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Volume 10, Issue 1
J. A l b e r t A d a m s A c a d e my
S e p t e mb e r 2 0 1 2
A DA M S A DVO C AT E
“ L E A R N I N G H OW T O L E A R N I S
L IFE’ S M OST I MPORTANT S KILL”
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Principal’s Corner
1
Asst. Principal’s Corner
2
Calendar
3
Mission, Vision, PBIS
6/7
Math/Language Arts
8
Science/Social Studies
9
Art/Skills
10
PE/ Health
11
Advocates
12
Florence Scovel Shinn
4/5
“If someone asks for success and prepares for failure, he will get the situation he has prepared for.”
Support Team
P R I N C I PA L ’ S M E S S A G E
Welcome !!! We are looking forward to a successful year at J. Albert Adams Academy! I am
very pleased to be working with you as Principal
this year. Our teachers and staff have worked
very hard to prepare for your child’s instructional program. I sincerely appreciate their efforts.
It is very important for you to know
that our School Improvement Team has identified specific expectations for all of our students.
We fully expect that students will adhere to
them throughout the school year. I ask that you,
as a partner with us in working with your child,
remind your child of our expectations. As a
student at J. Albert Adams Academy, we expect
that all students recognize their responsibility to:
• demonstrate a positive attitude toward
learning each day.
• attend school regularly.
• arrive on time to school and every
class.
• demonstrate respect toward classmates,
all adults and school.
• bring required materials and supplies to
every class.
• exhibit proper conduct at all times.
If your child has a problem during the school
year, the following people are available to help
them in addition to their teachers and myself:
Mr. A. Adams
Assistant Principal
Ms. K. Wilborne
Health Assistant
Ms. M. Milliken
School Nurse
Ms. C. Shaughnessy Guidance Counselor
Ms. T. Shelton
School Psychologist
Ms. B. Powell
Addictions Counselor
Our faculty and staff are extremely committed
to providing a successful school experience for
each student. We know that many middle
school students have a difficult time organizing
their day and activities. To help all students be
more successful, we have our J. Albert Adams
Academy Daily Planner. The daily plan book
contains a day-to-day schedule, an area to record
homework for each class, a section on developing good study skills, full month calendars, resource pages and a section “Hallway Passport”
to be used for hall passes. All of our students
will be provided with these plan books at no
charge! It is important that every student use
his or her plan book daily. It is also an excellent
means of communication if you want to write a
In regard to attendance, the Anne Arundel Coun- note to a teacher. Please check your child’s plan
ty Board of Education has strict policies for stu- book frequently at home.
dent attendance. For your information, students
This year we are also pleased to be able to proare considered excessively absent if they miss
vide locks (on loan) and lockers to all of our
six or more days of school per semester. This
includes illness or vacations. Absences due to students so they can secure their personal items.
vacation are considered unexcused. Students Coats, hats, cell phones and other nonwho are excessively absent may receive a failing instructional items must be secured in student
lockers at the start of the school day.
grade in all subjects. At J. Albert Adams
Academy we believe that regular school atOur Back-to-School Night is scheduled for
tendance is a necessity. We appreciate your
September 19th at 7:00 p.m. Please put this
cooperation in helping us to see that your
important date on your calendar and consider
child attends school on a regular basis.
visiting the school to meet your child’s teachers!
I am looking forward to working with you and
your child!! Please call me if you have any
questions or concerns.
Jeffrey L. Tillar
Jeffrey L. Tillar, Principal
Page 2
Volume 10, Issue 1
ASSISTANT
P R I N C I PA L ’ S C O R N E R
MR. ANDY ADAMS
The new school year has gotten off to a
In addition, PLEASE make sure you are re-
great start! I wish to thank all of the par- viewing the agenda daily. The agenda is alents for doing a great job with sending your so a great communication tool between you
child to school every day, dresses for suc-
and the teacher. Review the agenda for
cess, wearing their uniform. The uniform is daily homework assignments as well as an
an integral part of our structure at J. Al-
update on class objectives and projects. As
bert Adams, so it is very important that
a reminder Parents or Guardians with inter-
students arrive to school daily with all parts net access may use Parent Connect to acof the uniform on: Navy Blue Polo shirt,
cess progress and grades for your child. If
beige khaki pants, a belt and their note-
you need assistance with getting your access
book. Please NO stretch pants or cordu-
to Parent Connect please contact Ms. Hay-
roys. Do not send backpacks or string bags man 410-222-1639.
to school. Students will be able to go to
their lockers twice a day. Their lockers are
for their personal items, such as, coats,
and ALL electronic equipment including cell
phones that need to be turned off and
locked away when in the building. Students
will need to have their notebook and agenda
book with them every period of every day.
