

Sweetwater Middle School News
February Newsletter

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A Message from Principal Johnson
Hello Families,
I wanted to let you know that 2nd Semester is rocking and rolling. Our Sweetwater Middle School STEAM team participated in their very first Honor Awards Ceremony. It was a wonderful celebration with students, parents, and teachers. Also, our SMS Vex Team is going to State(Yeah!). The students are representing the school with two competing teams. Finally, we have 15 students going to the GCPS Science Fair this month.
In sports, our school had a great Winter Girls and Boys Basketball Season. Our cheerleaders performed well. Thank you to all the parents that came out to support our basketball team and cheerleaders. Please come out and support our Soccer Teams! They are having a fantastic season!
We are currently working hard to get our students ready for Georgia Milestones. We asked that parents make sure to attend our upcoming GMAS Parent Meeting in March. Practice packets will be given to parents that attend.
Once again, I really appreciate your continued support with getting our students to the finish line this year.
We hope to have more exciting news about our SMS Students!
Take Care,
Principal Johnson
College and Career Fair at Sweetwater Middle School
Sweetwater Middle School is hosting a College & Career Exploration Fair on Friday, March 22, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Parents, we are soliciting your participation.
Your support and expertise will help our students better understand their career goals.
Our vision is to prepare students to be college-bound and career-ready. To achieve this vision, we need the assistance of our parents, community members, and public figures so that together, we may educate students on the importance of furthering their education and the vast career opportunities open to them.
All participants will have a designated table. Each presenter is asked to display his/her college/university, career, business, or organization. Please bring pamphlets and prizes to present to the students. Please discuss your background, education, and personal goals. Also, you should include the importance of human relationship skills. Students will visit the displays in 40-minute increments. We are asking participants to arrive between 9:30 a.m. – and 9:45 a.m. to set up. Refreshments and lunch will be provided for participants.
Please click here and complete the form if you want to participate in the College & Career Exploration Fair, or contact Dr. Porter at 770 – 806 – 7819 or via email at Alfred.Porter@gcpsk12.org.
Spring Pictures
On February 7th, we will have Spring Picture Day. Spring Pictures must be prepaid. You can pay online -
https://vando.imagequix.com/g1001087483 or you can pay in person with the flyer being given out to students. If you pay with cash, you must have an exact change. Please visit the website so you can look at the spring picture packages. If you pay online, the cut-off date for online purchases is February 6th at 4 PM. The photographers will send us a list of students who have paid online. If you have any questions about Spring Pictures, contact BPI customer service at 866-363-6936.
A Message from our Counseling Department
Black History Month
February is Black history month. This is a time when we celebrate the origins and many fabrics of African American life and lineage in America and beyond. Unity in the community shall come, as we gather together and celebrate the richness of black history. According to Brigadier General Alfred Flowers, Jr., Black History Month stands as a reminder to re-imagine what new heights are achievable and to set your course to make history or be a trailblazer." Celebrating Black History Month spans across cultural lines and incorporates a diverse set of music, art, inventions, and investments. Partner with the Sweetwater Middle Counseling team as "we celebrate Black History month with fidelity."
Black History Movie Night
Rise
Join us on February 29th, at 6:15 PM in the SMS Cafe for Rise. Rise is the story of three young Nigerian-Greek brothers, Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas Antetokounmpo, who emigrate to the United States and rise to fame in the NBA. Admission is free, and everyone is invited to bring an African American dish.
A Message from the Parent Center
Black History Month Challenge
Do you know whose the most influential Black male or female in African American History? Can you name an HBCU? Can you name an invention by an African American? If you can answer these questions, then join us for the Black History Month Photo Challenge. Parents, have your students collect pictures, label them, and post them on a poster board of the 28 items listed on the flyer. Once they complete the poster board, have them submit their posters to Dr. Harris in the Parent Center. Prizes will be awarded at the end of the month.
Parenting Tip for February - Nuture your Teens Talent
What do many successful teens have in common? Families who have helped them develop their talent to its fullest.
Research shows that families of teens who achieve tend to:
- Focus on the positive. The adults don't push. They look for positive ways to help their students improve their skills.
- Make practice time enjoyable. Practice leads to improvement, and these parents and caregivers find ways to make their teen look forward to practicing. Often, they watch as their teen practices.
- Seek resources to cultivate the talent. These families look for lessons their teen could take. They look for people who could be mentors to their teen.
- Show their interest. Sometimes, whole families learn the skill so they can spend more time together. They attend their teen’s games, events or performances to show their support.
- Stand by their teens, win or lose. Even superstars lose sometimes. These families make it clear that they love their teens just the same.
Connections Students of the Month
STEAM Students Honor Roll Celebration
On Friday, January 26th at 9:15 AM, our STEAM students received awards for Academic Achievement. Here are some pictures from the STEAM Awards Ceremony
A Women's Health Fair at Sweetwater Middle School
The Gwinnett Chapter of the National Council of Negro Women is sponsoring a health fair for women on February 17th from 11 AM to 3PM. All female parents and community members can attend this event. Parents can sign up for breast exams, dental exams, and pap smears. Free baby clothes will be given away. See the flyer for information on how to sign up.
JLC News
The 1st Gwinnett County Drill Meet took place at Trickum MS on 27 JAN 24. The competition began at 09:00 AM -1:00 PM. It consisted of 6 JLC Programs competing for 15 Trophies & 3 medals in the placement of 1st , 2nd , 3rd Place. The Drill Meet was conducted using the following JLC sequences for events: Color Guard Drill, Uniform Inspections, Platoon Drill, Platoon Exhibition Drill, Squad Drill, Squad Exhibition Drill, and Drill Knockout (DK), which all the JLC Cadets compete performing series of commands without error and the last 3 remaining Cadets earn 1st , 2nd , & 3rd Place medals. 876th Sweetwater JLC program earned 3 trophies: 2nd Place for Uniform Inspection Drill, 3rd Place for Platoon Exhibition Drill, and 3rd Place for Squad Exhibition Drill.
Soccer News
On Saturday, February 3rd and Saturday, February 10th, we will have a home soccer game at 9AM for our girls team and 10 AM for our Boys team. On February 22nd, at Berkmar High School, we will have our Cluster meet with Berkmar Middle School at 5:30 PM. Please come out and support our Soccer Teams!
Girls Volleyball is Coming!
Volleyball Club/Intramurals will begin tentatively on February 8th. We will meet weekly from 4:30 PM to 6:00 PM. No experience is needed. All students are welcome. We will be teaching the basics of how to play volleyball and the rules of the game. Currently, volleyball club will be for girls only at this time. A permission slip is required and can be found in each grade level office. If you have any questions, please contact Coach Kim at patrick.kim@gcpsk12.org
VEX Robotics News
Our VEX team is going to the Georgia MS VEX Robotics State Championship! This is the first year for our Robotics team and they have done exceptionally well! Congratulations and good luck to our VEX Team as they go to the State Championship!