Sugar Land MS Titan News
Week #24 - February 15, 2021
Greetings SLMS Parents and Guardians,
As you are hopefully aware, this upcoming week has had a shift in expectations due to the significantly colder weather that is coming our way. Please take precautions for your family to ensure everyone's safety, including your pets, plants, and pipes. Feel free to read the tips from the City of Sugar Land below. You will also want to note the biggest change (aside from the drop in temperature) is to how school looks on Tuesday, February 16. It is an asynchronous day of learning for all students, regardless of learning model. Please read the item below about this asynchronous day, as well as district communication about how this weather may impact learning and school. Remember, also, that Monday, February 15, is a school holiday.
Please take some time today to read through this critically important newsletter. There are several NEW ITEMS in it (marked "NEW!" below) which will affect you and your children this week and in the coming weeks. Topics in this Week's Newsletter:
- Week At-A-Glance
- Upcoming Dates
- NEW!!! - Asynchronous Learning Day - Tuesday, February 16
- Black History Month at SLMS
- Course Selection Information for 2021-22
- NEW!!! - Student Cook-Off Challenge by FBISD School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC)
- NEW!!! - FBISD Track Meet Ticketing Information
- NEW!!! - Texas Tuition Promise Fund Webinars Feb 17 and 24
- Crucial Reminders for All Parents and Students
- Yearbook Photos for Students/Staff Not Yet Photographed
- FBISD Support Portal Student Access via 1Link
- Semester 1 Grade Repair and March Interventions
- SLMS PTO Spirit Night at Torchy's Tacos Feb. 23
- Federal and State School Report Cards for SLMS
- Explore UT - Annual Event Held Virtually March 5-6
- Resource for Parents of Online Students
- Immunization Reminders for Current Sixth Graders
Thank you for your time and support of our school. As always, our ongoing priority is to serve our community in the best way possible. Please continue to follow all CDC guidelines for minimizing exposure to COVID-19 through frequent handwashing, use of hand sanitizer, not congregating in groups, and most importantly, wearing a mask. It will take all of us working together to defeat this virus once and for all.
Sincerely,
Keith Fickel, SLMS Principal
#GracePatienceOptimism
#BetterTogether
#InfinitePossibilities
#TitansOwnIt
Week At-A-Glance
Upcoming Dates
- February 8 thru March 11 - S1 Grade Repair (select students)
- February 23 - SLMS PTO Spirit Night at Torchy's Tacos (4-8 PM)
- March 9 - Spring Open House (Virtual Format; details TBD)
- March 11 - Career Day (details forthcoming)
- March 15-19 - Spring Break
- March 22, 23, and 24 - On-Campus Interventions for select students
Asynchronous Learning Day - Tuesday, February 16
After close consultation with our regional meteorologist and other partners, all Fort Bend ISD campuses and facilities will be closed on Tuesday, February 16, due to the arctic front that will impact Fort Bend County and the surrounding areas starting this weekend. Asynchronous learning will occur on Tuesday, February 16 for all Fort Bend ISD students (both face to face AND online students). Assignments will be posted to Schoology. Please note: If the winter weather results in power and connectivity outages that would prevent asynchronous learning, we will make further announcements about possible school closure.
Regarding Asynchronous Assignments in Schoology for February 16:
- February 16 is an "A" Day, so you will have assignments to complete that day for periods 1, 2, 3, and 4
- Complete and submit the assignment in Schoology for each class period by 11:59 PM on Tuesday in order to be awarded attendance credit (and academic credit)
- Assignments must be completed on TUESDAY ONLY (not Monday, not Wednesday) in order for attendance credit to be awarded to you for Tuesday
The safety of our community is our top priority. We strongly encourage our families to take the necessary precautions and prioritize the safety of your family, pets and property.
Fort Bend ISD Child Nutrition Grab and Go Meals will not be provided on Tuesday, February 16. This meal service will be provided on Wednesday, February 17.
All FBISD extracurricular activities and practices scheduled for Monday and Tuesday are canceled, with the exception of some Tuesday evening practices. All changes to the Athletic schedule will be communicated directly by coaching staff. Changes to Fine Arts scheduled practices will be communicated by Fine Arts staff.
As a reminder, a severe weather hotline is available to parents to learn about the latest information from the District regarding a severe weather occurrence. Please call (281) 634-4636 for information about schedule changes due to weather. The District will continue to monitor the impact of the arctic storm and provide timely updates to our community via the District’s website, social media and mass notification system once new information is available.
Please verify that your contact information in Blackboard Connect is correct, and we encourage you to monitor local media for any weather updates.
Black History Month at SLMS
District Theatre Design and Marketing Contest
Congratulations to these students who won awards with the district's theatre design and marketing competition!
Course Selection Information for 2021-22
Course Selection Time is here! Current 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students received selection information from their social studies teachers during the week of February 8. Students and parents also have the opportunity to view informational videos regarding elective options before entering their choices into Skyward. All videos are available on the SLMS website under our Counselor Page. Course selection meetings for parents regarding the 2021-22 school year were held on February 9 and 11.