Those items will come home for your review
and signature on the Success Plan and return to school every day, too.
Hopefully every parent or guardian
has taken an opportunity to look at, and
Dailey attendance is a critical for
your child to access their education. If
your child is absent you may call the school
or we will call you. Please send in a note
explaining why your child was absent on
their return to school. The note needs the
following information: (1) Your child’s first
and last name, (2) The days absent, (3) why
your child was absent, and (4) your signature.
If you need to have your child out
for any reason and know this information
ahead of time please send in the note prior
to their absence. By sending the note in
sign the daily “Success Plan.” This daily be- early we will be able to help provide their
havior modification program is used to as-
continued education during their absence and
sess your child’s performance during the
will avoid the neces-
school day. It also serves, as a way to
sity for your calling
communicate with you about areas your child or the school calling
will need improvement. PLEASE make sure
that you sign your child’s plan every day.
you for the absence.
Adams Advocate
“ L e a r n i n g H o w T o L e a r n i s L i f e ’ s M o s t I m p or t a n t S k i l l ”
Page 3
MONTHLY CALENDAR
September 3:
Labor Day- Schools and Central Offices Closed
September 5:
Early Dismissal (12:30)
September 12:
2-Hour Early Dismissal for Students (1:56 p.m.)
County-wide Professional Development Day
September 17:
Rosh Hashanah- Schools and Central Offices Closed
September 19:
Early Dismissal (12:30)
September 19:
Back-to-School Night- 7:00 p.m.
September 26
Yom Kippur- Schools and Central Offices
Closed
Our school mascot, a
butterfly, was designed by a
student and represents
positive transformation.
“The Monarch Way where...
Change is Positive,
Change is Growth,
Change is
Expected, and
Change Happens!”
September 28:
Federally Connected Cards Distributed to Students
September 28:
Interim Reports Sent Home
Assistant Principle’s Corner, cont.
Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) is a process for creating safer and more effective schools. PBIS is a systems approach to enhancing the capacity of schools to educate all
children by developing research-based school wide, and classroom discipline systems. Our program “The Monarch Way”, where Change is Positive, Change is Growth, Change is Expected,
Change Happens, will provide students with an opportunity to make good decisions, and eventually change their behavior. Students will earn Monarch Money daily for displaying appropriate school behavior in and out of the classroom. They will be
able to use their money to purchase items at the PBIS store on Thursday and
Friday and shop for presents during our Holiday Bazaar.
If you would like to donate items for the PBIS store, we would love to
have them. Most of the items that we purchase are from the Dollar Store or
Five and Below.
In addition, since J. Albert Adams Academy does not have a PTSA our school is registered under the Giant Bonus Bucks program. Our School ID# is 01665. Please designate our school to
receive educational support through the program. We have also registered with Safeway escrip’s program. Please see additional information on how to register in the newsletter.
Page 4
Volume 10, Issue 1
Counselor’s Corner
Christine Shaughnessy, Med
School Counselor
“A goal is a dream with a deadline”
Goal Setting
This month all of our students will be working on
goal setting. Help your child to set a goal, reach it
and try for even higher goals!
Here is a 5 step process to help teach goal setting:
Write the goal. Post it where your child
can see it. Psychologists say that people
are nearly three times as committed to
goals they write down.
Brainstorm strategies to reach the
goal. Help him/her think of ways to
Why or why not? If yes, what can they
take away from the experience? If no,
what can they learn from it in the future?
Don’t forget to remind them that even if
they didn’t reach the ultimate goal, they
still made progress.
Celebrate progress and set another goal. Each time a goal is set and
achieved, self-esteem is built.
