January 9, 2026

It's been a great week to be a Colt!

If your student would still like to participate in one of our Winter Sports, it's not too late to sign-up! The deadline to sign-up for Wrestling, Girls Basketball, and XC-Skiing is next Monday, January 12th.

What is Needed:

Participation Form

Sports Physical

Sports Fee ($110) - These fees can be found in "Online Payments" drop-down menu in ParentConnect. You or your student are also able to bring cash/check to the Finance Office in the Front Office.

Activity Bus Form - If you live on JBER, we offer a bus that will transport students back to base after practice, Monday through Friday. The Activity Bus drops students off around 6:30pm at the Two Rivers Youth Center.

All paperwork can be turned into the Front Office or emailed to harmon_mary@asdk12.org.

*In order for your student to participate in practice,

we will need all of the proper paperwork turned in by the first day of practice!*

Families can also send in photos if they have any from sports, field trips, etc. by sending them to this email: submit+GMSyrbk@edophotos.com.

If you have any questions, please email: cyr_rebecca@asdk12.org.

On February 17th & 18th our school will be conducting a state required assessment for English Language Learners. This assessment is called ACCESS and provides important feedback about the progress of our English Language Learners in Reading, Speaking, Listening and Writing. Only students who are currently identified as members of the English Language Learners (ELL) Program will be assessed. More information about the ACCESS assessment can be found on the Alaska Department of Education and Early Childhood Development’s ACCESS page, http://education.alaska.gov/assessments/elp.

If you have any questions about this test, please contact our ELL teacher at jones_erin@asdk12.org. You may also contact the District’s ELL Department at 742-4452. Information about the English Language Learners Program in the School District can be found on ASD’s website.

As we begin the new year, students are encouraged to set personal goals that help them grow both academically and personally. Goal setting teaches responsibility, builds confidence, and helps students reflect on what they want to improve.

Middle school students are focusing on goals in areas such as:

📚 Academics (improving grades, staying organized, completing homework)

🤝 Social skills (kindness, teamwork, communication)

🧠 Personal growth (self-confidence, asking for help, managing time)

🏃 Health & wellness (sleep, activity, balance)

Students are learning how to turn big hopes into realistic, achievable goals by breaking them into small steps and checking their progress throughout the year.

We encourage families to ask students about their goals and celebrate effort along the way! Progress matters more than perfection!

Here’s to a new semester of growth, learning, and success.

Need assistance, contact a counselor:

6th Grade: Ms. Hart: hart_jennifer@asdk12.org

7th Grade: Ms. Johnson: johnson_amanda@asdk12.org

8th Grade: Mrs. Rotante: rotante_amyjo@asdk12.org

1/15 - Selawik (6th) and Tazlina (8th) Field Trip

1/16 - Symphony (6th), Grizzly (7th), Katmai (7th), and Skilak (8th) Field Trip

1/19 - No School!

1/24 - JV Wrestling (Goldenview Middle School) & V Wrestling (Mears Middle School), 9:00am

Sport Practices:

Wrestling: Monday-Friday, 4:15-5:45pm

Girls Basketball: Monday-Friday, 4:15-5:45pm

XC-Ski: Monday-Friday, 4:15-5:45pm

Debate: Tuesdays, 8:00-9:00am, Thursdays, 4:15-5:45pm

Activity Schedule:

Homework Help: Monday-Thursday, 4:15-5:45pm

D&D: Mondays, 4:15-4:45pm

Jazz Band: Tuesday-Friday, 8:30-9:15am

Yearbook: Every other Thursday from 4:15-5:45pm

Jan 8 & 22

Feb 5 & 19

Mar 5 & 19

Apr 2 & 9

Any adults looking to volunteer at Gruening must go through the Volunteer Application process.

*This process must be completed for each school you are wanting to volunteer at. For more questions, email patterson_elizabeth@asdk12.org.