Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS Middle School Monthly Newsletter Diving Into Fall October 2014 Integrity, Intellect, Imagination, Inquiry Mariah and Max and Jelani, too Went out to the yard for something to do In the summer the three of them always had fun Running in the sprinklers and enjoying the sun When winter comes they’ll make a snowman They’ll try to build it as tall as they can But it’s not winter yet and it’s not clear at all What kind of fun they can have in the fall Inside • Family Conferences • Parent Ed.Night: Tech Talk • Field Trips Upcoming Dates • October 10-Family Conferences ½ day (12pm dismissal) • October 30-Parent Ed Night:Tech Talk at 6:00pm • October 31-Half-Day (12pm dismissal) • November 10-PD Day-No School http://www.inspiredteachingschool.or g/calendar/calendar/ They mope around the yard in back They have to avoid the big leaf stack Mom was out here all weekend raking up a pile She’ll be back to bag it all up in a while And suddenly the kids all get a big grin They race to pile and dive right in -Adopted from author unknown. We’ve had a fantastic start to our first trimester! There is still a full school year ahead of us. A year filled with opportunity, joy and friendship. I feel a sense of excitement as I walk through the halls and read student declarations. I wonder: How will they accomplish their goals? How will they grow and change throughout the year? I believe these questions will be answered in time. In this moment, I will enjoy the beginning of the Fall season in the presence of great students and staff. I’ll dive into learning right alongside these brilliant minds. Latisha Coleman Middle School Newsletter Issue # 2 Common Sense Media Students have lots of access to technology. Fall Family Conferences Common Sense Media rates, educates and advocates for kids and families. Visit Common Sense Media to help your child use technology responsibly. https://www.commonsensem edia.org Family conferences are October 10, 2014. Conferences will begin at 1:00pm. Family conferences will be held with your child’s homeroom teacher. Please sign up for your conference via Google Drive (classroom.google.com). Students are encouraged to attend family conferences. Conferences are 20 minutes in length. If you need a longer conference or are unable to attend, please contact your child’s homeroom teacher to arrange another time. Parent Education Night Topic: Tech Talk Have you heard of Kic, Instagram, Snapchat, OooVoo, Yik Yak, Omegle, Moco Space or Whisper? We’ve heard our students mention all of these sites! As teachers, we try to stay abreast of the latest social media websites. Technology has many benefits. However, technology can also negatively impact the social well being of our developing adolescents. At this parent education event, you will learn about the tech tools we use at Inspired Teaching and become more knowledgeable about the dangers and pitfalls of some of the social media websites mentioned above. When: October 30, 2014 6:00-7:00pm Where: 5th Grade Homeroom Childcare is available at $10 per student (If you need childcare, please let Mrs. Coleman know by October 23rd). There is limited financial assistance available for childcare. 2 Middle School Newsletter Issue #2 Attendance Students are encouraged to get to school by 8:20 am. This will allow them time to prepare for the school day. This includes going to lockers, turning in cell phones, submitting notes and assignments and sharpening pencils. The middle school day begins promptly at 8:30. Students who arrive after 8:30 must get a tardy slip from Ms. Douglas. Students who would like breakfast are encouraged to arrive by 8:00am. Breakfast service ends at 8:20am. If a student is absent, families MUST notify the school and provide a reason for the absence. Please call the school office at 202-248-6825 or email [email protected] Upcoming Field Trips! Chaperones Needed Please sign-up online via Google Classroom LOC Box at the Library of Congress Thu, October 30, 9:00am-1:00pm Students and their teachers/chaperones work in teams to explore the Library’s historic Thomas Jefferson Building. A “LOC Box” is a self-serve bag containing hands-on activities designed for use by a “team” of up to six students led by an adult chaperone. Smithsonian Museum of Natural History Mon, November 24, 9:00am-1:00pm 3 Middle School Newsletter Issue # 2 “Well Dressed Wednesdays!” Mr. Greene and the fifth grade class decided to jazz up their dress for chess and express their style! Students do not have PHD on Wednesday, so once a week all middle schoolers are invited to participate in “Well Dressed Wednesdays” (dress code applies)! Physical, Healthy, Driven (PHD) Students love PHD! It is really important that students wear the appropriate shoes to school in order to fully participate and enjoy PHD. Donations Needed Our 6th grade class needs fabric, fake plants, needle and thread, rope and ribbon. 4 Middle School Newsletter Issue #2 Academic Overview FIFTH GRADE Fifth grade students are studying marine ecosystems as they continue to prepare to build their classroom aquarium. They have been diligently researching the most habitable living environments, food sources, species compatibility, as well as environmental factors like ideal water temperature, salinity levels, exposure to light, and filtration needs. Additionally, these students have been designing their aquarium using mathematical formulas and principles including but not limited to area, perimeter, and volume. Actual construction on our classroom aquarium is slated to begin the week of October 6th. Our fifth grade class is also reading a very challenging document called the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They will study this document, research human rights issues that are important in their school and home community and then choose a human rights issue to explore more deeply. Fifth grade students will also compare and contrast political parties and DC Mayoral candidates. Then students will decide who they would vote for based on their own personal beliefs. In Spanish, students are learning how to recognize every day Spanish words in conversation and print. Students are also creating labels for classroom items in Spanish to post around the school. In art, middle school students are currently working on the drawing skill of linear perspective. They have been focusing on one-point perspective city scenes that will culminate in final drawings portraying "The DC I See," with students highlighting elements of our city that they like, dislike, find unique and want to change. 