| Get Your Scorpion Scoop - Week of 10/26-10/30! |
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Principal’s Message
Hello Scorpion Community,
It is hard to believe we are launching into the final week of October. We have an extra fun and engaging week planned on campus, and the weather looks like fall perfection! Be sure to check out the flyers from leadership below so you are following the dress up days that are planned!
This past week we welcomed our first rain of the season. For the most part, our Scorpions behaved with care and safety as they made their way around campus. Please remind your student to dress appropriately on days when it rains. We highly encourage close-toed shoes, layers, and hoods. Also, students are not permitted to enter areas where they may be flooding, stick their bodies under draining water,
Unfortunately, on the day of rain, we received a significant number of reports of unsafe driving. This is more of a regular occurrence than I wish, but when it rains, people become extra aggressive in their unsafe behavior, putting our young people in harms way. Parents/guardians, we need you to remember that it is our job to model the safest, most respectful behavior for our students. Please remember the following:
- Do not drive in the bike lane/lane where cars can park on Sunset Parkway to beat the line of traffic. You may of course pull over and park directly next to you. But you may not cruise the length of Sunset Parkway in this area. There have been far too many near-collision situations and our students' lives are far more important than the 30 seconds you are saving. Encourage your student to get out and walk! A few extra steps in their day is good for them.
- There are absolutely NO U-turns permitted on Sunset Parkway. There is clear signage on both Sunset and Ignacio regarding U-turns. Please pay attention to the signs on the road. They are there for a reason.
- We expect safe rates of speed while driving near/through campus. San Jose is a school, not a race track. If you are feeling crazed in the morning, take some time to reflect on your morning schedule and consider leaving earlier. You can count on traffic almost every day, so, please plan accordinly!
Thank you for listening to and respecting feedback from our staff if they remind you to be safe around San Jose. We all have the interest of students and staff at heart. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Novato High Co-Principal Allie Greene and Steph Searle, Leadership Teacher, visited our 8th graders this last week. Students heard all about what kind of options they have to look forward to at Novato High, their neighborhood school. Students from NHS and Assistant Principal Ali McMorrow also joined us on Unity Day, which was led by our amazing counselors and leadership students. Students pledged to lead lives of kindness and stand up to bullying at San Jose. It was an amazing lunchtime full of commitment to kindness, respect, and making San Jose the best place it can possibly be!
It's a spirit week coming up! Tune in below for the week's dress up day schedule, as well as plans for lunchtime activities each day. We can't wait to see our spirited Scorpions!
Congratulations to our 6th period Advanced Drama Scorpions on their opening of The Outsiders. Your efforts really paid off. It was a spectacular set of shows! The 5th period class opens this coming weekend. Click the link below to get your tickets!
TICKETS HERE: The Outsiders Tickets
Whitney McEachern, Principal
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October:
📌 10/29 - Minimum Day, 12:44 PM Dismissal
📌 10/30 - On-Campus Halloween Festivities (More info from leadership coming soon.)
November:
📌 11/5 - Reflections Art Exhibit
📌 11/5-7 - Outsiders Drama Production
📌 11/6 - Lunch on the Lawn
📌 11/11 - Veteran's Day, No School
📌 11/16 - PTA Meeting, 6 PM, SJMS Library (or by Zoom)
📌 11/18 - ELAC Meeting, 5:30 PM, SJMS Library
📌 11/19 - International Dinner (Potluck)
📌 11/23-27 - Thanksgiving Break, No School
📌 11/28-29 - Choir Caroling, Downtown Novato
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Are you tired of cooking or maybe just wanting to enjoy Taco Tuesdays (it doesn’t have to be a taco)? Grab your family and ask your friends to meet you at Chipotle. This week is Dine and Donate at Chipotle on Tuesday 10/27 from 4-8PM. 25% of your order will be donated back to the school. This is the Chipotle at Vintage Oaks. Order online for pickup using Code E79NYGB or show this flyer in the restaurant.
 
We have begun planning the auction. We are looking for big items like vacation homes, sports tickets (Giants, 49ers, Valkyries, Warriors, Sharks etc. They can be for next season too). We are also seeking experiences or items families would like to donate too. Does your company want to Sponsor a game? Please reach out to Julia julia.cavanaugh@gmail.com and we can coordinate your donation. It will be a stellar time as we reach out of this world to support the kids. Donations can be made online as well just click on the link. https://paybee.io/@sjscorpions@37
Lunch on the lawn is coming up again Friday, November 6.
