Good evening SMS Families,
Please ensure that all students complete their Google Form tomorrow morning by 10:00 AM. The forms will be available starting tomorrow morning through the email accounts of students. It is extremely important that students complete their Google Form in order to be counted "Present" tomorrow. Students should also check their Google Classrooms for all classes tomorrow in order to complete assigned schoolwork. Send a Remind message or email to your teacher if you have any questions or need clarification about posted assignments Please call us at 540-268-2262 if you have any questions or to be marked "Present." Students may also email Mr. Hairston or I in order to be counted "Present" if the Google Form cannot be completed. Please stay warm and safe!
Mr. Keith - brandonkeith@mcps.org
Mr. Hairston - derekhairston@mcps.org
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
Our Shawsville Middle School Academic and Career Planning Night will now be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026 instead of the original date of January 27th. Please see the updated details below.
The Shawsville Middle School Academic and Career Planning Night will be held on Thursday, February 5, 2026 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm in the Shawsville Middle School auditorium. Chick Fil-A will be provided for all attendees along with Bingo/Scavenger Hunt games. A variety of neat prizes will be available to win.
All Middle school parents are encouraged to attend. Information presented will include:
Middle school schedules
Typical middle school day
Elective courses
Special Education classes
Remediation Opportunities/Classes
Gifted Education
Math Placements
English/Language Arts Placements
School Expectations
Shawsville Middle School works with Eastern Montgomery Elementary School to transition the rising sixth graders to middle school. Our SMS School Counselor will be visiting the elementary school in Mid February to assist students with course registration.
We are looking forward to having all rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in attendance! It will be here before we know it.
Sincerely,
Brandon D. Keith
Principal
Saturday, January 10
7-10 am
In the Meadowbrook Café
$10 includes pancakes, sausages, eggs, juice and coffee
Come out of the cold and enjoy a hot breakfast with your neighbors!
Proceeds will support the Shawsville Ruritan Scholarship Fund for Eastmont Seniors
Tickets are available at the front desks of the library and fitness center.
Dear SMS Parents and Guardians,
As the end of the second grading period/first semester approaches, we are transitioning to a more efficient and secure way to deliver report cards. All students will now receive digital copies.
Your student’s report card will be emailed to the parent or guardian with an access PowerPortal account. As we transition to this new model of delivery, we will still provide a physical copy. Report cards will be sent out on Friday, January 9, 2026,
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact SMS at 540-268-2262. We appreciate your support of Montgomery County Public Schools as we transition to this new model.
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
Good morning All,
We have once again updated our MAP Testing schedule due to inclement weather this week. Please remind your child to get a good night's rest and charge their chromebook. Please see the new testing dates below. If there are any further inclement weather days, then any remaining testing will be finished next week.
Math MAP - Thursday, 12/11
Language Usage - Friday, 12/12
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
We have once again updated our MAP Testing schedule due to inclement weather today. Please remind your child to get a good night's rest and charge their chromebook. Please see the new testing dates below.
Math MAP - Wednesday, 12/10
Language Usage - Thursday, 12/11
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
We have updated our MAP Testing schedule due to inclement weather today. Please remind your child to get a good night's rest and charge their chromebook. Please see the new testing dates below.
Reading MAP - Thursday, 12/4
Math MAP - Tuesday, 12/9
Language Usage - Thursday, 12/11
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
Good morning,
We will be holding All In Tutoring starting in January. All students who qualify to attend will be receiving a letter by mail this week. We ask that you please consider having your child attend to provide them with intensive academic support in order to improve their identified skill deficits in the areas of math and reading. Please read the details carefully and have your child return their form by Friday, December 12, 2025 to their 1st Period teacher. Please contact us if your child does not receive a letter, but you would like for them to attend. Please contact us at 540-268-2262, if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
Dear families,
Get ready—the Scholastic Book Fair is coming to our school! This is a great opportunity to build your
child’s home library with new books they’ll dive into again and again.
The easiest way to let your child shop the Fair independently is by creating an eWallet. It’s easy to set
up and easy for others to add funds.
Create an eWallet, and you’ll also have the opportunity to contribute to Share the Fair - the giving
program that supports students at our school who need help buying books. Consider participating so
that no child leaves the Fair empty-handed!
Here’s everything else you need to know about the Book Fair:
Dates: MONDAY, DECEMBER 8 – FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2025
Location: SHAWSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL LIBRARY
For full details and to create an eWallet, visit our school’s Book Fair homepage:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/shawsvillemiddleschool
More than ever, we need to get students reading. Studies prove* that children with more books at
home have higher-level reading skills and attain more years of education overall.
Every purchase benefits our school directly.
