Summerour Blue Devil Blast

• November 8 - Basketball @ Osborne MS
• November 11 - Soccer Parent Meeting
• November 13 - Basketball vs. Duluth
• November 14 - Kona Ice Truck @ Lunch ($5)
• November 14 - Fall Festival
• November 15 - Basketball @ Coleman MS
• November 16 - Titans of Dance Convention
• November 17 - 21 - American Education Week
• November 20 - Café con Leche
• November 20 - Parent Involvement Day
• November 20 - GCPS Board of Education Meeting
• November 24 - 28 - Thanksgiving Break
• November 27 - Thanksgiving Day
• December 4 - Basketball @ Lanier
• December 6 - Basketball vs. Northbrook MS

Next Friday (11/14) there will be a Kona Ice truck in the back during all lunches.

Students can buy a $5 Kona Ice during their lunch.

Join us for the first annual Fall Festival on November 14, 2025 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm. This is a community event.

$10 per family

• Food Trucks
• Games
• Vendors
• Raffles & Prizes
• Arts & Crafts

Engineering is working on catapults. Designing using CAD software; followed by physical builds. They are doing some amazing work.

Here are some shots of our students and their products in action.

Gwinnett County Parent Mentors Present

(for all families of students receiving Special Education Services in Gwinnett County Public Schools)

This session is highly recommended for families of students at all levels (elementary, middle, and high school). While the holidays are meant to be a time of joy and celebration, they can also be an enormous source of stress and anxiety. In this session, we will share some tips, ideas, and strategies to help families navigate time off from school, social gatherings, and holiday traditions. We will also discuss the importance of self-care as a method for avoiding caretaker fatigue.

Presented by:

Dawn Albanese - Parent Mentor

GCPS Special Education Department

Tuesday, November 11, 2025

10:00am – 11:30am Session - In Person

J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center, 437 Old Peachtree Road, NW, Suwanee, GA

30024, Building 200, Central Gwinnett Room 2.111

Registration link for 10:00am session:

https://forms.gle/hJzwgGYWg3tY2iwa8

Or

6:00pm – 7:30pm Session – Virtual

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the

meeting.

Registration link for 6:00pm session:

https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/7c6106c6-e512-4064-9d9c-

c603acafff1d@7de65cf9-3f2e-4e67-a469-965b0d085fbb

If you have any questions, please contact Dawn Albanese:

dawn.albanese@gcpsk12.org , (678) 301-7212

**Interpretation services available upon request. Please make request at least one week in advance

of the scheduled meeting date. Spanish Interpretation is already secured.**

The current eSPLOST measure passed. Thank you to all who voted and made their voices heard on this issue and the other races being decided at the polls.

Below is a picture of Dr. Looney, after she cast her vote, and a picture of OUR 6th graders practicing the voting process in their Individuals & Societies classes.

The virtual exchange club is collecting 45 - 50 pounds of new and gently used books to donate to a middle school in Yenne, Senegal.

If you'd like to donate, you can drop your books of with Ms. Harris, Mr. Scott, or our IB coordinator, Mr. James.

We are collecting paperback books in new or good condition until November 14.

OUR Reach Scholar has been awarded a $10,000 scholarship

upon completion of her high school diploma. Congratulations!

Dear Parent/Family,

Every child will have many teachers before they walk across the stage on graduation day. They'll learn about reading, math, science, art, and so much more. They'll learn how to interact with others. They'll learn about life.

But a child doesn't meet their first teacher inside a school building - they meet them inside their home. Parents and families have an immense, lasting, and irreplaceable impact on a child's education. The month of November is Family Engagement Month in our nation, a time to collectively recognize and honor the contributions of parents and families to student success.

Summerour is committed to educating the whole child. We strive to provide high-quality programs that improve teaching and learning across and equip our school with the information and resources we need to help parents actively engage in their child's academic achievement.

Family engagement is a shared responsibility in which schools and other community organizations are committed to communicating with, reaching out to, and building ties to engage families in meaningful ways.

