PROMOTION INFORMATION

Good Afternoon 8th Grade Families,

As we are now into the 4th quarter, we want to remind you of the promotion expectations for our 8th graders. Please review the progress reports you received access to last week to ensure your student is meeting the following requirements:

• Math: Grade of C or better
• ELA: Grade of C or better
• Overall GPA: 2.0 (C average) or better across all classes

If your student is currently not meeting these expectations, please speak with them about attending tutoring and being proactive in asking their teachers for support on how to improve their grades.
Additionally, please be aware that behavior will affect participation in end-of-year events, including the 8th-grade trip, the dance, and the promotion ceremony.

Who to contact:

• For questions about a specific class/grade: Please reach out directly to that teacher.
• For questions regarding behavior consequences for your student: Please reach out to Mr. Roman.

We are looking forward to celebrating your student's success at their 8th grade promotion!

With Panther Pride,
Jessica Fernandez

Principal

Dear 8th Grade Families,

We’re in the thick of planning the upcoming 8th Grade Dance and would love your support to help make it a special night for our students!

If you’d like to contribute, there are several ways to get involved:

1. Donate snacks, drinks, or gift cards by purchasing directly from our Amazon Wish List
2. Volunteer to chaperone, help set up, or assist with clean-up by signing up on our Sign Up Genius
3. Make a monetary donation through our Cheddar Up link

Every contribution—big or small—helps make this event memorable for our students. Thank you for your continued support and generosity!

P. S. We would like to play a slide show of photos of the 8th graders during the dance. Please fill out this form if you would like to add photos of your child.

Warmly,
The 8th Grade Dance Committee

• Tuesday, March 24th Promotion Activity Permission Forms sent home (COPIES IN THE OFFICE IF ONE IS NEEDED)

• Friday, April 3rd All monies and permission slips due for promotion activities (HARD DATE)

• Tuesday, June 2nd Sunsplash Trip - $45.00 (GEMS students only. Lunch, Admission & Transportation included). Leave at approximately 9:45am/return at 4:45pm. There will be no parent pick-ups at Sunsplash. Students must ride the bus back to school. NO summer passes can be used – Per Sunsplash

• Wednesday, June 3rd Promotion Dance - $15.00 (students only) 6:00-8:00pm @ Glen Edwards Middle School (see below for dress requirements)

• Thursday, June 4th Promotion Ceremony - (for parents) 9:00am at Glen Edwards Middle School. Students should arrive to school on time (8:00am) to prepare for ceremony entrance. Guest seating is first come first serve. Please be prepared for any type of weather. No umbrellas or pop ups allowed.

Promotion Certificates:

Names will be printed as they appear on the school computer unless otherwise requested by parents. Please contact our office if you would like your child’s name updated.

Appropriate dress for the Promotion Ceremony is as follows:

• It is recommended that boys wear dress shirts and slacks; ties are optional.
• It is recommended that girls wear a dress or blouse with a skirt or slacks
• Clothing must not expose buttocks, cleavage, midsection or underclothing when standing still, bending over, raising arms, or in motion.
• Tuxedos, jeans, shorts, T-shirts and overalls are not appropriate. Dresses or blouses should be in good taste and age-appropriate for the occasion. Spaghetti strap dresses are allowed for the promotion dance.

Please keep this dress code in mind when selecting promotion clothing with your child. School administration has final determination as to what is appropriate for the occasion, and administration will deny entrance should your child choose to dress inappropriately.

Important Promotion Details (Preliminary):

• Promotion Date: June 4th, 2026

• Location: Glen Edwards Campus (subject to entry guidelines TBD)

• Student Attire: Suggested Appropriate Dress Code

• Rehearsal: Scheduled the week of the ceremony

• Family Seating: Additional information will be distributed early May

As previously advertised, we have partnered with the Commencement Group which offers flowers and small gifts for your Promoting Panther.

They are actively taking pre-orders and your items will be available for pick up on the day of Promotion from their Kiosk that will be located on campus inside the gates.

Should you happen to miss the pre-sale window, certain items will be available the day the of the event AND while supplies last. So don’t delay get your shirt and flower lei today 😃

If you would like to check your child out immediately following the promotion ceremony—and avoid a long wait—please be sure to complete the EARLY CHECK OUT form. IT IS NOW LIVE!!!

