The Pirate Post

Report cards will be sent home on Tuesday, November 3rd. Parents are encouraged to stay up to date on their child’s progress throughout the year by checking Infinite Campus, where grades and assignments are updated regularly. Please contact individual teachers with any questions that you may have regarding your child's grades. Please make sure to sign and return the envelope containing the report card.

Reminder — students will dismiss early on Wednesday, November 4th for ERPD. On this day, our staff will participate in professional learning and collaborative planning with county wide professional development.

Please make sure your child is aware of the adjusted schedule and that transportation arrangements are in place. Students will be released at 11:40 a.m.

Get ready for some friendly competition! Swansboro Middle School will host a Student vs. Staff Dodgeball Fundraiser during Encore classes on Wednesday, November 4th. This fun event gives students a chance to cheer on classmates and take on our staff while supporting school activities.

When: Wednesday, November 4th (during Encore classes)

How to Enter:

• Students who would like to participate can prepurchase tickets up through Monday at 9:00 AM on SchoolCashOnline ($1 per ticket) or bring money for cash purchase on Wednesday.

• Each ticket purchased gives students one chance to be selected to play (more tickets purchased = more chances to play!)

• Students who purchase tickets will receive them prior to entering the gym.

How It Works:

• Tickets will be drawn before the games begin

• Multiple games will be played, and students may be drawn more than once if they purchase multiple tickets

Purchase Tickets Online:
onslow.schoolcashonline.com

Our SBMS crew is looking forward to this high-energy, school-spirited event. Thank you for supporting our students and staff!

Pirate Parents is our parent and family organization that helps support SBMS through volunteer opportunities, staff appreciation, school events, fundraising, and other projects that benefit our students and school community.

Our next Pirate Parents meeting will be held Wednesday, November 4th at 10:30 a.m. in the Media Center. All parents and guardians are welcome to attend, hear about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, and learn how to get involved.

Want to celebrate a birthday, big game, accomplishment, special occasion—or just because? You can now reserve the Pirate Rock and paint it for your special message!

🎨 Reserve your date: Sign Up Here

💳 Make your payment: Pay Here

Let’s have some fun with our Pirate Rock! 🏴‍☠️💙

This week, our students will take part in NC Check-Ins, which help teachers monitor student progress and guide instruction. All grade levels will test in the morning until 10:00 AM on Thursday, and 8th grade will have an additional testing session on Friday. Students will return to their classes for the remainder of the day after testing is complete.

Please help your student be prepared by ensuring they get a good night’s sleep, eat a healthy breakfast, and arrive to school on time each morning. We also encourage families to avoid scheduling appointments during testing times if possible.

Thank you for supporting your child’s success and helping us make testing week run smoothly — we’re proud of our hardworking Pirates!

SBMS is coming together to help support families in our community this Thanksgiving! From November 9–13, students are encouraged to bring in nonperishable food items, including canned, boxed, and packaged foods. Please make sure all donated items are not expired. Every donation makes a difference, and we would love to collect as many items as possible to help families in need. To add a little friendly Pirate competition, the class that collects the most donations will receive donuts!

Thank you, Pirate families, for helping us make a positive impact in our community this Thanksgiving!

There is a lot happening in our Encore classrooms at SBMS! From music, art, and PE to Spanish, carpentry, STEM, and CTE, our students are creating, performing, building, problem-solving, and learning new skills every day.

Be sure to check out the attached Beyond the Core: News & Highlights from the SBMS Encore Team for a closer look at what students have been working on, upcoming performances and activities, important reminders, and a few ways families can support our Encore programs.

Get ready to dress to impress and join us for a night under the city lights! This year’s Winter Formal theme is Under the City Lights, featuring a nighttime cityscape with navy, black, gold, ivory, stars, and plenty of lights.

