Thursday Thriller, May 29, 2025

 Thursday Thriller
May 29, 2025

CELEBRATIONS

Our music students did a great job performing this week!!

Thank you to everyone who has shared your... um... items with Nicole and me. It’s been quite fun walking into our offices, looking around, and seeing what has been left behind for us! :D

Nicole and I asked Reggie and Nate to help us out by bringing the mannequins from the library to our offices.  I guess Reggie is helping.😬 I'm not sure what the hell he is doing.

NUTS-n-BOLTS

1.  Please make sure your iReady trackers are updated. These will decide if a student can participate in Activity Day. If students have questions, we’ll send them your way. My goal is for each student to know whether or not they can participate.

2.   8th Graders with F's:

• Communication and progress reports have been sent to these students.

• The school has offered before and after school support.

• Many of you have dedicated your lunch time or offered additional appointments before and after school to help students.

• Jennifer (CIS) met with each student to create a plan for improvement.

• Steve and Nicole also met with each student and followed up with a message on ParentSquare to parents.

• This information has been shared on GNN, the website, and in our Saturday Newsletter for over two months.

We will use Semester 2 grades, run a list around 4:00 on Monday, June 2nd and then begin to make phone calls

3.  Recognition is scheduled to be at Garrison. If the weather doesn’t cooperate, we’ll make the call early Tuesday morning. In that case, we’ll move the event across the street to the Community Center—where people eat during the Fair. If you would like to volunteer to help the night of Recognition, we could use you.  Please sign up on this doc.

4.  You can print this form or grab one from my mailbox right outside my office.

5.  SURPRISE SPIRIT WEEK!!! WE do the dressing up and students try to figure out what the spirit day is!!!

Hi Team,

To celebrate the last week of school and have a little fun, we’ll be doing a Secret Staff Dress-Up Week from June 2–6! Each day, staff will dress to match a specific theme — but we’re keeping it a secret from students.

 Here’s the twist: Students will be encouraged to email Mrs. Mueller each day with their guess for the day’s theme. We’ll do a daily prize drawing from the correct guesses — just a fun way to keep students engaged and wrap up the year on a high note!

Below is the secret schedule for staff only:

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Monday, June 2 –  Dress Like a Holiday
Pick a random holiday: Valentine’s Day, 4th of July, Halloween, etc.

Tuesday, June 3 –  Twin/Triplet Day
Find a staff buddy or two and dress alike!

Wednesday, June 4 –  GMS Spirit Day
Show your school pride in Garrison gear or colors.

Thursday, June 5 –  Dress Like a Student Day
Crocs, oversized hoodies, lanyards, Stanley cups—bring out your inner middle schooler.

Friday, June 6 –  Vacation Vibes
Tropical shirts, leis, sun hats, flip-flops—let’s head into summer in style!

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Please keep the themes under wraps from students — we want them to guess and have some fun with it! Let me know if you have any questions or want help teaming up for a dress-up day.

Thanks for playing along!

6. Evacuation Drill at 2:00-slides 6 and 7

7. On Thursday, students will turn in their Yondr pouches. We’ll conclude the day in Advisory, where they’ll return them. We’re using this approach because we have the original lists from when the pouches were handed out during Advisory this fall. More details to come!

CALENDAR of EVENTS

•     Friday, May 30th -8th Grade Business Convention
•     Tuesday, June 3rd -Recognition and Activity Day
•     Wednesday, June 4th -District EOY Celebration from 3:00-4:00 @ the WA HI Commons
•     Thursday, June 5th -Students turn in Yondr pouches
•     Friday, June 6th-Last Day of School, Dismissal @ 12:25

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WISE WORDS

Something to Ponder

Today, Agnes and Jami introduced a new approach to collaboration that emphasizes true, job-embedded professional development. If something isn’t working, it’s crucial to reflect on why. If our current PLC model was fully effective, our CEE data would be stronger, and you’d feel more energized working with colleagues on a problem of practice that you have a say in determining—not just on Wednesdays, but potentially outside of Wednesdays as well. I’m not saying this isn’t happening, but we need more than just small pockets of success. How do we build a school-wide culture of collaboration—across departments, and even with singletons and varying grade levels, as Agnes highlighted with the ELA example? I’m not asking for immediate buy-in, just a genuine effort to try this new approach to collaboration. If you’re interested, please reach out to Agnes and/or Jami.

There are so many gold nuggets to uncover! I can't wait!

SLIDES from this morning's staff meeting.

