Bear Bulletin
February 27, 2022
Topics Included in this Newsletter
- Note from Mrs. Spencer
- Mark Your Calendars, Bears!
- 8th Grade Dance Underwriting Opportunity Revised Flyer!
- 8th Graders Practice Tie-Tying (and Accompanying Resources)
- SBISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) Program Information & Resources
- Rising 6th Grader Toolkit (Current 5th Graders)
- SBMS Bear Camp: Mark Your Calendars!
- Save the Date for Spring Branch Super Saturday: Unity in Our Community AND Event T-shirt Design Competition Opens!
- SBMS Yearbook: Be Sure to Order ASAP!
- Information from Nurse Mulvey for 6th Grade Parents
- SBMS PTA Information for 2021-2022
Message from Mrs. Spencer
Good Morning, SBMS Bears,
I hope this finds you well. It was so nice to see our trail riders make their way to NRG, see posts about Rodeo Cook-Off and feel the excitement in our city in relationship to the return of our long-time tradition of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I know I am not alone in having lots of livelong memories surrounding these events. I also know many of us are monitoring the world stage and may have family or friends in Europe and elsewhere who are concerned or directly affected. If your child is demonstrating unusual concern or anxiety related to the situation in the Ukraine (regardless of whether or not you know someone directly affected) and needs some support, please let us know. Adolescents attempting to make sense of a world may be more prone to concern than other age groups, generally speaking. Please be listening for concerns they express. If you need guidance on what might be appropriate to say, we are hear to serve as support to you and your family.
In March, we will be hosting our annual practice STAARs.These exams help guide teachers on what TEKS (Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) that students need reinforcement on and what testing practices we need tweaking at the student, classroom or school administration level. Just like an athletic event, muscle memory and good habits can allow students to do their best. Please send your students to school with a good breakfast or intention to eat at school and a nice night of sleep so they can perform well on these exams. On March 8th and 9th, we will host Math and Reading for all sixth, seventh and eighth graders. On March 22nd and March 23rd, we will host Science and Social Studies for eighth graders. I apologize for the different dates on the marquee- we changed the dates since I last gave them to our fabulous PTA. We will change those this week- the ladder is no fun so I did not rush to change them, particularly in cold and wet weather!
A few informational items:
- Hallways: Hallways look great with the single grade level transition. We do need to modify some bells, but the smaller numbers of students allows adults to greet students and support them if they are being silly before things escalate more easily than when hallways had all students traversing from class to class.
- Language: We are seeing an increase in unkind language and cursing on the part of students. I will be asking teachers to let parents know this week and beyond should they observe this in students as our students' language needs to represent their best selves. While they are practicing what they perceive as mature behaviors, they are building habits. Habits do not need to include language that unacceptable for most situations. Unfortunately, social media and the like reinforce the use of this language but they need to see the contexts as different and inappropriate even for maturing middle and high school students.
- Cell Phones: We are reemphasizing the use of the cell phone caddies to students. Placing their phones in the caddies reduces social and behavioral issues tremendously and allows students focus on their academics. Brain theory supports this very clearly. Please reinforce your expectations that students follow this school rule and practice. We have been moving to students having to check in their phones each day with assistant principals when they are reluctant or recalcitrant to adhere to this practice.
- SBISD Police Request: Please stop picking up children along the feeder to I-10. It is truly an unsafe behavior for you as a driver, our students and the officer helping with traffic.
- SBMS Lost and Found Items: All items will be disposed of the first week of June. Please ask your child to come visit the Lost and Found in the office- or you are welcome to visit, too!
Let's have a great week, Bears!
Stefanie
Mark Your Calendars, Bears!
Mark your calendars for a few events, Bears:
Reminder: Spring Break is the week of March 14th-18th!
SBMS Practice STAAR Dates:
- Tuesday, March 8th: 6th- 8th Grade Math Practice STAAR
- Wednesday, March 9th: 6th-8th Grade Reading Practice STAAR
- Tuesday, March 22nd: 8th Grade Science Practice STAAR
- Wednesday, March 23rd: 8th Grade Social Studies Practice STAAR
- April 30th: 8th Grade Dance from 7-10 p.m.
- May 26th: 8th Grade Farewell Ceremony at 11 a.m
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.
- SBISD Calendar: English/Spanish
8th Grade Dance Sponsorship & Pep Rally Info- REVISED!
SBMS 8th Graders Learn/Practice Tying Ties!
Many thanks to our PTA for coordinating our guest speaker, Helen Perry of Eti-Cool, recently. She came and taught two of our Bear Pride Time 8th grade classes a few tips about presenting their best selves in terms of dress and cleanliness/polish. Part of the lesson involved everyone learning and practicing how to tie a tie! I told our young ladies that lots of famous female movie stars and fashion icons have chosen to wear ties to galas and the Oscars and they may have a friend, boyfriend or husband one day who needs some tie-tying support so this lesson was for all! The kids did such a great job! I am so appreciative of the kindness they displayed to Ms. Perry and their enthusiasm in practicing how to tie a tie! I even learned- somehow I have never needed the skill, but it was fun to learn!
Click here for the video if you want to preview and practice in your home. All 8th Graders will be viewing it and practicing in their Bear Pride Time classrooms in the next few weeks. I also found a very popular brand that had published a tie-tying lesson, if that would interest your student, too.
8th Graders have some really fun events coming up this year and in the years to come where tie tying and being polished will be helpful! Thank you, SBMS PTA!
SBISD Career & Technical Education (CTE) Program Offerings: Learn More!
The mission of the Spring Branch ISD Career and Technical Education (CTE) is to provide challenging career pathways for all students, utilizing real world practices and evolving skill sets, attitudes and behaviors. Check out the options in SBISD by clicking here. Additional resources can be found here.
