Spartan Herald February 2018
Building Community Empowering Learners Inspiring Creativity
Setting Learning Goals and Checking Our Progress
Hello Schmucker Families,
As we recently began third quarter, we continue to support and foster great learning in all classrooms. All teachers strive to appropriately challenge each student. This month teachers and I have collaborated on how we encourage students to better understand the goals for each class. Teachers shared new and creative ways they are sharing these learning goals with their students. Please ask your child about the learning goals they have for each class. In addition to clearly discussing the goals for each class, students are also engaged in tracking their own progress in achieving these goals. This is accomplished through checks through out the class. Sometimes these are quick quizzes, an online game like Kahoot, or a simple thumbs up that shows understanding. We encourage students to take ownership of their learning and to think deeply about their progress towards their goals. From the start of the year, we have highlighted different ways students can use their voice to tell their story. Talking about learning goals and the steps they are taking towards these goals are another way Schmucker Spartans successfully use their voice! I am so proud of all their accomplishment and I am confident all their hard work with shine when they show off all their knowledge on the upcoming ISTEP+. Please encourage your child to do their best on this assessment and use it as a time to demonstrate all they have learned this year!
With your child in mind,
Lavon Dean-Null
Principal
Test Taking Strategies for the ISTEP
ISTEP Part I Information
Dates: February 26 - March 2
All students will take a Language Arts and Math test
6th grade students will take a science test
7th grade students will take a social studies
Part I is all online
Students will be typing responses and entering answers on their Chromebook
There will be short and long responses, no multiple choice
No cell phones are permitted in testing rooms.
Pencils, scrap paper, and calculators will be provided
Strategies for Success
Bring your Chromebook fully charged each day.
Be in attendance every day from February 26 - March 2.
Leave your cell phone in your locker or at home.
Get at least 8 hours of sleep the nights before testing.
Eat a nutritious breakfast and lunch on testing days.
Keep a positive attitude.
Manage your time well
Scan test before you begin.
Answer easy questions first.
Review work when all complete.
Do your best!
OBOS: Holes!
Important Dates
February 1 - PTO Meeting
February 9 - PTO Job Fair @ SMS
February 12-15 - Let Loose Your Lincolns (PTO fundraiser)
February 16 &19 - Recess Day
February 22 - 4.0 Principal Honor Roll Breakfast
Check out all events on our Website calendar: SMS Calendar
PLEASE READ OUR NOVEMBER PTO NEWSLETTER BELOW:
Schmucker Scrip Program
Scrip is a national fundraising program for non-profit organizations. Over 30,000 different organizations use Scrip; the district PTO’s have been running this program for years. The concept is simple. You purchase gift cards and a rebate is given back. Other PHM schools that have been participating have purchased almost $800,000 worth of gift cards and earned about $56,000 in free money! Sounds too good to be true? It’s not! It is truly free money!
Here is why: There are over 700 retailers that sell their gift cards to Scrip at various discounts. You order these gift cards from Scrip at full face value, and the PTO, as the non-profit organization, receives the rebate. In our case, the PTO puts 90% of that rebate into your child’s school DC account and puts 10% into the PTO fund, but you still receive the full value of the gift card - it’s a win-win!
Here is what you must do to participate:
STEP 1: Sign up on MySchoolAnyWhere.com
https://www.myschoolanywhere.com/new-family.a5w?fam=SchmuckerMiddleSchool90032
STEP 2: Email SMSscripcoordinator@gmail.com Include the student's name (first and last) and the parent's name (first and last) to receive the Scrip code.
STEP 3: Enroll at www.shopwithscrip.com (with the code you receive from the Scrip Coordinators).
We are accepting the no-hassle Presto Pay format offered by Scrip. All payments are made directly from your bank account to Scrip, rather than writing checks to the PTO. It's a quick and easy way to order ScripNow and use it within minutes. Also, reload with no need to wait for SMS PTO to confirm your check cleared.
For more information click here for more details on our SMS website.
Student Internet Safety
EXPANDING YOUR HORIZONS
For more information: "Click Here"
SMS will pay for up to 30 girls to attend this conference. Please complete the online registration and email Mrs. Dean-Null when complete. Please select "My school is paying for me" on the online registration form.
10th Annual Doodle 4 Google Contest
What Inspires Me
This year marks the 10th annual Doodle 4 Google contest. Students are asked to illustrate a Google logo using the theme: “What inspires me.” The student are to reflect on what most inspires them by creating a unique, uplifting doodle using any medium ( crayon, paint, silkscreen, wood, computer chips, chocolate chips (er, maybe not), ect…).
