Weekly Jaguar Newsletter
Week of October 26th
About Us
Email: Karen_Y_Bryant@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/ssims/
Location: 313 Wayne Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, USA
Phone: (240) 740-2750
Twitter: @SSIMSPrincipal
Instrucciones sobre cómo acceder al boletín en español
"Internationally Speaking" with Principal Karen Bryant
We are entering the end of the month and the ending of the first quarter of the school year in the coming days. You've likely heard from teachers over the last week checking in with you and your child to firm up assignment submissions and otherwise encouraging students to finish strong. Please check ParentVue and reach out to teachers if you have a specific question about about classwork and assignments.
We are encouraging all 8th grade families to join the PTSA's annual High School Choice Panel presentation Monday night at 7 pm. Come hear what to expect in the choice process from SSIMS alumni. See details below.
Finally, please note the schedule for the first week of November is different from a regular school week, with Monday being a virtual check-in day, Tuesday's school closure on Election day, and Wednesday's Professional Day for Teachers (no school for students).
Thank you for your continued support of our school and school community. ❤️
It's always a great day to be a Silver Spring International Jaguar! And while we're at it, let's have a great week, too. 😉
Parent Volunteers Needed This Week: IB MYP Evaluation -- Parent Perspective mtgs
Silver Spring International Middle School is a Middle Years Program school, which means we engage students in thinking critically about their role in the world around them. All IB (International Baccalaureate) schools go through an evaluation process every five years. Over the past year, SSIMS teachers and administrators have been preparing for our evaluation, which culminates next week with a visit from two IB coordinators, Ms. Sandy Cline and Ms. Nicole Jones.
In order for Ms. Cline and Ms. Jones to get a well-rounded picture of how SSIMS supports students’ academic, social, and emotional wellbeing, they need to meet with a small group of parents and guardians. To support this conversation, Molly Dougherty, SSIMS’s Middle Years Program Coordinator will meet with our parent volunteer participants about what to expect at the IB visit meeting.
The review/ what to expect meeting with Ms. Dougherty is scheduled for 12:40-1:40 on Monday, October 26
The IB visit meeting with Ms. Cline and Ms. Jones is scheduled for 12:40-1:40 on Thursday, October 29.
If you are interested and able to participate in these two meetings, please respond with your name, contact information, your student(s) name(s), and how many years you have been part of the SSIMS family to ssimspresidents@gmail.com You must be able to attend both meetings to participate.
While we have very limited spaces available at these meetings, it remains our goal to include voices and perspectives that are representative of our parent and guardian community. Please let us know asap if you can help.
We will confirm your participation no later than 9:00 AM on Monday, October 26.
Please let us know if you have any questions.
Many thanks for considering,
Heidi Armonda & Laura Nichols
PTSA Co-presidents
This Week's Virtual Learning Schedule (& Next)
Important Dates to Remember
Monday, October 26
HS Student Panel for 8th Grade Families @ 7pm (Meeting ID: 973 7918 4798; Password: ssims)
Table of Contents
Last Week's JAG News!
Attention 8th Grade Families: HS Choice Information and Student Panel Night
Happening This Week: Quarter 2 Materials Distribution Day
A Message From Your PTSA
Ms. Hack's Contactless Book Exchange
Holiday Giving
Feedback Survey
Link to Past Newsletters
Last Week's JAG News
Attention 8th Grade Families: HS Choice Information and Student Panel Night
The PTSA will be hosting a virtual student panel on High School Choice on Monday, October 26th at 7:00 PM. Current high school students who are alumni of SSIMS will be talking about their experiences at the local high schools, and taking questions. The link to the webinar is on the SSIMS website and was emailed to 8th grade parents and students through Canvas. Here's the information for the High School Choice webinar:
Topic: SSIMS Parent Community Meeting
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/97379184798?pwd=OGhDUlNlQkUzdkNoWFZ5ZWVFbDdWUT09
Webinar ID: 973 7918 4798 Passcode: ssims
Telephone: 301 715 8592
Here is a new description of the Application-Only Programs in one, user friendly format:
Happening This Week: Quarter 2 Materials Distribution Day
The next materials distribution day is scheduled for Wednesday, October 28th, from 9 AM – 3:30 PM. Students will be notified by their classroom teacher if they are required to pick up materials for the next quarter.
When you arrive at the pick-up location, please have the student’s name and ID number on a sheet of paper visible in the front window.
A Message From Your PTSA
Dear SSIMS Families,
Our Staff need your support. Can you and/or your children write a few notes of gratitude and drop them off at school? The main office will mail the notes to Staff, and PTSA will help with the postage.
Here are the steps:
1. Write a note expressing your support during this difficult time of distance. Suggested greeting is “Dear SSI Staff” and the notes can be signed personally or in general like “an 8th grade student” or “SSI Family”.
2. Seal it in a blank envelope.
3. Drop it off in the labeled box on the porch at school - any time between October 26th and 28th.
All notes are due by Wednesday, October 28th. There is no limit - think how fun it would be if we collected hundreds of notes that the school could mail weekly in November - then Staff would be receiving a note of gratitude every week! It would be ideal if your children wrote the notes, but parents can of course write them too.
As always, thank you for your support of our Jaguar Family,
Heidi Anderson (Josh, 7th)
SSIMS PTSA Staff Appreciation Chair
Ms. Hack's Contactless Book Exchange
Students—you can now place books on hold through Destiny and pick them up at one of our feeder elementary schools on Wednesdays! Search for a book in Destiny from the Media Center website: https://sites.google.com/mcpsmd.net/ssimsmediacenter/books?authuser=1
Then log in and place your book on hold. For directions on how to place books on hold as well as see the schedule, go to the Book Delivery module in the Media Center MyMCPS Classroom for details.
Holiday Giving
For families who would benefit from assistance with items such as food, toys and clothes for the Thanksgiving and December Holidays, please reach out to your child's counselor to complete an application.
Para las familias que se beneficiarían de la ayuda con artículos como comida, juguetes y ropa para el Día de Acción de Gracias y las vacaciones de diciembre, comuníquese con el consejero de su hijo para completar una solicitud.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1182YRzEHbeGx6clJt4TvGlyrm-lJgAtXrqi7FWvmzvs/edit?usp=sharing