Hello!

Welcome to Switzerland Point Middle School!!! We are so excited you have as a part of the Raider family. We hope that you will find the information below helpful as you get settled in here at SPMS.

You can also check for updates on our school and district websites.

SPMS Website: http://www-raider.stjohns.k12.fl.us/

St. Johns County School District Website: http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us

We look forward to meeting you and your families soon!

Ms. Carnall

Principal

You can find the school supply list for this school year by clicking here.

Any person that plans on entering the building needs to be cleared. The District asks EVERY parent/guardian to register for access. If you are volunteering or having a meeting you must be cleared through our system.

Please go to: http://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/volunteer/ to submit your application. Any questions, contact Stacey McEnerney, SPMS Volunteer Coordinator, at 904-547-8650.

Our School Counselors are here to help our Computer Operator Ms. Jennifer Schwall for assistance.

Michelle Campbell-Guidance Secretary

Michelle.M.Campbell@stjohns.k12.fl.us

904.547.8626

Jennifer Schwall-Computer Operator

Jennifer.Schwall@stjohns.k12.fl.us

904-547-8627

First Day of School for Students: August 10

Last Day of School for Students: May 25

Daily Bell Schedule:

• Warning Bell: 7:20 AM
• 1st Period Begins at 7:25 AM (A student is tardy if they arrive to class later than 7:25 AM)
• 8th grade lunch: 10:00-10:30 AM (9:33-10:03 AM on W)
• 7th grade lunch: 10:50-11:20 AM (10:14-10:44 AM on W)
• 6th grade lunch: 11:40-12:10 PM (10:55-11:20 AM on W)
• School ends at 1:50 PM M/T/TH/F, 12:50 PM on W

SPMS has a 7 period bell schedule that is 45 minutes long everyday except Wednesdays. On Wednesdays, classes are 35 minutes long.

Please see the SJCSD Master Calendar and Daily Bell Schedule attached.

Please see the SJCSD Student Code of Conduct here: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/schoolservices/conduct/

The Code of Conduct has information regarding SJCSD Guiding Principles, student rights and responsibilities, attendance, school health, and discipline.

The signature page at the back will be required to be printed out and signed. Please either send in your signed copy to the front office or scan and email it to Jennifer Schwall at Jennifer.Schwall@stjohns.k12.fl.us

Reporting Student Absences

We are excited to share with you that we have initiated a new procedure for reporting your students who were absent. Please utilize the school website and click on attendance on the left-hand side. This will ensure that your notes are received daily and not lost in the system. We heard your requests and appreciated your suggestions on placing this on the school website. When navigating to SPMS Website, you will see it on the left side toolbar. Please refer to the school planner for guidelines on the policy and procedures for absences. Please submit within 48 hours of your child being absent.

If students accrue 15 unexcused daily absences they will be referred to the district as truant. Please refer to the student code conduct for information on truancy

https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/schoolservices/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2021/08/FINAL-2021-22-Code-of-Conduct-2.pdf

Requesting Early Checkout Procedures:

Complete the form on our website to request early checkout. It is located on the bottom left (side bar) of the website. The form needs to be completed by 6 AM the day you are requesting early checkout. After the 6 AM cut off, please send your child in with a note to the front office like normal. Please do not request early checkout more than 2 days in advance.

As a safety precaution, students will only be released to the parent/guardian or the Emergency Contact listed on the Emergency Card. A current driver’s license must be presented to the front office to check a student out early. The following procedure will be strictly enforced: NO student may be signed out after 1:25 pm each day except Wednesday. The latest early checkout on Wednesday is 12:25 pm. Parents must arrive in the office no later than 1:20 p.m. (or 12:20 p.m. on Wednesday) in order to sign their child out early. Students who check out during the school day due to illness are not eligible.

Student Dress Code The primary responsibility for a student’s attire resides with the student and their parent(s) or guardian(s). The St. Johns County School District expects students to dress in a way that is appropriate for the school day or any school sponsored event. Student dress code requirements reflect fair, equitable, and consistent practices for all students, while contributing to a safe and positive school climate.

In accordance with statutory requirement F.S. 1006.07 (students are prohibited from wearing clothing that exposes underwear or that exposes body parts in an indecent or vulgar manner) enforcement will focus on positive guidance without embarrassment to the student and should not disrupt the educational process.

