SWM Monday Memo

December

4 = Odd Day

- NWEA Testing - ELA

5 = Even Day

- NWEA Testing - Math

- SWM 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Choir Concert / Main Commons /6:30pm (6th Grade) & 8pm (7th & 8th Grade) - ALL CHOIR STUDENTS MUST ARRIVE 1/2 HOUR BEFORE THEIR PERFORMANCE TIME.

6 = 8 Period Day

- Hearing & Vision Screening / House Commons & Library Classroom / 8am - 3:pm

- Board of Education Regular Meeting / Parkway Welcome Center / 7pm

7 = Odd Day

- NWEA Testing - Science

- SWM Orchestra Concert / Main Commons / Performance Time for 6th grade = 6:30pm & 8pm for 7th & 8th Grade / ALL ORCHESTRA STUDENTS MUST ARRIVE 1/2 HOUR BEFORE THEIR PERFORMANCE TIME.

8 = Even Day

8 - 20 = Fresh Food Drive

Upcoming Events:

11 = NWEA Make-Up Testing

12 = NWEA Make-Up Testing

- SWM 6th, 7th & 8th Grade Band Concert / Main Commons / 6:30pm

1. 6th Grade Band Students should arrive at 6pm
2. 7th & 8th Grade Band Students should arrive at 7pm

13 = Early 8 Period Day / Lunch Served / Dismissed at 1:15pm / NO ASA

15 = CBI Field Trip / 10:30am - 1:30pm

21 = Half Day / NO LUNCH / Dismissed at 12:20pm / NO ASA

22 - January 2 = No School / Winter Break / NO ASA

Parents & Students - Please remember that SWM doors do not open until 8:00am on school days.

Students should not arrive before this time.

Also, please dress accordingly for the outdoor temperatures.

Please remember to have your photo ID with you when you arrive to check out a student. Also, if you're not the parent/guardian or listed in the emergency contact section, please have the parent/guardian email sdillane1@parkwayschools.net or kkurtz1@parkwayschools.net.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation ~ SWM Staff

It is important that we have up-to-date contact information for each family, as well as home addresses. Parents can update their Family Profile online using Infinite Campus or the Infinite Campus Parent app.

Update your family profile here.

The South High Counselors visited 8th grade students this week to begin drafting a four year plan or Individual Career and Academic Plan (ICAP). Since the students already had been presented with much information about high school graduation requirements, credits, GPA's, transcripts, and differences between required courses versus elective courses, they started mapping out the courses that they are interested in during their time in high school. This plan is fluid and is expected to change, but instead is a tool to help student plan. This plan does not register students for classes, but an aid to help with the registration process coming in January. Students have accessed their ICAP through the Google Classroom joined titled, "South High Class of 2028." Please take a look at your children's plans.

Permissions slips for the "South High 9th Grade Transition Day" have been given to students. During this half day class trip to South High, all students will have the opportunity to eat lunch in the South High Cafeteria, participate in a guided tour of their future high school, and meet with their future high school counselors who will share information about the high school registration process. All permission slips should be returned by Wednesday, December 20th to Ms. Jimenez (Westside), Mr. Sheets (Eastside), or Mr. Caltagirone.

High School Registration Timeline:

*November 29th: High School Counselors visit SWM to gegin drafts of 4 year plans.

*December 20th: South High: 9th Grade Transition Day Permission Slips due

*January 17th: Infinite Campus opens for 9th grade Registration

*January 18th: Curriculum Night at South High

*January 24th: Core Course Preference Survey due

*January 29th: Infinite Campus closes for elective selections

SWM plans to hold our annual hearing and vision screenings on December 6th. We hope to screen all students who are currently in 7th grade, as well as students who are new to the district, have plans that require annual screenings, and students who missed or failed their last screenings. If you do not want your student to be screened please notify Nurse Jacobs by December 1st. You can email me at sjacobs2@parkwayschools.net or call 314-415-7329.

