Dear 6th Grade Parents,
The letter below is from our 6th grade teacher team. If you would like to speak directly with me, feel free to call the school at 869-9636, ext. 3101. We're doing everything we can to make this challenging year a good one for your children.
Thank you,
Tim Houseknecht, Principal
Dear 6th Grade Students and Families -
We are excited to welcome you as 6th graders at South Seneca Middle School! Due to educational planning around Covid-19, our 6th grade orientation plans have been a work in progress, causing us to push back the communication out to families until were comfortable that the information we communicate with you is up to date and as accurate as possible. This has been a dilemma, as we clearly understand the need to get information into your hands as soon as possible. Please understand this is our goal and that we are working hard to provide you needed information.
Currently, due to the unusual circumstances that Covid-19 has presented, we will not plan to hold a "face-to-face" orientation gathering like we have in past school years. Rather, we will hold 2 full days of orientation during the first 2 days of school.
We want to assure you of the following: The 6th grade teaching team is a strong and caring team. We will do a thorough job of orienting your child once they arrive at school. We understand that students are coming to school with many questions. Rest assured that we have many years of experience orienting our students. All your child needs to do is arrive at the building on that first day, then we will take over. We will greet students at their buses and literally lead each student to his/her teacher who will take over from there.
Our first goal upon meeting your child will be to help him/her personally feel comfortable, safe and well cared for in our presence. We will hold many open-format question & answer sessions. Students can bring their school supplies with them the first day or they can leave them at home. If they don't yet have school supplies by the first day of school, we will give them all the answers they need about their supplies. Along with many other orientation needs, we will teach students about their lockers and how to use their locks. We will play fun (socially distanced) games to teach them things they need to know to become oriented to the building, the staff, and the schedules. We will tell them exactly how to proceed between classes and to places such as the cafeteria or the gym or the band/chorus rooms or the nurse or the main office. We are very thorough in this orientation approach the first two days. We call it "Falcon Camp." Sixth grade students will not proceed through regular classes on these first days. Instead, they will remain with their homebase teachers to have a really fun time learning everything they need to know about their new school. When it is time for them to begin regular classes on the third day, we will have already oriented them to their schedules and answered their questions about their schedules.
We, at South Seneca Middle School, are very focused on the emotional well-being of each and every one of our students. We feel confident that your child will feel cared for and comfortable in our care as soon as s/he walks in the door and that all of his/her questions will be answered.
These are --- as we have heard repeatedly--- "unprecedented times." We will all start this new school year with unique strength and energy, and we will be on our way into a very special time in our educational lives... and together, we will have fun doing it!
If you have questions please feel free to contact one of the 6th grade teachers. Our email addresses are below.
Connie Adams cadams@southseneca.org
Laurie Gomez lgomez@southseneca.org
Donna Mosher dmosher@southseneca.org
John Robertson jrobertson@southseneca.org
Becky Crane rcrane@southseneca.org
Mimi Wolff mwolff@southseneca.org
Sincerely -
The SSMS 6th Grade Teaching Team