SMS

• Link to Homework Calendars

• Principal's Note
• Important Dates Coming Up
• Celebrating Student's Accomplishments
• New In Sports
• SIC Update
• Friends for Rachael Club (FOR CLUB)
• Color Guard Information
• Rescheduling of FALL Play

Continued Information for New Families

• What is a Grade?
• Yearbook Purchases

• Car Rider Line
• Check out Procedures
• Cell Phones
• School Supplies

How to find the weekly homework calendars!

1. To see the calendars, go to our school website: https://sfms.fortmillschools.org/
2. Click on "For Students"
3. On the right side you will see a link for each grade level's Calendar. Click on the link for your grade level and make sure you are on the correct week.

Welcome to November! We hope everyone can take this month and express appreciation for those around you that help support you through life. We also hope our students and teachers can focus on areas where we are blessed and thankful! I encourage all of us to take this time to reach out to those that we are thankful for and let them know. Many times we get so caught up in the business of life that we forget to say "Thank You" to those that have helped us through. Our staff will be focusing on "Thankfulness" throughout November and December. It doesn't have to be anything big. Many times a handwritten note is the best thing someone can receive.

If you are feeling lost about what all is going on around Springfield, we are working on streamlining our communication so all parents have the ability to see what is going on. Until then there is a place located on our website that have our daily announcements that you can watch. The announcements scroll through all the events going on at school. When you go to our main website, scroll down until you see the icon that is in the top right hand corner of this report. Click on that icon on the website. and you can see all that is going on at Springfield Middle School.

This week and next Monday and Tuesday, homeroom teachers will have STAR conferences with your child to begin preparing for our next STAR test on the 5th and 6th of December. Students will be allowed to bring home their report for Math and LA. Ask your child about these reports towards the end of this week and at the beginning of next week. They will give you a great idea of where your child is currently performing and their goals for the year. Please encourage your child to perform their very best on the STAR test in December so we can have correct data that will allow us to help them appropriately. The STAR data gives us more information than SC READY to actually help throughout the year with skills that may be lacking.

I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

• November 14th - PTO meeting starting at 6:00
• November 16th : ST-Arts Audition
• November 17th- 8th Grade Job Shadowing Day
• November 17th: 6th Grade Event after school - 3:30 - 5:30 (Games and a DJ)
• Thanksgiving Break: November 22nd - 24th
• November 27th: School Wide Spelling Bee (This date had to be changed)
• November 27th, 28th and 30th -= -Color Guard Auditions at the high school (For 7th and 8th graders) -- See graphic below for times and parent meeting dates.
• December 1st: Early Release Day (Students leave at 1:10)
• December 7th - Beta Club Induction
• December 5th and 6th: Winter STAR Testing
• December 13th: Winter Concert for band and Chorus
• December 15th : PRIDE Card Celebration
• December 22nd - Half Day and end of 2nd quarter and 1st Semester.

We would love to celebrate your child's accomplishments outside of school. Please feel free to complete the form above and let us know what exciting things are going on in your child's life!

Our SIC group has met twice this year. Our goal is to look at parent feedback on surveys from last year and determine areas that SIC could help to support the school in our improvement efforts.

There are a couple of areas that came up this past week:

1) The first one is positive communication going home on a regular basis about students and their performance. Once students hit middle school, it is challenging for parents to keep up with all the new teachers and expectations. Teachers are also in charge of 80-100 students versus the 25 in their class in elementary school. Therefore, there are challenges around it but it can be done!

We also do not have scheduled conferences in Middle School like they do in elementary school. However, we do want you to receive positive communication about your child (not just the ECU notices or calls about referrals). Due to your feedback in that area, we will begin working on ways to communicate all the positive things your students to around here on a daily basis. As a reminder, you can request a conference at any time.

2) Streamlining our communication. All communication parents need is there somewhere-- however it is located in different places. We have come up with an idea to make that easier for parents to find everything they need in one place - that will be linked to this Roundup and our website weekly. Therefore, no matter what your platform of preference is, you can receive all communication you need.

