GSSV Gazette

"It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be." -Albus Dumbledore

The Alberta students transformed the gym into Hogwarts as we on two separate days welcomed elementary and middle school students from Brunswick, Greensville, Mecklenburg, and Nottoway Counties. The visiting students spent time in their Hogwarts classes to learn about electricity, figurative language, biology, energy, astronomy, and adaptations to gain parts of a spell that helped Harry Potter defeat Lord Voldemort. Lots of fun was had by all while learning and making new friends.

Prospective students from the ten feeder divisions spent the morning with our GSSV seniors in the middle of November. The prospective students toured the campus and spent thirty minutes in each GSSV class. They participated in hands-on activities and enjoyed a glimpse of a day in the life of a GSSV student -- including the early morning and bus ride!

The staff and students in Alberta and Keysville collected materials and packed 38 shoeboxes for Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child. These boxes are being tracked as they are sent to children in need in other areas of the world. We are proud of our students for bringing items and taking pride in the boxes they packed as they remember others' needs.

We spent the day before Thanksgiving Break with our first full-school joint-site event since Covid quarantine of 2020. The Keysville students traveled to Alberta to participate in a transportation challenge. The students first located their city's coordinates to find their group and assemble their puzzle picture of a city landmark. Then they had to researched to determine the transportation iconic to their area. Afterward, they designed, created, marketed, and present a new mode of transportation that takes into consideration both the earth's and society's needs.

It was a morning full of laughs and new friendships as our students worked together on a STEM-inspired challenge.

All of our STEM juniors took advantage of the cold November mornings to fly tissue paper hot air balloons that they constructed as part of their gas law unit. Students used calculations to determine the success of their balloons by applying their understanding of the relationship between temperature, volume, and density -- key factors influencing the buoyancy of their handcrafted balloons.

This hands-on experiment not only showcased the creativity and ingenuity of our STEM juniors but also emphasized the practical application of theoretical knowledge. Beyond crafting functional hot air balloons, students gained a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of gas laws and the scientific method.

Randolph-Henry and GSSV Senior Rebekah Sanderson had the opportunity of a lifetime at the beginning of November as she attended and competed at the National FFA Convention in Indiana. Rebekah had this to say about her experience:

"While at the National FFA Convention, I competed in the Prepared Public Speaking Contest. I received the opportunity to compete at the National Convention by winning at the federation, area, and state levels. In this contest, I recited my eight-minute speech and then a panel of judges asked me questions. I advanced to the second round and was titled top sixteen in the Nation with a silver rating. Besides competing, I had the opportunity to meet people from all across the nation while also learning about various job opportunities in the career expo. I am extremely thankful for this opportunity and that I was able to use my speech to better educate the public on Agriculturalist's mental health."

As we enter the cold-weather months, this is a reminder of our inclement weather policy. Please visit our Facebook page for announcements; a Remind message will also be sent if we are delayed or closed. Mrs. Swain will also email the students and parents who have signed up for the emails from her.

Remember the Christanna site in Alberta follows the Brunswick County Public Schools' weather closings and delays, and the John H. Daniel site in Keysville follows the weather closing and delays of Lunenburg County Public Schools.

See our website for more information on our policy.

If you would like to be added to the parent email distribution list from Mrs. Swain and have not already completed the Google Form, please take a moment to do so. If you cannot access this form, please email Mrs. Swain with your email address and child's name to be manually added.

See Important Dates for January

January 2 -- Teacher Work Day

January 3 -- Students return for Spring semester

January 15 -- No School

Mrs. Tara Beck -- tara.beck@southside.edu

Mrs. Kristen Beekwilder -- kristen.beekwilder@southside.edu

Mrs. Katherine Clatterbuck -- katherine.clatterbuck@southside.edu

Mrs. Sarah Fenwick -- sarah.fenwick@southside.edu

Mrs. Wendy Kidd -- wendy.kidd@southside.edu

Mrs. Ann Moore -- ann.moore@southside.edu

Mrs. Lori Moore -- lori.moore@southside.edu

Mrs. Leslie Poling -- leslie.poling@southside.edu

Mrs. Chelsea Thorpe -- chelsea.taylor@southside.edu

Ms. Connie Tucker -- connie.tucker@southside.edu (Administrative Assistant)

Mrs. Wesley Swain -- wesley.swain@southside.edu (Director)