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Message from Mrs. Kunze Events this week: Mon., 27th Guitar Hero Tournament during lunch Intramurals, 2:00-3:00, gym Tues., 28th FCAT Writes, 8th Grade 7:40 am District Writing Prompt, 6th & 7th Grade, 7:40 am Guitar Hero Tournament, lunch Intramurals, 2:00-3:00, gym Wed., 29th Early Release, 1:00pm FCAT Writes make-ups, 7:40 am Guitar Hero Tournament, lunch Thus., 1st Guitar Hero Tournament, lunch Intramurals, 2:00-3:00, gym Fri., 2nd Guitar Hero Tournament, lunch Chess Club 1:00-2:00pm Intramurals, 2:00-3:00, gym Regional Math Counts Competition - Swiss Point takes 3rd!!! Swiss Points takes 3rd overall out of 50 schools from Clay, Duval & St. Johns. The team will compete at the State level on March 30th. The team members are..... Kathleen Ballard - 8th grade David Damiani - 8th grade Yooree Ha - 8th grade Shelby Purl - 8th grade Zachary Villaverde - 7th grade Yooree Ha placed 4th overall out of 300+ students. CONGRATULATIONS to our team and Mrs. Robbins. Good Luck at State!!! Reminder from the Clinic SPMS follows the recommendation from the CDC(Center for Disease Control) and the DOH(Department of Health) that states that sick children should be kept at home until they are fever free for 24 hours without intervention from fever-reducing medications. You may want to consult your health care provider for treatment recommendations. In other words,if you have to give your child any fever reducing medications within a 24 hour period, the child should stay home another 24 hours to be monitored for fever. If during those 24 hours no medication had to be given to reduce a fever, the child may return to school the following day. Grades being updated in Parent Assist
In an effort to help parents know when grades will be updated and to give teachers time to grade, we will have grades updated on three dates throughout the quarter.
February 27th
March 19th
Please check parent assist on these days for the most accurate grades. Please contact the teacher first if you have any questions regarding grades.
Attention 8th grade parents!
Registration for high school academies is now closed. Letters of invitation from the academies will be mailed to the students on February 24th. Acceptance of this invitation must be online and this process opens February 25th with a deadline of March 2nd. If your child would like to apply for the APID program at Bartram, the applications and all teachers recommendations must be completed and mailed or taken to the Guidance department at Bartram Trail High School by March 30th. Click here to visit the website. Call Rachel Kusher at BTHS also for further information
2011-2012 Programs of Studies Timeline for Middle School students:
Feb 24 Letters of invitation (from each high school) are mailed to the students*
Feb 25 Online acceptance opens
March 2 Online acceptance DEADLINE**
March 5-6 BTHS comes to SPMS for 9th gr registration meetings with students and parents. You will receive info about an appointment time from BTHS beforehand.
* Please note that IF students apply for more than one program, they may receive multiple invitations.
** Students may only accept invitation(s) to one school, thereby committing to attending that selected school. Students may select an additional academy within that chosen school.
8th Grade Night at BTHS
On Thursday, March 1st at 6pm in the auditorium, Bartram Trail will be hosting an information assembly for incoming freshman students and parents. This will be a time for students and families to come to BTHS to hear a simple presentation about the school and what incoming freshman need to know about graduation, EOC's, etc. Parents and students will also be given access to various clubs immediately following the event.
APID (Advanced Placement International Diploma) at BTHS - deadline March 30th! APID is a globally recognized certificate for students who are thinking they may want to apply to a university outside of the United States. APID provides additional certification of outstanding academic excellence. Similar to an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, it challenges a student to display exceptional achievement on AP Exams across several disciplines. If you'd like more information and an application, please go http://www-bths.stjohns.k12.fl.us/APID. The application deadline is March 30th. All applications must be mailed or turned into BTHS, attention Rachel Kusher. |
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Daily Rotation for the Week
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Week of February 27th
Monday - Black day
Tuesday - Adjusted Silver Day to accommodate FCAT Writes, no study hall
Wednesday - Black day - 1pm dismissal
Thursday - Silver day
Friday- Black Day
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Volunteer Information
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New System to Sign Up to Volunteer Coming Soon!!
