Jag-E News
Sartartia Middle School 9.27.20
Dear Jag Families,
I hope this message finds you and your family doing well, and that you enjoyed our beautiful weather over the weekend.
As stated in last week's newsletter, we continue to prepare for the upcoming transition to Face-to-Face Learning. The campus leadership team and counselors have been working over the past 3 weekends, in addition to working late into the night several days last week, mapping out the significant intricacies of a brand new schedule with two learning models. We still have work to do, and we know that you may have many questions about it. Our goal is to keep students with their teachers as much as possible, but unfortunately, we know that there will be schedule changes due to limited classroom capacity with social distancing, identifying online and face to face teachers, and the various student enrollments for each class. It is a complex matrix of decisions that involves countless hours of planning and preparation by campus leadership and counselors. Please understand that this week the counselors and some of the administrative staff will be largely unavailable to take calls and return emails because of the level of work required to get student schedules ready for the upcoming transition. The good news is that this is only temporary. Of course, we are also ensuring that the building itself is ready to receive our staff and students, and a tremendous amount of work has been and continues to be done in that regard.
Please take time to check out the district's "Relaunch" website by clicking on the "Relaunch" logo at the top of this newsletter. This website goes into great detail about the transition into the two Learning Models (F2F and Online).
Congrats to our first 2020-2021 Jag Student of the Week! Aditya is a 6th grader that was nominated by his teachers for always being engaged in class and leading great conversations. Mr. Wells and I got to stop by his house on Friday to drop off his t-shirt and certificate. Great job Aditya! #sartartiastrong #profileofagraduate #jagpride
This newsletter contains the following topics:
- Face-to-Face Learning Model Relaunch Parent Orientation
- Face-to-Face BYOD
- 10 Important Ways to Prepare Your Child for Back to School
- Timely Arrival to Online Classes
- SMS Yearbooks & Spirit Wear
- PTO Jag Cash Drive
- Nominate a Teacher/Staff Member of the Month
We continue to ask for grace and patience as our plans take shape. Thank you for your time and support of our school. Our priority is to serve our community in the best way possible.
With Jag Pride,
Cholly Oglesby
Principal
Sartartia Middle School
Sartartia Middle School Relaunch Plans
Schedule Changes
Staff is in the process of finalizing schedules for the transition into two learning models, face-to-face and online; however, schedules will not be final until October 2. As staff works to finalize, students may see changes in Schoology or TEAMS; however, these changes are not final until October 2 and may not be accurate. We appreciate your continued patience as we finalize schedules.
TIMELY ARRIVAL TO ONLINE CLASS
- Between 1 and 19 minutes late - students are marked with a Tardy (T)
- 20 minutes and beyond - students are marked with Late (L)
Please ensure your child logs into his/her Microsoft Teams synchronous sessions on time. Note that certain classes, such as high school credit classes, could have a denial of credit issued due to chronic tardies (T) and lates (L).
We Recognize Hispanic Heritage Month
Sartartia Middle School and Fort Bend ISD celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month! The month-long celebration is a time for people to recognize and celebrate the contributions, heritage and culture of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States.
SMS PTO Jag Cash Drive
Nominate a Teacher/Staff Member of the Month
SMS Spirit Shirts
Do you need a new SMS short sleeved shirt to add to your wardrobe?! We've got the shirt for you! Our cheerleaders are selling SMS spirit shirts for $15. Proceeds from the shirts will be used to buy a new mascot costume and support SMS Cheer. You can order shirts online HERE.
SMS Spirit Wear
It's time to order your jag gear and support our PTO. You can purchase a hoodie, masks, yard signs and decals. There are currently two methods set up for you to order and pay.
Method 1: Complete the online Google Form to place your order & then use Zelle to pay for the purchase. Use treasurerSMSPTO@gmail.com as the payee email AND note the students name(s) in the notes/comments.
Method 2: Print out the form and mail it in with payment to the school:
SMS PTO Spirit Wear
8125 Homeward Way
Sugar Land, TX 77479
2020-2021 SMS Yearbooks
6th Grade
Change the world!
7th and 8th Grade
SMS Athletic Dept Fundraiser
The Sartartia Athletic Department is raising money for items that our current budget cannot afford at this time. As you know or may not know, both gyms have just been reconstructed, and on the football field we have a brand-new track. We are in need of items such as: record boards for the gym, windscreen for the tennis courts and football field bleachers, decoration cups for the fence, and a water-trough system. We are currently using the RevTrak system, so all you have to do is click on this link to donate. Please give what you can to a worthy cause and to help spread the Jaguar spirit. Click here to donate.
Transition to Dual Learning Model
Thank you for your patience during this time. Please be advised that every student's schedule will likely change in order to accommodate a new school class schedule that accommodates students returning in person, as well as online learning. Counselors will not be able to accommodate any teacher or period change requests to the new schedules due to the complexity of the school master schedule. We appreciate your understanding.
