PANTHER PROWL

Happy February, Panther Families!

January came and went so quickly, and we are well on our way into the third quarter! As we head into February, we have a lot of exciting events and opportunities coming up for our students.

This month, we look forward to celebrating students through our Perfect Attendance celebration and our Panther Pride Awards. We will also be hosting PCOE TUPE presentations in Science classes for all students, along with a fun after-school Ice Cream Social. Please remember that President’s Week is a no school week, and we hope all families enjoy that time to rest and recharge.

As always, be sure to keep an eye on the weekly Panther Peeks for the most up-to-date information and additional events happening throughout the month.

With Panther Pride,

Jessica Fernandez
Principal, GEMS

Hello Panther Families,

As we are now fully back into the swing of the school after break, we wanted to send out a few reminders:

• Our staff has had multiple conversations with students regarding rough play, reviewed blacktop rules, and introduced the use of flags for football. While these steps have helped, we continue to see occasional physical play that does not meet our school expectations. Please remind your student that lunchtime activities should be safe, respectful, and free from physical contact.
• We would also like to remind families that students should not bring unauthorized items to school, including balls, toys, or electronic devices. GEMS is not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged personal property and will not investigate or search for these items. This policy includes cellular devices and is written into the student handbook.
• Phones should be turned off and kept away during the school day. If a student needs to contact a parent/guardian—or if a parent/guardian needs to reach a student—the front office is happy to assist. Any phone seen out during the school day will be confiscated and brought to the front office for student pickup at the end of the day. If a student repeatedly has their phone confiscated, a parent/guardian will be required to pick it up from the office.

Attendance Reminder:
To report an absence, families may reply to the ParentSquare email or texted link with the reason for the absence, or call the 24-hour Attendance Hotline at 916-645-6581. If phone or internet access is not available, please send a written note with your student on their first day back to school. Any absence not cleared within three school days will be marked as unexcused.

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping us maintain a safe, positive, and productive school environment for all students.

Steve Roman

Assistant Principal

Glen Edwards Middle School

Picker sheets/Course Selection forms with class options for 2026/2027 will be distributed Friday, 2/27 for students to take home and review with parents & guardians. Students will also have the opportunity to learn about elective offerings next year during PAW via GEMS TV.

Class selections will open in PowerSchool 2/27 and close 3/10. Counselors will push in to 6th/7th grade Science classes 3/3 & 3/4 to assist students with entering in the info from their picker sheets into PowerSchool. However, families are welcome to complete this process at home with their student. (More information to follow as we get closer to those dates)

We have partnered with PCOE (Placer County Office of Education) to bring TUPE (Tobacco Use Prevention Education) Presentations to all our students in their Science classes the first week of February. (See flyer below)

Additionally, We are exploring the possibility of hosting a virtual parent information night to share more details about vaping prevention, current trends, and ways families can support healthy decision-making at home. If you would be interested in attending a virtual session, please let us know by completing this linked survey. Your feedback will help us determine interest and scheduling.

If you have any questions about the student or parent presentations, please email jfernandez@wpusd.org.

If you missed the Promotion Newsletter that was previously sent, <<CLICK HERE>> to start making plans and save the dates!!

Also....the first Parent Promotion Committee Meeting was held this past week. Thank you to all who were able to attend. If you were unable to make it......we STILL NEED YOU!!!

The next meeting will be on 2/10 at 5:30pm in the GEMS Library and we hope to see you there!!

During the first week of February, GEMS students will be participating in a campus Clean Up Challenge. The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade classes will work together during their lunches to clean up after themselves and encourage their classmates to do so as well. The winning class will receive a treat the following week.

To coordinate with our challenge, the new theme of the week is: Panthers take the initiative to clean up after themselves and dispose of trash properly. Students who are recognized by teachers for their efforts can turn their panther buck into the weekly raffle.

The Portrait of a Learner theme of the month is: Critical Thinking.

The PBIS themes of the week are:

2/2: Panthers take the initiative to clean up after themselves and dispose of trash properly.

2/9: Panthers show active listening skills and ask critical thinking questions.

2/23: Panthers apply previous knowledge to new information learned in class.

THERE IS STILL TIME TO GET INVOLVED!!!!!!!

We wrapped up January by celebrating Kindness Week, during which students participated in a variety of activities focused on spreading positivity throughout our campus. These included a school-wide Kindness Bingo game, creating Valentine’s cards for First Street Elementary, and fun “spin-the-wheel” kindness activities during lunchtime. Students were encouraged to practice acts of kindness all week—and to continue those positive behaviors as we move forward in the school year.

In February, we are excited to host a Sports Carnival with an Ice Cream Treat on Friday, February 6th, from 3:30–5:00 PM. Tickets will be sold during lunchtime, and students must bring their ticket back to the event signed in order to participate. Admission includes a free ice cream treat, along with the chance to play a variety of sports-themed carnival games inside the gym. This is the Leadership team’s first time hosting this event, and they are looking forward to making it a fun and memorable experience for our students!

Tutoring

• Days: Tuesday – Friday

• Time: 3:05 – 4:35 PM

• Location: Library

A great place for students to complete homework, study, or get academic help.

