Panther Pulse
April 29, 2022
News from Parcells Middle School
Greetings Panther families! The weekly Panther Pulse from Parcells Middle School appears below. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Ken Milch, Principal
Debbie Redlin, Assistant Principal
Samantha McGrath, Assistant Principal
PARCELLS is excited to welcome Dr. Jahmeel Smith as our guest speaker for our 6th and 7th grade Advisory Assembly on Tuesday, May 3, 2022. Dr. Jahmeel will be speaking to our students about “Finishing Strong” this school year. Thank you in advance to both Dr. Smith and The Family Center for partnering with us sharing your expertise.
Dr. Smith is a Limited Licensed Psychologist in the State of Michigan and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP). Dr. Smith works as a school psychologist in the Ann Arbor Public School District in addition to supporting children, adolescents, and youth in private practice. She has taught undergraduate studies in the College of Education as a teaching assistant at Michigan State University as well as completing doctoral training at MSU in school psychology.
SUMMER CONNECTIONS 2022: Registration is open NOW!
Click here to register: SUMMER CONNECTIONS REGISTRATION LINK
Summer Connections 2022 has opened registration to all GPPS students. There is something for everyone. There are three 2 week sessions in the summer and MANY exciting enrichment classes, including the core grade level math and English enrichment classes. Here is the link to the course selections: Summer Connections Course Descriptions
Please take a look and consider signing up ASAP as courses do fill up on a first come, first served basis. If you have any questions, please email the Summer Connections coordinators. Summer Connections Coordinators are Katie Parent parentk@gpschools.org and Kevin Shubnell shubnek@gpschools.org
PBIS- Our Positive Behavior Intervention and Support Program
April’s raffles are $10.00 gift certificate to Licavoli’s, a behind-the-scenes tour of Parcells, $5. Gift cards to be used at one of 4 food trucks at PantherPalooza on May 12th; and the famous pick-a-prize!
Stay tuned to find out which staff member will be represented on the May Panther Bucks!! At the end of April, we will sell candy and snacks for 3 Panther Bucks!
A continued and special “Thank You” to all who have donated to support our PBIS Program so far this year! Please consider making a donation so we can continue to reward our students for their positive behavior. Donating is easy, just click on this link to visit our Sign Up Genius site, sign up and then drop items in the main office labeled PBIS.
PANTHERPALOOZA and COLOR RUN-
We are pleased to share information about our plans for the Panther Palooza and Color Run events rescheduled for May 12. Please review this document for everything you need to know about the day (including schedule, activities, run routes, and shirt preservation).
We would LOVE parent volunteers to help make our event a success. Please consider joining us on May 12 to celebrate a wonderful year at Parcells!
We have over 300 runners signed up to run at our Color Run event, and we couldn’t be more excited! Please remind your student to fill out the Schoology Survey if they plan to run so we can let the GPWPD know what to expect!
REWARD AUCTION - We are so excited to announce that our Panther Auction will be held during the PantherPalooza on May 12th! Each grade level will have the opportunity to use their hard earned Panther Bucks that they have banked all year to bid on awesome prizes, the students are very excited!
Our students have worked hard all year and we love the shock and awe seen on their faces when they enter to see what they can win. Each banked buck equals one raffle ticket to bid on basket prizes for the “tin can” style auction.
If you find yourself doing some spring cleaning and wondering “what am I ever going to do with this” please consider donating it to our school! Middle school students love a wide variety of things including (but not limited to) sports equipment, beauty products, jewelry, gift cards, art supplies, crafts, etc.
Donations can be dropped in the main office for Andrea Gruenwald. If you have a question about items please email gruenwa@gpschools.org- and thank you!
Testing news
NWEA & M-STEP TESTING- Testing season is upon us! See the linked schedule for specific dates. Note that this schedule is subject to change. Upcoming dates include:
5th grade MSTEP: Please send a corded set of headphones for the week!
Tuesday, May 3rd- Math testing beginning at 8:15am. Students should report to 4th hour class.
Wednesday, May 4th- ELA testing beginning at 8:15am. Students should report to 4th hour class.
Thursday, May 5th- Science testing beginning at 8:15am. Students should report to 4th hour class.
Friday, May 6th- Social Studies testing beginning at 8:15am. Students should report to 4th hour class.
Counseling
Ms. Gina Hawkins,counselor for students with last names A-K.
Mrs. Carla Palffy (L-Z). Here is a link to our Parcells Counseling page.
Parcells School Counselors have completed the process of 2022-23 Course Registration.
Thank you to all students and families for their timely completion. If you click on the Parcells Counseling link above, it will direct you to the page where you can find ALL registration materials for each grade level.
