The Spartan Periodical
October 2024
Spartan Periodical: October 2024
Igniting Learning; Empowering Leaders
Sun Valley Middle School
Office Hours: 8:20am - 4:30pm
Website: https://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/Domain/47
Location: 1409 Wesley Chapel Rd., Indian Trail, NC 28079
Phone Number: 704-296-3009
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SunValleyMSNC
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/SunValleyMSNC
X/Twitter: @SunValleyMSNC
Letter from Dr. Patience
Good Morning / Afternoon Spartan Community,
As we conclude our first six weeks, I am amazed at the hard work of our students, staff, and community. Our students are working diligently and making us all proud! In this month’s newsletter, we will continue to introduce our new staff, share information regarding school pictures, Curriculum Night, our book fair, PowerSchool and how families can gain access, counseling program information, testing information, and important school and district dates. Thank you for your continued partnership in making this year a true success!
Dr. B. Patience
New Staff Spotlight
We are excited to welcome all our new staff to the Valley this year. This month we would like to introduce you to our new 7th grade teachers, our new office receptionist, our new SRO, and our new curriculum facilitator!
Mr. Travis McGriff - 7th Grade Science
Mr. McGriff graduated from Wingate University. He has taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade at Wingate Elementary. He is a 5 year track coach at Sun Valley High School. This is his first year as a middle school teacher. He is also the founder of Relentless Throws.
Mrs. Leslie Price - 7th Grade Science
Mrs. Price has been teaching for over 27 years. She is passionate about helping students achieve their full academic potential by teaching students about the brain and how it works best. Her students learn to work smarter not harder. She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina. She is married and am the mom of two boys who are both in their senior year of college. She also has one adorable fur baby named Mills.
Ms. Angelia Powe - 7th Grade Math
Ms. Powe is a native of North Carolina and has worked in both Anson and Union County School Systems. She attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke for her undergraduate degree and Kaplan University for graduate school. She is the proud mother of 2 children and grandmother of 3 active boys. Her favorite quote is "Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Mrs. Fabiola Wynn - Office Receptionist
Mrs. Wynn is our new front office receptionist. She is a proud Wolfpack mom of 1 "Go Pack!" In her free time she is an adventurous traveler who loves to explore new cultures. She loves baking treats for family and friends. She also enjoys expressing her creativity through crafting and DIY projects as well.
Deputy Dwight Barrett - S.R.O.
Deputy Barrett is our School Resource Officer. Deputy Barrett has served the Union County Sheriff's Office for 8 years, 4 of these years have been as a School Resource Officer (S.R.O.). He was born and raised right here in Union County and graduated from Parkwood High School. He loves Oakley sunglasses, good movies, and good music. Deputy Barrett is very excited to be at Sun Valley Middle School this year. He has already met so many amazing students and looks forward to helping protect and guide these future leaders. Deputy Barrett believes the SVMS students deserve a safe place to not only learn, but also engage and form friendships with one another. He is very proud to be a part of keeping the students safe as they make their way into young adulthood. Deputy Barrett wants everyone to have an awesome and safe school year. Go Spartans!!!
Mrs. Sarah Lfebvre - Curriculum Facilitator
Mrs. Lfebvre is a proud product of UCPS, having graduated from Monroe High School. For the last 11 years of her 17 years of teaching, she taugh math at Monroe Middle. She is joining SVMS as a Curriculum Facilitator, which means she gets to support teachers in lots of different ways! She lives in Monroe with her husband and daughter, who is a 1st grader at Shiloh Valley. When not at school, she loves doing all kinds of crafty things (crochet, sewing, decorating cakes...), watching football (especially her App State Mountaineers and Green Bay Packers), and hanging out with her family.
School Picture Day is Coming: October 31st
School pictures will take place October 31st for all grade levels. These pictures are used for our annual yearbook and are also available for parent purchase. To purchase, use the QR code below or go to upstate-images.com. Students will take pictures with their Science/Social Studies classes. A flier will come home with report cards. If students are absent on picture day, there will be a Fall makeup picture day on December 4th.
PowerSchool
PowerSchool Parent Portal
Do you have access to your child's PowerSchool information? If not, please contact the main office or complete this Google Form https://bit.ly/3zkTKxK. Access to the PowerSchool Parent Portal will enable you to view your child's grades, and any information teachers place in the grade book. You can also see your child's schedule and set up email notifications.
Email Notifications
Would you like to be notified when your child's grades and scores are updated? Head over to the PowerSchool Parent Portal and set up your email notifications. You can receive emails alerting you of their grades, comments, and record updates. We will be using PowerSchool this year for progress reports so please please contact the main office or complete this Google Form https://bit.ly/3zkTKxK and we can provide login information that can only be shared with parents who provide identification.
Curricululm Night: October 10th
Curriculum Night will be Thursday, October 10th starting at 5:25pm. This will be an opportunity for you to gain more insight into what your student is learning on a day to day basis. On this night you will walk your students' schedule and have short sessions in class with the teachers as they explain the curriculum. These sessions will be 15 minutes long for all four blocks. If you need additional information from your student’s teacher, please contact them directly to set up a different time and date. We look forward to seeing you then!
