Back to School
Welcome to the 2024 - 2025 School Year!!!
Parents, we have some important information for you to guide you into the new school year!
Meet the Teacher/Open house will be on July 31, 2024
Last Name: A - M 1:00 PM - 2:15 PM
Last Name: N - Z 2:45 PM - 4:00 PM
- Back To School Virtual Backpack
- School Supply List
- Free and Reduced Meal Application
- Car Rider Information and Registration
- Walker Information and Registration
- Parent Information
Back To School Virtual Backpack
School Supply List
2024 - 2025 Sweetwater Middle School Supply List
- Notebook paper
- (2) 3-Subject Spiral Notebooks (College Rule)
- (3) Composition Books
- (1) 1-inch binder
- Index Cards
- Markers/Colored Pencils
- Glue Sticks
- Highlighters
- Scissors
- Ear buds for testing
- Pencils AND Pens
- Ruler
Wish List: Ream of Copy Paper, Kleenex, Lysol Wipes,Post-it Notes, Hand Sanitizer, Band aids
Free and Reduced Meal Application
free-and-reduced-meal-application
Children need healthy meals to learn. Gwinnett County Public Schools offers healthy meals every school day. Breakfast costs $1.75; lunch costs $2.50 for elementary and $2.75 at middle and high schools. Your children may qualify for free meals or for reduced-price meals. The reduced price is $.30 for breakfast and $.40 for lunch.
Car Rider Information and Registration
July 31, 2024
Dear Parents:
Welcome to the 2024-25 school year! We are looking forward to another fantastic year. Student safety and security is a priority at Sweetwater Middle School, and we believe the best method for your student to come to and from school is by using our school buses. However, we realize there may be days where it is necessary for your child to be a car rider and/or your circumstances are such where your child must be a car rider. All families are expected to adhere to the following guidelines when dropping off or picking up your child.
In an effort to minimize the car line backing up onto Cruse Road and to maintain safety, the car rider line will go through the back parking lot. Parents are expected to drop off and pick up students in the back of the school along the curb. Staff will direct vehicle movement and the unloading or loading of students. Students should not exit vehicles in other areas of the parking lot (unless parent is exiting vehicle as well). All vehicles may turn right or left when exiting the campus during official arrival and dismissal times.
Morning Drop-Off Procedure:
· As a courtesy, students dropped off at school prior to 8:50 a.m. will be directed to a silent study hall in the old gym rather than waiting outside. Students may not be dropped off prior to 8:00 a.m.
· Only one lane of traffic will be used for drop-off.
· Parents should pull forward before stopping for their child to exit the vehicle.
· All students should be dropped off by 9:10 a.m., which is when homeroom begins.
· Students should never exit a vehicle in the middle of the lanes or the top of our sidewalk.
Afternoon Pick-Up Procedure:
· Parents may arrive on campus for car rider pick-up no earlier than 3:40 p.m.
· All vehicles should have the car rider number clearly displayed in the dashboard.
· Staff will assist with the traffic flow. Please make sure you follow the directions of the staff to ensure a safe and quick car rider line.
· Students will be dismissed at 4:05 p.m. to go to the car rider staging locations within the building.
· Car riders will be dismissed as their car rider number is called.
As a parent, you serve as your child’s first role model, and it is important you adhere to our procedures. Thank you for doing your part in ensuring that we have a safe arrival and dismissal for our staff and students.
Sincerely,
Chekquita Johnson, Principal
Walker Information and Registration
Walker Expectations
All families are expected to adhere to the following guidelines when allowing your child to walk to and from school. Students will receive a walker tag to put on their bookbag for identification. If they lose the tag, please have them see the grade level clerk.
In an effort to keep students safe, all students must remain on the sidewalks while on Cruse Road. Students will enter the building at the designated grade level doors when arriving after 8:50. Students should not be playing around in the bus lanes or while walking down the street. All students are encouraged to practice social distancing while walking to school or home.
Morning Procedure:
- As a courtesy, students may arrive at school prior to 8:50 a.m. They will be directed to a silent study hall in the old gym rather than waiting outside. Students may not arrive prior to 8:00 a.m.
- Only the front office door will be open for student entry if arriving early.
- All walkers should arrive to school before 9:15.
Afternoon Procedure:
- Students will be dismissed starting at 4:05 p.m. to begin walking home.
- All students must exit the building and walk to the designated crossing area where school staff members are posted.
- Staff will assist with the traffic flow. Please make sure you child follow the directions of the staff to ensure student safety.
