January Newsletter 2023
Memorial Middle School
Jan. 12.............End of 1st Semester
Jan. 13.............No Classes - Teacher Work Day
Jan. 16.............No Classes - Martin Luther King Jr. Day Observance
Feb. 6...............No Classes - Teacher Inservice
Feb. 13.............Evening Parent Teacher Conferences
Feb. 16.............Evening Parent Teacher Conferences
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
Memorial Middle School Parents,
As we enter the new year, I want to take a moment to thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to your child’s education. At Memorial Middle School, we have a strong belief that parent involvement is essential to student success. Your involvement has made a real difference in the lives of our students.
During the first two weeks of January, we are focused upon finishing the first semester and looking forward to the beginning of the second semester of the school year. First semester ends on Thursday, January 12th, and Tuesday, January 17th marks the beginning of the second semester. This midpoint will bring some schedule changes for students with respect to encore classes. The first semester report cards will be complete and available online Thursday, January 19th.
Spring parent/teacher conferences are scheduled for the evenings of Monday, February 13th and Thursday, February 16th from 4:15 to 8:00 p.m. Teachers will be emailing information to parents regarding conference sign-up near the end of January. Conferences provide parents and teachers valuable time to continue the ongoing dialogue regarding students and their progress. Please see the information below about keeping informed through Infinite Campus. Your Parent Portal allows you to engage in your student’s schooling by having real-time access.
Thank you again for your support, and I hope you have a wonderful start to the new year!
Sincerely,
Nancy C. Hagen
Principal
Superintendent's Column
SFSD Heap of Happenings
By Dr. Jane Stavem, Superintendent
By now, our bodies have somewhat adjusted to the shortage of daylight that comes with the winter season. The cold weather pushes most of us indoors for activities, yet the dream of a slower pace is quickly replaced by holiday concerts, long to-do lists, and for our high school students - preparing for semester tests.
The District Office doesn’t slow down either. This month, I wanted to share some exciting, education-related news with you that demonstrates our ongoing commitment to becoming THE BEST school district in the nation:
SFSD is delighted with the ongoing interest in the Avera Family Forum Series launched in September. After an out-of-state company approached SFSD about offering monthly sessions to support families, SFSD knew it had one of the best resources available just down the street. We contacted our partners at Avera Behavioral Health, and as we anticipated, they eagerly jumped at the opportunity to participate. Our first online collaboration in September focused on suicide prevention. In October, we tackled the topic of anxiety, and in November, we provided practical advice for parents on setting parameters with digital media. The 40-minute video had been viewed more than 700 times just two weeks after presenting the digital media topic. This video, along with others offered on the third Tuesday of each month, can be found at sf.k12.sd.us under the Counseling Services tab. This partnership is a perfect example of how schools and the community work together to benefit everyone.
Another exciting collaboration turns the spotlight on student ideas. SFSD is now accepting applications for participants in its first-ever TEDxYouth Event to be held in late March. Any high school SFSD student with a big idea and the drive to perfect it for a live audience is invited to apply. Judges will select 15 participants who will bring their ideas to the stage in a ticketed public performance. We’re excited to have the Sioux Falls Public Schools Education Foundation as our premier sponsor, along with Thad Giedd of Pinnacle Productions, whose talent has secured TEDx licensing for this Sioux Falls youth event. Student voices are critical to the success of our schools and our community, and I can’t wait to hear what’s on the minds of our selected speakers.
Top-notch students are always due in part to top-notch teachers, and the Sioux Falls School District is proud to employ so many of them! Nominations are now open for the 2023 Dr. John W. Harris Sioux Falls Teacher of the Year award sponsored by Vern Eide Motorcars. This is the 35th year for the award showcasing the never-give-up tenacity of teachers who believe in, encourage, and challenge students to stretch and grow daily. You’ve likely encountered one or more of them, so why not make a nomination today? The nomination is easy to complete by the January 16, 2023, deadline. The spring celebration is one of the best ways to show appreciation for an exemplary educator.
This update demonstrates our drive to support parents, students, and teachers, and as we close 2022, your public schools are eager to ring in another new year by giving our very best every day. Thank you for your partnership this semester!
Absence Request Processor
Memorial Parents,
An Exciting new attendance option within Infinite Campus called Absence Request Processor is available to parents and staff!
Absence Request Processor allows parents to log in to their Parent Portal account and submit absence requests for their students. Staff can then go into the staff processor side and approve/process these requests. As parents get more comfortable using this option, it will reduce the amount of attendance related phone calls, messages and emails that staff receive each day.
