GothaMiddle School

Welcome to Gotha Middle School!

Update - Week of 3/10/2025

Hello Gotha Families!

Congratulations to our Cambridge Learner Attribute Students of the Week, Ja’leyah Hunter, nominated for being engaged, Sophia Gomes Cardosa, nominated for also being engaged, and Isabella Bencomo for being reflective.  

There are only four days left in this 3rd quarter!  Please make sure your student is working to make up any missing assignments that will still be accepted by their teachers.  Remember our 3rd quarter incentive day is Thursday and students may only participate if they have no referrals this quarter and no missing assignments.

Our 8th grade Dance was a huge success on Saturday evening!  Thank you to Jussara Tidwell, Danielle Guzman and their PTO committee members for putting together such a wonderful evening for our kids!  Congratulations to our 8th grade superlative winners as well. Those students will be featured in our 2024-25 yearbook!

If your student is a car rider, please remember that they must be picked up by 4:30pm.  There is no supervision outside past that time.  Our car line is moving steadily by 4:15 so there is no reason to delay pick up.  If you cannot pick your student up by 4:30, please enroll them in the YMCA After School Zone.  The program is free of cost and there is adult supervision. 

Motorized scooters have become a popular mode of transportation for many students in Orange County. To ensure compliance with safety and regulations, please read this Guide to Mopeds, Gopeds, Pocket Bikes, and Motorized Scooters. 

8th Grade Gradventure is May 16, 2025 from 4pm – midnight (buses will depart from the school immediately after dismissal).  Tickets are $140 (this includes tickets to both parks, a meal, shirt, and transportation) and will be on sale 3/1/25 – 3/28/25 via SchoolPay only. You can click HERE to make a payment.  If you have any questions, please let us know or contact Ms. Bellamy @ [email protected]. 

LITERACY FOCUS OF THE WEEK
Here are this week’s roots.  Make sure your student knows that if they find me and use a root in a word and can tell me what the root means, they can get a Bear Buck!  Several students have been taking advantage of this opportunity to show what they know!  

SCHOOL WIDE EXPECTATIONS
Students did MUCH better last week with adhering to our expectations for mutual respect and kindness.  Please continue to remind your student that disrespect is in the OCPS Code of Student Conduct (written or oral language, or gestures that lacks regard, civility, politeness, and/or courteous consideration towards a student, OCPS employee, volunteer, or contracted personnel) and can range from a level one infraction to a level three infraction if the behavior is repeated.  Consequences can range from parent contact, detention, PASS or even up to 10 days of out of school suspension.  We have started issuing referrals, and will continue to do so.   It is important to remind students that respect is two ways, and respectful behavior is always the expectation.  

As always, the code of conduct can be found here. 

THIS WEEK AT THE SCHOOL
It’s SPRING SPIRIT WEEK!

Monday 3/10 - Algebra & Geometry, Science and Civics 3rd Quarter PMA (in class)
Tuesday 3/11 - Algebra & Geometry, Science and Civics 3rd Quarter PMA (in class)
Wednesday 3/12 -
Thursday 3/13 - 3rd Quarter Incentive Day - periods 5-7
Friday 3/14 - NO SCHOOL/ Teacher Work Day

As a reminder, next week is Spring Break!  The school will be closed. We will see everyone back on Monday March 24th!   

Follow us on social media, as we post frequently to Facebook and Instagram.  Encourage your student to make choices that are confident, responsible, reflective, innovative and engaged, and as always, it’s a GREAT day to be a Grizzly!

Monica L. Emery
Principal
Gotha Middle School 

2024 LipDub!

Facebook - Gotha Middle School

Instagram - gotha_middle_school

Reminders:

Beanstack Challenge
Don’t forget to have your student join us for our Beanstack county-wide reading challenge, Let's Read, OCPS, which runs from January 27 to April 30, 2025. Beanstack is a LaunchPad application that helps students read, track their reading, and participate in reading challenges and activities. Help us reach our district goal of reading 20 million minutes by logging your minutes in Beanstack.  Our hope is to increase student reading engagement by encouraging every student to read 500 minutes.  As you enjoy reading throughout these months, students can earn virtual Beanstack badges and be entered to win special prizes.

FORTIFY FL APP
FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials. Students have access to the app through LaunchPad. 

WHO’S WHO
Need to know who to contact with questions?  Check out our Who’s Who for 2024-25.  

SCHOOL COUNSELORS
Ms. Soper - 6th grade and 7th grade A-K
Ms. Lewis - 7th grade L-Z and 8th grade

TALKING POINTS
Instructions on how to get the app can be found below.

English
Spanish
Portuguese 
Haitian Creole 

PARKING
When you come on campus, you may see some beautifully decorated parking spaces!  As part of a fundraiser, some staff members have purchased a spot.  We appreciate your effort to not park in any labeled, blocked off or painted parking spot.  

YEARBOOKS
Yearbooks are already on sale and can be purchased for $40 on our school website by clicking on “Students” and then “Yearbook”.  Ads can also be purchased for 8th grade Grizzlies for an additional charge.  You can reach out to Mrs. Miller at [email protected] if you have any questions.

GOTHA PTO
I encourage all of you to join our WONDERFUL Gotha PTO.  With our PTO, you can choose your level of involvement, but it’s a GREAT way to always be in the know with all things Gotha.  Go to https://gothapto.ptboard.com/home to register.  You can also purchase Spirit Wear for your student.  Every Wednesday is Gotha Spirit Day and we encourage all things purple and teal!

www.ocps.net

 Office Hours
8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m., Mon-Fri

School Hours
9:30a.m. - 4:04p.m. (MTRF)
9:30a.m. - 2:54p.m. (W)