SLMS Titan News
Week #15 - November 15, 2021
Greetings SLMS Parents, Guardians, Students, and Staff,
I want to thank our awesome SLMS PTO, as well as all the students and parents, for loving on our teachers and staff last week during the Fall Teacher Appreciation Week. Our teachers were treated with kind notes, thank you's, snacks, small tokens of appreciation, and even a boxed lunch from Honey Baked Ham last week. Our staff loves our students and parents, and we cannot thank you enough for the outpouring of love and effort to make our teachers and staff know how appreciated they are.
This week we have picture re-takes and make-ups on Thursday during lunches, and Friday marks Progress Report 4 (PR4), which will be viewable in Skyward on the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving Holiday.
The Parent Coffee scheduled for last Friday had to be cancelled at the last minute, so please accept my apologies for any inconvenience regarding that event. It could not be helped. Our next one will be in January 2022.
We have noticed that at dismissal, students are beginning to congregate more and more at the City Park on the west side of the campus. While we do monitor dismissal, please note that the City Park is not on FBISD property; it belongs to the City of Sugar Land. We request that if your child is waiting to get picked up by you that they do so at the front circle drive, rather than at the park. There have been increasing levels of mischief at the park after hours, and we are not staffed to provide supervision for the park after school, as it is not district property. Therefore, we encourage students to go home and not get into trouble at the City Park, or if they are waiting for a parent, to do so at the front circle drive. Our staff go off duty between 4:20 and 4:30. Past that point, we do not provide supervision. And just as a reminder, students are only to be dropped off in the morning or picked up after school in the front car rider line ONLY. No parking lots, not on 7th Street, but in the front circle drive.
This week's news contains information about:
- Upcoming Events
- SLMS Teacher of the Year Finalists
- From the Counselors -- Naviance Needs Assessment
- Helping a Titan Student Who is Battling Cancer - Go Fund Me
- FBISD Seeks Feedback on Three Calendar Drafts for 2022-23 School Year
- COVID-19 Vaccination Information for Individuals 12 and Older
- FBISD Coding Camp - December 4, 2021
- Yearbooks On Sale Online Now!!! - Only $40
- Everyone Can Help With Yearbook Pictures!
- Birthday Messages on the SLMS Electronic Marquee
- Important Contact Information
I hope you have a peaceful and enjoyable week!
Sincerely,
Keith Fickel, Principal
#NewBeginnings
#TitansOwnIt
#ReturnOfTheTitans
The Week At A Glance
Upcoming and Important Dates
• Thanksgiving Break – November 22-26
• Theatre Field Trip to Alley Theatre – November 30
• Mid-Day Break with the Counselors – December 1
• Career Day – December 9
SLMS Teacher of the Year Finalists
Congratulations to our three Teacher of the Year finalists who were announced to the campus during the in-house broadcast on Friday. Congratulations to 6th grade science teacher Julie Pierce, 6th grade Discovery teacher Trish Thompson, and Theatre teacher Sarah Kelley!
Naviance Needs Assessment for Students - From the Counselors
Due to a technology glitch, the 2021-2022 FBISD needs assessment will be re-posted through November 17, 2021 for our campus. We are asking that if your child already took the needs assessment in October, to please ask them to take it again or, if they were not able to take it and would like to participate, to please do so during this window of time. This is an informational tool that we use as a campus to drive our counseling program and form lessons and activities based on student feedback. If you completed the opt-out form in October, that is still valid, and your child will not be able to complete the survey when they log into Naviance. Each child can access the needs assessment by logging into Naviance via 1Link, and it should be on their homepage.
Go Fund Me Page for SLMS Titan Battling Cancer
One of our Titan students is battling cancer, and her parent is having a hard time being able to visit her daughter at MD Anderson, due to the high cost of gas, parking costs, and all the things that go with a long-term cancer treatment. The student is expected to be in the hospital for couple more months. To find out more and to help this parent with their expenses, please visit the Go Fund Me link below. And it is important to note that it is because of the keen observation of several SLMS staff members that this cancer was identified. Thanks to their quick thinking and actions, this student has been given a fighting chance.
Feel free to share as you see fit within your own circles, as well. This has been shared with the parent's permission.
Fort Bend ISD Seeks Community Feedback on Three Drafts of the 2022-23 School Calendar
Fort Bend ISD is seeking community feedback on three drafts of the 2022-23 school calendar. The calendar survey is open now and will close at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 28, 2021. The calendar committee will review the results of this survey, and then the administration will recommend a final calendar for Board consideration in January 2022.
Similarities in Calendar Options:
All calendar options include at least 75,600 operational minutes and a bank of 840 additional minutes to use in the event of bad weather and other issues of health and safety, as required by the Texas Education Agency. All three options have the traditional holiday structure, which includes a week off for Thanksgiving, two weeks for the Winter Break, and a week-long Spring Break along with Professional Development days for teaching staff.
Differences in Calendar Options:
Calendars A and B have an additional five minutes added to the school day. Calendar C has no change to the length of the school day. Extending the school day by 5 minutes over the course of 175 student days, allows for additional preparation and planning time for teachers to better serve students,
Calendar A has classes beginning on August 17 and ending on June 1. Calendar B has the earliest start date of August 10, the earliest end date of May 25, and enough banked minutes to allow for at least four inclement weather days. Calendar C begins the school year on August 16 and ends on June 1.
Please review each of the three calendar options before completing the survey.
Link: 3 Calendar Options
Please complete the calendar options survey before 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, November 28.
