SMS Newsletter

The Sacajawea community is committed to

ensure high levels of learning for all students.

We are a compassionate community that honors grit

and celebrates growth in order to face the future

with a level head and a critical eye.

** In this Title I school, parents have the right to request certain information on the professional qualifications of the student’s classroom teachers and paraprofessionals providing services.

As we bid farewell to the warmth of summer and welcome the beautiful days of autumn, we're excited to be settling in at Sacajawea Middle School. Students and staff seem to be finding their stride in our new block model and A/B rotations.

Attendance in middle school plays an important role in shaping a student’s educational journey and overall long-term success. We know that our students are developing the essential academic and social skills and habits that will carry them to adulthood. Regular attendance and a value of education at home helps foster a sense of responsibility and motivation. When students attend school consistently, it helps ensure students are actively engaged in their learning and building a strong foundation for high school. It also helps students build social connections with their peers. If your child is struggling to attend school, please reach out, as we are happy to work together in support of your child.

Thank you for entrusting us with your child's education.

Sincerely,

Ashley Henigman

SMS Principal

The bell rings at 8:10 each morning after which students may enter the building. Class starts at 8:20am. Students should not enter the building before 8:10am unless they are

attending Early Birds in the library.

Early Birds is available each morning at 7:30am in the library. Students may

quietly work on homework or read a book during that time.

To report an absence for your student, the most efficient method is to log in to your

PowerSchool Parent Portal. On the left-hand menu, click on "Attendance Monitor,"

then "Report New Attendance."

If you need to reach the office, please call 406-522-6400.

Lisa Tesseneer and Cindy Smith work in the office.

If your student needs to leave school early, please call the office in the morning with the time you would like to pick the student up, and we will give the student a blue pass to leave class

early and meet you at the office at the desired time.

If your student will be arriving to school late, please let the office know

and we can get them a pass to class.

There is a Lost and Found in the cafe. Please encourage your student to

check there frequently for notebooks, Chromebooks, water bottles, clothing, etc.

BREAKFAST: Breakfast is available starting at 8:10 in the cafe where they can Grab’n Go or take a few minutes to eat. We ask that students clean up after themselves and to make sure they don’t leave anything behind.

CELLPHONES: Cell phones are expected to be in student lockers/backpacks promptly at 8:18. Students may then retrieve and use cell phones at 3:25 when the bell rings. Cell phones are not to be carried during the day (unless there is a medical or language specific need that is pre-approved). ABSOLUTELY NO cellphones are allowed in locker rooms. We truly appreciate your support in regards to student cell phone use.

BACKPACKS: Backpacks need to fit inside a school locker. Students cannot carry their backpacks with them from class to class as we don’t have storage for them and it becomes a fire hazard to have them on the floors. Please encourage your child to pack lightly and use their locker to stay organized.

HATS: Hats may be worn outside only. When students enter the building the expectation is to take your hat off and keep it off while inside. We want to see everyone’s smiling faces! There may be some special days for hats, such as Fridays, so stay tuned for that information.

GYM CLOTHES: If you missed the previous order deadline, you can order again by following the link here, but your shirts won’t arrive for about a month. Your child’s HE teacher will communicate about dressing out expectations.

AFTER SCHOOL PLANS: Please make sure your child knows their after school plans in advance. Understandably, changes are sometimes made; however, we want to respect our office staff who field all of these phone calls. If you do have an emergent change in plans please feel free to call the front office in a timely manner (before 3:00) so we can get your child a message.

BUS/CAR/RIDE/WALK: SAFETY is a priority at SMS. The parking lots are a busy place upon arrival and pick up. If you are dropping off or picking up please be patient and aware of students who are walking/biking.

You may drop off and pick up in two locations: Front oval (off of South 3rd), and the North lot (off of Cambridge). Please do not park in the South lot or use that area as this is designated for our buses. Walkers and riders of all things with wheels… PLEASE use crosswalks and sidewalks. Stay safe out there Falcons!

SCHOOL NURSE: If you have a student with a medical condition or general medical needs please contact our school nurse, Jeana, at (406)-522-6412 or jeana.gaskill@bsd7.org.

One of the most important aspects of your child's success is their attendance at school. We are here to support you and your child as we navigate their time at Sacajawea Middle School. We have a variety of resources to share with families, including strategies to support attendance and engagement along with personnel to work with you in support of your child’s education.

