Switzerland Point Middle School

· December 3: Middle School Blitz Part 2 (affecting periods 1 and 2 details TBD)

· December 6: Raider Store

· December 9: Character Chats!

· December 11: 6th ELA FAST, High School Showcase @WGV 3:30 (See info below)

· December 12: 7th ELA FAST

· December 13: 8th ELA FAST

· December 16: 6th Math FAST, Flipped Bell Schedule

· December 17: 7th Math FAST, Flipped Bell Schedule

· December 18: 8th Math FAST, Flipped Bell Schedule

· December 20: End Q 2, Early Release, Raider Buck Bonanza: 8th Grade Periods 1-2, 7th Grade Periods 3-4, 6th Grade Periods 6-7

· January 6: Students Return

· January 7: Behavior Assemblies for 2nd Semester

Click on the flier to order.

Please note that the price of yearbooks will increase after 12/20/24.

Learn more about High School Showcase and the High School Academies here: https://cte.stjohns.k12.fl.us/showcase/

Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (FAST) is set up as a progress monitoring model. FAST assessments are computer-adaptive tests taken on a computer. The questions get easier or more difficult depending on how the student responds, and each student will see different questions from a common item bank. Each progress monitoring test attempt (PM1, PM2, and PM3) will present items that will cover the entire test “blueprint,” meaning students will encounter items representative of the standards within the subject or grade level. Students in Algebra or Geometry do not take the FAST Math assessment.

Progress monitoring 2 (PM2) dates have been announced (see below). Students will be told of their testing room by their 1st period teacher. Testing begins promptly at 7:30. Please encourage your child to do their best, bring a pencil, and eat a healthy breakfast.

Testing dates for PM3 are below:

• 6th grade FAST ELA Progress Monitor 2 (PM2): December 11
• 7th grade FAST ELA Progress Monitor 2 (PM2): December 12
• 8th grade FAST ELA Progress Monitor 2 (PM3): December 13
• 6th grade FAST Math Progress Monitor 2 (PM2): December 16 (with flipped bell schedule)
• 7th grade FAST Math Progress Monitor 2 (PM2): December 17 (with flipped bell schedule)
• 8th grade FAST Math Progress Monitor 2 (PM2): December 18 (with flipped bell schedule)
• Make up testing will begin after January 6.
• 7th grade students in Advanced Math will take the 8th grade Math FAST assessment for both PM2 and PM3 since this aligns best with the standards taught in the 7th grade advanced course.
• Students will be assessed on standards that will be covered over the entire curriculum, and this progress monitoring tool will be used to guide teacher instruction so that students continue to make progress.

*Students enrolled in classes with an EOC will take the EOC in May but will not take the FAST.

*Students who are enrolled in 7th grade Accelerated Math will take 7th grade FAST in August but then will take the 8th grade FAST in December, as well as in May, since this aligns best with the standards taught in this course.

Results will be available promptly:

• Teachers will have the results almost immediately.
• Families will be able to view results within 2 weeks.

Complete the form on our website to request early check out. It is located on the bottom left (side bar) of the website. The form needs to be completed by 6 AM the day you are requesting early check out. After the 6 AM cut off, please send your child in with a note to the front office like normal. Please do not request early check out more than 2 days in advance.

As a safety precaution, students will only be released to the parent/guardian or the Emergency Contact listed in HAC. A current driver’s license must be presented to the front office to check a student out early. The following procedure will be strictly enforced: NO student may be signed out after 1:25 PM each day except Wednesday. The latest early check out on Wednesday is 12:25 PM. Parents must arrive in the office no later than 1:20 PM (or 12:20 PM on Wednesday) in order to sign their child out early. Students who check out during the school day due to illness are not eligible to return to school that evening to participate in activities or to be a member of the audience.