See link below for Infinite Campus log in.
Counselor Connections - January 2023
Counseling Assignments:
Alex Dobbs: 6th Grade
Kerri Andela: 7th Grade
Renee Halde: 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 December Second Step Lessons being taught in PRO Time (1st period) & parent/guardian follow-up questions to go with each lesson:
The 5 Love Languages - Different people with different personalities give and receive love in different ways. Dr. Gary Chapman calls these different ways of giving and receiving love the Five Love Languages. This unique concept provides an opportunity to improve our relationships in our families and communities. Here is a brief description of each love language:
Acts of Service - For these people, actions speak louder than words.
Receiving Gifts - For some people, receiving a heartfelt gift is what makes them feel most loved.
Quality Time - This language is all about giving the other person your undivided attention.
Words of Affirmation - This language uses words to affirm other people.
Physical Touch - To this person, nothing speaks more deeply than appropriate physical touch.
The following is a quiz you and your family members can take and share your results with one another. A New Year’s Resolution might be finding new ways to bond as a family and this tool could help. Here is the link: 5 Love Languages Quiz
Getting Ready for High School (Parents of Current 8th Graders) - You have a vital role in your 8th grader’s transition to high school! Your son or daughter has already completed some career exploration activities in November using the SD MyLife/Xello Program. Students can show the results of their career assessment to you by logging into the SD MyLife Website: www.sdmylife.com.
In January and February, students will be learning about high school and be registering for classes for next year. Please read the below timeline and talk with your son/daughter about what to expect.
Month of January - Students will be getting high school course booklets and “Welcome to High School” packets in their PRO Time Classes. This is their information to keep and use as a resource during all of high school. It is important that they keep this information in a safe place since they will not get replacement copies. For the first few weeks, students will leave this information with their PRO Teachers at school. Once registration gets closer, they will get to bring this information home.
WELCOME TO HIGH SCHOOL Packet
January 26th–High school counselors will visit Memorial students here at school to discuss registration.
February 1st–High school counselors will return to Memorial to help students actually register for their classes for next school year.
What high school is the home attendance center for my son/daughter based on where we live? You can enter your address in the following tool to check on this information:
HS Registration Meetings/Tours - Be sure to attend one of the following meetings with your son/daughter. This is a great opportunity to learn about the school, ask questions and tour the building. Here is the information about the meetings at each school:
JHS: Saturday, January 21st 9:30 am to 11:00 am
Tuesday, January 24 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
LHS: Saturday, January 7th 9:00 am to 10:00 am
Monday, January 9th 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
RHS: Postponed: Will be announced later.
WHS: Thursday, January 5th 6:00 pm to 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 7th 9:30 am to 11:00 am
CTE Open House Tuesday, January 31st 3:45 pm to 7:45 pm
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.
Human Rights Essay Finalists
Mrs. Jackson & Meyen Mayen
Mayen Mayen & Meti Kemaw
Mrs. Summers & Meti Kemaw
Thank you to these Mustang Club Business Sponsors!
December Student of the Month
Molly Carlson
Asher Kallhoff
Ava Skadsen
Joshua Galicia-Turcios
Hadley Sutton
Mason Leno
Rian Stovall
Sheperd Wachal
Dilan Recinos
Sawyer Hecht
Kayson Winter
Mya Kroger
Brynn Vandermaten
Barret Ansell
Ella Reis
David Hyde
Grace Kiser
Jackson Dunn
Music Department Notes
Scripps National Spelling Bee
Congratulations to the Top Ten Scripps Spelling Bee finalists from Memorial! These students will be competing at Memorial on Monday, January 9th, during Period 8 and 9. The top three students will advance to the Regional Spelling Bee, held Saturday, February 4th in Sioux Falls.
Nolin An - 7th Grade Eden Ditmarson – 7th Grade Emma Hurley – 7th Grade Avery Johnson - 8th Grade Olivia Neitzert - 8th Grade Jackson Neeley - 8th Grade Tommy Stevens - 8th Grade Katijana Vanden Bosch – 6th Grade Noah Watson - 8th Grade Ryder Willis – 7th Grade Best of Luck to ALL of you!!
Parents, please remind students to use their school badge to scan in when getting on the bus and to scan out when leaving the bus. Thank you in advance for visiting with your student about the School Bus Inc. procedure.
Student Council Happenings
Child Nutrition Newsletter
Sports Physicals
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
Cafeteria: (605) 362-2799
Counseling Office: (605) 362-2789
After School Program: (605) 370-9649
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