Bear Bulletin
September 12, 2021
Topics Included in this Newsletter
- Note from Mrs. Spencer
- Mark Your Calendars, Bears!
- Memorial Hermann Webinar Recordings
- New Information About Parent Pick Up
- SBMS Back to School Night: September 23rd
- Tutorial Schedule Updated on the SBMS Website!
- A Word from Our Librarian, Ms. Silva!
- Need Help Using the SBISD itsLearning Parent Portal?
- Information from Nurse Mulvey for 6th Grade Parents
- SBMS Yearbook Information
- SBMS PTA Information for 2021-2022
Message from Mrs. Spencer
Happy Sunday, Bears! I hope you have had a lovely weekend. As we approach this next week of school, please note the following:
- Chromebook Forms: Please note that we collected chromebooks for any children who have not yet submitted their paperwork to continue use of this resource. It is our hope that we can get ALL Bears a device, so please reach out to us if your paperwork needs to be completed for your child. We are here to help!
- Sick Kiddos Reminder: As a reminder, please do NOT send a child with symptoms to school, but rather work with your pediatrician to determine if he or she is able to return to school. Lots of viruses and illnesses out there beyond COVID-19, let's stop the spread of those, too. You may access the SBISD Strong Start Plan here. Updates to the plan related to on site COVID testing by our nurse (with consent; forms were sent home in previous Bear Bulletins and through messaging to emails a few weeks ago) and other components were made in late August.
- SBMS Tutorial Schedule: Please see the article below related to the SBMS Tutorial Schedule. Students are welcome and encouraged to attend; please be patient with teachers as we have asked them to monitor themselves for symptoms and stay home when necessary and many of them are parents, too. They will do their best to notify students if they need to be absent.
- Weather Forecasts: While your principal is NOT a meteorologist, there appears to be a chance for some rainy weather this week. Please plan accordingly and monitor local news stations for any updates.
We may be in for rain, but this cooler weather this weekend has been LOVELY! Have a great rest of your Sunday!
Stefanie Spencer, Principal
Mark Your Calendars, Bears!
Mark your calendars for a few events, Bears:
- September 23rd at 6 p.m.: Back to School Night for SBMS: Travel your child's schedule, learn about what they will be learning this school year and hear tips for success from your child's teacher. Join us at the end of the evening for a meet and greet for new and returning families- meet the moms and dads of your student's new friends and meet some new friends for yourself, as well! Stay tuned for further details!
Additional calendar tools:
- SBMS Google Calendars: SBMS uses a few calendars to help parents stay informed on events at school. The SBMS Public Calendar covers all academic and band/fine arts activities. The SBMS Athletics Activities Calendar covers the different athletic games we offer throughout the year. Please note neither calendar is up to date as of yet. Once game schedules are set by the district and other dates finalized by SBMS in relationship to Fine Arts, we will post these to the calendar.
Afternoon Pick Up New Information
Please note a few updates related to afternoon dismissal:
- Area Business Parking Lots: If you are parking in area business parking lots, please note that Hedwig Police may ask you to move your car. We were notified that they would be taking action starting soon, so please be aware. Traffic is moving more quickly now that school has become routine; you may wish to wait five minutes before picking up your child until traffic dissipates to avoid traffic rather than park in private business lots.
- Pets: Please consider not bringing your dog on foot with you to afternoon dismissal. While all dogs have been observed to be on a leash (thank you) and very friendly, dismissal is busy as it is and it would be unfair to create conditions for even the nicest pet to react defensively to a child unfamiliar with a dog. No leash led dogs (or otherwise) should be brought onto SBMS property. If you select to wait off property but near where kids dismiss, please consider not bringing your pet. Thank you for your understanding.
Memorial Hermann Webinar Recordings- Check It Out!
On Wednesday, September 1, Spring Branch ISD families and staff were invited to attend a free webinar hosted by Memorial Hermann regarding COVID-19 information.
The webinar was designed to help answer questions about COVID, vaccines, and protecting family health in the new school year. A panel of Memorial Hermann physicians were able to answer pre-submitted questions during this hour-long session. If you were not able to attend the webinar, you can view the recording here: (English/Spanish)
A Word from Our Librarian, Ms. Silva
Book Fair
The SBMS fall book fair will take place from September 20-24. Find all the details here, including on an online shopping option. The book fair will be open during school hours for students, as well as during Back-to-School Night for parents. We can accept cash, credit, or checks (payable to SBMS). Don’t want to send cash? Try out e-Wallet! This is a digital payment option where you set up an account and add a specific amount of money that your child can access. More info here. The funds from the book fair help us purchase more books for the school library.
Book Clubs
Calling all readers! If your child is interested in joining a school-sponsored book club, please contact Mrs. Silva at aaryn.silva@springbranchisd.com. We offer book clubs for 6th graders as well as a 7th-8th grade book club.
