The Bulldog's Woof

South PTO will meet tonight at 7:00 PM in the Media Center.  See you there! TRAFFIC Although the winter cold seems to be giving us a bit of a break, next week is predicted to be a return to familiar frigid temperatures, and we can predict that traffic will see a corresponding increase. Let's start the New Year off right by following the procedures for dropping off & picking up students: When dropping off in the morning:   Pull all the way to the end of the driveway loop. 3 cars can fit after the crosswalk!  Students should unload from cars as soon as you're over the speed bump (or further back!). This allows 10 cars to unload at once and will speed all traffic through the driveway. You  can  pull ahead in the lefthand lane if you're done, but you  must  go slowly and allow other cars to enter. Also, check over your shoulder before pulling away from the curb in case anyone else is proceeding on the left. Do not use neighboring streets (or driveways!...

UGLY SWEATERS FOR A GOOD CAUSE Tuesday, 12/23 is South's traditional Ugly Sweater Day. For years, Sout staff wore "ugly" holiday sweaters on the last school day before the break for a casual, comfy day and chipped in to raise funds for a worthy local cause. For the past 5 years, students have joined the fun, showing off their wackiest sweaters or their wildest holiday costumes and contributed donations. This year, funds are being raised to support local families in need through direct, confidential contributions.  If you are in need of help to make the holidays festive this year,  contact the  Marge Crispin Center . They handle all requests for community members: 781-848-2124. BOOK FAIR 12/9-12/11, 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM; online 12/8-12/21 @  https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/southmiddleschool9 Order online or go to the site to add money to your child's e-wallet for in-school purchases.  ​ SOUTH MEDIA CENTER  - DECEMBER NEWSLETTER SOUTH SPIRIT WEAR Show your s...

   With the holiday season upon us, there are several ways  you can support South Middle School South is always looking for fundraising opportunities that allow folks to shop as you normally would  and  support South, earning commissions at no cost to you , our community of supporters. With the holiday shopping season upon, there are some easy ways to benefit the school without much additional hassle! Box Tops for Education Purchasing a lot of groceries for the upcoming feast? Scan your receipts to see if any qualify for Box Tops! The Box Tops program no longer requires you to clip and collect the actual, paper box tops. Instead, you can  download the app on your cellphone  and scan your receipt after any grocery shopping trip. I've also found it's worth scanning my receipt after a trip to most pharmacies and "big box" department stores, just in case! You'll find out immediately if any of your purchases qualify for a commission for South, and those cen...

FREE WEBINAR FOR PARENTS Next Wednesday, 10/15 at 12pm, McLean Hospital is offering a free, online webinar,  "Helping Kids Thrive Mentally and Emotionally: A Guide for Parents" . Even if you can't watch the webinar live at noon, if you  register online  they will email a video link to watch a recording at your convenience. This may be of interest to many of you as you try to usher your child(ren) safely and successfully through their adolescent years.  SOUTH PTO The October PTO meeting is Wednesday, 10/15, at 7pm in the South Library Media Center This month's "dine out" fundraiser is a little different than normal: PTO is working with  D&N Provisions  for a benefit meat sale. Orders placed at  https://tastethequality.com  between 10/20-10/23  and using the coupon code "SOUTH" at checkout  will earn 10% back for PTO. Whether you're planning a tailgate party or buying for the holiday season, have "Meats Delivered for a Good Cause"!...

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...

  Five from South: (1.) South Middle School The Musical 2: The Musical Revue debuts this Friday May 9th, at 7pm, with shows on Saturday May 10th at 2pm and 7pm.  Tickets are $10 and are available online at  https://southms.seatyourself.biz.  Contact Ms. Proulx ( kelly.proulx@braintreeschools.org ) with any questions. Break a leg! (2.) View  the extracurricular activities calendar here . We encourage all students to try different clubs to see what interests them, spend time with friends, and form connections with new students--and you should encourage your child to as well! (3.)  South PTO meets next Tuesday, 5/13, at 7pm for our May meeting. Agenda to follow. (4.) On Friday, 5/23, starting at 1 PM, South's annual Memorial Day assembly will begin. During this event, select 8th graders present the research from their Veterans Project, a civics program that teaches students about the sacrifices made by family members or local heroes who served in the Armed For...

  Five from South: Reminder:  please return to your child's homeroom teacher, if you have not already done so:  one copy of your child's  report card , signed by a caregiver signed  Course Selection  sheet Trivia Night is this Wednesday, 5:45-8:30pm  (at the latest).  See Mr. Sturtevant  if you still want to sign up your team. Braintree SEPAC's May meeting  will be this  Thursday, 5/1, 7:00pm , on the 3rd floor of Thayer Public Library .  Please see prior notice.   SEPAC is free & open to all. There are just over 2 weeks left to  sign up for  SPARK Summer Program ! Registration is open online until 5/15 for all students through grade 6, but program registration is first-come-first-served, so don't delay! Enjoy Ms. Nguyen's May newsletter from the  South Library/Media Center :

(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.

South Media Center Book Recommendations Ms. Nguyen, our Library Media Aide, has been offering Book Recommendations through her monthly newsletter throughout the autumn months. Folks looking for gift ideas might want to start here! There are also great books below from prior years' reading lists. (Please note: all links are affiliate links and will earn a commission to benefit book purchases for South students & staff.) December 2024 Cozy Reads (all are part of a series, so if your child enjoys them, there will be more to grab later!) Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Cabin Fever by Jeff Kinney ( Bookshop.org ; Amazon.com ) Zoobreak  by Gordon Korman ( Bookshop.org ; Amazon.com ) The Tail of Emily Windsnap by Liz Kessler ( Bookshop.org ; Amazon.com ) November 2024 Movie Night:  Out of My Mind  by Sharon Draper arrives as a film adaptation on Disney+ on November 22, 2024. The story centers around sixth grader Melody Brooks who has cerebral palsy as she navigates the school year ...

Five from South MS: (1.) The Scholastic Book Fair is at South for ONE more day! Students can shop for their own books tomorrow in school, or you can  shop online through Friday, 12/6 .  Every purchase at the Fair benefits our school's Media Center and classrooms! For more info, visit  https://scholastic.com/bf/southmiddleschool12 . (2.)  Yearbooks must be ordered on  Jostens.com  by December 20 to get the best price of $30. All yearbooks will be delivered at the end of the school year. (3.)  Shop at Five Below in Braintree this week and show the attached flyer to support South. We're halfway through this promotion, so don't delay! (4.)  Join the South PTO Facebook page if you haven't already:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/southmiddleptogroup (5.)  There are 2 weeks left in the Student Council Giving Race. Donate paper goods, cleaning products, or non-perishable foods to the Braintree Food Pantry. The grade that brings in the most item...

  This one goes to eleven ... (1.) Today our South Basketball teams tip off for the first game of the season at the East Middle Gymnasium. Boys will play East at 3:30 and Girls will take on the Cougars at 4:45. Admission is $1 for kids, $2 for adults, and concessions will be available for purchase (Proceeds will benefit the Crook Scholarship).  Go Bulldogs! (2.) Don't forget! Tomorrow, Thursday, 12/8, is an Early Release Day. Dismissal is at 11:45am for middle schools. Breakfast will be available but lunch will not be served;  order a bag lunch with this link before 7am tomorrow!   (3.) Students are reminded that signed Report Cards were due back to Homeroom Teachers  last Monday.  If you have not returned it yet, please do so promptly to avoid a disciplinary consequence. An extra copy of your report card can be requested in the Main Office and must be signed by your adult caregiver. (4.) South's Scholastic Book Fair will be open on Thursday and Friday for ...