Weekly Principal's Newsletter

Can you believe we are just a few short weeks away from welcoming our students back into the building? We couldn't be more excited for the energy, laughter, and learning that a new school year brings.

Behind the scenes, we have been working hard to prepare classrooms, finalize schedules, organize opening-day activities, and extend a warm welcome to all of our new families joining the Panther community.

We hope you are enjoying these beautiful summer days and are taking full advantage of the next three weeks to relax and squeeze in some quality family time before the September routine begins.

Please note that this is our final summer update. Starting the week of August 30th, we will transition to our regular weekly edition of The Panther Pulse, where you will find detailed schedules, upcoming dates, and everything you need for the upcoming week at Strayer!

Please continue to review district communications and periodically check the QCSD and Strayer Middle School websites for the latest updates and information as we prepare students and families for the upcoming school year.

Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we will see you very soon!

We are thrilled to share that Dr. Lisa Hoffman has officially been appointed as our new Superintendent of Schools!

Our entire school district is buzzing with enthusiasm as we prepare for this next chapter. Dr. Hoffman brings incredible leadership, passion, and vision to the role, and we couldn't be more excited to have her guiding our schools into the upcoming academic year. Her dedication to our community makes this a truly special moment for all of us. Please join us in extending a warm congratulations to Dr. Hoffman as she steps into this new position!

• August 13: Self-Guided Tours (12:00 - 3:00PM)
• August 19: 7th Grade / New Family Orientation (6:00 - 7:00PM)
• August 24: Self-Guided Tours (12:00 - 3:00PM)
• August 31: First day of School!

Student schedules are live on PowerSchool! We invite students to get familiar with the building during our upcoming self-guided tour days on August 13 and August 24, from 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM. These tours are completely optional, and students can drop in whenever it’s convenient. Please be sure your student brings a printed or digital copy of their schedule so they can practice finding their classrooms.

• How to Create a Parent Portal Account

• PowerSchool Student and Parent Sign In

Because we are still three weeks away from the first day, our administrative team continues to fine-tune schedules to optimize class sizes and ensure the best possible learning environment for everyone. Should any adjustments be made to your student's schedule between now and the start of school, we will notify you directly via email.

To help your student get acquainted with their team and teachers, we encourage you to review the Strayer Middle School Handbook (linked below and available on our website), where you can match names to faces before the school year begins!

*School doors open at 7:45 AM / Dismissal is at 2:55 PM.

Parents and guardians must open their individual registration emails to access the unique Snapcode assigned to each student. Please note that families with multiple children will receive a separate email containing a distinct Snapcode for each registered student. Please review the attached letter above for additional details on completing this information.

This dedicated period is all about personalized learning—giving students targeted time for academic support, enrichment, or specialized intervention. Using SmartPass FLEX, students will have the autonomy to customize their schedule based on their individual needs each week.

• Targeted Support: If your student needs focused academic intervention, an MTSS interventionist or teacher will reach out to them directly.

• Catch-Up & Study Time: Students can reserve this time to get caught up on missing assignments, work on ongoing projects, or prepare for upcoming tests and quizzes.

• Exciting Enrichments: For students looking to branch out, they can select from an engaging lineup of hands-on activities spanning wellness, student leadership, and STEM!

We will be taking plenty of time during the first week of school to review this information with students!

Reviewing the Strayer Middle School Student Handbook is essential for ensuring that both students and families are fully prepared and aligned for a successful academic year. This guide provides clear insights into our dedicated school staffing through the "Who's Who" directory, highlights student opportunities including PIAA sports and extracurricular clubs, and details important instructional resources like schedules, courses, and grading.

Most importantly, it reinforces established school-wide expectations necessary to maintain a safe, respectful, and distraction-free learning environment. The handbook emphasizes daily responsibilities that set students up for success, including practicing academic integrity, adhering to expected behaviors, maintaining consistent daily attendance, and ensuring that both phones and all bookbags/drawstring bags remain stored inside student lockers throughout the instructional day.

While this handbook is a comprehensive overview of the daily operations at Strayer Middle School, additional resources like the Code of Conduct and the QCSD website should also be reviewed.

If you have an updated court order, please bring a copy to the main office at Strayer Middle School or contact Mrs. Swackhamer (kswackhamer@qcsd.org). This ensures we have the most current information on file.

Important Notice from the Nurse for Rising 7th Grade Students - Immunization requirements for 7th grade students are required prior to the first day of 7th grade (1 Dose of Tdap and 1 Dose of Meningitis vaccine MCV4). A dental exam is also required for 7th grade students.

Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) Insurance

Our new ADP insurance company is School Device Coverage. Please sign up online (here) for your student's school device insurance. Please note that you will need to purchase insurance directly through School Device Coverage, as QCSD will no longer be collecting payments.

New Students to Strayer Middle School

School Counselors and House Principals will be reaching out to new students and families with information about Chromebook distribution, usernames, passwords, and class schedules. Stay tuned for details!

Join the QCSD Team and make a difference in the lives of young people! Check-out the QCSD Employment Opportunities. Let’s build a bright future together.

We have lots of information on the community bulletin board. Please click here for the QCSD Community Opportunities.