Our gardens are growing! Thank you, parents, for helping with plantings. And check out some of these stunning student rock art creations.

Thank you to the parents and staff who helped on Saturday at our Parent Work Day. We appreciate your hard work and help in keeping our campus at it's best!
IT'S THE SCOOP for November 9 ,  2017
Your weekly eNews from Santa Barbara Middle School
UPCOMING EVENTS  (see below for details)
Friday, November 10: Veteran's Day (No School)
Monday, November 13 and Tuesday, November 14: ERB Testing for Grades 7/8/9
Tuesday, November 14: Early Dismissal, 2 pm
Wednesday, November 15 - Tuesday, November 21: Conferences & Career Study Week
Monday, November 20 and Tuesday, November 21: ERB Testing for 6th Grade
Wednesday, Nov. 22 @ 12 pm -  Friday, Nov. 24: Thanksgiving Holiday (No School)
Monday, November 27: Classes resume
Wednesday, November 29: Meeting for Current 8th Grade Parents & Students: Transition from 8th to 9th Grade,  6:00 pm
Important Links

Parent Association Contacts 

Parent Association Chair

Vice-Chair

Co-Secretary
Jill Sagner 

6th Grade Class Reps

7th Grade Class Reps
 
8th Grade Class Reps

9th Grade Class Reps
If you are interested in available positions in the PA, please contact Heather Copp. Thank you.
Contact SBMS
1321 Alameda Padre Serra
Santa Barbara, CA 93103

p 805.682.2989
f 805.682.0893
NEWS & EVENTS
LOST & FOUND
Parent work day included gathering up all of the students lost and found stuff. We found a very small pile that had names on them but most of the stuff is good, even new and without names. Please come by this week to collect your child's lost things. We will be donating unclaimed items soon.  

PLEASE SCHEDULE YOUR CONFERENCE
If you haven't scheduled your Student/Parent/Teacher Conference, please grab your calendar and call the office to schedule.

CANNED FOOD DRIVE
Support Community Action's Canned Food Drive for the Santa Barbara Food Bank.  Contribute a can at your SBMS Conference! Look for the red bin in the lower hallway.

CELL PHONE USE REMINDER
Please remember that student cell phones are to be turned off during the day and used, if necessary, in the main office only. We have a student phone in the office that students can use if needed. If you need to get a message to your child, please call our office anytime.

EIGHTH GRADE RETREAT
Reminder for 8th Grade Parents: the  8th Grade Retreat on the horizon!
When:  Thurs. Dec. 14- Fri. Dec. 15
Where: El Capitan Canyon Ranch
More details to come from Wren and 8th Grade Parent Reps.

STUDENT ACCIDENT INSURANCE
Did  you know that your child has Student Accident Insurance? This is paid by SBMS for injuries that occur during a school activity. Coverage is secondary to your child's health insurance policy. For policy details, click here.

7th GRADE TO VISIT SBCC ON DEC. 4
On  Monday, December 4, 7th graders will have the opportunity to tour the Career Technology Programs at Santa Barbara City College. Students should get dropped off between  8 and 8:30 am at Leadbetter Beach with a sack lunch. We will transport the kids back to school after our tour and lunch. 
ERB TESTING NEXT WEEK
IMPORTANT ERB TESTING ANNOUCEMENT
7th, 8th, and 9th graders will be taking ERBs  on Monday and  Tuesday, 11/13 and 11/14. 6th graders will take the ERB tests on 11/20 and 1/21.


In order to have a successful test administration, we need you to help remind your children to do the following:


-   Download the secure browser plug-in  HERE before  Monday's test. It only takes about one minute. Students have this link posted on their homework sites. Without this, students can NOT take the test.

- Come to school on Monday with a fully charged computer (and if possible, their charger). The school currently has a handful of chargers (in fact, if your child has one of ours at home, please return it to the school). Uncharged computers will make testing impossible and will likely result in unfinished sections of the test, and/or make-up sessions.

- Bring an independent reading book. Students will not be allowed to use their computers for non-testing purposes, even after they have finished.

- Leave phones at home or OFF at school. We have a limited amount of bandwidth which needs to be dedicated to testing. If student phones are using wi-fi, they're taking needed capacity from our network.

Thanks for your help!
SUPPORT YOUR SCHOOL
What do you call an SBMS student covered in chocolate? Part of the winning class!

