Pioneer Weekly Express 11
A Publication From the Principal's Desk
Principal's Message
We are officially on the 2 week countdown to Spring Break! Before we get there, we have some very important school business to take care of! First of all, the glow dance was an incredible success. Thank you to our PTA for making that awesome event happen for our students. Here are some photos that I snapped at the dance: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fX4ogyBpokbpCkCa9
I also want to mention our Field Trips that are upcoming. If your Pioneer has not yet returned their permission slip, please allow them to do so tomorrow--- even if you have not yet paid for the trips. We need to get a head count of all of the students who are attending. If you are in need of a partial scholarship for your child to attend, we have some very generous donors that have shared funds to be used for this purpose.
Last but not least--- we are full swing into the Spring season, which is also assessment season. It is so important that your student is in school every day for the full day. We believe that in person instruction is vital to student success. Please also mark the testing dates on your calendar to ensure that appointments or vacations are not scheduled on these dates.
---Mrs. Gregory
Map Testing
This week week all of our students will participate in MAP testing on Wednesday & Thursday. JCPS uses Northwest Evaluation Association's MAP Growth assessment as the benchmark assessment for Reading and Math in grades K-8. Given three times per year, it is a computer-based, adaptive test that assesses a student's academic skills to help educators personalize instruction for each student. Parents looking for additional information regarding NWEA MAP Growth can visit https://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/Page/20529 or the NWEA Parent Toolkit webpage.
Wednesday, March 30th ELA 6-8
Thursday, March 31st Math 6-8
Wednesday, April 6th Makeup Testing
Thursday, April 7th Makeup Testing
End of Grade Testing
We are beginning to gear up for End of Grade testing. Please put these dates on your calendar to ensure that you Pioneer is in school on assessment days.
Friday, May 20 Math EOG for 6th, 7th & 8th Graders & Math I EOC for Enrolled 8th Graders
Monday, May 23 English 1 Teacher Made 8th Graders Tuesday, May 24 Science EOG for 8th Graders
End of Year Activities
Save the date! We are beginning to plan end of year activities. More details will follow, but please add these times and dates to your calendars.
Tuesday, May 31
9:00 AM
6th & 7th Grade Awards Day
Tuesday, May 31
12:00-3:00
Field Day 6th & 7th Grade
Thursday, June 2
9:00 AM
8th Grade Promotion & Awards Day
Thursday, June 2
11:00 AM
8th Grade Picnic &
Thursday, June 2
1:05 PM
Early Dismissal for All Students
Thursday, June 2
Report Cards Sent Home With All Students
Student Survey
As you may already be aware, building our social-emotional learning skills is an important goal for our school this year. Over the next several weeks students and teachers will participate in surveys to better understand these concepts and to reflect on how they perceive these skills in themselves.
In order to learn more about student social-emotional skills and experiences we will be asking for your student’s feedback via an online survey that will begin on April 19th and will remain open for students through April 29th. The survey will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete. Please click here to learn more about the Student surveys we will be administering this Spring.
Students will receive an email from Panorama Education in their school email that will contain a link to their personal survey. The survey can also be accessed at surveys.panoramaed.com/johnstoncounty - students will use their student ID number to access the survey.
We are asking that all of our students participate in the surveys, as their responses will provide invaluable insights into their experiences and how we can improve and adapt to their needs. If a student doesn’t feel like they have enough information to answer a question, they are able to skip the item altogether. We are partnering with Panorama Education, to support in securely administering these surveys. You can read more about Panorama’s student privacy policy here. Please notify us if you would like your child to opt out of taking the surveys by writing a letter with your name, your phone number, your child’s name, and one sentence about why you are opting your child out by April 4th.
We thank you in advance for your student’s participation. If you have any questions or concerns about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Meal Benefits
The U.S. Congress passed the $1.5 trillion fiscal year Omnibus Appropriations bill. Unfortunately, the bill does not contain language or funding to extend pandemic waivers for the School Nutrition Program. When waivers expire on June 30, 2022, the U.S Department of Agriculture will no longer have authority to provide the higher Summer Food Service Program reimbursement rates, allow all schools to serve meals at no cost to all students, allow the service of meals in a non-congregate setting, or extend the broad regulatory flexibilities our programs have relied on for the last two years.
The student’s 21-22 meal benefit status will carry over for the first 30 days of the 22-23 SY. However, many families did not submit an application while meals were offered at no cost. Even if you think that your family may not qualify, please go ahead and apply for meal benefits so that students are able to roll that benefit for the first 30 days of the 22-23 School Year.
