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Dear Parents and Guardians,
Drop-off/Pick-up Reminder for Student Safety:
In our last newsletter, I talked about drop-off and pick-up procedures at SFMS. We recognize that traffic can become congested at times as you enter and exit the ES/MS campus. It is important that our families enter our parking lot via Alfred Miley. There has been increased traffic at the Woodland exit that impacts our buses entering and exiting the premises in a timely manner. We also have crossing guards at the appropriate crosswalks for student safety. When students meet families on the side of the road, etc…, safety becomes a considerable concern.
The good news is that once in the pick-up line, traffic moves very quickly and most families are off of our campus in a timely manner.
Here is the message from our last newsletter, thank you for reviewing.
A friendly reminder about drop-off and pick-up procedures at SFMS. We ask that when dropping off or picking up, that families keep our line moving. Please move your vehicle forward to the edge of the building (gym) when dropping off in the morning. We recognize that it is winter and that all of our students want curbside service, but by moving forward, you keep the line moving and drop off safe for all. Once you drop off or pick-up your student, remember that we are still in a school zone and that safety is our number one priority.
We recognize that the mornings and evenings are busy and fast paced. For the safety of all, be mindful of speed when leaving the drop-off/pick-up lane as you drive away. Also, the parking lot is not for driving up for drop-off or pick-up of your student. If you choose to use the parking lot, then please park your car so that your student can meet you in the appropriate location.
Students should always use the crosswalk for safety. When picking up at the end of the day and if you are using the drop-off/pick-up lane, the first cars to arrive need to pull all the way forward to the edge of the gym. This allows for more cars to safely enter the area. Again, our students enjoy curbside service, but a few extra steps taken will help us to ensure safety for all.
Finally, our staff members are doing their best to keep our students safe. Our safe practices as adults will reinforce this for our students. Please remember that if they ask or wave for you to move forward, it is because they are working to keep the line moving quickly and efficiently. Thank you for your attention to these procedures in the morning and evenings.
Sincerely,
SFMS Principal
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A Message from Superintendent Bennin
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As you may have heard, the CDC released new updates last week around operational strategies for K-12 schools. The Wisconsin Department of Health has also adopted the CDC updated guidance.
Due to our District’s ongoing dedication to mitigating the spread through practices such as wearing facial coverings, sanitizing our hands, physically distancing when possible, and additional cleaning strategies, we are able to safely adjust some of our practices for contact tracing and physical distancing using the new guidelines.
Masks will continue to be worn by students and staff at school. If/When the Governor’s Emergency Order is lifted (currently expires 4.5.21), we will continue to mask under BOE policy Dress and Grooming (po5511).
If your family travels for Spring break, or at any time, please continue to monitor for symptoms and keep your child home if symptomatic. Contact either Nurse Lisa Hackbarth or Nurse Amber Silva for the next best steps. In addition, you can find the decision tree HERE.
THANK YOU for all your efforts to get us to this point in the school year and to FINISH STRONG! It has been the efforts of each of us that has kept each other safe and learning in person.
Make it a great day!
Annalee Bennin
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Breakfast Served with a Smile Daily
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All SFMS have the opportunity to eat breakfast at school daily. Encourage your child(ren) to stop by each morning and grab a breakfast to go. Breakfast is currently free for all students.
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Solo & Ensemble Festival 2021
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SFMS music students have been incredibly busy preparing solos, duets, trios, quartets, quintets, and jazz ensembles for performance at the annual WSMA Solo & Ensemble Festival. This year is unique in that the festival is virtual. Student performances are being recorded at school and submitted online to the Wisconsin School Music Association for adjudication.
We have fifty 6th, 7th, and 8th grade music students performing in forty-six events. Our students are performing on a variety of instruments including voice, flute, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, alto & tenor saxophone, trumpet, horn, tuba, percussion, piano, and violin. Piano accompaniments are being provided by Stephanie Stowers, David Hein, and Erin Beekhuizen.
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Could You Hug A Cactus?
