March Newsletter 2024
Memorial Middle School
Important Dates:
March 10...Daylight Savings
March 15...No Classes - Compensatory
March 20...End of Third Quarter
March 29...No Classes - Spring Break
April 1...No Classes - Spring Break
Memorial Social Media
Memorial is excited to share with you our social media sites. We showcase all of the amazing things that happen in our school every day!
FACEBOOK: MemorialMSSF https://www.facebook.com/MemorialMSSF
INSTAGRAM: memorialmssf https://www.instagram.com/memorialmssf/
TWITTER: @memorialmssf https://twitter.com/memorialmssf
Note from the Principal
Dear Parents,
Thank you for participating in the February conferences. We appreciate your ongoing partnership in your child's education journey. Please remember that you can always reach out to the Memorial Middle School office at 605-362-2785 to speak with a teacher, counselor, or administrator if your student needs academic or emotional support.
Important Announcements
2024-25 School Year Registration: Registration for the upcoming school year will start in March. 8th-grade students have already completed high school registration, and 6th and 7th-grade students will be doing so soon. Keep an eye out for an informational registration sheet that will be sent home for your attention. Feel free to contact us with any questions about the process.
"Everybody Reads" Event: Our "Rain or Shine Everybody Reads" program will begin next week. Students will be encouraged to read as many books as possible over the next three weeks. For each book completed, they will earn a raindrop to add to our library wall adorned with umbrellas.
Spring Excitement: With spring approaching, students are getting excited for outdoor activities. While looking forward to the summer, there is still significant learning ahead. We rely on your continued support to keep students engaged until the end of the school year.
We are grateful for your continued partnership and support. Thank you for being an essential part of the Memorial Middle School community.
Warm regards,
Dr. Demi Moon, Prinicpal
State Assessment
Dear Parent or Guardian:
From April 15 to April 26, students in grades 6 - 8 will take the state assessment in (a) English Language Arts and (b) Mathematics. Students in grade 8 will take the state assessment the week of April 22-26 in (c) Science. The purpose of this letter is to help in your understanding of the assessment, as well as providing a few ideas for improving your child’s preparedness.
The assessments measure student achievement of our state’s standards in the areas of English Language Arts, Mathematics, and Science. In addition, score reports will provide information on student performance in the following areas:
- English: Reading, writing, listening, & research
- Math: Concepts and procedures; problem-solving and modeling/data analysis; & communicating reasoning
- Science: physical science, life science, and earth & space science
The assessments are given through an online computer application and are unique in the way they adapt to a student’s question responses. This is important as it provides questions that are appropriate for your child’s level of learning. As a result, each student has the same opportunity to succeed and maintain a positive attitude towards testing. These assessments are not timed; however, we provide the following times as estimates of assessment duration: (a) English – 3.5 hours, (b) Math – 3 hours and (c) Science – 1.5 hours.
Student grades will not be impacted by their performance on this assessment; however the assessment does serve as a way for the school to analyze how well we are helping students meet the standards. Shortly after the testing period is complete, you will receive a report showing your child’s scores.
There is no need to study in preparation for the assessments. We do, however, ask that students try their best and get plenty of rest the night before testing. It is important for students to come to school on test days. Assessment are required, therefore making up a missed assessment leads to less instructional time and a loss of important learning opportunities.
This testing is very important for your child, Memorial Middle School, and the Sioux Falls School District. Thank you for supporting your child and our school during this assessment period. Please contact us if you have any questions. We know that Memorial Middle School's students will help us to understand the great strides our students have taken in meeting our school and state standards in learning!
Sincerely,
Dr. Demi Moon
Principal
Memorial Middle School
For 8th Grade Parents
CONNECTIONS
Class of 2028
A summer program to educate and prepare students for high school.
Get all the details for your high school by using the below QR Code or visiting https://www.tinyurl.com/ConnectionsSFSD
This is for incoming 9th graders interested in attending Connections this summer at JHS, LHS, RHS, or WHS.
Connections students start high school right and earn a half credit toward graduation. The 7 or 8 days are packed with ideas, strategies, people, and new experiences that will help prepare students for a great first day and a successful first year of high school.
The cost is $100. That's about $13 a day for this powerful experience to prepare freshmen for high school. There are a number of options for how to pay. Scholarships are available. More when you click on the link.
If you have questions, contact information is provided in the form.
We look forward to working with your son or daughter this summer!
The District Connections Teachers
High School Summer School 2024 Courses Open For Registration
Attention 8th Grade Parents:
High School Summer School 2024 is open for registration.
Registration deadline is May 24.
Please direct any course registration questions to your school counselor.
Parent/Guardian/Student Info:
https://www.sf.k12.sd.us/page/summer-school
Registration Online Here:
https://comed.sf.k12.sd.us/wconnect/ace/home.htm (search ‘summer school’ or ‘H24’)
Don't Forget To Move Your Clocks Ahead 1 Hour!
Counselor Connections
Counseling Assignments:
Renee Halde: 6th Grade
Alex Dobbs: 7th Grade
Kerri Andela: 8th Grade
Counseling Office Phone #: 362-2789
Website: http://memorialcounseling.weebly.com
Our Mission: As professional school counselors we help provide an environment in which students can achieve academic, career, and personal/social success. It is our goal and challenge to help students “Become the Best Version of Themselves.”
