Weekly Warrior for Families

Benchmark Testing (#2) will continue 12/9-12/13 with makeups occurring the following week.

What can you do as a parent/guardian?

• ensure that your child is at school daily and on time
• try to avoid appointments on these days (especially in the AM timeframe)
• encourage your child to do their best, try their hardest!

Let's get in the holiday spirit by "decking the halls" with some Christmas cheer!

Students will have the opportunity to purchase lockers/supplies from PTO to decorate their grade level hallway. The grade level with the most lockers decorated will earn a yummy reward.

• Wrapping paper for 1 locker - $2 (multiple lockers can be purchased)
• Bows (4) - $1
• PTO will be selling supplies starting Monday 12/9 - Friday 12/13 during each grade levels activity time
• Students will be allowed to decorate during activity time (tape provided)

Donations accepted:

Parents that are willing to donate any of the following, please drop off at the office (or send in with your student): wrapping paper, bows, tape

While this is a small fundraiser for PTO, our hope is that it will brighten not only the hallways but help get everyone in to the HOLIDAY SPIRIT as well! We have many students that have requested something like this to occur, so PTO wanted to give this a try. One of PTO's goals is to listen to student input, as well as have student involvement as well.

Monday, December 9th is the next FREE haircut session (a community outreach offered by Halo Haircuts). If you are interested in your child attending please send Robin Kerkhoff an email: rkerkhoff@k12k.com or call 378-2406 (direct line) or the school line 378-2450.
You can find detailed information in the COMMUNITY RESOURCES & OPPORTUNITIES section below.

As you can imagine, having over 900 bodies (noses) in our building creates a large need for many Kleenex's, especially this time of year. If you would like to donate, please feel free to drop off at the office (or send in with your student), or you can order off of the Amazon wish list by clicking below and they will be delivered directly to the school. Thank you in advance! JSMS Winter Kleenex Drive 2024

Thank you to PTO for hearing the need this past week and providing some.

• Outside establishment food deliveries for students are not allowed and will be sent back with the delivery driver.
• Blankets are not to be brought to school.
• If your child misplaces an item please have them check the lost and found. We have these located outside of the cafeteria, as well as in the office. We currently have jackets/hoodies, backpacks, lunchboxes, shoes, water bottles, headphones. We do not have the space to hold on to these items for a length of time. Once a month we will be clearing these locations and donating the unclaimed items.
  
• Have your child write their name inside of jackets/hoodies, backpacks, lunchboxes. This is a great way to ensure these items return to them if misplaced.

See flyer below and join us for some holiday cheer!

• The students will stay after school on the day of the concert for our final rehearsal. Parents can start to enter the auditorium at 5:30.
• Students will wear their concert black attire and are encouraged to add a little holiday flair after we take our yearbook photos in our concert black.

The Sevier "Winter Concert" will be held on Tuesday, December 17 at Eastman Auditorium (400 S. Wilcox Drive) at 6:00pm - students must be in place by 5:40pm.

Rehearsal Field Trips:

In preparation for this event, we will have 2 field trip rehearsals to Eastman during the school day. These include bussing the band students to Eastman for rehearsal 9:00am-12:00pm and then taking them to Golden Corral for lunch (12:30-1:30pm). Please send in your $10 for this meal to the Band Office to reserve your meal. Parents are welcome to attend this rehearsal if you want to!
6th Grade - Monday, December 16
7th & 8th Grade - Tuesday, December 17

7th & 8th Grade Dress Code for the Concert:

Black Polo (given to students during concert week and then returned)

Black Dress Pants (no jeans, leggings are fine)
Black Dress Shoes & Socks

6th Grade Dress Code for the Concert:

Black Sevier Band T-Shirt (given to students with paid $50 band fee)

Black Dress Pants (no jeans, leggings are fine)
Black Dress Shoes & Socks

*** See other band news/updates by reviewing the band newsletter. *** If you are not receiving the newsletter you can contact:

Mr. Alex White, Band Director - aswhite@k12k.com

Mr. David Semones, Band Director - dsemones@k12k.com

Band Website - www.sevierband.org

Get yourself some Sevier Warrior swag!!! Great for a Christmas gift.