CEE data:

Thursday Thriller May 22, 2025

 Thursday Thriller, May 22, 2025

Celebrations

Meredith has been a faithful book club attendee for three years!

Last Trooper Book Club for 24.25 school year!

Poetry Slam '25

Our students did a great job! They may not have made it to the final round, but they showed up, represented Garrison well, and gave it their all—and that matters!

Gracie

Kinsley

Deacon

                                                                                    Daniel

Nuts-n-Bolts

1.  EOY Check out- Please open and print

2. Today during 2nd lunch, Nicole and I met with 19 of our 8th grade boys to address behavior during the Hunter Jackrabbit game. Mr. Reid, Mr. Eggart, Mr. Byrd, Mrs. Wooters, and Mr. Ferraro also joined the conversation and spoke with the students.

Following our meeting, I sent a direct message to each of the students’ families. Below is the message that was individually sent to each parent. So far, I’ve received four callbacks and five messages in return—all of which were supportive and included apologies for their child’s behavior.

We’ve also had conversations with a few 7th grade boys regarding similar concerns. They’ve been clearly told that if the behavior continues, it will result in suspension. They are officially on notice.

Today, I met with ______ and a large group of 8th grade boys today at lunch to address a serious concern involving a game called Hunter Jackrabbit, which he and a group of students have been playing. This game has escalated into unsafe and aggressive behavior, including punching, jumping on others, and using pencils inappropriately to simulate stabbing.

In addition, multiple students have reported feeling intimidated after being approached by your child and others who ask, “Are you a hunter or a jackrabbit?” followed by hand signals and physical aggression. This type of behavior is unacceptable and violates our school's code of conduct.

Please consider this a final warning: if______ continues to engage in this behavior, he will not be allowed to participate in Recognition Day or Activity Day and will also face suspension. I spoke to the boys yesterday. Mr. Eggart spoke to them as well.

We are committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all students. Your support in reinforcing appropriate behavior at school is crucial.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss this further, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,
Kim Doepker

3.  Our 8th grade teaching team has determined that Monday, June 2nd will be the final day for students to turn in any work. After that, Nicole and I will run the list of students with an 'F' and begin making individual calls home to families whose students will not be participating in Recognition or Activity Day.

Fingers crossed that the list is empty—or at least super short! 🤞

4. My meeting with our new Superintendent, Dr. Ben Gauyan, went really well! He is personable and genuine. I think we made the right decision. :D

5. I had my last meet with Wade today. As we were talking, he kept looking up at my wall. I asked him what he was looking at and then explained how my colleagues and friends-I guess put these up for all to see. He did have a WTF moment 🤷. What can I say- I have talent🤣

6. Don't forget if you want to order your Garrison Gear!

CALENDAR of EVENTS

•     Friday, May 23rd - Kim and Nicole will be meeting 1:1 with Classified staff throughout the day for their EOY evaluations, Gonzalo's DS7/8 students will set up their presentations in the Commons 6th  period
•     Tuesday, May 27th -Garrison Band and Choir Concert @ 7:00PM
•     Wednesday, May 28th - EOY Garrison Staff Celebration @ 2:45, Garrison Orchestra Concert @ 7:00PM
•      Thursday, May 29th -Step Up Day-5th graders visit Garrison from 1:00-2:00, 6th and 7th graders can listen to Mr. 
•     Friday, May 30th -8th Grade Business Convention
•     Tuesday, June 3rd -Recognition and Activity Day
•     Wednesday, June 4th -District EOY Celebration from 3:00-4:00 @ the WA HI Commons
•     Thursday, June 5th -Students turn in Yondr pouches
•     Friday, June 6th-Last Day of School, Dismissal @ 12:25

 

Thursday Thriller
May 15, 2025

CELEBRATE

Our drama students did a great job performing last night! It is always fun to see students in a different setting! Well done, Beth and Sydney.

Yesterday was a remarkable day, really when you think about it two ideas for lunchtime clubs were born!  Below are two ideas for lunchtime clubs for the next school year.  There can only be ONE club-Rock and ROLL or WHOOPSIE DAISY (this is a much better name than 'That poor guy!').  Each club advisor has made a quick video, much like ASB, advertising skills in order to be THAT ONE CLUB!

In the Rock and ROLL video, you'll see Mrs. Doepker perform the needed duties for club members. In WHOOPSIE Daisy, while a little grainy on the video, Mr. Byrd is performing (if that's what you want to call it) the duties necessary for WHOOPSIE Daisy club members.  After you have viewed both videos, please take the short survey. Your input is appreciated.

