M 'n M
Mustangs in the Middle: Dec 7, 2018
In This Edition:
- Monday is a WHITE DAY
- PTA Update
- Founders Day
- SMS Gives Back
- Spirit Wear Pickup
- Mustang Roundup
- Vaping: Knowing the Facts
- Student Email Alerts for Parents
- SMS Book Drive
- Harlem Wizards Visit Strongsville
- 7th /8th Grade Winter Formal
PTA Update
Hello SMS families!
Happy Holidays!! We're planning a winter holiday treat for our fantastic SMS Staff. With your help the staff appreciation committee will take care of restocking K-Cups and provide some delicious bakery for our staff to enjoy.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904094fa4a629a46-kcups
https://my.cheddarup.com/c/winter-staff-appreciation
Each year in February, PTA’s across America celebrate the founding of National PTA. We also take time to honor individuals who demonstrate commitment to the principles of PTA which are:
- Advocacy on behalf of children
- Education and support for parents and families
- Encouragement for parent and community involvement in public education
If you know someone who you believe embodies these characteristics, please nominate him or her to receive the PTA Achievement award. The person does not have to be a PTA member. It could be a parent volunteer, a teacher, a coach, anyone who works for the betterment of children and families in the community. Strongsville Middle School will present the Achievement awards on Thursday, February 7, 2019, at the Strongsville Middle School.
If you would like to nominate an individual to be Strongsville Middle School’s recipient of this award, please do so by Friday, December 7th. We will vote for the winner at the PTA General Meeting/Holiday Luncheon on Monday, December 10th. The December meeting/luncheon will be held at Romano's Macaroni Grill at 11:30am on December 10th (not at SMS). Please contact Sharon David at sewengine@wowway.com if you would like to attend. Please complete the attached nomination form and place in the PTA mailbox by December 7th. Or, email nominations to vsmaloney02@gmail.com.
SMS Gives Back
PTA volunteers are needed to help run the event during lunch periods Dec. 3 through Dec. 7. Please consider helping out to benefit our Strongsville Middle School students by signing up at:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0B4CA5A622A46-giving
PTA will be helping to sell Candy Grams during lunch periods the week of Dec. 10 through Dec. 14 and during the holiday concerts at the middle school. Students will be able to purchase Candy Grams for friends, teachers and staff during lunch, and parents, grandparents, friends and siblings will be able to purchase the Candy Grams at the concerts. Volunteers will NOT miss any of their student's concert. Candy grams will be sold before and after concerts, and during intermission, where applicable.
All of the proceeds from the sales will go toward the SMS Gives Back program, which helps Strongsville Middle School students and their families during the holiday season.
Candy Grams will be delivered to students during I/E on Dec. 20.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0b4ca5a622a46-candy1
PTA is teaming up with teachers and staff at SMS for the SMS Gives Back Gift Basket Sale. Baskets will be on sale during the holiday concerts at the middle school, and we need your help selling them.
Please consider volunteering some time to help before and after the concerts and during intermission. You will NOT miss any of your child's concert, if you volunteer to help. Please consider donating your time. Proceeds from the sale of the baskets go directly to Strongsville Middle School students and their families in need of help this holiday season.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0b4ca5a622a46-gift
Spirit Wear Pickup
Any questions, please contact Mary Smith. Maryj8798@yahoo.com
Mustang Roundup
Alex Smith from Sandy Hook Promise Speaks with Students
8th Grade Award Winners
6th Grade Award Winners
7th Grade Award Winners
Vaping: Knowing the Facts
Vaping has become a popular alternative to smoking in recent years. It has also become popular with some of today's youth, as well. Parents, it is important that you know what you are looking for if you suspect your child is partaking in such activity- or simply to take a proactive approach to keeping your child safe. Because it is smokeless, children have the perception that it is harmless- that cannot be any further from the truth. According to a recent study in Pediatrics Magazine, students who use e-cigarettes are four times more likely to move on to using real cigarettes. Electronic Cigarettes are a path to nicotine addiction.
What to Look For
E-cigarettes including the sleek, popular Juul, can be mistaken for other things. Small in size, they can fit easily in the palm of your hand and are often mistaken for jump-drives. They may contain flavored nicotine cartridges that have a fruity odor as the byproduct of use. Children can hide the Juul in their sleeves, pockets and/or shoes and they are nearly non-detectable. A child could pull this device out, take a hit and put it back out of sight in a matter of seconds. One hit from the Juul can have the nicotine content equivalent to that of a pack of cigarettes.