5 Middle School Newsletter Issue # 2 Academic Overview SIXTH GRADE The 6th grade students are learning how to convert fractions to decimals and whole numbers, multiply and divide numbers that contain decimals, find the range, mean, mode, and median of a data set, correctly solve problems using the appropriate order of operation and correctly identify the associative, commutative, and identity properties of addition and multiplication. All of these skills are preparing them to transition into solving algebraic equations, which they should begin in the next week or two. Additionally, our sixth grade class will begin learning about life in Ancient Greece. As a class we will read Percy Jackson and the Olympians. We will also travel back in time to Ancient Greece in a four-week simulation. Students will debate controversial topics, design and build a Greek temple, and choose an individual project to showcase their understanding and appreciation of Hellenic history. Your Hellenes might also unleash their creativity by writing and performing a Greek drama, show off their physical skills in a classroom Olympics, or stimulate their intellectual side as they exchange ideas role-playing some of Greece’s most illustrious citizens. Most importantly, they will learn why this era is considered one of the most significant in human history. In Spanish, students are learning how to recognize every day Spanish words in conversation and print. Students are also creating labels for classroom items in Spanish to post around the school. In art, students have been focusing on one-point perspective city scenes that will culminate in final drawings portraying "The DC I See," with students highlighting elements of our city that they like, dislike, find unique and want to change. 6 Middle School Newsletter October 6, 2014 Issue #2 Health Alert Dear Parent/Guardian: The DC Department of Health has observed an increase in the number of cases of gastrointestinal illness in the District. In the first 7 months of 2014, the number of cases of gastrointestinal illness due to the bacteria Shigella has exceeded the total number of cases that occurred last year. A large percentage of these cases have occurred among daycare and school-aged children. With the start of the new school year, we wanted to provide parents and guardians with information on how to reduce the spread of illness. There are many different types of viruses and bacteria that can cause gastrointestinal illness. Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever. Depending on the specific virus or bacteria, it can take anywhere from one day to several weeks for symptoms to develop. The illness usually lasts a few days to a week. Washing hands and thoroughly cooking food are extremely important in preventing the spread of illness. Viruses and bacteria are present in the diarrhea of infected persons while they are sick and for up to a week or two after symptoms end. Many gastrointestinal illnesses are the result of the bacteria or viruses passing from stools or soiled fingers from one person to the mouth of the other, mainly due to inadequate hygiene or poor hand washing habits. Toddlers who are not fully toilet-trained are particularly at risk, as well as family members and playmates of such children. Contact your healthcare provider to obtain a medical evaluation if your child experiences symptoms of gastrointestinal illness. To prevent the spread of illness to other children and staff at your child’s school/daycare, please follow your healthcare provider’s recommendations on when and how long to keep your child out of school if they are sick. Please notify your child’s school nurse or administrator that your child visited a healthcare provider because of gastrointestinal illness. With some simple precautions, you can prevent and limit the spread of illness. Please review the enclosed fact sheet and hand washing guidelines for additional information. Sincerely, John O. Davies-Cole, PhD, MPH State Epidemiologist Office of the Director 7 Middle School Newsletter Issue # 2 Room Parents Room parents are teams of volunteers who serve to help teachers to build the classroom community and strengthen learning experiences. School staff selects room parents. Family members who would like to volunteer for this position should speak with their Principal. Room parent responsibilities include organizing snack rotations, organizing class play dates, supporting special programming in the classroom, rallying volunteers and donations for special projects, and reminding families about class or school events. Room parents are not available to receive complaints or concerns about classroom or school issues, as these should be brought directly to school staff. Room parents do not serve as mediators, and do not decide on which students or families participate in school events 2014-2015 Room Parents Fifth Grade: Stephen Pearson (Faith’s Dad) [email protected] Jon Fukuda (Kai’s Dad) [email protected] Sixth Grade: Vanessa McNeil (Raven’s Mom) [email protected] Ana Rodriquez (Jasmine’s Mom) [email protected] Thank you room parents! 8 Middle School Newsletter Issue #2 Middle School Contacts: Deborah Dantzler Williams-Head of School [email protected] Kate Keplinger-Chief Operating Officer [email protected] Latisha Coleman-Middle School Principal, Humanities Teacher [email protected] Shaka Greene- Math and Science teacher [email protected] Costia Karolinski-Humanities [email protected] Justin Robinson-Spanish [email protected] Brianna Balboni-Art (Grade 5) [email protected] Madeline McNeil-Art (Grade 6) [email protected] Lauren Marar- Project Manager (enrollment, change of information) [email protected] Imani Taylor-Business Manager (school lunch, community opportunities) [email protected] Bevan Morrison-Special Education Coordinator [email protected] Tricia Parker-School Psychologist [email protected] 9 LoremIpsumDolor