Our staff would be pleased to assist you to ensure your student has the greatest opportunity at Sacajawea Middle School. If you have concerns or questions regarding attendance please contact:

Julia Anderson (406) 522-6470 Executive Secretary

Ashley Mares-Jones (406) 922-4230 Thrive Parent Liaison

Attendance Facts

• Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful, and on track to graduation.
• Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, or dealing with social conflict, along with other potentially serious difficulties.
• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
• By 9th grade, regular and high attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
• Missing 10 percent, or about 18 days, of the school year can drastically affect a student’s academic success.
• Students can be chronically absent even if they only miss a day or two every few weeks.
• Attendance is an important life skill that will help your child graduate from college and keep a job.

Attendance Tips

• Make school attendance a priority.
• Talk about the importance of attending school everyday and have that be the expectation.
• Maintain routines, such as finishing homework, being organized for the next day, and getting a good night’s sleep.
• Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless truly sick. Complaints of headaches or stomach aches may be signs of anxiety. Please communicate with the school if this becomes a pattern.
• Have an awareness of your child's use of technology (gaming and cell phones) that could be impacting sleep, social connections, and other healthy habits.

Please communicate with the Sacajawea Middle School front office in regards to your child's absences. If your child will not be present at school, please call our attendance hotline at 522-6410 to excuse your child.

If you know your student will need to be picked up early during the school day, it would be incredibly helpful if you could call the attendance office before 10:00 am to let us know. We can then write a blue pass to give to your student so they can meet you at the office at the designated time. This will eliminate the disruption and disturbance of us having to call into the classroom to have them sent to the office.

Thank you so much!

Front office staff

(The following information is subject to updates.)

How do you know when to keep your child home from school? Below is a list of guidelines to help you decide. Keep in mind that sending an ill child to school limits their ability to learn and also puts other students at risk.

Please do NOT send your child to school with the following symptoms:

• Fever of more than 100 degrees within the last 24 hours (Please do not give your feverish child fever reducing medication and send them to school)
• Vomiting within the last 24 hours
• Diarrhea within the last 24 hours
• Cough that he/she cannot control
• Body aches, headaches, ear aches, severe sore throat
• Generalized rashes (over multiple parts of the body) until they have been seen and diagnosed by their health care provider as non-infectious.
• Chickenpox, until all blisters have dried up and crusted over, typically 5-7days after the first blister appears.
• Very tired or sudden lack of appetite

Please remember to help your children practice these positive health habits:

• Frequent hand washing with soap and water is the BEST way to prevent the spread of germs. Hand sanitizer is a good option as well, when used correctly.
• Get plenty of rest -- 9-12 hours of sleep each night is recommended.
• Drink a lot of healthy fluids -- water is the best! (soda doesn’t count!)
• Eat a healthy diet with a lot of fruits and vegetables.
• Do not share cups or utensils with others.
• Cough or sneeze into a tissue or elbow.

**If your child is placed on antibiotics by your healthcare provider, please do not have them return to school until they have been treated for at least 24 hours, or follow your health care provider’s recommendations.

Please keep in mind that the school can NOT give your child medication without a written order from a health care provider and your signature. You can get these forms from the SMS office.

Based on Parent's comfort level with their student, Middle Schoolers are allowed to keep in their backpack: 1 dose of acetaminophen or ibuprofen in its original container (the travel size works well) for minor issues like headaches, cramping, or muscle soreness.

Please call the office: 522-6400 or the school nurse: 522-6412 with questions.

Who are our school counselors?

Leah Kreitinger - Assigned teams: All 8th-grade teams, share all 6th-grade teams

Meghan Powell - Assigned teams: All 7th-grade teams, share all 6th-grade teams

Brad Stein - SAFE-TI Program counselor

School Counselors at Sacajawea help all students:

• Apply academic achievement strategies

• Manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills

• Develop awareness of postsecondary options (higher education, work force, etc.)

We do this by providing:

• Classroom-based lessons

• Small group interventions to support student needs

• Short-term individual counseling with students

• Collaboration with families/teachers/administrators/community for student success

• Advocacy for students at student-focused meetings (IEPs, 504s, or family/team meetings)

• Data analysis to identify student issues, needs, and challenges

• Acting as a systems change agent to improve access, achievement, and opportunities for all students

Fly Falcons, Fly!

October

• 12th: Student-led Conferences, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
• 17th: Student-led Conferences, 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm
• 16th - 18th: Country Bookshelf Book Fair, 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
• 19th - 20th: K-12 PIR Day, NO SCHOOL
• 26th: School Picture Retake

November

• 5th: Daylight Savings Time ends
• 22nd - 24th: Thanksgiving Break, NO SCHOOL

We have a variety of formats that allow students

to access literature and information.

