SMS Bulletin 3.21.16
Show Respect-Make a Difference-Set the Bar High
Mission and Vision
To do list
1. Enjoy a great week with your students.
2. Listen to Mrs. Eck and Mrs. Charnow as they share Project TBK on "Every Classroom Matters" with coolcat teacher Vickie Davis
3. Watch ENL minute #5 before spring break
4. Mark your calendar: Part 2 of ISTEP begins on 4/18. We will be implementing a block schedule M-Th during the weeks of 4/18 and 4/25 to accommodate testing times. We will test language arts first.
Advisory Period
5 Star Lessons: We are changing the format of our 5 star lessons. We will show the video on Mondays and then teachers should discuss the questions. Students will complete the 5 Star half-sheet of paper during the discussion. Feel free to add additional questions. WSMS announcements will be abbreviated on these days to allow more time for discussion.
Week 30
3/21: 5 Star week 1: Vision
3/22: One Book/One School Kickoff
3/23: One Book/One School
6th Locker Clean out
3/24: One Book/One School
7th Locker Clean out
3/25: NO SCHOOL
Please access the link Advisory Resources for information regarding our 2nd quarter Advisory curriculum. This folder is shared with all teachers.
Girls Basketball
Our 8th grade girls compete for the Big 11 championship on Thursday. Wish our girls luck. The students section was alive last week.
ENL Minute #5 PD
Sometime before Spring Break, watch the ENL minute #5. The video and slideshow are conveniently embedded in a Google Form entitled "Reflections: ENL Minute #5." Click the link below.
STAFF BIO
Nancy Overman was born and raised in North Muskegon, Michigan. She always planned on becoming an art teacher, and attended Western Michigan and Central Michigan Universities to follow that path. Michigan declared it was going back to basics and would no longer have art in the schools. Because of that, she exited school and decided to pursue a path into bookkeeping and accounting.
Nancy crossed the Indiana boarder in 1978 with the idea that it would be a short stay. After working for a long time as a comptroller, she realized that if she wanted to progress in accounting, she needed to get a degree. She was tired of all the paperwork, however, and really wanted to become an art teacher. Since she had completed all of the art credits in Michigan, IUSB promised to get an art endorsement for her by the time she graduated. Unfortunately, she's still waiting for that endorsement. She decided to become an elementary teacher, too.
Ken and Nancy married in 1984. Together, they had Matthew and Lisa. Matthew was an outstanding wrestler for Mishawaka. He's followed his love of craft brewing into a career of managing liquor stores in Fort Wayne. Lisa makes a good living buying and selling online. They both have a daughter (Matthew and his wife Dede are about to have a second.) Emma and Annabelle are the joys of their lives!
Antiquing is their avocation. Going to auctions, estate sales, and yard sales is their weekend fun. Treasure hunting for silver and gold, using a metal detector, is their summer fun. Being in and on water is what they enjoy doing whenever the weather allows. They moved to Jimtown six years ago so they could be on the river.
After completing IUSB, Nancy entered the teaching profession in 1995. She completed several long term subbing positions. After a special education teacher at SMS was in an accident, Nancy was assigned there and never left. Mr. Boreland hired her permanently in the fall of 1995. She received her master's in special education from IUSB. She's loved being part of this school, except for all the IEP paperwork! The joke was on her.
Staff Bio
Gretchen Kujawa who goes by Mrs. K. is employed by the Youth Service Bureau of St. Joseph County. She has worked at Schmucker for 11 years. Before coming to Schmucker she worked at Logan Center and then Niles Community Schools in a behavior program with emotionally impaired adolescents. She has spent her entire life working with Exceptional Ed students and loves every minute!
Gretchen was born in Louisville, KY., lived in Grand Blanc, MI and moved to Mishawaka when she was 12 years old. She attended St. Monica’s and then Marian High School. After graduating she went to Ball State University where she earned her BS in Criminal Justice and Corrections.
Gretchen has been married for 32 years and loves spending time with her husband, Larry. She enjoys spending time with her nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. She also enjoys hanging out in her peaceful backyard watching the birds take baths in the fountains and birdbaths. Whether she is at the lake with friends’ family or weeding her gardens she is happiest when she is outdoors.
Staff Bio
Lee was born in Boston and grew up in New England. Her family moved to Los Angeles for high school (culture shock!), and then she went to college at UC Berkeley. She met Rob in the dorms at Berkeley, and they married after their Junior year. She graduated with a degree in American Studies (History and English), while 6 months pregnant with their son, Rick.
The Rileys moved to Milwaukee for Rob’s medical school, then to South Bend for his Family Medicine Residency. Their daughter, Beth, was born during the first year of residency. Lee was a full-time mom, volunteering in the school libraries as her kids grew up. She started volunteering in the IMC at Schmucker in 1992, subbing for the librarians when needed. One August, the SMS Building Tech didn’t show up for work, so she started fixing tech problems. The Head of Technology asked her to apply for the job (despite her lack of tech training), and 16 years later she still loves it!
Lee’s hobbies include singing barbershop with the Sweet Adelines for the past 26 years. She also enjoys genealogy, is 100% Irish, and became an Irish citizen last year. She and Rob have enjoyed extreme day hiking for the past 9 years, a hobby which has taken them to the American West, Italy and Spain.
Lee is grateful for her time at Schmucker Middle School and for all the support and friendship from her delightful co-workers.
Cheers for Peers
Sporting Events
Click her to see our school calendar of events.
http://schmucker.phmschools.org/node/88Click here to see who is signed up to work sporting events.