8th Grade

PRIDE QR Codes are given by staff to all students throughout the day who are seen going above and beyond for demonstrating expected behaviors of PRIDE <Prepared, Respectful, Inclusive, Determined and Engaged> Teams celebrate students weekly at their team meetings, but as a building we will also celebrate all the efforts made by our students each month. We are proud of our students and their effort to be their BEST and SMS.

Hello Eighth Grade Families,

Last Thursday we were so excited to have the High School Principal Bill Wingler and nine outstanding seniors come and speak to the eighth-grade class about a mentorship program. This mentorship program is a part of the high school Principal’s leadership group. This group has had 100 junior and senior high school students going through training to learn how to be a mentor.

This program is designed to help the eighth graders manage the social and educational challenges they face in their last year of middle school and as they prepare to transition to high school. Our hope is that the program will give eighth graders a safe place to talk through challenges they are facing. Our goal in this program is to empower our eighth graders to finish their middle school careers strongly and prepare them for successful transitions

into high school. The mentorship program will meet once a month during school hours, and

a schedule will be coming out by the end of the month if your student chooses to participate.

If your eighth grader is interested in participating, please fill out this survey here:

https://forms.gle/aJzp3A4WVPdPCuYR9

Anxiety is a very common issue for 8th graders. As parents, it can be hard to know how to help. The following website has great articles about how to help your child in various situations where anxiety may arise for them. The section titled "Anxiety and School" could be especially helpful. Please also keep in mind that you can contact me at any time if you would like me to meet with your child!

Resources for Anxiety

My contact information is below, thank you!

Email: amarozsan@scsmustangs.org
Phone: 440-268-5292

Hello! My name is Celia Joyce and I am the district social worker. Please reach out for any of the following needs:
- Help with basic needs
- Referrals for community/family support
- Mental health services/support, groups, therapy referrals
- Crisis intervention
- Safety planning for student/family

Celia Joyce, LISW

Email: cjoyce@scsmustangs.org
Phone: 440-268-5588

Email: bszczepanski@scsmustangs.org
Phone: 440-572-7090

High Expectations, High Accountability

One focus this year has been on our behavior systems and making sure we are holding our students to the high standards that we have here at SMS. To help with that we've made some changes to our behavior system and discipline.

Detentions

• No longer after school
• Will be served at 7:00 am and students need to report at that time to the main office
• If a detention is not served, they will be give a Saturday detention
• Saturday detentions will be held at the high school for 2 hours

Progressive Discipline for minor behaviors

• Students can receive 3 detentions then they will be issued a Saturday Detention
• Then students can receive 3 Saturday Detentions then they will be issued In-School Suspension
• Then students can receive 3 In-School Suspensions before out of school suspensions will be issued

**This does not include major behaviors according to the hand book.

Please access our handbook HERE . It is also available on the website. Students and parents should review this together. Students will also review this with staff as well the first week of school.