Jag E-News
Sartartia Middle School 10.11.20
Dear Jag Families,
I am writing with an update as we continue our transition to dual learning models at Sartartia Middle School. We recognize this transition has not been without its challenges, and at the same time I am proud of the way our teachers, staff members and students have continued to put their best foot forward to continue learning and supporting one another. I am filled with gratitude as we end the week.
I want to acknowledge that while students have returned to our school building, the work to transition to dual learning models continues. As we have shared before, creating student schedules requires a massive effort at the District and campus level, and members of our team have been working countless hours to complete this process so that the technology sync I mentioned earlier this week will occur.
With that in mind, I want you to know students and parents will continue to see changes in Skyward as we continue to work on balancing classes and ensuring students are placed properly. These temporary changes will continue to be visible until schedules are set. The same process is utilized on a smaller scale when students return each Fall. For the first few weeks of school, some students experience schedule changes as we balance classes. The only difference at this time, due to the dual system we are running, will be more widespread changes, and the fact we are making changes manually. As we have always done, we will continue to ensure all students have access to appropriate courses which satisfy graduation requirements as well as courses such as athletics, fine arts, and CTE which speak to individual preferences and enhance engagement.
This newsletter contains the following topics:
- Week At a Glance
- Student of the Week
- PTO Updates & Jag Cash Drive
- SMS Relaunch Plans & Updates
- Athletics Fundraiser
- Counselor's Corner
- Library News
- Technology Resources
- Grab & Go Meals
We continue to ask for grace and patience as our plans take shape. Thank you for your time and support of our school. Our priority is to serve our community in the best way possible.
With Jag Pride,
Cholly Oglesby
Principal
Sartartia Middle School
WEEK AT A GLANCE
- Beginning of Term 2 Grading Period
- Volleyball Tryouts @ 7:00am
- Football Equipment Distribution 4:30-6:30pm
TUESDAY 10.13.20
- Volleyball Tryouts @ 7:00am
- Football Practice Begins @ 4:30pm
- Library Book Pick-Up 12:30-1:30pm
WEDNESDAY 10.14.20
- Volleyball Tryouts @ 7:00am
THURSDAY 10.15.20
- Library Book Pick-Up 2:30-3:30pm
FRIDAY 10.16.20
- Pink Out: Wear pink to recognize Breast Cancer Awareness Month
- Last day to order SMS Spirit Shirts for $15 and support our SMS Cheerleaders.
STUDENT OF THE WEEK
Eric Zang has been nominated as our SMS Student of the Week. He is a 6th grader that goes above and beyond to help his peers figure out how to navigate technology applications. Eric always takes the initiative to step in and offer assistance to others. His teachers say that he daily demonstrates the characteristics of a life-long learner and collaborative citizen in all of his classes.
BFW Pizza Nights
Eat well together and support the SMS PTO the whole month of October. Log on to the website, https://bfwpizza.com/, add items to your order, check out and enter code SMS_SPIRIT in coupon code box. You receive a 10% discount with the code and the PTO will receive a portion of the balance.
SMS PTO Jag Cash Drive
SARTARTIA MIDDLE SCHOOL RELAUNCH PLANS
BIKE RIDERS
Due to building construction, bike riders should not use the driveway for the bus ramp to access the bike racks. Bike riders should instead use the sidewalk between Kids "R" Kids and the SMS building and come around the back of the building to park and secure their bikes. Thanks for you cooperation in keeping all bike riders safe!
Face Coverings
For the safety of students, staff, and others, all students and staff are required to wear a face-covering (cloth or disposable, that fully covers their nose and mouth) throughout the day. Now that we have had students in the building for a few days and have been working to establish routines associated with health and safety, the district is modifying our processes regarding face coverings for students during outdoor activities such as recess, structured breaks and physical education. Beginning Thursday, October 8, facial coverings will be optional during these structured outdoor activities. This adjustment, coupled with adequate social distancing, will allow our students to have a break from wearing their masks.
Our staff members will continue to monitor and enforce appropriate social distancing during these structured outdoor times, and we will also have hand sanitizing procedures in place as students remove their face coverings and then put them back on. Please continue to speak with your child to reinforce the importance of our health and safety protocols. As a reminder, parents are encouraged to send an extra face covering with their student to use in the event his/her covering becomes soiled or dirty.
