Congratulations to the Class of 2021! |
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It's the SCOOP for June 16, 2021
Your weekly news from Santa Barbara Middle School
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Dear SBMS Families,
It's truly been a "Hero's Journey" this year for our entire community. From on-campus classes since October to our strong finish with year-end expeditions, performances, sunrise swims, and Rites of Passage, we feel so lucky to have ended the year strongly together. Thank you to students, families, teachers, Parent Association reps, and trustees for helping make it all possible.
Wow, thank you, we love you!
Please read through this Scoop and catch up on all the excitement and magic of the last few weeks. You will hear from us throughout the summer with a July Scoop and health and safety emails as we plan to relaunch our full program next year. Though we may have a few Covid protocols to follow at the start of next year, we are hopeful that we will have fewer restrictions than ever. No matter what the case, we will be ready to serve up the best year ever for our students and families. Please take a few minutes to complete our end-of-year survey to help us continue to improve our program and prepare for next year.
Soak in all the EOY greatness in the links below and have a fantastic summer!
8th Grade Humanities Night Digital Showcase
All-School Media Presentation & Grade-Level Trip Videos
Rites of Passage
With gratitude,
Brian, Bianca, and the SBMS Staff
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CURRENT PARENT SURVEY
As we reflect back on the past school year, we are reaching out to those who know us best: our parents. Teachers and admin are still in meetings for the next few weeks, and this survey information is an integral part of our efforts to shape next year and beyond. It would be so helpful if you take 15 minutes to fill out this survey. Please answer as thoughtfully as possible, and keep in mind that your answers are anonymous.
Please complete this survey by Wednesday, June 23, 2021, so that we can include the results in our planning for the 2021-22 school year. We are so grateful for your participation — we couldn’t do any of this without you.
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INCOMING FAMILY SURVEY
Incoming families, your opinion and input will also be extremely helpful as we gear up for next year. Please take this short survey regarding Covid safety, bikes, school lunches, and more to help us prepare for the 2021-22 school year. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/5QZH5F5
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SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS
Summer assignments for each grade are up! You should have received an email with the summer reading list and assignments. You can find assignments for each grade on the SBMS Hub in the Resources board entitled 2021 Incoming Summer Assignments.
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INCOMING FAMILY CUPS AND QUESTIONS
Join us on Thursday, June 17, at 9am for a new family Cups and Questions session! Grab your coffee or tea and chat with us about what to look out for this summer, plans for next year, and so much more. The Deans of 6th and 7th grade, Jenna and Marco, will also be attending to introduce themselves. Join with this link: https://sbms-org.zoom.us/j/8108197335
BIKES FOR THE 2021-22 SCHOOL YEAR
Bikes are in short supply right now, and we know it has been difficult for some new students to purchase one. This survey will help us explore options for incoming SBMS students still searching for a bike and alums who may want to sell one.
Incoming Families looking for a bike, fill out this survey:
Current Families / Alums Looking to Donate or Sell a Bike? Please fill out this form!
COMPUTERS FOR INCOMING STUDENTS
Our Tech Department is preparing computers for incoming students and is hoping to begin handing them out next week. There will also be a date in mid-August to pick up devices for families that are traveling or unable to make it next week. Stay tuned for further emails with more specific details and information.
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SUMMER COMMUNICATIONS
After this week, teachers will be heading out for the summer to explore, adventure, and do some learning of their own. The main office will be open with limited hours from 10-2pm on Mondays through Thursdays. We will be checking for voicemail messages, emails, and snail-mail. Note that the campus will be fully closed July 12 - July 23 for construction.
You will be hearing from us throughout the coming months with Summer Scoops, and as we get closer to August, you can expect to hear from us with detailed information on Orientation Week, Diamond Days, the start of school and so much more. We hope you all have a fun and relaxing summer!
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FROM THE PARENT ASSOCIATION |
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We need you: looking for parent volunteers to chair events at SBMS next year
Serving on the Parent Association is fulfilling and rewarding -- you help create wonderful SBMS experiences while making friends with other parents and staff (and having fun!). Please contact Debbie Popovich at [email protected] if you are interested in chairing any of the following events or for more information:
- 6th Grade Parent Reps
- Staff Appreciation
- Rites of Passage (9th grade graduation)
- Parking Lot Coffee Breaks
- SBMS Cares (initiative to support families in need)
- Garden Parent Liaison
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FROM THE DEVELOPMENT OFFICE
We did it! After a paused campaign, a re-launch in the middle of the pandemic, and thanks to the amazing and humbling generosity of the SBMS family, we are thrilled to announce we have successfully surpassed our Community Kitchen Campaign fundraising goal. Construction is underway and our students will be able to enjoy a brand new teaching and community space next fall. Thank you to all of our donors for your tremendous support!
