Only 1 more Monday for this school year! There is NO SCHOOL tomorrow as well!

Grades will be closing soon so we can prepare for summer school. Stay on top of your grades so you can avoid summer school this summer. Chromebooks will be turned in this week as well so make sure you have your chargers. All library books are due now so let's avoid those fines. Stay sharp PORCUPINES!

Summer School:

• June 5-15
• Monday-Thursday
• 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
• This program is offered to all current 6th, 7th, & 8th grade students whose overall cumulative average is less than 70 and/or failed any of the following courses:

• ELAR

• Mathematics

• Either science or social studies

As we wind down the year, we have some reminders that need to be sent out. School rules still apply.

1. Cell phones are STILL prohibited during the school day.
2. AirPods are prohibited
3. Pajama pants are not in dress code.
4. Short shorts are not in dress code, whether athletic shorts or not
5. House shoes/slippers are also NOT in dress code.
6. Profanity is still NOT ALLOWED in the hallways, classrooms, or lunchroom or anywhere else on campus. Please refrain from using profanity.
7. Profanity directed at school personnel is against the Student Code of Conduct and will result in serious consequences.
8. Skipping class is still a huge NO NO and you will receive ISS.
9. Please pick up your trash after you eat at EVERY lunch.

Quote of the week:

"Talent is rarely enough to assure victory and bad luck is rarely enough to guarantee defeat.

Do they influence the outcome? Of course. But your response will always sway the final tally."

-James Clear, Atomic Habits

Monday, May 15, 2023

• No School

Tuesday, May 16, 2023

• NWEA EOY Math

• Band EOY Skills Assessment (during classes)

• Credit Recovery for failures during Pojo in cafeteria

• Beginning Band After School Practice @ SIS until 4:30

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

• NWEA EOY Math

• Credit Recovery for failures during Pojo in cafeteria

• 8th Science Lab Presentations @ SES and GCES (Horton)

• PAL Blue Ribbon Ceremony - 6PM @ SMS Cafeteria

Thursday, May 18, 2023

• NWEA EOY Math

• Credit Recovery for failures during Pojo in cafeteria

• 7th Science Unit Test (final summative grade)

• UIL Field Trip (Horton)

• Beginning Band After School Practice @ SIS until 4:30

• SMS Choir Concert @ SHS-6:00 PM

Friday, May 19, 2023

• Last day for NWEA make-ups (window closes)

• Credit Recovery for failures during Pojo in cafeteria

• Chromebooks collected after 8th period

BABY PICTURES NEEDED!

The yearbook class needs baby pictures of current eighth graders for the end of the year video. You may email them to mbourgeois@springtownisd.net.

Thank you!!

The Springtown ISD Board of Trustees has officially approved the 2023-2024 School Calendar. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to everyone who participated in the calendar survey conducted at the beginning of the week, as well as the surveys conducted prior to the calendar options being sent out. Your input and feedback played a crucial role in helping make this important decision.

At Springtown ISD, we are dedicated to providing the best possible education and experience for our students. We want to thank you all for your continued support and for being a part of our #PorcupineFamily. Let's continue working together to make a positive impact in the lives of our students! #PorcupineWay

The registration/course selection presentation is available for viewing below. We will cover all of this information on Tuesday, March 7, immediately after OPEN HOUSE at 6:35 PM.

Parents/guardians are prohibited from approaching, speaking to, and/or driving up to any child that is not their own. Should your child have any conflicts or problems with another student, it is imperative to inform the administrative team so they may conduct a thorough investigation and deal out consequences, if any are needed. If a student reports a parent/guardian of another student has approached them in the parking lot, we will refer any incidents to our School Resource Officer, and possibly the Springtown Police Department, for further action. Thank you for your cooperation.

Below is the link for the official TEA School Report Card for SMS. Overall we have a B and we are working extremely hard for the A that we believe is obtainable. Our teachers are working extremely hard with your students to fill gaps and help our kids achieve success. Please reach out to Mr. Scott if you have any questions. (mscott@springtownisd.net)

Lately, we have had students make the poor choice to say racist comments to several student groups. Name calling and racism do not have a place at SMS and absolutely will not be tolerated. Consequences will be swift and as severe as they need to be to correct the problem. All students should feel safe and accepted at SMS each and everyday. Student safety and wellbeing is our number one priority at all times. Please talk to your student, or students, about this issue. Thank you.

Tardies are piling up for several of our Porcupines. The building isn't that big but yet there can be 50+ students in the hallways after the final bell to go to class. The tardy policy will become more punitive as the semester moves forward. Being on time is important now, in high school, and in life. If a student accumulates a lot of tardies, days in ISS is a distinct possibility.

Vaping has reared its ugly head again at SMS. Vapes are being found daily, some with THC. Not only are vapes ILLEGAL, but the ones with THC are possible felonies AND we don't know what is in them. Some vapes have been found in surrounding districts with synthetic fentanyl. Not only can this cause a serious medical emergency, it can also kill someone instantly. Please, please, please....if you SEE something, SAY something. The campus administrators will check every report. Our number one priority is to keep every Porcupine safe every day.

