Smithsburg Middle School
February 2018
Principal's Message
Dear Smithsburg Families,
The second semester is officially underway. It is hard to believe that half of the school year is behind us. The staff and I look forward to working with your children as we prepare them for the upcoming standardized tests and ultimately the next grade level.
We just wrapped up our 3-3 Basketball Tournament and are donating over $400 to the Humane Society, nice job students! Other successful events in January included: Pennies for Patients, Activity Night, The Mega Event, and the second of three STAR Ceremonies, thank you to all who attended.
Looking ahead to this month, we start with a ‘Collecting for the Cure’ SGA fundraiser. Also, one scheduled Activity Night, an SGA meeting, plus all SALT and AVID applications are due. We offer many after-school clubs and encourage your child to inquire with the front office if they are interested in joining any of them.
The staff and I are always available to meet with or talk to you about any questions or concerns you may have. It continues to be my pleasure to serve the Smithburg School Communities.
Matt Hoffman
Principal
American History Essay Winners
The Conococheague Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution would like to announce the winners of the American History Essay contest. For 6th grade, the first place winner Julia Brophy and Ella Gross the runner up. In 8th grade, Sohna Sallah the first place winner and Jeremiah Effah the runner up. The winning essays were sent on to compete at the state level. The chapter would like to thank the teachers for supporting the contest and all the students that wrote essays. Congratulations!
Attendance Tips
ATTENDANCE TIPS
Every child is expected to attend school daily, unless he/she is ill or has another exceptional circumstance.
HOW CAN PARENTS ENCOURAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE?
- Let children know attendance every day is important.
- Send a written excuse to school on the same day the child returns to school after being absent.
- A doctors note if requested or the if student is absent due to a doctor appointment or has doctors order.
- Plan vacations during official school break times.
- Establish and maintain a daily routine.
- Praise your child when s/he exhibits good attendance and promptness.
- Reach out for help from school staff and/or other agencies, if necessary.
Keep in mind if you need to schedule a doctor appointment for your student during the school day, Please try to make it after 12:40 PM. Students who are in attendance for 4 or more hours will receive credit for attending the entire day.
iPads
FFA News
Meetings dates:
February 5th
February 12th
February 26th
Please keep in mind if school is delayed, there will be no FFA meetings, or other morning activities.
Family Life Information Grades 7 & 8
- Date: February 20th, 2018
- Location: SMS Media Center
- Time: 6:00 PM
Healthy Smiles in Motion
Parents: Your child can have a dental exam, teeth cleaned, cavities filled on the Healthy Smiles dental RV here at our school. Consent forms will be sent home by the end of February and will need to be returned to the front office.
Spelling Bee
Congratulations to the following SMS Spelling Bee Winners:
6th Grade Champion - Vivianna Cave
6th Grade Runner Up - Kaleb Brodka
7th Grade Champion - Samantha Lomeli-Andrade
7th Grade Runner Up - Kenny Corbin
8th Grade Champion - Zachary Slater
8th Grade Runner Up - Sohna Sallah
Student Lunch Accounts
You may monitor your child' s account activity online at www.myschoolbucks.com.
Parents can also limit their child's a la carte purchases by contacting the Food and Nutrition Services office at 301.766.2890.
School Delays and Closings
WCPS has implemented two specific weather zones, in Hancock and Cascade. These areas sometimes experience greater inclement weather than the majority of the county. These zones may be closed or delayed separately from the rest of the county.
The Cascade Zone is defined as being the attendance area for Cascade Elementary School. Students who live in the Cascade Elementary attendance area and attend Cascade Elementary, Smithsburg Middle School or Smithsburg High School will follow any schedule changes that apply to the Cascade Zone. Students who live in the Old Forge Elementary, Smithsburg Elementary and Greenbrier Elementary attendance areas and attend one of these elementary schools, or Smithsburg Middle or Smithsburg High School are NOT included in the Cascade Zone. More specific information, including a road list in the Cascade Zone, is included in a 3-page PDF HERE. The Hancock Zone is defined as being the attendance area for Hancock Elementary School and Hancock Middle/Senior High School.
Please check your local tv, radio, WCPS web page, e-mails/text alerts, Connect 5 (alert now) system. Decisions and communication will be made about 5:30 am
Activity Nights
Come join us for some fun! The next upcoming Activity Night events are:
February 23rd, 2018 from 6:30-8:30
*If you are interested in being a chaperone please call the front office, Thank you.
Counseling Corner
Dear Smithsburg Middle School Families,
We are pleased to introduce Family Connection – a comprehensive website that you and your student can use to make plans about colleges, and careers. Family Connection is linked with Naviance, a service that we use in our office to track and analyze data about college and career plans, so it provides up-to-date information that’s specific to our school.
Family Connection allows your student to:
· Get involved in the planning and advising process – Build a resume, complete online surveys, and manage timelines and deadlines for making decisions about colleges and careers
· Research colleges – Compare GPA, standardized test scores, and other statistics to actual historical data from our school for students who have applied and been admitted in the past
· Research careers – Research hundreds of careers and career clusters, and take career assessments
· Create plans for the future – Create goals and to-dos, and complete tasks assigned by the school to better prepare your student for future college and career goals.
