Message from Mrs. McNeil
Dear Coyote Families,
I hope this newsletter finds you doing well. As we move further into second semester, please be reminded of a few things:
*Early dismissal ends at 2:40 p.m. It can take upwards of 10 minutes for students to make their way down to the office area depending on where they are in the building, if they have to go to their locker before they leave, and if they have to locate their teacher to get a classroom unlocked to retrieve any belongings.
*When students are not seated in their homeroom by the 8:10 a.m. bell, they are considered tardy. Tardies in Powerschool show up first as unexcused absences for each class that day and must be manually changed by our Powerschool clerk. This process can take up to 48 hours to show up on Parent Portal. Unfortunately, we cannot avoid the automatic calls that go out mid-day saying your child was marked not present in one or more classes even when they are simply tardy that morning.
*If your child comes into school late, the child can ring the outside buzzer and come in to the office to sign in on the computer and get a pass to class. Parents do not have to escort their children into the office.
*Finally, please keep in mind that we will only interrupt class a maximum of 3x per student each school year to tell a student that there has been an item (lunch box, folder, instrument, athletic items, etc.) dropped off in the office that needs retrieval. So far this year, our office staff has interrupted class over 210 times for items dropped off in the office. We will continue to monitor this data which will help us drive any changes in this policy next year.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Yours In Education,
Christine V. McNeil, Principal
Yearbook Orders Due
Have you ordered your 2022-2023 Forest Creek Middle School Yearbook yet? If not, get yours today. Yearbooks are currently $40. Click on the Yearbook link and order today.
https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/customer/3063554/Forest-Creek-Middle-School/
Not sure if you purchased a yearbook?
1) Check the Jostens site.
2) Call us at 803-396-3450. Mrs. Miller has a list that Jostens provided us.
Message from Mrs. Grupp, FCMS Literacy Specialist
Reading Can Reduce Stress (BY A LOT!) Last year, the American Psychiatric Association reported that teens’ stress levels during the school year “far exceeded what they believed to be healthy” topping even the stress levels of adults- yikes! It sounds like our students need to start this January with some coping strategies for their stress. One of the best ways to do just that is to hand them a book! According to a 2009 study from the University of Sussex, reading “reduces stress levels by 68%, making it a more effective means of relaxation than taking a walk, drinking a cup of tea, or playing video games.” Think you have to read for hours to hit that point of relaxation? Not at all! According to the same study, “individuals who had read for merely six minutes exhibited slower heart rates, less muscle tension, and reduced stress levels.” So the next time your student talks about the very real stresses of school, homework, after-school activities, and friendships…put a book in their hands.
PTO Announcements
Interesting in serving on next year’s PTO board? Email us at forestcreekpto@gmail.com for more information. Open roles will include President, Vice President and Secretary. We will also need help with the fundraising and hospitality committees!
Thank you to Lisa Zederbaum with Dickens Mitchener Real Estate for sponsoring the snack cart.
Thank you to Next Level Kidz for sponsoring the treats for the students of the month.
Thank you to Debbie Houser with The Houser Group for sponsoring the teacher of the month gift card.
Go 'Yotes!
Christine V. McNeil, Principal
Website: https://fcms.fortmillschools.org/
Location: 2212 White Road Fort Mill SC 29715
Phone: 803-396-3450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forestcreekmiddleschool