We still have several families who have not completed their Annual Registration Update (ARU), formerly known as the Emergency Card Update. An updated ARU is required for every student at the start of each school year.

Please take a few moments to confirm, update and submit each module of information . There are new modules that have been added this year: https://powerschool.wpusd.org/public/

FAILURE TO UPDATE THIS INFORMATION WILL LEAD TO EXCLUSION FROM STUDENT EVENTS SUCH AS DANCES, FIELD TRIPS AND APPROVAL OF ANY TRAVEL STUDY REQUESTS

OUR 24/7 GLEN EDWARDS MIDDLE SCHOOL Sideline Store is up and running. Stop reading and start shopping to score the latest fan wear and accessories.

*PLEASE NOTE: THESE CLOTH ITEMS WILL NOT MEET PE UNIFORM REQUIREMENTS. DO NOT PURCHASE FOR PE CLOTH FROM HERE.

THANK YOU's!
HUGE thank you to all of the families who participated in our Family Dine Out at Panda Express last month.

MEETING:

We encourage All Parents, Teachers & Students (APTS) to attend our meetings. This is a great way for everyone to be a part of the GEMS community. Our next meeting is on Tues, Mar 10th @5pm in the school's library!

UPCOMING:

• Our Valentine's Day grams go on sale between Feb 2nd - 10th. They will be distributed on Thurs, Feb 12th! Grams order form

• Our next dine out event is on Wed, Feb 11th! Keep an eye out for more info!
• Our Spring Fundraiser this year will be See's Candy. Look for flyers coming home early March. Pre-sales will take place March 9th - 20th.

For more ways you can help support APTS and our ONGOING FUNDRAISERS check out the GEMS Website for details.

CONNECT:

Any questions, comments or concerns be sure to email us at GemsApts@Gmail.com

Be sure to follow us on Facebook @GemsApts

Visit the APTS website : Click here!

Spring Sports Are Coming!

Boys Volleyball, Girls Flag Football and Track & Field all begin on March 10th. If your son/daughter are interested in any of the sports, please make sure they have an updated physical and all e-forms signed on Final Forms: https://westernplacer-ca.finalforms.com/

For questions on any of the sports:

Boys Volleyball: tcolson@wpusd.org

Girls Flag Football: jnoonan@wpusd.org

Track & Field: rsmith@wpusd.org

A new trip that is open to all grades and families is being offered to Costa Rica during Spring Break 2027. RSVP to our Registration Info meeting on 2/5 : https://bit.ly/4sA9DHm

Check out the flier below. There are several ways to report absences. We hope you find it useful!

• When you receive a message that your student was absent, you can respond easily by clicking on the link within the message to report your student's absence.
• 7th period is actually the students PAW period and the first class of the day Tuesday - Friday.
• ALSO NOTE: There will be NO TRAVEL STUDIES approved if the Annual Registration Update is not completed.
  

There are shows every Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe to our channel at www.YouTube.com/gemstv916

Check out www.pantherpress916.com

TONS OF NEW UPDATES ON PANTHER PRESS!!!

News
- Dutch Bros Celebrates New Opening
- Meet Mrs. Biagi
- A week of Kindness
- Exploring New Shopping Center
- School Clubs offer something for everyone

Arts and Entertainment
- LNGSHOT review
- Nikki Minaj canceled?
- Stranger Things Season 5 Reviews (several)
- Avatar Review
and more...

Feature
- Mr. Hunts Journey
- Umaiza Usman Dubai Trip

Opinion
- Why subs should be treated with more respect
- Harmful trends of social media
- Who decides you're old enough for music?
- Prepare for college in Middle School
- Roles Reversed: if you could grade teachers
- Group work in school
and much more...

MANY OTHER UPDATES IN PAW PRINTS SECTION

***Check out our SPORTS SCORECENTER with updated scores from all of our teams and games

Available on the GEMS TV YouTube channel, Spotify and Apple.

Our first episode has students discussing Artificial Intelligence and a round table on Holidays.

https://youtu.be/6KM-iwB6mVI?si=w6qlR2zepxxCL3Xr

Show More

Web Link:

Click Here

https://youtu.be/6KM-iwB6mVI?si=w6qlR2zepxxCL3Xr

Pre- order your yearbook now at jostensyearbooks.com. Prices will go up throughout the year

Attn 7th Grade Parents!

8th grade trip to Washington DC, New York and Boston is open now. We currently have one bus full but are still taking registrations. Check out this link: www.efexploreamerica.com/2939634RF

IF your student wants to participate in any athletic capacity be sure you have an account created in Final Forms and physical clearance by a physician.

• Parent AND Student must create their own account, fill out and submit information via FINAL FORMS
• All students must have a current PHYSICAL on file with the school (current means within the past year).

NO CHILD WILL BE ALLOWED TO PRACTICE OR PARTICIPATE WITHOUT THE PROPER FORMS. NO EXCEPTIONS WILL BE GRANTED.

Learn more about our food service program HERE and visit the food services website HERE for daily menu options.

Don't forget to follow our GEMS Facebook Page to stay on top of all the fun things we are doing around campus! Click this link or the picture below to follow!