SLMS Titan News
Week #21 - January 17, 2022
Greetings SLMS Parents, Guardians, Students, and Staff,
This edition of Titan News has many new items in it, so we encourage you to review it thoroughly. Course selection for next school year is starting now, and our yearbook staff strongly encourages everyone to order their yearbook now, due to a deadline that is coming next week. See important articles below regarding both of those items.
If your child was identified as one needing an academic intervention due to not meeting the passing standard on STAAR Math, Reading, and/or Science last school year, the interventions are scheduled to begin around February 1. We will communicate your child's day(s) of intervention sessions soon. These interventions will occur at a variety of times--some during Advisory on Tuesday or Wednesday, and some after school on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. For students needing transportation home after the after school tutorials on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, we will be providing bus service with stops at roughly 10 locations throughout our attendance zone. Details and individual communications about all of this will be shared soon.
Please take some time to review this week's newsletter, which contains information about:
- Upcoming Important Dates and Events
- Important Tidbits for this Week
- Last Chance to Guarantee a Yearbook Purchase - January 27
- Course Selection Information for 2022-23
- Health & PE Instructional Resources Public Review
- Immunizations for Current Sixth Graders and Readiness for Seventh Grade
- Information Regarding Pork Products Served in FBISD Cafeterias
- Safety Reminders for Vehicle Traffic at Arrival and Dismissal
- Birthday Messages on the SLMS Electronic Marquee
- Important Contact Information
Enjoy your week!
Sincerely,
Keith Fickel, Principal
#NewBeginnings
#TitansOwnIt
#ReturnOfTheTitans
The Week At A Glance
Upcoming and Important Dates
- REN360 Middle of the Year (MOY) Window – January 10 through 28
- Progress Report 5 (PR5) - January 24
- PTO Spirit Night at Torchy's Tacos - January 25
- Eighth Grade Parent Night - January 27
- Last Chance to Order a Yearbook - January 27 (see article below)
- Academic Interventions (Advisory Tue/Wed, & after school Tue, Wed, Thu) – Start February 1
- Black History Month – Month of February
- Kempner HS Electives Fair and Course Selection Night - February 2
- Fifth Grade Parent Night - February 24
- Fifth Grade Visits to SLMS - February 28 and March 3
- Spring Open House / iFest (International Festival) - March 8
Important Tidbits for This Week
FBISD Film Maker's Academy
Filmmaker’s Academy is a free event for students in grades third through 12th grade. This year the event will be held virtually. Registration will open on January 6th and parents will register their student through the Film Fest website
SLMS PTO Spirit Night at Torchy's Tacos - January 25
Please come out to Torchy's Tacos in front of Whole Foods along the Southwest Freeway from 4:00-8:00 PM on Tuesday, January 25. A percentage of the proceeds from sales that evening will benefit our school.
Grade Level Assembly Presentation
Click here to view the slide deck / presentation that our students experienced in their grade level assemblies during the first two weeks of January.
Last Chance to Guarantee a Yearbook Order for Your Titan - January 27
Our yearbook staff is hard at work creating the yearbook for this year. You do not want to miss out. Yearbooks are $40.00, which is the same price as last year, and they may be purchased online by visiting this page on the Balfour website.
Note that January 27 is the last date to order a yearbook that will guarantee a copy for your child, so order today!
We still have copies of last year's yearbook available for sale, as well. They are $40.00, and may be purchased only with exact cash, money order, or check, and they are not available online.
Course Selection Information for 2022-23
The course selection process for next year is underway, starting with our 8th grade students. Visit the SLMS Counselors' webpage for updates. When you visit the counselors' website, look for the menu on the left that has links to separate grade level information. The counselors will keep their respective grade level pages updated with necessary course selection information, and our weekly Titan News will also contain these updates. In the meanwhile, you may wish download the 2022-23 FBISD Middle School Course Selection Guide.
