GIHS VIKING UPDATE

We have had a wonderful start to the 2026-2027 school year and a great month of September at GIHS! October will bring a number of exciting events for our students, including our homecoming events, Vikings Care month of community service and giving, and the mid-marking point for quarter 1. Information and updates are located below. We will also have many sports events that you can find more info about on our sports webpage.

Wishing all of our GIHS students and families a great month ahead!

Mrs. Kretz-Harvey, GIHS Principal

These students are recognized by the following departments for their outstanding academic performance and demonstration of our Viking Values of Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and Compassion:

Ava Schnepf, Grade 12, selected by the Music Department

Alex Martin, Grade 10, selected by the Social Studies Department

Avery McNulty, Grade 12, selected by the Business Department

Jackson Dunn, Grade 11, selected by the Physical Education Department

Nicholas Jayme, Grade 12, selected by the English Department

Anna Zherebilov, Grade 12, selected by the Art Department

Owen Hall, Grade 12, selected by the Technology Department

Persephone Basiliko, Grade 10, selected by the World Language Department

Keira Bruno, Grade 10, selected by Science Department

Jessica Birtz, Grade 11, selected by the Math Department

We will be at the middle of the first marking period on October 6th, and the first quarter will end on November 10th. If you need assistance with the Infinite Campus Portal, please contact the guidance office at 716-773-8860. Please be aware that while most teachers use Google Classroom, the most reliable source for current grades and missing work is the Infinite Campus Portal.

We have had questions about contacting teachers through email and just wanted to share a few things with you:

• Our district email platform has strict filters which sometimes result in emails from parents being held in "quarantine" or moved to spam and not reaching teachers or other employees in a timely manner. It is also possible that our server may delay delivery of an email, even if it is not caught in quarantine or spam.

• We do our best to monitor our quarantine and spam folders, but it is possible that an email from a parent could be missed. If you do not receive a timely email response from a teacher, administrator, or other staff member, please contact us by phone. We know how important timely communication is and want to be aware of your questions and concerns.

We have completed our mandatory fire drills that were scheduled for the fall. We will have 2 lockdown drills this semester. One will be held during the week of October 5th and the second will be held during the week of November 9th. All of our mandatory evacuation and lockdown practice drills are conducted in a trauma-informed manner and in accord with NYSED regulations.

This year for our annual GIHS Senior Day of Service, we are excited to partner with Sidway Elementary, the SPCA serving Erie County, Sheridan Parkside Life Center, the Bell Center, the Grand Island Fire Department, and the Grand Island Golden Age Center. Senior parents, please remind your student to fill out the survey to select their preferred service location and to turn in their permission slips for the service activity by October 16th. Senior students who participate in these community service opportunities will be able to use these hours toward the community service hours that are required for their Participation in Government course. Our GIHS Senior Day of Service will be held on Friday, October 23rd.

Our GIHS School Social Workers, Mr. Kaiser and Mrs. Barczykowski are available to assist our students with social-emotional and mental health concerns. There are a variety of resources that our students and families can be linked with, so please do not hesitate to reach out to either of them with any questions or concerns that you may have. They can be reached through our Guidance Office at 716-773-8860. For additional mental health supports and resources through Grand Island CSD, please visit the link: Mental Health Office .

We would also like all of our district families to be aware of our GICSD Family Support Services Program. We have developed a partnership with many agencies that offer families a variety of options for assistance with behavioral and mental health concerns, with these services offered right here on Grand Island. If you would like to know more about our program, please contact one or our high school social workers or Jessica Hutchings at jessicahutchings@gicsd.org or call 716-773-8844.

As the seasons shift, many students experience changes in mood, energy, and motivation. Shorter days, colder weather, and less sunlight can contribute to feelings of fatigue, sadness, and stress. These seasonal changes can have a negative impact on mental health and, in some cases, lead to chronic absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism equates to missing 10% or more of school. Mid-quarter is October 8th, this will be a good time for students and parents to connect and discuss academics, behavior, attendance and any challenges they may be facing.