Try using this with your child to help build his/her
self confidence.
I look forward to working with you!
break it down into smaller achievable
parts.
Check on progress. As your child completes each small step, praise their efforts.
If they get off track help them refocus.
Look for the lesson in both success
and failure. Did they reach their goal?
You are invited to the 7th Annual CEC Garden Open House &
Native Plant Sale, Saturday, September 15, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
All are invited to this free event. Refreshments will be served. Master Gardeners will
lead guided tours of the 30 Native Plant Demonstration Gardens and Sites, including
12 rain gardens, at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., and Noon. Plant availability will be listed on
September 1st.
Sales from our annual fundraiser help support on-going maintenance and improvement of the 30 Native Plant Demonstration Gardens and Sites at the CEC--which are
a public resource for all! We can't do it without your support!"
The CEC is located just minutes from downtown and the
State Capital, at Adams Academy at Adams Park Middle
School, 245 Clay Street, Annapolis, Maryland 21401. (In
case of rain, this event will take place on Sunday, Sept.
15th, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.)
Page 5
Student Support Team
Volume 10, Issue 1
Mrs. Bonnie L. Powell, Substance Abuse Liaison
I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our students and parents to J. Albert
Adams Academy. I am the Substance Abuse Liaison. My role is to identify students whose academic performance, behavior, or attendance patterns
indicate that they may have a problem related to
their involvement with tobacco, alcohol, and or
other drugs. Our program provides a systematic
procedure of early identification, intervention, referral, and follow-up. Some of the services available to students and family members include screenings to determine the appropriate level of care for
substance abuse and/or behavioral needs, educational groups, brief counseling, drug free activities
and referrals to community providers for additional
assistance.
Parents/guardians if you have any concerns
about possible alcohol or other drug abuse with
your teen and would like support please feel free to
call me, Bonnie Powell, CCDC, CCS at 410-2221639. All conversations are confidential. Let’s
work together to help keep our students safe, socially, physically and
emotionally.
Our school gets 10 cents for every
box top collected. The money goes
directly into the Monarch Market!
http://
www.boxtops4education.com/
Teen Drug Use Prevention –
Tips For Parents
-Educate yourself about adolescent drug use.
-Never condone underage substance use. Remember, there is no responsible drinking under the
age of 21.
-“Know” your children’s environment. Be aware
of the pressures they face.
-Be vigilant about preventing unsupervised gatherings in your home.
-Be “around” your children’s activities. Support
them and participate when appropriate.
-Know where your children are at all times (who,
what, where, how, when?).
-Know your children’s friends and establish communication with their parents.
-Monitor your children’s attitude, grades, and
dress. Notice differences, which may occur.
-Establish rules that help remove your child from
situations where drug use may occur.
-Enforce disciplinary measures and nonnegotiable consequences when rules are broken.
-Be awake when your children come home. Don’t
provide opportunities for them to return home
unnoticed when “under the influence.”
We need your box tops for
education !!! These are the
little rectangles found on
certain food packages. You'll find them on cereal boxes, huggies, saran wrap, cookie dough, taco shells,
kleenex and tons of other places. Please
collect these and give them to your student
to bring in to school. Go to boxtops4education.com for a complete list of products carrying box tops. For more information
check out the website:
http://www.boxtops4education.com/
Page 6
Volume 10, Issue 1
The mission of J. Albert Adams Academy is
to provide a safe, structured, and supportive
environment that fosters academic and
personal growth while developing students’ social skills.
Through a collaboration of school, family and community,
students will develop positive attitudes and behaviors towards life
and learning and become successful, contributing members of
society.
Back to School Night is SEPTEMBER 19th! See you then,
at 7:00 pm!
INTERIM REPORTS
Interim Reports will be distributed on September 28th. Your child will receive an interim report in
each of his/her classes (a total of seven- Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies, Skills for Success, Physical Education/Health and Art.) Please review the interim reports with your child.
If your child receives an unsatisfactory interim in one or more subjects, we encourage you to consider
the following:
1. Contact the teacher personally if you have any questions or concerns about the interim report.
2. Encourage your child to spend at least 15 extra minutes per night studying the subject.
3. Regularly monitor your child’s J. Albert Adams Academy Student Daily Planner and notebook to
see that they are well organized, neat and complete.
