The February Jaguar Roar

Greetings, Jaguar Family! As the weather finally begins to warm and we see the early signs of spring around our campus, there is a renewed sense of energy and purpose at Flint Southwestern Classical Academy. We are officially entering the "home stretch" of the school year, and I am so incredibly proud of the momentum our students have built. This year has been a historic one for us, marked by a significant rise in academic success and a record-breaking commitment to being in school every single day. Seeing our hallways filled with focused, driven young people is a testament to the hard work they are putting in and the unwavering support you provide at home.

To protect this positive environment and keep our focus exactly where it needs to be, we are starting this month with a firm commitment to our professional standards. We are asking all students to leave hooded garments, cell phones, and headphones at home so that our building remains a safe, distraction-free zone centered on learning and connection. We want to hear our students' voices and see their faces as they engage in the classroom. Attendance remains our top priority, so please continue to encourage your students to be here every day unless they are ill. We have some exciting events on the horizon, including our Arrive Alive distracted driving tour and our next NFL celebration, and we want every Jaguar to be present to participate in these successes. Thank you for being the heartbeat of our school community; together, we are proving that excellence is truly the standard at SW.

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Today, our students celebrated in a big way during the "Never Fail League" celebration for all the hard work they put in to earn it! During second hour, students were recognized with certificates, gift cards, shirts, medals and snacks as we honored their achievements and commitment.

The fun continued with life-size games like Jenga, Connect Four, and corn hole, plus tons of action and games in the gym. The energy was high, the smiles were nonstop, and the joy was contagious!

Our students had an amazing time, and we are truly elated to celebrate their successes. Days like today remind us how important it is to recognize effort, perseverance, and growth. Way to go, scholars! 🙌🏽✨

Another successful Parent Meeting with ALA and Southwestern! We were excited to welcome the newest Family Engagement Facilitator from ALA, Mr. Boyd, to our school community.

Parents received a warm welcome by our FCS board member Ms. Perkins.

Parents had the opportunity to hear important highlights and updates from Ms. Shantaram, School Improvement Coordinator, along with valuable information from our Community Health Advocate, Mis. Pam. Mr. Turgeon our attendance agent shared important information and spoke about the NFL celebration. Ms. Barber shared information about our PBIS initiatives and welcomed Ms.Shaw our new Title 1 counselor.

We were also grateful to have Ms. Betts representing the Flint Center for Educational Excellence and a special presentation from Mr. Ortega of Consumers Energy, who shared information about free products available to support our families.

Gift cards and snacks were provided, but most importantly, meaningful conversation and connection filled the room. A special thank you to our dedicated parent facilitators, Ms. Maggie and Mr. Boyd, for helping make the morning meeting such a success.

Help us congratulate three amazing seniors on their Senior Night! 🎓✨

Chase Hinman, Gianni Brown, and Aaliyah Veasy - we are so proud of you all! Your hard work, dedication, and commitment have truly made an impact. Senior Night is a special milestone, and it’s a celebration of all the effort you’ve put in over the years.

Keep striving, keep leading, and keep shining. The future is bright, and this is only the beginning! 💫👏

Today marked our first-ever PBIS 3D Printing event, made possible through an awesome collaboration between our Library Team and PBIS Team!

A huge thank you to Mr. Ibrahim for walking our students through the entire 3D printing process. From start to finish, students were fully engaged, asked great questions, and were so excited to see their ideas come to life! 🖨️✨

Students will be able to pick up their finished 3D projects on Tuesday, and we can’t wait to see their final creations.

What a great example of hands-on learning, creativity, and teamwork in action! 👏💙

We are honored to welcome Mayor Sheldon Neely to Ms. Campbell’s Civics class today! Students had a powerful, real-world learning experience as they heard firsthand about government policy, procedures, and how decisions are made at the local level.

Mayor Neely also emphasized the importance of voting and civic engagement, reminding our students that their voices truly matter. Thank you for inspiring the next generation of informed and active citizens!

We are proud to celebrate four outstanding students, Prince, Amari, Wright, and Reed, for being selected as our Artists of the Month through our collaborative project with the Math Department! This special project highlighted the powerful connection between math and creativity, and these students truly shined.

Each winner received a $25 gift card to Michaels, generously provided by the Flint Classroom Support Fund, to purchase art supplies to continue creating at home. They were also presented with a certificate recognizing their amazing work and dedication.

We are so proud of their creativity, effort, and talent! Thank you to everyone who helped make this project a success and for continuing to support our students’ artistic growth. 🎉

Our Student Council is excited to announce this year’s Black History Month theme:

✨ Love Not Hate ✨

Our country, our state, and our school ALL need more LOVE and less hate. 💛 This month, we are committed to spreading positivity, unity, and kindness throughout our building!

🖤 Shirt Design:

Front: EQUALITY IS GREATER THAN DIVISION

Back: #JagsLoveNotHate

Our vision is to spread as much LOVE as possible this month — with hopes that it carries throughout the rest of the school year. 💫

Let’s show everyone what unity and positivity look like!

Let’s come together, Jags.