Course selection opens in Skyward on Tuesday, February 16. Click here to download a PDF of the FBISD course selection guides (descriptions of courses).
Current 8th Grade Parents
- Watch the recording of the February 9 parent meeting for current 8th grade parents
- Watch this video from the KHS Counselors
- SLMS web page for 8th graders transitioning to HS
Current 6th and 7th Grade Parents
- Watch the recording of the February 11 parent meeting for current 6th and 7th grade parents
- SLMS web page for 6th and 7th graders going into the 2021-22 School Year
- Counselors' web page with informational videos about elective choices
You may also wish to visit our campus webpage dedicated to course selection. It will be updated frequently throughout the coming days as the counselors visit with parents and with students. Also, download the document below titled "Parent and Student Communication AAC Designation" to learn about the change in name for advanced courses from Pre-AP to AAC (Advanced Academic Course)
Student Cook-Off Challenge by FBISD School Health Advisory Committee (SHAC)
Fort Bend ISD's Child Nutrition Department and School Health Advisory Council (SHAC) teamed up to offer a cook-off for students. Students are invited to record a recipe video that shows them creating one of their favorite recipes.
The grand prize winner will receive a virtual classroom visit from a Houston Texans player, sponsored by DairyMAX.
The deadline to submit an entry is March 1. For more information, including additional rules, view the flier. Use this Microsoft Form to submit your entry.
Texas Tuition Promise Fund® and Texas Match the Promise Foundation Webinars
Learn more about the Texas Tuition Promise Fund®, the state's tax-advantaged prepaid college tuition plan, and the Texas Match the Promise Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity offering scholarship opportunities to eligible participants in the Texas Tuition Promise Fund.
NOTE: Open enrollment period will end February 28, 2021
Upcoming webinars will provide an overview of the Texas Tuition Promise Fund and information on the different types of tuition units, tuition redemption values and payment options.* In addition, the webinars will present information about matching scholarship opportunities available through the Texas Match the Promise Foundation.**
Sign up for one of our upcoming webinars (Feb 17 and Feb 24)
If you have any questions regarding the webinars, please contact us at TuitionPromise@cpa.texas.gov.
For more information about the Texas Tuition Promise Fund, visit TuitionPromise.org or call 800-445-GRAD (4723), option 5.
* Residency restrictions apply.
** Residency restrictions, age requirements, eligibility criteria, household income restrictions and contribution requirements apply.
Yearbook Photos for Students/Staff Not Yet Photographed
We have a record of which students and staff have not yet had their picture taken so that they may have a final chance to be represented in the yearbook. Parents of these children, as well as individual staff members, should have received an email directly from Balfour this week giving them an opportunity to take a picture at home and then upload it to a secure website where our yearbook staff will ensure that your child (or staff member) will not be excluded from the yearbook. We do not want the fact that a child or staff member was an online student/staff, new to the school since picture day, or had an absence from school on picture day be the reason that they do not appear in the yearbook. Online students and staff are just as much a part of SLMS as the in-person learners. If you did not receive this email from Balfour, please email our Yearbook sponsor, Ms. Alison Simpson at alison.simpson@fortbendisd.com. These pictures must be uploaded to the secure Balfour site by February 17 (Wednesday)
FBISD Support Portal Student Access via 1Link
In an effort to enhance our technology support, Fort Bend ISD has given secondary students (Grades 6 - 12) the ability to report application and hardware incidents using the FBISD Support Portal via 1Link. Students will select Student Application Support or Student Hardware Support to request assistance. See the two screenshots below.
Crucial Reminders for All Parents and Students
- All students (including online students) must complete the wellness check EVERY MORNING. F2F students who need to stay home because of not feeling well will also need to complete the wellness check every day. Continue to submit the wellness check each morning throughout your child's day(s) of absence. Nurse Lincoln must clear students to return, and she will have the needed time to do that when parents complete the wellness screener each morning, even when their child stays home.
- F2F students received new Wellness Check Cards during their 8th period class on Friday, which will cover the months of February and March. These cards DO NOT take the place of doing the wellness check each day in Skyward Family Access. These cards simply indicate that you have already completed the wellness check in Skyward, and are meant to be used by students who do not have a smartphone. School discipline will be administered to students who are found to have a pattern of not completing their wellness checks or who use the wellness card improperly.
- Face to face students who were issued a district-owned device are expected to bring it to school daily, including the charging cord.
- Students are expected to wear their school-issued picture ID badge, using the school-issued lanyard, over their outermost layer of clothing every day.
- There is no left turn allowed out of the front circle drive during arrival and dismissal
- U-Turns are not permitted along Seventh Street after exiting the circle drive
- Students enter and exit vehicles ONLY in the circle drive. Nowhere else.
Semester 1 Grade Repair and March Interventions
Soon, select students and their parents will be notified of opportunities to repair grades from semester 1 in core classes or to have required academic or attendance interventions put in place. The students will generally fall in these categories:
- Semester 1 Grade Repair - Students in both learning models who had a semester 1 (S1) grade between 60 and 69 in any of their core classes will be notified of an opportunity to repair their S1 grade up to a 70. These opportunities will run February 8 thru March 11, and will occur during 8th period (F2F students) or during the asynchronous time for online students (2:45-3:45)
- March Interventions (March 22, 23, and 24) - Students in both learning models who had S1 (semester 1) grades lower than 60 in core courses and/or poor rates of attendance. There are other reasons students may be asked to come to these in-person sessions, as well. These sessions will be held on campus, even for students in the online learning model. Sessions are 2.5 hours/day on the three days following spring break.
Federal and State School Report Cards for SLMS
Schools are required annually to share their federal and state report cards. Parents and staff will receive a separate communication with this same information by February 2, 2021. Links to federal and state report cards for our campus:
- Link to Federal Report Card for Sugar Land Middle School
- Link to State Report Card for Sugar Land Middle School
- Link to FBISD website dedicated to campus report cards
See the parent notification letters below (English and Spanish)
Explore UT (University of Texas) - Virtual Event March 5 & 6
The University of Texas at Austin is excited to bring the wonder and discovery of Explore UT to participants in a virtual format March 5-6, 2021. This free virtual experience will feature live programming with demonstrations, hands-on activities, and other interactive elements to incorporate in the classroom or at home.
Topics covered will include campus life, science and engineering, liberal arts, business, and more—providing a unique look at life on the university’s flagship campus.
More information and a schedule of events will be available on the Explore UT website in February. To receive updates from UT about Explore UT directly to your email, visit this link.
Important Resource for Parents of Online Students
If your child(ren) are online, they (and you), may struggle to make sense of everything. If that describes you, please take a moment to check out this "Online Learning: What You Need to Know" resource on the FBISD web page.
Immunization Reminders for Current Sixth Graders (Online or F2F)
Your sixth-grade child did or will receive the Tdap and the Meningitis vaccines at their 11-year-old check-up. If they have had these vaccines, please provide proof of this to the clinic when your child gets them. These are the required shots for 7th grade and providing them as soon as you get them will keep your child compliant! You may email it to julie.cutaia@fortbendisd.com or fax it to (281) 327-3091.
Our experience has been that some parents wait until the last possible minute to be in compliance with these immunization requirements. Please help us help your child be ready for next year, as it will approach faster than you think!
SLMS Titan Masks for Sale - $10
PE Uniforms on Sale
Revised 2020-21 FBISD Calendar
Reporting a Positive Case of COVID-19 or Exposure to a Positive Case
To ensure the safety of all staff and students, it is critical that families report all positive cases of COVID-19, or exposures to a positive case of COVID-19, immediately. If your student tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to a positive COVID-19 case, please notify the District by reporting within the Daily Wellness Screener in Skyward Family Access.
Attendance Information for Parents
Parent notes are required for all absences within five days from the absence date. Notes must include full student name as well as the reason for the absence (including technical difficulties). If a student misses a synchronous engagement, they are counted absent.Please email all absence notes to AttendanceSLMS@fortbendisd.com. Contact our attendance clerk, Mrs. LaVergne, at (281) 634-3089 if you have questions.
Important Contact Information
- Assistant Principal - Dr. Dawn Rogers (dawn.rogers@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Eleni Smith (eleni.smith@fortbendisd.com)
Seventh Grade
- Assistant Principal - Luster Goodwin (luster.goodwin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Kim Seright (kimberly.seright@fortbendisd.com)
Eighth Grade
- Associate Principal - Monika Martin (monika.martin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Nafecia Brinson (nafecia.brinson@fortbendisd.com)
Counselor Clerk - Carmen Brantley (carmen.brantley@fortbendisd.com)
Assistant Principal Secretaries
- 6th and 7th Grade - Tina Garcia (diamantina.ibarragar@fortbendisd.com)
- 8th Grade - Sherri Woodcock (sherri.woodcock@fortbendisd.com)
Attendance - Mary Beth LaVergne (mary.lavergne@fortbendisd.com)
Registrar - Tandi Phillips (tandi.phillips@fortbendisd.com)
Nurse - Angi Lincoln (angela.lincoln@fortbendisd.com)
Executive Assistant to Principal Fickel - Mary Connealy (mary.connealy@fortbendisd.com)
Sugar Land Middle School
45 Years
1975-2020
Inspiring and equipping the young men and women of our community for futures beyond what they can imagine since 1975.
SLMS Campus Mission Statement
Working collaboratively, the Sugar Land Middle School Professional Learning Community will commit to creating a safe environment with high expectations leading to physical, social, emotional, and academic success for all Titans.
#TitansOwnIt
#BetterTogether
#InfinitePossibilities
#GracePatienceOptimism
- 8:20-4:20 Monday-Friday
Email: keith.fickel@fortbendisd.com
Website: www.fortbendisd.com/slms
Location: 321 7th Street, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: (281) 634-3080
Twitter: @SLMSTitans