The Shocker Fall 2015 - Charlotte

Quarterly SCMS PTO Newsletter
STUDENT DIRECTORY COVER
The Shocker
PETER JOHNSTONE
7th Grade — Brown
Fall 2015
Message From the Principal
Dear Parents,
Inside this issue:
Message from the PTO
President & NJHS
2
Annual Fund Update
3
Media Center News
4
8th Grade News
5
7th Grade News
6
6th Grade News
7
Career & Technical
Education
8
Kindness Committee &
Yearbook
9
Booster Club Update
10
FAN News
11
Congratulations to the students below
who had their artwork selected to represent SCMS at Festival in the Park.
Top: Amy Johnson, 7th, & Sophia
Brinkley, 8th. Bottom: Ryan Zusi, 7th, &
Elizabeth Gray, 8th.
Thank you so much for your generous donations to the Annual Fund.
These donations have enabled us to
purchase flexible learning-style furniture for our library that will enhance the overall experience for students as they use their Chromebooks for research, group projects,
and other work. It should arrive in
early December. When traveling to
schools over the past two years, I
was able to observe students in
these flexible learning-type
areas. It was amazing how the students were engaged in the learning
process. The students will enjoy this
furniture and the experiences they
bring very much.
If you have not heard, South Charlotte is ranked #9 in the state in
overall growth this past school
year. This ranking includes all
schools – over 2,500 in North Carolina. It represents the epitome of excellence in teaching and learning.
The staff is charged with taking students where they are and ensuring
they grow. We do not know if the
students are on grade-level or not
when we receive them; however,
our objective is to bring them to proficiency, growing them academically
as much as possible. A growth index determines the quality staff a
school has, the work ethic they
demonstrate, and also the quality
work produced by our students.
Thank you parents for sending your
students to SCMS ready to learn
and ensuring they do the work that
is necessary for success.
Thank you also for so many other
things you have provided: money for
classroom supplies, opportunities for professional developThank you again for all you do.
ment, and so much more. We
could not accomplish what we have Kindest regards,
Lisa Bailes, Principal
thus far without your financial support.
(Left): Author Michelle Icard spoke to SCMS
parents recently about middle schoolers and
social media use. (Above): SCMS’ Kindness
Campaign gets underway. Read more on page 9.
Fall 2015
1
The Shocker
Message from the PTO President
Dear SCMS Families,
Our school year is off to a great start. Thank you to the families that have already given to our Annual
Fund. We appreciate your support of SCMS! The Annual Fund is ongoing, and we welcome a donation at
any point during the school year. The funds raised are used to support the students, teachers, and staff of
SCMS. This year we are focusing on updating the Media Center with a flexible learning space in
order to maximize the use of 1:1 technology. Please consider supporting this important endeavor; it
will benefit all students. The PTO committees are hard at work throughout SCMS. Thank you to all the volunteers for your dedication. The efforts of volunteers make a tremendous difference for our students and
staff. If you have yet to become involved, please consider joining these dedicated parents. The rewards are
plentiful. Thank you again for your support!
Renee Broud, PTO President
In coming months, the SCMS Media Center will
have furniture similar to this to create flexible
learning spaces for students. These spaces help
students collaborate and learn in group settings and can be easily adapted for quiet, independent learning as well. SCMS administrators
have visited other schools that use these spaces
and seen impressive results. These spaces allow
teachers flexibility and creativity in group instruction and engage students with movement and
choice.
National Junior Honor Society
By Alisa Wright-Yasurek, M. Ed.
The 2015-2016 Chapter of the National Junior
Honor Society is off to an incredible start! In September, members volunteered as guides during
both curriculum nights. Having them stationed in certain areas of the building helped ensure that all visitors made it to the correct location
in time for the teacher presentations.
In keeping with the Society’s mission, members are also
planning ways to develop their leadership skills. They look
forward to participating in a student-organized “Leadership
Conference” later this school year. The conference will
The chapter has also launched a peer tutoring program.
help them develop their public speaking skills, foster teamMembers spend one period a week helping their peers unbuilding, and promote 21st century thinking. Of course, the
derstand concepts presented in their core classes. It’s off to
group also plans to invite guest speakers to their
a wonderful start! Our 8th grade participants are
weekly meetings.
benefitting immensely from the extra support.
In addition to their school-based projects, members plan to
volunteer at the Ronald McDonald House and
Samaritan’s Purse warehouse. Without a doubt, these
students certainly recognize the importance of giving back
to the community!
