M 'n M

Our SMS staff is committed to creating positive experiences for all of our students every day.

Each month, we will be featuring an Inside SMS experience for our families so that you can also share in these impactful experiences .

This month, we feature our different learning experiences for our 6th graders at SMS.

Take a look HERE for our September edition of Inside SMS.

Be on the lookout at the end of each month for upcoming features.

Click on your grade level newsletter below for updates and celebrations from your grade level principal and teams.

• 6th Grade
  
• 7th Grade
• 8th Grade

We apologize for any family who may be missing school pictures. LifeTouch reports that they have a new system this year that automatically downloads the pictures "live" when they are taken. Apparently, two cameras that were being used during picture day at SMS did not download any of prints like they were supposed to and they are unable to retrieve them. They are investigating whether this was user error or a glitch in the technology that has not happened previously. They stated that the purchase packages for those parents of children whose pictures were lost will roll over when the retake pictures are taken on Tuesday. Additionally, they will offer a second picture retake day in case there are any issues that occur during retake day.

• Picture Re-take Day on October 10. Students will be called down for pictures.
• All students also have an opportunity to re-take their pictures on the 10th if needed as well.

Custodians clear the path for learning - those are the words our Strongsville Middle School Custodial Team lives by each day while they take care of the students and staff at SMS. The SMS Custodial Team has 112 years of combined experience in our District. The team has made a commitment since the opening of our middle school in 2016 that they keep the building looking as it did on the first day of school seven years ago.

The group is especially proud when the Strongsville community - and also neighboring communities - have the chance to visit SMS and provide positive feedback, compliments, and comments about the great condition the building continues to be in. The SMS Custodial Team loves the fact they are able to interact with students and staff every day. They not only work during the typical hours of the school day, but a lot of their work that the community might not be aware of is done around the clock - deep cleaning of classrooms in the building, making repairs, and painting are just some of the many additional ways our SMS Custodial Team keeps the building in the very best shape possible.

“Our group at Strongsville Middle School works really well as a team, because we all understand the importance of what we do in providing students the best possible experience at SMS,” said Mr. Paul Cummins, Head Custodian at Strongsville Middle School.

Thank you Strongsville Middle School Custodial Team for your hard work and dedication in maintaining SMS and helping to provide the very best learning environments for our students! #ModelMustang

Congratulations to all of our students who have earned top academic success among their grade level peers. We are so proud of you! Students enjoyed time during IE with friends, a donut and juice, and received a certificate for their accomplishment. Great job, everyone!

Looking For Business Leaders

We shared this information in last week's newsletter and learned that the Google Form had an incorrect setting to collect external responses. This has been fixed. If you had problems filling out the form last week, please try again! We look forward to our SMS parents and families - and business leaders in our community - participating in the upcoming Leadership Breakfast.

We are planning an upcoming Leadership Breakfast for our students. The event will take place at SMS on Friday, December 1st from 8:30am - 10:00am. We are looking for business leaders to participate and share their stories about leadership, career paths, and examples of our Model Mustang competencies (Innovative, Resilient, Collaborative, Global, Empowered). Leaders will have the opportunity to meet with SMS students in small groups (6-8 students at a time) and answer questions they have about these topics. Click HERE to fill out a brief Google Form if you are interested in participating. If you are unable to attend this event, but interested in future opportunities to connect with students, there is a way to also indicate that on the Google Form.

Recently, both SMS and SHS hosted Unified Sports Flag Football events. Unified Sports is a team sports program that brings people together. Unified Sports goes beyond sports training and competition to promote social inclusion and meaningful connections. Both SMS and SHS students enjoyed great events that included friendly competition, teamwork, and lots of smiles!

Thank you PTA for running our Book Fair this past week. Our students enjoyed shopping and buying new items. Thank you to the staff and parents who supported this as well!

If you haven't already done so, now is a great time to join SMS PTA! Click the link https://bit.ly/48uw1rs to purchase your membership and then join our Remind Class by texting @23PTA to 81010 to stay up to date on all things SMS PTA!

Great job to all of our 8th graders who performed last weekend with our SHS Marching Band! You did a wonderful job!

Message: Please DO NOT use your Chromebook to charge your phone!

Using your Chromebook as a charger for your phone can result in severe consequences

1. Potential Damage: Charging your phone through your Chromebook can cause damage to both devices, leading to costly repairs or replacements.

2. Warranty Void: This action voids the manufacturer's warranty for your Chromebook, leaving you without its protection against unforeseen issues.

3. Optional District Insurance Void: It also voids the district insurance coverage for your Chromebook, which means you'll be responsible for any future damages or losses.

This cautionary notice comes in response to an increase in the number of student devices being turned in due to these issues. We want to ensure the longevity and functionality of your Chromebooks and, by extension, your learning experience.

