The Class of 2024 enjoyed a special ice cream treat with their lunch last week. Why you ask? Because the 6th Grade parents were the first class to achieve 100% participation in this year's Annual Fund! We are so pumped to have this amazing group of students as members of the SBMS family and are grateful for the inspiring generosity shown by their parents. The Annual Fund supports the people and programs that make Middle School such an incredible place to learn and grow - thanks once again to ALL of our current parents for helping us reach our fundraising goals this year!
It's the SCOOP for February 18, 2021
Your weekly news from Santa Barbara Middle School
Dear SBMS Families,
  
Thank you for making smart choices over the holiday weekend and for helping keep us and our loved ones safe. We know as time passes, it feels harder to make these tough decisions, but there is a light on the horizon. With vaccine supplies hopefully ramping up in the next few weeks and case numbers dropping, we are optimistic for the future. Let’s hang in there and continue making hard choices. It will be worth it. 
 
We have been grateful to continue our Adventure Days and look forward to ending the week with the 6th and 9th grades on top of Montecito Peak and Romero Canyon. We can’t wait to hop boulders and scramble up creeks while soaking in this invaluable time with your children. The social aspect of walking with friends and the beautiful winter weather we have been experiencing has made these days spectacular. Thank you again for all your efforts in helping pull these off. From drop-offs to pick-ups and helping prepare your child for their hikes, the days on the trails have been a blast. We are currently planning for another round of adventure days in March that will hopefully include getting back on our bikes. Stay tuned! 
 
If everything continues to trend positively, we will be planning more extensive adventure days after Spring Break. We look forward to continuing to develop our outdoor ed experiences in these ever-changing times. Thank you again for all your efforts and support. 
 
With Gratitude,
Brian, Bianca, and SBMS Staff
BIANCA'S BLURB

It was so great to have so many of you join for our Parent Association meeting on February 17. The birds and the bees is always a popular topic as we all fondly (wink wink) recall our own sex education experiences. Thank you, Holly, for sharing the book that you read growing up! Whether we fondly remember our own birds and the bees talks or not, here at SBMS we know that topics like Sex Ed are among many that need to be addressed with our pre-adolescents and teens. Please note that as a result of cohort and schedule limitations this year (due to COVID-19), we have had to reinvent and get creative with how and when we teach Life Skills. Unfortunately, this has meant that we have not been able to hit all topics, but we are committed to Life Skills addressing the "biggies" (bolded below) as well as weaving the other topics into other academic classes/spaces. Here is the list of some of the many topics we talk about during Life Skills, as well as a link to the curriculum scope and sequence for the 6th-9th grades.  
  • Digital Citizenship- Digital footprint, Credible sources, Cyberbullying, Social media
  • Sex Education: Anatomy, Consent, Communication, STI's, Gender identity
  • Drugs, Alcohol, and Substance Abuse
  • Mental Wellbeing: Anxiety, Depression, and Stress
  • Nutrition and Eating Disorders: Body Image, Mindful Eating
  • Friendships, Relationships, Changing Social Dynamics, Bullying
  • Grief and Loss
  • Growth Mindset
  • Study Skills, Time Management
  • Career Studies
  • https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1bvzrOQiyK5v9x_fljQ36jFDCAQRsdq7PRLu5ZKe1n7E/edit#gid=0
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS
ENROLLMENT CONTRACTS DUE TOMORROW
Contracts and deposits for returning students are due tomorrow! Thank you to those who have already completed their contracts. If you haven't already done so, please log into the SBMS HUB and complete your contract.
  • For questions about completing the contract, please contact Brandi at brandi@sbms.org
  • For questions about your financial aid award, please contact Maida at maida@sbms.org  

SCHOOL PICTURE DAY
We will be hosting school picture day here on campus on Wednesday, March 3. Please help us by reminding your child to dress in their favorite outfit and bring their best smile!

RITES OF PASSAGE
We once again have booked the gorgeous Godric Grove for this year's Rites of Passage ceremony. We will be holding the event on Thursday, June 10. Please see the updated dates below for the final week of school:
  • Monday, June 7 - Normal School Day 
  • Tuesday, June 8 - Last day of school for 6/7/8
  • Wednesday, June 9 - No School
  • Thursday, June 10 - Rites of Passage
THE WEEK AHEAD
Sunday, February 21
3-5pm Lick the Plate (Join here)

Monday, February 22

Tuesday, February 23
3:30-4:15pm Art Class with Sophie (Join here)

Wednesday, February 24

Thursday, February 25
3:30-4:15pm Sophie's Yearbook Class (Join here)
4-6pm Lick the Plate (Join here)

Friday, February 26
11:55am Town Meeting
⚠️ WEEKLY SAFETY UPDATE ⚠️
VACCINE UPDATE
With the vaccines open for those 65+, there is hope we can protect our elder family members and slow the spread of the virus even more. Supplies are still limited in Santa Barbara County, but we are hopeful that our teachers, along with other local educators, will be able to get vaccinated by mid to late March. Unfortunately, Moderna vaccine supplies will be delayed due to the severe weather conditions across the US. Appointments in Lompoc and Wake Center at SBCC are being canceled and rescheduled and this may push the timeline a bit.