News from AVID
7th & 8th Grade Innovation & Design
8th Grade News
Cedar Point field trip forms are due back to their student’s social studies teacher no later than Tuesday, May 17th.
In English classes, 8th graders are continuing to read and discuss novels in their Literature Circle groups. This week they will also reflect on their participation in group discussions and their work habits. They continue to make connections in themes across novels. 8th-grade teachers and students would like to thank the Grosse Pointe Foundation for Public Education for granting us the funds for purchasing these novels.
Honors English students will be taking part in a Schoology discussion board. On it, students will ask questions they still have about the novel, Chains, by Laurie Halse Anderson. To follow up, students will respond to their peers' questions using text evidence.
7th Grade News
Students did a great job with NWEA testing this week! As May approaches we are beginning to plan for end of the year events such as Field Trips. Please talk with your students about their behaviors and academics to make sure they are eligible to attend!
6th Grade News
As a reminder, all school chrome books are being used for testing so it is vital that students bring their own device from home and that they are fully charged. Devices are used every single day in most classes! Please use the Schoology calendar to help stay on top of testing dates. We have completed both the math and English MStep and are now looking forward to NWEA and GPWA.
6th and 7th grade is headed to Metro Beach 0n June 15th. Students know the expectations to be eligible and the cost is $25. Look for permission slips on May 2nd, but you can start discussions and secure funds now. The end of the year trip is always a great time for students to unwind and enjoy each other. There will be so much to do… pool time, mini-golf, volleyball, soccer, disc golf, bike rental, bring a kite, sit on the beach with friends, play cards at the pavilion, take a long walk in the (hopeful) sunshine and more. Students who are not eligible (or choose not to attend) will have an opportunity to complete work at school.
5th Grade News
Fifth grade students will be taking the M-Step test starting on Tuesday, May 3rd. The students will go to their advisory teacher during the first hour to take the test. Tuesday they will be tested in Math. Wednesday’s test is ELA. Thursday they will test Science, followed up with a test in Social Studies on Friday.
Please make certain your child is well rested, along with eating a good breakfast before school.
From Mrs. Saroli to 5th grade families: It’s time to sign up for Grosse Pointe Summer Choir! The choir workshop is August 15-19 (Monday-Thursday, 8:30am-12:30pm; Friday 8:30am-2:30pm). It is an enjoyable week of music making with friends. Click this link to sign up and feel free to email Mrs. Saroli with any questions!
Family and Consumer Sciences
I once again want to extend a message of gratitude and thanks to my 6th and 7th grade students for being patient and respectful to guest teachers this week as I was out with 8th grade students on field trips.
Here’s what we made this week- Basic Pancakes and Green Smoothies
Choir
Why sing? “Singing exercises your heart, lungs, and releases endorphins, making you feel good!” Thanks, Parcells families, for sharing your young musicians with me in room 127!
Please check your calendars and save the date for our final concert of the school year ~ Wednesday, May 25, 2022 @ Parcells, 7pm. It’s going to be an enjoyable evening of live music provided by 5th through 8th grade singers.
PTO
Teacher Appreciation Day is on Tuesday, May 3rd.
Again the PTO is asking families to “buy your teacher/staff member lunch.” The cost is $15 per teacher/staff member.
We are asking families to use paypal and select the family/friends option.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/904094cabad2ca1fd0-parcells2
Paypal: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/ParcellsPTO?country.x=US&locale.x=en_US
Thanks for signing up!
AVID
While the pandemic has taken away AVID’s ability to do our annual college visit and Pistons game/career night, we are happy to report that we’ll be having a year-end celebration at the Tigers game on June 2nd. The Tigers will take on the Minnesota Twins at 1:05, and this game is personal for Mr. McDonald. As a 12-year-old Tiger diehard back in 1987 he was devastated when the Twins knocked the Tigers out of the playoffs and went on to win the 1987 World Series that rightfully belonged in Detroit.
More information will follow next week, but AVID parents should be on the lookout for a permission slip and information on cost. We’ll likely depart Parcells around 12:00 and return around 4:00.
Service Squad
Both cohorts of the Service Squad members are working tirelessly to keep our school clean and in order from lunch sessions. We are in need of 8th grade members to help bring leadership and tradition to the role. Any students interested in serving your school and making a difference, please contact Mr. Symonette directly or speak to one of the current members.
Advisory
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
Parcells Middle School is a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) school.
As a BYOD district, students in grades 5-8 should bring a fully charged device (laptop or chromebook) to school each day. The district also has a program to provide students a device to bring to and from school on a needs basis.