You can view the Curriculum Night Schedule here https://bit.ly/3XEByHu
We can't wait to see all of our Spartan families!
Scholastic Book Fair: October 21st - October 25th
We are excited to announce that the Scholastic Book Fair is returning to the SVMS Media Center, October 21-25. The book fair will have new bestsellers, classics and exclusive titles that won’t be found anywhere else. Every dollar spent at the book fair will benefit the school media center. By going to our school’s book fair homepage, https://bit.ly/3ZxpjPo, or by clicking on the image, you can sign up for an eWallet, a convenient digital payment account, so your child can shop the fair cash-free. Grandparents, friends, and others can contribute to the eWallet to help build your home library. You can also preview books from the fair or shop online using the link provided. See you there! Thank you for supporting SVMS’ Media Center!
Please email Mrs. Mathieson with any questions. karen.mathieson@ucps.k12.nc.us
If you would like to sign up to volunteer at the Book Fair, please complete this Sign-Up Genius https://bit.ly/4eiEJvk
Counselor's Corner
October is going to be a busy month at SVMS! Throughout the month, students across UCPS will participate in activities focusing on the theme "Unaplogetically Kind" for National Bullying Prevention Month.
Here are some important upcoming dates:
October 7th: Bullying Prevention Day - Wear blue #Blueup #BlueShirtDay #BeKind
October 16th: Unity Day - Wear orange to celebrate Unity Day to join together through kindness, acceptance, and inclusion.
October 28th - 31st: Students will engage in activities to celebrate Red Ribbon Week with the theme of "Life is a Movie, Film Drug Free." Red Ribbon Week serves as a powerful reminder that communities nationwide can contribute significantly by embracing a drug-free lifestyle. Details will be coming soon!
Coming up:
As the holiday season will be coming soon, it is time to make preparations for out Annual Spartan Tree. If you would like to help proide gifts to students that have been identified, please contact Karianna Mosley at karianna.mosley@ucps.k12.nc.us
Counselors are here to help
If you have concerns about a student, counselors may be contacted by email or by calling the school. If you prefer to submit a tip anonymously, please use the See Something Say Something Link or UCPS Tip Line.
6th Grade Counselor: Shemika McManus shemika.mcmanus@ucps.k12.nc.us
7th Grade Counselor: Karianna Mosley karianna.mosley@ucps.k12.nc.us
8th Grade Counselor: Julie Hatfield julie.hatfield@ucps.k12.nc.us
School Social Worker: Quincy Ridley quincy.ridley@ucps.k12.nc.us
Testing Updates
We will begin NC Check-Ins for ELA, Math, and 8th grade Science this month. The NC Check-Ins are designed to provide all stakeholders with immediate, in-depth, actionable data and a reliable estimate of student’s current performance on selected subsets of the content standards. This is the first of three Check-Ins we will conduct this year. The school will use the data from the Check-Ins to drive instruction and meet students’ diverse educational needs throughout the year. Please encourage your child to do their very best work.
On test days, make sure your child is present and on time; testing begins promptly at 9:15 a.m. In order to minimize distractions, the testing schedule does not allow students to be checked out early before 2:00 p.m. In addition, test days are regular scheduled days that end at 4:05 p.m. All testing is via an online format. It is important that your son/daughter bring their Chromebook to school fully charged on all testing days. It is also important that students eat a healthy breakfast and get plenty of rest the night before testing days. Most test days operate on a modified schedule. The schedule will allow us to accommodate testing in the morning and classes in the afternoon, after lunch. If you have any questions regarding testing, please contact me directly at larae.biggerstaff@ucps.k12.nc.us
Important Dates
October Reminders
- Weekly positive postcards and Golden Tickets sent
- Check Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram and school website for important school information
- Weekly Blackboard calls, emails, and texts sent every Sunday at 7pm-contact Hunter Rider if you are not receiving these. hunter.rider@ucps.k12.nc.us
- Check our website under "I want to view staff directory" for staff emails and Canvas Pages
- Winter basketball and cheerleading tryouts - stay informed on social media for specific date
October 3: No school - Teacher Workday
October 4: First grading period ends
October 7: Bullying Prevention Day - Wear blue
October 10: Curriculum Night 5:25pm - 7:10pm
October 14: Report Cards go home
October 15: ELA Check-In (See testing updates above.)
October 16: Unity Day - Wear orange
October 21 - 25: Book Fair
October 23 & 24: Science Check-In (See testing updates above.)
October 28: Progress Reports in PowerSchool
October 28 - 31: Red Ribbon Week
October 31: School Picture day retakes will be December 4th
UCPS Influencer
Do you know a #UCPS employee who goes above and beyond and inspires others? Nominate them to be a #UCPSInfluencer: https://www.ucps.k12.nc.us/influencers