Weekly Update 12/12/14

SOUTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2014

 1. Don't forget Staff Holiday Spirit Week next week!  I know that together we can make it to the holiday break! Thank you for all of your hard work - each of you has definitely earned a long, relaxing break!

2. Staff development credit is now available for staff to gain credit for the Critical Incident/Lockdown training and the Bloodborne Pathogen training. I will send out an email with detailed information on how you can access to receive this renewal credit. 

3. Our school fundraiser products should be delivered early in the week. Once delivered, we will organize and deliver to classrooms the next day.  6th and 7th grade teams: We will deliver your team's fundraiser boxes and you can distribute as appropriate at the end of the day (7th grade, I will get with you on specific instructions).  8th grade: You will receive boxes organized by your 6th period classes. That way, your students can get their boxes at the end of the day without having to go back to homebase. Teacher instructions are simple:  When you hand a student their box, please have them sign/initial that they are receiving their boxes.  For students who have large orders, we will hold those orders in the main office and contact their parents for pickup.  

4. You are about to receive our Teacher of the Year candidate statements. We will vote as a school on Wednesday, December 17.  Instructions for voting will be in the upcoming email with details. Good luck to all of our candidates!

5. Mentors - please be sure to turn in your November AND December mentor logs. 

6. The Fundraiser Glow Party will take place on Tuesday, December 16. The Fundraiser BMX Bike Show will take place on Wednesday, December 17.  Instructions for this event as well as a master list of students was sent to all staff earlier this week. Please review those details as soon as possible. We will make announcements for student movement to both of these events. HB teachers, please be sure that students have their wristbands prior to each event (see email with wristband instructions).  

7. This is the time of year when ISS begins to increase in student numbers. So, here are a few reminders for teachers when needing to send a student to ISS for the period:  1) Please be sure to call ahead to Room #712 to check for space, 2) Please send the student with work to complete, and 3) If you have tried ISS as a time out for a student multiple times and the behavior has not changed, then it is time to try another intervention. Please remember that ISS is not a "babysitting" service - teachers must have a valid reason for sending a student to the ISS room. The ISS room should not be used as a location for a student to make up a test. Please work that out with your peers. 

8. Thank you to the Hospitality Committee for all of their hard work so far this year. They have several upcoming events for staff:  1) December 16 - SEMS has a reserved room at J.Peppers starting at 3pm for a staff meet and mingle event, 2) December 17 - Holiday luncheon catered from Sagebrush for Hospitality members, and 3) This week they will kick off their "I've been elfed!" campaign. Please see the earlier email from Jennifer Lawson for more details. 

9. If any teachers/teams/groups wish to use the multi-purpose room in the mornings or afternoons, please sign up on the MP room sign up sheet posted in the staff workroom above the first copier.  

10. The PTSA will continue to sell candygrams during lunches on Dec. 15 and 16.  Students (and staff) can pay $1.00 and send a candygram to anyone in the school.  All candygrams will be delivered on December 19 during 6th period. 

11. Safety reminders:  We will be working to update our school safety plan. There is no major change in safety procedures at this time. But please remember the following: 1)You can now discard your green circles, as we will no longer be using them, 2)Keep your classroom door locked at all times, and 3)Now is a good time to update your rosters on your safety clipboards. 

12. Some of you have had your classroom whiteboards upgraded this fall.  Here are the answers to some of your questions about those upgrades:  1)The classrooms chosen for upgrades was based on which boards were in the worst shape this summer (determined by me), 2)The later installation was due to a backup in the district's work order system, 3)Yes, the spots on the wall look awful! 4)There is now a secondary work order in for the painters to come in and clean up the walls to make them more presentable. We are at their mercy on the timetable for this job, 5)This year's installation looks different than those classrooms done in the past because of changes in the district's regulations with the technology in the rooms.  No boards can be installed underneath the TV's in the classrooms. 

13. Several groups will need to complete online quarter testing in January (6-8 SS, 6-7 Sci).  An email was sent last week with the schedule and details. We do plan to run a normal schedule during the January testing window.  The schedule was made based on the availability of our technology in the building. We appreciate your cooperation in making this online testing successful!

UPCOMING EVENTS
Please remember that this calendar does NOT include all school events, meetings, etc. The online master calendar (SEMS School Calendar, through your email) contains all of these events. Please consult the master calendar for more detailed information.

Dec. 15 - Band Winter Concert
Dec. 15 - 18 - 7th/8th grade basketball tryouts
Dec. 16 - Fundraiser Glow Party (12:45pm)
Dec. 16 - Orchestra Winter Concert
Dec. 17 - Fundraiser BMX Bike Show (12:50pm)
Dec. 17 - Hospitality Holiday Luncheon
Jan. 5 - Staff Mtg. 
Jan. 9 - Fundraiser Limo Lunch
Jan. 12 - SIT Mtg.
Jan. 16 - End of 2nd Quarter!