Family Connection also lets us share information with you and your student about upcoming meetings and events, local scholarship opportunities, and other resources for college and career information.
To visit our school’s Family Connection site, use an Internet browser to connect to: http://connection.naviance.com/smithsburgmid
Your personal registration code will be mailed to you in the next 2 weeks. Your student has been registered by their school counselor and has used this program in our comprehensive school counseling program.
Once you have your own account, you will sign in using the user name and password you chose during the registration process. Access to Family Connections will help you track your student’s college application process and is a resource that we hope you access frequently. If you have any questions, please contact your student’s grade level counselor.
Respectfully,
The Smithsburg School Counseling team
Front Office News
In order for parents to receive timely communications from Smithsburg Middle School, it’s imperative that we have the most current information on file for you and your student. This includes:
· current cell phone number
· current email address
· current home address
Finally, the school system is continuing to direct parents and community members to the WCPS app, which is a free download for anyone from the iTunes Store or Google Play, search for “Washington County PS.” Parents have access to a variety of information about their student and the system in the app, and this is the only option for general community members to receive notifications from the school system. The former “Community Portal” is no longer a service that WCPS utilizes.
PTSA
PTSA News:
- Our next Dining to Donate night is at Friendly’s on Feb 27th from 4 to 8 pm. This is a nice supplement to our fundraising, supports local businesses and you don’t have to cook!
- Mark your calendars for the PTSA Spring Activity night on April 20th.
- We welcome everyone to our next meeting February 5th and March 5th at 6pm in the Media Center.
- Don’t forget to clip those BoxTops! This is an easy way to raise funds for the school.
- For PTSA reminders, we use the Remind app. Text @af4b8d to 81010.
- Like our page on Facebook “Smithsburg Middle PTSA” and our email is SMPTSA@gmail.com
Your PTSA Executive Board,
Amy Garner, Jennifer Ashbaugh, Kim Harbaugh, Becki Holmes, and Susie Burleson
STUDENT COUNCIL NEWS
Advisor for this year’s Student Council: Mrs. Lisa Waters WaterLis@wcps.k12.md.us
Friday’s are SMS Pride Days; the 3rd Friday is a College Pride Day!
Important Dates
SMS is still collecting Monetary Donations for Cancer in order to benefit a local facility; Doey’s House. We will make a pledge of our donated amount on February 10th.
· February 5th - February 9th Valentine’s Day Carnation Grams <3
Carnations Grams will be sold during all grade level lunches. Student Council Members will take turns selling Carnations & or Cards at each lunch every day.
Costs: Carnations with a Card $1.00 Valentine Cards .50 Cents
· Tuesday, February 13th Student Council Meeting @ SMS
The Meeting will be in Mrs. Waters’ room after school from 3:30 to 4:30. All members must attend! See Mrs. Waters if you cannot attend. We will prepare Carnations and Valentine Day Cards to be passed out during Homerooms for Wednesday. We will meet another day in February to discuss & choose Dance Themes for the 8th Grade Dance Friday, May 18th.
· February 23rd Activity Night 3 On 3 Basketball Tournament
Student council is sponsoring an Activity Night from 6:30-8:30 pm. Admission is $5. Parents/Students are encouraged to donate snacks. Drinks will be provided. Interested students should report to the gym to sign up as soon as you arrive! Registration will end at 7:00 pm. Gift cards will be awarded to the winning teams! Rec games and a movie will also be provided. NJHS will also be selling tape in order to tape a staff member to the wall during the Activity Night! Ten Parent/Adult Volunteers are Absolutely Needed in order to make this night a success! Please contact Mrs. Lisa Waters, Student Council sponsor, at WaterLis@wcps.k12.md.us or at 301-766-8353 if you are able to help out!
· February TBD 8th Grade Dance-Themes
8th Grade Students will vote on a theme for the 8th Grade Dance. The Dance is Friday, May 18th in the Cafeteria 6:30-8:30. More information will be available when necessary.
· Tuesday, March 13th WCASC Meeting @ Williamsport High School
President, Camden Barnes and 6 other officers/members can attend. Grade levels will alternate to attend County meetings. Permission Slips can be obtained from Mrs. Waters and must be signed and returned the week before on Thursday, March 8th! I will need to know if you are purchasing lunch. You must let your teachers know that you will be absent from class, and you are Responsible for any work that you miss.
· FYI: January 8th-26th Pennies for Patients-Collect for Cures
SMS Collected Monetary Donations for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A portion of the Money Donated will be given to a local Cancer Facility; Doey’s House. Prizes will be awarded to the Homeroom who donates the most amount of money. There will also be a competition between Grade Levels; the winning Grade Level will be given a reward as well; reward to be determined later! Our school goal is $600.00! We Met Our Goal; specific donation amounts will be disclosed in the March Newsletter! Way to Go SMS!!!! Thank you for your support!