As a parent of two middle-school aged children, I have addressed these devices and the dangers and health concerns that come with them. It is important to have open dialog with your child to get the conversation going. It is never to early to open up those lines of communication to educate your child or the dangers of using electronic cigarettes.
Here are some links below to help inform you of the dangers and perhaps guide discussion with your child.
Students who are caught possessing/using an e-cigarette on school grounds will not only be subject to school discipline but, will also be turned over to the Strongsville Police Department and may be charged with possession.
Email Alerts for Parents
Our school uses Securly to keep students safe on their school-issued devices. As part of the solution, we have given you access to the free SecurlyHOME app. On December 14th, you will receive a “Welcome Email” from Securly, and you will be able to download the App. You’ll also start to receive a weekly email report each Monday containing a sample of your child’s online activity over the previous week.
Here is a letter explaining the app and how to access information. Please note that you will need to activate the account.
- Parent Letter Home
- Securly Support: How do parents sign into the Parent Portal? (website)
- Securly Parent Portal Walk Thru (video)
- Parent Video for SecurlyHome App (video)
SMS Book Drive
When you were younger did you love reading a good book with a family member before you went to bed? Did you ever recite your favorite book even though you couldn't read? Many kids in the Cleveland area don’t have books that they can read or have read to them. These kids never get to experience the many feelings you can get from books. Thankfully, the Kids’ Book Bank is an organization that collects books and distributes them to kids who don’t have any. They have been in business for two years and have already collected over one-million books for the children of Cleveland!
Mrs. Randall’s and Mrs. van Besouw’s Literacy in the Community classes, as well as NEMO, are DIVING into a book drive here at SMS! This book drive will run from Monday, December 10th through Thursday, December 20th. Starting on Monday, please start bringing in picture and board books. There will be a box in each pod that says,”Kids’ Book Drop Off,” so you can deposit them as soon as you get to school! Look for hallway posters and slides on the scrolling announcements for more information.
LET’S ALL GET HOOKED ON DONATING BOOKS!
In honor of readers of all ages, we will have a Spirit Week next week.
Spirit Week
Monday Dec. 10: Wear Yellow for Charlie Brown
Tuesday Dec. 11: Wear Red for Clifford the Big Red Dog
Wednesday Dec. 12: Green for Green Eggs & Ham
Thursday Dec. 13: Stripes & Hats for Dr. Seuss
Friday Dec. 14: Shirts with words for Words are Wonderful Day!
Harlem Wizards
SMS Winter Formal
Please understand that if students/families owe past due fees (from 2017-18 and beyond), they will not be able to purchase a ticket.
Please be mindful of the following:
- School dress code still applies. Many student may be wearing formal wear but, it is not required. Please refrain from wearing T-Shirts and/or shorts.
- Students should be dropped off by Door S (teacher entrance left of the main doors) at 6:30. They will have to check in at the tables. 7th grade will check in near door S and 8th grade will check in down by the elevator.
- Please arrive no later than 9:30 to pickup your child. Carpooling is encourage as there will be a high volume of cars leaving the parking lot at the same time. You do not have to come in to pick up your child unless you are arriving early for some reason.
- Students will be allowed in the cafeteria and auditorium, only, during the dance. We will have a coat check in one of the rooms on the first floor for students to leave their coats and belongings.
- Food and Drinks should be kept in the lower part of the cafeteria.
If you are chaperoning (a hearty 'Thank You' to all those parents who are giving their time!), please report to the area in which you are helping.
- Checking Students in (6:15): Come to door S
- Food/Drink: Lower part of Commons
- Photo Booth: Auditorium
- Dance Floor Supervision: Near DJ in the Commons
Looking forward to an exciting evening!
Links
SMS Website: Click Here
Academic Rolls: Academic Rolls Q1
PTA Form: PTA Membership Form
Athletic Boosters: https://strongsvilleboosters.membershiptoolkit.com/Join
Important Dates
- Dec 10: 7:00 Orchestra Concert 7 & 8
- Dec 12: 6:30 Band Concert
- Dec 14: 6:30-9:30 7th/8th Grade Formal
- Dec 17: 7:00 @ SHS Orchestra Concert 5 & 6
- Dec 18: 6:00 Art Show & Choir Concert
- Dec 21-Jan 4: Winter Break
Strongsville Middle School
Email: sdeitrick@scsmustangs.org
Website: http://www.strongnet.org/Domain/411
Location: 13200 Pearl Road, Strongsville, OH, United States
Phone: 440.572.7090
Twitter: @smsstangs