East Weekly

Thank you for trusting us with your children as we kicked off the school year! Our first two days have been busy and full of conversations about expectations, team building, and getting to know one another. We’re excited for our first full week next week as we settle into routines. We truly appreciate your patience with schedules, transportation, and lockers as we work through the start-of-year adjustments together. Have a great weekend!

Take care,

Megan Kirsten

GMSE Prinicpal

August 21: 6th Grade Open House @ 6:00-7:30

August 26: 7th Grade Curriculum Night @ 5:30-7:00

August 26: 8th Grade Curriculum Night @ 6:00-7:30

September 5: 6th Grade Adventure Day (during school hours!) -- More information coming!

No update at this time.

ELA: Copies of Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie are needed for class by next Friday, 8/22

Families: Please fill out this survey if you have not already done so so 7th grade teachers can learn more about your student! Thanks in advance!

The 7th Grade Expectations packet (Book Signature Information) parent signature page is due to your house teacher by Friday, August 22!

Competition Robotics - Interested in robotics? The middle school robotics competition team is taking applications for the 2025 team. Read more about the team here: Gahanna Middle School Robotics

Current 7th and 8th grade students are encouraged to apply. Click the team application for more information. Team Application Application is due by August 25th.

Any questions, please contact Mr. Merrick at merrickd@gjps.org

Competition Robotics - Interested in robotics? The middle school robotics competition team is taking applications for the 2025 team. Read more about the team here: Gahanna Middle School Robotics

Current 7th and 8th grade students are encouraged to apply. Click the team application for more information. Team Application Application is due by August 25th.

Any questions, please contact Mr. Merrick at merrickd@gjps.org

It is important that families follow the drop-off and pick-up procedures to ensure the safety of ALL students. Please keep out of the parking lot in front of the school building. Students are running in front of buses, which is not safe. Please enter and exit school property from Clotts Rd.

• You must enter from Clotts Rd.

• Use the entire loop as shown.

• Pull up tight to the person in front of you in our pick up line.

• These things will help keep all of the cars off of Clotts Road and allow for our buses to enter the lot.

• If you would like to park in the basketball lot and wait for your student, that also works, but make sure the outer loop is free from parked cars.

• After your student is loaded, exit via Clotts Road.

• Lastly, BE CAREFUL! There are a lot of students and cars in the lot!

Yesterday, all 6th grade students were asked to take a Chromebook Pledge! They watched THIS video and then signed a paper confirming they watched the video and knew the Chromebook rules. Please see the Handbook and protection plan below for your reference.

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.

Tardies to School:

• Tardies to school are now tracked separately from tardies to individual classes.
• Students who arrive after 9:07 AM (start time is 9:05!) will be marked tardy to school.

Progressive Interventions for Tardies:

• 1st tardy to school: The student will receive a book signature (warning!)
• 2nd tardy to school: The student will receive a book signature (warning!)
• 3rd tardy to school: The student will serve an after-school detention.

*This cycle will repeat after each after school detention. Tardies will be checked bi-weekly and the student and parent will be notified via email.

We’re always looking for ways to connect classroom learning to the real world or allow students to explore the future—and we’d love your help! If you're open to sharing your job title and a brief description of what you do, we’d love to learn more. We’re gathering a list of parents and guardians who might be interested in speaking to students about their careers, allowing students to shadow for a day, or participating in a future career fair.

If this sounds like something you'd consider, please take a moment to fill out this quick google form. Thank you for helping our students dream big!

We want our staff to be happy and enjoy coming to work every day. Below are just some of the ways that you can celebrate and recognize our amazing staff at East!

• PTA/Families spoil us!- Click here to join PTA!
• Student and/or family shout outs- Click here if you want to send a shoutout to a staff member!
• Heart and Pride Award- 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.

Aug. 14, 2025: First Day of School

Sept. 1, 2025: Labor Day - No School

Oct. 2, 2025: PD Day - No School
Oct. 3, 2025: Conference Comp Day - No School
Oct. 20, 2025: Staff Work Day - No School
Nov. 10, 2025: PD Day - No School
Nov. 26-28, 2025: Thanksgiving Break - No School
Dec. 22, 2025-Jan. 1, 2026: Winter Break - No School
Jan. 2, 2026: Staff Work Day - No School
*Jan. 5-8, 2026: High School Schedule Altered for New Building Opening
Jan. 19, 2026: Martin Luther King Day - No School
Feb. 13, 2026: PD Day - No School
Feb. 16, 2026: Presidents Day - No School
Mar. 9, 2026: Staff Work Day - No School
Mar. 20, 2026: Conference Comp Day - No School
Mar. 30-April 3, 2026: Spring Break- No School
May 1, 2026: PD Day - No School
May 22, 2026: Last Day of School for Students
May 23, 2026: Class of 2026 Commencement