East Weekly

We have another busy week ahead at East!

When we return on Tuesday, we’ll have a special guest speaker, Taylor Candella, along with an adjusted schedule for students. On Wednesday, students will take their Math MAP assessment, so please make sure Chromebooks are fully charged and ready to go!

We’ve also had several families reach out with questions about Chromebook restrictions and settings at home. Please check out the Announcements section of this week’s newsletter for more information and directions on how you can manage these settings at home.

As always, thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students!

Take care,

Megan Kirsten

Sept. 7: Labor Day - No School

Sept. 8: Student speaker during the school day!

Sept. 8: 6th grade BAND meeting (see 6th grade update)

Sept. 9: Math MAP Assessment Day -- adjusted schedule

Sept 10: 6th grade STRINGS meeting (see 6th grade update)

Sept. 11: 6th grade Adventure Day -- more info to come

Oct. 6: Parent Teacher Conferences (6th grade families ONLY)

Oct. 8: Parent Teacher Conferences (ALL grade levels)

Oct. 13: Parent Teacher Conferences (ALL grade levels)

Oct. 16: End of Q1

Oct. 19: Conference Comp Day - No School
Oct. 20: Staff Work Day - No School for students

We want to make sure families have the information they need to help support safe and responsible technology use at home.

Our school uses Securly to help monitor and support student internet activity. Families can also access Securly’s parent tools to view and manage their student’s activity outside of school.

Getting Started with Securly

• Visit Securly’s parent resource page for information about the app, website, and available features: Securly Home Parent Resources
• When creating your Securly account, please use the same email address that is listed for you as a guardian in Infinite Campus (IC).
• Using the email address on file in IC will automatically connect you to the students for whom you are listed as a guardian and provide access to the available monitoring and parental control features.

Please note that the parent monitoring and control features are intended to help families manage student technology use outside of the school day. School-based technology monitoring and management will continue to be handled by the school.

We encourage families to explore the Securly resources and take advantage of these tools to help support healthy, safe, and responsible technology use at home.

PTA meetings take place on the 2nd Monday of each month in the GMSE library at 7:00pm. All are welcome!

Meetings 7:00-8:00 pm

• September 14

• October 12

• November 9

• December 14 - Virtual

• January 11

• February 8

• March 8

• April 12

• May 10

Help support and fund numerous initiatives for students and staff throughout the year. Stay tuned to our Facebook page, “GMSE Parents” (new members be sure to answer the questions to be admitted), and upcoming newsletters for more information about what we do and how you can help.

Please consider joining the Middle School East PTA.

Here is the 6th grade launchpad link for you to bookmark: Launchpad. This tracks the daily work and homework.

ACE 7/8 classes were busy collecting and analyzing data this week. Math MAP testing on Wednesday. Please make sure chromebooks are charged.

Students will begin their chosen music class in October.

Band:

• Parent meeting for 6th grade Band is this upcoming Tuesday, September 8th at GLHS at 7:30pm in the James Singer Auditorium. If you cannot attend, please email smallwoodj@gjps.org.

Strings:

• Parent meeting for 6th grade Strings is this upcoming Thursday, September 10th at GLHS at 7:00pm in the James Singer Auditorium.

• Any parents whose child has any interest in joining Strings should plan to be there that night to receive vital information on getting started in Strings, getting an instrument, etc. Email kinnearm@gjps.org with questions

Social Studies: Students have been learning about Ancient Greece and will continue on this topic for the next couple of weeks. We have been working hard in our notebooks as well. Over the next few weeks we will cover a wide range of topics surrounding Ancient Greece such as governments, geography, culture, mythology, Greek wars, art, theatre, architecture and more!

Math 7: Students have begun learning topics from Chapter 1. This week they learned about probability! Next week, we will do more fraction operations and compound probability.

ELA: Ask your students what they are reading! Many have either finished Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie or are finishing this coming week. Make sure they have a good fit choice book ready to go!

ACE 7/8: Classes were busy collecting and analyzing data this week. Math MAP testing on Wednesday. Please make sure chromebooks are charged.

Algebra

Geometry

American History: Students in American History will be finishing up our “Creating the Colonies” unit next week and will be diving into our “Road to the Revolution” unit once finished. We are making great progress and are working hard in our notebooks.

ELA: This week we finished our first class novel Chasing Space! Ask students about some of author Leland Melvin’s accomplishments! Students also began writing their application essays. There is a padlet on Google Classroom with LOADS of help and tips. The essay will be due 9/8 @ 11:59pm.

ACE ELA: This week we finished our first class novel, Tuesdays with Morrie. Ask students about how the end of the book made them feel. Students also began writing their application essays. There is a padlet on Google Classroom with LOADS of help and tips. The essay will be due 9/8 @ 11:59pm.

Math 8: Students took their first skill check on integer operations 9/4. They can retake these as long as their Weekly Work is turned in and completed!

Band:

• Parent meeting for 6th grade Band is this upcoming Tuesday, September 8th at GLHS at 7:30pm in the James Singer Auditorium. If you cannot attend, please email smallwoodj@gjps.org.

Strings:

• Parent meeting for 6th grade Strings is this upcoming Thursday, September 10th at GLHS at 7:00pm in the James Singer Auditorium.

• Any parents whose child has any interest in joining Strings should plan to be there that night to receive vital information on getting started in Strings, getting an instrument, etc. Email kinnearm@gjps.org with questions

To report an absence, please call the front office at (614)478-5550 or email fischerj@gjps.org by 9:10am if possible.You also have the ability to login into Infinite Campus and mark your child's absence there. Please ONLY do this if your child will be absent for the entire day.

The Heart and Pride Award recognizes two outstanding staff members each month who make a profound impact on our students and Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.

The Heart & Pride Nomination Form will remain available year-round and is open to any member of our staff, regardless of position.

September 7, 2026: Labor Day - No School

September 21, 2026: PD Day - No School
October 19, 2026: Conference Comp Day - No School
October 20, 2026: Staff Work Day - No School
November 9, 2026: PD Day - No School
November 25-27, 2026: Thanksgiving Break - No School
December 23, 2026-January 1, 2027: Winter Break - No School
January 4, 2027: Staff Work Day - No School
January 18, 2027: Martin Luther King Day - No School
February 15, 2027: Presidents Day - No School
March 8, 2027: Staff Work Day - No School
March 9, 2027: PD Day - No School
March 26, 2027: Conference Comp Day - No School
March 29-April 2, 2027: Spring Break- No School
April 30, 2027: PD Day - No School
May 27, 2027: Last Day of School for Students
May 28, 2027: Staff Work Day - No School
May 29, 2027: Class of 2027 Commencement