Activities & Athletics

Army Youth Programs

Army Youth Programs in Your Neighborhood (AYPYN) is a partnership between the army and school districts for youth attending secondary schools off the installation. AYPYN supported after-school programs are available Monday through Friday at no cost to the student during the school year. AYPYN sponsors high interest clubs enhancing the academic achievement, health, and well-being of students. The program is supervised by certified district teachers and available to all Grand Mountain students in grades 6-8.

GMS will offer a variety of academic, social, and athletic clubs dependent upon teacher availability and student interest. Please check the Grand Mountain School calendar for the most current schedule. New club announcements, meeting times, and reminders will be provide to students in grades 6-8 during the school day.

SCHEDULE

Daily attendance is recorded, but all clubs are voluntary. A student may attend a club from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. or from 3:15 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. Clubs are open most school days but are subject to cancellation at any time. Student Union is open from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Thursday and meets in the Curiosity Center (GMS Library).

Pick-up & Contact

The GMS Main Office closes at 3:45 p.m. and all exterior doors remain locked after school. Please arrange for student pick-up prior to attending a club. A student may use a personal cell phone to arrange for pick-up. In the event of an emergency only, parents may call 719-391-3344 between 3:45 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. Permission slips are valid for and required before students can attend any club. Students may always attend Student Union Club if another club is cancelled.

To be released early from a club, students need to make arrangements directly with the sponsor ahead of time or have a parent note.

*To participate in after school programs, please complete and return the AYPYN form and after school waiver

AYPYN Form

AYPYN After School Registration and Waiver Form

Art Club

Art Club (6th -8th Grande) is a place for Maverick Artists to hone their skills and explore various art making techniques. With small session sizes, artists will receive individualized feedback on guided art activities.

When: Mondays from 3:15-4:15 pm *Dates are subject to change

Where: The Art Room

Contact: Ms. Danielle Selke, selkedanielle@wsd3.org

Athletics Off-Season Club

The Athletics Off-Season Club is for all students interested in participating in sports and learning about what it takes to be a student-athlete.

Mondays (3:15 - 5:15) - Grade checks and study table - Group discussion
Wednesdays (3:15 - 4:15) - Group discussion

Upcoming topics

Being a positive asset on ANY team you're on

What does it mean to be a part of a team?
What are coaches looking for when getting me playing time?
Why don't coaches like "yeah, but" kids?
Why do I feel my coach doesn't like me?
Coach Grimaldo told me he has favorites. Do all coaches?

Athletics and the importance of grades

Why are grades so important with sports?
How can I ensure that I don't have too much school work after practice?
What do good grades mean to my coach?
Why does Coach Grimaldo say grades don't show how smart you are?

Contact: Coach James Grimaldo at grimaldojames@wsd3.org

Chess Club

Lunch Activity Sign-Up

Math Tutoring Club (6-8)

Math tutoring club is offered to students in grades 6-8.

When: Mondays with Ms. Chidester in Room 318, 3:15-4:15p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays with Ms. Sariemnto in Room 316, 3:15-4:15

Athletes (in-season) get a pass from your math teacher, go to practice, and ask your coach if you can leave practice early (4:15-4:30) and attend math tutoring until 5:15.

Make sure you see Ms. Lake in room 308 for an afterschool waiver.

Questions?

Email: Ms. Chidester @ chidestermelinda@wsd3.org

Email: Ms. Sarmiento @ sarmientozorica@wsd3.org

Student Council

Who: 7th and 8th graders (6th graders may apply for second semester)

How: Students must apply and be accepted into this class. Application windows are announced for those who will be 7th and 8th graders the following school year in the spring. The 6th grade application window opens during 2nd quarter after midterm.

When: This class meets during Advisory Class during the day.

Contact: Mr. Gonzalez Grand Mountain School

gonzalezcarlos7@wsd3.org

STUDENT COUNCIL ACTIVITY GOALS

To provide opportunities for students to gain leadership skills and an appreciation for responsibility and accountability.
To provide ways in which students may broaden their interests and develop new experiences.
To foster healthy student-student, student-teacher, student-administration, and student-community interaction.
To provide a channel of communication through which students can contribute to the school program.
To develop an interest in current issues that involves all segments of the student population.
To promote more student body involvement through pep assemblies, informational assemblies and other whole-school events.

National Junior Honor Society (NJHS)

What does an exemplary candidate look like?
- Scholarship: Students who have a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) meet the scholarship requirement for membership.
- Service: This quality is defined through the contributions made by a student to the school or community, done without pay and with a positive and enthusiastic spirit. Service is demonstrated through the way students treat each other in and out of school.
- Leadership: Student leaders are resourceful, good problem solvers, promoters of school activities, idea-contributors, and dependable. Leadership experiences can be drawn from school or community activities while working with or for others. Leadership in school is demonstrated in many ways. It may mean holding an office in a school club, participating in the band or on a team, or by standing up for a principle. Not all leaders hold office, but usually, they do the right thing and they lead by their every action.
- Character: A student of good character is moral and ethical, is cooperative, demonstrates high standards of honesty and reliability, shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others.
- Citizenship: The student who demonstrates citizenship understands the importance of civic involvement; has a high regard for freedom, justice, and respect for the American form of government; and demonstrates mature participation and responsibility through involvement with such activities as scouting, community organizations, and school clubs. Citizenship is striving for the common good.
What do you do in NJHS?
- The goal of NJHS is to build leaders and perform service work. Some of the activities completed over the past years have included canned food drives, toy drives for Christmas, fundraising for Childhood Cancer Awareness, presenting the Veterans' Day Assembly, and service projects around Watson. Student members are required to complete 8 hours of community service each semester.
Who chooses inductees into NJHS?
- After students fill out and return all of the required forms, all of their qualifications will be reviewed by the Watson Junior High School Faculty Council. The Faculty Council is responsible for making the final decision about who will be invited for induction into NJHS. Following the Faculty Council’s decision, parents and students will be notified of the final decisions.
Who is eligible for membership in NJHS?
- In accordance with national standards set by the National Junior Honor Society, students will first qualify for an invitation through their demonstration of success in the area of scholarship. Students in 7th and 8th grade with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 on a 4 point scale will receive an invitation to complete an application at the beginning of the 3rd quarter. Students will then fill out and return the application forms which include student information regarding service, citizenship, character, and leadership. Teachers will also be asked to provide information regarding student attendance and behavior. Therefore, just because a student qualifies based on their cumulative GPA (scholarship), they will not automatically be inducted into the NJHS.

Coding in Action Coding Club!
Who: Any 4th or 5th Grade Students!
What: (NEW) Typing.com typing competition!
Arduino Coding!
(NEW) Binary Coding!
(NEW) Blockly Coding and Bug Detection!
Drone Competition!
Scratch Coding!
(NEW) Crack the code (Escape Room coding and solving)!
Where: Computer Lab GMS
When: TBA (Applications will go out end of August)

For questions contact Ms. McDonald @ mcdonaldsarah@wsd3.org

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ACTIVITIES