Spartan Herald February 2020
Show Respect - Make a Difference - Set the Bar High
Schmucker Community Events
Hello Schmucker Families,
Our Spartans are very busy this month! Every week student receive a newsletter from Miss O’Brien that details all the events happening at Schmucker. Parents, you can always check our school Google calendar on our website.
- We were glad to welcome many people to our first family game night. It was a huge success. The idea of the game night came from our students. It was wonderful to see their great idea in action!
- Thank you to the Penn Chinese Club for hosting a Chinese New Year Celebration this year in the Schmucker. Our students enjoyed eating Chinese food, playing Chinese games, and other activities.
- Ski club, 5 Star, game club, and art club are a few after school clubs that are in session now. Students should listen to WSMS announcements and check the weekly student newsletter for more details.
We have many ways for our students to be involved at Schumcker and we encourage all of our students to try a club or sport!
With your child in mind,
Lavon Dean-Null
Principal
Technology Update
Our Technology Department has asked that I take a few minutes to outline some key information in reference to Chromebooks. As you all know, going to one-to-one has brought our students into the forefront of public education. However, with that comes new responsibilities for our teachers, students and staff. Due, in large part, to the number of damaged units and the overall number of insurance claims filed here at S.M.S., we need parents to assist children and the P-H-M Corporation with educating our young people about the correct way to care for their Chromebook.
Equipment:
Ownership: PHM retains sole right of possession of the Chromebook and grants permission to the Student to use the Chromebook according to the guidelines set forth in this document. Moreover, PHM administrative staff retains the right to collect and/or inspect the Chromebook at any time, including via electronic remote access; and to alter, add, or delete installed software or hardware.
Substitution of Equipment: In the event the Chromebook is inoperable, PHM has a limited number of spares for use while the Chromebook is repaired or replaced. This agreement remains in effect for such a substitute. The Student may NOT opt to keep a Chromebook or to avoid using the Chromebook due to loss or damage.
Damage or Loss of Equipment:
Responsibility for Damage: The student is responsible for maintaining a 100% working Chromebook at all times. The student shall use reasonable care to ensure that the Chromebook is not damaged. Refer to the Standards for Proper Chromebook Care below, for a description of expected care. The student and parent will be responsible for all damage, including the cost of a replacement Chromebook, caused by misuse or negligence of the Student that is not covered by the warranty.
Responsibility for Loss: In the event the Chromebook is lost or stolen, the Student and Parent will be billed the full cost of replacement.
Actions Required in the Event of Damage or Loss: Damaged and/or lost Chromebooks must be reported immediately to the Student Helpdesk. If the Chromebook is stolen or vandalized while not at PHM or at a PHM sponsored event, the parent shall file a police report.
The Chromebook MUST be kept in the supplied protective cover at all times. Chromebooks not kept in the protective cover will not be covered by the insurance repair program.
Do not attempt to remove or change the physical structure of the Chromebook , including the keys, screen cover or plastic casing. Doing so will void the warranty, and families will be responsible for 100 percent of the repair or replacement.
Cell Phone Reminders: Reminder that if a student brings a cell phone to school it is to be turned off and kept in his/her locker throughout the duration of the school day. In the case of a student having his/her cell phone during the academic day the following steps are taken:
1st Offense: student is able to pick up the cell phone from the main office at the end of the day
2nd Offense: student is able to pick up the cell phone from the main office and student calls parents to inform them that if it is taken away again the parent/guardian will have to come get the phone
3rd Offense: parent/guardian needs to come and pick the phone up from SMS office
One Book One School
Important Dates
February 7 - Teacher Job Fair, 12pm-6pm
February 10 - PHM School Board Meeting, 7pm
February 11 - 4.0 Breakfast for 2nd Grading Period, 8am
February 17 - Presidents' Day/Recess Day
February 20 - 8th Grade Vision Screening
February 20 - Vaping Education & Prevention Community Meeting, 6pm, PHS Door C
February 21 - 6th Grade Social, 4:00pm-5:30pm
February 24 - School Board Meeting, 7pm at Horizon
February 26 - Band Concert (6/7/8th Grade), 6:30pm
February 27 - Choir Concert, 6pm
March 2 - 8th & 7th Grade Ensemble Choir Concert, 6:00pm
March 3 - 5th Grade Instrument Selection Night, 4:30pm - 8:30pm
March 4 - 5th Grade Instrument Selection Night, 4:30pm - 8:30pm
Check out all events on our Website calendar: SMS Calendar
PLEASE READ OUR NOVEMBER PTO NEWSLETTER BELOW:
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 this google sheet. Please select "My school is paying for me" on the online registration form.
6th Grade Social
8th Grade Parents
February 10: Students turn in completed pink course request to Social Studies teacher. All elective choices must be indicated. Initial “Pathway” choices on reverse side should also be indicated.
February 14, 3:00: 8th Grade Summer PE registration and payment acceptance will close.
Week of February 17: Middle school counselors meet with students during Social Studies to input high school course requests into Skyward.
August 2020 - Become a Penn Kingsman!
May 2024 - Graduate from Penn High School!
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
A note from your school counselors
Students always have access to the electronic Counselor Request form. A link to this form is in the student's Weekly Newsletter and can also be found on Schmucker's website, under the Guidance tab. If a student needs to see a counselor or if you believe a student should speak with a counselor, please have the student complete this form. Once a student completes the form, we are able to schedule a meeting. Depending on the issue, we will meet with the student immediately or the same day. Other times, we will meet with them in the days following the submission. It can be hard to guarantee a counselor is available if a student is sent to the office, so often submitting a form is the quickest most effective way for all students to be seen in a timely manner. But of course, in crisis, we will always make sure a student is taken care of. Please contact Andrea, Stacy, or Gretchen with questions!
PARENTS OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (ELLS)
SAVE THE DATE! ATTENTION 6TH GRADE!
NJHS
The Schmucker National Junior Honor Society would like to welcome its newest members to our chapter. On Wednesday, March 11, new 7th and 8th graders will be inducted into NJHS. Dr. Thacker, Mrs. Dean-Null, and a keynote speaker, will be there to offer words of encouragement to these young leaders of our community!
Student Council News!
The SMS Student Council will be having a Valentine's Day sale during all lunch periods beginning on Friday, February 7 and continuing to Friday, February 14th. We will be selling sugar free packs of gum for $1.50, smaller plush valentine animals for $2.50, and larger plush valentine animals for $3.50. This treats will be delivered to the students' 6th period classes on Valentine's Day! Portions of the profits will go to the Ronald McDonald House and to the Humane Society. The Student Council is so excited to help two important organizations in our community! Together, we can make a difference!
Fluid Power!
In early November, then Schmucker Middle School Fluid Power Team went to Daman Products in Mishawaka to prepare for Fluid Power Action Challenge Day. After learning about fluid power, the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students spent time over the next eight weeks engineering their prototypes. Challenge Day is a timed event where the teams have to rebuild their working hydraulic or pneumatic machine using just wood, paper, tubing, syringes, and glue. The machine must be able to pick up objects and move them, one at a time, to various targets on the board. It might sound easy, but each board has varying heights and obstacles that teams need to overcome!
On January 17, our three teams participated in Challenge Day at Notre Dame Stepan Center. Throughout this hands-on learning experience, students learned about the basics of fluid power, teamwork, coordination, and organization, as they experimented and designed their own unique machine. Here are some pictures of the teams at work during Competition Day!
2020-2021 Parent Calendar
A message to 8th Grade Parents from the Health Office
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.
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.
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.
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
Families Can Get help with Lunch & Textbook Fees
Student/Family Opportunities
Homework Requests
School Messenger
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