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Woof - 11 October 2019


Good evening,

We started this past week with Grade 6 Team Days.  Students enjoyed doing STEM activities at Gillette Stadium and doing team-building activities around the campus here at South!  Next week, 8th grade starts off with a trip to the Freedom Trail in Boston!

UPCOMING EVENTS
·         Monday, 10/14 – NO SCHOOL – Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples Day
·         Tuesday, 10/15 – Gr.8 field trip to Boston
·         Wednesday, 10/16, 6:00-8:00pm – Community Lecture @ Boston Children’s Hospital: IEP: Understanding Your Child’s Basic Rights (Folkman Auditorium, Enders Building)
·         Friday, 10/18 – Wear Red for Dyslexia Awareness!
·         Monday, 10/21 – first meeting of Yearbook Club!  All are welcome: room 109!
·         Tuesday, 10/22, 7:00pm – PTO meeting (South LMC)
·         Wednesday, 10/23 – Early Release Day – 11:45am dismissal
o   Gr. 8 assembly: Blue Hills Regional Technical High School
o   3:00-5:30pm – Parent-Teacher Conferences
·         Thursday, 10/24 – Middle School Flu Clinic (see attached authorization form)
o   5:00-7:30pm – Parent-Teacher Conferences
·         Friday, 10/25 – October Festival of Motion
·         Tuesday, 10/29, 5:00-7:30pm – Parent-Teacher Conferences
·         Wednesday, 10/30 – School Picture Retake Day
·         Sunday, 11/3 – South PTO 5k Road Race
·         Monday, 11/4, 7:00pm – School Committee (Colbert Building)
·         Tuesday, 11/5 – NO SCHOOL (Professional Development)
o   South PTO Bake Sale – Election Day!
·         Wednesday, 11/6 – Faculty Meeting (limited afterschool support)
·         Thursday, 11/7 – end of Term 1
·         Monday, 11/11 – NO SCHOOL – Veterans Day
·         Wednesday, 11/13 – Department Meetings (limited afterschool support)
o   6:30-8:30pm – Community Lecture: Clearing the E-Cigarette Smoke Screen (BHS Auditorium; see attached flyer)
·         Thursday, 11/14, 7:00pm – PTO meeting
·         Wednesday, 11/27 – Half Day – 11:45am dismissal
·         Thursday, 11/28-Sunday, 12/1 – THANKSGIVING BREAK
·         Monday, 12/2 – Faculty Meeting (limited afterschool support)
·         Tuesday, 12/3, 7:00pm – Gr.8 Choral Concert & Concert Choir
·         Wednesday, 12/4-Friday, 12/6 –Book Fair (South LMC)
·         Wednesday, 12/4, 7:00pm – Instrumental Concert
·         Thursday, 12/5 – Early Release Day – 11:45am dismissal
·         Tuesday, 12/10, 7:00pm – Gr.7 Choral Concert
·         Wednesday, 12/11 – Department Meetings (limited afterschool support)
·         Thursday, 12/12 – Midterm 2
o   7:00pm – Gr.6 Choral Concert
·         Friday, 12/13 – Winter Dance
·         Thursday, 12/19 – Gr.7 field trip to Chamber Theatre
·         Saturday, 12/21/2019-Wednesday, 1/1/2020 – WINTER BREAK
·         Thursday, 1/2/2020 – Students return to school (Day 2 of the rotating cycle)

MIDTERM 1
The first quarter midterm date was last Thursday, 10/3.  Teachers have been updating grades in Aspen and collecting late, missing, and makeup assignments.  Final midterm grades were posted on Friday, 10/11.  Please contact your child’s teacher if you have any concerns about their standing or progress.  Don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s guidance counselor if you have concerns.

PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES
Parents & guardians are invited to set up a time to meet with your child’s teachers at the end of October. 
·         Wednesday, 10/23, 3:00-5:30pm
·         Thursday, 10/24, 5:00-7:30pm
·         Tuesday, 10/29, 5:00-7:30pm
Please click the link below to sign up for a conference slot for any subject areas that you may have questions or concerns about, or to check in on your child’s academic or social progress.
https://ptcfast.com/schools/South_Middle_School

EARLY RELEASE LUNCH-TO-GO ORDERING
This year, our cafeteria is proud to offer lunch-to-go for early release days.  Lunch-to-go is available to all students and meal transactions will be processed as per usual.  You may place an order online, or in print (by using the attached form below).  Lunch will be delivered in the morning at school.  Lunch bags should not be opened on the bus on the ride home!  Breakfast is always available for students on early release days. 

