The eScoop
September 15, 2017
The eScoop is a weekly publication of the Shaker Heights Middle School PTO.  
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SMS Weekly Calendar
SAVE THE DATE  

September 28 | Shaker CommUnity Market, Onaway School, 5pm-7pm

Visit the  Online Calendar  and filter by Shaker Heights Middle School for more upcoming events.
From Mr. Glasner
Hello Shaker families!
We are super excited to see everyone at this afternoon’s Rainbow Run! We have more participation than ever before and I look forward to seeing lots of colorful celebrations with our school community.

Many of our co- and extra-curricular clubs and activities are in the process of getting started. For a full list of clubs and activities, please check out our Middle School webpage . If you have any questions about specific clubs or activities, please contact your child’s school counselor.
This is a reminder that all 8th grade parents are invited to attend an information session about our annual trip to Washington, DC on Tuesday, September 19 at 7pm. The trip will take place from May 2-4 and all 8th grade students are encouraged to attend. Scholarships are available to assist with the cost of the trip. Please contact Mr. Sears or a school counselor for more information.
For those families celebrating the upcoming Jewish New Year, we wish you a happy and healthy year.
I look forward to seeing everyone soon!
Sincerely,

From Your PTO Co-Presidents
It has been an amazing week at the Middle School seeing all of our kids and families pitch in to raise money for the Rainbow Run! The buzz leading up to this race has been incredible thanks to the efforts of the Rainbow Run Co-Chairs Heather Weingart and Missy Sherwin and the Rainbow Run Committee! Words cannot express our thanks for all of their hard work and efforts on this Rainbow Run. 

We can’t wait to see you all after school today for the Run! Get ready to be colorful and make sure you have your cameras on hand for the fabulous photo opportunities!  

Thanks and see you next week!

SMS News & Events
There’s something for everyone over Homecoming Weekend, September 22- 24, 2017! It’s not just for our alums!  All are invited….

●      Raider Nation Night Out at the Dealership, Friday, September 22, 7pm - 11pm
Shaker parents, community members, alums and friends are invited to enjoy live music, food trucks and fun! Complimentary caricatures will be available as a keepsake! There is no admission charge but we want to know if you are coming. Please register at shaker.org/homecoming .
 
●      Raider Nation Pre-Game Festival on the Oval, Saturday, September 23, 11am-1pm
This is all about family-friendly fun including games, activities, Dr. U.R. Awesome and his amazing bubbles, rides on the Rocket Car, hot dogs on the grill, and the East Coast Custard Truck.
 
●      Sunday Brunch in the Audrey Stout Learning Garden, Sunday, September 24, 11am
Dine al fresco in a beautiful environment planned and maintained by our students. Brunch by chef Mat Anderson from Table 45 and Shaker parent will be featured. Purchase tickets for $40 per person at Shaker.org/homecoming .

Naviance Family Connection

We invite you to explore Naviance Family Connection! Family Connection is a web-based resource for students and parents that encourages and supports post-high school career and college planning. Parents and students will each have an account in order to fully take advantage of all the Family Connection's features. An email containing your parent registration code and login information will be in your inbox by the end of this week! 

In the meantime, click  here  for a Naviance welcome and “How to Guide.” If you have questions regarding your account feel free to contact your child’s School Counselor.

Thank you!

SMS School Counseling Department            
SMS Clubs & Activities Want Your Student to Get Involved

As part of our district-wide initiative to increase student involvement in extracurricular and co-curricular activities, the Counseling Department has created a student survey. We hope to gather data on current student involvement at SMS.

The SMS Clubs & Activities student survey will be administered in all Language & Literature classes during the week of September 11. 

All clubs and activities will have their first meetings no later than September 18. 

Please encourage your child to participate!          
Parent/Teacher Conferences Coming Up in October

Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held at Shaker Middle School on Monday, October 16 and Tuesday, October 17. Conferences will be held from 8am to 4pm (no conferences are scheduled from 12pm-1pm). The last conferences of the day are scheduled at 3:45pm. In order to accommodate a maximum number of parents, please select only one day for your conference. Students will not attend school on these two days.
 
For your convenience we have an online scheduling system for you to use to set up conferences.  Click here to schedule your parent conference. If you have any questions, please contact Leslie Burdine in the Main Office at 295-4106.
Life Act Presentation

At some point during the first two weeks of October, all SMS students will attend a presentation from Life Act during their PE/Health or Design class period. Each class will attend the presentation for two days. Life Act is an organization that is 25 years old and is focused on "recognizing depression and preventing suicide." UROK, the middle school program, specifically focuses on the unique situations and changes that may induce stress for this age group. Students are taught to identify stress and recognize healthy and unhealthy responses to it. They are also taught when they should ask for help and how to request help from a trusted adult.

If you have any questions and/or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact one of the following: Beth Casey, Health Educator; Kelly Anderson, Chamaine Abrams, or Kristina Longino, school counselors; or Emily Geier, Student Assistance Professional.

Feel free to learn more about this program at www.lifeact.org . 
Counselor Coffees

Based on parent feedback, the Guidance Department will discuss the following topics this year at the Counselor Coffee events:
 
October 13, 2017 Cyber-Safety & Social Media 
January 26, 2018 Organization Skills & Study Habits
March 23, 2018 Anger Management/Self-regulation

The events will be held at 8:15am for 1 hour in the Shaker Middle School library.
SMS Band Boosters

8th Grade Band Perform with the High School Band for Red​ ​Raider​ ​Day ​
Join​ ​the​ ​Shaker​ ​Community​ ​for​ ​Red​ ​Raider​ ​Day/Mass​ ​Bands​ ​Day,​ ​ TOMORROW September​ ​16​​, at​ ​3pm​ ​at​ ​the​ ​High​ ​School​ ​football​ ​field,​ ​to​ ​watch​ ​the​ ​8​th​​ ​grade​ ​band​ ​march​ ​with​ ​the​ ​High​ ​School Marching​ ​Band.​ ​​ ​There​ ​will​ ​be​ ​over​ ​550​ ​performers​ ​on​ ​the​ ​field​—what​ ​a​ ​great​ ​half-time​ ​show​ ​it​ ​will be!​​ ​It’s​ ​a​ ​wonderful​ ​way​ ​to​ ​see​ ​what​ ​fun​ ​and​ ​camaraderie​ ​lies​ ​ahead​ ​for​ ​your​ ​student​ ​musicians​ ​at​ ​the High​ ​School.​ Students should arrive at the High School by 1pm with their instruments.

Enjoy the music,
Fall Sports Pictures

Did your middle school or high school athlete have their fall sports picture taken?
Click here to view and order their sports photos. 

Upcoming SMS Sports picture dates:
  • September 27: Girls Tennis & Cheerleading
  • October 4: Football & Boys Soccer A Team
  • October 5: Boys Soccer B Team & Field Hockey

After these picture dates, you can order pictures, by clicking here . 
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
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