Illing Insider
January 18, 2021
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration
Principal Gomero had this to say about the nominees:
It is an honor for me to nominate the members of the Illing Middle School Principal’s Advisory Board for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. award.
I’ve had the privilege to work with this group of outstanding students alongside Ms. Constantino and Ms. Okwuazi in our efforts to support the group’s mission of working collaboratively to promote student voice at Illing and continuing to make IMS a safe, equitable learning community where everyone can grow and thrive.
The group has been meeting twice a month in order to discuss what they want to accomplish as a group, what aspect of the school culture and climate they want to focus on and to ensure that equity is at the forefront of their efforts. This year, they were genuinely concerned about the impact hybrid and remote learning has had in our school community. They wanted to hear from their peers what their experience has been like in order to share this information with stakeholders and ultimately bring about change. Their thoughtful and purposeful interactions and action steps they have developed will impact the lives of hundreds of students at Illing, not only this school year but for years to come.
Thank you for your leadership and for setting a great example for all of our Illing students. We are very proud of you and we celebrate you!
IMS Principal's Student Advisory Board Members
Benjamin McKinney
Team Tufts
Shaniah Porter
Loren Roca
Joseph Maio
Abigail Jacobs
Olivia Aiken
Jermayne is a very conscientious student. He is a role model for his peers and always there to offer them assistance with their assignments. He continually displays a positive attitude and is kind, caring and respectful. He is an active member of the community belonging to a church youth group, boy scouts and a Connecticut Chapter of DeMolay. The youth group he belongs to is part of the South Methodist Church in Manchester.
He has participated in food drives, toy collections and block parties in the summer and fall for the Hartford Project. Recently this youth group made kits for medical staff and made lawn signs to thank healthcare workers for their services. Jermayne was recently initiated into a young men’s leadership group, "DeMolay." His role as a Junior Deacon is door guard. This Premier Youth Organization is dedicated to teaching young men to be better people and leaders. He has participated in a food drive in New Britain to help others in need, made cards for a Masona Care group and will be able to participate in many other future community events. Jermayne is a true leader, role model for his peers and an active community member.
Congratulations to all the nominees!!!
Remote Learners Supplies Pick-up
All remote (distance) learners will be able to pickup their school supplies needed for Quarter 3
Wednesday 1/20 from 9:00- 3:00
Wednesday 1/27 from 9:00- 3:00
We will be distributing bags of supplies for our remote learning students who have the following classes 3rd quarter:
Art
Family & Consumer Science
7th grade Science
Chinese
Distribution will be done via curbside pickup, so parents/guardians will be able to drive up to the front of the school during the above times and dates, give your students' name to our staff out front, and they will deliver their bag right to your car.
From the Counseling Department
We would like to remind students and families that we are here to support our students. We are available to meet with students to meet to discuss a variety of topics including but not limited to personal/ social, academic and career domains.
Please feel free to reach out to your student's school counselor should you like to request a meeting:
Mrs. Justine Kiely - Dartmouth & URI - jkiely@mpspride.org
Mr. Ricky Clark - Tufts & CCSU - rclark@mpspride.org
Mrs. Justine Meyer - Cornell & Princeton - jmeyer@mpspride.org
Mr. Patrick Biggins - UConn & Syracuse - pbiggins@mpspride.org
8th Grade Families:
Please check in with your student to ensure that they have submitted their elective and foreign language selections for Manchester High School. Directions were distributed through students' Crew Google Classrooms.
If you have any questions, please reach out to your student's school counselor:
Justine Meyer - Princeton & Cornell - jmeyer@mpspride.org
Patrick Biggins - Syracuse & UConn - pbiggins@mpspride.org
Need Technology Assistance?
The Library Media Center and the IT department are here to help!
Use the IT Helpdesk for technology assistance or to report device issues.
You can do that by filling out this form OR
Email infosys@mpspride.org OR
Call or Text 860-682-0607,
Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
For all other questions, email support@mpspride.org or call 860-647-5041,
Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Please refrain from calling individual schools.
CLUBS & ACTIVITIES
Student Council
Hello Students!
Are you interested in making a difference within your school community here at Illing? Yes, even while we're remote! Then please come join Student Council starting this Wednesday Jan. 20th at 3 PM. Not only will we be discussing our school environment, but also ways that we can take the work that we do beyond the walls (actual or virtual) of our building.
Last year's Council members are encouraged to re-join and attend this meeting! If you are interested, please let your crew teacher know, and they will give you the Google Meet code to join!
DEPARTMENT NEWS
7th Grade
In social studies, seventh-grade students are examining Middle Eastern cultures. Students began this study by challenging stereotypes about the Middle East. Classes analyzed films such as Aladdin and Indiana Jones to identify how the Middle East is portrayed in Western Media. They then compared these depictions with photographs of everyday life in the Middle East. Students concluded that Western media often promotes harmful misconceptions about this region of the world, and that it is our job to debunk these ideas.
To better understand Middle Eastern cultures, students examined religious and ethnic groups of this region. Students analyzed the beliefs and practices of three monotheistic religions that have shaped this region: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. They focused on thematic similarities between these three religions, such as how they teach peace and serve their communities. Students then considered how ethnicity influences Middle Eastern identity by examining the Kurds, an ethnic group in the Middle East.
Before winter break, students investigated specific cultural characteristics in different Middle Eastern countries such as family life, cuisine, art, music, language, sports, and celebrations. Through this unit, students will understand that the Middle East is a diverse region of the world that stereotypes cannot do justice.
