STMS Family Newsletter

We have started our school year off strong! We are happy to report that we have had very successful whole-school assembly, grade level meetings, and advisory sessions to help set our expectations for the school year. We are also happy that our MAP Benchmarking is nearly complete! Please know that the results of your learner's MAP assessment may result in schedule changes in the coming week.

Pick Up and Drop Off: AM Drop Off: MS doors open at 7:27am with learners reporting to Advisory no later than 7:40 am. Learners entering later than this time will be marked tardy.

Attendance: After each absence, a learner has three days (3) days to turn in a written excuse to the office. If notes are not submitted within three days, the absence will remain unexcused. Excuse notes can be sent to msattendance@hannasd.org, online with the Absence Excuse Submission Form or handwritten and given to the building front office. More attendance information can be found on the district website. Note: Oversleeping or missing the bus does not count as excused tardy.

Early Dismissal: If someone is picking up your learner that is not on their contact list, you will need to email msattendance@hannasd.org. In the email be sure to include the person’s full name as the main office will need to check government issued ID or driver’s license. Anyone picking up a learner is required to show ID to the Main office staff. We will not call a learner down from class until the ID of the person picking them up has been verified.

PM Pick up: In order to maximize instructional time and to limit the mass crowds entering the office in the afternoon, we will not be releasing learners between 2:20pm -2:37pm for parent pick up.

Cell Phone and Technology Policy

Cell phones, earbuds, and headphones are not permitted out in the building. All personal technology must be powered off and stored in learner lockers. No personal electronics such as personal tablets or laptops are permitted.

Please see our cell phone Policy Below. Please note the following consequences will be applied for any violation of our procedures.

1st Violation- Warning- Student may pick up phone in the main office at dismissal

2nd Violation- Lunch Detention or Detention- Guardian must pick up phone in main office

3rd Violation- Detention- Guardian must pick up phone in main office

4th Violation- OSS assignment- Guardian must pick up phone in the main office

Dress Code

Please ensure that all learners are following the dress code as outlined in the student success manual.

To highlight some of our biggest areas of struggle:

• Learners may not wear hoods, hats, or bandanas in the building.
• Jeans may not have holes, rips, or tears above the knee with visible skin.
• Shorts and skirts may not be shorter than three inches above the knee.
• Shirts should cover the stomach

Learners found to be in violation of our dress code will need to wait in the Main Office until the violation is able to be fixed.

Please encourage your learners to follow the dress code and cell phone policies each day.

• Sneakers must be worn for all physical education classes.
• Learners must take a PE/health class each academic year.
• Learners must take a careers class and complete two pieces of career evidence per year.
• Interested in joining band, chorus or orchestra? Contact your learner's music teacher.

Families,

Please note that our behavioral data over the past year has indicated a large uptick in incidents of cursing and pantsing.

If your student is cursing at STMS, they will be suspended from school for 3-days.

If your student pulls another students pants down, they will be suspended from school for 5-days.

Supply List:

For the coming school year, it is recommended that learners have the following supplies:

• Binder with subject folders and notebook

• pencils and pens

• Color Pencils and Crayons

A more detailed list from Amazon can be found here. If any families are so inclined, donations of such items are needed, and can be sent to our main office.

Some FYIs for all students and families to help decide what supplies are needed before we begin our school year:

• Learners will utilize lockers, they must store book bags, coats, purses, cell phones, headphones, etc. in their lockers for the day.

• It is recommended that students have a binder to help carry their belongings and schoolwork with them throughout the day.

• Learners are not required to change into a gym uniform but may choose to do so. It is highly recommended that they bring a combination lock for their gym locker.

There are several resources that may help you in ensuring that your learners are successful this year.

• Sign Up for AAP- The Academic Assistance Program (AAP) is beginning soon. It is a free after-school tutoring opportunity open to any learner who wishes to get additional support from teachers. They will remain at school in a small group learning environment and use the transportation called the “late bus” to get home. Learners can contact Mrs. Sutton at ksutton@hannasd.org for a permission slip.

• Log onto Infinite Campus to explore and learn more about our learning management system. Please note that Infinite Campus is the primary method to access your learner's schedule and locker information. This information will not be printed. Due to learner password changes for the new year, guardians will need to login to Infinite Campus to retrieve this information.

• Ask your learner what they are learning and why. Ask them to explain processes they are learning to solve mathematical problems, the kinds of things they are reading, about their science investigations, social studies content, and the kinds of experiences they have in related arts. Research shows that talking with our learners about their learning helps them have deeper connections to that learning and, shows that we are invested in their learning.

• Remind your learner that their number one reason for school is to learn. They need to be mindful that their social media and cell phones are not a priority.

• Check your learner's agenda nightly for homework and upcoming assignment dates.

• If you have new a email or phone number please contact the main office so that we can update this information.
• Check your learner's planner/agenda each night for homework assignments and important upcoming events.
• Ensure that your learner is utilizing their technology according to our AUP. Learners with three instances of device damage will need to complete their work via paper/pencil.
• Learners will not be issued their device until their AUP is signed by their guardian and returned to their advisory teacher.

