M 'n M
Mustangs in the Middle: Feb 9, 2018
In This Edition:
- Monday is a WHITE DAY
- Parent Teacher Conferences
- Vaping Awareness
- 8th Graders Scheduling for HS Classes
- Hoops For Heart
- Red Ribbon Week Redo
- National Signing Day
- PTA Update
- Track Parent Meeting
Editing Papers in 8 ELA
Parent Teacher Conference
Conferences will continue on February 14th from 4:00-7:00. Conference format may look different depending on which team your child is on. Many of our core teams are using this semester's conference time to speak with parents of students who may be struggling in their academics. Your child's Team Leader may have reached out to you to explain the change in format for the upcoming sessions. If you have any questions, please reach out to one of your child's core team teachers.
Please be mindful that conferences are not intended to discuss course selection for next year as that can be done by email.
Voyager teachers will be available throughout the evening in their rooms and in the commons for individual conferences. Click below for a list of teachers/locations.
Math Olympics
Makerspace Open House
Vaping Awareness: What Parents Need to Know
Vaping has become a popular alternative to smoking in recent years. It has also become popular with some of today's youth, as well. Parents, it is important that you know what you are looking for if you suspect your child is partaking in such activity- or simply to take a proactive approach to keeping your child safe. Because it is smokeless, children have the perception that it is harmless- that cannot be any further from the truth. According to a recent study in Pediatrics Magazine, students who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to move on to using real cigarettes. Electronic Cigarettes are a path to nicotine addiction.
What to Look For
E-cigarettes including the sleek, popular Juul, (see the image below) can be mistaken for other things. Small in size, they can fit easily in the palm of your hand and are often mistaken for jump-drives. They may contain flavored nicotine cartridges that have a fruity odor as the byproduct of use. Children can hide the Juul in their sleeves, pockets and/or shoes and they are nearly non-detectable. A child could pull this device out, take a hit and put it back out of sight in a matter of seconds. One hit from the Juul can have the nicotine content equivalent to that of a pack of cigarettes.
As a parent of two middle-school aged children, I have addressed these devices and the dangers and health concerns that come with them. It is important to have open dialog with your child to get the conversation going. It is never to early to open up those lines of communication to educate your child or the dangers of using electronic cigarettes.
Here are some links below to help inform you of the dangers and perhaps guide discussion with your child.
Scheduling Update
he High School scheduling window is open from February 5th through February 15th. All 8th grade students will have the opportunity to schedule during the school day at SMS (see specific dates for each team listed below), but students are welcome to begin the registration process on their own on their PASS account (Online Registration Instructions). Families may access the SHS Program of Studies 2018-2019 on the High School Website for course descriptions and other relevant information.
Elissa Ray, the 8th grade school counselor, will be available to assist students with registration on the following dates for each team:
Dragons - 2/5 during Math Class
Vanguard - 2/9 during Language Arts
Pirates - 2/12 during Science
Crusaders - 2/13 during Science
Red Ribbon Week Redo
The theme is "Your Future Is Key, So Stay Drug Free!" Children of parents who talk to their teens regularly about drugs are 42% less likely to use drugs than those who don't, yet only a quarter of teens report having these conversations. We encourage ALL of our parents to have these conversations with their children.
Here are the spirit days for the week of February 12-15:
Monday 2/12: Team Up Against Drugs!
Wear your favorite sports team gear/jersey
Tuesday 2/13: Protect Yourself and stay safe from drugs!
Dress For Extreme Weather
Wednesday 2/14: Valentine's Day- Wear RED!!!
Thursday 2/15: Show Your School Spirit- Stay Strong and Say No to Drugs
Dress in your class colors: 6th- Green, 7th- White, 8th-Black
National Signing Day
In the spirit of National Signing Day, SHS Football Coach Lou Cirino paid a visit to SMS to witness our 8th graders sign atheir letter of intent to play football for the Mustangs this fall. The class of 2022 is looking strong!
Hoops For Heart
Attached is the flier for the hoops for heart event scheduled on March 23rd from 1:20-3:00 for 6th grade students.
Mr. Ryba Polishes Up on Some Algebra
PTA Update
PTA MEETING
Our next SMS PTA meeting is next Monday, February 12th, at 1pm in the SMS Media Center. We meet on the 3rd floor of the Media Center. Please stop in the Main Office to get a visitor pass on your way in.
This month we will have a tour of the SMS Maker Space following the business meeting. Also, a teacher representative and/or Mr. Deitrick is always in attendance to provide an update and answer questions. We hope to see you there!
If you miss a meeting and want to stay up to date on what is going on, you can now view our meeting minutes on the SMS PTA website.
STAFF APPRECIATION - CONFERENCES
Thank you to everyone who donated toward the dinner for the staff last night. We had a large spread of soups, salads, sandwiches, chips, cookies and beverages for the staff to enjoy before the parent-teacher conferences started. Thank you!
YARD SIGNS
If you have a student involved in winter or spring sports/activities, it's not too late to get a sign to show your pride! PTA is still selling yard signs where you can include your child's name and sport or activity to display in your yard.
Signs are $20, and you can use the attached form to order one. All of the information needed for ordering a sign is included on the form. Yard Signs
Track Parent Meeting
The meeting for parents will take place on Tuesday, Feb 20 at 6:00 in the SMS Auditorium.
Links
SMS Website: Click Here
PTA Membership: PTA Membership Form
Morning Announcements: WSMS - Morning Announcements
Important Dates
- Feb 12: 1:00 PTA Meeting 3rd Floor Media Center
- Feb 14: 4:00-7:00 Parent Teacher Conference
- Feb 16-19: No School
- Mar 1: 6:00 5th Grade Parent Night in SMS Auditorium
- Mar 2: 6th Grade Fun Day (Tentative)
Strongsville Middle School
Email: sdeitrick@scsmustangs.org
Website: http://www.strongnet.org/Domain/411
Location: 13200 Pearl Road, Strongsville, OH, United States
Phone: 440.572.7090
Twitter: @smsstangs