All Students

• Personal attire may be in the style of the day. Clothing, piercings and accessories displaying profanity, violence, discriminatory messages, sexually suggestive phrases, phrases or symbols of alcohol, tobacco or drugs is unacceptable.
• Gang graffiti will not be drawn or worn on backpacks, notebooks, folders, papers, clothing or any other object or on the body of any student or person on school property.
• Pajamas shall not be worn as exterior clothing on campus.
• Head gear, including but not limited to, caps, hats, bandanas and/or sunglasses shall not be worn indoors on campus unless permitted by school administration for religious or medical reasons. Students may wear sunglasses, hats, or other sun‐protective wear while outdoors during school hours.
• Clothing must cover areas from one armpit to the other armpit, down to the mid‐thigh. Tops must have shoulder straps and be long enough to adequately cover the waistline and not expose the midriff.

• Students must wear shoes that are safe and appropriate for the learning environment. Middle school and elementary school students must wear shoes that have a back or strap on the heel. High school students may wear backless shoes. Bedroom slippers are prohibited.
• See‐through or mesh garments must be worn with opaque clothing over it or underneath that meets the standard for clothing coverage.
• Rips or tears in clothing above the mid‐thigh must not expose skin.

Buses

When a student rides a bus, they must ride the bus the Transportation Department has assigned to them. Bus drivers are authorized to issue referrals for rule infractions which could result in disciplinary action including a bus suspension. Parent requests or complaints regarding bus service should be directed to Transportation at 904-547-7810. Bus information can also be found in your HAC account.

Bicycles

Students may ride bicycles. All bicycles must be parked and locked in the racks provided. Students may never ride bicycles through the bus loading area or on campus. Everyone is required by law to wear a bike helmet when riding bicycles.

Parent Drop-off & Pick-up

Students can be dropped off starting at 6:50 AM. The doors will open at 7:10. At 7:10 will go to their lockers and then either to breakfast or their first period class.

Students are permitted to go to the cafeteria from 7:10-7:20 if they are purchasing food from our cafeteria. They must eat and then go directly to first period. Anyone arriving to first period after 7:25 will be marked tardy.

Staying after school

Students that are staying after school for any reason, such as make-up work, review session, club meeting or sports, are under the sponsoring teacher’s supervision until the parent arrives. Students are NOT allowed to sit outside or in the main office unsupervised waiting for their ride.

Lunch procedures will be explained and taught to students the first week of school.

Click here to find more details on lunches: https://www-raider.stjohns.k12.fl.us/cafe/

To deposit money into your student's lunch account you will use PayPams. Click here to see the information: https://paypams.com/

You can use HAC to look at your student's updated grades (weekly), attendance, discipline, class schedule (once released), and test scores.

Each student and parent will be issued a username and password to access HAC at the beginning of the year. Current St. Johns County students will continue their same password and login each year.

New students will receive their HAC passwords shortly after registration.

For more information about HAC please visit the SJCSD website: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/hac/

Schoology is used by teachers to post assignments and due dates for students. Each student and parent will be issued a username and password to access Schoology. This forum creates a calendar for students to access assignments, see when they are due, and sometimes, submit assignments. If you are a returning SJCSD student or parent your login information does not change. New families to SJCSD will receive this information the first week of school.

You can learn more about Schoology here: https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/media/edtech/schoology/schoology-for-parents/

Students will take ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies and PE every year. Passing these classes with a 60% and above is required to be promoted to the next grade level. Grading scale is as follows:

A- 90-100

B- 80-89

C- 70-79

D- 60-69

F- 59-0

Students will also take 2 elective classes each year which will be selected by students upon registration.

8th Grade students receive a career and education planning component in their social studies class.

If students do not pass a class they will have the option of retaking that class during the summer through a virtual learning provider.

SPMS uses PBIS to reward students for their positive behavior. Students can earn “RAIDER BUCKS” to use at the Raider Store to purchase prizes or purchase ice cream on Fridays. They can also buy raffle tickets to win prizes at our drawings done twice a year.

Students will be given a QR code for teachers to issue raider bucks and for students to use their raider bucks. QR codes will be issued by the Deans at the beginning of the year.

Demerits-

Demerits may be issued for any behavior that does not follow our school rules or code of conduct. At the beginning of every year, students are informed of school expectations. If a behavior does not meet these expectations or follow the student code of conduct, they will be issued a demerit. Multiple demerits can warrant lunch detention, ISS, or OSS (out of school suspension).

One expectation is that students are on time to class. Tardiness to class has the following consequences:

• 1st: Warning
• 2nd: Warning and Parent Contact
• 3rd: Lunch Detention x1
• 4th: Lunch Detention x2
• 5th: Lunch Detention x3
• 6th: Lunch Detention x4
• 7th: Dean's Discretion

Meet our SPMS Deans Ms. Kelly Gibian and Mr. James Puckett

What do our Deans do?

