Simmons Middle School -

Dear Simmons Families,

 On behalf of the Simmons Staff, we would like to take this opportunity to welcome you back to another great year at Simmons Middle School!  Hopefully summer break has offered you some time to relax and recharge for another exciting school year! 

 The first day of student attendance will be Friday, August 16th.  This will be a half day for students, 8:15-11:35.  Monday, August 19th will be a full day for all students 8:15-2:45.  Parents can log into Skyward to get schedules, locker numbers, and bus stop/route information.  Bus service starts on August 16th for anyone that qualifies.  Improving student attendance is a goal of the building this year.  Please have your child to Simmons by 8:05 daily if they are not taking the bus.

 Over the course of the summer, we have added some new staff members to the Simmons team.  We are very excited to have them with us and are confident that they will fit in perfectly with our community!  We also have many new students that have moved into the community over the summer.  Please take the opportunity to meet the new staff members as well as your new neighbors and welcome them to the Simmons community.

Our PBIS (Positive Behavior Program) team was in over the summer decorating Simmons with our "Chicago" theme this year.  We are again offering breakfast and lunch to all students free of charge on a daily basis.  Menus will be sent home monthly for you to decide with your child if they will eat a hot lunch or bring a lunch from home. 

We are looking forward to an exciting school year!  With that said, our PTA will be working with the Simmons community to create some memorable experiences for our students and families.  We are looking for one more officer for our PTA this year.  If you are interested in helping out with our PTA this year, please email Mr. McDermott at dmcdermott@ridgeland122.com and he will pass along your information to Shanee Hunter, PTA President.

Our first opportunity for parents to get into the building is at our 6th grade Backpack Night.  Backpack Night is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14th from 6:00 to 7:30 for our 6th grade students with a short presentation from the Simmons Administration beginning at 6:00 in the gym.  This is an opportunity to learn a bit about what Simmons has to offer, meet the 6th grade teachers, and get supplies organized in your child's locker, and get to know the building prior to the student first day.  The Open House for 7th and 8th grade students is scheduled for Monday, August 19th from 6:00 to 7:30, with a short presentation from administration beginning at 6:00.  We hope to see you at these events.  This is a perfect time to see your child’s classroom and meet their teacher.

Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns you may have.  We look forward to working with you over the course of the school year to ensure we meet the needs of all students!

Sincerely,

Daniel McDermott, Principal
Derek Simpson, Principal
Melissa Ryan, Assistant Principal