Goshen Intermediate School
Vision: Developing students who are adaptable and equipped to face challenges so they can positively impact our community.
We are the melting pot of GCS as all of our elementary schools converge into one school for the first time. We will have different ideas and cultures coming together to continue to grow and learn as we create a passion for learning and thinking. GIS is the gateway for all that GCS has to offer for all students from our fine arts programs to athletic opportunities. We look forward to helping our students grow and learn!
GIS is where six will become one. All six of our diverse elementary schools will converge into one building for the first time. Our students will have the opportunity to grow academically in academic subject areas as well as in Art, General Music, Physical Education, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math). Students will have a variety of athletic opportunities as 5th and 6th graders will be able to participate in intramural and competitive sports.
Our teachers will meet the needs of all students through our district curriculum utilizing resources and materials to keep students engaged and excited about learning. They will use projects, cooperative learning, hands-on activities, and a host of other strategies to challenge students to critically think and apply their knowledge in their everyday lives.
At GIS, we will inspire students to grow in their learning, engage them in learning that will challenge their thinking, and empower them to be active lifelong learners.
Academic Focus
We use several curricular resources at GIS that challenge all students every day. We use our curricular resources for ELA to help our students make connections from the texts they read to their own lives as well as help them apply different writing strategies and styles for a variety of audiences. Our math resources help build on a student’s prior knowledge and scaffold new learning as they develop their math skills in algebraic thinking, number sense, and computation. Our science and social studies resources help broaden their knowledge and understanding of the content and help make connections to the world around them and the impact those connections may have on our society as a whole.
GIS offers students the opportunity to be a part of our High Ability (HA) programming. Students in our HA program have the opportunity to learn at a different pace and be challenged in a different way.
GIS is a Dual Language Immersion school. We provide students the opportunity to finish the journey toward bilingualism, bi-literacy, and bi-culturalism, in English and Spanish that they began at Waterford Elementary School. Students will learn in Spanish for math and science and will learn in English for reading and social studies.
All of our academic programming focuses on helping students grow in their knowledge and skills and prepares them for what’s to come as they continue their academic careers.
Principal
Welcome to Goshen Intermediate School! I am honored to serve as interim principal for the 2025–26 school year. With over 30 years of experience in education (including previous roles as a principal, district leader, instructional coach, and university professor) I’m excited to return to Goshen and partner with this incredible community once again.
As someone who has previously served at both the building and district levels in Goshen Community Schools, I know firsthand the strength of our educators and the passion they bring to supporting every student. At GIS, we have the unique opportunity to bring all of our RedHawk students together and help them grow not only academically, but also in character and leadership.
Our staff is deeply committed to fostering a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment where students can thrive. Through strong instructional practices, a focus on equity, and a commitment to our RedHawk Ready values of Respect, Responsibility, Trust, and Safety, we strive to prepare every student for success, both in school and beyond.
Parents and families, thank you for entrusting us with your child’s learning journey. Your support is vital to everything we do. I look forward to working together this year to ensure your students leave GIS as confident, capable, and compassionate learners.
Dr. Karen Blaha, Interim Principal
Student Life
Students have the opportunity to get involved in various activities while at GIS. Here are just some of the ways they can do this:
- Intramurals (5th/6th grade)- Students have the opportunity to get involved in our intramural sports offerings at GIS that include: track and field, basketball, volleyball, and soccer.
- Competitive team sports (6th grade only) – These sports are at the junior high and only for 6th-grade students: cross country, wrestling, swimming, and golf.
- Student leadership – Students on our leadership team are a part of various activities throughout the school year such as being guides for new students, helping at whole school events, doing announcements, and several different fundraisers. Students interested in becoming a student leader will need to go through our application process for consideration.
- Book Fair – We will hold a book fair twice a year (once in the fall and once in the spring) to help get books into student’s hands. Please consider supporting our school through your purchase of items at the book fair.
- Spirit days and weeks – We will have different spirit days and weeks throughout the year to support different initiatives like dress-up days or hat days.
- Field day – we like to end the year with a friendly competition among our different classes in various activities. Students don’t want to miss this special day that happens at the end of May.
- Band, Orchestra, and Choir – Students have the opportunity to jump into our amazing music program when they arrive at GIS. For 5th graders, orchestra is the first opportunity they have to get into a music program for Goshen schools. As 6th graders, students can continue in the orchestra, but they also have the ability to join our choir and band programs. This is a great way to get involved and become a part of some of our most successful programs for GCS.
