Today was such a great way to end the week! We had such a great time celebrating our students for their great choices on a regular basis at school. Eligible students passed all of their quarter 1 classes, had less than 5 tardies, and had no suspensions.

Check our social media accounts for the videos from today's party.

Students will have the opportunity to earn entry into the RAPS party every quarter.

Our behavior expectations that we teach here at Stevenson are referred to as our "RAPS", which is an acronym for Respect, Accountability & Pride, and Safety. Each month there is a focus that is one of those three, and each week within that month focuses on a certain area of the school where students are challenged to meet the expectations that we have at our school. Please take a look at the tasks we will be charging our students with for the month of November. If students are following these expectations, they will be rewarded with RAPS points in their account that they can use to purchase items of their choice in our school store.

This is awesome, isn't it!?! Parents, you can help to support our focus areas in our building by reinforcing these at home. Talk to them at dinner and ask them if they earned any RAPS points today and for what tasks. These are great conversation pieces and teachable moments that can be used at home in support of our school focus areas. Thanks team!

Our students have been banking their PBIS points for the actions listed above and they now have the opportunity to spend them on fun items at our school store. Check out the catalog of items that students can buy with great behavior.

The school store will be open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. It will be closed on Mondays and Fridays.

Our esports club had their Mario Kart fundraiser today.

Congratulations to our talented finalists:

First Place: Nathon Southwell

2nd: Jerome Fluellen

3rd: DeVaughn Clements

4th: Daniel Johnston

Shoutout to our esports club advisors, Mr. McTaggart and Mr. Abate, for making this possible!

Alaskan Indian and American Native Heritage Month

Celebrated each November, Alaskan Indian and American Native Heritage Month is a time dedicated to recognizing and honoring the rich cultural heritage of indigenous peoples in Alaska and America. It is celebrated by various communities, organizations, and institutions worldwide. During the month, people engage in a range of activities and events to highlight the contributions, traditions and resilience of Alaskan Natives and American Indians. These celebrations often involve cultural festivities (such as traditional song and dance performances and food), educational programs and community gatherings.

https://ncai.org/
https://www.alaskanative.net/
https://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov/

Veterans Day (November 11)

Veterans Day is a national holiday dedicated to honoring and expressing gratitude to the brave individuals who serve or have served in the United States Armed Forces (both living and dead). It is celebrated on November 11 annually to commemorate the end of the "Great War" (WWI) on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. It is celebrated by people across the nation, as well as by military organizations and government institutions. On Veterans Day, various ceremonies and events take place to pay tribute to veterans. These can include parades, memorial services and wreath-laying ceremonies at veterans' cemeteries or war memorials. Additionally, many communities organize concerts, art exhibits and special programs to recognize and thank veterans for their service.

https://department.va.gov/veterans-day/history-of-veterans-day/
history.com/topics/holidays/veterans-day-facts

Diwali (November 12)

Diwali, also known as the "Festival of Lights," is a significant holiday celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. It is traditionally celebrated over five days, usually in October or November, this year falling between November 10-15. The festival symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. During Diwali, people decorate their homes with lights and oil lamps, colorful rangolis and floral designs. They also prepare and share traditional sweets and food with family and friends. Additionally, on the third day of Diwali celebrations, many celebrants visit temples to offer prayers to the deities, followed by large feasts with family members and fireworks festivities.

https://www.history.com/news/the-ancient-origins-of-indias-biggest-holiday
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/pages/article/diwali

Thanksgiving (November 23)

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada. In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, while in Canada it is celebrated on the second Monday of October. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. In 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln officially proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. The national holiday is not without controversy. Many Americans—including people of Native American ancestry—believe Thanksgiving celebrations mask the true history of oppression and bloodshed that underlies the relationship between European settlers and Native Americans. Since 1970, protesters have gathered on the day designated as Thanksgiving at the top of Cole’s Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, to commemorate a “National Day of Mourning.” Similar events are held in other parts of the country.

Today, for those who celebrate Thanksgiving, it is primarily observed by families and friends who come together for a special meal, often featuring roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes and pumpkin pie. It is an occasion for expressing gratitude and spending time with loved ones. Many people also take part in community events, volunteer activities and charitable initiatives to help those in need during the holiday season. Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the country.

https://www.history.com/topics/thanksgiving/history-of-thanksgiving

Wayne-Westland Early College provides students an opportunity to simultaneously complete the high school diploma and an associate degree at no cost to families. The district will host a virtual Early College Information Night for current 8th through 10 grade students on Wednesday, November 15, 2023, at 6 p.m. To learn more, visit www.wwcsd.net/earlycollege

It's not too late to join the Clubs that have started at Stevenson. Here are just a few of the ones we offer that have recently started.

Each week we meet with a small group of incredible students to discuss what they love about Stevenson, answer questions they have, and, of course, who their favorite teachers are. Check out this week's lunch group.

It is the season of giving and thanks. We have started a canned food drive to donate to a local church (Kirk of Our Savior) to give to families in need during this Thanksgiving season. If you are willing and able to donate canned goods, please bring them to school and drop off in the appropriate grade level bins in the lunch room.

