Panther Post: September 14, 2025

Posted Date: 09/14/25 (02:41 PM)

September 14, 2025

News & Updates

Next Week at Gum Springs

September 15th: Gizmos practice until 4:30
September 15th: Dot Day! Wear your best DOT outfit!
September 16th: Kindness Club (Group A), Tech Club (3rd grade), Krafty Kindergarteners; pickup at 4:00pm
September 18th: GS Singers & Science Olympiad; pickup at 4:00pm
September 19th: Fun Run Kickoff Rallies

Planning ahead for the school year? Check out the school calendar on our website to plan for upcoming events in the next few months!

Go for the Gold: Fun Run Kick-Off!

We are excited about our annual GSES Fun Run, sponsored by GSES PTO, kicking off this week! Information about this year’s “Go for the Gold" fundraising campaign and Fun Run event will be shared with students at our kick-off rally on Friday, September 19th and will be sent to families via Parent Square that afternoon as well. Fundraising will take place September 19th-October 3rd, with our Fun Run event taking place on Friday, September 26th. Families are welcome to join us at the WJMS field to watch your child during his/or her grade level event on September 26th. Runs will take place at the following times:

8:30-9:15 2nd Grade
9:20-10:05 Pre-K & Kdg
10:10-10:55 1st Grade
11:00-11:30 Multi-Age Classes
11:35-12:20 4th Grade
12:25-1:10 3rd Grade
1:15-2:00 5th Grade

The following safety guidelines will be in effect:

All guests and spectators will be able to watch the event from outside the fence or on the bleachers. Only students, staff, and registered volunteers will be allowed on the field.
No pets are allowed at the Fun Run.
After each grade level event, all students will walk back to their classrooms with their teachers. If you plan to check your child out after the event, you will come to the front entrance of the school. Our staff will notify your child's teacher that he/she is checking out, and your child will meet you at the front entrance. Please allow up to 30 minutes after your child's run for the check-out process to go safely and smoothly. (Fun Run day is just a regular school day with an extra-fun break to celebrate our campaign's success, so we prefer that students do not check out and stay with us at school all day, just as they would on a regular school day.)
Students may only attend the Fun Run event for their own grade level. If you have multiple children and plan to check them all out, please wait until your last child's grade has completed their run before signing out any of your children.
Look for parking guidelines in next week’s edition of The Panther Post.

We are excited about maintaining this fun tradition for our students, and we appreciate your help keeping it a safe and fun event. Mark your calendars to join us as we “Go for the Gold!”!

Yearbooks on Sale NOW!

25-26 GSES Yearbooks are sale now! Order before October 31st and receive a 10% discount. Any orders placed before April 1st are eligible for 2 FREE custom pages in your child's yearbook.

Got questions? Contact Ms. Simmons (jsimmons@jcss.us).

Yearbook Flyer

Technology Competition: 3rd-5th Grade

We are excited about this year's GSES Student Technology Competition for 3rd-5th grade students. If your child is planning to participate, please make sure that you have completed the competition interest form by Friday, September 26th so that we can directly communicate information to participating families. Students will present their projects and speeches at our GSES school competition on November 10th & 11th during school. Fall Break is a great time to get a jump on creating!

Students have the opportunity to compete in 14 various categories by submitting an individual or partner project. The website linked below provides detailed information on each of the 14 categories with examples of some previously completed projects of state placers. The project can be something your child starts fresh this year or improves on from a previous year. We will even be working on some projects in our classes at school.

Please contact Mrs. Gassman (monica.gassman@jcss.us) if you have any questions.

Technology Competition Interest Form

Technology Competition Website

Go Falcons!

The Jackson County School System Foundation is excited to announce a new partnership with the Atlanta Falcons! The JCSS Foundation will be taking part in Jackson County School System Day with the Falcons when they host divisional rival Carolina on Nov. 16. Five dollars of every ticket sold will be awarded back to the JCSS Foundation! Purchase tickets online by visiting www.gofevo.com/event/jacksoncounty30.

