Spartan Herald September 2019
Your Window to the World
Our SMS Community & Celebrations
Dear Parents and Guardians,
In advisory classes these past few weeks, we started embracing our theme this year - Your Window to the World. Students discussed how they personally respond and cope to different situations. They participated in community building circles to connect with other students in their advisory class. Lastly, all students highlighted their personal strengths to then discuss how collectively all these unique abilities make Schmucker such a wonderful and rich community of learners! Please have conversation with your child about all they are doing in advisory class. I know they will have lots to share!
This week the IDOE published the Spring 2019 ILEARN scores. We are continued to be impressed by how our Spartans outperform others across the state by considerable margins. You can click here for more details about PHM's performance on ILEARN. We know our students' success is linked to the support families offer at home and our teachers that work diligently to create engaging lessons to appropriately challenge each of our students. And of course, we cannot forget to highlight all the hard work of our students! Daily our Spartans continue to impress me with their dedication to learning, their positive attitude, and their ability to connect as a school community!
We have much to celebrate here at Schmucker in our first few weeks back at school! Always be sure to check our website for updates and follow us on Twitter (@SMSSpartanPride) for all the recent news at SMS.
With your child in mind,
Lavon Dean-Null, Principal
Schmucker Parents,
As we start the 2019-20 school year, we want to let everyone know about all the opportunities available at Schmucker Middle School. Currently, we are in our Fall Sport Season which includes Volleyball, Cross Country, Football and Cheerleading. For those of you that don’t know, our SMS Team values student involvement and we work tirelessly to find ways to get our students involved in after-school events. We have many different kinds of clubs that can appeal to students with varying interests. For instance, this school year we have our VEX Team (Robotics), Chess Club, Fluid Power Systems (Engineering), Book Club, Magic The Gathering (Strategy Card Game), Yearbook, Art Club, and WSMS.
As the weather changes, additional opportunities come available. For instance, we have Weightlifting, Ski Club, and Basketball Club. In addition to these clubs, we also have several extracurricular academic programs available to students. These include Mathcounts, Academic SuperBowl and Spell Bowl.
Each of these opportunities are available to all of our students. Almost all of these clubs meet after school and adjourn at approximately 5:00 p.m. The only stipulation for student involvement that differs from last year is that each student must build a profile on RegisterMyAthlete.com. For more information about RegisterMyAthlete, contact the SMS Main Office with all questions.
If your student has an idea for a new and exciting club, please ask them to come see Mr. Fry in Student Services for more information about how to get started.
SMS Families-
Important Dates
September 17 Turn in Mrs. Fields Order Forms
September 18 Washington DC Parent Information Meeting, 6pm-7pm, SMS Cafeteria
September 24 5-Star Fall Season Kick-Off
September 30 Early Bird Yearbook Deadline
Schmucker - Thoughts from our Community
Schmucker PTO September Newsletter
Yearbook Information
We understand some families have purchased Yearbooks at the $30 price. Your child's yearbook will have a nameplate unless you'd like the $2 reimbursement. If you would like the reimbursement, please contact our school treasurer, Debbie Pletcher, at dpletcher@phm.k12.in.us
Student Fundraiser
Advisory Communication
To keep parents updated about what students are learning in advisory class and to remind parents of school events, advisory teachers will be sending out emails to families. These emails will usually be sent out every week. If you are not receiving the emails by next week, please reach out to your child's advisory teacher.
Progress Reports
CAR RIDER LINE INFORMATION
8th Grade Washington DC Information Night
The 8th Grade Washington DC parent information meeting, will be held Wednesday, September 18, 2019. The meeting will be held in the SMS cafeteria,and will begin promptly at 6:00 PM. It will last approximately one hour.