The grade level that collects the most canned goods over the next two weeks will win cider and donuts to enjoy during their next family meeting. How awesome is that?!

This week during our Second Step time, we did our Performance Task to end our Recognizing Bullying & Harassment Unit.

6th Grade - Raising Awareness about Bullying

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child and their peers created bullying awareness posters. The posters will be displayed around the school to educate others about bullying and how they can help stop it.

Question: Ask to see your child’s poster. If they don’t have a picture, have them describe it. Ask your child to tell you about how their attitude toward bullying has changed as a result of what they've learned in the unit.

7th Grade - Preventing Harassment

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child created a public service announcement to inform their peers about their rights and responsibilities regarding sexual harassment and gender-based harassment.

Question: Ask your child to tell you three important things everyone should know about sexual or gender-based harassment. Brainstorm a list of things everyone can do to help create a harassment-free community.

8th Grade - Stand Up for Change

Summary: In this week’s lesson, your child developed a plan for challenging the factors they see around them that can enable bullying and harassment.

Question: Ask your child to tell you their plan and discuss how you can support them in enacting it.

Regular attendance is crucial for your child's academic success. Please make every effort to ensure your child attends school on time every day and stays throughout the whole day. Consistent attendance throughout the school day allows your child to engage in learning and maximize their educational opportunities fully.

Illness: If your child is not feeling well and cannot attend school, please notify us immediately. Students who are ill should not attend school to prevent the spread of illness to others.

Excused Absences: We understand that there may be instances when your child needs to be absent due to illness, medical appointments, family emergencies, or other legitimate reasons. Please notify the school in advance whenever possible to classify the absence as excused.

Unexcused Absences: Unexcused absences negatively impact your child's education. Absences without valid reasons will be considered unexcused, and appropriate actions may be taken per district policy.

Timely reporting of absences helps us maintain accurate attendance records and ensures that your child's absence is properly documented. Absences must be reported within 24 hours.

There are two convenient methods for reporting your child's absence to facilitate efficient communication and accurate attendance records.

• You can notify your child's school through the dedicated attendance line. Please leave a detailed message stating your child's name, grade, and reason for absence.

• You can report absences directly through MiStar, our secure online portal for student information. MiStar provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to submit absences.

Thank you for your ongoing support in creating a positive and productive learning environment for all our students.

Click the link below to submit your interest and availability for getting involved at your child's school for this year. We have many options for involvement that will work with your work and responsibility schedule. The research shows that parents/guardians that are involved in their child's school helps to promote student engagement, belonging, and academic attainment for their student(s).

All volunteers need to submit to a background check through our iChat process. I have attached the application for you to complete. Please bring this up to the school with your identification so we can get it processed. It can take up to 10 days to get the results back, so please plan accordingly if you are interested in volunteering on a specific date.

If you have questions about the roles or other ideas with getting involved at the school, please contact our Parent Coordinator, Paula Adamczak at adamczakp@wwcsd.net.

Thank you!

This year's Book Fair is going to be epic!

More Books.

More Choices.

More Fun.

Start exploring together on our school's Book Fair homepage by clicking below.

November 13th-November 17th

Wayne-Westland Community Schools has a Family Resource Center (FRC), which provides services to any student/family enrolled in our District, free of cost. Some of the services they provide are: basic need assistance, access to over 700 local resources, Laundry Assistance Program and material items for those unable to afford them (emergency toiletries, socks/underwear, hats/gloves/scarves, etc.) They are also able to supply school supplies and backpacks year round for any WWCS student. Please contact our Family Resource Center at: 734-419-2709 or FRC@wwcsd.net. Our FRC also has a Digital Request for Services Form, which can be used to request assistance by filling out a simple form. Please contact the Family Resource Center directly with any additional questions regarding their services.

Care Solace is a complimentary and confidential service provided by Wayne-Westland Community Schools. This is a free service to students, families and staff. Care Solace helps connect individuals to mental health or substance abuse providers. They will call providers, verify insurance and help to make appointments. Contact Care Solace by calling 888-515-0595 or visiting caresolace.com/wwcsd and click “Book Appointment.” Support is available 24 hours a day 365 day a year in any language.

Follow us on Facebook: Stevenson Saints Middle School

Follow us on Instagram: @StevensonSaints

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please reach out to one of us directly at domank@wwcsd.net (Student Last Names: A-Lei) or phillipsae@wwcsd.net (Student Last Names: Lel-Z).

Sincerely,

Mrs. Doman and Ms. Phillips

Website: https://www.wwcsd.net/schools/middle-schools/stevenson-middle-school/
Phone: 7344192350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stevensonsaints/

The library was a hub of activity this week with our scary story writing event and Halloween book tasting! Students worked for weeks to create creeptastic tales to share during Monday's event. Ms. Paulsen's 6th-grade class came to a book-tasting event where they could "taste" of a variety of books from our library including scary myths and legends in honor of Halloween.