SMS Scoop
May 18, 2020
2019-2020: Counting our Blessings
Congratulations on finishing up this unforgettable school year. Although we did not finish the year in typical fashion, we hope that you have experienced BLESSINGS just the same.
Blessing #1 : Valuing our Learning Community. What we once took for granted (the ability to come to school, learn from teachers, hang with friends, be in sports and clubs, etc.) is now something that we should consider a gift. The next time you enter a classroom and are greeted by staff and friends, we hope that you'll be thankful for your in-person learning opportunities and truly appreciate the value of a face-to-face learning community. SMS and SCSD2 are blessings to each of us and our community!
Blessing #2 : Understanding Our Influence. Hopefully this pandemic has helped us realize that we are all connected and that we all influence each other. Thank you for making sacrifices to help our elderly, our immunocompromised, and our essential workers. By staying home, you help others by not spreading COVID-19. Your sacrifice is a blessing to others and the sacrifice of others is a blessing to you! Our connectivity is something that we often forget. When we get back to school, remember that we are connected and can have the same level of influence- with KINDNESS. Kind actions have the same immediate and global effect. Let's start a kindness pandemic this summer and fall!
Blessing #3: Embracing Boredom. Life as we know it came to a screeching halt on Friday, March 13th. It was our last day of in-building class, and near our last day of sports, mall shopping, or in-restaurant dining. Life's pace went from 60 mph to 0 in the blink of an eye. And then we had ourselves. At home. Even though we had some family fun and had some digital or packet school work, we had a whole lot of time to entertain ourselves. Hopefully, this pandemic season has helped us experience some boredom. Because from boredom comes genius. We hope that this pandemic season has been a time of creating, building, designing, dreaming, and scheming new ideas! Never fear a little boredom. Boredom bears great fruit. We need to embrace the blessing of boredom once and a while when our near-normal life returns!
iPads, chargers, packets, locker contents, and MORE!
Here is the plan you've all been waiting for!
Make a plan to visit SMS on Thursday, May 21st between 12 noon and 6 PM or on Friday, May 22nd from 8 AM to 2 PM. In that one trip, you will be able to drop off your iPad and charger, your May learning packet, and/or your library book(s) AND you will pick up your locker contents!
We will have exchange stations on the west (athletics) drive and there will be a lot of cars! We're the collecting point for all 3-8 iPads/chargers. If you have a sibling in 3rd-5th grade, we'll collect their iPads (or packets), too! Be patient as they may be many cars in line at one time. If the line is long, swing back another time!
Prep your iPad by making sure the pass code is OFF and that the cover is on the front of the iPad. The tech team will be scanning the code on the back of the iPad, so don't cover it up with your otter box lid (if you still have one!)
Make sure YOU are in the car for this event, as you can come into the building to retrieve your belongings. Sixth and seventh grade students will be able to pick up locker contents, academic awards, and any bows or band instruments still in the building. Eighth graders will get PE clothes, locker contents, academic awards, and LETTERS TO SELF!
Here are our rules for entry to get materials.
1. Only SMS students will be admitted. Entry will be at Door 7 (athletics).
2. Admission will be controlled with limitations of the number of students admitted at one time.
3. Students are encouraged to wear a mask and will be required to use SMS-provided hand sanitizer when entering the building.
4. One-way student traffic patterns will be followed and students will be required to use social distancing.
5. Students will be unable to socialize, use the restroom or drinking fountain, or come into contact with any staff members helping in the process.
6. Students will exit the building out the 'far end' of the academic wings and will be directed to find parent cars parked on the front side of the building (along the 6th grade wing).
These precautions are designed to help students, staff, and our entire community stay safe! Directions will be posted and shared at the drive up site.
iPads will be shipped to Apple by the middle of the next week. Therefore, to avoid being charged for the full cost of the iPad, RETURN THE DEVICE ON TIME! Device damage may also be billed to you if your iPad is returned with a cracked screen.
Contact SMS at 752-8926 if you have any questions.
Materials not picked up on Thursday or Friday will be bagged and accessible at the SMS office June 1-5. Items not retrieved by June 5 will be recycled or donated.
Fall 2020: What is the Plan?
SCHEDULES
At the time of this writing, SCSD2 does not have firm plans for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The district is working with a southern Indiana school consortium to develop options for the potential scenarios in response to community health needs. D2 parents and guardians will likely be surveyed soon regarding their opinions on the options and their family access to the internet.
SMS students will also be surveyed this week. Students will be asked to give feedback about their experiences with digital learning this spring. All SMS students can access the survey on the Canvas Community Page. Please take the survey before the end of the day on Wednesday, May 20th.
