April 22, 2016
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.
It's Time for Kindergarten Roundup!
Groveport Madison Schools is excited to welcome incoming kindergarteners from the Class of 2029! Kindergarten Roundup is taking place now. Families of incoming kindergarteners are encouraged to register early so that everything is in place for a smooth transition.
 
Eligibility Requirements:
  1. The parent/guardian must be a resident of the Groveport Madison School District
  2. The child must be five years old by August 1, 2016
4 Easy Steps to Register:
  1. Call our Central Enrollment Office at (614) 491-8288 to schedule an appointment
  2. Gather necessary documents*
  3. Complete an enrollment packet before arriving for your appointment*
  4. Bring your documents and completed packet to your appointment
* Enrollment packets and a list of required documents are available online on our Enrollment webpage. Paper copies are available at all of the District's schools, the Central Enrollment Office and at the Southeast Branch of the Columbus Metropolitan Library.

Imm unization Requirements for Incoming 7th- and 12th-Graders
The State of Ohio dictates the immunization requirements for entrance into Groveport Madison Schools. A booster dose of the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and acellular pertussis) and MCV4 (Meningococcal) vaccine is required before entry into the seventh grade. Important note: The MCV4 (Meningococcal) vaccine is a new state requirement in place for the coming year, and all incoming seventh-graders must provide documentation of having been immunized before entering seventh grade. If your child has not had the Tdap booster, and or Meningococcal vaccine, please call your healthcare provider as soon as possible to make an appointment. If your child has had the vaccines, please ask your healthcare provider to submit documentation of your child's vaccines. Documentation must be received prior to students entering the seventh grade.

Samsung Showcases GM Schools in Nationwide Technology Promotion
World technology leader, Samsung, is showcasing Groveport Madison Schools' use of the company's Chromebook ®
  classroom computers in its recent promotional videos. According to District Technology Supervisor, Peter Dotson, the District has been using Samsung Chromebook®  classroom computers exclusively because, "We had a limited budget and we needed to provide our students with high quality technology, but also being mindful that the equipment must be inexpensive, easy to maintain, and not require a large staff of technicians to manage it." Dotson added, "The Samsung Chromebook ®  computers delivered on every purchasing parameter we set."

Summer School and Intervention to be Offered to Students
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Summer School and OGT Intervention will be offered to our students this summer. 

Elementary School
Elementary school teachers and principals are in the process of identifying students who could benefit from extra instruction during the summer. The District's elementary summer school program will focus on reading and literacy skills, said Dee Copas, director of federal programs for the Groveport Madison Schools. "We're looking at those students who can benefit from additional learning opportunities," she said. "We're focusing on areas where our data shows us that kids are struggling." 

Grant Funds STEM Field Trip for Middle Schools Students
Middle School South sixth-graders had the opportunity for hands-on STEM learning during a field trip to United Skates of America earlier this month.
 
The field trip, which was paid for by a grant from Batelle, covered math and science concepts that students had studied in the classroom, said teacher Kate Milling. Students spent the morning discussing how roller skates work, learning to calculate a skater's speed and gaining insights about sound waves. After their work was done, they enjoyed a pizza and skating party.
 
"The kids really enjoyed it," said Milling, who applied for the grant that paid for about 130 kids to attend the program. "They'll remember those lessons for a long time."

High School Construction Update
At the Apr. 13 Board of Education meeting, the Board heard a joint presentation from the District's architects (VSWC Architects), the construction management company (Smoot Construction), and representatives from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission. This presentation brought the high school construction project forward to its largest and most important decision-point - final approval of the building and the authorization to proceed.

EXTRA EXTRA Middle School North launches school newspaper
Students at Middle School North have taken on some extra writing assignments. Working with language arts teacher Audrey Gauthier, they have started a school newspaper. The North Star, a free monthly publication, launched in December.
 
The project is a great opportunity for students who work on the paper to try different styles of writing and it's a good communication tool for the school, Gauthier said. "It's a need that wasn't be filled," she said. "We have many great writers who have a lot to say."

Community Connection
Activities to Relocate Due to High School Construction

Virtual Tours of New High Available


Due to the ongoing construction of the high school, several high school activities are being relocated this year through the 2017-18 school year. Below is a list of the new locations.

Band Camp - MS North
Band Practices - MS North
Children's Cheerleading camp - MS South
Cheerleading practices - Mondays @ MS South  (Wednesdays @ GMHS)
Softball - Groveport ES
Soccer - MS South or Cruiser Park
Tennis - Degenhart Park



With the new high school set to open in the fall of 2018, many people across the District are excited to see what the building will look like. There's no need to wait! If you are part of a school or community group and would like someone from the District's Marketing and Communications Office to take your group on a virtual tour of the new building, please call Jeff Warner at  (614) 492-2520  or email him at  jeff.warner@gocruisers.org.  We will be happy to meet with your group, take you on a brief tour, and answer questions about the new high school. Images of the building and updates are also available on the District's website, here.
District Ser vice Center Construction Update
The District's Transportation Department has officially moved into the rear portion of the District Service Center (DSC). While the bus fleet was moved a few weeks ago to make room for the high school construction project, the transportation office staff, mechanics, and drivers were able to move into the bus service garage and office portion of the DSC earlier this week. The space includes a large service garage, in which several buses can be worked on simultaneously, as well as office space, restrooms, and a large breakroom/driver training room for the staff.
 
Work on converting the front warehouse portion of the building to house Cruiser Academy is also moving along very quickly. Openings for windows have been cut into the exterior walls to allow in more natural light and work has begun to remove the loading dock and overhead garage doors. One can even begin to see the outline of what will become classrooms, restrooms, offices and work areas as the steel-stud framework progresses.
 
Work to complete the space for Cruiser Academy remains on schedule for a mid-July opening, and the project remains within budget.
Asbury ES Service Project Offers Write Stuff for Students
When a pair of Asbury ES moms arranged for the school to collect items for the Franklin County Animal Shelter, fourth-grade teacher Jane Schimmoller saw an opportunity to incorporate the effort into her lesson plan in a meaningful way for students.

Schimmoller, who has rescued several pets, had discussions with students in her class about the differences between adopting pets from an animal shelter and buying them at a pet store. Students in Kelly Stuckey's class also participated in the project. The students went online and read about some of the dogs that were available at the animal shelter. Schimmoller then asked the students to write a persuasive essay-part of their writing curriculum-about the importance of supporting animal shelters. Several made appeals for particular dogs in their essays. "
The students got very involved and loved the project," she said.
Dr. Seuss Would be Proud!
In honor of National Poetry Month, the communications team challenged our principals to present their monthly video in verse. Several of them accepted.

Now we need some help from you
Visit our website where they're on view
Which of the poems do you like best?
Which one stands above the rest?
We know this contest was no easy feat
So we'll award that poet with a treat

 Important Dates to Remember

    Home & School Connection

Please mark your calendar for these important GMLSD dates:

Apr 22-28 -  District Art Show 
Apr 25 - MSN Band Concert @ GMHS
Apr 26 - MSS Band Concert @ GMHS
Apr 27 -   MSC Band Concert @ GMHS
May 30 - Memorial Day - No School
May 31 - Last Day of School 
June 3 - High School Graduation



Check out this month's Home & School Connection newsletter for practical ideas that promote parent involvement, effective parenting, and  student success.

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  gm.communications@gocruisers.org, or call us at (614) 492-2520.

Thank you,
Office of Marketing, Communications & Community Relations
Groveport Madison Schools   |   (614) 492-2520   |    gocruisers.org
Office of Marketing, Communications & Community Relations
gm.communications@gocruisers.org
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