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December 22, 2017
Welcome
Welcome to
FRONTRUNNER, Groveport Madison Schools' monthly community
e-Newsletter. Our goal is to provide parents and community members with news, accomplishments and updates associated with our students, schools, staff and school district.
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A Message from the Superintendent
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Superintendent
Bruce Hoover
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I hope that during the Winter Break you are able to spend time with family and friends. Time spent with our children is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. Our children are fortunate to have so many caring adults in their lives.
As we think about this season of giving, I am pleased to share that our students and staff have donated their time, resources and talents to help address many needs in our community and elsewhere. Several schools collected money and supplies for hurricane victims in Texas and Puerto Rico, while others held canned food drives to stock the shelves at local pantries. Students and staff also have assisted with the Groveport Madison Human Needs' Christmas Adopt-A-Family program, providing food, clothing and toys to many families throughout the school district.
This spirit of generosity reflects the strong connections between our schools and the local community - and the generous spirit that you help to cultivate in your children.
Looking forward, I am excited about what 2018 holds for our students and for Groveport Madison Schools. Our teachers and professional staff have been working hard to further their knowledge and skills so that they can move our students' academic achievement to even higher levels. We are also receiving great feedback from teachers and principals with respect to our Cruisers with Chromebooks program. It's exciting to hear that students are using this important resource to complete their assignments and to access online textbooks, research materials, and tutorial lessons. Students are enthusiastic about this new tool, which helps to make learning more fun and engaging for them.
On behalf of the Board of Education and District staff, I wish you and yours the best this holiday season. I hope you and your family have a happy and healthy 2018.
Sincerely,
Bruce Hoover
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Change Made in Second Nine-Week Grading Period
Due to December testing and end-of-course exams, it is necessary to make a change in the 2017-2018 academic calendar. The end of the second nine-week grading period will now conclude on Jan. 5. Grade cards for the second nine-week grading period will go out on Jan. 12.
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In Less Than 150 Days - The New GMHS Will Be Complete
All of the exterior brickwork and roofing is complete, and workers are busy installing the exterior windows and doors. Crews are completing the rough grading of areas in immediate proximity to the school, which has enabled the installation of some of the sidewalks and even portions of the south parking lot/bus loop.
Inside, the installation of major mechanical and plumbing systems is complete and awaiting final connections and systems testing. Electricians are connecting electrical switches and outlets, as well as installing the security cameras, monitoring systems and smoke/fire alarms.
In the athletic wing (the northern portion of the building), all of the painting and accent striping has been completed. The bathrooms are nearly finished and even the lockers are in place in all of the locker rooms. The last major project in the athletic wing is the installation of the gymnasium floors, which will take place in the coming months.
In the auditorium, the catwalks have been installed, giving those brave enough to venture onto them a commanding view of the stage and seating areas. Just outside of the auditorium, steel workers have installed the I-beam that numerous students and staff members signed last winter. The beam is located over the front of the Cruiser Shop, the new school store.
Work is also progressing on the three academic wings. Each wing is two stories in height and includes large classrooms and labs, as well as an extended learning area (ELA) at the end of each hallway. The media center, band room, choir room and art labs also are well underway.
The project remains within budget and on schedule, with the District expected to take possession in May of 2018. Demolition of the current high school will begin in late June.
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Glendening ES Teachers Take No Bullying Message from the Classroom to the Community
Barbara Ling and her fellow teachers at Glendening Elementary can't help but "Wonder" at how their decision to teach fifth-graders a novel with a strong anti-bullying message has impacted their school.
Ling and reading specialist Lynn Buettner spent much of the fall reading and discussing R.J. Palacio's novel Wonder, about a fifth-grade boy with a rare facial deformity. After years of being homeschooled, Auggie-the main character-begins attending school and has to deal with mean and insensitive treatment from bullies.
