#sparkinfo. Monthly News Jan. 2020
Happy New Year!!!
Building the Whole Student
"One Word"
This month, at morning assembly, we will once again be discussing "one word". The purpose of the one word is to give the Pickens Middle family a focus for the new year. Students and staff we will be sharing their one word with the goal of encouraging and inspiring others. The "one word" concept comes from author Jimmy Page. Below is a quote about Gordon, Britton, and Page's One Word That Will Change Your Life:
"One Word that Will Change Your Life will inspire you to simplify your life and work by focusing on just one word for this year. That’s right! One Word creates clarity, power, passion and life-change. The simple power of One Word is that it impacts all six dimensions of your life – mental, physical, emotional, relational, spiritual, and financial. Simply put, One Word sticks. There is a word meant for you and when you find it, live it, and share it, your life will become more rewarding and exciting than ever."
We hope that you will speak with your middle schooler about their one word. We would love for you to do the exercise as a family. We are looking forward to a great 2020 with everyone at Pickens Middle!
Minute To Win It!
Winners of the Lip Sync Battle!
And the winner is...
Charitable Service
Highly Recruited Player Speaks at Morning Assembly
Sparks Finest at the Cinema!
We have some talented students!!
PLTW
Another incredible guest speaker!
What's New At Pickens Middle?
The School Literacy Plan
We are looking forward to another reading challenge in late January called "Tic Tac SNOW!" and will be providing more information for students very soon.
Individual Graduation Plans for 8th Graders
If you have issues with the link or have questions, please contact the Guidance office at 397-4104.
We want to make it faster...
P.M. Pick-UP
In an effort to increase pickup time in the afternoon, we will be moving seventh and eighth grade around to the first awning as early as 3:30 PM. When this happens, please pull all the way forward to ensure we load as many cars as possible. Thank you for your help in making things more efficient.
For the safety of our students in our carline, Pickens Middle will not allow signing out of students after 2:30 PM. Please pick up your student prior to that time for any appointments or events which require early pick up. The barrier to the straight left lane will close at 2:30 and we do not want cars coming around the barrier into oncoming traffic. All vehicles must use the car loop after that time. Parents/guardians who arrive before 2:30 for afternoon pickup may wait in the car loop at the final stop sign at the top of the hill until dismissal. Please see the video below for car pickup instructions. Please be courteous and merge every other car if it is a need before the merger arrives. Thank you!
*Students with parent/guardian permission must have a walker's pass to leave campus on foot. Students will not be permitted to walk in severe weather.
If you have any questions about this procedure, please let us know.
What's Happening in January?
Th., Jan. 9th-
Basketball @ Palmetto
Fr., Jan. 10th-
Q2 Grades Due
Wed., Jan. 15th-
Class Geo Bees
Th., Jan. 16th-
Basketball @ Walhalla
Fr. Jan. 17th-
SPARKS Finest Ceremony (PM Act.)
Mon., Jan., 20th-
Holiday!!
Tues., Jan. 21st-
Basketball-Wren
PMS visits Ambler Elementary 8:30am
Wed., Jan. 22nd-
School Geo Bee
Thurs., Jan. 23rd-
Basketball @ Powdersville
PMS visits Hagood 8:30am
PMS visits Pickens Elementary 1:00pm
Fr., Jan. 24th-
5th Grades come to the Middle School and Pep Rally
Mon., Jan. 27th-
Basketball-Palmetto
Tues., Jan. 28th-
SPARKS Rising Parent NIght 6:00-7:00 (Rising 6th)
Th., Jan. 30th-
All-county band clinic at Pickens High School
Basketball @ Riverside
Fr., Jan. 31st-
All-county band clinic and concert @ Pickens HIgh
Other Upcoming Events
Sat., Feb. 22nd-
8th Grade Winter Semi-Formal (Please make sure guidelines of student contract are followed.)
#sparkcelebrations
SPARK Celebrations (SPARKS Finest!)
