Senn-Thomas Middle School

Hello everyone!

We have another exciting week ahead at STMS! Our students and staff continue to work hard as we move further into the school year, and I appreciate the continued support from our families.

We have several activities coming up this week, including our Volleyball Pink Out Game on Wednesday, October 14, and our Halloween Dance on Friday, October 16, from 6:00–8:00 PM. We encourage everyone to come out and support our volleyball team, and we look forward to a fun evening with our students at the dance!

Our Fall Scholastic Book Fair also begins this week and will run through October 22. With Parent-Teacher Conferences coming up next week, this is a great time to continue checking in with your student about their grades, assignments, and progress in their classes.

Please take a few minutes to review this week's newsletter for additional information about these events, upcoming dates, and opportunities available to our students.

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. Have a great week!

Kyle Borror
Principal
Senn-Thomas Middle School

Our Blackcats put together an outstanding performance, and we couldn't be prouder of their hard work, dedication, and determination throughout the season.

A big congratulations to our runners and coaches for bringing home the conference title! Thank you for representing STMS so well.

Way to go, Blackcats!

As we approach Parent-Teacher Conferences, we want to remind families how grading works at STMS. STMS operates on a semester grading system, meaning students' grades are not finalized at the end of each quarter.

Mid-quarter grades provide a snapshot of your student's academic progress at that point in the semester. As students complete additional assignments, projects, and assessments, teachers will continue updating their gradebooks, and students' overall grades may change.

We encourage families to regularly check Infinite Campus to monitor grades, missing assignments, and academic progress. Parent-Teacher Conferences are also a great opportunity to discuss your student's strengths, areas for improvement, and ways to support their continued success.

Remember, a mid-quarter grade is a progress update, not a final grade. Students will continue to have opportunities to demonstrate their learning throughout the semester.

Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, October 22, from 12:30–8:00 PM. We encourage families to attend and take this opportunity to discuss their student's academic progress with teachers.

Please complete the Parent-Teacher Conference Form linked below, whether or not you plan to attend. If you are attending, the form will allow you to identify which teachers you would like to meet with. If you are unable to attend, you can indicate which teachers you would like to contact you to discuss your student's progress.

Teachers will take a 30-minute dinner break sometime between 4:30–7:30 PM. A note will be posted on their classroom door while they are away. We encourage families to visit other teachers during that time. If you cannot wait, a QR code will be available to request a follow-up conversation.

We look forward to connecting with our STMS families and working together to support our students!

At the beginning of the school year, STMS provided school supplies for all students. However, we are asking families to provide a pair of headphones or earbuds for their student to use with their Chromebook.

Throughout the school day, students use a variety of instructional programs across different subjects that require them to listen to audio, videos, and other learning materials. Having their own headphones will help students stay focused, minimize classroom distractions, and make the most of these resources.

We appreciate your help in ensuring your student has the tools they need to be successful!

The STMS Fall Scholastic Book Fair will be open October 15–22 in the STMS Library! Students will have opportunities to visit the Book Fair during the school day throughout the week.

Families can set up an eWallet to make purchasing easy, and students may also purchase items using cash or a card.

The Book Fair will also be open during Parent-Teacher Conferences on Thursday, October 22, so be sure to stop by the STMS Library while you're here!

Visit our STMS Scholastic Book Fair Homepage for more information and to set up an eWallet.

October 22: No School - Parent Teacher Conferences 12:30 - 8

October 23: No School

November 10: Dunklin Veteran's Day Celebration

November 11: No School - Veteran's Day

November 25 - 27 : No School - Thanksgiving Break

The HHS Life Skills class has started its own button-making business! Students are putting their skills to work creating buttons while gaining valuable hands-on experience.

If you would like to place an order and support our HHS Life Skills students, please use the link below!

Order Buttons Here

After-School Study Hall is on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. Study Hall provides students with additional time after school to work on assignments, complete missing work, and get caught up on their schoolwork.

Parents/guardians must complete the After-School Study Hall Form each week they would like their student to attend. Completing the form one week does not automatically register your student for future weeks.

Study Hall will end at 4:30 PM. Transportation will not be provided, so parents/guardians will need to arrange for their student to be picked up at the front of the building at 4:30 PM.

Atlas Youth Outreach will be offering two free six-week support groups for STMS students beginning Friday, November 6: Anxiety Management and Understanding Neurodiversity. These groups will provide students with opportunities to learn strategies, build self-awareness, and develop skills to help them navigate different challenges.

Students may participate in one or both groups. Please review the flyers below for additional information and use the QR code on the flyer to register your student.

STMS is partnering with Compass Health Network to bring dental services directly to our school on December 1–2!

Students will have the opportunity to receive dental exams, cleanings, sealants, and other dental treatments during the school day. Medicaid is accepted, along with some private insurance plans, and a sliding-scale fee program is available.

If you are interested in having your student participate, please review the flyer below for additional information and registration instructions.

STMS offers several opportunities for students to get involved, meet new people, and explore their interests outside of the classroom.

If your student is interested in participating, please check out the flyers below for meeting times and additional information. We encourage all students to find something they enjoy, get involved, and try something new!

Contact the office if you have additional questions

Instead of calling or emailing transportation changes, families can now complete the Student Transportation Form using the link below. We hope this new form makes it easier for parents and guardians to submit any needed transportation changes.

The current transportation guidelines and cut-off times remain the same:

• The daily cut-off time for STMS transportation changes is 11:30 AM. Any requests made after this time will be denied to ensure all students are in the correct location for dismissal.
• Students may have one AM bus stop and one PM bus stop. Students cannot ride the bus to a friend's home or an additional family member's home.

As always, if you have any questions or need assistance, please contact the Transportation Department.

Dunklin R-5 Transportation Contact Information:

Chris A. Harris, Transportation Director
(636) 479-5200 extension 1025
charris@dunklin.k12.mo.us

Victoria Luebbert, Transportation Secretary
(636) 479-5200 extension 1026
vluebbert@dunklin.k12.mo.us

Transportation inquiries
bus@dunklin.k12.mo.us

Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Infinite Campus is a great way to stay connected with your student's progress throughout the school year. Parents can use the Parent Portal to view grades, assignments, attendance, and other important student information.

Need help with Infinite Campus or your Parent Portal account?
Complete our Parent Portal Help Form or reach out to Kim Propest (636) 479 - 5200 ex 2 for assistance.

Not sure how to use Infinite Campus?
This Infinite Campus Parent Portal Video provides a helpful walkthrough for parents.

Google Classroom

Google Classroom is another great resource for keeping up with what is happening in your student's classes. Families can use it to better understand assignments, classroom resources, due dates, and what students are currently working on.

For help getting started, check out this Parent's Guide to Google Classroom.

Dunklin R-5 provides families with free access to Parent ProTech, a resource designed to help parents and guardians navigate the ever-changing digital world with their children. Parent ProTech provides information and guidance on topics such as social media, popular apps, gaming, screen time, parental controls, online safety, and current technology trends. It also provides conversation starters to help families talk with their children about safe and responsible technology use.

We encourage families to take advantage of this free resource and stay informed about the technology our students are using.