SPMS is in the process of setting up an account with Sign Up Genius. It is an internet program that conveniently allows volunteers to sign up for events, to bring things to school, etc. Currently, the program is being set up to schedule FCAT proctors. Please continuously look for updates! Any questions or concerns regarding volunteering at SPMS, contact Cynthia Casper at casperc@stjohns.k12.fl.us.
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PTSO News |
Next Meeting: March 14, 2012 at 9:30 am at SPMS
8th Grade Graduation Dance Party
Mark your calendars for a "Here's to the Night" semi-formal dance party scheduled for June 4th from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Nocatee Crosswater Hall. 8th Grade students were surveyed about the theme and chose the black and white theme. Keep your eyes open for the graduation flyer which will go home to 8th grade parents in March.
Box Top, Campbell Soup & Tyson Label News
Do not miss out on our final contest of the year which ends on 5/25/12. The top three students who send in the most labels will each win a gift card. Each student who brings in 50 valid labels will receive one Raider Buck. Please make sure to place your labels in a zip lock bag or an envelope with the student's name, grade and homeroom teacher's name listed. Thank you for supporting our school.
2012/2013 PTSO Board and Committees
This is the slate of candidates for the 2012/2013 PTSO Board and Committees. Election will be held in May.
Board:
President: Débora McCarty
1st VP Membership: Nery Dideo
2nd VP Fundraising: Mary Panariello
Treasurer: Sharon Moore
Secretary: Michelle Sotto
Committees:
Teacher Appreciation: Annette McIntosh
Concessions: Missy Kahn
Spirit Wear: Mary Ryan
Business Partner: TBA -- Still need volunteer
Volunteers: Cathy Wilson
Dance: Dyana Giles
Box Tops: Dena Warner
Book Fair: Nancy Ridley
5K Raider Run - February 25th at Bartram Trail High School at 8:30AM
Mark your calendars for our 5K Raider Run -- February 25th at Bartram Trail High School starting at 8:30AM. The course is very friendly and a lot of fun. You may register online now on www.active.com. Registration fee is $15 general entry and $10 for students/staff. Congratulation of our logo contest winner Cole Noack (7th Grade) and 2nd place to Coral Barry (8th Grade). Click here for more information including the entry form.
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SAC News
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School Advisory Council Meeting
Switzerland Point Middle School
Next Meeting:
Wednesday, March 21st, 2012
Teacher's Lounge, 3:30pm-4:30pm
Your Action Will Be Requested
Mark Your Calendars March 2nd.
March 2nd we are asking for parents to complete the SAC Needs Assessment Survey that is online. Needs Assessment Survey will help our school develop our School Improvement Plan with your input for 2012-2013. If you need a paper copy to complete and submit, we ask that you send in a note to your child's homeroom teacher and a survey will be sent home to you. We also ask that when you complete your survey online print the last page that "thanks" you for completing the survey or write a note stating you completed the survey. Your child will take this to their homeroom teacher to help their homeroom be the first to complete our survey. The first homeroom will win a prize. Please complete your survey(s) by March 19th. We want to thank you in advance for taking time to complete a survey for each of your children and their respective grade levels. Your input is important to us. We are looking for every family to participate so we can reach our goal of having 75-80% return. Thank you for doing your part to help us achieve our goal and to make our school the best it can be. After March 2nd the survey link can be found on our school's website http://www-raider.stjohns.k12.fl.us/
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Guidance News
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Ellen Dail - 6th grade & 7th grade A-L
Tanya Moseley - 7th grade M-Z & 8th grade
FCAT Writing Test for 8th Graders
Dear Parent/Guardian of 8th Grade Students,
The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) would like to inform you that your student will be taking the FCAT Writing Test on Tuesday, February 28, 2012.
The FCAT Writing Test is administered to Grades 4, 8, and 10 students in one 45-minute session in which students write an essay in response to a prompt. Your student will receive a planning sheet on which to plan his/her writing, but writing responses must be recorded in the writing folder. Your student will receive a score on a scale of 1-6 points.
