the latest edition. - Greenville County School District

Volume 28, Issue 2
Contact Us:
Greenville Middle Academy
339 Lowndes Avenue
Greenville, SC 29607-1435
P: 864.355.5600
F: 864.355.5682
www.greenville.k12.sc.us/gvillem/
index.asp
Dr. Robert Palmer, Principal
bpalmer@greenville.k12.sc.us
Gidge Marchant, PTA Co-President
themarchants@bellsouth.net
Lynn Norwood, PTA Co-President
thenorwoods@charter.net
Shane Hawk, Newsletter Editor
shanehawk@charter.net
Inside this issue:
Career Development 2
Spirit Week 2012 2
PTA Presidents‘ Letter 3
Beta Club 3
Media Center 4
Reflections 4
New Lunch Requirements 5
International Connections 5
Friend of the Ram 6
Dear Parents & Students,
I would like to thank the PTA and all of our volunteers for helping with the back
to school event this year. It was a great event and started our school year off on
a positive note. I was impressed at the attendance for the event. I would now
encourage each parent to join the PTA and support the organization as it strives
to help all children at Greenville Middle.
The beginning of the school year is always a stressful time for students, parents,
and teachers. I certainly appreciate the positive attitude displayed by our staff in
getting the school year underway. I want to ask each parent to help us give all
children the best possible education by being involved and staying in touch. Our
school web site lists current events and provides you access to each teacher via
e-mail. Each teacher will have a web page on our school web site which lists
homework for the week. Take advantage of this by checking your child‘s planner
and comparing homework assignments with those listed on the web page. If you
have concerns about how well your child is performing, please request a conference
with the team of teachers who work with your child.
Again, let me say thank you to each of you for supporting our school. I am most
appreciative that your child attends Greenville Middle and that you are here
supporting us as we educate each child. Feel free to tell all your neighbors what
a great school we have. If I can be of assistance to you, please contact me at
355-5610 or email me at bpalmer@greenville.k12.sc.us.
Sincerely,
Robert L. Palmer
October 2012
Don‘t forget to clip and send in Box Tops for Education
labels. The turn in date for this collection period is
October 12th. The top collecting advisory in each grade
will win a donut party!
Place your box tops in a Ziploc bag with your child‘s
name and advisory teacher‘s name on the bag. Please
make sure your box tops have not expired and that the
date is visible. Students receive one ―lunch in the
courtyard‖ voucher for every 25 Box Tops!
We are not participating in the Labels for Education
program this year. However, many elementary and
preschools would love your contribution!

Greenville Middle Academy
Spirit Week 2012
Get ready for an exciting 2012
Spirit Week! The fun begins Monday,
October 29th and continues
all week.
Monday – Wear RED for drug
awareness week and decorate
your locker during advisory period
with the ―Say ‗BOO‘ to Drugs‖
theme or Ram Pride theme.
Prizes will be given for the best
Career Development
On October 11, 8th grade students
will have the opportunity to explore
education and career options available
to them during a visit to the
Donaldson Career Center. Occupations
within many different career
clusters will be explored.
Career Day will be held the morning
of November 9th. During this
event, presenters will share about
their occupations in the classrooms.
Students will have the opportunity
to learn about job opportunities
within a variety of career
clusters. Parents, please let Ms.
Gallego (our Career Development
Facilitator) know by Friday Oct. 12
if you would like to participate as a
classroom speaker that day. You
can reach her by email at :
lagallego@greenville.k12.sc.us.
The 47th annual Poetry & Poster
Contest of the National Career
Development Association will highlight
NCDA's 100th birthday with
the theme "Inspiring Careers:
Locker! Enjoy an ICE CREAM
SOCIAL and lunch time.
Tuesday – Dress in Duct
Tape! Bring $1 bills for games at
lunch! Chick-fil-A Spirit night 5-8pm
on Pelham Road,. Come see your
teachers hard at work!
Wednesday – Wear your WACKY
clothes! Bring $1 bills for games at
lunch!
Thursday – Wear your RETRO
―Through the Years‖ clothes! Bring
$1 bills for games at lunch! GMA
Dance 5-7 in the cafeteria (wear your
Halloween Clothes!)
Honoring History." All students are
eligible to participate. Entries should
celebrate and inspire career development
while emphasizing this
year's theme. If you did not receive
a contest brochure during the PTA
Open House on Sept. 17, contest
details and entry forms can be
downloaded here. Ms. Gallego must
receive all entries by Wednesday,
November 7.
Carolina Academy for Educational
Excellence is offering a Middle
School Study Skills Boot Camp.
This is a four session program
where students can choose to take
one or all of the available sessions.
Each session is devoted to study,
organizational, and time management
skills. Sessions are held on
the following Saturdays from
10:00am -12:00pm and are $55.00
per session. For more information,
visit www.carolinaacademy.net or
call 864-234-7984.
Page 2
Friday – Dress as a Famous
Figure….celebrity, historical, sports,
whoever you admire. Bring $1 bills
for games at lunch!
Each day at lunch, prizes will be
given for the best female and male
dressed in the theme. Help is
needed for ice cream social toppings,
awards/prizes for contests
and volunteering at school.
Please email Jeannette Schell at
schellthree@bellsouth.net or Krista
Bannister at kristaebannister@gmail.com
for more information.
Sept. 29: Learning Styles, Brain,
Goal Setting, General Calendar,
Agenda, Setting Priorities
Nov. 10: Questioning/Clarifying,
Taking Notes, Active Listening,
Using Notes, and Studying Important
information
Dec. 15: Memorization Strategies
Jan. 26: Summarizing, Nonfiction
and Textbooks/Reading
Comprehension Strategies