All plans moving forward will be shared by our new SMS Principal, Mrs. Keri Hammons. SMS will be in capable hands with Mrs. Hammons, Mr. Smith, and the rest of the amazing SMS faculty and staff!
Fall 2020: Academics?
SMS has designed a schedule for 2020-2021 that includes additional instructional minutes in math and language arts, as well as additional exploratory and elective opportunities. Students will be placed in course levels based on their spring 2019 ILEARN scores, their Winter 2019 NWEA scores, their fall grades, and their IEP or 504 support plans.
Select current 7th graders will identified as potential 8th grade Algebra 1 students. The selection will be based on the above qualifiers as well as teacher recommendation. Students designated as potential Algebra 1 class members must be able to say yes to all of the following:
1. I am interested in a science, engineering, or technology field.
2. I am committed to taking three additional years of math at SHS (Geometry, Algebra 2, and a combo of Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry, and or Finite math.) These three additional years will be challenging. If your child is comfy with algebra content (since they've done algebra basics for years), it does not mean that they will thrive in advanced math. Don't accelerate 'just because.'
3. I am committed to an Honors Diploma. (If you take Algebra 1 in grade 8, and then decide that the standard Core 40 diploma is best due to Prosser or other plans, you will STILL need to take three years of math at SHS. This can be tricky for those changing pathways!)
All students identified as potential Algebra 1 candidates will be advised by mail. More details will be included in the letter including an 'opt out' procedure. Letters should arrive at your home by Friday, June 5th. Call SMS if you have any questions!
Report Cards
All fourth quarter grades will be finalized by Wednesday, June 3rd and report cards will be published on Thursday, June 4th. Even though digital learning activities conclude this week, the lag in reporting exists due to the safety plans for paper packets that will not be available for teacher review until Friday, May 29th.
Report cards can be found in Harmony Family Access. Report cards will not be mass mailed this year. If you would like a paper copy of your card mailed to you this year, please call SMS and request the mailing this week (May 18-22, 752-8926).
School Lunch Plans
The current SCSD2 Grab-N-Go lunch/breakfast plan will continue each week day until June 4th (excluding Memorial Day). Our district has served over 55,000 meals during the season of Covid. Our food service team and our bus drivers deserve considerable commendation for their great work. If you are participating in the school site pickup, community site pick up, or home delivery options, please show some love to the SCSD2 staffers that have continued our meal program.
As of this time, our summer feeding plans are tentatively set as follows:
June 8-June 30 : Grab-N-Go meals available at SHS and SMS, and
July 1 - end of summer: Sit Down meals available at SHS and SMS.
Watch the SCSD2 Facebook page for updated summer meal plans. Our plans will reflect state and local health guidelines at that time.
Academic Awards
One of many casualties during the season of Covid is our annual Academic Awards Program, typically held at SMS the night before the last day of school. The fact that we cannot join together in person to recognize our scholars does not diminish their effort, nor our responsibility to celebrate their good work!
The SMS Virtual Academic Awards program is now available on the main SMS web page. Miss Nass calls the names of all Honor Students in a 12-minute video. Honored students are those with a 3.0 or higher GPA for the first semester. Academic medals and a paper copy of the award program will be placed in student locker content bags and can be picked up on Thursday and Friday.
Our Three-Year Gold Honor students traditionally give speeches at our program. We are pleased to announce that many of them have posted 'acceptance speeches' on a Flipgrid app. You can find these speeches on a link on our web page, as well. Thank you for taking the time to hear from the outstanding scholars listed here.
Raeann Baker, Jaxon Barnett, Kellan Carter, Sydney Craig, Mayson Cutter, Skylar Herald, Olivia Higginbotham, Hailey Schafer, Jace Schexnayder, Leah Shuler, Meredith Slaton, Emma Spaulding, Lauren Stidham, Haley Thomas, Lucas Toppe, Allison Treadway, Kaydee Unger, and Sophia Voiles.
Final Thoughts
Prior to retiring, I'd like to thank each student personally (you know I know your name!), each parent (I know many of you when I had you at WHEMS), and every staff member I've had the privilege to work with over the years. SMS has been a wonderful home to me. I've enjoyed the opportunities, the challenges, and most of all, the relationships.
Thank you for supporting me over the years. I'm looking forward to my next chapter with excitement and wonder. I wish you excitement and wonder in the coming years. Thank you for your continued support of SMS and of our new leadership team, Mrs. Keri Hammons and Mr. Kevin Smith.
Much love,
Kristin Nass
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