Bulldog Bulletin - 9/8/2026

Today was the 3rd day of school, and the routines of the new school year are well under way! Some tips & tricks as we move ahead:

(1.) DAY 4
Wednesday, 9/9, will be the first Day 4 of our school year. For our new students, it is important to note that means your half-cycle classes will switch over for the first time. Check your schedule for Day 4 and you'll notice that 2 half-cycle "elective" classes will be new courses with new teachers in different classrooms. Make sure you know where you're going, and don't be afraid to ask for help finding a new room location!

(2.) MORNING TRAFFIC
Traffic is improving quickly in our driveway. Please note: Morning dropoff should begin as soon as you're over the speed bump at the latest! Folks are used to waiting to pull down in front of the building, but traffic flows much faster when you unload earlier.

Cars should be unloading all the way through the highlighted yellow section in the map.

Frequently Asked Questions: 

• What if the cars ahead of me are pulling away? The rear cars start to unload later, so it makes sense that the front ones will be the first to go. Do not pull down; finish unloading your car first. As soon as you're child is safely unloaded, you'll join that flow of traffic out of the loop.
• Can I unload earlier and skip all this traffic? Yes! It is highly recommended to unload anywhere along the orange-highlighted section, and then pull into the left lane and slowly proceed through the driveway loop. Your child is in middle school: they are perfectly capable of walking down to the front door. 
• If I'm in the line and my kid got out, can I pull around people? Carefully, yes. Make sure to look over your shoulder before pulling away from the curb! Arriving staff and other early drop-off cars might be coming along in the left, so be safe, but please feel free to pull into the left lane and slowly drive through the loop.
• What if we need a minute to get organized? Please pull around the loop slowly, park in one of the spots toward the end of the lot, and take your time out of the traffic flow.

Traffic was a lot smoother this morning and the traffic jam ended sooner. We noticed a lot more carpools, and it makes a big difference! Also, a lot of cars came through between 7:30-7:40, and those folks missed all the traffic! If you arrive early, please do not park in the drop-off line or in the staff parking spots at the front of the lot. Pull down to the end of the lot, or have your child unload to wait with the other students until the doors open.

(3.) SOUTH SOCCER TRYOUTS
South Soccer Tryouts will be 9/9 and 9/10, open to any interested 7th or 8th grader. Make sure you have been cleared by BHS Athletics, or you will not be permitted to try out. See Mr. Boynton or Mr. Rosenthal with any questions. 

(4.) STAYING AFTER SCHOOL

(A.) LATE BUS

The Late Bus will be available at South starting next Monday, 9/14. The Late Bus runs Monday through Thursday and is open to any student who normally rides a bus. You will need your regular bus pass and a late bus pass from a school activity. You need to know your home address (or bus stop); each rider tells the driver where they live and the driver plans a route home that stops at or near each house or bus stop to ensure everyone gets home safely.

(B.) AFTERSCHOOL HOMEWORK LAB

Homework Lab starts next Monday, 9/14. Any student can stay for the Homework Lab to work on schoolwork. HW Lab is staffed by South paraprofessionals, who can help answer homework questions. Students must arrive on time (by 2:30) and have work to complete. 

(5.) CALENDARS
Attached, you will find the Days of the Cycle calendar for middle schools, which may be of use throughout the school year. If you use calendars on your smartphone or on Gmail at home, you may also find it useful to subscribe to our school calendars to have events automatically added. If you subscribed in prior years, it should be automatically updated with this year's events/cycle days as of this morning; no need to resubscribe!

• South Middle School Events: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=YnJhaW50cmVlc2Nob29scy5vcmdfbW12dXU0cTkzYzJjM2Q0Y2k5Y2M4N2YwbGdAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ
• Days of the Cycle: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0?cid=YnJhaW50cmVlc2Nob29scy5vcmdfOTU4Y2E0MGpmZjE4dWhybjNybDQ1ZXVoOGtAZ3JvdXAuY2FsZW5kYXIuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbQ

How to add a calendar:

• On an iPhone, open Calendar app; click "Calendars" at the bottom center; then click "Add Calendar" on the bottom left. Paste in this address: 
  • South Middle School Events: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/braintreeschools.org_mmvuu4q93c2c3d4ci9cc87f0lg%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
  • Days of the Cycle: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/braintreeschools.org_958ca40jff18uhrn3rl45euh8k%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
• On your computer, open the Google Calendar; where it says "Other calendars" on the lefthand side, click the + sign and then "Subscribe to calendar"; on the left, under "Add calendar", click "From URL" & paste in the address above.

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.

REMINDERS & IMPORTANT DATES:

• South PTO Foley's ice cream dine-out is this Thursday, 9/10 until 9 PM. 
• Middle School Open House is next Thursday, 9/17, 6:30-8:00 PM. Meet your child's teachers, see their classrooms, and hear about what to expect from their learning this school year. Make sure you have a copy of your child's schedule, or ask them to write their teachers' name & room numbers down for you, so you know where to go in the building! Students are notexpected at Open House.
  • 8th graders' parents & guardians: Grade 8 Washington DC trip Information Night is 6-6:30 PM before Open House on 9/17. Come hear more about the optional, 4-day overnight field trip to DC, 3/17-3/20/2027. 
  • 5th graders' parents & guardians: Mr. Rainie will provide information about What to Expect During Middle School before Open House, 6-6:30 PM, on 9/17 in the South Library Media Center. Hear more about navigating the middle school years and what South Middle School offers to your children through grades 5-8.
  • Thayer Public Library has an active Teens group and also offers activities for "tweens" in middle school. On Thursday, 9/17, 6-7 PM, check out the Tween Book Club! (This could be a great drop-off option while parents attend South's Open House!)
• School Picture Day is next Friday, 9/18 during the school day. Dress accordingly, and don't forget to brush your hair and floss those teeth!
• Thursday, 9/25, is an early dismissal day. Middle school dismissal is at 11:45 on these days.
• 8th grade French students & parents are invited to a Québec Trip Information Night: Thursday, 10/1, 6-7 PM. See Mme. Cortez with any questions.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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Twitter: @SMSBraintree
Bluesky: @SMSBraintree
Like & follow the South PTO page on Facebook, and email southmiddle.pto@gmail.com to get on their mailing list!