SFMS Messenger – March 9, 2022

 

March 9th, 2022
A Message from the Principals
It is hard to believe that March is already here, it is a busy month for our SFMS students! We have a couple of reminders for families to think about as spring break approaches:
  • High School Musical performances run from March 17th – 19th. Tickets can be purchased in the MS office (more details are below). 
  • Our annual student / staff basketball game will occur the day before break on March 25th. 
  • The third quarter ends on March 25th. Now is a good time to check your child’s academic status in Infinite Campus. Please reach out to your child’s teacher if you have any questions. 
  • Spring break is the week of March 28th. Enjoy the time away from school!
  • Wisconsin FORWARD testing will start in April. A family letter will be coming home soon regarding this. 
As always, if you have any questions regarding school events, feel free to contact the Middle School office at 920-467-7880.
Sincerely,
Amanda Pound, SFMS Principal
Ryan Zak, SFMS Associate Principal
A Message from Superintendent Annalee Bennin
It is exciting to think that three weeks remain in the 3rd quarter and Spring Break is right around the corner. Thank you for your dedication to your children and our schools this year. It is great to see a community that celebrates many great sporting events, musical events, co-curricular competitions through Forensics and Robotics to name a few. Thank you for flexing with us as we continue to monitor Covid-19 and make recent changes to adjust more to ‘pre-pandemic’ ways. This all takes grace and patience, and we appreciate that you have offered that every step of the way. Special shout-out to our nurses who have dedicated countless hours to helping support our staff and families through these times. Please thank them next time you get the opportunity to interact with them.  
With the 3rd quarter coming to a close in a few weeks, now is the perfect time to reach out to your child(ren)’s teacher(s) if you have questions or concerns. This partnership and open communication can truly make a difference in your child’s academic, social and emotional growth and achievement in school. We are here to support and partner to make your child(ren)’s experience positive and productive.  
Recently, our Board adopted our District Continuous Improvement Plan which aligns with our Mission, Vision, and Commitments. This is a moment to celebrate for our community as we continue to grow and set goals around Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) while also utilizing the data we collect through iReady, the Panorama Social Emotional Survey, and interventions to support our students socially, emotionally, physically and academically. We will continue to explore this plan as a District moving into the 2022-2023 school year. One of our next phases in our plan includes implementing a survey tool for our students, staff, and families to ensure we are receiving feedback from you in our commitment to continually improve to best meet the needs of our stakeholders.  
With Gratitude,
Annalee Bennin
Mark Your Calendars!
High School Musical, Jr.
High School Musical, Jr. is coming!
Get’cha head in the game for this year’s Middle School production of High School Musical, Jr!
Tickets sold in advance in the MS office or at the door. $5 for children, seniors, and military. $10 for adults. SFMS students and SFSD employees are free.
Thursday, March 17th – 7pm
Friday, March 18th – 7pm
Saturday, March 19th – 2pm / 7 pm
SFMS Hosts Solo and Ensemble
On Saturday, February 26th, Sheboygan Falls Middle School hosted Solo & Ensemble. Students had the opportunity to perform their solos and ensembles for feedback and a rating to grow as a musician. We had a total of 24 singers and 25 instrumentalists perform in a total of 49 events. Out of those 49 events, 15 received a 2nd and 34 received a 1st. We are very proud of our musicians!
Physical Education Team Building
Students completed a team building activity called landmine. Students were asked to be a guide for another student to help them navigate through the field of equipment without touching anything. The inspiration comes from how when blind individuals run 5k’s and marathons,They run with a guide to help them navigate the course. It requires quite a bit of trust to allow someone to lead you when you cannot see. 
News from the Art Room
It’s almost time for our Annual Middle School Art Exhibit! We will be showcasing some of the outstanding artwork from 5th-8th grade art students March 17th -19th. Come see the MS Musical (details above), and see the artwork in the Middle School Commons before or after the musical. We have been saving student artwork from the beginning of the year for our exhibit, but students are also welcome to bring in pieces they have done at home during this school year. e hope to see you for a very special weekend of showcasing our visual and performing arts.  
The 6th grade “ORANGE” electives group had a very special opportunity to work with an Artist-in-Residence from the John Michael Kohler Arts Center in Sheboygan. Lee Hunter is an Illinois-based artist who did a virtual visit with this 6th grade class in January. As part of this special opportunity, the ORANGE class will be getting a fully-funded field trip to JMKAC on March 15th to follow up with Lee Hunter; funding courtesy of a special grant from JMKAC! Students will learn about World Fairs, archeology, and will learn about how studying objects from the past can affect and influence our future. Parents of ORANGE class students, please watch your email for more info on this 2-hour field trip. (We will need chaperones!) 
Soon, students in 6th and 7th grade will be signing up for the 2022-2023 school year electives. Do you know how our Art program works at SFMS?  Here’s an overview: 
  • All 5th graders have Art class, once a week
  • All 6th graders have Art class, daily for approximately 8 weeks (students are divided into groups for electives) 
  • 7th and 8th graders can CHOOSE to continue on with Art classes. Art is not required.
If 7th and 8th graders continue to pursue their talents and interest in Art, we have 2 choices: 2-D Art, a drawing and painting emphasis class, for one semester, and/or 3-D art, a sculpture class for one semester. The goal of these upper-grade Art classes is to develop “expert learners” in Art – those who are focused, goal-oriented, flexible thinkers, and problem solvers, with a love for art! 
This semester, Mrs. Fischer has approximately 150 students enrolled in 3-D Art in 7th and 8th grade! It is so wonderful to have that many students choose Art class!
5th Grade Exploration
The 5th grade had a Google Meet with Wildfire Firefighter Cole Heili 2012′ alumni of Sheboygan Falls. He is currently working in Oregon and talked to the students about wildfires and firefighting. The students created a list of questions for Cole based on their research for a unit that they are doing on Earth’s resources and environment. 
Talking with Cole provided a very unique perspective into the life of a firefighter, training, and experiences!!
2022-2023 Open Enrollment
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 2022-2023 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 2022-2023 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 2022-2023 school year is from February 7th, 2022 until 4:00 p.m., April 29th, 2022.  
 
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 7th, 2022 until 4:00 p.m. on April 29th, 2022.  
 
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.
District and Related Employment Opportunities
Looking for part-time work? Full-time work? Flexibility?
The District and Related Organizations have some great opportunities!
SCHOOL DISTRICT OPPORTUNITIES: Opportunities within the School District can be found using the below links. Note that if you are looking for flexibility, we are actively seeking Substitute Teacher positions which can be found under the Certified Positions.
Certified Positions –
Assistants / Aides –
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SHEBOYGAN COUNTY: Afterschool program fees are waived for children of parents who work at the Boys & Girls Club! If you are interested in part-time work, your child can be enrolled in the afterschool program for FREE while you work for the Club. Current open positions include Site Coordinator and After School Activity Leader. Learn more or apply at www.ThePositivePlace.com/careers.
HEIDENREITER BUS SERVICE: Heidenreiter Bus Service has opportunities for school bus drivers. Find more information HERE.
March Youth and Family Resource Guide
Please see HERE for March Youth and Family opportunities.
Health Services Protocols
As communicated on Monday, beginning Tuesday, March 8th, 2022, we have moved to the Health Services protocols as outlined in the Student Family Handbook, detailed HERE.