Mrs. Peck (media assistant) will be putting together a slideshow using pictures sent to her of SMS students' family members who are veterans of our military. Here is the procedure for your child to submit pictures:

For all SMS students and staff who have veterans in their family and would like them included in this year’s Veterans Day slide presentation, we need the following information e-mailed to jpeck@scsmustangs.org by October 27th.

• Student name
  
• Student team
  
• Veteran’s name
  
• Veteran’s relationship to student
  
• Branch of the military (example: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, National Guard)
  
• Where/when served (example: Afghanistan, Desert Storm, WW 2)
  
• Picture of veteran (or student and vet) in .jpeg format (included as an attachment)
• ****If a picture was sent in last year, you don't need to resend, just let us know you want us to use it.

Note:

• Deadline will be Friday, October 27,2023
• Information must be E-MAILED TO: jpeck@scsmustangs.org
• Pictures MUST be in .jpeg format

Many parents have 'opted out' of the directory Information portion of the forms filled out this year. I wanted to clarify so that you are aware of what this entails at sms. If you opt out, your student may not have their photo (candid or school photo) in the yearbook or anywhere else on our media platforms. Read below for other places your child's name will not be part of.

We love to acknowledge the accomplishments of our students, and wanted to give you the opportunity to review your submissions.

Please email skulway@scsmustangs.org or hmalloy@scsmustangs.org if you mistakenly opted out and would like to change that. If you are not sure, any of your child's teachers can let you know!

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Permissions, Agreements and Additional Information

Directory Information Opt-Out

Directory information, as covered by Ohio Revised Code 3319.321 and School Board Policy 8330, includes a student's name; photograph; address; telephone number; weight (if a member of an athletic team); dates of attendance; date of graduation; or awards received. Directory information may be used by the district and/or shared upon request with certain entities unless the parent/guardian elects not to share this information (i.e. opt out).

We will protect your student's privacy and take the sharing of information very seriously, but we also wish to acknowledge the many accomplishments of our student body. A few examples of how Strongsville City Schools may use directory information are listed below:

• A playbill, showing your student's role in a drama production
• Talent shows, school music productions
• Honor roll or other recognition lists
• Sports activity sheets showing weight and height of team members

• The annual yearbook
• Graduation programs
• Photographs on district web pages and social media
• School billboards, student photo collages on display in school

Regardless of your choice on opting out, directory information will not be provided to any organization for profit-making purposes, marketing, or for the sale of such information. However, Federal and State law requires that we release the names, addresses, and telephone listings of secondary students to a recruiting officer for any branch of the United States Armed Forces or an institution of higher education who requests such information.

Please note: The District may disclose 'directory information'

If you do not want to share your child's directory information, please check the box below. By checking the box, you understand that directory information includes:

Student's name; photograph; address; telephone number; date and place of birth; major field of study; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; height and weight (if a member of an athletic team); dates of attendance; date of graduation; and awards received.

DARE Halloween Dance links below!

• 5/6th: https://forms.strongsville.org/halloween-5th-6th/
• 7th/8th: https://forms.strongsville.org/halloween-7th-8th/

Strongsville City Schools Annual “Greet & Treat” Event - Monday, October 23

The Strongsville City Schools annual “Greet & Treat” event will be held at Strongsville High School’s Pat Catan Stadium on Monday, October 23 from 5:30pm - 7:00pm. Dress up in your best Halloween costume and collect candy and treats in an outdoor, family-friendly atmosphere. We will also be accepting donations of non-perishable items, especially peanut butter and jelly, pasta, and pasta sauces, for the Strongsville Food Bank and other local food pantries that evening. We hope to see lots of families at this year’s “Greet & Treat” on October 23!

Join the FUN at Casino Night - a fundraiser for The Strongsville Education Foundation. Enjoy table games, food, and drinks on Saturday, November 11 from 7pm - 10:30pm at the Ehrnfelt Recreation Center. Purchase tickets HERE (link also includes information for raffle prize donations and other sponsorship opportunities).The mission of the Strongsville Education Foundation is dedicated to raising and disbursing funds to support and foster creativity, innovation and outstanding achievement for the students, the teachers and the community served by the Strongsville City Schools.

Parents/students have access to our anonymous reporting system. CLICK HERE to access. The more information shared when reporting, the better chance we have to investigate and support.

Main Office: 440-572-7090

Building Secretary: Mrs. Hallie Malloy, hmalloy@scsmustangs.org

6th Grade Principal: Mrs. Justina Peters jpeters@scsmustangs.org

7th Grade Principal: Mr. Chris Howell chowell@scsmustangs.org

8th Grade Principal: Mr. Bryan Szczepanski bszczepanski@scsmustangs.org

Strongsville Middle School Principal: Mrs. Jessica Boytim, jboytim@scsmustangs.org

Follow SMS on Instagram @STRONGSVILLEMIDDLESCHOOL

Email: jboytim@scsmustangs.org
Website: https://sms.strongnet.org/
Location: 13200 Pearl Road, Strongsville, OH, USA
Phone: 440-572-7090
Twitter: @mrsboytim