Sunday, November 3, 2024

Carver Announcements for 11.3.24

 Hello Carver Families!

     This information is intended to keep parents updated on reminders, upcoming activities, and announcements during the school year. Be sure to check Carver's webpage (click here for website) for updated daily announcements. Please see below for announcements for this week:


  1. No school for students on November 4 and November 5! 


  1. Printed Progress Reports will be sent home with your student on Nov 7! Ask your student for the printed copy and take a few minutes to talk about each grade! 


  1. Carver would like to invite you to attend our Carver Veteran’s Day assembly on November 11 at 9:30 am. All families are welcome to attend. Please let us know if you plan to attend so that we can reserve seating for you or your family (click here for the link).

  • If you have a family member currently in the military or served in the military, please submit a picture of the individual for the assembly. You can submit a picture in two ways:

    • Email a copy of the photo to drpowers@spsmail.org with the individual’s first and last name, military branch, and ranking.

    • Send a photo to office 2 with your student. Please list the full name of the individual in picture, military branch and ranking, and the student name related to the individual in the picture. We will get the photo back to your student to bring home after scanning it.

  • We have reserved seating at the assembly for veterans or those currently serving and their families. Please let us know in the above link if you can attend the assembly and we will escort you to your reserved seating.


  1. Need help with Holiday Meals or Holiday Gifts? Organizations below are ready to help!

    • Full Thanksgiving Meal from ShowSpringfield 2024. Call your student’s counselor at Carver to sign up. Register before November 18. Click here for more information. 

  2. SPS University is November 7 from 5:30 p.m. – 8 pm at Kickapoo High School. SPS U is open for ALL families to get information and resources to support their student(s). At SPS U this year, you can attend sessions designed to support student mental health from local experts, learn about safety for students in K-12, get strategies and support on how to build resilience in children, and more. Families can get FREE meal, free childcare for children ages 4-8, and learn strategies to help your student. Register for SPS u by clicking here


  1. MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Carver 3rd Annual Blood Drive is coming on December 5th to Carver Cafe! Donating blood is a great way to give back to the community and to save lives. Each blood donation can save THREE lives this season. 

    • Carver NJHS and Carver Student Council will host the 3rd Annual Carver Blood Drive on December 5!

    • When: December 5 from 2 pm – 6 pm.

    • Where: Carver Cafeteria

    • How: Schedule an appointment online (click here for the link) or just drop by our cafeteria between 2 pm and 6 pm! Walk-ins are welcome!

    • Why: Donating blood can save up to three lives! Sign-up to donate to save lives and be a champion!

To schedule an appointment online:

  • Go to www.cbco.org or use this link (click here)

  • Click on “Find a Blood Drive”

  • Type “Carver” in the search bar on the Blood Drive Search page.

  • On the calendar, select “Dec 5” (which should be highlighted in green on the calendar after typing and selecting Carver).

  • Select a time between 2 pm - 6 pm and click “Book Now.” 

All donors will receive free snacks and drink, AND a Community Blood Center Blanket (while supplies last at the drive). Come and support our blood donation drive and save lives! 


  1. Attention 8th grade parents: Does your 8th grader want to attend a different SPS high school next year instead of the one in your attendance area? If so, parents can apply for a Transitional Transfer to request to attend a different SPS high school. The 2025-26 Transitional Transfer request process will open for parents in ConnectSPS on the SPS website on Friday, November 1, 2024 at 7:30am and will close on Friday, December 6, 2024 at 5:00pm.  


  1. PRINTED PROGRESS REPORT: The next printed progress report will be sent home on November 7th. Quarter ends on December 20th. Grade Cards will be sent home this week with your student.

    • The next printed progress report will be sent home on November 7. Second quarter ends on December 20. Please ask your student for the printed report and spend a few minutes talking with your child about each grade. 

    • If you have questions about the grades, please check home access or Canvas or email the teacher. (Click here for a link to Home Access.) (Click here for a list of all teacher emails.) You can also find the link to Home Access by visiting Carver webpage (click here for the webpage). More information on how to check Home Access Grades is listed below in this announcement.