Mrs. Emily Michelin of Hemisphere Travel (our travel partner) will be here to explain our trip's itinerary. We will hand out an information packet which includes the trip itinerary, online registration information, pricing information with deadlines for the three installments, and various forms to fill out (permission slip, behavior contract, health information). We need between 40 and 50 parents to chaperone the trip. We will be handing out parent chaperone packets which will include the criminal background check form which is required by PHM. If you are unable to attend this meeting, you (or your 8th grader) may pick up the information pack in the main office beginning September 19. For more information, please email Mr. Reininga (MReininga@phm.k12.in.us) or Ms. Scarbeck (JScarbeck@phm.k12.in.us).
7th Grade Field Trip
The 7th grade class will be taking a trip to Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry
on Friday, March 27, 2020. (Save the date!) We'll be traveling by Royal Excursion motor coach and will be leaving SMS at 8:00 AM and returning to school around 5:30 PM. We will need about 45 parent
chaperones. Your job will be to supervise a group of six students while at the museum. More information will be sent home in October.
Penn-Harris-Madison ENL Services’ Free Community Connections Fair
The Penn-Harris-Madison School Corporation English as a New Language Program is sponsoring our third annual Community Connections Fair! This community event is free and is scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2019, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at Schmucker Middle School (56045 Bittersweet Rd, Mishawaka, IN 46545). Last year we had TCU, the Better World Books bookmobile, the ETHOS science bus, HeathLinc, Real Services, Sky Zone, St. Joe County Public Library, Mishawaka Public Library, La Casa de Amistad, 4-H brought bunnies, and many more! We also included many cultural performances and student work that represented countries from all over the world! We can't wait to see what this year's event brings. Please join us!
SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL)
At P-H-M, we value each student and want to help them reach their fullest potential. We can help unlock potential through Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)! According to the Collaborative for Academic and Social-Emotional Learning, it is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. SEL is vital and can offer so many benefits to students, such as an increase in prosocial behaviors, social and relationship skills, emotional wellness, academic success, stress management and the list goes on and on. Since SEL has so many benefits and is crucial for students' success, P-H-M has a unified, systematic focus on SEL and developed goals and initiatives on this front. One of our major goals is to offer SEL lessons to all students. The lessons are based off the SEL competencies set forth by the Indiana Department of Education. In order to teach students these skills, teachers will be delivering Social-Emotional Learning lessons in their classrooms during advisory one day per week. SMS has been doing this for a couple of years. The difference this year is a systematic focus on SEL topics for the entire district while covering the state's SEL learning competencies! In addition, SMS has also partnered with Five Star Life to offer the video curriculum one day per week to coincide with P-H-M's SEL topic. Never before has a partnership like this occurred to help prepare our students to be college and career ready with an intentional focus on SEL. For the months of August, September, and October, we will focus on offering an overview of SEL, and then learning more about self-awareness/insight, mindset, self-management/regulation, identifying strengths and goal setting. If we want our students to learn SEL skills, we must make time to intentionally teach the skills so they can benefit both now and in the future. In fact, research shows SEL can really move the needle in terms of academic performance. Furthermore, if we look down the road, Forbes identified the top qualities employers want in their employees, which are all related to SEL (e.g., ability to work on a team, problem solve, make decisions and communicate). Therefore, we must teach these skills to our students so they can be successful now and as well as later in life. SEL is a value-add to all P-H-M can offer to help unlock potential. For more information on SEL, please visit P-H-M's SEL web page https://www.phmschools.org/parents/social-emotional-learning or contact Dr. Jennifer Sears, Director of SEL & Mental Health at jsears@phm.k12.in.us
Chromebooks
Every student should now have their Chromebook. I would encourage all parents to review our expectations for using technology with your child.
SMS Technology Expectations
I will use technology to achieve my learning goals.
I will be responsible with my use of technology and will remember that this is an online public representation of me and our school.
I will report to a teacher any inappropriate posts, comments or use.
I will use school-associated social media appropriately during the school day.
I will use appropriate grammar instead of texting language when communicating.
I will not reveal any personal information such as: telephone numbers, names, addresses, email addresses etc.
I will not post photos or video showing myself or classmates unless authorized by a teacher.
I will bring my Chromebook to school everyday fully charged.
I will use the blue case the school provided me to protect my Chromebook at all times.
- All school rules and consequences apply.
