A Newsletter for the Sandy Springs Charter Middle School Community ♦ Dr. Emily Abrams Massey, Principal ♦ Ms. Alisha Lyas Jones, Curriculum Assistant Principal ♦ Ms. Sabrina Taylor, Curriculum Assistant Principal

May 22, 2015

Enjoy your summer!

See you next year!

Check the website for summer camp

resources, additional summer reading options,

HRRB Book List for 2015-2016, &

Fulton County State Testing Schedule for 2015-2016.

Sandy Springs Spotlight

♦ 8750 Pride Place, Atlanta, GA 30350 ♦ 770.552.4970 – phone (English/Español) ♦ 770.643.3334 – fax http://school.fultonschools.org/ms/sandysprings/Pages/default.aspx

Title I School Commitment: Sandy Springs Charter Middle School qualifies to receive federal funds under No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title I Part A for the 2012-2013 School Year. Our school has been designated as a Title I School.

Stallion News

SSCMS family,

Please allow me to express my sincere gratitude for a successful year. It did not happen without the support of many people. A special thanks to our SGC, Foundation, and PTA for their continued support and graciousness. We wish all of our students a safe and fun summer. Please require that students review the reading lists on the website and to review important dates. We pray that you have a great summer!

Appreciative, I Am

Dr. Emily Abrams Massey, Proud Principal of SSCMS

Email me at masseye@fultonschools.org

Follow me on Twitter @SSCMSStallions

Appreciative, I Am

Dr. Emily Abrams Massey, Proud Principal of SSCMS

Email me at masseye@fultonschools.org

Follow me on Twitter @SSCMSStallions

SSCMS Schechter Shark Attack!

5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

Dr. Massey is

learning about the

body structures and

physical

characteristics of

Dogfish sharks.

What a way to end

this school year!

FYI…

2015 SGC Election Results

Dear SSCMS Parents, Employees and School Community,

The elections results are in and I am pleased to announce the new parent and teacher

representatives who will serve on our School Governance Council. Please join me in

congratulating these new Council members who will help guide our school over the next two

years:

I also want to thank all of you who ran for a position on the School Governance Council. Your

willingness to lead is a testament to the strength of our school community.

Our newly elected Parents/Guardians and Teacher will be joined by new representatives from

our school and community over the next few months. I have the honor of appointing one

school employee and I will nominate one community representative to be approved by the

remainder of the Council. All new Council members will participate in training and transition

into their positions in July.

Please stay tuned to our website for updates on the Council.

Sincerely,

Dr. Emily Massey

Sandy Springs Charter Middle School PTA Bulletin

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=14f844e9-dc4a-46f2-b5e0-3fe65c8a7692&c=830e6f30-

e84b-11e4-90eb-d4ae52986b44&ch=833e31c0-e84b-11e4-90eb-d4ae52986b44

Math Materials on Display at SSCMS

The Georgia Board of Education has approved reorganization of mathematics standards to allow

local school systems to again provide Algebra 1 and Geometry courses for students in grades 9-12.

Parents are invited to review materials and provide feedback for these courses from May 6 through

June 5 at each Fulton County high school and the North Learning Center (450 Northridge Parkway,

Sandy Springs, GA). Displays with print and digital resources will be available daily with feedback

gathered via an online survey using smart phones or a computer onsite. Check with your school’s

front office for directions to the materials and survey. Your feedback – and feedback from teachers

– will be used to make recommendations for adoption by the School Board in June. Thank you for

your participation.

Attention Flexible Learning Program Parents,

Please complete the link below. The information will be used to improve the FLP program

next year. Please call Ms. Lane if you need a paper copy of the survey. 770-552-4970 (133)

http://goo.gl/forms/XwwNLCohDo MS/HS Student Survey Link

Media Center Madness…

Our 2nd annual Edible Book Festival was even yummier than last year! It’s

amazing how creative people were when illustrating their books.

Congratulations to our winners!

Thanks to our wonderful

volunteers, our BOGO Book

Fair was a success! The students love getting that free book!

