We’ve had a fantastic start to the new year, and it's hard to believe how fast January flew by! With 3rd quarter in full swing, we’re kicking off February with energy, excitement, and a calendar full of opportunities for students to explore, perform, and shine.

Dream Big Week: February 2nd–6th
We’re excited to launch Dream Big Week, a school-wide celebration designed to get students thinking about their futures! Throughout the week, students will participate in activities that spark conversations around post-secondary education, career pathways, and the world of work. Even our 6th graders will begin exploring what’s possible after high school, while our 8th graders will take a deeper dive as they begin to plan for high school and beyond. Students will be learning about key career terms, complete interest profiles to discover their work-related strengths, explore colleges, tech schools, and in-demand careers in South Dakota, and will learn about job opportunities available to them as early as age 14!

Plus, we’ll have dress-up days, surprise treats, and fun drawings for staff throughout the week. And since this week also falls during National School Counselor Week, we want to give a huge shoutout to Mrs. Angel Samson, who plans and coordinates all of Dream Big Week to make it meaningful and engaging for our entire school!

Celebrating America’s 250th Birthday!

Did you know? This July marks 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence! To help our students take part in this semiquincentennial celebration, each week during homeroom we’ll highlight key moments in American history with short videos and will be including a weekly “This Week in American History” feature on hallway TVs. It’s a great way for students to learn how our nation began and think about where we’re headed next!

Simmons Singers Take the Spotlight!

A huge congratulations to our Simmons Singers show choir on their amazing performance at the Executive Showcase at Sioux Falls Roosevelt! They were named Grand Champions, winning Best Visuals (choreography), Best Vocals, and Outstanding Soloist awarded to our very own Lauryn Robinson.

Be sure to catch them in action when they perform right here in Aberdeen this March, you won’t want to miss it!

So Much Talent, So Many Events!

Our students are busy doing amazing things, and we hope you’ll join us in supporting them at one, or all, of these upcoming events:

     - Join us for Family Movie Night on Monday, February 2nd at 6:30pm in the gym. Bring your blanket and snacks—it’ll be a fun evening for all!

     - 8th Grade Band will be performing at two upcoming Varsity Basketball games on February 6th and February 17th, come cheer them on!

     - Catch our SMS Play “Tongue Tied” on February 10th or February 12th at 7:00pm in the HMS Theatre.

And don’t forget to check out our very first SMS News video, created by our Soaring Senators student group, which is linked below in the newsletter!

As a quick reminder, there will be no school on Friday, February 13 and Monday, February 16. We’re proud of the energy, creativity, and leadership our students continue to show each day. Thank you for partnering with us and cheering them on. Let’s keep soaring, Eagles!

Dr. Colleen Murley

Principal

Mrs. Kelsey Scarborough

Assistant Principal

The monthly calendar for all Youth Power events can be viewed by clicking here!

If you would like to take a more active role and get involved, please attend one of our monthly meetings, which take place on the 2nd Monday of every month at 6:30pm in our library.

If you are unable to take an active role, please still consider becoming a member for $10. Your membership alone helps support the PTA, and you’re welcome to simply donate without any additional time commitments.

You can click here or scan the QR code below to register online.

Monday, February 9th

6:30pm in SMS Library

1️⃣ Scan the code (or click here) to download the app

2️⃣ Enter the referral code: LWSB9TFD

3️⃣ Scan any / all of your paper receipts AND connect your Walmart account

Throughout the school year, help your student collect Ken’s and Kessler’s grocery receipts and have them turn them in to the office. At the end of the year, our amazing PTA submits all the receipts and earns money back from the stores, which goes right back into supporting our students and staff.

So next time you shop, don’t toss those receipts! Send them to school with your student and help us turn grocery trips into great opportunities for us.

The Exchange Club’s Young Citizenship Award recognizes middle school students who consistently model outstanding citizenship at both school and home. Honorees are selected for demonstrating strong character through a positive attitude, service to others, leadership, and sportsmanship.

Families are invited to join us for a fun movie night, where we will be watching Dr. Suess' The Lorax!

Doors will open at 6:15pm, and the movie will begin promptly at 6:30pm. Guests are welcome to bring a chair or blanket, or you may use the bleacher seating provided. Please feel free to bring your own snacks; however, no peanuts are allowed.

Youth Power will be selling chocolate bars during the event, and students who are members of Youth Power can earn one point for attending. All students must be accompanied by an adult or a high school sibling.

We hope to see you there!

Our Student Senate created their very own school news broadcast! Be sure to check out their first production by clicking the graphic below. They did a fantastic job, and we are excited to see what future stories they have in store!

Moses Roses may have the ability to say ’Sly Sam slurps Sally’s soup,’ but he doesn’t know what to do with Sally Seashell and his nightmares from the past.  Sally blames Roses for losing an important tongue twister tournament 30 years ago.  Now, he is a teacher at Bitter Batter School, the very same school he represented in the tournament.  He has dived into teaching Shakespeare, always trying to dismiss that dreadful day from his mind.  But Sally also returns to Bitter Batter, taking over the role of principal.  She has only one thing on her mind–winning the tongue twister tournament and regaining the trophy. 

The doors will open at 6:30pm and the performance will start promptly at 7:00pm. Both performances will take place at Holgate Middle School, in their theater.  Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for students.

We’ll be celebrating Dream Big Week with fun themed dress-up days! Students are encouraged to participate and show their school spirit all week long.

Monday, February 2nd

Dreaming Attire aka Pajama Day

Tuesday, February 3rd

Dress to Impress & Find Success

Wednesday, February 4th

In Our Prime Rhyme Time

(spoon & the moon, PJ’s & DJ, reader & cheerleader)

Thursday, February 5th

College or Career Gear

Friday, February 6th

Class Color Day:

8th--Black

7th--Blue

6th--Gray or Gold

We’re working hard to build a culture where showing up matters, and the numbers show it. Our overall attendance rate for January was 91.43%. That’s a great start, but we know we can do better!

Why does this matter? Research suggests that when students miss just 10% of the school year (about 18 days, or just 2 days per month), they’re at risk of falling behind academically, socially, and emotionally. And for middle schoolers, it’s especially critical as habits formed now are strong predictors of high school success and graduation.

Why Attendance Matters in Middle School

Every day builds on the last, and missing instruction means missing essential steps in understanding concepts, especially in math and reading. Social-emotional connections grow daily, so students need to be present to build strong peer and teacher relationships. Good attendance now sets habits for high school and eventually in the workplace!

We understand that illnesses and family needs happen, but we encourage all families to do the best they can to prioritize daily attendance. Even being a little late or missing part of the day can add up over time.

Thank you for helping us make every school day count, let’s keep showing up!