Literacy Month

Fall Book Fair Success!

THANK YOU to everyone who purchased books during our Book Fair! Your purchases help our library earn FREE books...and we earned a LOT of free books! We appreciate all of our volunteers who came to help students choose the best books. We couldn't do it without you!

The fun doesn't have to stop now! There’s more to discover in our Literati Store! Find books, puzzles, STEAM kits, and more at literati.com/store, where every purchase supports our school throughout the year.

Dot Day- September 15th

On September 15th, we will join students around the world in celebrating International Dot Day, a day inspired by Peter H. Reynolds’ book The Dot. This special story reminds children that everyone has creativity inside of them and that a “dot” is just the beginning of making your mark on the world.

At school, students will participate in fun, creative activities that encourage self-expression, confidence, and the courage to try new things. Dot Day helps us celebrate the power of imagination and reminds our students that their ideas matter.

Everyone is encouraged to dress in your best Dot Day outfit- polka dots, spots, colorful dots, dots, dots, DOTS!

Name That Book!

Can you name this book? Look closely at a picture from the book. Need a hint? Here is one line from the book "Years passed. I regrew. I wondered if my city was regrowing too." Submit your guess on the form below by Monday, September 15th. 1 winner will earn a book token to get a book from the vending machine!

https://forms.gle/BX3dMSn98RypYBKA6

Student Spotlights

Congratulations PURPLE Claw!

CONGRATULATIONS to the Purple Claw for earning the most tickets in August! We celebrated the Purple Claw last week during our monthly Claw of the Month Parade. Students and teachers in the Purple Claw paraded around the school while everyone else cheered them on. Way to go, Purple Claw! Who will be our next Claw of the Month for September?!?!

Purple Claw Parade pictures

JCHS Football & Cheer

The JCHS football players and cheerleaders were here Friday morning to greet our students at buses, car riders, and golf carts. Our little Panthers love seeing the big Panthers at school and helping them out of cars or saying good morning at buses. Your support at school and the football game on Friday night helped our JCHS team to a VICTORY over Madison County! Congratulations JCHS!

JCHS Football and Cheer pictures

Community Helper Parade

Kindergarten has been exploring the important roles of various community helpers who make a difference in our lives. To celebrate all that the students have learned, our students participated in a Community Helper Parade Friday. Students also got to visit with firemen, policemen, and see a cool firetruck!

THANK YOU to our real life community helpers who are always supporting us and keeping us safe!

Community Helper Parade pictures

Solar Ovens

Third graders demonstrated their understanding of conductors and solar energy to create heat by making solar ovens. Students used various materials such as cardboard, aluminum foil, and colored paper to create an invention that they predict will generate enough heat from the sun to melt their S'mores. Next week, these third graders will get to test out their inventions and hypotheses while enjoying a nice, sweet treat as well!!

Solar Oven pictures

Helpful Tech Tips

Canvas Parent

Each 2nd-5th homeroom teacher has their own Canvas webpage for students to access and complete digital assignments, online assessments, and use other digital tools to support learning in the classroom. All parents who have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account also have access to view the teacher's Canvas page as a Canvas Parent Observer. Parents may not be able to access each assignment as some work is only accessed with a JCSS account, but parents are able to view content standards, parent resources, and other digital materials the teacher includes on their page. Please review the flyer linked below to learn more about how to login and where to locate information.

JCSS Canvas Parent Instructions

Partners in Ed

Birthday Shoutout Form

GSES LED Sign Sponsorship

Gum Springs Elementary is looking to partner with businesses to build our Partners in Education program. One way we offer this is through our GSES LED Sign Sponsorship. Attached is the form to complete. If you have any questions, please reach out to Hannah Freyre at Hannah.freyre@jcss.us

LED Sign Sponsorship Form