Your Gator Guide Newsletter
August 18, 2024
To browse important upcoming events, please click the events button above or select the link to the events calendar below.
π Rocket Launch in Geometry! π
Students in Mr. Macaladβs Geometry class took learning to new heightsβliterally! As part of a hands-on project connecting math to the real world, students designed and launched rockets to explore concepts like 3D design, measurements, and trigonometry. The excitement was sky-high as each group tested their designs and applied their geometry skills in a fun, unforgettable way!
β GSA Launches Diaper & Period Supply Drive β
Weβre excited to partner with the St. Louis Area Diaper Bank for a Diaper & Period Supply Drive, running now through the end of Summer School! These basic hygiene items are essentialβyet too many families in our community go without.
How to Help:
Donate diapers (sizes 4β6), wipes, and period products
Contribute via gift card, check, or through our [school website]
Drop off items in yellow donation bins around school
Shop our curated Amazon Wish List
Students can earn service hours for donating or volunteering during our upcoming Packing Party (date TBA)! Letβs work together to support families in need and empower students to lead with compassion.
π ACT Summer Enrichment Program π
As the school year winds down, we're excited to offer a FREE ACT Summer Enrichment Program to help students get ahead and shine on test day!
Why Join?
ACT scores matter for college admissions and scholarshipsβand itβs never too early to start preparing! Based on spring ACT data and teacher recommendations, we believe this program could give your student the extra boost they need to reach their full potential.
Program Details:
Dates: Wednesday, May 28 β Friday, June 13
Location: GSA HS ACT Summer School @ Fyler Campus
Time: 8:00 AM β 12:00 PM (in-person)
Meals: Free breakfast and lunch provided daily
Bonus: Free registration for the official ACT on June 14!
Weβll tailor the schedule to student availability, so please complete the preference form by May 5, 2025 to help us build the best experience for everyone. Please submit your preferences and register here.
Donβt miss this chance to gain confidence, improve your score, and open doors to future success!
Please see below the district-approved calendar for the 2025-2026 school year
ππ₯ Now Open: Guardian Angel Pantry & Clothing Closet ππ₯
Guardian Angelβs new Pantry and Clothing Closet is officially open! Families can now shop for clothing and household items while picking up food essentials.
The food pantry serves the greater St. Louis area, offering staple items like canned goods, bread, pasta, rice, beans, fresh produce, and meat. Instead of pre-boxed food, members can shop based on dietary and religious needs.
Hours (by appointment only):
- Tuesdays: 3:00 PM β 6:00 PM
- Thursdays: 9:00 AM β 6:30 PM
- Fridays (Seniors 55+ only): 9:00 AM β 11:00 AM
- Every 2nd Saturday: 9:00 AM β 1:00 PM
For urgent food needs, emergency bags are available without an appointment.
π Call 314-773-9027 to schedule a visit or submit an appointment request here.
Residents of 63118 or 63104 are encouraged to take advantage of this resource!
π₯«Food Pantry in Your Neighborhood π₯«
Families in need can access food and clothing assistance through the local pantry and clothing room. No appointment is necessaryβjust bring a photo ID!
π Food Pantry:
- Shop for Groceries (M-Th, 10 AM β 1 PM): Guests can choose their own food, including canned goods, meat, deli items, produce, and bread.
- Pre-Packed Bags (Fridays, 10 AM β 1 PM): Pre-packed food bags are distributed.
- Fresh Food Friday (Fridays, 10 AM): Free fresh produce, deli items, bread, and occasional dairy/eggs.
Clothing Room:
- Open TuesdaysβThursdays, 10 AM β 1 PM
- Offers gently used clothing for all ages, including business attire for job seekers
- Who Can Access These Services?
- Food pantry: Available to residents of 63104, 63110, 63118, and 63116 (limit twice per month).
- Clothing room: Open to all (limit once per month).
For more information, visit during open hours or call for assistance!
π¨ Summer Design Opportunity at WashU for Creative Students π¨
The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is offering a free 2-week summer program called Design Your World (DYW) for high school students interested in art, architecture, interior design, fashion, or other creative fields.
Location: Sam Fox School of Design, Washington University
Dates: July 7 β July 18 (MondayβFriday)
Who: Rising 9th graders through graduating seniors
Bonus: $200 stipend upon completion
Program highlights include:
- Hands-on workshops in design and architecture
- Studio time to build creative projects
- Mentorship from industry professionals
- Final showcase for family, friends & local community
- Only 25 students will be accepted citywide on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Deadline to apply: June 27
Apply here or visit the IIDA website for more info.
