Good Afternoon,

This month's Character Counts! Pillar is Caring. We have been reminding students that caring means to be kind and to choose our words and actions carefully. We have seen an increase in students calling names and using unkind words to each other. Often, this starts out as joking but escalates and ends in someone's feelings getting hurt, and the Student Code of Conduct being violated. I have made announcements the last two weeks reminding students to choose words that are appropriate and not hurtful, even if we are just joking. We will not tolerate name calling of any kind especially slurs regarding someone’s race, religion, or ethnicity, gender, or sexual orientation. We need to care about what we say, because we cannot take words back. We don’t know what other people are going through outside of school. They might have had a fight with their parent or best friend, a pet may have passed away, or they may be just having a bad day. Choosing not to be respectful, caring and kind in our words means they are choosing a consequence. Please help us convey this message to the students to help make a kinder, caring community.

Please keep reading for upcoming events, celebrations, loads of information!

Sincerely,

Ms. Carnall

• February 16: Band Concert
• February 20: No School
• February 21: Character Counts! Chats (Wednesday Bell Schedule), Rising 6th Grade Night
• February 27: Basket Ball VS. Murray (Remember EACH game is $3 and tickets should be purchased on School Pay) https://www.schoolpay.com/link/bbvsmmsfeb27

  
  

• February 28: Band Concert
• March 2: Basket Ball VS. Pacetti Bay
• March 3, 4, 5 School Play

The Calendar Committee has been meeting to draft the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 School Year Calendars. They are seeking community input on two given drafts for each year and would appreciate your feedback. Please take a few minutes to first read the “Frequently Asked Questions” that will provide background information /calendar guidelines used when creating each of the draft calendars and then complete the survey for each school year’s calendars.

Click on the attached link to view and provide input to the proposed calendars. https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/calendar/feedback/ The deadline to provide feedback is February 17.

Scheduling for 2023-2024 School Year

Rising 9th graders: BHS and BTHS will be on campus March 2nd and 3rd. During this time, your student will meet with a BHS or BTHS representative to go over high school courses for the 2023-2024 school year. They will be pulled through their Social Studies class period. Parents are encouraged to attend, but not required. Please ask your child when their appointment date is or you can email their social studies teacher.

Is your child going to another in county school other than BTHS or BHS for an Academy? Those schools will be reaching out and communicating soon when they will come to SPMS to register your student. As a reminder, ALL high school registration meetings will occur on SPMS campus. You will park in front of the campus and look for our SPMS Flag by the auditorium.

BHS – Rising 9th grade Night will be Feb. 23rd @ 6:30 PM.

BTHS – Rising 9th Grade Night will be Feb. 13th and will start at 6:00 PM for Last Names: A-K and 6:45 PM for last names: L-Z.

Rising 7th and 8th Graders: You will be receiving your course selection paperwork on Feb. 16th through 1st period. Don’t have a 1st period? You will get it from Ms. Mcenerney at the front desk upon your arrival. These will be due back on Feb. 23rd to your 1st period teacher. Don’t agree with a course recommendation for a core class? A school messenger will be sent out with a Microsoft Form Link to fill out for our guidance and administration teams to review. We do follow the SJCSD Course Progression Plan for all scheduling decisions. Rising 7th Form will be a yellow form and Rising 8th Forms will be purple.

Our donation link is live! Donations will go to purchasing paper for copies and other school supply items teachers may need for the classroom. Donate today!

https://www.schoolpay.com/link/spmsdonations

As a reminder we ask that you please only use the designated school drop-off and pick-up areas. Please do not use the private neighborhoods for picking up your student. This is a safety concern in these neighborhoods. We ask that you model good character for your student by showing respect to these communities.

Thursday, February 2nd we celebrated our Teacher of the Year, Coach Singleton, and our Rookie Teacher of the Year, Ms. Etheridge at the Teacher of the Year Banquet. A great time was had by all. Congratulations again to these hard working, and amazing teachers!

Congratulations to Tracey Shelton, SPMS Adult volunteer of the Year and Kyra Richardson, SPMS Student Volunteer of the Year. Also, congratulations to Allison Chin for being Cunningham Creek Elementary School's Student Volunteer of the Year!

Scheduling Season is upon us! Be on the lookout for important information regarding scheduling for the 2023-2024 School Year. Rising 7th and 8th grade students will receive their elective forms to complete on Feb. 16th and these will be due back to their 1st period teacher by Feb 23rd. We will send out another message to help you be on the lookout for these forms. Below are some important reminders for our families leaving SPMS and entering SPMS.