Field Trips
The 6th and 7th Grade will be going to Pine Knoll Shores (the Sound to Sea day program at Trinity Center, and the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores). 6th grade on April 4th. 7th Grade on April 5th. They will be riding a chartered bus and the cost will be $55. Payment is due on March 29th.
8th Grade will be going to Busch Gardens on April 29th. They will also be riding a chartered bus and having a catered picnic in the park. A lite dinner will also be provided on the ride home. The cost for their fieldtrip is $105. Payment is due April 9th.
Payments for the trip can be made on the K12 Payment center. The link to the k12 payment center is: https://www.k12paymentcenter.com/Home/Index. Our district made a quick presentation of how to use the payment center. You can view that here. Use your arrows to navigate the slides.
If you are interested in being a chaperone, please reach out directly to me at crystalgregory@johnston.k12.nc.us
PTA Meeting Monday March 28
Our next PTA meeting will be virtual on Monday, March 28 at 5:30pm. Please use this link to join us:
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/qzp-shky-twq
Or dial: +1 213-282-7522 PIN: 599992715
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/qzp-shky-twq?pin=5546989635324
We are looking for people interested in serving on the PTA board next year. All positions will be up for a vote at our April meeting.
6 & 7th Grade Families
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1H7e46eXrn95c5B1f4zR7iSizai7ZxwXA/view?usp=sharing
Yearbooks on Sale!
YEARBOOK SALE IS STILL GOING! Books are selling out fast! We have sold out of hardcovers and only have 35 books left! Act fast! Order online at ybpay.lifetouch.com. Our yearbook ID is 14002622.
Alice in Wonderland Production!
IASC’s Drama Club will present a production of Alice In Wonderland by Jason Pizzarello on May 20th & May 21st at 6:30PM. Tickets for reserved seats will be sold online from May 1st-May 16th. Remaining tickets will be sold at the door.
8th Grade Semi Formal
Connect Special Guests! We need YOU!
Are you interested in bringing your passion or career to Innovation during our connect time? Do you know of someone with a really cool career or passion? We'd love to have you or them! Send an email to CrystalGregory@johnston.k12.nc.us for more details.
Did Some One Say SHOUT OUT???
Kelcey Benson
Cayden Gregory
Mrs. Dauphinais
Mrs. Miller
Promise Hill
Laylah Gonzalez
Harrison Bennett
This weeks happenings around campus
During Mrs. Dauphinais’ Beginning French session, we had a (belated) Mardi Gras celebration. Second year Pioneer Byron Sanchez Gomez got the slice of King’s Cake with the fève (baby) in it to become King for the day!
First year Pioneer teams problem-solving and deciding how to stop the fall of Rome in Social Studies class.
First Year Pioneers in ELA worked together to create a hexagonal thinking map to generate deep connections and analysis of “The Fun They Had.”
Shared Community Information
Johnston County Community College: See their offerings here.
Camp Courage will be hosting their free, annual bereavement camp again this year. If you know of any children/youth between the ages of 6 to 17 years old who might be interested, please feel free to share this flyer with them for more information: 2022-Camp-Courage-PRINT.pdf
Grade Level Updates
Year 1 / 6th Grade
Social Studies:
Last week, we could not (really) stop the fall of Rome in our simulation, but this week we will begin our Medieval Europe unit to see what happened next. Students will learn the highlights of the Middle Ages and complete a mapping activity. This will lead into next week when we explore feudalism and the manor system.
Math: We are working on Topic 5. Our essential question for this topic is, what are ratios and rates? How can you use ratios and rates to describe quantities and solve problems? Our focus standards for this topic are NC.6.RP.1, NC.6.RP.2, and NC.6.RP.3. Please remind your student that they should be watching the videos posted in google classroom if they are not understanding something. These videos relate to what we cover in class. If they still have questions, they can use connect, advisory, or class time for clarification. Students should also be completing 5 Dreambox lessons a week.
ELA:
Our standards foci for the week are: RL.6.1, RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.8, and W.6.1. We will also review L.6.4 (identifying the meaning of unknown words in context) through our Do First spiral reviews.
We will finish our texts for the Modern Technology unit this week. Students have now engaged with a wide variety of sources connected to the unit essential question of “How is Modern Technology harmful and helpful to society?” We will begin preparing for the unit culmination of the Mock Trial.
Science:
Last week in Science, we learned about the structure of the Earth and completed a discovering plate boundaries activity where students discovered through a data analysis the different types of plate boundaries. We ended the week with an activity about the movement of our plates and what effect that has on our continents.
