Make-A-Difference Food Drive
The GMS Student Council is sponsoring the Annual Make-A-Difference Food Drive to benefit the Litchfield Food Pantry. Please send non-perishable items into school between Monday, November 13 through Tuesday, November 21 to participate. For more information, including a list of needed items, click here. The GMS Student Council thanks you in advance for your support!
AI Questionnaire - parents
Litchfield School District is working to promote proper use of generative AI for staff, and eventually students, through curriculum, instruction, and professional development. We are examining how AI could be used to support, not replace, current practices. We are actively seeking feedback from the community and appreciate your time and insights. This Google Form is designed to collect information about community use of AI.
Generative Artificial Intelligence is artificial intelligence that can produce new, original content (images, text, and other media) based on a set of data and existing patterns. Examples of generative AI include, but are not limited to: ChatGPT, Bard, Canva, Google AutoDraw, Google Workspace, etc. Please take a moment to complete the questionnaire HERE.
SAVE THE DATE! THE SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR WILL BE AT GMS DECEMBER 4TH-8TH DURING LIBRARY CLASSES WITH A FAMILY EVENT THURSDAY, DEC. 7TH 3:30-7:00.
More information will be sent home, but you can also go to the school's book fair website by clicking here: book fair website
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED TO MAKE THE BOOK FAIR RUN! Please sign up here if you can help out: book fair volunteer sign up
To help you plan accordingly, here is the class schedule:
Mon., Dec. 4 Morning: Smith, Kazangian; Afternoon: Beach, Elliot
Tues., Dec. 5 Morning: Levesque, Minervini, Leary; Afternoon: Sweetser
Wed., Dec. 6 Morning: LaPlante, Allen, Ashe; Afternoon: Webster, Adamakos
Thurs., Dec. 7 Morning: Patten, Quimby; Afternoon: Doucette, Hall
Fri., Dec. 8 Morning: Sibona, Mic, Cohen; Afternoon: Anctil, Gould
CALLING ALL CREATIVE MINDS
The Finding Nemo Jr. production is looking for help with designing, painting and constructing set pieces, props and costumes please complete this form if your student is interested: https://forms.gle/6RqVqcPqYKy8gjAf9 Meeting dates will be 11/15, 11/28, 12/5, 12/13 from 3:00pm-4:15pm Contact Kristin Starrett, our art teacher if you have questions kstarrett@litchfieldsd.org
News from the SAU/ Superintendent
News from the PTO
Polar Express
Come join us for dinner and our own private showing at Chunky’s in Manchester! Tickets went live on Wednesday November 15th and spaces are filling up fast! The showing for Wednesday, December 6th is currently full but the WAITLIST is available here. This will not reserve tickets for you but will put you on the waitlist should tickets become available for this date. Please DO NOT make payment if you choose this method until you receive notification that tickets are available. Limited tickets available for Thursday, December 7th! Please reserve using this link - waitlist will happen when we have reached a maximum capacity.
Holiday Store
The planning committee is happy to announce the Holiday Store will be open the week of December 11th. The holiday shop is open to K-4 GMS students where they can shop for their family this holiday season (more information will soon be announced). If you would like to volunteer at the store you can sign up now; however we will not know when teachers are shopping until after Thanksgiving. Please reach out to Jen Ireland at jen17c@hotmail.com with any questions.
December PTO meeting
Please join us for our next meeting on Tuesday, December 12th at 6:30pm via Zoom. A link will be provided as we get closer to the date. We hope you will join us as we hear updates from Mr. Mitchell and Mrs. Clinton-Jones as well as updates about the PTO events and happenings!
Monthly Newsletter - November
Be sure to read our monthly newsletters where we will highlight important dates and upcoming events, and we'll introduce you to our Executive Board and Coordinators.
Calling all Fourth Grade Families
Please take a moment to verify you have filled out and signed the Permissions/Agreements form in PowerSchool for your student.
- Go to https://litchfieldsd.powerschool.com/public/
- Navigate to your fourth grader's name in the top left corner
- Click "Forms" in the left navigation bar
- Click the "All Forms" tab
- Click the "Permissions/Agreements" form, fill it out completely, sign, and submit
This is required for your student to appear in the yearbook. Thank you for your time.
Attention all GMS Volunteers
For the 2022-2023 the GMS community volunteered over 2300 hours!! We'd like to keep track of volunteer hours again this year. We are currently using a Google form to track. Please be sure to enter any time you may have spent volunteering this school year. Some examples include baking for the back to school breakfast bash, volunteering in the library, planning/coordinating an event, shopping for items to donate, etc. Thank you to our volunteers for all that you do!
Ski Club
Calling all school ski club parents and students! 2024 sign ups are live! On the day NH received its first snowfall atop Mt. Washington, now is the time to think snow! This year we will be doing all three schools at Pat's Peak, grades 1-12 Friday nights 1/5-2/2.
