Spartan Update 4/1/24
SBMS Spartan Update for the Week of 4/1/24
Message from Principal Paula Nolan
Good afternoon SBMS Community,
We are excited to have our students return to school on Tuesday this week. They get that additional day due to staff professional development on Monday.
I want to thank our band teacher Toni Hansen for a fantastic band concert on the Thursday before spring break. She has done a wonderful job supporting our students and we are excited to have her back next year! We wish Ms. Hansen and the 8th grade band the best as they head to the Emerald City Band Festival on Thursday.
Soon parents in all 3 grades will begin to hear about field trips. Thank you for your assistance with our fall fundraiser because those funds allow us to provide great opportunities for students at SBMS!
Our science department teachers Ms. Kimball, Mr. Pete, and Mr. Bradley are planning some really cool experiences for students! We are also working on our annual Day of Kindness event (to be held on 5/15) when every student has the opportunity to help others in our community.
There will be a field trip form going home for Kindness Day this week and it will be due back the 10th. This year there have been district-wide changes in field trip permission procedures and getting permission slips back for all school activities on time is going to be really important. We appreciate any assistance that you can provide in helping your child to get forms back to the school on time. To help with this, this spring when we do send permission slips home, you will receive an email letting you know that they have been given to students and the due date.
Thank you for your time in reading this week's Spartan Update. If there is anything that I can do for you, please feel free to contact me at nolan_p@4j.lane.edu, 541-790-8300, or by clicking the Contact Paula button at the bottom of this newsletter.
Have a nice day,
Paula
Paula Nolan
Principal
Spencer Butte Middle School
SBMS No Place for Hate Pledge
Getting to School Safe
If your child walks or bikes to school I recommend occasionally walking or driving that route with your child (this doesn't have to be during the walk to school) to ensure that your child is travelling the route that you think they are taking (just in case you or the school needs to look for them before or after school) and that the path they choose is a safe one.
Track and Field T-shirts Available - $20
If your child is interested in an optional SBMS Track and Field t-shirt we are selling them in the office for $20.00. They can come in before or after school to make a purchase. If your child would like a shirt and your family needs assistance paying for one, please call the office and ask to speak to Heather or Stephanie.
Repeat- REGISTRATION OPEN! Track and Field season begins on Monday, March 11th!
Track and Field is open to ALL students. Students can participate regardless of ability to pay the enrollment fee. Scholarship funds are available so we highly encourage you to ask. All athletes must complete online registration and have a current physical on file before they can practice. To register, please go to the Track 2024 webpage on our school site.
Registration has been extended to 4/2.
Questions or Requests for Fee Assistance? Please contact Spencer Butte Track Coordinator, Heather Acharya, at acharya_h@4j.lane.edu
We love to showcase in the yearbook all the wonderful extracurricular activities, as well as drama performances and band concerts, that SBMS students are involved in throughout the school year. If you have pictures you'd like to share, please email Jenn Kotlarek (kotlarek@4j.lane.edu). Be sure to include student name and details of the activity. Thank you for supporting our yearbook.
Upcoming Events
In Every Issue: How to Connect With Staff
We are here as a part of your child's team. Whenever I have the opportunity to speak with a parent about something involving a class I always ask if they've had a chance to connect with the teacher. I ask that question because involving the teacher is the most powerful thing that we can do to help your child in class.
Our teachers love to hear from parents. Whether there is information about something happening in the student's life, a fun story about when your child spoke about the class at home, concerns about academic progress, or questions about the class, connecting with staff is the first and most important step in helping your student to succeed.
There are many ways to connect with staff. Sending an email or message in Canvas is the most direct way of reaching teachers. You can also call the school at 541-790-8300 and leave a message for a teacher to return.
Contacting Teachers Via Email
To find a teacher's email address, please access our directory below.
[Link to SBMS Staff Email List: https://spencerbutte.4j.lane.edu/staff-e-mail-list/ ]
Contacting Teachers Via the Canvas Parent App*
You may find the Canvas Parent app the easiest way to send a message. When in the app you can send a message by tapping on a course name and then the speech bubble emoji in the bottom right corner. Alternatively, you can also navigate to the inbox, tap on the speech bubble emoji, and then select the teacher/course you are intending to send the message to.
Canvas on Desktop*
If you are accessing Canvas via desktop you are able to send a message through the Inbox feature. To use that, follow the directions below:
- Click on the Inbox logo/name on the left hand side of the screen.
- Once you are in the Inbox, look at the top of the webpage and then click the pictogram that looks like a pencil writing on paper.
- After you do that, you can select the course/teacher you are attempting to contact.
*Information about how to access Canvas is below.
This newsletter is produced by Spencer Butte Middle School for the benefit of our school community. Please feel free to contact us directly.
In addition to contacting teachers, Canvas is also the tool that you can use to keep apprised of your child's grades in class.
How can I access Canvas?
You can access Canvas via the Canvas Parent app (available in the Google and Apple app stores) or by going to https://4j.instructure.com/login/canvas
How do I connect my account to my child's?
In Canvas, parents are called Observers. From the 4J Canvas webpage we learn that "As an Observer you will be able to check grades, monitor assignments and due dates, as well as communicate directly with your student’s teachers."
The key part of becoming an Observer is to pair your parent account with your child's account. To do that, you need a pairing code from your child. There are two ways to get your child's pairing code.
Student Supplied Pairing Code
If you would like to get the pairing code directly from your student, please click on the link below with your child to learn how to get the code:
Link to Creating a Pairing Code for an Observer Video: https://www.loom.com/share/33d85e2c1c7d4b6087ae0a708d63afac
Paula Provides the Pairing Code
Another way to get a pairing code is to contact me directly (nolan_p@4j.lane.edu, 541-790-8300, or click the Contact Paula button at the bottom of the page). Once I receive your request, I will generate the code and email it to you.