

Scripps Spotlight
School Newsletter - February 16, 2024

Seussical Jr!
Wrestling Meet vs. Oxford & Pontiac
Wrestling Meet vs. Oxford & Pontiac
Spring Conference Scheduling Opening Soon
Parent Teacher conferences will be held on Tuesday, March 5 (in-person) and Thursday, March 7 (virtual) from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m. on both evenings. Parent-Teacher conferences are a great opportunity to receive feedback regarding your child’s progress and learn more about their social and academic growth in class. During Parent-Teacher conferences, parents have the opportunity to meet with each teacher individually. We appreciate parents being mindful of the 5-minute time frame so that teachers can stay on schedule.
To best accommodate every family’s needs and preferences, we will be using the following formats:
- Tuesday, March 5, 2024 – In-person conferences
- Thursday, March 7, 2024 – Virtual conferences
You are now able to conference times with your child’s teachers in advance through Powerschool until 3:00 p.m. on Monday, March 4.
To schedule conferences in Powerschool, you must login using your parent account.
Below are directions on how to schedule conferences starting Sunday, February 18:
Phone Directions - How to schedule through your phone (new and improved!)
Powerschool Directions - Powerschool specific directions to book conferences.
Video Directions - General directions & overview of the scheduling program.
Sincerely,
David McKay and Alisa Orlowski
LOCS Millage Proposals
Dear Dragon Community,
Lake Orion Community Schools educates over 7,000 students every day. We appreciate your involvement in supporting our mission of “empowering the Dragon community to achieve excellence” and encourage you to vote on the replacement of two millage proposals in the February 27, 2024 election.
- The first proposal is a replacement of the Non-Homestead Millage, which helps fund the day-to-day operating budget of the school district. This millage was originally approved by LOCS voters in 1994.
- The second proposal is the replacement of the Sinking Fund Millage, which is used to cover necessary school safety improvements and facility repairs. This millage was first approved by LOCS voters in 2016.
If you have any questions about the millage replacement proposals, please go to LakeOrionSchoools.org/SchoolElectionInformation or contact LOCS by email at communications@lok12.org or by phone at 248-693-5400.
To learn more, watch the recent conversation on ONTV’s “Orion Today” television show discussing the millage and answering questions.
Sincerely,
Ben Kirby, Superintendent
Lake Orion Community Schools
Suessical Jr. the Musical!
“Oh, the thinks you can think!” Are you thinking about what you want to do February 15th and 16th at 6 PM next week? Then, you are IN LUCK! Beat the winter blues by attending Scripps Middle School After Hours Theatre Conservatory’s production of, “Seussical Jr!”
The cast and crew have been working super hard to bring the zany tales of Dr. Seuss alive, through song, dance, and LOTS of RHYMING! Tickets are $10 cash at the door. We hope to see you there!
Yearbook Photos Needed!
Does your family enjoy amusement parks? Have you been to Cedar Point, Michigan Adventure, or Disney lately? We’d love to see your photos of our Scripps students enjoying themselves at any of these parks, or others we haven’t even mentioned. If you’d like to contribute photos for an amusement park spread in our 2023 – 2024 yearbook, please send your photos to kelly.stalions@lok12.org.
In your email, please tell Mrs. Stalions the student’s name, grade, and any pertinent information about the photo. Choose your best. Only one photo per family, please! The photo should be sent as an attachment, and .JPG format works best. We’ll try to use all of the photos that we receive on or before February 14.
Upcoming Events
Friday, February 16 - Scripps Theater Production @ 6:00 p.m.
