Sugar Land MS Titan News
Week #9 - October 12, 2020
Greetings Titan Families,
Our Transition Week is now complete, and we thank you for your never-ending patience and grace as we worked through some unforeseen issues, particularly with regard to 8th grade scheduling and our dismissal process. Students' experiences, both online and F2F, should start to settle, and life should be somewhat more predictable moving forward. But adjustments will continue to be made for variety of reasons. It was great to see our Titans in the building -- it feels more like school with kids in it!
For those of you either dropping off or picking up your children from school, please be mindful of not blocking crosswalks or the bus entrance/exit along Seventh Street with your vehicle. Thank you, as well, for taking turns and being courteous to one another when entering the circle drive. Also, if your child is a car rider, please be sure to complete the requested form below to assist us with dismissal. Thank you for not dropping off your children prior to 8:20 AM, as well, which will help us to maintain social distancing.
This newsletter contains the following topics:
- Week At-A-Glance
- Visual Schedule
- New Marquee Coming Online Soon! (NEW)
- Immunization Information - HARD DEADLINE of October 15, 2020
- Car Riders at Dismissal: Parent Action Needed (NEW)
- Dress Code for F2F Students (NEW)
- Student Password Expiration (NEW)
- PE Uniforms Now on Sale (NEW)
- Volleyball, Football, & Cross Country Information (Grades 7 and 8)
- Dulles HS "GirlBytes" Workshops (NEW)
- Student Daily Wellness Screenings
- FBISD Outside Food Policy (REVISED)
- Facial Covering Expectations and Face Covering Fundraiser from Science Club (NEW)
- Reporting a Positive Case of COVID-19 or Exposure to a Positive Case
- Student Mental Health Needs Assessment
- Attendance Information from Mrs. LaVergne
We continue to ask for grace and patience. There will undoubtedly be some hiccups and unexpected situations arise. We will all be patient with one another while we work through it all. Thank you for your time and support of our school. Our priority is to serve our community in the best way possible.
Sincerely,
Keith Fickel, SLMS Principal
#GracePatienceOptimism
#BetterTogether
#InfinitePossibilities
#TitansOwnIt
The Week At-A-Glance
New Marquee Almost Ready!
We are excited that we will soon be able to share additional information with our community through our brand new marquee that was installed last week. Please keep an eye out for information there. Thank you, Fort Bend ISD, for this new and much-needed communication tool!
Immunizations - Hard Deadline of October 15, 2020
School vaccination rules remain in effect for the 2020-21 school year. State law requires all students, both online and face-to-face, to be fully vaccinated against the specified diseases. Fort Bend ISD is requiring all students to be up to date, in the process of receiving vaccines, or have a valid exemption on file by October 15, 2020. Any student not in compliance by this deadline shall not be permitted onsite for coursework or activities until proof of inoculation is received.
Please send records to angela.lincoln@fortbendisd.com or fax records to 281-327-8745. Nurse Lincoln has emailed noncompliant letters so that you are aware of the immunizations your child needs, if any.
To find out more information regarding immunizations, visit the Texas Department of State Health Services web page.
Car Riders at Dismissal: Parent Action Needed
We began dismissing car riders at the end of the day through a number system. This was communicated to parents on October 6 through an urgent request for action. If you have not yet responded to the parent request, please do so ASAP so that we may assign your car-riding child a dismissal number. Here is a link to the form. Once you submit the form, we will call you with your car rider number, to be displayed prominently on your windshield. We appreciate your assistance with this so that we may continue to observe social distancing protocols at dismissal, yet keep the flow of traffic constant. Thank you for your grace as we seek to improve this process moving forward.
Dress Code for Face to Face Students
- Shorts, skirts, etc. that are too short -- hem must be no higher than 3" above knee
- Footwear - shoes must have a back for safety reasons in our stairwells. No flip-flops or sandals unless they have a back/heel covering
- Tears/Rips in pants - cannot reveal undergarments. If rips/tears are higher than 3" above the knee (like shorts and skirts), they must have an under-layer that extends to 3" above the knee
- Pajamas - no sleep wear except on designated spirit days (this includes slippers)
The document below is extracted (p. 70) from the larger Student/Parent Handbook.
Student Password Expiration
As the school year progresses, we are noticing some secondary student account passwords are expiring. Password expiration is a normal cycle with network accounts. The new security implementation from last year requires student accounts to change passwords at the start of a new school year. While communications were sent out for students to change passwords, many remained unchanged. Secondary students are able to manage their own passwords by going to my.fortbendisd.com. Campus staff are also able to help any students at the campus with password problems by visiting the same site. 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 to set up a new password. Keep in mind that not all secondary students are impacted by password expiration, only students that had not previously reset their password since July 2020 are impacted. As a proactive measure, IT is sending weekly, targeted messages to students in advance of their password expiration. Both the guardian registered in Blackboard Connect as well as the Student will receive the proactive password change notification. If the student fails to change his/her password in advance of expiration, they will be locked out of the system. They will be able to regain access once they reset the password by going to my.fortbendisd.com.
