THE SCHOOL SCOOP

The School Scoop is our monthly digital newsletter that keeps parents and students up to date on everything happening here at Taylor. You will find information on upcoming dates of events/activities, clubs/organizations, athletics and important announcements. You will also get a glimpse inside the classrooms in our building with tons of pictures and videos. Happy reading!

NM-ASR - Science Testing – 8th Grade ONLY

March 25th – Science Testing

• Morning (AM) Session
• Afternoon (PM) Session (after lunch)

March 27th – Science Testing

• Morning (AM) Session only

NM-MSSA Testing Schedule (ELA & Math Testing)

March 31st – Math Testing (2 Sessions)
April 1st – ELA Testing (2 Sessions)

Encouragement for Parents:

To ensure your child is ready for testing, please help them:

• Be at school! Attendance is important every day, but especially during these testing dates.
• Get a good night's rest before the testing days. A well-rested student is more focused and prepared.
• Have a nutritious breakfast (either at home or school). This helps boost energy and concentration during the test.
• Charge their Chromebook the night before, ensuring they are ready to go with all necessary tools for the test, including their chargers.

Thank you for your support in helping your child succeed!

This season has been remarkable for the TMS Science Olympiad team. TMS had enough students to field two teams at the Southern New Mexico Regional Competition. Team A (8th grade) placed 3rd overall, while Team B (7th grade) secured 4th place out of 11 teams.

TMS students on the Science Olympiad team traveled to Socorro, New Mexico recently to compete at the State Competition. At the State Competition, TMS combined both teams into a group of 17 students and finished 6th out of 18 teams, missing 5th place by just 2 points (Mountain Mohogany Community School) and 4th place by 5 points (Hobbs Houston Middle School). Notable achievements include Lexi Lamb and Zander Green taking 1st place in Dynamic Planet, and Lexi Lamb and Max Spencer earning 2nd in the Air Trajectory Build event, hitting the target dead center.

We are incredibly proud of all the students—each year, we get closer to breaking into the top 5 at the state level. The work ethic shown and time spent on each project should definitely be acknowledged and applauded! Congratulations to students and Coaches Stock, Landess, and Norris on an incredible season and representing Taylor Middle School so well.

Pictured from top left across: Max Spencer, Jaxon Labert, Zander Green, Aden Marquez, Kiara Ramirez, Levi Elliott, Markus Borunda, Christopher Zepeda, Lexi Lamb, Ivory Lopez, and Sya Carrasco.

On a knee from let to right: Francisco Miranda, Camila Bolaina, Sofia Guiterrez, and Cruz Zapata

Not pictured: Alejandro Salcido, Alessia Rivera, Ms. Norris, Ms. Stock, and Mr.Landess.

The district-wide Spanish Spelling Bee was held this week and TMS students performed well! On February 27th, seventh and eighth grade participants traveled to the LMS Central Office to take their turn in the competition. Taylor seventh grader, Leonardo Gutierrez, won the Championship trophy for finishing in first place! Darya Hurtado, eighth grader, did well, placing second overall. Congratulations to all our Wildcats!

The top 15 LiveSchool point earners from each class are awarded Platinum Club status! Students are able to earn LiveSchool points through our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) system every day by wearing their ID's, being prepared for class, staying on task, and exhibiting many other positive behaviors. The points can be saved to spend at our store at the end of each 9-weeks grading period.

We are pleased to announce the TMS Coffee Cart Employee of the month! Our students work so hard and are learning a great attitude of service for others. These two are so deserving of this incredible recognition. THREE CLAPS AND A WOO for January's Employee of the Month, Tristian Cook, and to Jared Alvarez for being chosen as the February Employee of the Month!

The TMS Lunch Bunch program is a monthly social-emotional learning group that brings together approximately 24 students during lunch. Led by our school mental health counselor and social worker, Lunch Bunch provides a structured yet welcoming space for students to develop positive social interactions, build coping skills, and form meaningful relationships with peers and trusted adults.

The purpose of Lunch Bunch is to help students feel seen and heard while working toward individual behavioral and social-emotional goals. Many students struggle with forming connections, resolving conflicts, and navigating social challenges. Our program directly addresses these needs by offering engaging activities that foster relationship skills, social awareness, and responsible decision-making. By incorporating interactive exercises, discussions, and collaborative projects, we create an environment where students can practice essential life skills in a supportive setting.

