Woof - 11/7/2018

Good evening,

We kicked off the week with our Festival of Motion, which raised over $13,000!  These funds are used to purchase the student agendas each year, to lower the cost of student field trips, to fund afterschool activities, and much more.  Thank you all for supporting the warm, student-centered atmosphere at South!  We loved seeing students’ costumes on the day of the Festival.  From the bright and colorful to the downright frightening, there was a lot of personality on display!

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

·         Friday, 11/9 – End of Term 1

·         Monday, 11/12 – NO SCHOOL – Veterans Day

·         Tuesday, 11/13, 7:00pm – PTO meeting

·         Wednesday, 11/14, 6:30-8:00pm – “What Families Should Know About Marijuana, Vaping, and Teens” (Braintree High School Auditorium; see attached flyer)

·         Wednesday, 11/21 – Half Day (11:45am dismissal)

o   8:00am – Gr.7 assembly: Museum of Science

·         Thursday, 11/22 + Friday, 11/23 – NO SCHOOL – Thanksgiving Break

·         Monday, 11/26, 7:00pm – School Committee meeting (Colbert)

·         Wednesday, 11/28, 6:30-8:00pm – Braintree Partnership meeting (Town Hall)

·         Thursday, 11/29, 3:15pm – MSTT meeting (South LMC)

·         Monday, 12/3 – Faculty Meeting (limited after school help)

·         Tuesday, 12/4, 7:00pm – Gr.8 Choral concert & Concert Choir

·         Wednesday, 12/5, 7:00pm – Instrumental concert

·         Thursday, 12/6 – Early Release (11:45am dismissal)

·         Friday, 12/7 – Winter Wonderland Dance

·         Monday, 12/10, 7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Tuesday, 12/11, 7:00pm – Gr.7 Choral concert

·         Thursday, 12/13, 7:00pm – Gr.6 Choral concert

·         Friday, 12/21 – Half Day (11:45am dismissal)

·         12/22-1/1/2019 – Winter Break (School reopens 1/2/2019)

END OF TERM 1

Term 1 ends on Friday, 11/9.  Over the next week or so, teachers will complete their grading and any make-up work will be collected.  Two copies of the report card are scheduled to be sent home on Tuesday, 11/20.  One copy should be signed and returned to the homeroom teacher by Monday, 11/26.  The other copy is for your records – or your refrigerator!

FROM THE TRANSPORTATION OFFICE

No student may ride another bus at any time, other than the bus they have been assigned to.  The South office is no longer permitted to write temporary passes for a child to take another bus home, due to state regulations about the number of pupils that may ride each bus at a given time.  If you need to make special arrangements to change your child’s assigned bus (for example, for child care in the afternoon), please contact the Transportation Office: 781-380-0728.  If you still have to purchase a bus pass, please use the BPS Transportation website. 

BASHY (Braintree Alliance for Safe & Healthy Youth) PARENT WORKSHOP – see attached flyer

Please join us on Wednesday, 11/14, at 6:30pm in the Braintree High Auditorium to hear Traci Wojciechowski, Regional Director of Education at the Caron Treatment Center, present What Families Should Know About Marijuana, Vaping, and Teens.  Bring any friends, family, or co-workers from area towns: the more people who hear this information, the more kids we can keep on a healthy & safe path!

GR.8 WASHINGTON, D.C. TRIP

Students must register on the EF website by Friday, 11/9, or you will lose your spot on the trip!  Go to the DC trip website for more information: http://BraintreeDCTrip.BraintreeSchools.org/

GR.8 STUDENTS APPLYING TO BLUE HILLS REGIONAL TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL

If you want to attend the Blue Hills Showcase on 11/20, you must register on their website by Friday, 11/9!  The bus will leave from South, but you must register with BHRTHS to go on the field trip.

LOOKING FOR WAYS TO SUPPORT SOUTH?

·         If you shop on Amazon.com, using the link below will support South at no additional cost to you. Anything you add to your “shopping cart” after clicking on this link generates a referral fee to South.

(The website will look like normal, but we get credit for “sending” traffic there. Your purchase history is anonymous & will always remain confidential at Amazon.)

·         Download the Benefit Mobile app and sign up to support “South Middle School.” Then, you can purchase digital gift cards for all your online and in-store shopping and a percentage supports South. In stores, the cashier will scan a bar code on your phone & you’ll be all set. Online, you’ll enter a code where it asks for a gift card, and the balance comes right off your total. It’s easy!