4. Help your child to study for a test by quizzing him or her on facts in textbooks and notebooks.
5. Keep in contact with the teacher by note or telephone call to monitor your child’s progress.
6. Contact your child’s guidance counselor if you wish to discuss your child’s academic problems.
Page 7
Volume 10, Issue 1
Adams Academy
Positive Behavior Interventions and Support
Since Adams Academy does not have a PTA to help support our school programs,
WE NEED YOUR HELP! PBIS is responsible for getting items to sell to the students in the school store, known as the Monarch Market. At the Monarch Market,
students spend their Monarch Money they earned for good behavior. For this reward system to keep working, we need to keep our store stocked with things the
students want and need.
Here is how you can help support our PBIS:
• Collect Box Tops from everyday brands you use in your home
http://www.boxtops4education.com/
•
Save Campbell’s Labels, we turn the points into items we can buy for our school
store
www.labelsforeducation.com
•
Giant A+ School rewards program. Our school’s number is: 01665
http://www.giantfood.com/aplus
•
Safeway’s eScrip program. Our school ID is: 500004738
http://www.escrip.com/index.jsp
Adams Advocate
Page 8
MR. AIKENS
M A T H D E PA R T M E N T
MRS.
MRS. REILLY
COLEMAN
Welcome back from the Math Department! This
year’s Adams Academy math teachers are Miss Shope
(6th grade and 7th grade), Mrs. Reilly (7th grade), Ms.
Doucette (8th grade), Mrs. Coleman (8th grade), and
Mr. Aikens (6th, 7th, and 8th grades).
MS. SHOPE
MS. DOUCETTE
Eighth grade teachers are teaching from the Carnegie
Learning Math Series, Course 3. This course has been
designed around the Common Core State Standards
that have been adopted across the country. This rigorous course will prepare students for success in 9th
grade Algebra 1.
This year’s sixth graders will be learning from Carnegie Learning Math Series, Course 1 which is the curriculum being used in the standard sixth grade classes
across the county. This book engages students
through the use of real world connections.
We are looking forward to meeting many parents and
grandparents at Back to School Night on September
19. However, if you are unable to attend that event, or
if you feel you need to contact your student’s teacher
prior to that, call the school office. Each of us welThe seventh graders will be learning pre-algebra from comes your input and will return
CORD Bridges to Algebra and Geometry. The teach- your call as soon as possible.
ers at J. Albert Adams Academy are very excited to be
teaching from this great textbook text.
Let's have a great school year!
L A N G UA G E A R T S D E PA R T M E N T
Mrs. Keshishian
Mrs. Foley
Mrs. Haas
Mrs. Lum
Eighth grade Language Arts is off to
a roaring start this year. Our eighth graders are busy reading and writing with
flourish. The year promises to be an exciting one and grammar, vocabulary, and
writing will be highlighted in a creative
style. Plus, this year the eighth graders
will study vocabulary in a unique wayFlocabulary! Be sure to ask your child
about this new way of approaching vocabulary through music. Both Mrs. Lum and
Ms. Foley are excited about the students
this year! All classes are on task and ready
to learn! Language Arts classes rock!
Mrs. Haas and Mrs. Wilkie-Hanlon
would like to welcome their new 7th grade
students! After setting class expectations
and procedures, we are diving right into
plot, conflict, and setting. We will be reading and analyzing several short stories this
month. Many writing, vocabulary, and
grammar activities will also take place.
Mrs. Wilkie-Hanlon
Parents, please check your child's success
plan and agenda book daily for important
information, and, as always, encourage
your child to keep reading! We look forward to a successful school year!
It is difficult for 6th grade students to
adjust from Elementary School to Middle
School and at JAAA we pride ourselves in
helping and making the transition a wonderful experience. In the 6th grade, students are starting the year with Unit 1,
“How Do You Build A Story?” They will
learn about the elements of a good story,
which include plot, setting, and characters. They will develop reading strategies
to help guide their ability to read and analyze several short stories. Students will also have the opportunity to choose books
from the class library to complete monitored reading. Please check your child's
agenda book for homework assignments
and information about upcoming projects!
