THE SCHOOL SCOOP

The School Scoop is our monthly digital newsletter that keeps parents and students up to date on everything happening here at Taylor. You will find information on upcoming dates of events/activities, clubs/organizations, athletics and important announcements. You will also get a glimpse inside the classrooms in our building with tons of pictures and videos. Happy reading!

Student Led Conferences were held at TMS on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. These conferences are an important opportunity for parents to meet with their student’s entire team of teachers to discuss their progress.

TMS students and staff invited all parents and guardians to our inaugural Evidence of Learning Gallery Walk! This was a fantastic opportunity for parents and guardians to walk the hallways of Taylor Middle School and see firsthand the amazing classwork our students have been working on and just what they have been up to in their studies. Approximately 250 parents and guardians joined us at TMS! Catch a few highlights in the video linked in the "Evidence of Student Learning" icon to the left!

While there was no school for students, they spent time leading up to the day with creative learning activities that showcased the content they have been mastering. It really is proof that "Learning is fun!"

Taylor Middle School Students did a great job performing in Viva Aztlan Competition 2025. The students won 1st place in Division II.

We have students from TMS who danced in each region which are Zacateca, Colima, and Chiapas. The best dancers were chosen for each region as follows:

Zacatecas: Diego Franco and Raquel Burciaga

Colima: Christopher Ortega

Congratulations to all!

TMS Staff had a wonderful opportunity to come together as a school community and make a meaningful contribution to the Light It Up Blue event, hosted by L.A.C.E.S. This event took place on March 29th at the Lea County Fairgrounds. Every school in our district participates in this event to support the L.A.C.E.S. program and to raise awareness and acceptance for autism and neurodiversity.

We are always competitive, but especially competitive for a great cause! This year, we were able to create a fantastic silent auction basket with the theme “Wildcat Tailgate!” We collected items such as Wildcat t-shirts, hats, stadium seats, wagon, ice chest/cooler, portable grill, grilling tools and seasoning, tumblers, and other tailgate essentials. The "Wildcat Tailgate" basket was generously bought for $900 and we are thrilled to be able to give back to our district!

Why is this so important? Because every school in our district proudly serves students with autism. By supporting this event, we are raising awareness, promoting acceptance, and demonstrating our commitment to inclusion for all members of our school community. The Light It Up Blue event also supports our community. The TMS students and staff had a great time working this incredible event!

Taylor Middle School Eighth grader, Mikaela Kerby, was the Lea County Spelling Bee Champion on January 9th at Tydings Auditorium in Hobbs. After a proctored online test, she was recognized as one of the top 25 in the state. Mikaela then advanced to the State Spelling Bee held in Albuquerque on March 29th. She competed well, but was eliminated in the 3rd round of the spelling bee. We are so proud of Mikaela, her achievements, and how well she represented TMS and Wildcat Nation! THREE CLAPS AND A WOO for Mikaela!

The top 15 LiveSchool point earners from each class are awarded Platinum Club status! Students are able to earn LiveSchool points through our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system every day by wearing their ID's, being prepared for class, staying on task, and exhibiting many other positive behaviors. The points can be saved to spend at our store at the end of each 9-weeks grading period.

We are pleased to announce the TMS Coffee Cart Employee of the month! Our students work so hard and are learning a great attitude of service for others. This group of students isso deserving of this incredible recognition. THREE CLAPS AND A WOO for March Employee of the Month, Anthony Pio!

Students have been developing and designing a Children’s Book over the Health Risks of Tobacco Use in 8th grade Health classes. Ms. Lopez says that the final product will then be given to district elementary schools for children to read, enjoy and learn in an effort to prevent using the substance of tobacco.

Southeast New Mexico Music Educator's Association will host the Band Music Performance Assessment on April 3rd to Tydings Auditorium in Hobbs.

Eighth graders in Ms. Stock's class participated in Light Waves Stations. She created engaging stations that explore the concepts of reflection, refraction, and how light interacts with different materials, using activities like examining shadows, observing light through lenses, and exploring transparency and opacity.

The Stock Market Game is the great tool to help students build a fundamental understanding of investing while providing them with real world skills practice in math, English Language Arts, economics, social studies, and other subjects. Mr. Gomez has been working with his students to learn how to research companies and watch the trends in the stock market in his Wildcat 101 classes. In a student-driven creative activity, they were able to design a new bulletin board outside their classroom. Parents and guardians enjoyed this during our Evidence of Learning Gallery Walk!

If you walked into Ms. Lopez's seventh grade math class on March 14th, you would see students working on activities for Pi Day. Students learned how to find area and circumference of a circle. They then used their knowledge of area of a circle to find the area of the shaded region. Students also worked with partners on task cards that were placed around in stations.

Many parents ask, “When is my child sick enough to stay home from school?”

This is not always an easy question to answer! We hope that these tips can help!

A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to spread the illness to other children and staff. We suggest making a plan for childcare ahead of time so you will not be caught without a comforting place for your child to stay if he/she is ill.

Our school guidance states that you should not send your child to school if he/she has:

• Fever in the past 24 hours ***If your child has a fever, please DO NOT medicate your child and send them to school***
• Active vomiting (more than twice in a day) in the past 24 hours
• Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
• Chills
• Cough-A child with deep or uncontrollable coughing belongs at home even without a fever.
• Strep Throat (must have been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school)
• Bad cold, with a very runny nose or bad cough, especially if it has kept the child awake at night
• Head lice – until your child has been treated according to the nurse or doctor’s instructions

If your child becomes ill at school and the teacher or school nurse feel the child is too sick to benefit from school or is contagious to other children, you will be called to come and take him/her home from school. It is essential that your child’s school has a phone number where you can be contacted during the day and an emergency number in the event you cannot be reached. Please be sure that arrangements can be made to transport your child home from school and that childcare is available in case of illness. If your daytime or emergency phone number changes during the year, please notify your child’s school immediately.

If you have any questions, please contact your school nurse.

Thank you!

We have something for everyone! TMS has many opportunities for students to get involved. It is so important for students to find their place on campus and find friendships with their peers who are interested in similar things. Information on signups and meetings are announced each day on the morning and afternoon announcements. Here are the clubs and organizations students can join:

TMS athletes have been working diligently to improve their times, distances and places! The coaches report great things are happening and are proud of their team members for their great work ethic. Recently both boys and girls teams competed in Portales, but we hope Wildcat fans will come out and support the TMS track and field teams at their home track meet on April 1st at Wildcat Stadium. Field events begin at 3:00 pm with races to follow.

Reminders:

Friday, April 18 - No School in observance of Good Friday.

Taylor Middle School is currently following a 6-period day for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Here are the bell schedules:

Reminder for parents that may need to pick up their student(s) early: In order to ensure that we are able to get your student from class, to their locker, and to the office before the bell rings, the cutoff deadline for early student pick-up will be 2:45 pm on regular school days and 1:30 pm on Wednesdays.

The Lovington Municipal Schools instructional calendar shows school holidays, parent/teacher conferences and early release days throughout the school year. It can be found on the home webpage or by selecting the image to the left.