Wow! January 2022!!!

All students will start their second semester classes on Monday. Students who had science last semester will have social studies this semester and vice versa. Students will also have new core plus classes (unless they are in Spanish 1 (8th grade), Band or Chorus). Please let us know if your student needs any school supplies to help them have a great start to the semester.

Parents, please make sure your student comes to school with the things they need to be successful and that they leave items at home that cause a distraction. I encourage you to look through their bookbag each evening or morning to make sure they have packed only what they need to be successful for school.

While mask wearing is optional, please make sure your student is clear about your expectation for mask wearing at school. Remind all students that mask wearing is required on school buses.

Students will be taking their middle of the year iReady assessment at various points over the next few weeks. Please remind your student to do their best on this assessment.

Also, any student who wants to play sports NEXT FALL, must end this semester passing 4 of 5 classes and have no more than 13 absences.

We are looking forward to a great second semester. Please let us know if there is anyway we can help you and your student.

Please keep students at home and notify our school nurse if they exhibit any of the following symptoms.

• Fever above 100.4

• Sore Throat

• Shortness of Breath (above baseline)

• Fatigue/Muscle Aches

• Severe headache

• Cough, congestion, runny nose (different from allergies)

• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

There have been many changes regarding COVID-19 since we were last together before the holiday break. Our school nurse, Sheri Martin, does an excellent job with working with our students and families impacted by COVID-19.

This is a link to the NC Public Health Toolkit which is the guide used to make decisions for all GCS schools. As you know, this is s fluid document which is updated as guidance is given.

Please reference the link to the most recent changes which are indicated in red.

https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/strong-schools-nc-public-health-toolkit

SMS will continue to be one of the 8 Test to Stay sites in the district. Students who have been exposed to COVID and meet the conditions of the Test to Stay program will be given a ticket to present at the testing site.

Students must be issued a ticket by the school nurse in order to test at any Test to Stay site.

As a reminder, to be eligible to try-out for sports second semester, students must have a passing semester average in 4 of 5 classes, have no more than 13 absences first semester, and have a current athletic physical uploaded into dragonflymax. com.

Basketball Try Outs - January 10-12

Girls 3:45-5:45

Boys 5:45-7:45 - must leave school and return for tryouts.

Tryouts are closed to parents.

All students must be picked up immediately at the end of tryouts.

We are in the midst of a multi-year process of applying for and earning recognition as a North Carolina STEM School of Distinction. One part of that is to connect with various businesses men and women who are in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) field.

Additionally, we would like to make connections with parents who represent many careers. We are asking that our parents please complete the Google Form to help us build our Stanley STEM Network.

Thank you to those who have already completed the form. If you use STEM skills in anyway in your profession, we need you in one of many ways!

January 11 - 7:00

Look for Zoom link closer to meeting on PTO FB page.

8th graders - the time has come for you to start seriously planning with your families about your options for high school next year.

In the near future, you will be getting options about choice programs for high school, course registration, the PSAT and so much more.

We will make sure you have all you need, you just need to be mindful that the time to start thinking about this, if you have not been doing so already, is now.

Science Fair Meetings: After School until 5:00 PM

January 10th

January 11th

January 18th

Envirothon Meetings: After School until 5:00 PM

January 13th

January 25th