We're throwing a chocolate fountain party for the first SBMS class to reach 100% parent participation in the Annual Fund. To level the class sizes we're combining 6th and 9th grade.
 
Current Totals:
  • 6th/9th: 12%
  • 7th:19%
  • 8th: 12%
This year's goal is $425,000 + 100% participation by December 7. All donations support each and every student in this school year by enhancing academic and elective programs, supporting teachers, and upgrading our learning spaces. 
 
 
Already donated? Sweet! Thanks for supporting your school!
DELI NEWS
Do you have a surplus of home grown fruit or veggies? If so, let PA know!

Also, the s alad bar is traveling and is now themed to South America. Some of the ingredients include: jicama, corn, potatoes, pepitas, queso fresco, mole vinaigrette, cilantro avocado dressing.

Please note: there will be NO SALAD BAR on Monday, Nov. 13 or Tuesday, Nov. 14.
FROM THE LIBRARY
Our SBMS GREAT READING FOR GROWN-UPS gathered to discuss STATION  ELEVEN by Emily St. John Mandel. Emotional, evocative, and at times terrifying, this  book triggered a range of feelings and concerns within the group. Gratitude, m aterialism, the immigrant experience, the role and meaning of art and artistic e xpression, public health and services, religion and the complicated nature of  human relationships were some of the themes of the group conversation.

Our next GREAT READING FOR GROWN-UPS title will be announced soon!  PLEASE JOIN THE CONVERSATION!
PS: Emily St. John Mandel will be at the Marjorie Luke Theatre on December 5 at 7 pm
PARENT ASSOCIATION 
Hello Parents,

We are off to a great start with parent volunteering and getting into the SBMS spirit!  

Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped us last Saturday to clean out the PA closet and do many other chores around the school.  A little TLC and organization goes a long way and I appreciate you taking the time to help.
 
Please be sure to sign up to bring food and drinks for  Teacher Appreciation Week here.
 
The meeting minutes from this Wednesday's PA meeting on "A New Peace Paradigm: Our Human Needs and the Tangles of Trauma" with Paul K. Chappell will be available in next week's Scoop. Thank you to all parents that came to the meeting and heard Chappell speak.
 
Questions or comments? Please contact Heather Copp, PA Chair.

Warmly, 
Heather Copp, PA Chair
COMMUNITY EVENTS
The 805 SONGWRITER ROUNDUP is back! 
Johnny Irion (father of Olivia '17), John Goodwin and Tim Bluhm (of Mother Hips), followed by US Elevator. Nov. 10 at 7:30 pm at SOho. More information here.
TEACHER NEEDS HOUSING
SBMS Music teacher Daniel Lower and his wife Diana Ferrari are in need of a rental. They seek a minimum 2 bedroom, one bath for a maximum of $3,000 per month. They are a quiet, clean couple with no pets or children. They have been home owners in SB, and take pride in their home. They willingly do gardening and maintenance and are looking for a long term rental.

Please contact Daniel at  dlower@cox.net  or feel free to call him at 805-729-8306. T hank you. 
SUNRISE SWIM
COME JOIN US! FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 6:45 AM
Join us Friday mornings for our weekly Sunrise Swim! We meet at Leadbetter Beach next to the Shoreline Cafe at 6:45 am.

Please bring your own mug and also a suggested donation of $2 per donut-eater. All donations go to the 9th grade's designated charity of the month!

If you'd like to help out by bringing donuts, you can sign up here:  Donut Signup.  Carpe Diem! 
ON THE HORIZON
DECEMBER 2017
Sat., Dec 2: Open House for Prospective Families, 3-5 pm
Monday, Dec. 4: 7th Grade Field Trip to SBCC (drop off at Leadbetter Beach 8-8:30 am)
Thurs.,  Dec. 7:  Annual Fund Deadline &  All School Town Meeting and Media Presentation
Thurs., Dec. 14:  8th Grade Retreat
Fri., Dec. 15: Early Dismissal, 2 pm, Solstice Ride & Hike
Mon., Dec. 18  -  Mon., Jan.1:  Winter Break (No School)

ONLINE CALENDAR
We recommend that you bookmark the calendar link, Click  here  to get the school calendar. You can also add the SBMS calendar to your Google calendar!