MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS

Happy October!  September was a jam packed month at the Middle School.  Hopefully everyone is back in the swing of the school routine.

September Highlights

It was so nice to see both new and familiar faces at Back to School night on Wednesday, September 10.  I am always in awe of the enthusiasm and dedication of our Middle School teachers and faculty.  I’m looking forward to a great academic year ahead.

It was great to see so many of you in person and virtually at our first PTA Meeting on Thursday, September 18.  We hope you found the presentations helpful and informative.  If you missed the meeting, you can find the meeting recording and minutes on the PTA Website.  The Middle School website also includes information on many of the programs that were discussed, specifically PaySchools and Parent Square and SchoolTool.  

Upcoming MS Events

The Middle School Beautification Committee is busy planning for the upcoming year!  If you are able to donate towards the purchase of decor for seasonal projects, please sign up here.  If you are interested in participating in Beautification Committee projects, you are welcome to reach out to me for more information - middleschool@gardencitypta.org.  

We hope you will join us for the first All-Schools PTA Meeting of the year which will take place on Wednesday, October 15th at 7:30 pm at the Middle School.

Unity Day is on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Have your child wear their unity day shirts or orange to school to show that we are united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion! 

We are so excited to welcome author Gordon Korman to the Middle School on Tuesday, October 28.  Our 6th graders have been reading his novel, Unplugged, in class.  We are thrilled that all our Middle School students will have the chance to hear him speak about his writing process, characters and motivations.

The 7th Grade Party is scheduled for Friday, November 7, 2025.  More information to come!  Stay tuned!

The annual Reflections contest is in full swing.  Reflections is a National PTA cultural arts program that encourages students to express their thoughts and feelings through creative arts. Students in all grades and abilities are encouraged to explore the annual theme through one of six categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, music composition, photography, and/or visual arts. This year's National PTA Reflections theme is "I Belong.”  The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, November 5, 2025. For more information, and to view past winners, click here.  Rules and entry form can be found here.  For middle school students submitting reflections projects in person, the box can be found right inside the main entrance to the Middle School.

Our next Middle School PTA meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 18 at 7 pm via zoom.  Our meeting will feature presentations from Dr. Martine Laventure and Dr. Eric Walter, who will lead us in a discussion on building empathy and acceptance with our children and give us strategies around addressing bullying.  

PTA Updates

I hope you will join me in supporting the PTA.  The PTA has supported your child from the time they entered Garden City Public Schools and will continue to support them through their senior year.  Your annual membership covers all the schools your children attend.  The Middle School membership numbers are lower than normal this year and we need your help in meeting our membership goals and ensuring we can continue funding programs for our students.  The simple and convenient way to become a member is to join PTA online. Please visit www.gardencitypta.org and join TODAY!   If you are unsure if you have joined this year, you can reach out to membership@gardencitypta.org to confirm.  In addition to the PTA, SEPTA provides support and funding for programs that benefit all Garden City students.  You can join SEPTA here. 

I sincerely thank you for your continued support of the PTA and I look forward to working with you this year.  Please feel free to contact me at middleschool@gardencitypta.org if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Tara Kelly

Middle School PTA Director

www.gardencitypta.org

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