The 7th Grade Team had some amazing projects set up in their town! Students paid a lot of attention to detail when planning these projects. The finished products

were so amazing. Many of the projects were digital, so they were available for everyone to view on computers. Food from the various areas of study were also brought in to sample. We had a huge turn-out of parents. Thank

you for your support. It was a wonderful experience! Kudos, Ms. Drago for your bright idea, and kudos 7th

Grade Team and students for you hard work!

Announcement for Military Families Please see the link below to find out about a camp for military youth ages 12-15.

Thank you for all you do for the children of Georgia! http://4-hmilitarypartnerships.org/dod-camps/2015-

camps/2015_youth_camps/youth_camps/youth_camp_georgia.html

Georgia Parent Survey

The Georgia Parent Survey is also modeled after the student survey and contains 24 questions. Parents will be able to complete the survey using their

personal computers, smartphones or iPads. For parents that do not have access to the Internet, school administrators might consider scheduling dates and

times to allow parents to complete the Georgia Parent Survey at school. All parents should be encouraged to participate in the Georgia Parent Survey

because the data will be used to calculate the School Climate Star Rating. However, there is no mandatory participation rate for parents. Survey responses

are anonymous and will be submitted directly to the Georgia Department of Education for analysis. Data results from the Georgia Parent Survey will not be

available to the public and will not be posted online. The URL address for the Georgia Parent Survey is posted below.

Georgia Parent Survey: http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/parents.nsf/Survey.xsp

FYI…

Summer Bridge Program

Middle School ----------------- High School

North Springs Charter High School will be hosting a FREE Summer Program for rising 9th grade students. The program will be hosted at North Springs Charter High School.

June 17th – July 17th, 2015

8:30am-3:00pm Monday – Friday

Please see the following details regarding the Summer Bridge Experience: Earn High School Class Credits (.5 for Personal Fitness and .5 for Health)

High School Readiness Study Skills Session Daily

Classes are taught by Certified High School Teachers

Breakfast and Lunch provided daily

Marta Passes provided for transportation to and from the program daily

Format A: Student would like to attend from June 17th – July 17th and receive 1 Full Credit for completing Health (0.5) and Personal Fitness (0.5). Student must attend every day, all day during the specified dates.

Format B: Student would like to attend from June 17th – July 1st and receive a .5 Credit for completing Personal Fitness only. Student must attend every day, all day during the specified dates. Format C: Student would like to attend from July 2nd – July 17th and receive a .5 Credit for completing Personal Fitness only. Student must attend every day, all day during the specified dates.

See page 24 for registration.

Who: Rising 9th graders

What: North Springs’ Theatre Bootcamp

Where:North Springs Black Box Theatre - bring $5 for lunch

When: August 8th / 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., parent meeting will be held separately 10:00-11:00 a.m.

Future Thespians of North Springs Join us for a mini-bootcamp to help students acclimate to the theatre department. They will meet upperclassmen, teachers, and learn the ins & outs of auditioning for the Fall show. To reserve your spot, email nstheatrecommunity@gmail.com. Please let us know your student’s name. A parent meeting will be held separately 10:00-11:00.

Look Forward to meeting you! The North Springs Thespians

SUMMER’S HERE!

Have a Wonderful Summer!

KUDOS to Mr. Hytowitz and the Yearbook Staff!

News…

YUM!

Café Conversation SSCMS offers a nutritious and convenient breakfast every morning at no cost to all students. This is a breakfast program designed to boost academic performance, behavior and attendance. The daily breakfast includes:

Both hot and cold whole grain entrée options

Fresh fruit and 100% fruit juice

1% and fat-free milk

Please take a look at the breakfast menus at

www.fcsnutrition.com, and consider joining the

SSCMS Café for a delicious breakfast!

Kim Redden

SSCMS Café Manager 770-552-4972

redden@fultonschools.org

Helping Children after a Loss

If you have a child who has experienced the loss of a parent, sibling, or other close loved one, there is a FREE

weekend retreat for kids 7 years old to a high school senior. Camp MAGIK—Mainly About Grief In Kids

(www.campmagik.org) --is a having their weekend retreat April 24-26 (deadline is April 17th). Please contact

Rene Searles McClatchey, PhD, at rsm@saf.com, 404.790.0140, for more information.