The two Glendening staff members created lessons and discussions that met the state academic content standards for reading and writing, and focused on kindness and the importance of "passing kindness onto other people," Ling said. The Glendening students really embraced the message. Teachers and other staff members began to notice a change in the building. The students were going out of their way to be nice to one another. "Something just clicked," Ling said.
When the children learned that the book had been made into a movie, they began asking their teachers if they could see it. "A few of them said if we didn't see it as a class that they doubted they would get to go to the movies. Others said they have never been to a movie," Ling said. "It inspired us to go for it."
The teachers, along with intervention specialist Michelle Miller, began asking their friends and families for donations, said Ling. As word spread, members of the community started coming to the school and dropping off money and checks. They raised enough money to take the entire fifth-grade-all 68 children-to the show, provide them snacks and even a t-shirt.
"It's just been surreal. There have been many times when the three of us got teary-eyed about how it all came together," she said. "We wrote everyone a thank-you note but it doesn't feel like it's enough. I don't know if people will ever realize the power and the impact that they had on these kids."
Barbara Ling and Lynn Beuttner are both GMHS alumni.
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GMHS Senior Recognized as Scholar Athlete
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| Melia Walder |
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G
irls' basketball standout and honor roll student Melia Walder was named as a Wendy's High School Heisman School Winner earlier this year. The award, sponsored by Wendy's restaurants, recognizes students who participate in sports while maintaining a strong grade point average and demonstrating leadership skills.
Melia, who serves as captain of the girls' basketball team, prides herself on earning good grades and giving it her all on the basketball court. In her application, she wrote an essay about how she has had to deal with a prolonged back injury and how her father's death when she was young has impacted her and her family. "I wrote about how I had to grow up fast and become more responsible," she said.
After graduation, she plans to attend the University of Cincinnati or Bowling Green State University. She would like to study accounting.
Earning the recognition from Wendy's was exciting because it brought positive attention to Groveport Madison High School, she said.
"I'm excited because I won this for my school," she said. "I appreciate the recognition."
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Know About Groveport Madison's School Cancellation Procedures
While there are a number of issues that can cause us to cancel classes throughout the school year, winter weather is most assuredly the biggest factor. Find out how the District handles school closing and delay issues, the notification of staff and parents, as well as other related issues.
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Stay Informed - Follow us on Social Media
We are committed to keeping you informed, and we use a variety of communication tools to make it as easy as possible for you to know what is going on in Groveport Madison Schools and across the school district. In addition, many of our schools use social media as well. Look for them on Facebook and Twitter.
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Our 2018-2019 School Calendar Now Available
The Groveport Madison Schools 2018-2019 school calendar is now available on the District's homepage under the Quick Links section. Next year, school will begin on Sept. 4. The late start will allow much needed time for the demolition of the old high school and the installation of parking lots, allowing for a smooth start to the new school year.
Click to download the 2018-2019 Calendar.
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Keep Your Emergency Contact Information Up-to-date
If you have child that attends Groveport Madison Schools and you are not receiving phone or email messages regarding District or school updates and alerts, it means that we do not have accurate contact information for you on file.
The District and each of our schools have systems in place to contact parents by telephone, text, and email - if we have correct and complete contact information. We use our mass notification system (ParentLink) to keep you informed of school closings and other issues that might impact your child or be important for your family to know.
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Important Dates to Remember
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DATE
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EVENT
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Dec 21 - Jan 2
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Jan 5
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End of Second Nine-Week Grading Period
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Jan 15
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Day -
No School
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Jan 25
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College Credit Plus Mtg, 6:30 PM, GMHS
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Feb 7
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| Feb 19 |
President's Day -
No School
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| Feb 20 |
Teacher Release Day - No School |
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Share Good News About Groveport Madison Schools!
We know that great news occurs every day. We invite you to share positive news items with us via our social media outlets as well. News and information can be shared via personal messaging on Facebook (Groveport Madison Schools). You can also email us at
[email protected], or call us at (614) 492-2520.
Thank you,
Office of Marketing, Communications & Community Relations
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Office of Marketing, Communications & Community Relations
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