Week 1

I can't believe the first week of school is almost over. Fall activities are in full swing and we have our first competitions next week. Cross country and volleyball are in action next Thursday and football kicks things off with a jamboree next Saturday. If your student is not currently involved in activities please encourage them to do so. It's not too late. Whether it's band, choir, student council, or sports, there is something for everyone right now at SMS. If they would like to join a team, have them contact a coach. They will need to have a sports physical before they can practice. Football and volleyball players will also need to complete their baseline concussion test before practicing. We've had a great start to the school year. Let's keep this positive energy flowing. It's all about Spartan PRIDE at SMS.

Volleyball Changes

We have a great problem here at SMS related to our volleyball teams. We have way more girls participating than we planned on. To help solve this "problem", we are planning on three teams at each grade level (silver/white/maroon). I'm working hard to add more games for the third team and to move things around in the schedule so competition opportunities will be as equal as possible. Please communicate with your athlete and keep a close eye on the online calendars to stay abreast of the evolving schedule. Having this many girls participating is a great thing for Spartan volleyball.

Make up Impact Testing

For those students who missed impact testing on August 23rd, or for those who need to retake their test, make up testing will be available on Monday, August 27th at 2:00 pm in room 92 of SMS. This is during the SMS open house, so students who need to test must arrive at the open house early enough to take care of open house items before they test.

Impact Testing

Impact testing is coming to the Middle School.  Impact testing is a tool that medical professionals can use to determine the impact and severity of a concussion on student athletes.  Students complete a baseline test prior to beginning practice/competition.  If they suffer a head injury, they retake the test to help determine if they have recovered from their injury.

We will be conducting the baseline tests for SMS volleyball and football players on Thursday, August 23rd in room 92.  The testing schedule is as follows:

• 1:00: 8th grade football
• 2:00: 7th grade football
• 3:00: 7th grade volleyball
• 4:00: 8th grade volleyball

Students will need their school login and password.  If they have forgotten it, they should contact the technology office prior to their testing time.  If you have any questions, please contact Kevin O'Dea as the middle school. (kodea@spearfish.k12.sd.us or 717-1215)

Fall Activities BBQ

Prior to the fall activities parent meeting on Monday, August 20th, there will be a BBQ hosted by parents interested in forming a SMS booster club.  We hope you will join us for a tasty dinner followed by information regarding SMS fall activities.

It would also be great if you could support a SMS Booster Club.  Activities are an important part of the educational process.  The more cooperation there is between students, families, and the school, the more successful our students will be in school and beyond.

I hope to see you all on the 20th  in the SMS commons area.

Upcoming Events

There's a lot happening at SMS as we prepare for another exciting school year.  Many people have been wondering when practice is going to begin for the fall activities (football, volleyball,  and cross country). 

Football and volleyball will begin on Thursday, August 23rd. Cross country athletes have the option of practicing with the high school team.  They begin practice this Friday, the 10th.  Middle school cross country practice begins on Thursday, August 23rd at 5:30. 

There is a parent meeting for all who plan to participate in fall activities on Monday, August 20th in the commons area of Spearfish Middle School at 6:30 pm.  We will review general eligibility and participation guidelines and you'll have a chance to meet with coaches and pick up practice and game schedules.

Along those lines, information related to SMS activities can be found in a couple of new places this year.  An SMS events calendar has been added to the SMS web page.  You can find it on the SMS home page (http://spearfish.k12.sd.us/sms/index.html), or on my web page (http://www.spearfish.k12.sd.us/~kodea/index.html). 

In the near future, we will also be adding SMS activity schedules to the district calendar.  Hopefully these additional tools will help everyone stay informed of all the great happenings here at SMS.

Remember, in order to participate in any athletic activity, students must have a sports physical.  You can turn paperwork into the SMS office, or you can bring it with you on the 20th.