From the Front Office: To support home learning, parents have

specialized parent access to their Home

Access portal via the Fulton County

website. Should you need your login

and password information, simply

contact one of our front office staff, and

they will more than glad to walk you

through the process.

Want to Volunteer at SSCMS? http://www.fultoncountyschoolssafetysecurity.org/

Info about the Internet

Students who receive free or reduced lunch may qualify for “Internet

Essentials” through Comcast. This program gives families the internet for

only $9.95 per month. Additionally they can order a laptop or desktop

for only $149! Below you will find the direct link to the online

application.

http://www.internetessentials.com/

SSCMS Yearbooks Have Arrived!

Extras will be sold for $45 until

they run out. Payments will only be accepted in the form of

cash or money order.

School is out!

Have a

SPECTACULAR Summer!

PAWS POPS for sale. Items

being collected for animals from

AHS wish list. All proceeds will

go towards the Atlanta Humane

Society. Thank you for helping

to support our furry friends.

More News…

Please bring your donations from the wish list to the media center.

Reward for class with the most donations! ;)

Reading Bowl Team

FYI… the books on the Georgia Helen Ruffin

Reading Bowl list can be found at the Fulton

County Library. Take advantage of these books

over the summer.

More info…There will be a point plan in place for

Team Members that go towards Survivor AR

Program! It’s going to be fun! See Mrs. Howell in

the media center to sign up. For more information, please contact Mrs. Howell.

howell@fultonschools.org

SSCMS

Building Alterations

SSCMS is undergoing a facelift

to include expansion and

upgrades to better suit the needs

of our students. Some of the

improvements will include more

classrooms, a STEM lab, and

changes in the media center to

accommodate 21st century

learners.

TAG INFO The following links will give you information and guidance on Summer Programs. Many are designed specifically for gifted students but there are as many open to students of all levels. Please look through the options if you are thinking of enrolling your student in a summer program this year. http://giftedatlanta.com/summer-programs/ They have a calendar set up each month. This is the one in our area, however it has events listed all over the metro area. Some are educational, some are just for fun: http://duluth.macaronikid.com/calendar/ Please feel free to email Mrs. Katie English at englishk@fultonschools.org for more information.

GA Milestone

Below are several resources that provide detailed information regarding the Georgia Milestones. There is a webpage dedicated

specifically to where these resources are available. This can also be found on the GaDOE’s Georgia Milestone Assessment webpage

(see links below). Another resource that you might find beneficial is a video developed to provide parents with an explanation about

Georgia’s Student Growth Model, which is embedded on the GaDOE website as well.

Testing/Assessment

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/default.aspx

Georgia Milestones Assessment System

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Milestones-Assessment-System.aspx

Georgia Student Growth Model

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Assessment/Pages/Georgia-Student-Growth-Model.aspx

FYI…

Box Tops

Parents & Teachers, Thanks for supporting our school! Our earnings goal this year is 5,000 box tops...We are currently at approximately 2800 box tops…Together, we can make our goal happen.

Keep clipping Box Tops and sending them into school from now thru May!

Top submitters by Grade!

6th grade

Mr. Hytowitz / Mr. Green

447 box tops

7th grade

Ms. Lawson / Ms. White

610 box tops

8th grade

Mrs. English

570 box tops

All volunteers, We thank you sooooooo much! The BOGO Book Fair was a huge success, and we couldn’t have done it without you. We are so excited that you were here to join in on our Media Center Madness week! From the bottom of our hearts, SSCMS Media Center Staff

Mrs. Joy Sandoz

SSCMS is happy to announce that Joy Sandoz has been selected

as the volunteer that has shown outstanding dedication and

commitment to quality education in our school. A luncheon will

be held on May 15, 2015 to celebrate.

Thanks for all you do for SSCMS!

Counselor’s Corner

Mrs. Russell

Mrs. Burgins

Jamie Burgins- 6th grade and 7th grade boys support

Shinah Russell- 8th grade and 7th grade girls support

What we do for students

School counselors provide programs and support designed to promote student

achievement. “These programs are comprehensive in scope, preventive in design and

developmental in nature” (American School Counselor Association, 2012).

Our comprehensive school program consists of the following components 1)

academic, 2) social/emotional, and 3) career development.

