Greene County Middle School

Good evening Ram Families, Greene County Schools will be closed for Friday, January 12th, 2024. There will be no activities. Monday, January 15th will remain a scheduled holiday and students will return on Tuesday, January 16th. Please stay safe, stay warm, and enjoy your weekend! Greene County Schools *Message sponsored by Peoples Bank

6-7-8th grade Play Students: Musical practice will begin as soon as we return for a full day of school. This week and next week practice will be from 3:45 - 4:30. Please make sure your student is aware of plan when practice is done. Please pick up your student on time. At our first practice your student will receive calendars with all practices listed and a remind sheet to log into specifically for the musical. If you have any questions or concerns, you can contact Tammy Brophy at brophyt@greenecountycsd.net or Brenda Roberts at Robertsb@greenecountycsd.net.

Greene County Community School will be holding the monthly board meeting at the admin building (101 Ram Drive, Jefferson, IA) this evening beginning at 5:15 PM. With school being closed today, the meeting will be held on-site and via Google Meet. The public is welcome to attend in-person or view the livestream on the district's YouTube channel (see below for the link). The meeting agenda can be viewed on the GCCSD Board of Education page under the Links header. GCCSD Board Meeting YouTube Livestream Link: https://www.youtube.com/live/IEuYxdZvlyk?si=BEgTWOEpZbquqvJj Board Meeting Agenda: https://www.gccsd.k12.ia.us/page/board-home

Good morning Ram Families, After re-evaluating the road conditions within our school district, Greene County Schools will close for Wednesday, January 10th. There will be no activities or practices after school. Multiple factors included drifting gravel roads, ice and slick conditions, and settling fog. The regularly scheduled board meeting at 5:15pm will still take place. Information to attend virtually will be shared through our social media pages as normal. Have a safe day! Greene County Schools

GCMS was filled with a sea of blue to show our solidarity with our friends in Perry. Our heartfelt thoughts go out to the Perry School District and the entire Perry community. Together, we stand united with Perry! #PerryStrong

Good evening Ram Families, Greene County Schools will have a 2-hour late start. All activities and classes before school will be canceled and there will be no morning 3-year-old PreSchool. Travel conditions will be re-evaluated in the morning. Please stay safe and have a great day! Greene County Schools

After an evaluation of our arrival procedures we are going to make some adjustments to our daily arrival at GCMS. Starting Tuesday, January 9th all students will be allowed into the building at 7:45AM. Staff supervision will be available. Thanks, Cara Osborne GCMS Principal

Due to the impending hazardous weather, Greene County Schools will dismiss at the following times: Elementary - 12:20pm Middle School - 12:25pm High School - 12:40pm This is 3 hours from the Tuesday-Friday regularly scheduled dismissals. We apologize for the previous confusion.

Due to the impending hazardous weather, Greene County Schools will be releasing 3 hours early today. There will be no evening activities and staff will not have their regular professional development. Please stay safe!

Good evening Ram Families, With the hazardous weather not improving, Greene County Schools will be closed for Tuesday, January 9th. There will be no activities, practices, or athletic performance classes. Please stay safe and enjoy the day!

Happy New Year! We are excited to welcome students back to the building tomorrow. Please see the January Parent Ram Reminder below. It is full of updates and reminders. As always please reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. Cara Osborne- GCMS Principal https://docs.google.com/document/d/11OV7qfsnzlJ2yyMk7hGgBcIORFVUhMR3ZNmQ0s7L3Ss/edit?usp=sharing Translated Copy: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1W-6YfCNyj68SIho02R7zmFda9sBDZsbHCEqLNVH_jm8/edit?usp=sharing

Dear Ram Family, As students are arriving back to school tomorrow morning, we understand and empathize with the fears and concerns that you may be having sending your child back to school. Our teams at each school have been planning for this arrival to ensure that our students are safe, secure, and supported after the tragedy that unfolded in Perry last week. We also want to provide you with some transparency regarding the conversations our teachers and staff will be having with students regarding the events and let students have the opportunity to share their thoughts. Our administrators, teachers, and staff will be having age appropriate conversations with students and they will touch on the following points in student’s homeroom (Base Camp or Advisory) classes: - Acknowledging the events and situation that occurred - Express our condolences for those who have been impacted - Empathy for the range of emotions that this will cause - Identify the actions being taken at the district level - Identify the actions being taken at the building level Jefferson Police will have officers present at all three schools throughout the week. They will be patrolling hallways, maintaining a presence at the buildings during most arrival and dismissal times, and be available to students and staff as needed. As a district, we will continue to partner with the Jefferson Police Department to investigate any inappropriate comments, actions, or social media posts that would cause a threat to school safety. Greene County Schools and the Jefferson Police Department are being vigilant to ensure safety at our schools and within our community. Inappropriate comments or posts we have been made aware of at this time have been thoroughly investigated and deemed not credible by both the Jefferson Police and County Magistrate. We want to formally extend our gratitude to the Jefferson Police Department for their willingness and preparedness for our students and schools. All staff will be practicing our Lockdown drill on Monday during the early release Professional Development time to ensure that these drills, processes, and procedures are effective.  As a district, we will then be organizing a district-wide lockdown drill, including all students, with communication coming to all families with more specifics on the date and time as to when that will happen.  Lastly, our High School Student Council invites all Greene County Schools to participate in a unified showing of support for the students, staff, and community of Perry. We are encouraging all of our students and staff to wear blue in support of Perry on Monday, January 8th. Again, we want to thank you in partnering with our schools to ensure that we can make this a safe return back to school. Please reach out to the building administrators with any additional questions you may have. Thank you, Brett Abbotts, Superintendent Greene County Community School District