Page 3
PTA Presidents’ Letter
Dear GMA Families,
Welcome to our second edition of the newsletter for the 2012-13 school year. Please
read it thoroughly as we have many things to cover. We are off to a fabulous start!
We have wrapped up our annual magazine sale fundraiser. Many, many thanks to those who supported our fundraising
efforts, allowing us to EXCEED our goal of $26,000. Final numbers will be published soon along with an announcement
of our grade winners.
A huge thank you also goes out to our ―Friends of the Ram‖. To date, we have collected over $3,500. Last year, in a combined
effort by our Student Council and ―Friends of the Ram‖ donors, we were able to purchase the awesome sign on the
front of our building bearing our name. This year, our ―Friends of the Ram‖ money will be used to continue our effort of
improving the signs throughout the school (inside and out). Surely, we can all agree that we would like to be able to find
the gym or media center or anywhere else in the building a little easier! It is not too late to become a ―Friend of the Ram‖.
We take donations in any amount throughout the year.
Our first General Membership meeting and Open House was a great night with a packed house. We announced our new
RAM RUN event that will be held in March. Currently, we are in need of committee chair leaders to help in this effort and
corporate sponsors. Please contact Pam Driggers, our RAM RUN Chair, at mauldinmania@aol.com if you have any
interest in assisting. Our next General Membership Meeting is on November 19th at 7:00. It is Parent Education Night,
featuring a talk by Rick Floyd (formerly with the Police Department and now with the School District) discussing cyberbullying
and internet safety. As an incentive to promote attendance, each parent that attends will be entered in a drawing
for a free surprise from our GMA apparel line.
We are continuing to collect PTA Memberships. Please consider joining if you have not already done so. The first class in
each grade level to achieve 100% membership will receive a Chick-fil-A biscuit during advisory one day. We are still in
need of a 7th grade representative for Outdoor Beautification. Finally, please remember to use the Parent Portal. It is
such a valuable resource to keep you informed of your child‘s progress in each class. Check with the office if you do not
know your access code. Thanks again for your support and as always, do not hesitate to contact either of us with questions
or concerns.
Gidge Marchant Lynn Norwood
themarchants@bellsouth.net thenorwoods@charter.net
2012 – 2013 PTA Co - Presidents
Beta Club
Character Counts Week
Celebration: October 22—
26. More information to follow.
Chick-fil-A calendar sale:
We are selling calendars for
$6 each. It is a new format
this year, but still great savings.
See a Jr. Beta Club
member if you would like to
buy one.
It's almost Christmas Tree
time! Beta Club is selling
Granddaddy's Christmas
trees again this year! This
is a great way to support
your local Beta Club member,
and you get to pick out
your own, fresh Christmas
tree. Again, see a Beta
Greenville Middle Academy
member if you are interested
in buying a tree
because "REAL TREES
MAKE SCENTS."
Jr. Beta Club will be
going to New York/
Philadelphia from
November 13 to
November 16, 2012.

