| Get Your Scorpion Scoop - Week of 9/14-9/18! |
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Principal’s Message
Good afternoon, Scorpions.
I hope you're enjoying the weekend. It has been a relief to have some cooler weather after that heat spell! While I know we're not in the clear yet (we typically have moments of extreme heat through Halloween), our Scorpions should be more comfortable this coming week on campus. Still, pack a water bottle (that is labeled with your name) so you are staying hydrated! Thank you to our PE department and volunteer coaches for being so accommodating last week. We appreciate your lens for safety while our Scorpions get active!
It was super lovely welcoming parents/guardians to campus on Thursday for Back to School Night. I was able to visit every classroom and thoroughly enjoyed watching our teachers engage with all of our parents/guardians. I have seen that most teachers posted their presentations/information covered on ParentSquare. If you were unable to make it on Thursday, please first check ParentSquare for information from teachers, and if you can't find what you're looking for, feel free to reach out to the teachers directly.Â
Below you can find the presentation from administration, counselors, and the PTA that was reviewed on Thursday at 5:30 PM.
Beginning-of-the-Year IXL Diagnostic
Students will be participating in Beginning-of-the-Year IXL Math and English Language Arts Diagnostics soon. Your child's teacher will be reaching out sharing specific IXL testing dates with you via ParentSquare. 8th grade English Language Arts begins tomorrow!
IXL Diagnostics are given three times a year, typically in September, February, and May. These adaptive assessments help establish a baseline of each student’s current skills, including areas of strength and areas where additional support may be needed. The results also help create a personalized learning plan to support each student’s growth.
English Language Arts: Approximately 90 minutes
Math: Approximately 60 minutes
Dates:Â Refer to your student's teacher's ParentSquare post
How Can You Help Your Child Prepare?
✔️ Encourage a positive mindset! Remind your child that their teachers and family believe in them and want them to try their best.
✔️ Encourage healthy habits! Make sure your child gets plenty of rest and eats a nutritious breakfast on testing days.
Thank you, families, for your continued support! If you have questions, please reach out to your student's teacher. 💙📚✏️
Please be sure to review each section of the newsletter, including the last section titled "Fliers, Opportunities, Announcements, and More!", as it is updated weekly and includes excellent opportunities and information for our families.
I hope to see you at the SJMS Block Party this Friday! It is a great way to meet other families, connect with your student's friends, and say hi to the SJMS staff. Tune into the PTA updates below for the official flyer!
With gratitude for you all,
Whitney McEachern, Principal
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September:
đź“ŚÂ 9/15 Â - Â PTA Meeting, 6 PM, SJMS Library
đź“ŚÂ 9/17 Â - Â Kona Ice for 1st Period Classes with Most Pledges (for PTA Pledge Drive)
đź“ŚÂ 9/18 Â - Â Block Party, 5-7 PM, SJMS Blacktop and Field
đź“Ś 9/23 - ELAC Meeting, 5:30 PM, SJMS Libraryđź“ŚÂ 9/25 Â - Â Drama Dance a Thon, 3-8 PM, SJMS Gym
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We ROCKED it! 🔥 Thanks to your incredible support, we raised a grand total of $27,628 for our Scorpions! AND with over 51% Participation, the school has earned a STUDENTS vs. STAFF BASKETBALL GAME! Every dollar goes right back to our kids for field trips, classroom supplies, and campus beautification. Thank you for an amazing start to the school year!
Huge congratulations to Ms. Becker, Mr. Hays, and Ms. McGoldrick classes! 🎉 They hit the highest participation in our Family Giving campaign and won a FREE Kona Ice this Thursday!
Important Dates:
- 🏆 Thursday 9/17 just before school ends: Winning classes ONLY (Free).
- 🍧 Friday 9/18 after school: Open to all students for purchase.
- 🥳 Friday 9/18 5:00-7:00pm: SJMS Block Party! Come for the FUN, Stay for the COMMUNITY!
