East Weekly

It was so amazing to see so many of our families in the building yesterday! There is something special about having our halls filled with students and families again, and it made us even more excited for the start of the school year!

If you were unable to join us yesterday, don't worry! Student schedules are now posted in Infinite Campus, so you can review your schedule from home.

If you would still like to come in and walk through your schedule, the building will be open on Monday from 12:15–3:15 p.m. This will be a self-guided opportunity, as our staff will be participating in professional development that afternoon.

Please take a few minutes to read through the newsletter below! We've included important information about schedules, locker assignments, save-the-dates, and first-day details to help everyone feel prepared for a great start to the school year.

We can't wait to welcome everyone back on Thursday!

Take care,

Megan Kirsten

The online parent registration window is OPEN!

To help everything run smoothly on schedule pick-up day, we’re asking all families to complete the required Annual Information Update in Infinite Campus before arriving. This must be done through the Parent Portal in order for your student to receive their schedule.

⚠️ Important reminder: If a student comes without a parent/guardian and this step isn’t completed ahead of time, they will not receive their schedule. So please be sure it’s taken care of before Thursday, August 13.

We’ve linked step-by-step directions from last year below to help guide you through the process. You should also have received an email from the district with additional details once the update went live.

Thanks for getting this done — we can’t wait to welcome everyone back!

🔗 Instructions – Instructions for completing the Annual Information Update

All students will have a WIN Block built into their day. WIN is a structured period where students will work individually to enrich or reinforce current content and staff can work with students individually or in small groups to:

• Offer targeted interventions based on MAP and OST assessment data

• Enrich current content

• Support executive functioning skills (organization, time management, etc.)

• Provide specially designed instruction for students with specific learning needs

The WIN Block ensures that all students receive the personalized academic support and enrichment they need without missing core instruction.

What will this look like for a weekly schedule?

9:05- 9:30 Monday - HOUSE Meeting

9:05- 9:30 Tuesday - WIN

9:05- 9:30 Wednesday - WIN

9:05- 9:30 Thursday - WIN

9:05- 9:30 Friday - WIN

On August 20, all 6th grade students will meet in the gymnasium for House Sorting! Students will be sorted into one of our Houses, and this will become their House for the next three years at middle school. We are excited to welcome our newest Lions into this important part of the MSE community!

Following House Sorting, students will also be assigned to their House Teacher, who will also become their Study Hall teacher. This means that the 7th period Study Hall currently listed under Megan Kirsten will change once students have been assigned to their Houses.

During the first quarter, 6th grade students will have the opportunity to experience orchestra, choir, and band. Students will spend a few weeks in each area, giving them a chance to explore each option before making future decisions about their arts experience.

These experiences will take place during 7th period, and House teachers will communicate the schedule and details directly to students.

In 6th and 7th grade, students have blocked ELA and Math classes, meaning each subject spans two class periods. However, in 8th grade, students no longer have these blocked classes due to the addition of a world language course as a daily part of their schedule. With ELA and Math returning to a single-period format, this creates additional flexibility in the day which led to the creation of the Rotation period.

In addition to WIN, 8th grade students will also have a Rotation Period, giving their core content teachers an opportunity to meet with students one additional time each week.

Rotation is a flexible period used to:

• Reinforce or extend classroom content

• Conduct lab work or small group collaboration

• Dive into problem-based or project-based learning

• Adapt instruction based on student needs and interests for the specific class
  
  

At Middle School East, Rotation will take place during 3rd period each day, following this weekly schedule:

• Monday – Students see their 1st or 2nd period academic teacher (whichever is not a related arts class)

• Tuesday – 4th period teacher

• Wednesday – 5th period teacher

• Thursday – 7th period teacher

• Friday – 9th period teacher

The options for Rotation are infinite and will be shaped by the unique needs and goals of each class.

Students taking a high school world language class will begin classes on Thursday, August 20.

Please review the important information below:

• Class begins at 8:35 a.m. every day, Monday–Friday.
• Classes are held at the HIGH SCHOOL, not at the middle school.
• Students may be dropped off at the high school or ride the high school bus from their neighborhood.
• After class ends at 9:19 a.m., students will take a shuttle bus back to their middle school. Staff will be available to help students locate their bus.
• On a two-hour delay, 8th-grade students should report to their middle school rather than the high school for their first-period high school class. Coursework for the missed class will be provided by the teacher the following day.

The high school will also offer an opportunity for students to visit on Wednesday, August 19, from 3:30–6:30 p.m. for a preview of the building and classrooms.

For additional details about transportation and the high school class, please refer to the email from Colleen Boyle. If you have questions about the shuttle or class schedule, please contact Colleen directly at boylec@gjps.org.

We hope this information helps your student feel prepared for the start of this new experience!

Our intention was to allow our 7th and 8th grade students to keep the same lockers they had last year. However, when assigning lockers to our incoming 6th grade students, we discovered that some 6th graders were inadvertently assigned lockers currently assigned to 8th grade students.

We will have printed schedules available on the first day of school. If you have been assigned a locker, the locker number will be listed at the bottom of your schedule. If you do not see a locker number, you do not currently have one assigned.

Don't worry! We will have a plan in place on the first day of school to ensure that any student who needs a locker is assigned one.

If you arrive at the locker listed on your schedule and there is already a lock on it, please come to the main office for assistance.

Thank you for your patience as we work to get everyone settled in for a great start to the school year!

