Weekly Update 9/26/13

SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Don't forget that paper progress reports are to go home for core and encore on Wednesday, Oct. 2!

1. Thank you for a wonderful lockdown drill. We had very few issues that can be easily corrected. We will have our next lockdown drill sometime during the second quarter. 

2. Thank you for all of your cooperation in the evaluation process.  Please remember to complete your required tasks by this Friday, Sept. 27.  In addition, your administrators will be contacting you soon (if not already) to set up your pre-conference and first observation. Mentors, please note that we will have a brief meeting on October 14 in the computer lab at 2:20pm to review your requirements as a mentor. At that time, you will sign off on your mentee's initial PDP and learn how to fill out the required evaluation form.  

3. We still have afterschool vacancies for Dance, 7th grade Girls Basketball, and afterschool tutors. Please let me know if you are interested in any of these.

4. SSC Learning Team Facilitators:  Please remember to forward a copy of your meeting minutes to me weekly.  Minutes should be in the expected format and received by Friday of each week. 

5. WSFCS plans to kickoff the Powerschool Parent Portal for parents and families starting October 1. This online program will allow parents and guardians to have 24/7 access to their students' grades, attendance, and information. We will continue to send home paper progress reports on the noted dates as scheduled until this transition is complete. Please remember that district guidelines require teachers to update their online grades once per week, no matter how many students or classes you are assigned.  

6. On September 30, we will have another EC development meeting at 2:20pm in the Media Center.  Who should attend? EC staff and LA & Math core teachers who work with EC students are to attend.

7. Earlier this week, the Hospitality Committee sent out an email to request dues from staff members. Please consider paying your dues in order to get the benefits of the committee.  The Hospitality Committee works very hard to provide special events for staff members. But more importantly, the committee acknowledges and supports staff members who have had an illness, death in the family, or crisis. Please see your earlier email from the committee to pay your dues by October 4. Staff members who pay their dues will be able to have a casual day and wear jeans on Wednesday, October 9.  This is Unity Day, where we are requesting all staff members to wear orange in support of anti-bullying efforts. 

8. Flu shots will be offered to all staff members here at SEMS on October 4. Staff members must sign up and fill out a required document in order to participate. Please see Susie Hook for the paperwork and requirements. This is a great opportunity to get your flu shot taken care of!
9. SEMS is starting up the Rachel's Challenge program this school year. As stated earlier this year, Rachel's Challenge promotes random acts of kindness and anti-bullying efforts. Our school will dedicate Thursday, October 17, to the Rachel's Challenge events. We will have a series of assemblies and even a community night event. We will have an altered schedule for this day, as we wish to focus all of our attention on this program.  It is important to note that these events can be very moving and emotional, so we will forward more details to share with your students beforehand so that they understand what they will experience. We will also send some information home for parents and forward the schedule to you soon. 

10. For your calendar planning, we are going to do a  "shut down" testing schedule for first quarter tests at the end of the first quarter. This is necessary due to the many student pull-out groups required. Reading and Math quarter testing is scheduled for October 28 and 29.  Please see earlier quarter testing email for more information.  8th grade Science, please let us know your plans to complete your testing.  

11. Please be sure to review the schedule for the October 8 EXPLORE test.  Even though 8th graders are the only group testing, the test schedule will also affect other grade levels. Please review the information forwarded by Deb Neal. 


UPCOMING DATES
Sept. 26 - Boys Soccer vs. East Forsyth (3pm)
Sept. 27 - 8th Team Mtg. (7:40am, EXPLORE training)
Sept. 27 - 6th Grade PTSA Social (2-4pm, $5/student)
Sept. 27 - Chamber of Commerce grant applications due
Sept. 30 - EC Development Mtgs. (staff members TBD)
Sept. 30 - Oct. 4 - Student Council Campaign Week
Oct. 1 - School Picture Day!
Oct. 1 - Boys Soccer @ Mineral Springs (3:30pm)
Oct. 2 - Core and encore paper progress reports go home!
Oct. 2 - Cross Country meet
Oct. 2 - 7th Grade Outbacks to Raven Knob
Oct. 4 - Staff flu shots
Oct. 4 - Student Council videos and voting!
Oct. 4 - Encore meeting (11:25, Hatch's room, EXPLORE training)
Oct. 4 - 7th Grade Pharoahs to Raven Knob
Oct. 7 - Staff Mtg. (2:20pm, MP Room)
Oct. 7 - 7th Grade Tsunamis to Raven Knob
Oct. 7 - 8th Grade EXPLORE Interest Inventory
Oct. 8 - 8th Grade EXPLORE Testing (modified daily schedule)
Oct. 8 - Boys Soccer vs. Walkertown (3pm)
Oct. 9 - Cross Country Meet
Oct. 14 - Mentor evaluator training (2:20, Computer Lab)
Oct. 17 - Rachel's Challenge Assemblies (modified daily schedule)