GMS Family Newsletter

We have a full and exciting week ahead at GMS as we wrap up the first quarter and head toward Fall Break! Benchmark testing will continue throughout the week, giving our students an opportunity to demonstrate their learning and helping our teachers identify areas of growth as we move forward.

There will also be plenty of fun mixed into the week! Our Book Fair continues, along with special dress-up days, and we are looking forward to our scheduled GSIA Fun Day. These activities are a great way for our students to connect, enjoy time together, and finish the quarter on a positive note.

As we close out these first nine weeks, we are proud of the growth we have seen from our students both inside and outside the classroom. Thank you to our families for your continued support and partnership as we keep building something special in the middle. We hope everyone has a great final week before a well-deserved Fall Break!

#BuiltInTheMiddle!,

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

Monday, October 5

• Q1 Math Benchmark
• GMS Bookfair Dress Up Day: 70's Groovy Day!

Tuesday, October 6

• Q1 Science Benchmark
• GMS Bookfair Dress Up Day: Reading Rocks!

Wednesday, October 7

• Q1 Social Studies Benchmark
• GMS Flu Clinic (pre-registered students) 1:00-2:00 on the commons stage
• GMS Bookfair Dress Up Day: Reading Takes You Places!

Thursday, October 8

• Greeneville Boys & Girls Club closed
• Q1 Benchmark Make-Up
• GMS Bookfair Dress Up Day: Vocabulary Word Day!

Friday, October 9

• GSIA Fun Day!
• GMS Yearbook Club Applications Due to Mrs. Welden
• GMS Bookfair Dress Up Day: Book Character Day!
• End of Q1 Interim Period

Greeneville Middle School will be closed for Fall Break from October 12 through October 19. The GMS office will also be closed during this time. We hope all of our students, families, and staff enjoy a safe, relaxing, and well-deserved break!

Students in 7th and 8th grades are reminded to bring their personal calculators to school on Monday for benchmark testing. Please help your student remember to bring their calculator and have it ready for testing.

This week, we are building problem-solvers, innovators, and teammates in the middle! Students put their skills to work through programming and robotics, collaborating to navigate challenges, troubleshoot problems, and make adjustments along the way. That same determination and teamwork were on display as our GMS volleyball team competed in the regional tournament this weekend. Whether working through a challenge in the classroom or competing together on the court, our students continue to show what it means to learn, grow, and build together at GMS.

We celebrated our football team as they wrapped up a wonderful season, a student sharing their voice and leadership through morning announcements, and an interactive library day that brought books to life! Our GSIA 8th grade families added some sweetness to the week by treating our staff to delicious desserts. And our students aren’t the only ones learning at GMS! Our staff regularly engages in professional learning to grow their practice and be the best they can be for our students. Thank you for helping us build a school community where students and staff feel supported and celebrated!

Does your student enjoy being creative, taking photos, and capturing special moments? The GMS Yearbook Club is looking for dedicated students to help tell the story of our school year!

Interested students can pick up an application from Ms. Welden in Room 14. Applications are due Friday, October 9.

The Greeneville Middle School Library is proud to present our Groovy Fall Scholastic Bookfair! The event will begin on Monday, October 5th and run through Friday, October 9th at 12:00pm. Students will be able to purchase items using cash, card, or you may set up a Scholastic eWallet by clicking the button below.

Proceeds from the bookfair will be used to purchase new books for our library! To kick off our bookfair, we will have "groovy" dress up days that week!! Thank you for supporting our Bookfair.

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.

All purchased passes may be picked up from the GMS Main Office.

The Greene County Health Department will host the GMS Flu Clinic on October 7 from 1:00–2:00 pm for both students and staff. Registration will be completed online using the provided QR code. Families interested in having their student receive the flu vaccine should complete the online registration form prior to the clinic.

The Greeneville Police Department has notified us that keeping East Vann Road clear and traffic moving is essential for safety. Please keep the following in mind when arriving for afternoon pick-up:

• Vehicles may not stop or wait in the roadway along East Vann Road while attempting to turn right onto campus. The Greeneville Police Department has advised that vehicles stopping in the traffic lane and impeding the flow of traffic may be ticketed.

• If the car line is backed up to East Vann Road, please do not stop in the roadway. Instead, drive past the school and enter the turn lane from the Hal Henard direction, or drive around and return a few moments later once the line has moved.

• When entering campus, please consider alternating turns with vehicles coming from the opposite direction. Allowing one car at a time from each direction to enter keeps the pace even and helps traffic continue to flow. Allowing three or four vehicles to turn across at once can quickly back up traffic on East Vann Road and can also block vehicles trying to exit our car line.

• The CarRiderPro tag reader turns on at 2:00 p.m. Vehicles may not line up or wait at the sensor before 2:00 p.m. This allows us to maintain access to the back parking lot for as long as possible.

Pro Tip: If your schedule allows, consider arriving around 2:55 p.m. The car line is typically much shorter and moves quickly by that time.

Thank you for helping us keep East Vann Road clear, maintain safe traffic flow, and keep our campus entrances accessible.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

Mrs. Hansard, Beginning with the End in Mind, She is always lifting me up and every time I walk into her classroom she always says, “MAAAAYLEEEEE!” It makes me overjoyed to be in her class. She is such an amazing lady and I hope you pick her.