We recognize that students have incidental events. For example, your child may forget their device on occasion or a device may lose a charge. When these events happen, we have devices available at school on a daily basis that must be checked out and returned the same day. The process for borrowing daily devices is changing beginning Monday, February 28th when we return from our mid-winter break.
To borrow a daily device:
If students know in the morning they will need a device, they should report to our media center between 8:05 and 8:15am.
The media center will use a google form check out process to issue a device for the day to your child.
If your child needs a device after 8:15am (for instance they have a technical difficulty during the instructional day), a teacher will issue a pass on the child’s quarterly pass card to go to the media center to check out.
All checked out devices must be returned to the media center during 6th hour.
Ways families can support at home:
Talk to your child about the change in procedure. If they forget their device, they should report directly to the media center between 8:05-8:15am. If they have a technical difficulty during the day, let the classroom teacher know and use a pass to check out from the media center.
Set up strong BYOD routines at home. Make sure your child has a charging routine and has their device in their bag for school each day.
If your child is using a district device and does not have charger, chargers are available for purchase in the main office.
If your child does not currently have a functional device to bring to and from school each day, please contact your child’s counselor if there is a need:
Ms. Hawkins (A-K) hawking@gpschools.org
Ms. Palffy (L-Z) palffyc@gpschools.org
We appreciate your continued support towards our BYOD efforts!
Click here for information about BYOD in GPPSS. At Parcells, chromebooks are available for students who demonstrate financial need. Please email your counselor to receive the required paperwork. All information will be kept confidential.
School safety is always our priority, each and every day. Please encourage children to talk to a trusted adult. If your child sees or hears something that doesn’t seem right, they can also submit a confidential tip to OK2SAY. OK2SAY allows anyone to confidentially report tips on criminal activities or potential harm directed to Michigan students, school employees, or schools. Call 855-565-2729; text 652729; or email OK2SAY@mi.gov. For emergencies, dial 911. The OK2SAY link is available at http://www.michigan.gov/ok2say.
Communities United in Diversity
The Homework Station is open!
The Parcells Homework Station is open for business. It's located in room 108 and runs from 3:18 - 4:18, Monday through Thursday. The Homework Station is a place where students can get help with homework, just work on assignments or borrow supplies to finish projects. There is no sign-up needed, and students do not have to stay for the entire hour.
What’s ALWAYS happening at Parcells?
Students who arrive late to school must enter through the secure entrance (Vernier side of building). Students will not be admitted through the Mack Avenue doors after 8:15 AM.
Late start Mondays: Every Monday, school begins at 9:00am. Doors open at 8:45am. Tuesday through Friday, school begins at 8:15am. Doors open at 8:00am.
Water bottles: We encourage our students to stay hydrated by bringing a refillable water bottle to school every day. Water filling stations are located around the building.
Morning Basketball takes place at 7:45am Tuesday - Friday. Students may enter through the Gym doors off Sunningdale to participate.
The Parcells Chess Club is open to all students. All you need is a desire to learn and play chess! No prior experience needed-we'll teach you! We meet on Wednesdays to play games from 3:25pm until 4:10pm in room 103.
Reminder: Cell phones/electronic devices are to be turned off and out of sight at school. This includes all devices associated with cell phone usage such as Apple Watches or similar devices.
Student drop off: Student safety is our number one priority, especially in the morning. In the back entrance of our building (Sunningdale), please be mindful of Drop Off & Pick Up procedures. The employee parking lot is active and is not a drop off or pedestrian zone for students. Students should not cross through the lot to access the building at any time. For their safety, please refrain from dropping students off any place other than the loop around the parking lot.
Please note:
- When dropping your student off, please pull up as close to the end of the ramp outside the door as possible. Do not stop directly in front of the doors.
- Students should be prepared to exit your vehicle quickly. Do not impede traffic waiting to drop off other students.
- Parents must exit the parking lot as soon as your child is out of the car. No U-Turns or cutting through aisles. Please drive around the loop and exit with the flow of traffic.
- Parking spots/rows are reserved for staff only and are not for drop off or pickup before or after school.
- Please do not park/stop/wait between entrance and exit driveways along Sunningdale.
- Refrain from making left turns out of the school parking lot off Sunningdale during drop off times (8-9 AM and 3-4 PM).
Along Mack Ave (front of building):
- Students must be dropped off in the school driveway. Do not exit a car while on Mack Avenue.
- Please keep traffic moving. Students should be prepared to exit your vehicle quickly. Exit the driveway as soon as your child is out of the car.
We have been asked by Summit Oral Surgery to ask parents to please not use their parking lot as a pick-up spot. Their parking lot is small and is reserved for patients only. Thank you!