If you have questions please reach out to your students’ social studies teacher.
Chelsea Constantino (Tufts) - cconstantino@mpspride.org
Benjamin Foran (CCSU) - bforan@mpspride.org
Noelle Avakian (Dartmouth) - b25navak@mpspride.org
Clyde Ettienne-Modeste (URI) - b25cmode@mpspride.org8th Grade
In social studies, eighth-grades students are completing their first Document-Based Question (DBQ) of the school year. DBQs are essays students write answering a question that they have been studying in class. In their essay, students must state a claim answering the question and support their claim using evidence from documents they are provided with. Students have been working diligently during class and their independent work time to complete this assessment.
For this DBQ, students are answering the question, “Was the American Revolution Justified?” Click here to check out the documents students can use as evidence in their essays.
If you have questions about this assessment please reach out to your student’s social studies teacher.
Greg Vickers (Princeton) - b25gvic@mpspride.org
Gary Tracey (Syracuse) - b21gtrac@mpspride.org
Dan Bebyn (Cornell) - b21dbeby@mpspride.org
Jeffery Yep (UConn) - jyep@mpspride.org
Team Cornell has been working hard in Coding + Creative Design class to make a lot of fun projects! We started by making Choose Your Own Adventure Apps using Code.org's App Lab. Here are a few for you to try:
Next, students created games using CoSpaces. Here are some to play!
We finished up by making some meals using JavaScript on Khan Academy. Don't they look scrumptious?
We are currently finishing up this quarter with an exciting project that challenges students to think creatively and create their own piece of music using pre-made loops of sound. We are excited to hear what comes from our fantastic students. This quarter we discussed elements of music like Rhythm, Melody, Texture, Form, Dynamics and many others. After reviewing these elements students would engage in conversations about how they are represented in classical and modern day music after listening to examples of genres from all walks of life. We are sad to say goodbye to our current teams but looks forward to our next adventure with Teams Syracuse and CCSU.
Students on team TUFTS and CCSU participated in art classes quarter two.
Mrs. Ruberto and Mrs. Stavolone enjoyed teaching and seeing the creativity from the seventh graders.
Students practiced the skill of creating space and three dimensional objects using linear perspective. After a lot of practice, students completed a linear perspective drawing, using color to complete their drawings.
Linear Perspective
By Vanessa Miazga (Tufts)
By Acadia Joshi-Staples (Tufts)
By Charles Doucette (Tufts)
Abstract/Non-Objective Watercolor
The next unit students were introduced to "Abstract" or "Non-objective" art and the work of "Modern" artist Sonia Delaunay. Students created pencil sketches using circular and other geometric or free-form shapes to create a balanced abstract composition, Then the students completed the Abstract painting using watercolors.
By Molly Hazlett (Tufts)
By Abigail Jacobs (Tufts)
Dominic Thompson (CCSU)
By Edwin Dieppa (CCSU)
By Mikayla Coombs (Tufts)
By Micah Harvey (CCSU)
By Giovanni Farina (CCSU)
By Grace Golas (CCSU)
By Joseph Christopher (CCSU)
By Lauren Greaves (CCSU)
By Faizan Shakeel (Tufts)
By Madison Skinner (Tufts)
Pottery
Photography
Winter (Focused Image) by Maeve Carroll (Tufts)
Winter Worm's Eye View by Scarlett Rodrigues (Tufts)
NEWS FROM OUR TEAMS
Social Studies
Science
Reading/Sem-R
In SEM-R we are in the midst of our inference unit. Students have participated in discussions as to what an inference is, how to make an inference, and why the skill is important. They have been independently ensuring that they have an independent reading book and have been keeping Ms. Bousquet posted as to what they are reading. Recently, we have focused on satire, parody, and irony and students have done a great job with understanding these literary devices and applying them. After our winter break we will complete our second Scholastic Reading Inventory of the year and then jump back into our inference unit, focusing on allegory. Additionally, students are reading independently and completing their reading logs each week.
Math
Language Arts
Science
Language Arts
The slide was created by Tuan Phung
Important Dates
Mon 1/18: NO SCHOOL - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tues 1/19: NO SCHOOL - Professional Development
Wed 1/20: End Marking Period 2
Thurs 1/21: Start Marking Period 3
What's For Lunch?
Free Meal Pickup for Students
- Bennet -- 11:00 a.m.- Noon
- Buckley, Waddell & MHS -- Noon -1 p.m.
- Bennet -- 3-4 p.m. (includes frozen items for next-day lunch)
Earn points for our school!
Our School earns FREE POINTS EVERY TIME YOU SHOP!!! If you haven't already registered your Store Card - it's never too late!!! The schools can NEVER access your information .. Doesn't interfere with other programs or Gas Point
Shop Rite - Register your card (every year)
On-line website: shopriteforeducation.com School Code is 18399
At the store- Service Desk
Send your card # to the School Main Office and we're happy to help!
Stop & Shop - All Registrations are done on the website. It's as easy as 1-2-3!
You can also access special savings and coupons while you're there.
Contact Us
Email: igomero@mpspride.org
Website: www.mpspride.org/illing
Location: 227 Middle Turnpike East, Manchester, CT, USA
Phone: (860) 647-3400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Illing-Middle-School/802258026499553
Twitter: @MPS_Illing