• At the end of the year, students can attend a field trip as a reward for their behavior.
• Students who earn ISS or OSS during 2nd semester, or commit a Level 4 offense during the entire school year, will NOT BE ELIGIBLE to participate in the grade-level reward trip. Please see Section 5, Levels of Discipline, on page 31 in our Student Code of Conduct for examples of Level 4 offenses.
• Students with 15 or more unexcused absences during the school year will NOT BE ELIGIBLE for the trip.
• For 8th grade students, these behavior requirements also apply to the 8th grade formal dance.
• Once a reward trip has been paid for, we will be unable to give refunds or transfer the reservation to another student’s name.

Our first Raider-rific coffee cart was a huge success! We served coffee, cocoa, and lots of cheer! The coffee cart is run by the students in the ACCESS classes and offered for free to all staff members. The next coffee cart will be the day before winter break.

The St. Johns County School District is partnering with the Len Mattiace Foundation for the fall semester of the "Stop the Bullying" Campaign Contest. His foundation promotes bullying awareness and creates a safe environment for our youth in NE Florida. Compassion, inclusion, and kindness are the pillars of his foundation. Former Nease High School graduate Len Mattiace plays the PGA TOUR as a golfer. It is our third year partnering with Len Mattiace's foundation.

Congratulations to Aubrey Carne for her winning art piece/poem. Aubrey was awarded a cash prize of $100.

Congratulations to Logan Haden for winning a top prize for her powerpoint and t-shirt design. Logan was awarded a cash prize of $500.

Look for the spring semester of the "Stop the Bullying" Campaign Contest and you too can enter to win!

Aubrey Carne receiving her prize.

Logan Haden receiving her prize.

The kindness challenge has started for 2nd quarter. You will notice that the numbers look smaller since we are now calculating this by percentage. This makes it fair to all.

Here is how the grade levels rank as of November 25:

1st place: 6th grade with 155%

2nd place: 7th grade 111%

3rd place: 8th grade 83%

Each month, our staff nominate students who display the pillar of Charcter for that month. Students will be celebrated the first week of the next month with lunch provided by the PTSO.

This month, we look for students who display ALL the pillars of Character:

• Trustworthiness
• Respect
• Responsibility
• Fairness
• Caring
• Citizenship

Please congratulate the following students for being nominated by a staff member for having shown exemplary Citizenship in the month of November. Students will be celebrated at lunch this week.

6th Grade

In partnership with Resiliency Florida, we will explore specific characteristic(s) each month. You can find out more information by visiting their website: https://www.buildresiliency.org/ . T

In response to 2013 legislation (section 1003.57, Florida Statutes) requiring each district and school to complete a “Best Practices for Inclusive Education” (BPIE) assessment every three years. Our school completee this structured assessment process, led by a Florida Inclusion Network (FIN) facilitator or FIN-trained leader at the end of October.

The purpose of the school BPIE assessment is to facilitate the analysis, implementation, and improvement of inclusive best practices for students with disabilities on our campus. The school BPIE assessment process is designed to evaluate the current status of inclusive practices through the perspectives of educators and other stakeholders who represent varying areas of content knowledge and expertise and develop measurable goals and action steps to increase or improve inclusive practices across our school.

After completing the assessment our team has determined that our goals for the next three years are as follows:

• Regularly monitor the progress for short and long term improvement efforts to implement and improve inclusive educational practices, as measured by this assessment, and update our school community twice a year on our goals and progress.
• All instructional and related services personnell will use formative assessments to gather, analyze and evaluate data about effective instruction and behavior interventions for all students wiht and without disabilities in general education and natural contexts.
• Continue to work towards a school-wide approach for planning and implementing Universal design for Learning (UDL) across all instructional and non-instructional contexts.

America250 just launched America’s Field Trip for the 2024–2025 school year! America’s Field Trip is a nationwide scholastic contest that invites students in grades 3–12 to share their perspectives on what America means to them through artwork or essays — with the opportunity to earn an unforgettable field trip experience at some of the nation’s most iconic historical and cultural landmarks.

