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Pikesville Middle School Newsletter November 2017
From the Principal's Desk
Dear Pikesville Middle School Families,
We have so much to be thankful for at Pikesville Middle School. On October 19th, we held our first annual 6th Grade Induction Ceremony. This was an induction ceremony to officially welcome our 6th Grade students to the Python family and proved to be a proud night for our 6th grade students and their parents. To continue with recognizing students, we held our first AVID Induction Ceremony in the history of Pikesville Middle School. We inducted 100 students into our AVID program! The AVID Induction Ceremony was also a magical night that reminded us of the promise that we must support all of our students in reaching their goals. Both of these induction ceremonies would not have been successful without the support of our parents and the entire Pikesville community. We are Pikesville!
Part of our mission statement at Pikesville Middle School is to establish strong values and citizenship within and beyond the school community. Every student’s experience should be as the result of being educated in a safe and strong community. At Pikesville Middle School, we believe that all students should be active participants in making the community a better place to live, learn, grow, and raise a family. As scholarship is engaging in the work of a scholar, community-ship is engaging in the work of the community. As an important part of our community, students must learn to display positive attitudes, respect the rules/expectations, and participate in the work of developing a strong and safe community. A lesson learned throughout history has shown that a nation or community which has a strong set of moral values and solid citizen participation will flourish at a high level. As such, students should apply this lesson of history to life at Pikesville Middle today.
Being part of a school community, includes the community being an active member of the school. Since American Education Week is November 13-17, we invite the community to join us and be an active part of our school. The schedule for American Education Week:
· Tuesday, November 14: 6th grade parents/guardians
· Wednesday, November 15: 7th grade parents/guardians
· Thursday, November 16: 8th grade parents/guardians
We are excited to announce that during American Education Week, we will be offering several Parent Workshops during the week in the library. Parents/guardians can attend their child’s class for 20 minutes, and then head to the library for a workshop and refreshments. The Parent Workshops that will be offered are:
· Understanding Your Child’s PARCC Scores
· What are Restorative Practices?
· Everything you need to know about BCPSOne and how to support your student’s learning.
· Parent Engagement as a Key to Success
The connection between home and school is critical. When staff and parents work together, student educational experiences are enhanced. Student academic success and personal responsibility at Pikesville Middle School are dependent on a cooperative triangle comprised of student-teacher-parent/guardian. Through a close and shared partnership with all stakeholders associated with Pikesville Middle School, I am confident our school will continue to be a successful place for our students to learn and grow. We are Pikesville!
Sincerely,
Kalisha T. Miller
Important Dates to Remember
November 3 First Marking Period Ends
November 13 Mixed Bags Fundraiser Orders Due (click here)
November 13-17 American Education Week (sign up to volunteer!)
November 14 Sixth Grade Parent Day
November 15 Seventh Grade Parent Day
November 16 Eighth Grade Parent Day
November 23-24 School closed for Thanksgiving holiday
November 30 STEAM Night 6-7:30pm
New Online PTA Store & Current Fundraisers
The PTA is running two current fundraisers, and we need your support! Please click on the links below. Monies raised go to supporting programs and resources for our children, faculty, and parents.
Purchase a Discount Card for year-long discounts at Rita's, Miller's Deli, Subway, Dunkin Donuts, California Tortilla, and many others!
Cost: $10 at PTA events; $10.50 online. To purchase online, click here.
50% of sales go to the PTA at Pikesville Middle.
Buy gifts for the holidays and help support our school! Order forms and flyers went home last week with your child; orders are due November 13.
To place orders through our online store, click here. Read the flyer here.
A significant portion of sales go to supporting the PTA.
August Raffle Winner!
September's Teacher of the Month!
October's Teacher of the Month
6th Grade News Flash by Ms. Luechtefeld
Throughout the month of October, 6th grade students have been hard at work in their classes. Please make sure that 6th graders come to school every day with their materials including a fully charged device. Teachers are continuing to hand out yellow Homework Helper forms to students in order to communicate assignments and upcoming due dates. Please follow up with your students so that they can become better organized and focused on their due dates.
In addition to our focus on classwork, the 6th graders were able to participate in their first quarter incentive, which was an Ice Cream Party with a DJ. Students had fun dancing, eating, and taking pictures with one another.