We are beginning to see a number of respiratory illnesses here at SWM including our 1st cases of Influenza A. Please keep your student home whenever they have a fever or cough. Contact Nurse Jacobs if you have any questions or need to report your student has a contagious illness such as Influenza, Coivd, or Strep. Thank you for helping to keep our school community safe!

You will see the schedule for the events happening this week. Students were shown how to sign up through our ASA Hub on the School Website. The most important thing is the students know where they live so we can figure out what bus they need to ride home if that is their transportation home. All activities are subject to change. Make sure to check the daily schedule to see which days are for each grade. Students should listen to daily announcements for updates on the activities. Students can only sign up for activities the day the activity is happening. If a student signs up for a bus ride and the student decides to use a different form of transportation they need to email Ms. Modaff or come to the office before going to their activity.

Contact Ms. Modaff-- amodaff@parkwayschools.net with any questions.

SWM annual Fresh Food Drive will be

December 8th through December 20th.

Service Learning Project

Circle of Concern is a food pantry run by volunteers in West-County for people who are struggling to provide food for their families. We would like to help the Circle of Concern by donating foods to these families. We are encouraging people to donate fresh fruits and vegetables because non-perishable foods are not as healthy compared to fresh fruits and veggies. Some of the items you can donate are potatoes, oranges, apples, bananas, broccoli, celery, garlic, melon, and etc.

We will be collecting these fresh foods during passing time from December 8th to the 20th. You can find more information about our local food pantry at https://www.circleofconcern.org/

Please help us support these families in need before the holidays.

THANK YOU! Written by Marielle McGirr (7th grade student)

Parents, Please note that library books that have a due date of August, September and October have been marked lost and a fine assessed in Infinite Campus. Notices are emailed every Monday with overdue books and your child can see which books are checked out, overdue or fined by logging into Destiny Discover through the library website. If your child has the book or books that are marked lost, please have them return or renew it this week to delete the fine. If you have any questions please contact Shannon Burger, librarian at sburger@parkwayschools.net.

Week of December 4:

As we transition into building listening skills, our 6 th grade students will concentrate on becoming better listeners. By realizing the importance listening plays in improving peer relationships, it is

also a key element in perspective-taking, conflict resolution, and working in groups. Our Sentinels of 7th grade will begin understanding stress and coping mechanisms. Eighth graders will

direct their attention to understanding emotions and regulation. We discuss the myth: If we’re not happy, there’s something wrong with us. Accepting that being unhappy at times is normal assists

in relieving worse feelings when we are feeling unhappiness.

Our Southwest Middle School acolytes will focus on core values of compassion and perseverance.

Family Dare:

6:30pm - (6th grade students should arrive at 6pm)

8pm - (7th/8th grade students should arrive at 7:30pm)

The orchestra concert will be on Thursday, December 7th. Concert details are linked below (please note that Chamber Orchestra students have a separate link). Contact Mrs. Sheehan with any questions.

Chamber Orchestra

6th Grade Orchestra

7th/8th Grade Orchestra

6:30pm - 6th Grade Band (students should arrive at 6:00pm)

7:30pm - 7th/8th Grade Band (students should arrive at 7:00pm)

Dear Southwest Families,

Each year, our Southwest Middle School staff and community have supported many SWM families during the holiday season. Our counseling department is currently planning around this program and building a list of families to support. If your family would benefit from support through our holiday giving program, please reach out to your student's grade level counselor. This conversation is confidential and will not be shared beyond the counseling department.

6th Grade-Lexi Hummert, ahummert3@parkwayschools.net

7th Grade-Courtney Shaw, cshaw2@parkwayschools.net

8th Grade-Charles Caltagirone, ccaltagirone1@parkwayschools.net

If you would like to contribute to our holiday giving fund, you can do so in the following ways....

1. Venmo @SWMPTO

2. Bring a gas and/or walmart gift card to SWM Welcome Center

3. Write a check (payable to Southwest Middle PTO) and bring to SWM Welcome Center.

We will collect funds until December 15th. We cannot thank you enough for your generosity. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your grade level counselor.

Thank you!

HELP! I'm lost - please come get me and take me home.