MAVERICK MEMO 25:09 (10.25.2024)

Hello Mavericks!!!!

In this Maverick Memo I will share information on the following:

1. PTA Updates
   
2. School Dance Pictures!
   
3. SCA Kudos
4. Flag Football Champions!
5. Something Rotten!
6. End of Marking Period/Independent Practice
7. SEAC Coffee Talks
   
8. Volleyball
9. Veteran's Day
10. Car Pickup Line
11. Second Step
12. Food Expectations
13. Book Selections
14. Important Dates
    

If you have any questions, just send me an email at will.waldman@lcps.org.

Will Waldman, Principal

THREE UPCOMING SPIRIT NIGHTS!

1. Solo Pizza Spirit Night--October 28th from 4-9 PM. Let them know your from Smart's Mill and we get a donation from Solo back to the PTA
2. The Branch Spirit Night--November 4th from 11AM-4PM. School receives 15% back to the PTA. This is a chance to also help the community. Bring a Thanksgiving dinner in a reusable bag (no paper please) that includes stuffing mix, four cans of vegetables, boxed potatoes, gravy (no glass containers), cornbread/muffin mix, cranberry sauce, and a dessert mix. Please nothing perishable. Donations support Loudoun Hunger Relief
3. Altitude Spirit Night--December 6 5-8PM. Come bounce around with other Smart's Mill families. Bring a brand new (or unworn) coat to donate to the Good Shepherd Alliance.

JOIN THE PTA!! The single most important way to support your student, the staff and the PTA, is to join the PTA. Sign up here.

Also, subscribe to our website so you don't miss any news, events, and more! Subscribe here. Click Sign Up in the top right corner.

Questions? Email smmsvapta@gmail.com.

The SCA sponsored Halloween Monster Mash Dance was a great success. Check out some of the pictures below.

The SCA and the PBIS team worked together to create an awesome Spirit Week! The SCA organized the events for each day (including the dance and the pumpkin carving contest. The PBIS committee worked to create a fun PBIS PEP Rally to celebrate the end of the first marking period.

Congratulations to Team Elite! They are the 2024-2025 Smart's Mill Flag Football Champions!

We are excited to announce this year's musical will be....SOMETHING ROTTEN!

No, no.. the show won't be rotten.. it's called Something Rotten!!

Something Rotten! is Tony-Award winning, crowd-pleasing musical that follows two brothers who set out to write the world's very first musical! But, they are up against the greatest playwright of all-time, William Shakespeare!

Hailed as “the funniest musical comedy in at least 400 years," Something Rotten! is a hysterical celebration of everything we love about Broadway Musicals.

There will be an Audition workshop and a parent information meeting on Oct 28.

And, AUDITION REQUEST FORMS ARE DUE BY OCTOBER 31.

VISIT THIS SITE https://sites.google.com/view/millhouseproductions/ FOR DETAILS!

Parents and students, the end of the marking period is approaching rapidly (October 29th).

It is important for students and parents to log into both Parent/Student-VUE often to ensure that grades are correct and assignments are uploaded. If there are missing assignments, now is the time to start working with your teacher to complete them. This includes summative assignments, formative assignments, and independent practice.

Ensuring that you are checking your Schoology as often as possible will help to keep students on track and parents informed.

All Parents with a Special Needs Child are welcome to Coffee Talks on the Last Monday of each month (excluding December & May).

We will share resources, explore hot topics, provide update on SEAC and lend support.

Hosted by THS & SMMS SEAC Rep and Special Needs Consultant Cortney Heykoop.

Please RSVP to Cortney@cloverleafwealth.com or text 703-395-0860.

Oct 28th, Nov 25th, Jan 27th, Feb 24th, March 31st, April 28th,

Simply Be 1:00-2:00pm

Starbucks (Market Street) 7-8pm

All parents from are welcome regardless of the school your child attends.

Six on Six Volleyball begins the week of November 11th. Please use the QR code in the flyer below for information, or speak to Ms. Causey.

Smart’s Mill Middle School would like to continue our tradition of honoring the veterans in our Maverick community.

We will host a veteran’s brunch from 8:50 - 10:10 on November 11th with a short recognition parade. We will also be compiling photographs for a Hero’s Wall.

If you are a veteran who would like to participate, please complete the Google RSVP and information form HERE

If you have a photo that we can use for our Hero's Wall, they can be emailed to Tiffany.Martinez@lcps.org.

Because of the efforts to support military connected students, Smart's Mill has recently been recognized as a Virginia Distinguished Purple Star School!

We are aware that we are all very busy, but we must ask that you DO NOT ask your child to cross the parking lot during dismissal to hop into your car. We try to make the line move as quickly as possible.

If you are in a hurry, park your car and walk your child across the lot. We have had cars hit buses and other vehicles as they try to rush. Luckily, we have never had a person injured by a car on property. Exiting the line a few minutes early is not worth anyone or anything getting hurt.

Thank you for your patience and attention to safety.

Second Step is the program that Smart's Mill utilizes for our advisory program, "CONNECT." Please use this link to review upcoming lessons.

Additionally, school counselors will be facilitating bullying prevention lessons next week. Please reach out to your student's grade level counselor if you have any questions.

We allow students to eat food in the classrooms during snack time and during breakfast and lunch in the cafeteria. However, we have been seeing students eating in the hallway or eating in the locker area. Please remind students that they have the opportunity to eat at school three times each day and that eating in the hallway or locker areas causes a mess, attracts bugs, and poses a health risk to some students.

Additionally, as we get closer to Halloween, we need to remind students that they should not be bringing in large amounts of candy to eat or share with other students.

As a school, we allow chewing gum, but a teacher has discretion to not allow chewing gum in their classroom.

As we prepare for the beginning of the second marking period, we are also preparing for a grade level read aloud in each CONNECT class. The students voted on a number of books and their selections are below. If you have a question about the chosen book, please contact the school. You can find out more about each book by going to goodreads.com.

The sixth grade chose: Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamilio

The seventh grade chose: Touching Spirit Bear by Ben Mikaelsen

The eighth grade chose: Alone by Megan E. Freeman

Below are a upcoming dates that families need to be aware of. More details will be in future Maverick Memos. Please remember to check the school's website to review our calendar to identify any other dates by following this LINK.

• October 29: End of Marking Period One.
  
• October 30: Student Holiday
• October 31: Student Holiday
• November 1: All LCPS Schools Closed (Diwali)
• November 4: Student Holiday (County PD Day
• November 5: Student Holiday (Election Day/County PD Day)

Above are links to Facebook and Twitter. Below are links to the school's website, and my email.

Email: will.waldman@lcps.org
Website: https://www.lcps.org/o/smm
Location: 850 North King Street, Leesburg, VA, USA
Phone: 571-252-2030