SMS Middle Ground
Connecting Home and School: May 2019
Mid-Term Progress Reports
We've reached the halfway mark of our final grading period which means it's time to check
academic progress! Go to your Harmony Family Access account to see your child's current grades. If you have any difficulty accessing your account, call our office! If you have any questions about your child's progress, please check with your child and/or contact the classroom teacher. Our current grading period ends on the last day of our school year which is Wednesday, June 5thYear End News
Year end? What? How did this school year go by so fast? As we enter the final month of classes, here are some details to help you manage the transition from school to summer!
The last student day is Wednesday, June 5th. We will keep working until that date! Please avoid an early exit unless you absolutely have to do so. June 5th is our original 'last day' so hopefully your family calendar has been marked with a star on that day all year!
iPads and chargers will be collected on Friday, May 31st. The tech team will individually check in all components. Bills for damage or missing items will be sent over the summer. Typical screen replacement is $25. Typical Otterbox case replacement is $40. The charger box is $12 and the charger cord is $12. Thank you for rounding up our officially, originally assigned Apple equipment. Alternatives cannot be accepted at turn in time.
SMS is hoping to offer a remediation Summer School for select 6th and 7th graders in June. At this time, plans are tentative as we are waiting news on state funding. If we can offer the program, we'll have remediation for math and reading on the dates and times listed in the calendar update article below. Eighth graders needing summer school to qualify for promotion to SHS summer school dates/times are also listed. Recommended participants and required participants will be notified by the end of this month. Transportation is not provided for either summer school program but participants can have a free school lunch each day.
Final report cards for all students will be mailed to parents on Monday, June 10th. The cards will contain promotion status and a handout with 2019-2020 registration plans! Please be sure that your home address is correct in Harmony. If you want to check your demographics, here is a short-cut link: HARMONY FAMILY ACCESS. If you need any help logging in to Harmony Family Access, call us at 752-8926. While you are in the program, please check your phone contacts as well. Thanks!
What is a Warrior?
The program centers around six attributes that with "We are" spell out the word WARRIOR!
We are
...Accountable because we own our learning, own our actions, complete all tasks properly/on time, leave places better than we found them, and know and follow guidelines.
...Respectful because we use clean language, use manners, actively listen, apply kindness universally, and demonstrate patience.
...Reliable because we attend every minute, keep our promises, value our words, arrive on time, and look out for others.
...Involved because we engage with instruction/activity, ask and answer questions, greet others, help others, and share our expertise.
...Organized because we track our work, prioritize tasks, see/value the big picture, manage our locker contents, and manage our digital contents.
...Resilient because we value growth, expect ups and downs, try new strategies, take care of ourselves, and persevere.
All students will receive direct instruction in these attributes at the start of each quarter. We'll be using this language as we teach classes and work with your kids. And we'll also use these categories for a Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS) that will launch in August. We'll be using a digital tracking system (called Hero) to recognize students that go above and beyond in these categories. You'll hear more about the Warrior Project and the Hero Tracking system when you register in the fall. We're very excited to start this school-wide program!
Parent/Guardian Input Needed
1) Take a few minutes today and complete an 8-question survey about school rules and programming for 2019-2020. Even if your child is heading to SHS this fall, we'd still love to have your feedback on our tentative plans. Parent/Guardian Survey Link
2) Sixth and seventh graders will be bringing home their 2019-2020 student schedule request forms on Monday. These will be due back to the SMS office by Friday, May 10th. Please ask your kids to see the form and have a discussion about course choices for next fall. And also please help us get that form back to school by Friday! We appreciate your help!
Athletic Physicals and Athletic Gear!
SCSD2 has partnered with Scott Memorial Hospital to offer FREE SPORTS PHYSICALS for SCSD2 middle school and high school athletes! The free clinic will be held at McClain Hall on June 11th, 8:30 am-3:30 pm. Athletes are encouraged to make an appointment but walk-ins are welcome.
To schedule an appointment, please call Ms. Rembush in the SHS Athletic Dept. @ 812-752-8927 EXT 7006 or Mrs. Manns in the SMS Athletic Department @ 812-752-8926 option 2. Athletes may come unaccompanied by a parent as long as they have the History and Consent pages completed. Mrs. Manns will send a form home with every athlete that books through her office. Forms are also available at the event and on the SMS website on the Athletic/Activity page. Save your money and save your insurance claims and call today to book a physical for 2019-2020 sports!
Check our our custom SMS BSN Sports Sideline Store for all of your athletic gear! This is a great place to order birthday gifts and fan apparel for the entire family! BSN is offering a May sale of 15% off for orders $75 and over.
The Savvy Social Media Parent: Instagram Bullying
If you have a student on social media, you need read this article from Common Sense Media! Read this article and have a chat with your child. Does he/she know these steps?
How to Block and Report Cyberbullies on Instagram
Help empower your teen by teaching them how to use the app's features and settings.
