We hope everyone is enjoying their summer. It is hard to believe that the students will be back in 31 days.
If you haven't stopped by to pick-up your child's report card, Civics EOC score report or FCAT Science score report, the office is open from 7:30am to 3:30pm Monday through Friday.
Please remember that this Monday, July 13th is the last day to request a course change. Please email me at Lisa.Kunze@stjohns.k12.fl.us I have responded to everyone's requests so far. If you did not receive a reply from me, please resend the request in case for some reason I never received the original email.
Schedules will not be available until Saturday, August 8th during our "Get Ready for School" event. We have received many calls because some students saw a schedule during the District's "Roll Over" to the new school year. We have unscheduled all students to make some course changes to the master schedule, so the schedule some students saw is not accurate.
We have received several calls regarding dress code and backpacks. Nothing will change from the last few years. Students will only be allowed to carry a drawstring bag during the school day to their classes. The straps of the bag must be the strings that cinch the bag closed. PTSO is selling a drawstring bag for your convenience. Students can carry a large backpack to and from school, but this bag must be kept in their locker during the day.
Acceptable backpacks to carry to class.
Not acceptable backpacks to carry to class, but are acceptable to carry materials to and from school.
We will enforce the St. Johns County School Districts dress code, which starts on page 12 of the 15-16 Student Code of Conduct. Students are allowed to wear sandals with a heel strap in middle school, so the cute open toed sandals that are popular with the girls ARE allowed. Our typical dress code violations are skirts or shorts shorter than 4" above the knee, spandex or yoga pants, see through shirts, and shirts that are too low revealing cleavage. Below is a link to the Student Code of Conduct to read the entire dress code.
Link to 15-16 Student Code of Conduct
ALL of the information below has been in a previous Raider Rap.
The math department has decided to CHANGE the calculator that we are asking 7th & 8th grade students to purchase. After continuing their research on acceptable calculators to use on the FSA, the teachers found that the Texas Instrument TI-30Xa is more user friendly than the Casio that we previously had on the list. Students may use the Casio, if it has already been purchased. We apologize in advance for any confusion or inconvenience that we are causing. Since there is such a difference in the calculators, we felt that the students would like the ease of functionality of the Texas Instrument calculator better.
The supply lists are below and on the Swiss Point website.
6th grade supply list
You will notice that we are tying something new in 6th grade with a large binder for Silver day classes and a separate large binder for Black day classes.
REVISED WITH NEW CALCULATOR
7th grade supply list
8th grade supply list
Last year PTSO used an outside company to offer school supplies as a small fundraiser. The feedback from parents and students was that the supplies were not of very good quality. This year the school will be working with PTSO to create our own supply boxes. ALL of the 6th grade supplies can be purchased online, but only the 7th & 8th grade homeroom supplies can be purchased this year.
We will be using a safe online payment program called SchoolPay. You may purchase supplies online until midnight, Sunday, July 26th. Supplies will be available for pick-up on Saturday, August 8th at our "Get Ready for School" event.
Link to SchoolPay website
Saturday, August 8th - Get Ready for School event
We hope that everyone will be able to attend this event to pick-up class schedule, textbooks, lockers, supplies ordered online, etc.
We ask that you please try and attend during your assigned time to help with wait time in lines. We understand if you have children in multiple grade levels and want to bring them at the same time. If you are not available to attend, you may give a relative or a friend permission to pick-up materials.
6th grade
Last names A-L: 8am to 9:30am
Last names M-Z: 9:30am to 11am
7th grade
Last names A-L: 11am to 12pm
Last names M-Z: 12pm to 1pm
CLOSED from 1pm-2pm so volunteers and staff can eat lunch!
8th grade
Last names A-L: 2-3pm
Last names M-Z: 3-4pm
To help ease the long lines on Saturday, August 8th. PTSO is offering spirit wear and PTSO memberships online for a limited time this summer. Please click on the link below to purchase spirit wear or join the PTSO by Wednesday, July 22nd. Items will be available at the MS 101 night, Thursday, July 30th and/or Saturday, August 8th.