Signs to watch for:

• Ongoing “sick days” with vague symptoms
  

• Trouble getting out of bed or low morning energy
  

• Withdrawal from friends, family, or activities
  

• Declining grades or focus
  

• Irritability, sadness, or hopelessness tied to the season

How parents can help:

• Talk openly and listen without judgment
  

• Keep routines for sleep, meals, and activity
  

• Encourage outdoor time and daylight exposure
  

• Partner with the school if absences increase
  

• Seek professional help if symptoms persist

Post High School Planning:

The school counselors visited the English 12 classes and reviewed specifics for applying to colleges. All information for post high school planning has been added to a google classroom for the students. Please take the time to go through this information with your child. In this google classroom we will be housing anything related to college and career, our college visits and important documents.

Please speak with your child or contact your child's school counselor for the Google Classroom Code. Counselors will be meeting with all seniors over the next couple of months to discuss post high school plans!

Scholarships:

Students have all been invited to a google classroom to view outside scholarships we receive. These scholarships are local and national. GIHS specific scholarships will be available to students via Google Classroom starting in February. Please speak with your child about joining the Scholarships Google Classroom. All senior students have received the classroom code.

Financial Aid

If you are planning to attend college or a trade school after graduation, now is the time to create your FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID). Both students and a parent or contributor will need an FSA ID to complete the FAFSA and apply for financial aid. The FAFSA application is now open at FAFSA.gov

PSAT Exam:

Signs ups for the PSAT/NMSQT are complete. Please have your students keep an eye on their emails. All students who signed up for the PSAT will need to complete a digital readiness check about a week or two before testing day. More information regarding this will be emailed to the students. Students who registered to take the October 17th PSATs should arrive by 7:45am. Students should bring the following items: a fully charged chromebook, calculator (a built in Desmos calculator is available in Bluebook), #2 pencil, and their student ID.

Yearbook Sale - To purchase a yearbook, visit yearbookforever.com

If you would like to get a retake of your 2026-2027 school picture, please stop down to the HS auditorium on Tuesday, November 10th from 7:30am - 2:30pm.

This year, we're excited to offer families and local businesses the opportunity to purchase a yearbook advertisement to celebrate your senior or promote your business while supporting our school community.

Ad Pricing:

Full Page: $200

Half Page: $125

Quarter Page: $75

Eighth Page: $40

To purchase your senior advertisement:

1. Visit yearbookforever.com.

2. Search for Grand Island Sr. High School.

3. Follow the steps to purchase your advertisement.

4. You will have two options for creating your ad:

• Have the School Design My Ad

• Upload a Finished Ad

Physical photos: Physical photographs may be submitted to be scanned and included in your advertisement.

Senior Advertisement Deadline: Friday, November 20, 2026 . If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Amy Boutet at amyboutet@gicsd.org.

The class of 2030 will be selling bundtlets from Nothing Bundt Cakes to raise funds to support class activities. The cost is $7 each, with a variety of flavors.

• order forms will be handed out starting 10/21 (pick up order forms outside of Mrs. Digati room 218 or Mrs. Gallagher room 203)
• orders and money due NO LATER than 11/4 at 2:30pm
• orders will be delivered to the HS on 11/12. MUST be able to pick up your orders you sold that day at 2:25 to hand out.

**see or email Mrs. Digati krystinadigati@gicsd.org or Mrs. Gallagher nataliegallagher@gicsd.org with any questions

If you are not currently a member of our PTSA, please join! Our PTSA is very active in sponsoring events for our students, funding a scholarship program for GIHS seniors, and working to support a strong school culture.

Our GIHS PTSA meets every other month. Our next meeting of the 2026-2027 school year will be November 2nd at 5:30pm in our high school library.

Membership Raffle

We’ve extended our deadline for the membership raffle! Join by noon on this Monday, October 5th to be entered into a drawing for one of these great prizes donated by local businesses: Fun Center $25 gift card, Dick & Jenny’s $50 gift card, One Stop Car Wash $25 gift card, Leaf Stone & Steel $25 gift certificate, Orange Poppy $50 gift certificate, 5-pack of open gym passes to The Park Buffalo. To join, visit https://gihs.givebacks.com/shop .

