Saints Scoop

Dear SMMHS Families,

Take a look at the important information below in this edition of the Saints Scoop.

• 3- No School for Students Election Day
• 9- Q1 Report Cards Issued
• 10- Winter Sports Orientation from 6-7 SMMHS Cafeteria (High School)
• 12-No School for Students (Teacher Inservice)
• 13-No School
• 14- Winter Sports Begins
• 25-27 No School (Thanksgiving Break)

We will celebrate our Quarter 1 student award recipients on Tuesday, November 17, in the SMMHS Auditorium. Middle School will begin at 8:00 AM, followed by High School at 8:45 AM.

Students receiving awards will be invited to attend the ceremony, and their families will receive an email with additional details. Families may enter through the side doors by the auditorium to sign in. Parking is available on the side of the building. Please do not park in the YMCA parking lot.

Awards will follow a similar format to last year, with students called to the stage for a photo and the opportunity to select some Saints swag.

We look forward to celebrating our Saints and their accomplishments!

Winter Sports Orientation will be held on Tuesday, November 10, from 6:00–7:00 PM in the SMMHS Cafeteria. Winter sports begin November 14.

All student-athletes must register through SNAP before participating. Visit smsaints.com for registration links and athletic information.

Please make sure your student’s physical is current and uploaded to SNAP. Check the expiration date on the physical and complete an updated physical if needed. Physical forms and registration information are available through the athletic links on the school website.

We look forward to a great winter sports season. Go Saints!

Every day of school provides opportunities for students to learn, connect, and grow. While an occasional absence is sometimes unavoidable, frequent absences can add up quickly and make it harder for students to stay connected to classroom learning.

Even missing just two days a month can put a student on track to miss more than 18 days over the course of the school year. Those missed days can mean gaps in learning, missed classroom discussions, and less time building relationships with teachers and classmates.

Establishing consistent attendance habits helps students stay engaged, keep up with learning, and make the most of their school experience. Thank you for partnering with us to make being present a priority!

Dear Parents, Guardians, and School Community,

We are excited to kick off our Teacher Appreciation Wreath Fundraiser to honor and support our amazing teachers and staff at St. Michaels Middle High School!

You can support our efforts to celebrate our staff while decorating your home for the holidays—or sending fresh, beautiful greenery as gifts to friends and family across the country.

How to Support:

1. Visit GiftItForward.com.

2. Enter our fundraising code: STMICHMD001

A portion of every purchase goes directly toward funding our Teacher Appreciation initiatives and showing our educators how much they mean to our community. Thank you for helping us give back to our teachers! Orders are taken until mid December.

Check out the link to see the TCPS Career Counselor Newsletter.

Morning Drop off

• Please pull over along the sidewalk for Middle School drop-off at the front entrance and at the gym steps for High School.

• Please do not drop students off in the middle lane. To keep traffic flowing, drop students off promptly and continue moving forward so the line does not back up.

Afternoon Pick Up

• Please do not pick up students before reaching the designated pickup zone.

• Please do not stop in the middle lane to pick up students. The middle lane is a pull-through lane and must remain clear to keep traffic moving.

Families of Out-of-Area students should have received reminder letters. Please review the letter carefully, sign, and return it to acknowledge your understanding of the requirements associated with your student’s Out-of-Area status.

Thank you for your attention and cooperation!

SMMHS will be offering Driver’s Education classes throughout the school year! The first class will be offered in October.

A flyer with class dates and details is attached. Students and families should use the link on the flyer to register for the class date they are interested in.

Please note: The grant that has supported Driver’s Education in the past is not currently available. Classes will therefore be self-pay unless otherwise noted. If funding becomes available, we will share updated information with families.

Please reach out to the school with any questions.

TCPS has implemented a “no cell, bell to bell” regulation for 2026-2027. Students in all grade levels will not be permitted to use cell phones, smartwatches, headphones, earbuds, or other personal communication devices during the school day.

This change is in response to the Maryland Phone-Free Schools Act, which was passed during the 2026 Maryland General Assembly. Across the country, schools where phone-free policies have been implemented have noted many improved outcomes, including less distraction, less cyberbullying, fewer fights, increased engagement, improved attendance, and healthier school environments overall.

Please note that exceptions may be made, including for documented medical needs or approved accommodations. As is the case at Easton Middle and St. Michaels Middle schools, consequences for non-compliance without approved exceptions are as follows:

• First Offense- Phone is taken to the office, and the student can pick it up at the end of the day.

• Second Offense- Phone is taken to the office, and the parent has to pick it up.

• Third Offense- Office referral, and the parent has to pick the phone up.

• Fourth Offense- Office referral. Students are required to turn in their phones to the office daily for the remainder of the quarter.

