Weekly Update 2/14/13

SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 14
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

1. The deadline to donate to the United Arts Council is February 28.  We encourage all staff to give what they can.  In order to donate, please visit the WSFCS website and watch the banner scroll at the top of the page.  When the Arts Council information appears, please click on the link, fill out the form, print it, sign it, and place it in Mrs. Ring's mailbox. 

2. There has been discussion of the status of March 28.  This date is currently on the calendar as a Reserved for Schools day.  Several options are being considered: leaving it along as an Rs day or changing it to a modified Rs/Rc day.  I will share more information as I receive it from Central Office. 

3. The school fundraiser kickoff assemblies will take place on Friday, February 15, during encore blocks.  All instructions have been sent to all staff members.  

4. We will have a fire drill and lockdown drill back-to-back in February.  We will give you a couple of days' notice in order to review instructions with your students.  Please review both lockdown and fire drill procedures with your students. Our last fire drill was not very successful. 

5. We are required by the district and state to review bus safety rules with all students. Mr. Prince and Mr. Fought have created a brief 5-minute video to show to all students. We will email you with instructions on when to show this video. 

6. Core and encore progress reports are to go home with all students on February 20. 

7. We have confirmed dates for the carpet/tile installation.  The Media Center project will take place on March 1-4.  The Main Office/Guidance Office project will take place March 8-11.  This will affect your lunches on those Mondays and Fridays listed at the least.  I will email more details as this time gets closer. Details will include:  where you will eat lunch on those days, where the copiers will be located, where the microwaves will be located, etc.  

8. WSFCS parent and student surveys are on their way. The parent surveys will be in a paper packet. We will send them home in Wednesday folders and encourage all parents to complete and return.  The student survey will be online just like last year.  All homebase teachers will be given a block of time (i.e. a few weeks) to complete the survey with their students. You will have several options to get this accomplished so that you can minimize class interruption. 

9. We will do a schoolwide mock testing session at the end of March during the quarter test window. If we do not have anymore snow days, then we plan to do these sessions on March 21 and 22. A mock testing session means that we will shut down the school and have a modified daily schedule, just as we do on EOG testing days. 

10. The Spring Book Fair will take place April 15-19. We will set it up similar to the schedule used last year, which minimally disrupted class time. In addition, our third annual Spring Arts Festival will take place on the evening of Thursday, April 18. More details coming soon.

Please be sure to check the online calendar regularly (accessed through your email system) for events and meetings. It is updated weekly and sometimes daily.

UPCOMING DATES
Feb. 14 - PTSA Valentine's Candy Grams delivery (during 6th period)
Feb. 15 - Fundraiser Kickoff Assemblies (during encore blocks)
Feb. 18 - Snow make up day for students and staff - B-day schedule
Feb. 18 - 7th Grade Girls Basketball vs. Meadowlark (3pm @ SEMS)
Feb. 18 - SIOP Training #4 make-up session (2:20pm)
Feb. 20 - Core and Encore Progress Reports go home
Feb. 21 - 7th Grade Basketball vs. Kernersville (3pm @ SEMS)
Feb. 21 - Kernersville Cup! 8th Grade Basketball vs. Kernersville (6pm @ East Forsyth HS)
Feb. 25 - SIT Meeting (2:20pm)
Feb. 25 - 7th Grade Girls Basketball vs. Walkertown (3pm @ SEMS)
March 1-4 - Media Center carpet installation
March 4 - Staff Meeting (2:20pm)
March 8-11 - Main Office/Guidance Office carpet installation
March 11 - Vertical Planning Mtgs. (2:20pm)
March 14 - Grade Level Mtgs. (during planning blocks)
March 14 - Fundraiser Limo Lunch (for qualifying students)
March 15 - Spring Pictures
March 15 - Port-A-Pit PTSA Fundraiser (2:30-7:00pm)

Future Dates for your Calendar:
March 21-22 - Mock EOG-style Quarter Testing
April 10 - MS/HS Teacher Transfer Fair
April 12 - Fundraiser BMX Bike Show
April 15 - 19 - Spring Book Fair