Individual Counseling

Small Group counseling

Parent Workshops

Mentoring programs

Core Curriculum (Classroom Guidance)

Special programs i.e. Anti-Bullying, BFF, PALS, Transitions,

Support for Teachers

Student Support Team (SST)

Resources for mental health

College and Career Awareness

College & Career

Georgia Career Information System (GCIS)

This year students will use Georgia Career

Information System (GCIS) for career

exploration and planning. Each student will

obtain their access information, complete

career interest inventories and 8th grade

students will complete their four year high

school graduation plan. The career inventories

and the high school graduation plan are

designed to meet the Bridge Law requirements.

College/Career Lesson(s) New Lessons to

Come Next Year…

What to look for? Stay Tuned…

After-School All-Stars

Janet C. Lane

Graduation Coach

SSCMS

770-552-4970 (133)

Lanej@fultonschools.org

Parent Survey This survey is for parents of students who attend the After-

School All-Stars program. Parents must have the student’s lunch

number to complete the survey. Thanks for your support.

http://ed-survey.gsu.edu/netq/index.php?sid=38827&lang=en

After School All Star Parents, Your input is needed. Please take time to complete the parent survey about the After School All Star Program. You will need your child’s lunch number as identification. The information will be used to assess and improve the After School All Star program. Thank you in advance for your input. If you have any questions or concerns you may email Janet Lane. Lanej@fultonschools.org

All Stars Parent Survey http://ed-

survey.gsu.edu/netq/index.php?sid=38827&lang=en

POP CLUB

Our POP Ambassadors had an amazing time on their field trip to Story Corps at the Atlanta History Center. While on this field trip, students learned the importance of preserving their family history through audio and had an opportunity to listen to other individuals’ heartfelt stories. Some of these stories were even turned into animations that our students had a chance to watch and enjoy as well. Afterwards, they had the opportunity to interview each other and record their own personal stories which was so much fun and endearing. We encourage all to share their stories so years from now, they have something to pass down to generations to come. Since 2003, StoryCorps has collected and archived more than 50,000 interviews with over 90,000 participants. Each conversation is recorded on a CD to share, and is preserved at the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. Story Corps has also recently launched their app, making it easier and accessible for people all over the world to record and share their stories. For more information log onto http://storycorps.org/

SHARE RESPONSBILY

SSCMS Spirit Week! Our Last Week of School…

Bittersweet Bliss…

Schechter Shark Attack! Seventh grade students had a blast dissecting

dogfish sharks! Through the dissection students

got a chance to learn about how they are adapted

for survival in their environment, as well as how

their body structures and physical characteristics

compare to other organisms. By getting the

chance to see the organ systems first hand, the

students are able to see how its structures relate

to its function and how they work together as a

system. This will surely be an experience they

will never forget!!

In the Spotlight…

Renaissance Festival Fun

Unsung Heroes of the Civil Rights Movement

On Tuesday, May 5, 2014, the 8th Grade Students

of Sandy Spring Charter Middle School had the

opportunity to be in the presence of three heroes of the

Civil Rights Movement. Ms. Joyce Terrell, at the age of

13, was the first to integrate the school system in the state

of Virginia. Mr. Frank Holloway was a freedom rider

and the first Black Civil Rights Workers to go to Selma,

Alabama to register blacks to vote. He also marched in

what was known as “Bloody Sunday” in Selma. Mr.

Charles Person was one of the original 13 Freedom

Riders. He is only one of three originals still living.

These three unsung heroes shared their personal stories of

what they faced, during this time period. They gave first-

hand account of being beaten, jailed, harassed, and

subjected to the prejudice towards blacks in the south,

during this time period. They spoke of their personal

encounters with Dr. King, Senator John Lewis, and many

other famous figures of that period. The students were

also enlightened by the first-hand account of how all

races of our great nation came together in support of the

Civil Rights movement; noting that 50% of the Freedom

Riders were white and that the movement consisted

people of all races, national origins, and ethnicities.

Each lecturer truly allowed the students to make a

real life connection to what they were studying in the

classroom, in our Civil Rights Unit, as it related to our

Georgia Studies Standards. It was a privilege and a once-

in-a-lifetime experience for all who were in attendance.