Keeping our hands to ourselves has become an issue lately. More reports are flooding the office about inappropriate touching, kicking, licking in some instances, “kneeing” someone from behind, the “finger” game, etc. All of this behavior is unacceptable. Each and every student has the right and privilege to come to SMS each day without the fear of being harassed in any form or fashion.

Some of the aforementioned actions are more than harassment; some are criminal and will also result in charges being pressed along with a DAEP placement. The “finger” game that many boys seem to think is funny is actually sexual harassment and can be sexual assault. The “knee” game can cause serious injuries. All of this can be avoided by simply keeping our hands to ourselves. There is absolutely no reason to touch other students. In this day and age, the old mantra of “kids will be kids” is a thing of the past.

It is written in the Student Handbook that all absent notes are to be turned in within three days of returning to school. The front office staff will put the date it was received on the top right hand corner and then deliver to the PEIMS office. To help parents out, I have created a google form and QR code that can be used to enter absent notes as well. These will be date and time stamped and you will also receive an email with your response, for your records. Please utilize this feature if you are worried about your student losing their notes. If your student has more than three unexcused absences, truancy letters will be posted to your family access account. Please send your student to school every day and if they must miss school because of sickness, doctor/dentist appointments, a funeral or court, please send an absence note to essure that we do not have to file truancy on your child.

Contact Mrs. Jessica Cannon

jcannon@springtownisd.net

Cell phones and electronic devices will NOT be permitted at SMS. Phones, headphones, earbuds, Air Pods, etc., will need to be powered off and put away in backpacks before students enter the building. The primary focus will be learning and the learning process. Cell phones are a distraction to the educational environment and are not allowed from 7:30 AM-3:40 PM each day at SMS. If we see them, we take them. This includes front pockets, back pockets, etc. If we hear them, we take them. If you need to reach your child please call the front office and we can get a message to your student. We are excited to get back to social skills, interpersonal skills, communication, and the learning process. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions that you may have. Thank you for your cooperation.

Matt Scott

Principal

Springtown Middle School

1. Student Handbook 2022-2023
2. Student Handbook 2021-2022 (Spanish)
3. 2022-2023 Student Code of Conduct
4. 2021-2022 Student Code of Conduct (Spanish)
5. "Acceptable Use" Guidelines for Technology
6. Bullying, Sexual Harassment, Dating/Sexual Violence Guidelines
7. Dyslexia Handbook
8. 2022-2023 Gifted & Talented Plan
9. Student Grievance Contacts

Physical Description

Their fur ranges in color from brownish-yellow to black, and they sport white highlights in their quills.

The porcupine's most famous feature—the quill—is hollow, 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7 centimeters) in length, and lightly attached to the porcupine's skin. Porcupines are covered in about 30,000 quills. Quills are not thrown or shot, as popularly conceived. Because quills are so lightly attached, they come off easily when a predator encounters them. When the quills enter the skin of a predator, they work their way further into the skin at a rate of 1 mm an hour. Porcupines are more likely to flee predators, but if cornered, it will erect its quills, turn its back to the attacker and lash its barbed tail.

While porcupines spend most of the time on the ground, they are good climbers and regularly climb trees in search of food (and occasionally are found to build nests in trees.) They are also good swimmers.

Size

The North American porcupine is one of the largest rodents found in North America, coming second to the North America beaver. They weigh around 20 pounds (9 kilograms) and are 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 centimeters) in length.

Native Habitat

North American porcupines are native to the coniferous and mixed-forest habitats of Canada, the northeastern and western regions of the United States and northern Mexico. Besides forests, porcupines can also be found in grasslands, desert shrub communities and even tundra.

Food/Eating Habits

Porcupines are generalists, eating a wide range of plant material. Their diet changes seasonally. In the winter, they primarily eat evergreen needles and the inner bark of trees, often feeding heavily on a single tree causing damage or death to the tree. In the spring and summer, porcupines shift to eating berries, seeds, grasses, leaves, roots and stems.

At the Smithsonian's National Zoo, the porcupines eat herbivore pellets and a variety of fruits, vegetables and greens. Their favorite food item is corn on the cob. They also get browse several days a week and chew on the tree bark in their exhibit.

Reproduction and Development

Breeding season is fall and early winter. They conduct an elaborate courtship involving extensive vocalizations, a courtship dance, and the male usually showers the female with urine before mating. Gestation lasts 205 to 217 days. Young (called porcupettes) are born in the spring/early summer. There is generally one porcupette per litter—twins are rare.

Lifespan

In the wild, they are known to live as long as 18 years.

Matthew Scott

Principal

MScott@springtownisd.net

(817) 220-7455, EXT. 1411

Krystle Duncan

Assistant Principal-8th Grade

KDuncan@springtownisd.net

Candace Thompson

Assistant Principal-7th Grade

cathompson@springtownisd.net

Rachel Moreno

Counselor-7th Grade

rmoreno@springtownisd.net

Lydia Gomez

Counselor-8th Grade

lgomez@springtownisd.net

Jessica Hall

Campus Instructional Coordinator

jhall@springtownisd.net

Laura Hughes

Nurse

lhughes@springtownisd.net

Jessica Cannon

PEIMS/Attendance

jcannon@springtownisd.net

Shelby Wilson

Registrar

swilson@springtownisd.net

Armenda Elkins

Librarian

aelkins@springtownisd.net