Dear Spanish Fort Middle Families,

Have you checked PowerSchool grades lately? Q3 Report Cards will go home with 8th graders on Monday, due to Career Day mixed schedules. Q3 Report Cards go home today for 7th graders ONLY.They will have their course selection sheets with their reports cards. These MUST be returned by next Friday, March 24th. If students were picked for pre-selected electives, this will be notated on students' course selection sheets. Here is the recommendation criteria for advanced courses. Email me, Erica Cruthirds (ecruthirds@bcbe.org), if you have questions.

ACAP Testing Schedule- This is for students who test in regular homeroom. (Students with small group testing, as predetermined in 504 or IEP accommodations, will be on a different schedule, which you should receive in an email.)

Thurs, April 6- Science for 8th Graders ONLY

Mon & Tues, April 10 & 11- ELA

Wed & Thurs, April 12 & 13- Math

Student Council is sponsoring Sweet Treats for Testing Motivation.The sale opened in MySchool Bucks on Mar. 1st and goes through Mar. 24th (posted to social media on Mar. 1). Each day of testing, you can purchase a sweet treat for your child, which will be sent with an encouraging note to your child's homeroom during our ACAP Summative testing window (April 6-13). Treats are $2 per treat/day. Thank you Mrs. Paige Wilson for setting this up!

NJHS will be sponsoring the “Many More Miles” shoe drive until March 25th. We are looking for gently used shoes (any type--doesn't have to be just sneakers), cleaned up and either tied together or put together with rubber bands, zip ties, or bags- whatever works! The idea is that the shoe still has "many more miles" left in it for someone else to use. Please bring donations to Mr. Yohn or Ms. Countryman by March 24th.

SFMS Football Update- Tuesday, April 4, 2023: Mandatory Spring Football Parent Meeting

Practice Dates:

April 17-20

April 24-27

May 1, 2

The coaching staff from Spanish Fort High School will be assisting in running SFMS practices. This is an evaluation time, where we will evaluate players and what positions they can play this fall for SFMS.

SFMS VOLLEYBALL 2023 Important Updates:

There will be a meeting for parents of any current 6th or 7th grader planning to try out for volleyball for the 2023-2024 school year THIS COMING Tuesday, March 21st at 5:30 in the SFMS Gym.

Volleyball Tryout dates

For current 6th graders – May 2-4 at 4:30-6:00

REVISED!!! For current registered 7th graders – May 8-10 at 3:15-5:00 (Mon-Wed)

Contact Coach Leigh Jones at LAJones@bcbe.org if you have questions.

SFHS Volleyball News:

There will be a meeting for parents of any rising 9th-12th grader planning to try out for high school volleyball for the 2023-2024 school year on Tuesday March 21st at 4:45 pm in the NEW GYM at SFHS.

~Up-to-date physical is required to tryout

~High school volleyball tryouts will be April 3-6

Library Happenings-

FundRays Coupon Books will run March 3-21st. If you have not bought a book before, you're missing out because it more than pays for itself in the local savings! See the graphic below.

March Madness Reading Competition will end Mar. 31st. A BIG thank you to Spanish Fort Education Enrichment Foundation for our great prizes! Students can win up to $100 in prizes!!!

Final Exams exemption requirements and our testing schedule can be found below (under ACAP Save the Date graphic)!

8th Graders: Digital Applications for the 2023-2024 Peer Helper Program at Spanish Fort High School are now open. All applicants MUST use their ibaldwin account to apply. ONLY digital applications will be accepted. The Peer Helper Program is available to 9th-12th graders as a club and in a class setting. Please note your interest in the class on your application. ALL application materials DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED to MARCH 20, 2023. Contact Lilly Casolaro with questions at lcasolaro@bcbe.org .

The Blood Mobile will be at our campus on March 23 from 9am-4pm. Click here for appointment. There will be a special treat bag for students who bring donors. Consider donating local to save local. Click here for the printable flyer and share! Thanks Toros!

We need Canteen volunteers!!! Canteen volunteer slots are a quick hour and a half. You work with a partner and get to see and interact with many of our students. Click here to visit the Sign Up Genius for March Canteen. Thank you for your support!

After School Tutoring- This is open to ANY student, but you MUST sign up EACH WEEK by the day before the session you would like to attend! You may begin signing up for the following week any time, beginning Friday morning. Click here to find out how to participate. We ask that if you have to cancel, please let us know ASAP by contacting ecruthirds@bcbe.org. ***Please note that Math Tutorials on alternate weeks for 7th and 8th grade. Each week on Friday, I update the Google Form to show what will be offered that week (7th or 8th grade Math). We have limited availability because we only have one after school Math tutor, tutoring a large range of abilities and multiple grade levels. Thank you for your understanding.