Beliefs
Career and Technical Education is the bridge that connects students’ academic and technical education to the world of work. We believe in strong CTE programs built around coherent sequences of courses that allow every student to graduate with a plan for a future aligned with their T-2-4 goal.
Guiding principles
- CTE is for all students, whether they are planning to enter the workforce immediately after graduation or continuing their post-secondary education.
- CTE will be aligned with the district’s T-2-4 plan that aims to expose and explore students’ academic and career interests and then provide them opportunities to experience their future options and prepare them to execute a postsecondary plan.
- CTE programs will be innovative, forward-thinking, and evolve to meet the future needs of business and industry.
- CTE programs will be taught by high quality teachers with industry experience using industry relevant curriculum, resources, and technology.
Rising 6th Grade Toolkit- Share with Your Friends!
Dear Parents of Rising 6th Graders (Current 5th Graders),
Click on the image above or use this link to access the following resources for our school:
- Rising 6th Grade Parent Meeting Presentation
- Electives Descriptions
- Performing Arts Flyer
- AAC (Advanced Academic Course) Information (previously Pre-AP)
- Course Selection Sheets
- Recording of our Rising 6th Grade Parent Meeting Presentation
For those of you who are interested in learning more about SBMS courses, the SBISD Course Catalog document is an excellent resource. Please refer to the English or Spanish version.
Mark Your Calendars for Bear Camp 2022!
Save the Date for Spring Branch Super Saturday (4/23): Unity in Our Community AND Event T-shirt Design Competition Opens!
Save (and share!) the date to celebrate SBISD’s 75th Anniversary at Spring Branch Super Saturday: Unity in Our Community, April 23 from 9am-noon at Tully Stadium!
Spring Branch Super Saturday will bring together the entire community to showcase the best of Spring Branch students! Designed by a team of more than 80 high school students from throughout the district, Spring Branch Super Saturday is an event for the whole community. Enjoy student showcases, food trucks, live music, arts & crafts, and SO MUCH MORE!
NOW OPEN! Event T-Shirt Design Contest!
Share with your student artists, designers, and creatives for a chance for their design to be worn by hundreds, maybe thousands of people! Deadline for submissions is Feb. 2. More details below!
Key Information:
- Submission Eligibility requirements:
- Must be Spring Branch ISD students (elementary, middle or high)
- Must complete the Google Submission Form (https://forms.gle/y5Dn89zaittZZ2dA8)
- Can be submitted by an individual or a group of students - Design requirements:
- Incorporate the event name and tagline, “Spring Branch Super Saturday: Unity in Our Community”
- Represent all of SBISD (no single school logos)
- Single-color design
- Designed for the front of a t-shirt
- No inappropriate images or phrases
SBMS 2021-22 Yearbook!
Yearbooks are still on sale for $65! Buy one here or go to tinyurl.com/sbmsyearbook to buy your book before they SELL OUT! There are only 50 yearbooks left for sale and we cannot order more!
The yearbook staff would love your help gathering photos related to the following topics/events for inclusion:
- Fine arts concerts/shows or your child practicing/rehearsing for them (band, orchestra, choir, theatre)
- 7A and 7B Girls Basketball, 8A Boys Basketball
- Track/Cross Country
- -NJHS/Student Council
You can upload photos for the yearbook staff using the Balfour Imageshare app on your phone. You will create an account and can upload photos from your camera roll. Note: the project number is 209143 and there is NO upload code. You may also send any photos for the yearbook staff to yearbook adviser Sara Boyle, sara.boyle@springbranchisd.com.
Contact Sara Boyle, sara.boyle@springbranchisd.com with any other questions about the yearbook!
Upcoming dates:
- March 4, 2022: Last day to PERSONALIZE yearbook (purchase a name stamp or activity icon for your yearbook)
- March 15, 2022: Last day to send in yearbook photos for inclusion in the book
Thank you!
Sara Boyle
Journalism Teacher, Yearbook and Newspaper Adviser
Spring Branch Middle School
A Word from the SBMS Library
Overdue Library Books
Please remind your students to turn in overdue library books. They receive an email notice each week with a list of overdue books. There is a cart located outside the library entrance for book returns.
Aaryn Silva
Librarian
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.
A Word from the SBMS PTA
Did you know that PTA does much more than fundraising? PTA's mission is to make every child's potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children. We are an advocacy organization and our list of "PTA Purposes" are:
- To promote the welfare of children and youth in home, school, community and
- place of worship
- To raise the standards of home life
- To secure adequate laws for the care and protection of children and youth
- To bring into closer relation the home and the school, that parents and teachers
- may cooperate intelligently in the education of children and youth
- To develop between educators and the general public such united efforts as will secure for all children and youth the highest advantages in physical, mental social and spiritual education
Parents aren't required to volunteer and can still join without providing any time commitment.
Dues as low as $10 allow parents to become voting members, which means they have a VOICE. Parents can save money as a PTA member and receive special discounts and perks, learn how. PTA Membership provides instant support for our students. It's a great way to stay informed about what's happening at our school and connect in meaningful ways with other parents. Our motto is "Every Child. One Voice." Join us Bears!
Find us on social media. For a complete list of links, visit the SBMS PTA website
Missed Last Week's Bear Bulletin?
Please click below by date and you may access previous editions:
- February 13th Bear Bulletin
- February 6th Bear Bulletin
- January 30th Bear Bulletin
- January 23th Bear Bulletin
- January 16th Bear Bulletin
- January 9th Bear Bulletin
- November 7th Bear Bulletin
- October 31st Bear Bulletin
- October 24th Bear Bulletin
- October 17th Bear Bulletin