South Middle School
Est. 1932...The Spartan tradition continues
December 2019
Dear Parent(s) and Guardian(s),
Our theme for the school year of ‘Spreading Kindness’ is evident everyday as I observe students being polite, kind, and helpful towards staff and students. Your efforts in modeling politeness and kindness at home are noticed and appreciated! We are also grateful for the willingness of our students, staff, and parents to help others within the South Spartan community.
There are 2 exciting events for students coming in December. Sixth Grade Activity Night will be held on Tuesday, December 3rd from 3:30-5:00 p.m. and the annual Sunrise Dance, a 40+ year tradition at South, will be held on Friday, December 20th from 7:50-9:25 a.m. Additionally, Block 2 sports will conclude in mid-December and Block 3 basketball will get organized prior to the Holiday break.
Please check out the rest of this newsletter for more important reminders and information.
Seasons Greetings!
Dr. Joel Schleicher, Principal
In-District Transfer Requests for 2020-2021
In-district transfer requests for incoming 9th graders are due by January 10, 2020. In-district transfer forms can be picked up at any of the middle school or high schools.
6th Grade Activity Night
PTO is in need of donations for prizes for the kids for the 6th Grade Activity Night, Tuesday Dec 3. Please click the link below for the SignUp Genius app if you are able to help.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C49AEAB2CA5FA7-donations3
Please drop off prizes at South Middle School office by Tuesday morning Dec 3. Thank you!
Activity Night is from 3:30 - 5 pm in the gym and the cost is $1.00. Concessions will be available for purchase.
Sources of Strength Generosity
Our Sources of Strength focus for December is Generosity. We will participate in the Community Pajama Drive and will have a tree set up in the Counseling office for donations. Warm, cozy PJ's of all sizes should be in NEW condition with tags still attached. We will collect them through Friday, December 4.
Sources of Strength is also teaming up with Student Council for a food drive. Non-perishable food items can be donated through Friday, December 20 and can be placed on the shelves above student lockers.
HoliDAY Cheer!
The South PTO is inviting parents to show your appreciation by helping us provide "HoliDAY Cheer" for the South Staff on Wednesday, December 18th. Please click the link below for the SignUp Genius app if you are able to help.
STUDENTS OF HONOR
Each month, teams select a boy and girl who exemplify the Spartan Code of Honor: Respect Self, Respect Others, Respect School and are positive role models. These students are given a Spartan Code of Honor T-Shirt and their picture is taken for the display case by the office.
Congratulations to the following students for being chosen as our Students of Honor for the month of November!
- Auroras 6: Kade Kiss and Bailey Jongeward
- Comets 6: Gage Baldock and Mosetha Tarr
- Rockets 6: Theodore Sandberg and Abbigail Olson
- Challenger 7: William Krump and Lindsey Haus
- Discovery 7: Reehan Rasailey and Kritika Bhattarai
- Explorer 8: Jayce Dvorak and Omunique Scott
- Voyageur 8: Joshua Haastrup and Madelyn Bartholomew
SUNRISE DANCE
South’s annual Sunrise Dance will be held on Friday, December 20. The cost is $1.00. This is a Spartan tradition that was started more than forty years ago by South’s physical education teachers. This activity, sponsored by the South PE department, is a culmination to the dance unit in PE.
The Sunrise Dance will be held from 7:50 – 9:20 a.m. in the South Gym. Parents may drop off students at Door No. 1 or 2 on this morning. The doors will open at 7:30 a.m. During the Sunrise Dance, there will be line dancing competitions by grade levels, a costume contest, and various other exciting competitions. Gift cards for the various competitions are provided by the South PTO. Students are invited to stop by the gym and see it decorated in the holiday theme!
SUPERNOVA
Students of Character
Congratulations to the following students for being chosen as “Students of Character” by the Supernova, allied arts, teachers. All of these young adults have shown a respectful and trusting attitude. They are also very helpful, kind, and fair toward their peers and teachers. Their photos are displayed near the front entrance of the school to recognize these wonderful achievements. The students will also receive a coupon for an a la carte item.
NOVEMBER
- Grade 6: Francis Dusek and Jayla Sharp
- Grade 7: Ethan Blomquist and Elizabeth Flagg
- Grade 8: Logan Honkola and Vanessa Ternes
DISTRICT CALLING SYSTEM
THOR’s THOUGHTS
Hello South Spartan Families:
My name is Jessica Thorlacius, but your student knows me as “Officer Thor.” I am the School Resource Officer (SRO) for South Middle School (as well as Discovery and Century Elementary). This is my 2nd year at South, and last year I started a little section in the newsletter titled “Thor’s Thoughts.” This is my opportunity to share information with parents, relating to the issues we are dealing with at school. I have often received ideas from parents, who are looking for more information about something they are also struggling with at home.
I want to emphasize the fact that I am a resource for our school. I have been a Police Officer for 12 years, and I have worked with juveniles for the past 7. I spend a great deal of my time educating students, both in the classroom and informal settings. I enjoy getting to know all our students, and having them get to know me. The 7th graders get to see me the most, as I teach 5 lessons of the “MIDDLE” program. The lessons are focused on Stress, Social Media, Navigating Relationships, Drugs and the Role of Law Enforcement in our Community.
In addition to spending time with students in the classroom, my focus is the safety of our school, students and staff. I am a former SWAT team member, and am very dedicated to making necessary changes to increase safety in our schools. This sometimes means that I enlist the help of other officers to help out around our school, and be familiar with our buildings. We also have K9’s that work with our agency, who are trained to detect illegal substances. If you ever see additional squad cars at our building, please don’t be alarmed.
If you ever have questions, concerns or ideas for me, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My cell number is 701-740-8079 and my email address is jthorlacius150@mygfschools.org. Thank you for letting me be a part of your students life!
Officer Thor
School Resource Officer
SOUTH YEARBOOKS
Yearbooks are for sale for $18 through the month of December. This is your last chance to get the Yearbook at this cost. In January the cost goes up to $20. Checks should be made payable to Grand Forks Public Schools.