SMS Parent Nation

True Blue Raiders were selected this past week.  The True Blue Raiders are selected by their grade level teachers.  They embody honor, academics, attitude, and citizenship.  Congratulations to the following students and their families:

6^thKyle Nugent & Lexi Bartlett

7^thAustin Millard & Jenna Kenney

8^th Stewart Rhodes & Stephanie Graham

Monday, October 13

6:45 AM 7th Grade Volleyball and Football Pictures for yearbook

7th Grade Football @ FAAC, 7th Grade Volleyball @ The Raider Nation, 8th Grade Volleyball Watauga

Tuesday, October 14

8th Grade Football @ The FAAC

Friday, October 17

Choir Fundraiser Begins

Saturday, October 18

7th Volleyball “A” tournment @ North Oaks Middle

Monday, October 6

Fall Break-No Classes

7th Grade Football @ Birdville Stadium (Haltom City), 7th Volleyball @ No. Richland, 8th Volleyball @ The Raider Nation, Tennis v. Keller @ Birdville High School

Tuesday, October 7

8th Grade Football @ Birdville Stadium (Haltom City)

Thursday, October 9

Raider Buck Store 6th and 7th

7:00 Fall Choir Concert @ BHS

Friday, October 10

Raider Bucks 7th and 8th grade

Report Cards Go Home through RRRR

Saturday, October 11

8th Grade Volleyball A-Tournament @ Bedford Jr. High

Sept 29

7th Grade Volleyball @ Hurst Jr. High

8th Grade Volleyball @ Home

7th Grade Football vs. Hurst @ Central  Field #2

Tennis @ Fossil Ridge High School vs. Fossil Hill

Sept 30

8th Grade Football vs Hurst @ Home

Oct 3 and 6

Student Holiday

Monday Sept.-15

8th Grade Volley Ball @ Harwood

7th Grade Volleyball @ Home

7th Grade Football @ Home

Tennis vs.  Trinity Springs @ Central High

Tuesday Sept. 16

8th Grade Football @ Harwood

Wed. Sept. 17

Progress Reports Go Home

Friday Sept. 19

6:00-8:00 Back To School Bash (Activity Night)-$5

Parents,

Cookie dough fund raiser money is due tomorrow, Sept 10.  Thanks for your assistance.

At this time today’s football game is still scheduled.  Game on! 

Sincerely,

Jeff Russell

Parents of 8^th Grade Students:

Please read this introduction before proceeding to the link that follows from the SMS web-site.  Eighth grade students who are self-disciplined, self-motivated and who are ready for the challenge of high school level work have the opportunity to take some high school courses via BISD’s Off Campus Online Instruction (OCOI).  These courses include:

• Health (also offered on our campus) which fulfills the one-half credit required for high school graduation;
• Foundations of Personal Fitness which fulfills one-half of the 1.5 credits for high school graduation (all of which can be met with three years of band, two years of athletics, or any two-to-three credit course in the Career and Technology Department); and
• BCIS I and BCIS II which together fulfill the one credit required in the area of Technology Applications (which can be met by Tech Systems [full year course] in the middle school as well as by numerous course offerings at the high school).

Registration for these online courses will take place before September 22^nd, exact dates to be announced.  The courses begin on September 22^nd and end on January 9^th.  All work and communications are done online: no campus/face-to-face instruction will be provided.

These courses are being offered to allow students to accrue credits outside of the school setting, opening more class sections for those who might need it.   These students might include those with a combination of athletics, fine arts, and/or career and technology courses.  Again, these courses are at the high school level and are meant for only those students serious about working hard.

If your student is interested, please email Mr. Sparkman (Byron_Sparkman@birdville.k12.tx.us).  He will:

· Check your student’s schedule to ensure that they are not already scheduled to take health here at Smithfield;

· Answer your questions about the appropriateness of this program in meeting your student’s academic goals;

· Notify you when the registration process is ready; and

· Register your student for the course.  Payment will be due at registration.  Please note that a student may withdraw from the course within fifteen days of registering and receive a refund minus $25.00 (administration fee).  A student who fails to make online contact with the instructor within the first fifteen days will be withdrawn from the program without a refund.

For further information click- http://www.birdville.k12.tx.us/schools/046a/index.html  and Scroll to update II

Sincerely,

Byron Sparkman

Parents,

Volleyball games begin @ 4:30-B-team plays first

Football games begins @ 4:30-A-team plays first

Sept 8

7th Grade Volleyball @ North Oaks, 8th Grade Volleyball @ home

Sept 9

8th Grade Football v. North Oaks @Fine Arts and Athletic Complex (FAAC)

Sept 10 

Fundraiser Money Due

Sept 12

1.  Choir Lock In-6:00 pm-10:00 pm

Please contact Mrs. Crawford for questions regarding the Lock In.-817.547.5093.

2.  7:30 Middle School Night at the Birdville Hawk Game @ The FAAC

3.  Friday is Raider Pride day.  Encourage your child to wear their SMS shirt to school.

Have a great week,

Jeff Russell

7th and 8th grade Parents,

Your child is being given a school map today and is to write out his/her schedule on the map during advisory.  It will be handy to know who their teachers are tonight.  Please don’t leave home without it.

I look forward to seeing you at six.

Sincerely,

Jeff Russell

Parents,

If you miss out on the try-outs for gymnastics last year, there will have a small try-out on Friday Aug. 29 at 6:45am held at the Shannon Center. This will be the last time this year that we will hold a try-out for the 2008-2009 ms gymnastics team.

If there are any questions, feel free to e-mail us at bisd_coaches78@yahoo.com

Thank You.

Shauna Stout
Michelle Crawford
BISD MS Coaches

MEET YOUR COACHES

Parents of Athletes—

Don’t forget Wednesday night (Aug. 27^th) is your chance to meet your child’s coaches.  There will be a short meeting in the cafeteria at 6:00pm.  Following that meeting, the lady coaches will move to the library and the gentlemen coaches will stay in the cafeteria.  This is an opportunity to learn about the various programs and what will be expected of your child.  The entire event will take less than an hour.

MEET THE TEACHERS

7^th and 8^th grade Meet the Teacher night is scheduled for Thursday, September 4^th at 6:00.  We will begin this meeting with Mr. Russell, in the cafeteria.  We will then run through the bell schedule so that you may meet all of your child’s teachers.  Since the students have already met the teachers, we ask that this be an evening for the parents, if possible.

SCHOOLWIDE FUNDRAISER

We will kick off our school fundraiser this Thursday, August 28^th.  This year, we are hoping to earn enough money to invest in additional Study Island equipment.  Study Island is a web based math program which makes learning more fun.  It’s use was instrumental in our math scores being the best in the district.  We hope to add this tool to our science classrooms.  So stock up on all the cookie dough you can fit in your freezer, through the Raider Nation fundraiser.  It will run through September 10^th.   

HOLIDAY

With the first week of school coming to a successful close, we will observe the Labor Day holiday on Monday, September 1^st.  

Semper Fi—

Jeff Russell, Principal

Smithfield Middle School