The eScoop
December 22, 2017
The eScoop is a weekly publication of the Shaker Heights Middle School PTO.  
Sign up to receive PTO news.
SMS Weekly Calendar
Enjoy Winter Break! See you in 2018.


Visit the  Online Calendar  and filter by Shaker Heights Middle School for more upcoming events.
From Mr. Glasner
Hello Shaker families!

I would like to start by thanking the many parents and community members who participated in this week’s Design Days. Our Design Day presenters shared their experiences working in a diverse array of fields, including structural engineering, graphic design, coding, medical device technology, fashion, and a whole bunch more. Our students were engaged, asked great questions, and were able to learn about potential career paths in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  Thank you to our community for supporting this great opportunity!
This is a reminder that there are no conferences, after-school activities, or athletics scheduled for today, December 22, so all students will be dismissed at 3:00.
As we reach the midpoint of the year, I would like to send a special thank you to our bus drivers for transporting our students safely every day to and from school.
Have a happy holiday season and a great New Year.
See you in 2018!!
Sincerely,

From Your PTO Co-Presidents
We want to extend a huge thank you to Elizabeth Roeder and Maria Pelletier for hosting the Teacher Appreciation Luncheon last week, and for all the SMS families that contributed to this awesome event! By all accounts, it was a smashing success and greatly appreciated by the teachers and administration. 

Please mark your calendars for two important dates that approach quickly after the holiday break! We have a PTO meeting Thursday January 11 at 7pm in the library. If you are planning on coming, please extend an invitation to someone who has not attended a meeting before. We love to see new faces! 

In addition, please reserve Monday, January 15 from 10am-12pm to participate in the MLK day of service! Middle School families will be partnering with Woodbury to create teen care kits (and bags made out of cloth t-shirts) for the YWCA and MetroHealth foster programs. Participating in this event was a highlight of my year last year, so please don’t miss out on this beautiful community building service event!

Thank you for your support this year and sending warm wishes for a happy, healthy and relaxing holiday break!

SMS News & Events
8th Grade Washington, DC Trip Fundraisers

Washington, DC T-Shirt Sale

All proceeds from the t-shirt sale will go towards providing scholarships for 8th graders who need financial assistance to travel to Washington, DC. Available in adult small, medium, or large.

Shirts can be purchased via PayForIt.  
  1. Follow the link
  2. Log in if you're already a user
  3. Click on the Fundraiser tab
  4. Choose Shaker Heights Middle School

Cost for the shirts is $13. Once an order is placed on PayForIt and the size emailed to one of the coordinators (listed below), the t-shirts can be picked up at the Middle School main office via Stacie Shaw.

We will also plan to sell the t-shirts at Middle School events in the coming months.


SAVE THE DATE
Bottlehouse Brewing Company Event
Friday, January 26, 2018, 7-10pm

The Bottlehouse is located at 2050 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. This adults-only event will include a visit from the High School principal Jonathan Kuehnle. Light appetizers will be provided and we will also be raffling off a great item. Cost is $25 per couple or $15 per person. You may pay for this on PayForIt or you can pay at the door.

If you cannot partake in the above fundraisers, but would like to make a contribution there is a donation line item on PayForIt .

If you have questions, please reach out to any of the trip coordinators:

College Credit Plus (CCP) offers students the opportunity to earn college credit while still in High School. This is called "dual credit," since a student earns both high school and college credit for the same course.
 
Did you know...

Students must complete a Letter of Intent to Participate in College Credit Plus by April 1, 2018, to participate in the 2018/19 school year. The Letter of Intent must be submitted to the College Credit Plus Coordinator at Shaker Heights High School. Students must complete a new Letter of Intent each year they participate. The Letter of Intent indicates interest, but does not lock a student into participating in CCP. The 18/19 letter will be available at the January 10 meeting (see below).

Information about the program is available on the High School/School Counseling page and on the Ohio Department of Education website . 
 
Students and parents/guardians interested in 2018/19 or future years are encouraged to come to our College Credit Plus Information Meeting on Wednesday, January 10, at 7pm in the Large Auditorium at SHHS.  College representatives and school counseling staff will provide an overview about the benefits and challenges of the program. Contact Gabrielle Perrin, College Credit Plus Coordinator, with questions or for more information at [email protected] or 216-295-4220.
Incoming 9th Grade Orientation

All 8th grade students and their parents or guardians are strongly encouraged to join us for Incoming 9th Grade Orientation on Tuesday, February 6, 7pm-8:30 at Shaker Heights High School in the Large Auditorium.

This program will help you plan a high school course of study for the next four years. Special attention will be given to decisions that need to be made this spring in preparation for 9th grade. We will share information about graduation requirements, grade point average, attendance/behavior expectations, grade placement, college requirements, and more. 

All 8th graders will receive information about high school course options during meetings with the staff at the Middle School. Course selections will be finalized during March at individual meetings with 8th grade families and a high school counselor. Letters regarding these individual meetings will be sent in February, after Orientation.  

If students are unable to attend, parents should attend the meeting. If parents are unable to come and students are available, students should plan to attend. Our students perform best when counselors, teachers, parents, and students work together!

If you have questions, please contact Gabrielle Perrin at the High School at 216-295-4220.
Support our Student Athletes

Wondering where your (or another family's) student athlete is making their mark on the world of sports any given afternoon? Check out the SMS Sports Master Schedule for all the information!
Box Tops

Welcome back! SMS has been very fortunate to have amazing parents and students who are diligent about collecting Box Tops. If you have a stash of Box Tops that you have been collecting over the summer, please send them into the office. Each Box Top collected earns the school 10 cents. That adds up quickly! 
Heinen's Teaming Up for Education

Don't forget: when you use your Tasteful Rewards Card throughout the school year, Heinen's will donate 1% to Shaker Middle School. Be sure to select SMS as your preferred school this year, either online at Heinens.com/schools or in-store at the Customer Service Desk.
Helpful Links
The Shaker Heights Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is dedicated to facilitating the active and informed involvement of all parents and families to achieving the educational success and well being of children. You are receiving this email because you have expressed an interest in Shaker Heights Schools PTO. Add  [email protected]  to your address book so we'll be sure to land in your inbox! 
 
You may  unsubscribe  if you no longer wish to receive our emails.