Let your creativity shine this summer!
π» IT Helpdesk Reminder π»
For all IT-related requests, students and parents are kindly asked to submit a ticket by emailing helpdesk@gsastl.org. This ensures that your concerns are addressed promptly and efficiently.
Thank you for your cooperation!
ββ Gator Gratitude Nomination ββ
Submit a Gator Gratitude nomination NOW, where you can recognize any Gateway Science Academy employee, volunteer, or community partner for going above and beyond what is expected.
Let's continue to show our appreciation for the wonderful individuals who make a positive impact on
our school community!
π² Bright Arrow - Text Messaging Opt-In π²
BrightArrow is a district communication service that enables us to send timely and relevant SMS text messages directly to parents' cell phones.
To participate, parents must opt in. Simply text YES to 79041 and repeat this process for any phone number you want to receive text messages on. Please ensure that the front office has your current cell phone information.
Please note, standard message and data rates may apply based on your wireless carrierβs terms.
If you have any questions regarding SMS text messaging, feel free to contact Ms. Amra at 314-500-1312 or Ms. Illda at 314-500-1313.
π GSA Branded Gear at South City Sporting Goods π
We can now offer additional GSA-branded gear through South City Sporting Goods! You can check out the collection here: GSA Collection. The site is live and ready for orders 24/7/365, and everything is produced on demand.
If you are shopping for uniform items, please select βyesβ on the left side of the screen and you will have a display of all approved selections from each campus.
π Healthy Gator Guide π
Reminder About Medications at School: Students are not allowed to carry over-the-counter medications at school, including tylenol and ibuprofen. They also should not carry prescription medications unless they have permission forms on file with the nurse to carry their inhaler or epipen. Thanks for helping to remind your student of these safety practices.
Covid and Respiratory Illness Guidelines: GSA is following the current guidelines from the STL City Department of Health and CDC. These guidelines state for a person to stay home when ill or have tested positive for Covid. A person can return to school/activities when symptoms have been improving for 24 hours - and if a fever was present, it has been gone for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. In addition, people are strongly encouraged to wear a mask for the next 5 days to curb the spread of disease.
πͺ Suggested Safe Individual Snack list πͺ
Food that is shared class-wide must be store bought and come in original packaging (not homemade).This list contains some suggestions for allergen safe snacks for your child to bring to class for their daily snack.
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are pleased to inform you that the Free and Reduced Meal applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now available. We kindly request that each household completes the application, even if you do not believe you will qualify for free or reduced meals.
Did you know that completing the Free and Reduced Meal application helps in many areas beyond just providing meals? Just one form ensures continued funding to support ALL students in several critical ways:
School Budgets: Increased state and federal funding for staff, equipment, and supplies.
Computer Network: More funding for internet access and network services.
School Meals: Free or reduced-price school meals and qualification for various pandemic benefits.
Scholarships: Eligibility for local scholarships, tuition assistance, and discounted college application fees.
Sports Fees: Reduced fees for sports and other extracurricular activities.
By filling out this application, you contribute to the betterment of our entire school community.
Please use the Free and Reduced Lunch Application blue ππclick button ππ above to complete your application!
Thank you for your continued support.
Sincerely,
GSA Fyler Campus
βEligibility Criteria for Free and Reduced Meals β
π₯ͺ NutriSlice Menu π₯ͺ
The view the breakfast, lunch and snack options for the rest of the school year. Please click on the Menu Navigator (blue button) above.
π²Meal Prices 24-25 SYπ²
βπ»PowerSchool Parent Portal FAQs βπ»
Question 1: What is PowerSchool? Answer: PowerSchool is a student information system that allows us to manage a wide range of information, including the following: grades, attendance, tests, demographics, activities, courses, and photos. Because the program has been designed using Internet-based software tools, it also allows us to connect parents and students to information.
Question 2: When will parents and students get access to the information on the PowerSchool server? Answer: Parents of students in grades 6-12 can get their logins and passwords at Back- to-School Night from the office where their student is enrolled. Usernames and passwords will be available in the school office.
Question 3: Whom should I call if I have a question? Answer: Please use the table below to decide whom to contact for various types of questions.
Question 4: Do all teachers post grade and attendance information to the PowerSchool server? Answer: Attendance is posted by teachers and by the office.The office collects information and logs the daily attendance (which is used for state reporting) while each individual teacher is responsible for recording the period attendance for their rosters. All teachers assign and post grades to PowerSchool at different times. Some may give grades to their studentsβ everyday and some may give far fewer grades during the marking periods. This is up to each teacher and depends upon their grading system. If you see grades in PowerSchool for some teachers but not others, this is a normal function of the way teachers assign and post grades. As always you may contact teachers by e-mail or request a phone call or meeting at any time.