Good afternoon Ram Families, In the wake of the events that took place in Perry, I wanted to take some time and communicate what the Greene County Community School District has done recently to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff, and schools. Our belief is that before any child is able to learn, they must be safe. We also believe that you, as parents, family members, and community members should know what the school district is doing to provide a safe and secure environment for your children, grandchildren, relatives, neighbors, and friends. In November of 2022, an assessment was completed in each building by the Department of Homeland Security to determine key points that needed to be reinforced and secured. Our district immediately applied for and received $150,000 for our buildings through Governor Reynolds’ School Safety and Security grant. This allowed us to spend $50,000 per school on safety and security improvements. These funds, along with additional funds through our Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL) were put to use in the following ways: Elementary: Installation of cameras in the gym, library, and cafeteria; guest access system in the front office, video door entry at the front of the school; badge-only access to all exterior doors; auto-communication with local law enforcement; emergency lockdown access from the main office Middle School: Installation of cameras on the south side of the school; guest access system in the front office, video door entry at the front of the school; badge-only access to all exterior doors; auto-communication with local law enforcement; emergency lockdown access from the main office High School: Installation of cameras in the south parking lot and south egress stairwell; additional security cameras in the main hallway; video door entry at the north and south entrances of the school; badge-only access to all exterior doors; auto-communication with local law enforcement; emergency lockdown access from the main office In the next two weeks, our elementary and middle schools will be having new, reinforced door handles with more secure and interior locking mechanisms included. These door handles are the best on the market, will allow our teachers to immediately lock doors from the inside of the classroom, and keep students safe. Furthermore, each school building is in the process of reviewing, revamping, and practicing the processes and procedures that are within each of their Emergency Operations Plans to put safety at the forefront of the conversation for our students, staff, and schools. Our principals and building leadership teams have done a tremendous job already and I know that they are going to continue this work each and every day. Lastly, our staff will be on high alert with a strong presence at entrances and exits of our buildings, standing in the available thresholds of their classrooms while monitoring students in the hallway, and be on the lookout for any activity that might be suspicious. While these are actions that all of our staff members take on a daily basis, we will reinforce the supervision and coverage. We want to thank you for partnering with each of our schools and our district to ensure the safety and security of all of our schools. It is extremely important to us that we provide a safe and secure environment for our students every day. Thank you, Brett Abbotts, Superintendent Greene County Community School District

Greene County Middle School hosted a talent show this morning in the middle school auditorium. The event was recorded and has been uploaded the district's YouTube page. Use the link below to watch our talented students and staff perform. What an absolutely awesome event! Great job to everyone involved. https://youtu.be/dv_dz9fORnU?si=LOP7XrtKjylhHAho

Dear GCMS Families, As we approach the end of the year, I want to take a moment to extend warm holiday greetings to you and your families. The holiday season is a time for reflection, gratitude, and togetherness, and I hope this message finds you surrounded by the love and joy that this special time of year brings. As we take a break to celebrate the holidays and recharge for the new year ahead, let's cherish the moments spent with loved ones and reflect on the achievements and growth we've witnessed in our students. Middle school is a crucial time in their development, and your partnership in fostering a positive and nurturing environment contributes significantly to their academic and personal progress. On behalf of the entire Greene County Middle School staff, I want to express our deepest appreciation for your dedication, involvement, and enthusiasm. May this holiday season bring you joy, peace, and wonderful memories. Wishing you a Happy Holiday season and a Happy New Year! Warm regards, Cara Osborne Principal Greene County Middle School

Just a reminder that tomorrow is a 2 hour early dismissal. GCMS students will be dismissed at 1:25. Students will return on Monday, January 8th. Our last Holiday Spirit Day is Grinch vs. Santa. We are wrapping up the week of festivities with our student talent show. This is just for our students, parents are not allowed to attend. We are working to possibly video record it and share it out after the completion of the event. Ms. Osborne GCMS Principal

Reminder: Families can apply for free and/or reduced lunch benefits at any time during the school year. You may apply through your Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Paper applications are also available in building offices. The National School lunch program requires that each meal includes 3-5 different components to qualify. Please note, if your child only takes a milk this does not qualify for the program and the child's account will be charged. The price of milk only is $.40

Holiday Spirit Week Day 9- Run Run Rudolph! Wear your workout gear!

And the winners of the Guess How Many are.....8th graders Collin Russell and Breanna Pope!! Collin guessed 158 and hit the number right on! Breanna guessed 350 and the actual number was 330! Great job Collin and Breanna! Stay tuned for our Holiday Door Decorating Contest!

Last 5 days of Holiday Spirit week! Monday- Pajama Day Tuesday- Workout Clothes Wednesday- Red & White Thursday- Crazy Hair Friday- Grinch Vs. Santa **Remember we will run a 2 hour early dismissal on Friday, December 22nd**