Time for the SFMS Musical
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Could you hug a cactus? You could but it might not feel so good! Students are busy preparing this year’s musical based on a book of short poems, “Could You Hug a Cactus?” by Phillip Van Wagoner. The musical features students 5th-8th grade that share whimsical, short poems through acting and music. The musical was created during the pandemic and specifically designed to help young performers stay connected and engaged in the arts during a time of separation and lack of live performances. The musical will be released as a video production so watch the announcements and Facebook page for a Watch Party towards the end of May!
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Makerspace 2021 was one for the books! This year Makerspace was a bit more challenging because of Covid, but our average participant numbers more than tripled! The kids had a great time working collaboratively and sharing ideas to create and innovate! While we couldn’t use all of the tools or do all of the activities that we normally would, we made the best of what we could do. To kick off the season, the kids made snow volcanoes! From here we moved into light up cards by creating simple circuits!
Another activity that the kids enjoyed was making catapults and then having competitions for height, distance, and accuracy. For our loudest project, our awesome food service crew saved the giant food cans and the kids made stilts! Ever hear 25+ kids walking around on tin can stilts? Woah! Snow Globes were a hit with the kids too, who doesn’t like glitter snow?!?!
Mrs. Lemons and her husband were kind enough to donate pieces of wood for our kids to design and make painted signs, wow, we have some great artists! So many activities were done and memories made, including making musical instruments, marshmallow towers, snap-circuits, sewing pillow characters, marble mazes, moon dough, and the list goes on and on! The kids were sad to see Makerspace 2021 come to an end…but are definitely looking forward to next year!
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During the week of March 8th, you should have received our community newsletter. This newsletter is truly a celebration of our school year and what we have accomplished.
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Thank you, Boys & Girls Club!
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Thank you to the Boys & Girls Club participants for the wonderful hot chocolate treats! What a great pick-me-up for Parent/Teacher conferences at the Middle School!
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Date Set for Required Human Growth & Development Advisory Committee Meeting
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Wisconsin Statute 118.019 states that school districts that offer human growth and development must have an advisory committee appointed by the school board and composed of parents, teachers, school administrators, pupils, health care professionals, members of the clergy and other residents of the school district to advise on the design and implementation of the human growth and development curriculum and to review the curriculum. Although not included in the current statute, to keep the Human Growth and Development curriculum current, a regular review of the curriculum is recommended at least every three years.
Community and staff members are invited to the advisory meeting on May 10, 2021, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm in the library at Sheboygan Falls High School.
Community and staff members interested in participating should contact Director of Instruction Mary Lofy Blahnik at District Office 920-467-7893 or email [email protected]
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2021-2022 Open Enrollment
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The inter-district public school Open Enrollment program allows parents to apply for their children to attend public school in a school district other than the one in which they reside or to remain in their current district in the event that they move out of the district before the start of the 2021-2022 school year (Moving? See HERE for more information on remaining in District through the school year). Open Enrollment will allow student(s) to continue attending school in the School District of Sheboygan Falls. Please call Mara Nack at 920-467-7893 for additional information or check the Department of Public Instruction Website at: https://dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment (also check the 2021-2022 Open Enrollment Regular Application Period Brochure).
There is no tuition cost for students participating in the Open Enrollment program, but parents are responsible for transporting their student(s) to and from school.
The open enrollment period for the 2021-2022 school year is from February 1, 2021 until 4:00 p.m., April 30, 2021.
Applications must be done on the DPI (Department of Public Instruction) website at https://dpi.wi.gov/open-enrollment. A link to this site will also be available on the school web site during the application period at: www.sheboyganfalls.k12.wi.us. The DPI website will be active from February 1, 2021 until 4:00 p.m. on April 30, 2021.
If you anticipate a possible move out of the School District of Sheboygan Falls, please complete the Open Enrollment application as soon as possible. You have the right to cancel your application at any time and are not bound to enrollment. If you are currently attending under a Tuition Waiver, you will need to complete an Open Enrollment application for the upcoming school year.
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