2 Fall 2015
Related note: If you are interested in sharing your leadership skills with this year’s chapter, please contact
Mrs. Wright-Yasurek at alisa.wright@cms.k12.nc.
The Shocker
Paving the Way for the Future
The Annual Fund is a PTO-sponsored fundraiser
that allows us to put much needed resources
into the hands of our teachers and students.
Thanks to the generosity of our South Charlotte
families, we are closing in on this year’s $35,000
goal! To date, we have received donations
totaling just under $29,000. If you haven’t sent in
your contribution to this year’s Annual Fund,
please help us reach our objective by visiting the
PTO website. You can download a green donation form to send in with your check or simply
click on the “donate” button to conMoney from the Annual Fund allowed SCMS to purchase new furniture tribute through PayPal. Many
for the Media Center, replacing broken chairs and tables. This year, we thanks to the 218 families who
are creating a flexible learning space that will maximize the use of 1:1 have already supported the
technology and allow teachers greater flexibility during instruction.
campaign.
South Charlotte Middle School Annual Fund
*Donors as of October 14
Platinum Level $500 & above
Sheila & Kwasi Ankrah
Jason & Pam Bennett
Brian & Stacey Ellis
Rick & Shelly Jones
Craig & Mitzi Lynch
Joanna & Kevin McGinn
Stephen & Melissa Ratliff
Mike Sadri
Brian & Elizabeth Sterling
Gold Level $250-$499
Aaron & Andrea Ayscue
Barb & Eric Beissert
John & Tracey Bengough
Leigh Bessire
Paige & Matt Brockmann
The Broud Family
Anthony & Joanne Caterino
Fred & Elizabeth Caudill
The Coverston Family
The Family of Channing
Dayton
Dave & Denise Dexter
Essex Fells Homeowners’
Association
Scott & Sarah Fligel
Steve & Lisa Friedman
Mark & Amy Gustafson
Andrea & Ken Hollander
Dave & Daphne Katz
Sondra & Bart Key
Sheryl & Tim Knepp
Tom & Amy Knepp
The Malie Family
Ryan & Abbe McCracken
Khuong Nguyen & Co.
Maki Ogura
Connie & Jeffrey Race
3 Fall 2015
Jennifer & Jason Schubert
David Sigmon
Anna & Josh Skudlarick
Vivek Vasudeva
Li Zhang
Rengang Zhang
Silver Level $100-$249
Sue & BJ Allen
Maria T. Alpizar
Zerabruk Abay
David Ardrey
Kimber & Burt Arrington
The Aycock Family
Elizabeth & Rob Bashore
John Berger
Shannon & Adam Berliner
Julie & Lonny Bernath
Annie & Jonathan Brackis
Brad & Myriam Breedlove
Dan Buechter
John & Shannon Carriker
The Cheifetz Family
Xueyun Shi
Alan & Kelly Cranford
Karen & Mark Crews
Brian & Kim Dalyrymple
Meg & Luis Dancausse
Janet & Randy Darden
Rob & Elisa DiPrete
Mike Dudko
Ravi Dumpala
JoLynn & Ronnie Ensminger
Julie & Michael Fisher
Vicki Foster
Malia & Sean Fox
Lynn & Tom Freitas
Mark & Lori Gabriel
Nega Ghebrehiwot
Heather & Robert Gailunas
Alan & Julia Godel
Laura Hackett
Colleen & Asher Haines
Thomas & Josephine
Hamelin
Heidi Hannon
Tim & Jamie Hatmaker
Katie Heeseman
Mitzi & Darin Helms
Annette & Frank Henry
John & Deborah Hofland
Mark & Sara Hogan
Emra Hopkins
Hanna Jeevaguntla
Amy & Chris Johnson
Darrell & Haydee Johnson
Subbu Kalyanasundaram
Christie & David Kautter
Peter & Angela Keretsis
Karen & Scott Kirchner
Tim & Meeghan Kuwada
The Liebau Family
Isabel Lockhart
Nicole & Andy Love
Chris & Hallie Lyon
Ken Sharp
Ricardo & Carmela Mata
Lara & Eric McMillan
Cassie & Michael Meehan
Josh & Anissa Millen
Alan & Tyria Naspinski
Julie & Chris Nee
Lisa & Ron Nelson
Joe & Susie Oringel
The Ormand Family
Brad & Elissa Parsons
Karen & John Perry
Randy & Wendy Peterson
Jen & Craig Pohlman
Tom & Megan Quirk
Vera & Elvis Rivera
Chris & Craig Robertson
Stephanie & Rob Rock
Josh & Beverly Rosen
Yuan Shen
Kiv & Jacquie Slack
Mike & Susan Slade
Kayson Smoot
Chris & LeAnn Squier
The Stallings Family
Amanda & Matt St. Amand
Andrew & Kelly Stienecker
Peter & Courtney St. Onge
The Tuz Family
Kurt & Erin Washburn
Doug & Dana Webb
The Wheeler Family
The Wigent Family
Mike & Wendy Williams
