The Bulldog's Woof

What do you remember most from middle school?   Middle school was a lot different when we were kids, no matter what generation you were growing up in: Late practices in the warming weather; the smell of the grass in that first baseball game of the season.  School dances; awkwardly approaching your crush to ask for a dance, your friends and theirs standing around you in a circle, hooting and hollering.  Putting off homework while you talked to your friends on the phone--always keeping one ear open for the  click  if someone picked up the phone in another room.  Passing notes in class. Doodling all over your papers and binders with flowers, spiky "S"s, and 3D boxes. What do these memories all have in common?  Nobody had a smartphone to take your picture at that school dance & post it later. No alerts and buzzes in your pocket drew you away from the moment on the ballfield. To call your friend, you had to call their house and ask a parent if they were...

  1.  SOUTH PTO The March meeting of the South PTO is  this Thursday, 3/13 @ 7pm.  See attached agenda. 2.  MARCH MADNESS We are going to try something new this year and have a March Madness 3v3 Tourney here at South. It will be a single-elimination, bracket-style tournament with 5th and 6th graders matched up, and 7th & 8th.  The tourney will be held on Tuesday, 3/18,  after school in the Gym. Money raised will go to South's PTO.  See Ms. Ricketts with any questions or to register your team. All forms and registration must be submitted directly to her in room 1045 since this event is first come first serve. No forms will be accepted without payment. 3.  PARENT  DISCUSSION GROUP:  The Anxious Generation  - THURSDAY, 3/20 The final meeting of  The Anxious Generation  book club has been moved to  Thursday, 3/20  to allow more people to join the conversation. In the final meeting, we will talk about what we...

  Spring cleaning?   Consider contributing to South Mrs. Joyce, one of our 6th grade Math teachers, has long used Lego bricks to help students visualize fractions. This year, she excitedly told me about the breakthrough of using MagnaTiles to visualize geometry in 3D. How many sets of magnetic blocks do  you  have sitting in box in your attic?? If your family's days of playing with magnetic tiles are a distant memory,  please  consider donating them to your friendly Math teacher! Once they're here, we find they are also a great way to spend indoor recess. It never ceases to amaze me how quickly middle school kids let their inner child run free as soon as certain things happen: You give them something to color, You read aloud to them, or They have downtime and toys like fidgets, MagnaTiles, Lego, etc. It never fails!  30 seconds in, and suddenly the kids are giggling and chatting--or attentively following along with a story--entirely engrossed in their ...

We were happy to have everyone back at South this morning, hopefully, refreshed--and germ-free--after a week away! (1.) Student report cards were due back, signed by a parent or guardian, before the break. Please send that in if you haven't already done so.  This month, South Middle School also received  our  report card! The state's  school  &  district report cards  are available for review on the DESE website. There is a link for families' convenience on the  South website , under the  About Us  section. Please let me know if you have any questions about our report card, or would like to discuss further. (2.) There is still time to  donate to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital  to support childhood cancer research, as well as children with cancer and their families. This is an annual fundraiser organized by Ms. Mac and supported by South's Student Council for this noble cause. Everyone's support is greatly appreciat...

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 ...