Directory
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School Resources (listed alphabetically)
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Awards
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CCSD St. Andrews Constituent District 10
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Creative Communication Fall 2008 Poetry Anthology
Destiny Library Catalog
DISCUS
Donors Choose
Duke Talent Identification Program
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Garden Project
Grocery Store Partners
Holocaust
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Leadership
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Lowcountry Orphan Relief
LunchPrepay
MAP Presentation for Parents
Maps 101
Meet Our New Teachers!
National School Lunch Week
Prom
Reach for the Stars
Recycling Program
SAIL
SAMS Brochure 2008-2009
School Beautification Project
School Choice Proposal
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School Supplies for 2009-2010
School Uniforms
Science Fair
Single-Gender Education
South Carolina Aquarium
South Carolina Junior Book Awards
Student Handbook
Summer Reading 2009
Superintendent's Cup Tennis Tournament
Supply Lists for 2008-2009
Test Taking Strategies
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Mr. Naugle's Health Office
PTSA (Parent-Teacher-Student Association)
School Improvement Council


Daily Announcements

Support High Quality Education!
 
Sign the Petition to Support a Constitutional Amendment for High Quality Education in South Carolina: http://www.goodbyeminimallyadequate.com
 
Contact Your Legislators:  http://www.scstatehouse.gov


  
Excellence is Our Standard.
Failure is Not an Option.
 
 
Mission Statement

Our mission is to inspire and empower all students to be life long learners, to pursue their dreams, and to contribute to the global community.

 
 
"Make it a great day or not. 
The choice is yours."

Have a great summer!

SAMS GARDEN
SAMS garden was started in April 2008 by lead guidance counselor Jim Brooks. Under his supervision, students work in the garden to grow and harvest produce which is donated to Crisis Ministries.  This season, the garden includes peppers, squash, cucumbers, strawberries, watermelon and even basil and mint.  For more pictures of the garden, see the "Garden Project" link under School Resources at left.

GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
Please refer to the Guidance link at left (near the bottom of the page) for community resources and workshops.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR 2009-2010
Congratulations to Robbie Ledford, St. Andrew's Middle School Teacher of the Year for 2009-2010!  As the 6th Grade Boys Math teacher, Mr. Ledford is very focused on student success.  His students made the highest gains in the district this spring on the math MAP test. Mr. Ledford is the drama club sponsor.  He is also on the School Improvement Committee.

NEW BUSINESS PARTNERS
We truly value the relationships between our school and the business community and are pleased to announce the addition of two new business partners.
Lori Olson Learning
Located near our school at 3801 West Montague Avenue, Lori Olson Learning offers quality one-to-one tutoring for grades K-12 in all subject areas. Academic diagnostic testing is used to identify student strengths and weaknesses. Over 1000 pieces of curriculum resources on hand. Frequent interim conferences with parents to discuss progress and set goals. Stimulating learning environment. Take advantage of summer vacation and prepare your student for a successful 2009/20010 school year. Call Lori at 566-2941 or email her at Lori.anne.o@gmail.com for more information.
 
R.E. Baxter & Associates, Inc.
R.E. Baxter & Associates, Inc. provides comprehensive financial planning and employee benefits. They are located at 925-A Wappoo Road. Contact Mike Kreft for a free financial consultation at 571-4301 or email him at mkreft@tfamail.com. You may also visit their web site at www.baxterandassociates.com.
 
 

WEST ASHLEY HIGH SCHOOL WINTERGUARD 2009-2010
Congratulations to the following St. Andrew's Middle School 8th graders who made the 2009-2010 Winterguard at West Ashley High School:  Meredith Hoey, Alissa DiGiandomenico, Saamone Green, and Tekilia Ponder.  For a complete list of the WAHS Winterguard and Marching Band Flag Line (which includes a number of former SAMS students) see the attachment.

WAHS 2009-2010 Marching Band Flag Line & Winterguard.doc


THEATREWINGS HIGH SCHOOL APPRENTICE PROGRAM
The Charleston Stage Company is pleased to once again offer their free high school apprentice program, TheatreWings.  The program is open to all students who will be in 9th-12th grades during the 2009-2010 school year.  Students who become members of the TheatreWings program have the opportunity to get hands-on experience with theatre professionals in all areas, including stage management, design and performance, and they are the backstage running crew for all of Charleston Stage Company's mainstage productions.  Participants also receive free tickets to all of Charleston Stage Company's shows and are eligible for discounts on acting classes and pre-registration for SummerStage, Charleston Stage Company's summer program for students.  Applications are available on the Charleston Stage Company's web site.  Here is a direct link to the application:  http://charlestonstage.com/education/high_school_apprentices/documents/TheatreWings_App.pdf
 
 

FREE SCHOOL CLOTHES AND SUPPLIES
The "Hands of Christ" organization is offering free school clothes and supplies for next school year. Please see the attachment for more information and a schedule. Contact either Ms White or Mr. Brooks in our guidance department for assistance.

free clothes & supplies.doc


"NURSING YOUR CAREER" CAMP
Students interested in a career in the health field, particularly in nursing, are invited to attend a hands-on nursing camp at the Medical University of SC this summer. The dates/times are June 16 from 8:45 - 2:30, June 17 from 8:30 - 3:00, and June 18 from 8:45 - 3:00. The cost is only $25 and includes a camp T-shirt, CPR training, lunch and snacks each day. Please click on the link below for an application and more information. Completed applications and checks should be given to either Ms. White or Mr. Brooks in our guidance department.  
 

nursing summer camp.doc


WEIGHT LOSS & WELLNESS PROGRAM FOR TITLE I MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN 
Louie's Kids and the Boys & Girls Clubs say the third time's the charm! "Fit Club", the custom-tailored program developed by Louie's Kids has partnered with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Trident area to launch the third version of their fitness program for middle-school aged kids from the Boys & Girls Club's Mary Street facility this summer.
Fast Facts About Fit Club:
June 9-Oct 13
3:30-5:30 --- Tuesday's and Thursday's ---
9 a.m. on Saturdays (fitness only)
Location: Boys and Girls Club Mary Street
Program applications available by contacting: Louis@louieskids.org or calling 843 343 5746.
For more details on Louieskids.org and Fit Club, visit the Louieskids.org website or youtube.com for video interviews.

GROCERY STORE PARTNERS
Now you can support St. Andrew's Middle School every time you shop for groceries at BiLo, Food Lion, Harris Teeter or Publix!  Check out the "Grocery Store Partners" link under School Resources at left for more information.

TARGET'S TAKE CHARGE OF EDUCATION PROGRAM
We are pleased to announce that St. Andrew's Middle School will earn 1% of all sales used on a Target credit card.  To take advantage of this wonderful opportunity for our school, go to the following web site and enroll to designate SAMS to earn some FREE money.  Our school ID is 119335.
 
 

JOIN PTSA TODAY!!!
 

FIVE REASONS TO VOLUNTEER AT SAMS
1.  The government values one hour of volunteer time at $18.16.  Your 5 hours contribute $90.95 to your child's education!
2.  Find out what your child's day at school is really like.
3.  Spend time with other parents working to raise middle schoolers.
4.  Show your child that school is important by giving your time to make it better.
5.  Complete 5 hours and your name will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 gas card!
  Contact Caryn Vedane at 532-6044 or cvedane@bellsouth.net to learn more!
 
STRIVE FOR 5 VOLUNTEER HOURS!

Thank you to all the parents and community members who volunteered their time at our school this year.  We appreciate your support.


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Project Wisdom:

Our character education program provides students with positive social and academic skills by reinforcing the six core values (trustworthiness, caring, fairness, respectfulness, responsiblity, and good citizenship). Every week we provide students with a theme that relates to one or all of the core values. We ask that you reinforce the core values at home to help with the emotional, social, academic, and physical growth of our students.
 
Our character education program provides students with positive social and academic skills by reinforcing the core values of life (trustworthy, caring, fair, respectful, responsible, and a good citizen). Every week we provide students with a theme that relates to one or all of the core values. This information is available for your perusal at http://standrewsms.ccsdschools.com. We ask that you reinforce the core values at home to help with the emotional, social, academic, and physical growth of our students.
 