PTSO link to order spirit wear and to join PTSO
Students entering 6th grade in August
Welcome to Swiss Point MS!! Below is your summer reading assignment. To prepare for 6th grade math ALL students need to have their multiplication tables MEMORIZED. Please work with your child over the summer to ensure they are ready for 6th grade math.
Summer reading for students entering 6th grade
Description of Sunshine State books
Important change for 6th grade camp! Due to a scheduling conflict with training being offered at the district, we need to change the dates of the 6th grade camp to Thursday & Friday, July 30th & 31st. We apologize if this causes any issues with attendance and will refund money if necessary.
Students entering 7th grade in August
Congratulations on finishing 6th grade!! We hope you had a great year and look foward to you returning in August.
Below is your summer reading assignment.
Summer Reading for students entering 7th grade
Description of Sunshine State Books
There are still 220 students entering 7th grade in August who have not had the REQUIRED Tdap Immunization. We MUST receive documentation of this immunization on the Florida Shot record, DH 680, before Saturday, August 8th or your child will not be allowed to attend classes on the 10th. PLEASE make your appointment and bring us this form this summer to avoid a long line on Saturday, August 8th.
Students entering 8th grade in August
Congratulations on finishing 7th grade!! You have a lot to look forward to this upcoming year - Washington DC trip, 8th grade Field Trip, 8th grade Semi-Formal Dance.
Below is your summer reading assignment.
Summer Reading for students entering 8th grade
Description of Sunshine State Books
There will be an informational meeting after Open House on Tuesday, Auugst 18th for the 8th grade Washington DC trip. The cost is $890 per student and $990 per adult. The trip will be January 3rd through the 8th. We will start accepting the $250 deposit on August 18th. Seats are on a first come first serve basis. We need 48 students/parents to fill bus 1, and 50 students/parents to fill each additional bus. This is an amazing trip that your child will not want to miss.
Students entering 9th grade in August at Bartram Trail
Below is the summer assignment for ALL students entering 9th grade. Please note that there is NO summer assignment this year for AP Human Geography.
9th gr BTHS Summer Assignment
Students entering 9th grade in August at Creekside HS
There is NO summer reading assignement.
Important Dates for Next Year
July
Monday, July 13th - LAST day to request a change to courses for 15-16 school year.
Thursday & Friday, July 30th & 31st - 6th grade camp
Thursday, July 30th at 6:30pm - MS 101 Informational meeting for 6th grade parents
August
Saturday, August 8th - Get Ready for School day - students pick-up class schedule, textbooks, lockers, purchase spiritwear, etc.
Monday, August 10th - 1st day of school
Tuesday, August 18th at 6pm - Open House for 7th & 8th graders
Wednesday, August 19th - PTSO Magazine fundraiser starts
Thursday, August 20th at 6pm - Open House for 6th graders
Thursday & Friday, August 27th & 28th - 6th grade Health Screening
September
Monday, September 7th - Holiday!
Thursday & Friday, September 17th & 18th - Fall portraits
October
Tuesday, Oct. 13th through Friday, Oct. 16th - 1st quarter exams.
Monday, Oct. 19th - Planning Day - no school for students!
November
Wednesday, Nov. 11th - Holiday!
Thursday & Friday, Nov. 26th & 27th - Thanksgiving break
We HAVE school on Wednesday, Nov. 25th
December
Monday through Friday, Dec. 14th - 18th - 2nd Quarter exams
Monday, Dec. 21st through Monday, Jan 4th - Winter Break
January
Sunday, Jan. 3rd through Friday, Jan. 8th - 8th grade Washington DC trip
Tuesday, Jan. 5th - Teacher Planning day
Wednesday, Jan. 6th - Classes resume
Study Island
Study Island is an all online product designed to help your child master the standards specific to his or her grade level in your state.
Below you will find links to help explain the program as well as usage over the summer.
SPMS Study Island Parent Overview Letter
Study Island Summer Usage