South Middle School
Est. 1932 The Spartan tradition continues…
October 2019
Dear Parent(s) and Guardian(s),
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences begin this week on Thursday evening, continue on Friday morning and afternoon, and conclude on Monday evening. Please see details below for conference format, information, and how to schedule a conference time. Because the research on parental involvement has shown a positive relationship between parents' engagement in their children's education and achievement, we would encourage all parent(s) and guardian(s) to sign up and attend conferences.
Please check out the rest of this newsletter for more important reminders and information.
Sincerely,
Dr. Joel Schleicher, Principal
Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences
· Thursday, October 3, 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
· Friday, October 4, 8:00 – 4:00 p.m.
· Monday, October 7, 4:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Conference Format – Grade 6:
Sixth grade conferences are scheduled for fifteen minutes. Parents/guardians will have the opportunity to meet with your child’s Reading teacher during this time; your child is welcomed to attend the conference. The sixth grade conferences are held in the teachers’ classrooms.
Conference Format – Grade 7/8:
Seventh and eighth grade conferences are scheduled for fifteen minutes with your child’s team of teachers. The team consists of the English, math, science, and social studies teachers, along with the specialist and the literature or world language teacher at Grade 7 and the tech & engineering or computer applications teacher at Grade 8.
You will meet with three of the teachers for the first seven and a half minutes and then meet with the other two to three teachers for the last seven and a half minutes. Students are always welcome to attend the conferences with their parents/guardians. Conferences are held in team classrooms, so you are asked to report to the team hallway. The Explorer 8 team will have student-led conferences this fall.
Super Nova / Allied Arts Teachers:
In addition to visiting with your child’s team of teachers, you are reminded to stop by the gym to visit with your child’s allied arts teachers. The Super Nova or allied arts teachers include PE, music, art, health, life skills, foreign language, innovations, and technology. Plan to see them either before or after your conference with the team.
South Middle School Fall Conference Sign up
Directions to sign up: Click the Scheduling Conferences button below
6th grade parents: please sign up for one 15 minute conference appointment with your student’s reading teacher only. Conferences will be held in that teacher’s classroom.
7th and 8th grade parents: please sign up for one 15 minute conference appointment with your student’s team. Pick ONE 15-minute slot (conference 1 OR conference 2). More information about conference locations will be in the team’s hallway on the day of your appointment.
When you sign up, please leave your student’s name in the comment space.
Scholastic Book Fair Monday, September 30th – Tuesday, October 8
Gr. 8 Cushman Jr., FB Game
BLOCK II Sports
Picture Retakes
STUDENTS Of HONOR
Each month, teams select a boy and girl who exemplify the Spartan Code of Honor: Respect Self, Respect Others, Respect School and are positive role models. These students are given a Spartan Code of Honor T-Shirt and their picture is taken for the display case by the office.
Congratulations to the following students for being chosen as our Students of Honor for the month of September!
- Auroras 6: Justin Karel and Lauryn Young
- Comets 6: Noah Iverson and Cadence Rogers
- Rockets 6: Kevin Martinez and Addyson Creager
- Challenger 7: Misan Subba and Runxuan Kang
- Discovery 7: Hassan Hassan and Madison Hess
- Explorer8: Allen Martinez and Mia Hockley
- Voyageur 8: Parker Brandt and Taylor Heid
Busing
DIETRICH BUSING:
- Any change must be made three (3) business days prior to the change taking effect. Changes can be made by submitting a new Transportation Request Form.
- When you open a map, click on the Magnifying Glass in the upper left-hand corner, enter your home address, and you will see the nearest pick-up/drop-off location.
NOTE: The Dietrich bus routes for 2019-20 are developed based upon this year’s ridership needs. During the first couple of weeks, the Dietrich bus routes, especially the ones after school, will fluctuate in ridership due to different schedules. The early morning routes may be affected by the 7:50 a.m. band/ orchestra schedules. The after school routes may be affected by the fall sports practices. During this adjustment period, we ask for everyone’s cooperation.
CITY BUS: The city route loops from the industrial park, to CANAD Inns, to Altru, to Columbia Mall, to South Middle School, and then to Great Plains Court.
SUPERNOVA
Students of Character
Congratulations to the following students for being chosen as “Students of Character” by the Supernova, allied arts, teachers. All of these young adults have shown a respectful and trusting attitude. They are also very helpful, kind, and fair toward their peers and teachers. Their photos are displayed near the front entrance of the school to recognize these wonderful achievements. The students will also receive a coupon for an a la carte item.
SEPTEMBER
- Grade 6: Kaleb Winzer and Dawsen De La Paz
- Grade 7: Rebecca Sather and Kai Pasch
- Grade 8: Sydney Brouillet and Joshua Haastrup
South 7th/8th grade choir concerts this year are:
Tues., Dec. 3 Choir Concert-7th and 8th gr. Choirs and Ensembles 7:00 pm Cafetorium
Mon., March 9 Choir Concert - 7th and 8th gr. Choirs and Ensembles 7:00 pm Cafetorium
Mon., May 11 Choir Concert- 7th and 8th gr. Choirs and Ensembles 7:00 pm Cafetorium
MySchoolBucks Store
South Families,
Statistics consistently show that schools are among the safest places to be due to the strong commitment of educators, families, and our community to our students and schools. We strive to be proactive rather than reactive.
Despite these proactive measures, there may be times when your student struggles socially, academically, or otherwise at school. There may be a time you/your student sees, hears, or is made aware of something that causes concern. In these circumstances, we would like you to remember the phrase, “See Something, Say Something.”
Please directly contact your student’s teacher, counselor, or administrator when a school-related concern arises that requires intervention or assistance. The phone number to our school office is 701-746-2345.
If there is a safety concern after school hours, on the weekend, or when school is not in session (ex: holiday break, summer break), contact the Grand Forks Police Department (GFPD) at 701-787-8000. To text an anonymous tip to the GFPD, text GFPD to 847-411.
If it is an immediate concern, call 911.
Please do not use social media (ex: Facebook, Instagram, etc.) as a forum to share these concerns. Individual privacy settings may inhibit emergency responders and school administrators from seeing these messages, making them unable to assist.
We care about each of our students and work hard each day to support their needs. Thank you for your efforts in keeping our students, employees, and community safe.
Sincerely,
South Middle School