COVID-19 Vaccination Opportunities for Individuals 12 Years and Up
Fort Bend County will continue to provide vaccinations for individuals ages 12 and up at various secondary campuses on Saturdays this fall. Please note, vaccinations will not be available for children ages 5-11 at the Saturday clinics listed below. The District is currently working with community partners to establish vaccination opportunities for ages 5-11 and will communicate them once they have been finalized. The clinics are open to all eligible individuals in the community and will have available first, second and third doses and boosters. For second and third doses and boosters, you need to bring the vaccine card with the date of the first dose. Parents must accompany minors and show proof of date of birth. Walk-ins are welcome and vaccinations are offered at no cost.
Saturday, November 13, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Marshall High School
1220 Buffalo Run
Missouri City, TX 77489
CORRECTION: Previous emails communicated the incorrect location for this clinic.
Saturday, November 20, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Bush High School
6707 FM 1464
Richmond, TX 77407
Saturday, December 4, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Sartartia Middle School
8125 Homeward Way
Sugar Land, TX 77479
Saturday, December 11, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Willowridge High School
16301 Chimney Rock
Houston, TX 77053
FBISD and Fort Bend County continue to encourage all eligible students, staff and their families to get a COVID-19 vaccine to slow the spread of the virus in our schools and community. For additional vaccination clinics near you, visit Vaccines.Gov and search by zip code and mile radius, or visit the District’s COVID-19 Vaccinations webpage for more resources.
FBISD Coding Camp - December 4, 2021
Yearbooks On Sale Online NOW! Only $40.00
Our yearbook staff is hard at work creating the yearbook for this year. You do not want to miss out. Yearbooks are $40.00, which is the same price as last year, and they may be purchased online by visiting this page on the Balfour website.
We still have copies of last year's yearbook available for sale, as well. They are $40.00, and may be purchased only with exact cash, money order, or check, and they are not available online. Please contact our Yearbook Sponsor, Ms. Simpson at alison.simpson@fortbendisd.com if you have any questions regarding this year's yearbook (or last year's yearbook).
Everyone Can Help with Pictures for the Yearbook
The yearbook staff cannot be everywhere to take pictures for the yearbook, but you can help them out! Download the Balfour ImageShare app to your device, and follow the instructions in the flyer below to be able to share pictures you have taken for possible inclusion in the yearbook. Pictures submitted must be school-relevant and appropriate. The yearbook staff and sponsor will determine which photos to include. Note that any inappropriate photos submitted will be referred to campus administration, and possibly to law enforcement, if warranted.
Birthday Messages on SLMS Marquee
Does your SLMS child have an upcoming birthday? Would you like to wish them a happy birthday on our new digital campus marquee? The PTO is coordinating birthday messages to go on our marquee as a means of raising funds to help meet needs of students and teachers. Publicizing your child's birthday is only $15.00. Please follow these simple steps to get your child's birthday announced on the marquee:
- Visit https://my.cheddarup.com/c/slmspto
- Scroll down to the "Happy Birthday Marquee" item
- Click "Add to Cart"; you are redirected to another screen where you will
- Enter information about your child and select the style of announcement you wish to see on the marquee
- Click "Add to Cart ($15.00)"
- Review your order
- Click "Continue to Forms"
- Enter your child's name and grade level
- Click "Continue to Payment" and finish your purchase
Note that submissions must be received at least two weeks ahead of the desired date to be posted on our campus marquee. Please contact Heather Martin of the SLMS PTO at heathermartincpa@gmail.com with questions. And feel free to order SLMS swag like hoodies, t-shirts, and more while you are ordering your child's birthday message!
Important Contact Information
- Associate Principal - Monika Martin (monika.martin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Nafecia Brinson (nafecia.brinson@fortbendisd.com)
- Assistant Principal - Dr. Dawn Rogers (dawn.rogers@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Eleni Smith (eleni.smith@fortbendisd.com)
Eighth Grade
- Assistant Principal - Luster Goodwin (luster.goodwin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Kim Seright (kimberly.seright@fortbendisd.com)
Counselor Clerk - Carmen Brantley (carmen.brantley@fortbendisd.com)
Assistant Principal Secretaries
- 7th and 8th Grade - Tina Garcia (diamantina.ibarragar@fortbendisd.com)
- 6th Grade - Sherri Woodcock (sherri.woodcock@fortbendisd.com)
Attendance - Mary Beth LaVergne (mary.lavergne@fortbendisd.com)
Registrar - Tandi Phillips (tandi.phillips@fortbendisd.com)
Nurse - Shetal Patel (shetal.patel@fortbendisd.com)
Clinic Aide - Cassandra Rodarte (cassandra.rodarte@fortbendisd.com)
Executive Assistant to Principal Fickel - Mary Connealy (mary.connealy@fortbendisd.com)
Sugar Land Middle School
46 Years
1975-2021
Inspiring and equipping the young men and women of our community for futures beyond what they can imagine since 1975.
SLMS Campus Mission Statement
Working collaboratively, the Sugar Land Middle School Professional Learning Community will commit to creating a safe environment with high expectations leading to physical, social, emotional, and academic success for all Titans.
#TitansOwnIt
#NewBeginnings
#Resilience
Office Hours
8:20-4:20 PM
Email: keith.fickel@fortbendisd.com
Website: www.fortbendisd.com/slms
Location: 321 7th Street, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: (281) 634-3080
Twitter: @SLMSTitans