IMPORTANT DATES: Sat, Sept 16, 7pm TRUE Alumni Performance: Slug Queen Coronation,Thinking Tree Spirits Tues, Sept 19, 3:15-4:15pm TRUE Rehearsal Thurs, Sept 21, 3:15-4:15pm TRUE Rehearsal Wed, Sept 20 Picture Day Wed, Sept 27, 6-7pm Middle School Class Meeting: Start in Homeroom Sat, Oct 7, 12pm TRUE Alumni Performance, Spencer Creek Grange Fri Nov 17, 7pm TRUE Performance, Barnes and Noble Bookfair -------------------------------------------------------------------- Dear Middle School Family, I don't think we've ever had a crew of 7th graders who are so ready to get down to business right away. We're still taking it slow and easy in the back of Building B. The 8th graders are feeling confident on this familiar ground, but Summer happened! In every one-on-one writing conference I've done this week, I've had the opportunity to reinforce and coach effective habits. Communications Work We're going to continue to spend the next couple of weeks easing the students into the processes and routines for managing, completing and turning in their 'routine work.' As the year progresses, these assignments truly will become routine. And the students' writing ability is going to impressively improve. The students will annotate and write an academic response to a news article every week. They'll learn to fact check and weigh the validity of the sources in the articles. They'll learn to quote authoritative sources to support their own arguments. They'll learn to critically respond to any argument. One student commented on Tuesday, as I was leading them through the process of breaking down the argument in the first article this week, "I feel like you're trying to get us to take the author to court." Well, yeah. Kind of. We're trying to train them to get under the surface of the media we're inundated with. We're preparing them to lead others through the cloud of misinformation. ------------------------------------------------- Grading We are currently in the Warm Up term. Grades now will not affect the students' report cards. We kick it in for real with the first Cycle on October 2. There are 6 Cycles in the school year. Grades reset every Cycle. We use Jupiter Ed to communicate the assignments and grading with the students, and with you! I will send a separate e-mail shortly after this e-mail with a link for you to log in to your students account and keep up with their progress. You can even set it up to text you updates on missing assignments. One of the most important things we're doing in the Middle School is making sure our students' transition from a Montessori environment to a Public High School environment is successful. Transparency and accountability is key. The students will know exactly what work they're supposed to do each week (and how to do it) and when it's due. So will you. They will learn to play the Grades game. (If you complete the work, and turn it in, your grades will be okay!) We'll go into more detail about how we assess and measure the work, and how we assign grades at our Middle School Meeting on Wednesday, September 26, at 6pm. Please come! Work next week is going to get a little more busy. Please prepare for some stress. It's normal. We'll all settle down by October, I promise. Learning is uncomfortable. We promise to keep your student uncomfortable all year. =) -------------------------------------------- After School Ukulele Program There are currently only 4 students registered to participate in TRUE this year. If your student plans to participate, please find details and register by clicking this link. Please register as soon as possible! The first all-in rehearsal is Tuesday, September 19, from 3;15-4:15pm. Have a great weekend! Jon and Maizzy  |
 |
|
|
|