7th and 8th grade students: On the first day of school, please report directly to your House.

If your schedule showed a different House than the one you were in last year, that was incorrect! It should be corrected in Infinite Campus. Please report to your House using the locations in the table below.

6th grade students: You will report directly to the gymnasium for House Sorting. We can't wait to welcome you to your new House!

Aug. 26: 6th grade Open House/Curriculum Night

Sept. 7: Labor Day - No School

Sept. 8: Student speaker during the school day!

Sept. 9: Math MAP Assessment Day -- adjusted schedule

Sept. 11: 6th grade Adventure Day -- more info to come

Oct. 6: Parent Teacher Conferences (6th grade families ONLY)

Oct. 8: Parent Teacher Conferences (ALL grade levels)

Oct. 13: Parent Teacher Conferences (ALL grade levels)

Oct. 16: End of Q1

Oct. 19: Conference Comp Day - No School
Oct. 20: Staff Work Day - No School for students

Sixth Grade 2026-27 Supply List (PDF) -- updated 7/27

***All 6th grade students are asked to obtain a copy of The Outsiders by Monday, August 24.

Seventh Grade 2026-27 Supply List (PDF)

Seventh/Eighth Grade 2026-27 Related Arts Supply List (PDF)

Eighth Grade 2026-27 Supply List (PDF) -- updated 7/16

***Update for 8th grade ELA supplies

• 8th grade ELA students needs CHASING SPACE: YOUNG READER’S EDITION BY LELAND MELVIN (PURCHASE OR LOCATE A COPY); NEED IT FOR THE START OF THE YEAR.
• 8th grade ACE ELA (Accelerated) needs Tuesday with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

ESS or FSS - Support Services 2026-27 Supply Lists (PDF)

PTA meetings take place on the 2nd Monday of each month in the GMSE library at 7:00pm. All are welcome!

Meeting dates:

• Dates coming soon!

Help support and fund numerous initiatives for students and staff throughout the year. Stay tuned to our Facebook page, “GMSE Parents” (new members be sure to answer the questions to be admitted), and upcoming newsletters for more information about what we do and how you can help.

Please consider joining the Middle School East PTA.

Thank you to all of the parents who have reached out since the most recent athletic infoirmation was shared. Per the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA), students are not eligible to participate in school-sponsored athletics until 7th grade. While our incoming 6th grade students won’t be able to join school teams just yet, they’ll have many exciting opportunities to get involved at East through a variety of clubs and activities — see the 25-26 list included below.

Families, we encourage you to create an account in Final Forms and select ALL sports that your student may be interested in throughout the school year. Doing this early helps avoid the need to re-sign forms later and ensures they receive important updates from coaches and the athletic Department regarding conditioning, tryouts, and other key information.

Below is the link to Final Forms as well as an instruction page.

Thank you for your help in preparation for the upcoming season year!

Final Forms

Final Forms - Parent Instructions

ALL 6th Grade ELA Heads Up!

As a way to help build our classroom community in 6th grade ELA, students will read The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton at the beginning of the year. Students will spend the first two weeks of school addressing literacy skills such as character traits, relationships, types of inferences/references and motifs. Students will also work to set up their reading notebooks which they will use throughout the year to deepen their reading lives.

Students are asked to obtain a copy of The Outsiders by Monday, August 24. Books can be purchased, checked out from the library, or downloaded on e-reader. Additionally, 6th grade teachers do have a limited number of copies available for students to borrow on a first come first served basis. If you would like to have your child borrow a copy, please let your child's ELA teacher know once schedules are released.

We are looking forward to an amazing start to the upcoming school year. Thank you in advance for all of your support.

The 6th Grade ELA Teachers

To report an absence, please call the front office at (614)478-5550 or email fischerj@gjps.org by 9:10am if possible.You also have the ability to login into Infinite Campus and mark your child's absence there. Please ONLY do this if your child will be absent for the entire day.

The Heart and Pride Award recognizes two outstanding staff members each month who make a profound impact on our students and Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools.

The Heart & Pride Nomination Form will remain available year-round and is open to any member of our staff, regardless of position.

PTA meetings take place on the 2nd Monday of each month in the GMSE library at 7:00pm. All are welcome!

Meeting dates:

• Dates coming soon!

Help support and fund numerous initiatives for students and staff throughout the year. Stay tuned to our Facebook page, “GMSE Parents” (new members be sure to answer the questions to be admitted), and upcoming newsletters for more information about what we do and how you can help.

Please consider joining the Middle School East PTA.

September 7, 2026: Labor Day - No School

September 21, 2026: PD Day - No School
October 19, 2026: Conference Comp Day - No School
October 20, 2026: Staff Work Day - No School
November 9, 2026: PD Day - No School
November 25-27, 2026: Thanksgiving Break - No School
December 23, 2026-January 1, 2027: Winter Break - No School
January 4, 2027: Staff Work Day - No School
January 18, 2027: Martin Luther King Day - No School
February 15, 2027: Presidents Day - No School
March 8, 2027: Staff Work Day - No School
March 9, 2027: PD Day - No School
March 26, 2027: Conference Comp Day - No School
March 29-April 2, 2027: Spring Break- No School
April 30, 2027: PD Day - No School
May 27, 2027: Last Day of School for Students
May 28, 2027: Staff Work Day - No School
May 29, 2027: Class of 2027 Commencement