SMS Scoop
October 20, 2017
Bullying Prevention #1
What is bullying, and how can you help stop it?
Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a power imbalance and is repeated over time. The power imbalance can be physical, social, or mental and can change over time. It is not “playing around” or something that “happens to everybody”. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems.
There are three types of bullying. Verbal bullying is saying or writing mean things. Verbal bullying includes teasing, name-calling, or threatening harm. Social bullying involves hurting someone’s reputation or relationships. Social bullying includes exclusion, spreading rumors, or embarrassing someone. Physical bullying involves hurting a person’s body or possessions. Physical bullying includes hitting, pushing, any unwanted touch, or damaging someone’s things. Verbal and social bullying can also happen online in social media. This is called cyber bullying.
For adults to help, they need to know about it. Tell a trusted adult if you are being bullied or if you know someone who is being bullied. Telling is not “tattling” (trying to get someone in trouble) - it is “reporting” (trying to get help). And if the bullying continues, tell again until it stops.
Parents that suspect that their child is being bullied at school should notify the school. Encourage kids to tell an adult at school what is happening, but please follow up with a contact to make sure someone knows so action can be taken to make it stop. You may feel nothing has been done when in reality no one knows about it at school. Together, we can work to keep all students at SMS safe from bullying.
DISCUSSION QUESTION:
Not all acts of unkindness are bullying.
What is the difference between bullying and other hurtful behavior?
Media Center News!
This month sixth graders join the library that never closes. The SCSD2 Overdrive ebrary offers over 2400 popular fiction and nonfiction titles. Students can access these ebooks anywhere they have internet access and can download the content for offline reading. We encourage students to use their ebrary access to read not only during the school year but also during school holidays and summer breaks. The Overdrive training is part of the sixth grade skills class topics that students are completing this year. Students have earned three badges so far this year from their media center lessons. Encourage your student to take advantage of this wonderful reading opportunity.
SMS will host a Scholastic Book Fair next week. Students will visit the fair during their elective classes. The fair will also be open during Parent Teacher Conferences on the night of October 24th. Owning books promotes literacy in your home, and purchasing books during the fair is convenient for you and beneficial for our school. We use the proceeds to support school field trips and team activities. To read more about the benefits of owning books, read the blog at this link: goo.gl/ttTxKm. We would love to see you at the fair!
Red Ribbon Week!
Monday is the start of Red Ribbon Week - a week when schools all across the country raise awareness about substance abuse and celebrate a drug-free lifestyle. SMS SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) has planned a fun week of activities and messages to encourage all students to pledge to be drug-free. Each day we will focus on strategies for maintaining a healthy, drug-free lifestyle. Students are encouraged to participate throughout the week in the following themes:
Monday: Your Future is Key, Stay Drug Free - dress as yourself in the future, and SADD has a gift for all SMS students.
Tuesday: Your Ticket to a Drug Free Life - you will be invited to sign a drug-free pledge. Those who return a drug free pledge signed by Friday will receive FREE admission to the fall dance!
Wednesday: You’re Too Bright for Drugs - bring a $1 donation to school and you can wear sunglasses for the day. SADD will be giving all donations to the new women’s drug rehabilitation center, Centerstone, near Lexington.
Thursday: These Paws Are Drug Free - you can bring a stuffed animal to school today! We all seek comfort in different ways. Find positive ways to deal with stress, anxiety, anger, and other emotions.
Friday: Real Heroes Don’t Do Drugs - heroes come in all kinds. Dress as your hero - is it a superhero, community hero, or someone who has made a positive impact on your life?
Together SMS celebrates being drug-free!
Dodgeball Tourney SUCCESS
Thanks to all of the students, staff, and parents that attended our Dodgeball Tournament on Tuesday. Thanks to the Builders' Club and Ms. Sutton for operating the concessions. Thanks to Mr. Craig and Mr. Smith for officiating. Thanks to Ms. Nass for managing the brackets. Thanks to Mrs. Petty, Mrs. June, and Mr. Barnett for selling tickets. Thanks to Mrs. Mullins and Mr. Shoultz for crowd control. And thanks to all of the other teachers that came to help out and cheer!
