Smith's Knightly News

Smith Middle School

Mission: The purpose of Smith Middle School is to ensure learning for all members of our school community.

Vision: Smith will be a safe environment where diversity is embraced, and the needs of the whole child are met through innovation and collaboration. With the resources available, the Smith community will strive to provide an engaging, challenging academic experience, while promoting a balance between emotional, academic, and social needs, contributing to the success of all students.

5835 Donaldson Drive, Troy, MI, USA rbrinks@troy.k12.mi.us (248) 823- 4700 smith.troy.k12.mi.us/

Mrs. Casko's and Mrs. Sebastian’s classes had veteran speakers visit on Thursday, November 10, in honor of Veterans Day. Students were able to ask questions about their experience and learn about what life was like in the service. We appreciate our guests sharing and spending the day with us.

Thank you to all who have served or are currently serving. We appreciate all that you do!

Congratulations to Christina Chatel, our Smith librarian, on receiving the Roger Ashley Freedom to Read award this week from the Michigan Association for Media in Education! Congratulations as well to Troy High and their media specialist, Tony Isaac, on receiving the Model 21st Century Library Program award! MAME is the largest conference of librarians and media specialists in the state and it is an honor to have our staff and programs in Troy recognized as some of the best of the best!

Families can now access student report cards and quarter 1 grades on PowerSchool under the "Grades and Attendance" tab found on the left side of the screen.

Link to Power School Parent Portal: https://ps.troy.k12.mi.us/public/

If you have questions about your student's grades, please reach out to their teacher directly. If you are having trouble logging into Powerschool, contact our main office.

A highlight from our 8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip last week was four of our students being chosen to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. It was a powerful experience for all of our Smith students.

If your current 7th grader is interested in attending the Washington D.C. Trip next fall, Mrs. Trice and Mrs. Casko will be holding an informational meeting at Smith on Tuesday, November 29, at 6:00pm. It's a fantastic opportunity that we hope your 7th grader will consider!

Dear Smith Families,

Our Smith Media Center will be hosting a Scholastic Book Fair on November 28-December 2. Please see the attached letter to learn about setting up an eWallet for your student and when your student will be attending the fair.

Would you like to honor your child’s teacher by donating to their classroom library? Smith teachers are asking for donations to their teacher eWallets so that they can buy new books to restock their classroom libraries. This would be a wonderful holiday teacher gift! You can find the link to teachers’ eWallets here, and you can add your donation via your credit card:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1m82FSkh4IGlMSksF6ofPBRNa7h2d110e5v0YRXIK594/edit?usp=sharing

We are looking for volunteers to fill out the sign up for the Smith Book Fair dates of November 28- December 2nd for cashiers. There are 3 time slots for cashiers through the days: Mornings (8 am - 10:30 am), Lunch (10:15 am - 12:45 pm) and Afternoon (12:30pm – 3 pm). If you are interested, please make sure that you complete a volunteer background check form and turn it in to the office. You can find the form on our website.

Here's how it works in 3 easy steps:

1. Click this link to see our SignUp: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0E4FACA92DAAFA7-scholastic

2. Review the options listed and choose the spot(s) you like.

3. Sign up! It's Easy - you will NOT need to register an account or keep a password on SignUp.com.

If you have never helped as a cashier at the Book Fair, let me tell you, they make it pretty easy. And, helping at the middle school event is also much easier than at an elementary event. These students rarely need any help in making selections and getting through the check out line.

Plus a BONUS to all volunteers... 20% off your purchase at the event!

Please let our volunteer coordinator Vibha Nijhawan know if you have any questions at vnijhawan@troy.k12.mi.us

Thanks in advance for your time! We hope to see you there.

Mrs. Chatel
Smith Media Specialist

We have a great online spirit wear store with a number of new modern styles and items for purchase. You can either pick them up or utilize the option of having your orders delivered directly to your home for a small fee.

Click on the link below to check out the wide variety of styles and prints.

https://smithknights.itemorder.com/shop/home/

Below is a sample of the logo choices for most items...

8th Grade Families,

Enrollment for the International Academy East Class of 2027 will be opening soon. IA East is a Troy high school that provides:

A world-recognized International Baccalaureate curriculum
Small school environment
High-quality music program with over 65% of students participating in a music ensemble and the opportunity to study music history, theory, and composition at a collegiate level
Four-year art program allowing students to explore a wide range of media through university-level projects
Successful drama and performance program including theatre productions and competitive forensics and poetry clubs
Character education program designed around the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile with students participating in "Houses" designed to foster deeper social connections
College-level course work in the 11th and 12th grade IB Diploma Program with students earning college credit through their IB examinations
Focus on service-learning in our community
Dozens of opportunities to participate in competitive clubs, enrichment experiences, and travel abroad
The ability to continue to participate in athletics for Troy High School or Athens High School

Upcoming 8th Grade Informational Meetings:

November 16, 2022 from 6:00-7:30pm
January 18, 2023 from 6:00 - 7:30pm

Deadline to submit online application: January 29, 2022 at 11:59pm

These meetings are open to current 8th-grade students and their families. It is a great opportunity to learn more about the IA and the International Baccalaureate Program.