Also, on October 19th we had the pleasure of inducting our sixth grade class into the Pikesville family. The ceremony, which took place in the auditorium of Sudbrook Magnet featured student speeches, songs from our honors chorus and keynote address by our Executive Director, Mr. William Bates.
Lastly, students will receive their first Quarter Report Cards on Thursday, November 16th. Please be sure that the envelopes get signed and returned to Homeroom Teachers.
We have had a busy month and are looking forward to a fun and productive November.
WE ARE PIKESVILLE!
Ms. Sheila Luechtefeld
410-887-1207
The 7th Grade Scoop by Mrs. Hammel
Greetings 7th Grade Families and Friends!
This school year has been off to a great start! Our teachers have been committed to holding daily community circles in order to build meaningful relationships with our students, and it seems to be beneficial to both students and staff. Interim reports have been distributed and we encourage any students who could benefit from coach class sessions to please reach out to their teachers.
Our first seventh grade incentive, an Ice Cream Social, will be held on October 17th, when we will celebrate the achievements of our students. The seventh grade team leaders, Mrs. A. Jackson and Ms. C. Felton-Woolcock, are grateful for the time and support provided to our students by their parents and the wonderful seventh grade team of teachers. We look forward to a great school year! This is only the beginning!
Mrs. Anne Hammel
410-887-1207
8th Grade Updates from Mr. Sullivan
The school year is off to a great start and our hard working 8th grade students are mastering some highly rigorous content standards and skills. Their continued initiative and focus over the next few months will be critical as they move to the rigors of high school, college and beyond. Our thoughtful and creative 8th grade team of teachers are challenging your children to excel in each of their classes and to build the social skills that are required for working in diverse communities and workforces. As part of preparing students to be College and Career Ready, PMS is committed to providing the tools necessary for success. One of those tools is Cornell Notes. This is a system of taking notes that is being used on all subject areas. Maybe you have seen the handout in your child’s notebook. Each subject area is using a different color to help with organization.
October was a great month for our eighth grade students. Many academic and social connections were developed and school wide events lifted our spirits. Our October class meeting’s theme was ‘opportunity versus obligation’. We challenged students to think about their mindset in school. Do they look at their education as an obligation or an opportunity to seek their full potential? It was amazing to speak with such inquisitive and focused students. With many conversations geared at high school and beyond, it is clear that many of our students see their work this year as an opportunity to learn a lot of new skills and to be challenged. Our daily restorative circles have given our students a forum for sharing their opinions on a variety of topics and given students opportunities to face challenges in their lives. We are extremely proud of our work surrounding restorative practices, utilizing circles as a way to build relationships among students, and among students and teachers. Circles occurs 1st period on Mondays, 2nd period on Tuesdays, 3rd period on Wednesdays and 4th period on Thursdays.
We had a lot of fun in October as it was a month of celebration and opportunity. The eighth grade ice cream incentive was attended by a larger number our students who met the criteria. It definitely set the tone that if you work hard and treat others with respect, you can have a lot of fun in school. You can also be provided a lot of opportunity. This was evident with our induction of our eighth grade AVID students. Over fifty PMS eighth graders were inducted into our AVID program. This was an exciting milestone in our history as it marked the beginning of a program that has had great success in building a culture of achievement.
November is an important month for our eighth grade students as it marks the beginning of a new quarter, giving our students a new opportunity to demonstrate all that they know. For many of our students applying to one of our great magnet schools in Baltimore County, November is a pivotal time because applications will be due. We also start our new basketball season this Month. Last year, both of our teams had an excellent season. Our boy Pythons were undefeated and won the BCPS championship. This year, our coaches look to rebuild with those eighth grade student athletes that meet the academic and social criteria.
We thank you for your continued support.
Announcements/Reminders
A reminder to 8th graders that it is that time of year to explore Magnet school opportunities. All students received a magnet brochure the second week of school. Students can apply online and the deadline is 1pm November 17, 2017. Magnet High Schools are hosting Open Houses (Showcase) through November. Refer to the brochure, visit www.bcps.org/offices/omp or call 443-809-4127 for dates and times.
It's Academic
English Language Arts
Students in all grades are gaining experience in reading their novels using the whole novel approach. Parents and guardians should see their students reading independently and responding to their novels on post-its. Students have also learned how to use Pikesville Middle’s Power Writing Formula to help them compose strong responses in all subject areas. Students in all grades just finished the reading MAP test and teachers are using those results to target students’ needs and help our students grow as readers. Students in reading classes have also completed the i-Ready assessment and begun their individualized reading programs. In theater classes, students have been exposed to Greek theater concepts and are learning theater terminology.