GMS Lessons: 5:30pm
Sign up here: https://www.patspeak.com/plan-your-visit/lessons-rentals/learn-to-ski-ride-program/
code: GMS2024
2024 Rates:
Lift Only: $185
Lift/Rental: $260
Lift/Lessons: $285
Lift/Lessons/Rental: $360
Waiver to pick up pass in December:
https://forms.gle/ogQgkUYiUuUJecdn8
Please feel free to reach out to the coordinators below with any questions
Melissa Feeley - mkfeeley@gmail.com
Brian Stafford - brian.s.stafford@gmail.com
News from the Community
LRBL MESSAGE
The Litchfield Recreational Basketball League (LRBL) is excited to announce registration for the 2023-2024 Recreational, Instructional, and Lil' Dribblers season is now open for boys and girls in grades 1 through 8. Additionally, we are seeking interested Coach candidates to apply. For more information about each program and details about the schedules please visit www.lrbl.net. Register Today: https://shorturl.at/BZ035.
Questions can be emailed to lrblboard@gmail.com
Repeated News/ Long Term Info to Know
To help you organize and plan for this year, we have created a list of all of our intended Spirit Days. We will remind you as they get closer, but in order to prevent the scramble that sometimes comes with these days, we hope to give you as much time as possible to prepare. The days can be found HERE. These flyers are also available on our Facebook and Instagram pages for your reference.
School and District Text Messaging
You can take advantage of our Text Messaging Service. Our school utilizes the SchoolMessenger
system to deliver text messages, straight to your mobile phone with important information about events, school closings, safety alerts and more. You can participate in this free service* just by sending a text message of “Y” or “Yes” to our school’s short code number, 67587.
You can also opt out of these messages at any time by simply replying to one of our messages with “Stop”.
SchoolMessenger is compliant with the Student Privacy PledgeTM, so you can
rest assured that your information is safe and will never be given or sold to anyone.
End 68 Hours of Hunger and the Litchfield School District 2023-2024
The End 68 Hours of Hunger Program and Litchfield Schools are pleased to inform you about a free, confidential food program which provides students with meals from Friday after school until they return to school on Monday morning. If meeting the weekend nutritional needs of your child is challenging at this time, we would like to help meet that need. All food is non-perishable and easy to prepare. If your child has any food allergies, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate this need. Nut products are included for those who are not allergic, but children are informed that they are not to open the bags until a parent can review the contents.
Each week, bags containing food will be provided to students at school. Students will bring the bag home on the bus or by whatever mode of transportation they have at the end of the day. If you prefer, parents may pick up the bag at school.
If you’d like to sign up for the program or need additional information, please contact Taryn Staples, School Social Worker, at tstaples@litchfieldsd.org.
Hannaford Helps
Do you shop at Hannaford? If you do then please help Hannaford support GMS by just doing your regular grocery shopping!!
Shopping In-Store
SHOP – Look for shelf tags on over 1,500 participating products.
CHECK OUT – Collect your School Dollars from an associate at checkout.
DEPOSIT – Drop your School Dollars in the Hannaford Helps Schools collection tower in-store.
Hannaford To Go
SHOP – Look for the apple icon on over 1,500 products online.
CHECK OUT – Receive your School Dollars with your receipt.
DEPOSIT – Drop your School Dollars in the Hannaford Helps Schools collection tower in-store, or send them to school with your child.
Morning Drop Off Procedures
During the morning drop off, both buses and cars will utilize the big loop. As vehicles pull in please pull as far forward until all cars have stopped. Then you can let your child out of the car. Please then wait until the cars in front of you move before pulling forward. Please DO NOT pass a stopped car or stop at the front door if there is space in front to pull forward. We also ask that you avoid parking in the parking lot and walking your child to the door, this adds pedestrian traffic to car traffic. Our attempt is to make this a safe and fluid process. We understand that some back ups do occur, but this procedure ensures safety of all and limits the length of any delay.
Pick Up Procedures
Those utilizing parent pick up are asked to fill in the large loop at the designated time. Please have the colored pick up slips that were sent home, as these act as verification for our staff. If you arrive early for your designated time, you will be directed to a waiting line in the parking lot until your group time.
Pink Group (Last Names A-G): 2:45
Yellow Group (Last Names H-O) 2:52
Blue Group (Last Names P-Z) 3:00
Buses: 3:10 targeted departure
Absence Reporting Email
The GMS office now has a dedicated email address to use to report your child tardy or absent: GMSabsences@litchfieldsd.org. You can also find it on the Griffin Memorial School homepage, on the top, left side under “ABSENCES”.
When you send an email please include the following information:
*Child’s first and last name
*Teacher
*Reason for absence
If you would prefer to leave a voicemail message when your child is absent or tardy you are still welcome to call 424-5931 and then hit “2” when you hear the automated message. Please remember to include the above information in the voice message.
Please note that when you email or leave a voice message saying that your child “will be out” then the absence is recorded as unexcused. Please tell us the reason for the absence so it is documented correctly.
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