Woodward & Woodward
PLLC
Wayne & Karen Workman
Calvin & Sherri Wright
Tony Zhang & Haibin Li
Yuan Zhang
The Zusi Family
Purple Level up to $99
Tracey & Josh Adams
Amy Andrews
Linda Artis
Loula & Greg Bauer
Liz & Bill Belser
Tim & Devlyn Brewer
Denise M. Burgin
Neena Chopra
Jennifer L. Colino
Continued on page 4
The Shocker
Continued from page 3
The Collins Family
Steven & Susan Courtney
The Dennis Family
Deb & John Devine
Karen Devine
Michael & Maria Diamantis
Eric & Ava Eschert
Marta Freitas & Vanderlis Ferreira
Amy Fulco
Steve & Lisa Garfinkle
Hermes & Mimi Goudes
Ron & Christine Greeson
Brad & Eugenia Grow
The Hajduk Family
Karen & Alex Harvey
Beth Sanders & Family
Melinda & Chris Hess
Caren Hill
Suzie Hinkle
Wendy Hughes
Terry & Vicki Howarth
Loren Kane
Jacob Keller
Sophie Lee
George & Voula Kokalis
April & David Leach
Media Center News
Barb & Aaron Linz
Betsy Lytle
The McWilliam Family
Aimee & Mark Miller
Danielle Mitchell
Wenyu Pan
Holly & Clay Patton
Sonya Patton
Cheryl Ross
Niknaz Sadeghian
Carolyn & Chris Sanders
Shelli Stoker & David Stillerman
Joe & Diep Stamps
Niki O’Neill
Sergio Villarreal
The Walker Family
Yolanda Wilmer
Wayne Wilson
Nancy Yu
Alla Zakharova
BE A READING MENTOR!
Do you have one hour per week?
Reading mentors are needed for
many of our students at SCMS.
Lesson plans have been created. All
you need to do is come and read with
your student mentee. Thank you for
your help in ensuring our students
meet their goals.
To volunteer or for more information, contact
Dan Siftar at
DanielE.Siftar@cms.k12.nc.us.
By Nelda Smith, Librarian
The school year got off to an exciting start from the first day with students and teachers enjoying the new furniture that the PTO purchased for the library. The students can’t decide which they like better, the chairs that rock, or the café-height tables and chairs. Many
students are more engaged if they can move while they are working.
The 8th grade students have commented that they are disappointed
that they are only going to be able to use the furniture for one year.
Our book and eBook circulation is also off to a great start. We just
received a report about the number of books checked out since the
start of school. South Charlotte has circulated hundreds of more
books than any middle school or high school in the South Learning Community, including schools which have double or triple the number of students. This shows that we have awesome students who love to read, but also it reflects the money that the PTO has put into the library collection over the last two years. Our library has the titles
that the students are reading, and they know they can get them here. We closed out the 2014-2015 school year on
July 31 with over 7,000 circulations of eBooks. Our students read school eBooks all summer long. What a wonderful resource!
We have also just ordered the first phase of furniture for our new flexible learning space. Flexible learning spaces
are areas that allow students to collaborate and learn in group settings, yet can be adapted for quiet independent
learning. The ergonomic furniture should arrive in early December.
Thank you to our PTO for their wonderful support of the library. Every student in the school uses the library and the
library’s resources.
Fall 2015
4
The Shocker
8th Grade News
Language Arts
Social Studies
Estro, Gross, and Wright-Yasurek
Chevalier and Simcox
Our 8th grade Language Arts students have “hit the ground” running
and are adjusting nicely to the expectations of this last year of middle
school. Students are working with the list of literary terms they need
to know before entering 9th grade. When they finish reviewing the
literary terms, all 8th graders will move on to the study of Greek and
Latin stems. With the knowledge of word parts, students are better
able to decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words.
