It's the SCOOP for February 5, 2021
Your weekly news from Santa Barbara Middle School
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Dear SBMS Families,
It feels great to be back in the swing of things here on campus. PA has been cooking up creations on our camp stoves and students have been learning how to make delicious and nutritious meals. Marlene has been teaching about WWII and the battles that were fought. And watching the students play pickleball and run around the campus keeps us motivated and encouraged to keep school open.
We want to protect this little bubble of safety we have created, especially with the Super Bowl, President's Day Weekend, and Spring Break on the horizon. If you have not done so already, please make sure to read our latest Health and Safety email below in the Safety Section regarding travel and high-risk behavior. We know at this time everyone is feeling the effects of this pandemic. It has been tedious and hard, but let's work together and make smart decisions to keep all of us and our extended families safe and healthy.
We are excited to be planning adventure day hikes in the coming weeks and are hoping that by spring we will be back on our bikes and out on multi-day adventures and activities in and around our community. Please save the dates below for your grade's adventure day! Let's stick together during these tough times and ensure that these outdoor days can become a reality.
With Gratitude,
Brian, Bianca and SBMS Staff
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BIANCA'S BLURB
I cannot believe we are coming up on a year of COVID19. From lockdowns, quarantines, sheltering at home, colored tiers, and all of the other new aspects of life, it's been so exhausting... And probably the thing that I am noticing and hearing about most right now from parents is that...the teenage life continues with all of its normal complexities and challenges! While we as parents have had our eye on the pandemic, politics, social justice and vaccine rollouts, our adolescents are still facing the normal anxieties and turmoils of being a teen. Here is a snapshot of issues that have been popping up lately.
- Friendships are shifting! Suddenly groups that were made at the beginning of the year are morphing. This really makes adolescents nervous. They want to belong. They want their go-to person. Remind them that this is normal. Everyone is figuring out where they fit best. Acknowledge that this is scary. Acknowledge that it's super hard during COVID times, too!!!
- They are way more self-conscious about how they look. Their bodies are changing, they smell more, they have more zits...and all of this might make them want to stay home. Remind them that everyone is or will be going through these changes at some point. The changes are normal.
- They're trying out new fashion styles and even makeup! This is part of them beginning to assert their identity and better understand who they want to be. Roll with it! Fashion trends do come and go...
- They constantly compare themselves with their peers. "So and so has this phone..." "So and so can go to...". Don't always believe these statements. Check-in with other parents. Chances are it's not the case, and it's also just really nice to talk to other parents. We're all going through various struggles.
- They "hate you" and they say it. Yes, your structure, boundaries and rules make adolescents frustrated. Remember that teens are meant to push boundaries, test the waters and take risks. Staying true to your values and rules, however, helps their brain understand right from wrong and what's going too far or what is too risky. Hold your line. The "hate" line is a phase.
The most important thing to remember is that when your adolescent voices their feelings, you need to validate them (however frustrating!). Acknowledge them. Listen.
Hang in there, parents!!!
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FEBRUARY ADVENTURE DAYS
We're getting out on the trails again next week! We'll be starting with our 8th grade and after the President's Day weekend will be out on the mountains with our remaining grades. Please see the dates below for each grade and look out for a cohort-specific email.
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6th Grade: Friday, February 19
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7th Grade: Tuesday, February 16
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8th Grade: Thursday, February 11
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9th Grade: Friday, February 19
FROM THE BUSINESS OFFICE
Enrollment Contracts coming to your inbox for the 2021-22 year!
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Look for an email on Wednesday, February 10, notifying you that your 2021-22 Enrollment contract is available through Smart Tuition.
- Contract completion and nonrefundable deposits are due no later than Friday, February 19, 2021.
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For questions about completing the contract, please contact Brandi at brandi@sbms.org
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For questions about your financial aid award, please contact Maida at maida@sbms.org
DLP FOLLOWING SPRING BREAK
Note that we will be adding a distance learning week following Spring Break like we did for Thanksgiving and Winter Break. Below are important dates to keep in mind:
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Monday, March 15 – Friday, March 26: Spring Break
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Friday, March 26: Return From Travel (a later return means a later ‘in-person’ to campus return)
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Monday, March 29 - Friday, April 2: Distance Learning Week
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Monday, April 5: Return to In-Person Classes
CALLING ALL CREATIVES!
We want your children to share what they have been creating this year. So many of them have been making art at home in sketchbooks, on their computers, in the garage on cardboard, etc. There is so much awesome stuff being created and we want to share it. Take a picture of any creation and send it to Sophie@sbms.org. She will put it all in a slideshow so we can show off everyone's talents at an upcoming town meeting. We can't wait to see the art that's out there!