If you are interested in purchasing some Sevier clothing/gear, here is a link to place an order:

https://sevierspiritwear.itemorder.com/shop/home/

It's Spelling Bee time! The written qualifying round will be held both at 7:30am and at 2:50pm on Wednesday, December 18th. Please see your ELA teacher or Mrs. Donnellan (8th grade) for the information and spelling study list.

Great news! The YMCA is back at Sevier this year offering an after school program. Come have fun, meet friends, and receive homework assistance. No application fee and program is grant funded.

• Hours: Monday-Friday, 2:45-6pm
• Program has started at Sevier for this year, come join the FUN!

• Students will report to the cafeteria after school, and parents will pick up from there.
• Snack/meal is provided daily directly after school.

• Students or guardians can pickup an application from the Sevier office, or click on the link below to view/print. The completed application can be returned to the Sevier office.
• The application and more information can be found here. Any part of the application that refers to cost/fees can be disregarded since this is grant funded this year.

Please consider donating to our clothes/hygiene closet. For clothing/shoes, we will happily accept new or gently used items. The following items are currently needed:

• sweatpants/joggers (all sizes, male/female)
• leggings (all sizes)
• socks (male)
• water bottles (students enjoy having a refillable water bottle)
• No t-shirts are needed at this time

Thank you SO MUCH to the individuals that have dropped off or sent in items! We very much appreciate your generosity!

If you have any of the following items, STEM would love to take them off your hands. You can drop off items at the office or send in with your child.

Hello JSMS Warrior Families!

• Fri-yay will continue to be offered by our PTO. Students can purchase a snack during their activity period each Friday (if there is not school on Friday, Fri-yay will be held on Thursday of that week).

• If you are interested in serving on the PTO this year in any capacity, please reach out to our PTO President Jana Woliver at johnseviermspto@gmail.com. We would love to have some extra hands to make a bigger impact on our school.

Attention 7th grade students and parents: Most students have made their second payment for the VA Beach trip in May. A few students still have not. The 2nd payment needs to be brought asap. We have reservations made, and deposits have to be paid in the next 2 weeks. If the 2nd payment is not made by Christmas Break, your child will be removed from the trip.

Any questions email ccarr@k12k.com

Washington DC trip in May:

The third and final payment for the DC Trip is not due until February 6. However, if at any time between now and then you would like to make your final payment, please bring that to Mr. Moore or Mrs. Bingham. The final payment is $200. There are still a small handful of students who have not made their second payment and this needs to be taken care of immediately.

Any questions email mmoore@k12k.com or lbingham@k12k.com

Do not be left out and unable to tryout by not having a sports physical on file. Get your fully completed forms turned in as soon as possible. All students trying out for any of these sports must have a physical on file to tryout or participate. No exceptions.

• If students are involved in a current sport, that coach will decide how those practice times are communicated. Some utilize a team app, or communicate through players, etc.
• All practice/game info is subject to change, players are responsible for communicating updated information as they receive it from their coach.
• Season game schedules for current sports are at the bottom of this newsletter.

If any middle schooler is interested in joining the swim team please go to the KCS athletic page under the swimming tab to find all the information you need.

https://athletics.k12k.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=864101&type=d&pREC_ID=1224573

There will not be middle school weight lifting at DB this fall. We will resume sometime in the spring semester. Stay tuned for details.

Looking for something fun to do after school? Love games? Join the Sevier Middle School Gaming Club. Whether you’re into board games, card games, video games, puzzles, Dungeons and Dragons, or just want to hang out and try something new, the Sevier Middle School Gaming Club has something for everyone!

Come play, laugh, and make new friends in a fun, laid-back environment. All skill levels welcome—whether you’re a gaming pro or just curious, we want YOU in the club! Don’t miss out! Game on!

ROTC will be meeting every other week after school in the library, come join us! Students will need to be picked up at 4pm at the front of the school. Students must have a permission form turned in prior to the meeting. Forms can be picked up from the front office.

• What is ROTC? ROTC provides citizenship training and an Aerospace Science program for high school students. The program explores the historic and scientific aspects of aerospace technology and teaches high school students self-reliance, self-discipline and other leadership characteristics.
• ROTC will meet every other week. Remaining meeting dates: December 9. Next semester dates will be advertised at a later date.

• Prayer Warriors and Wyldlife will meet @ 7:15am in the library on alternate Wednesdays (see dates on the below flyers).
• Wyldlife offers additional opportunities not on campus (see below flyer for more information).
• Students must have a permission form turned in prior to the meeting. Forms can be picked up at Ms. Abrams room 234 or at the front office.