Question 5: I know that teachers sometimes weigh different categories of grades. How does this affect how a grade is calculated? Answer: Many teachers use categories such as tests, quizzes, and daily work to organize and give different weights to grades; how they weigh them is an individual decision. Teachers share with students how they grade at the beginning of each course. As always you may contact teachers by e-mail or request a phone call or meeting at any time.
Question 6: How often can we expect grades to be updated? Answer: There are many factors that determine how soon a teacher can assess and return assignments. Essays, research papers, and tests take longer to grade than a quiz. Coaching, club sponsorships, and family commitments can also affect turnaround time, as well as a teacher's student load. All teachers do their best to grade their students and communicate their progress in a timely manner.
Question 7: Do all teachers use the same grading scales? Answer: Yes. Grading scales are common among teachers and among classes in the same building. All teachers share their grading scales as well as other class policy information with their students at the beginning of each course.
Question 8: What can I see on the PowerSchool site? Answer: Parents and students can access the following information on the PowerSchool public site.
Grades for current classes, as well as the assignments that make up those grades
Attendance for the past two weeks or for the current term, including a legend of attendance codes used by the school
Teacher comments β’ Reports via Email, which allow parents to request daily, weekly, or monthly reports to be sent via email.
Question 9: Can other people see my sonβs/daughterβs grades? Answer: As long as you protect your password, others will not be able to see your information.
Question 10: How does one get a PowerSchool login and password? Answer: The school will provide this information.
π΅ Uniform Stores π΅
π What is the A+ Program? π
The A+ Program is a program funded by the state of Missouri to provide scholarship funds to eligible graduates of A+ designated high schools, including Gateway Science Academy, who attend a participating public community college or vocational/technical school, or certain private two-year vocational/technical schools.
π What is Dual Credit? π
Dual credit programs offer high caliber high school students the opportunity to earn college credits and become familiar with the college experience while still in a high school setting. College credits earned through dual credit programs are widely accepted at Missouri public colleges and universities and many other institutions across the country.
Dual credit is a way for high school students to earn college credit at the same time they are earning high school credit.The high school and college credit are separate from one another, meaning:
if a student drops his or her college credit, he or she may still be enrolled in the high school class.
* the grading systems may be different.
* the records for the course work are separate
* the college credit is recorded on a university transcript and the high school credit is on the high school transcript
The work that the student completes throughout the course contributes to the student's final college grade in the class, which shows on their college transcript. This is why in order for students to transfer their dual credit, they must request a transcript be sent from college they are completing dual credit through to the college they are ultimately attending after high school.
Top Reasons to enroll in Dual Credit
* Save some serious cash on college
* Challenge yourself with college-level courses
* Learn from masterβs-level teachers
* Start your college transcript
* Earn easily transferable college credit hours
* Get a head start of your college career
Is Dual Credit the Same as AP?
We are commonly asked if dual credit courses are the same as Advanced Placement (AP) courses.The AP Program is a separate college-level program developed by the College Board organization. This program requires students to take and score above a certain number on examinations to earn credit. As well, the College Board develops their own curriculum through a panel.
Student/Parent Benefits of Dual Credit and College Board's AP
Dual credit is a college program in which selected high schools partner with a university to deliver college level courses on high school campuses.
Studentsβ grades earned in dual credit courses become part of the their official college record and are transferable to many other two and four year institutions.
AP is a high school program administered by a national corporation with no connection to any particular college or university. College credit through AP courses depends on the studentβs score on a nationally administered examination.
Continue reading here a list of Frequently Asked Questions
π Graduation Requirements π
To prepare students to meet top collegesβ entrance requirements, GSAβs graduation requirements exceed those of traditional Missouri public high schools and include:
π Minimum of 26 credits of coursework π
π 40 hours of community service: Each grade level is required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service.π
π Must pass the US Constitution and Missouri Constitution exams.π
π Senior thesis project π
π Must take the following tests: EOC Algebra I or EOC Algebra II, EOC English II, EOC Biology, EOC Government π
π© Community Service Hours π©
Beginning your freshman year, and continuing throughout high school, youβll complete 40 hours of community service. By connecting classroom curriculum with service projects, youβll deepen and extend your knowledge to improve academic achievement, build social skills, and develop civic skills and attitudes. To ensure a manageable workload and a smooth progression towards meeting the 40-hour community service requirement, it is advised that students commence their service early, spreading their efforts across their high school years. We propose implementing a yearly completion target of 10 hours, allowing students to steadily accumulate towards the total of 40 community service hours before their senior year.
