Raider Rap - Week of December 17

If your child is attending the 8th grade Washington DC trip, Mrs. Kunze will administer make-up exams on Sunday, January 6th at 8am in the multi-purpose room.

Science Fair

Students will set up their science fair projects in the gym during the day this Tuesday, Dec. 18th. Judges will be at Swiss Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. The gym will be open for parents to view the projects from 6-8pm Wednesday night.

Middle School Career Academy Recognition

SPMS is one of 15 middle school in the state who were allowed to start a career academy. Students in the academy learn Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Outlook. The goal is for students to earn industry certification in these 3 areas. So far the students in the 15 academies across the state have eared 92 certifications - 22 of those have been earned at Swiss Point! CONGRATULATIONS to Mr. Moseley and his students!

Go to http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/Florida-Middle-School-Students-Earn-IT-Certifications-183198811.html

to view the article and slide show.

Mrs. Zentz is recognized as Floridas's Top Band Director

Laurie Zentz, band director at Switzerland Point Middle School, has been featured in the School Band and Orchestra magazine as one of 50 directors (one from each state) who make a difference. Below is the article:

Years at School: 2

Total Years Teaching:25

Instrumental Music Students:360

Teaching Philosophy: My broad experience teaching elementary, secondary, and special needs kids has taught me that I need to listen more than talk, make clear connections, never cut corners, never underestimate a child and make sure they are solidly grounded in fundamental of good musicianship.

Affecting Student development: If I can help young people discover strengths and talents that they never knew they had, and develop those strengths with confidence, focus, poise, attention to detail and perseverance, I feel I have done my job well. I hope they leave my classroom knowing they were each a valued member of our ensembles with fond memories of making music together.

Most Important Lesson Learned: Every student is someone's child - handle with care!

CONGRATULATIONS Mrs. Zentz!!! We are so lucky to have you at Swiss Point!!

Click here to read the Superintendent's Weekly Review

dated 12/11/2012

Service Project

The Advanced Civics classes are hosting a service project that will run from December 3 - December 21. In support of the NGSSS Civics state standards, advanced civics students are leading a letter writing campaign for troops serving overseas this holiday sesaon. It is our hope that this activity will support not only our students' civic participation, but also our extended SPMS family!

Cardboard "mailboxes" will be located in various locations around the school where students can drop their letters, notes, drawings, etc. to be mailed overseas. Civics students will be responsible for collecting the letters, proofing them for appropriateness, and packaging /mailing them off.

If parents would like to "sponsor" the postage of a package of letters, or suggest a recipient (family or friend) who is currently serving overseas, please contact Ms. Megan Miller or Ms. Darlene Dowling via email for more information.

Daily Rotation & Calendar for the Week

Week of December 17th

Monday - Black Day

Spelling Bee Championships, 1:15 pm, Auditorium

Student Faculty Basketball game, 1:15 pm, Gym, for 7th and 8th graders

High School Showcase, 3:00-8:00 pm, World Golf Village

Tuesday - White Day - no study hall

Science Fair, Gym

L.E.E., 1:30 pm, PLC

Wednesday - Special Exam Schedule - 1pm dismissal

Ms. Van Winkle study session, 7am, MPR

Semester Exam for S2 & S3

Winterguard Practice, 1:00-5:30 pm, Cafeteria

Science fair, Gym

FCA Meeting, 1:00 pm, Patio

SAC Meeting, 3:30-5, Room 725

Thursday - Special Exam Schedule

Semester Exam for B2 & S4

L.E.E., 1:30, PLC

Friday- Special Exam Schedule- Early Release

1:00 Dismissal

Semester Exam for B3 & B4

End of 2nd Quarter/Semester 1

Volunteer Information
Thank you Thank you to all who helped with the Holiday Gift Shop. Many gave hours and many gave donations....some gave both. SPMS is grateful for the wonderful parent volunteers. Enjoy the time off with your family!

PTSO

Click here to view the November 5, 2012

PTSO meeting minutes.

The December 10th meeting was canceled due to low attendance. The PTSO approved a money request by the Reading Department in the amount of $425 to expand the Reading Plus motivational plan to include more rewards and incentives.