NO LUNCH DELIVERIES
Students have the option of bringing their own lunch to school or purchasing their own lunch daily. Out of an abundance of caution while the District operates under pandemic operating procedures, no outside food (pre-packaged or homemade) for students may be brought into schools by delivery from parent/guardian or external vendors. This also includes no outside food for class birthday celebrations (i.e. cupcakes, cookies, etc.). Cross-contamination and the possibility of a person touching another person’s portion is too great of a risk regarding the spread of Covid-19. If a student forgets their lunch at home, they may receive a meal from the cafeteria. These will be free of charge through December. Beginning in January, students will be allowed to charge the meal to their account. Visitors will not be allowed to eat meals with students on campus.
SMS Athletic Department Updates
The Sartartia Athletic Department is raising money for items that our current budget cannot afford at this time. As you know or may not know, both gyms have just been reconstructed, and on the football field we have a brand-new track. We are in need of items such as: record boards for the gym, windscreen for the tennis courts and football field bleachers, decoration cups for the fence, and a water-trough system. We are currently using the RevTrak system, so all you have to do is click on this link to donate. Please give what you can to a worthy cause and to help spread the Jaguar spirit. Click here to donate.
Nominate a Teacher of the Month
2020-2021 SMS Yearbooks
Transition to Dual Learning Model
Thank you for your patience during this time. Please be advised that every student's schedule will likely change in order to accommodate a new school class schedule that accommodates students returning in person, as well as online learning. Counselors will not be able to accommodate any teacher or period change requests to the new schedules due to the complexity of the school master schedule. We appreciate your understanding.
COURSE LEVEL CHANGES
Below are the steps to follow when requesting a level change (i.e. moving from an academic to Pre-AP course, Pre-AP to academic course or moving out of a high school level course):
- Student/parent will download the "SMS Level Change Form 2020-21" and fill out their portion of the form.
- Ensure all parts of the form are completed (i.e. a meeting/conversation between the teacher and parent must have occurred before the form can be submitted).
- Students will then save the document “Level Change – student name” so that the information filled out in the form saves, and then student will email the form to their teacher (if any portion of the level change form has not been completed, teachers may send the form back to the student to complete).
- Teachers will fill out their portion, save and send the form to the counselor to review and process.
- Upon approval or denial of your request, you will receive an email from your grade level counselor with information on the change.
As always, if you have any questions, you can email your student’s counselor directly and we will set up a time to talk to you. Additionally, should your student need to speak with their counselor they can use the request to see the counselor form here:
8TH GRADE - REQUEST FORM
7TH GRADE - REQUEST FORM
6TH GRADE - REQUEST FORM
Thank you so much for everything you are doing for your child. Stay safe and healthy!
We wish you all well during this time.
Sincerely,
The SMS Counseling Team
Important Library News for Parents
There are now separate book checkout procedures for face to face students and virtual students. Every student will have a virtual library day. On their library day students will go to the library catalog, Destiny, and place up to two library books on hold. Destiny is accessible through 1Link and directions for placing holds on library books are on the Sartartia website (library and media page) and in the students’ library Schoology course. Teachers also have this information. Virtual students can pick up their new library books on Tuesday, Oct. 13th from 12:30-1:30 OR Thursday, Oct. 15th from 2:30-3:30. Face to face students will have their virtual library week Oct. 12-16 and those books will then be delivered to their advisory class the week of Oct. 19-23.
Library staff follows the CDC’s guidelines for books, which is a four-day quarantine after books are returned. Virtual students can return their library books during curbside pickup or they can return their books early on the library cart that is placed in front of the school daily. Face to face students will return their books in the designated return areas (the commons and the hallway outside of the library).
If you have any questions please contact the Sartartia librarian Melannie Boullion at 281-634-6377 or melannie.boullion@fortbendisd.com. Thank you for your support of our library!