Resources/Helps:
- How to Update Password guide will guide a student with password reset
- Getting Logged In video to assist with creating new passwords
PE Uniforms Now on Sale!
Volleyball Information - 7th and 8th Grade Students
7th and 8th grade girls trying out for volleyball please note the following information:
Tryouts are Oct. 13-15 from 6:45-8:15am. Face-to-Face and online athletes may tryout. Online athletes must have a ride to and from SLMS for tryouts. Coaches will be here to open doors on the bus ramp by the boy’s gym at 6:30am. Please make sure their daily student Wellness screening on Skyward has been completed before arrival.
Girls must:
- Attend ALL tryouts
- Have a physical on file with the coaches by 4pm, Oct. 12th
- Have ALL electronic forms filled out online in RankOne.
- Have a mask and a personal water bottle.
Email the head coach if you want to sign up for VB tryouts.
- 7th grade – Stephanie.bocanegra@fortbendisd.com
- 8th grade – Karen.efron@fortbendisd.com
Football Information - 7th and 8th Grade Students
Parents and Players: I promised a follow-up email concerning the upcoming football season so here it is!
I believe the best way to communicate where we are and we are going is to give all of you, in list form, a timeline outlining the season start to finish:
- Oct 14th: Equipment handout will be after school from 4:15 - 6:15pm for 7th and 8th grade athletes.
- Oct 15th: First football practice
- Nov 10th: First football game
- Dec 8th: Final football game
We will practice every week Monday - Thursday from 7:00am - 8:15am. We do not practice on Friday's and we will not practice on game days. Both 7th and 8th grade teams will play each week on Tuesday's; 7th grade will play the first game and 8th grade will play directly after at the same site.
Once we start practice we will have a parent meeting and go over the details concerning program expectations, practices, games and anything else that you need answers to.
We will have Covid protocols in place and I will send a separate email specifically outlining those next week. I don't want to add the Covid protocols to this email because it will be very detailed with specific steps that our athletes will have to take in order to participate in practices and in games
The schedule will be posted on RankOne once the district gives me the ok to post it.
Hopefully, all of you have taken care of your online forms by now and have taken care of any missing assignments so you will be eligible to practice and play once we start.
We will issue everything that your athlete will need to participate (helmets, shoulder pads, pants, practice jerseys, mouthpieces) the only thing you will need to provide for your athlete are shoes.
Other than that we all just need to remain flexible and as always we appreciate your support,
SLMS Coaching Staff
Contact Coach Esposito at Pete.Esposito@fortbendisd.com
Cross Country Interest Survey (Grade 7 and 8 only)
Dulles HS "GirlBytes" Workshops - Opportunities for Girls
Even though women make up 50% of the labor force, there are only 28% of women in STEM fields. As a result, our club is hoping to improve this statistic, even if it's by a small amount, by holding workshops for middle school girls to gain an introduction into a few coding languages. The workshops we plan to offer this year include Java, HTML, Python, MIT AppInventor, Scratch, & SQL. We've already prepared the curriculum on our own, so we hope to spread our knowledge to the middle schooler. If you are interested, please fill out the interest form at tinyurl.com/dhsgbworkshops and we'll send out more information to the email that you provide on the form regarding meeting links. See the flyer below, as well.
Student Daily Wellness Screenings (Information from FBISD)
Each morning, a District staff member will conduct no-contact temperature checks for all students and staff entering the building. Please allow for additional time during morning drop-off so that wellness checks can be conducted as students and staff arrive.
Parents will also be required to complete a daily pre-screen questionnaire, found on Skyward Family Access, for each student prior to 7:15 a.m. for elementary students and prior to 6:45 a.m. for high school students. Parents of middle school students are required to complete prior to 7:30 a.m. Parents are required to complete the Daily Wellness Screening before the student reports to school each morning to ensure a faster check-in process. This form must be filled out each morning, and cannot be completed before midnight. Note: Secondary (middle and high school) students will have the option of completing the Daily Wellness Screener within Skyward, using their own Skyward credentials.
Wellness Screening Process
Parents can access Skyward Family Access on their home computer, laptop, tablet or mobile device. (The Skyward Family Mobile Access app is available in the following app stores: Apple App Store, Google Play, Amazon and Windows Phone Store.)
- Log in to your account in Skyward Family Access
- Select “Today’s Screening.”
- Complete the two Wellness Screening questions, and click “Save.” Based on your response for each student, a Wellness Screening Report will appear, with a green circle and a checkmark, indicating that your child is clear to attend school; or, if you’ve indicated symptoms, exposure, or a positive case, the system will provide next steps.
Note: Please be mindful as you submit the wellness screening, as only one submission is accepted each day, and cannot be altered once submitted. Students with cell phones should be prepared to show their results on the app to expedite the wellness screening process.
Student Wellness Charts – Secondary
The Skyward Family Access Daily Wellness Screening must be completed each day. Each student will show verification on his or her cellphone via the Skyward App prior to gaining entry to the campus. For students who do not have a cell phone, the campus will provide a Student Wellness Chart, which must be initialed each day as verification of completion of the Skyward Family Access Daily Wellness Screening.
