GMS Family Newsletter

We had a great start to the 2026-2027 school year on Friday, and we are excited to welcome our students back for our first full week at Greeneville Middle School!

This week is an important opportunity for students to settle into their routines, connect with their teachers and classmates, and begin building the habits that will lead to a successful year. Our faculty and staff are ready to make each day meaningful as we establish expectations, build relationships, and create classrooms where students feel supported and challenged.

As the year gets underway, we encourage our students to come ready each day to learn, get involved, ask questions, support one another, and take pride in being a Greene Devil. The habits and choices we establish early will help set the tone for everything we accomplish together this year.

We are looking forward to a great first full week and continuing to build something special together at GMS!

Learning, Leading, Lifting... #RISEasONE,

Dr. Rachel Adams, Principal
Mr. Bryan Everhart, Assistant Principal
Mrs. Nancy Philbeck, Assistant Principal

Monday, August 10

Tuesday, August 11

• 8th Grade students meet with Administration - 7:45am

Wednesday, August 12

• 7th Grade students meet with Administration - 7:45am

Thursday, August 13

• 6th Grade students meet with Administration - 7:45am

Friday, August 14

We are hiring a part-time Instructional Assistant at Greeneville Middle School!

https://gcschools.schoolspring.com/?jobid=5837081

Our 6th grade students kicked off their GMS journey last week! They were welcomed by all our GMS staff and student leaders before spending time with their teachers, related arts teachers, and administrators learning their schedules, routines, expectations, and everything that makes Greeneville Middle School special.

A great school day starts with a great welcome! Our administrative team and School Resource Officer look forward to greeting students each morning and helping them start the day ready to learn at Greeneville Middle School!

A huge thank you to our GMS families for helping us kick off the year strong. Friday morning, our car line was complete, and students were in the building and ready to learn by 7:39 a.m. Thank you for partnering with us!

The Greeneville Police Department has notified us that keeping East Vann Road clear and traffic moving is essential for safety. To prevent traffic from backing up onto East Vann Road and to maintain access to our back parking lot for as long as possible, please note the following:

• Vehicles may not stop in the roadway along East Vann Road while waiting to turn right onto campus. The Greeneville Police Department will issue tickets to vehicles that stop in the traffic lane and impede the flow of traffic along East Vann Road.

• The CarRiderPro tag reader turns on at 2:00 p.m. Vehicles may not line up or wait at the sensor before 2:00.

Everyone did an incredible job with afternoon car line on the first day of school! We dismissed 243 cars in under 23 minutes, making it one of the smoothest first-day afternoon pickups we have ever had. Thank you for helping us get students safely and efficiently on their way home!

A few things make a big difference in keeping our afternoon line moving:

• Have your car tag with you. If you do not have a car tag, you will need to park in the front lot, come inside, show your ID, and sign-out your student.
• The CarRiderPro tag reader turns on at 2:00 p.m. Vehicles may not line up or wait at the sensor before 2:00.
• Use both lanes of the car line. This helps us move more vehicles through the loading area at one time.
• Pull up close to the car in front of you. Maximizing the number of cars in the loading zone allows us to dismiss more students with each group.
• Keep driving until traffic stops or you reach the beginning of the loading zone. Please do not stop when you see your child. We use the entire loading area, from the green sign below the walkway all the way to the trees at the back of the lot.
• Remind your student to watch for your car and be ready to load quickly when dismissed from the sidewalk.
• If your student is not outside and ready to load, you will be directed to pull into the parking row at the bottom of the lot. We will check to make sure your tag scanned correctly, replace a tag if it is no longer working, and call your student outside.
• Pro tip: Car rider traffic is significantly reduced by approximately 2:55 p.m. We highly recommend waiting until that time to arrive when possible. Your overall wait will be much shorter as you cruise straight through our line!

One more first-day win: Of the 243 tags used during dismissal, only TWO did not scan correctly!

Morning car drop-off begins at 7:00 a.m., when staff members come outside to begin welcoming students. A few reminders will help us keep morning arrival safe and efficient:

• Please use both lanes of the car line.
• We use the entire drop-off lane, from the green sign below the awning to the trees at the back of the lot. Pull all the way forward and stay close to the car in front of you. Please do not wait to stop/drop off at the end of the awning.
• Once you have passed the trees and traffic comes to a stop, please have your student exit the vehicle. Using the full drop-off area allows more students to exit at the same time, helping us keep traffic moving while maintaining a safe and orderly arrival.
• Students exiting from vehicles in the outside lane should wait for an adult to signal that it is safe before crossing the inside lane.
• Pro-Tip: Plan to drop-off between 7:06-7:16.

Thank you for a fantastic start! When everyone pulls forward, uses both lanes, and is ready to load or unload, it makes a tremendous difference in keeping traffic moving while getting our students in and out of school safely.

Our GMS Football team showed their support for the Joggin’ for Jess 5K this weekend by volunteering, cheering on participants, and running! We are proud of our Greene Devils for lifting others and serving our community!