COURSE LEVEL CHANGES
Below are the steps to follow when requesting a level change (i.e. moving from an academic to Pre-AP course, Pre-AP to academic course or moving out of a high school level course):
- Student/parent will download the "SMS Level Change Form 2020-21" and fill out their portion of the form.
- Ensure all parts of the form are completed (i.e. a meeting/conversation between the teacher and parent must have occurred before the form can be submitted).
- Students will then save the document “Level Change – student name” so that the information filled out in the form saves, and then student will email the form to their teacher (if any portion of the level change form has not been completed, teachers may send the form back to the student to complete).
- Teachers will fill out their portion, save and send the form to the counselor to review and process.
- Upon approval or denial of your request, you will receive an email from your grade level counselor with information on the change.
As always, if you have any questions, you can email your student’s counselor directly and we will set up a time to talk to you. Additionally, should your student need to speak with their counselor they can use the request to see the counselor form here:
8TH GRADE - REQUEST FORM
7TH GRADE - REQUEST FORM
6TH GRADE - REQUEST FORM
Thank you so much for everything you are doing for your child. Stay safe and healthy!
We wish you all well during this time.
Sincerely,
The SMS Counseling Team
SMS Library Events & Updates
Schoology Library Access Code: WP6Q-TM7S-8D848
Follow us on Twitter @smsjaglibrary
Technology Resources
Campus-Based Device Distribution
We will continue to issue laptops as needed throughout the school year by appointment only. Please call the by calling our main school number, (281) 634-6310, to schedule an appointment.
Technology Resource Help
The Technology Resource page on https://www.fortbendisd.com/Page/124794 is available for parents/students to obtain help related to technology. There are helpful information on hot topics like password, 1Link, Microsoft Teams etc. You will also find the “Technology Status” section where we post the latest status of technology issues we are aware of.
Password Help
6th Grade: Passwords for all incoming 6th graders or brand-new students in any secondary grade 6-12th their passwords are FORTBENDSCHOOL+Last 4 of StudentID#. Example: FORTBENDSCHOOL0852.
7th – 12th Grade: All returning 7th and 8th students should continue to use their password they used last year. If they have don’t remember it the will need to reset it in Rapid Identity portal, https://my.fortbendisd.com/. They will need to login with network credentials.
FBISD Tech Support Depots UPDATE as of 9.23.20
Now that the District is moving to a Face-To-Face model we are adjusting the Service Depot model as well. We will have 3 Depots open for service instead of 6 for student IT hardware support. Locations will be staffed Monday – Friday 8:30 – 3:00 with a one hour closure for lunch between 12 and 1 pm. Extended hours coverage will be provided on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:00 – 5:30.
Currently, we are projecting to have the following sites remain in service:
TEC Ed Center (Behind DHS), MHS, and AHS.
All other sites will transition by Wednesday 9/23 and will not be in service. The sites to close will be CHS, HHS, DHS, HBMS, and Wheeler FH. Staffing, hours, and locations may change and adjust to the changing needs of our staff and students.
Relaunch Bell Schedules
Grab and Go Meals Available for all Students-Read below for Locations
Fort Bend ISD has received a waiver from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Beginning September 9, Fort Bend ISD will offer free breakfast and lunch meals to all students, regardless of enrollment in FBISD. Meals will be available to student at Grab and Go meals sites, District Learning Centers, and students attending face-to-face learning. As a result of a waiver from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), this program is set to expire on December 31, 2020. FBISD is strongly encouraging all families to complete a Free & Reduced Meals application at www.schoolcafe.com/fbisd.
Meals are available to any student up to 18 years of age, and special education students regardless of age. Each student can receive only one breakfast and/or lunch meal per day. Please note, there will be no a la carte sales at this time.
Meal times will remain the same, with breakfast being served from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students that pick up breakfast between 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. will continue to receive both breakfast and lunch.
Parents can now pick up meals for students, and must provide one of the following documents:
- Student ID cards
- Individual student report cards
- Attendance record from parent portal of Skyward
- Birth certificate for children
Without one of the listed items above, parents will receive meals for the number of students present with them, on foot or in a vehicle.
Grab and Go Meals will be available at 10 locations, listed below:
- Dulles High School (550 Dulles Ave, Sugar Land, 77478)
- Elkins High School (7007 Knights Ct, Missouri City, 77459)
- Hightower High School (3333 Hurricane Ln., Missouri City, 77459)
- Hodges Bend Middle School (16510 Bissonet St., Houston, 77083)
- Kempner High School (14777 Voss Rd, Sugar Land, 77498)
- McAuliffe Middle School (16650 S Post Oak Rd, Houston, 77053)
- Missouri City Middle School (202 Martin Ln, Missouri City, 77489)
- Ridge Point High School (500 Waters Lake Blvd, Missouri City, 77459)
- Travis High School (11111 Harlem Rd, Richmond, TX 77406)
- Willowridge High School (16301 Chimney Rock Rd., Houston, 77053)
Please continue to check the website and social media for any changes to distribution changes.
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
Rachel McCune-Lead Counselor
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