Falcon Flyer for Families!

Hello! Welcome to the end of the semester. We have major benchmark tests this week, and we will be wrapping up grades. Please reach out tot he teachers and teams should you have any questions.

This week, students will have spirit days, please see the information later in the newsletter for what to wear!

Benchmark Week

Monday 16–Benchmarks; Boys Basketball @ 5:30

Tuesday 17–Benchmarks

Wednesday 18*-- Grades Due; Academic Challenge @ Home

Thursday 19*–Girls BBall @ 5:30; Cookies and Milk! PTO

Friday 20*–Half-Day

*Student spirit wear days will begin Wednesday, the 18th!

Have a great week!

Dr. Persinski

Awesome job, Falcons on crushing your goals! MAP celebrations will happen after the break and students will be notified as to which day(s)!

Parents, students should be able to tell you if they achieved MAP goals, so please inquire with your student. Goal sheets will be sent home with report cards after the break.

Shout out to Ms. Arruda and the Academic Challenge team for dominating Lancaster in a double round this week! Way to SOAR, Falcons!

Super job, Mr. Easterday with the Winter Band Concert!! Lots of hard work went into it, and the kids did great!

Fantastic experience with 8th Band and Chorus, and 7th Percussion, performing for CPES Friday! Thank you, Mr. Easterday and Ms. Hafer for preparing our amazing performers!

Shout Out to Junior Civitans for all their hard work with the canned food drive!

Mr. Adkins received a "thank you shout out" for all of his work in setting up events and working behind the scenes!

Check out what's going on in World Language HERE.

6th grade--leading the IXL Mastery/Proficiency race!

Which grade level will hav ethe most skills mastered at the end of April?

As part of Sullivan's plan to increase math achievement, students will be given a number of math problems to work on nightly (Monday-Thursday). Math practice can be accomplished through the IXL program, or through a homework sheet that will be provided by teachers for those without internet access. Each team will have incentives for the weekly completion of the homework.

To practice IXL online, students must sign in through Launchpad on an electronic device (even a phone!) and then click on the IXL icon.

https://launchpad.classlink.com/rockhill

The login for launchpad username: the first and last initials capitalized then the lunch number (ex: JP55555). Password is the birthdate.

For IXL, every student has a skill plan to work on that's based on individual needs. If the student does not go through Launchpad, then the IXL modules will be generic and not based on individual skill.

Please make sure that your student is practicing math skills at home or in the car. The time to complete these lessons should take no more than 20 minutes a night.

Starting in January, our math department will move to aligned expectations regarding math notebooks! All math classes will utilize composition books in which they take outlined notes and examples. While we know there are great apps and electronic ways to take notes, handwriting notes supports engagement, comprehension, and memory. Students will be able to take the notebooks home, if needed, but they must be responsible for bringing them to class on a daily basis.

PTO will be holding a special Cookie event for teachers. Please click HERE to assist!

Sullivan PTO is hosting a Cookies and Milk event for all students on Thursday, November 19 Please sign up HERE to volunteer!

Schedules

Academic Challenge Team

Wrestling Schedule

Girls Basketball Schedule

Boys Basketball Schedule

Practices for both cheer and step teams will be scheduled to occur on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursdays until 5:30 PM from November 18th - January 30th.

Pick-up will be on the auditorium side after all practices and on the gym side on game days.

Girls Soccer will have an interest meeting Monday, December 16th from 4:15 to 4:45 in the RHHS Media Center. Anyone interested in trying out for the team and meeting the new coaches should attend. Information for January conditioning and February tryouts will be shared. Contact Coach Brownshield with any questions.

Benchmark (Major grade for ELA and Math): Week of December 16 (End of Grading Period Q2)

**Formative assessments are not graded, but the data is used to gauge performance on the district benchmarks.

The next SIC and PTO meetings will be held Tuesday, January 21, at 5:30 and 6:30 in the Media Center!

SIC--If you would like to join our SIC meetings, or if you have any questions, please reach out to Kati McFadden, Parent and Chair. More information can be found HERE.