Please see "Happening Next Week" and “Coming Soon” sections below for upcoming dates for the 22-23 school year. We love our school community and appreciate all our parents do to help make many events and happenings possible on our campus. THANK YOU parents!

Have a great week & GO TOROS,

Erica Cruthirds

SFMS Curriculum Leader

Monday- Peer Helpers for SFHS rising 9th graders have digital applications due (Digital Applications)

Tuesday- ACAP SMALL GROUP Testing-ELA (students w/ accommodations); *Peer Helper AM; SFMS Volleyball Parent Meeting at 5:30 in SFMS Gym; Life South Blood Drive 9:00 am - 4:00 pm--click here for appointment (flyer down below with details); Last day to turn in FundRays Coupon Book $ in AM!

Wednesday- ACAP SMALL GROUP Testing-ELA (students w/ accommodations); Universal Studios- Band & Choir Trip

Thursday- *Scholar's Bowl AM; *Student Council Members AM; *Table Top Toros PM; Track Meet hosted by BMMS @ BCHS track; Universal Studios- Band & Choir Trip

Friday- *FCA Members AM; *Science Bowl AM; Universal Studios- Band & Choir Trip; Last day to donate shoes to NJHS sponsored "Many More Miles" Shoe Drive--see above for more details

*Click here for club/organizational meeting locations and times

• Want to see your student highlighted on social media for SFMS or SFHS-related organizations/activities/athletics/arts? Please feel free to send me pics and blurbs to highlight things our Toros are doing that you would like to see highlighted on our SFMS social media pages. Many posts are from parents sending me pics!

• Our office (clinic) is in need of any pants/bottoms you may have that your teenagers (or you) have grown out of, from leggings to sweats and joggers. I was able to donate 4 of my own (non-Lulus :) Thank you in advance Toros!

• Football Workouts are here! This is for CURRENT 7th & 8th Graders. Please see the graphic below for days and times. If your child needs transportation over to the high school (by bus), he can get a bus pass in the upstairs office from Mrs. DePalma.

• PowerSchool app not syncing or not up to date?

  iPhone users:

  You will go to “…” icon in the lower right > Account > click Sign Out in top right > sign back in

  This should fix it😊 Then, be sure, from the Dashboard (bottom left icon), be sure at the top right, you toggle to S2, if you want to see current grades, or S1 if you want to see last semester’s grades. From there, each course has the option, while clicked in the course, to choose which grading period across the top.

Mark your calendars for upcoming 22-23 events!

Click here to access the 22-23 BCBE Calendar.

Click here to access the 23-24 BCBE Calendar

Mar 17- Students will bring home Pre-Selected Electives acceptance letters, if applicable, and if more than one is granted, your choice is due by Mar 24

Mar 20- Peer Helpers for SFHS rising 9th graders have digital applications due (Digital Applications)

Mar 21-24- Part 1 of ACAP Summative Small Group State Testing only (students w/ accommodations)

Mar 21- Volleyball Parent Information Meeting (before tryouts) at 5:30 pm in SFMS gym

Mar 21- Last day to turn in FundRays Coupon Book $

Mar 23- Blood Mobile will be at Spanish Fort Middle 9am-4pm- click here for appointment

Mar 23-26- Band/Choir Orlando Trip

Mar 24- Last day to donate shoes to NJHS sponsored "Many More Miles" Shoe Drive--see above for more details

Mar 27-31- Spring Break- no school

Mar 31- March Madness Reading Competition ends (up to $100 in prizes!)

Apr 3-5 Cheer Clinic

Apr 3-6- SFHS Volleyball Tryouts for rising 9th-12th Graders

April 4-5- Part 2 of ACAP SMALL GROUP testing (students w/ accommodations)

April 6- Cheer Tryouts

Apr 6- ACAP Summative State Testing 8th Grade Science only (all 8th graders, including those w/ accommodations)

April 7- Good Friday (no school for students and teachers)

April 28- Field Day; Young Voices Festival

Apr 10-13- ACAP Summative State Testing English & Math 7th & 8th Grade

May 2-4- Current 6th grader Volleyball Tryouts 4:30-6:00 in SFMS Gym (Tues-Thurs)

May 4- Spring Toro Theater Production: The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet

May 5- 8th Grade OWA Field Trip

May 8-10- CURRENT 7th Grade Volleyball Tryouts 3:15-5:00 pm in SFMS Gym (Mon-Wed)

May 12- 8th Grade Celebration

May 19-23- Final Exams

• Fri., May 19- ELA/SS
• Mon., May 22- Math/Sci
• Tues., May 23- Electives
• Wed., May 24- Makeups/Students' last day of school

May 24- Last day of 4th Quarter/ Makeup Exam Day

May 25- Teachers' last day

Aug 9, 2023- 1st day of 23-24 school year

• Football signups , for current 7th graders and 6th graders who will turn 13 by Aug 1st, is located on the SFMS website https://www.bcbe.org/domain/481 . There is information on signing up for Google Classroom as well as Remind for the upcoming Spring and Fall seasons. All dragonfly must be up to date before working out or practicing.

• ACAP state testing dates have been set for our school. Please mark your calendars and plan for your child to be in attendance on these dates. Small group dates refer to students who have small group testing accommodations. See our graphic below:)

  Small Group Testing: March 20-24 and April 3-5 (if needed)

  8th Grade Science: April 6

  English & Math for 7th & 8th Grade: April 10-13

• Click below for our ROLLING BELL SCHEDULES for the year:

  • *8th Grade Rolling Bell Schedule for the Year
  • *7th Grade Rolling Bell Schedule for the Year

• Grades- Please remind students to stay on top of make up assignments when they miss school. It is their responsibility to make arrangements with their teachers to make up tests, quizzes, and assignments. They have 3 days upon returning to take care of missed tests, quizzes, and assignments.

  • Here is a link to our PowerSchool grades website. Get the PowerSchool app to help keep up with your student’s grades. Here are some directions for getting PowerSchool app access. Contact Erica Cruthirds if you need help: ecruthirds@bcbe.org
• Our Media Center will be open from 7:10-7:40 AM daily for both test make ups and book checkouts. Students MUST arrange their makeup test the day prior with their teacher prior to showing up to the library for making up a test and arrive CLOSE to 7:10 AM in order to have enough time. Students who arrive later than 7:20, without enough time to complete their assessments, may be turned away. We will have math and Spanish support in here at this time as well. Students wishing to check out books should enter the building and come straight to the library, prior to going to the cafe. Students will not be released once they are in the cafe to go to the library.
• ALL students should have headphones or earbuds available in their backpacks daily for instructional purposes. Dollar Tree is a great, cheap place to get these.
• We have student planners available this year for $10 on MySchoolBucks. These planners have beginning pages specific to SFMS, including contact information, important dates, school policies, and bell schedules.
• We have started serving breakfast in the mornings. All students meet in the café in the mornings until 7:40, so it’s a convenient way to squeeze in your morning meal if needed! Click here for lunch and breakfast prices. Click here for a la carte items If you need to access our Free and Reduced Meals Form, click here. Breakfast & lunch is part of the FREE and REDUCED lunch program. If you qualify for Free or Reduced meals, that includes breakfast and lunch! Click here for our Café website for all things cafeteria-related.
• Remember to send in excuses for absences WITHIN 3 DAYS OF THE ABSENCE. Students can have up to 9 parent-excused absences for the year. Any “PE” (parent excuses) over the 9 maximum you may see in PowerSchool are considered UA when it comes to truancy policies and exam exemption policy. We will no longer be taking absence excuses past due (must turn them in within 3 days).
• Reminder: Unexcused Tardies for LATE ARRIVALS to school are handled the same as SFHS. See our Tardy Policy above in our "Be on Time to The Fort" flyer. These tardies are totaled separate from tardies to class during the day.
• Dress Code Reminder: no pajamas (unless specified as a PJ day), no sweatshirts with text not appropriate for school, no biker shorts, shirts must cover stomach and have sleeves, no rips in pants or shorts exposing skin above mid-thigh. No shorts or skirts with slits up the side, which make them revealing above dress code lengths.
• Need to join PTA? We thank you in advance for your support everyone! We would not be the school we are without our fabulous Spanish Fort families' support. Click this link to join & SHOP FOR SPIRIT WEAR: https://sfms.memberhub.com/store?​​​​​​​
• Go to our PTA Facebook for more ways to SHOP FOR SPIRIT WEAR, get involved, and stay up to date: https://www.facebook.com/sfmspta1/posts/3003429053311376
• For club/organizational meeting locations and times, visit https://bit.ly/sfmsclubs