Skip to main content

Spring cleaning? Wellness Wednesday edition!

 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 activity!
As you know, the faculty & staff at South have been focusing on how we use our time and devices at school. Teachers remind students to put phones away for the day in their lockers, and in study halls they are discussing how to use devices as a tool for study--and how to put it aside when it's not needed for work. In classes, lessons are planned to use devices when they are helpful, but teachers are also choosing activities that benefit from these hours when kids are together with one another. More group work and social activities can happen in some classes, while others might plan computer work for classtime so they can give immediate feedback and help kids limit screentime at home. What we're finding is, with more social activities at school, teachers are hungry for more opportunities to let kids play structured games and develop important communication and social skills.

How can you help?
Donate toys & social games for indoor recess:
Lego, Magnetic Tiles, sets of blocks (like Jenga)
Board games (especially classic games or relatively simple-to-learn games)
Puzzle games (like Zentangles, pattern recognition, Rubik's Cube)
Card games (no gambling please!)
Fidgets, like Aaron's Thinking Putty

Donate toys & games for outdoor recess:
Jump ropes for individuals & groups
Hula hoops
Basketballs
Soccer balls
Volleyballs
(No footballs please... that always ends in a scrum, which our blacktop surface doesn't play well with!)
Cleaning out your garage, attic, basement, or shed? Send us any equipment in usable condition. We appreciate your support!With all best wishes,
Damon Rainie

P.S. Cold & flu season is hopefully winding down, but allergy season is just starting to show its head. Kleenex donations will be gladly welcomed by all teachers! Antiseptic wipes, pencils, and Expo markers, too!
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Three-fer Thursday from South! 5/22/2025

Three from South: (1.) Tomorrow--Friday, 5/23--South will host our annual Memorial Day Assembly starting at 1:00 PM. 8th graders have been working hard to prepare their Veterans Projects and a group will present them while our entire school honors local veterans and the fallen heroes of our Armed Services.  Students are encouraged to  wear red, white & blue  to show your patriotic spirit for our veterans and honored guests.  There will be  no student dismissals after 1pm , as it is too disruptive to the memorial assembly.  This year's assembly will be held in the large Gym due to the nor'easter, but guests are still welcome! If you would like to attend the assembly, please enter through the Main Entrance to get a visitors sticker and then proceed down to the Gym. Mark your calendars! All 8th grade Veterans Projects will be on display in the Media Center on Friday, 6/6, for the public to view and explore our students' research. If you're looking for an e...
Post a Comment
Read more

Bulldog Bulletin - 6/3/2025

Congratulations to all the students that participated in the Trills and Thrills music festival this past Friday - your hard work and effort paid off! Your playing and love for music impressed one of the adjudicators so much that he wrote an email to our superintendent letting him know how much he appreciated South Middle School’s music program!  7th & 8th grade orchestra won gold and the 7th & 8th grade Band and Concert Choir both earned silver.  This Thursday, 6/5, is the last day for Late Bus this school year. Students can still stay after for extra help, but you’ll need to arrange for a ride home or plan to walk! Homework Lab also ends this Thursday, so if you plan to stay after, you’ll need to make plans with one of your teachers. Don't forget! Bus registration ends next Friday, 6/13.  See the Districtwide post for bus registration information. Please check the Yearbook Sales list posted at your homeroom entrance.  If anyone thinks they purchased a y...
Post a Comment
Read more

"Build Up" to the beginning of Middle School!

  South Middle School Build-Up Grade 5 August 19 & 27, 2025 We are excited to show our newest 5th graders around South Middle School. The Build Up program is an optional orientation for our newest Bulldogs to get a "sneak peek" of what to expect at South Middle. Teachers will explain what a typical day looks like as a 5th grade student. Students will tour the building so they feel more comfortable, and they will learn about important middle school topics such as:  Class schedule Behavior expectations  Locks and lockers Clubs & activities Homework Guidance counselors Computers & BYOD (“Bring Your Own Device”) Lunch & recess School etiquette Organization This is a great way for our newest students to connect with South staff and their new classmates. It is very exciting to see where they will spend their middle school years. Feel free to have your child write down any questions and we will be sure to get them answered. Go to the Registration Form on ParentSq...
Post a Comment
Read more