From the Principal

July 2009

Dear Parents/Guardians,

In just a few weeks we will begin our journey together toward discovery, exploration and learning at St. Andrews Middle School.  The faculty and staff at St. Andrews Middle School are very excited and enthusiastically committed to this journey.  As in the past, we are continuing to work with children in teaching teams and we will be working diligently to help your child reach new heights of educational achievement.

Our motto for the 2009-2010 school year will continue to be Achieving Excellence and Failure is Not an Option.  We will continue to be a school of choice with partial magnet status for the upcoming school year.  Our school will continue to focus on mathematics and single-gender strategies. We have a schedule that encourages our students to work at a higher rigor and provides ninety minute blocks for English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies for seventh and eighth grades as our sixth graders will take 70 minute classes.  All courses will be gender based and we will continue to have a Female Leadership Academy and a Male Leadership Academy in two separate locations.  We will continue to include pre-algebra, algebra, banking, marketing, and entrepreneurship classes.  We are also offering Academic Interventions for all levels.  We will provide an honors pull-out program, small reading groups, English I, small tutoring groups and a literacy coach to meet all student needs. As for special area classes, we will provide physical education, health, art design (1, 2, and 3), band, and strings.  We also will embark on a virtual Spanish class for high school credit through the South Carolina State Education Department.

With the start of the new school year, we are also continuing our character education program Project Wisdom and our Positive Behavior Intervention program PBIS.  The development of tomorrows citizens, citizens of solid character and positive behaviors is an important mission as educators and parents.  The development of good character and positive behaviors is rooted by our Core Values of life: Respect, Responsibility, Trustworthiness, Fairness, and Caring.  These core values will provide our students the opportunity to become good citizens within our community.  Every student will be assigned to an advisor to meet with every morning to discuss these issues both locally and globally.  We will also utilize the advisory periods to help students stay focused, set their goals, and become successful individuals.  There will be weekly topics concerning the values of life that will be communicated to the students during their advisory period through the morning Wildcat News.  It is very beneficial when parents are simultaneously reinforcing the weekly topics at home through discussion and encouragement. To add to our character education, PBIS program, students that represent one or all core values may be recognized by any staff member and be given a core value stamp in their agenda.  Once a student receives an accumulated amount of stamps, they may be acknowledged with a rewards day for their positive behaviors.  
Please join me in welcoming the following new staff members here at St. Andrews Middle School:
 Ms. Jennifer Middleton      Science Grade 6
Ms. Linda Jenkins                 Social Studies Grade 6
Mr. Douglas Browne            English Grade 8
Ms. Dayna Hohlfeldt            Autism
Ms. Cassandra Middleton   Child Care Assistant

Summer Reading:
Please see the summer reading assignment on our web site or stop by the school to get one for your child.  This assignment needs to be completed prior to their return to school.  This assignment will be their first English grade.


Fact and Fee/Meet and Greet:
Our Fact and Fee orientation programs will be held on Thursday, August 6th between the times of 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. and then between the times of 4:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.
  All dues will be paid in the Library, where schedules and agendas will be handed out. The cost for dues is $40.00 for the school year.  This fee covers clubs, athletics, library fees, extra curricular, agendas, special recognitions, and our PBIS program.  We ask that parents pay in cash.  

Yearbooks and uniform shirts will be on sale at this time.  Any student that owes fees from this past school year will need to pay those fees prior to receiving their schedules for next year.  You will then have the opportunity to meet and greet your childs teachers by following your childs schedule.  This will be an informal greeting, where we want you and your child to feel comfortable with our school and the location of the classrooms.  Mr. Bragg will be available for any questions.

Daily Schedule:  Our staring and ending times have changed due to transportation needs!
Please recognize the following information on student arrival and pick-up:  
1.Students that are car riders will be dropped off and picked up in the back of the school in the football field parking lot.  
2.Bus riders are delivered and picked up in the front of the building.
3.***Students are not allowed in the building prior to 8:50 a.m. *** Please do not drop your child off prior to 8:50 a.m. ***
4.Students need to report to the bleachers of the football field or to the cafeteria if they buy breakfast between the times of 8:50 a.m. and 9:00 a.m.
5.The children will be released to their advisory at 9:00 a.m. 
6.Student lateness is unacceptable.  Please make sure your child is on time so there are no interruptions to our teacher lessons.
7.Students are released at 4:15 p.m.  Please arrive on time to pick-up your child.
8.Guardian photo identification is required to sign your child out of school.
9.Please refrain from picking your child up from school early unless there is particular reason.  We need to have your child here in order to help them succeed and grow academically.
10.Please understand that our building is continuously under lockout status, where the outside doors are locked.  If you are visiting our school, please report to the main entrance and report to the main office.  This is to provide safety and security for our students.

Dress Code:
We are color coordinating our grade levels again this coming school year.  Please pay close attention to the following:
Grade 6:  Grey Collared Shirts, Jeans, Khaki or Blue Pants/Shorts/Skirts
Grade 7:  Royal Blue Collared Shirts, Jeans, Khaki or Blue 
  Pants/Shorts/Skirts
Grade 8:  Gold Collared Shirts, Jeans, Khaki or Blue Pants/Shorts/Skirts
These colors will match our school colors and will help with organization and housing of our students.  Shirts will be on sale at the Fact and Fee night.  You can also order ahead of time using the enclosed flyer.  Uniforms will be on display in the St. Andrews Middle School main office during the summer so parents can choose sizes and turn in their forms.  All pants/jeans need to be worn at the waist line and a belt is needed.  Jeans are not to have holes or tears.

Physical Education:
Our 7th and 8th grade students will need to change their clothes for their physical education classes.  Please have a change of shorts, running pants, appropriate tee shirts and sneakers for gym classes.  Lockers will be provided for each student.  Each student will receive a lock for their gym locker and they will be held responsible for the lock and the 
items in the locker.  Please remind students that they need to lock their gym lockers after each use.  To replace a gym lock, the cost will be $5.00.

Supply List:
Please see the attached supply list that will give more detail to things you will need to start the school year.  Upon teacher requests, students may be asked to gather more supplies throughout the school year.

Parent Communications:
We believe that parent/school communication is imperative in the success of our children.  Teachers and parents are encouraged to continuously communicate through phone calls, letters, agendas, and meetings.  Every month, the administration will be sending a letter home providing information for the upcoming monthly activities and successes. All our letters and important information is available on our web site at standrewsms.ccsdschools.com.  Teachers will have their assignments posted on their web pages and can be contacted through email.  We also provide a homework hotline after school hours at 763-1533.

Parent Teacher Student Association:
We are strong advocates for our children and we are looking for parents to assist our PTSA with functions and fundraising.  We have had tremendous growth in our parent volunteers and are expecting to continue on this path.  Please notify the main office if you are interested in volunteering at SAMS.

Sixth Grade Family Night:
The transition to middle school can be overwhelming for the parents and the children; therefore we will be having an incoming sixth grade family night on Tuesday, August 11th from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in the St. Andrews Middle School gymnasium.  This will be an opportunity to meet with your peers and play some games.  Mr. Bragg will be available to answer any questions you may have.

Important Dates:
Thursday, August 6th:      Fact and Fee/Meet and Greet 1:00-3:30 p.m. and 4:30-7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, August 11th:      6th Grade Family Night
Tuesday, August 18th:      First Day for Students
Monday, September 7th:   Labor Day/No School

Enclosed please find the 2009-2010 school supply lists, CCSD district calendar, shirt order form, parent information for medications and medical procedures, and a health information form (must be filled out).  If you have any preliminary questions, please call the St. Andrews Middle School Main Office at 763-1533.  All of us at St. Andrews Middle School are looking forward to a fabulous school year as we continue our academic growth and achievements.  

For the Children,


Benjamin Bragg
     Principal       

Benjamin F Bragg

Upcoming Events 

Saturday, July 04, 2009
View Monthly Calendar

Weather 

Mostly sunny
Today, 7/4/2009
High: 88 | Low: 75
Mostly sunny
Slight chance thunderstorms
Tomorrow, 7/5/2009
High: 91 | Low: 75
Slight chance thunderstorms