GSD E-Blast June 2026

Dear GSD Families,

As we close the 2025-2026 school year, I want to take a moment to congratulate our students, staff, and families on another outstanding year in GSD!

This year has been filled with incredible accomplishments both inside and outside the classroom. Our students excelled academically, demonstrated leadership through service and community involvement, earned recognition in athletics, the arts, robotics, and numerous extracurricular activities. From our youngest learners to our graduating seniors, our students have achieved great things and created memories that will last a lifetime.

None of this would be possible without the dedication of our exceptional teachers, support staff, administrators, and families. Their commitment to helping every student learn, grow, and succeed is what makes GSD such a special place. Together, we continue to build a district where students are encouraged to accelerate their learning, engage in meaningful opportunities, and achieve their goals.

As we celebrate the accomplishments of this school year, we also look forward to the future. Through continued investments in our facilities, innovative learning opportunities, and a strong focus on student success, GSD remains committed to providing the very best educational experience for every child.

Thank you for your partnership, support, and unwavering Marauder Pride throughout the year. It is truly an honor to serve this community and to witness the incredible things our students accomplish every day.

I wish each of you a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable summer. Please watch for communications from your child's school later this summer regarding important back-to-school information and upcoming events.

Have a wonderful summer!

Your Partner in Education,

Amy Conway

Superintendent

Research shows that being happy and positive primes the brain to be more successful and productive. Promoting positivity will enhance our student’s academic ability and develop them into happy and positive thinkers and leaders. Each month we will highlight a building or staff member that is spreading “The Orange” (Happiness) through Gibraltar!

At GSD, Marauder Pride is more than a tradition, it is a bond that connects generations of students.

During this year’s graduation rehearsal, that spirit was on full display in a memorable full-circle moment between our oldest and youngest Marauders.

Our kindergarten students had the opportunity to celebrate the Class of 2026 with enthusiastic smiles, heartfelt artwork, and warm congratulations. In return, each graduating senior passed along a symbol of Marauder Pride by presenting a kindergarten student with a teddy bear dressed in a Carlson shirt and a handwritten letter titled “Dear Future Marauder.” These letters contained words of encouragement, advice, and hope for the years ahead.

It was a meaningful reminder that Marauder Pride is not simply something we experience during our time in GSD. It is a legacy that is shared, nurtured, and passed from one generation of Marauders to the next.

Check out the Class of 2026 Pass the Pride Video!

On Friday, June 5, Carlson High School proudly celebrated the graduation of the Class of 2026, marking an important milestone in the lives of its seniors. Family, friends, staff, and community members gathered to honor the accomplishments, perseverance, and growth of this exceptional group of students. Throughout the ceremony, graduates were recognized for their academic achievements, leadership, and contributions to the Carlson community. As they embark on new journeys in college, careers, military service, and beyond, they carry with them the values, memories, and spirit that define Carlson High School. The Carlson High School family encourages each graduate to proudly share their Marauder Pride wherever life takes them and to continue making a positive impact on the world around them. We wish the Class of 2026 continued success, happiness, and fulfillment in all their future endeavors.

Lakeshore Virtual School proudly celebrated the graduation of a remarkable group of students whose determination and perseverance led them to this important milestone. Throughout their high school journey, these graduates balanced academics with work, extracurriculars, family responsibilities, and personal challenges while remaining focused on their goal of earning a diploma. The Class of 2026 is pursuing a variety of paths including college, trade school, military service, and careers in the workforce. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments, resilience, and growth. Congratulations, Class of 2026, we look forward to all you will achieve in the years ahead!

Kindergarten students at Chapman Elementary recently brought their phonics learning to life with a beloved tradition - the “QU Wedding!” As part of the IMSE OG curriculum, students learn that the letter Q is almost always followed by U in English words. To help reinforce this phonics concept, our kindergarteners held a special wedding ceremony celebrating the partnership of Q and U. Students dressed for the occasion, participated in the wedding ceremony, attended the reception complete with dancing, wedding cake, and juice boxes, and gave special gifts to the new "couple." The “bride” and “groom” represented the letters Q and U, demonstrating that these two letters work together as a team in words such as queen, quick, quilt, and quiet. A special thank you to Chapman Kindergarten teachers for creating such a fun and memorable event and turning phonics lessons into memorable experiences that support long-term literacy development. The smiles, laughter, and enthusiasm throughout the celebration were a wonderful reminder that learning can be both meaningful and magical!

