The Schim PTA will be hosting the annual book fair next week, but this year's format will look a little different. The online book fair will be open from Saturday, February 22nd, through Friday, February 28th, and the in-person book fair will take place in the SMS library during Spring Open House on Monday night beginning at 5pm, so please stop by while you are on campus. Additional book fair details can be found on the flyer below.
The SMS PTA is currently taking donations for gift cards that will be used on campus for student recognitions in the next few weeks. If you would like to make a contribution, please sign up here and drop off your donation in the SMS front office by Friday, February 28th.
Thank you in advance for your generosity!
Last Saturday, the Schimelpfenig Robotics Team, 12900 Quantum Claw, competed in their final event of the season, the semi-area championship at Flower Mound High School. The competition was fierce, and the team ended their season with accomplished remarks from the judges on their engineering improvements. The team will be showcasing their competition robot "Beatrice" at the Schim Open House next week. We hope you will stop by!
The MathCounts team and individual competitors represented Schimelpfenig at the annual MathCounts Preston Trails Chapter competition at UTD last weekend. Joshua S, Joshua K, Conner W, and Jade C will be advancing as a team to the Texas State MathCounts competition in March. Our individual competitors also made a valiant effort at the competition. Allen A, Fatima A, Alfonso B, Nathan J, and Elim W competed fiercely on the sprint, target, and team rounds of the test.
Congratulations to our aspiring mathematicians!
On Saturday, February 15th, Schimelpfenig put in a very strong showing at the 2025 Dallas Regional Science & Engineering Fair with eight students earning awards! One student, Avery G, earned a trip to the State of Texas Science & Engineering Fair in late March! Please congratulate the following students on their amazing commitment to science!
2nd Place
Avery G in Animal Sciences
3rd Place
Swastika (Trisha) B in Robotics & Intelligent Machines
Mohammad Isaaq K in Biomedical Engineering
4th Place
Om N in Sustainable Materials and Design
Honorable Mention
Ashlyn E in Sustainable Materials and Design
Humaira R in Plant Sciences
Nathan T in Materials Science
Elim W in Systems Software
Congratulations once again to all of our 2025 Regional Science & Engineering Fair Winners!
Simply complete this form to share your thoughts and feedback! This is just another way to keep the line of communication open while we partner with you to make the educational experience for your students the very best that it can be. QR codes are available in the front office for you to use as well.
Please let me know if you have any questions about this process.
Schimelpfenig Middle School is proud to announce our 19th Annual Career Day on Friday, March 7th. We are looking for parents and community members who would like to come to school and talk about their careers. The purpose of this program is to give our students a better idea of the world of work as well as an understanding of some of the different choices that will be available to them as they plan for their future.
Volunteers are needed for sixth, seventh, and eighth grades. We welcome your participation for an hour, half day, or all day. Each class period is approximately 45 minutes; however, you can present for 30-35 minutes and allow the remainder of the period for questions. Please try to arrive at Schimelpfenig thirty minutes before your presentation for a leisurely check in.
If you are able to join us to present at this special event, please complete the Career Day Speaker Form by Friday, February 21, 2025. We will contact you to schedule the times for your presentation.
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact one of the members of our counseling team. Their contact information is listed below.
Shealine Burks – 6th Grade Counselor - 469-752-6418 - Shealine.Burks@pisd.edu
John Schlosser – 7th Grade Counselor - 469-752-6416 - John.Schlosser@pisd.edu
Michelle Klena - 8th Counselor - 469-752-6417 - Michelle.Klena@pisd.edu
Time is running out! Reserve your copy of the 2024-25 SMS yearbook today!! Please go to www.jostensyearbooks.com and place your order by Monday, February 24th, in order to guarantee your student's copy on distribution day in May! The current price is $45. Payment plans are available at checkout when you order your yearbook at jostensyearbooks.com.
This is the final call before we submit our book for printing, so be sure to place your order for yearbooks by the February deadline listed above!
If you have any questions, please contact our yearbook advisor, Shawnee Bautista, at Shawneedawn.bautist@pisd.edu.
Plano ISD has teamed up with First United Bank to spread hope, joy and services throughout our community through United Acts of Kindness. Throughout the month of February, all students, educators, parents and other stakeholders are encouraged to celebrate Friendship February through random acts of kindness. Please view this calendar in English and Spanish filled with ideas for all grade levels and families.
All students will take STAAR tests later this spring on the designated dates listed below. Please make every effort to avoid scheduling appointments for your student on these testing days. If you have any questions, please let me know.
April 10th: Reading/Language Arts 6-8 STAAR
April 15th: Science 8 STAAR
April 22nd: Social Studies 8 STAAR
April 29th: Math 6-8 STAAR & Algebra 1 EOC
- Please adhere to the signs posted in the circular drive and on the streets.
- Students should always use the crosswalks when crossing the street.
- When exiting the carpool lane in front of the school in the morning, please turn right only.
- Please refrain from dropping off your student along Maumelle. When you stop, it hinders the flow of traffic and, more importantly, it could put your student's safety at risk if they need to cross the street.
- While in the carpool lane, please make sure to pull all the way forward along the curb before dropping off your student.
