Cecil E. Gray Middle

Congratulations to all of the 8th grade Gators that earned Honor Roll for the 2nd grading period! We are so proud of you! Keep up the great work!

Today, our students celebrated Florida’s statewide Literacy Week by diving into American History Trivia as part of our America 250 celebration! From founding documents and famous voices to civics knowledge and big ideas, students put their thinking skills to the test — and had a blast doing it. The energy in the Media Center was high, the competition was fierce, and there were plenty of smiles (and prizes!) along the way. Events like this remind us that literacy isn’t just reading — it’s understanding our history, our rights, and the stories that shape who we are. Way to go to our students for showing curiosity, teamwork, and school spirit as we celebrate 250 years of America’s story!

We want to give a big congratulations to our Teacher of the Year - Mr. Briggs, our Rookie Teacher of the Year - Mr. Moses, and our School Related Employee of the Year - Ms. Irvin! We thank you so much for making such a positive difference! You are appreciated! Congratulations! 🎉🐊

Congratulations to our 7th grade students that earned Honor Roll for the second grading period. We are proud of you! Keep up the great work! 🎉🐊

Our State-Bound GMS Thespians will be presenting their States Showcase Thursday, January 29 at 6 pm in the GMS Auditorium. Admission is free, so please consider coming out to support them! In addition to seeing the competition one-act that will be representing our district at states, we will also present our students' individual events that will be competing at states. Doors will open at 5:45 pm, and the performance should conclude by 7:10 pm.

Only 18 days left to apply! The Take Stock in Children application for Lake & Sumter County 8th graders closes February 15, 2026. Students accepted into the program receive caring mentorship and the opportunity to earn a 60-credit-hour college tuition scholarship after graduating from a Florida high school.
Who can apply?
• Current 8th graders at a public middle school
• Lake or Sumter County students
• Meet income eligibility guidelines
• 2.5+ unweighted GPA
• Good attendance and behavior
Don’t wait—time is running out.
Apply now: https://formstack.io/5EBEA
Questions? TSIC@lake.k12.fl.us
#TakeStockInChildren #LakeCountyFL #SumterCountyFL #18DaysLeft #CollegeBound

Congratulations to our 6th Grade Gators that earned Honor Roll for the 2nd grading period. We are proud of you! Keep up the great work!

Please join us in congratulating our Gray Middle FFA teams for placing at the District contest and advancing to States! We're so proud of these students for their hard work and leadership. Opening & Closing Ceremonies — 1st Place: Luke Bollinger, Sawyer Sode, Jasmine Meeks, Emily Robertson, Catie Schneider, Leilani Morales, Pearl Williams Extemporaneous Public Speaking — 1st Place: Luke Bollinger Prepared Public Speaking — 1st Place: Wade Holton Creed Speaking — 2nd Place: Leilani Morales

Hello Parents,
Today during Thrive Time our students revisited goal setting as part of our PBIS (Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports) program. We’re teaching our Gators how to set and track goals—an important life skill—and we can’t wait to watch them succeed! Take some time to talk to your child about today's lesson. Thank you for all you do to support Gray Middle!

💘🪩 GMS Valentine’s Dance is coming up! 🪩💘
Get ready for an hour of music, friends, and Valentine vibes! 💃🕺
📅 February 13th
⏰ 3:00–4:00 PM
Check out the flyer below for all the details! ❤️
Want to help make this dance extra fun for our Gators? 🐊💖
We’ve linked our Amazon Wish List below for anyone who would like to donate decorations, snacks, or goodies to help make this event amazing!
Thanks for showing the love, GMS fam! 💌🎶
Let’s make this Valentine’s Dance one to remember!
👉 Amazon Wish List: https://a.co/5HmonKM

Today, we kicked off literacy week as our campus was thrilled to welcome Ms. Byrnes from the Florida Storytelling Festival – Storytellers in School! Through engaging and meaningful stories, Ms. Byrnes brought America’s voices, history, and shared experiences to life—reminding our students that our nation’s story is made up of many perspectives and powerful moments. As we celebrate America’s 250th year, this special visit highlighted how stories connect generations and keep history alive. Thank you to Ms. Byrnes for inspiring our students and making literacy come alive in such a memorable way!

Today we hosted students for our January PBIS Event - BINGO! The kids had a great time and were so competitive. Keep earning those Gator Bucks, Gators! In February we will be holding an in-school dance for PBIS. Stay tuned...

Congratulations to Mr. Williams for being the VFW Teacher of the Year! Thank you for representing Gray Middle and thank you for teaching our students about the history of the United States. A big thank you to everyone that serves to protect our country. You are appreciated!

Malever Construction donated jackets to 115 students in the Groveland Mascotte area. Thank you!

Our GMS Theatre Thespian students are hard at work preparing to represent GMS at the Florida State Thespian Festival in just a couple of weeks. In total, 12 students earned their way to states by receiving Superior ratings on their performance pieces at District Competition. Pictured are several of those students reminding you that what ever you do...make it memorable!

GMS Theatre is kicking off their annual Vertical Raise Fundraiser. Funds raised will help support our theatre classes, providing students with enhanced educational theatre experiences both on campus and beyond. To learn more or to help out, visit their fundraiser page here.

The countdown is ON — only 25 days left to apply!
The Take Stock in Children application for Lake & Sumter County 8th graders closes February 15, 2026. This program offers one-on-one mentorship and the chance to earn a 60-credit-hour college tuition scholarship upon graduating from a Florida high school.
Eligible students must:
• Be current 8th graders at a public middle school
• Attend school in Lake or Sumter County
• Meet income guidelines
• Have a 2.5+ unweighted GPA
• Maintain good attendance and behavior
Time is running out—apply today.
https://formstack.io/5EBEA
Questions? TSIC@lake.k12.fl.us
#TakeStockInChildren #LakeCountyFL #SumterCountyFL #DeadlineApproaching #CollegeReady

The countdown is ON — only 25 days left to apply!
The Take Stock in Children application for Lake & Sumter County 8th graders closes February 15, 2026. This program offers one-on-one mentorship and the chance to earn a 60-credit-hour college tuition scholarship upon graduating from a Florida high school.
Eligible students must:
• Be current 8th graders at a public middle school
• Attend school in Lake or Sumter County
• Meet income guidelines
• Have a 2.5+ unweighted GPA
• Maintain good attendance and behavior
Time is running out—apply today.
https://formstack.io/5EBEA
Questions? TSIC@lake.k12.fl.us
#TakeStockInChildren #LakeCountyFL #SumterCountyFL #DeadlineApproaching #CollegeReady

GMS Theatre will present their first show of the Spring season, Rotten Apples, March 25-27 at 6pm in the GMS Auditorium. This comedy is perfect for the entire family. For more information and to purchase tickets visit our.show/gmsrottenapples. We hope to see you there!

Take a look at what we have planned for Literacy Week!