Good evening Githens families,
I trust that you are staying warm and safe during this inclement weather. Please review this email in its entirety for our weekly updates at Githens.
Calendar
Feb. 3rd - Feb. 6th - SPIRIT Week
Feb. 4th - Early Release
Feb. 12th - STEAM Night
Feb. 16th - Required Teacher Workday/No School for Scholars
Feb. 26th - Spring Lockdown Drill
School Closure 2/2
Tomorrow, Monday, February 2nd, Durham Public Schools will be closed to students and staff due to hazardous conditions caused by this weekend’s winter weather. All facilities will be closed and all activities and events are canceled.
Raider Store
The Githens Raider store is currently stocked. Thank you to everyone who donated! We appreciate your continued support.
Spirit Week
Spirit week is scheduled for this week, Feb. 3rd - Feb 6th. Review the flyer for Spirit Week HERE. Themes are chosen by our students to encourage more participation. We will reschedule Spirit Week if there are any additional closures due to inclement weather.
PTA Updates (Yearbook and Tax Letters)
2025–26 Yearbook - The PTA is excited to provide free yearbooks to all 8th graders! Yearbooks for 6th and 7th graders will be available for purchase at $25 each. Details on ordering—both online and in person—will be shared soon. Help make this yearbook special by uploading your event photos [here] and tagging them with the event name. Congratulations to 8th grader Molly Hehran for designing this year’s cover!
Donation Tax Letters - A HUGE thanks to everyone who supported the PTA last year. Tax letters for cash, check, or school store donations will be sent soon. If you donated online through the Give to Githens fundraising page, your tax letter was emailed at the time of donation (search for “hello@info.givebacks.com”). Can’t find it or have questions? Contact givetogithens@gmail.com.
ACCESS Testing
ACCESS testing window for our EL students will now begin the week of February 2nd and will continue until March 13th. Monday and Tuesday attendance is especially important for test completion.
STEAM Night
Just a friendly reminder that our STEAM Night has been rescheduled to Thursday, Feb. 12th. The flyer for the event can be found HERE.. This is an opportunity for scholars to engage in hands-on activities in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. We will also host our Middle School Night and welcome our upcoming 6th graders. We would love to see all of our Raiders, current and new, there!
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
Stay tuned for sports updates regarding rescheduling of games, matches, etc;.
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
Community Events
*DPS Evening to Shine - Tuesday Feb. 24th - More information to come.
Infinite Campus & Rooms Information
As we approach mid-January, we want to ensure that all parents and guardians are able to monitor their child’s academic progress. One of the best ways to stay informed is by regularly checking your child’s grades in Infinite Campus. If you have not yet created an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, please visit https://320.ncsis.gov/campus/portal/psu320durham.jsp to set up your login and begin accessing your child’s grades, attendance, and assignments. Currently, 55% of our families are actively using Infinite Campus, and we would love to see that number continue to grow. Your partnership plays a vital role in supporting student success, and staying connected is an important first step. Thank you for your continued support as we work together to help every student succeed.
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, please stay safe and warm and stay tuned for any updates regarding inclement weather. I hope to see you all on Tuesday.