STEAM Middle School
Wolverine News Volume 18
The Week of March 28- April 1
Upcoming Dates
STAAR Testing
March 29th: 7th Grade WritingMarch 30th: 8th Grade Reading
March 31st: 8th Grade Math (includes 7th grade Pre-Ap and 6th grade Accelerated)
8th Grade Field Trip to FWMSH
April 1: All field trip money and permission slips are due. If you need an additional permission slip please follow the link.
AVID
April 5th: AVID Applications for current 6th and 7th graders must be turned in.
Travel for March 29th-31st
There will be no travel during the school day to KMS or HMS for Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday due to STAAR testing. All students will begin and end their school day at STEAM. Goldstar before and after school buses will run as usual to and from zoned campuses.
Important STAAR Testing Info
Please review the included document for important STAAR testing reminders as well as protocol involving visitors, appointments, and conferences.
STEAM Curriculum & Course Registration Nights
6th Grade Night
Wednesday, Apr 13, 2016, 06:00 PM
STEAM Middle School, Southwest Hillside Drive, Burleson, TX, United States
7th & 8th Grade Night
*This informational meeting is for current as well as new STEAM MS school students to attend (going into 7th or 8th grade).
Thursday, Apr 14, 2016, 06:00 PM
STEAM Middle School, Southwest Hillside Drive, Burleson, TX, United States
AVID at STEAM
Beginning Monday, current 6th and 7th graders may pick up applications for AVID from Ms. Parker, or download and submit the included form. All applications must be turned in no later than Tuesday, April 5th.
Social Media Presentation
We invite all Burleson ISD middle school families to join us Thursday, April 21 at 6:00 for a social media presentation. Kim Estes, BISD Learning Technologies Coach will provide helpful information regarding social applications, parental settings, as well as tools to protect your children.
STAAR Testing Calendar
Released STAAR Tests
Below you will find released STAAR tests. We encourage you to review each test that your student will be taking this year. We work hard every day to prepare our students and recognize that understanding the types of questions that they will be asked can be beneficial to both you and your child. You may find the answers to these tests on the final pages of each release, or click here to be routed to a website for the answer key.
What is S.T.E.A.M.?
Mrs. Morgan and The Makerspace!
We would appreciate any consumable items:
- Tape (duct, washi, electrical)
- Copper wire, tape, and thread
- Fun foam
- Yarn, string, rope
- Play doh
- Styrofome
- Cups
- Balsa wood
...any materials used for crafting would work!
Counseling Corner with Mrs. Harrison
As we approach our first round of testing, nerves and anxiety begin to peak. Feeling uncertain and anxious prior to and during testing is completely normal.
There are many strategies that students may benefit from:
- Take care of yourself. Eat healthy foods and get plenty of sleep before a test. Moderate physical activity or exercise prior to taking the test can reduce body tension.
- Take practice tests. It is proven that those who practice are less likely to become nervous when doing something that is familiar. Take advantage of the included released STAAR tests, this will be useful as the format will be similar.
- Come prepared. Arrive to school on time. Get your things ready the night before so that you are not searching around last minute
- Relax during the test. If you begin to feel tense or nervous during testing take a quick relaxation break. Here are a few ideas: 1. take several deep breaths {in through your nose and out through your mouth, slowly}, 2. squeeze your muscles and hold for 5 seconds, then relax {repeat this 3 times}, 3. think of a peaceful and quiet setting {try imagining yourself in a calm and relaxed setting}, and 4. speak positively; replace negative self-talk.
On the Testing Day:
- Make it a point to listen closely to directions and time reminders.
- Read directions closely.
- Utilize strategies that teachers have given you.
- Use your time wisely.
- For multiple-choiced questions, don't get sidetracked looking for patterns of answers. Do read each choice given carefully; some choices appear correct at first glance but turn out to be wrong once you take a further look.
Spring Exam Exemption Policy
Please see the attached document below for the STEAM Spring Semester Exam Exemption Policy. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Harrison.
A Note From Nurse Shields
HYGIENE PRODUCT DONATIONS NEEDED
Parents…We are in need of TRAVEL SIZE deodorant, shampoo, and body wash!!
We are gearing for our lesson on “Our Changing Bodies” in all of the PE classes. This lesson will be lead by myself, Mrs. Harrison and Coach Woolsey and will focus on personal hygiene. At the conclusion of the lesson, each student will get a personal hygiene care package that will include shampoo, body wash, deodorant, etc. We have received some donations from the community, but are still in need to complete the remaining packages. The students will also receive an oral hygiene kit that has been provided by Dr. Chris Walton and his staff at Burleson Pediatric Dentistry. You may drop off donations to the front office or to Nurse Shields anytime. You may also send them to school with your child with instructions to bring them to Nurse Shields’ office.
Thank you in advance!
**Nurse Shields**
STEAM U and Academic Labs
STEAM U
- During the school day.
- Students will complete assigned modules that will cover Math, Science, & ELA
- Modules are grade level specific.
- Modules are designed to be completed in 20 mins
- Modules for the entire week open on Monday
Academic Labs
- Assigned to students who show a need for support in core subject areas.
- Target specific areas of weakness
- Provide an opportunity for tutoring during the school day
- Students demonstrate their mastery of knowledge in order to be reassigned to STEAM U.
STEAM U and Academic Labs serve as purposeful ways to reach all of our students where they are, while providing targeted opportunities for academic growth.
Attendance
Attendance is of utmost importance. When students are absent, not only do they miss out on direct instruction, but also they have assignments that begin to pile up. While sometimes being absent is unavoidable, especially if a student has a fever or doctor's orders to stay home, if at all possible make sure they attend every day.
In Texas, students are required to attend school no less than 90% of the time, or to be absent no more than 17 days. When students pass 17 days of absences (EVEN excused with a doctor's note and partial absences) they are subject to loss of credit. Loss of credit means that they will not be given credit for courses (a really big deal if they are enrolled in high school classes). We work hard to insure that all of our students have the tools to be successful; thus, we allow students who have 17 + absences the opportunity to make-up seat time in order to avoid credit loss.
If your child has reached the 17 day limit you will be contacted and provided with a plan of action to make sure that seat-time recovery is a viable option.
Sometimes being absent is unavoidable and necessary but, if students are not required to stay home we ask that they have 100% attendance. Please see the Burleson ISD Attendance Letter for more information.
Lost & Found Items
Items that remain in the Lost & Found by Friday afternoon will be taken to the Harvest House. Students are encouraged to check for missing items, too many things are being left behind! The Lost & Found is located in the office.
STEAM PTO
SAVE THE DATE: First Annual STEAM Carnival Friday May 20th
Find us on Facebook: STEAM Middle School PTO - Burleson, Texas.
Have questions or comments for the PTO?
Contact us at BurlesonSTEAMPTO@gmail.com.
Did You Know?
Don't believe it? check it out!
Directory Information
Parents,
Our STEAM social media accounts are updated frequently with the exciting things going on at STEAM. We would like to make sure your student is able to be a part of our STEAM videos and photos that we post on our STEAM social media accounts. Please update your student's directory information if you would like your STEAM student a part of our videos and photos. You may complete the attachment below and return this form to our front office.