Second Step (Social Emotional Learning) Program: Here is a summary of the March Second Step Lessons being taught in PRO Time (1st period) & parent/guardian follow-up questions to go with each lesson:
Registration Updates for Current 6th & 7th Graders for the 2024-25 School Year:
7th to 8th Grade Registration
Mr. Dobbs will be working with the current 7th graders the week of Mar. 18th on registering for 8th grade. A registration form should be coming home on Mar. 18th or 19th. The form will need to be completed and signed by a parent/guardian and returned to school by Mar. 21st (or earlier).
6th to 7th Registration
Mrs. Halde will be talking with 6th grade students about registering for 7th grade. She will be doing this during the beginning of March. Registration forms will be sent home and will need to be returned as soon as possible.
7th Grade Counseling Curriculum Lesson: Mr. Dobbs will be in Social Studies Classrooms during the 3rd Quarter to do a lesson on careers and career bias. During the lesson, students will learn about the importance of considering their skills and interests when exploring careers. Also, they will learn about how certain types of biases may be a challenge when pursuing our career interests. Furthermore, students will learn about strategies for overcoming challenges when pursuing their career interests.
Family Forum Series: The Sioux Fall School District and Avera Health are partnering to strengthen families by presenting on topics of interest throughout the school year. Here is a link to the recorded presentations that you can watch at your own convenience: Family Forum Series
2024 Summer Career Camps (Information for Current 6th & 7th Grade Families) Applications and information about the 2024 Dakota Dreams Career Exploration Summer Camps for students who will be in 7th and 8th grade next school year. Hosted on South Dakota college campuses, these FREE five-day camps expose students to various career paths through fun, engaging, and hands-on learning.
Questions or Concerns: If there are questions/concerns or anything you feel it would be helpful for use to know about your child, feel free to contact your child’s assigned counselor.
Food/Meal Resources
Necessities for Neighbors @ Peace Lutheran Church
Sunday March 3, 2024, 3:00-4:00 PM
5509 W 41st Street, SF SD 57106
Necessities for Neighbors is our local outreach program to help our neighbors in need. The program was started when we discovered that there are certain necessities that people cannot buy with Food Stamps.
- Arrive at South door
- Photo ID or a piece of mail needed for registration
Feeding SD Mobile Food Distribution at Peace Lutheran Church
5509 W 41st Street, SF SD 57106
Monday March 11, 2024
5:30-6:30 PM
Feeding SD Mobile Food Distribution at Good News Church
1800 S Valley View Rd
Sioux Falls, SD 57103
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
5:30-7:00 PM
The Banquet West
710 N Marion Road, Sioux Falls, SD 57107
Meal Times
Monday-Friday
Supper 6 pm-7:30 pm
Every Day.....Every Period.....On Time
Don't Be Late!
We ask all Memorial families to make a renewed commitment to arriving on time. This helps your child's teacher and classmates and your child. With the cold and snowy weather, the car drop off line can be long, so please plan accordingly. Here is a review of our morning routines.
- The school doors open at 8:40 a.m. for students to enter the building.
- When the temperature is below 32 degrees, students can come into the cafeteria starting at 8:10 a.m.
- Breakfast starts at 8:25 a.m.
- Our school day starts at 8:55 a.m.
- Students are considered tardy if they are not in their seats at 8:55 a.m.
Please note, when students get their 4th tardy for the quarter, they will receive an office referral and 1 hour detention after school. It is important to be on time to school, so students have time to visit with teachers and friends in the morning, gather items from their locker for classes, and get to class early. If students come to school late, then they start their day with anxiety and stress which is not a great way to start the day.
Thank you for renewing your commitment to arriving on time. We appreciate your help!
Parent Portal/Infinite Campus
ABSENCE REQUESTS
Parent Portal only allows you to request full day absences now.
You may still request specific times if your student is arriving late or being picked up early.
Click "full day" and then please leave a note in the comments section with the times. We will adjust attendance accordingly on our end.
*Please double check the date(s) you request, as it automatically defaults to the current day.
You may also contact the school directly.
First choice: SFSDMemorialOffice@k12.sd.us
Second choice: 605-362-2785
Rylee Matzen
Challengers (6)
Hasan Barkouki
Challengers (6)
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Caleb Rhoades
Mavericks (6)
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Rangers (6)
Honor Oestreich
Rangers (6)
Alexis Broton
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Alaric Rand
Blue Dynamos (7)
Ian Deardoff
Pathfinders (7)
Josie Kaderabek
Pathfinders (7)
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Sevenators (7)
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Sevenators (7)
Trista Anderson
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Crazy 8s (8)
Cayman Koball
Gator 8s (8)
Max Miller
Gator 8s (8)
Alison Lemig
Rockin 8s (8)
Annabelle Martin
Rockin 8s (8)
Mustang Club Business Sponsors
Music Department Notes
Child Nutrition
Nutrition Office ✆ 605-367-7635
Please call the SFSD Nutrition Office with any questions or concerns regarding your student's breakfast/lunch account.
MMS Sports
Contact Us
Office Hours are 7:30 am to 4:30 pm (Monday - Friday)
After Hours: (605) 362-2792
- Press 1 for attendance
- Press 2 to leave a message
Email: SFSDMemorialOffice@k12.sd.us
Website: http://www.sf.k12.sd.us/memorial/home
Location: Memorial Middle School, 1401 S Sertoma Ave, Sioux Falls, SD 57106, USA
Phone: (605) 362-2785
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MemorialMSSF/
Twitter: @MemorialMSSF