Congrats to all players, especially to the final two teams- The Ravens and The Hustlers. The Hustlers won the tourney and they are pictured in red below.
fUNdraiser Starts Today!
So what do you have to sell to participate in our fUNdraiser? NOTHING.
At SMS, we put the UN in fUNdraising by asking donors to share money and do nothing! Many parents and donators would rather just make a donation than pay $10 for 5 chocolates or pay for wrapping paper that costs four times as much as you can get it for at Wal-Mart. But we know that somebody you know would donate $5 for the privilege of not having to buy cookies, or $10 for the privilege of not having to bake cookies! Get it? People share cash to support our school and it's fun and easy!
Donor sheets and prize info will be distributed at the end of the day today. Take yours home and show your family members. See if you can get a little or a lot of support by asking family and friends. Don't ask people you don't know.
Keep track of your money (checks payable to SMS) and turn it in with your donor sheet at the SMS office on or before October 31st. Thanks for supporting our school!
SMS Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences- Tuesday!
SMS will be open for Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences from 3:30-6:30 Tuesday night. We will be using the 'drop in' format. Arrive at school any time between 3:30 and 6:15. BRING YOUR IPAD. Then follow these steps!
- Report to your team area, introduce your teachers to your parents, and pick up a copy of your ISTEP+ results and your NWEA progress report.
- A teacher will assign you to a classroom to sit and show your Performance Portfolio. Spend about 10-15 minutes showing all of the artifacts you've prepared on your website.
- After you've shown your portfolio and answered all of your parents' questions, your parent can ask to see teachers. If your parent wants to speak to a teacher, go to the hall and ask that teacher to come in to join you. Get any teachers your parent wants to see!
- After your conference, stop in at the purple triangle to learn about 21st Century Scholarships. Swing by the office if you want a printed copy of your report card. And check out a presentation in the Great Room. Shannon Mount shares info about the amazing new SHS Pathways available for kids at the :00 and :30 of each hour. Kristin Nass teaches parents about NWEA a the :45 and :15 of each hour.
Thanks to all of the students and parents that already joined us on Oct. 19th for Conference Appointment Night!
Early Dismissal Next Wednesday
Basketball and Cheer Tryouts
Basketball Tryouts-
8 Boys Oct. 23-24-25 3:15-5 West Gym
7 Boys Oct. 23-24-25 3:15-5 East Gym
6 Boys Oct. 25-26-27 6:30-8 West Gym
8 Girls Oct. 23-24-25 5-6:30 West Gym
7 Girls Oct. 23-24-25 5-6:30 East Gym
6 Girls Oct. 25-26-27 6:30-8 East Gym
Cheer-
6-7-8 Cheer Oct. 23-24 5:30-7 Band Room
Students wishing to tryout for these teams should have sign up on the Google Form located on Canvas. If you didn't do that, you need to check in with Mrs. Manns in the office ASAP. She will check your grades and your physical and get you on the tryout list for the coach. Good luck to all students trying out for winter sports.
Next Week...
Mon. Oct. 23: B day, Science Olympiad 3-4:30, FACS Club 3-4, Yearbook 3-4, Spell Bowl 3-4, 7/8 Basketball tryouts start
Tue. Oct. 24: A day, BOOK FAIR for SSR, Conferences 3:30-6:30
Wed. Oct. 25: B day, EARLY DISMISSAL (12:55), Cross 7:45am, 6 Basketball tryouts begin
Thu. Oct. 26: A day, BOOK FAIR for Music/Lab/Ag, Student Council 7:15am, Robotics 3:30-5, Spell Bowl 3-4, Drama 3-4:15
Fri. Oct. 27: B day, BOOK FAIR final sales
Scottsburg Middle School
Email: knass@scsd2.k12.in.us
Website: www.sms.scsd2.k12.in.us
Location: 425 South 3rd Street, Scottsburg, IN, United States
Phone: 812-752-8926
Facebook: facebook.com/ScottsburgMiddleSchool/
Twitter: @ScottsburgMS