We began the year learning about various
geography skills and then introduced the
people that began colonization and development of the Americas. We will be using several sources through
our study, from the NC textbook to the Discovery Ed. Techbook. Once
the colonies are established, we will begin to see an American identity
which will lead to struggles with the King and then the Revolutionary
War. Once we win the war, a brand new country is established, and a
During this first two months of school, students have also learned how
government is formed. We will be spending a great deal of time with
to perform a close read of text, respond to literature using R.A.C.E.,
the Constitution and why this is one of the most important documents
construct a literary analysis essay, and identify the reoccurring theme
ever created. Students will memorize the Preamble and go in depth
in various selections across genres. Next, students will be exposed to
with the Bill of Rights. Various activities and projects will be used to
the "Strange and Mysterious" - a unit of texts that expose students to
enhance their understanding and realize the importance of how this
craft elements such as foreshadowing, mood, and tone. This is just in
country got started.
time for Halloween!
Of course, students continue to be exposed to a daily dose of grammar
that challenges them to identify the parts of speech, sentence kind
and type, and word functions — all before having them create a diagram of the week’s sentence. Students also read and respond to the
“Article of the Week” to keep up with current events and improve
their comprehension of informational
texts. This year, we have introduced
Newsela to the students. Newsela is
an innovative way to enhance student’s
reading comprehension skills with relevant non-fiction. The entire class can
read the same article at the same time,
but at a level that is just right for each
individual student.
Science
Simcox and Smith
The 8th grade Science students started
the year with chemistry, a difficult
concept for students to grasp. Since
the first test a few weeks ago, students have figured out how to study
and how important it is to keep up
with homework and review notes on
a daily basis.
Students have also completed a lab about solutions and mixtures,
where they identified substances as a solution, a mixture, or a suspension. Students ended the quarter with a lab on Endothermic and Exothermic reactions, followed by the third and final test.
5 Fall 2015
Math
Aycock, Ballard, and Conlan
Math 8 has been moving right along, learning about number systems.
We have reviewed the topics of positive and negative numbers and
how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide these integers. We applied
this when solving problems using
order of operations. The next
topic we tackled was solving
linear equations. We began by
solving one- and two-step equations and moved on to multi-step
equations. We are now wrestling
with exponents and are coming out on top. We have seen how these
concepts can be used in the real world through our practice with word
problems. The next topic we will be covering is scientific notation.
In Math I we began the year by building the foundations for Algebra
by reviewing how to manipulate real numbers. We used these skills
when solving both equations and inequalities. We have learned how
these concepts can be used in the real world through the solutions to
word problems. Be sure to ask your student about their word problem
wrap ups. Functions, both linear and non-linear, are a large portion
of what we learn in Math I, and it is the next unit we will be covering.
Math II is in full swing. We are having a great time getting to know
each other as well as learning several concepts in class. We are half
way through our curriculum, and things are looking great for us to
prepare for the Math I EOC in January. We took our mid-term on October 22 which covered the following topics: foundations for algebra,
solving equations, solving inequalities, functions, linear functions,
dimensional analysis, and mixture word problems. We will focus on
the remaining standards in coming weeks which will include systems
of equations and inequalities, exponential functions, polynomials,
quadratics, radical expressions, and statistics. Tutoring is available
Tuesdays after school from 3:30 – 4:30 PM. It will be a busy nine
weeks with lots of learning. We are excited about what we will accomplish together.
The Shocker
7th Grade News
Social Studies
Math
Lagrange and Whitney
Brown, Holloway and Raffensperger
We are moving through the Age of Exploration, looking at how
the world was first
connected. We are
analyzing the wonders and horrors
that occurred during
these meetings from
Asia, Europe, Africa,
and the Americas.
Students made
presentations about topics from these areas and included primary sources to demonstrate how people from the time period
were affected. We will be moving into the Age of Revolutions
next, looking at how Industrialization and the Enlightenment
created a much different world.
Math 7 has been working on mastering adding and subtracting positive and negative rational numbers. We have
been working very hard learning our signs by singing catchy
songs that remind us of the rules in class. We have been working on mastering our multiplication tables as well.
