Michael E. Smith Middle School

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Michael E. Smith Middle School

Newsletter	Letter from Principal	Nurse's Corner
Counselor's Corner	Trouble with PDF?	Closures/Cancelations

Greetings Families of Smith Middle School,

Who can believe that we are already into the New Year?  Happy 2009!  I hope that the coming year is prosperous for all.

With a new year, comes the idea of new beginnings.  Encourage students to continue to put forth their best effort.  If students can ramp up their work, maybe a New Year’s Resolution to stay organized, get their homework done, or read more frequently would be something to strive for academically.  There is still six months of challenging work to be completed by all.  With the long vacation and resolutions to do our work well, students can really make a difference in the coming weeks and months.

We are at the initial planning stage, but the Middle School, The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the University of Massachusetts (Boston) Center for Survey Research is looking to conduct the Massachusetts Youth Health Survey (MYHS).  The MYHS is similar to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) and the Youth Tobacco Survey (YTS).  Students at the Middle and High School have participated in the YRBS in the past and the data has helped our schools to better understand the current trends in student behavior through scientific research.  The MYHS will target things like tobacco, alcohol, health risks, and protective behaviors that student’s display.  This data will provide our health educators, counselors, and families the opportunity to examine what prevention measures are working, what measures need to be refined, and give data to support our next steps in helping students maintain healthy lifestyles and living.

We have not finalized which grades, 6-8, will participate in the MYHS or exactly which date the survey will be administered.  More information will be sent home to parents of the students who are chosen to participate.  It is possible that an entire grade may be asked to participate based on the current conversations between the school and the University.  We encourage all families who are asked to participate to consider allowing their student to take the survey.  As I noted earlier, the data from the survey will provide the school and the district with critical information that will guide future decisions regarding prevention at no cost.  Please be on the look-out for more information. 

Mix-It-Up Day was a huge success.  Student feedback indicated that though they felt uncomfortable, they like the idea that they met new people and tried something that was a challenge.  Students also noted they liked having the adults who participated in the café to help jump-start conversations.  We are looking to “Mix-It-Up” once a month to continue to create social bridges and breakdown the barriers that divide students. 

Finally, the Middle School would like to extend a plea to parents.  Our PTO and the School Council have very limited members, thus the groups are unable to perform in the way in which they were intended.  We have been very fortunate that teaching staff have volunteered their time to join us and sustain a dialogue.  However, it is critical that the voices of our parents, who are not faculty, are heard.  Please join us at our next meeting (see the Important Dates on the front cover of the newsletter) so that we can sustain these important groups that work to improve the experience of our students.

Again, I wish you a happy and prosperous New Year.  Stay well and I will see you at the next school event.

Best regards,

Erica A. Faginski

Principal

Snow Closure Information

The following information will assist you when the weather is uncooperative.  Emergency closure/delayed start decisions are made beginning at

5:30 A.M. for the day.  Information is provided to the following media:  WGGB (Ch. 40), WWLP (Ch. 22), and WSHM-CBS (Ch. 3) on the television and the following radio stations:  WHYN (560 AM and 93 FM), WTTT (100.9 FM), WHMP (1400 AM and 99.3 FM), WAQY (102 FM), and WMAS (1450 AM and 95 FM).  Also, when schools are closed for the day, all classes and school activities are canceled.  When we have a delayed start, every effort is made to maintain timely bus service every day.  But, when road conditions are poor, or the weather is extremely cold, bus schedules can be disrupted or slowed.  We appreciate parents’ understanding and flexibility