Happy reading,
ALANA ATKINSON, SMS LIBRARIAN
Queridas familias:
¡Prepárense! ¡La Feria del Libro de Scholastic llega a nuestra escuela! Esta es una excelente oportunidad para
enriquecer la biblioteca del hogar con libros nuevos que sus hijos querrán leer una y otra vez.
La manera más sencilla para que sus hijos puedan comprar en la Feria por su cuenta es crear una eWallet. Es
fácil de configurar y facilita que otras personas también puedan agregar fondos.
Al crear una eWallet, también tendrán la oportunidad de colaborar con Share the Fair (Comparte la Feria), el
programa solidario que ayuda a estudiantes de nuestra escuela que necesitan apoyo para comprar libros.
¡Consideren su participación para que ningún niño se vaya de la Feria sin libros!
Esto es todo lo que necesitan saber sobre la Feria del Libro:
Fechas: [del 8 al 12 de diciembre de 2025]
Ubicación: [Biblioteca de Shawsville Middle School]
Para ver todos los detalles y crear una eWallet, visiten la página de inicio de la Feria del Libro de nuestra
escuela: https://www.scholastic.com/bf/shawsvillemiddleschool
Hoy más que nunca necesitamos fomentar la lectura entre los estudiantes. Diversas investigaciones
demuestran* que los niños que tienen más libros en casa desarrollan destrezas de lectura más avanzadas y
alcanzan niveles educativos más altos.
Cada compra beneficia directamente a nuestra escuela.
¡Feliz lectura!
Alana Atkinson, SMS Librarian
The end of Quarter II/Semester I will be on December, 19th. Please remind your child to complete all missing assignments and give their best efforts. Please contact their teachers if you have any questions at 540-268-2262 or via email.
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
We will begin our Winter MAP Testing session next week. Please see the dates below. Help us by making sure your child has a fully charged chromebook each day.
Winter 2025 MAP Testing dates
Reading - Tuesday, 12/2 - All students
Math - Thursday, 12/4 - All Students
Language Usage - Monday, 12/8 - All Students
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
Please check your Parent Portal for Quarter 2 Interim Grades starting at 3:00 on Monday, November 17, 2025. Please be sure to contact any of your child's teachers with concerns.
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
In addition to report cards being mailed home, electronic copies will also be shared with parents/guardians tomorrow, October 24th.
Thanks!
All,
Quarter 1 Report Cards will be mailed home this week along with Fall Reading and Math MAP Test scores. Also included will be a thoroughly detailed attendance document outlining the attendance status of each student and the number of days that have been missed. Please call us at 540-268-2262, if you have any questions.
Thanks!
Please see the information included about Basketball Tryouts.
Boys Basketball Tryouts will be held on Monday, 10.20 and Tuesday 10/21 from 5:30-7:30 PM. Please contact Coach Jones at simonjones@mcps.org if you have any questions.
Girls Basketball Tryouts will be held on Wednesday, 10/29 and Thursday, 10/30 from 3:00-5:00 PM. Please contact Coach Kostenblatt at ckostenb@mcps.org if you have any questions.
Sports physicals must be on file for athletes to tryout.
***Any athlete not in Boys and Girls Club MUST leave Shawsville Middle School between the end of the day and the beginning of tryouts.
Thanks!
Spirit Week will be held at SMS during the week of Monday, October 27, 2025 - Friday, October 31, 2025. Please see the themes below.
Monday: Pajama Day
Tuesday: Decades Day (60s 6th grade/70s 7th grade/80s 8th grade/90s teachers)
Wednesday: Swap Day (teachers and students swap attire)
Thursday: Spirit Day (maroon 6th grade, white 7th grade, black 8th grade)
Friday: Halloween Costumes
No masks
No Headwear
No Face paint
No fake weapons
Thanks!
Step up for the Shawsville Middle School Girls’ Basketball team! Donate your old athletic shoes and help us score big! Drop them in the donation box in the Shawsville Middle School main office. There are also boxes at the Wellness Center, Meadowbrook Library, Eastern Montgomery Elementary School, and Eastern Montgomery High School, and the Thrift Store.
Thanks, All!
Thursday, October 9, 2025 is School Picture Day. Please remember to dress appropriately. Hats and headwear will not be permitted during school pictures this year. Please contact us at 540-268-2262 if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Mr. Keith
Your child will be participating in our One School, One Book Program this fall as part of our Title I initiative at SMS. Students will bring home a copy of Unplugged by Gordon Korman on Monday, September 22, 2025. The book is theirs to keep. You will receive a letter in the next few days with additional details. The audio chapters will be emailed out this afternoon for students and families to follow along with. Please work with your child to help them enjoy this wonderful reading initiative!