Feb 2015 - Pinellas County Schools

HAWKS TICKETS: Students are
rewarded with Hawks Tickets when they
are observed behaving positively. These
tickets are collected and weekly drawings
are held. The winners are recognized on
Teaching good behavior is an integral part
our morning news program and awarded a
of education. Students at Seminole
prize.
Middle School are expected to
demonstrate respectful, responsible and
safe behaviors. To help students
HAWKS Tickets Tips for Students:

There are Hawks ticket collecting
incorporate these behaviors into their
bins in the cafeteria, the grade
lives, we have instituted Positive Behavior
level offices and most language
Intervention Support (PBIS). This
arts classrooms. Make sure to
initiative focuses on teaching and
turn in your tickets!
rewarding desired behaviors. Please read

You can earn Hawks tickets on the
on for a refresher on some of our school-
bus, in the cafeterias and in the
wide procedures.
hallways too. Make sure to display
positive behaviors in ALL areas of
OUR ON-GOING MISSION: To
provide a positive, safe educational
environment conducive for academic
growth.
OUR HAWKS EXPECTATIONS:
H: Have RESPECT for self and others
A: Always be PREPARED and ON TIME
W: Will make GOOD CHOICES
K: Keep FOCUSED on GOALS
S: Show RESPONSIBILITY
HAWK MOTTO: HAWKS soar with
PRIDE, RESPECT, DETERMINATION,
and RESILIENCE!
the school.
HAWKS FLIGHT CARDS: Students
who maintain good academic and conduct
grades are rewarded with a HAWKS
Flight Card each nine weeks. Earning a
Flight Card awards students with special
privileges to recognize their hard work
over the course of a grading period.
Flight Card Criteria:
 No Ds or Fs on report card
 No Ns or Us in conduct
Flight Card Privileges:
 Leave your last class 2 minutes
early on Fridays.
 Use to excuse 1 tardy.
Attend positive behavior events
Congratulations to our TSIC scholarship
winners:
Hilda Alcaraz-De La Cruz
Sofia Orfanidis
Casey Fekollari
Sarah Golden
Avani Davis
Rachel Broomhead
Michael Beasley-Kanash
Delianis Olivieri
Anthony Bowman
Sandy Nguyen
Allecia Teal
Students officially join the Take Stock In
Children program after they sign the contract
with their parents/guardian at the contract
signing on March 3rd.
February is…
Volunteer Appreciation Month
We want to thank all of the volunteers
who give so much to our students. We
appreciate your time and effort! We
couldn’t do it without you.
TUTORS/MENTORS NEEDED!
Greetings Hawks Family! Please allow me to
introduce myself. I am Debbie Brakke, the new
Family and Community Liaison at Seminole
Middle School. I am thrilled to be a part of this
great school, and am delighted to help with any
of your questions. Please call me at 727-5474520 extension 2015. The number of active
volunteers I've been privileged to meet already
has been amazing and I speak for all the staff
when I say thank you to our volunteers this
month! We, at Seminole Middle School,
appreciate the way you give back so generously
to our school and community. Please keep in
mind that we will have a small get together to
celebrate your volunteering later in the year more details to follow.
Please consider tutoring a student who is
struggling in their academic subjects. Algebra,
pre-algebra and reading are subjects most
often in need of a little extra support.
Training is required to become a mentor. Call
727-547-4520 or email Debbie Brakke at
brakked@pcsb.org to register to attend one of
the mentor trainings.
Parents,
Please have your students check the Lost and
Found (located in the 8th grade house) for all of
their misplaced items.
Currently, there are jackets, hoodies,
sweaters, backpacks, lunchboxes, pencil bags,
shoes, hair clips, library books, notebooks,
eyeglasses, keys, and flash drives (smaller items
are kept at Mrs. Haber’s desk). All items will be
donated if not claimed by February 27, 2015.
Congratulations to our 2014 -2015 PRIDE
Award winners.
Math
Science
Social Studies
Writing
World Language
Joseph Hill
Thomas Bladykas
Abigail Grassick
Ashlee Rice
Cameron Kay
Pinellas Virtual School part-time
enrollment is in full swing.
Pinellas Virtual School part-time
enrollment for fall and spring courses
for the 2015-16 school year is underway
through March 27. Enrollment in
Pinellas Virtual School is one way
students can meet the state’s online
credit requirement. Under Florida’s
Digital Learning Act, students are
required to complete an online course
as part of the state’s 24-credit
minimum needed to graduate.
Honors courses and popular electives,
such as HOPE and Driver's Education
are offered as part-time curriculum
aligned with Pinellas County
Schools. Families can enroll online
at www.virtualschool.pcsb.org. Pinellas
Virtual School will offer students an
opportunity to enroll full-time in April.