Chromebook Insurance
Sparc
5-Star
PHM Education Foundation
The P-H-M Education Foundation supports the school corporation by fully funding the Kingsmen Art Gallery, fulfilling grants to support Robotics in the middle and high school plus innovative sensory tools for focused learning for elementary students.
This month, the Education Foundation was selected by Portillo’s to receive a donation of up to $2500 and I need your help!
- Go to www.Portillos.com
- ORDER ONLINE for delivery or pick up (drive thru or in the store)
- That’s it!
Not sure when to buy Portillo’s?
- There are 2 college home football games… Easy drive thru on your way to tailgate!
- Hosting a birthday party or away game viewing party? Portillo’s!
- Ready to change up your lunch time meeting routine… You got it, just ORDER ONLINE and we will receive 20% of your order!
- Feel free to order (and pay) in September for future orders and we will receive the credit!
- Who wants to cook on Halloween and check off your Christmas Party carry-in NOW!
To put $2500 into perspective, it would cover the Young Author’s Conference allowing students K-5 to participate in a 1⁄2 day event featuring a children's author and activities to support writing skills!
Thank you in advance for your YUMMY donation!
P.S. There is also a party on September 18th with $1 Chocolate Cake! Come join us to celebrate their 500th day in Mishawaka!
Athletics
Sports Update:
Our fall sports are in full swing here at SMS. Our teams have performed well so far and we have some exciting events coming up. Please mark your calendars now to attend our sporting events! On Tuesday's and Thursday's you are sure to catch and exciting volleyball game or a challenging football game with our terrific cheerleaders cheering on our team. Or you could see our top rated girls and boys cross country teams in action. Please plan to come out to SMS this fall and support our Schmucker Spartan teams!
INTRAMURALS
Students should keep their eyes on the SMS website calendar and their ears on the WSMS morning announcements to learn of the fun activities to enjoy through our intramural program. The intramural coordinator will be making arrangements for space and supervision for a number of activities as the year progresses such as open gym, soccer, and basketball. Come and join in the fun!
TEAMS update
Message from club Fluid Power
Transportation Policy
TRANSPORTATION POLICY
If your child is planning on going home on another bus with a friend, it is important to remember that the bus driver needs permission from the school office. The office will grant permission if we have a note from both parents (sending and receiving) and if the bus is not full as determined by the Transportation Center. We cannot, however, permit boys and girls to go home together even if they have parental permission. Parents would need to make these arrangements on their own after school hours.
21st century scholars
21ST CENTURY SCHOLARS
We want to remind the 21st Century Scholars or their parents to contact the North Central Regional Support Program Office if there as been a change of address or phone number. This is necessary to help ensure that Scholars and parents do not miss opportunities such as: college campus visits, workshops, informational sessions or activities for parents. Most importantly, it will help ensure that Scholars do not miss their scholarship opportunity. A roster of the 21st Century Scholars will be forwarded to Schmucker's Guidance Office. The 21st Century Scholars phone number is 574-239-2380.
Wellness information
Shorts: athletic style, any color, five inch inseam or longer (no cut offs)
T-shirt: yellow or gold - short sleeves
Shoes: tennis shoes with ties for securing to the feet - no vans, mules, canvas ballet flats
Socks
All clothing should be labeled with student's first initial and last name (no nicknames). Please visit our Schmucker website for further instructions, guidelines and policies for our wellness classes: https://schmucker.phmschools.org/pe-and-wellness-clothing-info
Families can get help with lunch & Textbook Fees
COMMUNITY EVENTS/ACTIVITIES
Check out the P-H-M website for an online listing of non-school events & activities agencies have asked us to share with P-H-M families:
Student Hours
9:00am - First Bell
9:05am - Classes Begin
4:00pm - Dismissal
4:10pm - Bus Departure
Lavon Dean-Null
Email: ldean-null@phm.k12.in.us
Website: http://schmucker.phmschools.org/
Location: Schmucker Middle School, Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN, United States
Phone: 574-259-5661
Twitter: @SMSSpartanPride