Destiny Discover (the district library program) has an app accessible for FREE through your App Store - look for the icon!

🕢 Library Hours 🕓

Early Birds - 7:30 - 8:00

After School - 3:30

The SMS Library will be hosting a Country Bookshelf Book Fair October 16-18:

Monday & Wednesday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm

Student-led conference night (Tuesday) 7:30 am - 7:30 pm

Something for Everyone!

Come in and support the SMS Library!!

Thank you to everyone who is scanning their receipts and

contributing to the SMS Library through BOXTOPS!!

We are excited for you to take part in Student-led conferences on Thursday, October 12th or Tuesday, October 17th.

Please be on the lookout for and fill out the Google form

being sent out to parents as soon as possible in

order to sign up for your top 3 choices of time slots.

You will receive a confirmation email for your day and time slot.

The Staff Snack Cart is one way to show our teachers how much we appreciate them throughout the year! This cart will roam the halls at least once a month for teachers to grab & go, and we need volunteers to help make this happen!

Please sign up to purchase any of the following items to help stock the snack cart:

• Items should be dropped off at the front desk and labeled to Mary Stone (our teacher liaison for the Snack Cart).
• Please bring in items before the end of the month in order for the cart to be stocked for the beginning of the following month.
• Feel free to sign up for just one item or multiple!
• Please keep in mind that all items are listed with "bulk" in mind, so purchasing from Costco or the largest sizes when at a grocery store helps with the supply.
• And if you'd like that extra chance to get involved and interact with staff, we'd love to have you help push the cart around!

Are you struggling to keep your child safe online?

Overwhelmed by all of the tech?

Finding it difficult to set limits and/or establish parental controls?

If so, consider joining Sergeant Scott McCormick and CJ/SMS Thrive Parent Liaisons, Betsy Pufahl and Ashley Mares Jones, for Parenting in a Tech World, Tuesday, November 14, 2023 from 6-8 pm at Thrive. Sergeant McCormick, in his work with Bozeman Police Department, has spent his career protecting kids. Additionally, Betsy and Ashley have more than 35 years of combined experience coaching parents--both are parents of teens. Join them for a lively discussion and get tips on how to keep your kids safe online!

Questions or can't make it?

Reach out directly to your Thrive SMS Parent Liaison

Ashley Mares Jones, SMS Thrive Parent Liaison

ashley.maresjones@bsd7.org | (406) 922-4230.

There are some upcoming events related to youth tobacco prevention that may be of interest:

October 11th: The Youth Vaping Crisis Class

A one-hour community class and discussion about the youth vaping issue in Gallatin County; this class will be at the Bozeman Library from 6:30-7:30 PM and is open to all community members.

October 23-27th: Red Ribbon Week

November 8th: Community Solutions to the Youth Vaping Crisis Class

A follow-up to the October 11th class to discuss as a community how we can address the youth vaping crisis in Gallatin County; this class will be again hosted at the Bozeman Library from 6:30-7:30 PM.

Bozeman Children's Theatre is very excited to be

adding Sacajawea Middle School to our Fall

Middle School Production this year!

This show will also include CJMS and Headwaters Academy students. Sign-ups are now closed, and rehearsals and performances will take place at the Willson Building.

The production will occur from November 16th - 18th.

Any interested parties can follow this link to share their contact information.

We will get a list of those who may be interested and get you in touch with further details.

Code Girls United is a free after school program for 4th-8th grade girls. Students learn the basics of creating and designing an app using MIT App Inventor that solves a local community problem of their choice in a collaborative environment. They dip their toes into computer engineering along with practical business skills throughout this year-long course. No prior coding experience necessary! The MSU Bozeman Chapter will be led by two female Computer Science majors at MSU who are enthusiastic to mentor young women interested in STEM and computing.

The course will be held on Tuesday’s from 4:15-5:15 pm in Norm Asbjornson Hall on the MSU campus, beginning September 19th. Learn more about CGU and register here: https://codegirlsunited.org/.

For questions reach out to Keri Hallau

MSU CS outreach coordinator

at: keri.hallau@montana.edu.

Is your teenager anxious and stressed out?

Would you like to find a place where they can let go of their worry and learn techniques to manage stress in a safe and supportive environment? Windhorse Equine Learning offers a six-week course aimed at alleviating your teen's anxiety by working with horses and practicing mindfulness skills and yoga. They will learn strategies to cope with stress that they can use any time, and they will have experiences with horses aimed at reducing stress and creating calm.