Science
Our honors classes have been working diligently, mastering the
differences between irrational, rational, integers, whole numbers, and natural numbers as well as knowing how to add,
subtract, multiply, and divide rational numbers. We have also
been working on mastering the commutative, associative, and
distributive properties as well as understanding combining
like terms.
Hicks and Lagrange
We are excited this year about all the effort and hard work our
The year has gotten off to a good start. We began with a review classes have exerted. Keep up the good work, 7th grade! You
from last year of the Scientific Method. At the conclusion of the are doing a great job!
unit, the students conducted a thumb wrestling lab using the
Scientific Method. We then introduced the atmosphere and its
different layers and composition. Those two topics made
up the information that was
on the first test of the year.
Students also learned about
Congratulations to the following students who
the weather and the water
have been selected for the WSCMS News
cycle. Next, we will be invesTeam this year. Students had to fill out an application and audition
tigating the different types of air masses and climates. The Sci- for their roles. Students work with Mrs. McKenna and Mrs. Smith
ence teachers are looking forward to a great second quarter.
each morning to read the announcements and to operate the
WSCMS News Team
Language Arts
Bernier, Titus, and Virtanen
In 7th Grade Language Arts, we have been hard at work with
word and text analysis. In our first unit, Literary Elements, we
looked at the interaction of literary elements
and their impact on the meaning of the story.
Next, we looked at the interaction of people
and events in nonfiction, focusing on biographies and autobiographies. Currently, we
are conducting an in-depth study of Ben Carson’s autobiography Gifted Hands. Throughout
all units, vocabulary and word study are another focus of instruction. Much of the work in the class novel will
require paragraph responses, which will provide us with practice in writing effectively for the given purpose and audience.
equipment behind the scenes.
Anchors
Tech Crew
Tiana Martinez
Anna Vickrey
April Song
Ariam
Gnebrehiwot
Elizabeth Park
Audrey Kim
Maggie Mendy
Ella Rising
Amelia Matta
Patrick Yu
Olivia Webb
Archer Wilk
John Schubert
Nicholas Donato
Fall 2015
6
The Shocker
6th Grade News
Language Arts
Gallagher, Glenn, and Palinkas
Sixth grade Language Arts classes have been busy learning
about plot, conflict, inferences, and foreshadowing. Students
have been reading short stories
and narrative poetry to look for
the basic parts of plot: exposition,
rising action, climax, falling action
and resolution. Students are also
identifying setting within the story
on a regular basis. Students have
had some great class discussions
about different types of conflict and gave some terrific examples of man vs. man conflict and man vs. self conflict. Our students are learning how to make inferences based on the text
that they are reading. We will be starting vocabulary and weekly grammar by Quarter 2, so be on the lookout for that. We
have had a great start to our year, and we are excited to see
what our students will learn this year!
Science
Bauer and Tubb
Transitioning from elementary school to SCMS is no easy task.
Students are faced with the crazy block-scheduling, which is
commonly referred to as the A-day, B-day monster. Please do
not ask about getting the kids accustomed to using lockers – it
has been a headache. Surprisingly, the current 6th grade students have done well with the transition and are beginning to
understand what it means to be a middle-school student.
In our Science classes, students began the school year studying
the Scientific Method and how it can be utilized to help them
conduct investigations. In order to help students understand
the relevance of the method, they conducted a mini-helicopter
investigation. They were disappointed that they were only creating paper helicopters and not real ones. Even though the Scientific Method Unit is officially over, students were able to apply their learning as they conducted a soda and Mentos experiment.
We want to send a sincere
thank you to the many parents who have donated supplies to our Science classrooms. Science is so much more fun for the kids when we have
7 Fall 2015
materials to help them investigate. Currently, we are wrapping
up the "Matter: Changes and Properties" unit. Students will also
have a chance to manipulate dry ice. One of our overall goals
this year is that your child comes home excited about Science.
Stay tuned for more to come. Science all day!
Math
Matusiak, Rich, and Theiler
Sixth grade Math students have gotten off to a great start this
school year, starting with our algebra unit. We have been working on order of operations, combining like terms, using the distributive problem, solving one-step
equations, and working with measures
of center. We have also been working
with measures of variation and making
box and whisker plots to better understand how the numbers are distributed.
After that, we will start our next unit,
Prime Time, in the textbook. Students
have also been using Compass Learning, Khan Academy, Castle
Learning, and First in Math on their Chromebooks to assist
with their learning. If there is a night when your child does not
have homework, Compass Learning Math is a great resource for
all students to work on since all activities are tailored to their
individual needs. Please make sure your child has the required
calculator (Texas Instruments TI30XIIS).
