Bear Bulletin
March 21, 2021
Welcome Back, Bears!
Topics Included in this Newsletter
- Note from Mrs. Spencer
- Practice STAAR Information for March 23rd and 24th
- SBMS Marquee Update
- Local News Story on In-Person Numbers of School Districts
- SBISD Meet and Greet Virtual Job Fair: March 25th from 4-6 p.m.
- Rising 6th Grade Transition Meeting Presentation Links
- 2nd Nine Weeks Honors Assembly Links
- McKinney-Veto Homeless Education Assistance Act
- Safety Information and Expectations for SBMS Students and Families
Message from Mrs. Spencer
Hello, SBMS Bears,
I hope this newsletter finds you healthy, well and ready to come back to SBMS for an awesome fourth nine weeks of school beginning Monday, March 22nd. In preparation for our last nine weeks of school, please note the following:
- Math and Reading Practice STAAR: On Tuesday and Wednesday of this week, we are holding practice STAARs for Math and Reading, in that order. These exams are important as they tell us who needs more assistance to prepare for the real exams and where we stand. Please talk to your Bear or Bears about the importance of doing their best for themselves and for SBMS. Additionally, all students need to bring their fully charged chromebooks and charger. Please help your students remember to charge each evening and to pack their charger in their backpack. If they have Apple watches, they may want to leave them at home as all electronics will need to be stowed in backpacks during the test, rather than worn on their wrists. Tests occur from 8:40 a.m.-1: 34 p.m. each day. Our exams are denoted on our public Google calendar, if that is helpful in planning: Click Here for Public SBMS Calendar.
- Social Studies and Science Practice STAAR (8th Grade ONLY) will be held March 30th and 31st in the same manner.
- International Travel Form: If the weeks prior to Spring Break moved too quickly for you and you missed submitting your international travel form, please email it to me at stefanie.spencer@springbranchisd.com. All students who traveled internationally need to honor the guidelines presented within the form by testing three to five days after arriving back to the States and quarantining thereafter.
I believe that is it for a Sunday! Enjoy the day with family.
See you Monday, Bears!
Stefanie Spencer, Principal
Practice Math and Reading STAAR This Week!
As stated in the introduction to this newsletter, practice math and reading STAAR are being hosted this week. Please note the following:
- Tests are online this year to practice for future STAAR testing. Students are practicing using the system Monday during BPT. Students will answer in the program and bubble their answers on their scantron so we can collect our own data.
- All students need to bring a fully charged Chromebook and their charger each day, please. This is our first attempt at online STAAR testing and your help with ensuring your student brings his or her device will help tremendously. Because state testing will be online next year and will count for us as a school, our practice on this now will be helpful to us in planning and supporting students.
- Remote students have been invited, but we understand this is a personal decision. We would love to include your child so we can denote their academic progress.
- Lunch will be held in testing classrooms. Students may bring their lunches or get one from the cafeteria. Students will be given the opportunity to go to the cafeteria and return to the classroom. NO deliveries will be accepted per the LearnSBISD plan.
- Testing will occur from 8:40 a.m. to 1:34 p.m. Please do not pick students up early on either day. Future testing dates are already on the google calendar we post for SBMS Families. Please refer to it when making appointments.
Spring Branch MIddle School Marquee Update
Congratulations, SBISD Staff, Students and Families!
Congratulations and job well done to all SBISD staff, students and families! Both our Collective Greatness and the thoroughness of the LearnSBISD plan shone brightly in this local news story on in-person vs virtual student numbers of school districts around the Houston area. We are certainly proud of our ability to honor family choice and provide in-person or virtual learning and for the success of both models of instruction despite the difficulties of the pandemic. Click here for the news article.
Three nine weeks down, Bears! Let's make the last nine weeks great!
SBISD Meet and Greet Virtual Job Fair: March 25th from 4-6 p.m.
We are seeking applicants for the following support staff positions:
- Teachers
- Nurses
- Counselors
- Librarians
- Educational Technology
- Administrators (Principal and Assistant Principal)
- Other Professional Positions
Registration
In order to participate in this free, district-wide virtual job fair, you’ll need to register to attend. Spaces are limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. We encourage you to register as soon as possible to ensure that you are able to attend.
How does a "virtual" recruitment fair work?
The virtual platform allows each school to host a virtual recruitment “booth." Participants can enter each booth to learn more about a department and its current openings. Participants will have the opportunity to engage in one-on-one, online, text-based chats to determine relevant next steps (for example, beginning the official interview process).
Contact
If you have any questions or require any additional accommodations, contact us at jobfairu@springbranchisd.com.
- We understand that virtual job fairs are likely new for everyone. View a short video to see how the process works.
2nd Nine Weeks Honors Assembly Presentation Links
Congratulations to students being honored in the 2nd Nine Weeks Honors Assembly Presentations. Below are links to the two parts to our presentations: Introduction to the Assembly by our NJHS Officers and Grade Level Assemblies. Enjoy! Students are viewing them on Thursday of this week.
Introduction by SBMS NJHS Officers
Many thanks to all staff, grade level counselors and our SBMS NJHS Officers for their hard work in preparing these presentations.
Rising 6th Grade Student Transition Meeting Presentation Links
Thank you for participating in our Rising 6th Grade Transition Events! Below are links to different resources for you and your family as we plan for next year:
- A special Bear Bulletin newsletter was sent out to parents of Rising 6th Graders a few weeks ago: https://www.smore.com/r0kae. The newsletter contains information about course selection and SBMS.