• Set and teach behavior expectations.
• Enforce positive behaviors.
• Issue consequences for violations against the Code of Conduct.
• Communicate with parents if concerns arise.
• Collaborate with school counselors and teachers to assist with personal or academic concerns.
• Work with the Resource Officer to ensure student safety.
• Advocate for students.
• Use restorative discipline strategies to encourage reflection on behaviors and learning from mistakes.

You can reach our deans at the contact information below:

Kelly Gibian

Kelly.gibian@stjohns.k12.fl.us

904-547-8634

James Puckett

James.Puckett@stjohns.k12.fl.us

904-547-8649

Students taking PE are required to wear either a purchased PE uniform or approved shorts/shirt. Students will need to wear sneakers with laces to participate in daily activities in PE. Not dressing out or wearing appropriate sneakers will affect students’ grade in PE. You can find the link to purchase PE uniforms on the SPMS website

https://www-raider.stjohns.k12.fl.us/

SPMS athletics consists of both boys and girls volleyball and basketball and Winterguard. All other middle school sports are operated by SJMSAA.

The St. Johns Middle School Athletic Association (”SJMSAA”) middle school sports program is not operated or sponsored by the St. Johns County School District. SJMSAA is an independent, private non-profit corporation, which uses District middle school names and facilities under a license agreement with the District, and which is solely responsible for the operation of the SJMSAA middle school sports program and its individual teams.
Students need to register through the SJMSAA website prior to tryouts. Once a student(s) makes a team, he/she will be provided with more information on paying and filling out the required forms

https://www-raider.stjohns.k12.fl.us/

SPMS National Junior Honor Society is sponsoring an opportunity to send a special birthday or congratulations message to your student via the marquee in the front of school. Cost is $25. Complete the form here to submit your request (there's a separate link in the form to pay via Schoolpay upon submitting your request). Requests are due the Friday prior to the event and will display the following week (Tuesday through Monday). Example: if you turn in the request on Friday, September 17 then your message will be displayed on Tuesday, September 21.

http://www.swisspointptso.com/

The SPMS PTSO is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance the learning and work experience of the students and staff at SPMS.

Our membership includes teachers, administrators, parents and students.

What do we do?

Student Initiatives:

• Neon Bash-Fall Dance for students
• Raider Store-Rewards for students who earn Raider Bucks for academic and behavioral performance
• Field studies sponsorships
• Character Counts! Rewards
• 8th grade Formal Dance and 8th Grade Awards Funding assistance

Staff Initiatives:

• Classroom grants-teacher members are eligible for up to $100 in a classroom grant to purchase items to enhance their classroom
• Staff luncheons and breakfast
• Teacher Appreciation
• Annual Donation to the school for technology and other needs

How do we pay for these initiatives?

• MEMBERSHIP-this is our biggest fundraiser. By simply joining PTSO, families help us reach our goals
• Spirit Wear-PTSO sells spirit wear each fall
• Fall/Spring Fundraisers-examples include Nothing Bundt Cakes and Poppin' Box
• Business Partners-our area business help SPMS through our Partners in Education program
• Corporate Donation Matches, Amazon Smile, Box Tops and private donations

How do you join?

• A family membership is $20 for the school year. The membership includes parents and any sibling at SPMS.
• Membership form can be found at https://switzerland-point-middle-school-ptso.square.site/

We have the best volunteers at Swiss. We are excited about a wonderful and busy year 2022-23 school year making a difference at Swiss.

If you are interested in finding out how you can help contact Dawn Evans at dawnevanswebpto@gmail.com

OTHER WAYS TO SUPPORT PTSO

AmazonSmile - Shop through the PTSO link AmazonSmile! https://smile.amazon.com/ch/59-3741022

While you do your regular shopping on Amazon thru AmazonSmile, .5% of your purchase will be donated to SPMS.

SPMS has earned $ 92.15 so far this year.

Box Tops – Download the Box Tops app and scan your receipts for SMPS PTSO to get Box Top credits.

Keep an eye on the PTSO website, Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on what is coming up throughout the year!

Questions/concerns?? spmsptso@hotmail.com

For up to date happenings LIKE us on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/SwissPointPTSO/

SPMS PTSO is on INSTAGRAM! Follow us at https://www.instagram.com/spmsptso/

Check the PTSO website for all the latest news! http://www.swisspointptso.com/