Please follow us on Instagram as well for updates @sjms_pta Instagram
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Hi Scorpion Families,
As the autumn weather shifts and cooler, rainy days arrive, we ask for your help in making sure students come to school prepared for the elements. Please encourage your child to dress in layers and bring a warm, water-resistant jacket. While students are inside during severe rain, they do spend time outdoors during morning arrival, passing periods, and break times when conditions permit, so staying dry and warm makes a big difference in keeping them comfortable and focused on learning throughout the day.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month, and at SJMS, we remain dedicated to fostering a safe, welcoming, and inclusive school culture for every student. Throughout the month, we are reinforcing the importance of kindness, respect, and looking out for one another. You can support these efforts at home by having open conversations with your student about empathy, encouraging them to be an "upstander" when they see someone in need, and reminding them that our counselors and staff are always here to help.
Thanks,
Mr. G
Assistant Principal
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October: Kindness, Connection, and Looking Ahead
October is officially in full swing! By this point in the fall, the initial new school year feeling starts wearing off, the daily grind kicks in, and our habits and minds require some meaningful experiences at school to keep us motivated.
Fall is also a time we notice how tired brains can influence middle school social dynamics. Impulses happen, words slip out, and mistakes get made. That is completely normal! Growing up in today’s hyper-connected, media-saturated world isn't easy. But October gives us a great chance to hit the pause button, reflect, and work together to build a kinder campus community.
October is National Bullying Prevention Month 🧡
Bullying is a big deal, and while there are plenty of ways to react to it, our primary goal is to prevent it.
Mark Your Calendars: Unity Day is Wednesday, October 21st! This marks our 3rd year celebrating Unity Day! We’re asking all students and staff to wear orange, take the kindness pledge, and sign our campus unity poster to show we stand together against bullying. Take the pledge with your student at home: PACER Bullying Prevention Pledge
We’ve all heard "treat others the way you want to be treated," but the phrase "hurt people hurt people" often gets closer to the heart of what's going on. Kids make mistakes–sometimes to protect themselves, sometimes out of stress, and sometimes just because their adolescent brains are still under construction.
As school counselors, our job is to team up with you at home to handle these moments with empathy–whether your child was on the giving or receiving end–and help them grow into confident, skilled, and compassionate young adults. We found these tips on how to partner with us in discussion bullying just as helpful as doing something as simple as taking the pledge with your student at home: PACER Parent Resources
Mental Health & Wellness in 7th Grade 💚
With the mid-fall stress hitting, we also want to make sure no student feels isolated or overwhelmed. Shame, guilt, or feeling stuck can take a toll, and we want our kids to know they are never alone.
Next week, our awesome partner agency, Buckelew Programs, will visit our 7th-grade classes to talk about mental health, recognizing warning signs in friends, and knowing how to ask for help.
A Quick Note for Parents: We handle topics surrounding mental health and suicide prevention with the utmost care, respect, and age-appropriate delicacy. If you prefer to opt your child out of these presentations, please email or ParentSquare message your child's counselor:
8th Grade: High School Prep is Here! 🎓
Our 8th graders recently took a short walk over to College of Marin’s Indian Valley Campus for the Empower Tomorrow field trip. Not only was it an incredible day of exploring careers and college pathways, but practicing proper crosswalk safety along the way made for some surprisingly great conversations, especially about the opportunities that our local high school, Novato High, has to offer. On Thursday, NHS representatives will be speaking with our 8th graders about all the amazing opportunities awaiting them next year, including:
The Next Gen STEM program Medical Careers Pathway (MCP) Marin School of the Arts (MSA) Career Technical Education (CTE), AVID, and many more!
Parent Homework: Ask your 8th grader for a full recap after Thursday’s visit from NHS. Some of these specialized pathways, tours, and applications require parent approval down the line, so you'll want to get the inside scoop early.
As always, thank you for partnering with us to keep our students safe, supported, and moving forward together.
Warmly,
Your SJMS School Counseling Team
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The Fall Season continues for another few weeks, and our teams continue to grow and get better each week!
Upcoming games/competitions
- 10/27: Flag Football @SJMS vs. Sinaloa @4:00
- 10/29: 7th/8th Grade Volleyball @Mark Day vs. Mark Day @4:00
- 10/30: 6th Grade Volleyball @Kent vs. Kent @4:00
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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