Stonybrook Middle School
The Knightly News, September 2022
Ready to Learn: Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Safe
WELCOME BACK TO STONYBROOK MIDDLE SCHOOL!
We're off to a great start!
On Friday, September 16th and Monday, September 19th, SMS will be hosting a two day Strong Connections event for all students. Half of each Grade 5-8 class will attend Friday while the other half attends Monday. Your child's Strong Connection date is posted on the Parent Portal. An email was also sent to everyone on Thursday, September 8th. Please contact your child’s homeroom teacher or the school office if there is a conflict.
These days are very important for teachers for the planning of each of their students, but they will also be meaningful to students who have the opportunity to make strong connections with their teachers. Students will have opportunities to be active throughout the day.
For more information on Strong Connections, please see the attached letter below.
PLEASE TAKE NOTE: PICTURE DAY HAS CHANGED TO WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST INSTEAD OF SEPTEMBER 14TH
Attendance Procedures
*Please phone in or send a note when your child is away from school for any reason at all. You may also enter attendance notes through the HSD's Parent Portal.
*If your child is absent from school and the office has not been notified, you may receive an automated telephone message and an email asking you to contact the school with a reason your child is absent by phone call or note.
*You may email the office with attendance information, sms@hsd.ca.
Parent Portal
Parent Portal is the form of communication used between school and home. If you do not have an account, please contact the school to get your log in and password information. Parent Portal set up instructions are below.
If you have difficulties creating an account, please contact the school office and we will strive to help you!
Student Pick Up
Picking up or Dropping Off Students:
Parent Pick up is at 3:38
Walkers are dismissed at 3:40
Buses begin loading at 3:45
- Grade 5 and 6 students will be picked up from the front doors on Lumber Avenue.
- Grade 7 and 8 students will be picked up from the bus loop behind the school. Please drive to the end of the bus loop (by Barkman Avenue) and stop there to pick up your child.
- Please do not use the staff parking lot to pick up students.
- Please park on the correct side of the street when picking up your child, so that your child does not have to run across the street to your car.
- If your child does have to cross the street (walking home), please remind them to look both ways before crossing the street.
- If your plans for transportation change for your child, please contact the school to inform.
- If you wish to have your child picked up by another friend or relative for an occasion, you must make arrangements with the office prior to that pick up.
We want to keep our students safe inside and outside of the school!
Students may not make alternative arrangements with friends at the end of the day. They are expected to follow the prearranged plans as indicated by parents. IE going to a friend’s house right after school etc. We encourage parents to ensure their child returns directly home at the end of the day and then make arrangements with friends at that point.
Picking Up Students during the School Day:
Please call or email the school office or your child's homeroom teacher if you will be picking up your child before the end of the day.
Parents and caregivers do not have to come in to the school to sign out your child, just call the office and we will send your child out to you when you arrive. The office number is 204-326-6481.
If your child should arrive late at school in the morning, they should still report to the office so that we can update their attendance.
Meet the SMS Staff!