Below is a helpful graphic that depicts our current state, showing that the requirement of masks, distancing and restriction compared to the number of vaccines issued at this time means that we are making gradual progress. As we continue onto the next phase of the vaccine, more time will go on and more data will be collected. This additional "weight" will eventually allow us to reach the goals of relaxed restrictions and herd immunity. In short, let's keep up our hard work! We must continue to wear masks and social distance until more vaccines are distributed to more groups of people. We've got this!
COMMUNITY
LICK THE PLATE
Join us in making a delicious meal and dessert this week!

Sunday, February 21, 3-5pm
Lasagna, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Spinach, Italian Sausage

Thursday, February 25, 4-6pm
Chai-Spiced Pecan Torte, Caramelized Apples
YOUTHWELL WORKSHOP
Wellness Tips For Students & Families
  • Sunday, February 21, 2021
  • 4:00pm-5:30pm
  • Register in advance: YouthWell.org/workshshops
  • Youth (ages 10-25), parents, educators, & community members are invited to learn simple hacks for yourself and your family to infuse balance into your day, improve your mood, fight fatigue, and relieve stress. 
  • 2020 was a challenging year for everyone with the pandemic, remote learning, working from home, loss of jobs, loss of celebrating milestones, and feeling isolated from friends and family. For many, the new year is not feeling much different. 
  • This workshop is an opportunity for anyone regardless of your age to learn new tools and set your own intentions for what you want in 2021 so that you feel empowered to manage your mental and physical wellness. 
  • PANELISTS: Jenni Tasca, Cara Ferrick, Shadean Runyen

Consejos de bienestar para estudiantes y familias
  • Domingo, 21 de febrero de 2021
  • 4:00pm-5:30pm
  • Regístrese con anticipación [GRATIS]: YouthWell.org/workshshops
  • Se invita a jóvenes (de 10 a 25 años), padres, educadores y miembros de la comunidad...
  • Aprenda trucos sencillos para usted y su familia para infundir equilibrio en su día, mejorar su estado de ánimo, combatir la fatiga y aliviar el estrés con un panel inspirador...
  • Jenni Tasca, Cara Ferrick, Shadean Runyen
OUTRIDE GRANT CYCLE 
Outride is a 501c3 founded on the idea of improving the social, emotional, and cognitive health of future leaders through research and evidence-based cycling programs. We are focused on primary scientific research, school-based cycling programs, and the creation and support of cycling communities. At Outride, we believe that cycling has the power to bring people together and empower communities. That community power comes from connection, opportunity, and access. Can you help us spread the word?
 
Outride has opened our 2021 grant cycle for the Riding for Focus Program and Outride Fund. Applications will close on March 11 for both programs. Please see our website for details and criteria for eligible applicants at https://outridebike.org/grants. We invite you to attend our upcoming informational webinars to learn more about our grants and programs:
  • Riding for Focus Program (R4F) is our middle school-based PE program. Developed as a result of our initial research findings, R4F promotes cycling as an outlet for students to improve their cognitive, physical, and socio-emotional well-being. Awardees receive a fleet of Specialized bikes, helmets, Riding for Focus curriculum, online teacher training, and face-to-face virtual teacher training. We ask that the program be implemented for two years. After, the bikes are for the school to keep!
  • The Outride Fund is a dollar-for-dollar matching grant fund that supports projects related to youth cycling, including education, youth rider development, bike-cooperatives and more. Those who apply and receive an award will fundraise a campaign with Outride’s fundraising platform and Outride will match funds up to $15,000.
 
Upcoming webinar dates and times:
  1.  Thursday, February 18 at 4 pm Pacific Time
  2.  Tuesday, March 2 at 11 am Pacific Time
 
How to Join:
SBMS BOOK CLUB
The next book club read is“Untamed” by Glennon Doyle and we will be meeting to discuss on Monday, March 8 from 9:30-10:30am. 

Untamed is a 2020 memoir by Glennon Doyle. It was published by The Dial Press on March 10, 2020. It is her third memoir following her works Love Warrior and Carry on, Warrior. The book debuted at number one on The New York Times nonfiction best-seller list. where it stayed for seven weeks. 
FROM THE PARENT ASSOCIATION
February Parent Association Meeting
Last night our sixth PA meeting featured Dr. Emily Eccles talking about the sex/health ed curriculum being taught to SBMS students during the month of February. Read more about the meeting and Emily (see below). If you missed the meeting, the recording will be available in the HUB by the end-of-day tomorrow.

Let’s Bring the “Birds and the Bees” into 2021
The focus of this talk was how to have current and authentic conversations with your teens and preteens about sex. This discussion focused 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 spoke with parents about topics covered in the Lifeskills human sexuality curriculum and provided resources.

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.
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**

March 2021
Wednesday, March 3: School Picture Day
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

April 2021
Monday, April 5: Return to In-Person Classes
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
Monday, June 7: Normal School Day 
Tuesday, June 8: Last day of school for 6/7/8
Wednesday, June 9: No School
Thursday, June 10: Rites of Passage**
CONTACT US
school calendar | website | 805-682-2989 | email | HUB login
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