Weekly Update - Middle School South
March 16, 2026
Each quarter, MSS Assistant Principal Mr. Andy Bonath and I take the time to meet with all students during their Related Arts period in what we call a Grade-Level Community Meeting. In these meetings, we praise what our students have accomplished so far, and we share some items that we hope to clean up a bit moving forward. Each grade level presentation is nuanced, but for your information and hopeful partnership at home, here is a list of the topics Mr. Bonath and I covered on Friday, March 13.
(-) Praise for "Blue Team" on their quarter 3 Survivor championship for the FIRST TIME EVER! Their reward: a PIZZA PARTY hosted by Mr. Bonath.
(-) Celebration of continued growth shown by our 6th graders, global consistency from our 7th graders in living up to expectations and demonstrating responsibility in the classroom.
(-) Joy in looking forward to the great things that come with Quarter 4: Spring Break, warmer days,
outdoor recess, one more "FUN NIGHT" for each grade level, and the end-of-year talent show & field day on the last day of school!
(-) Reminders about Nee Doh and other fidgets. Fidgets, including Nee Doh, can be valuable tools for student concentration in class. However, there is a fine line between fidgets & toys, especially when the object in question becomes a distraction & disrupts the learning environment. Each teacher has the right to establish their own classroom policy regarding Nee Doh, and in the event that Nee Doh has disrupted the learning environment (throwing it, smashing it, yelling across the room about it, etc.), teachers do have permission to confiscate Nee Doh, just like they can with technology. Some "spin offs" of Nee Doh we've seen have included Play Doh and slime. Play Doh and Slime are not permitted in classrooms!
(-) A reminder that expectations for student behavior (being on time, hands-on behavior, disrespect and insubordination) have long been established and reinforced all year long. Quarter 4 is when we historically see an uptick in behaviors & consequences... Students know better by know, and when we know better, we must do better!
(-) A reminder that all the exciting things coming down the pike for Quarter 4 are privileges and not rights. Events such as Fun Night, field trips, and Field Day on the last day of school can all be revoked from individuals if the student consistently demonstrates that they cannot follow expectations.
(-) A reminder to continue strengthening positive behaviors in hallways, especially during the transition right after lunch (this goes for all grade levels).
(-) Reminders about the importance of charging chromebooks at home each night, especially as we get into "testing season."
(-) Reminders about lunchtime and recess procedures. There's a new "flow" to recess dismissal (both outdoor and indoor recess) in an effort to "tighten up" distance covered as well as supervision.
It is our belief that with a strong partnership at home, Middle School South can remain an amazing environment for learning, growing, and enjoying these middle school years.
Thank you all for the continued support! We plan to share our talking points each quarter for your awareness and potential partnership!
Spring Break is JUST around the corner -- at the end of next week, in fact! While staff and students alike are dreaming about the upcoming stress-free days and hopefully some weather warmer (be it here or at a destination), we must not forget that State Testing season is just on the other side of Spring Break.
Please be reminded of the following information about OSTs (Ohio State Tests):
Purpose: Standardized assessments that measure student achievement and ensure schools meet educational standards.
Subjects & Grades: Required for grades 3-8 in ELA and Math, with science in grades 5 and 8.
Format: Computer-delivered, featuring multiple-choice, technology-enhanced questions, and constructed responses.
Timing: Tests are conducted in the spring, often split into two parts.
Here are MSS, our OST testing will occur on the following schedule:
Wednesday, April 8: ELA Testing, pt. 1 - all grades
Thursday, April 9: ELA Testing, pt. 2 - all grades
Tuesday, April 21: Math Testing, pt. 1 - all grades
Wednesday, April 22: Math Testing, pt. 2 - all grades
Tuesday, April 28: Science Testing, pts. 1 & 2 - 8TH GRADE ONLY
On these days...
(*) all students in all grades will test at the same time in the MORNING, and then, we will run a modified bell schedule after testing - usually beginning around 11:00AM each day. The bell schedule will be shared next week.
(*) MSS students will not attend World Language classes at the HS! (and vice versa when the HS does their state testing)
(*) on 4/28 specifically, 8th Grade students will test in the morning and then "jump into" their regularly scheduled day when all students have finished testing. Grades 6 & 7 will run on normal bell schedules that day.
IMPORTANT:
State Testing is vitally important. Unfortunately, due to closing testing windows, there is not a lot of time to "make up" tests on the back end in case of student absences.
In advance, thank you for prioritizing attendance on state testing day by avoiding appointments, communicating with the school if your student must be out, and understanding the importance of prioritizing make ups if called out of class to do so. Thank you!