**Disclaimer- Mrs. Doepker did receive votes for her performance as noted by the picture below.  At this time, we are unaware of any scores or voting on behalf of Mr. Byrd's performance but don't let that sway your vote!

Rock and ROLL!

WHOOPSIE DAISY!

Survey

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NUTS-n-BOLTS

1. Monday, May 19th FREE LUNCH- Another opportunity to plan for retirement regardless of your age. 

2. Garrison Gear:  Order Deadline: June 1st

Don’t miss out—place your order before the site closes!

 Shop Now

 Let’s show off that Garrison pride!   THANK YOU, Jazmin!

3. Monday, May 19th -Student Success Showcase! Thank you to Christy, she has helped with the logistics of this event!

4. Tuesday, May 20th our new superintendent, Dr. Ben Gauyan, will be at Garrison from 2:15-3:15. He has set up 1:1 appointments with building principals for an hour of tour and talking. So many things I would like to ask but I will be quiet so I can make a good first impression for Garrison.😆

5. YONDR pouches will be collected and inventoried on Thursday, June 5th.I'll start advertising this to both students and families. Students who have damaged or lost their pouches will incur a fine. We'll collect the pouches through Advisory, as that's how they were originally distributed. Since we don't have Advisory on Thursday, we'll need to adjust the schedule to make time for this. Stay tuned for more details. Feel free to give students a heads-up about this—it'll be helpful if they hear about it from multiple sources.

6. Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 4th at 3:00. This is the All District End-of-Year gathering at WA HI to honor retirees and the Staff Achievement Grant.  This is a time we get to honor our retiree NANCY ANHORN!!!!! 

7. This message is from Katie DePonty Executive Director of CIS of the Blue Mountain Region:

Greetings,

 

We know how deeply you care about the students in your building, and we see that same dedication reflected in the incredible work your CIS advocate is doing every day. As we look ahead to next year, we’re exploring ways to strengthen and expand this support. One simple (and fun!) way to contribute is by attending our upcoming CIS Bingo & Brews Event. Proceeds will go directly toward enhancing our program budget, helping us offer things like:

• Family dinners that bring caregivers into the school community
• After-school tutoring to close learning gaps
• SEL small groups that build confidence and connection
• & more hands-on, high-impact support for students who need it most

We’d love for you to join us, and invite staff, friends, or family! It’s a great chance to celebrate the work happening in your school, win some fun prizes, and help us keep these crucial services going strong.

 

Event Details & Purchase Tickets: https://bluemountainregion.ciswa.org/event/bingo-with-cis/

 

Thank you for the partnership as we surround students with a community of support, empowering students to stay in school and achieve in life. 

 

 

 

Click here to purchase tickets to Bingo & Brews!

   

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Something to Ponder

Communication is key, and that's something we can all agree on. As we enter this busy season filled with end-of-year activities, performances, tests, evaluations, and the anticipation of next year’s schedule, it's easy for things to feel like a fire hose of information. With all the overload, frantic energy, exhaustion, and emotions that come with it, our communication can sometimes take a hit.

With all that in mind, I came across a short podcast titled Communication Habits That Build Your Reputation with Jefferson Fisher, and it really resonated with me. Here are my three biggest takeaways:

1. Your words, whether spoken or written, have a ripple effect. Your words matter

2. Every time you act, you're trying to make two people proud — your younger self and your older self.

3. It's never too late to reflect and change if needed.

Hope you find a gold nugget or two in this podcast.

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CALENDAR of EVENTS

•     Friday, May 16th -Drama Club Performance for Students periods 1-2 and 5-6-details to come
•     Monday, May 19th -Student Success Night 5:30-7:00PM, Jazz Festival @ 7:00
•     Tuesday, May 20th -Dr. Ben Gauyan tours Garrison 2:15-3:15, Poetry Slam at the WWPL @ 7:00PM
•     Wednesday, May 21st -Extended Collaboration
•     Friday, May 23rd - Kim and Nicole will be meeting 1:1 with Classified staff throughout the day for their EOY evaluations, Gonzalo's DS7/8 students will set up their presentations in the Commons 6th  period
•     Tuesday, May 27th -Garrison Band and Choir Concert @ 7:00PM
•     Wednesday, May 28th - EOY Garrison Staff Celebration @ 2:45, Garrison Orchestra Concert @ 7:00PM
•      Thursday, May 29th -Step Up Day-5th graders visit Garrison from 1:00-2:00
•     Friday, May 30th -8th Grade Business Convention
•     Tuesday, June 3rd -Recognition and Activity Day
•     Wednesday, June 4th -District EOY Celebration from 3:00-4:00 @ the WA HI Commons
•     Thursday, June 5th -Students turn in Yondr pouches
•     Friday, June 6th-Last Day of School, Dismissal @ 12:25

