Good evening Githens families,
I hope you had an amazing weekend. Please review this email in its entirety for our weekly updates at Githens.
Calendar
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.
Tuesday - Friday October 28th - October 31st is Spirit Week
End of the Quarter/Spirit Week
The first quarter of the school year will end on Friday, October 24th. Our tradition at Githens is to host a Spirit Week to celebrate the End of the Quarter! Please see the Spirit Week Flyer HERE. It will also be posted on our GMS website. Students will be allowed to wear costumes on Friday, Oct. 31st but props including masks, head coverings, fake weapons, etc are prohibited. Please support our staff and ensure these items stay at home.
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.
School Dance
The GMS PTA will host a Harvest Dance on Friday, November 21st. In order to attend, students must have no disciplinary major referrals from Monday October 20th to Friday November 21st. Please review our GMS Dance Policy HERE. Students will receive a copy of the permission slip during report card distribution. Also, our GMA PTA would love to have your support and help with the Dance. Please use the Sign up Genius to volunteer.
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
The Raiders will take on the Rams of Rogers-Herr in a Semifinal Conference Game. More information coming soon.
Cross Country:
The Cross Country team will compete in the DPS Championship Meet. The meet will be held at Jordan High School on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 at 5:15pm.
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 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.
Download from the Google Play Store
Community Events:
None at this time.
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 - Mr. France interim for Mrs. Major
Raiders, let’s make it an amazing week!