• The policy is causing stress, some students are avoiding using lockers and instead carrying very heavy backpacks because they are worried about being late.
• Some are avoiding using the bathroom between classes because of the shortened period and there is also some embarrassment around the hall pass system.
• Can we make sure teachers are releasing students on time? Some have been told “the bell doesn’t release you, I release you”
• Some classes are far apart and 3 minutes is not a fair policy for all classes.

The 3-minute passing period was implemented to address two concerns. The first is that as a K-8 we have a shorter day than comprehensive middle schools, and we wanted to maximize our instructional time. Our school is so small, that 5 minutes to get to most classes is significantly more than needed. The second concern is, with so much extra time in passing period, students would often get involved in activities other than getting to and preparing for class. This was not a small group of students, but a culture on the 3rd floor, that we needed to reshape. By moving to the 3-minute passing period, students have been much more focused on getting to class directly.

For the classes that are further away, we continue to discuss the best option, such as those two classes being released 1 minute early. We are monitoring attendance daily and reaching out to families whose children are struggling with this time management and actively problem solving.

Lockers can take a bit of extra time. If your child is moving between classes on the 3rd floor, there is still time for a locker stop, or if it is a major concern, they can check in with their next period teacher first and have their planner/hall pass signed so that they can get to their locker and back to class without worry. If your child has a class further away, they may consider having their first 2 periods of supplies in their backpack but the rest in their locker until lunchtime. After lunch, when there is a 5-minute passing period, they can stop by their locker and trade out the supplies for the rest of the day.

Bathrooms during passing period can get filled up, but that was also true with 5-minute passing periods. Students can use the bathroom when they need to by filling out their planner, signaling to the teacher, and having the teacher sign. If a child is shy about this process, they can talk to their teacher about a silent signal to make the process less noticed by those around them.

If a teacher is consistently not letting students out on time, then contact the teacher directly to address the concerns. If more support is needed administration will work with the teacher and class to find out why the delay is occurring and develop strategies or in-class procedures so that everyone is ready to leave at the bell.

Within 2-3 days of an assignment being turned in, teachers should enter whether or not it was received so students and families know quickly if it is missing. Once this is entered, depending on the length of the assignment or assessment, teachers may take longer to grade and give feedback. Checking the Source about once a week with your child will give you a good idea of progress.

Talking Points is a two-way multilingual communication app SPS uses that allows teachers, staff, and families to stay connected through text messaging with families in their home languages. Teachers can send messages that appear as a text in the recipient’s home language on record in Power School. Families can text back in their home language and teachers will receive the message on the app.

6th graders will be going on a trip in the Spring. Details will be coming out after Winter Break. Currently no plan for 7th.

Prior to the pandemic lunch was always eaten in the lunchroom.  Last year we ate outside as a health precaution, but there was an ongoing problem with trash, specifically after Middle School lunch, that was never resolved.  We had daily requests and reminders, but the trash problem continued, leaving the outdoor spaces in our school a mess.  With restrictions being lifted, we are returning to our pre-COVID lunchroom expectations and ORT (Organics, Recycle, Trash) procedures.

During the pandemic when we were 100% online, it was a top priority to have every assignment in an electronic format posted to Schoology. That was necessary at the time but also a lot of prep work. Now that we are in-person, there is quite a bit of non-electronic prep work to do, so the expectations had to shift as well. There is still an expectation that teachers’ Schoology pages are current and reflect the learning happening in the classroom at the time, including access to resources as needed. There is also an expectation that students are using their planners to record assignments that are given verbally as well as posted in the classroom. They may also be receiving handouts with printed due dates that need to be kept in a folder, binder, or taped/glued into a journal.

Currently the weekly learning may be showing up as a narrative or calendar for the whole week, OR as individual assignments posted to the Schoology calendar. As a Middle School we are currently reviewing our Schoology practices so that each page is accessible and allows students to easily find their work. The needs of different content areas have meant that not every teacher uses Schoology the exact same way, but they should be similar and easily navigable.