Five finalists will be flown to Google’s Mountain View headquarters, and one winning student from among the five will receive:
A $30,000 college scholarship
A $50,000 Google for Education technology package for their school
A behind-the-scenes experience with the Doodle team to transform their Doodle into an interactive experience that will launch by the end of 2018.
Checkout doodle4google.com for the entry form and more information or pick up a form from the main office or Mrs.Perkins in the art room..
All entries must be postmarked by March 2, 2018 and received seven days from the postmark.
You may turn your entry into Mrs. Perkins by February 23,2018 or send it directly to:
Doodle 4 Google
PO Box 510337
New Berlin, WI 53151
Entries can also be submitted digitally at doodle4google.com as a .jpg or.png file.
Visiting Students and Teachers from China
On Friday, January 19, P-H-M hosted 21 students and seven teachers from P-H-M’s partner school in Anshan, China.
Click to see the picture gallery below. The visit started at Discovery Middle School where students, staff and P-H-M administrators attended a kick-off breakfast. The student visitors spent the morning at Discovery before traveling via P-H-M school bus to visit classrooms at Schmucker and Grissom and Middle schools—giving them a complete flavor of academic life in Penn-Harris-Madison. Click to see pictures from the Discovery visit; click see pictures from the Grissom visit.
The Cultural Exchange program with Anshan is valuable to both teachers and students alike. While the Anshan students got to partake in American student experiences, the teachers compared notes with our teachers about middle school academics and curriculum.
Principal Lavon Dean-Null, who has been a part of the China Cultural Exchange Program for many years, served as our guests tour guide around Schmucker. The highlights of the Spartan school tour included visits to:
- Mr. Pinion’s math class
- Mr. Reininga’s Project Lead the Way class, where students got to try their hand on the 3-D printer and see the school’s Robotics Team practice field
The Anshan students also got to try their hand at opening a combination locker!
Note from the Counselors!
Schmucker School Counselors are working through the Redesigning School Counseling program to obtain Gold Star Status.
What does it mean to be a Gold Star School in Indiana?
Schools that have obtained the Indiana Gold Star status have demonstrated that they have a comprehensive and accountable school counseling and guidance program, aligned to Indiana School Counselor and Student Standards, as well as national (ASCA) standards. Participating schools and school counseling programs will implement a plan that includes the establishment of a program vision and mission, data-based accountability, standards-driven student guidance activities, counseling and advocacy, program management, the alignment of resources and an annual improvement plan.
You can view a tutorial at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeSNq672whY
Student Service Office Supports
4.0 PRINCIPAL'S HONOR ROLL BREAKFAST
NJHS
The Schmucker National Junior Honor Society would like to welcome it's newest members to our chapter. On Wednesday, January 24, fifty-five 7th and 8th graders were inducted into NJHS. Dr. Thacker, Mrs. Dean-Null, and keynote speaker, Alex Sejdinaj, were there to offer words of encouragement to these young leaders of our community. The first NJHS meeting with our full membership will be on Friday, February 2nd, at 8am in the cafeteria.
SMS Silver Mile Fundraising Event:
WSMS
WSMS is recorded to Youtube ALMOST every day. (Technology!) If you would like to watch our daily announcements, check it out!
Here is the link to the channel if you want to publish it to parents.
21st century scholars
Free $$ for college!
The 21st Century Scholars program is need-based assistance which will help students have the ability to go to college who otherwise may not be able to afford it. The program can save you and your family thousands of dollars on higher education past high school, as well as connect you and your student to other great resources.
The deadline for this opportunity to enroll is JUNE 30 of a student's 8th grade year. Once this date has passed, students cannot enroll while at the high school. Please take the time to visit http://scholars.in.gov/parents/enroll/ to learn more about the program and enroll your student right away before this opportunity is no longer available. Email or call your child's school counselor if you have further questions.
Parents of English Language Learners
From January 8 to February 23, English language learners (ELL) in kindergarten through twelfth grade will participate in the administration of the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs® 2.0 language proficiency test. ACCESS 2.0 provides a standardized measurement of academic language proficiency for ELLs throughout the state of Indiana, and in other states. With this information, we are able to monitor individual ELL progress on an annual basis. Please visit https://www.wida.us/assessment/ACCESS20.aspx for more details.