Please be sure to review the following policies before the day of the test:
Electronic Devices-Students may not have ANY electronic devices during testing, including, but not limited to, cell phones and smart phones, even if they are turned off. We encourage students to leave devices at home or in their lockers on the day of testing.
Academic Honesty -Your student will be asked to sign a pledge prior to testing that states I agree that I will not give or receive unauthorized help during this test. I understand that giving or receiving such help during the test is cheating and will result in the invalidation of my test results. ~ If any student is caught cheating during the assessment, his or her test will not be score.
Leaving Campus-If your student leaves campus before completing the test (for lunch, an appointment, illness, etc.), he or she WILL NOT be allowed to complete the test. If your student does not feel well on the day of testing, it may be best for him or her to wait and be tested on a make-up day. Wednesday and Thursday, February 29 and March 1, are reserved as make-up days for the FCAT Writing Test.
If you have any questions related to this test administration, you may contact Mrs. Dail in Guidance.
Thank you for supporting your student as he/she prepares for the test.
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Students Corner |
Summer Marine Science Program
Applications for the summer Marine Science program will be passed out at all schools during the week of march 1st. Applications can also be downloaded at any time from the website prior to April 15 at the following link: click here to go to the link then click on the Marine Science Link.
This summer program is available to all students in grades five through eight and has been sponsored by the school district since 1982. Three seven day sessions are held at Menendez High School with bus transportation provided. the dates for the three sessions this summer will be June11-June 20, June 25-July 5 and July 9-July 25. (The school district will be closed during the week of July 16-20) Small classes that average 14 students are separated by grade level. All instructors in the program are st. Johns County District teachers.
The Marine Science Program is a carefully designed experience for responsible students who are interested in learning about out local marine environments. Learning is "hand on" in the field with students kayaking, canoeing, boating, hiking, snorkeling, sailing, windsurfing, surfing, etc . Specific grade level activities and curriculum are attached to the application and are also available from the website.
More information about the program can be had be emailing John Gordon at gordonj2@stjohns.k12.fl.us or by calling 547-8700.
L.E.E. - Language, Exploration, Enrichment
Click here to view information on the L.E.E. program.
2012 Dreams Come True Talent Show
The 2012 Dreams Come True Talent Show will be held tonight at 6:30 pm in the auditorium. Tickets cost $5.
Yearbooks on Sale
Yearbooks are currently on sale for $30 or $35 with a personalized nameplate. All orders can be placed online at www.yearbookordercenter.com. |
Policy Reminders | Switzerland Point Standards
Be Respectful
Be Responsible
Be Safe
School Safety!
Students, remember YOU help us keep Switzerland Point safe. Report any suspicious activity to Dean Hurst or Deputy Kowieski, or use the school tip line at 335-8609
Late Homework and Deliveries
The front office is unable to deliver late homework, books, projects, band instruments or PE uniforms to students at any time during the school day. We cannot stop the instruction of other students in class for any reason other than an emergency. We believe students are responsible to come to school prepared for the school day. Thank you for your support.
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AthleticsAthletic
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Creekside High School Sponsors Track Meet
Click here for information regarding a track meet sponsored by Creekside High School
SPMS Golf Team
Matches for the golf team will be announced later in the school year. Now the team is practicing in preparation for competition.
SPMS Wrestling News
Any students that would like to sign up for wrestling intramurals, please see a P.E. coach for a permission form. Wrestling will be on Tuesday's and Thursday's from 2:10 - 3:30.
SJMSAA Baseball/Softball News:
The baseball and softball teams are practicing diligently. Their schedule starts in March. First game to be announced.
SJMSAA Tennis Team update
The following students made the SPMS Raider Tennis Team:
Martin Gutierrez
Daniel Welch
Tyler Dugger
Brooke Morris
Garrett Cain
Sydnee Vaughan
Allie Arciprete
Chandler Harvin
Ian McClintock
Srindhi Suresh
Congratulations
Intramural Sports
Students get ready to sign-up for our new round of intramural sports. The new sports are volleyball and dodgeball. Volleyball will be Tuesdays and dodgeball on Thursdays. Students are allowed to do both if they choose. Activities will start Feb. 21st. Forms can be picked up from the PE coaches or the front office. If you have any questions, please see a PE coach. don't get left out of all the fun!!