Hunter Elementary's kindergarten students recently took part in a special Letter Parade to celebrate all of their hard work and growth in letter identification, phonemic awareness, and early reading skills throughout the school year.

Each student was assigned a letter of the alphabet and came dressed as something that began with that letter. The hallways were filled with creativity as students proudly showcased their costumes. From astronauts to butterflies, lumberjacks, ice cream and unicorns, each costume highlighted a letter sound that students have spent the year learning and practicing.

As students paraded through the school, they proudly displayed their letters and demonstrated the knowledge they have gained through countless lessons, songs, games, and reading activities. The event was a fun and memorable way to celebrate the tremendous progress our kindergarten learners have made as they developed foundational literacy skills.

We are so proud of our kindergarten students and the dedication they have shown this year. Their enthusiasm, confidence, and love of learning were on full display during this wonderful celebration!

One of the many engaging elective opportunities available at Shumate Middle School is the Remote Sensing class, where students explore cutting-edge technology through hands-on learning experiences. Among the many activities students participate in, a clear favorite is working with drones. Students learn how to safely operate, control, and program drones while taking part in a variety of challenges and competitions that develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and programming skills. Through these experiences, students gain a deeper understanding of how sensors and data collection tools can be used to accomplish specific objectives in real-world settings. The course also serves as an excellent introduction to future STEM and technology pathways, helping build student interest in advanced opportunities available at Carlson High School, including the district’s new Aviation program.

Parsons fifth graders, alongside our friends from Hunter Elementary, recently experienced the wonder of nature and adventure during an unforgettable trip to Camp Michindoh. Our students immersed themselves in a variety of exciting outdoor activities including archery, fishing, shelter building, fire starting, tie-dyeing, and observing reptiles and amphibians. One of the highlights of camp was Skit Night, where students collaborated to create laughter-filled performances, and Campfire, where their enthusiastic singing was loud enough to wake the animals in the woods!

In addition, students also stepped back in time during Pioneer Days, where they learned about early Michigan history through hands-on experiences such as ax throwing, making popcorn, and creating candles. These activities helped bring history to life in meaningful and memorable ways.

Beyond the fun, students demonstrated resilience and perseverance as they navigated warm temperatures, long walks, and new experiences outside of their comfort zones. They showed determination, teamwork, and positive attitudes that made us incredibly proud. Fun truly was had by all, and this incredible experience would not have been possible without the dedication of our amazing 5th grade teachers and the support of our wonderful parent leaders.

In May, students, staff, and families from Downriver STEM at Weiss Elementary came together for a memorable school-wide field trip to the Toledo Zoo. What made this experience especially meaningful was that the trip was planned and facilitated by Weiss's 5th Grade Student Government, providing students with an authentic leadership opportunity while creating a shared experience for our entire school community.

The Toledo Zoo was a natural destination for Weiss, as our school partners with the zoo through its Project Prairie Initiative, which supports the development and maintenance of our Native Wildlife Prairie. During the trip, students explored a wide variety of animal exhibits, connected classroom learning to real-world experiences, and deepened their understanding of wildlife and conservation.

Most importantly, the field trip provided every Weiss student with the opportunity to learn, explore, and create lasting memories together. It was a wonderful example of student leadership, community partnerships, and the strong connections that make Weiss such a special place to learn and grow.

Please join us in congratulating Michelle Conrad, (30 years of service) and David Gonyea, (15 years of service) on their retirement. Throughout their years of dedicated service, they have made a lasting impact through their hard work, kindness, and willingness to help others. Best wishes to both retirees, they will certainly be missed.

Congratulations Rosemary, Nolan and Robert! They have completed the Gibraltar Readiness Program. Our Graduates were presented with a certificate of completion and gift baskets provided by the Gibraltar Kitchen Staff. We wish them the best in their new chapters!

The Gibraltar readiness program provides students with hands-on skill training by working alongside food service staff in daily operations. Through real-world experience, students develop essential workplace skills that prepare them for future employment opportunities.