Reflections Program

We are excited to kick off this year’s Reflections program with the theme “What My Culture Means to Me.” Visit our GIHS PTSA page, https://hs.grandislandschools.org/studentsparents/ptsa, for program details and to learn on how to enter. All entries are due by Monday, November 2nd.

The first meeting will be held on Tuesday, October 6th, from 6:30–7:30 PM at The Park Buffalo.

We’ve scheduled our meeting during Open Gym at The Park Buffalo to make it easier for families to attend. We understand that arranging childcare can be challenging, so children are welcome to participate in Open Gym at no charge while parents/guardians attend the meeting.

If you would like your child(ren) to participate, please register them in advance using the ticket registration link below: https://www.givebacks.com/causes/gisepta/events/5e372db0cc5fbc

Important: Children under 18 must also have a parent/guardian complete The Park Buffalo’s waiver before participating: https://waiver.theparkbuffalo.com/

SEPTA will be arranging volunteers to help supervise the children during Open Gym, which is why we ask that you register your child(ren) using the ticket link (no charge) provided. Registering will also help us anticipate and communicate to The Park Buffalo how many children will be attending.

If you prefer, one parent can attend the SEPTA meeting while the other supervises your child(ren). You are also welcome to have another adult family member, hired staff, or a respite worker provide supervision. We simply ask that you still register your child(ren) so we can plan appropriately.

You can find more information about other upcoming events in the SEPTA newsletter.

Do you have what it takes to join the cast of FROZEN? Now is your chance!

Sign-Up: Sign up for your audition time slot on the sign-up sheet located outside the Chorus Room in the Music Wing. Audition packets will be available in the library and chorus room on October 1.

What to Prepare: Students should come prepared with a song selection for their vocal audition on October 26 & 27 during their chosen time slot. Students interested in a dance part should attend the dance audition in the Aud on October 28 at 2:30 PM. A singing audition will not be necessary for dancer parts.

Students will be informed if they are moving on to callbacks by Tuesday night. Callbacks will be held on October 29 in the Aud. Come prepared to audition with both songs and dialogue. The cast list will be posted on October 30 at 2:30 PM outside the chorus room and auditorium.

Come prepared, bring your confidence, and show us what you can do! Whether you're hoping to play Elsa, Olaf, Kristoff, Sven, or another member of the Frozen family, we want to see you!

The Grand Island Chess Club is in need of beverages and candy for our upcoming WNY Halloween Scholastic Chess Tournament which we will be hosting at GIHS. These items are meant for our chess players, and will be utilized for "goodie bags" and refreshments during the tournament. Your donations are greatly appreciated. Please click on the link below to review the available donation slots and then click on the button to sign up. All donations are needed by Tuesday, October 27, 2026 as our tournament is on Saturday, October 31st. Thank you for your continued support!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/508054FACAC28AAFB6-65752008-wnyhalloween

Chorus/Orchestra Fall Concert

The first high school concert of the year will be on Monday, October 19th at 8:00pm in the Viking Theater. Parents, family, friends and community members are invited to enjoy an evening of music from our talented high school musicians.

Band Fall Concert

The first high school band concert of the year will be on Wednesday, October 28th at 8:00pm in the Viking Theater. We hope that you will be able to join us for an evening of beautiful music.

October 1 - GIHS/Sidway Passing of the Viking Torch Event 1:00pm

October 1 - Powderpuff Game and Night at the Vikings' 6:30-9:00pm

October 2 - Emergency Early Release Drill

October 2 - GIHS Athletic Hall of Fame induction @ halftime of homecoming football game

October 3 - Homecoming Dance 7:00-10:00pm

October 6 - WNY College Consortium

October 6 - HS mid-point of Quarter 1

October 12 - Columbus Day/Indigenous Peoples Day - No Student Attendance

October 14 - DECA Induction Ceremony

October 17 - PSAT Exam

October 19 - HS Orchestra and Choral Concert

October 23 - GIHS Vikings Care Senior Day of Service

October 28 - HS Band Concert

Grand Island Senior High School

Our main office hours are Monday through Friday 7:00am to 4:00pm.

Phone: 716-773-8820

Address: 1100 Ransom Road, Grand Island, NY 14072

Website: Grand Island Senior High School