Gettign Blogged Down

If you've followed my Blog posts in the past, I'm sure you've noticed that there hasn't been many posts lately. The reason for that is that I'm trying to make life a little easier on everyone to get information. What I used to post on my Blog will now be posted on our main SCMS webpage. I'll also be posting random, mostly school related, thoughts on my Twitter account (Mike_Alley59) You can also follow what a number of our teachers post on Twitter by searching #scmsrocks Please check those two locations for updates and an occasional laugh to brighten your day.

Supply Lists

Sorry I didn't get this out sooner (I'm a summer slacker). Normally the school supply lists are mailed out with the August mailings but when my wife and I were walking through Meijer the other day and I saw all the school supplies, I knew it was time to let parents get a jump on the early deals. Here you go with a suggested list of supplies.: 7th and 8th Grade: Colored Pencils, #2 Pencils and Erasers, Glue Sticks, Highlighters, TI-30X-IIS Calculator, Ink Pens, Colored Folders and Spiral Notebooks (one for each class....Math is Green, ELA is Yellow, Social Studies/History is Blue and Science is Red), inexpensive set of Headphones, a Flashdrive (to transport computer work to and from school) and a box of Kleenex to be turned into your Math Teacher. 6th Grade: Scissors, Colored Pencils, #2 Pencils and Erasers, Glue Sticks, Highlighters, a Basic Calculator (not scientific), Black and Blue Ink Pens, 5 One Inch binders (one for each class), 1 Two inch Binder for Writing Class, Dividers for each binder, Lined Paper, One Spiral Notebook of Graph Paper, inexpensive set of Headphones, a Flashdrive (to transport computer work to and from school) and a box of Kleenex to be turned into your Math Teacher.

SAINTS DAY

Mark your Calendars......SCMS Saints Day is Friday August 28th. Photos taken, Student ID's, Schedules Passed Out, Books, Lockers, Tours of the Building, Student Book Store is Open....its a GREAT DAY!!!! 6th Graders -11:00 am to 1:00 pm 7th Graders -1:00 pm to 3:00 pm 8th Graders -3:00 pm to 5:00 pm Hope to see everyone there!

HELP!!!! PLEASE!!!!

In case you missed this post on our main webpage, I need help........I'm begging you. I absolutely hate being the Dress Code Police, and this happens every year when the weather turns warm. Shorts and skirts start to rise and tops start to get lower. Students have been reminded (over and over) of our dress code and I always add that if in doubt, please don't wear it to school. Shorts/skirts/dresses need to be mid-thigh. Tops can not be cut low so that cleavage shows (try being an older male and explain that to a middle school female....) and there is nothing in the handbook that mentions straps on sleeveless shirts must be three fingers in width. It does say that tank tops and open armed shirts are examples of inappropriate clothing. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Let your child know that starting on June 11th, the school dress code goes into hibernation until September. Thanks in advance.

Equestrian Accomplishments

St. Clair Middle School had 5 students who competed together as a "B" division team at the Jr. High MIHA meet last Saturday and ended up as the reserve champion team in the B division. Meghan Bishop (7th grade) scored 23 points. Carrie Brown (8th grade) scored 21 points. Alison Child (8th grade) scored 15 points. Emma LaBeau (7th grade) scored 17 points. Grace Woytta (7th grade) scored 24 points. Great job to all.

Monday Phone/Internet Issues

Hopefully by the time you read this, the problem will be corrected. This afternoon (Monday May 18th) a fiber cable was cut near Marysville. That cause all of East China Schools to be without phones and internet. Luckily, 90% of SCMS staff and students have cell phones so we were not totally cut off from the outside world. I'm told the hope is that the line will be repaired by tomorrow morning. Until then, unfortunately, we are without phones, e-mail and the use of the internet.

Catching Up With Some Posts

Since it's been a while here are some happenings that I've put on our main webpage but not on this Blog. 1) We are collecting blue jeans for Kids in Distress. If you're in the middle of some Spring Cleaning and have some jeans that no one in your house wears anymore, we can put them to good use. 2) The M-Step is replacing the MEAP. I've put more info on our SCMS main webpage....please check it out. 3) Our Science Olympiad Team did a great job last weekend. Congrats to all involved and a special thanks to all the parents that help to make the team possible. 4) Thursday April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day. We're asking all staff and students to wear Blue to help bring awareness to Autism. 5) We have this issue every Spring. Please don't park in the Bus Loop when you're picking your student up after school. It makes it very difficult, sometimes impossible for the buses to get through.

What Happened to All the Blog Posts????

Not sure if anyone noticed, but the number of Blog posts are down from years past. The reason is that each building has recently been given the ability to post articles to our individual websites so many of my Blog posts are now going on our main SCMS webpage. I also try to post "happenings" on my Twitter account (@Mike_Alley59). I'll continue to post on this Blog but many items will now be going on our main SCMS webpage

NJHS Boold Drive....Great Job

Hats off to Mrs. Walton and all of our SCMS NJHS students that helped to organize this year's Red Cross Blood Drive. Giving blood is a quick and easy way to help to make a difference and I'm proud of the efforts of our NJHS in giving our staff and community an opportunity to be a Hero.