The class is $350. Full and partial scholarships are available.

• Open to middle and high school aged students
• Weekly 2-hour sessions for 6 weeks
• Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 pm starting September 21st

Windhorse has been offering this class since 2020, and we have seen amazing results. MSU researchers assessed the efficacy of the classes in 2021 and found that over two six-week sessions, an average of 79% of participants reported a reduction in anxiety and 91.5% reported reductions in depression.

If you know youth who are struggling with anxiety, please let them and

their parents know about this opportunity!

To enroll your teen, or if you have any questions, please contact:

Darcy Minter, Executive Director of Windhorse Equine Learning

406.522.3906 | darcy@windhorseequinelearning.org

We would like to give a HUGE

THANK YOU to Summit Resource International

for their generous donation of clothes to our clothes pantry!

We greatly appreciate the support and connection

to our community and school.

Sincerely,

SMS Families & Staff

Sacajawea is pleased to provide a number of activities in which students can be involved outside of the classroom. Please have your student inquire with the appropriate teacher and fill out the permission slip below, prior to attending any clubs or activities.

The SMS Birding Club runs the last Thursday of each month in room F21 after school until 5:00PM. Come learn all about Owls on October 26th and Birds that Winter in MT on November 30th.

Interested students must have a permission slip signed prior to their first meeting.

Come celebrate and appreciate the awesomeness of birds!

MONDAY:

Outdoor club: Mr. Ottey 3:30 - 4:30 pm (starts after Thanksgiving)

TUESDAY:

Jazz Band: Mr. Wilcox 7:30 am, Band room

Art Club: Mr. Rooney 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room C5

Computer/Tech Club: Mr. Chamberlain 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room C8

Knitting Club: Mr. Scott 6th grade lunch, Room F14

7th Grade STUCO: Ms. Belote 7th grade lunch

WEDNESDAY:

Rubix Cube Club: Mrs. Ulrich 6th grade lunch (Every other Wed.)

Speech & Debate Club: Ms. Schumann 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room C7

6th Grade STUCO: Mrs. Ulrich 6th grade lunch (Every other Wed.)

THURSDAY:

Select Choir: Colliver 7:20 - 8:10 am, Choir room

Robotics Club: Mr. Chamberlain 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room C8

Birding Club: Ms. Lorenz 3:30 - 5:00 pm, Room F21 (last Thurs. of the month)

Knitting Club: Mr. Scott 6th grade lunch, Room F14

Yearbook Club: Mrs. Cambianica 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room F15

Speech & Debate Club: Ms. Schumann 3:30 - 4:30 pm, Room C7

8th Grade STUCO: Mrs. Guttormson 8th grade lunch

FRIDAY:

Jazz Band: Mr. Wilcox 7:30 am

What is Healthy KidsPack?

A partnership between your school and the HRDC that provides free,

nutritious bags of snacks and simple meals to students to take home for the weekends.

Bags contain healthy, kid-friendly items that are easy to prepare. Items cycle each

week and include many local products.

How does the program work and why should I sign up?

Every Friday afternoon, your child will receive a KidsPack bag from

school in their backpack or locker. Participation is discreet and

confidential. With Healthy KidsPack, you can stretch

your family’s budget and save time and energy on meal prep!

Who can sign up?

Healthy KidsPack is for everyone!

Any family with children in grades K-12 can sign up.

Signing up is easy! Click on the corresponding button below to print out a sign-up form.

Fill out the bottom portion and return to the SMS front office.

You can unenroll at any time.

Did you know Sacajawea Middle School is part of the Box Tops for Education program?

It has changed to a mostly digital program. Traditional clip out Box Tops are being phased out but you can still send them to school (make sure it doesn’t say scan) to be turned in to the library.

The new process is so much easier!

1. Get the free, new and improved Box Tops mobile app on your phone.

2. Buy your groceries and ask for the receipt.

3. Take pictures of your receipt with the app within 14 days of purchase.

4. It will find any qualifying products and give 10 cents for each one to the school!

The money adds up and is used to enhance the book selection at our library.

It’s costs you nothing but 30 seconds of your time and you can help ALL the students at your child’s school. Encourage your friends and relatives to do the same.

On the Box Tops for Education website, you can find coupons and special deals.

Thank you so much for giving back to others!

Your PAC Team & SMS Library

Email: kayla.fortier@bsd7.org
Website: sms.bsd7.org
Location: 3525 South 3rd Avenue, Bozeman, MT, USA
Phone: (406) 522-6400