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Chardon Middle School

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.

C M S = WHERE ALL THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER

From the Principal ~ Mrs. Murphy

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:

Middle school grades matter!!


Even as early as middle school, course grades have a very strong relationship to
four-year college completion.Students who get mostly As in middle school have a
nearly 70% chance of completing college by age 25. But those who get mostly Bs
have only a 30% chance of completing college, and less than one in 10 students
who get mostly Cs in middle school will complete a bachelors degree by age 25.
Some weaker students will complete college at older ages, and this is especially
true of boys, who are more likely to delay completing their education. Clearly,
however, poor academic performance in middle school heavily disadvantaged
students who aspire to get a college degree.

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

Thank you to our PTO


The Honey Baked Ham fundraiser was quite successful for the PTO!! Over $5000
worth of products were ordered during the two week time period giving over $500
profit to the PTO. Honey Baked Ham was also thankful to work with such a
wonderfully organized group of people. Thank you to Erin McKnight and crew for all
of their efforts!!
PTO has donated funds toward the Achieve 3000 program that many teachers in
the building will be piloting in the next few weeks in all three grade levels. Achieve
3000 is a web based program that believes in the power of differentiated online
instruction to improve students reading and writing proficiency. This program will
allow teachers in all subject areas access to non-fiction text targeted at the specific
reading level (lexile) of each individual student. The program is aligned with Ohios
new learning standards and is also designed to prepare for college and career
readiness. Thank you to the PTO for their support of this pilot within our building. If
your child is involved in this pilot program, you will hear more about it in the coming
weeks.
From The Assistant Principal ~ Mr. Rothstein
Welcome back to Chardon Middle School. Students are reminded that we still have a few
weeks left in the second grading period so they should study hard and finish strong!
Parents, please take a moment each morning to observe the clothing choices your child is
making. Be sure that your child is dressing warmly for the weather and wearing layers as
the building climate can change throughout the course of the day. Please make sure your
child is in compliance with the dress code always, which can be found on our CMS
website located in the student handbook.
Parent Reminders:
Should your child be ill, it is important to call the attendance hotline by 9:00 AM at
279-0537.
Should your child need to leave school early, please send a note stating the
reason and the time you will be picking them up.
Should you decide to take your child out of school for vacation, please notify the
Office for the time you will be out.
Homework
is
available
online
through
the
teachers
website:
www.chardon.k12.oh.us (Team Weebly Websites)
If you should have any questions, please feel free to call the school office at 2854062.
School Bus and Cell Phone Use
Please refrain from calling or texting on your cell phones until you are off the bus and
have crossed the street safely. Thank you.

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!

6th Grade Newsletter


Please continue to remind your child to come prepared to every class every day. This is
the time of year that school supplies might need to be refreshed.
pens (blue or black)
pencils
erasers
looseleaf paper
independent reading books (check out Mrs. Rosengards and Mrs. Haeberles
websites for recommendations)
 folders
 Mrs. Haeberles and Mrs. Rosengards LA students will be needing a new
composition (black/white) book for second semester- Most students already
turned these in






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!

Welcome back to a new and exciting year! We hope everyone had a


great winter break! Team 7A is refreshed and ready to get back to work.
Please make sure students come back from break with lots of supplies for
the New Year. In language arts, students will be delving into the 7
Wonders of the Ancient World as well as learning about patterns of

organization in reading. We will continue to work on compound and


complex sentences. For social studies, death, destruction and mayhem will
be the topic as we dive into the Middle Ages. Math will accentuate
students gift for shopping by finding percentages off items, problem
solving, and probability. Science will be focusing on surfing the ocean
currents. Heres to a great 2015!
Team 8B
Remember to stock up on pencils, pens, folders, and notebook paper.
Supplies may be running low during this time of the year and they make great
stocking stuffers!
In science, students will be investigating the physical world through the study
of physics. We have learned about velocity, acceleration, and force. We will
be looking into friction, gravity, and other attractions.
In Pre-Algebra, the students will be graphing linear equations by creating a
table of solutions, identifying the constant rate of change and the y-intercept.
The children are also solving multi-step equations, solving an equation having
two variables, and working with solving word problems using the 5-D Process.
In language arts, in preparation for Flowers for Algernon, we examined our
different areas of intelligence and analyzed our strongest areas. We will next
research an argument and conduct an in-class debate as well as make a book
about the different areas of the brain. English I is reading The Lord of the
Flies; the students discussions about plot and theme have been lively and indepth. Our study of the parts of speech continues as we finish adjectives and
adverbs and begin prepositions.
The students have completed discussing the foundational documents in
American History. They can describe how the American Government was
formed and the principles which guide it. Next, students will discover how
these principles are practiced. President Washington will become the center
of our focus as we discover the way We the people put these governing
principles into practice.