Open Board Positions and Committees for 2013/2014

PTSO has a few open positions for 2013/2014. Please contact Débora McCarty at rdmccarty10@comcast.net if you are interested in holding a position:

President: OPEN

Membership: OPEN

Membership 2012/2013

Family membership is $20. Teacher membership is $10. Your membership helps us provide so much more. Please join.

Click here for membership form

Box Top, Campbell Soup & Tyson Label News

Continue cutting those labels! Be sure to check the expiration dates on each label. Please place your labels in a zip lock bag or an envelope with the student's name, grade and homeroom teacher's name listed. Our next contest will start the first week of January 2013.

Also, please visit http://www.boxtops4education.com/ to

school. Thank you for your support

SAC News

Switzerland Point Middle School

School Advisory Council Meeting

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Room 725, 3:30pm-5:00pm

As always, this is a public meeting, and all are welcome to attend.

Proposed Agenda

Welcome: Call to Order: 3:30
New Year Reflection/Goal Setting
Vote: Approval Of October Minutes
Finance Report: Emily Piscitello
Review of Needs Assessment Survey Questions: Parent Survey
Principal Update: Mrs. Kunze
New Business/Questions and Answers
Adjourn

Next Meeting will be Janurary 17th at 3:30pm

Proposed Items for December meeting:

Continue Review of Needs Assessment Survey Items

Guidance News

Guidance Counselors

Ellen Dail - 6th grade & 7th grade A-G

Tanya Moseley - 7th grade H-Z & 8th grade

Gifted Parent Advisory Dates 2012-2013:

1/8/13 Durbin Creek Elementary School

3/19/13 Ocean Palms Elementary School

5/13/13 Julington Creek Elementary School

*All meetings are from 3:30 to 4:30

Meetings are open to all parents of students served by the Gifted Program in St. Johns County Schools. These meetings are designed to provide information and discuss topics related to the unique needs of gifted learners.

Tutoring for Military Children

www.tutor.com is for U.S. Military Families that provides free, personalized 24/7 online academic support to military-connected children. This Department of Defense-funded program is provided at no cost to grades K-12 children in National Guard, Reserve and Active Duty military families, regardless of the service member's deployment status.

Attention 7th grade Parents

Your 7th grade student was given a flier to bring home in study hall from Take Stock in Children, an educational program in our district that provides college scholarships to deserving students who meet certain income guidelines. Each student selected to participate in Take Stock in Children will receive a 4-year college tuition scholarship. A mentor will be matched with the student who is a caring adult who will provide encouragement, support and friendship to the student. These scholarships provide the student with two years of community college tuition followed by two years tuition at a state university in Florida. Or the student may receive a two year post-secondary technical training scholarship. When selected for the program, the student (3rd - 9th grade) and his/her parents sign an agreement with Take Stock in Children that requires that the student: stay in school, have good attendance, maintain good grades, exhibit good behavior at school, and stay drug/crime free. Applications can be obtained through Mrs. Moseley in Guidance and must be returned no later than December 17th. NOTE THIS IS AN EXTENSION FROM ORIGINAL DATE

Hope for the Holidays
A Community Hospice program for the bereaved - The festive holiday season can be challenging for those experiencing the death of a loved one. They may find themselves torn between the need to grieve and pressure to get into the holiday spirit. It makes no difference whether the death took place last week or several months ago. A loss can be felt more acutely at this time. Community Hospice of Northeast Florida invites you to attend "Hope for the Holidays." Created for families, friends and caregivers who have experienced the death of a loved one, the workshop will help attendees reflect on their loss, cope with grief reactions and restore a sense of hope for the upcoming season.
Community Hospice bereavement counselors will present information about ways to cope with grief during the holiday season to determine what is right for individuals and their family. Attendees will learn how to refocus energy on positive activities that honor and remember their loved one. Hope for the Holidays is available at no charge and open to the public. Spaces can be reserved by calling 904.407.7001.

