Mustang Memo September

Hello NSMS Community,

Almost a month has flown by and we are thriving at the middle school. Each day, everyone here is working hard to level up and be better than they were yesterday. I am very proud of our students and staff for the work that they have put in so far. We also continue to work towards being a family and treating each other with respect. I am so proud of the way our students act and treat each other. I truly believe NS Middle School is the best around.

On an academic note, you should have received your child’s first progress report on August 29th. Please be sure to review the progress report, sign it, and have your child return it to school. This progress report will only include a limited number of grades since it is still very early in the 9-weeks, so keep that in mind when you review your child's grades. Make sure you have access to the parent portal and ROOMS to stay up to date on what is going on with your child. Please contact the office or your child’s teacher if you have any questions or concerns. Together, we can help our students reach their full potential.

Brittany Rogers

Principal

• Sep 4 - No School - Holiday
• Sep 5 - Beginning of Year Math Test for 5th - 8th Grades
• Sep 7 - Volleyball @ Randolph
• Sep 7 - Football @ Flatonia
• Sep 9 - Cross Country @ Moulton
• Sep 11 - Volleyball @ Luling
• Sep 14 - Grades Due
• Sep 14 - Football @ Home
• Sep 16 - Cross Country @ Shiner
• Sep 18 - Early Release @ 12:40
• Sep 18 - Volleyball @ Home
• Sep 19 - Progress Reports Go Home
• Sep 21 - Football @ Home
• Sep 25 - Volleyball @ Marion
• Sep 28 - Football @ Karnes City
• Sep 29 - Intersession Grade & Attendance Check
• Sep 30 - Cross Country @ Poth

Middle School students will have intersession days. We will be checking students' grades and attendance to determine who will have to attend on these days. Please make sure you are checking the parent portal to keep up with your child's grades and attendance. The requirements to earn the first intersession days off are listed below.

**This does not apply to elementary students. Elementary students will follow the normal calendar year and attend all school days.

Showing up for school has a huge impact on a student’s academic success. Even as children grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students get to school every day and understand why attendance is so important for success in school and on the job. We will have attendance rewards at the middle school so please ensure your child is here!

What families can do:

• Make school attendance a priority. Talk about the importance of going to school and help your children develop routines
• Help your teen stay engaged. If there are any issues or reasons your child does not want to come to school, give us a call.
• Communicate with the school. We are a team, we want your child to be successful.

Remember: Attendance is taken all 8 periods. If your student has a doctors appointment, please send us a note! Please call the middle school office if your child is absent.

Each month our middle school will focus on a different topic that will be implemented with different lessons and activities. This month our focus is on Empathy in which we encourage students to value every interaction and ensure others are seen, heard, and valued. Find out more in the Capturing Kids Hearts Newsletter in English and Spanish.

“Never look down on anybody unless you’re helping him up.” – Jesse Jackson

Awareness: Suicide Prevention Awareness: On average, there are more than 5,000 sucide attempts daily by young people and even more think about suicide (suicidal ideation). For middle and high school aged youth, sucide is the 2nd leading cause of death. See the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and the Jason Foundation for more information. Do you or someone you care about need help? Call or Text: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Hotline) See More: ASCA National Educational and Health Awareness Dates

Student Self-Care Tip: Laughing is good for overall well-being. Try watching a comedy, listening to a funny podcast, or even learn some jokes.

September is HELLO month! Each Friday in September will have a different activity to promote a sense of belonging. We teach them to see someone alone, reach out and help, and it all starts with HELLO!

9/18 - We will have greeters from each organization to say HELLO to every student coming into school.

9/19 - We will do a “Chalk Walk” where we write kind messages with sidewalk chalk all over our school.

9/20- We will have questions and activities on the cafeteria tables to help students communicate with each other.

9/22- We will hand out bracelets to remind students to be kind and stay mustang strong!

Our cross country team had their first meet on August 26th where they all did extremely well and finished the race strong. The boys brought home 1st place as a team! Great work Mustangs!

We do not allow deliveries to our campus. This includes any outside deliveries such as flowers, gifts, food, or drinks. Students can bring cupcakes for their birthdays as long as they are store-bought.

At the middle school, we strive to make SMART choices. These posters are hung up around our campuses and we remind students of these things daily. Please reinforce making SMART choices at home with your child.

All NSMS students have gone through the classroom instruction piece of our ALICE drills. They reviewed what each portion means, reviewed scenarios, and asked questions. This month, we will have our first ALICE drill. When we do the drill, we will announce it a drill and all students will have the opportunity to practice and then debrief and ask questions with their teachers. The safety of our students is our top priority and we believe the best thing we can do is empower students with the knowledge and practice so that they are prepared in case of a real emergency.

To communicate with our teachers you can use the Rooms feature in our Nixon-Smiley App. This app will be for all teachers in our district. If you need assistance setting up your account, click here. Once you create an account, the video below will show you how to use the app. English Video. Spanish video. We will also post information on the Nixon-Smiley CISD Home of the Mustangs Facebook page and our district website. Please also check with your child daily about any important information that may have been sent home or communicated with them.

If you have a question or concern, please call us at (830) 582-1536, Ext 301. We are happy to set up Parent/Teacher conferences at your request either by phone or in person.

Email: rogersb@nixonsmiley.net
Website: www.nixonsmiley.net
Location: 800 North Rancho Road, Nixon, TX, USA
Phone: (830) 582-1536
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Nixon-Smiley-CISD-Home-of-the-Mustangs--264506510244649
Twitter: @nixonsmileycisd