Social Studies
Bauer and Rogers
Welcome to a new and exciting school year! Students in the 6th
grade are working hard to make the transition from elementary
school to middle school. As they make the transition, the Social
Studies curriculum will focus heavily on geography by using the
themes of geography, which includes location, place, humanenvironment interaction, movement, and region to understand
the development and decline of ancient civilizations from early
humans to the Age of Exploration. The students will look at the
history and culture of various regions of the world. This quarter,
students have explored unit one that deals with the following
topics: the five themes of geography, human geography, key
geographic terms, and world religions. This is going to be a
great year as students dive into the study of world history.
The Shocker
CTE Department News
Seaman, Strickland, and Williams
The Career and Technical Education
department is excited to be offering a
more extensive list of courses this
year. We now have Project Lead the
Way. This program is led by Ms.
Kailey Williams. She joins Mary Anne
Seaman and Julia Strickland on the
CTE team. Look below to see what the
students have been learning in all the
CTE classes.
Computer Skills and Applications 1
classes started the year with learning
proper technique to be
used while keying all alphabetic, numeric, symbol,
and operational keys. The
students are now moving into a unit of
study on Word Processing Basics and
Business Correspondence which will
re-focus them on the need to learn
good keyboarding skills. They will continue the semester with Desktop Publishing and Multimedia.
Computer Skills and
Applications 2 leads
students through two
modules of business
application software:
Spreadsheets and Databases. Classes
began the semester with a unit of
Project Lead the Way classes have
study on the basics of spreadsheet
been learning about engineering cause. The students complete projects
reers and how the design process is
that simulate real-world business
used to invent and innoneeds. They will soon be transitioning
vate. In Design and Modinto more advanced spreadsheet funceling, 7th and 8th grade
tions and the creation of charts. Bestudents are currently
fore the end of the semester, students
designing furniture,
will also explore databases.
while 6th grade students
are designing organizers
Exploring Entrepreneurship classes
for materials they need for their favorhave covered the four types of busiite hobbies. All D&M students will conness ownership and the purpose of
clude Quarter 1 by building protobusiness. They have differentiated be- types/models of their designs! In Autween profit, nontomation and Robotics, students have
profit, service, prodbeen learning about different types of
uct, and combination
robots, how robotics have changed
service and product
over the years, and looking into the
businesses. In addifuture of robotics. A&R students will
tion they have
conclude Quarter 1 by learning about
learned the six functions of a business gear trains and automating simple
which include accounting, human re- gear trains to complete a given task.
sources, operations, information technology, marketing, and management.
Students are now differentiating bePlease refer to Mrs. Strickland’s,
tween the command, mixed, market, Mrs. Seaman’s, and Ms. Williams’
and traditional economic systems.
websites for more information about
Students have compared the econom- each course including daily activities,
ic system of the United States to the
notes, and study guides.
economic systems of Chad and North
Korea. They are learning about the law
of supply and demand and how it contributes to price changes, too.
Winter Sports Tryouts Important Dates
Tryout Signups - November 9-12, during lunch
Tryouts - November 16-20, 4-6 PM
Meet the Coach Night (REQUIRED) - November 23, 5:30 PM
Picture Day - December 4
Banquet - February 16, 5:30 PM
For up to date information on SCMS Athletics, visit http://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/show/815013-southcharlotte-middle-school. Or follow on Twitter at @SCMS_Athletics. It’s a great way to get the latest news, scores,
and tryout information.
Fall 2015
8
The Shocker
Kindness Committee Shares Smiles
The Kindness Committee has been hard at work in the halls of SCMS in recent weeks. Many
schools around the country consider October “Anti-bullying Month,” but at SCMS, students
and staff chose to focus on the positive acts that people can do. One morning, students
were met with inspirational Post-it Notes on every locker to start their day. The committee
also held a homeroom door decorating competition, appeared on WSCMS each morning
with a bullying statistic and uplifting quote, made a YouTube video, and launched a Twitter
account for kindness at SCMS. Students attended a Kindness assembly as well, participated in activities and received rewards for acts of kindness. Thank you to Mr. Gross, who
works with the Kindness Committee each month.
CHECK OUT SCMS & THE KINDNESS CAMPAIGN ON YOUTUBE AND TWITTER!
VISIT: https://youtu.be/I-Q5ESPZIqs & www.twitter.com/scmskindness.
VOLUNTEERS!
Please ensure your volunteer profile is up to date. Add SCMS to your list of volunteer schools at
https://www.cmsvolunteers.com/.
Yearbook
by Mary Anne Seaman
We Are South Charlotte!
The yearbook staff is busy taking pictures, working on layouts, and writing copy to include in the 2016 yearbook.
Would you like to have some of the pictures you have taken included in the yearbook? If so, download the free Jostens Replay It App through the Apple or the Google Play
stores. We will do our best to include as many of your
photos as possible. Please identify the people included in
your photos, along with a description.
Thank you to those 100-plus families who have already
purchased a yearbook online and by mail. If you have not
yet purchased a yearbook, it is not too late! Go to
www.jostensyearbooks.com and place your order today!
Questions concerning the yearbook? Please contact Yearbook Advisers Mary Anne Seaman at mary.seaman@cms.k12.nc.us or
Kailey Williams at kaileyj.williams@cms.k12.nc.us.
9 Fall 2015
The Shocker
SPORTS
To the families and staff who have generously supported our athletic program by joining the Booster Club. Your support allows
us to purchase the necessary equipment used by our coaches and athletes and to promote school spirit through events like
pep rallies and banquets. It is not too late to join! Contact SCMS Athletic Director Jeff Sprenger for more information.
Platinum Sponsors ($100+)
Vera Rivera
John Hofland
Heather & Jay Herring
Mindy & Guy Decker
JoLynn Ensminger
Shelly Jones
David Ardrey
Brian Pirone
Eddie & Mike Carter
Jody & Robb Sarno
Mitzi & Craig Lynch
Shahrokh Sadrnia
Todd Lanier
Annie Brackis
Joanne Caterino
Melissa & Stephen Ratliff
Matthew Brockmann
Gold Sponsors ($75)
Charlene Liebau
Heather McWilliam
Krista Sigmon
Heather Gailunas
Vic Cope
Cassie & Michael Meehan
Charles Haltiwanger
Stephanie Sawyer
Darrell Johnson
Yana & Mike Dudko
Ethel Boyd
John Millen
Stephanie Stallings
Christy & Brian Masch
Lisa Malie
Anna & Josh Skudlarick
Silver Level Sponsors ($50)
Jacquie & Kiv Slack
Loula Bauer
Mark Gustafson
Beverly Rosen
Renee Broud
Megan & Tom Quirk
Michelle Pikel
Karen Fairley
Katherine Melvin
Lisa Williamson
Stephanie & Glenn Eickenhorst
Kenneth Hollander
Anna Chapman
Randy Peterson
Chris Robertson
Maria Diamantis
Karen Devine
Lori Gabriel
Bronze Level Sponsors ($25)
Sarah & Scott Fligel
Lara & John Hackett
Sue Allen
Brandy Meekins
Doug Webb
Danny Hignight
Cheryl Cunningham
Niki O'Neill
Bridget Cohen
Barbara Linz
Susan & Mike Slade
Cheryl Ross
Amy Fulco
Angela Lawrence
Hallie Lyon
Peter St. Onge
Leslie Tiedeman
Michelle Thomas-Bush
Sally Woods
Angela & Peter Keretsis
Shelly & Jay Dul
Toni Holcomb
Elizabeth Bashore
Therese Rothenberger
Althea Hajduk
Wendy Hughes
Jenny & Kevin Kaeppler
Ava Eschert
Meg & Luis Dancausse
Mary Gath
Betsy Lytle
Neena Chopra
Cathy Kirkland
Lynn Freitas
Danielle Mitchell
Kellie & Theo Karavokiros
Kimberly Dayton
Fall 2015
10
The Shocker
SCMS Fine Arts Network
We would like to extend a very big THANK YOU
to all who have supported the Fine Arts Network
(FAN) this year. Your donations are being used in
so many fantastic ways, both big and small, to
make our FAN programs the best ever! Here are
just a few of the ways your contributions help:
purchasing paints, glazes and a clay extruder;
supplying paper; providing costumes, music, and
scripts; obtaining sheet music; providing substitute
teachers; purchasing the rights for the musical;
and buying new instruments (violin and tubas!), as
well as keeping instruments repaired. We really
couldn’t do it without your help! Thank you!
