Principal's Message August 14th, 2020
Good afternoon SSCMS Family,

We are continuing to prepare for our students to start school on Monday, August 17. One of our goals is to ensure our students are ready to navigate Microsoft Teams, which will be our primary learning management system this school year. Our teachers will spend some time next week during class helping our students get more familiar with Teams.

I want to provide some resources before Monday though that should help both students and parents feel comfortable with Teams for the first day of school. I have attached document below with several helpful links, as well as our daily schedule. 

Thanks to all who attended the Virtual Open House sessions on Thursday and Friday. If you weren’t able to attend, please visit our school website at https://www.fultonschools.org/sandyspringsms

Our teachers are excited and are well-prepared to receive students on Monday in a virtual environment. Thank you for your continued support of Sandy Springs Charter Middle School, we look forward to the opening of our school year on Monday!
Sincerely, 
Laurie Woodruff
First Day at SSCMS click on Image For English to expand and access links.
Back to School
Student Registration 2020-21 School Year
Reminder, even though we will be attending school via Universal Remote Learning from home, all students MUST be complete SSCMS Registration Process for the new school year. You should have received via US Post a packet of information regarding Registration. Review all the information sent out mailed out via the SSCMS website here, found on website under "Students & Families" then select "Back to School.
Image below links to a document with each grade's required documents needed for registration to SSCMS. Note, the required documents are different for each grade AND if you are new to Fulton County Schools, New to SSCMS or Returning to SSCMS. Please carefully review your students' grade.

All required documents should be emailed to Evelyn Bloom at SSCMS: bloome1@fultoncountyschools.org
Required documents by grade - click on image and scroll to page 2 for grade 7, page 3 for grade 8.
Class Schedule and Change Requests
Greetings Stallions!
Requests for schedule changes will begin on August 17, 2020. Please click the link below to submit a schedule change request. Once the schedule change has been completed, you will receive an email with your new schedule or a response as to why the schedule was not changed. Please be reminded that all changes may not be approved based on class sizes and staffing.
If you have any scheduling questions or concerns please email Ms. Taylor at taylors1@fultonschools.org.
Ms. Taylor
Join SSCMS PTO Foundation
Join our PTO Foundation and help support our teachers, staff, SSCMS Sports Teams, SSCMS Arts and more. Membership dues go towards supporting our school. Last year, your PTO Foundation is putting your membership dollars to work awarding teachers and staff over $10,000 in items needed for their classrooms and work spaces. WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT MORE THAN EVER this year!

To join online: 1. Fill out online Membership Form here. You may Pay 2020-2021 Dues Online Here. To print out a paper form click on the image.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF SSCMS!
NEW Food Pantry Hours

SSCMS PTO food pantry at Samad Grill remains days of operation are changing effective NEXT WEEK (8/17/20). The pantry will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays only from from 11 AM to 2 PM. Free groceries and milk are available for families from SSCMS for pickup during those days and hours. Please spread the word to anyone else you know in our school cluster who is in need of food assistance. No appointment needed, just show up at 8897 Roswell Rd. in the Stars And Strikes shopping centre between 11AM and 2 PM Mondays and Fridays. If you would like to volunteer at the Food Pantry, sign up here - WE NEED YOUR HELP! We are also taking donations of food (Mon, Wed Fri between 11 AM and 2 PM), new or gently used shopping bags and monetary donations to purchase food.
Order Your SSCMS Spirit Wear
Spirit Wear sales are now online! While students will not immediately return to school Face to Face, we offer the latest in comfy at home wear. Not only will we offer T-Shirts and the ever popular Hoodies, we have included Face Masks, Face Gaiters, AND yes, Pajama Bottoms. NOTE: PJ Bottom will NOT be allowed to be work as uniform when we return to the building face to face. Any orders placed now will be available for pickup mid September.
To Order click here for Face Masks and Gaiters, and click here for everything else! LOTS of items available to suit your individual student's style!
SSCMS Musical Notes!
6th Grade Band Recruitment & Meet Mr Scott!
Hello 6th Grade Parents,
My name is Matt Scott, and I am the Band Director here at Sandy Springs Middle School. I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you and your students to Sandy Springs MS and let you know that regardless of how students are learning this year, the band program is excited to teach students how to play an instrument and to love music. I would also like to tell you a little bit about our band program.
Here at Sandy Springs, band begins in 6th grade and is a year-long class that continues into 7th and 8th grade. Joining band has been proven to be one of the most effective ways of welcoming students into the new environment of middle school by surrounding them with a group of their peers who are all together learning a new skill. This can be even more important in a virtual environment when student interaction and socialization is typically at a minimum.
The band program at Sandy Springs MS serves to give students a place to belong and a way to participate in something bigger than themselves.
For our 7th and 8th graders, welcome back! We are incredibly excited for you to join us this year. While band may look a little different than last year, I want you to know that we have not stopped working hard to create a curriculum that engages and enriches your student each day they log in to band.