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Lunch Menu
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Traditional lunch is $2.50
Ala carte pricing can be found using the link on the parent page of the SPMS website.
Week of February 27th
Monday - Chicken Nuggets with a roll, Home Style Chili witha roll, Tater Tots, Cinnamon Applesauce, Assorted fresh fruit & fruit juices, milk
Tuesday - Mini Corn Dogs, BBQ Chicken with a roll, Corn, Fruit Crisp, Assorted fresh fruit & fruit juices, milk
Wednesday - Mini Twin Jalpeno Burgers, Fish Sandwich on a bun, Baked Beans, Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle cup, Diced Pears, Assorted fresh fruit and fruit juices, milk
Thursday - Grilled Chicken Sandwich on a whole wheat bun, Tacos with lettuce, tomato, cheese cup, Whole Kernel Corn, 100% Fruit Sidekick, Assorted fresh fruit and fruit juices, milk.
Friday - Twisted Sticks with Marinara Dipping Sauce, Breaded Beef Fingers with a Roll, Carrot Rounds, Cinnamon Apples, Assorted fresh fruit and fruit juices, milk.
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The Redirecting Children's Behavior Course
Course Content
The Redirecting Children's Behavior course presents non-violent strategies that foster appropriate behavior in children. The following topics are explored: assessing and building relationships, styles of interaction and results to expect, handling emotions during heat-of-the-moment exchange, diagnosing motivations that lead to misbehavior, appropriate redirection strategies, improving self-esteem, fine-tuning communication skills, and creating problem solvers.
Details
The Exceptional Student Education department of the St. Johns County School District is offering the course free of charge. The 15-hour course is divided into a series of five 3-hour classes (one night per week). Participants must attend the first class to be eligible for the remaining classes. The current course will be taught at the Fullerwood Center auditorium (address is 10 Hildreth Drive, St. Augustine FL 32084). Participants must arrange for child care on their own. Special accommodations must be arranged with Susan Wells at 547-7772 the week before the first class session. Participants completing all 5 classes will receive a certificate from the International Network for Children and Families in collaboration with the St. Johns County School District's Exceptional Student Education Program.
Registration
The course is open to school district staff and to the public. Seating is limited. To register, please contact Susan Wells at (904) 547-7772 or wellss@stjohns.k12.fl.us. If you leave a voice message, be sure to spell your name and provide a phone number. Seats will be held until 5:45p during the first session - and then made available to those on the waiting list. Course Dates
Class 1........ 530p-830p, Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Class 2........ 530p-830p, Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Class 3........ 530p-830p, Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Class 4........ 530p-830p, Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Class 5........ 530p-830p, Tuesday, April 3, 2012
About The Publisher
The Redirecting Children's Behavior course is published and monitored by the International Network for Children and Families in Gainesville, Florida (Kathryn Kvols, President).
About The Instructor
The certified instructor for the course is George Freeman who holds a masters degree in psychology and is certified in the state of Florida as a behavior analyst. He currently serves as a Program Specialist for the St. Johns County School District. He has taught the Redirecting Children's Behavior course since 1999 and verifies that the course content is as relevant as ever!
YMCA to Offer Middle School Youth In Government Program
Middle school students motivated to learn more about how our state government works will want to sign up for the First Coast YMCA's upcoming Youth in Government (YIG) program. They will be the "founding members" of a local organization that has been part of the state YMCA program for over 50 years.
Youth will learn how to research, draft, and present a bill for it to become law. They will learn legislative procedures and protocol as they debate their bills before their peers.
High school Youth in Government participants hold their General Assembly in Tallahassee at the state Capitol and debate in the actual Senate and House chambers. Members of the current high school Youth in Government program, organized last fall, will be facilitators and mentors.
