MMS Update for December 1, 2024
Where Eagles Soar!
SAVE THE DATE!
International Day is Friday, January 10, 2025!
MMS International Day embraces our ethnic diversity by showcasing typical foods, dances, games, and traditional clothing. This is one of the very few opportunities to volunteer and be part of an amazing day.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4AA9A929A7FB6-52811979-international
We invite all parents, family members, and friends interested in representing a country or volunteering for the day to sign up. Remember, all volunteers will need to be registered as a volunteer with SBISD and pass a criminal background check. It will take a few days to be approved so register now.
https://www.springbranchisd.com/engage/register-to-volunteer
Thank you!
International Committee Chairs
Ivette Chapman - ichapman@speedyprintingtx.com
Gaby Arreola - gabrielaarreola@yahoo.com.mx
School Pictures and Retakes
Hi Parents!
School picture packages have been distributed in your student’s science class on Thursday, November 21st. If you have not received a photo package, please check your student’s backpack. Even if you did not pre-order photos, you will still find a proof and instructions on how to order. Make-ups and retakes will take place on Wednesday, December 4th. If you want to replace pre-ordered photos, please have your student bring them to school on Wednesday to be turned in to the photographer. And if you would like to pre-order make-up photos, please click the link.
Questions or concerns, please email Kristin.hopper@springbranchisd.com.
Portrait retakes and absentees will be taken for Memorial Middle School on Wednesday, December 4th. You may visit http://ph.hhimagehost.com/2024RetakesandAbsenteesFallIndividualsMemorialMiddleSchool to prepay for your photo. The links will expire 4 days after picture day.
If you previously purchased a package, and would like your photo retaken, ALL purchased items must be returned to the photographer the day of pictures. We can then exchange the old photos and place a new order for your child’s retake photo at no additional cost.
Late orders from 1st picture day: Everyone who didn’t purchase should have received a 2nd chance flyer with your child’s proof on it. If you haven’t, please visit http://ph.hhimagehost.com/MemorialMiddleSchoolFall2024Individuals . The login will be your child’s student ID#. Please email houston@provinestudios.com if you need further assistance. Be sure to include the below information:
School Name: Memorial Middle School
Child’s Name:
Grade:
Purpose: Please send logon information to view & order original fall photo.
Provine School Pictures
8305 Kempwood Dr.
Houston, TX 77055
713-528-1059 phone
Stratford High School Choir Winter Wassail Festival
Come one, Come all! Come join Stratford High School Choir at the new Winter Wassail Festival. Join us December 7, 2024 from 11:00am-2:00pm at Stratford High School for a delicious lunch from fun Food Trucks, Holiday Crafts and Games, Character Photo Ops, and of course enjoying amazing holiday music from Stratford’s Award-Winning Choir Members. Tickets can be purchased upon arrival to join in the fun! Tickets will range from $5-$20. It’s family fun all around! We can’t wait to see you there!!!
Marcie Baker
Choir Director
Co-Department Chair
Stratford High School, Spring Branch ISD
14555 Fern Drive, Houston, TX 77079
713-251-3424 | marcie.baker@springbranchisd.com
CIS De-stress Fest!
During student lunches on December 10th, 11th, and 12th our CIS, Sarah Bond, will have de-stressing activities for all three grade levels.
If you would like to help, please sign up at this link:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4FABA62DA57-53403119-mmsdestress
SAVE THE DATE!
Student Council
Semester Exam Schedule
Yearbook Sales
Yearbook Sales- The store will remain open until we sell out. We usually sell out by mid-March. Extra books are not ordered.
Questions? Stephanie.Aguirre@springbranchisd.com
Basic School Info...
Arrival Procedures:
6th and 7th grade students arriving before 8:35am will be directed to the COURTYARD and 8th grade students will be directed to the basketball courts outside the 8th grade building. Students may not enter the building until 8:35am. Students will not be allowed on campus/gates will not be unlocked/teachers are not on duty until 8:15am. Buses unload on the Attingham side of the school. There is a car lane there, but you are encouraged to drop car riders on the Vindon side of the school at the parent circle at the gate by the gym so as not to block the buses.
***Our SBISD police officer will block the teacher parking lot in front of the school. Please stay in the drop off lanes.
Breakfast and Lunch:
Both breakfast and lunch are available in the cafeteria. Parents may also drop off meals and forgotten items in the main office. Closed bottles only. No fountain drinks.
Dismissal Procedures:
Students will see a safety video the first day of school illustrating the appropriate means of dismissing school.
Walkers-Students crossing to go to the Tallowood parking lot MUST cross with the crossing guard at the Attingham corner or in front of Tallowood. Our crossing guard, Miss Patty, will be waiting for them there. Students crossing at Barryknoll must cross at the stop sign and make sure no cars are coming. Students must be aware of moving cars in the parking lot. BE CAREFUL!
Carpool-Pickup occurs on Attingham and on the Vindon side by the gym. When parking around the campus, please do not block the crosswalks. Please watch out for students and do not block the buses. Please do not block passing lanes in the front parking lot.
The front parking on Vindon is a STAFF parking lot. Please refrain from parking in or driving through the staff lot for after school pickup. Use the carpool line. Please be patient. Once students are out things do move pretty quickly and everyone is usually gone by 4:05. Pack your patience and drive friendly!