Please click below to watch a short video message from Brian, P.A. and Colin.
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⚠️ WEEKLY SAFETY UPDATE ⚠️ |
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2021-22 SAFETY FORECAST
We would like to extend our gratitude to all of our families for buying into the school's protocols this year. Without the efforts of our families to follow the guidelines and to make the extra efforts to ensure that no illness, Covid-19 or other, entered our building, we would not have had such a successful year. We were able to make it through the entire school year with only one positive case on campus, and with all of our on-campus protocols, there was no transmission on campus. For all of this, we were applauded by the County of Santa Barbara for our successful plan and response to Covid. Our contact at the county commented that we had one of the best and most effective responses of any school in the county!
Looking forward, we again have some uncertainty about what the future holds. We are cautiously optimistic about the upcoming school year and what we will be allowed and able to offer. We are hopeful that all of the students who are allowed to get vaccinated will do so, and that soon after the start of school, the age limit for vaccinations will drop below 12, allowing all of our students to get vaccinated. The vaccine is what is allowing us to open safely with fewer and fewer restrictions. Hopefully, within a few months of the start of the school year, the FDA will grant full approval for the vaccine, and California will require the Covid vaccine for students along with the other immunizations that are already required.
Next year we plan on opening in person with a full offering of Diamond Time activities, electives, and academics. As of now, schools are still requiring teachers and students to wear masks. We are hopeful that as more people get vaccinated the guidance on masks and distancing will continue to be reduced. As we receive more information and guidance, we will continue to adjust our in-person plans to match the requirements for schools to stay open in-person, and we will keep our community updated.
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8/9 GRADE SUMMER COMMUNITY SERVICE (Outside of SBMS)
If your child is volunteering for a camp this summer or engaged in any kind of community service work, follow the steps below to ensure they get, and track, credit for the hours that they have earned.
Here is your step by step guide:
1. Student asks the person supervising/advising the event or activity if they will count their volunteer work as Community Service hours.
2. When the advisor or supervisor says, “Yes,” each student must then date and track their hours using the public high school’s community service form (Download that here). All the high schools use the same form and can be found on each school’s respective websites under the Community tab. You should also check the high school's list of Pre-Approved Community Service organizations. If the organization is not on the list, you will need to get approval.
3. At the end of the summer, total the number of hours and ask the supervisor to sign off on the form.
4. You keep track of these Community Service forms until your student enrolls in high school. Keep adding to the log as your student accrues more hours.
5. Always keep an extra copy.
6. In the fall, when your student begins high school, they will walk their signed form with their recorded hours into the Career Center. You will still keep a copy at home. (These are big schools and papers can get misplaced)
7. Note: For those attending SBMS for 9th grade you will just need to keep an ongoing file folder with this form for a full year until your child enrolls in one of the high schools a year from now.
If your child has earned Community Service hours inside, or in conjunction with SBMS, those hours will be recorded on their SBMS transcripts that get sent to the high school’s registrar’s office. It may take a while (like 3-6 months) for the high school to record each student's hours on their newly formed Community Service record. Let me know if you have questions! - Sue
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FOUNDATION FOR SB HIGH SCHOOL
Many of our local students and families are food insecure. Especially during the summer, this can be a real challenge for these students who may rely on school for breakfast and lunch. Please click on the link here to learn more about our local food shortage in a short video produced by one of our SBMS alumni, now a junior at SBHS, Sydney Lurie-Firestone. Please consider donating. |
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ON THE HORIZON
Due to changing COVID guidelines and the reopening of California, please refer to our updated school calendar. Please note that dates and events are **subject to change** and updates will be communicated.
2021-22 School Year
August 2021
Monday, August 30: Diamond Day for Incoming Families
Tuesday, Aug 31: First day for 9th Grade
Wednesday, Sept 1: First day for 6-8th grades
Thursday, Sept 2 - Friday, Sept. 3: Orientation Ride & Overnight**
September 2021
Monday, September 6: Labor Day - No School
Tuesday, September 7: School Resumes (Electives begin)
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