These two mentioned above were on the top of the list. We will be working on one other focus this year that we will advertise once we meet again and decide on the details. It does involve the communication to parents in a variety of areas, not just academics, that will help us all support the students here at school and work together to raise responsible young men and women ready for the next steps in their life.

Our SIC meets the 2nd Thursday of each month beginning at 6:00. Any parent is invited to attend whether or not you are on the SIC board. If you would like for us to hear your thoughts, we would love for you to join us.

Our FOR club has some exciting ideas coming up to help spread kindness around our school. We are looking forward to implementing their ideas and being able to share those with parents as well!

Unfortunately, due to illness our Fall Play had to be rescheduled. Please stay tuned for the new dates and times. The students and teachers have worked so hard! I know we will be impressed with their performance.

2023-2024 yearbooks are still on sale!

https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/2679852/Springfield-Middle-School/2024-Yearbook/2023071604153675766/CATALOG_SHOP/

If you are dropping your child off in the morning, students may exit their cars at 7:40 AM. You will hear the bell for students to begin entering the building. We will be doing a zipper merge like last year. The zipper merge occurs at the location where the sign is located. (NOTE: Our signs have not arrived yet. Therefore we will have staff standing out to make sure everyone is aware of how it works) Once you are past the merge sign, you should be in the right hand lane of the car rider line. Students are to be dropped off from the right hand lane only (lane closest to the sidewalk). The car rider line typically has to zipper merge until about 7:50. Around 7:50 the line is typically short enough that parents can pull up and let their child out. The first couple of days may take longer, but please be patient with us and we will soon be flowing quickly.

This year, at 8:05 the sign in the front of the school will be turned around asking parents to come in and sign their child in. All students should be in the building by 8:05. They should be sitting in their homeroom by 8:10. If you arrive after the sign has been turned around, please come in and sign your child in. A student cannot sign themselves in. We do ask that you pay attention to the 8:05 time this year. Plan your morning routine and commute so that tardies do not become an issue. If it may be a problem for your family, students can always ride the school bus.

Car Rider Line procedures are the same in the afternoons. Please make sure you pull forward as much as possible before allowing your child to either exit or enter the car. It helps our car rider line go much quicker. You may need to pull up past where your child is standing. If so he/she will walk to you.

If you have not ready this policy, please pay close attention to the information below. We have given grace and reminders the first two weeks of school. We will be following this policy moving forward. Thank you!

Class time is valued, and we strive to interrupt class periods as little as possible. Early dismissal procedure: When you know in advance that your child must be dismissed early, SEND A NOTE to the school with your child, including the date and dismissal time. When your child arrives, he/she should bring the note to Ms. K, and your child’s agenda will be marked with the dismissal time. (We will make sure your child knows where to turn their note in. If you are new, they can come to the front office and we will direct them on where to go).

Your child will meet you in our front office at the scheduled dismissal time and sign out at the front office computer. If your child must leave early and has not brought in a note, you will be asked to wait in the front office until the change of class periods. Please speak with an administrator in case of an emergency. There will be no early dismissals after 2:40 PM.

SMS is an "Away for the Day" school, meaning no access to phones, wireless earbuds, and smartwatches during our school day. Electronic devices, including cell phones, may be brought to school and used before 7:40 or after 3:10 to communicate with parents.

Cell phones must be turned off and left in the student’s locker from 7:40 AM until 3:10 PM. Sick students should visit the nurse, not call home. (The nurse will call home if necessary).

This year we will be asking students to put their smartwatches away as well. That was in our policy last year, and we will be making sure that is enforced consistently this year across the school.

Students with medical situations that require the use of an app will be allowed to have phones for the purpose of monitoring their medical needs.

The student handbook is online and will be in your child's agenda coming home the first day. You can read more about this policy in their handbook.

All students will use a three ring zipper binder this year to use for all of their classes.

Please check out our website for the supply lists. Click the link below and you will see a blue button to click on for the supply list. https://sites.google.com/fmsdmail.org/parents/home

If your family needs help with school supplies, we have several business donors that have generously donated supplies. Reach out to our guidance department if your child needs help with supplies for the year. We want to make sure everyone is ready to go on day one. We will help them set up their binders during our homeroom time and teach them how to keep their papers organized so they can find them when they need to.