday:

• Tdap booster

• First dose of Meningococcal Conjugate Vaccine

• HPV vaccine series (Parents/guardians may choose to opt out after reviewing approved educational materials.)

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Submit proof of immunizations to:
Email: Nurse Fleming – flemingal@staffordschools.net
Fax: (540) 373-8856

Failure to provide documentation will result in the student being unable to attend classes on the first day.

Parents and guardians can create a Canvas Observer Account to stay connected with their student’s learning.

As an observer, you’ll have read-only access to your student’s courses, allowing you to:

• View course materials and announcements

• Check assignments, due dates, and grades

• See teacher feedback

Observers cannot submit assignments, take quizzes, or participate in class discussions.

Follow these step-by-step directions to set up your account: GMS Parent & Guardian Canvas Account/Observer Creation

We are very excited to introduce our college and career readiness platform, SchooLinks! This platform is your one-stop shop for preparing your students for life after graduation, beginning in elementary school.

All of the SchooLinks features are designed with students in mind to help them become career, college, and life-ready. As a guardian, you will have the opportunity to join your student in their career and college exploration process and have conversations with them about their future.

SchooLinks allows you to:

• View the results of your student’s career interest, strength, and mindset assessments to learn more about their interests and what careers might be right for them

• See what colleges and careers your student has favorited and set as goals

• Check your personalized dashboard for upcoming events as well as important reminders and to-dos for your student

• Complete your own research on colleges, careers, and more to help you have informed conversations with your student

• Compare college costs and explore expected financial aid, scholarships, and out-of-pocket expenses

• Review your student’s course plans (8th and 10th grade only)

SchooLinks is a tool that gives you access to the bigger picture of your students’ future. It also allows you to connect with their school counselor by allowing you to message them directly through the platform.

To register for your account:

• Visit app.schoolinks.com to access the SchooLinks login page.

• Click Login with Google if the email you have on file with is a Google account, OR Click Forgot Password, enter the email you have on file with the district, then follow the email instructions to create a password

• Once logged in, click the “My students” tab at the top to view your students

For more information, please watch this video and view this document. You may also visit our website at www.staffordschools.net/schoolinks.

If you have any questions, please contact your child’s school counselor. Thank you for partnering with us regarding your student’s success.

What is the Lightspeed Parent Portal?

To help keep our students safe and focused online, we use Lightspeed Systems to filter school devices. The Parent Portal is a free tool that gives you visibility into that activity. By signing up, you can receive weekly reports detailing your child’s browsing history, top visited sites, and search terms. It’s an easy way for us to partner together in supporting healthy digital habits.

Ready to join? Please view the attached Google Slideshow for a step-by-step guide on how to get signed up today.

Stafford County Public Schools is committed to keeping families and students informed and engaged in the learning process. ParentVUE and StudentVUE are secure online platforms that provide real-time access to important student information, including grades, attendance, and schedules.

ParentVUE allows parents and guardians to stay connected with their child’s education, while StudentVUE empowers students to track their own academic progress. Both tools support our shared goal of ensuring every student is prepared to excel.

Use the links and resources on this page to log in, get support, and make the most of these powerful tools.

ParentVUE and StudentVUE Access

View the Complete How-To Document

Monday–Friday: 8:50 AM – 4:20 PM (Building & Phone Lines Open)

Main Office Phone Number: 540-373-0383

Call or email ahead if you need to stop by:

• Deanna Fierro-Kin, Principal – fierrokind@staffordschools.net

• Dr. Keana Butler, Assistant Principal – butlerks@staffordschools.net

• Katie Hawkins, Assistant Principal – hawkinskd@staffordschools.net

• Ashley Hairston, Dean of Students - hairstonad@staffordschools.net

• Judy Basluke, Registrar – baslukejl@staffordschools.net

• Tracey Williams, Counseling Director – williamstd@staffordschools.net

• Shelley Everett, Front Office Manager - everettm@staffordschools.net

Website: https://gms.staffordschools.net/

Facebook: GaylePanthers

Instagram: @gaylepanthers

X: @Gaylepanthers

Phone: 540-373-0383