Newsletter
January 2015
The Mission of Chardon Middle School: To provide experiences that encourage
responsibility, communication, collaboration and critical thinking while promoting a
tolerance for individual differences.
Happy New Year!! May you and your family have a healthy and happy 2015! It is
hard to believe that we are only a few weeks away from the end of the semester. I
am so thankful for the students that we have the opportunity to work with at
Chardon Middle School! Each and every day I am impressed with their curiosity,
their willingness to explore and take risks, and the amount of dedication they are
willing to show if they know someone believes in them. As we head into the third
quarter, this is traditionally the time of year that students struggle the most. Please
be sure to stress with your child the importance of keeping up their work ethic and
giving 100% effort during this quarter. I recently came across the following
information in Kappan magazine:
Source: DiPrete, T.A. & Buchmann, C. (n.d.). The secret behind college completion:
Girls, boys, and the power of the 8th-grade grades.
www.thirdway.org/subjects/143/publications/813
It is interesting to note the correlation between middle school grades and college
completion. These statistics may be useful to motivate the student who says, Who
cares.it is only middle school.
In order to stay current with your childs progress in class, do not forget to check
Infinite Campus at least weekly, if not more often. This will give you an idea of how
well your child is performing in class. Keep in mind that some assignments/tests
take more time to grade than others, so grades may not be posted immediately
from these more lengthy assignments.
Since we offered three nights of conferences in November, February 18th will be
the only night of conferences offered during second semester. These conferences
will be reserved mainly for those students in danger of failing a course or a grade
level. Parents will receive a special invite alerting them to the necessity of a
conference with the teacher or team of teachers. Please be reminded that you have
the option of scheduling a team meeting during any day of the year that you feel it is
necessary. All you would need to do is contact the teacher to schedule an
appointment with the team or an individual. Teachers are always available by phone
or email as well.
I would like to invite you to our second annual Parent Forum on January 28th @
6:30 in the LGIR. The topic of this forum will be Next Generation Assessments:
PARCC and AIR. Your students will be taking these assessments this school year.
Please bring your childs Chromebook along with their login information as we plan
on having you try some of the practice questions that are available for these tests.
We hope to see you there!!!
Important upcoming dates:
Jan. 12-26 Winter MAP testing, math and English/Language arts classes
Jan. 14-PTO meeting @ 6:30 in media center
Jan. 15-End of 2nd quarter
Jan. 16-NO SCHOOL for students; staff records day
Jan. 19-NO SCHOOL students and staff; Martin Luther King Day
Jan. 20-Final grades for quarter 2 will be posted (NO paper copies of report cards
issued unless requested by parents/guardians)
Jan. 28-Parent Forum-Next Generation Assessments @ 6:30 in LGIR
Happy New Year!!
Mrs. Murphy, Principal
Chardon Middle School
December
Students of the Month
6th Grade
Mackenzie Brown
Braden Byrnes
Anna Schaefer
Andrew Cusick
7th Grade
Mitchell Ewaska
Grace Powell
Hannah Romanoff
David Kapis
Bailey Silvia
8th Grade
Reyna Albino
Adam Baran
Jaden Linn
Marko Milic
Encore: Natalie Fullerman
BAND NOTES
Congratulations to the entire CMS band and choir community on outstanding winter
performances! What a musical treat!
Its time to start thinking about participating in Solo and Ensemble if you are in 7th
and 8th grade. If you take private lessons, please talk to your private teacher right
now about selecting a solo. I am going to spend a good deal of time explaining the
process during class and will update you as we go through the process. This event
is on March 21 and is completely optional.
Please keep consulting your band calendars. There are a few honor bands in
February, and our next concert is on March 5 and features the 7th and 8th grade
bands.
Were doing something new in the band room! Mrs. Watson, our illustrious
percussion instructor has gotten us into drum circles, and we are all enjoying the
benefits of learning and relaxation from participating in this activity!
REMINDERS:
HOMEWORK- Students should be writing down ALL their homework in their
assignment notebook- it is their responsibility. Teacher websites should be the
back-up in case a student is absent or forgets.
ABSENT? - If a student is absent, it is his/her responsibility to check teacher
websites for missing work. It is the students responsibility to make up the work in a
timely manner (1 day out, 1 day to make up work; 2 days out, 2 days, etc)
MATERIALS many students are coming unprepared to class.
Students need some basic materials for ALL classes and are expected to bring
them: paper, pencils, pens, red pen, textbooks, independent reading book, calculator
(MATH)
What you can do at home to help your child with the transition to the new common core
state standards:
READING:
1. Provide time and space for your child to read independently. This time should be free
from distractions such as television.
