Scott Middle School

We have been learning about influential Black leaders during morning announcements. This week students heard about Rosa Parks, Mae Jemison, Benjamin Banneker, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin. On Friday, a trivia question was asked and students were able to answer for a chance at a prize. We were very proud of how many students knew that Mae Jemison was the first female Black astronaut in space, but A'va's name was the one called from the pile. Congratulations, A'va! Next chance for a prize will be next Friday.

In all of our Social Studies classes, students have been learning about influential Black leaders in the areas of Sports, Music, History/Politics, and Entertainment. Over the past two weeks, teachers introduced eight individuals from each category.

This past Friday, students participated in the first round of voting to answer the question: Who has been the most influential?

Beginning next week, students will continue learning more about the leaders who advanced to the next round.

Please take a moment to review the results. Do you agree with the outcomes? We encourage you to use this as an opportunity for discussion with your student. You might ask:

• Who surprised you by moving on?

• Who do you think deserved more recognition?

• How do you define “influential”?

• Can someone be influential even if they weren’t famous?

Projects like this help students connect history to today’s world and think critically about leadership and impact. My family and I really enjoyed discussing who we believed has been the most influential in each field, and we hope you enjoy the conversation as well.

Mr. Yourchak and Ms. Solomon have stepped in to support our Student Council while Dr. Young is away. At the beginning of the month, students that were interested in running for the Student Council Executive Board shared speeches. Students and staff had time to vote after reading the speeches. We are excited to finally announce our 2025-26 Scott Middle School Executive Board!

We are excited to have our student leaders in place and looking forward to the thoughtful initiatives they will bring to the second half of our school year.

Our PBIS team meets twice a month to review office referrals and behavior data. Based on this information, they select a monthly focus area. As you may know from previous Monday Morning Messages, many of our students have been struggling to get to class on time and to remain in class when feeling frustrated. This month, we are focusing on both of these areas. Students who arrive to class on time and stay in class will be rewarded later this month with a student vs. teacher game of Knock Out.

Thank you for taking the time to talk with your students about the importance of arriving to class on time and staying engaged in their learning. Remember our motto at Scott: We enter to learn and leave to achieve. We can only do that if we are doing our best inside classrooms every day.

This year, Coatesville Area School District (CASD) will use the Pennsylvania Climate Survey (PA Climate Survey) and a Student Engagement Survey to gain valuable insights into our school climate, student engagement/involvement, and to make meaningful improvements in CASD. The PA Climate Survey is conducted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education Office for Safe Schools (PDEOSS).

Your student’s input is essential. Two brief surveys are conducted with all students (grades 6-12), and we would appreciate your students’ participation.

What does participation look like?

Your students’ ELA teacher will administer the surveys between Friday February 13 and Friday February 20, 2026.

Student Survey Information

Students in grades 6–12 will be asked to complete the Pennsylvania Climate Survey & Student Engagement Survey during the school day. This short, anonymous survey helps us understand student experiences and guides improvements to make our schools safe, welcoming, and supportive for every child.

If you would like to review the survey questions in advance, please email me directly and I will gladly provide a copy. Families who prefer that their child not participate may contact their child’s principal to opt out.

Additional Survey Details

All survey responses are completely confidential. Note that combined statewide or regional data may be used to look at trends, evaluate programs, and help guide planning and improvements in our schools.

The PA School Climate and Student Engagement Survey focus on key areas that support student learning and well-being:

• Student Support & Engagement: How much students feel listened to, cared for, and supported by teachers and other adults to reach their goals.
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL): How well students and staff support and relate to each other.
• Safe & Respectful School Climate: How safe and respected students and staff feel at school, both physically and emotionally.
• Inclusion and Belonging: How included and connected students are to the school community.

Thank you for partnering with us to make a positive impact on our school community.

Kind Regards,

Dawn Mader, Director of Student Climate and Belonging

Donated gently used or new clothes would be greatly appreciated by the nurse.

Additional Reminders:

1. All 6th grade students required a Physical exam by their own health care provider by Winter Break

2. All 7th grade students required a Dental exam by their own dental care provider by Winter Break.

3. If your student needs medication in school, please have their doctor complete the medication form and have an adult bring the medication to the school nurse.

If you have any questions, please email: ritterc@casdschools.org

February 16- No School for Students and Staff/ President's Day

February 19- Scott PTO Meeting at 5:30 via Zoom (Link to be sent earlier to the date) Please note new date- moved to Thursday this month and only via Zoom.

February 19- Wellness Event Sponsored by CYI during school for 7th and 8th Grades

February 20- Wellness Event Sponsored by CYI during school for 6th Grade

Website: https://www.casdschools.org/scott
Location: 800 Olive Street, Coatesville, PA, USA
Phone: 610 383 6946

Mrs. Kathryn Lamothe- Principal lamothek@casdschools.org

Mr. Peter Altland- Assistant Principal altlandp@casdschools.org

Mrs. Devyn Hamilton- Guidance Counselor (8th grade and 7th Grade Last Names (M to Z) hamiltond@casdschools.org

Mrs. Janelle Diehl- Guidance Counselor (6th grade and 7th Grade Last Names A to L) diehlj@casdschools.org

Ms. Ashley Russum- Principal's Secretary russuma@casdschools.org

Mrs. Sue Shumate- Assistant Principal's Secretary shumates@casdschools.org

Attendance email- scattendance@casdschools.org