π Volunteer Opportunities for Teens in the St. Louis Area π
Volunteer Match
Use the advanced search option and enter the zip code, interests, and check the teen box.
http://www.volunteermatch.org/
Charity Navigator
Use the advanced search option to find a list of about 50 local charities.
http://www.charitynavigator.org/
Tree House of Greater St. Louis
Stray Rescue
http://strayrescue.org/node/79
St. Louis Zoo
https://www.stlzoo.org/give/volunteer
Open Door Animal Sanctuary
Missouri Department of Conservation
https://mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/volunteer-opportunities
St. Louis Parents
United Way of Greater St. Louis
https://www.stlvolunteer.org/syg?layoutViewMode=tablet
You can also volunteer at:
Magic House
Science Center
Zoo
Animal Shelters
Food Banks
Churches, mosquesβ¦
Tutor students
Wildlife Center of Missouri
Schools
You can call a charity and offer to plan an event for them. Can you put together a teen trivia night or a walk-a-thon to raise money? Use your creativity to come up with ideas, like a dog house decorating contest to benefit an animal shelter, a book drive to support a local childrenβs charity? The possibilities are endless!
There may be more than these listed ones. You just need to find them!
Note: students cannot volunteer for profit organizations or companies!
ππππππππππππππ
Click on the button above to download a copy of the Community Service Hours Log
π» Varsity Tutoring π»
Every student in our district now has access to the Varsity Tutors for Schools platform that includes 24/7 On-Demand Chat Tutoring, On-Demand Essay Review, 100+ Weekly Live Classes in Test Prep & Enrichment, Recorded Enrichment Classes, Self-Study & Practice Resources.
Students will log into the platform using Clever.
Please see the following for more information:
How to Access Scheduled Tutoring Sessions (Students-Clever).pdf
Test Prep - ACT, SAT, more - Flier - High School Student 2.pdf
Upcoming PTO Meetings & Events :
November 21: General meeting
Saturday, February 8: 3rd Annual Mouse Races, Affton Elks Lodge
February 20: General meeting
April 24: General meeting & Elections
PTO Website
Please join the PTO Facebook Page:
Students are only allowed to wear these as part of spirit wear on Fridays or dress down days.
π After School Meals Available Monday - Friday π
St. Louis County Library and Operation Food Search are offering free meals to children ages 5-18 at four library branches during the 2024-25 school year. Meals are served Monday through Friday and include activities for kids.
Locations and Times:
π Lewis & Clark Branch: 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. π
π Prairie Commons Branch: 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. π
π Natural Bridge Branch: 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. π
π Weber Road Branch: 2:45 - 4:00 p.m. π
π SLPL Library eCARDS π
Student eCards are a powerful tool that connects students with a wealth of learning resources, enhancing their educational experience both in and out of the classroom. These eCards give access to digital materials, library resources, and more, helping to support their academic growth.
Families play an important role in making the most of this opportunity! We encourage you to review the flyer below which provides an overview of the eCards and answers common questions. By staying informed, families can help students fully utilize these valuable resources.
Check out the helpful video below for an introduction to the library eCARDS for your student.
Dr. Icel - Principal
βοΈ icel@gsastl.org
Mrs. Hibbler - Assistant Principal of School Culture
βοΈ jhibbler@gsastl.org
Mr. Gunerhan - Assistant Principal of Academics
βοΈ egunerhan@gsastl.org
Mr. Davis - Dean of Students
βοΈ mdavis@gsastl.org
Mr.Cruz - School Counselor
βοΈ ncruz@gsastl.org
Coach Salih - Athletic Director
βοΈ salih@gsastl.org
Mr. Alpsoy - College Counselor (Grades 9 -12)
Students with last names starting with A-E
π© zalpsoy@gsastl.org
Mr. Ihsan - College Counselor (Grades 9 - 12)
Students with last names starting with F-O
Dr. Ozkaya - College Counselor (Grades 9 -12)
Students with last names starting with P-Z
π© yozkaya@gsastl.org
Nurse Jillian
Ms. Amra - Administrative Assistant (Grades 9-10)
π© amra@gsastl.org
Ms. Illda - Administrative Assistant (Grades 11-12)
π© illda@gsastl.org
