Spartan PRIDE
Supporting our school community core values.
Dear Parents and Students:
Happy New Year! The two-week break has provided a great opportunity to continue the learning at home. I hope you and your family had the time and opportunity to learn about the importance and value of family through gatherings and dining together over the break. In addition to family time, my kids were all assigned to read at least one book to keep their skills sharp. The science fair project kept some of my children busy as well. It is not too late to get one good book read before we return on January 6th. I am sure there are many wonderful stories of traveling and making the most of the break.
As we approach the new year, I challenge students to reflect and evaluate goals from 2013. I encourage you to be honest with progress and setbacks to better inform your goals for 2014. Please consider setting goals for 2014 that push you beyond your comfort zone. I like the words of F. Scott Fitzgerald. "If you are strong enough, there are no precedents."
What's happening in the new year?
Beginning, January 6th, the west doors to the school will again be accessible. Expect to experience a different traffic flow during the school day from 8:15 a.m. -3:15 p.m. As you may recall, the purpose of the construction project was to redesign the main west entrance of the school to direct public access through the office during the school day. The design has created a similar format to that of other schools in the district. The project in near completion with just one more phase to complete.
1
School Office Renovation Phase III construction includes remodel of the area formally used as the main office. Office space will be re-purposed to include a testing room, two guidance offices and a conference room. This phase of the project is scheduled for completion on or about January 15th. Until the work is complete, our guidance staff will be available in office spaces in and near the library. Thank you for your patience during this time.
School Office Renovation Phase III construction includes remodel of the area formally used as the main office. Office space will be re-purposed to include a testing room, two guidance offices and a conference room. This phase of the project is scheduled for completion on or about January 15th. Until the work is complete, our guidance staff will be available in office spaces in and near the library. Thank you for your patience during this time.
Activities are such an important part of the middle school experience. Boys basketball and SMS Drama begin on January 6th. Other activities happening during this time are Dance and Science Olympiad.
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Please mark your calendars for Wednesday, January 15th. We will be hosting 2nd trimester Parent-Teacher Conferences from 3:45-7:00 p.m. at Spearfish Middle School. This is an excellent time to check on your child's progress to date. If you are interested in helping with a staff snacks/light dinner during conferences, please contact Krystal Rogers, Secretary, at 717-1215.
Parents as Partners Meeting:
Please join us for the January Parents as Partners Meeting to be held on Monday, January 20th at 5:30 p.m. in the middle school library. We will review the AdvancED survey results and discuss possible strategies to address the areas for improvement. Stakeholder input is important in our efforts to create schools of excellence.
Smart Balanced Assessment:
Smarter-Balanced Assessment has replaced the D-STEP assessment for students in English Language Arts and mathematics. This assessment is designed to be a measure of the new common core standards. This first year of implementation is considered a pilot or practice assessment. The results will be used to select test questions for the future. Scores will not be reported this year. I encourage you to check out the Smarter-Balanced website at http://www.smarterbalanced.org/pilot-test/.
An invitation from the Spearfish Foundation for Public Education
The
Spearfish Foundation for Public Education
(SFPE) wants you
to BE INSPIRED!
Come join us for the “3 Cheers Tonight Event ‐3
Cheers for our Schools and 3 Cheers for our Friends!” recetion to be held on Thursday, January 23rd at the Mathews Opera House from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. There will be entertainment, refreshments, silent auction items and raffles prizes. KNBN TV hosts, Eliz- abeth Ellis & Eric Burke will be the MC’s. Come help SFPE celebrate education in our community and the generosity of our Friends! 3 Cheers is sponsored by: Century 21 Dakota Belle-Spearfish; Hood & Nies; Pioneer Bank & Trust; Spearfish Family Dentistry; Spearfish Insurance Brokerage; Great Western Bank; Wells Fargo Bank; White’s Canyon Motors; White’s Queen City Motors; Wilde & Hunt Law Firm; Williams & Associates, Architects; Black Hills Pioneer; and Spearfish Arts Center.