Greenville Middle Academy Page 4
Media Center
Hunger Games Tribute Training Camp
Almost eighty students were able to
take part in the summer reader
reward party, the Hunger Games
Tribute Training Camp. Thanks to
the parents and staff who volunteered
to help students make donor
parachutes, decorate cupcakes and
man the launching stations. Russell
Cooper with Saluda River Archer
Club brought his equipment and set
up an archery station. Bi-lo bakery
donated cupcakes for the Mellark
Bakery and students sipped on
Nightlock Berry juice. The media
center can only sponsor these
events with the support of our community
partners and our PTA.
Thank you!
Reflections
Due to the global studies focus of
our curriculum at Greenville Middle,
we provide opportunities for international
travel. Take a look at our
planned itinerary for next June to
Costa Rica at eftours.com, enter
tour ID # 1184151. The tour will include
kayaking in Lake Arenal at the
base of a volcano, zip-lining in the
Santa Elena rainforest, whitewater
rafting down the Sarapiqui River, in
addition to visiting a local school
and planting trees in Monteverde
reserve. We‘ll be immersed in the
Spanish language for ten days, and
enjoy the food, music and folkdancing
of another culture. Consider
giving your student an
awesome Christmas/birthday gift
that will be remembered for a lifetime.
Contact Kathleen Carey at
355-5605 or email her at
kcarey@greenville.k12.sc.us
for more information.
Mark you calendar for October 25!
Chad Crews will present, Authors of
Mystery and Horror to our students
as part of our Teen Read Week
celebration. The program highlights
the life and works of Edgar Allan
Poe along with several other classic
authors and encourages our students
to READ! Chad will also have
his book, Magic of Mystery and
Horror for $10 and a couple of CDs,
each $15, for sale. Look for the
flyers and the posting on our school
website. Some students will also be
selected to have lunch with the
author on October 25. Names will
be selected as part of our Teen
Read Week and Character Counts
celebration. Thanks to our PTA for
funding for our guest speaker.
Author Chad Crews
The 2012—2013 Reflections theme is The Magic of a Moment. All GMA
students are invited to reflect on that theme and create an original piece of
work. Categories include dance choreography, photography, film production,
musical composition, literature and visual arts. Students may submit
entries in more than one category.
Each child that enters will receive a participation gift. Grand prize and runner
up prizes will be awarded in each category. Individual category rules
and entry form can be found on the GMA website.
The deadline for entries is Thursday, October 4, 2012. For more informa-
tion email Virginia Crews at vcrews@bellsouth.net or call her at 675-0055.
Congratulations to all GMA students for achieving a score of Exemplary on the PASS testing that was
administered last spring. This is the highest score a school and its students can receive. GMA has some
of THE BEST writers in South Carolina!

Page 5
New lunch requirements
International Connections
Important GMA Website Links
GMA School Website
The Mirror (school newspaper)
Homework Links
Greenville Middle Academy
School lunches across America are based on new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requirements to
improve students‘ nutrition by reducing calories, providing more fruit and vegetables, and decreasing protein, bread and
sodium. Previously, school lunches could exceed USDA minimum requirements. That is no longer allowed. Posters will
be displayed in serving lines advising students of the food items that must be chosen. Please see the image below which
explains the new guidelines in more detail.
Do you have international experience or expertise? Global Studies is alive and well at
GMA! Our fantastic teachers are eager to bring Global Awareness and interaction to life
in their classrooms, so we are putting together a resource list which will allow them to identify
people in our school community who have international experience. Can you help?
Is your employer internationally connected? Have you traveled abroad? Do you have special
knowledge or experience with another country or culture?
If so, please email Becky Duckett at becky.duckett@furman.edu. We would love to include
your name, country(ies) or regions you know about, and your email for teacher contacts.
Sports Physical Form
Parent/Student Calendar (English)
Parent/Student Calendar (Spanish)
8th Grade Trip Information
Beta Club Trip Information

Greenville Middle Academy Page 6
Friend Of The Ram
Black Rams ($50 and under)
Tracy & Karen Stuttles
Karl& Tammy Menches
Martha & Lewis Mims
Michael & Ashley Douglas
D. Shepherd
Savita Nair
Jeff & Leisa Potter
Christa Guicherit
Dane & Stephanie Pierce
Andrew J. Small
The Trakas Family
Kendall & Gaines Huguley
Scott & Elizabeth Hartge
Joe & Ada Cain
Morris & Alicia Hardigree
Brenda and Jerry Leach
Anonymous
The PTA and staff of Greenville Middle would like to thank
the following individuals and companies for their support in
improving our children‘s educational environment.
Grand Ram ($501 and above)
Greenville Pharmaceutical Research
Will & Sydney Sykes
Wedgy's Pizza
Red Rams ($51 - $100)
Paul & Susan Grier
Susan Williams & Neil Rabon
Anne Bishop
Paul & Theresa Sparks
Robert Judd & Alison Jones
Alisa & Jim McMahon
Denise & Michael Hoppenhauer
Robin & Anna Foster
Holly & Chad Bolling
Dan Kirkpatrick
Ram Partners ($101 - $250)
Jim & Betsy Baumgardner
Tom & Gidge Marchant
John & Seal Wilson
Jim & Betsy Bloodworth
Emelyn & Neil Jones
Thank you for your generous support of Greenville Middle Academy!
Dr. Robert Palmer Gidge Marchant and Lynn Norwood Tammy Menches Helen Graben
GMA Principal PTA Co-Presidents PTA Pres-Elect Treasurer

Page 7
OCTOBER 2012
Greenville Middle Academy
Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
1
7 8
Volleyball game
@ home vs.
Greer
Volleyball game
@ home vs.
Beck
2 3 4
9
Magnet School
Open House
5:30pm
14 15 16 17
10
Volleyball game
@ Blue Ridge
8th Grade
PSAT
PTA Board
Meeting 9am
21 22 23 24 25
28 29
Strings Concert
7pm
30 31 1
Volleyball game
@ home vs.
Riverside
11
8th grade field
trip to
Donaldson
Career Center
18
Ram Pride Spirit Week
No School
for Students
Chad Crews
Author Visit
Spirit Week
Dance 5-7pm
5
Student Council
Elections
12
Magazine Sales
Dance
19
No School
for Students
6
13
20
26 27
2