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Principal Update 11/27

Good evening Githens Raiders! This is Dr. Lanier with a brief message for the week! Please listen carefully to all details!

On Friday, December 2 from 6 pm to 8 pm, Githens scholars can return to school for our first dance of the school year. Please note, the dance is for Githens Middle School scholars only. Concessions will be sold and scholars can also bring home memories of the event in the photo booth! All scholars are required to have a ride home on campus by 7:45 pm in the bus parking lot, located off SW Durham Drive. Please remind your scholars to always follow the Raider Way in being respectful and responsible at the school dance. We look forward to seeing our Raiders there!

From Monday, December 5 to Friday December 9, Githens will be running a Food Drive for Urban Ministries of Durham. Your scholar can drop off canned food donations in the front lobby in the morning. We hope to show our Durham community how much Githens Raiders give back to their community. Please look for a flier for additional information.

Scholars will take district required mid-year benchmark assessments on Thursday, December 8 through Monday, December 12. Tuesday, December 13 will be our make up day. Please mark these dates on your calendar and ensure that your scholar is on time for school at 8:30. We want to support our scholars in doing their best on their benchmarks so they can show what they know!

The following is a list of performances and locations from the Fine Arts Department:

Band 12/12 at 7 pm @ Jordan High School Auditorium
Chorus 12/14 at 7 pm @ Githens Gym
Drama 12/15 at 6:15 pm @ Githens Theater
Orchestra 12/19 at 7 pm @ Jordan High School Auditorium

Student artwork will be displayed throughout the various performances and venues.

Our annual Give to Githens fundraising campaign ends this Tuesday and we are very close to reaching our $12,000 goal. If you haven't already, this will be your last chance to donate. No amount is too small, EVERY donation helps. For more information, please see the links in the email that accompanies this phone message.

A reminder that The Encore! afterschool program still has space to serve students. The program operates Monday through Thursday from 3:30-5:30 pm at Githens. The program is open to all scholars for a small fee or you may choose to take advantage of a “free” scholarship. This semester, scholars can get assistance with their homework from teachers, have access to robotics & STEM programming in addition to participating in fun, recreational activities. The program provides a daily snack and bus transportation is available if you live in the school’s transportation zone. For more information, go to www.dpsnc.net/afterschool or call the Community Education office at (919) 560-9488.

PowerSchool Parent Portal is the official source of student grade information and a convenient way for you to update your most current contact information. DPS has created step by step instructions, as well as video instructions, on how to access the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Use the link (https://www.dpsnc.net/Page/383) provided in the email that accompanies this voice message to navigate the setup process.

That’s all for now. Have a great week!

GIVE TO GITHENS:

Donate by clicking here, or send in a check/cash with your scholar (make checks payable to Githens Middle School PTA). Share the flier with your friends and family so they can donate, too! (English | Spanish)

Winter Sports Coaches/Information:

Boys Basketball

Thomas Hopkins - coacht0725@yahoo.com

Timothy Lee – Timothy_Lee@dpsnc.net

Girls Basketball

Shante Nelson – Shante_Nelson@dpsnc.net

Jazmin McMillan - jazzndserenity40@gmail.com

Wrestling

Charles Murrill – Charles_Murrill@dpsnc.net

Ultimate Frisbee Coordinator

Caroline Brickhouse – Caroline_Brickhouse@dpsnc.net

Ultimate Frisbee In-School Advisor