About the Spearfish
Foundation for Public Education (SFPE)
The Spearfish Foundation for Public Education was chartered in 2001 and is a 501 (C) (3) non-profit tax exempt
organization. The Foundation is governed by a thirteen member board of directors. The Foundation is a separate legal entity from the Spearfish School District. When Spearfish Public Schools were
faced with significant fi-
nancial difficulties, the Spearfish
Foundation for Public Education was founded to supplement funding
for programs lost due to budget cuts and to seek to make our
public schools the best they could be. It was established to provide educational opportunities
for students and staff of the Spearfish School District beyond what is provided by
the school’s budget.
Mission Statement
The mission of the SFPE is to provide
financial and com-
munity investment in academic
programs within the
Spearfish School District. Quality
schools and the
educa- tion provided there
are at the heart of every
vital commu-
nity.
The community of Spearfish and its
citizens value
education and the future is insures. With public education facing increasing challenges,
the need for public and private sectors of our community to enhance the educational opportunities in our public schools is greater
than ever. The SFPE works
closely with but independently from, the Spearfish School District. The goal of this partnership is
to recognize and encourage innovation
in the classroom and education
to academic excellence,
and to involve the community in the pursuit of quality education.
The Foun- dation raises funds to enrich the academic opportunities for all students and staff in the Spearfish Public
Schools. Through the Foundation, businesses, individuals and civic
and community organizations can invest
their time and resources for the benefit of the public education
in their hometown.
Check out the Spearfish Foundation on the web by clicking this link: http://spearfishschools.org
Spearfish
Middle School
Weekly
Faculty Bulletin
January
6-10, 2014
“Empowering
all students to succeed in a changing world.”
•
Preparedness • Respect • Integrity • Determination •
Excellence
1)
School Resumes and Boy’s Basketball and SMS Drama begin:
Monday, January 6th
2)
Team Leader Meeting:
Tuesday, January 7th at 7:30 a.m. in the SMS Library.
a. Data
Driven Decision-making
b. Review and discuss Grading and Homework Norms
c. Parent-Teacher Conferences
c. Parent-Teacher Conferences
d. Other
3)
Technology Requests: Requests must be submitted by February
1, 2014
4)
January Faculty Meeting:
Thursday, January 9th at 7:30 a.m.
Agenda:
A.
AdvancED
Survey Results Review
B.
Using
technology to customized learning (update on Edgenuity)
C.
Parent/Teacher
Conferences Format, 3:45pm – 7:00pm, Jan. 15th
D.
Other
5)
Office Remodel Project Continues: We have moved in the main office!
Counselors are in the following locations
until on or about January 15th:
Elaine:
library office space.
Sheri:
6th grade TPC office
The main doors are back in business. The public will once again enter through the west doors during school hours.
6)
Saturday Spartan Learning Lab, 8-noon, January 11th (If necessary based on need) Look for email from Mr. O’Dea with more
details.
7) Smarter
Balanced (Teacher) Practice Test: Please click
on the green ball icon titled: “SBAC SecureBrowser”6.0” on your
desktop and follow the instructions to take the practice test. Please complete the teacher practice test
(ELA or Math) by January 20th.
Upcoming
Activities
January 14 Technology Committee
Meeting, 7:30-8:00 a.m.
January 14-18 School Board recognition week
January 1-15 STAR Testing Winter Window
January 15 Parent/Teacher Conferences
for Middle School, 3:45pm – 7:00pm
January 20 Parents as Partners,
5:30-6:30 p.m. in the SMS Library
January 20 Martin Luther King Day - No
School - Teacher In-Service
January 23 6 Band/Choir Concert,
7:00-8:30 p.m. in the HS Auditorium
January 24 All School Winter Dance,
7-9 p.m.
February 3 Parents as Partners, 5:30
p.m. in the SMS Library
February 5 1 p.m. PD Early Release
February 7 Science Fair, BHSU
February 8 Spartan Learning Lab,
Saturday School
|
If you are strong enough, there are no
precedents.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald
