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:
The next progress report for 4th quarter sent home is May 1. Please view daily grades online prior to April 10 and encourage your student to turn in any missing assignment.
In January, Carver started a new feature with Home Access and Canvas to help parents check online grades. Canvas will now sync with Home Access each day so assignments will automatically appear on Home Access within a few hours. New items to know:
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.
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.)
5th period classes will now have a grade of A,B,C,D, or F on each Progress Report and Grade Card. Ask your student about the grading rubric and then talk with your student about effort in the 5th period class.
If you have questions about the grades or assignments, please 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).
MAP TESTING SCHEDULE: MAP will begin on April 24 for 8th grade only. For all MAP testing dates, please make sure your child is on time to school and gets plenty of rest the night before MAP testing! Here is the MAP testing schedule for Carver:
MAP SPIRIT DAYS: MAP testing begins soon! Show your school spirit by participating in MAP SPIRIT DAYS:
Monday, April 29: Get Lots of Rest to Ace your Test (Pajama Day)
Tuesday, April 30: Put your Thinking Caps On (Hat Day)
Monday, May 6: Knowledge Can't Hide from Us (Wear Camo)
Tuesday, May 7: Channel your Inner Smarts (Dress like a Nerd)
Carver PTSA meeting will be on MAY 7 in the Carver library from 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm.
PTSA is looking for members to fill officer roles for the 2024-2025 school year. Please email Carver PTSA at carverptsa@outlook.com for more information about being an officer or to join a meeting via zoom.
The LAST Papa John’s Pizza night is May 13 from 4-8 pm. Order pizza from Papa John’s between those hours and Papa John’s will donate 10% to Carver PTSA!
Carver Yearbooks for the 2023-24 school year are on sale until May 1st. Click here for the link to order online. Cost of a yearbook is $20.00 plus a $2.25 online service fee. Students can also order a yearbook in Office 2 for $20.00 (check or cash only). Yearbooks will be hand-delivered to your student during the last week of school in May.
From the Carver Librarian:
Student Logging into to non-SPS device:
Sign in with the student SPS username and password:
Username is StudentIDNumber@sps.org
Password is lowercase first initial of first name, lowercase first initial of last name, full birthday! Example: jp01212011!
After logging in, go to sps.org and locate the button for Canvas on the right side of the screen.
Select Canvas and choose “sign in with Google.”
Carver Seed Library: The SPS Farm to School Program has donated seeds to our library in order for us to start our first Seed Library. Click here for a list of available seeds. Send a signed note with your student to the library with the number of seeds you want (there are some limits on the number of seeds per family). Our hope is that in the future, you will harvest seeds to return to the school for the Seed Library.
Summer Reading Program: The Springfield Greene-County will host a Summer Reading Program again this year. Information will be made available to students when they visit the library and through GWC News. Summer Reading Program is a great way to encourage your student to read more and become eligible for some great prizes from the public library. If you do not have a public library card, but would like one, here is the link for more information.
Carver Library Book Due Date: All library books are due back on May 10th. Notices for overdue books and/or fines will be given to students. Please check in with your students to be sure that they have returned their library books and have taken care of their fines as the school year comes to a close. Any books not turned in by the last day of school automatically become a fine.
Attention 8th grade parents:
Parents of 8th grade students attending Kickapoo next year: Kickapoo Freshman Frenzy is scheduled for August 8th from 8 am - 10 am for freshman students only in the Kickapoo cafeteria commons. Kickapoo Freshman Orientation for students and parents is scheduled for August 8th from 6 pm - 7:30 pm. Parents will be in the PAC (Performing Arts Center). Students will be in the gym.
Parents of 8th grade students attending Parkview next year: Parkview Freshman Focus and Family Fair is scheduled for August 8th from 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm in the Parkview cafeteria commons. Parents and students are able to attend from 3:30 pm - 5:30 pm to learn more about Parkview.