    • Missing Work ICU is a text and email program we use at Carver to alert parents of overdue or missing assignments. If your student has a missing assignment, the teacher can submit it on the ICU program to help alert you to check grades online!

  2. GWC STUDENT NEWS! Click here to view the latest episode of GWC News for 2024-2025. The news cast is created by students on the GWC Student News Tech Force team. The students in the Tech Force Team applied to be part of the Tech Force team to assist the librarian and teachers with technology needs. Another duty in Tech Force is to create a student news video to highlight activities and events at Carver. The GWC News is shared with students during Breakfast in the Classroom and is also available for parents in the weekly newsletter.


  1. Carver PTSA meeting will be on November 12 in the Carver library from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm.

  • One night each month, Papa John’s will donate 10% of all sales to Carver PTSA. Carver PTSA Papa John’s Pizza night is Nov 11 from 4-8 pm. Order pizza from Papa John’s between those hours and Papa John’s will donate 10% to Carver PTSA! 

  • Have questions about PTSA? Email Carver PTSA at carverptsa@outlook.com or check them out on facebook!


  1. Retakes for school pictures will be on Wednesday, November 13!  You can still place an online order for pictures at Wagner Portrait Group. To order online:

    • Click here or go to Wagner Portrait Group website. 

      • Click Start Order.

      • Enter your email & password (if you have never logged in you will have to create an account).

      • Search Carver Middle School. Use code password: 6B4P5R2P.

      • Click on your student’s information or add a new student if your student is not listed.

      • Select the Student’s grade (you do not need to add information for teacher name).

      • For Packages starting at $8.00, click Additional Package Options at the bottom of the main ordering page.

      • Place your order.

    • If you are unable to order online or need assistance with ordering, please call Wagner Portrait Group directly at 314-567-5900



  1. Have some time during the work week and want to make a difference for schools? Consider applying to become a substitute teacher through Penmac Educational Staffing! Enjoy in-classroom training and receive affordable benefit options! Click here for more information about Penmac Substitute Teaching. Apply online at Penmac (click here for the application link).





  1. Middle School Student Spectator Expectations for Athletics and Activities:

    • We want your student and family to support our teams and enjoy our evening events. Be sure you attend with your student. 

    • Middle school students will not be allowed to be dropped off at evening sporting events at SPS schools. All students in grades K-12 attending a middle school sporting event must have a parent/guardian enter and attend for the duration of the event. 

    • Students will sit with the parent/guardian or can sit in the designated space for each school. 

    • All K-12 students will follow the established rules for behavior during the game and will remain seated until half-time or the end of the event. Click here for the full description of the Student Spectator Expectations


  1. Read to Succeed Challenge: Reading opens doors! Click here for more information about Read to Succeed Challenge. Click here for additional reading resources!  

  2. Morning Drop-off Reminders:

  • Do not drop your student off in the carline prior to 8:15 am! The doors will not open and your student will not be supervised by an adult until 8:15 am.

  • Need to drop off your student earlier than 8:15 am? SPARC offers before and after school care each school day from 6:30 am until 6 pm at Carver. The program has scholarships available for families that apply. Find more information about the program at SHINE at sps.org (click here).


  1.    Afternoon Drop-off Reminders:

  • Do you pick up your student in the afternoon carline? We will dismiss car riders to the awning/front entrance in stages by grades to avoid congestion in the hallways. We realize middle school is an exciting time to socialize with friends but we want to be efficient, safe, and quick in the carline so please ask your student to limit the socializing with peers in the carline so all students can get home in a timely manner.

  • Students will not be allowed to cross to the parking lot during dismissal. Do not skip the carline by pulling into the parking lot and asking your child cross over to you. Students will not be allowed to cross over the bus lane and into the parking lot to get in your car. Please remain in the car line and help us keep your student safe!

