Stanwood Middle School

Good Morning Stanwood Middle School Families!

Empowering our Spartans to Learn

This week our Stanwood Middle School staff met with the staff of Port Susan Middle School to discuss a key aspect in our Annual Action Plan for the year--having our Spartans show persistence and resistance when they find themselves "stuck" in their learning.

Students sometimes fall into bad habits and when the learning becomes difficult, give up and stop trying. Our goal this year is to teach our Spartans how to power through those moments--because when they do, learning becomes more durable and long lasting.

When students fall in the learning pit, we want to teach them the skills to recognize that they are stuck--and that is OKAY, because they will have the skills needed to push through and learn the material. By teaching students how to review what they already know and use their resources around them, that is the second step in working toward becoming unstuck. Finally, when students reflect on how they can work with others to help get out of the bottom of the learning pit, they can use another step before asking the teacher for help to get to the heart of the learning.

Signs Of Suicide Lessons

This Tuesday in our science classes 8th graders will have a review of the Signs of Suicide curriculum and the Acknowledge, Care, Tell model and 7th graders will be introduced to the ACT and how to help others.

Further information can be found on our website.

PTO Fundraiser

Last week we kicked off the PTO's catalog fundraiser. This event runs through October 28.

On October 27, the PTO is hosting another MOD pizza night with a portion of the proceeds going to our PTO.

Our PTO supports a huge number of programs here at Stanwood Middle School. Please consider helping out through one of the fundraisers or coming to a meeting and learning about volunteer opportunities for different events. Thank you for helping our PTO!

Sports

Our Girls Soccer team finished a stellar season last week and this week our XC team has finals on Tuesday.

Boys basketball starts on Wednesday, with practices running daily from after school until 4 p.m. All athletes must have all paperwork in order to start the season on time.

Please use this link to register your Spartan: Stanwood Middle School Athletic Registration

Transportation: In the event that we cannot get a bus to out-of district competitions (due to bus driver shortage), we will have district vans. However, seating is limited, so the Stanwood/Camano School District is allowing families to arrange transportation to and from competitions when this occurs. These families will agree to provide their own transportation to and from away competitions and understand that the district assumes no liability/responsibility for the athletes during the transportation times. The waiver will need to be signed and returned to your athletic director prior to your first out-of-district event. *Hard copies of the waiver can be picked up in the office or from your athlete's coach Parent Transportation Waiver for Middle School Sports

Clubs

We are excited to announce that Gaming Club is here--Mr. Bliss will run gaming club during first lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays--students can pick one day a week to play games in Mr. Bliss' room during lunch. Students signed up for the club yesterday. They can check in the office if there are any spots available.

Spirit Week and Halloween Dance

Our first spirit week of the year is right around the corner!

Tuesday, October 25: Comfy/cozy day

Wednesday, October 26: Pink day

Thursday, October 27: Hat day

Friday, October 28: Color Wars! 6th grade black, 7th grade grey, 8th grade red

Monday, October 31: Halloween Costumes

After school on Monday, October 31 is our first dance of the year from 2:10 p.m.-4:00 p.m. Permission slips will go home with students on Monday, October 24 and tickets will be for sale before school and during lunches on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Monday. Tickets are $5.

Please call the school if you have any questions, 360.629.1350!

Tod Klundt

Principal

Stanwood Middle School

tklundt@stanwood.wednet.edu

This week we are highlighting our library dynamic duo, Sara Harlan (right) and Pam Palmer (left).

Ms. Harlan previously served as the Stanwood Middle School librarian from 2011-2008 and returned as the librarian for both middle schools in the fall of 2021 (she is at Stanwood MS every Thursday and Friday and rotates Wednesdays). She is passionate about literacy and the role the library plays in helping students be empowered to learn. Since returning to our library she's evaluated the collection and worked on creating a space that is an oasis of calm for all.

Mrs. Palmer began working as the library assistant in 1999 at Stanwood Middle School. Last year she began rotating her time with Port Susan as well (she is at Stanwood MS every Monday and Tuesday and rotates Wednesdays). Working with Ms. Harlan, Mrs. Palmer helps deliver on their shared vision for the library and all the wonders it unlocks for students to reach their unlimited potential.

This year the theme of the library is "All Things Panda." With decorations and opportunities galore for students to learn about everything related to giant pandas, the library is not only an oasis of calm, but a world of wonder. Next time you are in the building, please go check it out!

We have a new look for our Spartan Pride Awards! Thanks to Mr. Randall, our art teacher, for developing this new design. Parents, you'll receive this award in the mail after we announce and recognize our Spartans here at school.

We will be teaching the Signs of Suicide Program through our 7th grade science classes on
Tuesday, October 18th. This program helps youth and adults differentiate between typical
development and what may be a more serious mental health issue such as depression.
Adolescence is a time of many changes and challenges. Each child handles it differently, but
most parents and adolescents wonder: How do I know if someone is really struggling and needs
help, or is just going through a “rough patch”? The SOS, Signs of Suicide Prevention Program
teaches students what to do when they are worried about a friend by employing the ACT
message.
Acknowledge-Care-Tell
Acknowledge that you are seeing signs of depression or suicide in yourself or a friend and that
it is serious.
Care Let your friend know that you care about them and that you are concerned that they need
help you cannot provide.
Tell a trusted adult. Take your friend with you or go alone if you need to.
Some of the program goals are to decrease suicide attempts by increasing knowledge and
adaptive attitudes about depression among students.
Encourage individual help-seeking and help-seeking on behalf of a friend.
Reduce a stigma by linking suicide to mental illness that, like physical illness, requires
treatment.
Engage parents and school staff as partners in prevention by educating them to identify signs of
depression and suicide in youth by providing information and resources.*
*We will be attaching the SOS Parent Newsletter to our website. It has helpful information in
relation to talking with your child, teens and alcohol, depression, cutting, bullying, and more.
Let’s team together to help our students understand the symptoms of depression and suicide
risk and how to respond. If you have any questions, please contact our counselors.