#sparkcelebrations
SPARK Celebrations
Next Friday, we will recognize our second recipients of SPARKS finest! If your child qualified for the honor, you will receive notification next Tuesday . If your child did not qualify for the second nine weeks, we will recognize a new group each nine weeks! Please encourage them to seek this honor!
SPARK Celebrations concentrate on four components of student life: Academics , Respect, Knowledge, and Service.SPARK Celebrations will concentrate on four components of student life:
Academics (Maintain a C average to be eligible for #sparkcelebrations. Maintain an A or B average for SPARKS finest.)
Attendance (No Unexcused Absences for the nine weeks.)
Community/Service (Students need five hours of service per nine weeks. This may be logged online with a teacher or using a SPARKS service sheet to be SPARKS Finest)
Discipline (No Discipline Referrals and a maximum of two detentions.)
Students will have the ability to be involved in various celebrations, rewards, and activities based on their accomplishments in the four areas of student life. Each element will be recognized every nine weeks with the hope of students excelling in all areas and becoming a SPARKS Finest: Students Promoting Attendance, Respect, Knowledge, and Service.
PTO!
We need you in our PTO this year! We would love to have you join! Involvement may be simple monetary support through a membership all the way to directly serving in the school! Stay tuned for more information! If you would like to join, you can download and print the membership form by clicking on the PTO photo.
Pick-Up and Drop-Off
Please remember that in the morning, the lane which comes straight to the school will close at seven. All vehicles should approach the school through the car loop. Please pull forward and fill in all available space to ensure that we can unload as many students as we can and keep the line as short as possible. This is a single lane in the morning. Students should be dropped off in plenty of time to ensure they are in the gym for assembly by 7:55.
P.M. Pick-UP
In an effort to increase pickup time in the afternoon, we will be moving seventh and eighth grade around to the first awning as early as 3:30 PM. When this happens, please pull all the way forward to ensure we load as many cars as possible. Thank you for your help in making things more efficient.
For the safety of our students in our carline, Pickens Middle will not allow signing out of students after 2:30 PM. Please pick up your student prior to that time for any appointments or events which require early pick up. The barrier to the straight left lane will close at 2:30 and we do not want cars coming around the barrier into oncoming traffic. All vehicles must use the car loop after that time. Parents/guardians who arrive before 2:30 for afternoon pickup may wait in the car loop at the final stop sign at the top of the hill until dismissal. Please see the video below for car pickup instructions. Please be courteous and merge every other car if it is a need before the merger arrives. Thank you!
*Students with parent/guardian permission must have a walker's pass to leave campus on foot. Students will not be permitted to walk in severe weather.
If you have any questions about this procedure, please let us know.
This year's regular bell schedule has some minor changes.
Students report to assembly- 7:53 (All students should be seated by 8:00 at the latest.)
Morning Assembly Drawings, Icebreakers, and announcements- 8:00-8:03
Morning Assembly8:03-8:13Day officially begins
1st period- 8:20-9:15
2nd period- 9:19-10:14
3rd period- 10:18-11:13
4th period– Lunch & Extension Classes11:17 -- 12:19
8th grade lunch11:17-11:47
8th grade will be in instructional time from 11:47-12:19
7th grade lunch11:33-12:03
7th grade will be in instructional time from 11:17-11:33 and 12:03- 12:19
6th grade lunch11:49-12:19
6th grade will be in instructional time from 11:17- 11:49
5th period12:23-1:18
6th period1:22-2:17
7th period2:21-3:15
Afternoon Announcements (Beginning) 6th grade dismissed at 3:13
55 minute classes
30 minute lunches
4 minutes between classes
From Sparks of Knowledge Grow Flames of Success
Email: jamesking@pickens.k12.sc.us
Website: http://pms.pickens.k12.sc.us/
Location: 140 Torch Lane, Pickens, SC, 29671
Phone: (864) 397-4100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pickensms/?scrlybrkr=85865011
Twitter: @pmssparks