8th Grade Parents
We would like to remind you about some important events we shared with you last month. There are a number of activities and opportunities your family will want to be aware of as we enter into this important time.
DEC 5th - 8th graders visit Penn during school day
DEC 5th - 6:00 pm - 8th grade Parent Meeting with Penn Counselors
DEC 11th & 12th - 6:30 to 8:00 pm - Penn Showcase (Families visit Penn teachers and elective classrooms, and learn about extra-curricular opportunities.)
JAN 11 - Penn Counselors meet with enrolled Early College students and parents to create Penn schedule. (Students/Parents will be given a time slot to meet individually with a counselor. Parent attendance is not required, but recommended.)
Late January 2018 - Summer PE registration will be online this year.** The high school will provide more information as the date approaches.
(Payment to PHS to follow)
Jan 29 - Pink Course Selection sheets go home to be viewed,signed, and returned
Feb 2 - Pink Course Selection sheet DUE to 8th grade Social Studies teacher
FEB 2018 - Schmucker Counselors meet with all 8th graders to finalize freshman schedule for Penn
**Please note the procedural change in Summer PE registration.
Feel free to email your student’s counselor if you have questions as these dates approach.
Stacy Eck (Last names A-K) seck@phm.k12.in.us
Andrea Hoover (Last names L-Z) ahoover@phm.k12.in.us
Penn's Summer 2018 PE Classes
Information about Penn's Summer 2018 Physical Education lottery for current 8th graders (next year's Freshman class) is posted on our Schmucker website. Here is the direct link:
Note to Parents:
We are asking parents that drop off or pick-up their children to please be considerate to the residents that live on Filmore. Our office has been getting calls from residents that several cars are turning around in driveways. Please use SMS parking lot or drive around the block if needed.
8TH GRADE - WASHINGTON, D.C. TRIP
Schumcker 8th grade students attending the
Washington , D. C. field trip from May 29 to June 2nd:
Second Payment is due Thursday, February 1, 2018 and final Payment is due Thursday, March 29, 2018. Make payment to hemispheretravel.com
Athletics
SMS SKI CLUB
Click Here for information
SMS Clubs
Writing Club is meeting every Thursday in Ms. Fiegel's room #211 after school until 5:15.
Film Club is meeting every Tuesday in Ms. Turpins's room #309 after school until 5:15.
Intramurals
How Your Child Can Connect to Schmucker Happenings
1. Each morning students produce a newscast on WSMS that highlight upcoming events.
2. Every Monday students are emailed a Student Newsletter. This publication includes the weekly menu, important dates like athletic events and clubs, and important announcements and reminders.
Consent To Publish student work and photographs
PHM requires schools to receive permission from parents to publish student photos and work. If you have not returned this document, please access the link below, print the document and return signed to school. We must receive this document from every student.
COMMUNITY EVENTS/ACTIVITIES
Check out the P-H-M website for an online listing of non-school events & activities agencies have asked us to share with P-H-M families:
Lunch Menus
PHM Breakfast
- Penn-Harris-Madison offers breakfast at a number of our schools to assist families with busy schedules. If morning meals are difficult for your family, let the School Breakfast Program help you out! Free meal students receive a free breakfast. Reduced price breakfast for qualified students is .30 cents. Regular priced breakfast is $1.10 at elementary and $1.25 at secondary. À la-carte is also available at the middle and high schools. Click here for more information: https://www.phmschools.org/food-service/p-h-m-food-programs
Families Can Get help with Lunch & Textbook Fees
Student/Family Opportunities
Public Service Announcement
Parents and guardians please be vigilant of students using devices known as aromatherapy oil diffusers. These devices are slim like a pen and provide direct aromatherapy by means of a vaporizer. These items should not be used at school.
Homework Requests
School Messenger
Protected by Raptor
Canvas
Canvas is a LMS (Learning Management System) that is used in PHM. Teachers can put content online for students, make announcements and provide assignments. All parents are enrolled in the Canvas course of their students as observers. As observers, you can see the content, but are not able to interact with it. Please access the links below to learn more.
To keep you organized, you can also download the Canvas app for your phone or tablet.
Student Hours
9:00am - First Bell
9:05am - Classes Begin
4:00pm - Dismissal
4:10pm - Bus Departure
Lavon Dean-Null
Email: ldean-null@phm.k12.in.us
Website: http://schmucker.phmschools.org/
Location: Schmucker Middle School, Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN, United States
Phone: 574-259-5661
Twitter: @SMSSpartanPride