25/26 GMS
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
February 23, 2026
Message from Mrs. Johnson -
I am very concerned about students and failing grades. Most classes have just a few assignments and when a student is missing even one their overall grade in that class becomes an ‘F’. Right now, grades are easy to fix. Students need to turn in their school work. If a student fails a test, they can retake the test if they talk to their teacher. Please talk with your child about the importance of keeping up with their school work and doing their best.
Towards the end of next week, your child will be bringing home a conference slip with an hour slot for you and your child to come to school to speak with a teacher on March 13th. If you do not get the form or need to change the time, please call the office starting March 2.
Thank You,
Mrs. Johnson
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
February Attendance Challenge - Any student who misses 1 day or less in the month of February will be eligible to win a 40” TV or JBL Noise Cancelling Headphones. Religious Holidays do not count.
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
College and Career Week
Monday - Feb. 23 - Regular Schedule -
Boys Basketball League Championship vs St. Paul at Gervais High School
B game @ 4:00
A game @ 5:30
Tuesday - Feb. 24 - Regular Schedule -
Wednesday - Feb. 25 - Early Release Schedule
Career Day 8:00-11:00 - 16 presenters, 1 Trade School, Willamette Career Academy, and 1 Community College.
Homework Help 1:00-3:00 (Snack at 1:45)
Thursday - Feb. 26 - Regular Schedule
Friday - Feb. 27 - Regular Schedule
2:30-3:10 iReady Party in the gym - (Rescheduled from last week)
Sports:
Open track practice started on Tuesday, Feb. 17th after school. Practice starts at 3:30 and ends at 5:00 every day. Any 6th-8th graders interested in doing track or field events should bring workout clothes to school and be ready for practice. This practice is not mandatory. The official start of track season is Monday, March 2nd. All athletes should bring a water bottle and wear layers for the weather.
Counselor Aloha:
Friendship Boundaries
Setting boundaries with friends involves identifying your personal needs regarding time, space, communication, and emotional capacity, then communicate, clearly and consistently. Use direct, "I" statement communication, such as "I cannot take calls after 10 p.m.," to establish limits on behavior, energy, or time, protecting your wellbeing. Remind your child that boundaries in friendships are important in setting a tone for a healthy friendship.
Thanks,
Ms. Aloha
Substance Prevention:
Dear Parents,
On Wednesday, February 25th, from 5:30-7:30pm, we’ll have an important parent education event: How to Protect Your Child from Fentanyl. Fentanyl has hit our communities harder than any other drug in history. Fentanyl is involved in 90% of young Oregonian drug deaths, making drugs now the leading cause of death for this age group (15-24). Sadly, many of these deaths could have been avoided if the youth had been educated on the risks of fentanyl.
Schools are adding fentanyl education into their health education curriculum, but a few days of drug education a year is not enough to protect our kids from this dangerous drug. Parents and caregivers need to be involved, educating their kids about this danger and reinforcing the messaging at home. Most parents today were raised during the time of DARE, where “just say no” was the extent of drug education, and they don’t have an example of an effective drug talk to look back on. This event will educate everyone on how the current drug landscape is more dangerous than ever due to fentanyl and give tips and tools to help parents and caregivers have conversations with their kids.
The event will start with the screening of a short film, The New Drug Talk & La Estrella, following a discussion with local experts. Special guests include Marion County Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator and the Youth Prevention Education Coordinator. We will also have folks from Interface Network to assist individuals with enrolling and navigating the Oregon Health Plan.
While this presentation is geared toward families with children in middle school or older, all are welcome to attend. This is an event you won’t want to miss. We hope to see you there!
THANK YOU TEAM!
Courtney & Guadalupe
As always, if you have any questions or would like substance interventions/treatment support, don't hesitate to reach out.
guadalupe_lopez@gervais.k12.or.us | 503-792-3803 x4036.