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GMS Important First Day of School Information
Dear GMS Parents and Guardians
We look forward to welcoming our students to a brand new school year!
Here are some important pieces of information for the very start of our school year:
- School begins each day promptly at 7:50 – be on time.
- The first day of school will be an all day orientation for all students. Students will spend the day with their home room / advisory teachers and learn the essentials of GMS – schedules, lockers, lunch, daily procedures, school wide expectations and more. They will also take part in some team building activities.
- Any and all students who have been issued a Chromebook from GPS should bring this fully charged to school on the first day and every day of the school year. Students who have not yet been issued a GPS Chromebook will receive one on the first day of school.
- For families who send their child(ren) on the bus, the bus routes will be posted on the district website very soon at https://www.grotonschools.org/parent-and-students/transportation . Please be sure your child knows their bus number as it will be important at dismissal so they know which bus to ride home.
- For families who will be dropping their child off at school:
- Student drop-offs place from 7:35 to 7:50AM – please do not arrive on campus too early (prior to 7:25) as our teachers need to get up the hill to park.
- Students must remain in vehicles until 7:35 AM.
- Drivers must look for and follow the signals of the staff member standing on the sidewalk nearest to the first stop sign as well as the staff member at the crosswalk directly in front of the main entrance.
- Students may be dropped off ONLY at the curb along the sidewalk (the full length – see below) which is in front of the school.
- Drivers must pull all the way forward following the cars in front of them so that the curb is completely full along the full length of the sidewalk before releasing their child(ren) from the vehicle.
- Students should only exit from the sidewalk side (passenger side) of the vehicle.
- Drivers must stay in line (unless otherwise directed by staff) as they exit.
- All drivers must use the Fort Hill Road entrance as access to GMS from Fitch High School is not permitted.
- Dropping students off on the sidewalk on Fort Hill Road is strictly prohibited and will result in a police response.
6. For families who will be picking up their child from school at dismissal:
- Dismissal starts at 2:30, and is typically completed in 10-12 minutes (the first week may take a few minutes longer).
- Drivers may not arrive on campus until 2:20PM. This includes the driveway which extends from Grasso Tech up the hill to GMS. The reason for this is that parents who need to pick their child early for a dentist or doctor’s appointment need to be able to access the driveway and parking lot safely prior to 2:20.
- Drivers (again, arriving on campus at 2:20 or later) should pull up to the curb in front of the school to the area designated for their child’s grade level.
- Drivers picking up sixth graders should pull up to curb at the furthest point along the sidewalk past the main entrance of the school. Drivers picking up seventh graders should pull up to the curb just past the crosswalk / main entrance of the school.
- Drivers picking up eighth graders should pull up to the curb at the part of the sidewalk which comes first – well before the main entrance of the school.
- Drivers will need to merge to and away from the curb as students must be picked up AT the curb – please use your vehicle’s turn signals
- Please drive slowly.
- Students must remain on the sidewalk until their ride is fully pulled up at the curb directly at the sidewalk. Students are NOT permitted to step into the driveway to access their ride.
Thank you for your attention and support as we work together to make the start of school a safe and successful one!
Please contact us with any questions you may have.
Sincerely,
Peter Bass
Principal
Groton Middle School
www.grotonschools.org/gms
(860) 446-4200
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