Is your learner interested in joining Band, Chorus, or Orchestra? If so, please have them complete the link here.

Please know that as a leadership team and staff, we have worked over the past few years to develop and modify our system of learning to meet 21st century expectations. Please take some time to review our school formatting for the coming school year:

• Learners will start and end each day in their responsive class. This class will respond to your learner's academic needs and focus on enrichment and remediation.
• Advisory will take place in the middle and end of the day, advisory helps provide our learners with balance, community, and check in with a trusted adult. Students will retrieve their laptops each morning and return them each afternoon before leaving the building. Laptops will no longer transition to and from school.
• All learners will participate in a responsive class that will specifically target any need for intervention or extension for each student. To help focus learner activities during this time period, STMS will use a resource called Branching Minds.
• Learners will start their school year in grade level classes. If your student is making adequate progress they will progress to the next letter every 22 days with 8 total progress monitoring periods aligning with releases of progress reports and report cards.
• STMS will utilize Infinite Campus for learner management, classroom materials, grades, schedules, and locker assignments. Please note that schedules will not be printed, families can access student schedules through Infinite Campus.
• Data review will be conducted with possible schedule changes occurring every 22 days (timeline mirrors progress report and report card release)
• STMS will use a traditional grade scale with grades updated each Friday:

0%-59%- F

61%-69%- D

70%-79%- C

80%-89%- B

90%-100%- A

• Learners will be permitted to carry only their laptop bags and a binder through the building. Learners will use their lockers every day, and may not carry bookbags, purses or fanny packs through the building with them.

1. New assignments are available in the My Ride K-12 mobile app.
2. To ensure the safety of our learners, there could be up to a five-day waiting period during the school year for your change request to be completed.
3. Summer change requests for the new school year should be submitted no later than August 1st. Changes received after this date are not guaranteed to be in place for the start of school.
4. Secondary school learners are not transported to or from daycare providers. If your elementary learner is moving up to the MS and had been attending a before or after-school daycare, their transportation will be updated and based on the primary household address.

STSD Behavior Procedures for Level I and Level II Behaviors:

1. First discipline report - warning; repeated Level I behaviors may result in disciplinary action.

2. Second discipline report - 1 day suspension of bus privileges.

3. Third discipline report - 5 day suspension of bus privileges.
4. Fourth discipline report - 10 day suspension of bus privileges.
5. Fifth discipline report - removal from bus for the balance of the school term.
6. Fighting on the bus - AUTOMATIC suspension of bus privilege for a minimum of 5 days.

STSD Behavior Procedures for Level III Behaviors:

Building administrators will determine the consequences associated with all Level III behaviors based on the nature of the behavior and provisions within the Student Success Manual and school board discipline policy.

As a district, we are committed to providing safe and reliable transportation to and from school and will enforce the school board discipline policy and Student Success Manual as written. We appreciate your support as we work to ensure all of our students enjoy safe transportation.

For more information on transportation visit our website here.

Breakfast and lunch are provided at no cost again this school year.

Breakfast and lunch should be eaten in designated areas only. Learners are not permitted to eat/snack in classrooms. Learners may carry a water bottle with them during the day.

You can find more about our snack guidelines from School Board Policy 246 below. Please note that cupcakes, fast food, etc. will not be permitted.

Susquehanna Township Middle School Parent-Teacher-Student Organization (PTSO)

Happy second week of school!

Wondering how you can find more time at your house now that school's in session? Buy cookie dough in our fundraiser - enjoy a sweet treat with family and friends AND the school gets extra funding!

Flyers were distributed at Back To School Night and are being sent out through advisories. You can also buy/sell online via this link:

https://portal.myfundraisingplace.com/register-seller/dd789098-39b6-4d04-b6c9-f69a14201f98

Orders are due September 17; cookie dough will be delivered at 4pm on September 24.

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And in other news....

STMS spirit wear can be purchased here: http://www.susquehannatwp.spiritweardirect.com/

Sign-up now to volunteer in a Junior Achievement "money management and career readiness" program for our kids: October 30, 7:30am-11:30am - https://form.jotform.com/212213285279051

PTSO meeting: Wednesday, September 9, 7pm - meet.google.com/iti-uhkf-aic

Know What’s Happening!

It’s a big transition for kids to move to middle school. Stay informed!

Meetings: 2nd Wednesday - Every Month
Online Link - meet.google.com/eqf-zaeb-hik

Social: Facebook.com/groups/stmsptso

Email: stmsptso@gmail.com

Please contact: Molly Sauder (President; 717.991.1827) with any questions

All are welcome to get involved and bring ideas!

September 7- School Closed for Labor Day

September 9th- PTSO Meeting

September 10- Half Day for Students for Teacher Professional Development

September 11- No School for Students- Teacher Professional Development

September 17- Picture Day

October 7th- Half Day for Students- Professional Development

October 12th- School Closed- Columbus Day

October 22- Parent Engagement Night Presented by Laurel Life 6:00pm-7:00pm

October 30th- Junior Achievement Day