SMS Scoop
February 4, 2019
Warrior Project!
The SMS handbook is a list of rules. It shows us barriers and the consequences for crossing them. For instance, if you are tardy 10 mornings, you can get a detention. If you use a profane word, you can get a detention. If you hit someone, you can get suspended. This list of rules, however, doesn’t do a very good job of stating what we can and should do as members of our school community. It doesn’t instruct us about our obligations to each other as we work to meet both our mutual and our individual goals.
We started this year talking about a jigsaw puzzle. Each student, teacher, staff member, sub, parent, etc. is a piece of our connected puzzle. We all impact each other. Each act of kindness, each great question asked, each discussion, each smile and kind word has a ripple effect in our school community. Likewise, each unchallenged bully, each profane word, and each supportive word that goes unspoken has that same ripple effect. Based on feedback from our climate survey, our discipline data, and general discussion from students and adults, it appears that now is a great time to focus energy on our school climate.
Ms. Nass, Mr. Smith, and our staff would like to pull everyone together to redefine our school community, to rethink our rules and consequences, and to clarify the obligations that we have to each other. This group effort is called the Warrior Project.
The Warrior Project has three goals:
- to collectively determine who we are as a school community,
- to create a common language designed to support all members in reaching their collective and individual goals, and
- to encourage and recognize positive contributions to our school community.
Our Warrior Project is based on seven categories which will help us redefine our school culture and improve our climate. We need you to help us clarify/define our categories! Today in homeroom, please take time to answer this question:
What does it mean to WORK HARD?
What does is look like? How will we know when someone is working hard? What are specific examples of an individual or a group that is working hard?
Get in a group of 4-5 people and discuss this. Then share out as a homeroom what it means to WORK HARD. Your homeroom teacher will take down some notes on a Warrior Project note guide. And one randomly selected homeroom student will be called to the Fishbowl at 2:15 tomorrow to share your HR findings.
So, SMS, who are we? We are Warriors. Let’s start defining what this means to us!
Get Out Your Calendar... and Your Eraser!
We've got lots of changes in our calendar due to our recent weather calamities. Be sure to update your calendar as follows:
Friday, February 15th is our new Mid-Term Day.
Monday, February 18th is make up day #1.
Friday, March 15th is the new end of
Monday, March 18th is make up day #2.
Tuesday, March 19th is make up day #3.
Wednesday, March 20th is make up day #4.
Thursday, March 21st is make up day #5.
Notable Notes
- Our Hat Day to help Austin Eagle Felix soar is moved to Friday, February 8th! Please participate and donate as much as you can to this courageous second grader!
- We are extending our canned good drive one more week. Please add what you CAN to the CAN box in your homeroom this week!
- SMS Baseball will hold a parent/athlete meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 4th at 6:00 PM in the SMS east gym. If you are a 7th or 8th grade boy interested in baseball, please attend and bring a home adult!
- The SMS Track team opens it's season on Monday, Feb. 11 with pre-season conditioning. Students that were not in a winter sport are encouraged to attend workouts Mon-Wed-Fri from 3:15-4:30 during the month of February. Basketball players are invited to attend preseason but may wait until Monday, February 18th to officially begin. Current wrestlers and swimmers are encouraged to start track when this season's competition has ended. Meet in the West Gym. If you have any questions, ask Mr. Hutton or Mrs. Tivnan. All students interested in participating in track should sign up on the Canvas Community page this week. Also, don't forget that you need to have a physical on file at SMS.
- The free Warrior Football Academy is set to start this month. If you are a K-8 student wanting to work on blocking, tackling, catching, throwing, ball carrying, and speed enhancement, then this program is for you! Show up at McClain Hall (SHS campus) from 5-6:30 on 2/11, 2/18. 2/25, and 3/4.
Candy Grams!
Valentine’s Day is a time for showing friends you care! To help you do this the SMS Student Council and SMS Builders Club will be selling candy grams in the main hallway for $1. You can purchase your candy grams February 5th through the 8th. The candy grams will be passed out in homeroom on Valentine’s Day, February 14th. If you plan to participate, make sure you know the homeroom teacher of your candy gram recipient. Also, you’ll have the opportunity to write a special message to brighten their day! These candy grams are sure to make someone feel special!
NAEP Test Wednesday
SMS has selected by the US Department of Education for participation in the 2019 National Assessment of Academic Progress study. We have done this anonymous academic assessment every other year or so. This year, select 8th graders will be assessed on Wednesday, February 6th. These students are our heroes! Participating students will receive extra credit points in their tested subject! Each testing session lasts just over one hour. The Media Center will be closed during the assessment (all Wednesday morning).
This Week...
Mon. Feb. 4: B day, Builders' Club, 6 BB @ OLPH, 7 BB @ Austin, 8 BB v. Austin
Tue. Feb. 5: A day, Archery, Science Olympiad, Winterguard, Wrestling @ Jennings County
Wed. Feb. 6: B day, Cross, NAEP test, SADD lunches, Academic Super Bowl, 6 BB @ Austin
Thu. Feb. 7: A day, Student Council, Archery, Science Olympiad, Winterguard, FACS Club A, 6 BB (A) @ New Washington, Swimming @ Jennings County, Wrestling v. Corydon
Fri. Feb. 8: B day, HAT DAY
Sat. Feb. 9: Winterguard contest at Henryville
Scottsburg Middle School
Email: knass@scsd2.k12.in.us
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