Since this is the start of second semester, we are already thinking to review school policies and expectations and the code of conduct. We will also be outlining what the expectations are for earning the chance to attend the reward trip (and 8th grade activities) at the end of the year. In order to attend the trip (and 8th grade activities) students must not earn any one of the following:

·Any level 3 or level 4 discipline referral

· Any level 1 or level 2 referral that results in ISS (This includes ISS given for excessive tardies)

· Any referral that results in OSS

· More than 4 demerits

During the 1st semester we provided the students opportunities for growth and learning by allowing the demerits to restart at the beginning of 2nd quarter, wiping away any demerits previously earned. For 2nd semester all demerits earned will be cumulative for BOTH quarter 3 and quarter 4. Once the reward trip is paid for, we will be unable to give refunds or transfer the reservation to another student’s name.

Please review these expectations with your student if you think that the trip is something they might be interested in working towards.

Way to go Raiders on a successful round of state testing! Instructions on how to access your child’s Progress Monitoring 2 score information can be found here: https://www-raider.stjohns.k12.fl.us/access-state-score-report/. Accessing-the-Statewide-Assessments-Family-Portal.pdf (stjohns.k12.fl.us)

Please take the time to compare PM1 results with PM2 and celebrate areas of growth!

Please see the attached FAST Math Calculator Policy.

Each month teachers are able to nominate students who display the pillar of character for the month. Those students are invited to have donuts with us at the end of the month and receive their certificates.

In the month of February we celebrate the pillar of Caring. We look for students who are

• Kind
• compassionate and show she/he care
• Expresses gratitude
• Forgives others
• Helps others in need
• Are charitable and altruistic

We will celebrate these students and honor them in the March Raider Rap.

Congratulations to the following students who were honored for the January pillar of Respect.

6th Grade

Madalyn Baugh

Evelyn Fitzsimon

Elijah Harms

Kevin Hoherz

Sophia Hoffman

Ashlyn McCollum

Callen Orians

Ernie Stone

7th Grade

Eliza Benton

Jackson Davis

Joleigh Floyd

Lexy Hartmann

Leonardo Marucci

RJ McCollum

Chndler Meeks

Jeffrey Mu

Camryn Stevenson

Edwin Surino

8th Grade

Slayden Broome

Marley Desjardins

Lucus Flores

Phoenix Fong

Luke Johnson

Coloton Keeley

Marina Lebedev

Bella Lipelis

Emanuela Lisii

Jordyn Morea

Jason Rutland

Talon Simonsen

Vishruth Srirangan

Samantha Strums

Michael Thomas

Anthony Uva

The season kicked off with a great start! SPMS won 1st place in their round of the Premier Competition! Thank you to those that came out and supported the Friends & Family Event! It was so fun to bring this big fundraising event back!

Next competition is February 11th!

Upcoming Competitions/Events:

1/21/23 Premier Competition - Deland HS 1:47pm

1/25/23 Community Event - Valley Ridge Academy 6:00pm

2/1/23 SPMS Friends & Family Community Event - SPMS 6:00pm

2/11/23 Oakleaf Competition - Oakleaf HS

2/18/23 Flagler Palm Coast Competition - Flagler Palm Coast HS

3/11/23 Fleming Island Competition - Fleming Island HS

3/22/23 State Competition!

4/6/23 SPMS Night of Arts

Want more info??? Email Dawn Evans @ spmsguardteam@gmail.com

We have attached information about our 2024 “A Day Without Violence” calendar art and poetry project. Poems and artwork should reflect life in a world without violence. Judges will look for art and poems that make a positive statement about a world without violence. Images of diverse kinds of people, places and things that portray a harmonious way of life, a respectful living and working environment as well as children interacting with not only each other, but also animals. Even their favorite cartoon character or images of peaceful and fun activities that can be done alone or in groups are also encouraged. Any drawings or poems depicting firearms, knives or any other violent images will NOT be eligible; violent images with a ban sign through them will not be eligible.

The purpose of these activities is to interrupt what otherwise may become a generational cycle of domestic violence. The entry may only be 8 ½ by 11-size paper with NO computer graphic images, horizontal, and all art must be hand drawn. Drawings on poetry entries will not be eligible, only the poems. Only one entry per student- either poetry or art will be accepted.

Each student MUST have an entry form attached to the back of his or her work with clear tape. Please help ensure that the names and information are written clearly. We would appreciate you distributing these materials to your staff.

All entries should be dropped off by the April 30, 2023, deadline at either

Betty Griffin Center Thrift Shoppe locations:

445 SR 13 N.

Fruit Cove, FL 32259

OR

1961 A1A South

St. Augustine, FL 32080

OR, any of the 6 St. Johns County Libraries will be collecting entries (see addresses attached.)

St. Johns County School District has partnered with the Len Mattiace Foundation for round 2 of their Stop the Bullying Campaign Contest. His foundation helps our youth in NE Florida with raising awareness about bullying and creating a safe environment for them. Len Mattiace is a former graduate from Nease High School and he is a golfer on the PGA TOUR.

