Notes from the Director

Good Evening Families!

As we prepare for our Celebration of Learning this Wednesday, November 2Oth, we reflect on the mission of Gate City and the purpose and power of arts integration to impact education and our students for the better. Arts integration provides a range of benefits for our individual students, our community of learners, and even our school staff. It helps students develop critical thinking skills, foster creativity, and improve problem-solving abilities. It inspires engagement, retention, and deeper understanding. For our community, it establishes a platform for empathy, courage, communication, and respect. And for our teachers, it provides an environment where they collaborate, innovate, and respond to the needs and personalities of their individual classes. We are thrilled to show you all of the amazing things they have been creating!

Items of Interest:

CELEBRATION OF LEARNING: November 20th at 5:30-7pm we will be holding our first-of-the-year, Celebration of Learning! This is an event open to families. Classrooms will be open. Student work will be on display. The Arts will be highlighted. And we will celebrate all that makes Gate City Charter School the unique, wonderful, exceptional learning community that it is! We encourage every family to attend. The event will be “open house” style, so come when you can and stay as long as you're able. There will be a community art piece to contribute to and activities to take part in throughout the school.

THANKSGIVING FOOD AND SUPPLY DRIVE: November 8th-22nd bring your donations of non-perishable food items, or any of the following: cleaning supplies, toilet paper, laundry detergent, and food safe sanitizer wipes, to Gate City’s lobby by November 22nd. Donations will go to the local Beech Street Shelter and Engagement Center.

PHOTO UPDATE: Retakes are being held on THIS Friday, November 22nd. Photos taken on Retake Day are expected for delivery on December 18th. Questions or need further information about retakes, packages, or ordering? Please see the attached letter or contact Amanda at gibbyimages@gmail.com.

PARENT’S NIGHT OUT: December 7th the 8th Grade is hosting a Parent’s Night Out to fundraise for the 8th Grade Trip in the spring. Children 3 and over will be entertained, cared for, and fed at the school between the hours of 4pm and 9pm. Children ages 3 and older who are potty trained are welcome to attend. Adults will be there to guide and support. These fundraisers are crucial to supporting the 8th Grade’s end-of-year experiences. Please consider supporting them and giving yourself a night out! See the attached flier for even more details. Please register your children HERE - https://forms.gle/Jq2aSJaZSU5yLfth9 

Our HOLIDAY SHOP is almost here!!!!  Shopping December 6th and 9th! ITEMS AND VOLUNTEERS STILL NEEDED:

• VOLUNTEER: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A49A5AB22A5FDCF8-52564121-holiday
• DONATE: We are in need of many more items to sell. We often sell out of items and want every child to have the same fun opportunity to shop! Below is the link to an Amazon wishlist for suggestions of items that would sell well. However, we are absolutely open to other donations! Donations should be clearly marked and dropped in the Front Office. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3D0UVJAU06RRU?ref_=wl_share

Have an extraordinary LIKE YOU week! Hope to see you Wednesday!

Onward and upward ALWAYS!

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA

Good Evening Gate City!

In 1954, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a decree establishing November 11th as Veterans Day, expanding the recognition to include veterans of all wars, and it's been commemorated ever since. James Allen once said, “No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.” The power and importance of gratitude is recognized and valued today and every day at Gate City. 

In a month noted for gratitude, we are especially thankful for our school volunteers. A special thank you to everyone who was involved in our Scholastic Book Fair. We met and exceeded our Scholastic Book Fair fundraising goal, and our teachers have already been purchasing books for our classrooms with our proceeds. 

Here are some important details about our upcoming activities and opportunities to get involved in making Gate City magic happen:

THANKSGIVING FOOD AND SUPPLY DRIVE: November 8th-22nd bring your donations of non-perishable food items, or any of the following: cleaning supplies, toilet paper, laundry detergent, and food safe sanitizer wipes, to Gate City’s lobby by November 22nd. Donations will go to the local Beech Street Shelter and Engagement Center.