The Winter Formal is open to 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students. The dance will run from 6:00–8:30 p.m., and tickets will be $10, which includes admission, pizza, and a drink. To meet capacity limits, we will sell 150 tickets per grade level on a first-come, first-served basis during lunches beginning mid-November. Tickets are presale only—there will be no tickets sold at the door, and students who do not purchase a ticket in advance will not be permitted to enter. Dismissal from the dance will follow the same procedures as our regular daily school dismissal.

Our Pirate Parents are also helping us prepare for the event and are seeking donations of decorations and other items to help make the evening special for our students. Families who would like to contribute can purchase an item directly from the Winter Formal Amazon Wish List below. We greatly appreciate any support our Pirate families are able to provide!

We cannot wait for our Pirates to enjoy a great night Under the City Lights!

We’re excited to announce our 2nd Quarter Student Incentive — a Movie Reward Day at the Camp Lejeune Theater!

Students who meet the following criteria between October 28th, 2026, and January 15, 2027, will be eligible to attend:

• No In-School Suspension (ISS) or Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) — full or partial day

• No period detentions

• A 75% or higher average in all classes

This reward is our way of celebrating students who consistently demonstrate positive behavior, responsibility, and academic success. We can’t wait to enjoy a fun movie day with our hardworking Pirates!

Elev8 Your Future will provide our 8th grade students with an opportunity to explore a variety of career paths, learn about workplace skills, and gain insight into the education, training, and experiences that lead to success in different professions. 8th grade students will engage in the Career Fair during their Encore classes on November 13th.

Wrestling and Girls Soccer will kick off their season on Monday at home versus Jacksonville Commons Middle School at 4:00 PM. Wrestling and Girls Soccer also play at home on Thursday versus Brewster Middle School at 4:00 PM.

Come out and support our SBMS cheerleaders at the 2026 Onslow County Middle School Cheerleading Competition on Saturday, November 7 at Swansboro High School! Our cheerleaders have been working hard all season to prepare their routine, and we would love to see plenty of Pirate fans in the stands cheering them on.

Competition Details:

• Location: Swansboro High School

• Doors Open: 9:35 a.m.

• Competition Begins: 10:00 a.m. promptly

• Admission: $5 per person

Please plan to arrive early so you have time to enter and find a seat before the first team takes the floor. We are so proud of our cheerleaders and all of the work they have put in this season. Let’s fill the stands with Pirate pride and show them our support! Go Pirates!

To be eligible for any sport, students must:

• Must be a 7th or 8th grader

• Have passed 5 out of 6 classes last semester

• Have been present for at least 85% of last semester

• Have a current physical (within the last year)

• Attend a Sportsmanship Meeting with a parent/guardian

Athletic eligibility for second semester has already begun, so make sure to stay on track!

If you plan to attend games at Swansboro Middle or High School, check out the Century Club membership—it’s a great way to save money while supporting our teams! Info is linked below.

Our SBMS Golf Club is getting underway! Practices will be held from 3:00–4:00 p.m., with parent pickup in front of the Annex building at 4:00 p.m.

6th & 7th Grade Practice Dates:
October 20, November 17, December 15, January 26, February 23, April 20, and May 11. There will be no March practice, and the final event date is still to be determined.

8th Grade Practice Dates:
October 22, November 19, December 10, January 28, February 25, April 22, and May 13. There will be no March practice, and the final event date is still to be determined.

Students may not stay after school for Golf Club unless a completed permission form has been turned in. Extra forms are available in Ms. Walker’s room for 7th and 8th grade students and Ms. Eckerfield’s room for 6th grade students.

The SBMS Art Club is hosting a special Family Painting Night with Happy Cloud Art Studio on Friday, December 11, from 6:00–7:00 p.m. in the SBMS Cafeteria! Bring your friends and family for a fun evening of painting while supporting our Art Club. The cost is $15 per painter, and a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go directly back to the SBMS Art Club.

Reserve your spot here

We hope you will join us for a fun and creative night with our Pirate community!