- 🏀 Students vs. Staff Basketball: Keep a lookout in the Scorpion Scoop and Parent Square for more information once the date is set!
We are so incredibly proud of our Scorpion community and can’t wait to see what more we can accomplish together this year!
It has been a cooler weekend and we hope you had a great one. We have our PTA meeting this Tuesday 9/15 at 6pm in the Library, we would love for everyone to come. We are still trying to get a zoom link for those that can’t make it in person.Â
This week on Friday 9/18 is our Welcome Back Block Party from 5-7. There will be games like soccer and cornhole, food, music and so much more. We can’t wait to start the year together as a school and community!
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Hello Scorpion Families!
Thank you to everyone who was able to attend Back-to-School Night! It was wonderful to see so many parents on campus visiting classrooms and to watch our Leadership students assist families with finding their rooms.
We also kicked off our Flag Football, Cross Country, and Volleyball practices this week. Even though it was quite hot, everyone seemed to be having a great time at practice. I’m looking forward to a fantastic year for all of our sports teams!
When dropping off your student in the morning, please pull as far forward as possible. Morning traffic can get heavy, and pulling all the way up creates space for more cars to turn safely off Sunset. Thank you for your help with this!
Have a great weekend!
Mr. G
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September is National Attendance Awareness Month!
As your middle school counselors, we know that these years bring incredible growth, greater independence, and new challenges for students. One of the most critical factors in academic success is consistent daily attendance. We know that middle school is a foundational time where routines are established, and missing just a couple of days can quickly add up, leaving students feeling behind in their classes and disconnected from their peers. We see attendance as a vital component of your child’s academic success, sense of belonging and overall well-being.Â
When attendance challenges arise, our role as school counselors is to support, not judge. We work proactively to address the root causes of absences–whether a student is battling morning anxiety, navigating social relationships, struggling with academic pressure, experiencing personal or family challenges, or not getting out the door in time to avoid the traffic! Through individual check-ins, group counseling, and collaborating with teachers and parents to problem solve, we can help students build the routines and feel safe and excited to come to school every day.
Throughout this month, we’ll continue to highlight the importance of consistent attendance. More information about attendance and how students can request meetings with us will be shared with students in the coming days. We also want to encourage you to reach out to us if you have concerns about your child’s attendance or other educational needs. We are here to partner with you to make sure your student can access the education they deserve, on time, every day. Attendance Matters!Â
SJMS School Counselors,
Wellness Hub:
We are delighted to welcome the return of our Wellness Hub for the third year! The Wellness Hub is closed the first couple of weeks of school and will have more information for you to follow! We aim to keep our Wellness Hub stocked for students to have access to a safe space on campus that is filled with snacks, mindful activities, arts and crafts, board games, etc. We welcome new or gently used donations, and we also update our Wellness Hub Amazon Wishlist regularly as our inventory runs low. If you wish to support wellness initiatives at SJMS, we have linked our wishlist here! Thank you for your consideration and partnership. We look forward to sharing more news and happenings with you soon! SJMS Wellness Hub WishlistÂ
Thank you!
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Thank you to our amazing coaches, Scorpion athletes, Mr. Urmini, and Mr. G for getting athletics up and running this past week! Also, thanks to our teachers who are helping support students in between dismissal and the start of practice. Team work makes the dream work!
League games begin the week of 9/21. Please have your student reach out to their coach or Mr. Urmini, our athletic coordinator, with any questions.
GO SCORPIONS!
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The 2026-2027 NUSD Middle School Handbook was sent home with your Scorpion at either schedule pick up or the first day of school. The final page should have been signed and returned to SJMS by Friday, 8/28. Please keep the handbook in a safe place at home, and consistently review it, as well is the SJMS Behavior Matrix. Both consist of expectations that are reviewed regularly at school. We highly encourage you to discuss high expectations at home with your Scorpion. Thank you for partnering with us to ensure your student knows how to be #ScorpionStrong!
Middle School Handbook PDF:
SJMS Behavior Matrix:
 
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