CELEBRATION OF LEARNING: November 20th at 5:30-7pm we will be holding our first-of-the-year, Celebration of Learning! This is an event open to families. Classrooms will be open. Student work will be on display. The Arts will be highlighted. And we will celebrate all that makes Gate City Charter School the unique, wonderful, exceptional learning community that it is! We encourage every family to attend. The event will be “open house” style, so come when you can and stay as long as you're able. There will be a community art piece to contribute to and activities to take part in throughout the school.

PHOTO UPDATE: September’s school photos are expected on November 15th, with retakes being held on November 22nd. Photos taken on Retake Day are expected for delivery on December 13th. Questions? gibbyimages@gmail.com 

HOLIDAY SHOP DONATIONS:  One of the most successful and exciting fundraisers every year! Families donate a variety of small gifts like mugs, picture frames, toys, household items, homemade crafts and so forth to be used as shop “inventory”. Then, students shop for their families with a budget and the help of volunteers and wrap their gifts! The shoppers are bubbling over with JOY! It’s simply magical! This year shopping will take place on December 6th and 9th.

• VOLUNTEER: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0A49A5AB22A5FDCF8-52564121-holiday
• DONATE: We are in need of many more items to sell. We often sell out of items and want every child to have the same fun opportunity to shop! Our biggest inventory needs are things geared to male relatives, pet items, candles, hobby themed items (sports, gardening, reading, cooking). We also need tissue paper, gift tags, and gift bags of all sizes to make it easier for the volunteers helping to wrap the purchases. Below is the link to an Amazon wishlist for suggestions of items that would sell well. However, we are absolutely open to other donations! Donations should be clearly marked and dropped in the Front Office. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/3D0UVJAU06RRU?ref_=wl_share

We are grateful for all of you! Have a joyful week!

Onward and Upward!

Jenn Blanchette

Good Morning Gate City!

I hope you all had just a little bit of extra sleep this weekend with the changing of the clocks. Firstly, I just want to say thank you for all of the hard work that went into last week’s Fall Festival. Fun was had by all, including me! Our community is the BEST!

You will often hear me praise our community. However, a community like ours requires a lot of hard work. Sometimes that work comes in the form of donations of your time or items, but in the upcoming days and months it will require a large portion of GRACE extended to one another. That grace, or “unearned” kindness, love, and understanding, cannot be purchased from an Amazon wish list. It is a gift that comes from inside, one that demands that we are compassionate and gentle, even when we may want to respond with judgment and sharpness. As a community, we celebrate and encourage differences, and grace is an essential factor in our strength. In the face of the upcoming presidential election this week, much is uncertain. However, we do know that one candidate will win, and another will lose. Inevitably, this will ignite a vast array of other emotions. Despite the wave of feelings sure to crash over us, I know that, if we model the same courtesy, kindness and compassion that we want to see in our students, it will be a powerful and unifying moment rather than a bitter and divisive one.

Additionally, with Halloween behind us and the holiday season approaching, I know that the next few months bring with them JOY and also a seemingly endless schedule of events. The hectic and wonderful nature of this season is magical and inevitably stressful for staff, families, and even for students. Like the political season, navigating this season will likewise require a good deal of grace.

So as we enter this period of tumult and busyness, let us all take a deep breath and step into it with a renewed commitment to extend grace to those in our communities and families and perhaps especially to ourselves.

WARM CLOTHING: As we layer on the grace, we also need to layer on the warm clothes. At this point in the year all students should have a jacket and, ideally, be wearing warm layers. Of course we know that when it comes to some students and their passion for year-round shorts, the struggle is real. 

ILLNESS: All over the country schools are facing an increase in illness this year. Please continue to do your part by keeping ill children home, especially those with fevers and vomiting, for at least 24 hours post fever or intestinal episode. 

WE HAVE SCHOOL: We have school Tuesday, November 5th. NO MERRIMACK BUS!

THERE IS NO SCHOOL: There is NO SCHOOL Monday, November 11th

UPCOMING EVENTS:

BOOK FAIR: Our Book Fair starts today and will continue through Friday the 8th! Cash and e-wallet accepted!

