Summerour Blue Devil Blast

November 2023

Dear Parent/Family,

Every child will have many teachers before they walk across the stage on graduation day. They’ll learn about reading, math, science, art, and so much more. They’ll learn how to interact with others. They’ll learn about life.

But a child doesn’t meet their first teacher inside a school building – they meet them inside their home. Parents and families have an immense, lasting, and irreplaceable impact on a child’s education. The month of November is Family Engagement Month in our nation, a time to collectively recognize and honor the contributions of parents and families to student success.

Summerour is committed to educating the whole child. We strive to provide high-quality programs that improve teaching and learning across and equip our school with the information and resources we need to help parents actively engage in their child’s academic achievement.

Family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community organizations are committed to communicating with, reaching out to, and building ties to engage families in meaningful ways.

Research on family engagement suggests that when schools, families, and communities support each other, students of all backgrounds and abilities achieve at the highest levels.

First and foremost, to every parent and family member who pours their time, resources, efforts, and hours into their child’s education: thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Nothing could be more important than your engagement and involvement with your child’s education and in their school.

I want to invite you to join the celebration throughout November and all year round, as schools and districts across the state plan special events and recognitions to honor the crucial role parents and families play in students’ education. Additionally, Nov. 16 is National Parent Involvement Day, a time reserved, as a nation, for all parents to reflect on ways they can get more involved in the education of their children.

For ideas on how you can get engaged, please visit the school Parent Center. Here you can access an array of resources including English and Spanish reading books, educational games, school transitional information, printable brochures in English and Spanish, assessment guides, and communication tools.

Again, I want to personally thank you as a parent or family member of a child in Summerour Middle School. Thank you for entrusting us with your child’s education. We could not do the work of educating Georgia’s future without you.

Dr. Natalie Looney

• November 20 - 24 - Thanksgiving Break
  
• November 27 - December 4 - High School Selection (8th Grade)
• November 30 - PTA Meeting
• November 30 - Basketball vs. Duluth (Home)
• December 2 - Basketball vs. Coleman (Duluth HS)
• December 2 - Boys' Soccer Game
• December 7 - Basketball vs. Dacula (Dacula HS)
• December 7 - Winter Chorus Concert
• December 12 - Basketball vs. Lanier (Lanier HS)
• December 14 - Basketball vs. Northbrook (Home)
• December 18 - January 3 - Winter Break

About the testing schedule:

• To avoid testing fatigue, there is only one (1) content area scheduled per day.
• Make ups will occur Thursday, January 4th – Friday, January 12th .
• Testing will occur during a 60-minute block
• Friday, December 15th is a NO TESTING day!

Today was OUR annual Career Day. Thank you to OUR counselors for putting together a great program. Their hard work showed through. Thanks you, also, to all of OUR community members who came and introduced OUR children to their career opportunities.

...with a Career Day presentation by a former Summerour students (circa 2007-2010).

To pump up OUR students before OUR first basketball game, we held a Pep Rally on Thursday. We had a blast! Come out and support OUR athletes this season!

Each year Summerour hosts a business leader from OUR community as OUR Principal for a Day.

This Tuesday, we were blessed to host Mr. Bobby Cobb, as this year's participant. Thank you, Mr. Cobb for joining us.

This week we celebrated American Education Week with snacks, treats, and dress up days for OUR teachers and students. Thank you to all who particpated. We finished out the week with a Pep Rally (Thursday) and Career Day (Friday). It was an amazing week at Summerour.

Ms. Belinda Terry

6th Grade Assistant Principal

Belinda.Terry@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Tannia Wood

6th Grade Counselor

Tannia.Wood@gcpsk12.org

Dr. Toni Weir

7th Grade Assistant Principal

Toni.Weir@gcpsk12.org

Mr. Al Sadler

7th Grade Assistant Principal

Al.Sadler@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Angelica Rosas

7th Grade Counselor

Angelica.Rosas@gcpsk12.org

Shout Out to all of OUR 7th grade teachers who participated in the American Education Week festivities.

OUR 7th grade teachers connected with their inner cowboy this week!

Ms. Christy Gray

8th Grade Assistant Principal

Christian.Gray@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Robin Blackwell

8th Grade Counselor

Robin.Blackwell@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Allegra Morgan

Gear Up Counselor

Allegra.Morgan@gcpsk12.org

Thank you to all OUR 8th grade teachers, who joined in the American Education Week fun. Here is Mrs. Ostrand doing a great Barbie for Ken & Barbie day.

If your student is between the ages of 12-18 and would like to audition for the show, email Coach Baker at hannahbeth.baker@gcpsk12.org

The Gwinnett School of Math, Science, and Technology lottery registration window opens on November 1, 2023, and it will remain open until January 19, 2024.

Informational Meetings for students/parents interested in attending GSMST

All meetings begin at 7:00 PM in the Cafeteria at GSMST

Additional details and documents are available on our school website at www.gsmst.org/

• Tuesday, December 12, 2023 – Berkmar Cluster, Central Gwinnett Cluster, Collins Hill Cluster, Discovery Cluster, Duluth Cluster, Lanier Cluster, Meadowcreek Cluster, Norcross Cluster, North Gwinnett Cluster, Peachtree Ridge Cluster, Seckinger Cluster
  
• Thursday, January 11, 2024 – make-up meeting date for anyone unable to attend the first two meeting dates

Students will be required to meet eligibility requirements to successfully enter the lottery

• Students must be enrolled in Enhanced Algebra: Concepts and Connections (or a higher-level math class)
• Students must either 1) score "Distinguished" on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Course math assessment for this course OR 2) score 550 of higher on the math section of the PSAT

Mr. Currey's classes delivered stickers to OUR teachers in celebration of American Education Week. Thank you Mr. Currey for hooking us up with these great stickers.

The link and QR code are also on the EClass C&I page on the left under Media Center. We can’t wait to see your photos!!

Join PTA!

Make sure your voice is heard. Want to be able to vote at PTA meetings? Click or scan the QR code to join PTA.

IB Learners are thinkers. They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.