Miller's Minutes

Dear Gulf Gate Families,

We have another exciting week ahead at the Gulf! As we continue through October, we are grateful for the support of our families and community in making Gulf Gate such a special place for our Tigers!

This week, we invite you to join us for Culver's Spirit Night on October 23rd from 5:00–8:00 PM, where you'll see some familiar Gulf Gate staff serving up delicious food! We're also gearing up for our 1st Annual Trunk or Treat on October 30th and looking for families interested in decorating a trunk and joining the fun!

Please take a moment to review the important reminders about arrival procedures, campus safety, early dismissals, and student cell phones. Your partnership helps us maintain a safe, positive learning environment for all students.

We are also celebrating our Attendance Champions and recognizing AAC Awareness Month, reminding us that every Tiger deserves to have a voice!

Be sure to read this week's Miller's Minutes for all the details, upcoming events, and important school updates!

Thank you for your continued support and for being an important part of our Gulf Gate family. Let's make it another great week to be a Tiger! 🐯💙💛

Michelle Miller, Principal
Tiffany Sheffield, Assistant Principal

We are incredibly grateful to the local businesses and community partners who support our Gulf Gate Tigers! 🐯 Your generosity and partnership help us create wonderful opportunities and experiences for our students, staff, and families.

A BIG Tiger thank you to Direct Embroidery & Screen Printing, IAS Marketing Services, Freeman Orthodontics, Kona Ice, Captain Curt’s, Bright Future Electric, Bagels & Brews Café, Millie’s, Sarasota Pediatric Dentistry, DasherOS LLC, Culver’s, McDonald’s at 6347 S Tamiami Trail, Chick-Fil-A at Pelican Plaza 👏

🤝 Interested in becoming a Gulf Gate Business Partner? We would love to have you join our Tiger community! Visit our school website and look under Resources for information on how to become a Business Partner.

Thank you for supporting our school and helping our Tigers thrive! 🐯💙💛

Tiger Tribe is getting ready for our 1st Annual Trunk or Treat, and we need our Gulf Gate families, teachers, and staff to help bring the fun! 👻🚗🍬

We’re looking for participants who would be interested in decorating their vehicle and handing out treats to students during the event.

📅 Friday, October 30, 2026
⏰ Event: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Filling out this form lets us know you're interested in hosting a trunk. More details and setup instructions will be provided before the event.

Join us on Friday, October 23rd, from 5:00–8:00 PM for a fun-filled evening at Culver’s! Come enjoy a delicious meal while supporting Gulf Gate School!

📍 Location: 7250 S Tamiami Trail, Sarasota, FL 34231

You’ll even see some familiar faces behind the counter! Our very own Gulf Gate staff, including Principal Miller and Assistant Principal Sheffield, will be rolling up their sleeves and helping serve our families!

Be sure to show the flyer or mention Gulf Gate School when ordering so our school receives credit for your purchase!

Bring your family, invite your friends, and enjoy a night of great food, school spirit, and Tiger pride! We can't wait to see you there! 🐯💙💛

Gulf Gate Families,

As we continue working together to keep our Tigers safe and protect valuable instructional time, we want to remind families of our morning arrival procedures.

For parents and guardians who walk their children onto campus, please remember:

• 🚪 Enter and exit through the main office ONLY. All visitors must use our designated single-entry point. Please do not use any other campus doors.

• 🪪 Check in at the front office. Parents and guardians must present a photo ID, complete the Raptor safety screening, and be on the student's approved pickup list.

• 🏷️ Wear your visitor sticker. Stickers must remain visible while on campus and must be returned to the receptionist when exiting so we can maintain accurate records of who is on campus.

• 👋 Say goodbye at the classroom door. To encourage independence and minimize disruptions, we ask families to allow students to enter their classrooms independently.

• 💬 Schedule teacher conferences in advance. Morning arrival is a busy time when our teachers are focused on welcoming students and preparing for instruction. If you need to speak with your child's teacher, please reach out via email to schedule a time.

• ⏰ Classroom walk-in badges are issued until 8:25 AM. After 8:25 AM, parents and guardians will no longer be permitted to walk students to their classrooms.

• 🍎 Breakfast is for our students. We kindly ask parents and guardians not to eat breakfast in the cafeteria.

Our students' safety is always our top priority! These procedures help us maintain a secure campus while ensuring our Tigers have a smooth, positive start to their school day.

