SLMS Titan News
Week #4 - August 30, 2021
Greetings SLMS Parents and Guardians,
We have completed our second full week of school, and students are settling into their routines. Our tremendous Titan Staffulty (staff+faculty) has been incredibly hard at work to create meaningful learning experiences for your children. If you have a moment, ask your child what the SLMS mission statement is (it's at the very end of this newsletter); they are having opportunities to earn Titan Bucks (a reward) for being able to recite the mission statement. We will also be developing a campus vision this year, with input from all of our stakeholders. This vision will complement our mission statement.
Our systems and processes are improving and making a difference - the car rider line has improved drastically and has become much more efficient, thanks to the efforts of parents and students to keep things moving, being ready to get in/out of vehicles, as well as due to the excellent work being done by our staff on duty. Bus transportation is improving, as well, though the district still remains short on its number of bus drivers. If you have interest in driving a bus, the district is hiring! See the infographic further down in this newsletter.
We look forward to our Virtual Open House this Thursday, September 2, and there is a lot of information below, including some revisions to what was originally sent out on Wednesday of this past week. Please take time to absorb the information found in the Virtual Open House article below.
Progress Report 1 (PR1) will be posted to your child's portfolio in Skyward Family Access by mid-afternoon on Tuesday, August 31, though it could be delayed until Wednesday. The district is experiencing a glitch in Skyward for which the fix has proven elusive. Therefore, please understand that from the teacher side, as of the moment this newsletter is being sent (Sunday, August 29 at about 11:10 AM), Skyward has been unavailable for them for the past 48 or more hours to enter grades and assignments, and it is still unavailable to them. When Skyward comes back online, remember that you can look at your child's grades and attendance any time in Skyward Family Access. Please note that Progress Report 2 (PR2) is September 17; students who are involved in extracurricular activities such as athletics and fine arts must be passing ALL of their classes at that time (Sept. 17) in order to be eligible to compete/perform. This is known in Texas as the six-week grade check, and it is required by law.
The Gifted and Talented (GT) Referral Window is now open for parents and teachers to refer students for GT testing. The window is open through September 30. Please see the article below about GT Referrals.
Please consider joining and donating to our SLMS PTO this year to support the students, the school, and the teachers. There is a flyer for the PTO in this newsletter, or you may click this link to join PTO. Thank you to our terrific parent volunteers who work hard to keep SLMS moving forward. If you have any questions about PTO membership, please contact Lisa Vogel at vogelville2@yahoo.com.
We will begin morning and afternoon tutorials soon; please stay tuned for developments and an announcement about that by early September.
Thank you for taking some time to consider the items in our Titan News. Communication and understanding are the two most important pre-requisites from which we may build trust for the best possible school/family relationship.
Sincerely,
Keith Fickel, Principal
#NewBeginnings
#TitansOwnIt
#ReturnOfTheTitans
August 30 through September 3: The Week At A Glance
Upcoming Events
- Labor Day - September 6
- SLMS PTO Spirit Night #2 at Panera Bread (Hwy 6 & Kensington) - September 16
- Fall Portrait Day - Monday, October 18
- Campus Planning and Advisory Committee (CPAC) Meeting POSTPONED until September 29
"Virtual" Open House - Thursday, September 2 - Some Updated Information
Open House is a virtual experience on September 2. Here is the revised plan (revised on 8.28.21). See information and graphic below (click here to download as PDF)
- Watch a 3-5 minute video from each of your child's teachers PRIOR to our actual Virtual Open House on September 2. A link to each teacher's video will be found in your child's teachers' Schoology courses. Videos will be viewable for viewing by Tuesday, August 31 to give you plenty of time to watch each one before attending our Open House described in #2 below
- Experience a "virtual walk" through your child's classes (follow their class schedule period by period) on Thursday, September 2, starting at 6:00 PM, via Microsoft Teams. The link to each class period Teams meeting will be found in the same location in Schoology for each teacher as the video mentioned in item #1 above. You will have a chance to engage your child's teachers in brief Q&A session.
Attend an optional Pre-Open House Session with your child's grade level counselor at 5:45 and an optional Post-Open House Check-In with Principal Fickel. The links to these sessions are below; all links below are to Microsoft Teams meetings and NOT Zoom.
- 6th Grade Counselor 5:45 session (Ms. Brinson) - (Click here to join the meeting on Microsoft Teams)
- 7th Grade Counselor 5:45 Session (Mrs. Smith) - (Click here to join the meeting on Microsoft Teams)
- 8th Grade Counselor 5:45 Session (Mrs. Seright) - (Click here to join the meeting on Microsoft Teams)
- Post-Open House Session with Principal Fickel at 7:45 (Click here to join the meeting on Microsoft Teams). Note that this was changed from a Zoom meeting to a MS Teams meeting. Do not use the Zoom link that was sent to you on Wednesday.