Counselors
6th Grade - Ms. Brinson
7th Grade - Mrs. Smith
8th Grade - Mrs. Seright
8th Grade Parent Night - January 27 @ 6:00 PM
KHS Incoming 9th Grade Fair - February 2 @ 6:00 PM
2022-23 FBISD High School Course Selection Guide
Health & PE Instructional Resources Public Review
The Fort Bend Independent School District will conduct a public review of the upcoming Health and PE textbooks and instructional materials under consideration for adoption for the 2022-2023 school year. The public review takes place from January 3, 2022, through January 21, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day at the FBISD Education Complex (located at 1555 Independence Blvd. Missouri City, Texas 77489). Parents are welcome and encouraged to attend and provide feedback on the Health and PE instructional resources under consideration. The entrance to the warehouse is located on the right side of the building, facing Texas Parkway.
Info from FBISD Child Nutrition Regarding Pork Products
The diversity of our school community makes it particularly important that we communicate clearly about everything we do at SLMS. Please take note of the information below regarding which products prepared and served in our cafeteria contain pork. The supply chain issues brought about by the global pandemic makes it challenging to ensure consistency in the products served to our students, but currently, the only item served in FBISD cafeterias that contains pork is the Pulled Pork Sandwich. All other meat items are derived from either beef or turkey. The cafeteria staff will post notifications in the serving lines if anything changes regarding this. Students and staff who cannot eat pork can rest easy in the knowledge that only one item has pork at this time--the pulled pork sandwich.
Immunizations for Current Sixth Graders and Readiness for Seventh Grade
Your sixth-grade child did or will receive the TDAP and the Meningitis vaccines at their 11-year-old check-up. If they have had these vaccines, please provide proof of this to the clinic when your child gets them. These are the required shots for seventh grade and providing them as soon as you get them will keep your child compliant. and be one less thing for you to do in preparation for seventh grade. You may email it to Nurse Patel at Shetal.Patel@fortbendisd.com or fax it to (281) 327-8745.
Our experience has been that some parents wait until the last possible minute to be in compliance with these immunization requirements. Please help us help your child be ready for next year, as it will approach faster than you think!
Safety Reminders for Vehicle Traffic During Arrival and Dismissal
Safety is important during arrival and dismissal each day. Some things we continue to notice that we want to bring to your attention include:
- Drivers on cell phones/devices while in the car rider line
- Students entering/exiting vehicles along Seventh Street instead of in the circle drive
- Students entering/exiting vehicles in parking lots on either side of the building instead of in the circle drive
- Students entering/exiting vehicles on the drivers' side rather than the passenger side
- Drivers turning left out of the circle drive (it's a posted no left turn during school zone hours)
- Speeding in the school zone and driving too fast in the car rider line
- Parents and students crossing Seventh Street in places other than the crosswalk monitored by our crossing guard
Please help us help you and your children (and our staff) to remain safe by being mindful of these concerns during arrival and dismissal.
Birthday Messages on SLMS Marquee
Does your SLMS child have an upcoming birthday? Would you like to wish them a happy birthday on our new digital campus marquee? The PTO is coordinating birthday messages to go on our marquee as a means of raising funds to help meet needs of students and teachers. Publicizing your child's birthday is only $15.00. Please follow these simple steps to get your child's birthday announced on the marquee:
- Visit https://my.cheddarup.com/c/slmspto
- Scroll down to the "Happy Birthday Marquee" item
- Click "Add to Cart"; you are redirected to another screen where you will
- Enter information about your child and select the style of announcement you wish to see on the marquee
- Click "Add to Cart ($15.00)"
- Review your order
- Click "Continue to Forms"
- Enter your child's name and grade level
- Click "Continue to Payment" and finish your purchase
Note that submissions must be received at least two weeks ahead of the desired date to be posted on our campus marquee. Please contact Heather Martin of the SLMS PTO at heathermartincpa@gmail.com with questions. And feel free to order SLMS swag like hoodies, t-shirts, and more while you are ordering your child's birthday message!
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