FBISD does not allow students with a fever over 100.0 degrees or greater to enter or remain in a building, and should a student exhibit any symptoms of respiratory illness or a fever of 100.0 degrees or above during the school day, they will be isolated from other students until they are picked up. They may only return to school when the following criteria are met: at least 24 hours has passed since they have had fever without the use of fever-reducing medications; AND the individual has improvement in symptoms (e.g., cough or shortness of breath); AND at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. If the student wants to return after 72 hours, the student must obtain a medical professional’s note clearing them for return based on an alternative diagnosis or provide the school with a negative PCR COVID-19 test.
Revised FBISD Outside Food Policy
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.
Facial Coverings (Information from FBISD)
For the safety of students 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. We understand that it is not possible for children to wear a face covering at all times, particularly when they are eating or drinking, and other protective measures will be used during these times. We ask that you speak to your students about wearing their facial covering for an extended period of time, as well as following safety guidelines including social distancing and frequent handwashing. Please also monitor your child’s health for the presence of any symptoms of COVID-19, particularly if you think they have been exposed. Note: Per CDC guidelines, a face shield can be worn in addition to a face covering, but not in place of a face covering.
Reporting a Positive Case of COVID-19 or Exposure to a Positive Case
To ensure the safety of all staff and students, it is critical that families report all positive cases of COVID-19, or exposures to a positive case of COVID-19, immediately. If your student tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to a positive COVID-19 case, please notify the District by reporting within the Daily Wellness Screener in Skyward Family Access.
Student Mental Health Needs Assessment -- Info from SLMS Counselors
As educators, we understand student mental health plays a key role in their ability to succeed in school. Fort Bend ISD is committed to working with you, not only in the academic education of your child, but also to ensure students reach their full potential socially and emotionally.
Each year, we provide students an opportunity to share their thoughts, feelings and social/emotional needs using a Needs Assessment. It is our priority to ensure students have timely, responsive, and effective social and emotional support continuously throughout the school year. The Needs Assessment allows us to recognize and respond to students’ social/emotional needs as well as promote the wellness and development for all students.
The Needs Assessment addresses the following areas:
- Social/Emotional supports
- Sense of belonging
- Safety
- Post-secondary readiness
- Mental health stressors
- Thoughts of harm (self and others)
The Needs Assessment may pinpoint a concern, offering us the ability to secure additional assistance for students. This means that the assessment results may be shared with targeted campus and district staff if the assessment results reveal a potential concern. All assessment results will be kept confidential, stored separately from academic records.
Sugar Land Middle School will make the Needs Assessment available to students using Naviance from October 19th to October 30th. Prior to its release, students will receive information about the Needs Assessment from their school counseling staff.
If you desire to opt-out of your child completing the Needs Assessment, please use this link: Opt-Out Form
Attendance Information for Parents
Parent notes are required for all absences within five days from the absence date. Notes must include full student name as well as the reason for the absence (including technical difficulties). If a student misses a synchronous engagement, they are counted absent.Please email all absence notes to AttendanceSLMS@fortbendisd.com. Contact our attendance clerk, Mrs. LaVergne, at (281) 634-3089 if you have questions.
Important Contact Information
- Assistant Principal - Dr. Dawn Rogers (dawn.rogers@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Eleni Smith (eleni.smith@fortbendisd.com)
Seventh Grade
- Assistant Principal - Luster Goodwin (luster.goodwin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Kim Seright (kimberly.seright@fortbendisd.com)
Eighth Grade
- Associate Principal - Monika Martin (monika.martin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Nafecia Brinson (nafecia.brinson@fortbendisd.com)
Attendance - Mary Beth LaVergne (mary.lavergne@fortbendisd.com)
Registrar - Tandi Phillips (tandi.phillips@fortbendisd.com)
Nurse - Angi Lincoln (angela.lincoln@fortbendisd.com)
Campus Secretary - Mary Connealy (mary.connealy@fortbendisd.com)
Counselor Clerk - Carmen Brantley (carmen.brantley@fortbendisd.com)
Assistant Principal Secretaries
- 6th and 7th Grade - Tina Garcia (diamantina.ibarragar@fortbendisd.com)
- 8th Grade - Sherri Woodcock (sherri.woodcock@fortbendisd.com)
Sugar Land Middle School
45 Years
1975-2020
Inspiring and equipping the young men and women of our community for futures beyond what they can imagine since 1975.
SLMS Campus Mission Statement
Working collaboratively, the Sugar Land Middle School Professional Learning Community will commit to creating a safe environment with high expectations leading to physical, social, emotional, and academic success for all Titans.
#TitansOwnIt
#BetterTogether
#InfinitePossibilities
#GracePatienceOptimism
- 8:00-4:00 Monday-Friday
Email: keith.fickel@fortbendisd.com
Website: www.fortbendisd.com/slms
Location: 321 7th Street, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: (281) 634-3080
Twitter: @SLMSTitans