In Science, we will be having a rockin’ hands-on rock lesson and will be learning about soil and sustainability! We will be covering our last four Earth Science standards (6.E.2.1-6.E.2.4) over the next two weeks prior to Spring Break.
Year 2 / 7th Grade
ELA:
After spending the week starting our current unit by defining and understanding Utopian and Dystopian societies, this upcoming week we will be focused on introducing PBL where students will be creating a Dystopian Society.
Students should continue writing in their journal (3 pages a week with 1 Reading Response a week) and reading their independent novels.
Science: We will continue working within the Genetics Unit. We will begin exploring L.2.2. We will look at alleles and what traits are dominant and recessive traits. We will also make connections to the PBL by talking about traits with animals and survival within the biomes. Check Canvas for any assignments!
Year 3 / 8th Grade
Science: We are in full review mode! Students are catching up with missing assignments, working in small groups with Mrs. Kelly to improve vocabulary and understanding, conferencing with Mrs. Kelly about their progress within standards, and enriching their knowledge base through Study Island. Once we return from spring break, we will be focusing 100% on EOG prep! We can see the light at the end of the tunnel!!
ELA 8
We are working through unit 3 and writing solid summaries, great ACE responses, and citing the best possible textual evidence to support inferences. We are continuing to work out the kinks as we become more independent in the process!
English 1
We are continuing through Night and I am immensely impressed by our Pioneers. As we wrap up this unit, I can only imagine the amazing work they will continue to pour out onto paper!
Math 1:
Students have finished the Exponential Functions unit and next week we will begin discovering polynomials. They have done a great job with this unit overall. Our Connect meetings on Thursdays are giving us many opportunities to continue our learning from class and prep for the EOC. This week students had to break out of a Digital Escape Room by answering released EOC questions on topics we have covered so far. Moving forward we will continue to prep for the EOC during class and connect times until the end of the year. FYI–Math 1 students will only take the Math 1 EOC. They are not expected to take the Math 8 EOG.
Math 8:
Students finished the unit on Scatterplots and are almost finished with a short Functions unit (by next week). We will soon move into the Geometry standards to finish out the school year! Students will be exposed to released EOG questions and engage in test prep activities from now until the end of the school year. It’s almost that time!
Enhancements
Theatre Arts: Once students wrap up their monologue performances, we will dive into our musical theatre unit! During the musical theatre unit, students will create their own musical through an exciting PBL!
If your student is placed in Theatre Arts for Q4, please add yourself to their grade level’s Remind group!
Clubs
Drama Club: We need parent volunteers for our upcoming production! Please learn more about this opportunity by clicking this link. Additionally, the next afterschool rehearsal for the performers in Alice In Wonderland will be on April 22nd from 4PM-6PM. If your student is a part of drama club, please use this link to join IASC Drama Club’s Remind App Group!
Movie Appreciation: We are focusing now on “theme” while watching Pixar’s Inside Out! Ask your students to tell you what overarching theme they see, whether it is implicit or explicit, and if they see any additional themes woven within in the story.
Upcoming Events
March 28 at 5:30pm
PTA Meeting
March 29
Payment for 6 & 7th grade Field Trips Due
March 30 & 31
MAP Testing
April 4th, 2022
6th Grade Field Trip
April 5th, 2022
7th Grade Field Trip
April 8th
Payment for 8th Grade Field Trip Due
Wednesday, April 20th
ELA 6-8 Case Testing
Thursday, April 21st
Math 6-8 Case Testing
Tuesday, April 26th
Science 8 Case Testing
April 29th, 2022
8th Grade Field Trip
May 14th, 2022
8th Grade Semi-Formal
May 20th & 21st, 2022
Alice in Wonderland Production
Tuesday, May 31
9:00 AM
6th & 7th Grade Awards Day
Tuesday, May 31
12:00-3:00
Field Day 6th & 7th Grade
Thursday, June 2
9:00 AM
8th Grade Promotion & Awards Day
Thursday, June 2
11:00 AM
8th Grade Picnic &
Thursday, June 2
1:05 PM
Early Dismissal for All Students
Thursday, June 2
Report Cards Sent Home With All Students
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The Innovation Academy at South Campus
Crystal Gregory
Principal / Lead Learner
Email: CrystalGregory@johnston.k12.nc.us
Website: https://www.johnston.k12.nc.us/iasc
Location: 521 Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Smithfield, NC 27577, USA
Phone: 919-934-6481
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jocoia