Doctor Forms/Checklists - Best Practice

Our students go to a doctor to be evaluated for many reasons and sometimes return to school with forms for the teachers to complete. Please be aware that it is our policy for the forms/checklists to be given by the parent or the student to the guidance department. The student's counselor will make sure that the forms are completed by the teachers and are mailed back to the doctor requesting them (please send in a large enough stamped envelope with the doctor's address on it). If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Dail or Mrs. Moseley in guidance.

Redirecting Children's Behavior Course
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.
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 (1/15, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5 and 2/12). Participants must attend the first class to be eligible for the remaining classes. The course is open to school district staff and to the public. Seating is limited and already filling up. To register, please contact Jill Bullard at bullarj@stjohns.k12.fl.us or call 547-7712. If you leave a voice message, be sure to spell your name and provide a phone number or email address. Seats will be held until 5:45pm during the first session - and then made available to those on the waiting list. Click here for more information.

Student Corner

Spelling Bee Dates

Each Language Arts teacher will hold their own class spelling bee. All of the class winners will participate in the grade level competition on their designated day.

6th grade - Tuesday, Dec. 11th - during study hall

7th grade - Thursday, Dec. 13th - during study hall

8th grade - Friday, Dec. 14th - during study hall

Winner from each grade level - Monday, Dec. 17th - study hall

Student's Corner- Just for 8th Graders

Career Academies and Programs of Choice

The district's career academies and other programs of choice have been recognized as some of the best in the nation. To ensure that students know their options for high school, the following dates will help parents and students to consider options available.

December 17 High School Showcase 3-8 p.m. at the World Golf Village

Registration opens for new applicants for Programs of Choice

February 8 Registration deadline

February 15 Acceptance letters mailed

February 22 Acceptances due

July 1 Deadline to appeal decisions

Academy Nights

Monday, January 14-St. Augustine High School/St. Johns Technical High School

Thursday, January 17-Bartram Trail High School

Thursday, January 24-Pedro Menendez High School

Monday, January 29-Allen D. Nease High School

Thursday, January 31-Ponte Vedra High School

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 Bus Passes Bus passes to ride home with another student are not allowed. The buses are at capacity.

Athletics

SJMSAA Soccer

Check out the St. Johns Middle School Athletic Association for schedule and records for all the Swiss Point teams. Go Raiders!

SPMS Volleyball Tryouts

Girls volleyball tryouts are December 10, 11, and 13 from

2:10 - 4:00. The boys' try-outs will be December 10, 11, and 13 from 4:30 - 6:00. We are looking for some outstanding players to be part of SPMS volleyball teams. The teams will be made up of 6th, 7th and 8th graders. There will be a boys and a girls team. Students must provide their own transportation in order to try out. Students need to have a tryout waiver form. signed and returned to Coach Burney. Tryout waiver forms can be picked up from any PE coach, any PE coaches webpage or the front office. Any questions please contact Coach Burney.

Winterguard

The SPMS Winterguard will be selling Winter Wish Grams during lunch between December 10- December 18. Winter Wish Angels will cost $1, and will be delivered to students during their Study Hall class. Students can share their good wishes and positive thoughts with their friends through these holiday notes while surprising them with a special treat - a mini-candy cane heart! Please help support the SPMS Winterguard this holiday season!

Lunch Menu

Click here to view information regarding the cafeteria.

Traditional lunch is $2.60

Ala carte pricing can be found using the link on the parent page of the SPMS website.

Week of December 17th

Monday

Macaroni & Cheese

Beef & Bean Chili

Whole Grain Breadstick

Steamed Broccoli

Cherry Tomato & Celery Stick Dippers

with LF Dressing Dunk Cup

Peaches

Variety of Milk

Tuesday

Mini Corn Dogs

Cheese Tortellini

Marinara Sauce

Baby Carrot & Cucumber Dippers with

LF Dressing Dunk Cup

Mandarin Oranges

Variety of Milk

Mustard, Ketchup

Wednesday

Cheesy Garlic Flatbread or

Personal Galaxy Cheese Pizza

Spinach / Romaine Salad Mix with LF

Dressing Dunk Cup

Corn

Variety of Fresh Fruit to include: Sliced

apples, Pears or Oranges

Variety of Milk

Thursday

Hamburger on a Bun

Hot Dog on a Bun

Potato Wedges

Baked Beans

Mixed Fruit

Variety of Milk

Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle Cup

Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo

Friday

Fish Sandwich

Beef Steak Burrito with Lettuce, Tomato,

Cheese Cup

Sweet Potato Puffs

Green Beans

Variety of Juice to include: Apple, Apple

Cherry, or Fruit Punch

Variety of Milk

Dipping Sauce, Taco Sauce

Community Events

UNF Camp Composition

Click here to view the UNF sponsored writing camp held in January and Februrary.