Our 8th grade youth group at Anona Methodist Church
has been working on a mission for an organization
called Clothes to Kids. Clothes to Kids is a nonprofit
organization that helps collect new or slightly used
clothes for children who are in situations where it is
hard for them to get clothes. Clothes to Kids gives these
children the clothes they need free of charge. They
collect clothes for children of all shapes and sizes.
Clothes to Kids is an amazing organization that has
helped many kids. They make it easy to help and make a difference.
The students kicked off this project by brainstorming ways they could
expand our already successful mission into an even better one. They
decided they could try to spread the help to their schools! After several
weeks of planning and preparing for the clothing drive, they made
posters and advertisement videos to play for their schools. On January
6th, the 8th graders began collecting. They spent two weeks collecting at
Seminole, Morgan Fitzgerald, and Oakgrove Middle Schools as well as at
church. By the end of the collection the students had several vans full of clothing!
The 8th grade small group of Anona United Methodist Church is
honored to have been able to take part in such an experience. The
group is so happy that we have been able to take a mission from our
church and expand it to our local middle schools. With such a great
success this year we are excited for our next clothing drive. The youth
group works their hardest to get out into the community to help make
a difference. The accomplishments that have been made are amazing
and are hopefully changing the lives of kids in their community. If a
child you know is in need of clothing, please do not hesitate to get a letter of referral and make an
appointment with Clothes to Kids, and visit their website for more
information. http://www.clothestokids.org/
Every year all 8th graders learn about budgeting
and financial planning through their Social
Studies classes. At the end of the 5 week
curriculum all 8th grade students are expected
to attend Finance Park at the Gus A. Stavros
Center in Largo. Permission slips will be handed
out in April and lunch will cost $2.50. To attend,
we need parent volunteers to sign up and
attend with their student’s teacher. All
volunteers must be registered with SMS before
they can go. If you are interested, please
contact your student’s Social Studies teacher or
SMS. Here are the dates each teacher’s classes
are going to Finance Park:
May 1st-Wright, Moore, Reybitz
May 4th-Burdette
May 5th-Schlierer
May 6th-Gluck
Happy Photo February! This month, the
yearbook staff is collecting photos of YOU
outside of school! You can email your pet
pictures, travel pictures, or outside of school
photos to planta@pcsb.org to be featured in
the yearbook! 8th graders only, send in your
baby photos. Don't forget yearbooks are always
on sale online at ybpay.lifetouch.com and
during lunch on Wednesdays.
Much Love, The Yearbook Staff 
MR CARVER’S CLASS
Congratulations to the following students for
having their artwork accepted into upcoming
exhibitions:


Kelly Campagna, Xaviar Rivera, and
Mary Powell have work that will be on
display at the “Taking Shape” exhibit
at the Dunedin Fine Arts Center. Their
work will be on display from February
21-March 29 at the Dunedin Fine Arts
Center, located at 1143 Michigan Blvd
in Dunedin.
Haley McHale and Evan Gordon have
work that will be on display at the
Clearwater Arts Alliance exhibit “March
Is Youth Art Month" at the Clearwater
Library.
We are very proud of our students’ hard work
and their achievements.
On January 21st, students in Mr. Carver’s classes
welcomed Dr. Barbara Zorin, USF St. Petersburg
Professor of Math Education who introduced
them to the math game “Integer Bones,” a fun
game that helps students reinforce their skills
with integer operations. Students had a great
time while building their skills in math!
Mrs. Guth, the 8th grade counselor, visited all
8th grade history classes in February to help
students develop a 4 year plan for high
school. In order to be promoted to 9th grade,
all public middle school students must
complete a Career and Education Planning
Course which is included as part of their
history class. In this course students will
create a plan for high school using Counselor
Connect which can be accessed through
Focus. The 4 year plan will guide them in
choosing all required courses and allow
students to plan elective courses related to
their career cluster and long term goals after
high school. Students can make changes to
their plans and review their transcripts
directly from their account. A completed 4
year plan needs at least 24 credits planned.
Actual registration for high school will take
place in March. Please review your child’s
plan and check out the website. It contains
valuable information to prepare students for
life beyond high school.
Visit Counselor Connect to:
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
Create a high school academic plan
Track progress toward graduation
Check eligibility for Bright Futures
Scholarship Awards
Learn about Florida’s post
secondary programs
Apply online to state universities
and colleges
Apply online for state and federal
financial aid (FAFSA)
Mrs. Guth will be going into science classes the
week of February 16th to discuss high school
registration. Students will receive their course
request form which will include the teachers’
recommendations for the core academic
courses. If the parent disagrees with the
teacher recommendation, the parents should
talk to the high school guidance counselor about
making any changes. Students will be given the
form to take home to make elective choices.
Forms should then be returned to their science
teacher.
