This week, we welcomed almost 1,000 students to SMMS. On Monday, all students attended class meetings. Our county superintendent, Dr. Saxe, even stopped by to enjoy our assembly. We spent time in those class meetings and in our Learning Skills classes reviewing all of our school-wide expectations, rewards, and recognitions we provide for students. Here is a highlight of those topics:

• Renaissance/RENCards- We celebrate student success using REN Cards. To earn a REN Card, students must meet GPA requirements and behavior expectations. This year, we will also be targeting achievement improvements as well!
• iPads- Students will be issued new iPads this year for instructional use. To receive a device, your student has to complete the Acceptable Use Policy (included below).
• Electronic Device Policy- BCS recently adopted a new policy for personal devices during the school day. Please make sure to review that policy with your student. More information about this policy is provided below.

Students may enter the building at 7:12 a.m. Staff members are not available prior to that time to supervise students. Students should NOT be dropped off or walk to school prior to that time. No supervision can be provided for students who arrive prior to 7:12 a.m. daily. Parents/Guardians leaving students at school prior to 7:12 a.m. pose a safety concern.

For morning drop-off, parents must enter the side parking lot to drop off at the side door when buses are using the front loop. Students will walk to the front to enter the building after 7:12 a.m.

Late arrival in the morning is 7:30 AM. Students will be marked tardy if they are not in the building and in homeroom by 7:30 a.m

Please complete the following Acceptable Use Policy for each student attending Spring Mills Middle School for the 2024 - 2025 school year. The link to read the Acceptable Use Policy is located at the top of the form.

The Acceptable Use Policy will need to be completed before a device can be assigned to your child for the school year.

Having the most up-to-date contact information for you is critical for us to efficiently communicate with you. Please use this link to update your contact information for your student.

This is a notification to all families that we will practice our safety preparedness drills in school next week. Our practice will include Code Lockdown and fire drills. Take this opportunity to talk to your students about safety practices for your home.

Recently, BCS established a system-wide cell phone policy. Numerous reputable studies have shown that cell phones are detrimental to learning. It is our goal to provide each student with a safe and supportive learning environment. This policy is intended to reduce distractions for students and foster academic achievement and healthy social interactions. A synopsis of the proposed policy is provided below.

• 1st Offense- Warning
• 2nd Offense- Confiscation; Student retrieves phone at the end of the day; Detention
• 3rd Offense- Confiscation; ISS 1 Day; Parent Must Retrieve Phone
• 4th Offense- Confiscation; Parent Must Retrieve Phone; Follow Discipline Procedure for Habitual Violation of School Rules/Policies

Disciplinary Action for Habitual Violation of School Rules/Policies

• Step 1- ISS for 1-3 Days
• Step 2- OSS 1-3 Days
• Step 3- OSS 3-5 Days
• Step 4- OSS 5-10 days

If you are interested in purchasing a yearbook from last year, please send $22 with your student or purchase online at the website below.

Last year, we worked with Dean Olack, the county security officer, to design a traffic pattern for the afternoon that would create the safest situation for students. Please use the directions and image below to review our procedures.

• No parking along Campus Drive.
• Line up, single-file, in the primary school bus loop.
• No one may park in the primary loop and pick up their student. We have permission to use the lane as a staging area, not for parent pick-up.
• Once the buses leave, the cars in the primary bus loop will enter the bus loop at SMMS with the assistance of a staff member directing traffic on Campus Drive.
• No left turns from Campus Drive until all the cars from the primary loop have filtered into the middle school front loop.

With the new school year just around the corner, please take this time to explore our online School Store and pay for your student’s school fees online at MySchoolBucks.com. If their account has fees that are due, you can securely pay for them using your credit/debit card or an echeck.

If you need assistance with your account, you can find helpful how-to videos and answers to commonly asked questions by visiting myschoolbucks.com. or, you can contact MySchoolBucks directly by logging into your account to start a chat conversation or give them a call at (855) 832-5226.