From the Carver Nurse: Medications in the nurse’s office must be collected by 4:00 pm on the last day of school, 5/23/24. Medications CANNOT be sent home with students. In adherence with district policy, any medications left in the nurse’s office after 4:00 pm on 5/23/24 will be destroyed. If you have any questions please contact Nurse Shelley at 417-523-6830.
Change in breakfast offerings at Carver:
From April 1- May 3, Carver will be piloting a new program for Breakfast in the Classroom. The pilot program is designed to offer lower sugar choices for breakfast. Click here to see menu of food items offered during the pilot program at Carver. The pilot program is for 5 weeks effective April 1 - May 3
In addition to some food item changes for breakfast, chocolate milk will not be offered during the pilot program. Instead, students will have a choice of skim or white milk for breakfast during the pilot. Chocolate milk will still be available for lunch.
HVAC at Carver: Carver is getting a new Geothermal HVAC system! The install is scheduled to be completed this summer. Work will begin on the HVAC system in mid-April outdoors near the trail and then will begin in the building on May 28.
Tooth Truck: The Tooth Truck will be at Carver during 4th quarter for any student that does not have a regular dentist. Forms should be turned into Nurse Stout at Carver. Click here for the form. For additional information or questions, call Nurse Stout at 417.523.6830.
GWC STUDENT NEWS! Click here to view the latest episode of GWC News for 2023-2024. 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, students, 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.
Middle School Student Spectator Expectations: We want your student and your family to support our teams and enjoy our evening events. If your student plans to attend the track meets as a spectator, be sure you attend the game with your student.
Middle school students will not be allowed to be dropped off at evening sporting events at any SPS school.
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 will need to sit in the designated space for each school. Students must remain seated throughout the game and will be allowed to go to concessions or move from the bleachers during half-time.
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.
Attendance Matters! Too many absences can keep students from succeeding in school and life.
What does attendance percentage mean? When it comes to attendance, 90% is not an A. Click here for the graphic and information.
EVERY MINUTE COUNTS. Click here for the graphic.
Attend Daily. On Time. All Day. Click here for graphic.
The more you miss, the lower your GPA. Click here for the graphic.
Good Attendance Matters. Click here for the graphic.
Reminder of the Middle School Cell Phone Policy: Middle Schools at SPS are implementing a change in the cell phone policy to meet the student handbook requirements. Please review the student handbook sent home with your student on the cell phone policy for SPS. 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. We will call home to discuss the next steps for students that continue to use their cell phone during classes after being redirected. Please help us as we try to manage cell phones during class.
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 text or click here for a list of all teacher emails.
Carver Food Pantry: Carver is pleased to partner with Care to Learn to provide a free food pantry for any Carver student and family. Click here and complete the form to receive free food. You can also enroll by calling Cristie Seiler at 417.888.2020 (ext 133) or 417.523.6800. Click here for more information or to sign up using a QR code. Email Mrs. Seiler at cristieseiler@spsmail.org for any questions.
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).
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 having your child cross over to you. Students will not be allowed to cross over the bus lane and into the parking lot to look for 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 approximately 10 minutes after the car line has started. Students walking home using the trail can leave at 4:00 pm.
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.
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!
Parents! Need help accessing and checking learning with your student??? Please be sure to reach out with questions about eSchool or Canvas to Dr. Bartels, Carver Coordinator for Site Intervention (CSI), for help. Please call 523-6800 and ask to speak to Dr. Bartels for in-person help!
Please spend a few minutes with your student weekly to review assignments and grades in each class. As a parent you can view grades in one location in Home Access or you can view each course and see the assignment in Canvas. Follow these steps to log in to Home Access and/or to Canvas:
HOME ACCESS:
Home Access is the platform SPS uses for transcripts. The program also allows 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:
Home Access Center website: https://homeaccess.sps.org/homeaccess
Log-in: Enter User Name and Password
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.
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.
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.
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).
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
