Family Newsletter 2/12/24

Posted on: February 13, 2024

Family Newsletter 2/12/24

Hello Maverick Nation!

News items:

Update!!-Student-Family Conferences at McClure on March 14, 2024 but

There will be No School at McClure on this date.
We will be hosting student-family conferences from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Conferences will be in half-hour time slots.
Student-family sessions will take place in your students’ Advisory teacher’s classrooms;
Advisory teachers should have sent out invitations and access to their digital sign up platform. What we need from you:
- We have started presenting the format and requirements to. Please encourage your McClure student to engage fully in this important process which is as much about them taking ownership over their learning and goal-setting for the future as it is about presenting their portfolio to you in a formalized setting and process.
- Ask them periodically about their progress with their portfolio.

Important Updates From our Registrar:

Semester 1 report cards:

will be sent home with your student this Thursday, February 15th at the end of the day. If your student is absent on Thursday, they will receive their report card on Friday. Report cards will also be available for online viewing through the Source at the end of February.

Attention parents of current 6th & 7th graders.

Online course registration will be taking place in ELA classes on Tuesday, February 27th. Our registrar Ms Blau and either Ms Collings or Ms Pillers will be walking the students through the process. Students will be able to choose to request Band, Choir, or Spanish 1. These are FULL year electives and students are not exited at the end of the semester.

Starting this year, current 6th graders will also be able to request Spanish 1 to take as a 7th grader. It is a two year commitment to take high school level Spanish courses. If a student is enrolled in Spanish 1 as a 7th grader, they will be automatically enrolled into Spanish 2 as an 8th grader.

Current 7th graders will also be able to request Spanish 1 to take in 8th grade.

Students will be able to indicate their interest in AVID and WEB. These classes are filled through an application process, but this allows students to start thinking about these classes.

Ms Collings & Ms Pillers will be following up with any students that are absent on February 27th.

How to turn off/limit your child’s phone during the day

Many parents have asked me to help them manage their child’s technology. While I am not the most adept tech person and…my kids are in their 20s…I do appreciate this desire to have a little more control over kids’ access to technology during the day and/or night. Here is some quick and easy information but I would also reach out to your parent friends/acquaintances to see how they manage their kids’ technology and social media. It helps greatly for parents to have oversight and control as kids greatly struggle with their addiction to their devices and social media is simply just tough for kids, particularly in middle school.

Turn off iPhones

You can cut your kid off by enabling Downtime in the OS. Located in the Screen Time settings, Downtime makes an iPhone more like a regular phone: Kids can still call, text, FaceTime, and use any apps that you allow, such as a music-streaming app. But you can also turn off everything but the calling feature if you wish. You can enable Screen Time on your kid’s phone and protect the settings with a pass code, or you can remotely manage your kid’s phone by setting everyone up on Family Sharing.

Go to Settings on your kid’s phone.
Tap Screen Time.
Tap Use Screen Time Passcode and enter a pass code (this locks the setting so kids can’t change it back).
Tap on Downtime, toggle it on, and set a Start and End Time.
If you want to turn off messaging and FaceTime during Downtime, go to Screen Time/Always Allowed/Allowed Apps and remove them.
If you want to manage your kid’s phone using your own phone, first set up Family Sharing and then enable Screen Time settings.

Turn off Android phones

Google’s Family Link app allows you to schedule a span of time for the phone to be off, such as bedtime. But you can also completely lock the device so kids can’t even get into it. Family Link requires two downloads, one for your phone and one for your kid’s.

Download the Family Link for Parents app on your phone (available for iOS or Android).
Download the Family Link for Children & Teens on your kid’s phone (available for Android only).
On your phone, create a family manager account.
Once your kid’s profile is set up, select Bedtime and set the span of time your kid can’t use their phone.
If you want to completely shut down your kid’s device, go to their profile and tap “lock.”

Clubs – we got ‘em!:

Just w quick heads up that at McClure we have a few clubs that we haven’t really shared yet with parents. In facet, we have more student clubs than ever…many have been created by students!! Here is our list so far!

Latinx Club – Meets every other week during advisory
Black Student Union (BSU)/Multicultural Student Union (MSU) – Meets every other week during advisory.
Gay, Lesbian, Or Whoever (GLOW) – meets every week during lunch.
Chess Club – meets at lunch
Newspaper Club – meets once a week at lunch

It came to my attention when speaking with our PTSA Board that some of our community might

Spring Sports!

Get ready to lace up your cleats, grab your volleyball, and sprint to the starting line because the much-anticipated Spring Sports Registration is now open!

We offer Girls Volleyball, Boys Soccer, and Co-ed Track through Seattle Public Schools Athletics! Kids love it!

Please register your athlete through FinalForms.

If your athlete has yet to play a sport this year, please make sure to upload a digital copy of their physical form from last year (Physicals are good for 2 full years from the date they are signed by a physician). There are currently no set dates for try-outs, but when we have dates Ms. Tocci will send out more information! Swag Stores are now open until 2/12. No late orders accepted.

Maverick Sports Gear – it’s cool!!

Gear up and show your school spirit with our exclusive selection of school swag! Whether you’re a soccer sensation, a volleyball virtuoso, a basketball baller, or a track titan, we’ve got you covered. Our customized merchandise not only showcases your love for the game but also builds a sense of community among students, parents, and fans alike. From shirts to hoodies, long sleeves to crew necks, our online stores have everything you need to represent McClure Middle School with pride. If your family needs help purchasing swag, please email Brei Tocci at brtocci@seattleschools.org.

Join the PTSA! (You’ll be so glad you did!!)

Please join the PTSA! It’s a fun and easy way to connect with your McClure community and contribute to the school. Please click on the link and join as an individual or family. Join McClure PTSA

That’s it for now!
Go Mavs!
Principal Shannon Conner
McClure Middle School