  • Does your student walk home from school? For the safety of our students as they cross two crosswalks in the carline and on Battlefield, all students walking home from school toward Battlefield Rd will be dismissed from school several minutes after the car line has started. Students walking home using the trail can leave at 4:00 pm.



  1. Reminder of Middle School Cell Phone Policy: All cell phones for students in grades 6-8 are expected to be out of sight and turned off as soon as the student enters the school building. Students can use cell phones as soon as school dismisses at 4 pm. Please speak to your student about keeping the cell phone out of sight during the school day and help us as we try to manage cell phones during learning.

  2. CHECKING GRADES:  Please spend a few minutes with your student each week to review assignments and grades in each class. As a parent you can view grades in Home Access or in Canvas. Canvas and Home Access update automatically each day for assignments. Follow these steps to log in to Home Access or to Canvas:

  • HOME ACCESS:

Home Access is the platform SPS uses parents to check grades, absences, and registration information at any time. A printed progress report will be sent home every three weeks and can be found in Home Access. To check assignments and grades in eschool Home Access, please follow these steps:

o   If you have not previously logged on, you will be asked to create two questions with answers in case you forget your password in the future.

o   If you need your log-in and password, please click on forgot login/password. A link to reset will be sent to the email you have on file with the district.

  • Click on Classes for daily assignments and daily grades. 

  • Click on Grades for overall scores in each class during progress reports and at the end of each quarter.  

  • Any assignment due while a student is absent will have a blank for the grade or may have a —- (dash) while the student is still absent. After two or more days, any assignment still with a blank or —- (dash) will become a zero and will reflect a zero on the Progress Report or Grade Cards.  An assignment with a blank for the grade or a —- (dash) is not excused and must be completed.


  • CANVAS:

Canvas is the platform our teachers and students use for learning. As a parent, you can be an observer in each of your child’s Canvas courses with your own log-in and password. You can also view grades in Canvas. Canvas and Home Access update automatically each day so either platform will display current grades. 

  • To find your child’s Canvas courses, log in to Canvas at www.sps.org > Click on “Parents” > Click on “Resources” > Click on “Canvas.” The log in for Canvas is the same as eschool home access log-in and password. If you are unfamiliar with Canvas and would like quick tips on how to change preferences or contact a teacher through Canvas, click here for information.  

  • Want help managing Canvas Notifications to meet your needs as a parent? If you are receiving more emails from Canvas with the change this quarter or would like to receive more notifications with the grade of each assignment, this informational video can help you navigate the settings to adjust the number of emails. (Click here for the short video on Managing Canvas Notifications.) (Click here for a PDF on how to Manage Canvas Notifications.)

Canvas and Home Access update automatically each day for assignments. If you have questions about the assignment or grade, please email the teacher (click here for a list of teacher emails).


  1. Missing Work ICU! The Missing Work ICU system helps parents know when important assignments are not turned in by the due date. Parents will receive a text or email alert from the automated system. This automated system alerts parents when students are falling behind in assignments and then will send a follow-up message when the missing assignment was submitted. This is one additional way we hope to help our families stay connected to student progress at school through the Missing work ICU program! Have questions about the assignment? Respond to the email or click here for a list of all teacher emails.


  1. Need to contact a teacher? We want to stay connected with you! If you have questions about your child’s assignment or grade, please email the teacher. Click here for a list of all emails for our building.

  2. Breakfast is provided for free to all students taking classes at Carver this year. Breakfast is provided from 8:40 am – 9:00 am. Students arriving at school after 9:00 am will not have access to breakfast. Please make sure your student arrives at school between 8:40 am – 9:00 am for breakfast!.

  3. Stay connected to the weekly announcements! Be sure to update your email and phone number so you can stay connected to important dates and information each week! The announcements each week can also be found on Carver’s Twitter and Facebook pages at:

 Facebook: George Washington Carver (Carver Middle School Cougars)

 Twitter: @CarverMSCougars

 

Thank you for all you do to help our Carver school community! Go Cougars!

 

Dr. Dana Powers

Carver Principal

 

 

 

 


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