SPARTAN SCOOP

October 8, 2023

From Mrs. Smith......

Good evening!

This week went super fast. We finished up volleyball and football, and started basketball and cheer tryouts. This will continue into next week.

The staff and I are getting excited about our upcoming SLCs (Student Led Conferences). We are asking that students with the last name of A-L bring their parents on Monday, October 16 from 5pm to 8pm and the students with last names of M-Z bring their parents on Wednesday, October 18 from 5pm to 8pm. This experience is held so that your student can show you their classrooms and share their successes and areas for improvement. You will be able to meet teachers and briefly touch base about your student, and set up time for longer conversations. We look forward to seeing you at Schmucker.

SPARTY UP!

PHM EXCELLENCE

#PHMExcellence

P-H-M Lead School Psychologist Mike Manis, Ed.S. was recently recognized by the Indiana Association of School Psychologists (IASP) and was named 2023 Indiana School Psychologist of the Year! Manis partnered with IASP, Representative Mike Karickhoff (R-30), and P-H-M School Board Member Clare Roach on a State bill that adds a school psychologist as a qualified provider for purposes of the Medicaid program. Mike is seen in this picture with Rep. Karickhoff and a representative of Indiana School Boards Association. Board Member Roach was honored with the Friend of School Psychology Award. For more information on what Manis and Roach's means for P-H-M students and families. Click here.

Book Fair Coming

The Scholastic Book Fair is coming to Schmucker. It will be in the building the end of October/beginning of November. To help you and your student make thoughtful choices, I am attaching the list of books for sale. Please know that copies may be limited, so you may want to pick a few.

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F23 MS_Case_BookPreview.pdf

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Veterans Day Celebration

Once again, SMS is proud to host a Veterans Day celebration on Friday, November 10th. The program will start at 9:45. Each year we encourage 8th graders to invite a veteran to join them at the celebration. The link below is the invitation and your 8th grader needs to fill it out and return it by October 30 to Room 203, Mrs. Schuster.

We will have a reception afterwards in the LGI with drinks and desserts.

Veterans Day Invitation and RSVP- 8th Grade only

Sixth Grade Social

The 6th grade Social is October 27, 2023 from 4:00pm to 5:30. Mark your calendars. More info to follow.

Student Led Conferences

Mark Your Calendars

Student Led Conferences are October 16th and 18th. This is an opportunity for your student to highlight their successes so far this year. Teachers will be there to answer questions as well. We are asking for students who have a last name that starts with the letters A thru L join us on Monday, October 16 and students who have a last name that starts with the letters M thru Z join us on Wednesday, October 18. More information to come, but we thought we would share the dates.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to teachers prior to SLCs if you have questions or issues.

Washington DC Sign-Up

Twenty-six day countdown to register for the 8th Grade Washington, D.C. field trip! Interested families may register their student on HemisphereTravel.com by Wednesday, October 18. If anyone might have questions, please contact Mrs. DuBois or Mr. Reininga.

THE MORE YOU KNOW!

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Give Back with Amazon Smile

Please look for Schmucker Middle School in Amazon Smile. With all of our online shopping, it's an effective way to easily give back to our SMS PTO.

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Box Tops for SMS

Box Tops are going digital! Simply download the Box Tops app from the Apple app store or Google Play. Create an account for yourself & associate it with Schmucker Middle School!

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Approved PE Shirts

Please remember that shirts from last year and this year are acceptable for PE! You can buy a shirt at the Back to School Walk Around for $10 cash.

Commonly Used Links and Information

Continued Focus on the Indiana Academic Standards

Knowing there is dialog around the state about the Indiana Academic Standards, we continue to follow the direction of the Indiana Department of Education and Dr. Jenner as provided in this letter. If you have any concerns about your child's education, please work with your child's teacher for clarification or reach out to me at anytime!

Questions? Please see the assigned staff at each site to help answer your questions.

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Safety Update: How Can Parents Monitor On-Line Activity

Parents,

Families have the option of receiving weekly emails outlining your students online activity while using Chromebooks. This online service is free and it gives parents an opportunity to maintain a safe learning environment at school and at home. Please click on the attached links to learn more about how Securly can help you.

Click to read and download a copy of the parent letter that provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up your Securly Parent Portal.

SAFE SCHOOL HELPLINE

If you see something, hear something, say something! The Safe School Helpline is a convenient, confidential way for anyone to report information about situations that might affect safety at any P-H-M school or building. You can call the number any time of the day or night to report concerns about unsafe or potentially disruptive activities or situations including drug or alcohol abuse, weapons, harassment, bullying or threats. All calls are completely confidential.