To browse important upcoming events, please click the events button above or select the link to the events calendar below.

April 25 | Accuplacer Testing

May 20-22 | Final Exams

Dear GSA High School Families,

It’s survey season, and your voice is essential in helping us continue to grow and improve! GSA High School wants to hear from you!

We are currently asking families to complete two important surveys that provide valuable insight into how we're doing and where we can improve:

5Essentials Parent Survey

This survey helps us accurately assess the strengths and areas for growth in our school community. Your feedback directly informs decisions we make about school leadership, instruction, family engagement, and more.

Closes April 18, 2025

Take the 5Essentials Survey

Panorama Family Survey

Our district values your input! We've partnered with Panorama Education to gather your thoughts on how well GSA is meeting student and family needs. This survey helps ensure we’re providing high-quality, rigorous learning experiences that prepare students for college, career, and life.

Available April 7–May 2, 2025

Take the Panorama Survey

Panorama keeps your responses confidential, and the survey should take only a few minutes to complete.

Your feedback is invaluable in helping us provide the best possible experience for our students. We appreciate your time and thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please contact:

Mr. Nicolas Cruz – ncruz@gsastl.org

Mrs. Jacquelyn Hibbler – jhibbler@gsastl.org

Thank you in advance for sharing your thoughts and letting your voices be heard!

Sincerely,

GSA High School Administration

Dear Parents and Students,

I would like to inform you about the upcomingPreACT for 9th grade and ACT for 10-12 grades which will take place on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. The test will begin at 8:30 AM; however, students need to arrive at school at their normal time and then proceed to their testing rooms to be ready on time for testing. Calculators, snacks, and writing utensils will be provided. Please be cooperative during the administration of school-day testing.

Measuring academic growth is necessary to keep your child on track for college and career readiness. Our students rise to the challenge and we ask you to encourage your child to do their best and get plenty of sleep the night before.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the school uniform required?

No. Students can come to school dressed comfortably within dress-down dress code guidelines.

Do I have to bring my Chrome book for testing?

No. Paper/Pencil test will be administered.

What happens if you have your phone during the ACT?

You will receive NO test score. All devices, including cell phones and wearable devices, must be turned off and placed out of sight.

Please plan to turn in your electronic devices including your cell phone to your testing teacher or place it in the locker.

If you access your device or if your device activates while in the testing room or during break times, you will be dismissed, your test will not be scored, and your phone or device may be taken away.

Do I have to bring my calculator?

No, but we strongly suggest that students should have a calculator they are comfortable with. We have calculators at school for testing.

Examinees are responsible for knowing whether their calculator is permitted (for the most current information on the calculator policy, visit www.act.org/calculator-policy.html or call 800.498.6481 for a recorded message containing highlights from this policy)

What time does the test end?

All students will be dismissed at 12:20 pm and will not be allowed to leave early from the testing room. Grab-n-go lunches will be available as they dismiss.

Will we have any class after the test?

After the test, there will be no additional classes once students are dismissed from the testing room.

Please be safe and feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns!

Kind Regards,

Ergul Gunerhan, MSEL

GSA is seeking alumni, parents, and professionals to share their career insights with students at our first-ever Career Exploration Day! Businesses and nonprofits are also invited to participate.

Event Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025

Help inspire the next generation—sign up today!

The Soccer Fundraising Tournament is happening Friday, April 12th from 4:30 to 9:30 PM! This event is open to both students and alumni.

You can sign up a team of 5 for just $50—that’s only $10 per person! Not playing? No problem—come cheer on your friends for just $3.

There will be snacks for sale and a PRIZE for the winning team, so don’t miss out!

All players must fill out a consent form before participating.

Let’s support our girls soccer team and show some Gator pride!

Please see below the district-approved calendar for the 2025-2026 school year

Guardian Angel’s new Pantry and Clothing Closet is officially open! Families can now shop for clothing and household items while picking up food essentials.

The food pantry serves the greater St. Louis area, offering staple items like canned goods, bread, pasta, rice, beans, fresh produce, and meat. Instead of pre-boxed food, members can shop based on dietary and religious needs.

Hours (by appointment only):

• Tuesdays: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Thursdays: 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
• Fridays (Seniors 55+ only): 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
• Every 2nd Saturday: 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM

For urgent food needs, emergency bags are available without an appointment.

📞 Call 314-773-9027 to schedule a visit or submit an appointment request here.

Residents of 63118 or 63104 are encouraged to take advantage of this resource!

Families in need can access food and clothing assistance through the local pantry and clothing room. No appointment is necessary—just bring a photo ID!

🍎 Food Pantry:

• Shop for Groceries (M-Th, 10 AM – 1 PM): Guests can choose their own food, including canned goods, meat, deli items, produce, and bread.

• Pre-Packed Bags (Fridays, 10 AM – 1 PM): Pre-packed food bags are distributed.
• Fresh Food Friday (Fridays, 10 AM): Free fresh produce, deli items, bread, and occasional dairy/eggs.

Clothing Room:

• Open Tuesdays–Thursdays, 10 AM – 1 PM
• Offers gently used clothing for all ages, including business attire for job seekers

• Who Can Access These Services?

• Food pantry: Available to residents of 63104, 63110, 63118, and 63116 (limit twice per month).
• Clothing room: Open to all (limit once per month).

For more information, visit during open hours or call for assistance!

CDG Engineers (neighboring business) is offering a $2,000 scholarship to support minority and female high school seniors in the St. Louis Metro area who plan to pursue a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

Key Eligibility Requirements:

• Identify as a minority and/or female
• Plan to major in engineering
• Have a minimum 3.0 GPA
• Be admitted to an accredited U.S. college or university (as an incoming freshman)
• Show unmet financial need (via FAFSA Student Aid Report)

The scholarship will be directly applied to the recipient's college financial aid account.

For more info or to apply, contact:

Ladams@cdgengineers.com | 314-781-7770

CDG Engineers, Inc. | One Campbell Plaza, Suite 3A, St. Louis, MO 63139

Please reach out to your students college counselor if you have any questions or need help with the application process.

The International Interior Design Association (IIDA) is offering a free 2-week summer program called Design Your World (DYW) for high school students interested in art, architecture, interior design, fashion, or other creative fields.

Location: Sam Fox School of Design, Washington University

Dates: July 7 – July 18 (Monday–Friday)

Who: Rising 9th graders through graduating seniors

Bonus: $200 stipend upon completion

Program highlights include:

• Hands-on workshops in design and architecture
• Studio time to build creative projects
• Mentorship from industry professionals
• Final showcase for family, friends & local community
• Only 25 students will be accepted citywide on a first-come, first-served basis.
• Deadline to apply: June 27

Apply here or visit the IIDA website for more info.

Let your creativity shine this summer!

The Governor’s Council on Disability announced applications are now open for the 2025 Missouri Youth Leadership Forum (MO-YLF) for high school students with disabilities (ages 16-21). Applications are due on March 31, 2025, to join the forum July 15-19, 2025.

The MO-YLF provides a unique and empowering experience for students looking to grow their leadership skills and prepare for a successful transition into college, careers, and independent living. Students will gain valuable skills, connect with peers and mentors, and immerse themselves in a college environment, staying on campus at the University of Missouri in Columbia.

Learn more about the opportunity and submit your application on the State of Missouri Disability Portal here. The entire program is provided at no cost to selected delegates, thanks to support from the event's sponsors and donors.

For all IT-related requests, students and parents are kindly asked to submit a ticket by emailing helpdesk@gsastl.org. This ensures that your concerns are addressed promptly and efficiently.

Thank you for your cooperation!

To support students in reaching their academic goals and staying on track for graduation, mandatory tutoring will begin on Monday, October 21, 2024.

Students who receive a failing grade or a D- (below 65) in any subject by the end of the quarter are required to attend after-school tutoring sessions with their teachers throughout the second quarter. This tutoring is designed to prevent further academic challenges and will continue until the end of the next quarter.

If your student is in this situation, please ensure they attend the mandatory tutoring sessions. Tutoring will take place from 2:35 PM to 3:30 PM on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, following the teacher's tutoring schedule.

