SMS Newsletter

Believe it or not, the sixth grade students have learned so much in just a few weeks!! They have learned how to work their lockers, change classes, walk up and down the stairs and we will be completing some school safety drills this month. We are proud of the independence that they are gaining. Just a couple reminders….students should all be writing down their assignments in their learning log (planner), so feel free to ask them to look at it. It is a great habit of writing down things that need to be done at night.

Please check TeacherEase for the most accurate grade. If you are not one to check on line weekly, you may want to start getting in that habit. Teachers post grades once a week, so this is a great way to keep an eye on how your student is doing. We have talked to the students about it as they can access it as well. If there is submitted work in Google Classroom or it may or may not be graded and in TeacherEase yet. As a reminder students are graded by percentage grades this year and not standard based grading. This means they can receive a zero if homework is not turned in which can affect their grade tremendously. If your student is absent a day, they should have that make-up work a day later.

Any questions, please feel free to contact us via email or calling 786-2138. We will have a great year in sixth grade! So much fun that some teachers have been here for over 20 years!!

Congratulations to our first Students of the month, Chase Bock and Paislee Kozon! Way to kick off the school year strong!

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! Just a few reminders from the 7th-grade team: Please ensure that Chromebooks are charged nightly and brought to school with the charger. Please check Google Classroom and TeacherEase for work and grades. If you are seeing an assignment marked as “missing” but it has a grade, please go to Google Classroom and hit “turn it in” or “ mark as done.” This will take care of the “missing” label.

The 7th-grade team will be implementing the BUGS (Bringing Up Grades Successfully) program beginning the week of September 9th. Students will have the opportunity to stay after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 3:45 each week. During this time, students will be able to get extra help that may be needed in their classes. BUGS will take place in various 7th-grade classrooms each week. Students should look for the BUGS sign that will be located outside of the classroom where BUGS is taking place each day.

7th Grade ELA started the year with a figurative language review and will be moving into fictional plot elements next week.

In science, we finished up lab safety and the scientific method. We are learning how to measure correctly using the lab materials while studying chemistry.

In social studies, the students have been exploring the origins of the United States during the Pre-Columbian Period and the Age of Exploration. In the coming weeks, we will be diving into the Colonial Period and the birth of the Thirteen Colonies.

In math, we are starting the year with rational numbers. This includes using the four operations with fractions, decimals, and integers. We will then move on to proportional relationships. In the pre-algebra classes (advanced math), we are starting the year with expressions and equations and then will continue with inequalities.

We are enjoying getting to know the students this year. We look forward to a fantastic year. The Students of the Month for August are Reagan Hallman and Harrison O’Neil. We appreciate their hard work and dedication to their studies.

Welcome back to school everyone! We are very excited to be back together and learning some new things. Please have your child show you around in each of their Google Classrooms. Also, the students have been told that TeacherEase is where their grades will be posted. Students are encouraged to check into TeacherEase at least once a day to keep track of their progress. Below, you will find a brief synopsis of what is happening in each of their core classes.

Math: In math we are working our way through Chapter 1 on Real Numbers. We’ve already conquered writing fractions as decimals and vice versa, written large and small numbers using exponents, and simplified real number expressions by multiplying and dividing monomials. Now we will be using laws of exponents to find powers of monomials, writing and evaluating expressions using negative exponents, writing large

Language Arts: The language arts students are reviewing key skills and concepts that will be utilized throughout the school year. Specifically, the students are studying and applying the elements of plot, characterization, and literary elements to short stories. We will also begin our grammar and writing units, where students will use their reading skills and strategies to write a Literary Analysis Essay.

Science: We will be reviewing the scientific method, data collection, and graphing to start off the year. After that students will begin a short unit on lab safety and lab equipment. We will then move into studying atomic structure and the properties of matter. Welcome back everyone!

History: Our history book is available online in Google Classroom this year for easy access. We will be starting the year with a short review of map skills and geography concepts and then beginning our first unit on “The Growth of Industry”. This will include topics such as railroads, important inventions, big business, and industrial workers. Then we move into a chapter about urbanization and the growth of cities. This will include topics such as immigration, tenement living, bridges, skyscrapers, and changes in culture.

Students of the Month: Our 8th Grade Students of the Month are Ally Michels and Oswaldo Hernandez. We are so proud of these hardworking students. Not only are they hardworking, but they have great attitudes!

Every year our schools have scheduled dates that we practice our safety drills. Your child will do these throughout the year on the scheduled days, along with various other times, so if the need arises, all students would have gone through the protocols of what to do and know the expectations.

6th Grade Requirements - If you have not yet submitted your students 6th grade physical and immunizations, please send them in as soon as possible to avoid exclusion until those requirements are met.

Medication - All medications, including cough drops and over-the-counter products, require a Medication Authorization Form to be completed and signed by a student’s healthcare provider and their parent/guardian.

If your student has a health concern that we have not already discussed this year, please call (815-786-2138) or email me at sjoiner@sandwich430.org that we can set up a time to discuss your student’s needs.

I’m looking forward to partnering with you to ensure your student’s health and safety while they are at school throughout this school year!

Please take a moment to review the Core Values that SMS and Sandwich Community Unit School District emphasize with staff and students to create a safe and effective learning environment. SHS Core Values- Core Values

Please feel free to follow our Sandwich Middle School Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/people/Sandwich-Middle-School/100044267353557/ This is a place where we share celebrations, community information and school reminders for various events. Please note that all important information and announcements will go home to you in our newsletter, classroom newsletters or in your student's backpack. The page is not intended to be your primary source for communication, but instead an extra one. Please avoid sending messages or posting school related questions as the page is only monitored intermittently. Instead, always contact our school office for school related questions or to communicate about your student. We appreciate it!

The Sandwich Back-To-School Spirit Wear Sale is in full swing featuring new designs! Order now and save 30% off the entire site!

* Sale Dates: 8/13/202 - 9/17/2024

* 30% off all merchandise

* Free shipping on orders over $75

* $5 shipping on orders under $75

* NO code is needed

https://1stplace.sale/31091

9/2/24- No School

9/6/24- No School

9/12/24- SMS Fire Drill

9/17/24- Board Meeting @ SMS Library

9/17/24- Bus Evacuation Drill

9/18/24- MTSS/Data Day

9/18/24- Intruder Drill

9/20/24- 11:10 Dismissal

9/23-9/27- SMS Book Fair

9/24/24- Disaster Drill