Thank you,
Kyland Fischer and Jayde Piggott (360)629-1350.

7 de octubre de 2022

Estimados padres/tutores de 7º grado;

Estaremos enseñando el Programa de Señales de Suicidio a través de nuestras clases de ciencias de 7º grado el martes 18 de octubre. Este programa ayuda a jóvenes y adultos a diferenciar entre el desarrollo típico y lo que puede ser un problema de salud mental más grave, como la depresión.

La adolescencia es una época de muchos cambios y desafíos. Cada niño lo maneja de manera diferente, pero la mayoría de los padres y adolescentes se preguntan: ¿Cómo puedo saber si alguien realmente está luchando y necesita ayuda, o simplemente está pasando por un “momento difícil”? El Programa de Señales de Prevención del Suicidio SOS enseña a los estudiantes qué hacer cuando están preocupados por un amigo empleando el mensaje ACT.

Reconocer-cuidar-decir

Reconocerque está viendo signos de depresión o suicidio en usted o en un amigo y que es grave.

CuidadoHazle saber a tu amigo que te preocupas por él y que te preocupa que necesite ayuda que no puedes proporcionarle.

Decirun adulto de confianza. Lleva a tu amigo contigo o ve solo si es necesario.

Algunas de las metas del programa son disminuir los intentos de suicidio aumentando el conocimiento y las actitudes de adaptación sobre la depresión entre los estudiantes.

Fomentar la búsqueda de ayuda individual y la búsqueda de ayuda en nombre de un amigo.

Reducir un estigma al vincular el suicidio con una enfermedad mental que, al igual que la enfermedad física, requiere tratamiento.

Involucrar a los padres y al personal de la escuela como socios en la prevención educándolos para identificar signos de depresión y suicidio en los jóvenes brindándoles información y recursos.*

* Adjuntaremos el Boletín de Padres SOS a nuestro sitio web. Tiene información útil en relación con hablar con su hijo, adolescentes y alcohol, depresión, cortes, intimidación y más.

Formemos un equipo para ayudar a nuestros estudiantes a comprender los síntomas de la depresión y el riesgo de suicidio y cómo responder. Si tiene alguna pregunta, comuníquese con nuestros asesores.

Gracias,

jayde piggott&kyland fischer(360)629-1350.

SMS and the Stanwood-Camano Food Bank understand this school year may be tough for families in our community, with the Universal School Lunch program ending and food costs skyrocketing. We want to encourage families to take advantage of the HOPE Backpack Meals Program to assist in feeding your child(ren) over the weekends throughout the school year.

A “backpack” is a grocery bag filled with non-perishable items and our cold packs include fresh fruit, cheese, and yogurt when available. Each student can receive 1 backpack and 1 cold pack to take home on Fridays. Students can also take extra backpacks/cold packs home for their siblings if so desired. For holiday breaks, students will be able to take 2 backpacks, and 1 cold pack.
Any child wanting a backpack/cold pack can receive one. There are no applications, documents, or income requirements needed for students to qualify.

School staff will distribute HOPE bags every Friday after school in the foyer outside the cafeteria. (This may change for holidays and/or conferences). Students can stop by and grab a bag before getting on their bus or heading to the parking lot for parent pick up.

If you have any questions, please reach out to the SMS Student Support Advocate, Amy Hart at: 360-965-8249 or ahart@stanwood.wednet.edu.

Please be aware as we hand out chromebooks that there are fines associated with them if they are not returned and/or returned without damage.

The 2022-2023 student calendar is LINKED HERE and also pictured below.

Our PTO is an amazing group of people working together to support our students. From fundraisers to activities, their work helps our Spartans engage, connect, and thrive at Stanwood Middle School. Please like their Facebook page for all the up-to-date information about our school.

Families can access individual student transportation information online.

Versatrans eLink is the portal to access the bus route, stop time, location, and the bus your child will be riding. The "User Name" and "Password" on the login page is your student's 7-digit identification number.

Click here for instructions on finding bus routes

Click here to go to Versatrans eLink

The Stanwood-Camano School District does not discriminate in employment, programs, or activities on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. Inquiries regarding compliance and/or grievance procedures may be directed to the District's Title IX/Affirmative Action Officer and Civil Rights Compliance Coordinator, Maurene Stanton (mstanton@stanwood.wednet.edu), or the Section 504/American Disabilities Act Coordinator, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu) Stanwood-Camano School District, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Telephone: (360) 629-1200.

El Distrito Escolar de Stanwood-Camano School District no discrimina en sus programas o actividades por motivos de sexo, raza, credo, religión, color, origen nacional, edad, condición de veterano de guerra o grado militar, orientación sexual, expresión de género o identidad, discapacidad o uso de perro guía entrenado o animal de servicio, y ofrece igualdad de acceso a los Boy Scouts y a otros grupos de jóvenes especificados. El empleado mencionado a continuación ha sido designado para atender consultas y quejas de supuesta discriminación: Título IX / Oficial de Acción Afirmativa y Coordinador de Cumplimiento de Derechos Civiles, Maurene Stanton (mstanton@stanwood.wednet.edu), o la Sección 504 / Coordinador de la Ley de Discapacidades Estadounidenses, Robert Hascall (rhascall@stanwood.wednet.edu), Distrito Escolar Stanwood-Camano, 26920 Pioneer Hwy, Stanwood, WA 98292. Teléfono: (360) 629- 1200