Polar Plunge

Thanks to everyone that helped, encouraged and/or donated to my efforts in this year's Polar Plunge. Even though the water was a tad chilly, it was well worth it. Through the generosity of our SCMS family and friends I was able to raise close to $1100. I would highly recommend the event to anyone.as all proceeds go to the Special Olympics. If you're interested in seeing a video of me taking the plunge, I've posted a few on my Twitter page (@Mike_Alley59) The is also a very flattering photo of me pre-plunge on the SCMS main webpage

Half Day Wednesday February 25th

I know, I know....we've just had a gaggle of days off with the freezing temps. Wednesday is a Professional Development Day for staff that has been on the calendar since the start of the year (teachers are required by state law to have a certain number of professional development hours). SCMS will be running hours 4, 5 and 6 on Wednesday

Polar Plunge Donations, $172...Thank You SCMS

As some of you know, I had a weak moment and signed up for the Polar Plunge. I will be jumping in to the Pine River on Sunday February 22nd with all donations that I can raise going to the Special Olympics. In all honesty, if it wasn't for such a great cause, I'd fake an injury. When our students heard I was going to jump in the freezing cold water, they decided to have a Hat Day to raise money for me. The Hat Day raised $172....Which is Awesome. I decided to type this Thank You now before the event just incase frostbite doesn't allow me to after the event.

Box Tops

Because of the recent snow days, we have extended our Box Top collection deadline to next Wednesday, February 11th. Please have your student turn them in to their first hour teacher.

8th Grade Parents - SCHS Freshman Orientation

Mark your calendar for March 11th, 7:00 pm in the SCHS cafeteria. SCHS will be hosting our current 8th graders and their parents for an orientation to what they can expect as a Freshman at SCHS. Counselors, teachers and administrators will be on hand to answer questions regarding scheduling and life as a high school Saint.

6th Grade Parents

As we have done in the past, our 6th grade classes will be seeing a presentation entitled "Just the Facts" which is coordinated by the St. Clair County Child Abuse/Neglect Council. The presentation will be on Friday February 27th. Just the Facts is a teaching process designed to inform, empower and educate middle school students about personal body safety and the law. A permission slip will be coming home soon. If you have any questions [lease contact our counselor, Mrs. McElreath.

2015 Geography Bee

The following students made it to the final round in the Geography Bee: Jimmy DeVolder-7th Cameron Doenges-7th Ethan Urban-7th Branden Reuba-7th Jared Liniarski-7th Luke Jolly-8th Jimmy and Cameron were the final 2 and had to answer the following 3 questions: 1. Jack London's classic novel The Call of the Wild tells the story of a pet dog that learns to survive in the wild after being kidnapped. This story takes place in the Yukon in which country? 2. Disney's blockbuster movie Frozen is set in the fictional land of Arendalle, which was largely inspired by the country of Norway. Norway is located on which European peninsula? 3. National Geographic Explorer Shivani Bhalla (shih-VAH-nee BAH-lah) works with warriors in the local Samburu community to protect lions south of Lake Turkana in which African country? Jimmy DeVolder answered 2/3 correct to win the School Bee! (answers: Canada, Scandinavian Peninsula, Kenya)

Washington DC Meeting

Calling all 7th grade parents!!!!! Our informational meeting for next Fall's Washington DC meeting is this Wednesday, January 28th, 7:00 pm in our cafeteria. It is an absolutely awesome trip that we'd like every SCMS student to experience. The meeting is meant for parents, but students are welcomed to attend. Hope to see everyone there.

Box Top Collection February 2nd-6th

Our SCMS PTO Box Top collection with February 2nd-6th. It is unbelievable to me how much money we have collected in the past, all of which directly goes toward our students through our PTO. Please bundle up any Box Tops you have laying around your house and send them in with your student next week.

Missing Something?

Being a father of three boys, I completely understand the frustration of things that magically disappear. When my boys were younger, it would be coats, sweatshirts, baseball mits, hockey sticks, etc. Now it's my tools, ladders, battery chargers, shovels, etc. If you're missing something that belongs to your student, please encourage them to look through our Lost and Found. We have a wide range of coats, sweatshirts, lunchboxes, books that have been left unclaimed. Any clothing items that go unclaimed by the end of this week will be donated to Kids in Distress.

SCMS Band...Woooooo Hooooo

Twenty eight of our 7th and 8th Grade Band members participated in the MSBOA District 16 Solo & Ensemble Festival at Rochester HS on Saturday. Our students participated twenty two events - solos, duets, trios and a quartet - and they all earned medals - nineteen "Blue" First Division medals and sixteen "Red" Second Division medals. It was a great day to be a Saint. Congrats to Mr. Decker and all of our Band members.

Looking For a Fun 5K?

Our Annual Chili Heart 5K Fundraiser is Saturday February 21st at 9:00 am starting and ending at SCMS. All money raised goes toward our East China Educational Foundation. It's a fun walk/run. Click Here to register

7th Grade Parents...FREE MONEY!!!!

Not really...sorry, but I wanted to draw your attention to this post. Our Washington DC informational parent meeting is Wednesday January 28th at 7:00pm in our cafeteria. This meeting is meant of parents but students are welcome to attend. Please Click Here for a video that shows just the tip of the iceberg how amazing this trip is. Thanks to SCMS student Scott Colborn for putting this video together.

SAT/ACT Comparison

If you have a High School student then you've probably heard that Michigan is moving away from giving the ACT in 11th grade and replacing it with the SAT stating next year. Here is a link to an article that compares the two tests and gives a little insight as to what to expect. Click Here

Great Night For a Concert

Great job by Mr. Decker and all of our Bands. The amount of improvement is nothing less than amazing.

St. Clair TEC Open House