Sumner Middle School Update

If you haven't voted already, be sure to fill out your ballot and drop it off at a Pierce County Ballot Dropbox by 8 p.m. Nov. 5.

There are three drop boxes located locally:

• Sumner Library (1116 Fryer Ave)

• Bonney Lake South Park & Ride (Sky Island Dr E & 184th Ave E)

• Bonney Lake Public Safety Building (18409 Veterans Memorial Dr E)

Or, mail your ballot and make sure it’s postmarked by Nov. 5. See the full map of Pierce County drop box locations.

SBLSD’s Proposition 1: K-12 Expanded Student Capacity, School Improvements & Safety Upgrades is on the back of your ballot on the bottom.

The first grading period of the school year ended on Nov. 1. First quarter grades will be posted to Family Access on Nov. 8. If your child is receiving a C-, D, or F, this may indicate your student needs extra support. If you have concerns, please contact your student’s teacher or their counselor OR plan to attend our Arena Conference on Nov. 14 where you will be able to speak to teachers and counselors.

In honor of Veterans Day, there will be no school on Monday, November 11.

Please join us for Sumner Middle School’s Arena Conferencing on Thursday, November 14 from 11:30am to 6:30pm.

Students will be dismissed at 10:25am on November 14 so that conferences can begin at 11:30am. Afternoon bus stop drop-off times will be 3.5 hours earlier than when students are currently dropped off.

Students completed invitations today in advisory class and should be bringing home the invitation today.

What is arena conferencing?

In an arena conference model, each teacher will be available to meet with you for up to five minutes to discuss your child’s academic progress, classroom performance and address any quick questions you may have. It is called arena conferencing because teachers are arranged in a circular pattern in the main areas of our school (Commons, main gym, little gym).

Parents come in and meet with teachers in a first-come, first-serve fashion. To reduce potential long lines, we are recommending families attend at a specified time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do parents/guardians sign up for conferences? No. Parents/guardians follow the recommended schedule (if possible) and do not sign up for conference times.

Where will I find my child’s teachers? Teachers will be placed by teaching teams in the following locations:

• 6th grade teachers in the small gym

• 7th and 8th grade teachers in the main gym

• Encore teachers will be in their classrooms in the Encore hallway

How long do parents/guardians have with each teacher ? We ask parents/guardians to limit each conference with each teacher to 5 minutes or less. We will space teachers out to provide optimal privacy.

Are students invited? Students are welcome to attend arena conferencing but are not required to attend. Students will go over conference information in Den/Advisory on Monday, November 4 and will bring this information home.

What else can parents/guardians do at arena conferences besides talk to teachers?

• Pay fees such as ASB, yearbooks, or chromebook assurance (which covers the loss or damage to a chromebook)

• Watch Screenagers in the library at Sumner Middle School. See information in the next section.

• Get help with navigating Family Access

• In our Commons, we will provide Top Tips for using Family Access, Google Classroom and ParentSquare. Our office staff will also be on hand to help with specific questions.

• Lost and Found - Is your student missing a jacket? A hydroflask? Other clothing? We will have our lost and found available for parents to look through.

• Confirm contact information- our counseling office will be confirming important contact information for all of our students

Where is the best place to park? Parking will be available in the front, side and back of the school.

Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience (60 Minutes)

Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER - Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience: a film that examines the science behind teen’s emotional challenges, the interplay of social media, and most importantly, what can be done in our schools and homes to help them build crucial skills to navigate stress, anxiety, and depression in our digital age.

Watch the trailer here

• Showing at 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm on Nov. 14 in the library followed by a Q & A where parents can ask questions of SMS staff

Screenagers UNDER THE INFLUENCE: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, & Alcohol in the Digital Age (70 Minutes)

‍Screenagers Under The Influence: Addressing Vaping, Drugs, and Alcohol in the Digital Age, the third feature documentary in the Screenagers trilogy, delves into how the tech revolution has reshaped adolescence and its effects on substance use.

The film debunks myths and depicts strategies parents and schools can use to encourage healthy decision-making, support teen mental health, set limits, and create healthy home environments.

Watch the trailer here

• Showing at 1:30 pm and 4:30 pm on Nov. 14 in the library followed by a Q & A where parents can ask questions of SMS staff

https://www.facebook.com/SumnerBobcats

Community Big Give 2024 is excited to provide families in need with a full Thanksgiving meal this November. If you would like to receive a meal, please visit https://communitybiggive.com/meal. The deadline to sign up is November 15. There is an area-wide registration limit of 1,500 families so please sign up early to reserve your meal. If you have any questions, please contact your student's counselor.

Connect with SMS Boosters and learn how to support SMS students and staff

Facebook – Sumner Middle School Boosters Club https://www.facebook.com/Sumnermiddleschoolboosterclub/

Instagram @smsbobcatsboosters

Email – smsboosters@gmail.com

Fred Meyer Community Rewards – link your card; search for us by name or by our non-profit #84696. IMPORTANT: You still earn your Reward Points & Rebates!

Important SMS Information:

• School-Family Compact for Student Achievement

• SMS Handbook

• Access our school calendar on the SMS website

Call or visit: Our offices are open Monday - Friday, 6:30am to 3:30pm during the school year. Visit us or call 253-891-5000. Parents/guardians may schedule conferences with teachers/counselors at a mutually agreed upon time.

Email: A majority of our communication to families will be via electronic newsletters/emails. Please check Family Access to make sure we have a valid email address for you. Staff email addresses are on our website in the staff directory.

Follow us on Facebook

As always, please contact us if you have any questions or need support/assistance. Thank you for partnering with us!

Jenny Williams, Principal, jenny_williams@sumnersd.org

Dave Johnson, Assistant Principal, dave_johnson@sumnersd.org

Tomas Morales, Dean of Students, tomas_morales@sumnersd.org

Cassie Waddle, Athletic Coordinator, cassandra_waddle@sumnersd.org

Shawna Eklund, Counselor for students with last name A-K, shawna_eklund@sumnersd.org

Donna Knutsen, Counselor for students with last name L-Z, donna_knutsen@sumnersd.org

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