David Bonaro (Creekside High School), Peighton Jones and Katie Dyal (both of Nease High School) were recently installed as president, vice president and project manager, respectively, by St. Johns County Judge Clyde Wolfe.
Volunteers Tim Brooks, Jeani Taliaferro and Nancy Birchall will assist YMCA staff to coordinate the four sessions and the mock legislative assembly. Sessions will be held from 6:30 - 8:00 PM at the Palencia Club (600 Palencia Club Drive) on March 22nd, April 5th and May 3rd. An April 12th meeting will be at the Prosperity Bank building (790 N. Ponce de Leon Blvd.). The legislative assembly will convene at 9:00am and run until 5:00pm at the County Commission Auditorium on June 8. Lunch will be provided.
Cost of the program is $60.00. Scholarships are available. Applications are online at www.firstcoastymca.org. Look under St. Augustine and the Download Center for Junior Youth in Government application. Print, complete and return along with a check for the program fee to Danielle Smith at St. Augustine YMCA, 500 Pope Road, St. Augustine, FL 32080. For more information about YIG, visit http://www.floridayig.net. Questions about the program? Call danielle at 904-471-9622, Ext. 211. Parent to Parent Lunch and Learn Workshops Parent to Parent is a two session lunch and learn workshop that takes place over two days. each session last 1 1/2 hours. During the workshop we will go over what you can do to help teens avoid the problems that come from use of drugs and alcohol. Click here to view the flier with more information. Host An Exchange Student for 27 Days in July Step to USA is a 27 day program for students from Spain ages 14 to 17. This is a great program for families with younger children as it's a great way to start off the summer with a responsible teenager in the home. Enrich your life with an exceptional young person and open doors to learn about a new culture. Hosting can change your world! Host families provide a bed, meals, limited transportation and a warm supportive environment. Students all speak English, come with their own spending money and medical and insurance. Students are expected to have chores and be treated as a family member not a guest. They are here to practice their English and to learn American family culture and are eager to teach their host family about Spain! Students arrive on Sunday, July 1st in Orlando and will be bussed to the St Augustine area to meet their host families. The return date is July 27th. Students attend 1 all day and 1 half day field trip a week. Host family members are welcome to come along at group discount pricing. We will be visiting local sights as well as Universal Studios, Sea World and Daytona Lagoon. Bus transportation is provided for these field trips as well as airport transfers.
It Starts in Parks Click here to view 2012 Super Summer Spectacular. Lottery registration begins March 5, 2012. Epilepsy Walk Click here to view the flyer regarding a walk to honor Paul Dvorcek. The walk if Saturday, March 31st at Memorial Park in Jacksonville. Paul Dvorcek is the late father of SPMS student Cameron Dvorcek. Chocolate and Beyond Gala- A Sweet Way to Support Volunteers The 19th Annual RSVP Gala - Chocolate and Beyond will be held Saturday, February 25, 2012 from 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM at First Coast Technical College, Building C in St. Augustine. A parade of savory delicacies including chocolate, desserts and other fare will be available from many of the area's finest restaurants and specialty shops. Live and silent auctions, raffle and contests will also be part of this exciting event. Chocolate and Beyond is hosted by The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) of St. Johns County, and proceeds benefit the volunteer program and the Early Learning Coalition of Putnam and St. Johns County through book bag purchases. Tickets are $20.00 each and can be purchased by calling 904-547-3945 (credit card) or at Whetstones Chocolates and Cold Cow Ice Cream (St. Augustine) as well as Community First Credit Union in St. Augustine and select Jacksonville area locations. Proceeds from the Gala will be used for volunteer recognition and recruitment, as well as purchase of book bags for students through the Early Learning Coalition of Putnam and St. Johns County. Gala tickets are $20.00 each and can be purchased at one of the following St. Augustine locations: Cold Cow Ice Cream (U S 1 South), Whetstone Chocolates (Anastasia and King Street locations), and Community First Credit Union (north Ponce de Leon Blvd). Tickets are also available at select Community First Credit Union branches in the greater Jacksonville area. For payment by credit card or if you have questions please call 904-547-3945.
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