·         Register on GoodShop.com for South Middle School in Braintree. Then, add the Gumdrop extension to your web browser. Every time you go to checkout, click on Gumdrop in the menu bar and find out if there are any coupon codes for your shopping. It’s easy, quick, saves you money, and sends a benefit to South!

·         Register your Stop & Shop card to benefit the South PTO (ID# 09163): Go to www.stopandshop.com/aplus to register online, visit the Customer Service desk at any Stop & Shop store, or dial 1-877-275-2758 to register by phone! Our school's A+ Rewards ID is 09163.

·         Collect Box Tops for Education from your grocery purchases and leave them in the mailbox outside South’s front door.

·         Donate clothes and other linens to the Bay State Textiles donation bin behind South.  To date, we have collected over 6 tons of textiles! This includes bedding and stuffed animals, which most donation bins won’t accept. Your donations to Bay State Textiles help keep waste out of our landfills AND support South Middle School!

·         Donate books, DVDs, and videos to the Big Hearted Books donation bin behind South.

If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please don’t hesitate to email me at damon.rainie@braintreeschools.org or call the school at 781-380-0160.

With all best wishes,
Damon Rainie

ATTACHMENTS:

·         Fall Newsletter: Bulldog Bulletin

·         Middle School “Days of the Cycle” calendar (corrected)

·         WhatFamilies Should Know About Marijuana, Vaping, and Teens – Caron Center + BASHY

·         Music Calendar – 2018-2019 School Year

GET INVOLVED!

SEE WHAT’S GOING ON AT SOUTH MIDDLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA!

·         Follow @SMSBraintree for reminders, updates, and interesting links related to middle school.  You don’t need to tweet to join Twitter; you can set up an account just to read and follow others’ postings.  If you would prefer not to set up an account, you can also receive our tweets via text message.  Simply text “Follow @SMSBraintree” to 40404.

·         Follow @SMSBraintree on Instagram to see photos from the school events.

·         Visit the South Middle School website at: http://www.braintreeschools.org/our-schools/south-middle-school

·         Like the South PTO on Facebook, and email southmiddle.pto@gmail.com to get on their mailing list!

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES & CLUBS

·         Math Team – Ms. Norton, Rm. 206 – Day 1 during silent reading/recess

·         Art Club – Ms. Valentine, Rm. 94 – Monday, 2:30-3:30pm

·         South GSA – Mr. Taylor & Ms. Stone, Rm. 96 – Monday, 2:30-3:30pm

·         South News – Ms. Vose & Ms. Motta, Rm. 211 – Tuesday, 2:30-3:30pm (Check out prior year’s articles here!)

·         Concert Choir – Mr. Sawtelle, Auditorium – Wednesday, 2:30-4:00pm

·         Community Service Club – Ms. Norris, Rm. 212 – Wednesday, 2:30-3:30pm

·         South Thrashers Skateboard Club – Mr. Wilcox, Cafeteria – Wednesday, 2:30-3:30pm

·         Student Council – Srta. Palermo & Ms. Motta, Rm. 115 – Thursday morning, 7:30am

·         Doodle Art Club – Ms. Zis, Rm. 210 – Thursday, 2:30-3:30

·         South Sportscast – Mr. Wilcox, Media Center – Thursday, 2:30-3:30pm (Check out past episodes of the Sportscast here!)

·         Yearbook – Ms. Barrett, Rm. 107 – Thursday, 2:30-3:30pm

·         Intramural Basketball – Mr. McCabe, Rm. 117 – Monday/Wednesday, 2:30-3:30pm

REMINDERS FROM PRIOR WEEKS:

EXTRA HELP SUPPORTS

o   HOMEWORK CLUB

South’s afterschool Homework Club meets Monday through Thursday in the Media Center until 3:15.  If you have work to do or need to use a computer, feel free to come in at dismissal.  You don’t need to sign up in advance.  You can come as often as you need to: one day, every once in a while, or every day!

o   LATE BUS

The Late Bus is available to any bus rider who stays after for extra help or HW lab. The bell rings at 3:10pm, and anyone planning to catch the late bus should be out front by 3:15.  You will need a regular bus pass and a late bus pass signed & dated by the teacher you stayed with.

