It is a great day to be a Stallion!

Thank you for taking the time to read our weekly newsletter. Please share our newsletter with your children to ensure they know the updates we have at SEMS.

We will send letters home regarding the SEMS 2023-24 school year's exploratory classes by next week.

Our focus for this week is resolving conflicts through mediation and reflection on the harm negative conflicts cause.

If you have questions, comments, or concerns, do not hesitate to email, call, or come by SEMS. I can be reached at mwallace@hazelwoodschools.org or call at 314-953-7700.

1. You will be asked to provide your Driver's License or ID
2. You will be required to sign a log

Early Dismissal stops at 2:00 pm due to our students moving to their dismissal locations.

Appointments to meet with teachers and other staff a day in advance. If you would like to meet with an administrator, it is best to make an appointment to prevent from a wait due to school operations.

227 students (45.8% of students) who are in attendance 90% of the time.

Our students' academic success begins with being present and on time daily. We will begin having raffle drawings for students on time and in attendance daily. Raffle gifts range from restaurant gift cards to electronic accessories.

*Late arrival, early pick-up, and suspensions negatively impact the attendance rate

Discipline Referrals:

The total number of discipline referrals by month:

Aug: 19

Sept: 153

Oct: 64

Nov: 51

Dec: 28

Jan: 25

Overall our discipline referrals are decreasing from month to month. Unfortunately, the types of discipline our students display infringe on the education of their peers and disrupt the learning environment.

Students without a discipline referral for the next 30 days will earn an incentive from the Principal's office.

Our 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students are in a competition for days without conflict, seeking peer meditation and using their words. Please continue to remind our students that our words have power; when used, we can help, heal, and support one another.

Hoods:

We will no longer address students wearing a hood. However, if they do not have their IDs on, they must remove their hood.

We will continue to focus on the following expectations:

1. Chromebooks are required for all students for their academic success. Please ensure students bring their Chromebook to school DAILY, charged and without damage.
2. Student IDs must be worn and visible while in the building
3. Students must have an ID for lunch. They will need to purchase one for $5 during their 1st period if they are without an ID.
4. Late arrival to school without a parent will result in after-school detention.
5. Backpacks and large bags should be stored in student lockers
6. No headgear (Ex. hats, hair scarves, hair bonnets, bandanas...etc.)

• If worn, students will be asked not to wear the shoes again. If worn again, a call will be made, and the student will receive after-school detention.

• If worn, students will be asked not to wear the shoes again. If worn again, a call will be made, and the student will receive after-school detention.

• This will result in suspension ranging from a 5-days out-of-school to a disciplinary hearing.

• This will result in an automatic 10-day out-of-school suspension pending a disciplinary hearing.

These are non-negotiable expectations. Students who are not following these expectations will receive a consequence ranging from a loss of privileges to out-of-school suspension and a district-level hearing.

• Players and Cheerleaders' guardians should arrive at the game no later than 6:30 pm.
• All other students must have an adult chaperone to gain admission into the game.

Academics:

• Unit Tests
• January MAP Check-In Assessments

Sports:

• February 10, 16, and 22 at the Opportunity Center beginning at 5:00 pm
• February 7 at Lift for Life (1731 S. Broadway)
• March 11 Tournament location TBA

See SEMS Basketball Schedule Below

NO SCHOOL:

Wednesday, January 25 - 2 Hour Early Release

Community Event:

Inclement Weather Instruction/AMI Plan:

• Please use this link for more information - https://www.hazelwoodschools.org/Page/8286

• HSD Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages
• HSD website - www.hazelwoodschools.org
• Email, text messages, and a phone call from HSD
• Local TV stations (KMOV, KSDK, KTVI) and a radio station (KMOX)
• HSD Emergency Weather Line 314-953-SNOW

SEMS AMI Plan:

• Teachers will be available to students during normal school hours to answer questions and/or assist students individually and in small groups throughout the entire instructional day.
• Communication with students will occur via phone, email, and/or video conferencing to assist or respond to questions.
• Teachers will meet with students using Google Meets daily during pre-designated times.
• Parents/guardians and students will receive communication via email about how students should access AMI assignments through their Google Classroom page(s) and daily schedules for video conferencing.
• If a parent contacts a teacher outside of school hours, that teacher will reply to the parent via email or phone within 24 hours.

Student attendance will be based on completed assignments given during inclement weather days. Students must turn in assignments to the teacher on the inclement weather day through Google Classroom or on the next day of in-person attendance.

If the student has a Chromebook of another student, we will:

1. Confiscate the Chromebook
2. Return it to the student assigned to it
3. Note the name of the student possessing the wrong Chromebook

• School Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Students can enter the building at 7:50 a.m. (There is no supervision for car riders and walkers before 7:50 a.m.)
• Student IDs: Must be worn at all times while in the building. Replacement IDs are $5.00 and issued during lunch
• Lockers: The sharing of lockers is not permitted at SEMS. Replacement locks are $5.00
• Backpacks and Purses: All SEMS students must store their bags in their lockers during the school day. Students are allowed to carry one small purse throughout the school day. The expectation is that purses are no larger than an 8.5x11-inch sheet of notebook paper.
• SEMS uniforms are no longer required for students; however, students are expected to follow the HSD Dress Code Policy. CLICK HERE for specific guidelines regarding appropriate attire for your student.
  
• Water Bottle: Students can bring a refillable water bottle to school.
• Early Dismissal: We know that sometimes students need to be picked up early from school. We ask that if you need to pick up between 2:30 pm and 2:50 pm, please contact the school office by phone (314-953-7702).
• Lunch Menu: Click here to access the lunch menu.

• We encourage families to discuss why guns and other weapons (pellet/bb-guns, toy guns, knives, or any item that could be considered a weapon) are not allowed at school or on the bus. We want our students to learn in a safe environment!
• Students bringing weapons or toy weapons can be suspended for up to 180 days or expelled.
• Students should immediately report any concerns about a gun (including pellet/bb-guns, toy guns, knives, or any item that could be considered a weapon) to a staff member or use the student concern form or HSD's Safety Tip Line.

If you become aware of anything that threatens the safety of our learning community, immediately alert an administrator or file a report through the anonymous HSD Safety Tip Line.

The HSD Safety Tip Line is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year online by emailing tipline@hazelwoodschools.org or calling the phone line at 314-281-4584. The tip line is an element of the district's No Guns in School Campaign.

All reports and calls are evaluated immediately and handled confidentially. For more information, please visit https://www.hazelwoodschools.org/Page/9193.

In middle school, grades are calculated differently than in elementary school. Progress and Term grades consist of two categories.

• Formative: 30% (Examples include but are not limited to Class activities, Do Now/Warm-Ups, Notebook/Journal entries, Participation, and Homework.)
• Summative: 70% (Examples include but are not limited to Quizzes, Projects, Presentations, Essays, Speeches, Tests/Assessments, and Labs.)

Students must be attentive in class, and complete in-class activities and homework, as those activities prepare students for the Tests/Assessments. Students are expected to study for Tests/Assessments. Teachers typically provide a study guide to assist students in preparing for Tests/Assessments.

Examples:

Student A: The student earned 100% on four in-class assignments but only 60% on the test. Their final grade for the progress report would be 72%.

Student B: The student earned 75%, 82%, 85%, and 90% on their in-class assignments and 85% on the test. Their final grade for the progress report would be 84%.

Student C: The student earned 80%, 60%, 0%, and 100% on their in-class assignments and 75% on the test. Their final grade for the progress report would be 71%.

Please remember...it is crucial that students are prepared for and take ALL assessments seriously.