Research on family engagement suggests that when schools, families, and communities support each other, students of all backgrounds and abilities achieve at the highest levels.

First and foremost, to every parent and family member who pours their time, resources, efforts, and hours into their child's education: thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Nothing could be more important than your engagement and involvement with your child's education and in their school.

I want to invite you to join the celebration throughout November and all year round, as schools and districts across the state plan special events and recognitions to honor the crucial role parents and families play in students' education. Additionally, November 20th is National Parent Involvement Day, a time reserved, as a nation, for all parents to reflect on ways they can get more involved in the education of their children.

For ideas on how you can get engaged, please visit the Information for Parents page on our school's website at https://www.gcpsk12.org/summerourms. Here you can access an array of resources including English and Spanish reading books, audio books, educational games, school transitional information, assessment guides, and printable brochures in English and Spanish.

Again, I want to personally thank you as a parent or family member of a child in Summerour Middle School. Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education. We could not do the work of educating Georgia's future without you.

Dr. Natalie Looney, Principal

OUR MLL Night and OUR Math Night were a huge success this week. Thank you to La Voz, a high-school club who were on hand again to assist in making the two meetings a success.

Thank you, also, to all the faculty, staff, parents, and students who attended and made these events so fantastic. We couldn't do it without all of you.

This calendar is a collection of activities you can do with your child anytime. The activities are meant to be fun and to make the most of those teachable moments. You can modify many of the activities to meet the needs of your family.

IB Learners are thinkers. They exercise initiative in applying thinking skills critically and creatively to recognize and approach complex problems, and make reasoned, ethical decisions.

IB students contribute to discussions in a meaningful way. They do not shy away from challenging questions and, once they know the answer, follow up by asking “why?”

JLC Raiders at their recent meet

We have fantastic students, amazing staff, and a spectacular faculty. We don't always show our gratitude, though. Let's focus on Thanksgiving this November. Please help your student plan to take part each day according to the schedule below!

We have ten days left to raise $5,000 and we are going to need your help to do it!

https://store.dominos.cards/49652

Post our store to your Facebook and IG so all of your friends and family can unlock access to unlimited BOGO large pizzas until 06/30/26!

Ms. Belinda Terry

6th Grade Assistant Principal

Belinda.Terry@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Tannia Sims

6th Grade Counselor

Tannia.Sims@gcpsk12.org

770.417.2491

Mr. Al Sadler

7th Grade Assistant Principal

Al.Sadler@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Yasmi Velasquez Rocha

7th Grade Counselor

Yasmi.VelasquezRocha@gcpsk12.org

770.417.2480

Ms. Christy Gray

8th Grade Assistant Principal

Christian.Gray@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Robin Blackwell

8th Grade Counselor

Robin.Blackwell@gcpsk12.org

770.417.2487

Dr. Toni Weir

Gear Up Assistant Principal

Toni.Weir@gcpsk12.org

Ms. Allegra Morgan

Gear Up Counselor

Allegra.Morgan@gcpsk12.org

770.797.2960

Parents, come have coffee with Dr. Looney at our next Café con Leche event. This is an opportunity for families to share concerns, ask questions, and engage with the principal in a welcoming and supportive setting. We look forward to seeing you there!

November 20

9:30 a.m.

For information, call the Parent Center at 770-582-7545.

September - December

Gwinnett has partnered with Vision To Learn to provide free eye exams and prescription glasses to children in underserved communities, ensuring they get the eye care they need.

• For children ages 5 to 18
• Available at multiple locations in Gwinnett
• Appointments are required. Book your appointment today!

Community partners bring smiles. Thanks to the Howard Center who brought cheesecake and health care information and to Seven Brew who brought coffee this week.

• 3:00pm until supplies last
• Fresh and shelf-stable foods
• No identification required
• Drive-thru distribution

Locations and Dates:

BRYSON PARK | November 18

5075 Lawrenceville Highway, Lilburn

ROCK SPRINGS PARK | December 9

550 Rock Springs Road, Lawrenceville

SHORTY HOWELL PARK | December 16

2750 Pleasant Hill Road, Duluth