Thursday Thriller, May 8, 2025

 Thursday Thriller
May 8, 2025

CELEBRATIONS

Such a Fun Teacher Appreciation Week!  Hats of to those SURVIORS who played the game!!!

Self on a Shelf-Carrara and Ferrero have both ben the Self on a Shelf our new secretary is wondering 'What the hell is going on in this place?"😅

I hope you've had a wonderful week! 😊 You are the unsung heroes who champion our students and make a difference every single day. 🙌🏼📚 THANK YOU!!! 💫

NUTS-n-BOLTS

1.Students must always be supervised during class time. If they need to be sent to the hallway, they must be monitored at all times. One adult cannot effectively supervise both the classroom and the hallway simultaneously unless there are two adults present. The hallway is not an ideal learning environment due to traffic and sitting on the hard floor. Additionally, students in the hallway may not always be working and can create disruptions. Moving forward let's keep our students in class for instruction. 

2. LAST CALL for STAFF ACHIEVEMENT NOMINATIONS!  Saturday the 10th is the last day! Highest honor to be nominated by your colleagues! So many of YOU are deserving of this award!!! Let me know if you need support in nominating someone.

REMINDER! Staff Achievement Grant Nominations Are Open through May 10!

Nominations for the 2024-2025 Staff Achievement Grant are now open! This is your chance to recognize outstanding colleagues for their hard work and dedication.
• Nomination Deadline: May 10
• Grant Amount: $1,500
• Additional Award: Up to five days of professional leave
• Eligibility: Classified and certificated staff (one-time award per tenure)

Click HERE to nominate a deserving colleague! 

2.    Math SBA Testing begins on Tuesday, May 13th-please make sure to read the communication from both Yaz and Agnes throughout the week regarding make-ups, separate settings and/or general assessment information.

3.  Next week is a big week for performances!👍 Drama production in the evening on Wednesday and during the day on Friday, NJHS Induction Ceremony on Thursday night, Tuesday night is the District Band Festival at WA HI @ 7:00PM

4.  EOY Eval conferences are set. Please make sure, Certificated Staff, that you are sharing evidence of growth towards your professional goals from October.

5.  Don't forget that our Student Success Showcase is coming up on May 19 from 5:30-7:00 pm. Certificated staff get 1.5 hours for planning/set up and 1.5 hours for the event. The cafeteria will be serving spaghetti, salad, and bread.

Sign up your department for their activity here by May 12, please. We need to know how many tables/where they go for set up purposes. Also, don't forget to start saving examples of student work! This is a great chance for our students to show off what they've done this year, and upcoming 5th graders really appreciate the first look at what they'll be doing next year. 

Something to Ponder

It’s perfectly okay not to be great at everything. Give yourself some grace and focus on what truly matters. While no one strives to be “minimally effective,” it’s helpful to ask yourself: What are the 3-4 things I want to be really good at? Channel your energy into those areas. I admire how Dave Stuart, Jr. is open about what he doesn’t excel at. Knowing your strengths and continually working to improve them is essential. Lean on your colleagues for support in areas where you need growth. And remember, it’s okay not to be great at everything. When we meet for your evaluation, let’s focus on where you’re excelling and why that matters.

WISE WORDS

Thursday Thriller May 1, 2025

 Thursday Thriller
May 1, 2025

NUTS-n-BOLTS

1.    Don't forget that our Student Success Showcase is coming up on May 19 from 5:30-7:00 pm. Certificated staff get 1.5 hours for planning/set up and 1.5 hours for the event. The cafeteria will be serving spaghetti, salad, and bread.

Sign up your department for their activity here by May 12, please. We need to know how many tables/where they go for set up purposes. Also, don't forget to start saving examples of student work! This is a great chance for our students to show off what they've done this year, and upcoming 5th graders really appreciate the first look at what they'll be doing next year. 

2.    The Staff Achievement Award is one of the highest honors because it’s driven by your colleagues—those who nominate you, write heartfelt letters on your behalf, and want to celebrate just how incredible you are! This award is open to both classified and certificated staff.

