Sabercat Update

Dear Sabercat Families,

It honestly has been a great start to the school year! Today car rider line was done in 17 minutes! We greatly appreciate our families that understand the importance of following our policies and procedures. This allows us to keep students safe! A few minutes of car rider inconvenience can make a difference in a child arriving home safely. If you arrive closer to 3:25 PM there is barely a wait.

Every day we keep our focus on the main thing...our Sabercats! I have been so impressed at the maturity and manners of our students this year. We know that we have all of our parents to thank! As a parent, you always hope that when you send your kids to school they will behave appropriately. We appreciate your help and cooperation when we have to communicate to you a situation that needs your attention. Many of us are parents, and we understand it takes communication and teamwork between home and school to get our students to the next level. Our goal is to prepare our Sabercats for life beyond Smith Middle.

Thank you for partnering with us this year as we move our students to the NEXT LEVEL of greatness.

WIth appreciation,

Becky Koop

Principal

Dear Parent/Guardian:

Smith Middle School will be conducting spinal screening on 7th grade girls and 8th grade boys. The purpose of spinal screening is to detect abnormal signs concerning the spine at their earliest stages so that the need for treatment can be determined. Scoliosis, a common spinal abnormality found in adolescents, is a sideways twisting of the spine. It is usually detected in children between 10 and 14 years of age. Kyphosis, sometimes called round back, is an exaggerated rounding of the upper back and is often confused with poor posture. Many cases of curvature of the spine are mild and require only ongoing observation by a physician when they are first diagnosed. Others can worsen with time as the child grows and require active treatment such as bracing and surgery. Early treatment can prevent the development of a severe deformity, which can affect a person’s appearance and health. The procedure for screening is simple. Screeners who have been specially trained will look at your child’s back while he/she stands and then bends forward. For this examination, boys and girls will be seen separately. Parents will be notified of the results of the screening only if professional follow-up is necessary. This screening procedure does not replace your child’s need for regular health care and checkup.

According to state law, all girls in grades 5 and 7 and all boys in grade 8 must receive the spinal screening. If, for religious reasons, you do not wish to have your child screened, you are to submit a notarized affidavit of religious exemption to the nurse’s office no later than 10/04/2024.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Megan Polvi, RN

CFISD Policy states that parents should turn in an excuse note for the school attendance office within three business days of returning to school.

Excuse notes should include:

• Student's first and last name
• Student I.D. numbers
• A written statement giving the date and reason for the absence(s)
• Parent/guardian signature
• Parent/guardian phone number

Per CFISD policy, we cannot accept emails to excuse absences. However, handwritten notes with a parent/guardian signature may be scanned and emailed to the campus. Please include any doctor's excuse notes that pertain to your student's absence.

Students may drop off excuse notes at the attendance office upon their return to school.

When we need to have a SEVERE INCLEMENT WEATHER DISMISSAL, we will be changing our procedures at the end of the day. We do not have enough available covered space outside to house the students safely while they wait for their parent’s arrival. To manage the numbers and keep students safe, we must alter our car rider dismissal.

During SEVERE INCLEMENT WEATHER (lightning/torrential downpour) we will activate our SEVERE INCLEMENT WEATHER DISMISSAL at 3:00 PM. Watch the local weather for our location and monitor your phone.

1. Sign up for SCHOOLMESSENGER. We will notify you using SCHOOLMESSENGER via text.

2. Do not arrive to campus early. We will be dismissing in 2 waves.

3. We will dismiss car riders with the last name A-M. The car riders N-Z will remain in their classroom. (Each time we have a SEVERE INCLEMENT WEATHER DISMISSAL we will communicate in the message who we will be loading first, as we will alternate the starting group each time.)

4. If you arrive before your time, you will be waved through, and you will have to circle back into the line.

1. Everyone (except transfer students) in our car rider line lives within 2 miles of the school. Stay home and leave when we send the second SCHOOLMESSENGER that we are ready to bring the second group to the front.

2. Carpools will go in the last group every time, regardless of last name.

For our SEVERE INCLEMENT WEATHER DISMISSAL to work quickly and efficiently, we need EVERYONE’S cooperation.

Walkers will not be dismissed when lightning is present in the area. Students will be held until the lightning has passed. However, it is between you and your student if they walk in the rain.

10 - Progress Reports

10 - Football Game 8 @ Aragon / 7 Home

11 - Cross Country Meet @ Anthony

12 - Volleyball Games Home (Campbell)

17 - VIPS Meeting - 8:00 a.m.

17 - Football Game 8 Home / 7 @ Anthony

18 - Cross Country Meet @ Aragon

19 - Fall Portraits (Yearbook Photo)

19 - Volleyball Games @ Hamilton

24 - Football Game 8 @ Thornton / 7 Home

25 - Cross Country Meet @ Smith

26 - Volleyball Games Home (Kahla)