Do you need homework help? Ms. Mullins (room 330) will be available on Tuesday and Thursday afternoon from 2:45-3:45 to any grade level students needing homework help in any subject.

Please sign up through this google form: Homework Help Google Form

Students will need to arrange for a ride home.

Friendly reminder: All visitors going beyond the lobby doors—including to counseling or the front office—must have a visitor badge printed through the Raptor system. While this may take additional time, safety is our top priority, and it must take precedence over convenience. This policy applies to all visitors, including familiar faces.

• If you have attendance questions, please email Erika Williams at ewilliams@k12k.com or call 423-378-2450 and ask for her.
• If your child has a doctor's excuse, please email to ewilliams@k12k.com or fax to 423-378-2430. If you have a hard copy of the excuse, please send your child to school with the hard copy (to turn into the office) or you can take a picture of it and email the picture to ewilliams@k12k.com. Student will be marked unexcused until the doctors note has been received.
• If your child is going to be absent (without a doctors excuse), you are not required to contact the school (but if you are choosing to use a parent day and your child has those remaining, you can call to request that their absence is recorded as a 'parent day').
• If you are wanting to use a 'parent day' (max of 3 per semester), the guardian will need to notify the school requesting this (we are not allowed to code the absence this way without the guardian requesting it). You can make this request one of the following ways: call the office, or email ewilliams@k12k.com, or send a note to the office requesting a parent day for the absence on _____ (add the date). Student will be marked as 'unexcused' until this communication has been received.

• We suggest the student/guardian communicate directly to the teachers via email/Canvas regarding any missed assignments.

• Please keep your contact information updated. This can be done through your Aspen Parent Portal or by contacting LeAnn Franklin 378-2435 in the counseling office. It's vitally important that we have current contact phone numbers and a correct address for each student. If your email changes be sure to let us know that as well since that is how many different types of information is sent to you via email.

• You MUST present an ID when visiting Sevier or checking out your student.

• Please try to have after school arrangements communicated with your child prior to them arriving to school.

• Students attending sporting events need to remain with their guardian. Students that are dropped off without an adult with them will not be allowed to enter the sporting event.

We are blessed to have several water bottle filling stations located throughout the school. It is encouraged for students to bring a water bottle with them to stay hydrated. Also, this helps students from missing class time if they have water with them rather than making trips to the water fountain.

Yearbook orders can now be placed.

Below are ways you can help/volunteer/get involved:

• reach out to our Family & Community Liaison, Robin Kerkhoff, rkerkhoff@k12k.com or call her at 423.378.2406
• we have a variety of volunteer opportunities such as helping go through clothes donations and organizing them in the clothes closet, assist a student with before or after school homework, ask to be partnered with a student as a mentor, and much more! You can choose what interests you most and the amount of time that you would like to volunteer (ex: once a month for an hour).
• You can email the PTO at JohnSevierMSPTO@gmail.com to ask how you can volunteer/assist with a variety of activities.

Food bags are offered every other week. You can call the office 378-2450 or contact Robin Kerkhoff (rkerkhoff@k12k.com) to get on the distribution list. Each bag has a variety of non-perishable items such as (not all of these are included): oatmeal, peanut butter, pasta, pasta sauce, fruit cups, mac n chz, rice, soup.

• If your child is in need of gently used clothing/shoes or hygiene products, please let them know to visit Mrs. Kerkhoff in the office. She can assist in gathering items for them.
• KCS has a Family Resource Center (FRC) that will assist families with a variety of needs...Mrs. Kerkhoff can help connect you to their services.

Families can login into your foodcity.com account, click on account, and then select John Sevier Middle School. This will link your ValuCard to our school! This is a great way to be a part of a wonderful funding source at

See flyer for more information.

Please click here for detailed parent information.

Students’ cell phones and other electronic devices are to be turned off and not visible upon a student’s arrival to school (upon entering the building) until the end of the student’s school day. Students must store their cell phones and other electronic devices in their backpacks (exceptions may be granted for medical or other extraordinary circumstances as determined by the building principal or designee). Cell phones may be confiscated if this rule is violated. When confiscated from students, parents will be asked to retrieve the cell phone from the school administration.

