Thunderblast 2023
Being CONFIDENT & Taking Academic Risks- Aug 20, 2023
Taking Academic Risks
As I mentioned in the parent coffee, our families rated us 7% above the division in "encouraging students to take academic risks," AND it is still a low mark at 81.3%. We are far enough removed from remote learning and COVID protocols that we can use this year to focus on high expectations for EACH student and working together to challenge EACH other to be better.
Our theme this year as a staff is about taking risks. The picture below was from Yosemite. I was quite adventurous when I was young, so using a rope and ladder to climb up Half Dome was not a major challenge in my 20s. The challenge was that I did it with my baby sister and was worried about her the whole time. Along the way, there were families that were struggling with younger hikers. Together, my sister and I helped everyone up and when we got to the top, we slept like babies. The moral of the story is that taking risks can be very scary- especially when you are worried about someone you care about failing or getting hurt. The other moral is that together as a team, she and I were empowered to help others reach their goal.
Time to get comfortable being uncomfortable, Thunderbolts!
Highlighter Vapes
YAS
LCPS Middle School Intramural Sports Pilot Program
Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) will pilot its first middle school intramural sports program for the 2023-24 school year at Harper Park, River Bend, Seneca Ridge and Smart’s Mill Middle School. Intramural sports are an extension of the school day and reinforce leadership qualities, teamwork, respect, integrity and accomplishment within fun competitions. The middle school intramural sports program is open to girls and boys at all skill levels; no prior participation is required in sports.
What sports are included?
A variety of sports will be offered including flag football, volleyball, basketball and soccer. The team may be co-ed teams, all boys teams or all girls teams. Details below.
- First Quarter (Season One): 7 on 7 Flag Football
- Second Quarter (Season Two): 6 on 6 Volleyball
- Third Quarter (Season Three): 3 on 3 Basketball
- Fourth Quarter (Season Four): 7 on 7 Soccer
At each season's conclusion, LCPS will host a championship tournament between the top two teams from the four participating middle schools at an LCPS high school.
How do students participate?
Students interested in participating are encouraged to find a group of peers or friends at their school to register. Teams or individuals may pick up a registration form in the main office. Registration forms should be submitted to the school’s middle school intramural sports coordinator. Each student must submit an emergency card, parent consent and acknowledgment of risk form, and their student activities rules and regulations acknowledgment form.
All forms can be picked up in the main office. Each participant must provide their mouthpiece, t-shirt, shorts, necessary protective equipment if required by the participant and athletic shoes.
For more information, please contact the Coordinator of the Middle School Intramural Sports and Athletic Trainer Program, Dr. Zahra C. Ismaeli at zahra.ismaeli@lcps.org.
Tech Updates
- Lightspeed
- Requirements for all assignments (how do we monitor this?) leading to workload planner
- Hiding Schoology Grades
- ParentVUE vs. Schoology
Pick up/Drop Off Routes
Title I
Clubs and Activities
I love that some of you are asking about clubs and activities already! That's right on point with our mission. It takes some time for transportation and the activity buses to get settled, so we typically run clubs starting on the Tuesday after Labor Day (September 5) on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. Last year's clubs with details are listed on our website, but staff just got back on Wednesday, so it will take us time to find out the 23-24 club offerings.
I also mentioned that we will be one of four middle schools piloting intramurals this year. All students will have the opportunity to participate and the parameters will be coming to families as we gather more information for clubs and activities. Right now, I am focusing this newsletter on what you need to be successful in the immediate two weeks.
Cell Phone Protocols
Off and Away from 8:30 AM to 3:18 PM
Frequently Asked Questions:
How can I get in touch with my child? Email is a great tool to get our students comfortable typing and communicating with families. Unlike elementary, middle schoolers can email outside of LCPS to a parent's address. School landlines are always available.
What about in case of an emergency? Students using their phones in the case of an emergency can at times promote misinformation and increase panic, which ends up being a greater safety concern.
Can I have a Smart Watch? Yes.
My child has a medical condition that requires a cell phone to monitor? Please let us know through the clinic and we will absolutely support this.
Why did I ever think it was a good idea to give my middle schooler a cell phone? This is the FAQ that I ask myself everyday. At 10 years-old, we are giving our children the same computing power used in the Apollo program to get to the moon. That is a great deal of responsibility at 10. As a middle school parent, I ask myself this question every night and still haven't found a good answer.
How do I Report Absences?
Reporting an Absence in ParentVUE (preferred option)
Please submit before 8:30 AM. After 8:30, the system automatically denies the request because attendance has been taken by a teacher and you will be notified.
Click here (don’t forget to put your student's first and last name)
Call Attendance Line- 571-434-4422 (least preferred option)
*Chronic absenteeism is a goal for our entire cluster this year. Even if we have to miss part of the day, it is imperative that we try to come regularly to stay connected.
Contacting and Visiting Seneca
If calling by phone, the most efficient way to communicate is calling directly to the grade level house administrative assistant. You can use the numbers below so you can find out information specific to your student.
Jennifer Ramos- 6th Grade
571 434 4426
Amanda Helbig, Kelly Dales- 7th Grade
Amanda.Helbig@lcps.org, Kelly.Dales@lcps.org
571 434 4427
Vivian Quach- 8th Grade
571 434 4428
When visiting the school, please remember to have your ID and not to hold the door for anyone. Our office can get busy at times, so please be patient. If you are waiting for your student for early dismissal, it always helps to let them and us know what time so they can be prepared (especially during lunch when we utilize the entire campus).
Bell Schedules
Bell Schedule- various bell schedules we use during the year are in this link. Our normal schedule is below.
PBIS - Staff Of The Week
Stephanie Martinez
A HUGE THANK YOU to Tisha and Bill at Urbano Modern Italian for their breakfast pancake donation and delicious pasta lunch catering, and to all our parents who donated to welcome our Seneca teachers and staff welcomed back to school on Aug 23rd!!!
PTO Corner
If you would like to sponsor any of our school events this year, please write to us at staffappreciation@srmspto.org. You can view the list of our planned events and how to get involved here: https://srmspto.membershiptoolkit.com/teacher_staff_appreciation
Next PTO Meeting
Please join us on August 30th at 9 am in the SRMS library.
Get Involved
We are seeking volunteers for the following available PTO positions
Fundraising Chair
Battle of Route 7 Chair
Bolt Sign Chair
Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee Chair (MSAAC)
Special Education Advisory Committee Chair (SEAC)
PTO has a new website, do check it out...
ORDER YOUR SPIRITWEAR HERE!
School Supplies
#opportunityisdefinitely NOW HERE!
📨 Email: nick.cottone@lcps.org
💻 Website: Seneca Ridge Middle School
🏫 Location: 98 Seneca Ridge Drive, Sterling, VA 20164
☎️ Phone: 571-434-4420