PTO-If you would like to assist PTO, please reach out to one of the officers.

President: Erica Smith
Vice President: Ashley Lang

Secretary: Melissa Maynard

Treasurer: Amanda Winters

sullivanmspto@gmail.com

Tutoring will resume in January. A message will be sent out with dates.

In the meantime, please work with your child's teacher, counselor, and administrator regarding any needed assistance.

COVID and flu can cause mild to severe respiratory illness in children and adults. The symptoms include fever, chills, cough, fatigue, body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion/runny nose, nausea, or diarrhea. Children typically experience nasal congestion, sore throat, and headache with COVID. They experience cough, sore throat, and fever with flu.

If you suspect your child is getting sick, please do not send them to school. Students who are experiencing any of the symptoms listed above should complete the following steps:

1. Stay home from school

2. Call the school to report your child’s symptoms

3. Utilize the district COVID/Flu testing sites if you would like your child tested. This testing is free for all students and staff.

4. Notification of illness and testing will ensure your child’s absences are coded correctly for COVID or flu. High school students will not have to make up seat time related to an absence if they have a positive COVID or flu test. Home tests are not accepted.

5. Return to School Criteria: Students and staff must be fever free for 24 hours without medication and symptoms significantly improving without medication

Here are a few things parents can do to help our schools reduce the spread of illness:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water.

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or upper sleeve when you cough or sneeze.

• Take time to get a flu and/or COVID vaccine. Vaccination is the best way to prevent the flu and COVID. SC Department of Public Health strongly recommends all South Carolina residents older than 6 months old get the flu vaccine as soon as possible to prevent the flu, unless they have a medical reason not to be vaccinated.

• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food, or unwashed utensils.

• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu and COVID.

• Please don’t send children to school if they are sick. Any child that comes to school sick will be sent home. Staying home when sick will allow your children to rest and prevents the spread of illness in our school.

Please register for Parent Portal. This hub includes our Transportation Forms, Technology Agreement forms. surveys, and updated attendance and grades.

Parent Portal access is available on the PowerSchool website: https://rock-hill.powerschool.com/public

For PowerSchool questions, email askpowerschool@rhmail.org

Want to follow your student's Canvas to view assignments? See directions HERE.

January 3: Teacher Workday

January 6: Welcome Back Breakfast from PTO

January 9: Spirit Night at Penn Station

January 20: Holiday

January 21: SIC/PTO at 5:30

January 23: 6th grade Tours @ 5:00 and Academic Night at 6:00

January 31: Early Dismissal

Through the 24-25 school year, SMS will host family academic & community nights. Study tips, IB and World Language information, adolescent social-emotional support, and other safety information will be shared! Save the dates!

January 23

March 27 *Also IB Showcase Night!

Here is a link to our calendar of activities for 2024-2025. *This does not include athletics or clubs.

December 2, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/4812g

November 18, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/yapxuq-falcon-flyer-for-families

November 11, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/85sm0-falcon-flyer-for-families

November 4, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/fu3t2-falcon-flyer

October 28, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/zwdhu

October 20, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/3bzpv-falcon-flyer-for-families

October 14, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/skv78-falcon-flyer-for-families

October 7, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/3mcvu-falcon-flyer-for-families

September 30, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/c1k5h9-falcon-flyer-for-families

September 23, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/nhsdr-falcon-flyer-for-familie

September 16, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/ejca1-falcon-flyer-for-families

September 9, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/sg487-falcon-flyer-for-families

August 30, 2024:https://secure.smore.com/n/h2c9r7

August 23, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/ev4fu

August 19, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/n9hkw-falcon-flyer-for-families

August 12, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/d4ce3

August 5, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/29zbu-falcon-flyer-for-families

July 22, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/6vpyk-falcon-flyer-for-families

July 12, 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/qjr5b-falcon-flyer-for-families

Summer 2024: https://secure.smore.com/n/c67gt-falcon-flyer