FROM THE SOUTH PTO
·         There is a new app for Box Tops! You can download app, pick “South Middle School Braintree” as your school, scan your receipts after you go shopping, and South gets money!  We are still collecting the clipable, paper Box Tops. You can drop them into the collection box at the front door of South any time. Send them in soon please: several expire in November, and we need time to get them counted and mailed in! Here is link for further info: boxtops4education.com
·         The Stop & Shop A+ Rewards Program runs from October to May and will provide parents a way to support South Middle School just by shopping like normal!  To register your card for South, log on to www.stopandshop.com/aplus, and click on the “My Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the window. (If you have never logged in, you may need to create an account first & sign in.) Click on “Rewards and Savings,” and then “A+ School Rewards,” and enter ID # 09163 to register for South. Then you’ll support South automatically every time you shop!
·         South’s annual 5k Road Race is being relocated to the fall.  Mark your calendars to race on Sunday, 11/3!
·         South PTO will be working with our Student Council to plan the Winter Dance on Friday, 12/13! Get ready!

SCHOOL COUNCIL
School Council is a representative group of teachers, parents, and community members who will join the principal in a monthly meeting to share opinions regarding efforts to improve the school.  One prime responsibility will be a comprehensive review of the Student-Parent Handbook as we prepare for 5th graders’ joining the middle school as part of the new building construction plan.  If you are interested in joining the School Council, please email me at damon.rainie@braintreeschools.org.  A full schedule of School Council meetings will be forthcoming, but we are looking at Thursday afternoons as the most likely timeslot, once per month.

GR.8 WASHINGTON, D.C. TRIP
For all interested students, the registration deadline is Friday, October 25th. For more information on the trip or how to register, please go to http://braintreeschools.org/southdc. If more students register, the cost of the trip comes down for everyone, so the more the better!  Spread the word – tell your friends to register soon! The cost of the trip should not prevent any interested student from participating. Fundraising opportunities will be coming throughout the year, and we will request the support of all members of the South community to help us drive down the cost of this amazing experience!  If you are interested, but cost is a concern, please register through the link above and then send an email to Mr. Rainie or call him: 781-380-0160, ext. 4020. Your information will be kept confidential, but we will work all year to ensure everyone can afford to attend.

FROM THAYER PUBLIC LIBRARY
Email Christina DuFour if you need any additional information: cdufour@braintreema.gov
·         Teen Tuesdays – 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, etc. – 2:15-4:15pm
·         Wednesday, 10/16, 2:30-3:15pm – Chapter Chatters with Ms. DuFour, Ms. Proulx, and Ms. Vose in South room 202!
o   We will discuss Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
o   Like any good book club, refreshments will be served!
o   Next month will meet on Wednesday, 11/13, to discuss Drama by Raina Telgemeir
·         Teen Tech Club – Friday, 10/18, 2:30-4:00pm (registration required)
·         Witchy plants – Saturday, 10/26, 2:30-3:30pm (registration required)
·         Trivia Night – Monday, 10/28, 7:00-8:30pm (registration required)
·         Teen volunteers needed!
o   Saturday, 10/26, 9:30-11:30am – The Very Hungry Caterpillar’s 50th Anniversary Party!
o   Tuesday, 10/29, 6:00-8:00pm – Trick or Treat, Signs & Sweets children’s event

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:
·         Clearing the E-Cigarette Smoke Screen flyer
·         Flu Clinic – authorization form
·         Early Release Day Lunch Order Form
Check out all the community events & flyers posted on the Braintree Public Schools Community Events page!

STAY IN TOUCH WITH SOUTH!
·         Braintree Schools use a system that allows us to send automated texts, emails, and calls with news and information for families.  If you have not already done so, please visit http://www.braintreeschools.org/familycontact to complete an online form with the phone numbers and email addresses where you would like to receive this information.  Completing this form is the best way to make sure your family is up-to-date on school news and receives notifications regarding snow days and early dismissals!  Please complete the form separately for each of your children.  The ID number at the start is the same number your student uses to buy meals (starts with their year of graduation). If you do not have internet access or need help with this form, please call our Main Office at 781-380-0160.
·         Follow South on Twitter: @SMSBraintree
·         Follow South on Instagram: SMSBraintree
·         Like the South PTO on Facebook, and email southmiddle.pto@gmail.com to get on their mailing list!

BEFORE SCHOOL & AFTER SCHOOL HELP
·         The Computer Lab (rm. 211) is open every morning from 7:15am until the first homeroom bell.  If you need to use a computer or just need to print an assignment, feel free to come on by!
·         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.
·         Homework Lab will begin next week. Specific information to follow. 
·         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.




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