For more details, please refer to the following documents:

• Mandatory Academic Tutoring for At-Risk Students Letter
• 24-25 Extracurricular Schedule (Clubs, Sports, & Tutoring)

Thank you for your cooperation in supporting your student's success!

Over the past two years, the CYSP department has organized international trips for students, parents, and staff from 34 Concept Schools. This year, we have exciting trips planned to five different destinations. You can explore them by following the link below.

Submit a Gator Gratitude nomination NOW, where you can recognize any Gateway Science Academy employee, volunteer, or community partner for going above and beyond what is expected.

Let's continue to show our appreciation for the wonderful individuals who make a positive impact on

our school community!

BrightArrow is a district communication service that enables us to send timely and relevant SMS text messages directly to parents' cell phones.

To participate, parents must opt in. Simply text YES to 79041 and repeat this process for any phone number you want to receive text messages on. Please ensure that the front office has your current cell phone information.

Please note, standard message and data rates may apply based on your wireless carrier’s terms.

If you have any questions regarding SMS text messaging, feel free to contact Ms. Amra at 314-500-1312 or Ms. Illda at 314-500-1313.

We can now offer additional GSA-branded gear through South City Sporting Goods! You can check out the collection here: GSA Collection. The site is live and ready for orders 24/7/365, and everything is produced on demand.

If you are shopping for uniform items, please select “yes” on the left side of the screen and you will have a display of all approved selections from each campus.

GSA High School students!

Do you feel like you’re invisible? Like you don’t have a voice? Or maybe you have a pressing question you’d like to ask in a laid-back setting. Well, this is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for! The success of any school requires the input of all its stakeholders and YOU are a very integral part of that community. Assistant Principal of School Culture, Mrs. Hibbler, is spearheading a new opportunity for high school students to meet with her on a very informal basis to become acquainted with her and other students, enjoy snacks, and chat! The best ideas can come from casual conversations and she is excited to hear from you!

Space is limited, so sign up today!!

Ready to level up your high school experience? Whether you're into sports, arts, gaming, or something totally unique, we've got a club for YOU! Joining a club is the perfect way to meet new people, explore your passions, and make lasting memories.

Please take a moment to review the list of clubs below. If you’re interested, just swing by the rooms mentioned and sign up for the club/s you like. Get ready to get involved, make friends, and have a blast!

We have a ✨✨NEW ✨✨website for our Seniors and Families!

Please visit the following link to access all information regarding Senior Year:

https://sites.google.com/gsastl.org/gsaseniorclass2025/home

Please use this website to order your Senior Sweatshirts and pay Senior Dues moving forward. If you have already ordered one, or paid, there is no need to do it again.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Your Senior Sponsor,

Mrs. Bland

💠 3/20 - March Movie Madness 💠

💠 5/14 - Lemonade and Learn 💠

Reminder About Medications at School: Students are not allowed to carry over-the-counter medications at school, including tylenol and ibuprofen. They also should not carry prescription medications unless they have permission forms on file with the nurse to carry their inhaler or epipen. Thanks for helping to remind your student of these safety practices.

Covid and Respiratory Illness Guidelines: GSA is following the current guidelines from the STL City Department of Health and CDC. These guidelines state for a person to stay home when ill or have tested positive for Covid. A person can return to school/activities when symptoms have been improving for 24 hours - and if a fever was present, it has been gone for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication. In addition, people are strongly encouraged to wear a mask for the next 5 days to curb the spread of disease.

Food that is shared class-wide must be store bought and come in original packaging (not homemade).This list contains some suggestions for allergen safe snacks for your child to bring to class for their daily snack.

The cost is $3 for the single day(s) or $12 for the semester. They can be purchased from Mr. Cruz in the morning of each dress down day. Cash or check made payable to "GSA PTO."

Please review our dress code matrix as to what is allowed.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are pleased to inform you that the Free and Reduced Meal applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now available. We kindly request that each household completes the application, even if you do not believe you will qualify for free or reduced meals.

Did you know that completing the Free and Reduced Meal application helps in many areas beyond just providing meals? Just one form ensures continued funding to support ALL students in several critical ways:

• School Budgets: Increased state and federal funding for staff, equipment, and supplies.

• Computer Network: More funding for internet access and network services.

• School Meals: Free or reduced-price school meals and qualification for various pandemic benefits.

• Scholarships: Eligibility for local scholarships, tuition assistance, and discounted college application fees.

• Sports Fees: Reduced fees for sports and other extracurricular activities.

By filling out this application, you contribute to the betterment of our entire school community.

Please use the Free and Reduced Lunch Application blue 🔝🔝click button 🔝🔝 above to complete your application!

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

GSA Fyler Campus

The view the breakfast, lunch and snack options for the rest of the school year. Please click on the Menu Navigator (blue button) above.

Question 1: What is PowerSchool? Answer: PowerSchool is a student information system that allows us to manage a wide range of information, including the following: grades, attendance, tests, demographics, activities, courses, and photos. Because the program has been designed using Internet-based software tools, it also allows us to connect parents and students to information.

Question 2: When will parents and students get access to the information on the PowerSchool server? Answer: Parents of students in grades 6-12 can get their logins and passwords at Back- to-School Night from the office where their student is enrolled. Usernames and passwords will be available in the school office.

Question 3: Whom should I call if I have a question? Answer: Please use the table below to decide whom to contact for various types of questions.

Question 4: Do all teachers post grade and attendance information to the PowerSchool server? Answer: Attendance is posted by teachers and by the office.The office collects information and logs the daily attendance (which is used for state reporting) while each individual teacher is responsible for recording the period attendance for their rosters. All teachers assign and post grades to PowerSchool at different times. Some may give grades to their students’ everyday and some may give far fewer grades during the marking periods. This is up to each teacher and depends upon their grading system. If you see grades in PowerSchool for some teachers but not others, this is a normal function of the way teachers assign and post grades. As always you may contact teachers by e-mail or request a phone call or meeting at any time.

Question 5: I know that teachers sometimes weigh different categories of grades. How does this affect how a grade is calculated? Answer: Many teachers use categories such as tests, quizzes, and daily work to organize and give different weights to grades; how they weigh them is an individual decision. Teachers share with students how they grade at the beginning of each course. As always you may contact teachers by e-mail or request a phone call or meeting at any time.

Question 6: How often can we expect grades to be updated? Answer: There are many factors that determine how soon a teacher can assess and return assignments. Essays, research papers, and tests take longer to grade than a quiz. Coaching, club sponsorships, and family commitments can also affect turnaround time, as well as a teacher's student load. All teachers do their best to grade their students and communicate their progress in a timely manner.

Question 7: Do all teachers use the same grading scales? Answer: Yes. Grading scales are common among teachers and among classes in the same building. All teachers share their grading scales as well as other class policy information with their students at the beginning of each course.

Question 8: What can I see on the PowerSchool site? Answer: Parents and students can access the following information on the PowerSchool public site.

• Grades for current classes, as well as the assignments that make up those grades

• Attendance for the past two weeks or for the current term, including a legend of attendance codes used by the school

• Teacher comments • Reports via Email, which allow parents to request daily, weekly, or monthly reports to be sent via email.

Question 9: Can other people see my son’s/daughter’s grades? Answer: As long as you protect your password, others will not be able to see your information.

Question 10: How does one get a PowerSchool login and password? Answer: The school will provide this information.

The A+ Program is a program funded by the state of Missouri to provide scholarship funds to eligible graduates of A+ designated high schools, including Gateway Science Academy, who attend a participating public community college or vocational/technical school, or certain private two-year vocational/technical schools.

Dual credit programs offer high caliber high school students the opportunity to earn college credits and become familiar with the college experience while still in a high school setting. College credits earned through dual credit programs are widely accepted at Missouri public colleges and universities and many other institutions across the country.

* the grading systems may be different.

The work that the student completes throughout the course contributes to the student's final college grade in the class, which shows on their college transcript. This is why in order for students to transfer their dual credit, they must request a transcript be sent from college they are completing dual credit through to the college they are ultimately attending after high school.