Info and e-wallet payment option HERE: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/gatecitycharterschool

Please sign up to help volunteer!!! https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A054AA9A929A0FA7-52820367-gate#/

Schedule:

Wishlist Days: Monday, Nov. 4th & Tuesday, Nov. 5th Students will visit the book fair with their classes and create their own wishlists to be brought home.

Shopping Days: Wednesday. Nov. 6th & Thursday, Nov. 7th Students will have time to shop at the book fair with their classes during the school day at scheduled time slots.

Make Up Shopping Day: Friday, Nov. 8th Any student that missed their scheduled shopping time can shop from 9am-12pm on Friday.

Parent & Guardian Shopping Times: Parents and guardians will be able to shop before and after school on Wednesday 8am-8:45am and 1pm-2pm, Thursday 8am-8:45am and 3pm-4pm, and Friday 8am-8:45am and 3pm-4pm.

DONUTS WITH THE DIRECTOR: Thursday, November 7th at 8:45am come learn more about our school and bring your questions and ideas. Meet community members and learn about ways to get involved in our Community-Staff Organization. This year Gate City is reorganizing its PTO. We have renamed it the CSO or Community Staff Organization. We are eager to have you be a part of making it the best it can be. We need your help! Please join us this Thursday.

CELEBRATION OF LEARNING: Save the date! November 20th at 5:30-7pm we will be holding our first-of-the-year, Celebration of Learning! This is an event open to families. Classrooms will be open. Student work will be on display. The Arts will be highlighted. And we will celebrate all that makes Gate City Charter School the unique, wonderful, exceptional learning community that it is! We encourage every family to attend. 

Wishing everyone a week of health, hope, and grace!

Onward and upward,

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA

Happy Sunday Families!

Thank you to everyone who came to visit us at our many community events this weekend. This week promises to be wild and wonderful! We have Spirit Week and Fall Festival, and, for many of our students, Halloween celebrations!

It’s both fun and harrowing to have so much going on, but the joy and positive energy buzzing around the school is more than worth it! If you see a staff member this week, please offer them a smile, a thank you, or maybe some chocolate!

Spirit Week: Our first Spirit Week of the year will be this week!

Monday: Soccer Mom and BBQ Dad

Tuesday: Wear Your Favorite Color Head-to-Toe

Wednesday: Country or Country Club

Thursday: Costume Day NO MASKS, GORE or WEAPONS PLEASE!

Friday: PJ Day

Fall Festival:This event is a K-8 activity that will take place during the school day on October 30th. Students will travel to a variety of stations led by volunteers. We still need your help! Are you interested in volunteering? Sign up here! Our donation request list is here. These are materials needed for stations and prizes. 

Student Government Fall Bake Sale: October 31st and November 1st at lunchtime students will have the opportunity to purchase baked treats to contribute to funding swings for our playground! All items will be $1. Vegan and GF options available!

Book Fair November 4th-8th: Yay! Book Fair returns next week. Look for more details, including how to load your digital wallet, in the next few days as well as a volunteer sign up!

No Merrimack bus November 5th due to Election Day.

Donuts with the Director: What is the Community-Staff Organization? How can I Get Involved? Moved to Thursday, November 7th at 8:45am

Come learn more about our school and bring your questions and ideas. Meet community members and learn about ways to get involved in our Community-Staff Organization. This year Gate City is reorganizing its PTO. We have renamed it the CSO or Community Staff Organization. We are eager to have you be a part of making it the best it can be. We need your help! Please join us NEXT Thursday.

You’re Fired Fundraiser November 8th-10th: Earn some funds for the school by making REALLY COOL art! More information to follow!

No school November 11th due to Veterans Day.

Have a BOO-tiful week!

Onward and upward ALWAYS!

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA

Happy Monday!

Only in New England: last week I was writing about crisp, fall air, and this week it is predicted to be 80 degrees. I suppose the message in that could be that nothing stays the same, so we learn to expect the unexpected and embrace change. Although, I must admit that I am still working on that.

Last week we had a wonderful community meeting where we celebrated the mosaic work of grades K-8! It was so amazing to have everyone together in one place and enjoying art. We truly have a special school. We also had our first Information Night for families wanting to learn more about Gate City. Do you have a family with children that you think would be a good fit for Gate City? Invite them to head to our website and sign up for a tour or an Information Night. We rely on you and your recommendations to keep enrollment strong and our doors open!

