Attention parents of 5th graders! During the spring semester, we begin planning your child’s transition to junior high school!  Our goal is to keep you involved and informed every step of the way.  

Please mark your calendar with these important events.  

On-campus Meeting with 5th Grade Students at Snyder Intermediate School

Thursday, March 14th

8:15 am

Mrs. Faulkenbery and Mr. Rush will visit students at Snyder Intermediate School.  Students will learn more about the courses and electives available and have the opportunity to ask questions. The SHS band will be on-site to allow students to try and ask questions about various instruments. This will be a fun and inspiring day for students that they won’t want to miss!

In-Person Meeting with 5th Grade Parents and Students at Snyder Junior High School

Monday, March 25, 2024

5:30 pm - 6:30 pm

Join the Snyder Junior High staff in the SJH cafetorium (enter through the east doors). We will review the electives and courses available and answer any questions you may have.  Last chance to answer questions before the elective forms are due. 

Schedule Forms Due: Thursday, April 3, 2024

Form Link: https://5il.co/181qb

Schedule Pickup

August 2024. Date and time TBA

Required Courses include  ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, and WIN.  During the WIN period, teachers work with students on coursework and social-emotional learning guided by the Capturing Kids’ Hearts program.  

Fine Arts: Students must take one year of fine arts. Additional years of fine arts may be taken as an elective.

PE & Athletics: Students must have Physical Education for two years.  In 7th grade,  athletics counts as PE.

Electives

• Art I 

• Band  

• Choir 

What is the process for scheduling electives and classes for junior high?  

In the spring, the principal and counselor meet with students at the intermediate to discuss electives. They will be given a schedule form to take home to discuss with parents/guardians and select their top 3 electives by numbering them 1, 2, and 3 in the order of preference. The forms are to be returned to their homeroom teacher by the set deadline. Next, the counselor will meet with students again to review their selections and enter them in Skyward for scheduling purposes. 

What if my child is unsure which elective they want to take or changes their mind? 

Schedule changes can be made starting the second day of school. Students will need to fill out a Schedule Change Request Form in the front office. There is not a guarantee students can get the new class they want due to class sizes and student needs but an effort will be made to create the desired change. Schedule changes will end on Wednesday of the following week.

What types of extracurricular activities are available for 6th grade students? 
Choir, band, and art are available to 6th grade students.

What does a typical day look like for a 6th grade student?

Building doors open at 7:30am for breakfast in the classroom. Students report immediately to their first period class as soon as they enter the building. Class starts at 8:00am and class periods are 50 minutes. During the school day, students will transition to eight different classes. Lunch is held in the cafeteria one grade level at a time. At dismissal students need to report to the appropriate place: bus riders in the cafeteria and walkers or car riders on the east side of the building where drop off is held.

What is WIN?

”What I Need,” referred to as WIN is a homeroom class in which students will have extra time to work on reading and math lessons. During this class time students will also go to the library to check books in and/or out. Social Emotional lessons will also be presented during this class.

Can students bring lunch from home?  Can parents bring students lunch?  How is the cafeteria food different from elementary school? 
Students are allowed to bring lunch from home. Parents/guardians only are allowed to drop off lunches and they must have their driver’s license to check in. Monday-Thursday the lunches must be meals from home. On Fridays, lunches may be from restaurants. Junior high cafeteria serves a home style cooked menu along with nachos, pizza, hamburgers, tacos, and spicy chicken sandwiches to choose from. Students may also purchase icecream, chips, bottled water, and other drinks.

Do students have assigned seats at lunch?  Do they eat lunch with other grades? 

During lunch students are allowed to sit wherever they choose as long as cafeteria noise level and behavior are manageable. Administrators on duty sometimes will assign students to sit with their classroom based upon student behaviors but students are able to earn back the privilege of free seating. 6th grade does not have lunch with other grade levels.

Junior High can be a tough time for kids.  What does the school do to help them with the adjustment?

When a student is struggling with the adjustment to junior high, the counselor meets with the student to discuss what is happening and works with the student, family, and teachers to identify the issues. Administrators facilitate parent-student-teacher conferences. Resources might be provided to the student. A few examples might be a folder(s) for organization, a calendar to track assignments and due dates, or even a one on one check in/out as often as needed. Social Emotional lessons can be done through the counselor if necessary. We really have a supportive team of administrators that assist with this as well and we attempt to do what we can in order to assist students with being successful.

How do JH teachers communicate with parents?  What can I do if my child is struggling with school?  

Teachers on the junior high campus use Parent Square, email, phone, or mail to communicate with parents. If your student is struggling with school the first step would be to communicate with the teacher to find out what is happening. This can be done via Parent Square, email, phone, or even a face to face conference with the parent, teacher, and student.  Make a plan with the teacher to help the student get on track. You can request the student to attend tutoring. If concerns continue don’t hesitate to reach out to the counselor, or another administrator to help identify how to help the student get back on track.

What do students do in PE class since they cannot play athletics in 6th grade?  

 Students in PE prepare for athletics. They practice the basic skills of the various sports played in athletics. They also spend time in the weight room and on the track with strength and conditioning. Occasionally, students have a free day where they choose the game for the day. 

What do I do if I need to get a message to my child during the day?

During school hours, call the junior high front office at 574-8700. We will do our best to deliver phone messages received after 3:00pm; however, keep in mind that this is not always possible due to the lateness of the hour and being close to dismissal. 

If my child has to leave for an appointment, are they counted absent for the entire day?  

Attendance is taken every class period and not just once a day. If a student leaves early, he/she will be counted absent for the classes missed. Please keep in mind if a student is 10 minutes late to class or leaves class 10 minutes early, it will count as an absence due to the State of Texas mandating students be in every class 90% of the class time.

Students who need to leave school during school hours need to provide a note from their parents and/or medical note to the front office. Before the student can be dismissed, the individual picking the student up must check in the front office and present their drivers license. Once pick up is approved, the student will be called to the office. 

Can my child have their cellphone during school?

No cell phones are not allowed to be seen or heard during school hours except in the cafeteria on designated days. Students must earn the privilege of being able to use their cell phones during lunch and will be told by the administrators on lunch duty whether or not they are allowable each day.

Will the junior high have standardized dress next year?  

SJH will continue to align its dress code with the other schools in the district.  The dress code will be published in the student handbook.

What STAAR tests are given to 6th grade students?  

ELAR and math