Note about Microsoft Teams meetings for parents...You DO NOT have to have MS Teams installed on your computer; simply click the Meeting Link in your child's teacher's Schoology folder, and when prompted, simply click the button that pops up which says, Join on the web instead. See image below. See this job aide/help file for more details.
Revised Open House Schedule
Student and Staff Health & Wellness - Updated 8.27.2021
The well-being of anyone who sets foot on the SLMS campus is paramount. Effective Saturday, August 28, Fort Bend ISD strongly encourages students and staff to wear masks. Disposable masks should be replaced daily, and washable masks should be washed daily. Consider wearing a disposable mask behind a washable mask, as well.
On Friday, August 27, FBISD HVAC maintenance crews replaced all of the campus air filter media with MERV-13 air filters.
In addition to strongly encouraging students, staff, and visitors to wear masks, SLMS encourages everyone to:
- maintain a minimum 3-foot physical distance wherever possible
- wash their hands often and for at least 20 seconds
- avoid touching their face
- use hand sanitizer when washing hands is not possible; every classroom and office, as well as the cafeteria has hand sanitizer
- wipe down their desk with specialized wipes
- use PPE we provide (paper towels and alcohol spray) to wipe down computers, keyboards, etc.
- never share food or drink at the breakfast/lunch table
- bring a refillable water bottle (with a secure, water-tight cap) and fill it using the three bottle fillers we have across campus, rather than drink straight from the fountain
Our custodial staff works diligently throughout the day to keep high-touch surfaces, such as door knobs, light switches, etc. clean. Because our lunch schedule will afford 15-20 minutes between lunches, the custodians and staff have the opportunity to do a thorough cleaning of the cafeteria (tables, seats) using prescribed methods, materials, and equipment after each lunch period.
REN360 Screener for Math and Reading - PLEASE COMPLETE THIS WEEKEND!!!
This past week, we had some students who did not complete the REN360 assessment that was conducted in their ELA and math classes. If your child has not taken either the Math or Reading REN, please have them complete the screening this weekend at home. If you child is asked for a "monitor password", the word is "admin" (without the quotes). REN360 is a vital tool for your child because the results of these two assessments will assist SLMS teachers to identify areas of both academic strength and areas of opportunity in math and reading. This screener will help us to know what to focus on but also what NOT to focus on for our students so that we maximize instructional time by tailoring instruction to individual students' needs. Therefore, it is important that all students take the screener seriously and take their time to complete the screener to the best of their ability. Please encourage your child to do their best. Thank you for partnering with SLMS!
Tardies Began Counting Last Week
Tardies began counting this past week. Please see the graphic below for the consequences for tardies. Parents, please monitor your children's' attendance in Skyward Family Access. Please note that we will not hold students responsible for being late due to bus transportation issues in the morning, but students will be counted tardy for first period if they are late from the car rider line. This is incentive for everyone to be ready to get out of the car and follow expectations on the car rider line.
SLMS PTO Spirit Night #2 - September 16 at Panera Bread (Highway 6 and Kensington)
Gifted and Talented (GT) Referral Window Open Until September 30
The 2021-22 Gifted and Talented (GT) referral process is open for parents and teachers to submit names of students who you believe may need Gifted and Talented services in Fort Bend ISD. Please visit https://gt.fortbendisd.com/ if you believe your child may be gifted and a candidate for services. The window closes on September 30. Note that students are tested during the 2021-22 school year, and if they are identified as gifted in either/both of Math/Science or Reading/Social Studies, their services would not begin until the 2022-23 school year. Please reach out to our GT campus coordinator, Mrs. Kimberly Seright, at (281) 634-3085 or via email at kimberly.seright@fortbendisd.com with questions.
Cross Country (XC) is Starts Monday, August 30!
If your 7th or 8th grade Titan enjoys running, then they should consider joining the SLMS Cross Country (XC) Team! We are excited to announce that Mr. Eckhardt, one of our 7th grade ELA teachers, will be coaching this sport. More details will be sent separately early this week about Cross Country, as practices will begin at 5:50 AM on Monday, August 30, and the first meet is September 15. Cross Country course length is 2 miles exactly. The season is fairly short; there will be four weekly meets, and the season will be complete by early October. Be sure your child has a current physical on file (download form here). All students need to visit www.rankonesport.com and fill out all of electronic forms (include leading zero "0" in your student ID number when logging into RankOne). ALL FORMS need to be submitted electronically, and the physical form must be turned in BEFORE a student athlete is eligible to participate, even in practice. Girls turn in their physical form to Coach Toni Woods, and boys turn their physical form to Coach Pete Esposito.
