Thunderblast 2023
Being CONFIDENT & Taking Academic Risks- Sept 10, 2023
Ms. Clark's Account of September 11th
The events of September 11th impacted our country and changed our lives in many different ways. September 11, 2001 started out as a normal workday for me. At the time, I was working as a Director for a child care facility. On this particular day we were holding our Directors meeting at one of our centers, our center located at the Pentagon. As the morning unfolded we were notified of the plane striking the first tower and then heard about the second plane striking the second tower. As with everyone, we were concerned but could not have imagined what would happen next. At a little after 9:00 am I recall feeling our building shake. The next thing I know we were alerted that the Pentagon had been struck and that we needed to evacuate. We had many children enrolled, mostly toddlers and babies. The staff and other directors began the process of evacuating as well as calling families as our protocol stated. Phone lines were out, all the numbers we had for parents were for numbers inside the Pentagon and with cell service being intermittent it was very difficult to get a hold of anyone. I couldn’t even get a call out to my family to let them know I was ok.
I remember the sounds of sirens, of people shouting and crying, I remember seeing smoke and how difficult it was not for me to panic. I also remember how all the staff came together, how strangers asked if they could help as we were evacuating. We were all working together for one common goal. Slowly, very slowly we were able to reunite children with their families. Unfortunately, not all the children in our care were able to reunite with their parents. We had two children who lost a parent in the attack. Finally, I was able to make the drive back home and what sticks with me most from that drive is the complete and absolute silence, it was so odd to not hear any air traffic even the road traffic seemed so silent.
After the attacks on 9/11 I struggled with returning back to that center and that position. I had trouble putting aside those memories and those feelings. In November, I began my career with LCPS. I will always remember those children who lost a parent. I will be forever changed by how we as a center staff came together, how strangers helped us when we needed it and how the country came together after these events. Every 9/ll I find those memories front and center, I am always a little anxious throughout the day. However, I say a small prayer of remembrance and am proud that I am able to share my story so that the memory of the day, those who lost their lives and the heroes of the day will live on.
Sincerely,
Ms. Clark, 6th and 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher
- Civics: How do we see examples of good citizens in the events surrounding 9/11? What does it mean to be an American, and how do we show respect to the U.S.?
- History 7: Exploration of primary and secondary sources to help understand the events of 9/11.
- History 6: Gallery walk and image analysis to help learn more about what happened during 9/11.
Picture Days this Week!
It's sweater weather, Cottone! I blame my mom for not helping me be cooler.
Dr. Spence's Visit
100 schools in Loudoun and we were the first that our new Superintendent came to see. Our kids were a little sleepy first thing on a Tuesday morning after a 4-day weekend, but they still showed their true colors- positive, kind, and respectful. I can tell you in my few close interactions with Dr. Spence, he seems authentic in getting to know and see what the students are doing and cares about relationships first. That is a great place to start while building a foundation!
Bullying
At Seneca, we have always been proud of the efficiency and effectiveness of our response to bullying. The Virginia Assembly is requiring a formal response when students or families claim that bullying has occurred. At LCPS, we have agreed to send the letter below. It is my intent in this newsletter to make you aware of the letter and give you each access to it and the resources ahead of time. It is difficult to send it at each mention of the word "bullying," because some are very legitimate incidents with a power differential repeated over time, and other times the word is used when it doesn't fit the true definition.
In any situation where the word "bullying" is used, we will continue our long time process of investigating and partnering with students and families. We will make a reference to this letter to make sure you are aware of all resources and we will resent it to you if you request.
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science & Technology Community Info Night
What: Presentation to inform families on TJHSST's application process
Where: Seneca Ridge, Auditorium
When: October 3rd 6-7pm
Clubs and Activities
Intramural Flag Football
Flag football starts Wednesday, September 13th!
Required documents for players are listed and linked below. Students can also pick up and return documents at their House Office in school. Without each document signed and submitted the player will be ineligible to participate.
Club Logistics & Activity Buses
One of the greatest things about Seneca is the number of students involved in after school activities. One of the worst things for a family member is not knowing where a student is after school. Over my 14 years as an administrator, I have worked through helping families find students countless times and it has always been a breakdown in communication. That is something we can all work on together as a school and family. Some things to remember to ease our minds during this new independent transition for many students:
- Using the school phone, a personal device, or email through chromebooks should be a standard practice for EACH family to communicate plans... especially on club days (M, T, W)
- Students login and take electronic attendance at clubs using a QR code or link. They can bring their personal device or chromebook for this. We will have these codes/ links in the house office area so they can take attendance prior to going if they don't want to bring tech... which I always think is a great idea!