- Dropping off or picking up your student from the outside lane of the carpool is prohibited. This is a major safety issue, as students must cross in front of other cars to get to the sidewalk.
- Please refrain from using the parking lot next to the tennis courts as a drop off or pick up location. This parking lot is designated for special education students needing extra time and assistance.
- Please remember that our school zone is a phone-free zone, so please adhere to this.
By taking these small steps, we can ensure that all of our students arrive to and leave from school safely each day.
Thanks you for your continued partnership on this!
We have shared this information with students through morning announcements and will review the process with students during presentations this week.
If you or your student needs additional information, please do not hesitate to let me know.
I have had a number of parents who have asked if there is a Schim Staff favorites list available. The answer is yes! If you have times throughout the year when you would like to show appreciation or recognize a staff member in a special way, please feel free to reference the staff favorites list for ideas.
If you have any questions, please let me know.
Like last year, students were issued chromebooks and chargers during the first three days of school. If damage is incurred on the device assigned to them or if your student's electronic device is lost or stolen at any point throughout the year, students will be held financially responsible. While it is our hope that we will not see any of these concerns this year, we want to still make you aware of the charges, so there are no surprises if a situation requiring payment arises. Please reach out to our campus technology specialist, William Brannon, should you have any questions.
Chromebook: $410
Chromebook Charger: $27.50
It is an expectation that your student's chromebook comes to school every day fully charged. In addition, chargers should be brought to campus daily, as there are no extra chargers in the classroom. This is a school-issued device and should be treated as such. Stickers and writing should not be placed on the device.
All students are required to wear their student ID badge at all times. This is a district policy for all secondary schools to ensure the safety and security of our campus. Following several serious incidents in the state of Texas over the last two years, Plano ISD and Schimelpfenig Middle School increased and improved badge and safety measures to ensure all students are easily identified. Students wearing their badges allow staff members to quickly and easily identify people that should not be on campus.
The district policy states that badges must be visible on a lanyard around the student's neck. Initially, a lanyard was issued to each student, but students may wear an alternate lanyard of their choosing if they prefer. Badges should not be cut, bent, or covered with stickers. Damage to the badge will result in a needed replacement.
The initial badge AND temporary badge are both issued for free. Replacement badges are $5. Replacement badges are issued from Mrs. Carthledge in the front office. If a student forgets his or her badge, then the student should report to the front office, and Mrs. Carthledge will issue a temporary sticker badge good for that day only. Each time a student forgets their ID and receives a temporary one constitutes a badge violation.
During the first couple of weeks, we gave our students grace and consistently reminded them that we would be assigning discipline for students who violate the badge expectation. If a student receives two or more badge violations in a five-day period, they receive Friday After Hours for that week. Friday After Hours takes place the last day of the week, usually on a Friday, from 3:50pm-5:50pm.
If you have questions regarding badges or the badge procedures, please let us know.
Cell phones and personal devices are not allowed anywhere on campus during the school day. This includes but is not limited to the classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, locker rooms, and bathrooms. If a student is caught using their cell phone during the school day, it will be taken up. Cell phones and personal devices are only allowed before school until 8:20 am and should then be powered off and put away until 3:40pm.
If you need to contact your student, you can call the front office at 469-752-6402 and we will get a message to them.
PHONE CONSEQUENCES:
1st offense: Teacher collects and returns at the end of the class period.
2nd offense: Teacher collects and returns at the end of the school day.
3rd offense: Teacher collects and turns into the front office. Your parent must come to the school to collect your phone.
4+ offenses: Teacher collects and turns into the front office. Administration handles from there.
Please let us know if you have any questions regarding the campus cell phone procedures.
Shorts, including athletic shorts, must extend beyond the buttocks.
No pajamas, houseshoes, or slippers may be worn to school.
Excessively loose or tight garments are not acceptable.
Underwear-type sleeveless shirts, spaghetti straps, tank/tube tops are not permitted.
Hard-soled shoes must be worn at all times.
Sunglasses, caps, hats, raised hoods, etc are not permitted.
Students in violation of the student dress and grooming code will be expected to change to appropriate attire or will be subject to other disciplinary action.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?
Crop Tops - If your student raises their hand and you can see their stomach, the shirt is too short and will be asked to change.
Shorts and Skirts - Bottoms must cover the entire buttocks area.
Hoodies - Students can wear a jacket with a hood, but the hood must remain off their head during the school day or the student will have to take off the jacket.
Hats - Any item that covers the head is not allowed. This includes baseball caps, beanies, etc. Religious coverings are allowed.
Matt Mitchell is the Campus Title IX Coordinator for the 2023-2024 school year. Mr. Mitchell will address employee and student concerns or inquiries regarding discrimination based on sex, including sexual harassment. Reports can be made at any time and by any person, including during non-business hours, by mail, email or phone. During district business hours, reports may also be made in person.
Contact Information:
Matt Mitchell
469-752-6411
Mrs. Kristen Kinnard
Schimelpfenig Middle School
Email: kristen.kinnard@pisd.edu
Website: pisd.edu/schimelpfenig
Location: 2400 Maumelle Drive, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 469-752-6410