Weekly Update - Middle School South
October 27, 2025
Attention 8TH GRADE STUDENTS & FAMILIES: This Thursday, OCTOBER 30, our Student Leadership team will be hosting its annual 8TH GRADE FUN NIGHT, right after school from 4:00P until 5:30P.
Fun Night consists of games (board games, volleyball, basketball, soccer...), activities (painting, drawing, crafts...), snacks (for purchase), and the return of the Drama Club's annual HAUNTED HALLWAY.
Student activities will be supervised by adults and limited to the Cafeteria, the Main Gymnasium, outdoor areas immediately outside the building.
Concessions available for purchase are: Walking Tacos ($2), candy ($1), and soda ($1). Please note: all purchases are CASH ONLY.
We hope to see your 8th Grade student there!!
(Students will need to have rides arranged to be picked up promptly at 5:30PM)
WITH A FEW CONDITIONS, OF COURSE :)
(1) Students cannot wear masks to school. This is as much as a school safety concern as it is a personal safety concern. This extends to include blow-up costumes (dinosaurs, for example) that have full head covering. We must be able to clearly and quickly identify all students at all times. Additionally, if a student wears so much makeup as a part of a costume that their identity is drastically obscured, they may be asked to wash off that makeup.
(2) No weapons or weapon lookalikes may be brought to school as part of a costume. Period.
(3) Being able to wear costumes to school on 10/31 is meant to be fun, but students must still exercise caution and common sense. Any costumes that are vulgar, violent, offensive, suggestive, revealing, or reference inappropriate material, such as drugs, tobacco, or alcohol (or brands related thereto) will not be permitted.
Thank you for your support at home in helping students make good, fun, and appropriate choices if they choose to wear a costume to school on Friday! Remember a "Golden Rule" of good sense: if you have to wonder if a costume is appropriate or not, it almost surely is not.
Every year, GMSS has the distinct privilege of honoring the family members of our South family who have served or are currently serving. Veteran's Day is a day of memories, commemoration, and above all, giving thanks. Please, let us honor the veterans in your families by completing the following Google Form as accurately as possible.
This is to gather information so that we can appropriately recognize and honor all veterans and current military personnel who are related to GMSS students that will be attending the ceremony. More info will come regarding the ceremony itself as we approach Veteran's Day!
Visual & Performing Arts Gifted Education Identification
Each year, school districts in Ohio are required to offer an opportunity for students in grades K-12 to be identified as gifted in the area of Visual and Performing Arts. The identified areas of giftedness for Visual and Performing Arts include Visual Arts, Vocal Music, Instrumental Music, Drama/Theater, and Dance. If you know of a student that may be gifted in an area of the Visual and Performing Arts (VPA) learn more about the identification process.
From MSS Health Teacher, Mrs. Libby Grubb:
Current Gahanna 7th graders are invited to attend Western Field Studies annual field trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. The trip will depart on June 3, 2026 and return on June 10, 2026. The link below has information about the trip and the evening parent meetings you can attend to get more specific information. This is not a school sponsored trip; however, it is chaperoned by current and retired Gahanna teachers.
Check out our Weekly Career Spotlight!
Big thanks to the students who suggested this week's career: Cosmetology
Cosmetologists are licensed professionals who provide hair, skin, and nail services. This includes shampooing, conditioning, shaping, styling, perming, hair coloring, manicuring, and facials. In order to be a cosmetologist, it's important that you enjoy working with people, are skilled at active listening and talking with others, enjoy helping others, can think critically, and are detail-oriented. You will need your license in cosmetology, which can take 1-2 years of schooling. Some cosmetologists take some classes on business if they want to open their own salon. Salary can range anywhere from $25,000-$70,000+ with an average of $40,000 (all depends on where you are located and what services you specialize and provide). There are other certifications/licenses you can get if you want to focus more on nails or skincare (esthetician).
The career center offers this as a program, so if you are interested in cosmetology or nail services, check out the career center when you get to high school!
Thank you to all of you who suggested amazing career ideas!! We'll be sure to get your ideas featured here on Future Friday!
Through our partnership with GRIN (Gahanna Residents in Need), we are happy to be able to offer supplemental food for families need over the weekends.
Click on the link below if your student and your family could benefit from some supplemental provisions, and we'll be in touch soon with what we're able to offer and how we can get these provisions to you!
Supporting one another is just what we do!
Sometimes, it's necessary for a student to ride home on a different bus with another student. This could be for any number of reasons.
Please remember the three necessary components for this to happen:
(1) A signed note from a legal guardian of the student who is changing buses. This note should include the name of the student as well as the name & bus number of the student whom your child will be going home with.
(2) A signed note from a legal guardian of the family "receiving" the student. If Person A is requesting to go home on the bus with Person B, Person's B's legal guardian also has to provide a note acknowledging the request.
(3) Administrative approval & signature.
Again, this is fundamentally a question of student safety, and we appreciate your partnership in this endeavor!
Mark your calendar for the following dates...
Monday, November 10: Teacher Professional Development Day -- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
Wednesday, November 26 - Friday, November 28: Thanksgiving Break -- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
Monday, December 22 - Friday, January 2: Winter Break -- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
