SMS Jag E-News
March 26, 2021
Hey Jags! Happy Spring! We hope that each of you enjoyed your spring break and were able to embrace the extra time to relax, adventure, and spend time with friends and family. We are excited to welcome students back to classes on Monday, March 29th and cannot wait to kick of our fourth and final term. The end of the year is always busy and this year is no different! As our students continue to engage in their classes, we are finalizing end of year plans for our end of year activities, celebrations, and award ceremonies.
We do have more students returning to campus for face to face instruction and we have worked diligently to make sure our entire campus is set up to safely integrate more students into our classrooms. We also know that changes and transitions to schedules can cause some stress for our students and we have some things in place to help ease this transition. Our teachers, counselors and administrators will be visible and available to help students get to where they need to be in the mornings and throughout the day.
There are some things you can do to help your child be prepared for class on Monday:
- Check Skyward this weekend and ensure your child knows their 1st period class and teacher. In this class they will receive a printed copy of their entire schedule.
- We are on a "Black Day" and students will report to their 1st period class.
- Our teachers will be reviewing SMS campus expectations and norms for online and face-to-face classes.
- New F2F 6th grade students will be given a tour of the school building.
- This week, and throughout the year, read the Parent Newsletters sent to your email for important information, updates, documents, etc.
- Face-to-Face Students: Sartartia Middle School Parent Relaunch 3.26.21
- Online Students: Sartartia Middle School Netiquette
We are looking forward to a positive and successful start to Term 4 and we appreciate all of your support!
Your Proud Principal,
Cholly Oglesby
Principal
Sartartia Middle School
Monday, March 29th
T4 Begins
Girls & Boys Soccer Tryouts
Tuesday, March 30th
Girls & Boys Soccer Tryouts
Wednesday, March 31st
Tennis Match @ Fort Settlement MS @ 4:30pm
Girls & Boys Soccer Tryouts
Thursday, April 1st
Turn It Blue--Autism Awareness Day
Sweethearts Dance Team Info Meeting 5:30pm
Friday, April 2nd
School Holiday
Million Mile Month
Don't let a pandemic keep you from staying active and living a healthy life! How many miles can you get during the month of April? Million Mile Month is a challenge to complete 1 million miles of physical activity, together as a global community. This year's event will be a virtual and individual experience. Log your daily physical activity and compete with others from Fort Bend ISD in order to stay active and a chance to win prizes from the sponsors of this challenge. It's FREE to participate but with a small donation you can receive an official MMM t-shirt and other prize drawings throughout the month of April. Let’s show everyone how many miles the Fort Bend ISD community can complete together this April. Registration is quick and participation is easy and fun. Be sure to list Sartartia Middle School as your organization.
Sign-up for Million Mile Month HERE.
Turn It Blue--Autism Awareness
April is Autism Awareness Month and the puzzle piece ribbon is the universal symbol for autism awareness. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is the fastest-growing developmental disability in the United States affecting 1 in 45 school-aged children. Autism is the primary disability of students in Fort Bend receiving special education services.
Show Your Support:
- Wear Blue on April 1st– District-wide Turn It Blue day
- Have a conversation with your child about how to show empathy and compassion towards those that are different
What can you do?
- Educate your children about autism and increase awareness of this developmental disability
- Empower your children to make a positive contribution to the lives of others through kindness and tolerance
- Enable your children to make a difference, take action and become positive role models for other children.
Early Detection
- While every child develops differently, we know that early treatment improves outcomes, often dramatically. Click here for more information.
Hope for Three is a local nonprofit and autism advocacy organization that raises awareness through outreach, education and events. They provide resources and support to Fort Bend County families living with autism spectrum disorder. www.hopeforthree.org
Jag Athletics
Rank-One Electronic Forms will go offline at 5:00 pm on Tuesday March 30th. This means that any athlete wanting to tryout and participate in Soccer, will need to have all paperwork submitted online before that time. If forms are not submitted, potential soccer athletes will not be able to tryout. The link to Rank-One Electronic Forms are below, just click on the link.
For the 2021-2022 school year, the new acceptance physical date will be Thursday, April 1, 2021. This means that ANY athlete that is interested in participating in any UIL related sporting event for the 2021-2022 school year, their physical will be deemed acceptable and complete. This is beneficial to athletes that want to get their physicals turned in early and not have to wait until the season starts. Again, the district is accepting UIL physicals starting Thursday April 1, and once completed that physical will be good for the 2021-2022 school year.
Reminders for Jag Families
Daily Wellness Screenings
Parents/students must complete a Daily Wellness Screening through Skyward. If your child is cleared, they may attend school that day. If your child is not cleared, they may not report to school and a member from the district COVID-19 contact tracing team will contact families directly. In addition to the screener, students will receive, and must pass, a temperature check before reporting to their classroom. To make student entry as safe and efficient as possible, please make sure the screener is completed prior 8:00 AM each day. Another way students can be allowed in is by showing a screen shot of their “cleared” screen. This screen shot must show the date for that day to be accepted.
