Glasgow Community Gazette - September 9

Glasgow Community:

This is my favorite time of year! Not only because it is the start of the school year, but also because it is the beginning of the college football season. I spend most Saturday’s watching The Ohio State University, who routed Rutgers this weekend. I will be traveling to AT&T Stadium in Dallas next weekend to watch them take on TCU. Go Buckeyes!

During Panther Time this past week, students learned about our Panther Principle of commitment. Specifically, what commitment looks like at Glasgow and how students can practice commitment throughout the year. Students viewed this YouTube video call “You Can Learn Anything” from the Khan Academy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JC82Il2cjqA.

Now that students have learned about all three of our Panther Principles: Kindness Commitment and Safety, it is time to celebrate when students demonstrate these principles with Panther Cards. Students can redeem their Panther Cards for prizes at our Panther Store, which is held once a month during lunch. Sign up here volunteer at our next Panther Store on September 21.

Parents, you can celebrate when Glasgow staff members demonstrate these same principles as well through the FCPS Cares Program.  This site collects stories of outstanding FCPS employees and posts them to a message board. FCPS Cares program will honor deserving employees with a Cares of the Month award. View program details.  

Our first PTA meeting will be this Wednesday, September 12. Aaron Cannon, Glasgow’s After School Specialist will spotlight Glasgow’s After School Program which will begin on October 1. If you have not done so already, please consider joining the PTA by visiting their website: http://www.glasgowpta.org/.

As always, please let me know if you have any questions.

Shawn DeRose
Principal

Contact Information
Twitter: @ShawnDeRose
Email: spderose@fcps.edu
Website: http://www.fcps.edu/GlasgowMS/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowMS.FCPS/

Important Dates

September 10 - TJHSST Admissions Presentation
September 12 - PTA Meeting
September 19 - 3-Hour Early Release
October 4, 6:00-8:00pm - Back to School Night 2018
September 21 - Panther Store (all lunches)
September 24 - Late Buses Begin
October 1 - After School Program Begins
October 11, 6:30-8:00pm - International & Cultural Food Night
October 16 - PTA Meeting/Parent Grading Workshop

TJHSST Admissions Presentation for Parents - September 10
Representatives from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Admissions Office will be leading a presentation for parents and families on the TJ admissions process on Monday, September 10 from 6:00 - 7:00pm in the lecture hall.

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Applications are now available online for interested 8th grade students - please visit www.tjadmissions.org for more information.  If you have any questions, please contact Greg Frantz at gdfrantz@fcps.edu.

First PTA Meeting of the Year - September 12, 7:00pm
Join us for Glasgow’s first PTA meeting of the school year on Wednesday, September 12 at 7:00pm. The meeting will include a Principal’s Report from Shawn DeRose and presentation on Glasgow’s After School Program. All are welcome to attend; membership in the PTA is not required. If you have any questions, please contact the Glasgow PTA at glasgowms.pta@gmail.com.

Late Busses Begin and After School Program - September 24 and October 1
Glasgow After School Program and late buses are scheduled to begin Monday, September 24. Late busses will be available for students every Monday, Wednesday and Friday after this point. Please note that the After School Program does not begin until October 1, so any student staying after before then will need to stay in a classroom with a teacher until 4:45PM. If you have any questions, please contact Aaron Cannon at acannon@fcps.edu.   
 
Glasgow Back to School Night – October 4
On Thursday, October 4, we will be hosting our annual Back to School Night (BTSN). The Back to School Night program officially begins at 6:00 PM, and we encourage you to arrive early as we anticipate a well-attended event. Please bring a copy (or take a photo) of your student’s schedule. Students are welcome to attend BTSN as interpreters for their parents if necessary. In addition, please keep in mind that parking will be limited. We have arranged for the buses that normally park outside door #3 to park at Justice High School that evening. We also hope to provide overflow parking on the soccer fields.

Back to School Night at the secondary level is an opportunity for you to meet your student’s teachers, see their classrooms, and hear about what each class will look like for your student. You will spend 10 minutes in each classroom, hearing from the teacher(s) of that class. Given the time constraints of the evening, we invite you to email teachers directly with any specific questions or information you would like them to know about your student. Our teachers love to hear from you, and are always available for scheduled conferences throughout the school year.