Sunday, February 18 - Parent Teacher Conferences Scheduling opens online
Monday, February 19 - Winter Break - No School
Tuesday, February 20 - Winter Break - No School
Wednesday, February 21 - Volleyball @ Oxford
Thursday, February 22 - Art Club
Thursday, February 22 - Wrestling @ Van Hoosen
Thursday, February 22 - Volleyball @ Waldon
Friday, February 23 - Theme - College Gear
Monday, February 26 - Jazz Club, D & D Club, ASL Club, Homework Club
Monday, February 26 - Volleyball Home vs. Waldon
Tuesday, February 27 - 7th Band Concert @ LOHS
Tuesday, February 27 - Volleyball @ Oakview
Wednesday, February 28 - Volleyball @ Oxford
Wednesday, February 28 - Choir Pre-Festival Concert @ LOHS
Thursday, February 29 - Art Club
Thursday, February 29 - Wrestling Meet Home vs. Avondale & Reuther
LOCS Parent University
Career Readiness Grants & Opportunities
2024 Career WRITE Essay Contest
Eligibility:
The contest is open to any 3rd - 12th grade student attending a public school within Oakland County, Michigan.
Awards:
Student prizes in the form of a gift card will be as follows:
★ Grade 3-5 Division: 1st Place - $150, 2nd Place - $100, 3rd Place - $50
★ Grade 6-8 Division: 1st Place - $150, 2nd Place - $100, 3rd Place - $50
★ Grade 9-12 Division: 1st Place - $150, 2nd Place - $100, 3rd Place - $50
Also:
★ The sponsoring teacher of the student who earns 1st Place in each division will
receive a $100 gift card to be used for classroom supplies!
Grades 3-12
Entries due April 5
3 new prompts for students
Tips for Better Attendance: It makes a big difference!
Every Day Matters!
Did you know:
- Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay on track to graduation.
- Absences can be a sign that a student is losing interest in school, struggling with school work, dealing with mistreatment or facing other serious problems.
- By 6th grade, absenteeism is a sign that a student may drop out of high school.
- By 9th grade, regular attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th-grade test scores.
- 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.
What you can do:
- Make school attendance a priority.
- Get your child involved in before or after school activities.
- Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day. Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
- Help your child maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework 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 stomachaches may be signs of anxiety.
- Help your child stay engaged.
- Find out if your child feels engaged by his classes and feels safe from mistreatment.
- Stay on top of academic progress and seek help from teachers or tutors if necessary. Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
- Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
- Communicate with the school.
- Know the school’s attendance policy.
- Talk to teachers if you notice sudden changes in behavior. These could be tied to something going on at school.
- Check on your child's attendance to be sure absences are not piling up.
- Ask for help from school officials, afterschool programs, other parents or community agencies if you’re having trouble getting your child to school.
State Testing Calendar
Testing season is upon us! This is an opportunity for students to apply what they have learned. Please review the testing calendar below and make every effort to avoid appointments or other scheduled absences during your child's testing date(s). If a student is absent on a scheduled testing date, they will be testing during the makeup window dates. Thank you for your cooperation.
Free & Reduced Meal Information
Even though all meals are free for the 2023-24 school year, there are other education benefits provided to the district, individual school building, or household that require an individual student benefit (free, reduced, paid) to be determined each year.
We’re asking every family to complete and submit either the School Meal Application or Education Benefits Form (formerly the Household Information Report.) The information collected is used to provide additional services and benefits beyond school meals, like resources for classrooms, teachers, and children, guidance and college counselors, and health and wellness services. Summer EBT benefits are also available for eligible households. Families can apply at lakeorion.familyportal.cloud.
There is more information available about the benefits as well.
Distinguished Dragon Staff Recognition
Lake Orion Community Schools is launching a program in 2023-24 to recognize LOCS staff members for their excellence.
The intent of the Distinguished Dragon program is to ensure that staff members who go above and beyond their regular duties are appreciated. The additional effort or support can range from helping an individual to helping a group or any effort that seems worthy of praise.
The staff member can be nominated by a student, parent, community member or a colleague by completing the form at Distinguished Dragon Submission
We ask for the submitter's name and contact information to follow up with specific questions if necessary. Please make sure to select the appropriate school/department form so the message is routed in the proper direction.
Please complete the form entirely so the individual can be appropriately honored for their contributions.
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Important Links
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About US
Email: david.mckay@lok12.org
Website: https://www.lakeorionschools.org/scripps-middle-school
Location: 385 East Scripps Road, Lake Orion, MI, USA
Phone: 248-693-5440
Twitter: @Scripps_MS
Instagram: @scripps_ms