We have several children that still need sponsors for Christmas. You can choose how many children you want to buy for. Just scan this QR code and Kamryn Garza will contact you with the child's sizes and wants/needs. If you have questions please contact Kamryn Garza at kamryn.garza@onslow.k12.nc.us or 910-548-0103.

Families interested in learning more about Onslow Early College High School (OECHS) are invited to attend one of several upcoming Parent Information Sessions. These sessions are a great opportunity to learn more about the program, ask questions, and explore whether Early College may be a good fit for your student.

A session will be held right here at Swansboro Middle School on Wednesday, December 9, from 5:30–6:30 p.m. Additional sessions will also be offered at other middle schools throughout November and December, as well as an online session on December 16 from 5:30–6:30 p.m. Families may attend the session that works best for their schedule.

The North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics (NCSSM) has several exciting opportunities available for middle school students and families! Families are invited to attend the 2026 Middle School Open House on Wednesday, November 11 at the NCSSM-Morganton campus. Registration is required, and families can use the information on the attached flyer to learn more and register.

NCSSM is also offering Step Up to STEM, a FREE, one-week residential summer program for current 8th grade students who live in North Carolina. The program is designed to build students’ interest, confidence, and skills in science and mathematics and will be offered at NCSSM-Durham, Elizabeth City State University, and UNC Pembroke. The application portal opens in December 2026.

Please review the attached information for details about both opportunities. These are great options for Pirates who are interested in exploring STEM, challenging themselves academically, and learning more about future opportunities through NCSSM!

As we move into the cooler months, we naturally see an increase in respiratory illness like colds, flu, pneumonia and RSV. Please remember if your child is sick (nonstop coughing, trouble breathing, has a temperature of 100 or greater, or is vomiting or having diarrhea) , please keep them at home and seek medical care as needed. Remember to keep your child home until they have been fever-free (without using medications like Tylenol and Ibuprofen) for 24 hours or have had no vomiting or diarrhea for 24 hours-this is an Onslow County School Board policy.

If your child has started on antibiotics, they cannot return until they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours. Also, medications are NEVER to be sent in with students. ALL medications, even over-the-counter medications, must have a medication order and be checked in by the school nurse in order to be given at school. This is for the safety of all our students.

Tactics to avoid respiratory infections:

• Wash your hands. Using soap and water for 20 seconds, especially before eating.
• Avoid touching your face. Keeping your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth helps keep germs away from those places.
• Cover your coughs and sneezes. Cough or sneeze into a tissue or your elbow. Then wash your hands.
• Clean surfaces. Regularly clean often-touched surfaces to prevent the spread of infection from touching a surface with the virus on it and then your face.
• Avoid crowds when possible. The flu spreads easily wherever people gather — in childcare centers, schools, office buildings, auditoriums and on public transportation. By avoiding crowds during peak flu season, you lower your chances of infection.
• Get vaccinated. Immunizations help decrease the severity and length of flu, pneumonia and RSV

SBMS is partnering with MENAC, Inc. (Mentor Every Neighborhood and Community) to bring an on-campus group mentoring program to our students. Trained adult mentors will meet with students weekly at school—sessions focus on life skills, emotional management, conflict resolution, goal setting, relationship building, and self-confidence with the aim of strengthening academics, attendance, and behavior. All mentoring is coordinated with school staff and supervised on site. If you’d like more details, please complete our short MENAC interest form linked below.

• Complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Application here if you haven’t already. A new application must be submitted each school year.
• Add funds to your child’s cafeteria account through k12paymentcenter.com.

Our Backpack Buddies Program provides weekend food bags for students who are experiencing food insecurity. Each Friday, qualifying students will receive a backpack filled with food items to take home. This program is run through our Student Services Department and is designed to make sure no Pirate goes hungry outside of school.

If your family would benefit from this program, please complete the form below. All information will remain confidential.