Social Studies
6th, 7th, and 8th grade Social Studies classrooms are finishing up Unit 1 and giving the Unit 1 assessments. Before classes transition to Unit 2, all students will be introduced to the National History Day project. This project will take from November to February to complete. Students will investigate primary and secondary sources about a topic that fits this year’s theme, Conflict and Compromise in History. The project will teach skills to be successful with independent research, presentation skills, and students will create a website, documentary, research paper, or exhibit board on their topic/event. Stay tuned to www.nhd.org and all materials being given out in class to stay up to date.
-Jeff Walters
World Cultures Grade 7
Social Studies Department Chair
World Languages
Bonjour et Buenos Dias! We are having fun communicating in French and Spanish this month. Classes are getting ready to finish midpoint assessments and are moving into theme 2 for both levels. French and Spanish 1 students have been very busy learning new skills. By the end of Unit 1, students will be able to communicate about themselves and their families, including preferences, hobbies, personality and appearance. French and Spanish 2 students are talking about their communities and the things they do at home and where they go and what they do around town. Students are also beginning to talk about things they did in the past! French 2 students will begin a letter exchange with a class of French students in Douai, France this month. This is an exciting opportunity for the students to communicate in writing with French students their same age and learning level. Students will get a great deal of exposure to French teen culture, and it’s always exciting to meet new friends.
All students have been using authentic websites, videos and readings to practice using the language, therefore it is very important to make sure your child has his or her device charged and in class. We are using lesson tiles for the majority of the activities, so it is needed daily. For additional practice and enrichment at home, your student can use https://quizlet.com/ to review vocabulary, we also like https://www.duolingo.com/ to track progress and https://conjuguemos.com/ for extra practice.
Spanish Club news – there are still spots available for Spanish Club, please have your child ask for a permission slip!
❝The limits of my language are the limits of my world.❞
‒Ludwig Wittgenstein
Related Arts: Physical Education
Students are currently participating in a “Choice” Unit. We have provided several different Units for your child to choose to participate in during their next unit. The units that are being taught are Rugby, Dance Aerobics, Ultimate Frisbee, Badminton, and Soccer.
All Students need to have a Pikesville Middle School Physical Education Uniform.
T-shirt - $10. 00
Shorts- $10.00
Sweatshirt- $10.00
Sweatpants- $10.00
Health Education
Mr. Long’s classes are currently taking health education. These students will be in class for the 1st marking period. He teaches 7th grade students are this school year BCPS has introduced a new 7th grade health curriculum. The topics that will be taught are Personal and Social Health, Drug Information, Nutrition and Fitness, Disease Awareness (this unit needs parent permission), and Risk Management.
Music Education
Maria Dennis from MIX 106 visited our seventh grade chorus class on October 4th. Her son, Noah, is a member of the group. Ms. Dennis spoke with the students about her work in the music industry and took questions from the students. The students enjoyed the visit and learned some interesting things about how a radio station operates.
Winter Concert Series
Monday December 18
6th Grade Orchestra 6:00 p.m. S. Norris
6th Grade Chorus 6:30 p.m. B. Permenter
6th Grade Band 7:00 p.m. A. Auffarth
6th Grade Dance 7:30 p.m. S. Crockett
Tuesday December 19
7 Grade Standard Orchestra 6:00 p.m. S. Norris
7 Grade Standard Chorus 6:30 p.m. B. Permenter
7 Grade Standard Band 7:00 p.m. C. Yadush
8 Grade Standard Chorus 7:30 p.m. B. Permenter
Wednesday December 20
7/8 Grade Honors Orchestra 6:00 p.m. S. Norris
6/7/8 Grade Honors Chorus 6:30 p.m. B. Permenter
7/8 Grade Honors Band 7:00 p.m. C. Yadush
7/8 Dance 7:30 p.m. S. Crockett
Counselors' Corner
Service Learning is a teaching method that combines meaningful service to the community with curriculum-based learning. Students improve their academic skills by applying what they learn in school to the real world; they reflect on their experience to reinforce the link between their service and their learning – Learning in Deed.
All students receiving a Maryland high school diploma are required to complete 75 hours of service–learning (or a determined pro-rated amount) prior to graduation from high school.