Page 9
Volume 10, Issue 1
Science
Mr. Cecil
Mrs. Johnson
8th Grade Science Teacher –
Not New but Still Kickin’
6th & 7th Grade Science Teacher
Welcome to Science ! We are off to a fast start this
year exploring and learning all about
Cells in our first unit‐Cell Business. Stu‐
dents are already learning about the
cell and planning for their first unit
project, making a 3‐D model of a
cell. To make sure everyone is on the
right track students are doing trial runs by making edi‐
ble 3‐D models out of cookies and other goodies. We
are looking forward to pulling the microscopes out soon
and exploring all types of cells!
Mr. Cecil returns for his tenth year at JAAA
with great gusto, excited about the 8th grade curriculum. With such unit titles as “Mind Over
Matter” and “Thrills, Chills, Crashes and
Spills,” how can we have anything but a grand
time in science. We’re already off to a great
start. Be sure to ask your child to tell you the
three states of matter and what causes phase
changes. And, as an added extra, ask them to
explain to you what substance changes directly
from a solid state to a gas state. Hint: think really cold! I can’t wait to meet all of you at our
open house. See you soon.
SOCIAL STUDIES
MR. SCARBOROUGH
MR. CASELO
function of the United States government. 7th
Grade students will then begin a learning about
Europe, and 6th Grade students will begin a learning about River Valley civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Ancient Egypt, Indus Valley, and Early
Mr Scarborough’s 6th Grade students will be taking Global Studies China.
I, where they will learn about Ancient Civilizations, and study the geography and history of Af- Did you know that when setting up the United
rica and the Americas. 7th Grades students take
States Government the Founding Fathers studied
Global Studies II where they will learn about the ancient civilizations for ideas on how to run a
geography and history of Europe, Middle East,
country. They borrowed the idea of democracy
and Asia.
from Ancient Greece and even named the Senate
after the Senate in Rome. They knew that the
th
Mr. Casolo’s 8 Grade Students take United
Babylonians who lived in Mesopotamia had the
States History where they learn about the history world’s first written laws. Written laws like are a
of the United States from the end of the Revolu- good idea, because everyone knows what the
tionary War to Reconstruction after the Civil War laws are and what the consequences are for breaking the laws. The United States Constitution takes
For the first Marking period all Social Studies stu- this idea one step further with one
dents will complete a brief unit learn fundamental document that describes how the
skills students will use throughout the year. 8th
entire government should work!
grade students then learn about the structure and
Welcome back to another exciting
year of Social Studies at J. Albert
Adams Academy.
Page 10
Volume 10, Issue 1
A ٠㠗 › փ Ù ã à › Ä ã
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.S
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The Art Department is very excited to welcome
our students, new and old! There will be many exciting things happening in the art department this year.
We look forward to meeting and greeting you in person at Back to School Night, September
19th.
The 8th grade artists have started
the school year organizing and designing
their art binder cover as a way to showcase
their lettering style. For our 1st project each
student will find out what their color personality is by answering a variety of questions
in a Color Sense Survey through Pittsburgh
Paints. They will then use that color combination to paint an abstract impasto (very textural)
painting based on an emotion. By the end of this unit
the students will have a better understanding of color
theory and how to achieve value with color.
The 7th graders will review the art elements
and preview the principles. We are hoping to use
more of our new technology for students to explore
these concepts on their own, and then use what they
learn in an art project. After the element review, stu-
, 6
7
G
dents will learn about the art principle of BALANCE
and master artist Georgia O’Keeffe. Students will
demonstrate their understanding of balance in creating their own watercolor pastel artwork.
6th graders get to preview their curriculum
of the art elements by seeing what they
already know about how artists use these
basic art concepts. Then students will focus on the element of LINE.
All art students have art binders
that are kept in the classroom. All students
also have homework assignments, so
make sure you check their student agendas to see what’s due.
We are really excited about the ART CLUB
this year. Space is limited, so ask your art teacher for
an application to be first on the list. We will be able to
do a lot of fun and exciting projects with these regular
groups.
Please feel free to contact us, we aren’t just
here to support your student, we can support you too!