There will be several upcoming performances
where you can see the fabulous FAN students in
action! In particular, the Honors classes and orchestra students are preparing for the annual Patron Night! Be on the lookout for this very entertaining evening after the new year.
If you would like more information on how to donate, participate or attend an event, please visit
the FAN wiki at http://
scmsfan.cmswiki.wikispaces.net, or contact us at
scmsfan@gmail.com.
PLATINUM FAN SPONSORS
Balas Family
Bissette Family
Boardman Family
Butler Family
Calhoun Family
Caterino Family
Caudill Family
Cohen Family
Darden Family
Dayton Family
Dennis Family
Ellis Family
Ensminger Family
Fasan Family
Gabriel Family
Grimmett Family
Hackman Family
Hollander Family
Hunt Family
Jammalamadugu Family
Johnson Family
Kelley Family
Kim Family
Kirkland Family
Lester Family
McCracken Family
Pamperin Family
Park Family
Parr Family
Ratliff Family
Sadrnia Family
Schubert Family
Slade Family
Sterling Family
Swann Family
Woods Family
Zhang Family
GOLD FAN SPONSORS
Archer Family
Aycock Family
Beissert Family
Berhe Family
Berliner Family
Boyd Family
Brackis Family
Breedlove Family
Chapman Family
Chhatrala Family
Cook Family
Cunningham Family
Curley Family
Eckard Family
Ferreira Family
Ferro Family
Foster Family
Fox Family
Haines Family
Hannosh Family
Hatch Family
Helms Family
Henry Family
Hite Family
Hogan Family
Hopkins Family
Hughes Family
Johnstone Family
Kim Family
Kirchner Family
Kokalis Family
Koivisto Family
Liu Family
Malie Family
Mata Family
Matthews Family
McGirt Family
McMillan Family
McWilliam Family
Miller Family
Naspinski Family
Ogura Family
Patel Family
Patterson Family
Pham Family
Pohlman Family
Pressly Family
Rana Family
Rasmussen Family
Rock Family
St. Onge Family
Schwartz Family
Seaman Family
Shi Family
Skibinski Family
Skudlarick Family
Smith Family
Squier Family
Stefanac Family
Suh Family
Thomas Family
Thomson Family
Thorpe Family
Tuz Family
Vasudeva Family
Walsh Family
Walsh Family
Williams Family
Williams Family
Winston Family
Xu Family
Zharakova Family
Zhang Family
Fall 2015
11
The Shocker
South Charlotte Middle School
8040 Strawberry Lane
Charlotte, NC 28277
Phone: 980.343.3670
Fax: 980.343.3725
A 2007 NCLB Blue Ribbon School
http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/
southcharlotteMS/Pages/Default.aspx
Calendar of Upcoming Events
NOVEMBER
9 Mon.
Fall Sports Banquet 5:30 PM
9-12 M-Th.
Winter Sports Sign-up (during lunch)
11 Wed.
NO SCHOOL - VETERANS’ DAY HOLIDAY
16 Mon.
PTO General Board Meeting 8:45 AM
16-20 M-Fri. Winter Sports Tryouts 4-6 PM
23 Mon.
Winter Sports “Meet the Coach” Night 5:30-7 PM
25-27 W-Fri. NO SCHOOL - THANKSGIVING BREAK
DECEMBER
4 Fri.
8 Tues.
15 Tues.
16 Wed.
21-31
Winter Sports Pictures 4:30-6 PM
Choral Concert 7-8 PM
Dance Concert 7-8 PM
School Club Pictures
Honors Play 7-8 PM
NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
SCMS Main Phone: 980.343.3670
Fax: 980.343.3725
CMS Transportation: 980.343.5715
JANUARY
1 Fri.
4 Mon.
8 Fri.
13 Wed.
18 Mon.
20 Wed.
20 Wed.
25 Mon.
26 Tues.
NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
SCHOOL RESUMES
Deadline for PTO Quarterly Newsletter Submissions
Honors Dance Showcase 7 PM
NO SCHOOL - MLK JR. HOLIDAY
EARLY RELEASE DAY 12:30 PM
End of 2nd Quarter
NO SCHOOL - TEACHER WORKDAY
FAN Patron Night 5:30 PM
Remaining Fall Sports Contests:
Thursday 10/29 HOME, Football vs Community House 5 PM
Monday 11/2 Softball/Volleyball at Community House 5 PM
In compliance with federal law, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without
discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability.