Don’t blink, the time is going faster than we think! Time is a variable that we often take for granted until the circumstances of life offer some context, often around events related to starting school, graduation, etc. We are almost finished with the first quarter (Oct. 25th). That mix of excitement and accomplishment can seem far away for many of our younger students, but given the context of time, it is often helpful to cherish the moments by realizing that even for our eighth graders, there are only a handful of months before they are in high school. For each student and their individual progression in middle school, I am grateful to stand side by side with such committed professionals who remain focused on providing the best possible experience for your student.
As always, if you have any celebrations, concerns, or questions, feel free to reach out.
It's A Great Day To Be An Owl!
Dr. Joel Carey
Attendance is vital to student learning at all levels. We take pride in providing a top tier education to our students at Spokane Middle School. If your student does have to miss, please make sure to let Shauntina know as soon as possible so we can mark them absent in Lumen, as well as let their teachers know. Below are the year to date totals of attendance at SMS this year. These numbers are trending in the right direction and we appreciate your support as we work together educating your children.
I know with the current weather pattern, winter weather is probably furthest from everyone's mind. However, now is a great time to double check your contact information in Lumen, especially if you have not been receiving email or text updates from the school since the school year began. If you need to update any information such as a new address or phone number, please contact the MS Office so you can receive the latest information from the school such as closings due to inclement weather, emergency situations or general announcements we need to communicate to parents such as events or grade cards.
Also, below are the updated snow routes for the 2023-2024 school year. Last year, we were able to attend school during some snowy weather while other area schools were not able to due to having these snow routes. Please familiarize yourself with these if your child rides a bus. As always, any closings due to weather will be communicated through Lumen, our school website and social media as well as local news stations such as KY3, KOLR10, KTTS, etc.
As the first quarter is now half way through, we have multiple opportunities for students who might be struggling with a specific unit or concept with a class, struggling with reading or need help with raising their grades. We encourage parents to reach out to their specific teacher of the class they are struggling to set up some tutoring after school.
Red Ribbon Week
The week of October 24th, we will be celebrating Red Ribbon Week. This will be a spirit week to help students celebrate living a life free from alcohol and drugs. Officer Whitaker, our DARE Officer with the CCSO, will be hosting an assembly on the 26th.
Minute Meetings
Since the beginning of the school year, Mrs. Griffith has begun meeting with every student individually to forge relationships, learn names and help ensure all students have a successful school year.
From the Student Handbook
Regular attendance at school is important. A student should be in class every day that he or she is physically able. However, students with contagious conditions are not allowed to attend school during the time they're likely to transmit an illness. This not only gives the student an opportunity to rest and recover, but it also keeps others at school from being infected by illness that may spread quickly among children. If a student becomes ill while at school parents are expected to make transportation arrangements to get the student home.
A student should not be in school if any of the following are present:
* Fever or chills
* Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
* Severe, persistent pain or other signs of illness
* Earache or drainage from the ears
* Inflamed, reddened or drainage from eyes
* Lice
Parents/guardians must notify the District if their student has a communicable disease. Parents/guardians will be required to provide written approval from the student’s treating physician in order for their student to attend school. The District reserves the right to prevent student attendance until clarification or implementation of precautionary measures are in place. Parents/guardians are required to notify the District if they are enrolling or have a student attending school who is HIV positive.
Medical information of students is highly confidential, and the District will take necessary steps to protect the medical information of students and ensure that such information is released only to those with a need-to-know and/or individuals and entities who are required by law to be notified of certain health and medical information.