Thank you for your cooperation, understanding, and continued partnership in keeping Gulf Gate School a safe place to learn and grow! 🐾💙💛

Gulf Gate Families,

As a reminder, early student dismissals are NOT permitted after 2:30 PM.

The end of the school day is an especially busy time as our staff prepares nearly 600 Tigers for a safe and organized dismissal. To minimize disruptions and ensure the safety of all students, we ask that any early pickups be completed before 2:30 PM.

If you need to pick up your child early for an appointment or other commitment, please plan accordingly and arrive with enough time to complete the checkout process before our cutoff.

💙💛 Thank you for your understanding, cooperation, and partnership in helping us keep dismissal safe, smooth, and efficient for all our Tigers! 🐾

Please remind your child that cell phones should be silenced and put away during the school day.

Students who need to contact a parent should ask a staff member for assistance, and families needing to reach their child should contact the front office.

Thank you for helping our Tigers stay focused on learning! 💙💛

Sarasota County Schools is hosting an ESE Parent Learning Opportunity focused on Gifted Eligibility and the Magnet School Process!

Families can choose from two virtual Zoom sessions:

* Tuesday, October 27, 2026 | 12:00–1:00 p.m.
* Thursday, October 29, 2026 | 6:00–7:00 p.m.

Join to learn more about gifted eligibility, the magnet school application process, and educational opportunities for your child!

Our Attendance Champions are back! 🎉 Congratulations to this week’s winning classrooms for having outstanding attendance and earning those, Tiger Bucks!

🔵 Blue Hallway: Tartal
🟢 Green Hallway: Checorski
🟡 Yellow Hallway: Rizzo
🔴 Red Hallway: Mahl

👏 Way to go, Tigers! Every day at school matters, and we love celebrating our classrooms that are showing up, ready to learn! 🐯💙💛

Who will take the Attendance Champion title next week?

Gulf Gate families, take a moment to explore the Sarasota School District October 2026 In Touch Community Newsletter! Click below to read this month’s edition and stay connected with our school community. 💙💛

October is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Awareness Month! This month, we celebrate the many ways individuals communicate and recognize that everyone deserves a voice!

AAC includes tools and strategies that help individuals who have difficulty using spoken language communicate their thoughts, feelings, needs, and ideas. AAC can include:

• Picture Communication Boards – Using pictures or symbols to express wants and needs.

• Speech-Generating Devices – Tablets or specialized devices that speak words or phrases when selected.

• Gestures and Sign Language – Using movements or signs to communicate.

• Communication Apps – Technology that supports language and communication.

For many individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), AAC provides an important way to connect with others, participate in learning, and develop independence.

How Can We Support AAC Users?

• Be patient and allow extra time for responses.

• Model and encourage the use of communication tools.

• Recognize and celebrate ALL forms of communication.

• Remember that communication looks different for everyone!

🐯 At Gulf Gate School, we believe every Tiger deserves to be heard, understood, and included! Let's celebrate AAC Awareness Month by embracing all forms of communication and empowering every student to share their voice! 💙💛

Looking for a way to get involved at Gulf Gate? Tiger Tribe, our parent-led PTO, is open to parents, grandparents, and guardians who want to help support our students, teachers, staff, and school community. Whether you want to volunteer at an event, help with fundraising, serve as a room parent, or simply learn more, there’s a place for you in the Tribe!

Click the Tiger Tribe logo to join now!

Mark your calendars, Tiger families! 💙💛 We have lots happening at Gulf Gate in September/October!

💻 October 19 – Tiger Tribe Zoom Meeting
⏰ 6:00 PM

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us05web.zoom.us/j/3081056671?pwd=7UaJGa7rlw2p65iyLjlJha4cH6AwzC.1&omn=85008228121

Passcode: TigerTribe

🥫 October 20 – Mobile Food Pantry
⏰ 5:00–6:30 PM

🍔 October 23 – Culver’s Spirit Night
⏰ 5:00–8:00 PM
Come out, enjoy dinner, and support our Gulf Gate Tigers!

🎃 October 30 – Trunk or Treat
Get those costumes ready for a fun evening with our Tiger family!

🎃 PK & AIM (ASD): 5:00–5:30 PM
🍬 Grades K–6: 5:30–7:00 PM

Save the dates—we look forward to seeing our Tiger families at these upcoming events! 🐯💙💛