Students can earn hours through course projects (curriculum infusion), school wide projects, or through independent service projects that address community needs. Most community projects are direct service, giving students the opportunity to interact with the population being served. Some examples of appropriate independent projects may include: tutoring younger students, volunteering at a soup kitchen, helping with a community clean-up, raising money for charitable causes, etc. A good source for discovering places to volunteer in your neighborhood can be found at www.baltimorecountymd.gov , click on Volunteer Today. You can also find a good resource guide for volunteering at the Baltimore County Office of Student Service Learning http://www.bcps.org/offices/service_learning/pdf/Resource-Directory.pdf and under the Guidance tab on Edline.
For more information and to have the required pre-approval for independent service projects, please contact Richard Hecht, Counselor and Service Learning Coordinator. All projects must have Ms. Huemmer's prior approval.
Contact Info:
Ms. Roxanne Huemmer (Grade 6) rhuemmer@bcps.org
Mr. Mike Hess (Grade 7) mhess@bcps.org
Ms. Dorsey Daeschner (Grade 8) ddaeschner@bcps.org
You can also call the Counseling department at 410-887-6725.
Thank you,
The Counseling Department
The PTA @ Pikesville Middle
NEW PTA WEBSITE! CHECK US OUT HERE!
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR AMERICAN EDUCATION WEEK!
NEXT PTA MEETING IS NOVEMBER 8 FROM 6-7 IN LIBRARY: MS. GROGAN WILL DISCUSS LITERACY.
PTA RAFFLE PRIZES!
SOMEONE WILL WIN A $60 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO MANE TAMER FOR SALON SERVICES AT OUR NEXT PTA MEETING! Other raffle prizes include Lularoe coupons and other items.
BOXTOPS NEEDED
If every family brings in 10 boxtops by February, we will raise $1,000 for our school. Bring your boxtops to the main office. Print out a collection sheet here. Boxtops are often found on name-brand items like cereal, sandwich bag boxes, food boxes, kleenex boxes, etc. Thank you for your support!
PTA BOARD FOR 2017-18
President: Adrienne Gordon
Vice President: Alicia Danyali
Treasurer: Chava Elgamil
Secretary: Regina Gee
Google Phone Number: 443-738-4660
NEVER FORGET A MEETING AGAIN!
Would you like text reminders for upcoming PTA meetings? If so, click HERE to enroll. Your cell phone number will remain private, and you will receive text reminders before meetings.
DON'T FORGET TO like us on Facebook and check your news feed for important updates!
Pikesville Schools Coalition
The Pikesville Schools Coalition is comprised of community groups, educators, parents, volunteers, political leaders, and individuals committed to the advancement of Pikesville area schools, including Bedford, Fort Garrison, Milbrook, Pikesville High, Pikesville Middle, Wellwood, and Woodholme Schools. The Coalition meets 2-3 times a year to work with parents, community members, and educators to secure a bright future for our youth attending Pikesville schools. Please join us! Check out the fall newsletter HERE.
REMINDER: JUST CHARGE IT!
Pikesville Middle School Vision
Pikesville Middle School students will develop excellence in academics, character, and habits of mind by participating in student-centered learning experiences that promote 21st century skills.
Pikesville Middle School Mission
Pikesville Middle School aims to promote a safe, equitable, learner-centered environment for all students. In order to prepare our students for high school, college and careers, we will:
- Provide rigorous, relevant, and responsive instruction to all students.
- Establish supportive respectful relationships that encourage responsive behaviors.
- Instill healthy habits to support positive social, emotional, physical, and academic development.
- Establish strong values and citizenship within and beyond the school community.
About Us
Assistant Principals
Grade 6: Ms.Luechtefeld sluechtefeld@bcps.org
Grade 7: Mrs. A. Hammel ahammel@bcps.org
Grade 8: Mr. M. Sullivan msullivan2@bcps.org
To report an absence, please send a note in with your child upon their return to school.
FAX 410-887-1259
Other Important Numbers:
Guidance: 410-887-6725
Cafeteria: 410-887-1209
Library: 410-887-1272
Nurse: 410-424-9347
Email: lsilverman2@bcps.org
Website: https://pikesvillems.bcps.org/
Location: 7701 Seven Mile Lane, Pikesville, MD 21208, United States
Phone: 410-887-1207
Twitter: @PikesvilleM