October 2023 Newsletter
Coffee with the Principals and Classroom Visits
On Wednesday, October 11, SMS and the PTO co-sponsored Coffee with the Principals and Classroom Visits. The morning started with a small activity where participants shared thoughts on what they envisioned they would see in the classroom in regards to teaching, learning, student social time, use of technology and the overall feel of classrooms. As we visited classrooms in all grade levels as well as elective classes and PE classes, the event gave visiting parents a great chance to see what happens at SMS in our classrooms. We finished the morning by coming back together to discuss what participants observed and then participated in a question and answer session.
Parent Teacher Conferences, 10/25 and 10/26
As a reminder, we have Parent Teacher Conferences on Wednesday, October 25, and Thursday, October 26. Grade level teams have sent out information regarding signing up for a conference. You can also email teachers directly to set up a conference including SMS physical education teachers and academic arts teachers.
Congratulations to Mrs. Cherry!
Congratulations to SMS 7th grade science teacher, Shelly Cherry, for being a Missouri State Finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching. We are so proud of her! Her hard work and dedication are evident throughout everything she does for students and to support staff at SMS. Congratulations!
Xello
The Wentzville School District is excited to launch the district's new college and career readiness platform, Xello. Middle school and high school students in WSD have access to the platform and will begin teacher-led lessons during student success time.
Lesson 1: October 5-13
Lesson 2: November 9-17
Lesson 3: January 11-19
Lesson 4: April 4-12
The student driven future readiness program allows students to document their journey as they build self-knowledge, explore post-secondary options, create plans, construct resumes, build a student portfolio, and continually reassess as they take in new knowledge, skills, and experiences. Students also have the opportunity to apply for colleges, request letters of recommendation and transcripts, as well as learn about current job opportunities and scholarships in our community.
Student Opportunities:
Self assessment through personality, learning styles, and skill assessments
Post secondary pathway exploration experiences
College applications and recommendation letters
Unique student portfolio and resume creation
Individual career and academic planning for high school aligned with WSD pathways
Learn about local job opportunities and scholarships in our area
Watch this Xello for families video for a program overview. More information will be available soon on how to navigate the platform and how to activate your family account to view your child’s progress. Families will receive an email from 'noreply@xello.world.' Please be on the lookout!
PTO - Dine Night Out on 10/25!
SMS Bonfire and Dance
We are looking forward to our Fall Dance and Bonfire which is on Friday, November 3, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. This is our 3rd annual Bonfire and Dance and is a great night for our students. It is an amazing event that is a fundraiser for our PTO and school which includes an outside dance area, two large bonfires, hayrides and free hot chocolate. The event is primarily an outside event unless we have rain. In the event of rain, we would move the dance inside to the large gym. We will have an open concession stand where students can bring additional money to purchase food, snacks, and drinks. The cafeteria is set up as a location where students can bring their own device and enjoy video games and social time.
7th Grade Math with Mrs. Brandmeyer
Leaders of The Pack earning a surprise treat!
Steger's 8th Grade Winners
SMS Office Update
Thank you to so many of our SMS parents for providing feedback to help us with our processes in the office. With a small front office in a very busy school we believe the following adjustments will help greatly:
- When dropping off items for a student, please utilize one of the two Chromebooks on the storage bins and put the item(s) in a cubby. Once you hit submit on the Chromebook, it will inform our office staff on what student to alert to the item(s) being dropped off and have them come to the office to get their items.
- We have also created a parent waiting area that is more spacious than the front office. Whether you are here for a meeting or checking out your child, you can wait in the designated parent waiting area.
Meeting with Staff
Meetings with SMS Teachers, Office Members, and Additional Staff
If you would like to meet with a South Middle staff member, we ask that you schedule an appointment by sending the staff member an email and arranging a time with them directly.
Please understand that during a school day our time and focus is with our students; we welcome the opportunity to meet with you during a scheduled appointment before or after school, or on a staff member's plan time. Thank you for your understanding.
Thank you to CGS Signs & Graphics
Thanks to CGS Signs and Graphics for their awesome work and donations to SMS. SMS parent and owner Kyle Breneman has worked closely with our PTO helping to add nice looking vinyls and signs to SMS!
SMS Traffic
Thank you for helping keep our SMS students safe in our parking lot by following our planned drop off and pick up traffic patterns. Although we are a very busy location and having three schools on the same grounds poses a challenge with traffic we greatly appreciate the support and patience. Working with the Wentzville Police Department we believe the changes we made from last year to this year have helped greatly.
South Middle School
561 E Highway NWentzville, MO 63385