Tutoring Opportunities Now Posted to SBMS Website
Tutorial opportunities for students are now posted to the Spring Branch Middle School website. You may click here to locate the tutorials or click under Academics on the Spring Branch Middle School website (https://sbm.springbranchisd.com) to find tutorials. Students must provide a pass to enter the school for tutorials or a hand written note from a parent. This is a time to ask specific questions or receive assistance on specific skills that are topical to the content being presented currently or recent to current instruction and not something students attend regularly to hear presentations. There are no presentations, but time for teachers to help kids who need something specific. To ensure students who need help get the help they need, please do not send students who do not have an academic need at that moment to tutorials.
While teachers will make every effort to notify students of their absences, this year may still be a little difficult in terms of consistency in relationship to tutorials. We do not anticipate issues, but teachers may be absent from time to time for themselves or their families and tutorial schedules affected.
During Back to School night, teachers will share where they have placed their syllabi in each of their sessions.
SBMS Back to School Night: September 23rd
Traditionally at SBMS, parents join us for a Back to School night whereby they follow their student's schedules briefly for an evening receiving helpful hints and curriculum information from each of their child's teachers. Students take the night off and allow their parents to do this independent of them.
This year will run the same! Meet us in the auditorium at 5:30 p.m. for General PTA meeting and then a brief introduction and campus overview from SBMS Administration. Once this phase is concluded you may travel the halls, walking the same routes your children walk to class each day (no running, Bears!)! We will make sure our teachers share where they house their syllabi and have copies ready for you to pick up if you need another from the busy back to school paperwork season!
See you on the 23rd, Bears!
SBISD has several resources for parents who are new to supporting a child who is using itsLearning. We will have a session on itsLearning for parents during Back to School Night, but in the meantime, you may click on the link below for to get you started:
SBISD District Information on ItsLearning for Parents
ItsLearning Parent Portal Quick Start Guide
If the Quick Start Guide link gives you trouble, I have downloaded the pdf to our google folder for parents. Click here for access.
SBMS 2021-22 Yearbook!
Yearbooks are now on sale for $55! Buy one here or go to tinyurl.com/sbmsyearbook . Below is the list of yearbook deadlines. Buy your book ASAP before the price increases on Friday, October 15 (new price increase date)!
Paper order forms went out to every student in BPT this week. Please let me know if you’d like another paper order form sent home with your student OR you can just visit balfour.com and select Spring Branch Middle.
Also, if you have any great photos that could go in the yearbook (the staff needs good photos from the summer, first day/week of school pics, pictures from SBMS athletic/fine arts events, etc.!) the yearbook staff would love those as well. You can upload photos for the yearbook staff using the Balfour Imageshare app on your phone. Instructions to log in can be found on the flyer. Note: the project number is 209143 and there is NO upload code. You may also send any photos for the yearbook staff to Sara Boyle, sara.boyle@springbranchisd.com. Contact Sara Boyle, sara.boyle@springbranchisd.com with any other questions about the yearbook!
Friday, October 1: Yearbook price increases to $60
January 1, 2022: Yearbook price increases to $65
January 31, 2022: Last day to buy and complete an AD/TRIBUTE for your student
March 4, 2022: Last day to PERSONALIZE yearbook (name stamp, activity icon)
March 15, 2022: Last day to send in yearbook photos for inclusion
Sara Boyle
Journalism Teacher, Yearbook and Newspaper Adviser
Spring Branch Middle School
6th Grade Parents: A Word From Nurse Mulvey
6th grade Parents:
If your child gets any new vaccines this school year please turn in a copy to the nurse. This will help prevent any delay in enrollment for 7th grade.
All volunteers must register online through the SBISD website every year and pass a criminal background check. Volunteers approved during the previous school year may volunteer through September 30 of the current school year. At that time, the system will reset and all volunteers must re-register before being allowed on campus. We strongly encourage all volunteers to register between July 1 and September 30.
Please allow 8-10 days for the criminal background check process to occur. Volunteers who provide a valid email address on their application will receive an automatic notification if approved to begin your service. Once you receive this e-mail, please either contact the program or campus where you want to provide support. A list of those contacts can be found here.
All volunteers must bring a valid, government issued photo ID when they visit or volunteer on campus to have it scanned into the Raptor6 system. Each time you are on campus thereafter, SBISD requires volunteers and visitors to check-in at the front office and wear a Raptor6 issued name badge.
Thank you for recognizing that the safety of our schools, our students and our volunteers is of the utmost importance!
By applying to be an SBISD volunteer, you agree to abide by the SBISD Volunteer Ethics and Guidelines.
A Word from the SBMS PTA
If you have any questions or want to get involved, below are the PTA Executive Board contact details:
- President: Stephanie Pancioli (s.pancioli@att.net)
- VP Long Range Planning: Jen Moss (jkgmoss@comcast.net)
- VP Fundraising: Amy Reeves (amyereeves@yahoo.com)
- VP Fundraising: Hilary Scarborough (hilaryscarborough@gmail.com)
- VP Communications: Lorena Guilanshah (guilanl@hotmail.com)
- Treasurer: Lyn Greenwood (lynbeckstead@gmail.com)
- Secretary: Molly Ferguson (mollyrferguson@yahoo.com)
- Community Relations: Joy McCormack (Mccormackjoy@hotmail.com)
- Parliamentarian: Kelly Murphy (Kelmurph521@gmail.com)
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