Comet Connection
Kellogg Middle School Newsletter | February 2019
Important Dates
- 4-22 ACCESS Testing (EL students only)
- 12 NAEP Test (selected 8th graders only)
- 12-14 Valentine Sucker Sales during lunch (from PTSA)
- 14 PTSA Meeting cancelled
- 15 Dance, 6:00-8:30pm @ Kellogg
- 18 No school
- 19 Dental Clinic
- 20-21 MN Student Survey (Grade 8 only)
- 20 Courage Retreat (Grade 7 only)
- 21 Conferences, 3:00-7:00pm (teachers are NOT available from 2:30-3:00)
MARCH
- 1 No school
- 4 BB's Pizza Fundraiser, 5-8pm
- 6 Century Visit (Grade 8 only)
- 12 SEMYO Concert (orchestra only)
- 14 PTSA Meeting, 6:30-7:30 @ Kellogg Media Center
- 20 Cool Comet Store (Q3)
- 21 Last Day Q3
- 22 No school
- 25-29 Spring Break
NAEP Assessment
Two groups of 25 randomly selected Kellogg 8th graders will take the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test on the morning of Tuesday, February 12th. One group will begin testing at 7:50am and the second group will begin at 10:20am. If your child was selected to participate in this assessment, you have already received a letter in the mail.
For more information regarding the NAEP test you may go to their website: http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/.
Screenagers
We are exploring the possibility of hosting a screening of this movie, Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age, at Kellogg sometime this spring. In the meantime, I wanted to share this resource with you. Raising kids in a digital age has all sorts of challenges . . . and no parents have paved the way for us! We have to navigate this on our own. Or do we?
This blog, from the writer of Screenagers, offers a new topic to explore each Tuesday. Some topics that you will find in the blog archive include brain changes as a result of tech use, screen time monitoring apps, consequences for tech misuse, building mental focus and more! Learn more here!
https://www.screenagersmovie.com/tech-talk-tuesdays/This Friday!
Dental Clinic
Decoding the Teenage Brain
https://www.edutopia.org/article/decoding-teenage-brain-3-charts
Advisory Programming
Now that the schedule change has taken shape and Advisory if up and running, I wanted to take an opportunity to share a little about our Advisory program. Advisory is a community-building opportunity during our day where we can focus on relationship building & social-emotional learning. Each day of the week, Advisory has a different focus.
- Monday - mindfulness
- Tuesday - organization & goal setting
- Wednesday - community building
- Thursday - social-emotional learning
- Friday - relationship building; healthy socialization
Let's take a deeper look at Thursdays! First, check out this video to learn more about what social-emotional learning is and why it is important for your middle schooler.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikehX9o1JbI&feature=youtu.be
We want your child to be successful in school, and that means going beyond the basics. Excelling in academic classes is important, but students also need to know how to learn, make good decisions, handle strong emotions, and get along with others.
In effort to build social-emotional learning into our Advisory program, we adopted the Second Step Middle School Program, which focuses on skills and concepts that are designed to help students both in and out of school. These include:
- Mindsets and Goals: Students learn about ways to grow their brains and get smarter, along with research-based strategies for achieving goals and handling difficult situations.
- Values and Friendships: Students learn to identify their personal values and use those values to make good decisions and build strong, positive relationships.
- Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions: Students learn the positive role emotions play in their lives, how to handle unhelpful thoughts and strong emotions, and specific strategies for calming down.
- Serious Peer Conflicts: Students learn how to identify and avoid serious conflicts, resolve conflicts that can't be avoided, think about other people's perspectives, and help stop bullying and harassment at school.
We are excited to bring this program to Kellogg! If you have any questions about the Second Step Middle School Program, please do not hesitate to contact me for more information. Thank you for supporting your child in learning the skills and concepts that lead to success in school and in life.
Student Advisory Club
Would your child like to participate in Kellogg's Student Advisory Club? We are looking for students that are interested in helping plan student events to celebrate Kellogg's diversity!
Student Advisory Club will meet in Mrs. Ouk's room Wednesdays from 2:30-4:30. Please contact Mrs. Ouk for more details meouk@rochester.k12.mn.us.
Rochester Middle School Honor Band
Select Kellogg students participated in the 14th annual Rochester Middle School Honor Band held at John Marshall High School. Students rehearsed from 4-8pm on Friday, February 1st and from 9am -11:30am on Saturday, February 2nd. Rehearsal was followed by a public performance.
Students are nominated by Mrs. Kovar, Kellogg Band Director, based on playing ability, class participation, and leadership qualities. Congratulations to these talented musicians for their participation in this prestigious event!
- Flutes: Sophia Biederman & Melanie Christinsen
- Clarinets: Shawn Erickson & Aliye Bulur
- Alto Saxophones: Andrei Bancos & Shawn Jacobson
- Trumpets: Jordan Nowicki & Kinza Hyder
- Trombones: Colton Strumpfer
- Baritones: Khya Feind & Erik Finke
- Percussion: Abby Schroeder
Administration
Principal
507-328-5817
anmcandrews@rochester.k12.mn.us
Mike Widman
Assistant Principal
507-328-5815
Teri Linander
Associate Principal
507-328-5816
Student Support Services
6th Grade Counselor
507-328-5309
Darlene DoBell
7th Grade Counselor
507-328-5811
Sam Simmons
8th Grade Counselor
507-328-5808
Sara Rich
School Social Worker
507-328-5861
Akilah Barlow
School Social Worker
507-328-5861
Health & Clerical
School Nurse, LPN
507-328-5813
lodietrich@rochester.k12.mn.us
Sara Gnagey
School Nurse, RN, LSN
507-328-5814
Robyn Davis
Office Manager
507-328-5801
Penny Ginther
Registrar & Attendance
507-328-5810
Kellogg Middle School
Email: anmcandrews@rochester.k12.mn.us
Website: www.kellogg.rochester.k12.mn.us
Location: 503 17th St NE, Rochester, MN, USA
Phone: 507-328-5800
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Kellogg.Middle.School/
Twitter: @KelloggMiddle