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THE WEEK AHEAD
Sunday, February 7
Monday, February 8
Tuesday, February 9
3:30-4:15pm Art Class with Sophie (Join here)
Wednesday, February 10
Re-enrollment Contracts go out to returning families
Thursday, February 11
8th Grade Adventure Day
3:30-4:15pm Sophie's Yearbook Class ( Join here)
Friday, February 12 - Monday, February 15
President's Holiday Weekend - No School!
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⚠️ WEEKLY SAFETY UPDATE ⚠️
With good weather locally, good snow nearby, the upcoming SuperSpreaderBowl and Presidents weekend around the corner, please make sure to read our latest travel advisory email.
Whether you travel or not, keep in mind these Safe Practices and refer to CDC guidance when in doubt .
- Avoid crowds or busy public places
- Do not travel with people outside of your household
- Social distance with at least six feet
- Wear a mask
- Wash hands often
- Stay home you feel sick
- Get tested before and after travel
If you are planning to travel, reference our CDC travel risk flow chart to evaluate what level of risk your trip-related activities. If you are traveling over 120 miles out of Santa Barbara County or engage in high-risk activities, we ask that you report back to us and obtain a negative PCR test (taken 7 days since returning from travel) or quarantine for 10 days before they return to campus. While our week-long DLP buffer for travel on the longer holidays has been successful, if you choose to travel on a weekend or shorter holiday we ask that you self-report and quarantine before returning to campus. This will help us reduce community transmission and infection rates and keep the campus open during this critical time. Erik is happy to help you with your child’s return to campus.
COVID Resources
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CHALLENGE SUCCESS PARENT WORKSHOPS
With families and educators in mind, Challenge Success is offering their popular workshops to help decrease parent and student stress. Up next is:
Wednesday, Feb. 24
5:00 - 6:15pm PT | 8:00 - 9:15pm ET
When we are too focused on grades and performance, we deny our children the time and energy they need to tackle the demanding work of growing up. In this presentation, you’ll learn how you can establish a healthier home environment for your school-aged child, reduce academic stress without sacrificing achievement, and increase your child’s resilience, creativity, and well-being.
Learn more about the workshops here!
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LICK THE PLATE
Don't miss these upcoming Lick the Plate classes!
Sunday, February 7, from 3-5pm
Thursday, February 11, from 4-6pm
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SBMS BOOK CLUB
The next book club read will be“Untamed” by Glennon Doyle and we will be meeting to discuss on Monday, March 8 from 9:30-10:30am.
Soulful and uproarious, forceful and tender, Untamed is both an intimate memoir and a galvanizing wake-up call. It is the story of how one woman learned that a responsible mother is not one who slowly dies for her children, but one who shows them how to fully live. It is the story of navigating divorce, forming a new blended family, and discovering that the brokenness or wholeness of a family depends not on its structure but on each member’s ability to bring her full self to the table. And it is the story of how each of us can begin to trust ourselves enough to set boundaries, make peace with our bodies, honor our anger and heartbreak, and unleash our truest, wildest instincts so that we become women who can finally look at ourselves and say: There She Is.
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FROM THE PARENT ASSOCIATION |
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February Parent Association Meeting
Wednesday, 2/17 at 7:30 pm
Featuring Dr. Emily Eccles talking about the sex/health ed curriculum being taught to SBMS students in the month of February.
Let’s Bring the “Birds and the Bees” into 2021
The focus of this talk will be how to have current and authentic conversations with your teens and preteens about sex. This discussion will focus on how to talk to your children about sex, how to prepare them for contemporary challenges in sexuality, and how to build trust in the process. Emily will be speaking with parents about topics covered in the Lifeskills human sexuality curriculum and providing resources for both you and your child.
Here's the short bio on Emily:
Dr. Emily Eccles earned her B.S. degree in Zoology from the University of California at Santa Barbara. After receiving her doctorate in clinical psychology from Fielding Graduate University, she’s excited to be working under the supervision of Dr. Steve Smith as a postdoctoral fellow and supporting the SBMS community as part of the Counseling team.
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ON THE HORIZON
Please note that dates and events are subject to change and updates will be communicated. **Subject to SBMS COVID-19 Committee & Public Health Guidance**
February 2021
Wednesday, February 17: 7:30pm Parent Association Meeting
March 2021
Thursday, March 11: 7:30pm Parent Association Meeting
Monday, March 15 – Friday, March 26: Spring Break
Friday, March 26: Return From Travel
Monday, March 29 - Friday, April 2: Distance Learning Week
Monday, April 5: Return to In-Person Classes
April 2021
Saturday, April 24: Songfest
Monday, April 26: No School / Faculty In-Service
May 2021
Monday, May 24 - Friday, June 4: All-School EOY Experiential Education Weeks
Monday, May 31: Memorial Day
June 2021
Wednesday, June 16: Last day of school for grades 6, 7, 8**
Friday, June 18: Rites of Passage**
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