Equality is greater than division. Always. 🐾💕

Today we had a very special visitor in the building — Josie the Therapy Dog stopped by for her monthly PBIS visit, and she brought ALL the smiles with her! 🐶✨

Students had the opportunity to spend time with Josie as part of our PBIS celebrations, recognizing their positive behavior, hard work, and commitment to our school expectations. There’s just something about a wagging tail and puppy eyes that makes everyone’s day a little brighter! 💕

Josie helps create a calming environment, reduces stress, and reminds us all of the power of kindness and connection. We are so grateful for her visits and the joy she brings to our students and staff each month.

Way to go, Jags, for continuing to show positive behavior and earning this special time! 🐾💫

We can’t wait to see you next month, Josie! 🐶💛

March 19th Capstone Day 5 1st - 3rd hr.

March 19th Panel Discussion: Follow Your Passions - Business

April 9th Capstone Day 6 1st - 3rd hr.

April 9th Senior Series - Flint Public Library - Jason Bey: Lear about Bees and Beekeeping

April 10th Senior Dues, Final Payment Due Amount - $59

April 22nd Senior Exit Presentations - 86, 80, 75, & Community Room

April 23rd Senior Exit Presentations - 86, 80, 75, & Community Room

May 9th Prom

May 15th Senior's Last Day

May 20th Senior Honors Night

May 21st GEAR UP Senior Banquet 6-9pm

June 2nd Commencement Ceremony

Spring Break Return: Classes resume Monday, April 6th. We look forward to seeing everyone back and ready to finish the year strong!

Entry Policy: To ensure a safe and focused environment, hooded garments are not permitted inside the building. Please ensure these are left at home.

Electronics Policy: SW is a distraction-free zone. Cell phones, earbuds, and headphones must be left at home. Devices seen in the building will be confiscated per school policy.

Attendance Matters: Unless your student has a fever or is vomiting, they should be in school every day. Our "Strive for 5" goal is key to finishing the marking period successfully.

Arrive Alive Tour: We are excited to host the Arrive Alive distracted driving simulator on Monday, April 6th, in the rear parking lot for our students.

MP6 NFL Celebration: Our next major celebration for students meeting academic and behavior goals is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8th.

MP7: The new marking period starts April 6

Parent-Teacher Conferences: Please join us on Thursday, April 9th, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM to discuss your student’s progress.

Community Health Fair: Save the date! Our schoolwide Health Fair will take place on Friday, April 17th. More details to come soon.

Senior Exit Presentations: Seniors, mark your calendars! Presentations begin on Wednesday, April 22nd.

• 1. The "Morning Check" Routine

  To help your student have a smooth entry into the building, we recommend a quick "Front Door Check" before leaving the house. Ensure all hooded garments, cell phones, and headphones are left at home. When students arrive prepared for our professional standards, they start their day with confidence and avoid the stress of having items confiscated at the door.

  2. Healthy Habits for Attendance

  Our "Strive for 5" goal is easier to reach when students have a consistent evening routine. Helping your student power down all electronics an hour before bed and ensuring they get a full night's rest makes a world of difference in their ability to get to school on time. Remember, if they are not running a fever or experiencing a contagious illness, we want them here! Every day in the classroom is a step closer to their future goals.

  3. Weekly Progress Huddles

  Since our teachers update grades weekly, we encourage you to sit down with your student for five minutes every Sunday evening to "huddle" over their progress. Ask them about their favorite "Good Thing" from the week and look at their grades together. This small habit keeps them accountable and ensures they stay on track for our upcoming NFL Celebrations.

  4. Choosing Conversation Over Conflict

  We are seeing a record-breaking 91% growth in Restorative Practices at SW because our students are learning to resolve disagreements through dialogue. You can support this at home by encouraging your student to "pause and think" before reacting to social media or peer conflict. Remind them that at SW, we use our voices to repair relationships and solve problems. That is the mark of true Jaguar maturity.

• Celebrate Incremental Wins: April can be a long month for students. Acknowledge the small victories like a completed project, a grade improvement, or a positive teacher comment,to keep their motivation high.

Master the Morning Entry Success starts at the front door. To make your entry into the building smooth and stress-free, do a quick "gear check" before you leave home. Make sure your hooded garments, cell phones, and headphones stay at home or with your ride. Coming to school "unplugged and unhooded" means you can get through the door and straight to your friends and classes without any delays.

Own Your "NFL" Status Being in the Never Fail League (NFL) is your ticket to our major celebrations, including the upcoming event on April 8th. The best strategy is to check your grades every single week. Don’t wait for a progress report to see where you stand. If you see a grade slipping, talk to your teacher immediately. Taking responsibility for your dashboard today ensures you’re on the guest list for the party tomorrow.

Use the "Pause" Strategy We are seeing record-breaking success this year because more Jaguars are choosing to be Mindful. When things get tense in the hallway or on social media, use the "5-Second Pause." Take five seconds to breathe and think before you react. Choosing a conversation or a restorative circle over a conflict keeps you in class and keeps our school culture "Excellent."

Be a Professional Learner Treating SW like your professional headquarters is the fastest way to prepare for life after graduation. This means being present and engaged in every "Huddle." When you keep your ears open and your eyes on your goals, you aren't just following rules, you are building the discipline needed for college, the military, or your future career.

Finish the Mission We have already seen a historic drop in course failures and a massive rise in attendance this year. You are part of the most successful group of students SW has seen in a long time! Don't let up now. Keep your momentum high, stay focused on the "home stretch," and let’s finish this year as the rock stars we know you are!

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