SPARTAN SCOOP

• Student Led Conferences: Please note the Internet and Social Media Parent Information Session (for all families) and details for the Washington, DC Parent meeting (8th grade families only) + Family Game Night
• Yearbook Sale
• Clubs Information
• Scholastic Book Fair + PTO October Newsletter + PHM Forum Information
• Fall Break Reminder
• Information from Previous SMORE

One my favorite things about fall is our Student Led Conferences and inviting families into our building! Our Student Led Conferences are open house style from 5pm-8pm and you do not need to sign up for a specific time slot. These will take place on October 17th and October 19th. Please note that conferences will end at 8pm so you will want to arrive no later than 7:30pm. Students will bring their chromebooks with them to school and will report to their Advisory teacher's classroom for the conference. Students will present a slide show highlighting each of their classes, specific artifacts, self-reflection components and more! We have a few community events during Student Led Conferences this year as well that we are excited to share. Please see below for details regarding our Student Led Activities.

Monday, October 17th:

Internet Safety & Social Media Parent Informational Session (begins at 6:15)

Conferences (5:00pm-8:00pm)

Counselor Connection Information (5:00pm-8:00pm)

NJHS Bake Sale (5:00pm-8:00pm)

Family Game Night (5:00pm-8:00pm)

Wednesday, October 19th:

Washington DC Parent Informational Meeting (begins at 6:00)

Conferences (5:00pm-8:00pm)

Counselor Connection Information (5:00pm-8:00pm)

NJHS Bake Sale (5:00pm-8:00pm)

Family Game Night (5:00pm-8:00pm)

PLEASE see the SMORE below that was sent out last week regarding Student Led Conferences. It provides descriptions and details of the events above.

Click here to order a yearbook. You can also share your photos here, enter schumucker for the school code.

Board games! Card games! Puzzle games! Get together with friends to enjoy an hour playing games. All grade levels are eligible to join the Board Game Club. Fill out the Board Game Club INTEREST FORM. Questions? See Mrs. Gish in Room 208 or email at: cgish@phm.k12.in.us.

We have other groups currently starting as well-- Concession Stand Club and Custodial Helpers Club! Please see Mr. Brundage for more details!

Details for Students:

What: Scholastic Book Fair

When: Monday Oct. 31 - Friday, November 4

Times: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm

Where: the SMS Seminar Room

Payment: cash or e-wallet (click here to watch a video on how to create an e-wallet)

Parent Volunteers Needed:

Please click here (Sign-Up Genius) to volunteer. Shifts are in 2 hour increments. PLEASE NOTE: In order to volunteer during the school day a parent/guardian must have a background check completed and approved.

Students will visit the Book Fair in Language Arts class during library time.

Students can also visit the Book Fair before school from 8:50 - 9:05am, and after school for car riders 4:00 - 4:15pm.

Visit our Book Fair homepage to learn more and get started with eWallet and online shopping. If you order online, all orders ship directly to your home, and shipping is free for book orders over $25. Your online orders will also benefit our school.

PTO has created a sign-up genius for the November and December staff appreciation events. November's staff treat will be a trail mix bar/station. December's treat will be coffee and cookies. If you would like to sign up to help contribute, please use the signupgenius link.

Thank you!

A big thank you to Penn High School for hosting this month's P-H-M Forum meeting! Forum representatives toured the new state-of-the-art weight room and met with student athletes taking part in a Strength and Conditioning class. It was wonderful to hear about how engaging and encouraging the class is for the athletes. There was so much positive energy and commitment to excellence! As an added bonus, our tour guide was SMS alumnus and Penn Quarterback, Nolan McCullough! He reminded us that SMS athletes can take part in weight training at the high school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 7:30-8:15am. These "Futures" aren't in the new weight room (high school students use it for 0-hour workouts), but instead use the fitness center and upstairs weight room. Considering high school "Rookies" start upstairs, this bonus conditioning time can no doubt help acclimate them to their future routines. Students must pre-register to attend these sessions. More information can be found here.

We also toured new science labs and watched students conduct experiments with bacteria and potatoes. The spaces (and classes) were college-level impressive! The students we met were part of a PLTW class and an AP Bio class. Gaining bench research skills in high school will be so valuable to their coursework in college. The students shared how great freshmen classes got them excited for and well prepared to take these more advanced science courses.