The person checking out the student must:

• Be listed on the student’s emergency card, and

• Have their email address registered in ParentSquare.

No exceptions will be made.

Students whose parents successfully complete the Early Check Out process will receive an Early Check Out Wristband on the day of Promotion.

If your student does NOT have an approved Early Check Out submission, they will be escorted to the gym after the ceremony. Parents of these students will need to exit through the 3rd Street gate (where attendees enter) and walk around to the main office entrance on L Street to complete the traditional check-out process.

More information will be shared soon—please stay tuned!

Please note: There will be no office access across the blacktop from the parent seating area.

STUDENTS THAT DID NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SEMESTER 1. STUDENTS and FAMILIES WILL BE CONTACTED SOON WITH AN ACTION PLAN for SEMESTER 2.

ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS:

The following three requirements will be utilized in determining academic eligibility for promotion. Students meeting all three of the following requirements will be academically eligible to participate in the promotion Ceremony.

1. Overall cumulative GPA of “C” or better

2. GPA of 2.0 (“C”) or better in Language Arts

3. GPA of 2.0 (“C”) or better in Mathematics

The academic requirements will be for the 2025/2026 school year and will be applied at administration discretion.

BEHAVIOR REQUIREMENTS:

Eighth-grade students must meet the academic and behavioral requirements to participate in promotion activities. Academic requirements are listed above and the behavioral requirements are listed below.

Eighth-grade promotion activities may include a water park trip, promotion dance, and the promotion ceremony. Additionally, students must return all materials, supplies, textbooks, and equipment issued to them and must pay all their debts by the required deadlines.

If during the last quarter, a student receives the following discipline, it may result in:

• First Administrative Referral – Loss of water park trip

• Third Administrative Referral – Loss of Promotion Dance

If during the last quarter of school, a student receives the following discipline, it may result in:

• One day of suspension – Loss of all promotion activities with the exception of the promotion ceremony.

• Multiple days of suspension - Loss of all promotion activities including the promotion ceremony.

The behavioral requirements will only apply to the last quarter of the 2025/2026 school year and will be enforced at the discretion of the administration.

• Students should arrive to school on time and report to the gymnasium to prepare for ceremony entrance.
• The promotion ceremony will be held on the GEMS blacktop and will begin promptly at 9:00a.m.-10:30am on Thursday, June 4th.
• Gate will open for parents at 8:30 to secure their seating.
• Parents and family are only allowed on the blacktop area of the field where the ceremony is being held.
• The recording of the ceremony will be posted within an hour of the promotion ending.

The gates open for all students at 7:45 A.M. as on any normal day. We will close the gates shortly after the bell rings at 8:10 A.M. We will re-open the gates for families around 8:30. The gate of entry for family members will be on 3rd Street by the field at the backside of the two-story building. Campus WILL NOT be accessible from L Street.

We will NOT be opening the main gate on Third/M Street or the L Street gate. There will be a sign marking the entrance.

There is no limit on how many people may attend the event. Please keep in mind that space is limited and that it is first come first serve. We will not be allowing guests on campus before the designated time below to set up chairs or claim space.

• GEMS will not be providing chairs for guests. If you would like to be seated for the ceremony, you will need to bring your own chair.
• No blanket reservations or group areas.
  
• We will not be able to accommodate shade structures, umbrellas, pop-ups, etc. Please come prepared for the weather. The morning sun in June can be intense!
• Please be considerate of others and do not bring items that will block the view of others, such as umbrellas or balloons.

• The promotion ceremony on the blacktop is wheelchair accessible.

• If you have a family member that may need special assistance please have them enter through the office after 8:10 and we can help seat them.

1. Guests will exit the field through the same gate in which they entered (on the field).
2. If the early check-out form was not completed, your student will be escorted to the gym.
3. If you did complete the early check-out form, your student will be wearing a wristband which will indicate to our staff they are cleared to leave early. Students who are wearing these wristbands will not return to class and may leave with their families.

Please note: For those students who are wearing a wristband, there will be a very short amount of time for pictures/celebrations as school is still in session for our 6th and 7th-grade students and we will need to have the campus cleared by 10:45 am.

🐾 PANTHER PROUD!!!

We look forward to celebrating the big day!!