Chardon Middle School ~ 2015 Spelling Bee!


We are very excited to announce that Chardon Middle School will be
participating in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. One student will be
representing CMS at the county wide spelling bee. All students will
have a chance to qualify for the 2015 Spelling Bee. Students must
take a written spelling test consisting of 15 words from 6th, 7th and 8th
grade lists. There is NO preparation necessary for this test. The top
scoring students will be invited to participate on Thursday, January
22, 2015 at 2:45 in the L.G.I. R. All are welcome to watch our stellar
spellers! For more information, please contact Mrs. Whiteman at
Suzanne.whiteman@Chardonschools.org

The Counselors Corner


January 2015
Mrs. Donna Weir (A-L) and Ms. Amber Zemek (M-Z)
Resiliency
Adults tend to think of childhood as a carefree time, but youth alone offers no shield
against the emotional hurts and traumas many children face. Children can be asked to
deal with problems ranging from adapting to a new classroom to bullying to even abuse at
home. Add to that the uncertainties that are part of growing up, and childhood can be
anything but carefree. The ability to thrive despite these challenges arises from the skills
of resilience.

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.

7. Nurture a positive self-view


Help your child remember ways that he/she has successfully handled hardships in the
past and then help him understand that these past challenges help him build the strength
to handle future challenges. Help your child learn to trust him/herself to solve problems
and make appropriate decisions.
8. Keep things in perspective and maintain a hopeful outlook
Even when your child is facing very painful events, help him/her look at the situation in a
broader context and keep a long-term perspective.
9. Look for opportunities for self-discovery
Tough times are often the times when children learn the most about themselves. Help
your child take a look at how whatever he is facing can teach him "what he is made of."
10. Accept that change is part of living
Help your child see that change is part of life and new goals can replace goals that have
become unattainable.

From our School Nurse Mrs. Strickland, RN

Immunize Your Child Against the Flu


Parents, did you know that the CDC, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, now
recommends that everyone over the age of 6 months receive an annual flu vaccination?
Preventing flu and the complications of flu, is not only the healthy thing to do, it is also the
economical thing to do. Influenza causes students to miss school, parents to miss work,
and high medical bills. Here are some facts about influenza.

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.

ATTENTION SIXTH GRADE PARENTS:


STATE IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENT FOR SEVENTH GRADE
By the start of next school year, your child is required to have a booster shot in the
diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis series. You must provide the school with written verification
of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acelluar pertussis, adult and adolescent formulation)
vaccination from your healthcare provider. Failure to do so will result in exclusion from
school until the requirement is met. This requirement is a state law. Please contact your
childs physician now to see if your child has already had this shot or to make
arrangements to receive it. We have already begun accepting written verification of this
vaccination for next year. This vaccination can be obtained through the Geauga Co.
General Health District at no cost to Geauga residents. The health district holds monthly
walk-in immunization clinics.

Pull-Tabs for Ronald McDonald House


We will continue to collect pull-tabs through the end of the school year. Pull-tabs from pop
cans; etc. can be dropped off in the school office at any time. Money from the recycling of
the pull-tabs is used to support Ronald McDonald House, a home away from home for
families with seriously ill children in one of the Cleveland hospitals. Please support this
worthy cause and bring in your pull-tabs from home.

A message from the Art Department:


We would like to thank all of the parents and students who were able to stop
and see the art show during conferences. We hope you enjoyed the show!

Get ready to play HS lacrosse for the Hilltoppers!!!


Boys - Spring 2015 and Girls - Spring 2016
Registration now open for 3rd-8th graders
For information about playing the fastest game on two feet this
Spring, visit www.lakecountylacrosse.com or contact Stephen
Webster at lake.co.lax@sbcglobal.net

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.

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