Stanwood Middle School
Family Update - October 10th, 2020
Monday will mark the 27th day of school this year. The end of the quarter is Thursday, November 5th. It is hard to believe that we are already talking about the end of the quarter. We want to make sure everyone is on the right track and getting the support they need. Please continue to reach out to our teachers and the office if you need anything. We are hearing that students (and adults) are getting into routines and feeling more comfortable with our processes. Please continue to communicate if you need anything.
Here is some important information for everyone:
Student Tech Support
This webpage: Student Tech Support will help your student navigate everything they might be struggling with during distance learning. From managing emails to navigating how to turn in work that isn't blank, it is covered here.
Character Dare
This week our advisory teachers taught classes about making Snap Judgments. Our weekly character dare challenges student to see how long they can go in silence--without talking or devices.
Class Meeting on 10/14
This week is a class meeting only. Ms. Fox will have a great lesson, plus reminders from Mr. Klundt and Ms. Christmas. Our new ASB President, Hayden Pappas, will kick off each meeting with a message as well.
Turning in work and grades
We reach out to our students each week who do not turn in work for one or more classes, as well as to students who seem to be struggling academically. Please contact our office if you have any questions or need any help for your student during this time.
Work load
We understand that sometimes looking at emails and the Google Classrooms can be overwhelming. Let us know how we can help you maximize your learning from a distance and what help and supports you need. Ms. Fox is doing a great job of making sure students are in a routine to get their work complete. We are finding that students that set a schedule and work in the mornings before their meets start are less overwhelmed and have more free time to enjoy activities outside of school.
Morning Announcements and Daily Check-in
Each student is assigned to a google classroom called "Class of 20__(25, 26 ,27)". There are a ton of resources for students there, as well as a Daily Check-in and Morning Announcements.
Student Email
Students should check their email everyday. We know that Google Classroom sends A LOT of emails to students daily; as we work to figure out how to possibly temper the amount of emails, students should look through and delete the emails not needed and focus on comments from teachers regarding returned work and ways to improve how they show their learning.
Emails and Calls from the Office
Last week we started emailing and calling home if students did not turn in work from the previous week. We want to make sure students are engaging and turning in completed work for all their classes each week. If you receive an email or call from us about students not turning in work, please talk with your student about which class they are not completing work in and what help they might need.
Teacher Office Hours
Every teacher has office hours on Wednesday morning. This is an open time students can join their Google Meet to ask questions/get clarification about the week's work. We highly encourage all students to use this time to work with their teacher's to improve their learning. All teachers have their Google Meet Codes in their Google Classroom for students to access.
Google Classroom vs. Skyward
Google Classroom shows a student's current status with turned in work and grades; Skyward reflects grades as well, but might be a little behind with student scores from Google Classroom. We know this can be confusing. If you get a call or email from the office, know that we are looking at a Skyward report with your student's grades.
Yearbook Snap App
Even though we are at a distance, our yearbook can bring us together! Mr. Wall and the yearbook staff are asking people to submit photos from summer and the first day of school through the Yearbook Snap App or their computer. The flyer down below explains how to do this!
Have a great weekend!
Tod Klundt
Principal
Stanwood Middle School
September Super Star Spartans
A big shout out to all of our Spartans who are tackling distance learning everyday and never giving up. We want to applaud everyone in their efforts.
We also want to recognize students who had no missing work from September--if we missed you, let us know!
A message from our Counselor Mrs. Fox!
Helpful Tips for Distance Learning & 6th Grade Lunch Group
Hello Everyone! I like to share common themes I hear from talking to students, families, and teachers each week. Hopefully some of these tips help you:
1. Skyward Family & Student Access: If you cannot access Skyward for some reason as a student or adult, please email me at KFox@stanwood.wednet.edu or call our office at 360-629-1350 to get your login and password. We want everyone to be checking Skyward at least once a week to check missing assignments and grades.
2. Missing Assignments: In distance learning, students can check the current status of missing assignments in each Google Classroom (view your work > missing). If an assignment is not in the “missing” section, be sure to check the list of all assignments and look for a check mark. Email me if there’s any confusion. The missing assignments in Skyward often take a few days to be updated.
3. Email overwhelm: Last week, a setting changed in Google and students started getting a lot more emails. If your student is feeling overwhelmed with email, please have them watch this helpful video created by our tech department, which walks them through how to change settings in their email so they don’t get so many and can easily prioritize the most important emails.
4. Student Technology Support: Our tech department has created a great site for student tech help related to all the tools they are using in distance learning. Click here to access this great site!
5. Wednesday Office Hours: Please be sure your student is joining the Wednesday office hours with their teachers to ask questions and get extra help on assignments in real-time. Teachers post reminders with the Meet Code and time in each Google Classroom.
6. Routines: At each class meeting this week, I talked about the importance of getting into a consistent daily routine in distance learning. I shared a sample daily routine with students, pictured below. I know each family’s situation is unique — please email me if you would like help setting up a regular routine with your student.
7. 6th Grade Lunch Group: I hosted our first 6th grade lunch group this week. It is a great way to help 6th graders get to know each other, support their transition to middle school, and help with any challenges or questions with distance learning. I will be hosting the 6th grade lunch group every Thursday in October at 10:30am (and possibly after October and for other grades, if it’s helpful). All 6th graders are welcome!
Keep up the great work, everyone! I know this is an unusual time with unique stressors. If your student or family is struggling, please email me at KFox@stanwood.wednet.edu and I can either help directly or point you in the right direction. We are here to help and we will get through this together!
Kara Fox
Counselor
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.
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