5KH Ms. Kate Hildebrand khildebrand@hsd.ca
5LL Ms. Lauren Laninga llaninga@hsd.ca
5MR Mr. Mike Reimer mreimer@hsd.ca
5TN Mr. Trevor Neufeld tneufeld@hsd.ca
6AH Mr. Al Harder aharder@hsd.ca
6KB Mrs. Kristie Bouchard kbouchard@hsd.ca
6HB Mrs. Holly Baetsen-Bouchard hbaetsen@hsd.ca
6YB Ms. Yasmeen Bouseri ybouseri@hsd.ca
6CT Ms. Cassandra Taylor ctaylor@hsd.ca
6SP Ms. Shayli Patrick spatrick@hsd.ca
7JB Ms. Jozie Buhler jbuhler@hsd.ca
7KH Mrs. Katherine Heide kheide@hsd.ca
7JL Ms. Janine Lavallee jlavallee@hsd.ca
7RD Mr. Riley Desautels rdesautels@hsd.ca
7EW Mr. Erik Wiebe ewiebe@hsd.ca
8DF Ms. Dana Falk dfalk@hsd.ca
8JM Mrs. Jessica MacClure jmacclure@hsd.ca
8TT Mr. Tin Tran ttran@hsd.ca
8RN Ms. Robin Nemeth rnemeth@hsd.ca
8GS Mr. Glen Shumsky gshumsky@hsd.ca
8NH Teacher to be hired
French Instructor - Krystin Dychko kdychko@hsd.ca
Band Instructor - Mr. Markus Goertzen mgoertzen@hsd.ca
Music Instructor - Mrs. Nancy Gomes-Fast ngomesfast@hsd.ca
Learning Support - Mr. Glenn Hiebert ghiebert@hsd.ca
Student Services - Mrs. Lisa Desautels ldesautels@hsd.ca
Student Services - Mr. Lyle Koop lkoop@hsd.ca
Human Ecology - Ms. Brigit Krysko bkrysko@hsd.ca
Visual Arts - Mr. Stefan Nicoloff snicoloff@hsd.ca
Technology Education - Mr. Tyler North tnorth@hsd.ca
Physical Education - Mr. Al Thiessen athiessen@hsd.ca
Physical Education - Mr. Connor Wiebe cwiebe@hsd.ca
Principal - Mrs. Rita Rebizant rrebizant@hsd.ca
Vice-Principal - Ms. Jaime Siska jsiska@hsd.ca
School Administrative Secretary - Ms. Heather Friesen hfriesen@hsd.ca
Library Support Specialist - Mrs. Michelle King mking@hsd.ca
Assistant School Secretary - Mrs. Shannon Brewster spettinger@hsd.ca
Head Custodian - Ms. Chelsea Dawson-Sawyer
Educational Assistants
Mr. Carson Dyck
Mrs. Nancy Friesen
Mrs. Cora Kehler
Mrs. Tineke Kehler
Ms. Valerie Klassen
Mrs. Jackie Kroeker
Ms. Jackie Lawrie
Ms. Amanda Meekis
Mrs. Errin Penner
Mrs. Sandra Peters
Mrs. Vanessa Plante
Ms. Deneen Treble
Ms. Marcia Unrau
Ms. Amanda Meekis
We are excited to have the students back in the school!
Say "Hello" to Ms. Jaime Siska, Vice-Principal!
Dear Stonybrook Middle School Students and Families
My name is Ms. Jaime Siska, and I am honoured to be serving as Vice-Principal at Stonybrook Middle School for the 2022-2023 school year. Joining the SMS community during this promising time of growth and transition is a thrill. Over the past 9 years, I have served as Principal in the Independent System. It was a terrific experience for me with many opportunities to learn and grow as an educational provider. I truly cherished the time I shared with the former school families and students, but now I look forward to the new relationships that I will build here at SMS.
I hope that you all had a safe and enjoyable summer and are ready to begin a new school year. I would like to offer a warm welcome to all new and returning families to our school community.
I look forward to the new year ahead with hope and excitement as we work with you on building a safe and nurturing school environment where your child(ren) will continue to learn and grow.
Ms. Jaime Siska
Month At A Glance
TAKE NOTE: PICTURE DAY HAS BEEN POSTPONED UNTIL WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST
Monday, September 12th First Note Night at CMS
Friday, September 16th Strong Connections Day #1
Monday, September 19th Strong Connections Day #2
Wednesday, September 21st Picture Day
Thursday, September 22nd Cross Country Run #1
Friday, September 23rd Terry Fox Run
Wednesday, September 28th Manitoba Milk Cross Country Run
Wednesday, September 30th Orange Shirt Day (No Classes)
October 3-17 Fundraising Event
Monday, October 10th Thanksgiving Day (No Classes)
October 11-14 Interim Report to Parents (by phone)
October 17-20 Bus Safety Week
Friday, October 21st MTS Professional Day (No Classes)
Remember, Picture Day is coming on Wednesday, September 21st!