- Parent (& Student) Transition Meeting Presentation Links: English Presentation, Spanish Presentations
Information for Families Traveling Internationally During Spring Break
Messaging over the last few weeks included information for families who planned to travel abroad over spring break. In case you missed it, please note the following repeated message:
As we look forward to spring break in the weeks ahead, we write to affirm that SBISD will follow the Presidential Executive Order of January 21, 2021, requiring international travelers to follow the applicable CDC COVID-19 guidance.
What does this mean for anyone traveling internationally?
- International travelers, regardless of mode of travel, will be required to quarantine upon return.
- Individuals who test for Covid-19 three to five days following return from travel must stay home for seven calendar days. Individuals who do not test must stay home and quarantine for ten calendar days.
- Families who traveled internationally should submit the Student Travel Form directly to their school administrator by March 5, 2021 (Mrs. Spencer will still take them).
VIEW FILLABLE FORM AT LINK BELOW:
McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act
The McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Assistance Act provides immediate enrollment and education stability for displaced and homeless children and youth. Families who may have been displaced by the recent winter storm are encouraged to complete the student residency questionnaire. The form (found here) may be returned to your campus counselor, attendance clerk, or Communities in Schools (CIS) staff member.
You can also return the form via email to ExternalFunding@springbranchisd.com. For any additional questions, you may contact your campus CIS or call 713-251-2495 or 713-251-2335.
If you and your family have any specific needs or any questions, please communicate directly with your campus administration.
LearnSBISD Safety Reminders for SBMS Bears
As always, here are a few reminders in the hopes of keeping everyone healthy, safe, in school and a focus on student learning is maintained at SBMS:
- Report of Exposure: Please report any direct, prolonged exposure your child has had with family members or friends who have been recently diagnosed. This will help Ms. Mulvey determine next steps and lessen the spread of COVID-19. You may do so by calling 713-251-4400 or emailing Ms. Mulvey at mercedes.mulvey@springbranchisd.com.
- SBISD Health Screener: Within every edition of this newsletter every Sunday is a reminder to complete the SBISD Health Screener. Please help us keep everyone healthy, well and in school by completing that screener and refraining from sending any child to school who is demonstrating those symptoms or has exposure to someone who the family believes needs to be COVID tested. If you are unsure whether or not your child should report to school, please reach out to me, Mr. Barry, and Ms. Mulvey and we can try to help you.
- Bringing Items to SBMS: SBMS will only allow the drop off of the following: chromebooks, assignments, books for Language Arts or medicine for the school nurse. Unfortunately, we are seeing too many families dropping off items to the front office that are unrelated to these things. The LearnSBISD plan indicates no drop off of items should be occurring and that visitors to the campus are restricted. As we watch numbers of parents dropping off items to our office and numbers of COVID cases tick upwards, we are tightening up our practices to make clearer what is of necessity and what is not. To ensure that your child has a back up plan for lunch, please visit SBISD Child Nutrition and put money on their account so they can purchase a lunch: https://www.springbranchisd.com/about/departments/finance/child-nutrition-services/payments-and-refunds.
- Health and Safety Reminder: One of the many unfortunate issues related to COVID-19 is that the signs and symptoms for COVID-19 can mirror other illnesses. Our LearnSBISD plan requires parents to complete a Health Screener for their students each morning and indicates that students must not report to school with symptoms delineated within that screener to prevent the potential spread of COVID-19. When a child visits with Ms. Mulvey, our SBMS Nurse, and presents symptoms that could be related to COVID-19 she must follow a protocol that involves presenting the symptoms and context for the child (duration of symptoms, if a parent has tested positive or exposure to someone else has occurred) to the SBISD Intake Nurse and then work with the family to send the child home for a period of time. We fully recognize how stressful the "here and now" is for all families, but ask that your interactions with our nurse are kind and patient. We are happy to ask questions on your behalf and answer any questions you may have, but please know the health and safety of all students, their families and our staff are at the forefront of all that we do at SBMS. This is a very difficult year to serve as a school nurse and we are so grateful that Ms. Mulvey chose this as her life's work.
- SBISD Mask Policy: SBISD requires all school-aged students and staff to wear masks covering their noses and mouths all of the school day, except for when eating or drinking. Gaiters are allowed, but please be sure that students are able to wear them consistently and cover both their noses and mouths. Some students are having to hold their necks forward to keep their gaiters up and over their noses and mouths, so parents may wish to ask their children to wear masks if they prove easier and more comfortable for your child in that regard. Students not consistent in wearing their mask over their noses and mouths may face disciplinary consequences up to and including changing their learning model.
SBISD Health Screener for In-Person Learners
Prior to the start of the school year, all families completed the SBISD Health & Safety Protocol Parent Acknowledgement Form. Included in these protocols is ensuring that every child coming to campus has a completed SBISD Health Screener every morning.
As a reminder, the health screener can be accessed via the district website (there is a blue box on the homepage titled ‘HEALTH SCREENER’ or by clicking here.) High school students may complete their own screener, but not those of their siblings.
Parents, it is critical that you report to your child's school if your child has tested positive for COVID-19, has had prolonged (15 or more minutes) direct exposure to someone who is COVID-19 positive, or is displaying symptoms of COVID-19. Please do not send your child to school. Please do complete the health screener and report to your school attendance office or nurse immediately. Please be sure to provide your contact information including a daytime telephone number where you can be reached.
View this video to see how to turn the screener into an icon (like an app) on your phone or tablet home screen for easier access: