SQMS Term 2 Report Cards and Parent Teacher

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Report cards will be sent out via email to the address provided on the registration form on Friday, April 1.  Please follow the directions given to open the report card.

Thursday, April 7th will be Parent/Teacher for South Queens Middle School.  The times will be 12:30pm- 2:30pm and 5:00pm-7:00pm.  Our meetings this term will be on-line, over the phone OR in person. 

As a result, we are asking that you book a 10-minute time slot with the teachers you wish to speak with about your child no matter the method you choose.  We will not be able to accommodate you if you just show up to speak to a teacher.

In order to book an appointment, please phone the school (902-354-7640) between 8:00am and 3:00pm (starting Thursday, March 31, until Wednesday, April 6) or email us at sqms@ssrce.ca.  You will need to let us know which teachers you want to see, your preferred method for meeting and your phone number or email address in which you will want to be contacted.

If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your co-operation!

SQMS Administration

January 30, 2022

Hello SQMS Families,

This email is just to update you on some things that are happening at SQ for the month of February.

Monday we are starting our own version of Wordle; each Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 5 names from a grade will be called to come to the foyer at lunch to compete to figure out the word of the day.  If a student is successful, their name will be placed in a draw to win a prize at the end of the week!

February is bringing Fabulous Fun Fridays!  Each Friday in February will be a themed day for students and staff.  The following is planned for each Friday:

February 04: Pajama Day

February 11: SuperHero Day

February 18: Backward Day

February 25: Wacky Hair/Jersey Day

February is also African Heritage Month.  Teachers and students will be learning about and reflecting upon African heritage through lessons, activities and conversations this month.  For more information, please visit https://ansa.novascotia.ca/african-heritage-month?fbclid=IwAR0JCwLvtNNAuKVRsDOg6ROKf0t1IrP3gnvlutNtNepT-c1hLCqv2hLJJaw

A reminder that the CLT day (early dismissal day) that was scheduled for Wednesday, February 2 is cancelled.  the next CLT day is scheduled for February 16.  Also, there is no school on February 21 due to Heritage Day.

In closing, please continue to be vigilant on screening your child each day with the COVID-19 Daily Checklist.  Also, if your child will not be at school, a call or email is much appreciated so that we can mark them as excused. 

Thank you all for your support and co-operation!

SQMS Administration

January 24, 2022

Hello SQMS Families

This afternoon, four COVID-19 Rapid Testing Kits were given to each student. Public Health is now recommending that individuals swab the back of the throat and both nostrils to get a more accurate result.  

Please remember to use the COVID-19 Daily Checklist each morning before sending your child to school

 NEW COVID Daily Checklist 1.jpeg 

Also, if your child will not be in school, it would be great if you could call the school to let us know.

Thank you so much for your support and co-operation during these uncertain times.

If you have a question or concern please do not hesitate to contact us.

SQMS Administration

BACK TO SCHOOL INFO- MONDAY, JANUARY 17, 2022

January 14, 2022

Dear SQMS Families,

With the return to school on Monday, we would like to make you aware of the NS Department of Education and Public Health protocols that we all MUST follow:

Stay Home:

If your child is not feeling well, please keep them home!  If this is the case, please contact the school to excuse the student so that it can be recorded in PowerSchool. 

Currently there is no longer any contact tracing in schools.  Please find attached a sheet from Public Health that outlines the steps to take regarding what to do if you or your child has been identified as a close contact of someone with COVID-19

Masks:

Students must wear 3 ply masks properly. Each student will be given a brand new 3 ply mask as they enter the building on Monday.  There will be extra masks at school for students who need them after Monday.  As this is an important way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, there will be consequences for those students who choose to not wear their mask properly.

Test Kits:

We have a limited number of test kits that can be given out to an individual who may be experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.  If a student is at school and develops any of the COVID-19 symptoms (new checklist from Public Health to follow next week), their parent/guardian will be called for them to be picked up and a testing kit will be sent with them.

Schooling

If parents choose to keep their child home for an extended period of time, parents can choose to register their child for home-schooling through the NS Department of Education.  Online learning and/or work packages are not permitted while we are back to in-person learning.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.  We are all in this together; the safety of our staff and students is our high priority, always!

SQMS Administration

REVISED SCHEDULE FOR STUDENTS

Thursday, January 6, 2022

Dear SQMS Families,

We have been given information from the Department of Education that has prescribed the time students should be involved in school work daily which includes their online classes (see below)

Guidelines for Learning from Home: January 2022

Grade 4 - 6

Up to 3 hours of schoolwork, daily

Up to 1.5 hours of that time online

Online learning time can be either individual, in small groups or as a class

Grade 7 - 9

Up to 4 hours of schoolwork, daily

Up to 2 hours of that time online

Online learning can be either individual, in small groups or as a class

With this information, we have had to alter the daily schedule slightly; class blocks will be 40 minutes but only 30 minutes will be instruction- 10 minutes will be a break before the next class that students can use to finish work if they so choose.  We have taken out a lunch break as the classes online will end at 11:45am.  Office hours for teachers will be from 12:45pm-2:15pm; students may use this time to get extra help, ask for clarification; etc.

First Period: 8:25-9:05

Second Period: 9:05-9:45

Third Period: 9:45-10:25

Fourth Period: 10:25-11:05

Fifth Period: 11:05-11:45

OFFICE HOURS: 12:45-2:15

Monday will still be DAY 6 in the schedule; homeroom schedules for Grade 6’s will be shared in Ms. Allery’s ELA Google Classroom, homeroom schedules for Grade 7 Surette and Grade 7 Vandertoorn will be shared in Ms. Lothian’s Math Google Classroom, the homeroom schedule for Grade 7 Allen will be shared in Mme Allen’s Google Classroom and homeroom schedules for Grade 8’s will be shared in Ms. Leuschner’s ELA Google Classroom.

We hope this has not caused too much confusion.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Thank you for your continued support!

SQMS Administration

ONLINE LEARNING FOR JANUARY 10-14, 2022

Wednesday, January 5,  2022

Dear SQMS Families,

As you are probably aware, students will begin online learning starting January 10 and it will continue until January 14.  Before we left for our holiday break, students were asked to bring home their Chromebooks.  If your child does not have their Chromebook at home, please call the school at 902-354-7640 or email us at sqms@ssrce.ca to arrange for pickup of their device.

Monday, January 10 will be DAY 6 in the cycle; for the week of online learning, we will be following the schedule below:

First Period: 8:25-9:10

RECESS: 9:10-9:2

Second Period: 9:20-10:05

Third Period: 10:05-10:50

Fourth Period: 10:50-11:35

LUNCH: 11:35-12:05

Fifth Period: 12:05- 12:50

Individual teachers will have office hours in the afternoon that they will communicate to their students.  These hours are put in place if students have questions or need extra help.

Students are expected to be in class next week and attendance will be taken by the teachers.   Expectations for behaviour will be the same as those we would have in the classroom.  Students are also expected to follow proper online etiquette and will be reminded of these during class on Monday.

If you have any questions about this process, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We appreciate your continued support and co-operation as we find our way through this journey again together

SQMS Administration