Stanwood Middle School
Family Update - September 26th, 2020
Here are a few reminders as we move into the 5th week of school:
Daily Check-in & Morning Announcements
Each student has a Google Classroom called "Class of 20__(25 or 26 or 27)". These grade level classrooms are for the entire class. Students need to do the daily check-in and watch the morning announcements as they start their learning for the day. We also have all school resources posted there that can help students during distance learning.
Our fabulous PTO also posts our morning announcements daily on their Stanwood Middle School PTO page.
Teacher Office Hours
Every Wednesday morning our teachers have office hours to assist students with their learning. This is another great resource to help students manage their learning during this time. Information is in each Google Classroom as to the time the teacher is available and the meet code.
Activities
New ASB officers elections are this Wednesday during class meetings. Students need to log into their class meeting in order to listen to speeches and vote. This is our first step toward bringing back more fun activities for students to do from a distance--stay tuned for our club roll out in the coming weeks.
6th grade class meeting: Wednesday, 11:15 am meet code sms2027
7th grade class meeting: Wednesday, 12:15 pm meet code sms2026
8th grade class meeting: Wednesday, 1:15 pm. meet code sms2025
No Advisory this week, just a class meeting
Attending the class meeting each week is an important connection for students with the school. Every week we give reminders and helpful ideas for succeeding during Distance Learning. Soon we will be doing even more large group activities and recognitions.
Our next class meeting + Advisory is October 7.
Check your email EVERYDAY
It is very important that students engage in learning everyday. The first step is to check email to see what announcements are coming from their teachers and classrooms.
Have a great weekend!
Tod Klundt
Principal
Stanwood Middle School
SEL
What is SEL?
SEL is an acronym for social/emotional learning. We are committed to regularly checking in with students to see how they are doing with school and during this unprecedented time. Our district wide adopted curriculum is Character Strong. You will see these messages pop up in our announcements, advisories, and classrooms. Here is this week's Character Dare students received in Advisory.
One Word Commitment
One Word Commitment
As part of Stanwood Middle School's commitment to families and students, we asked each faculty member to write down one word that exemplifies that commitment. Attached you'll see a word cloud that shows our promise for this school year.
A message from our counselor Mrs. Fox!
3 Time Management Strategies
Hello! On Wednesday 9/23 I shared three easy time management tips in each grade's Class Meetings — AKA less stress and more success with distance learning! Some students have their own strategies to finish and turn in work — if those work, keep using them!
For students who are feeling overwhelmed and having trouble finishing and turning in work, please try these:
1. Time Chunk. AKA: Break large assignments into small pieces, and focus on one small piece at a time. Before you know it, the large assignment will be complete! This really helps, especially for students who feel easily overwhelmed — and for 6th graders who are naturally still adjusting to life as a middle school student.
2. Make a List. Especially if students have missing assignments (please remember to check these in Skyward!) or a long list of current assignments (a reality now for many students :) — make a simple 1, 2, 3… to do list on a piece of paper to easily organize assignments. Focus on one at a time, then cross each item off when complete. This will help students more easily focus on one thing at a time and feel accomplished as they cross off each item.
3. Set a Timer. Working in 20 minute chunks of time can help students focus. Setting a kitchen / computer / phone timer can help students stay focused and finish their work more easily. After 20 minutes, stand up, drink some water, walk around the room — giving your brain and body a short break will help you focus. You can even write in chunks of specific time (like, Math homework 8:30am-9am on Monday) in the weekly schedule template that I shared last week, also below.
And, as I always say, “Better done than good.” Of course, we want every student to do their best work all the time, but now is the time when we start seeing missing assignments, and when students start to feel overwhelmed by the amount of work they need to complete. We don’t want this to have a snowball effect, so it’s important to do your best, finish each assignment, and turn it in. It does not have to be perfect, and some points are much better than no points!
It is good to ask for help, and I am here to help! Please email me at KFox@stanwood.wednet.edu with questions or to set up a time to meet on Google Meet or by telephone.
And, on a fun note — to celebrate our wonderful SMS students, and because I don’t get to see all the cool work that students turn in to teachers, I wanted to share this picture that a SMS student made for me this week :)!
Kara Fox
Counselor
Stanwood Middle School
School Pictures and Student Identification Cards
We will keep you updated and make sure all our families know right away once we have them scheduled!
Message from Food Service
Below Is All The Important Information From Previous Family Messages!
1. Video regarding Family Access/Skyward
2. A link to a toolkit for Family Access/Skyward
3. A message from our Counselor Mrs. Fox
4. Our Open House slide show
5. Information regarding accessing student email
6. Information regarding accessing Google Classroom
7. The Weekly Schedule for students
8. Information regarding what our Wednesday Schedule looks like
9. Surplus materials information
Please see the video below regarding Family Access/Skyward
Click the box below for a toolkit to help with Family Access/Skyward
In case you missed it last time, here is our Open House Staff Slideshow - 2020/2021
Typically a big part of our Open House is our introduction of staff in the gym and then students are able to tour the building and see those staff members in the classrooms. Because we are not able to be in person this year Mr. Wall, our wonderful multimedia, yearbook and keyboarding teacher, has put together a slideshow to allow families to see faces, to see what peoples roles are in the building, and to see contact information for everyone!
Please click the link to see our slideshow:
Accessing Student Email
Google Classroom Access
Students will need to access Google Classroom to get assignments, take quizzes and tests, and see other information teachers post.
Here are directions to access Google Classroom.
Weekly Schedule for Students
Please see the schedule below for what the schedule will look like for a middle school student once we start school.
Students will attend periods 1, 3, & 5 on Mondays and Thursdays as well as periods 2, 4, & 6 on Tuesdays and Fridays (schedule with times shown below).
During these class times, teachers may be instructing students and/or be showing a pre-recorded video along with classroom discussions & activities.
On Wednesdays, students will have the opportunity to check in with their teachers during student hours set up by individual teachers.
What does Wednesday look like this month?
•Wednesday mornings students can check in with their teachers and get help for their classes and work.
•Wednesdays will be a combination of class meetings and advisories. This month students will have the following schedule:
9/9--Class meeting + advisory check-in
9/16--Advisory Lesson
9/23--Advisory Lesson
9/30--Class meeting
**See Schedule Below
Surplus Materials
The Stanwood-Camano School District does not discriminate in employment, programs, or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the District's Title IX/Affirmative Action Officer and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Maurene Stanton (mstanton@stanwood.wednet.edu), or the Section 504/American Disabilities Act Coordinator, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu) Stanwood-Camano School District, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Telephone: (360) 629-1200.
El Distrito Escolar de Stanwood-Camano School District no discrimina en sus programas o actividades por motivos de sexo, raza, credo, religión, color, origen nacional, edad, condición de veterano de guerra o grado militar, orientación sexual, expresión de género o identidad, discapacidad o uso de perro guía entrenado o animal de servicio, y ofrece igualdad de acceso a los Boy Scouts y a otros grupos de jóvenes especificados. El empleado mencionado a continuación ha sido designado para atender consultas y quejas de supuesta discriminación: Título IX / Oficial de Acción Afirmativa y Coordinador de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles, Maurene Stanton (mstanton@stanwood.wednet.edu), o la Sección 504 / Coordinador de la Ley de Discapacidades Estadounidenses, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu), Distrito Escolar Stanwood-Camano, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Teléfono: (360) 629- 1200