GothaMiddle School

Welcome to Gotha Middle School!

Update - Week of 9/16/2024

Hello Gotha Families!

Congratulations to Jayce Grisby, our Cambridge Learner Attribute Student of the Week.  Jayce was nominated for being a RESPONSIBLE student and friend.  Keep up the great work, Jayce!

This week is Start with Hello Week.  The mission of Sandy Hook Promise is to educate and empower youth and adults to prevent violence in schools, homes, and communities. The idea is that by simply saying hello to someone and promoting kindness, students will feel less isolated.  We want all kids to know they are part of our Gotha family, and we are here to support them.  To celebrate, we are having a Spirit Week to bring us all together!

     Monday - BBQ Dad or Soccer Mom Day - Dress for the grill or for the field.
     Tuesday - Decades Day - 6th grade/80s; 7th grade/90s; 8th grade/2000s
     Wednesday - Gotha Spirit Day - It’s all about the purple and teal! Bear bucks for kids in Gotha        Gear!
     Thursday - Be the Light Day - Dress in neon colors. 
     Friday - Adventure Awaits - Dress up for your future college or career.

As part of Start with Hello Week, we will be participating in Resiliency Day on Tuesday.  Students will work through a 30-minute, student-facing Canvas lesson that promotes resiliency and mental health. The lessons will cover recognition of signs and symptoms of mental health concerns, coping strategies and life skills, and awareness of local school and community resources and the process for accessing assistance, as mandated by the State of Florida.  For more information, please review the OCPS Required Life SKills and Resiliency Instruction resources.  We will be on an altered bell schedule.  Students will participate in the Resiliency Day lessons at the conclusion of 6th period.

Our Scholastic Book Fair will be going on starting Monday September 16th through Friday September 20th. Consider setting up an eWallet for your student, so that they do not need to bring cash to school. The book fair will be open for shopping before school, during lunches, and after school until 4:30. Please stop by the bookfair and shop with your student during Open House on Tuesday evening. Click on the following link for a book fair preview and to set up your student’s eWallet!  https://www.scholastic.com/bf/gothamiddleschool1

Our Fall Open House will be Tuesday September 17th from 5:30 - 7:30.  Unlike Meet the Teacher, this is an opportunity to see what your student has been doing in their classes.  Teachers will be highlighting student learning through the first five weeks.  Our PTO will also be on campus promoting membership and selling Spirit Wear.  Before or after Open House, please plan to stop by Huey Magoo’s on W. Colonial Dr. from 6:00 - 9:00 for our first Spirit Night.  (Our NYPD Pizza Spirit Night has been moved to 9/26.)

LITERACY FOCUS OF THE WEEK
We have a school wide focus on literacy across all content areas.  In Language Arts, students will be learning about Greek and Latin roots weekly and we will be encouraging their use in all classes.  Here are this week’s roots so you can help at home!  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!

SCHOOL WIDE EXPECTATIONS
We have had an uptick in behaviors.  It was a testing week, which can cause some stress for students, however we want them all to understand that making choices that are violations of the code of student conduct come with consequences.  Please remind your student about appropriate school behaviors.   We want all Grizzlies to have fun and be kind to one another each and every day.  The OCPS Code of Student Conduct can be found here.  

Our first incentive day is the Rock Your School Rally on September 27th.  Students who have received a referral in quarter one may not attend.  This is going to be an EPIC event as we are partnering with Get Your Teach On, a national organization that supports teacher and student engagement.  This rally will close out Rock Your School Week, a week where teachers across the country take the time to create an educational experience by doing something different for their students.  There will be national and local media as well as celebrities, contests, games, and prizes.  

THIS WEEK AT THE SCHOOL
Monday 9/16 - Soccer @ HOME vs. Westridge MS 5:30
Tuesday 9/17 - Resiliency Day - Altered Bell Schedule; ESOL Parent Meeting 4:30 - 5:30 (Media Center); Open House 5:30 - 7:30
Wednesday 9/18 - Gotha Spirit Day - PURPLE and TEAL; SAC Meeting 4:30 - 5:00; Soccer AWAY @ Windy Ridge (at Chain of Lakes MS)
Thursday 9/19 -
Friday 9/20 - 

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:

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 $35 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!

ATHLETICS
Aktivate Athlete Registration Guide/Tutorial- English Click Here
Aktivate Athlete Registration Guide/Tutorial- Spanish Click Here
Athletic Physical Packet Click Here

Deadline Dates for completed Athletic Packet submitted
Volleyball- Deadline is October 3rd @ 11:59 P.M.
Basketball- Deadline is January 3rd @ 11:59 P.M.
Track- Deadline is February 27th @ 11:59 P.M.
Contact Info: [email protected]

http://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)