Thunderblast 2024
Taking Risks by OWNING Our Learning- January 14, 2024
Big Week Ahead
This Week's Events:
- Mon, Jan 15- Martin Luther King Jr. Day; Our advisory lesson on Thursday was a great opportunity to honor the life and acts of Dr. King.
- Tues, Jan 16- Let's keep our eye on the weather- especially with the forecast of snow. We do get outside on the coldest and wettest of days, so please make sure students have jackets and a change of clothes.
- Wed, Jan 17 at 3:30 PM- Seneca Intramural Volleyball Championship in the Main Gym
- Thu, Jan 18 at 9:00 AM- Seneca Spelling Bee
- Thu, Jan 18 at 3:30 PM- American Math Competition
- Thu, Jan 18 at 5:00-7:30 PM- Cluster Multicultural Event (see below)
- Thu, Jan 19- End of Quarter 2
Cluster Multicultural Event- Dinner, Book Giveaways, & Student Performances!
This is an entirely free event! We couldn't do it without our business partners- Urbano Modern Italian and Arepas Plus. Thank you!
Multicultural Night has been one of the biggest events at Seneca every year since my second year and last year was the first time we brought in the entire cluster. Check out the program below. We may need some help with food and clean-up if you are interested. Multicultural Night Sign-Up
Course Selection
The course selection process has begun! Teachers are entering their recommendations, which will be viewable in ParentVUE/StudentVUE after February 7th (under course requests on the ParentVue/StudentVue website). Please stay tuned for exact access date.
Timeline
Jan. 17th & Jan. 18th: Recorded Rising 7th and Rising 8th Grade Course Selection presentations during Advisory
Jan. 19th: Rising 7th and Rising 8th grade students select electives during Advisory
Feb. 5th & Feb. 6th: High School Counselors will be doing course selection presentations for Rising 9th grade students during Resource
Feb. 7th: Rising 9th grade students select electives during Advisory
Feb. 16th: Window closes for Rising 7th, 8th, & 9th graders to select electives
February 20th – May 1st : Counselors will be meeting with students to review their course selections (7th and 8th grade students will be completing an Academic Plan as well)
May 1st: Students/Parents last day to make any schedule changes
From Our Unified Mental Health Team- Fentanyl & Opioid Awareness
Rising 9th Grade Class of 2028 Night- From Dr. Brewer
Current 8th graders and their parents are invited to Class of 2028 Night, in-person, at Dominion High School on Tuesday, January 30th at 7:00 pm.
The agenda will focus on the course selection process for the freshman year of high school. The insight shared during this meeting will empower students and parents to make informed choices of courses for next year. Representatives from all academic departments will be available to answer questions. The presentation will be made in English and in Spanish.
Of course, your future Titans are welcome and EXPECTED to attend. As a matter of fact, you may bring your younger children, we will provide childcare.
Also, Dominion's Freshman Football team will have an informational meeting for families (including sstudents) in Seneca's auditorium at 6:00 PM on January 23rd.
Reading MAP Testing- Tuesday, Jan 16 at 8:30 AM
Reading MAP Test first thing on Tuesday. Please remind students to charge chromebooks and demonstrate what they know. This data is integral in course selections next year.
Bounty of Books
SpeakUp Technology Survey- Formerly known as BrightBytes
LCPS is partnering with VDOE to ask students, teachers, families and school leaders about how technology supports student learning.
What is the SpeakUp Survey? Speak Up is an annual research project conducted by Project Tomorrow, a national education nonprofit group that collects and reports on the views of K-12 students, teachers, administrators, and parents on education and technology.
Staff of the Week
Ms. Fennimore has been a staff member at Seneca well before me. Although she has been flexible in her roles in the past, she was asked to make the biggest change of them all- 8th Grade Civics to 6th Grade Language Arts and Special Education. As a case manager, she is working hard to get to know all of her students and families and has done a great job helping students with that very difficult transition from elementary to middle school. Thanks for adapting to change so well, Ms. Fennimore!
PTO Corner
Visit us on Website- https://srms.ptboard.com/ and follow us on Facebook- Seneca Ridge Middle School PTO & Seneca Ridge Home of the Thunderbolts
Spiritwear - https://srms.ptboard.com/formvw?store=4306&form=1
Reminders
Superintendent Community Listening Sessions- Feb 7 at Dominion HS at 7:00 PM
Circling back to the opening-Course Recommendations! Now is the time!
Also, even better than Wild Card Weekend were our Cupcake Wars in FACS!
📨 Email: nick.cottone@lcps.org
💻 Website: Seneca Ridge Middle School
🏫 Location: 98 Seneca Ridge Drive, Sterling, VA 20164
☎️ Phone: 571-434-4420