GMS REMINDERS: No School Friday (9/4); No School Monday (9/7). We hope everyone has an amazing weekend!
🐝 Jacket Palooza = Wednesday, September 16th!
🗓️ Deadline: All donations are due September 9th
📱 Donate Online: https://bit.ly/jacketpalooza26
Let’s support our Yellow Jackets! 🐝✨
Odyssey of the Mind might be the perfect fit! Students use creativity, critical thinking, teamwork, and hands-on problem-solving to tackle unique challenges—and there’s definitely more than one “right” answer!
Want to learn more? Join us for an Odyssey of the Mind Information Night!
📅 Thursday, September 24
⏰ 6:00–8:00 PM
📍 Greenville Middle School Media Center
Teams of up to seven students compete regionally, with opportunities to advance to State and even World Finals! GPS teams have advanced to World Finals for the past SIX years in a row! Come discover how your child can start thinking Beyond the Box! ✨
❓ Questions? Contact Joshua Stump, Odyssey of the Mind Coordinator, at joshua.stump@gpsjackets.org.
Greenville Middle School will release at 11:40 AM, Greenville High School will release at 11:45 AM, and all GPS Elementary Schools will release at 1:05 PM.
Lunches will be provided at each school before dismissal.
Children’s Corner childcare will remain open at all four elementary schools until their normal closing time (6:00 PM).
This decision was made with safety as our top priority. We appreciate your understanding and continued support as we prioritize the safety and well-being of our students and staff.
Stay safe, cool, and hydrated, Yellow Jackets!
🐝 Jacket Palooza is Here, GMS Families! 🐝
We are raising money for school events that benefit ALL of our students! On Wednesday, September 16th, 2026, students will get to enjoy a packed day of fitness and fun.
Student Prize Levels:
$10 Raised: GMS Sunglasses 😎
$25 Raised: Official GMS Jackets T-Shirt 👕
$50 Raised: Sliming of a GMS staff member! 🟢
Every $50 Raised: 1 Grand Prize Raffle Ticket 🎟️
🎁 Grand Prize Baskets (1 winner per grade!):
Every $50 raised earns a entry to win a massive prize basket loaded with gift cards, movie passes, and treats from NCG Cinemas, McDonald's, Arby's, Jimmy John's, Culver's, Taco Bell, Popeyes, El Rancho, Applebee's, Big Boy, Jet's Pizza, and tons of candy!
🗓️ Deadline: All donations are due September 9th, 2026.
📱 Donate Online: https://bit.ly/jacketpalooza26
Let’s support our Yellow Jackets! 🐝✨
We've had a great start to the school year! Please click this link for September's Parent Newsletter from Principal Walsh.
Newsletter
Go Jackets!
A new Michigan law is bringing changes to reading instruction across the state—but at Greenville Public Schools, these practices are not new. Our teachers have already been using the Science of Reading approach for several years, using explicit, evidence-based instruction to help students build strong foundational reading skills.
Recently, 13 ON YOUR SIDE visited Cedar Crest Elementary to speak with first-grade teacher Keriann Poquette, who shared how this approach helps students become confident, capable readers.
🎥 Watch the 13 ON YOUR SIDE story:
🔗 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTkkpq4Oa3M
We’re proud of the research-based work happening in our classrooms every day! 💜💛
Their generosity makes a meaningful difference for our students. We’re thankful for community partners who continue to show up for our students and families! 💜💛
In addition to the generous school supply donations, $1,500 in monetary donations were collected for our Opportunities for Success Fund, which supports students and families in need throughout the school year.
We are so grateful for the generosity and continued support of our students and families! 💜💛
Greetings GMS School Family!
Click here to see some First Day of School Reminders!
https://bit.ly/gmsfirstdayreminders26
Let's have a great year!
GO JACKETS!
On Tuesday, GPS welcomed all staff back and kicked off the new school year with a delicious breakfast and a short program celebrating several amazing members of our team! 👏✨
While many of our staff have been working hard all summer long to prepare for another great year, Tuesday was a chance for everyone to come together, reconnect, and officially kick off the year as a team!
From professional development and classroom prep to orientations, open houses, and all the behind-the-scenes work that makes a school year possible, our staff have been putting in the work to get GPS ready for our students, families & our community! 📚🍎
The countdown is on… OUR STUDENTS ARE COMING BACK MONDAY (August 24)! We can’t wait to see our halls filled with Jackets again! 💜💛 Here’s to a fantastic 2026–27 school year!
LET’S GO, JACKETS!
We are proud to recognize two exceptional members of the Greenville Public Schools family whose dedication, leadership, and influence have left a lasting mark on our students and community.💜💛
👏 Chris Chapman (Citizen/Organization Honoree)
For 28 years, Chris was a driving force behind the performing arts at Greenville Public Schools. As Auditorium Manager, he helped bring countless concerts, plays, musicals, ceremonies, and community events to life while helping build the Yellow Jacket Theatre program. More importantly, he created a place where students felt welcome, supported, and encouraged to discover what they could accomplish. His influence helped shape the paths of students who went on to study theatre and pursue careers in the field. Now retired, his greatest legacy isn't simply the performances he helped create—it's the generations of students he encouraged, cared for, and inspired.
👏Jen Mahar (Current Employee Honoree)
Jen leads with a servant's heart. At Walnut Hills, she sees what students, staff, and families need and works tirelessly to make it happen. From supporting students and staff to creating a food pantry, securing coats and winter items, connecting families with resources, and building community partnerships, Jen leads by being present. Perhaps her greatest impact is the culture she has created—a place where staff feel supported, students feel safe, and families know they have an advocate. She has created something that can't be forced or mandated: trust.
Congratulations to Chris & Jen, our 2026 Elmer Russell School Bell Award recipients! Thank you for the lasting impact you have made on Greenville Public Schools and the generations of students, staff, and families you have served and continue to serve. 💜💛
Thank you to everyone who attended the Greenville Middle School 7th & 8th Grade Open House...we had an incredible turnout!
We are so grateful for your support as we work to ensure every student is known, every student is challenged, and every student is supported.
Don’t forget! 6th Grade Orientation is this coming Wednesday August 19!
Join us in the cafeteria to start and then an opportunity to explore:
*Students with last names A-K: 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
*Students with last names L-Z: 4:45 PM – 5:30 PM
We are excited to welcome all of our new students and their families. Please join us!
We are proud to celebrate two outstanding members of the Greenville Public Schools team whose dedication and commitment make a difference every day. 💜💛
👏District Support Staff of the Year — Julie VanHoose of Greenville High School!
Julie is the person who keeps things moving, solves problems, supports students, families, and staff, and somehow keeps track of all the things the rest of us have forgotten! As Administrative Assistant to the Principal and Senior Class Advisor, she plays an important role in supporting our school community and creating memorable experiences for our students. Her dedication to GPS is a family tradition, and her commitment to our students and staff has made a lasting impact.
👏 District Teacher of the Year — Ken Mol of Walnut Hills Elementary
Ken demonstrates the powerful impact a teacher can have on a child. His nominations highlighted students who have grown in confidence, made tremendous progress, and—most importantly—learned to love coming to school. His colleagues describe a teacher who goes above and beyond, adapts to challenges, collaborates with others, and creates a classroom where kindergarteners feel safe, valued, and inspired to grow.
Congratulations, Julie & Ken! Thank you for the incredible difference you make for our students and schools! 💛💜
🎒 August 18: 7th & 8th Grade Open House | 4:00–5:30 PM
🏫 August 19: 6th Grade Orientation
👥 Last Name A–K | Welcome at 4:00 PM / Explore at 4:15–4:45 PM
👥 Last Name L–Z | Welcome at 4:45PM / Explore 5:00–5:30 PM
⚠️ First Day of School: Monday, August 24
💻 Chromebooks: Students will receive their Chromebooks within the first few days of school. Reverification MUST be completed prior to Chromebook distribution.
https://www.myschoolbucks.com/ver2/getmain.action
📣 ENROLLMENT & REVERIFICATION REMINDER! 📣
🆕 New Students:
Begin the enrollment process here: https://www.gpsjackets.org/page/enrollment
🔄 Returning/Current Students:
Log in to PowerSchool to review and update your student’s information, complete required forms, and access important information for the start of the school year: https://greenville.powerschool.com/public/
⚠️ IMPORTANT: Reverification MUST be completed before your student can receive their schedules and Chromebook!
🔑 Having trouble logging in? PowerSchool requires both a username and password. If you’ve forgotten your login information, you can recover your username first and then request a new password.
Thank you for helping us ensure your student’s information is accurate and up to date!
Greenville Middle School
September 1, 2026
Makeup day October 15, 2026
Some things you should know…
ORDER NOW TO SAVE! For the fastest delivery and to avoid a shipping fee, please pre-order before Picture Day. All orders placed before Picture Day will be delivered to the school about three weeks after Picture Day. Orders placed after Picture Day will be delivered after Makeup Day. A shipping fee applies to all orders placed after Makeup Day.
Yearbooks and class composites will be delivered later in the school year.
Your child’s proof will typically be available less than a week after picture day. To view your child’s proof and place an order, log in with their Student ID number as the “access code”.
A makeup photo will be given to students who:
Are new to the school
Were absent on Picture Day
Return their original Photo Package (blue envelope) on Makeup Day
Have a note from a parent
Thank you for ordering from Douglas Photography! All our products are backed by our 100% Happiness Guarantee. Call us with any questions at 616-874-9101.
Your Online Ordering Link:
https://douglasphotography.accessmyevent.com/GreenvilleMiddleSchool