Rules, Phones, Chromebooks, Dress Code Reminders, etc.:
Please click the Eagle Camp PDF below for the slide show we showed our students on Monday morning. Feel free to show your child and discuss it.
WHAT BUS TO TAKE?
Click here for the bus finder link:
https://www.infofinderi.com/ifi/?cid=SBI04322537629
If you cannot find your bus information in Infofinder, there is a tab that says, contact us. This will send Transportation an email. You can also email the following:
Jenny.Nieves@springbranchisd.com
Ana.Plaisance@springbranchisd.com
Sign up for the REMIND bus notifications.
Want to get notified when buses at MMS are running late? Sign up for the MMS Bus Notification Remind account.
Click this link to get signed up:
https://www.remind.com/join/k2adc87
Questions?
Email Ellen Green at jane.green@springbranchisd.com
MMS Membean and NoRed Ink Membership
All academic and AAC and GT ELA courses will use Membean and NRI this year. Please purchase by cash or check before August 15th.
*Special Education students taking Basic Language Arts should not purchase at this time.
From the Nurse
Parents of incoming 7th grade students: Most students now are compliant with state vaccination requirements with an updated record on file. Parents will be contacted directly if an updated record is needed. Thank you!
Medication and Forms
· Medication forms for the 2024-2025 school year can be found by clicking the link below. **A new form is required each year. https://www.springbranchisd.com/about/departments/academic-performance/student-support-services/nurses/forms
· When completing the Returning Student Verification on Skyward, please make sure you have completed the section, Student Contact, Emergency and Health Information. It is imperative that we are aware of any changes to your child’s medical information.
· If your student needs emergency medication kept at school, please send the nurse the appropriate forms and plan to drop it off in the clinic ASAP. Some examples of emergency medication include: EPIPEN, INHALER, Emergency medication for SEIZURES.
· Students can self-carry some medication if the appropriate form is turned into the clinic. Examples: INHALER/EPIPEN/Single dose of Benadryl – tablet form, no liquid.
Parents – please make sure your student has it in their backpack every day.
Activity Restrictions/Accommodations
Please email medical notes requiring activity restrictions and/or accommodations to mmsclinic@springbranchisd.com and include your child’s coach if relevant. If your child is bringing a copy to school, please instruct them to drop it off in the clinic.
Please do not hesitate to contact the school nurse if you have any questions or concerns.
Jennifer Zantout, RN
School Nurse
Memorial Middle School
Clinic: 713-251-3920
Office: 713-251-3925
Fax: 713-251-9437
Jennifer.Zantout@springbranchisd.com
From the office
Tips and tricks from the ladies in the MMS Front Office:
Avoid the Lost and Found! Mark all of your student’s belongings with their first and last name. If a found item is marked, we will make every effort to reunite it with your student. Each year, we have over $1,000 worth of found water bottles with no names. Please mark water bottles, jackets/sweatshirts/hoodies, airpods, backpacks, lunch containers, pencil cases, and even LuluLemon sacks.
If you need to pick up your student in the middle of the school day:
Best practice is to send a note with your student to bring to the front office that morning. We will write them an “Early Dismissal Pass” that they will give to their teacher, so they are waiting in the office when you come to sign them out.
Similarly, if you email the front office (with plenty of lead time), we will send them an Early Dismissal Pass so that your student is ready and waiting.
You do have to come to the front office to sign out your student, but you do not need to come to the front office to sign them back in. Students can sign themselves in. However, please do have them bring the doctor’s excuse note.
Last chance to sign your student out early is 3:40 pm. After 3:40, you will need to wait until the bell rings at 4:00pm.
If you want to designate a person not on your student’s emergency list to pick up your student mid-day, please send a note with your student or email the front office giving them permission to pick up your student. That individual will need to bring a photo ID when picking up your student.
Best front office emails to use: lynn.harrison@springbranchisd.com and/or kristin.hopper@springbranchisd.com.
Attendance
Email for all attendance issues: MmsAttendance@springbranchisd.com
The best kind of absence is an excused absence. Doctor’s notes will make an absence excused, but even if an absent student doesn’t have a note, please call or email mmsattendance@springbranchisd.com to let us know why they are absent.
Doctor’s notes can be submitted in person or by email up to 2 days after the absence.
Please make sure your student is at school ontime. If they are not in their 1st period seat by 8:40, they will be tardy. Three tardies equals an after school detention.
Help us out with Science Supplies
Message regarding vaping...
During the 88th Legislative Session last spring, House Bill 114 was passed and subsequently signed into law by Governor Abbott. This law requires that students be sent to our District Alternative Education Program (DAEP) if they sell, give, have, or use a vape on campus. In simple terms, vaping is prohibited by law and never allowed on our campus or at any SBISD facility.
Any violation will be handled in alignment with our Student Code of Conduct.
Should you have any questions, please let me know.
Ellen Green
Principal, Memorial Middle School
Update your information in Skyward!
Regular Bell Schedule
Monday Activity Schedule
Canvas Resources
A message from Instructional Technology
If your parents need help with Canvas login or navigation, there are support documents available on our Canvas for Students & Families webpage, linked here. This page is accessible from the Spring Branch ISD homepage. If the documentation does not solve their issues, we are available to provide support centrally.
If parents/students need additional Canvas assistance, they should email digitalresources@springbranchisd.com. We want to support the MMS community, and this will ensure that we are able to provide timely support with our limited staffing this year. By having your parents reach out to our department email, we are better able to serve them.