This is aligned with the TCPS Student Code of Conduct. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to discuss digital device expectations and review the TCPS Student Code of Conduct with students before the start of the 2026-2027 school year. We appreciate your support and partnership with these new expectations.

We are implementing revisions to our Student Attendance Administrative Regulation 10.2 to comply with Maryland Law.

1 - Since family vacations have always been unexcused absences, TCPS will no longer have an internal code or approval process for family vacations. In accordance with Maryland Law (COMAR 13A.08.01.03-.04), these absences can only be coded as unexcused.

2 - The state has instituted a new absence code for students participating in civic engagement. These absences will be excused with prior authorization by school administration.

3 - TCPS will no longer count six tardies as one unexcused absence.

4 - The state does not recognize tardies as excused or unexcused, so we will not code those as such. They will simply be coded as a tardy.

5 - If a student has a chronic illness, absences will no longer be classified as CHIPS (Chronic Health Impairment for Students). Families will need to talk to their school counselor and complete the Home/Hospital process for intermittent services. This will ensure that students suffering from chronic health issues continue to receive educational services.

Please carefully review the updated Student Attendance Administrative Regulation linked here: Policy Code 10.2 AR

Over the past year, TCPS has conducted a comprehensive review of its grading practices in collaboration with teachers, administrators, and families. Informed by district data, research, community feedback, and grading simulations, TCPS will implement the following new grading practices for the 2026-2027 school year.

Key Shifts in Grades 6-12

Grading Weight

• Formative weight: previously 30% of the reported grade, now 40% of the reported grade.

• Summative weight: previously 70% of the reported grade, now 60% of the reported grade.

Grading Scale (6-12)

Grades 6-12 use a hybrid model: traditional letter grades (A+ through F, including I and M for incomplete or missing), paired with a 4-point quality scale, with no artificial floor on individual assignment scores (minimum “50% as the floor grading” is eliminated).

For more information on the grading scale, please visit this additional resource.

Other Key Changes

Every unit must include formative assessment(s) before the related summative, covering all the same learning outcomes, with adequate time for feedback and reteaching first.

Why: Ensures students have practiced and received feedback on a skill before being formally evaluated on a summative assessment.

Teachers must keep gradebooks current, entering grades within 5 school days of submission (up to 8 school days for lengthy summatives like major projects, labs, or essays, if communicated in advance).

Why: Keeps grade information current so students and families can respond quickly, and sets a consistent, predictable timeline for feedback across all teachers and schools.

Grades cannot be disproportionately entered near the end of a marking period in a way that significantly changes a student's grade, without prior documentation and communication with the family.

Why: Avoids last-minute grade surprises and keeps families informed early enough to provide support.

Missing or incomplete formative work can be submitted for full credit if completed before the related summative. Students present on a summative's due date must complete it that day or within 5 school days, unless the teacher approves an exception. However, tests must be completed on the day of administration if the student is present.

Why: Encourages students to complete practice while still holding a firm, fair line on summative timeliness so grades reflect actual mastery.

Reteaching/reassessment applies to formative work only: mandatory for a D+ or below, available upon request for a C- or above. It must happen before the related summative, within the same marking period. Summative assessments and final exams are not eligible for reassessment, except for verified extenuating circumstances or principal approval.

Why: Gives every student a path to mastery while a skill is still being built, without opening the door to endless retakes on final assessments — preserving the integrity of summative grades.

Remember, all outside food and drinks must be finished before entering the school building.

We are also excited to introduce our new home for all things Saints Athletics! The new website, smsaints.com, will provide information for students, families, and the community, including schedules, announcements, registration information, and other athletic updates.

As high school athletics continues to move toward a more consistent statewide approach, St. Michaels Middle High School will transition to a cashless ticketing system for athletic events this year. We will continue using GoFan for all ticket sales.

All regular season ticket revenue directly benefits our students and athletic programming by supporting opportunities, resources, and experiences for our athletes.

With the transition to cashless ticketing, admission will be charged for the following sports:

Fall Sports

• Soccer

• Field Hockey

• Volleyball

Winter Sports

• Basketball

• Wrestling

Spring Sports

• Baseball

• Softball

**Cash will continue to be accepted only at the concession stands.**

Middle school sports programming is offered through the YMCA and is not operated by St. Michaels Middle High School. Families interested in middle school sports opportunities should contact the YMCA directly for information about available programs, schedules, and registration. Only High school scholastic sports are granted attendance excusals for games. This does not apply to Middle School Sport as it operated through the YMCA.

High School & Middle School Girls Club Soccer

Practices: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday 5:00 - 7:00 PM

Mount Pleasant Practice Field

12 Magnolia Avenue, Easton

Students are welcome to drop in at the next practice.

For more information, contact Brodie Steen at the Perkins YMCA

410-745-5963; bsteen@ymcachesapeake.org

Please take a moment and complete the FARMs form. This helps our school tremendously with funding!