• 1st offense - The item will be confiscated and kept at the school for a minimum of five (5) consecutive school days. To retrieve the confiscated item, a parent or guardian must contact the appropriate administrator.

• 2nd offense - When a student has a second offense during the current semester, the item will be confiscated for a minimum of ten (10) school days. A parent or guardian must retrieve the confiscated item from the front office.

• 3rd offense - When a student has a third offense during the current semester, the item may be confiscated for the remainder of the school year. A parent or guardian may retrieve the confiscated item at the end of the school day on the last day of the school year.

KCS currently has openings available in our no cost Kingsport City Schools Pre-K programs. Any child who turned 4-years-old on or before August 15th is eligible to attend (regardless of socioeconomic status). M-F 8:15 a.m. - 2:15 p.m. with a structured daily schedule. High-quality, state-approved early education curriculum which prepares children academically, socially, and emotionally for Kindergarten. Instruction from highly qualified, experienced educators who focus on building a strong foundation in key academic areas such as literacy and math. Seven locations in Kingsport schools. Available openings are limited; so don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity! Please call the Palmer Center today at (423) 378.2160 for additional information.

See below for Code of Conduct.

If you are interested in additional information on any of the below items, please reach out to Robin Kerkhoff, 378-2406 or rkerkhoff@k12k.com

• KATS is the public transit system in our area. Reach out to us if you need help getting information about routes, times, or ticket/booklet purchase.

• Our community has an outreach that offers FREE haircuts at a local church (First Methodist, located at Church Circle). These are typically offered every other Monday. They begin at 9am and finish after their last haircut. If you would like for your child to go get his/her haircut please email, call, or send a note to Mrs. Kerkhoff and she will plan to take them in the school van. (Parents/guardians, You can enjoy the community outreach as well. If you're in need of a haircut, go check out this wonderful resource that is available for our community (if transportation is an issue, we can assist you as well. Let us know). ***Upcoming dates are: December 9.

Sign up for this opportunity using this link.

Monday, December 9th

• Monday, December 9th is the next FREE haircut session. If you are interested in your child attending please send Robin Kerkhoff an email to rkerkhoff@k12k.com or call 378-2406 (before 8:30am on Monday 12/9)
• Benchmark #2 - ELA, please make every effort for students to arrive to school on time
• AF JROTC, 2:45-4:00 PM in the Library
  
• Lady Warriors Basketball Game vs. TN. Middle at Sevier (JV-4:30 V-6:30)
• Boys Basketball game vs. TN. Middle at Sevier (JV-5:30 V-7:30)

Tuesday, December 10th

• Benchmark #2 - ELA II, please make every effort for students to arrive to school on time
• Jazz Band 7:15 - 8am
• Lego Robotics in the Library until 4:30

Wednesday, December 11th

• There will not be a Prayer Warriors/Wyldlfe meeting this week. The next Prayer Warriors meeting will be December 18th.
  
• Benchmark #2 - Math, please make every effort for students to arrive to school on time
• Orchestra Practice Club 3-4
  

Thursday, December 12th

• Benchmark #2 - Science, please make every effort for students to arrive to school on time
• Lego Robotics in the Library until 4:30
• 6th Grade Math Olympiad, 2:45-4:00 This is our December Contest day, all members need to plan on attending.
• Lady Warriors Basketball Game vs. Greeneville at Greeneville (JV-6 V-7)
• Boys Basketball game vs. Greeneville at Sevier (JV-5 V-6)

Friday, December 12th

• Benchmark #2 - Social Studies, please make every effort for students to arrive to school on time
• 7th Grade Hawks Nest Field Trip
• Jazz Band 7:15 - 8am

Save The Date:

• December 16th, 6pm, Chorus & Orchestra Holiday Concert @ Sevier
• December 17th, 6pm, Band Winter Concert @ Eastman Auditorium
• It's Spelling Bee time! Please note the new date: December 18th. The written qualifying round will be held both at 7:30 and at 2:50 on Wednesday, December 18. Please see your ELA teacher or Mrs. Donnellan (8th grade) for the information and spelling study list.

• DB parent night for 8th grade students (held in Sevier's auditorium) January 14, 6-7pm

Email: kloudermilk@k12k.com
Website: https://sevier.k12k.com/
Location: 1200 Wateree Street, Kingsport, TN, USA
Phone: 423-378-2450
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/KCSSevier
Twitter: @KCS_Sevier