We are sharing the Kind Co November Food Distribution Calendar to support families in our community who may need food assistance this month. The calendar is available in both English and Spanish, and includes locations and dates for local food pantry distributions.

Families can access, download, and share the calendar anytime using the link below:

🔗 Kind Co November Calendar

🔗 Kind Co November Calendar (Spanish)

🔗 Kind Co Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thekindnesscommunity
📘 Facebook Group: Kind Co – The Kindness Community
https://www.facebook.com/groups/thekindnesscommunity

The Kind Co Facebook group also provides additional resources beyond the calendar and can help answer questions. Families may also email questions directly to kindco.calendar@gmail.com.

If your family or someone you know may benefit from this resource, please take a moment to review and share. Together, we can continue supporting one another and strengthening our community.

Onslow County Schools Federal Programs (Title I) has access to the Parent Institute Digital Library—a bilingual (English/Spanish) online resource hub designed to strengthen family engagement and support student success.

Families can find quick, research-based handouts, newsletters, and short guides organized by grade level (early childhood through high school). Topics include academics, study habits, attendance, social-emotional learning, mental health supports, and school–family communication. Resources are mobile-friendly, easy to use, and can be viewed digitally or printed at home—making it a great tool for busy families and a helpful support for our Spanish-speaking community.

Click the link below to access the Parent Institute Digital Library!

We are proud to support our military-connected students and families at Swansboro Middle School. The Camp Lejeune–New River School Liaison Program has shared their quarterly Educational Military Minute, which highlights helpful resources, upcoming events, and ways schools and families can stay connected and supported throughout the year.

The Fleet Reserve Association (FRA) Camp Lejeune Branch 208 is sponsoring its 2026–2027 Americanism Essay Contest, and our 7th and 8th grade students are eligible to participate! This year’s theme is “What Does Patriotism Mean to Me?” Essays must be 350 words or fewer and should be written or typed on one side of one page. Students must also submit the required contest cover sheet.

Entries for the local Camp Lejeune Branch competition are due by November 20, 2026. Winning essays may advance to the regional and national levels, with scholarship awards available, including a $1,500 national grand prize. Camp Lejeune Branch 208 will also award $100 to each first-place grade-level winner. Please review the attached contest information, rules, and required cover sheet for complete details. This is a great opportunity for our Pirates who enjoy writing to share their ideas and potentially earn recognition for their work!

November 2: Wrestling/Girls Soccer JCMS 4:00

November 3: Report Cards

November 4: Pirate Parent Meeting 10:30

November 4: ERPD *3 hour early release, 11:40* *locked in instructional services*

November 5: Wrestling/Girls Soccer v. BMS 4:00

November 7: OCS Cheerleading Competition (SBHS 10:00 AM)

November 9: Wrestling/Girls Soccer v. NWPMS 4:00

November 9: Lock Down Drill (required)

November 11: Holiday - No School

November 12: Wrestling/Girls Soccer @ TMS 4:00

November 13: Career Day (8th Grade) during Encores

November 16: Wrestling/Girls Soccer v. SWMS 4:00

November 18: Fall Makeup Pictures

November 18: Interim Reports

November 18: Fire Drill (Required every month)

November 19: Wrestling/Girls Soccer @ DMS 4:00

November 21: 7th Grade Walk a Thon 9 -11

November 23: Wrestling/Girls Scocer @ NWPMS 4:00

November 25: No School for Students (Teacher Workday)

November 26 - November 27: Holiday - No School

December 1: Wrestling/Girls Soccer @ HCMS 4:00

December 2: Pirate Parent Meeting 10:30

December 3: Sportsmanship Meeting 6 PM (required 1x per year before tryouts/preseason workouts)

December 4: Winter Formal

Email: alicia.hodal@onslow.k12.nc.us

Website: https://www.onslow.k12.nc.us/swansboroms

Location: 1240 West Corbett Avenue, Swansboro, NC, USA

Phone: 910 326-3601

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SwansboroMiddleSchool/