Parent Information
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School Phone Numbers |
Main Number – 770-923-4131 FAX – 770-806-8930 Clinic – 770-806-8940 Counseling –770-806-8937 (6th) 770-806-8943 (7th) 770-806-8936 (8th) |
Offices 6th Grade‐ 770-806-7811 7th Grade‐ 770-806-7809 8th Grade/GU‐ 678-380-7228 |
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School Hours |
8:50am – 4:05 pm |
No late checkouts after 3:30 pm |
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Arrival Time |
Students should not arrive at school until 8:50 am unless they have a note from a teacher. Students who arrive prior to 8:50 am will be asked to wait in the old gym, except for Academic Help Days. |
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Academic Tutoring Help Days |
SMS Teachers will be available for additional instructional support and assessments on the following days Monday – Friday for all subject areas from 8:15 – 8:50, except the last Friday in each month. Students enter the school from 8:00 – 8:15 am from the car rider lane on help days. Teacher will begin to pick up the students from the Old Gym starting at 8:15 am. |
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Contribution Request |
We will send an email to you with a link to MyPaymentsPlus.com so you can make payments prior to Meet your Teacher. Assistance and computers will be available on Meet your Teacher to assist you with the process. |
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Remind |
Principal and teachers will send event reminders, announcements, and school safety information via email messaging. You are encouraged to update your email address to receive notifications. |
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School Messenger |
The school will send emails using the GCPS ParentSquare Messenger. This is the official communication system for all GCPS. Parents can update contact information in the parent portal. |
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Parent Portal |
The GCPS Parent Portal serves as a valuable resource for information about your child and his or her academic career. The Parent Portal can be accessed safely and securely from a device with internet access. If you have not done so already, you can sign up during Meet your Teacher (Open House). |
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Attendance |
All students are encouraged to attend school on a daily basis. The face-to-face instructional time is key to student success. If your child is absent, please send in a written note with student name, ID#, date of absence, reason for absence, parent signature and contact number to the grade level clerk. |
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Lunches Application required each year |
The Federal breakfast and reduced lunch program has not been extended for the upcoming year. We are asking all parent to complete the Free/Reduced lunch application the 2024 -2025 year. Our school receives local funding based on our lunch status. This allows us to pay for additional teachers to reduce class sizes, technology devices, before/after school programs, staff development, and parent workshops. Apply online for free and reduced lunch after July 15, 2024, http://gwinnett.schoollunchapp.com. All students who would like to participate in the meal program must apply this year. |
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Contact the Café Manager Marvell Martin at 678-380-7215 for assistance. |
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Clinic |
The clinic worker will be available to meet with parents and accept medications. Please complete all required forms while visiting the clinic. All medications in original package. |
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Lockers |
Small book lockers are located in homerooms. |
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Discipline |
We are a PBIS award winning school, promoting positive behaviors. *Please refer to the GCPS Student Discipline Handbook for further guidance and information. * |
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Connections Classes |
All middle school students take two connections classes each semester (18 weeks) grading period. Students may select from the following yearlong classes: Chorus, Orchestra, or Band. SMS will offer a variety of classes, which are assigned to students each semester. |
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Parent Center 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM daily |
Mariah Colon will serve as our Parent Liaison. She will provide computer classes, instructional support to parents, and connect parents with resources to support their students. |
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Supply List |
Visit our website under the “Academic” tab for all grade levels supply list. |
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BYOD Bring your own device |
Devices may be brought to school for learning activities. No game devices such as Game Boy, PSP, Nintendo, etc. should be brought to school at any time. AirPods or other wireless devices are not allowed during school hours. |
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School Visits |
For the safety of our children all visitors must check in and out through the office and wear a visitor’s badge while in the building. In order to visit a child in the classroom, the individual’s name must be included on the child’s registration information. Parents should not visit the classroom in the morning before school. In order to protect instructional time, please notify the teacher in advance if you would like to make a classroom visit. If you want to discuss the progress of your child, you should call, send an email, or make a conference appointment at a time when class is not in session. |
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Dress for Excellence |
Student dress should not cause any distraction from the instructional program. Students are encouraged to dress appropriately for the school setting, suitable to weather conditions, and in good taste. Short skirts, short shorts, or halter tops/crop shirts, overly ripped jeans (preferred below the knee), jeggings, are not considered appropriate dress for school. Hats and bandanas should not be worn in school. Students should not wear any clothing that advertises alcoholic beverages, drugs, or violence. Students should wear shoes that allow for safe travel (no flip flops). High heels will not be allowed on the gym floor. The leadership team has the discretion to determine if clothing or attire is distracting from the instructional program. Students and parents will be asked to assist in making the attire suitable for a learning environment. |
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Transportation |
Any change in dismissal requires a written note. If transportation arrangements for students as a car-rider or walker need to change due to a critical need, you must send a written note to your child's teacher. In this note, you need to include the following information: your child's name, your name, his/her usual transportation home, the new arrangements home and your signature. We cannot accept requests by phone or e-mail to alter arrangements. If you have moved, please bring in a copy of the new lease/HUD, so a transportation change form can be issued from the school office in order for your child to ride on a new bus. Students are not allowed to ride a different bus home, even if they have a written note. |
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Cell Phone Use in School |
With the implementation of 1:1 Chromebooks, there is no longer any need for a student to use a cell phone as an instructional device. Upon arrival, students are expected to silence their phones and store them in their backpacks/purse where they will remain for the duration of the school day. Cell phones used for non-instructional purposes that disrupts learning can lead to disciplinary action. SMS is not responsible for lost or stolen cell phones or devices. We will do our best to investigate the matter when needed. |