If the student is attending Seminole High
School, the top copy should be taken to the
school during their curriculum night on March
26 from 4:30-6:30. This is a time to talk with
the guidance counselor and learn more about
the electives and clubs offered at Seminole High
School.
All other forms will be sent directly to the high
school. If you have any questions about high
school registration, please contact Mrs. Guth at
547-4520.
Dear SMS Parent/ Guardian:
SMS will be conducting screenings Mon & Tues. Feb 23 & 24th. This
screening will be for 6th Grade and any student that is new to the Pinellas County
School district. This will consist of vision and hearing screenings, a scoliosis
evaluation, and a Body Mass Index assessment. If you choose not to have your
student participate in this screening, please submit your request in writing and
have your student bring it to the grade level house - Attention: School Nurse. It is
very important that your student is not absent during the screening dates. Also, if
your student wears glasses or contacts, make sure your student has them on the
day of screening.
Sincerely,
Susan Todd, RN
SMS School Nurse
727-452-1496
The intent of the immunization and physical examination is to assure a healthy, protected school
population and to identify and correct any problems or potential problems that might interfere
with learning. Entrance requirements are based upon Florida Statute, regulations of The
Department of Health and policies of the Pinellas County Schools Board.
We are encouraging parents/guardians to know their student’s immunization status. If your
student has an immunization status labeled with “Temporary Medical Exemption”, please note
expiration date. Immunization(s) must be given before that expiration date. Also, any time your
student receives an immunization, please bring copy of immunization record to the school.
If you are not sure of your student’s immunization status or immunization compliance please
contact your physician.”
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All immunization dates must be on Florida Certificate of Immunization (DH680)
All Pinellas County Health Department Centers provide free immunizations
For immunization information, contact your physician or the Pinellas County Health Department
Clearwater Center
310 North Myrtle Ave.
(727) 469-5800
Pinellas Park Center
6350 76th Ave. N
(727) 547-7780
Mid-County Center
8751 Ulmerton Rd.
(727) 524-4410
St. Petersburg Center
205 Dr. MLK St. N.
(727) 824-6900
Tarpon Springs Center
301 South Disston Ave.
(727) 942-5457
News
Congratulations to Ashleigh Butler, Amyia
Brown, and James Ingram for being chosen
for the 30th Annual Joseph L. Carwise
Minority Student Achievement Awards.
The awards ceremony hosted by the
Superintendent's North County Minority
Advisory Committee will be held on
Saturday, April 18, 2015. This event gives
public recognition to minority students
attending northern Pinellas County Schools
who have demonstrated excellence in
scholarship.
Would you like to play sports after school? We
are excited to introduce Intramural Sports
(within our walls) at Seminole Middle School.
There are no cuts, all grade levels are welcome,
and we host a different sport/tournament each
month. This is a fun way to stay active, meet
others, and compete against friends that you
can’t in PE.
Dates: Informational meeting, February 24,
2015 (Tuesday) from 4-5PM in the gymnasium.
All interested players will get to meet the
coaches and receive individual and team sign up
paperwork at the meeting. All interested
participants must meet all criteria by March 6th
and the first evening of fun (4-6PM) will be on
March 10th, 2015.
If you cannot make the meeting, please pick up
participation packets at grade level offices on
February 25, 2015. Thank you, LETS PLAY!
For more information please contact:
Coach Hastings- Hastingsco@pcsb.org
Coach Rayel- Rayelt@pcsb.org
Meet Your Legislator Session at SMS
On February 23rd, Representative
Larry Ahern will participate in a “Meet
Your Legislator” session at Seminole
Middle School. The event is cosponsored by the SMS PTSA and SAC,
and will run from 6-7pm in the
cafeteria. Parents, teachers and
students are all welcome to attend to
meet Rep. Ahern and share their
questions and concerns in an open Q
& A session. A table will also be set
up at the event so those attending can
sign up to receive legislative alerts.
Hope to see you there!
PTSA is collecting Labels for Education. These
labels can be submitted as points to purchase
items from LFE catalog. The labels can be found
on a variety of Campbell’s, Pepperidge Farms,
Bic, Prego, V8, Pace, Danon, Pop Secret, Glad,
Post, and Swanson products.
Collection box is located in the front office.
Please make sure to include the UPC (barcode)
with your label.
Test Taking Tips as FSA Approaches:
1. Show up on time. Get the test off to the
best possible start by getting there on
time.
2. Stay focused and relaxed. Keep your
mind on the test, but don’t tighten up.
Try to stay loose and cool so you can
move through the questions one by one.
If you feel anxious, take some deep
breaths and then get right back to the
test questions.
3. Sit comfortably. Don’t hunch over the
test or stiffen up. Sit in a relaxed way
and keep your posture loose.
4. Expect and accept a little bit of
stress. Don’t worry if you still have
some stress while you begin the test.
Almost everyone feels this…it’s there
because you want to do your best and
get a good grade. The key is to accept it
and not let worrying about the stress
make you even more stressed. Tell
yourself, “I’m a little worried, but that’s
okay. I’m going to do well on this test
because I’m prepared.”
5. Read the directions. Take a minute to
read the test instructions before you get
started. This will keep you from making
simple mistakes and guarantee that you
won’t have to waste time going back
and redoing any work because you
didn’t understand the directions.
6. Pace yourself. Your test will be timed.
Know ahead of time how many
questions there are and how quickly
you will have to move through each
one. Don’t focus on the clock as time
ticks away, but glance up every once in
awhile to make sure you’re not falling
behind pace.
7. Don’t rush. Try to keep a good
pace…but never rush through a
question. Make sure you understand
what is being asked, and then make
sure you think clearly about your
answer.
8. Don’t get distracted. Keep your eyes
on your paper, unless it’s to glance at
the clock occasionally. Don’t look at the
students around you, this could take
your mind off the test. Another good
reason to stay focused on your own test
is that if you start looking around the
room, a teacher might think you’re
trying to cheat.
9. Focus on the stuff you know. What
happens if you come across a question
that absolutely stumps you or seems
impossible to answer? Pass on the
questions like these and come back if
you have time. You might come up with
the answer to the hard question while
you’re answering an easier one!
10. Use all your time. If you happen to
finish the test before time is up, don’t sit
there staring into space. Go back over
the questions, especially the ones that
seemed hard, and check your work.
Fixing obvious mistakes can help boost
your grade and is better than just
waiting for the clock to run out.
2014-2015 Track Team
Congratulations to the following students
2015 SMS Boys Track Team
2015 SMS Girls Track Team
1. Bradley, William
2. Breaziel, Joshua
3. Brugueras, Isaiah
4. Clemons, Vernell
5. Dayton, Chadwick
6. DeMarzo, Tristan
7. Ewing, Connor
8. Holman, Anthony
9. Howard, Shawn
10.Hulsebosch, Sheldon
11.Jackasal, Mykah
12.Joyner, Alex
13.Long, Andrew
14.McClary, Zuri
15.Newsome, Malik
16.Outlaw, Cameron
17.Pollard, Alexander
18.Prestipino, Griffen
19.Siragusa, Logan
20.Wallace, Diego
21.Workman, Sam
22.Yawn, Caleb
1. Miranda Bornhauser
2. Megan Bradley
3. Ariana Centanni
4. Sarah Coco
5. Brynnley Connell
6. Chelsey Garrett
7. J’maya Henderson
8. Anastasija Jokanovic
9. Taylor Malz
10.Victoria Mcdevitt
11.Jessica Mutnansky
12. Grace Palmer
13.Taylor Richardson
14.Emily Strobhor
15.Rachel Strobhor
16.Shannon Strobhor
17.Ky’jah Triplett
18.Hailey Underwood
19.Megan Reed
20.Taylor Stone
21.Monique Gray
22.Mckenzie Stubbs
2015 Seminole Middle School
Boys and Girls Track Schedule
Thursday, February 26
Largo @ Seminole Middle School
*meet at Seminole High School
Thursday, March 5
Oak Grove @ Seminole
*meet at Seminole High School
Thursday, March 12
Seminole @ Osceola Middle
*meet at Osceola Middle
Thursday, March 19
Pinellas Park @ Seminole
*meet at Seminole High School
Districts will be held at Clearwater High School, with Largo and Oak Grove Co-Hosting
Monday, March 23 and
Wednesday, March 25
Meets start at 4:30pm
6
6
17
21-22
23
23-24
26
28
Progress Reports
No School
SAC Meeting – 7pm
Solo Ensemble – Gibbs HS
Meet your Legislator Rep Ahern 6pm
6th Grade Vision and Hearing
Track Meet – Seminole High School 4:30
World Language Day - Meadowlawn
2
AVID Parent Meeting 6pm
3
FSA ELA Writing 6th & 7th Grade
5-10 FSA Writing 8th Grade
5
Track Meet – Seminole High 4:30pm
14
Pow Wow Parade
14
Truck Pull – Seminole Library
13
End of Report Period
12
Track Meet - Osceola Middle 4:30pm
16
No School
17
Spring Pictures
18
6th Grade Orientation 6pm
19
Track Meet-Seminole High 4:30
23&25 Track District Meet - Clearwater High
24
NOPE Presentation
25
Report Cards
27
Colorguard FFCC Championship Daytona
30
Spring Break Begins
6
24
21
28
School Reopens
Mid-Term Progress Reports
SAC Meeting 7pm
AVID Carnival 6pm
1,4,5,6
1-2
8
15
19
25
29
Finance Park
Festival Disney Chorus
8th Grade Celebration Universal
8th Grade Dance 7pm
SAC Meeting 7pm
No School
Universal Studios – Chorus