Welcome Back

Hello G-E-T Families,

Welcome back to the middle school! We hope you and your family have had a great summer and your child is ready for the new school year that is quickly approaching. I am very excited to continue our work here as the middle school principal. We have lots of new changes and are ready to get to work having a great school year. For those of you who don’t know me, I will be starting my 21st year in the Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau School District. I have taught at both the elementary and middle school level and also have experience as an elementary principal and athletic director. I have an amazing family who support me: my wife, Jalena, and three sons Ben (19), Braden (15) and Blake (11).

Our staff has been meeting and planning for the upcoming school year. You will be getting detailed information in your online registration packets. Some upcoming important events are:

  1. Red Hawk Registration Days Similar to last year, we are using online registration for the necessary paperwork. Parents were sent these directions in an email. Please let me know if you didn’t get it. New this year is that we are holding our registration day as well as our open house at the same time. We will have registration paperwork available during the open house if needed. 

  1. The Back to School Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, August 21 from 2:00-6:00 p.m.  Please look for more information to come on this event. Most of the paper work again  will be completed online but please come to our building during the time for the opportunity to take school pictures, pay for milk or lunch, iPad insurance, sports paperwork and to meet our teaching staff while touring classrooms!  Remember to bring your checkbook. We will have a 6th grade parent meeting at 6:00 p.m. in the middle school gym. 

  1. “Web Crew” Orientation – 6th grade students will meet at school on Wednesday, August 14th from 9:15 a.m. - 1:30  p.m. This program is to help make the transition from elementary school to middle school a positive one. Lunch will be served for all students. Busing will be provided from certain locations on this day. Look for more information to be sent home. 8th grade Web leaders will have training on Aug 12 and 13th. Please look for more information from Ms. Weibel and Mrs. Walker on this. An updated bus schedule for that day is posted at the bottom of this letter. 

  1. Launch Days- To facilitate a smooth opening to the year, help students learn our policies, and to get to know each other a little better, we will have half the students attend on August 27th and the other half on August 28th. This gives all of us the opportunity to go over school procedures in detail. If your child’s last name starts with A- K please plan on attending on the 27th.  If the last name begins with L - Z please plan on sending your children on August 28th. If you are a family that has children with different last names please contact us and we will arrange that they attend the same day. On Thursday, August 29 we are planning for ALL students to be at school.  A reminder there is no school on Friday, August 30. 

  1. School Supplies - We are supplying most of the students' school supplies this year. Students will need to bring a pencil bag, headphones or earbuds.

“Education is the most Powerful Weapon which you can use to change the world”- Nelson Mandela