As the days get shorter and the busyness of the year has settled in, we are noticing that many of our students are coming in very sleepy and/or tardy. Students are counted as tardy when they arrive after 8:45 am. We know things come up and some mornings are more challenging than others, but morning meeting/advisory is a very important part of their day. Please make every effort to arrive on time.

Guardian-Teacher Conferences: This week, beginning today, October 21st, teachers will be hosting brief guardian-teacher conferences. It’s not too late to sign up! Look for information from your student’s teacher.

Donuts with the Director: What is the Community-Staff Organization? How can I Get Involved? Thursday, October 24th at 8:45am Come learn more about our school and bring your questions and ideas. Meet community members and learn about ways to get involved in our Community-Staff Organization. This year Gate City is reorganizing its PTO. We have renamed it the CSO or Community Staff Organization. We are eager to have you be a part of making it the best it can be. We need your help! Please join us on Thursday.

Donations of the Week: Water, Paper, and Fall Festival Supplies (Look for the sign up tomorrow)!

*Please remember to send your student with at least one refillable or disposable water bottle EVERY DAY!

Spirit Week: Our first Spirit Week of the year will be the week of October 28th-November 1st. More information to follow!

Monday: Soccer Mom and BBQ Dad

Tuesday: Wear Your Favorite Color Head-to-Toe

Wednesday: Country or Country Club

Thursday: Costume Day

Friday: PJ Day

Fall Festival:This event is a K-8 activity that will take place during the school day on October 30th. Students will travel to a variety of stations led by volunteers.Interested in helping? Please email Danielle Johnson at Johnsond@gccs-nh.org. These events cannot happen without you! Look for a Sign-Up Genius in your email tomorrow!

Gate City Out and About: Saturday the 26th, join Gate City in Merrimack for two events. We will be at the Merrimack Halloween Party  and Trunk-or-Treat beginning at 12pm and the Merrimack YMCA Halloween Celebration at 2pm. 

Have a safe, healthy, and happy week. 

Onward and upward ALWAYS!

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA

Happy Monday Evening Gate City!

I hope all of our families had a weekend packed with fall fun! F Scott Fitzgerald said, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” If that is the case, then the week before us is one of new beginnings.

Still Need Winter Gear? We still have many fall and winter items available. Come take a look. They are free to one and all!

Fall Weather: As it gets chillier, especially in the mornings, please send your students to school with light jackets and/or layers.

Lice/Illness: We have had a few reported cases of lice. For information on screening and treatment protocols you can visit the following link: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/head-lice.html. Also, we have had many illnesses barrelling through GCCSA in the last few weeks. We understand that keeping children home is often logistically challenging, but please do not send students to school unless they have been fever and severe symptom (ie vomiting) free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication.

Scarecrow Post Challenge: Our scarecrow is up! It is sitting proudly on the Main Street Bridge in downtown Nashua. Unlike in past years, this year there is no official voting contest for the community scarecrows. However, at Gate City we are still ready to show our community how amazing we are, and our 8th Grade students are hoping to earn recognition for their masterpiece. So, let’s see how many pictures with our scarecrow we can get out there on social media to spread the word about our school! 8th Grade has a goal of 100 posts! If they meet that goal, they get a prize! So post away!  Don’t forget to tag Gate City in your post. All individuals posting will be entered into a raffle for an Amazon gift card! The winner will be announced November 1st and posted on Gate City’s socials.

iCivics Night: Tuesday, October 15 from 6pm - 8 pm. This event is a fun night of family Civics-related gaming with friendly competition between adults and students, prizes, and treats! All are welcome Kindergarten to adults - there are some choices for the younger family members, and we'll have coloring pages too! 

Gate City Information Night: Wednesday, October 16th, from 5-6:30pm. Here is your chance! Share Gate City with your community and families! Do you know a family that might be interested in learning more about Gate City Charter School? Our first Information Session for students considering enrollment for the remainder of this year or the 2025-26 school year will be next Wednesday at 5pm! Attendees will take a tour, learn more about the school, and have the opportunity to ask questions! Know someone interested? Have them email Paige Duval at info@gccs-nh.org or sign up HERE to attend.

Guardian-Teacher Conferences: Next week, beginning October 21st, teachers will be hosting brief guardian-teacher conferences. We can’t wait to share all of the amazing things that your students have been up to. Sign ups will come from teachers directly.

Fall Festival: It’s almost time for our annual Fall Festival. This event is a K-8 activity that will take place during the school day on October 30th. Students will travel to a variety of stations led by volunteers.Interested in helping? Please email Danielle Johnson at Johnsond@gccs-nh.org. These events cannot happen without you!  

Don’t forget to harvest joy this week!

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA

Happy Monday Gate City!

I hope you all enjoyed at least a moment or two of the splendor of the season this weekend. My daughter, a graduate of GCCSA, is attending UMass Amherst, and I had the opportunity to travel there this past Saturday. The drive was so picturesque! I was reminded that we are surrounded by the masterpiece of nature every day. In the rush of it all, I sometimes just forget to appreciate it.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the Alltown Car Wash fundraiser in Manchester this weekend!

A note of gratitude to everyone who has been bringing in water and tissues and other commonly needed supplies. It may seem like a small thing but it makes a big difference! We are very much in need of donations for our Winter Clothing Swap Wednesday! We all know how expensive winter gear can be, and it is often only used for a season. Don’t have items to donate but need some items? Join us!!! No worries!

Last week we kicked off silent reading, and our 8th Grade completed one of the coolest scarecrows in human history…if not the coolest! The scarecrow will be displayed on Main Street for the remainder of the month and is scheduled to go up this Monday or Tuesday. This year’s theme is Beetlejuice, in honor of our drama club’s upcoming 2025 spring performance. Thank you to our parent, Paul Shea, and to the Great American Downtown for organizing this fun activity. 

Scarecrow Post Challenge: Let’s see how many pictures with our scarecrow we can get out there on social media to spread the word about our school! Don’t forget to tag Gate City! 8th Grade has a goal of 100 posts! If they meet that goal, they get a prize! So post away! All individuals posting will be entered into a raffle for an Amazon gift card! The winner will be announced November 1st and posted on Gate City’s socials.

I can already tell that this week is going to be extraordinary! 

Potluck Community Dinner and Our Annual Winter Gear Clothing Swap on Wednesday, October 9th from 5:30pm-7pm

Our first Community Dinner of the year is just around the corner! Please RSVP and sign up to bring something to share: https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0945ACAE2CA0FCC61...

In conjunction, we will also be holding our second annual Winter Gear Swap! Prepare for the cold weather ahead and help our community to do the same! We will be accepting donations of outgrown, gently used outdoor wear now through October 9th. Please bring your donations to the front office. Please come by Wednesday, October 9th 5:30-7:00 to "shop" (all items are free!) and share a meal with our school community!

Reminder: NO SCHOOL Friday, October 11th and Monday, October 14th! Friday is a teacher PD day. Don’t forget to check out our website for the full school-year calendar!

iCivics Night: Tuesday, October 15 from 6pm - 8 pm. This event is a fun night of family Civics-related gaming with friendly competition between adults and students, prizes, and treats! All are welcome Kindergarten to adult - there are some choices for the younger family members and we'll have coloring pages too! There is more information in the attached flier.

Gate City Charter School Information Night: Wednesday, October 16th, from 5-7:00pm. Here is your chance! Share Gate City with your community and families! Do you know a family that might be interested in learning more about Gate City Charter School? Our first Information Session for students considering enrollment for the remainder of this year or the 2025-26 school year will be next Wednesday at 5pm! Attendees will take a tour, learn more about the school, and have the opportunity to ask questions! Know someone interested? Have them email Paige Duval at info@gccs-nh.org.

Spirit Week: Our first Spirit Week of the year will be the week of October 28th-November 1st. More information to follow!

