Principal's Message
Good afternoon, everyone -
Thank you to everyone who came out to Back-to-School NIght! It was wonderful meeting so many families face-to-face. It is important that we know each other as we partner to best serve our students. Our teachers at school are skilled and working to know every student by name, strength, and need. And as their parents, you have been and continue to be your children's first, most committed, and most influential teacher.
This week, on Tuesday, I will send School Site Council electronic ballots out to all families. Voting will remain open until Friday at 12:00pm.
If you are not receiving texts from us, please opt in by following these instructions:
Continuing on with the Sunnyvale Promise:
Our Promise
Every student is known by name, strength, and need,
Ready to excel in high school and beyond,
and to lead a life of joy and purpose.
As we discussed last week, while work is being done in all areas, as a district, we are focusing on two in particular:
Goal1b:
Students will regularly attend school and class.
Goal4a:
Students who are not at grade level will make more than one year of academic growth.
Students who are at grade level will make at least one year of academic growth.
With respect to Goal4a, we are taking several steps to meet these goals.
> As a school and school district, we have piloted and selected new curriculum for Math and ELA.
AMPLIFY, our ELA curriculum, was adopted by all ELA teachers last year. DESMOS, our math curriculum, has been used by many of our teachers as a supplementary curriculum for several years - and will be used by all math teachers this year.
> We are implementing a data analysis process that will allow us to measure if students are on-track to meet the goals outlined in Goal4a. The broad measure of progress is the NWEA (which students completed last week). We will also measure how well students are learning by using short-cycle assessments in the classroom.
> We are also walking through classrooms. So if your student says, "a bunch of adults came through my classroom today", that is the instructional team looking at our overall site teaching practice and how we can better support our students.
Vince Iwasaki, principal
on behalf of the Sunnyvale Middle School staff
Useful Links: These will remain for one more weeks before moving to the resource page.
This week's features - still a lot - but there is a lot going on!
Construction & Traffic Updates
Attendance
PTSA Reflections Arts Competition 2024!
PBIS: Kindness Challenge!
Last note: School Site Council
Picture Day
From the Librarian - electronic Library Cards
After School Opportunities!
PTSA!
Upcoming Calendar
Week of Monday, 9/9 is a Kindness Challenge week (see PBIS below)
* Monday, 9/9 is a "A" Day
* Thursday, 9/12, Picture Day - 6th grade
Thursday, 9/12, Vision & Hearing Screening (8th grade)
* Friday, 9/13, Picture Day - 7th & 8th grade
* Monday, 9/16 is an "B" Day
* Tuesday, 9/17, Vision & Hearing Screening (8th grade)
* Friday, 9/20, 5pm, School Dance
Week of Monday, 9/16 is a Tardy Challenge week
* Monday, 9/23 is an "A" Day
Attendance Note
Report an absence:
email (preferred): sms.attendance@sesd.org
phone Julie Melville: call: 408.522.8288 x2105
- Include student's first & last name, grade, and reason for absence
PTSA Reflections Art Competition!
Reflections Art Competition Coming Soon!
Calling all Spartan artists, dancers, writers, photographers and musicians! You are invited to submit your artwork for Reflections, an art competition, sponsored by the National PTA. The theme 2024-25 is “Accepting Imperfection”.
Entries are accepted in six categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Music Composition, Photography and Visual Arts. There is also a Special Artist category. Please see below for rules.
The last day to submit an entry is Oct 14, 2024. Entry form coming soon!
Questions: email smsptareflections@gmail.com
Students are invited to create works of art in one or more of these categories:
Special Artist
Students who identify as having a disability and may receive services under IDEA or ADA: Section 504 may enter in the Special Artist Division OR grade division most closely aligned to their functional abilities. (See details - English | Spanish.
All participants must also follow the Official Rules for Participation.
Join the Reflections Committee
The Reflections Committee would love your help! Please email the Reflections Chair at smsptareflections@gmail.com.
Kindness Challenge Instructions
Kindness Challenge - the Grid!
Picture Day is coming!
Picture Day is:
Thursday, 9/12 for 6th graders
Friday, 9/13 for 7th & 8th graders
These student pictures are used to create Student ID cards, to load into our Student Information system, and in our yearbook.
You are also able to purchase school pictures.
Order forms went out last week. The information is also here:
From the Librarian
Our middle school students have virtual library cards! The Sunnyvale Library supports the Sunnyvale School District by providing free Student Virtual Library Cards. It’s digital so you won’t get a physical card.
- Access online resources 24/7.
- Card is valid during the school year.
- Available to Sunnyvale School District middle school students
Want to learn more? Visit the Sunnyvale Public Library eResources for Students website
To Use This Card:
* Use your six-digit student ID number as your library barcode.
* Your eight-digit birthdate (mmddyyyy) is your PIN.
To place holds and check out physical materials apply for a Full Access Library Card.
After School Activities
Here is the list of After School clubs, descriptions, schedule, and signups.
There is a link that allows you to show interest for your students.
Homestead Model UN started last week.
Homework Center is up and running 3:15 - 4:30, Monday - Thursday.
Most other clubs will begin the week of 9/16.
Spartan PTSA Updates!
PTSA Updates:
PTSA membership - We are at 106 members this week. Thank you parents and students helping us reach the 100 members mark! It is a big milestone and the PTSA appreciates all of your efforts in making this happen.. If you have not signed up yet, please sign up to be a PTSA member and have a vote in how we spend the money we raise!
PTSA Fundraiser Updates - The Starbird chicken Fundraiser from August 28 was well attended. The PTSA will get ~$450 from this fundraiser! In addition, we raised $250 from the cotton candy sales during the Back-To-School Night. We have started our fundraising strong for the year.
Measure Y Information - Sunnyvale Middle PTSA voted to endorse Measure Y in the upcoming elections. Here is the link to the Measure Y Fact Sheet, which will also be sent home with all students. The money raised through this parcel tax will help pay Staff/Teachers in the Sunnyvale School District.
If you would like to help spread the awareness or learn more about this measure, mark the following in their calendars:
Sept 17 - 4-6pm - Measure Y kickoff at Washington Park
Sept 28 - 9am - location TBD - block walk (flyer distribution)
If you have any questions regarding PTSA, please contact:
6th Grade Survival Guide!
Check out "The Guide" - everything a new student needs to know about navigating Sunnyvale Middle School! This work was put together by three Sunnyvale Middle School 8th graders in July, 2023. Significant portions of this work will show up in our PBIS Expectations assemblies and in our AST lessons. Credit to: Lauren Ishimatu, Claire Ishimatsu, and Maggie Ng for creating this for our community!
Nurse's Corner
The school nurse shares reminders, notes health trends, and encourages healthy behaviors in this space once a month!
Previous Nurse's Corner articles.
Student grades
Your student's grades are up-to-date in PowerSchool. These are the directions for accessing:
If you have questions about your student's grades, please reach-out to your student's teacher or AST teacher.
Lots of good information for students ...
Credits: Lauren Ishimatu, Claire Ishimatsu, and Maggie Ng for creating this for our community!
Report an absence:
Julie Melville ......... sms.attendance@sesd.org (preferred) OR
call: 408.522.8288 x2105
- Include student's first & last name, grade, and reason for absence
Principal Team:
Vince Iwasaki (vince.iwasaki@sesd.org), Principal
Allison Crawford (allison.crawford@sesd.org), 6th grade Assistant Principal
Giovanni Bui (giovanni.bui@sesd.org), 7th grade Assistant Principal
Angela Guzmán (angela.guzman@sesd.org), 8th grade Assistant Principal
Contact us:
1080 Mango Avenue
Sunnyvale, CA 94087
Phone: 408-522-8288
Office Hours: 7:30 am- 3:30 pm