Gruening News: 26/27 Beginnings!
August 21st 2026
In This Edition:
- GREETINGS
- UPCOMING EVENTS
- COUNSELOR CORNER
- ORCHESTRA ANNOUNCEMENT
- 2027 FIELD TRIPS
- SCHOOL NURSE PSA
- SIGNING YOUR STUDENT OUT EARLY? HERE'S HOW!
- IMMUNIZATION EVENT
- INITIATIVE AND CONTACT INFO
✨We love our Students!✨
The Office at Gruening Middle School extends a warm welcome to every student and their families! It is Gruening's privilege to educate the Eagle River and JBER communities for the past 42 years and counting.
Please review our upcoming events:
Upcoming Events − Mark your calendars! 🗓️
- 8/28 -- 4pm Deadline to receive Fall Sports forms
- 9/2 -- 6pm-7pm 2027 D.C. Field Trip Parent Meeting
- 9/2 -- 7pm-8pm 2027 Australia Field Trip Meeting
- 9/7 -- Labor Day (No School)
- 9/8 -- 2pm Conversations With The Principal (GMS Library)
- 9/15 -- School Picture Day and Fall Sports Photos
💙Counselor Corner💙
Please help us welcome our new counselor, Mrs. Renae Hopkins, to our school!
To help divide our counseling caseload, we will be splitting students alphabetically by last name:
- Ms. Hart: A–G (hart_jennifer@asdk12.org)
Mrs. Rotante: H–N (rotante_amyjo@asdk12.org)
Mrs. Hopkins: O–Z (hopkins_renae@asdk12.org)
We are excited to have Mrs. Hopkins join our school community and look forward to the experience, support, and care she will bring to our students and families.
🎻 Orchestra Announcement 📣
Orchestra students need a 1"-inch 3 ring binder for just orchestra music and work sheets. They should bring that to class every day. Students will need all back dress cloths for their concert uniform. Black shirt, black paints (dresses and skirts must have back leggings), black socks and black shoes. I know shopping in Alaska is not the best, so I wanted to let everyone know ahead of time. Beginning level orchestra's first concert will be in December, and the Intermediate and Advanced orchestras will be in October. Concert dates will be coming out soon.
Instrument Rentals - are still in progress and forms will be coming home soon. Online payment option is still underway but should be live soon. I will keep everyone updated via email. Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we have about 150 in orchestra this year!
-Ms. Joyce
Conversations With Principal
Our next event will be taking place in the GMS Library during school hours,
9/8/26 beginning at 2pm. Please come visit, mingle, and discuss important topics to you!
Event Information
Our Big Field Trips!
We are having parent meetings on the night of September 2nd!
D.C. Trip Meeting- 6pm
Australia Trip Meeting- 7pm
🩺 From the Nurse:
AK State Law requires the School Nurses to do vision and hearing screenings (and color vision for some) for specific grades every year. In Middle School, we do them for all 7th graders and any 6th and 8th graders coming into ASD from a different school district.
I work on these gradually throughout first semester, so that it gives me a chance to meet every student personally. I do not send home results unless they require a referral for more in-depth assessment by a physician. In that case I will try to call you, and I will email you if I don't reach you by phone. I will also send home a paper referral form.
If you wish to exempt your student from these screenings, please call or email me at 907-742-3614 or luna_tana@asdk12.org.
Thank you,
Nurse Luna
ATTENTION PARENTS! NEED TO PICK YOUR STUDENT UP EARLY FROM SCHOOL?
Did you know, there are 4 different easy ways you can notify the office that you need your student removed from class!
ParentConnect Reporting:
- Log into your ParentConnect account and select from the upper menu “Report Absence”
- Select the name of the student you will be picking up early
- Detail the timeframe that you would like your student pulled from class
- It is optional, but appreciated to write a small note in your submission
- Be sure to submit your report using the “Submit” button
- The Office monitors all ParentConnect reports throughout the day.
o If using this option, please give us an hour notice. You may submit these requests as early as the day before they are needed.
o Feel free to reference This Website for more In-Depth tutorials on accessing ParentConnect
Email:
- Compose an email to GrueningAttendance@asdk12.org
- Please detail your name and your child’s name, and the time you’d like your student removed from class for pick up
o Please give us an hour notice using this option. You may submit these requests as early as the day before they are needed as well
Attendance Line:
- Call the GMS phone line, 907-742-3600 and select Option 1
- This leads you to a voicemail box that is managed constantly throughout the day
- Please detail your name and your child’s name, and the time you’d like your student removed from class for pick up
o Please give us an hour notice using this option. You may submit these requests as early as the day before they are needed as well
Short Notice:
- Emergencies happen! If you need to pick up your child early short notice, please give the office a call at 907-742-3600 as soon as you know you’ll need them.
- It is important to note that without time to prepare, a wait time of 10-15 minutes may occur upon the office being notified
o We appreciate your patience and understanding as the staff of GMS do their best to assist you
Helpful Tips:
- All of these options can be used to excuse your student’s tardy, unexcused absence, or planned extended absences
- Save Gruening’s phone number as a contact in your phone
Assistant Boy's Basketball Coach Needed
If you are a parent passionate about basketball and are looking for a paid opportunity to participate in your student's school community, please email Burningham_Todd@asdk12.org for more information!
Back to School Vaccine Clinic
Event Information
Gruening Middle School
Members of the Gruening Middle School staff and student body strive to be responsible and cooperative members of a community where achievement is valued along with hard work and civic engagement.
Website: https://www.asdk12.org/gruening
Location: Gruening Middle School, 9601 Lee Street, Eagle River, AK, USA
Phone: 907-742-3600
Facebook: www.facebook.com/GrueningMS