Congrats to GMS Student, Hannah Richards, for placing 3rd place in the Joggin' for Jess 5K!

For the safety of all students and to ensure a smooth dismissal, student checkouts are not permitted between 2:00–3:00 p.m. During this time, students are engaged in their final classes of the day, and our office staff is focused on preparing for afternoon dismissal. Please plan all afterschool appointments at a time that allows for checkout before 2:00 or after 3:00. This helps us maintain a safe and efficient process so that all students get home safely.

No outside food is allowed any time at GMS. Your student is welcome to pack their lunch but we do not allow outside food to be dropped-off for lunch at GMS. We also understand stopping for breakfast, but please have your child finish any food or drinks before they come into the building. Our cafeteria is open at 6:55am every morning and ready to serve a hot, nutritious and tasty meal while helping us ensure a safe environment by avoiding any food allergies at the tables.

Students are only permitted to have plain water in their water bottles at school. We ask that water bottles not disrupt instruction. Thank you for your cooperation!

Tardy & Early Check-Out Reminder:

Being at school for the full day and arriving on time helps students stay engaged in learning. In alignment with our Student Handbook (viewable on the GMS website & link at the bottom of this newsletter), the accumulation of three or more unexcused tardies and/or unexcused early check-outs during a semester will result in consequences through our progressive discipline policy, beginning with lunch detention.

Thank you for helping your student arrive on time and remain at school through the end of the day.

Attention all GMS students: It is not too late to join our band program! We still have spots available in our 6th grade band and limited spots available in our 7th and 8th grade bands. No experience or auditions required. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Thomas at thomasrl@gcschools.net with any questions you may have.

Please remember to notify the school anytime your student is absent. Parents may submit a parent note to excuse up to three days per semester. The easiest way to submit notes, whether parent or doctor, is through the online absentee reporting form found on our school website or the email/text link you receive when an absence is recorded as unexcused. Students may also turn in physical notes to the office; however, they often forget and fail to do so within the required two-day window (resulting in unexcused absence toward truancy).

All notes, parent or physician, must be submitted within two days of returning to school.

Good school attendance is essential for student success, as missing more than eight days in a semester, including illness or doctor-excused absences, is considered chronic absenteeism. Regular attendance helps students stay on track with their learning and is directly linked to higher achievement and an increased likelihood of graduation. Please reach out to GMS admin if you have any questions or need support.

Visit the GMS Athletics page on our school website for the most up-to-date athletic information. You'll find team contacts, required athletic forms, schedules, physical information, and other important announcements. We encourage families to check the page regularly throughout the school year for updates.

GMS Athletics: https://gms.gcschools.net/o/gms/page/athletics

1 ADULT - GENERAL ADMISSION TO ALL HOME GMS SPORTING EVENTS. THE PASS DOES NOT INCLUDE OFF-SITE SPORTING EVENTS OR TOURNAMENTS

Greeneville City Schools only offers free breakfast and lunch for elementary school students. Greeneville Middle School and Greeneville High School students are charged for breakfast and lunch daily. Many families are eligible for Free & Reduced meals by competing the Free & Reduced Lunch Application. Apply now!

The Free & Reduced-Price Lunch Application for the 2026–2027 school year is now open!

We encourage all families to apply — even if you believe you may not qualify. Completing the application helps ensure access to important funding and opportunities for:

✅ Student Education
✅ Technology & Internet Access
✅ College Application Fee Discounts
✅ Scholarships

Please note: If your student qualified for free or reduced-price meals last school year, you must complete a new application for the 2026–2027 school year. Eligibility does not roll over from year to year — a current application must be submitted and processed for benefits to continue.

You can apply quickly and easily by scanning the QR code below or clicking this link:
🔗 https://frapps.horizonsolana.com/GREC01

If you have questions, please email Brianna Holt at holtb@gcschools.net.

Thank you for taking a moment to complete this important application and helping us better support all students!

Bus Transportation- If your student will be riding the bus, please verify transportation questions with our transportation department (423-525-4793). Additional information on the My Ride k-12 app can be found here: https://www4.gcschools.net/page/transportation

The online transportation change form should be the primary method used to submit any transportation changes for your student. All online requests must be submitted by noon on the day of the requested change to ensure we have time to make the necessary arrangements.

6th Grade Team, Beginning with the End in Mind, Shout out to our 6th grade team for helping our newest Greene Devils feel welcomed, supported, and confident as they begin their middle school journey!

7th Grade Team, Putting First Things First, Shout out to our 7th grade team for bringing great energy and enthusiasm as they reconnect with students and set the stage for an outstanding year!

8th Grade Team, Sharpening the Saw, Hats off to our 8th grade team for encouraging our students to step into their role as leaders and set a positive example throughout GMS!

Related Arts Team, Seeking First to Understand, then to be Understood, We are grateful for our Related Arts team and the opportunities they provide for students to discover their interests, showcase their talents, and find new ways to shine!