For all other questions, please contact Ms. Catrow at 304-274-5030.

Dear SMMS families,

We want to thank you for all your support so far this year with Box Tops! We are excited to meet our goal — and with your continued support, I know we can reach it!

Our goal is to earn $1,000 through Box Tops this year to help fund field trips.

Every Box Tops product count towards our goal! Let’s work together to get SMMS to the finish line.

The Tdap and Meningitis vaccines are required for all students entering 7th grade. Students get a two-week grace period for 7th grade vaccines. They must be completed within that window. There are NO religious exemptions. Students that are new enrollees must be up to date on vaccines in order to start the first day. All vaccines do not have to be completed, but all the ones that currently qualify for must be completed before they can start.

Please make your appointment now to have these completed and submit an updated copy of your child's immunization record to Mrs. Dagostino, School Nurse. Thank you for keeping our students healthy and in school ready to learn! Any questions, please contact Mrs. Dagostino at amanda.dagostino@k12.wv.us or 304-274-5030.

The safety, health and well-being of all students is the number one priority for Berkeley County Schools. As part of that priority and working with House Bill 4402 which was passed by the West Virginia Legislature, school districts are required to provide age-appropriate body safety education to children in grades K-12. In accordance with West Virginia code §18-2-41, your child will be provided body safety education. The goal of body safety education is to educate and empower West Virginia public school children with skills and knowledge that will lessen the likelihood of them becoming victims of childhood sexual abuse.

Unfortunately, abused and neglected children may be found in almost every school in our nation. Recent research data indicates one in 10 children in West Virginia will be a victim of sexual abuse by age 18. School-aged children make up more than half of the children who are abused and neglected.

It is recognized that the basic responsibility for the teaching of body safety education belongs in the home with the support of the school and other community agencies to strengthen the efforts of parents/guardians.

I would like to encourage you to review all instructional materials and continue to be involved in the discussions which promote body safety education. Please visit the West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) at the web address below to view the lessons approved by WVDE.

In addition, hard copies of age-appropriate instructional materials will also be available in your child’s school office if you want to review the contents.

Thank you for working with us to keep our children safe.

Staffulty worked this week to help students review previous learning and build classroom communities with their peers.

Students in PE classes learned class protocols and a variety of stretching techniques for warming up before a workout.

Some of our teams are engaging in conditioning or Flex days. Please see the dates below and reach out to the appropriate coach with questions.

All students must submit a copy of their physical form to Ms. Pavlik, our Athletic Director.

• Cheer
• Coach: Toneia Eccelston (coachneiasmms@gmail.com)
• Dates: 8/24; 8/26; 8/27; 8/31
• Boys Basketball
• Varsity Coach: Brooks Everline (brooks@ynphomesolutions.com)
• Dates: 8/28; 8/29
• JV Coach: Noah Payton (noah.payton6@gmail.com)
• Dates: 8/29
• Cross Country
• Coach: Chip Barnhart (cbarnhar@k12.wv.us)
• Beginning Practices: 8/26; 8/27; 8/28; 8/29; 8/30; 9/3; 9/4; 9/6; 9/9; 9/10; 9/12; 9/13; 9/16; 9/17
• First Scrimmage: 9/11

Mr. English, our Band Director, will hold a parent meeting on Aug. 28 at 6:00 p.m. in the school cafeteria. The agenda includes the following:

• Music & Arts Representative: Jon Hanlin will be going over the rental process for Music & Arts.
• Band Performance Expectations
• Concert Dates and Expectations
• Parent Volunteer Opportunities

This meeting should only take about an hour.

• August 28- Band Parent Meeting at 6:00 p.m. in SMMS Cafe
• September 2- Labor Day: No School For Staffulty or Students
• September 4- LSIC Meeting #1 at 3:00 p.m. in Library
• September 5- School Picture Day
• September 11- First Cross Country Scrimmage