Below are key points for this contest:

• Open to all middle school students
• Contest dates: 1/18 – 4/13/23 by 5:00 PM
• Cash prizes for TWO winners. Winners will be announced by May 15th with a visit from the Prize Patrol.

• Len Mattiace Video for Students.mp4 – Video to share with students
• All submissions need to be emailed to Julie Haden at Julie.Haden@stjohns.k12.fl.us

The below link has all the contest rules for our middle school students:

https://www.lenmattiace.com/st-johns-stop-the-bullying-campaign

SPMS National Junior Honor Society is sponsoring an opportunity to send a special birthday or congratulations message to your student via the marquee in the front of the school. Cost is $25. Complete the form here to submit your request (there's a separate link in the form to pay via Schoolpay upon submitting your request). Requests are due the Friday prior to the event and will display the following week (Tuesday through Monday). Example: if you turn in the request on Friday, September 17 then your message will be displayed on Tuesday, September 21.

http://www.swisspointptso.com/

PTSO Meeting Info:

• Next meeting: 2/27/2023 @ 10:00am @ SP in the MPR

Join your PTSO board as planning for the year continues! Please check in at the front desk and you will be directed to the meeting room. You will need to be a cleared SJCSD volunteer to be on campus.

Click here to complete the access form.

Are Helping You Celebrate
Random Acts of Kindness Day

v Buy your favorite fudge or popcorn for yourself or someone else

v Give fudge or popcorn to a teacher to remind them that you are thankful for them

Order yours TODAY! PTSO is accepting online orders here or send in the paper order form along with payment (checks made out to SPMS PTSO) and place in the blue collection box outside the media center. Thank you for your support!

Thank you to all those who have donated! Check out the PTSO FB page for fun picture updates!

The PTSO has a Sunshine Cart that is taken around the school to bring special goodies to the hard-working staff!

Please consider donating a few items to help the PTSO bring lots of fun stuff to them!

Sunshine Cart Wish List

Thank you for ALL of your support! 🌟The PTSO will reward those students whose family donates with Raider Bucks!🌟

YOUR help is desperately needed to keep the Raider Store open! Volunteers are needed for upcoming dates, especially January 13, 2023! Please check out the volunteer link and sign up today!

🌟The PTSO will reward those students whose family donates with Raider Bucks!🌟

Check out the Raider Store wish list! Your donation is greatly appreciated!

Want to volunteer in the Raider Store? It is loads of fun! All of the store dates are on the sign up, be sure to scroll through!

The SPMS PTSO is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the learning and work experience of the students and staff at SPMS.

Our membership includes teachers, administrators, parents and students.

What do we do?

Student Initiatives:

• Neon Bash-Fall Dance for students
• Raider Store-Rewards for students who earn Raider Bucks for academic and behavioral performance
• Field studies sponsorships
• Character Counts! Rewards
• 8th grade Formal Dance and 8th Grade Awards Funding assistance

Staff Initiatives:

• Classroom grants-teacher members are eligible for up to $100 in a classroom grant to purchase items to enhance their classroom
• Staff luncheons and breakfast
• Teacher Appreciation
• Annual Donation to the school for technology and other needs

How do we pay for these initiatives?

• MEMBERSHIP-this is our biggest fundraiser. By simply joining PTSO, families help us reach our goals
• Spirit Wear-PTSO sells spirit wear each fall
• Fall/Spring Fundraisers-examples include Nothing Bundt Cakes and Poppin' Box
• Business Partners-our area business help SPMS through our Partners in Education program
• Corporate Donation Matches, Amazon Smile, Box Tops and private donations

How do you join?

• A family membership is $20 for the school year. The membership includes parents and any sibling at SPMS.
• Membership form can be found at https://switzerland-point-middle-school-ptso.square.site/

We have the best volunteers at Swiss. We are excited about a wonderful and busy year 2022-23 school year making a difference at Swiss.

If you are interested in finding out how you can help contact Dawn Evans at dawnevanswebpto@gmail.com

OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT PTSO

AmazonSmile - Shop through the PTSO link AmazonSmile! https://smile.amazon.com/ch/59-3741022

While you do your regular shopping on Amazon thru AmazonSmile, .5% of your purchase will be donated to SPMS.

SPMS has earned $ 92.15 so far this year.

Box Tops – Download the Box Tops app and scan your receipts for SMPS PTSO to get Box Top credits.

Keep an eye on the PTSO website, Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on what is coming up throughout the year!

Questions/concerns?? spmsptso@hotmail.com

For up to date happenings LIKE us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/SwissPointPTSO/

SPMS PTSO is on INSTAGRAM! Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/spmsptso/

Check the PTSO website for all the latest news! http://www.swisspointptso.com/