Monday: Soccer Mom and BBQ Dad

Tuesday: Wear Your Favorite Color Head-to-Toe

Wednesday: Country or Country Club

Thursday: Costume Day

Friday: PJ Day

A Note on Costumes: Students are permitted to wear costumes on Halloween. However, these costumes should not have elaborate and expensive pieces that are challenging to keep track of, nor should they be something gory or scary.  No masks or weapons please. Costumes should be something students can use the bathroom in and a change of clothing is advisable. Students wishing to use blow-up costumes will have a window of time that they can wear their costumes, but will not be able to wear them for the entirety of the day. 

Fall Festival: It’s almost time for our annual Fall Festival. This event is a K-8 activity that will take place during the school day on October 30th. Students will travel to a variety of stations led by volunteers. Be on the lookout for a volunteer and supply sign up! These events cannot happen without you! Can't wait for the sign up? Want to be in the know right now? Email Danielle Johnson at johnsond@gccs-nh.org

Hope to see you all at the community dinner!

Onward and Upward!

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA

Good Evening Gate City Families!

This note is coming to you a day late but so very worth the wait! it's packed with information about yet another few weeks of phenomenal happenings! But first I wanted to extend a gigantic thank you to everyone who helped make our groovy Fall Family Dance possible last Friday! It was amazing to see so many of our families gather together and have a groove-tastic time! If you missed it, I encourage you to join us for one of our many upcoming activities. Our community is one of the many wonderful things about Gate City Charter School. You belong here, and we want you to feel connected!

i-Ready: The i-Ready “window” has begun! i-Ready is an online diagnostic program in math and English that will help your student’s teacher(s) determine your student’s needs, personalize their learning, and monitor progress throughout the school year. At Gate City our students participate in i-Ready three times during the year. Next week will mark the start of the first round of the diagnostic. Class diagnostic schedules will vary depending on grade level, academic schedules, and technology distribution. You can learn more about i-Ready by visiting here: https://ireadycentral.com/familycenter/what-is-i-ready/

TOMORROW, Tuesday, October 1st is Family STEAM Night!       All families are welcome at the Title I STEAM Night! Join us from 5:15pm-6:15pm for whole family STEAM activities and learn a little about the Title I program.

Alltown Car Wash Fundraiser Saturday and Sunday, October 5th and 6th: Stop by and get a carwash at the 2391 Brown Ave location in Manchester anytime this weekend. Gate City will receive $5 for any car wash and $20 for any Unlimited Club sign up! 

Potluck Community Dinner and Our Annual Winter Gear Clothing Swap on Tuesday, October 9th from 5:30pm-7pm     Our first Community Dinner of the year is just around the corner! Please RSVP and sign up to bring something to share: https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0945ACAE2CA0FCC61...

In conjunction, we will also be holding our second annual Winter Gear Swap! Prepare for the cold weather ahead and help our community to do the same! We will be accepting donations of outgrown, gently used outdoor wear now through October 9th. Please bring your donations to the front office.

Please come by Wednesday, October 9th 5:30-7:00 to "shop" (all items are free!) and share a meal with our school community!

DONATION OF THE WEEK: Never worn, gently used, and/or outgrown outdoor winter wear! Please bring your donations to the front office.

Hope to see you tomorrow for STEAM Night!

Onward and Upward!

Director Jenn Blanchette

Happy Sunday!

Welcome fall! Suddenly, the trees are a canvas. In the words of George Eliot,“If I were a bird, I would fly about the Earth seeking the successive autumns.” We had a wonderful Photo Day and Back-to-School Night last week. Electives are off to a fantastic start. Another week and more great things are happening at Gate City!

Family Dance: Join us THIS Friday, Sept. 27th from 5:30-7:30pm as we GROOVE with our family and friends. This is a Family Dance- open to all students and their families. Students MUST attend with an adult. This is NOT a drop-off event. There is no fee to attend, but there are concessions for sale. This is a great opportunity to meet new friends for both students and guardians

Please consider donating items and/or volunteering to help make this event as incredible as possible! 

