The Bulldog's Woof

It's three-fer Thursday, one day early! (1.) This Friday, South's Student Council is organizing a PJ Day Fundraiser. Stay comfy-cozy in your pajamas for the last day before break & donate to St. Jude's Research Hospital, in support of cancer research and care for kids receiving treatment. You can bring cash donations to homeroom, checks (made payable to South Middle School), or donate online:  St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital  -  tax free donation! (2.) You can still  buy this year's yearbook on  Josten's.com . Reserve your copy today for $35! (3.) Want to show your teachers some love on Valentine's Day? Skip the candy and send in these much-desired items: Kleenex/Puffs/facial tissues Clorox/Lysol/disinfectant wipes Expo markers - dry erase for whiteboards Expo spray/whiteboard cleaner Pencils Electric pencil sharpener (This would be  true  love!) Well, OK, chocolate is always appreciated too !

(1.) As the DPW works to get the roads clear, South is warm & open for tonight's PTO meeting!  Nobody can say you have grocery shopping to do; we  know  you all rushed out last night to get milk & bread before the storm!  The meeting starts at 7 in the South Library Media Center. (2.) Term 2 Report Cards went home yesterday. Parents/guardians, please sign one copy & return it to homeroom. The second copy is for your records (or your fridge!) (3.) Ms. Nguyen's February newsletter from the South Library is here! Make sure you've returned any overdue books and check out new reading material before the school vacation week 2/15-2/23.

  Next week, the community reading group at South will meet to begin discussing Jonathan Haidt's book,  The Anxious Generation .  I hope you'll join us!   All are invited to meet in the  South Media Center on TUESDAY, 2/4 at 7:00 PM  to discuss the first 2 parts of Haidt's book.  The Introduction & "A Tidal Wave: The Surge of Suffering" lay out the landscape of adolescents' plummeting mental wellness over the past 15-20 years.  In Part 2, "The Backstory: The Decline of the Play-Based Childhood," Haidt explores parenting & societal changes and the impacts on kids' social skills and development. In all, it's about 110 pages of reading, but it's not hard reading. Also, a bunch of the South teachers are listening to the audiobook and said it's good, if that's easier for you!  After February break, we'll meet on 2/25 to discuss the next section, where Haidt lays out the current setting for adolescents in a smartphone-enable...

  Five items from  your  South PTO: (1.) The February meeting of the South PTO is  this Thursday , 2/6, at 7pm  in the South Library Media Center. See agenda below. (2.) All month long, you can support the South PTO by purchasing Dave & Buster's PowerCards online: https://www.groupraise.com/offer-campaigns/48625-south-middle-school-pto-dave-busters-fundraising-campaigns (3.)  Regift rally!  We are preparing for Teacher’s Appreciation week in April and currently accepting donations that we can include in our raffle!  Something we’ve done in the past is collect gift cards or unused gifts that people received over the holidays that they aren’t likely to use.  Of course we’re grateful for anything you’d like to donate, whether it’s a gift card to your business, tickets to a local sports game, a themed gift basket, or something else.  If you have something you’d like to donate, message us or comment below to coordinate.  We appreciat...

  The Student Council is coordinating decorations for the Candyland Dance tomorrow after school! Students should bring in $5 to purchase a ticket at lunch on Friday* Dress is casual; no need to dress fancy or to match the theme Most students come alone or in a group of their friends. Nobody should wait to see if they're "invited" to the dance by a classmate! Parents, guardians, & all adult caregivers, we need your help! PTO operates a concession stand during the dance to help pay for the dance.  Can you donate snacks?  Bring in candy, variety packs of chips, water (small 8 oz. size preferred!) to donate for sale. Sign up to help sell concessions during the dance:  South Middle School Dance Sign Up . You are  not  required to chaperone students while selling concessions. If there are any issues, just tell one of the teachers or administrators! * Ticket price can be waived for any student in financial need. Reach out to Mrs. Norris, Mrs. Pyliotis, your Gu...

With winter finally settling in and recess shifting indoors, we've noticed a change in the air around South. One less opportunity to vent their energy, and I find myself telling more kids to "slow down" in the hall--not to mention catching more epic spin kicks and random dance breaks in the hall! Downtime in the classrooms may mean fewer chances for kids to socialize with their best friends, so we're breaking up group "meet ups" in bathrooms and at lockers after the bell. You may be noticing more "naughty" behavior at home--a little more talking back, a shorter temper, some sullenness. How to deal with the winter doldrums? First, realize that it's natural and you're not alone.  You're  not  the only one whose kid may be bucking the rules and giving you a hard time. That provides  some  comfort, right? Well, let your kid know they're not alone, either. If you ask how their day was and get even  less  of a response than usual, it may ...

For the past several years, there has been a lot of discussion about the impact of the pandemic on kids' social skills and mental health. In education circles, we have discussed the pandemic's effect on students' academic skills as well as their social development. As shutdowns, online learning, and daily mask protocols have drifted into distant memory, recent patterns fell into line with longer trends starting earlier than 2020. The increase in anxiety among adolescents began long before the pandemic, steadily increasing since the introduction of smartphones in 2007. Adolescents' decreased mental wellness and social confidence/competence have been steadily worsening since the decade prior, as the Millenial generation gave way to Gen Z in schools.  Over the past year, these topics have moved into the cultural conversation more and more, thanks in no small part to Jonathan Haidt's popular book,  The Anxious Generation . You may have heard of it and it may even be on ...

Five quick items from South to wrap up your week! SOUTH PTO The PTO meets next Tuesday, 1/14, at 7pm in the South Library/Media Center. Agenda will be sent next week. Join the PTO Facebook group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/southmiddleptogroup Follow PTO on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/southmiddlepto SOUTH BASKETBALL Monday's basketball games will be held at East Middle School; the boys tip off at 3: 15 and the girls' game plans to begin at 4:30, immediately following the boys' game.   We encourage students & families to attend the games and give our players a true fan experience. It is essential to ensure a safe & enjoyable gameday experience for all players and spectators in attendance, so fans are expected to demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times.  All spectators must adhere to our  Fan Code of Conduct , and the  MIAA Taunting Policy . Students in attendance are reminded that the school's  Code of Conduct  applies to...

  I don't necessarily believe in making New Year's Resolutions. The practice of making a bunch of decisions on this random Wednesday in the middle of winter to quit bad habits and pick up good habits often doesn't lead to lasting change anyway.  Nearly 2/3 of resolutions have been abandoned within the first month , so what's the point? The one thing I  do  like about the New Year is that it's a good excuse to spend some time reflecting on what my goals are and whether I'm making progress toward them.  Without a concrete plan, it's easy to let one day bleed into the next  and weeks pile up without making much progress.  In classes, several teachers have asked students to reflect on how they spent time in 2024 or how they plan to spend time in 2025. The kids have some amazing insights about things they want to achieve and ideas for how to get there, but we often don't want to think about time we've wasted. It's in the past and there's no need t...