Special thanks go out to the Sandy Springs Middle

School Foundation, Dr. Massey, Mr. Wicks, and Mr.

Evans for allowing and making this event a possibility

and a huge success.

Jr. Beta went on

a field trip!

In the Spotlight…

National Spanish Exam of our 6th Grade Spanish Students Congratulations Medalists & Ms. Halden!

Congratulations to 6th Grade world language - SPANISH students from Sandy Springs Charter Middle School who attained national

recognition for excellent performance on the 2015 National Spanish Examinations.

National Latin Exam Medal Results Congratulations Medalists & Ms. Masters!

Every year SSCMS Latin students participate in the National Latin Exam. This international exam is taken primarily by high

school students. The following are our medal results for the year: These are amazing results! The results continue the SSCMS

trend of improving each year.

7th 8th Grand Total

Gold 15 6 21

Silver 21 7 28

Bronze 18 11 29

STEM Day at

SSCMS

SSCMS students participated in Ga

STEM Day on Friday May 8th. The

activities were challenging and the

students had a lot of fun! Sixth,

Seventh and Eighth graders

participated in their Math and Science

classes, where they designed and

constructed marble tracks,

marshmallow catapults, gum drop

molecule towers and rubber band

racers. Check out some of the photos!!

Parker, Angelica

Roper, Tanique

Salvioli, Beatrice

Thomas, Jartashia

Thomas, Shikria

Tilllman, Donette

Walter, Paschance

Whyte, Dejha

Woodard, Jada

O'Neal, Aiyanna

SSCMS Sports

Sports Information:

MEDICAL INSURANCE

Students who are interested in trying out for sports must have medical insurance in case of an

emergency. Students can provide a copy of their current

medical insurance policy card or purchase school medical

insurance for as low as $14.50 for the school year.

For more information, please call:

S. Parsons, Athletic Director

770-552-4970 x160

parsons@fultonschools.org

SSCMS Soccer Try-Outs

Soccer try-outs for the 2015-2016 season will be held

Sept 7th-Sept 11th, 2015. Rising 7th and 8th graders are

eligible for trying out. YOU MUST HAVE A

PHYSICAL ON FILE BEFORE YOU CAN TRY

OUT!!!! Blank physical forms can be picked up in the

front office.

VARSITY

Congrats Dorothy Sandoz and Sa’Mya Holloman!

They made the varsity team at NSCHS!

Askew, Naomi

Bethea, Shania

Campbell, Aundra

Decanio, Giovanna

Embry, Jayla

Galloway, Chanelle

Galloway, Chanelle

Goodrum, Ayanna

Harris, Victoria

Holloman, Samaya

Johnson, Claire

Kouyeth, Saran

Lampkin, Jayla

Maple, Makena

Moore, Ella

O'neal, Ayana

Bell, Aaron

Bland, Stephon

Childs, Demarco

Curry, Zahir

Delaney, Jaylen

Earley, James

Harris, Justyn

Harrison, Deshaun

Hogan, Kameron

Holloman, Christian

Jackson, ShaRon

Jeremiah, Lampkin

Joshua, Jones

Keou, Nick

Livingston, Lee

Manganani, Shundler

Parker, Alex

Sangster, Julius

Simmons, Sean

Thomas, Reid

White, Zahzee

Wilson, Ziyon

Wright, Nathaniel

Please join SSCMS in celebrating the hard work of all our track

participants this season. Great job Stallions!

Here they are, participating in one of the fan favorites, Surf’s Up Survivor.

Joseph Heyliger 8th Grade Neriyan Brown 7th Grade Katherine Davis 6th Grade

Also, kudos to Katherine! She was awarded for the most points in the school.

Media Center

Do you recognize these 3 cuties? This is the 3 top point earners at SSCMS!

They were awarded for meeting their GOAL and having the most points in their grade level.

Survivor AR News

Media Center

Survivor AR Challenges

We had so much fun!

Survivor AR Challenge Memories!

