Raider

Good evening Githens families,

I hope you had a cozy weekend. Please review this email in its entirety for our weekly updates at Githens. 

Calendar

Wednesday, October 14th is our monthly PTA meeting via Zoom at 7pm.

Tuesday, October 21st is Acceler8 for 8th grade students.

Friday, October 24th is the end of the 1st quarter.

Monday, October 27th is a Teacher Workday. There will be no school for scholars. 


End of the Quarter

The first quarter of the school year will end on Friday, October 24th. All make-up work for excused absences/illnesses will be accepted up until Friday October 17th. All other make-up work will adhere to the GMS Late Work Policy


Immunizations

Parents/Guardians of 7th grade scholars, please visit the immunization link listed HERE to ensure your scholar’s immunizations are up to date. There will be individual notifications sent home in the form of a letter for scholars that are impacted by this.


Raider Store

The Githens' Raider store is currently stocked. We will repost the Amazon Wishlist as needs arise for the store.


Acceler8

Acceler8 is a career exposition for ALL 8th grade students to learn about careers in the Durham community and the educational pathways to obtain those careers. The event will feature vendors representing local employers, colleges, non-profit organizations, and more! DPS’ 3rd annual Acceler8 Career Expo is Tuesday, October 21, 2025. 


Transportation (Carpool and Buses)

Carpool: 6th grade car riders are dismissed at 3:20pm followed by 7th grade car riders being dismissed at 3:30pm. No students will be dismissed between 3:00pm - 3:20pm and ALL carpool scholars must be picked up no later than 4:15pm daily. 

Buses: To help you stay informed, we encourage you to use the Edulog app to track your scholar’s bus and receive real-time updates about delays or changes. Transportation information and guidelines can be found HERE.  If you have any questions regarding buses, please contact Mr. Carter, james_carter@dpsnc.net. Thank you for your patience and support as we work to ensure safe and efficient transportation for all students


Athletics

Winter Sports Ticket to Play dates, Tryouts dates, and Sports Schedule will be shared in the near future. Please be on the lookout for that information.

Soccer/Volleyball: The Raiders will take on the Rams of Rogers-Herr, tomorrow on Monday, 10/13/25 at 4:45 pm at Rogers Herr.

Cross Country: The Cross Country team will take on the Lynxs of Lakewood and the Bulldogs of DSA at DSA on Tuesday, 10/14/25 at 4:45pm

Football: The Raiders will take on the Panthers of Shepard at Githens on Wednesday 10/15/25 at 4:45pm

Please see review the Guidelines for DPS Sporting Events Attendance

1. Clear One Bag Limit: Guests (spectators and students) will be limited to one bag that is clear plastic, vinyl, or PVC and less than 12" x 12"x 6” exceptions will be made for medical and baby needs. Guests must adhere to the Department of Athletics' clear bag policy. 

2. No Reentry: Spectators that voluntarily leave an athletic contest may not be allowed reentry into that contest. 

3. Elementary & Middle School Students: All elementary and middle school students must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when attending athletic competitions.

Tickets for Sporting Events can be purchased at GoFan. https://gofan.co/app/school/NC13663 

If you have any questions regarding athletics, please contact Mrs. Shlisa Stackhouse at shlisa_stackhouse@dpsnc.net or Mr. James Carter at james_carter@dpsnc.net 


Infinite Campus & Rooms Information

Beginning in the 2025-26 school year, Durham Public Schools is transitioning to a new student information system, NCSIS powered by Infinite Campus . This system will replace PowerSchool as your one-stop-shop for grades, attendance, and other important school information. Watch this video to preview the new system. You can stay connected via the Campus Parent app, which can be downloaded through the links below or by visiting the App Store or Google Play on your smartphone.

Download from the App Store

Download from the Google Play Store

This year, Durham Public Schools will launch a districtwide two-way messaging tool that will make communicating with families easier and more efficient. The new tool, called Rooms , is part of the same platform that runs the district website and app, which will integrate and streamline the process for teachers and district leaders to communicate with families. From now on, communication from our schools will all exist in one place: The DPS district app. Parents and guardians can also receive messages from their teachers via text and email or can check notifications via a web browser.

Learn more about Rooms.

Download from the App Store

Download from the Google Play Store


Community Events:

DPS 5K
Thank you to all of our families who came out to support the Bright Future 5K this morning! I truly enjoy running with you all! A special thanks to Dr. Barfield, Mrs. Jackson, Ms. Basile, and Ms. Klein for weathering the rain as well! 

Our goal at Githens is to keep a strong connection between home and school. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions or concerns.

For 6th grade inquires - Mr. Carter

For 7th grade inquires - Mr. Goble

For 8th grade inquires - Mrs. Major

Raiders, let’s make it the best week!