We had the privilege of celebrating a successful inservice week alongside our staff at the annual GMSD kickoff event. Thanks to our community partners—Landers Ford Collierville, MetroBuilders, and the Germantown Education Foundation—our educators reveled in festivities, secured prizes, and had an opportunity to recenter their focus on our students. The details of our kickoff were highlighted in the Daily Memphian. The Superintendent emphasized the significance of Focus and drew some inspiration from the Beatles, "fab four."
Houston Middle School clinched the victory in the Crash My Teachers Lounge Spirit Competition, sponsored by the Ritchey family. However, Houston High School debuted its own faculty second line parade complete with a teacher drum corps. In a surprising twist, they also emerged victorious and will be receiving an upgraded lounge space. Our teachers and staff won prizes, including TVs, vacuum cleaners, season tickets to the Orpheum, and more during the Landers Ford Game Show. Joe Smith from Dogwood won a GEF DisneyWorld Getaway Vacation courtesy of our friends at the Germantown Education Foundation!
This year, the annual GMSD kickoff once again proved to be a central event in the connections and relationships between our staff. Superintendent Jason Manuel kickstarted the event with a Beatles-themed address, which underlined the pivotal role of student development across the district. Educators then plunged into a whirlwind of camaraderie, immersing themselves in lively mini-games and spirited contests. These challenges not only ignited moments of competitive zeal but also garnered well-earned recognition for teachers and their schools. The excitement for the upcoming school year was incredibly evident as the event came to a close and our teachers looked forward to beginning the 2023-2024 school year.