Weekly Update 9/21/26

Parents, Students, and Faculty,

We have another busy week ahead at Seminole County Middle School! Our Middle School football team will wrap up its season on Monday at Ashford, and our softball team will play at home Thursday at 4:30 p.m. against Pelham. On Friday night, our Middle School band students will be part of the halftime show at the varsity football game. We are proud of all our students who represent SCMS through athletics and the arts!

We will also celebrate Georgia Reads Week with activities planned by Ms. Erica Burke and Mrs. Charlotte Sheffield. Students can look forward to daily literacy activities based on Georgia Reads themes, along with a poster contest and daily trivia for prizes. It will be a fun week of encouraging reading and celebrating literacy throughout our school!

We are also getting excited about Homecoming Week, October 5–9! Our Middle School Homecoming representatives have been selected, dress-up days have been announced, and plans are underway for our Middle School Homecoming Dance. There is a lot to look forward to as we get closer to this fun week of school spirit and tradition.

We are looking forward to another great week of reading, learning, activities, and Building the Tribe at Seminole County Middle School, where we all can “Belong. Grow. Achieve.”

Monday, September 21:

• Football @ Ashford - 6:00 PM

Tuesday, September 22:

• IXL PD - 12:45 PM

Thursday, September 24:

• Softball vs Pelham - 4:30 PM

Friday, September 25:

• Varsity Football vs Clinch - 7:30 PM

The application deadline is October 9, 2026 at 3:15 PM. All 8th graders are encouraged to apply!

As you make plans throughout the year, we encourage families to use the holidays, breaks, and scheduled days off listed on this flyer for vacations, appointments, and other activities whenever possible. We know some absences are unavoidable, but every day in school matters! Planning ahead helps our students stay on track, connected, and ready to learn.

Be here. Be on time. Be ready to learn. Be Tribe Strong! 💚

This week, we are excited to spotlight our 6th Grade Team: Stacey Riley, Julia Rutledge, Dawn Jackson, and Hillary Kirksey. These teachers have the important job of helping our newest middle school students make the transition to SCMS while building strong academic foundations for the years ahead. From establishing new routines and expectations to building relationships and encouraging students to become more independent, our 6th grade teachers work together to help students feel confident and successful. We appreciate all they do to make sure our 6th graders Belong, Grow, and Achieve as we continue Building the Tribe!

This week, our school social worker, Bianca Bright, our school counselors, Haley Rykard and Kimber Sellers, and our APEX counselor, Megan Baldwin set up a Suicide Prevention Awareness table in the cafeteria. Students were able to stop by to pick up stickers, candy, and helpful information about suicide prevention and available resources.

This was an important opportunity to remind our students that they are valued, support is available, and there are trusted adults ready to listen and help. We appreciate our student support team for continuing to promote awareness, connection, and care throughout our school community.

Our 6th grade students are participating in the Positive Potential Program this week, learning important skills to help them make positive choices and handle some of the challenges they may face as they grow. Students are learning about the five parts of the whole person—physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual—as well as positive and negative influences, peer pressure, and strategies for getting out of uncomfortable situations. They are also discussing how to build a strong foundation for decision-making by considering the facts, weighing positives and negatives, and taking time to find the best solution. The program also provides practical strategies for dealing with bullying, including speaking up, walking away, telling a trusted adult, and sticking together.

We are excited for our 6th graders to have this opportunity and look forward to the Positive Potential Program continuing with our 7th grade students week after next!

Our SCMS Clubs officially kicked off this week, giving students another opportunity to explore their interests, spend time with friends, and connect with others who enjoy the same activities. One of our most popular choices is Board Games Club, with a club offered at each grade level! Students get the chance to challenge their classmates in a variety of games while practicing strategy, problem-solving, teamwork, and a little friendly competition. Clubs are another great way for students to get involved, make connections, and find their place as we continue Building the Tribe at SCMS!

Middle School will wear green and white or HoCo shirts on Friday!

See Mrs. Kathryn Touchton or a yearbook staff member to order!

We are excited to announce our 2026 Middle School Homecoming Representatives! Representing the 6th grade are Aarion Clark and Brynlee Pitts; representing the 7th grade are Londyn Davis and Griffin Edwards; and representing the 8th grade are LaDonna Grimsley and Khlo'e Turner.

These students were selected to represent their grade levels and are wonderful examples of our SCMS Tribe. They will represent their classes during the Homecoming game on Friday, October 9. We are proud of each of them and look forward to seeing them take part in this special Homecoming tradition. Congratulations to our representatives!

We are excited to celebrate Georgia Reads Week 2026 at SCMS! Our Media Specialist, Ms. Erica Burke, and Media Center Para, Mrs. Charlotte Sheffield, have a fun week planned to encourage our students to read, share, and enjoy literacy in different ways. Each day will feature a special theme: Literacy Moment Monday, Talk Together Tuesday, Sing Together Wednesday, Share a Story Thursday, and Library Friday.

Students will also have the opportunity to participate in a poster contest and test their knowledge with daily trivia for prizes! We appreciate Ms. Burke and Mrs. Sheffield for finding creative ways to make reading fun and get our students involved. We are looking forward to a great week of celebrating literacy and Building the Tribe through reading!

The 2026 SC Football Program will be available for purchase at all home games this season for $5.00 each. Programs are produced, sold by, and support the SCMHS Seminole Fine Arts Boosters (SFAB) which benefits the Band, Chorus, and Visual Art Departments. Programs are available at the SFAB table next to concessions. Each program contains a unique number in the centerfold, and is automatically entered into the Halftime Program Prize Drawing. Winning numbers are called at halftime, and prizes may be picked up at the SFAB table immediately following the announcement. SFAB will also have SC Spirit Items for sale to help you cheer on our Indians! Cash, Venmo, CashApp, and PayPal are acceptable payments. LET’S GO, INDIANS!

Seminole Fine Arts Booster proudly recognizes our SCMS & SCHS Fine Arts Directors during National Arts in Education Week. We have the most talented, dedicated directors who put their heart & soul into their creative disciplines. From long rehearsals outside of school hours to organizing the materials & volunteers necessary for a successful program, we take this week to honor the passion & efforts it takes to achieve excellence in the arts. Our Fine Arts Directors collectively have over 77 years of professional experience!

Thank you, Ms. Maribeth, Ms. Moore, and Mr. Buczek for all you do for our students and our community!

Our Math teachers are celebrating students who have gone above and beyond with their i-Ready Math lessons! These students put in extra effort during August, and we are proud to recognize their hard work and commitment to growing as readers.

Way to go! We love seeing our students take ownership of their learning and put in the extra effort to Grow and Achieve! Keep up the great work!

School Attendance public service announcement from GaDOE and Georgia Public Broadcasting