Stanwood Middle School
Family Update - October 17th, 2020
We would like to start our Weekly Family Message by saying Thank You!
Thank you to all our students and families for working so hard during this difficult time and enduring all the new things that come with Distance Learning. The perseverance over the past 7 months has been amazing and we understand and appreciate all the hard work that is being done!
Thank you to all our Classified Staff throughout the Stanwood-Camano School District! Our Secretaries, Para-educators, Custodians, Health Room Assistants, Nurses, Bus Drivers and Maintenance Workers have done amazing work behind the scenes to make sure our students can focus on their classes each day!
And a huge thank you to our Certificated Teachers, Counselor and School Psychologist! I know first hand from talking to our entire staff how difficult it has been for our teachers to not be in the classroom. Our teachers have done so much over the past 7 months to learn a new way of teaching and are doing great work in the virtual world. We all hope to be safely back in the building soon and are teachers are looking forward to it the most.
Thank you to everyone for your patience and grace over the past few months!
End of 1st Quarter
The end of 1st Quarter is Thursday, November 5th. With 14 school days left we want to make sure that families are reaching out to teachers if they have concerns about classes. Also, every teacher has office hours on Wednesday mornings. This is an open time students can join their Google Meet to ask questions/get clarification about the week's work. We highly encourage all students to use this time to work with their teacher's to improve their learning. All teachers have their Google Meet Codes in their Google Classroom for students to access.
Super Star Spartan (more below in the Family Message)
Teachers are naming students for meeting expectations and going beyond the norm during Distance Learning. We are posting these Super Star Spartan Shout-outs in our morning announcements as they come in, and will highlight the students during the class meetings on Wednesdays as well.
*You can find our morning announcements on our website each day, the Stanwood Middle School PTO Facebook page each day, or clicking on this link: Stanwood Middle School Morning Announcements
Attendance All-Stars
Yesterday we ran a perfect attendance report for the quarter and 94 Spartans have attended every Meet so far this year! We appreciate everyone's dedication and hard work in being diligent about Distance Learning.
Class Meeting + Advisory
Last week during our class meetings, Ms. Fox continued to lay the foundation for good routines and success for Distance Learning. One strategy we discussed is presented in our Character Dare--spending time reaching out to someone they know that needs an extra boost during this time. We know that by helping others, it helps ourselves.
This week (October 21) we will have a brief class meeting, followed by a longer check-in during Advisory. We will be surveying students again about their thoughts with Distance Learning during Advisory as well--please be sure to be there to take the survey.
Phone Calls from the Office
Our office calls home to check in on students and families during Distance Learning, especially concerning attendance and work success. We are wanting to reach out to as many families as possible and find out how we can best help your student find success during Distance Learning. Please email teachers, Ms. Christmas, Ms. Fox, Ms. Hart or myself or call the office with any questions or concerns you might have; our teachers and everyone in the office wants to help!
Here is more information we've included in recent Family Messages:
Student Tech Support
This webpage: Student Tech Support will help your student navigate everything they might be struggling with during distance learning. From managing emails to navigating how to turn in work that isn't blank, it is covered here.
Work load
We understand that sometimes looking at emails and the Google Classrooms can be overwhelming. Let us know how we can help you maximize your learning from a distance and what help and supports you need. Ms. Fox is doing a great job of making sure students are in a routine to get their work complete. We are finding that students that set a schedule and work in the mornings before their meets start are less overwhelmed and have more free time to enjoy activities outside of school.
Morning Announcements and Daily Check-in
Each student is assigned to a google classroom called "Class of 20__(25, 26 ,27)". There are a ton of resources for students there, as well as a Daily Check-in and Morning Announcements.
Google Classroom vs. Skyward
Google Classroom shows a student's current status with turned in work and grades; Skyward reflects grades as well, but might be a little behind with student scores from Google Classroom. We know this can be confusing. If you get a call or email from the office, know that we are looking at a Skyward report with your student's grades.
Again, please reach out to teachers directly if you have concerns about classes. You can also contact anyone in the office and we make sure you get the help needed.
Thank you and have a great weekend!
Tod Klundt
Principal
Stanwood Middle School
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A message from our Counselor Mrs. Fox!
Strategies for Stress & Big Emotions
Hello Everyone! This week at the Class Meetings, I shared a Character Strong lesson on strategies to navigate stressful situations and big emotions. The idea was adding “tools” to our “toolbox” of options to choose healthy responses.
