Week Ahead: June 5-9

We just completed another amazing week full of incredible events all over the middle school.  From the G6 PE Dance Celebration, to solar cookers, to the Dance Class Performance, to the Music Concerts, to the G8 drama showcase, to the Learning Support transitions meetings, to the Bye Bye Bye celebration, it was a fabulous week from start to end.  This next week, the final week, is filled with the same.  There continue to be lots of things going on … let’s all work together to bring this year to a very successful end!

Here is what’s up this week:

You can also view the last week schedule here.

Monday, June 5

• Day 2: EFGH
• 1:05-1:40 Yearbook Distribution, take attendance and come to MS gym ASAP

Tuesday, June 6

• Day 3: BCDA
• 1:05-1:40 Final HL Event; come to front field ASAP
• 3:00 Grades/Comments Due; Verification reports ready at 3:45

Wednesday, June 7

• Day 4: FGHE
• 8:15-10:30 Promotion Rehearsal for G8 students (see below)
• 2:45-3:00 G8 Locker Clean Out and lock return
• 3:00 Verification reports due
• 3:15-4:30 Divisional Farewell and check in for Thursday/Friday

Thursday, June 8

• Day 5: CDAB Special Schedule:

Grade 8:

• 8-9 Promotion Rehearsal; meet in advisory (take attendance, head to HS gym)
• 9-10:30ish Promotion Ceremony
• 10:30-12:45 Brunch w/Parents
• 1-3 Splash Day

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Grade 6 and 7:

• 8-8:50  Block C
• 8:55-9:45 Block D
• 9:45 – 10:05 BREAK
• 10:05-10:55 Block A
• 11-11:50 Block B
• 11:55-12:20 Advisory (G6 & G7 locker clean out) Advisors return locks to Duong
• 12:20-1:00 Lunch (change for Splash Day)
• 1:00-3:00 Splash Day

Friday, June 9

• Special Schedule:
  • 8-9:20 Choice activities by advisory / grade level
  • 9:20-9:40 Break (regular duty rotations)
  • 9:40-10:40  Grade Level meetings and/or student choice activities
  • 10:45-11:45 Final MS assembly and HL champion parade (hopefully in HS gym)
  • 11:45-12:15 Wrap up in Advisory
  • 1:00-3:00 (HS Gym):  All School – Leaving Faculty and Yrs of Service Awards

Saturday, June 10

• *Happy Birthday Sanny Tran!
• 8-12:15 work day

Upcoming (on the radar)

•  July 24 – SY 2023/24 New Faculty Orientation begins
•  July 31 – SY 2023/24 All Faculty Return/Faculty Inservice begins
• August 8 – SY 2023/24 Orientation Day for Students

Grade 8 Promotion Details:  

Grade 8 students will rehearse for their promotion on Wednesday, June 8 during 1st and 2nd blocks. If you teach grade 8 students in block F, please take attendance and then take your students to the HS gym.  If you teach a multi-grade class at that time, please just send the G8 students once you have taken attendance.  We are not exactly sure how long it will take.  We are using a new venue, the HS gym, because we have outgrown the auditorium.  So we will be developing some new procedures to help the promotion run smoothly.  If the rehearsal runs quickly, students may be back in class earlier.  Hopefully, it won’t run longer 🙂   Students will be released back to G Block once rehearsal is over.  Please take attendance once they arrive.

Grade 8 promotion will be on Thursday, June 9 from 9-10:30.  Grade 8 advisors will be in attendance (and Thao is working to arrange subs for those that have classes with other grades during that time).  We wish we could have the entire middle school in attendance, but we do not have space that can support those numbers.

Final Week Traditions:

There are several things that are traditions for the middle school.

YEARBOOKS:

One is distributing yearbooks all at the same time.  This gives the yearbook team a chance to share their work, for us to celebrate their accomplishments, and to help guide students in how to take care of this precious memento.  Our students are pretty good with their yearbooks, but they do need guidance and support for the following:

• not letting out their yearbook out of their sight (don’t give it to another student to take to a class they aren’t in)
• knowing what is funny and what isn’t
• remembering that this is actually something many people keep for the rest of their lives

SPLASH DAY:

Another is Splash Day.  This will happen on Thursday from 1-3:00.  Thank you to Sanny, Bryan, Thao, Duong, and Phil for helping get all of it arranged.  Each teacher will be assigned a place to be for general supervision, fun, and splashy tomfoolery.  We are never exactly sure where student demand will be, so please be flexible with supervision.  Dress in something you are comfortable getting wet in, and be sure to wear sunscreen 🙂

This is the video from last year’s Splash Day.  We used this video last year to remind students what Splash Day was all about because we didn’t get to have it during COVID.  This is one of my favorite pictures from last year’s event … not even looking … 🙂  Though we don’t get to have high school helpers this year (they have class), we do have parents coming to support the event.  Last year a dance party and karaoke broke out during the event.  I can’t wait to see what this year brings!

STUDENT FAREWELLS:

Another tradition we have in the final week is to say farewell to students who are leaving SSIS.  You may remember this happening at the end of the first semester as well.  At the end of the school year, grade levels gather in the final day (Friday) and say farewell to these students and present them with their nón lá hat (conical hat).  Meghan has been in the process of getting these signed.  We only do this for students who are confirmed to be departing.  If you have questions about any particular students, please check in with Meghan or Duong right away.  We generally have each student share the same things (where they are going, favorite memory from their time at SSIS, and what they hope to be remembered for) so that each child feels seen and heard equally.

TEACHER CHECK OUT:

The check out form has been shared by Thao: Teachers checkout list  Please review it and make sure you are processing through the things you need to do to close out this year.  Final checkout can be done by either Phil or Molly, but please start with who did your evaluation.  If you have questions, please see Thao.

GRADE LEVEL TEAM FOR 23-24:

Sorry for the oversight last week.  I realized that while I informed individuals about their team placements for next year (especially if there was a shift), I didn’t share this with existing team members.  Here are the grade level teams for next year.