If you’d like to nominate a colleague, you can use the link below. Nicole F. and I are happy to support you with the nomination process and letters—though they mean even more when they come directly from fellow staff members!

CLOSES MAY 10th

Nomination Link

3.  Please join me in welcoming Stephanie Alvarado to our team on Monday, May 5th! She will be our new Assistant Secretary/Receptionist. Stephanie is a Milton-Freewater native and currently serves as the receptionist at Gib Elementary, so she’s already familiar with the role. We’re excited to have her with us!

4.  Next week begins SBA testing. We will minimize calls and announcements to classrooms. The schedule is on the HUB. If you have questions, please reach out to either Yaz or Agnes, Assessment Coordinators to help answer your questions. WE GOT THIS!

5. It is that time of year for eval aka Spawn of Satan! The system of eval is the Spawn-not the conversations that we Nicole and I get to have with each of you. Here is a Google doc to sign up for a time to meet with your evaluator. Please come prepared to share evidence of your professional growth goals that you set in October. What were your greatest challenges?  Greatest joys? What did you learn about yourself and students? Sign up for your EOY conference on this Google doc.

   ***Classified Staff-please sign up on the SAME Google doc. 

6.  Teacher Appreciation Week is next week May 5-8th. We have some special treats each day for our AMAZING GARRISON TEACHERS!

7. Master Schedule Update – We’re actively putting all the pieces together! During your End-of-Year Evaluation conversation, Nicole and I will share your teaching assignment for the upcoming school year. We’re about 85% confident it won’t change, but as always, there’s a 15% chance for adjustments based on student needs. :) We map everything out on the whiteboard, transfer that info to Skyward, run schedules, check for errors, adjust the schedule, and then repeat the process—so it does take some time. Thanks for your patience as we make sure the schedule works best for meeting the needs of all our students!

8. Building Days in August- Our building directed days in August will be 12th-14th with our 6th grade orientation and Back to School event will be on the 14th with 6th grade orientation, families tour the building, meet teachers; especially an Open House. 

CALENDAR of EVENTS

•     May 5-8 Teacher Appreciation Week and 1st Week of SBA    
•     May 12-16th 2nd Week of SBA, GC Summit 4:00-6:00 @ SeaTech
•     Tuesday, May 13th -District Band Festival @ 7:00PM
•     Wednesday, May 14th -Evening Play performance for GMS @ 7:00PM
•     Thursday, May 15th-NJHS Induction Ceremony @ 7:00PM
•     Friday, May 16th -Drama Club Performance for Students periods 1-2 and 5-6-details to come
•     Monday, May 19th -Student Success Night 5:30-7:00PM
•     Tuesday, May 27th -Garrison Band and Choir Concert @ 7:00PM
•     Wednesday, May 28th - EOY Garrison Staff Celebration @ 2:45, Garrison Orchestra Concert @ 7:00PM
•     Friday, May 30th -8th Grade Business Convention
•     Tuesday, June 3rd -Recognition and Activity Day
•     Wednesday, June 4th -District EOY Celebration from 3:00-4:00 @ the WA HI Commons
•     Friday, June 6th-Last Day of School, Dismissal @ 12:25

Something to Ponder

I reviewed the building survey results shared by Keith Swanson with the admin team, reflecting on both those and our CEE data. During this process, I came across a blog post that made me think. I’m not sure I agree with the phrase, "There's nothing to do, it just is," when it comes to culture. While culture does naturally evolve, what are the key factors that differentiate a school or organization with a positive culture from one with a negative culture? Do you notice certain class periods with a stronger culture? Have you experienced any differences?

The blog, written by Jason Fried, is titled Culture is the Last 50 Days—a quick and interesting read. I haven’t listened to the podcast with Ryan Hawke, but the link is there if you’d like to check it out. I’d love to hear your thoughts on it. Hope you find a gold nugget!

Culture Is The Last 50 Days
Culture simply happens. It's emergent behavior. There's nothing to do, it just is. A company's culture is a 50-day moving average. It's what you've been collectively doing as a company over the last 50 days. Jason Fried and I (Ryan Hawk)had a good conversation about this on episode #538. He also wrote this short essay about it.

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WISE WORDS
“That’s your responsibility as a person, a human being... To constantly be updating your positions on as many things as possible. And if you don’t contradict yourself on a regular basis, then you’re not thinking.” - Malcolm Gladwell