The bus routes were updated today, Aug. 23. Please make sure you recheck your child's bus route on the GMS website for any changes.
Back to School Paperwork
Back to School forms are available and need to be completed on the portal. These forms MUST be filled out EVERY YEAR
Here is a link to the PowerSchool Parent Portal
Here is a link to the Portal Quick Reference Guide
Chromebook insurance can now be paid through Titan (same for lunch) or by check (Please add student name and "CB Fee" on check memo so that it is applied to proper student)
Gr 1-4 Chromebook usage fee is $5
Gr 5-12 Chromebook insurance fee is $20 and free/reduced is $10
Girls on the Run at GMS
We believe that every girl is inherently full of power and potential. As the leaders of their lives, these are the girls that will change the world.
At Girls on the Run, we inspire girls to recognize their inner strength and celebrate what makes them one of a kind. Each session is led by trained volunteer coaches who guide and mentor the girls through dynamic discussions, activities and running games. Lessons are fun and engaging and teach specific skills and strategies such as how to manage emotions, help others, make intentional decisions, and resolve conflict. Girls can then use these strategies at home, at school and with friends. The program culminates with all participants walking or running a celebratory 5K event, which gives them a tangible sense of accomplishment, as well as a framework for setting and achieving life goals.
The 8-week program is for girls in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades of all fitness abilities.
Practice Times: Mondays and Wednesdays 3:00 - 4:30 PM
Start Date: September 16
Location: Griffin Memorial School
5K Celebration Event: November 16 (Concord, NH)
To learn more about Girls on the Run, registration or financial assistance, please visit our website:
https://www.girlsontherunnh.org/
No girl will be turned away for financial reasons.
GOTR-NH is a 501© 3 organization. Contact Rachel Maynard: 603-778-1389
News from the PTO
PTO Forms
Friendly reminder, please be sure to fill out the following forms by September 6th:
Please note the directory will NOT be posted on Facebook - only those who sign up will be emailed a link. For those who fill out the forms by September 1st, your name will be entered into a raffle to win one of 3 gift cards to Lix!
GMS Back to School Family Fun Night
Join us on Saturday, September 7th as the Fisher Cats take on the vs. Portland Seadogs. First pitch at 6:35pm. Exclusive on the field experience for GMS students! Please click here for tickets and more information!
Pumpkin Festival Planning Meeting
The 7th annual Pumpkin Festival is scheduled for Friday, October 25th from 6pm - 8pm. Join us for the first planning meeting on Monday, September 9th at 6pm via Zoom. We'd love your help as we plan a fun night for the GMS community!
First PTO Meeting of the School Year
Please join us for our first meeting on Tuesday, September 10th at 6:30pm via Zoom. Come meet the board and learn about the PTO! At this meeting we will be reviewing the dates for the upcoming year and voting on the proposed budget. A link will be provided on the PTO FB page (GMS PTO NH 2024-2025). We look forward to seeing you!
Griffy Store
The first Griffy Store of the year is right around the corner on Friday, 9/27. The store will open outside during recess with a variety of items for the students to shop for 2 items (e.g. educational tools, classroom supplies, and more). Inventory forms will be sent home with students prior to the store opening, but can also be found here. To keep the store running we need VOLUNTEERS during recess times. Please consider volunteering for one of the slots. You can sign-up here!
Monthly Newsletters - September
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.
**All of this information and more may be found on our Facebook Page: GMS PTO NH 2024-2025.**
News from the Community
9/14 is CHS Football's Crucial Catch game (11am vs Sanborn), in which they honor individuals living with cancer, those lost to cancer and raise money to support the American Cancer Society and their cancer prevention efforts. There are two ways GMS and LMS families can participate:
Halftime Contest: Elementary and Middle School students (1st-8th grades) are invited to participate in a fun half-time Punt, Pass, Kick competition with prizes from Mel’s Funway! Signup up beforehand is recommended since space is limited. Here’s the signup for the Punt, Pass, Kick Contest
Honoring Cancer Survivors: Cancer survivors in our community will be honored by inviting them to be on the field for the playing of the national anthem. If GMS or LMS families/staff have a relative, friend or neighbor that you would like to recognize please fill out the brief form to be added to our honoree list. (The National Cancer Institute defines a cancer survivor as a person from the time of diagnosis through the balance of life.)