The visit to Penn showed how committed Principal Sean Galiher, his assistant principals, and deans are to providing the very best resources to their students. It also showed how well the school works with the greater P-H-M Corporation to ensure facilities are as high performing as the children and staff inside them.

P-H-M Forum is a stand-alone, volunteer-based group which meets monthly with District Superintendent Dr. Jerry Thacker and various administrators to learn more about district initiatives. It is not an advisory committee. Representatives come from each school's PTO and have a child or children attending that school. Schmucker has two open spots, if anyone is interested in joining our President at the monthly meetings. The next forum will meet November 2nd and share information about Middle School electives and extracurriculars (foreign language, art, STEM, and sports).

Reminder that there will be no school on Friday, October 21st or Monday, October 24th, due to Fall Recess.

Please note that each Friday morning, beginning at 7:45am, our Intramurals Sponsor, Mr. Sears, holds an Early Bird Open Gym. Students are welcome to enter through Door L and participate in a variety of games and activities. Please reach out to Mr. Sears (DSears@phm.k12.in.us) for specific questions or details.

PTO Members & Volunteers:

Please see the PTO Newsletter for the month of October.

Educational Assistant: If you or someone you know has a passion for helping students succeed and feel yourself to be a life-long learner, problem solver and collaborative team member, then this is the position for you! Please reach out to me (KMartin3@phm.k12.in.us) if you would like to talk about the details regarding this position.

Universal Substitute: If you or someone you know loves being in the classroom, and collaborating with teachers and students, then please reach out with interest or questions to me at (KMartin3@phm.k12.in.us). The daily rate for this position is $115 and there is flexibility within the schedule.

It is important for us to maintain a high level of academic excellence here at Schmucker Middle School. In order to help with student focus and to eliminate possible distractions, we ask that students keep their cell phones in their locker at all times during the school day. Students have access to school phones here at school (main office, nurse, teacher classrooms) should they need to get a hold of you during the day. We thank you for your support in this and focus on academic excellence.

Click the button below for more information.

Parents,

Families have the option of receiving weekly emails outlining your students online activity while using Chromebooks. This online service is free and it gives parents an opportunity to maintain a safe learning environment at school and at home. Please click on the attached links to learn more about how Securly can help you.

• Click to read and download a copy of the parent letter that provides step-by-step instructions on how to set up your Securly Parent Portal.

If you see something, hear something, say something! The Safe School Helpline is a convenient, confidential way for anyone to report information about situations that might affect safety at any P-H-M school or building. You can call the number any time of the day or night to report concerns about unsafe or potentially disruptive activities or situations including drug or alcohol abuse, weapons, harassment, bullying or threats. All calls are completely confidential.

• 800-418-6423 (800-4-1-VOICE, ext. 359)

• TEXT: 66746, TIPS

• www.safeschoolhelpline.com

• Chromebooks- Lee Riley (lriley@phm.k12.in.us )

• Attendance- Linda Brown (lbrown2@phm.k12.in.us)

• Textbooks and Fees- Ashley Kirkpatrick (akirkpatrick@phm.k12.in.us)

• Special Education Teachers

• 6th grade- Courtney Heck (check@phm.k12.in.us )

• 7th grade- Meaghan Donahue (mdonahue@phm.k12.in.us )

• 8th grade- Allie Chrise (achrise2@phm.k12.in.us )

• Multiple Grades- Chiffon Williams (cwilliams7@phm.k12.in.us)

• School Counselors

• Jenny Shaw (Last Names A-G) (jshaw@phm.k12.in.us)

• Cara Watt (Last Names H-N) (cwatt@phm.k12.in.us)

• Andrea Hoover (Last Names O-Z) (ahoover@phm.k12.in.us )

• Athletics- Jim Modlin (jmodlin@phm.k12.in.us )

• Enrollments/Withdrawals/Address Changes- Aly Abel (aabel@phm.k12.in.us)

• PTO- (schmuckerpto@phm.k12.in.us)

Email: kmartin3@phm.k12.in.us
Website: http://schmucker.phmschools.org/
Location: Schmucker Middle School, Bittersweet Road, Mishawaka, IN, United States
Phone: 574-259-5661
Twitter: @SMSSpartanPride