The state of Georgia has provided free, online access to books this summer! myON Reader

has partnered with the Get Georgia Reading Campaign to provide every child in Georgia

FREE access anytime, anywhere to a library of more than 8,000 enhanced digital books with

multimedia supports — over the entire summer! This information is also included on the site.

http://www.fultonmeti.org/

FYI…

Throw Back Thursday Remember this…

Additional Summer Reading Options

A Glance Back at 2014-2015

A Glance Back at 2014-2015

A Glance Back at 2014-2015

A Glance Back at 2014-2015

Opportunities…

CAMP KINGFISHER

Dear Parents, Educators, and Community

Partners,

We have received a generous student

scholarship from the Fulton County FRESH

Grant. We will send 34 kids to Camp

Kingfisher for FREE who might not otherwise

have the opportunity.

**Please return 1 application per child as

soon as possible!

Do you want to check that your address is in

District 1 or 2? Enter your address in the blue

box

here: http://www.fultoncountyga.gov/com

missioners

Camp Kingfisher is a full-day nature education

camp located at the Chattahoochee Nature

Center. We will consider families for full

scholarship based on financial need and grant

qualifications.

Please pick your session on the next page.

Please note:

Bus transportation will only be

provided during Session 2 Week C

during July 6-17! Please choose this

session if your child needs to take the

bus. We will choose central locations

in Roswell, Alpharetta, and Milton.

We will provide snacks, and lunch

provided during all sessions.

Please check our

website, www.chattnaturecenter.org/

camp-kingfisher/ , for more

information about our camp activities

and policies.

Sincerely,

Tim Reidy

Camp Director

Camp Kingfisher

(770) 992-2055x232

CAC

Community Assistance Center (CAC)

brings together the Sandy Springs and

Dunwoody communities to provide

compassionate assistance to neighbors in

need by providing financial support,

helping to meet basic needs and

promoting self-reliance. Along with

providing for basic needs, CAC looks to

ease the burden of out-of-pocket

expenses such as school supplies and

additional food for kids during the

summer who have lost the advantage of

free/reduced lunches at their schools

while on break.

Attached you will find flyers in both

English and Spanish detailing upcoming

CAC programs targeting low-income

families in your communities. Please let

me know if you are the appropriate

contact at your school to get the word out

to families who may benefit from CAC’s

services, and if you are not, please

forward to the right person. We are

aiming to help 1000 kids in our service

area of Sandy Springs and Dunwoody, so

we would greatly appreciate any support

with getting families informed and

engaged.

Thank you very much for your assistance

with this. I look forward to working with

our community schools to prepare

students for the 2015-2016 academic

year. Liza Hlas

Assistance Coordinator ESL Coordinator Community Assistance Center 1130 Hightower Trail Sandy Springs, GA 30350 Office: 770-552-4889 Helpline: 770-552-4015 Fax: 770-552-4339 assistance@ourcac.org www.ourcac.org

Summer Bridge Program Registration Form Scan and E-mail this form only, back to Felicia Lewis at lewisf1@fultonschools.org

no later than May 22nd to secure a space for your student in the program. In the subject line of the e-mail please indicate “Summer Bridge.” Space is limited. Only 100 spaces available.

We will be communicating with you via e-mail. PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY. If messages and

confirmation of your registration do not reach you, it could be due to illegible hand writing.

Student Name: __________________________________________________________________________

School Currently Attending:______________________________________________________________

Parent/Guardian Signature: ____________________________________________________________

Address: _______________________________________________________________________________

Parent Cell Phone Number: ____________________________________________________________

Parent Email: __________________________________________________________________________

Emergency Contact (Cellular Number):___________________________________________________

Program Formats Offered: Please select only one format.

_______Format A: Student would like to attend from June 17th – July 17th and receive 1 Full Credit for completing Health (0.5) and Personal Fitness (0.5). Student must attend every day, all day during the specified dates to receive full credit and avoid dismissal.

_______Format B: Student would like to attend from June 17th – July 1st and receive a .5

Credit for completing Personal Fitness only. Student must attend every day, all day during the specified dates to receive full credit and avoid dismissal.

_______Format C: Student would like to attend from July 2nd – July 17th and receive a .5 Credit for completing Personal Fitness only. Student must attend every day, all day during the specified dates to receive full credit and avoid dismissal.