Skills For Success
Mrs. McDonald, 6th & 7th
Ms. Fairley, 8th
Welcome to a brand new school year at J. Albert Adams Academy. Your
Skills for Success teachers are Monica McDonald for 6th and 7th grade,
and Deb Fairley teaches our 8th graders. We are excited about the upcoming school year, as we have prepared new lessons and activities, as we
continue to incorporate a rigorous academic agenda, including organizational skills and developing classroom habits that will assist students in attaining success. We look forward to a wonderful year ahead!
Skills for Success is a class in which students will actively learn about themselves, by
taking a look at the choices they make (or have made) and what the consequences of those
choices have been or can be. We introduce our students to the power they have to set the
course of their own lives and to succeed. We believe in our students and their potential,
and encourage them to believe in their ability to change and grow. A prevalent theme at Adams Academy is change, and our students learn on their first day…The Monarch Way…
where Change is positive, Change is growth, change is expected and Change Happens!
This year promises to be one of challenge and hard work. We know that our students will
rise up to that challenge and take the necessary steps to improve the odds that they will
succeed, both at school and in their future endeavors. Again, welcome to Adams Academy
and we are excited to accompany and guide you on your individual road to Success! Stay
tuned to learn about all of the exciting and interesting things we have planned for the year.
Page 11
Volume 10, Issue 1
Physical Educa on and Health
MR. BECKETT
MS. WEAVER
The Physical Education and Health department here at JAAA, would like to take
this opportunity to welcome all the students, parents and guardians to an exciting new
year. We are very excited about the opportunity to help your young men and women develop their highest level of fitness and health through various activities. Students will be
engaged in basic skills and lessons that challenge the individual physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
In Physical Education will be working to develop respect and understanding of individual
differences as well as personal awareness through physical activity. Students will also explore strategies for success in sports as well as positive social development and learn skills
that will help them to be active throughout their lives.
Physical Education Instructional Units Include:
Fitness and Conditioning
Coordination
Throwing and Catching Strik
Speed Timing and Accuracy
Leisure/Recreational Activities
The health program will explore physical, mental, social and emotional well-being.
Through student reflection and recognition of their personal values and goals, we will give
them information to allow them to make informed decisions about their personal health
and wellness.
Health Education Instructional Units Include:
Safety and Injury Prevention
Nutrition
Tobacco, Alcohol, and Other Drugs
Healthy Decision Making and Communication Family Life and Human Sexuality
We look forward to having a great year!
The School Health Team Makes A Difference
Welcome back to JAAA! The goal of our school health team is to return students to class quickly as possible
so the students can continue with their education. Your child will be assessed for injury or illness upon arrival
to the health room and care given according to SHS First Aid Manual. Be sure to
return student emergency cards promptly and keep them updated. Keep the school
nurse informed and updated about your child’s medical condition and health needs.
Any shared information is confidential. Medications given in school must have a
Parents Request to Administer Medication form completed by a doctor. Further info, contact us at Adams Academy. 410-222-1639
Page 12
Volume 10, Issue 1
Adams Advocate Quiz: Bring this back with the correct answers and signed by your
guardian, and earn $20 in Monarch Money from your mentor teacher!
1) What is the school mascot?
2) How many butterflies are on the pages 1-10? _______
3) When is Back to School Night? ________________
Name:
Guardian Signature:
Mentor Teacher:
STUDENT ADVOCATES
Mrs. Blackstone – Student Advocate
Mrs. Graham-Sellman – Behavior Technician
Mrs. Moulden– Behavior Technician
Mrs. Wright – Student Advocate
Lockers
Students should leave all noninstructional items at home.
Once in school, cell
phones must be turned
OFF and placed in
lockers. In addition,
any electronic device,
coats, “hoodies”, hats,
etc. must be placed in
lockers.
Uniforms
Student uniforms should not be altered
in any way. Students are not allowed to
split the bottom of their pants or draw/
paint on their pants or shirts.
Any shirt worn underneath the
polo shirt must be blue in color.
Any belt or jewelry depicting
drugs, alcohol, weapons, profanity or any other inappropriate subject matter is forbidden
in school.