Top Reasons to enroll in Dual Credit
* Save some serious cash on college
* Challenge yourself with college-level courses
* Learn from master’s-level teachers
* Start your college transcript
* Earn easily transferable college credit hours
* Get a head start of your college career

To prepare students to meet top colleges’ entrance requirements, GSA’s graduation requirements exceed those of traditional Missouri public high schools and include:

🎓 Minimum of 26 credits of coursework 🎓

🎓 40 hours of community service: Each grade level is required to complete a minimum of 10 hours of community service.🎓

🎓 Must pass the US Constitution and Missouri Constitution exams.🎓

🎓 Senior thesis project 🎓

🎓 Must take the following tests: EOC Algebra I or EOC Algebra II, EOC English II, EOC Biology, EOC Government 🎓

Beginning your freshman year, and continuing throughout high school, you’ll complete 40 hours of community service. By connecting classroom curriculum with service projects, you’ll deepen and extend your knowledge to improve academic achievement, build social skills, and develop civic skills and attitudes. To ensure a manageable workload and a smooth progression towards meeting the 40-hour community service requirement, it is advised that students commence their service early, spreading their efforts across their high school years. We propose implementing a yearly completion target of 10 hours, allowing students to steadily accumulate towards the total of 40 community service hours before their senior year.

Volunteer Match

Use the advanced search option and enter the zip code, interests, and check the teen box.

http://www.volunteermatch.org/

Charity Navigator

Use the advanced search option to find a list of about 50 local charities.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/

Tree House of Greater St. Louis

https://thstl.org/volunteer/

Stray Rescue

http://strayrescue.org/node/79

St. Louis Zoo

https://www.stlzoo.org/give/volunteer

Open Door Animal Sanctuary

https://odas.org/volunteer/

Missouri Department of Conservation

https://mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/volunteer-opportunities

St. Louis Parents

https://www.stlparent.com/story/volunteers-needed-15-places-st-louis-where-your-teen-can-make-difference-summer

United Way of Greater St. Louis

https://www.stlvolunteer.org/syg?layoutViewMode=tablet

You can also volunteer at:

• Magic House

• Science Center

• Zoo

• Animal Shelters

• Food Banks

• Churches, mosques…

• Tutor students

• Wildlife Center of Missouri

• Schools

You can call a charity and offer to plan an event for them. Can you put together a teen trivia night or a walk-a-thon to raise money? Use your creativity to come up with ideas, like a dog house decorating contest to benefit an animal shelter, a book drive to support a local children’s charity? The possibilities are endless!

There may be more than these listed ones. You just need to find them!

🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝🔝

Every student in our district now has access to the Varsity Tutors for Schools platform that includes 24/7 On-Demand Chat Tutoring, On-Demand Essay Review, 100+ Weekly Live Classes in Test Prep & Enrichment, Recorded Enrichment Classes, Self-Study & Practice Resources.

Students will log into the platform using Clever.

Please see the following for more information:

How to Access Scheduled Tutoring Sessions (Students-Clever).pdf

Test Prep - ACT, SAT, more - Flier - High School Student 2.pdf

Upcoming PTO Meetings & Events :

November 21: General meeting

Saturday, February 8: 3rd Annual Mouse Races, Affton Elks Lodge

February 20: General meeting

April 24: General meeting & Elections

PTO Website

hs.gsastl.org/pto

Please join the PTO Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/GSAMiddleSchoolPTO

Students are only allowed to wear these as part of spirit wear on Fridays or dress down days.

St. Louis County Library and Operation Food Search are offering free meals to children ages 5-18 at four library branches during the 2024-25 school year. Meals are served Monday through Friday and include activities for kids.

Student eCards are a powerful tool that connects students with a wealth of learning resources, enhancing their educational experience both in and out of the classroom. These eCards give access to digital materials, library resources, and more, helping to support their academic growth.

Families play an important role in making the most of this opportunity! We encourage you to review the flyer below which provides an overview of the eCards and answers common questions. By staying informed, families can help students fully utilize these valuable resources.

Check out the helpful video below for an introduction to the library eCARDS for your student.