Stay Connected Wednesday Weekly SSMS News

Please stand for the Pledge I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

Student Planners- School Sports- School Spirit Day- If you haven’t received your SSMS planner, please turn in your pink/ green forms, technology and community service forms to first period teacher. Writing down your daily homework assignments, planning future projects and keeping track of school events is a great way to Be Proactive and Keep the End in Mind. School Sports- Our volleyball teams are already practicing for the upcoming season. Save the date for the first match to show your support for the team. Weds 18th Boys at SSMS Girls at Indian Trails 4:30 School Spirit Day- Wednesday is our SSMS School Spirit Day. Wear school colors- red/white. You can order 2013-14 Spirit Shirts from Ms. Taylor at all lunches. Prepay $10.00 by Sept 13th to order. Comes in all colors- Neon and Solids Prepay $10.00 during all lunches

PTA Reflections Competition of the Arts- Club Meetings- Student Pictures- If you missed your School Picture last week- the Make Up Day is Friday Sept 30th. Pick up your order forms in cafeteria during all lunches and bring to school Sept 30th. If you had your picture taken but didn’t bring order form, your parents can still order pictures online by going to Lifetouch.com. PTA Reflections Competition of the Arts- Club Meetings- Our first school wide club meeting date will be Friday Sept 13. We also have several after school clubs available. See the clubs/activities board in cafeteria for more information. Show off your talent through- Creating a piece of art, Write a song, poem or story, Take a picture, Create a dance or film production. Download requirements at http://www.floridapta.org/reflections or ask your elective teachers.

Great Expectations! Project Wisdom SSMS News & Announcements

A few Words of Wisdom Good morning, South Seminole. This is Mr. Bess, Assistant Principal, with a few words of wisdom. The first days of school can be both exciting and scary. You may have gotten up the first few mornings feeling a little apprehensive. Maybe you wondered, "Are my classes going to be hard this year?" "Will I like my teachers?" Well, guess what. The person sitting next to you and the teacher at the front of the class probably had some of the same thoughts and feelings you did. So let’s be especially kind to each other as we settle into the new school year.

Famous golfer Hale Irwin once said: If you're not just a little bit nervous before a match, you probably don't have the expectations of yourself that you should have. Maybe some of your nervousness is because you’ve set some great expectations for this school year. Hopefully, you’re expecting yourself to make better grades, meet new friends, or get more involved with extracurricular activities. And if that's the case, then remember this: With great expectations you can make it a great school year … or not. The choice is yours.

Learning Goal: Students will understand that the nervousness they may feel toward new beginnings can be used to set their expectations and a positive tone.

Whole Group Discussion (Teacher can record students’ answers on white board ) What did you like about the first days of school? What did you dislike about the first days of school? What expectations have you set for yourself this school year?

Great Expectations- Vocabulary (Students in small groups discuss the meaning of these key words in context of lesson. Teachers monitor discussions to clarify misconceptions ) Administrator-Someone who is in charge of or manages something, such as a principal, assistant principal, dean, or counselor. Expectation-Something you look forward to accomplishing.

Student Written Short Response/Reflections Are you expecting yourself to make better grades, meet new friends, or get more involved with extracurricular activities this school year? With great expectations you can make it a great school year… or not. The choice is yours. In the space provided below, describe the way you feel during the first days/weeks of school. What can other students, teachers, and administrators do to make your first months of school better? What do you expect from them? Should you expect kindness? Explain. ______________________________________________________________

Student Written Short Response/Reflections If you're not just a little bit nervous before a match, you probably don't have the expectations of yourself that you should have. ~Hale Irwin What expectations have you set for yourself this school year? Are you nervous about any of the goals you have set? Do you think your expectations are high enough? Why or why not? ______________________________________________________________

Closing Thoughts- The expectations you set for yourself this school year will greatly determine the outcome. If your expectations are too low, chances are you won't reach your full potential or do the best you can. As we begin the new school year, it might be a good time to talk to a trusted adult about your goals and expectations so you can make it a really great school year . . . or not. The choice really is yours.