ESE Department Parents as Partners

Click here to view the St. Johns County School District- ESE Department Parents as Partners Winter 2012 Newsletters. It has much information regarding special needs and gifted students. It's mission is to identify and meet the unique educational needs of exceptional students and to provide support and resources to enhance educational opportunities so they may become productive citizens.

Julington Creek Baseball Registration

Early Registration Ends this Saturday, December 15th for Spring Baseball. Go to julingtoncreekbaseball.org

Girls Lacrosse

Early registration is open through www.creekslax.com/girls. See the website for more information.

33rd Matanzas 5K

Please support your cross-country and track teams by registering for the 33rd Matanzas 5K to be held on January 26, 2013 in St. Augustine. Race proceeds go to the running programs at St. Johns County high schools and middle

schools. Over the past 4 years alone, the Ancient City Road Runners have donated over $50,000 to the schools in our county. Bonus to school with most entrants. Entry fee is $20.00 before Jan. 12. For race entry, race expo and
sponsorship information, go to www.matanzas5k.com

Annual Winter Workshop & Audition Prep Clinic

The Bartram Trail Dance Team is sponsoring their Annual Winter Workshop and Audition Prep Clinic on December 14, 2012. Registration at the door. Please make checks payable to BTHS for $20.

The Winter Workshop will be held in the BTHS Auditorium from 5:00-8:00 pm and is open to all students in kindergarten through 7th grade. Dance technique classes for all ages and skill levels. Performance at end of workshop. Various styles of dance offered. We will watch the kids while you get your holiday shopping done!. Please pack a healthy snack.

The Audition Prep Clinic will be held in the BTHS Dance studio from 5:00-9:00 pm and is open to all students in 8th-12th grade. designed for those considering trying out for the 2013-2014 season of Dance team, however this is also open for anyone wishing to improve their dance skills. One on one assistance from past and present members of BTDT. Mock audition with immediate feedback. Please pack a healthy dinner and drink.

**Note: Any 8th grade student who would prefer to participate in the winter workshop instead of the prep class is welcome to do so, and any 7th grader wishing to join the prep class is encouraged to challenge themselves

Please contact Coach Lindell at bartamdance2004@gmail.com

St. Francis House Food Pantry Needs Your Help!

The cupboards are bare in the St. Francis House Food Pantry. Supplies to feed those among the most needy in St. Johns and surrounding counties are not merely dwindling, they are gone. A sign on the door announces that the Food Pantry is closed awaiting donations. November marks the start of the big holiday push to feed the hungry. St. Francis House is the only full-time emergency shelter between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach. The soup kitchen serves an average of 380 hot meals each day.

The Food Pantry at St. Francis House is in critical need of donations to stock its shelves. Last year, nearly 1,000 households received food from the pantry, which is open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

The St. Johns River Farmers Market has decided to act as a drop-off site for donations starting Saturday 11/10 at the weekly market from 10am to 2pm in Alpine Groves Park, 2060 SR 13, Switzerland 32259 through December 1st, 2012. Please bring any canned, non-perishable food items to the Farmers Market. THANK YOU!

Creekside High School has an exciting fall theatrical season!

On December 13th and 14th, you can join the Creekside drama group for some holiday fun as they perform a theatrical adaptation of The Nutcracker. Tickets for the show will be $7 and will include a reception after the show with the characters; attendees are encouraged to stay after the show to take photos with the characters and to enjoy complimentary cookies and hot chocolate. A percentage of proceeds from this will be donated to "Broadway Cares" as well.

For more information about any show, please contact Creekside's Theatre Director Leia Fixel via email at

fixell@stjohns.k12.fl.us