Schoology Library Access Code: WP6Q-TM7S-8D848
Follow us on Twitter @smsjaglibrary
Technology Resource Help
The Technology Resource page on https://www.fortbendisd.com/Page/124794 is available for parents/students to obtain help related to technology. There is helpful information on hot topics like passwords, 1Link, Microsoft Teams etc. You will also find the “Technology Status” section where we post the latest status of technology issues we are aware of.
Password Help
As the school year progresses, some secondary student account passwords are expiring. Password expiration is a normal cycle with network accounts and students will receive a proactive password change notification email. Secondary students are able to manage their own passwords by going to my.fortbendisd.com. Campus staff is also able to help any students at the campus with password problems. If the student is experiencing issues with logging into Skyward, Global Protect VPN, or a district-issued laptop please have them follow instructions provided in the attachment below to set up a new password. If the student fails to change his/her password in advance of expiration, they will be locked out of the system, however they will be able to regain access once they reset the password.
FBISD Tech Support Depots
The district currently has 3 sites available to help with technology and provide student IT hardware support: Technical Education Center (540 Dulles Ave.), Marshall High School (1220 Buffalo Run), and Austin High School (3434 Pheasant Creek Dr.).
Locations are staffed Monday – Friday
(there is a one hour closure for lunch between 12:00-1:00 pm)
Monday: 8:30am-3:00pm
Tuesday: 8:30am-5:30pm
Wednesday: 8:30am-3:00pm
Thursday: 8:30am-5:30pm
Friday: 8:30am-3:00pm
Grab and Go Meals Available for all Students-Read below for Locations
Fort Bend ISD has received a waiver from the Texas Department of Agriculture. Beginning September 9, Fort Bend ISD will offer free breakfast and lunch meals to all students, regardless of enrollment in FBISD. Meals will be available to student at Grab and Go meals sites, District Learning Centers, and students attending face-to-face learning. As a result of a waiver from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA), this program is set to expire on December 31, 2020. FBISD is strongly encouraging all families to complete a Free & Reduced Meals application at www.schoolcafe.com/fbisd.
Meals are available to any student up to 18 years of age, and special education students regardless of age. Each student can receive only one breakfast and/or lunch meal per day. Please note, there will be no a la carte sales at this time.
Meal times will remain the same, with breakfast being served from 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students that pick up breakfast between 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. will continue to receive both breakfast and lunch.
Parents can now pick up meals for students, and must provide one of the following documents:
- Student ID cards
- Individual student report cards
- Attendance record from parent portal of Skyward
- Birth certificate for children
Without one of the listed items above, parents will receive meals for the number of students present with them, on foot or in a vehicle.
Grab and Go Meals will be available at 10 locations, listed below:
- Dulles High School (550 Dulles Ave, Sugar Land, 77478)
- Elkins High School (7007 Knights Ct, Missouri City, 77459)
- Hightower High School (3333 Hurricane Ln., Missouri City, 77459)
- Hodges Bend Middle School (16510 Bissonet St., Houston, 77083)
- Kempner High School (14777 Voss Rd, Sugar Land, 77498)
- McAuliffe Middle School (16650 S Post Oak Rd, Houston, 77053)
- Missouri City Middle School (202 Martin Ln, Missouri City, 77489)
- Ridge Point High School (500 Waters Lake Blvd, Missouri City, 77459)
- Travis High School (11111 Harlem Rd, Richmond, TX 77406)
- Willowridge High School (16301 Chimney Rock Rd., Houston, 77053)
Please continue to check the website and social media for any changes to distribution changes.
Assistant Principals & Counselors
6th grade
Paul Wells-Assistant Principal
281.634.6331
Kat Friedel-Counselor
katherine.friedel@fortbendisd.com
281.634.6320
7th grade
Courtney Border-Assistant Principal
courtney.border@fortbendisd.com
281.634.6314
Brandi Goodly-Counselor
281.634.6318
8th grade
Dr. Sunday Johnson-Associate Principal
sunday.johnson@fortbendisd.com
281.634.6316
Rachel McCune-Lead Counselor
281.634.6319
SMS Helpful Resources
Sartartia Middle School
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Email: cholly.oglesby@fortbendisd.com
Website: www.fortbendisd.com/sms
Location: 8125 Homeward Way, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: 281-634-6310
Twitter: @sms_jaguars