• 25 first-place awardees from each grade level category and a chaperone will receive airfare and lodging for a 3-day, 2-night trip to a select historical or cultural site.
• Second-place recipients will receive a $500 cash award.
• The teacher associated with the top-scoring student submissions in each grade level category will receive a $1,000 cash award.

Visit America250’s website to learn more about how students can enter, and for contest rules, judging criteria, classroom resources, and more. The deadline for submissions is April 16, 2025!

Please see the attached document about Varsity Tutors, a resource that is free to your students!

SPMS National Junior Honor Society is sponsoring an opportunity to send a special birthday or congratulations message to your student via the marquee in the front of the school. Cost is $25. Complete the form here to submit your request (there's a separate link in the form to pay via Schoolpay upon submitting your request). Requests are due the Friday prior to the event and will display the following week (Tuesday through Monday). Example: If you turn in the request on Friday, September 17, then your message will be displayed on Tuesday, September 21.

Yes!! We are looking for some outstanding players to be part of the SPMS Interscholastic basketball teams. The teams will be made up of 6th, 7th and 8th graders. Yes!! 6th graders are allowed to try-out. There will be a boys’ team AND a girls’ team. The boy’s try-outs will be on Monday, December 2, 3, 5 and TBA. The boy’s try-outs will start at 2:00pm and last until 4:00pm. The girl’s try-outs will be on December 2, 3, 5 and TBA. The girl’s try-outs will begin at 4:30pm and last until 6:00pm. Students must provide their own transportation. Parent pick-up will be required promptly after try-outs each day. To try-out, students need to have a try-out waiver signed and returned. Waiver forms may be obtained from Coach Terrance Singleton, the front office, or any PE coach. All students that are trying out for the team must show up the first day but are not guaranteed to stay all three days. If there are any questions, please contact Coach Singleton (terrance.singleton@stjohns.k12.fl.us). RAIDERS #1 BABY!!!

When: Tuesday Dec. 3rd

Time: 4pm

Where: SPMS Auditorium

Information will be provided on the following:

Auditioning process, volunteer opportunities, theatre contract review, musical expectations

Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture

and the Book by William Steig

Book, Lyrics, and Music by

David Lindsay-Abaire and Jeanine Tesori

Auditions are Monday, Dec. 9th and Tuesday, Dec. 10th with callbacks on Thursday, Dec. 12th in the Auditorium

Performances are April 10th, 11th, and 12th at 7pm with an understudy 2pm matinee on April 12th

Director and Musical Director - Mrs. Kaleda, Technical Director - Miss Etheridge

Shrek the Musical JR. is presented through special
arrangement. All authorized materials are supplied by Music Theatre International, 421 W 54th St. New York, NY 10019

At this time, the opening of School Daze and The Redemption of Gertie Green have been postponed due to the air conditioning unit breaking in the Auditorium. As soon as it has been replaced, we will be in touch with new dates. Sorry for any inconvenience, and we hope to see you at the theatre in the Spring!

Battle of the Books is a competition team based around knowledge of the Sunshine State Young Reader Award Books (SSYRA). The goal of the SSYRA program is to promote the love of reading for students. The SSYRA list is composed of 15 books from a wide variety of genres and interests. Students can read the books and take a short quiz on them in the media center to earn prizes.

The team will be composed of 5 members and 2 alternates. Membership is based on scores during try outs. Information on try outs will come out in December. Try outs will be in January. Practice will be once a week after school until the competition in March.

Please email Madison.Gowin@stjohns.k12.fl.us if you have any questions about SSYRA or Battle of the Books!

The PTSO would love your help stocking the Raider Store! The Raider Store is where students can spend their hard earned Raider Bucks. Your student earns Raider Bucks from their teachers and staff for showing good character in the classroom and hallways. They can then spend them in the PTSO-sponsored Raider Store. We are always looking for new and fun things to stock the store with to keep the students coming back. Please put your student's name on the gift, and he/she will be credited Raider Bucks for your donation!

Thank you for your support!

CLICK HERE TO SHOP

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