Donations needed - Click Here  Volunteers needed - Click Here

Get Your Gate City Gear: School merch is back! Visit the online pop-up store for GCCSA t-shirts, long sleeve T's, and sweatshirts: https://mintprintworks.chipply.com/GCCSA/ Orders must be placed during the next 2 weeks, choose ship to home or local pickup at the school. We work with a wonderful, local family-owned business Mint Printworks for high quality items, and a portion of sales benefits our school! Orders close September 29th, and purchases will be shipped out after that date. 

Winter Clothing Swap: We are now accepting donations of gently used winter gear (hats, mittens, gloves, jackets, coats, snow pants, boots, etc.) for our 2nd Annual WINTER GEAR SWAP! Cold weather is just around the corner, as you go through the closets please bring any outgrown items to our school lobby. Stop by on Wednesday October 9th 5:30pm-7pm to grab any cold weather gear you and your family may need AND stay for our Community Dinner Potluck! Please share with family and friends!!!

After School Activities: We are kicking off several after school activities this week and next: D&D Club, Cross Country, Drama Club, a mural class, piano and guitar lessons and more! Questions? Reach out! 

Food Help Available: End 48 Hours of Hunger is a program that is available to families who may experience food instability. Students receive a bag of dry goods each Friday to bring home. Please contact our guidance counselor, Mrs. Bates, at BatesG@gccs-nh.org for more information.

Free Library and Food Pantry: Did you know that we have a Little Free Food Pantry and Little Free Library in our school lobby? Please stop by anytime for books and food items (located in the large metal closet) - take any and all that you need!

Volunteers: Volunteers make all of the difference! We are building a team of volunteers that will help Gate City thrive! Our biggest needs are help with events and fundraising. We are seeking volunteers to help with coordinating, planning, seeking donations, fundraising, set up, and clean up for various events throughout the year. Please follow the link for sign ups, and feel free to share with family and friends - thank you! https://forms.gle/bLp1PdxMoYQSgxni6

Look for a Donation Focus-of-the-Week email Monday!

Have a phenomenal week!

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA

Good Sunday Evening Gate City Community!

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our first Donuts with the Director last week. It was wonderful to meet with guardians and to exchange ideas and information. The bridges of communication and connection we build with our families are an invaluable piece of what makes Gate City so special! Be on the lookout for an invitation to next month’s Donuts with the Director. 

Unable to make a meeting? I would still love to hear from you! Never hesitate to reach out with questions or ideas.

As always, our week is packed to the brim with AMAZING!

Hayward’s Fundraiser Night: TOMORROW, Monday, September 16th, from 4-8pm at the Merrimack Hayward’s location. Bring the attached flier or mention Gate City and a portion of your order proceeds will be donated directly to Gate City!

Playground Committee Meeting Please join us on Tuesday, September 17th, for the first Playground Committee meeting of the 2024-2025 school year! We will meet at Gate City from 3:20-4:20pm. Come get involved in beautifying and improving our outdoor playground!

Guardian Back-to-School Night: Parents and guardians, join us on September 18th from 5:30-7pm to explore classrooms, learn more about curriculum, and discover ways to help your student succeed. This is a night for parents and guardians only. Information about music lessons, band, drama, cross country and other activities will also be available.

Picture Day: Friday, September 20th is picture day! All students will have a photo taken for our records and for the yearbook (unless prohibited). Haven’t ordered your pictures yet? Please use THIS FORM to order today!

Order Delivery Date: 11/22/24 

Questions? Email gibbyimages@gmail.com or call 413-522-2742.

Family Dance: Join us on Friday, Sept. 27th from 5:30-7:30pm as we GROOVE with our family and friends. This is a Family Dance- open to all students and their families. This event is a great way to meet new friends and other families!

Please consider donating items and/or volunteering to help make this event as incredible as possible! 

Donations needed - Click Here  Volunteers needed - Click Here

Volunteering: We need your help to make our year successful in so many ways big and small! Please let us know how you’d like to be involved HERE: https://forms.gle/bLp1PdxMoYQSgxni6

Covid Response: Covid is prevalent again. Gate City will continue to follow public health guidelines to mitigate the spread of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19. The CDC updated its respiratory virus guidance on Friday, March 1, 2024. A five-day stay-at-home recommendation is no longer applicable. To prevent the spread of a respiratory virus if you are ill, please follow recommended public health guidelines. Staff/students should stay home if displaying symptoms of respiratory viruses, including COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and return to school when after 24 hours: •  your symptoms are getting better overall, and • you have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication). 

