Secaucus Middle School
2024-2025 School Year Updates
SMS October Updates 2024
Dear SMS Community,
It's hard to believe that September has already passed, and we're getting close to the halfway point of the first marking period. We encourage all parents and guardians to stay up to date on their child's progress by checking the Realtime Parent Portal. Progress reports for the first marking period will be available on October 7th. It's a great idea to review your child's progress together, as we encourage our students to advocate for themselves.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact our guidance department.
A September to Remember
Activity Fair & Pep Rally Event
On Tuesday, September 24th, SMS hosted its very first Activity Fair Pep Rally. It was a fantastic opportunity for students to learn more about the various clubs we offer and to show their support for our club advisors and peers. A big thank you to Ms. Magee, our Physical Education teacher, and the SMS staff for organizing such a fun and energetic pep rally to kick off the new school year!
On Wednesday, September 25th, students explored the clubs and activities the middle school offers at the annual Activity Fair. Student representatives from each club welcomed prospective members with informational pamphlets and posters and answered any and all questions about their respective clubs. Click to see a few photos from the events!
PTO Block Party 2024
The SMS PTO Block Party brought students together for an evening of excitement and energy. Students enjoyed dancing, games, and good music under vibrant lights. From group dances to lively conversations, the gym was buzzing with fun activities that kept the party going all night long. The SMS community truly knows how to come together, rain or shine, to make lasting memories.
Check out the photo gallery below for snapshots of this unforgettable event!
Important Reminders
Breakfast and Lunch Accounts
As in previous years, anyone who would like to purchase lunch in the cafeteria should replenish their child's lunch account by logging into the Payforit.net website. Families are encouraged to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch application if they believe they qualify. Please be reminded that students will need to scan their ID badges when purchasing items from the cafeteria as no cash transactions will be accepted.
Dress Code Policy
School uniform and dress code information can be found in the Student Handbook and Code of Conduct. Uniform items can be purchased in traditionally approved stores as well as our school store and on the Patriot Pop Up Shop website. Please be reminded that our school store is student run and overseen by our business teacher, Ms. Chisari, who has done a wonderful job making the purchasing of uniform items convenient for parents and students. Please remember that we are a small operation and patience is appreciated.
SMS Counselor's Corner
"What Parents and Guardians Need to Know About Suicide Prevention in Our Schools"
Please join our Supervisor of School Counseling, Christina Wiswesser, on Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. for a presentation on “What Parents and Guardians Need to Know About Suicide Prevention In Our Schools”.
This will be a virtual presentation. Presentation link: https://meet.google.com/egv-cvfs-jsa
SMS Passport Challenge
"September 15th to October 15th is Hispanic Heritage month. Secaucus Middle School's Climate and Culture team hosted a 'Passport Challenge' in order to celebrate. Students had to go on a scavenger hunt throughout the school to find and learn about 6 different Hispanic/Latin countries. After finding them all and answering a short quiz, passports were stamped and students won a prize."
National Bullying Prevention Month
"October is National Bullying Prevention Month. Our sixth-grade Physical Education classes recently participated in anti-bullying lessons conducted by our school counselors, Ms. Boczon and Mrs. Sciscilo. The counselors discussed topics such as confrontation versus bullying, bias-related bullying, cyber bullying, and appropriate responses to bullying situations. We encourage parents to visit the following website for resources on bullying prevention and effective communication with their children." Check out the link for parent resources: https://www.pacer.org/bullying/parents/helping-your-child.asp
October Fundraisers
6th Grade Gertrude Hawk Sale ~ October 1st - 31st
Contact Mrs. Orlando (corlando@sboe.org) if you have any questions.
7th Grade Cookie Dough Sale ~ Ends October 25th
Contact Mrs. Hernandez (nhernandez@sboe.org) if you have any questions.
PTO Bang Cookie Sale ~ October 13th - 27th
Contact the Middle School PTO if you have any questions.
Upcoming Events
A Message from Huber Street Principal, Mr. Valente & Clarendon School Principal, Ms. Candela
Join us for an important presentation on Smartphone and Social Media Safety for students. This ADULT ONLY event will take place on Tuesday, October 1st at 6:00pm in the Huber Street School Gymnasium. Parents/Guardians from Huber Street School, Clarendon School, and Secaucus Middle School are invited to attend.
The MS S.G.O. will be hosting their eighth annual Walk-A-Thon for Charity on Wednesday, October 16th. This event is open to all sixth, seventh, or eighth graders and will be held after school hours. Permission slips and $10 donation is due to Ms. Palmisano in room 107 by October 1st. A copy can be found here. All proceeds will be sent directly to the J-Shine Fund to help raise mental health awareness. Any questions, please email tpalmisano@sboe.org. We look forward to seeing you there and supporting this great cause!
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions.
Best regards,
Dr. Danielle Garzon
Secaucus Middle School Principal
Mr. Christopher Innis
Secaucus Middle School Assistant Principal