Band students participated in the SENMMEA Solo and Ensemble Festival on February 1st in Portales. Congratulations to our TMS Wildcats for their awesome ratings:

Mrs. Pillado introduced a new work environment for the day, and students enjoyed the comfortable new couches in the TMS Media Center. Her eighth grade students are currently working on their DOK Level 5 Bell Work Question, the Vignette Quiz, vocabulary related to The House on Mango Street, conjunctions, and commas.

Ms. Huerta's students have been actively exploring probability through hands-on experiments like coin tossing and cup flipping. Now that they have a solid grasp of probability concepts, they are collaborating in groups to design their own unique board games. These games will incorporate probability in a way that allows players to win or lose based on chance rather than just skill.

Many parents ask, “When is my child sick enough to stay home from school?”

This is not always an easy question to answer! We hope that these tips can help!

A child who is sick will not be able to perform well in school and is likely to spread the illness to other children and staff. We suggest making a plan for childcare ahead of time so you will not be caught without a comforting place for your child to stay if he/she is ill.

Our school guidance states that you should not send your child to school if he/she has:

• Fever in the past 24 hours ***If your child has a fever, please DO NOT medicate your child and send them to school***
• Active vomiting (more than twice in a day) in the past 24 hours
• Diarrhea in the past 24 hours
• Chills
• Cough-A child with deep or uncontrollable coughing belongs at home even without a fever.
• Strep Throat (must have been taking an antibiotic for at least 24 hours before returning to school)
• Bad cold, with a very runny nose or bad cough, especially if it has kept the child awake at night
• Head lice – until your child has been treated according to the nurse or doctor’s instructions

If your child becomes ill at school and the teacher or school nurse feel the child is too sick to benefit from school or is contagious to other children, you will be called to come and take him/her home from school. It is essential that your child’s school has a phone number where you can be contacted during the day and an emergency number in the event you cannot be reached. Please be sure that arrangements can be made to transport your child home from school and that childcare is available in case of illness. If your daytime or emergency phone number changes during the year, please notify your child’s school immediately.

If you have any questions, please contact your school nurse.

Thank you!

We have something for everyone! TMS has many opportunities for students to get involved. It is so important for students to find their place on campus and find friendships with their peers who are interested in similar things. Information on signups and meetings are announced each day on the morning and afternoon announcements. Here are the clubs and organizations students can join:

The TMS Media Club has produced it's first video! Mr. Gomez and his team have put in a lot of hard work and effort to put together this short film, titled "The Mystery of Room 301." Take a look by clicking here!

The Taylor Middle School cheer team did it again. Their energy and determination secured them another FIRST-place trophy in the game day category and they set a new Personal BEST score for the team this season. Taylor also managed to snag a SECOND-place trophy in the Cheer With Music Category displaying the most difficult middle school routine of the day and creating yet another Personal BEST score for the season. Catch these athletes on March 1st for the Lea County Spirit Classic at the New Mexico Junior College for their last competition, where they have big goals in mind. WE ARE TAYLOR!

TMS athletes, Coach De La Cruz and Coach Dunlap have started track and field practice! They are beginning an exciting journey of conditioning and getting in shape. As they lace up their shoes and hit the track, they focus on building strength, endurance, and speed. With each practice, they work on improving their stamina and agility through warm-ups, drills, and various exercises designed to get their bodies ready for the demands of the sport. The hard work may be challenging at times, but the thrill of progress and the sense of teamwork will help keep them motivated as they prepare for the upcoming season. Please see the picture below for this season's schedule:

Reminders:

March 17 - 21 - Spring Break

March 26 - Parent / Teacher Conferences and TMS Gallery Walk

Taylor Middle School is currently following a 6-period day for the 2024 - 2025 school year. Here are the bell schedules:

Reminder for parents that may need to pick up their student(s) early: In order to ensure that we are able to get your student from class, to their locker, and to the office before the bell rings, the cutoff deadline for early student pick-up will be 2:45 pm on regular school days and 1:30 pm on Wednesdays.

The Lovington Municipal Schools instructional calendar shows school holidays, parent/teacher conferences and early release days throughout the school year. It can be found on the home webpage or by selecting the image to the left.