2. Ask your child what topics, events, or activities he or she likes. Then look for books,
magazines, or other materials about those topics that would motivate your child to read.
3. It is also helpful when your child sees other people reading at home. You could share
what you have read.
4. Make time for conversation at home. Discuss current events, shared interests, and
future aspirations for education and career.
5. Visit museums, zoos, theaters, historical sites, aquariums, and other educational
places to help increase your childs exposure to new knowledge and vocabulary.
6. Use technology to help build your childs interest in reading. There are several websites
where students can read books or articles online. The computer will help with words the
student cannot read independently. Libraries also have computers students can use to
access those sites.
For more information on the Common Core State Standards for English language arts
and literacy, go to http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/key-points-inenglish-language-arts or http://www.commoncoreworks.org
MATH:
1. Ask your child to calculate the unit rates of items purchased from the grocery store. For
example, if 2 pounds of flour cost $3.00, how much does flour cost per pound?
2. Have your child determine the amount of ingredients needed when cooking. For
example, if a recipe calls for 8 cups of rice to serve 4 people, how many cups of rice do
you need to serve 6 people?
3. Encourage your child to stick with it whenever a problem seems difficult. This will help
your child see that everyone can learn math.
4. Praise your child when he or she makes an effort, and share in the excitement when he
or she solves a problem or understands something for the first time.
For math games and challenges to do at home, go to
http://www.figurethis.org/download.htm or www.24game.com.
For more information on the Common Core State Standards for mathematics, go to
http://www.corestandards.org/about-the-standards/key-points-in-mathematics or
http://www.commoncoreworks.org.
For more information on the standards in mathematics related to ratios/proportions or
fractions, go to http://commoncoretools.me/category/progressions/.
*from The Council of Great City Schools Parent Roadmaps
Team 7A Action News!
Building resilience the ability to adapt well to adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or
even significant sources of stress can help children manage stress and feelings of
anxiety and uncertainty. However, being resilient does not mean that children won't
experience difficulty or distress. Emotional pain and sadness are common when we have
suffered major trauma or personal loss, or even when we hear of someone else's loss or
trauma.
Even without larger traumas, middle school can be an especially difficult time for many
children as they struggle to meet extra academic demands and avoid new social pitfalls.
They look to teachers and friends as well as to parents to make them feel safe.
We all can develop resilience, and we can help our children develop it as well. It involves
behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned over time. When your child is a victim
of the shifting social alliances that form in middle school, help him or her understand that
other children may be feeling just as lonely and confused, and help him/her see beyond
the current situation alliances that shift one way may shift back again the next week in
middle school. Following are tips to building resilience.
1. Make connections
Teach your child how to make friends, including the skill of empathy, or feeling another's
pain. Encourage your child to be a friend in order to get friends.
2. Help your child by having him or her help others
Children who may feel helpless can be empowered by helping others. Engage your child
in age-appropriate volunteer work, or ask for assistance yourself with some task that he or
she can master. At school, brainstorm with children about ways they can help others.
3. Maintain a daily routine
Sticking to a routine can be comforting to children, especially younger children who crave
structure in their lives. Encourage your child to develop his or her own routines.
4. Take a break
While it is important to stick to routines, endlessly worrying can be counter-productive.
Teach your child how to focus on something besides what's worrying him/her.
5. Teach your child self-care
Make yourself a good example, and teach your child the importance of making time to eat
properly, exercise and rest.
6. Move toward your goals
Teach your child to set reasonable goals and then to move toward them one step at a
time. Moving toward that goal, even if it's a tiny step, and receiving praise for doing so will
focus your child on what he or she has accomplished rather than on what hasn't been
accomplished.
Symptoms of flu include high fever, muscle aches, fatigue, cough, headaches, sore
throat, runny nose, but not usually vomiting and diarrhea.
A person can transmit the flu before they are even showing symptoms of illness.
Up to 49,000 people die each year from complications of the flu.
People most at risk of complications are the elderly, young children, pregnant
women, and people with certain chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes,
and heart disease.
Flu vaccine is available in both injections and nasal mist. Nasal mist is available for
people between 2-49 years of age.
Geauga County General Health District gives Geauga County children FREE flu
vaccinations. Call them at 270-1950 for more information.
The new Arthur Holden Leadership Institute group for sixth grade went on their
first field trip on 12/16/14. We hiked along the Grand River and learned about
the damage that erosion and beavers can cause to an environment up close.