Stay tuned next week for information regarding Instrument Pickup coming later in August.

For more information on the Sandy Springs Band Program, please click here for our recruitment video and visit our website at www.sscmsband.org. Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.
Matt Scott, Director of Bands scottm6@fultonschools.org
Invitation to Join Orchestra from Mr Pena
Click on the Orchestra Flyer for Printable Image.
Our Music Department is incredible. It's not too late for your student to learn an instrument and join Band or Orchestra even if they have never played an instrument!
Join Yearbook Club
Order Your Yearbook Now to Save
JOIN YEARBOOK CLUB and create this year's SSCMS with your fellow Stallions. Applications are being taken online, students will need to log in with their account to fill it out this yearbook club application:

We are excited to bring you a one-of-a kind historical yearbook this year! Please take this quick 3-question survey so we can get started with your ideas in mind! 
Please complete by August 15th. Thanks so much for your feedback!!

Also to pre-order a yearbook for the 2020-2021 school year NOW to get the lowest price of the year. Click here TO ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK From Jostens
Price goes as we get closer to the end of the school year:
Back to school special: $30 – 8/7/20 – 9/18/20
Offer 2: $35 – 9/19/20 – 12/18/20
Offer 3: $40 – 12/19/20 – 5/1/21

Please remember ordering now guarantees your student receives a Yearbook. We order very few extra and ran out this past year.
Questions? Contact Mr Hytowitz, Yearbook Advisor
Helping Our Students During Virtual Learning
The SSCMS PTO is partnering with the North Springs High School PTO, Spartan Nation, to conduct a needs assessment survey for high school, middle school and all primary schools in our group: Spalding Drive, Ison Springs, Woodland and Dunwoody Springs.Our goal is to see how we, as a community, could come together to provide at least something students might need during virtual learning. If you can, fill out the survey below and let other friends know to do the same. #onecommunity
Counseling Department Survey and Referral Link
This year, the counseling team is sending out a virtual needs assessment survey to both students and families to hear what’s most important to YOU! We are here to serve you and want to be intentional in the services we provide to the community.

Your responses are confidential, and will only be read by your student’s school counselor.
We will use the survey responses to help us plan and prioritize classroom lesson topics, alert us to any pressing needs in our community, and identify which students may benefit from individual and small group counseling on certain skills or topics.
Please use the following links to let us know what’s most needed!
Links:
Students, staff, and parents can all complete this Google form to refer a student for any socioemotional, academic, or other concern they have. Once submitted, the student’s counselor will follow up with the student and/or family, if appropriate, within 24-48 hours, depending on the flow of referrals (it could be as soon as next period!). 

 
For more immediate concerns such as any concerns about self-harm, harm to others, general student safety, or other crises, please email or call our school counselors so we can respond as soon as possible.
 
Mrs. Barber, Office: (470)254-4970, Email: barberc@fultonschools.org
Ms. Letzler, Office: (470)254-8665,Email: letzlerm@fultonschools.org
Student Success Skills
Help for Families in Need
While not a complete list, we have found these resources for our families in need during this unprecedented time. Please spread the word!
Apply for Reduced & Free School Meals Online:
Easy application! Just scan the QR Code below or visit www.fulton.schoollunchapp.com. For more information on Free & Reduced School meals, visit https://nutrition.fultonschools.org/FreeAndReducedInfo
Internet Access:
Coming Up
August
8/17 Monday
  • First Day of 2020 -2021 School Year Universal Remote Learning Begins
September
9/7 Monday
  • Labor Day Holiday No School for Students or Staff
October
10/12 Monday
  • Columbus Day School Holiday No School for Students or Staff
10/13 Tuesday
  • Teacher Workday No School For Students
November
11/03 Tuesday
  • Professional Development Day No School for Students
  • Election Day VOTE!
11/23 Monday - Friday 11/27
  • Thanksgiving Holidays No school for Students or Staff
December
12/18 Friday
  • Last Day of First Semester
12/23 Monday - 12/31 Thursday
  • Winter Break Holidays
January
01/01 Friday
  • Winter Break Holiday
01/04 Monday
  • Teacher Workday No School For Students
01/05 Tuesday
  • First Day of Second Semester
PTO FACEBOOK GROUP
If you haven't linked into the closed SSCMS Facebook group for parents and guardians yet, please request to join. Lots of important info is posted there throughout the week. Search under "Sandy Springs Charter Middle School PTO Foundation", answer the questions to confirm you're a SSCMS parent or guardian, and you'll be added right away! (you don't have to be a PTO member to join).

ON TWITTER?
Follow SSCMS @SSCMSStallions and look for #OneCommunity.
Our SSCMS Family Stallion Newsletter will come out weekly, containing important news and notes about SSCMS.  Join us also on Facebook under Sandy Spring Charter Middle School PTO!
Your support of the SSCMS PTO Foundation provides funding to ensure after school sports and arts enrichment offerings in addition to so much more!