-I always remind students to take regular short breaks to refresh their body and brain. With so much time sitting at a computer with distance learning, it’s important to get up and move around and drink some water. Just a few minutes every hour will help to refocus with schoolwork. I encourage students to find their favorite way to move, like go outside for some fresh air, run, dance, walk, stretch, bike, etc.
-We talked about five strategies to practice when faced with a stressful situation and big emotions. Of course, it takes practice to choose a healthy response when we are in the middle of an intense feeling, but it’s great to practice different strategies to strengthen our emotional response muscles. Take a look at the five strategies we talked about below.
As I said last week, I know this is an unusual time with unique stressors. If your student or family is struggling, please email me at KFox@stanwood.wednet.edu and I can either help directly or point you in the right direction. We are here to help and we will get through this together!
Keep up the great work everyone!
Kara Fox
Counselor
Stanwood Middle School
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Super Star Spartan
Teachers are naming students for meeting expectations and going beyond the norm during Distance Learning. We are posting these Super Star Spartan Shout-outs in our morning announcements as they come in, and will highlight the students during the class meetings on Wednesdays as well.
*You can find our morning announcements on our website each day, the Stanwood Middle School PTO Facebook page each day, or clicking on this link: Stanwood Middle School Morning Announcements
SEL
What is SEL?
SEL is an acronym for social/emotional learning. We are committed to regularly checking in with students to see how they are doing with school and during this unprecedented time. Our district wide adopted curriculum is Character Strong. You will see these messages pop up in our announcements, advisories, and classrooms. Here is this week's Character Dare students received in Advisory.
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For Parents of 8th Grade Students
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Yearbook Snap App
Even though we are at a distance, our yearbook can bring us together! Mr. Wall and the yearbook staff are asking people to submit photos from summer and the first day of school through the Yearbook Snap App or their computer. The flyer down below explains how to do this!
School Pictures and Student Identification Cards
We will keep you updated and make sure all our families know right away once we have them scheduled!
Message from Food Service
Please click on this link food service page.
Below Is All The Important Information From Previous Family Messages!
1. Video regarding Family Access/Skyward
2. A link to a toolkit for Family Access/Skyward
3. A message from our Counselor Mrs. Fox
4. Our Open House slide show
5. Information regarding accessing student email
6. Information regarding accessing Google Classroom
7. The Weekly Schedule for students
Please see the video below regarding Family Access/Skyward
Click the box below for a toolkit to help with Family Access/Skyward
In case you missed it last time, here is our Open House Staff Slideshow - 2020/2021
Typically a big part of our Open House is our introduction of staff in the gym and then students are able to tour the building and see those staff members in the classrooms. Because we are not able to be in person this year Mr. Wall, our wonderful multimedia, yearbook and keyboarding teacher, has put together a slideshow to allow families to see faces, to see what peoples roles are in the building, and to see contact information for everyone!
Please click the link to see our slideshow:
Accessing Student Email
Google Classroom Access
Students will need to access Google Classroom to get assignments, take quizzes and tests, and see other information teachers post.
Here are directions to access Google Classroom.
Weekly Schedule for Students
Please see the schedule below for what the schedule will look like for a middle school student once we start school.
Students will attend periods 1, 3, & 5 on Mondays and Thursdays as well as periods 2, 4, & 6 on Tuesdays and Fridays (schedule with times shown below).
During these class times, teachers may be instructing students and/or be showing a pre-recorded video along with classroom discussions & activities.
On Wednesdays, students will have the opportunity to check in with their teachers during student hours set up by individual teachers.
The Stanwood-Camano School District does not discriminate in employment, programs, or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the District's Title IX/Affirmative Action Officer and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Maurene Stanton (mstanton@stanwood.wednet.edu), or the Section 504/American Disabilities Act Coordinator, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu) Stanwood-Camano School District, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Telephone: (360) 629-1200.
El Distrito Escolar de Stanwood-Camano School District no discrimina en sus programas o actividades por motivos de sexo, raza, credo, religión, color, origen nacional, edad, condición de veterano de guerra o grado militar, orientación sexual, expresión de género o identidad, discapacidad o uso de perro guía entrenado o animal de servicio, y ofrece igualdad de acceso a los Boy Scouts y a otros grupos de jóvenes especificados. El empleado mencionado a continuación ha sido designado para atender consultas y quejas de supuesta discriminación: Título IX / Oficial de Acción Afirmativa y Coordinador de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles, Maurene Stanton (mstanton@stanwood.wednet.edu), o la Sección 504 / Coordinador de la Ley de Discapacidades Estadounidenses, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu), Distrito Escolar Stanwood-Camano, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Teléfono: (360) 629- 1200