Attendance
Attendance and engagement in all classes, regardless of learning model, is expected from every student, every day. Parent notes are required for all absences within five days from the absence date. Notes must include full student name as well as the reason for the absence (including technical difficulties). If a student misses a synchronous engagement, they are counted absent. Please email all absence notes to AttendanceSMS@fortbendisd.com. Contact our attendance clerk, Mrs. Williams, at (281)634-6322 if you have questions.
1. The student is required to attend all classes for every period a class is offered.
2. The student has to respond to roll call when the teacher calls his/her name.
3. The student has to be engaged and participate in class.
4. If the student is having technical issues, missing the classing link, they should email the teacher during the class about the issue
Face Masks
As part of our continued efforts to keep our students and staff safe, Fort Bend ISD will continue to require masks and facial coverings in all schools and District facilities.
The District will continue this requirement until it can further review guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), Fort Bend County health officials, and the District’s medical advisor, and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Per the Governor's statement, "public schools may operate as provided by, and under the minimum standard health protocols found in, guidance issued by the Texas Education Agency."
The overall health and safety of the community remains a priority, and District leadership is aware that not all employees have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. Retaining the mask mandate will ensure a safe learning environment for all students, teachers and staff. Students who arrive on campus without a mask will be given a fresh, new disposable mask to wear.
SMS Morning Tutorials
Secondary Student Support Portal
Technology Reminders
All students – It is important for your focus, and ultimately your academic success, to actively participate in your classes regardless of face to face or online. One vital step to this is not having non-academic windows open during class. Getting notifications from a game or social media service while you are trying to learn is a level of distraction not all middle schoolers will be able to overcome.
Face to face students – These students should have a device, either their own or one borrowed from the district, to bring to school every day. These devices should be fully charged each morning and ready to use for the day. Each teacher has a limited number of laptops to loan out for their class and there will be limited opportunity to charge devices at times.
Online students – These students should also have a device dedicated to their schoolwork each day. It is important to set these students up for success by finding a quiet space with reliable internet connection to be their “learning place”. We have found that many of our struggles among online students are from a lack of engagement. Attendance and checking into class/meetings is the first step to success. Students having their camera on, participating verbally when called on, and in the chat when appropriate are things that can ensure engagement and success in each class.
Students from the Clements High School National Honor Society are conducting a team service project to help better the community. The project is called “Mask On” and is an initiative to donate to homeless shelters in need of masks. It is important for students to actively contribute to a positive impact in our community and we would love to see Sartartia students join in the initiative. If you would like to sign up, please use the link to complete the form.
FBISD students in middle and high school are invited to participate in the first Art of Equality: Art and Literacy Contest. Submissions accepted March 1-31, 2021, with winners announced June 19. Winners will share $10,000 in scholarships and other prizes. The award ceremony will take place on Juneteenth (June 19) at the dedication ceremony of the “Absolute Equality” mural on the Old Galveston Square building, the historic site of U.S. General Gordon Granger’s reading of orders announcing the end of slavery on June 19, 1865 - which stated the words “absolute equality.”
During the Fall Semester of this school year, the SMS PTO unanimously approved funding for painting a mascot wall mural in the main gymnasium and a motivational wall wrap along the Counselors’ hallway in efforts to boost school spirit for all students, faculty and administration returning to the face to face environment. You have probably seen them in the weekly newsletter or while visiting the school and if not they are attached below. Proceeds from the auction will cover the cost of the mural and wall wrap ($11,800.00). Any funds remaining will be reserved for Spring and End-of-School year events. There are 2 ways you can help us reach our goal: donate or volunteer.
Assistant Principals & Counselors
6th Grade
Paul Wells-Assistant Principal
281.634.6331
Kat Friedel-Counselor
katherine.friedel@fortbendisd.com
281.634.6320
7th Grade
Courtney Border-Assistant Principal
courtney.border@fortbendisd.com
281.634.6314
Brandi Goodly-Counselor
281.634.6318
8th Grade
Dr. Sunday Johnson-Associate Principal
sunday.johnson@fortbendisd.com
281.634.6316
Jo Wells
281.634.6319
SMS Helpful Resources
Sartartia Middle School
Help us grow our fan base! Follow us on:
Twitter @sms_jaguars
Instagram @sartartiams_jaguars
Email: cholly.oglesby@fortbendisd.com
Website: www.fortbendisd.com/sms
Location: 8125 Homeward Way, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: 281-634-6310
Twitter: @sms_jaguars