You are invited to two upcoming events presented by the Newark Granville Symphony Orchestra. Mrs. Ross is performing in both.
Free Family Concert: Sunday, March 22 @ 4PM at the Reese Center, OSU Newark Campus.
Free Tunes & Tales: Saturday, March 28 @ 11AM at the Licking County Library, Newark.
The Gahanna All-District Jazz Festival is coming up on Tuesday, March 17th at 7:00pm in the James Singer Auditorium at GLHS. The concert will feature the jazz bands from all three Gahanna middle schools, three GLHS jazz bands, and Guest Artist Jim Rupp who is a renowned professional jazz drummer and owner of Columbus Percussion. The concert is free and open to the public. Come join us for an evening celebrating the amazing jazz music making in our community!
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming trip to Costa Rica in Spring 2027, and your student is invited! This life-changing experience will help students build confidence, independence, and global perspective.
We’re holding a one-time informational meeting to share everything you need to know—and spots on this trip are limited:
Find meeting info and RSVP here: https://rsvp.eftours.com/ee39hab
Why attend?
- Learn how to save $200 with early enrollment.
- Get first access to limited spots.
- Learn about what we'll see and do, academic opportunities, trip cost, and more.
In the meantime, please visit EF’s website to get answers to common parent questions. EF Tours is our trusted travel partner, and they have 60 years of experience helping students explore the world safely and affordably.
We hope to see you there and look forward to sharing how this trip can be a powerful and unforgettable chapter in your child’s life!
Best,
Rhonda Wamsley & Megan Woodburn
6th grade math teacher (GMSS)
6th grade science teacher (GMSS)
On behalf of the 8TH GRADE Team-
Students learned about Shadowing Day and are bringing information home regarding this. On April 23rd, every 8th grader will go to work with an adult to shadow them in their career. This does not have to be a parent but should be a trusted adult. This experience is to learn more about the workforce, what happens at a job, how what we do in school is a part of the real world, but most of all to discover more about the student's interests. Permission forms are due by April 10.
ST March "Math"ness
Get ready for ST March Mathness!
Throughout the month of March, classes will compete against each other using ST Math. The goal? For classes to have the highest average number of puzzles completed!
That means every single student matters. Classes with the highest average puzzle completion will move on to the next round—so every puzzle solved helps the class.
Winning classes will be shared every Monday, with the final winner being announced the week after Spring Break!
To that end, please remind your students to CHARGE THEIR CHROMEBOOK at HOME each night. Additionally, because every student gets portions of the math section read to them through the computer, now would a good time to begin locating wired headphones!
ALL CALL FOR...
1/ Empty paper towel rolls and toilet paper rolls
2/ Box lids from copy paper boxes
3/ Empty boxes such as cereal boxes, cracker boxes, Pop Tart boxes and the like
4/ Empty 2-liter bottles
You get to off-load some of those items that take up all the room in recycling, our kids have enriched learning experiences... That's called a WIN-WIN!
Spring tends to be our BUSIEST season for Athletics in the District, and we LOVE it!! Come check out the Lions doing their thing this week...
BASEBALL, 7th GRADE
Thursday, 3/19 - Scrimmage
Home v. Pickerington Ridgeview MS [played at Gahanna Middle School West]
5:30PM
BASEBALL, 8th GRADE
Thursday, 3/19
Away @ Pickerington Central Junior High School
5:30PM
SOFTBALL, 7th GRADE
*** scrimmage scheduled for 3/17 CANCELED due to weather***
SOFTBALL, 8th GRADE
*** scrimmage scheduled for 3/17 CANCELED due to weather***
TRACK & FIELD
Wednesday, 3/18 - Charity Classic Mini Track Meet
Gahanna Lincoln High School
5:00PM
BOYS LACROSSE
*** none this week***
GIRLS LACROSSE
Wednesday, 3/18 -- Scrimmage
Away @ Pickerington Lakeview MS [auxiliary stadium - west of main stadium]
5:30PM
BOYS TENNIS
*** none this week***
Please be reminded that there is NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS on the following dates:
FRIDAY, MARCH 20 due to Conference Exchange Day
MONDAY, MARCH 30 - FRIDAY, APRIL 3 due to Spring Break.
Is there a Staff Member out there you believe is deserving some praise?!
Let us know about it!
Click on the button below to send some positive vibes to a staff member so that we can celebrate that person, too!
Mark your calendar for the following dates...
Friday, March 20: Conference Exchange Day -- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
Monday, March 30 - Friday, April 3: Spring Break -- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