Donation Request of the Week: We could REALLY use cases of bottled water! Please drop donations off in the office!

Make it a great week!

Jenn Blanchette

Director of the BEST Charter School in History!

Happy Sunday!

As the school year gets rolling, I just wanted to highlight a few activities, events and opportunities that are going at Gate City this week!

“Donut” miss Donuts with the Director THIS TUESDAY, September 10th at 8:45am in the Great Hall!  Come learn more about our school and bring your questions and ideas. Meet community members and learn about ways to get involved in our Community-Staff Organization.  

We Need You! 

It takes our families to make Gate City the special community that it is! We need your help to make events, fundraisers, and our extra-curricular activities a success.

Electives: Interested in helping with our student electives? Electives are starting soon and we are once again asking for volunteers to teach or assist electives. Electives give students choice in their education and are an integral part of GCCSA culture. Perhaps you have a skill, hobby, foreign language, or other kind of expertise that you can share with students. The more volunteers we have, the more robust our offerings. Bring your passion and knowledge, and we will organize the rest. We need helpers and teachers on Mondays and Fridays!  

CLICK HERE FOR FORM

Volunteers: Volunteers make all of the difference! We are building a team of volunteers that will help Gate City thrive! Our biggest needs are help with events and fundraising. We are seeking volunteers to help with coordinating, planning, seeking donations, fundraising, set up, and clean up for various events throughout the year. Please follow the link for sign ups, and feel free to share with family and friends - thank you! https://forms.gle/bLp1PdxMoYQSgxni6

**Our first big event will be our Family Dance on 9-27. Look for volunteer sign-ups this week!**

See the attachments below for a calendar of other events and information about our upcoming Haywards fundraiser!

Have an amazing week! Hope to see you Tuesday! 

Onward and upward!

Jennifer Blanchette

Director, Gate City Charter School for the Arts

Happy Labor Day Families!

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend and were able to soak up some of the last rays of summer before the crisp fall air settles in. As the school year gets into full swing, I wanted to offer a few reminders and provide you with Information about upcoming events and activities.

A full calendar of events is available on our website under Upcoming Events.

Transportation: As with the beginning of most undertakings,  we recognize that there were a few hiccups last week, especially with afternoon transportation and dismissal.  We are hopeful that this week will go more smoothly. If you need to change the pick-up plan for your student, please use the designated button on the gccsanh.org website before 2pm.

PLEASE remember not to park in spots designated for other businesses.

Lunches: School lunches begin this week and the menus are posted on the website! If you have not already done so and wish to be considered for the program, please fill out a free and reduced meal application. Copies were sent home last week. If you need another one please let us know or stop by the front office. Without a completed application, the school does not receive funding for the program.

Wednesday Aftercare: Aftercare begins this Wednesday the 4th. If you have not registered and want to participate in the program, this year we are implementing a new sign-up form for GCCSA Wednesday Aftercare. Please fill out THIS FORM if you are interested in your child attending.

Donuts with the Director: Come join me at 8:45 am on September 9th in the Great Hall at Gate for a chance to learn more about Gate City, ask questions, share ideas, and find out more about ways to get involved in our community!

Back-to-School Guardian Night: Parents and guardians, join us on September 18th at drawing 5:30pm to explore classrooms, learn more about curriculum, and discover ways to help your student succeed. This is a night for parents and guardians only.

Picture Day: September 20th

Fall Family Dance: September 27th at 5:30pm join us for our K-8 Fall Family Dance. All families and their students are invited for this annual community bash! Meet new friends, have fun, and make connections that will last!

After School Activities: In the next few weeks look for detailed information on drama, Destination Imagination and cross country!

Can’t wait to see the students tomorrow!

Onward and upward,

Jenn Blanchette

Director, GCCSA