Shawsville Middle School

08/25/2026

2026 Fall Picture Day

All,

Friday, August 28, 2026 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. A reminder flyer was sent home with students yesterday.

Thanks,

Mr. Keith

08/24/2026

Good morning 7th Grade SMS Families,

Nurse Howard will administer Vision and Hearing Screenings for all 7th graders during the week of September 21, 2026. Opt out forms will be mailed home this week. Please complete the opt out form if you do not want your student to participate in these screenings. Please call us at 540-268-2262, if you have any questions. Nurse Howard can be reached via email at [email protected]

Thanks!

Mr. Keith

08/21/2026

08/21/2026

Good Afternoon SMS 6th Grade Families,

Please see the link emailed by Mr. Keith and provide us with your thoughts and feedback about our August 10, 2026 Transition Day for students. The deadline to complete this survey is Monday, August 31, 2026.

Thanks,

Mr. Keith

08/21/2026

Shawsville Middle School Athletics Fan/Spectator Expectations

August 21, 2026

Dear Mustang Athletics Parents/Guardians,

First and foremost, I would like to thank everyone for their dedication to supporting our student-athletes with passion and love. I wanted to send a reminder about expectations for spectators and fan behavior during games. At Shawsville Middle School, a key component of our student-athletes is for them to carry themselves with sportsmanship and class during all athletic contests. We ask that you all do the same. We all are representatives of the Shawsville community and always aim to be viewed positively with class and respect. The following actions will result in potential removal from games or being banned from athletics events at Shawsville Middle School:

1. Yelling negative or derogatory statements at referees, student-athletes, or coaches.
2. Using profane language at any time.
3. Disrespectful behavior towards other fans/spectators.

If you experience any issues during a game, please come and see me or Mr. Hairston. Please assist us in supporting your student-athletes with class and sportsmanship as you are representing both your player and the community as a whole. Passion is always acceptable when it doesn’t turn into negativity. I completely understand the importance of passion as a former high school and college student-athlete along with my time as a middle school, JV, and Varsity coach. Please give me a call at 540-268-2262, if you have any questions.

Go Mustangs!

Sincerely,

Brandon D. Keith
Principal

08/19/2026

2026-2027 Shawsville Middle School Girls’ Basketball

Interested in playing Girls Basketball this season? Come meet the coaches, learn about the upcoming season, and get important information about tryouts and expectations.

Date - Monday, August 24, 2026

Time - 3:10–3:45 PM

Location - Meet in the Gym

Who should/can attend - All girls interested in playing middle school basketball are encouraged to attend!

Parents are not required to attend, but are always welcome!

Please reach out to Coach CJ Kostenblatt if you have any questions at [email protected].

08/17/2026

Good afternoon!

Welcome to the new school year! My name is Katie Schendel, and I am excited to step into the role of SMS PTO President for the upcoming year.
I teach 6th grade math at SMS, and have worked in the building for the last 10 years, so I've had the privilege of getting to know so many of our incredible students and families. This school year is extra special for me as a parent because I now have a middle schooler of my own (plus a younger child at EMES, where I serve as PTO Treasurer). I deeply care about our school community, from both sides of the desk!
As we start this year, our PTO is truly getting a fresh start. Last year's entire board has moved onto the high school, which means we have a blank slate and a wonderful opportunity to build something strong, welcoming, and effective together.
Our primary goal this year is simple: to support our students, teachers, and community in meaningful ways. To kick things off, we will hold our first PTO meeting of the year to share an agenda of ideas and gather your feedback on how we can best support our school this year.

Meeting details:
Date: Tuesday, August 18
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: SMS Library
Agenda: See the PTO email sent by Mr. Keith on 8/17
Virtual option: See the PTO email sent by Mr. Keith on 8/17

I know that evenings can be incredibly busy for families and getting to the school isn't always easy. If you can't make it in person, please join us online via the virtual link. Or reply to this email with your ideas or comments.
Whether you have an hour a month to volunteer, or simply want to drop in virtually to stay connected, your presence makes a difference. Please feel free to share this information with anyone from our community that might be interested in joining us. I look forward to partnering with you to make this a fantastic year for our students and school!

Sincerely,
Katie

--
Katie Schendel ([email protected])
6th Grade Math Teahcer
PTO President
Shawsville Middle School
(540) 268-2262
sms.mcps.org

08/14/2026

1. ParentSquare Account Activation Information

All parents/guardians who have not yet activated their ParentSquare accounts will receive a letter with detailed instructions next week. Please contact us at 540-268-2262, if you have any questions.

2. Student Reading Plan Letters

All students who qualify for Student Reading Plan will receive letters in the mail to determine parent/guardian involvement in individual plan implementation. Email were sent Wednesday with this information to qualifying families. Please contact us at 540-268-2262, if you have any questions.

3. SMS Cheer Update

We are unable to offer cheer at this time due to not having a coach. If you are interested in applying, then please contact Mr. Keith ([email protected]) or Mr. Buchanan ([email protected]).

08/13/2026

Download the ParentSquare app today!

Stay involved with your student's learning and activities at school. From anywhere.

08/05/2026

Please join us tomorrow evening at SMS for our Back to School Night!