By Christine Elgersma 4/24/2019 CommonSenseMedia
Where there's social media, there are cyberbullies, and Instagram is no exception. In fact, one 2017 survey cites that 20 percent of teens are bullied on Instagram. While most teens use it to have fun and connect with friends, there are lots of ways to spread hate, so it's important for teens to know how to block, mute, and report people. Of course, settings are just a start. It's a good idea to talk through how to manage mean or hurtful comments before they become an issue. Most situations can be handled by muting or unfollowing someone. But if someone is actively and repeatedly targeting your kid, encourage them to report the behavior to the platform and, if necessary, their school. If the bully is threatening your kid, you may need to contact local law enforcement (see the bullying laws for your state).
Here's how to block and report bullies. Note that the settings are a bit different in the app vs. on the website:
In the app
- Go to any post by the bully.
- Click the three dots to the right of their screen name.
- Tap Unfollow, Report, or Mute. (Mute hides the person's post from your feed but keeps you as a friend/follower.)
On the browser
- Go to the bully's profile page.
- Click the three dots to the right of their screen name.
- Tap either Block or Report.
The bully won't get a notification that you've blocked them, but they won't be able to see your profile, posts, or stories. They will also see "User Not Found" instead of "Follow," and can still see your comments and likes on public posts. They can also still mention you unless you change your username.
Here's how to manage comments:
In the app
- Tap your profile icon.
- Tap the three lines in the upper-right corner, then tap the Settings gear at the bottom of the page.
- Tap Privacy and Security.
- Tap Comment Controls.
- Use the filters to control who can leave comments, whose comments you want to block, and whether you want to filter using keywords (either by default or ones you choose).
On the browser
- Click on your profile icon.
- Click the gear icon.
- Click Privacy and Security.
- Click Edit Comment Settings.
- Filter comments by choosing their default filter or entering specific keywords.
Calendar Updates: Dates to Know!
Monday, May 20: SMS Band Concert @ SMS 7 PM
Tuesday, May 21: SMS Choir Concert @ SHS McClain Hall 7 PM
Monday, May 27 : Memorial Day/No School
Friday, May 31: iPad/charger turn in day
Friday, May 31: SMS 8th Grade Dance 6:30-9:00 PM
Tuesday, June 4: SMS Academic Awards @ SMS West Gym 6:30-8:00
Wednesday, June 5: Last Day of School
Wednesday, June 5: SMS Spring Awards 9:15-11:00
Wednesday, June 5: SMS 8th Grade Program 1:15-2:45
Summer School for select 6th and 7th Graders (tentative) @ SMS
Mon. - Thu. June 10-14: 8:00-12:00
Mon. - Thu. June 17-20: 8:00-12:00
Summer School for select 8th Graders @ SHS
Mon. - Thu. June 10-14: 8:00-12:00
Mon. - Thu. June 17-20: 8:00-12:00
Mon. - Thu. June 24-28: 8:00-12:00
8th Gr. Parent News: In Case You Missed This Article in the Feb. Issue!
SMS 8th graders finish their middle school careers in style with two very important events. Even though they take place at the end of the year, some kids will start planning now... so read up on our 8th grade Dance and our Graduation Rehearsal!
8th Grade Dance- The SMS 8th grade dance is Friday, May 31st in the SMS Great Room from 6:30-9:00 PM. This annual event is for SMS 8th graders only. Eighth-grade parents are invited to attend. The theme of the dance has yet to be determined but we know that some kids plan attire well in advance! Please remember that the 8th-grade dance is not a prom. We look forward to seeing the class of 2023 in anything from normal school attire to spring dresses and khakis/polos or a dress shirt and tie! Parents are discouraged from arranging limousines, professional photography, gowns, and tuxedos. Students will be expected to attend school all day on dance day. Please do not arrange for hair or nail appointments during the school day. Thank you so much for helping us maintain perspective and maintain the 'specialness' of prom by not simulating one in 8th grade! If you have any questions, contact Miss Nass!
SHS Graduation Rehearsal- Eighth graders spend the final hours of their final middle school day in a unique learning event. We hold the first graduation rehearsal for the Scottsburg High School Class of 2023. We practice a high school graduation with the processional, speeches, and a handshake/diploma line. The SMS counselors use this opportunity to teach kids about the history of cap and gown, diplomas, and more. The SMS administration will officially hand the class off to the SHS administration. This is not a 'dress up' event. Students wear school attire. Parents are invited to join us for the program which will begin just after 1:00 PM. As of now, June 5th is our last school day. That is subject to change, however, if we have any additional school cancellations. More information will be shared in the Scoop prior to the event.
Scottsburg Middle School
Website: www.sms.scsd2.k12.in.us
Location: 425 South 3rd Street, Scottsburg, IN, United States
Phone: 812-752-8926
Facebook: facebook.com/ScottsburgMiddleSchool
Twitter: @ScottsburgMS