International & Cultural Food Night - October 11 from 6:30-8pm
Glasgow will be hosting International & Cultural Food Night on October 11 from 6:30-8:00pm. This event is free for the Glasgow Community! Sign up to bring food to share or volunteer at: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084aa4a92da0fc1-internationalcult

Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteers Needed 8th Grade Field Trip to Finance Park
The 8th grade civics teachers are planning a field trip to Finance Park field trip in October, and we need volunteers!  Finance Park, located on the grounds of Frost Middle School, is a budget simulation 8th grade students to participate in to get first hand experience in the financial responsibilities of citizenship – making and keeping to a budget.  

The weeks prior to the field trip students will receive basic instruction in personal finance, credit/debit cards, and economics 101. Glasgow students will go on one of four days: October 18, 19, 22, or 23.  If you are interested in chaperoning the field trip, please email Civics CT leader Tina Takach by September 20 at cptakach@fcps.edu.

Get Involved, Volunteer Today!
The Glasgow PTA needs YOU! See volunteer opportunities at Glasgow Middle School, supporting our teachers and staff, throughout the year: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084aa4a92da0fc1-glasgow12

Important Information

UPDATED - Free Breakfast No Longer Available for All Glasgow Students
Unfortunately, we are no longer able to offer a free breakfast for all students at Glasgow Middle School.  If you have any questions, contact FCPS Food Operations Specialist, Megan McGhee at mmcghee@fcps.edu.

Locker Request Forms - Available October 1 in Student Services
If you would like to request a locker for your student, locker request forms will be available in Student Services beginning Monday, October 1. In addition, if you have concerns specific to your student, we will work with you to ensure your student has what they need to be successful at Glasgow this year. Please visit the Student Services website at https://glasgowms.fcps.edu/student-services and email your student’s counselor.

September Safety Drills
Safety is one of our three Panther Principles and will we continue to conduct Fire drills weekly throughout the month of September. In addition, we will be conducting a Lockdown Drill on Wednesday, September 12 and a Bus Evacuation Drill on Tuesday, September 18. Teachers and admin will help teach students our expectations and procedures to support school-wide safety. If you have any questions about required safety drills, please email Kristy Ritchie at klritchie@fcps.edu.

  
REMINDERS & REFERENCE

Form Collection through Panther Time
Please have your student return the following forms to your student’s their Panther Time teacher as soon as possible:
* Emergency Care Card
* Health Information Form
* After-School Form
* SOL Retake Form
  
Glasgow on Twitter and #GMSbelieves
Throughout the year, you can view the amazing things happening in our classrooms and beyond via Twitter. Check out the tweets with photos from the first week of school at @glasgowms and @shawnderose for important updates and highlights as well.  You can also use the hashtag #GMSbelieves.

Get Involved, Support the PTA
Please join us for the first PTA meeting of the year on Wednesday, September 12 at 7:00pm at Glasgow MS. You do not need to be a PTA member to attend. The meeting will include a information about Glasgow's fantastic After School Program.

Interested in volunteering? Check on PTA volunteer opportunities throughout the year: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c084aa4a92da0fc1-glasgow12

Follow us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/GlasgowMSPTA/ or check out our tweets @glasgowms_pta

EZ Lunch Application
Parents may access the EZ Lunch App to add money to student lunch accounts, see menu options, check ingredients and allergen information, and much more. The official FCPS mobile app is available on the iTunes Store and Google Play at no cost. The app links to http://www.myschoolbucks.com to add money to student lunch accounts. Lunch menus can be viewed online at https://fcps.nutrislice.com/menu/glasgow-middle-school.

Kiss & Ride
Parents who drop off/pick up their student to school must do so at the main entrance, Door #1. Students can be dropped off beginning at 7:00am. Keep in mind that congestion and backup can be significant, causing your student to be late to their class if you drop off your student after 7:15am. School ends at 2:15pm.

Student Attendance
The new school year has been off to a wonderful start. Students are adjusting to their new routines, and routines are such an important part of academic success. In order to support consistent school attendance, please read the following information:
* Students who attend 90% or more of the school year are more likely to graduate from high school on time.
* Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with peer conflicts or facing some other potentially serious difficulty, and help is available.
* Being in school promotes academic and social growth for students as they learn from their peers who become a strong influence for students during their middle school years.
 
Visit FCPS’s attendance site for more information on the importance of school attendance: FCPS Attendance Policies

Be Informed, Stay Involved!

• Sign up for News You Choose.
• Visit the Glasgow Middle School website.
• Follow Glasgow on Twitter.
• Visit Glasgow Middle School on Facebook.
• Monitor your students academics with a SIS Parent Account.
• Join the Glasgow Middle School PTA and attend meetings.
• Keep your contact information up-to-date.