- Car Riders and Walkers- Proceed to front at 4:25 (most clubs end at this time) for normal dismissal procedures. Dominion High School dismisses at this time, so please be patient. Also, for those of you worried about middle school students walking when high school students are also walking home, I am proud to say that we are without incident in my 7 years here regarding middle and high school dismissal issues.
- Activity Buses- There are only two activity buses for our entire bus zone. They do not go to every stop. The bus stops will be posted on our webpage on Monday since transportation needs to iron out regular bus changes prior to focusing on activity buses.
Thank you for supporting us in this very worthwhile endeavor... it takes a village!
Unified Mental Health Team (UMHT)
Did you know Seneca has a Unified Mental Health Team? Often referred to as UMHT? Please click here to see the members of our team! One of our goals is to provide families with information on community resources, access to basic needs, mental health/crisis counseling, reducing stress/anxiety, substance abuse resources, and resources to support learning. Please feel free to access the resources below as needed.
Family Resource Fair
Our EL FACE Office is collaborating with HeadStart/STEP, Robey HS, Dominion HS and Seneca Ridge MS to bring a Family Resource Fair on Thursday, September 14th from 6-8pm to Seneca Ridge! We have about 25 community organizations attending! We will be serving food, snacks, and raffling baskets and gift cards thanks to the generous donation of Anthem Healthkeepers and our cluster schools!
PBIS - Student of the Week
Congrats to this week's winners of PBIS!!
Daisy Ortega 6
Ilyas Khan 7
Jeyson Luis 8
Jennifer Truong 6
Gabriel Shawel 7
Jason Ochoa Recinos 8
Elise Ferney 6
Meredith Chosset 7
Jennifer Ochoa Reyes 7
Nathan Arellano 7
Aria Khazai 8
PBIS - Staff Of The Week
Ms. Schwendeman came to us new this year and has made an immediate impact with our students. When I walked into the class on Friday to deliver the employee of the week sign, I felt like a rock star. That's because the students were so enthusiastic and excited to spin the wheel of destiny, which they do whenever a visitor arrives. Her energy and positivity are contagious. In addition, Ms. Schwendeman is looking out for EACH student by checking with counselors and the UMHT to make sure that new students to 7th grade feel conducted and supported.
PTO Corner
Our PTO made major waves this week!
- Staff Appreciation Coffee Cart- You did it again! Our teachers always feel supported by our families. It makes every day that much easier. THANK YOU to our PTO, individual parent donations, and Ridgetop Coffee and Tea for supporting our team!
- Tailgate- Speaking of doing it again, the tailgate was a tradition before I got here and has always been PTO run and led. Well, we really needed it on Friday night and our families and administrative team came through. Extending a 1.5 hour event to almost 4 hours can be taxing on everyone... especially the students. That wasn't the case here. Our parent volunteers stayed positive, our PTO leadership had full control, and our admin team pivoted in conjunction with the PTO at every turn. As always, our kids were awesome and although some were sleeping in the bleachers by the end, it was a great night! The collective efficacy of this community leaves me awestruck at times. THANK YOU for making this a night to remember! More pictures to come next week. I need to get ready for our Eagles to whoop on the evil Patriots in Foxboro!
Next PTO Meeting
Please join us on October 4th at 9 am in the SRMS library.
Previous Reminders Below
We are still looking for someone to sponsor our October Snack Cart! Businesses, clubs and groups, individuals - all donations are welcome! Please contact Julie Garrett at staffappreciation@srmspto.org to learn more!
If you would like to sponsor any of our school events this year, please write to us at staffappreciation@srmspto.org. You can view the list of our planned events and how to get involved here: https://srmspto.membershiptoolkit.com/teacher_staff_appreciation
Parents, this is a great opportunity for you to feel comfortable here and support our students!
Following PTO positions are open and in need of your participation- (If you need details on what these positions do, please contact Saira Sufi- sairasufi@gmail.com)
Fundraising Chair, needed immediately... we spoke about some great easy ideas on Wednesday.
Battle of Route 7 Chair, needed ASAP! The event is on Oct 20th!! The school takes care of the soccer event. We just need help with concessions, which is a great fundraiser for the PTO.
Bolt Sign Chair- Support 8th Grade Promotion
Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee Chair (MSAAC)
Special Education Advisory Committee Chair (SEAC)
The gift that keeps on giving!
ORDER YOUR SPIRITWEAR HERE!
Fly, Eagles, Fly!
📨 Email: nick.cottone@lcps.org
💻 Website: Seneca Ridge Middle School
🏫 Location: 98 Seneca Ridge Drive, Sterling, VA 20164
☎️ Phone: 571-434-4420