Remember to smile and have fun!!
Parent Advisory Council
Lunch Hour
All students stay on campus for lunch (unless they go home regularly for lunch). Students are not allowed to go off campus to pick up lunch at Tim Horton's, Co-op, etc.
Microwaves are available for heating up lunch food. Please remember to send whatever utensils the students need to eat their lunch (ie cutlery).
The canteen is not yet open, but we are hoping to have it up and running in a few weeks. We will let you know when that happens and what will be available!
Thanks so much for your cooperation!
Address Changes
It would be appreciated if you would go on the Parent Portal and verify that your information for this year is correct. If there are any changes (new address, different phone numbers or contact information), please let us know. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO HAVE UP-TO-DATE CONTACT INFORMATION.
If your email address has changed or you have acquired an email address, we would appreciate receiving that information. Email is an excellent form of communication between parent and teacher and we would like to keep you updated on the progress of your child.
Want to Contact Us?
Click on the Stonybrook website by viewing sms.hsd.ca and find email links to your child’s teacher to stay in touch.
Please join us on instagram for announcements and other fun stuff! (Found under Social Media on our website.)
Security!
Security cameras are installed both inside and outside of the school. These cameras help monitor many areas on the school grounds (ex. Bicycle racks). These cameras help make Stonybrook Middle School a safer school for your child.
We are looking forward to having a great year with your child!
A Peanut/Nut and Scent Safe School!
SMS is a peanut/nut safe school, and as we have students who are allergic to nuts, we need your help. Please do not send any peanut and/or nut type products for lunch or snacks. If students should forget and bring those products, the teachers will place it in a Ziploc bag and ask the student to take it back home. We hope this does not cause a great inconvenience to you, and would appreciate your cooperation and understanding.
We would also appreciate if students would not wear perfume or strong smelling deodorants or lotions, as there are students/staff that have allergies to strong scents.
Students who have these allergies, please have your epi-pen on you at all times; and having a second epi-pen available at the school office is good practice.
Thank you for your cooperation!
We Believe...
The staff and administration of SMS believe in the Middle School philosophy that creates an inviting, supportive and safe place, a joyful community that promotes in-depth learning and enhances students’ physical and emotional well-being. We believe in a healthy school environment where human relationships are paramount. We believe that interactions among staff members and between students should reflect democracy, fairness and mutual respect. We believe that SMS should promote a safe and supportive environment where students are encouraged to take intellectual risks, to be bold with their expectations and to explore new challenges. SMS believes that every student, no matter of creed, color or uniqueness, serves as a genuine part of the community and contributes based on individual strengths.
Adapted from “This We Believe: Successful Schools for Young Adolescents”, National Middle School Association
As we embrace this Middle Years philosophy, we are teaching our students what it means to be “Ready to Learn”, and what responsibility, respect and safety looks like throughout the school, classrooms and playground. Together we are creating life long learners and positive global citizens.
School Pridewear
Support Your School and Your Wardrobe!
https://stonybrookmiddleschool.entripyshops.com/
Welcome to the official online shopping portal for Stonybrook Middle School. Enjoy browsing a wide selection of products from a variety of brands that you can then customize with the approved logos and graphics found on the site. Display your pride in fantastic apparel customized entirely by you. Our site lets students, parents, fans, & staff choose from approved merchandise to fit their needs 24/7 with no minimum order quantities.
Don’t forget 10% of every purchase made at the Stonybrook Middle School Store goes toward their fundraising efforts!
Student Accident Insurance
Universal Health Insurance
Stonybrook Middle School
Email: sms@hsd.ca
Website: sms.hsd.ca
Location: 77 Lumber Avenue, Steinbach, MB, Canada
Phone: 204-326-6481
Twitter: @StonybrookHSD