Students who regularly take a bus are welcome to take the Late Bus home if you stay after for extra help with a teacher or for the Homework Club in the Media Center.  You will need a bus pass from your teacher to board the late bus.  Late Buses leave South between 3:15 to 3:30, Monday through Thursday.

o   BEFORE SCHOOL COMPUTER LAB

If you have work to do in the morning or need a computer to print something out or submit an assignment on Google Classroom, you’re in luck!  The Computer Lab (rm.211) is open every morning from 7:15 AM until the first homeroom bell.  You don’t need to sign up in advance.

o   AFTER SCHOOL HELP

Every teacher has a weekday they stay after school.  Students planning to stay for extra help should check in with the teacher to make sure their schedule hasn’t changed and to let them know you’ll be coming by.

YEARBOOK

Yearbooks are now on sale!  Order online at jostensyearbooks.com or by phone at 1-877-767-5217.  Yearbooks will be delivered on the last day of school in June 2018.  See Ms. Barrett with any questions.

STUDENT ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL

If your child has to be absent from school, come late, or leave early, please let us know so we’re not concerned!  Call the Main Office line – 781-380-0160 – and dial “1” to leave us a message. If you’ve gone to a medical appointment, please request a note from the doctor’s office or have them fax it to us: 781-356-0657.  Notes written by parents/guardians can help explain a student’s absence, but will not excuse it – only a letter from a professional office can medically excuse absences.

FUTURE EVENTS – Mark your calendars!

·         Monday, 1/7 – Faculty meeting (limited afterschool support)

·         Tuesday, 1/8, 7:00pm – PTO meeting (South cafeteria)

·         Tuesday, 1/15, 6:00pm – Family Fun Night (Physical Education & Health classes)

·         Monday, 1/21 – NO SCHOOL (Martin Luther King Day)

·         Thursday, 1/24, 3:15pm – MSTT

·         Friday, 1/25 – Concert Choir performs at Providence Bruins (contact Mr. Sawtelle to purchase tickets for family & friends: $25)

·         Tuesday, 1/29 – Early Release (11:45am dismissal)

·         Thursday, 1/31 – Gr.8 NAEP test

o   3:15pm – BASHY (BHS Media)

·         Monday, 2/4 – Faculty meeting (limited afterschool support)

·         Tuesday, 2/5, 7:00pm – PTO meeting (South cafeteria)

·         2/16-2/24 – February Break

·         Monday, 3/4 – Faculty meeting (limited afterschool support)

o   7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Thursday, 3/7 – Early Release (11:45am dismissal)

·         Monday, 3/11, 7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Tuesday, 3/12, 7:00pm – PTO meeting (South cafeteria)

·         Wednesday, 3/20, 9:30-11:00am – “Digital Citizenship” (BASHY + Bridgewater State University)

·         Thursday, 3/21, 3:15pm – MSTT

·         Thursday, 3/21-Sunday, 3/24 – Gr.8 Washington, D.C. trip

·         Monday, 3/25 – Early Release (11:45am dismissal)

o   7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Thursday, 3/28, 3:15pm – BASHY (BHS Media)

·         MCAS TESTING WINDOWS: 4/1-5/24 (specific dates to follow!)

·         Monday, 4/1 – Faculty Meeting (limited afterschool support)

o   7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Monday, 4/8, 7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Tuesday, 4/9, 7:00pm – PTO meeting (South cafeteria)

·         4/13-4/21 – April Break

·         Thursday, 5/2, 6:30-8:00pm – “Social Host Law”(BASHY + BHS)

·         Friday, 5/3 – Gr. 7 assembly: Dynamic Influence

·         Monday, 5/6 – Faculty meeting (limited afterschool support)

o   7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Thursday, 5/16, 3:15pm – BASHY (BHS Media)

o   7:00pm – PTO meeting (South cafeteria)

·         Thursday, 5/16-Sunday, 5/19 – French Gr.8 Quebec trip

·         Monday, 5/20, 7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Thursday, 5/23, 3:15pm – MSTT

o   7:00pm – Gr.8 Choral concert & Concert Choir

·         Friday, 5/24 – HALF DAY (11:45am dismissal)

o   10:00am – Memorial Day Assembly

·         Monday, 5/27 – NO SCHOOL (Memorial Day)

·         Tuesday, 5/28, 7:00pm – Gr.6 Choral concert

·         Wednesday, 5/29, 7:00pm – Instrumental concert

·         Thursday, 5/30, 7:00pm – Gr.7 Choral concert

·         Monday, 6/3 – Faculty meeting (limited afterschool support)

·         Thursday, 6/6, 3:15pm – BASHY (BHS Media)

·         Monday, 6/10, 7:00pm – School Committee meeting

·         Tuesday, 6/18 – Last Day of School (if no snow days; Day 1 schedule; half day: 11:45am dismissal)