Panther Press

Our winter dance is this Friday! Tickets will be $10 & sold at the door. Only current SMS students may attend. Additionally, we will have a VIP room for students who have not received a referral thus far this school year. We look forward to seeing our students there!

We have only had a few walker/pickup forms completed but a multiple of students who leave at this time. To ensure we have proper document and to ensure the appropriate supervision of students, please ensure you have completed the document below if your student either walks home or is a car rider. These forms are also available in the main office. Effective Wednesday, January 8th, students will not be released until 2:45 pm (rather than the 2:40 pm car rider/walker dismissal) if we do not have this document on file. Thanks for helping ensure a smooth and efficient dismissal!

Over the course of the next week, your student will be bringing home a family life letter that details the upcoming program. The letter that is sent home includes VDOE SOL standards on the back. If you wish to opt out your student, we will have opt out forms in the office and need to schedule a brief meeting with Dr. Kulp. Please reach out with any further questions!

In conjunction with the Isle of Wight County Schools Strategic Plan, the division supports a recognition program that is open to any member of the Smithfield Middle School community. Staff, teachers, students, volunteers, parents, and community members can all be nominated for a monthly SMS ISLE award.

The award focuses on the four broad areas of the Strategic Plan: Inspire, Succeed, Lead, Empower.

Across SMS, people are demonstrating acts of inspiration, success, leadership, and empowerment. The ISLE award welcomes nominations that demonstrate how someone in the SMS community has embodied one of these areas. From November through June, four nominees will be selected for recognition--one in each category-- and will be highlighted on our social media pages, website, and newsletters for our school and for IWCS.

Link to nomination form

If your student(s) ride an IWCS school bus, please join our new Remind group by using this code: @smsbusinfo.

Through this group, SMS will begin sharing bus updates in the morning and afternoon as we receive them from transportation. Thank you!

Please use the link above to submit parent/guardian notes of absence.

Student attendance is very important to us at SMS. We want our students to be present everyday as student attendance is vital for success.

However, if your child is ever absent, please complete one of these options to prevent attendance plans and/or truancy:
- Complete the Google Form (included in weekly newsletter).
- Send in an excuse note to the front office.
- Email our front office staff (Mrs. Ashley Davidson at adavidson@iwcs.k12.va.us).

Families can only submit 5 parent/guardian written excuse notes per semester.

All students enrolled in Isle of Wight County Schools are given an opportunity to apply for free and reduced price meals. Applications may be completed privately and securely online at www.schoolcafe.com Forms can be obtained from your school's cafeteria or main office.