Please complete this short survey if you are interested in participating in Cross Country (XC) - 7th and 8th graders only https://forms.office.com/r/a8u0LdVRTE
If you have questions, email them to Coach Eckhardt at aaron.eckhardt@fortbendisd.com
Standards-Based Grading Parent Information Follow-Up
We know that not everyone was able to make it to the Standards-Based Grading parent session on Zoom held on August 24, so we wanted to follow the meeting up with a link to the recording of the session, a link to the district’s Standards-Based Grading (grading pilot) website, and a feedback form.
Thank you to all of the parents who came (we had over 100!), and thank you to the awesome teachers who attended, as well. We also had three key district staff members present; these staff are in a significant support role for our teachers who are leading this groundbreaking and important approach to reporting student learning in a rich, meaningful way.
Here are the links to the promised items:
- Link to recording/video of the SBG meeting (about 46 minutes long)
- Link to FBISD Grading Pilot Website (referenced in the recording)
- Link to the FBISD Grading Pilot Parent Feedback Form (referenced in the recording)
- Link to the PowerPoint/Slide Deck used in the presentation
- Link to Job Aide for Parents to help with Understanding the SBG Report Card/Progress Report in Skyward Family Access
We hope you find this information helpful, and know that we understand that you as parents are also on a learning curve about this new approach, as it does not mirror your own experiences as a child growing up. We strongly believe, however, that it is worth the effort and that it will provide your children with a deeper, richer learning experience that takes the focus off of grades themselves and places it squarely on the learning. We intend to have some follow-up meetings during the year. But the most important thing you can be doing to support your children in this experience is to explore the resources on the Grading Pilot Website (linked above and referenced in the recording) and keep an eye on the “marks” related to the events and competencies that your children are engaging in and learning about. We are all learning together, which is why we are truly a learning community!
FBISD is Hiring and Training Bus Drivers!
If you are interested in serving FBISD as a bus driver, please see the flyer below, and visit the job posting and application on the FBISD Careers Website! The district is experiencing a shortage of drivers, and you could help stand in the gap!
Technology and Student-Owned Devices
Apply For or Renew your Application for Free or Reduced Meals Today
Complete or renew your application for Free or Reduced Meal Program by visiting the Free and Reduced Meal program web page on the district website. Even though all FBISD students from PK through 12th grade will receive a free breakfast and a free tray lunch, it is imperative that all families whose income levels make them eligible for the Free or Reduced Meal Program sponsored by the USDA complete an application or submit a renewal. This is because Sugar Land MS and FBISD receive federal funding based on the level of participation in this program. Last year, Sugar Land MS was 56% Free and Reduced Lunch.
School Supplies for 2021-22
All of the supplies your child will need are listed in the SLMS school supply list, which was created by the teachers. The only items not included are things like PE uniforms and specialty items needed for certain elective classes. PE uniform sales will begin in late July in a separate process. A list of items needed for specialty electives classes will be shared by your child's teacher once school starts.
PE Uniforms – available for purchase online. Link to PE Uniform Purchase Website
(note: if your child is taking Kickstart instead of PE or athletics, their uniform, called a '"Gi", will be made available to you through the instructor)
Class Schedule for 2021-22
Our class schedule/bell schedule for the 2021-22 school year is below
You may download a PDF of the bell schedule by visiting this information page on our campus website. An image of the bell schedule is below.
Important Contact Information
- Associate Principal - Monika Martin (monika.martin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Nafecia Brinson (nafecia.brinson@fortbendisd.com)
- Assistant Principal - Dr. Dawn Rogers (dawn.rogers@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Eleni Smith (eleni.smith@fortbendisd.com)
Eighth Grade
- Assistant Principal - Luster Goodwin (luster.goodwin@fortbendisd.com)
- Counselor - Kim Seright (kimberly.seright@fortbendisd.com)
Counselor Clerk - Carmen Brantley (carmen.brantley@fortbendisd.com)
Assistant Principal Secretaries
- 7th and 8th Grade - Tina Garcia (diamantina.ibarragar@fortbendisd.com)
- 6th Grade - Sherri Woodcock (sherri.woodcock@fortbendisd.com)
Attendance - Mary Beth LaVergne (mary.lavergne@fortbendisd.com)
Registrar - Tandi Phillips (tandi.phillips@fortbendisd.com)
Nurse - Shetal Patel (shetal.patel@fortbendisd.com)
Clinic Aide - Cassandra Rodarte (cassandra.rodarte@fortbendisd.com)
Executive Assistant to Principal Fickel - Mary Connealy (mary.connealy@fortbendisd.com)
Sugar Land Middle School
46 Years
1975-2021
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
#NewBeginnings
#Resilience
Office Hours
8:20-4:20 PM
Email: keith.fickel@fortbendisd.com
Website: www.fortbendisd.com/slms
Location: 321 7th Street, Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone: (281) 634-3080
Twitter: @SLMSTitans