There will also be a memorial football wall and a bakesale to add to the fundraising efforts. Crucial Catch is a partnership with the NFL and the American Cancer Society. Crucial Catch's mission is to fight cancer through early detection and risk reduction. https://crucialcatch.cancer.org/
Registration is now open for Litchfield Basketball Travel Try-Outs and Recreational Programs.
Travel Try-Outs are open to our 3rd-8th grade girls and boys. Players must be registered to try-out by October 4th. For more information and to Register to try-out visit here: https://lrbl.sportngin.com/register/form/170843416 *Try-outs will take place the week of October 7th*
Recreational Registration is open for girls and boys in PreK-8th grade. Please register by November 1, 2024.
Lil' Dribbler and Instructional (grades PreK-2), please register here: https://lrbl.sportngin.com/register/form/803938347
Recreational Program (3rd thru 8th), please register here: https://lrbl.sportngin.com/register/form/707497105 . We are exploring league options for this program and need players to register by 11/1/24.
Our programs are made possible by volunteer Coaches, interested volunteers must express interest here: https://lrbl.sportngin.com/register/form/691146723
For more information about our programs please visit our website at www.lrbl.net, e-mail the board at lrblboard@gmail.com, or visit our social media page here.
We look forward to seeing you back on the courts soon!
Calling all soccer families!!! Fall recreation soccer and cubs registration is open until August 25th. Each child that is registered before the August 25th deadline is guaranteed to be placed on a team. Registrations after the deadline will incur an additional $10 late charge per player. These players are not guaranteed to be placed on a team and will be added as long as there are available places.
For more information about our programs please visit: https://litchfieldyouthsoccer.com .
To register go to https://system.gotsport.com/programs/45G439506?reg_role=player .
Please email lysl.rec@gmail.com with questions.
Repeated News/ Long Term Info to Know
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-E): 2:45
Yellow Group (Last Names F-N) 2:52
Blue Group (Last Names O-Z) 3:00
Buses: 3:10 targeted departure
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.
Absence Reporting
At Litchfield School District, one of our greatest priorities is ensuring that all our students arrive safely at school each and every day.
To enhance our existing absence-checking procedure, we are introducing a new, more efficient student absence reporting system called SafeArrival. This new system will reduce the time it takes to verify student attendance, make it easy for you to report your child’s absence and easy for staff to respond to unexplained student absences.
With SafeArrival, you are asked to report your child’s absence in advance using any of these 3 convenient methods:
Using your mobile device, download and install the SchoolMessenger app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store (or from the links at https://go.schoolmessenger.com). The first time you use the app, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.
Use the SafeArrival website, https://go.schoolmessenger.com. The first time you use the website, select Sign Up to create your account. Select Attendance then Report an Absence.
Call the toll-free number 1-833-516-0370 to report an absence using the automated phone system.
These options are available 24 hours/day, 7 days a week. Future absences can be reported at any time.
In addition, we will use the SchoolMessenger Communicate automated notification system to contact parents whose child is absent when the absence was not reported in advance. The automated notification system will attempt to contact parents at multiple contact points until a reason is submitted for the absence. If our system is unable to reach the designated contacts, office staff will follow up.
If you report your child’s absence in advance using the SafeArrival toll-free number, website or mobile app, you will NOT receive these notifications.
Starting March 4, when we return from Vacation, please report absences in advance using SafeArrival instead of sending notes or calling/emailing the school.
Starting March 4, staff will begin using the SafeArrival notifications to let you know if your student is absent (when you haven’t reported the absence in advance).
Thank you for your patience and cooperation as we implement this new system.
***Please Note that Sign Up may not be available until early next week***
SafeArrival Sign Up
SafeArrival FAQs
SafeArrival Report an Absence
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