Amboy Middle School
April 2022
5TH GRADE FOCUS
April showers bring May flowers and wet kids! Please send your child with a coat each day. We know that can be a struggle! Also, it's a good time to encourage them to check their shoes for the telltale signs of spring...wet, musty, smelly shoes. Fresh socks, drying shoes overnight, and powder in shoes are all "tricks" that we've heard from parents. April also brings spring break. We hope all of you enjoy the break!
READING
In April we will be working with paired text. We will analyze similarities, differences and how information can be shared in different ways and genres. We will also continue working on building vocabulary with weekly work and root words.
LANGUAGE ARTS
5th graders will continue with expository and narrative writing, with a focus on writing solid topic sentences, introductions, and conclusions.
MATH
5th graders will be working on multiplying and dividing fractions using models while also continuing to practice three digit by two digit multiplication and partial quotient division.
SOCIAL STUDIES/SCIENCE
We are getting back to social studies in the month of April. Our focus will be the French and Indian War and the Revolutionary War.
6th grade summary
Spring is finally here!
State testing is coming!! Prepare yourself independently for all of the standards that you will be tested on this year. Here are a few things to remember for testing:
- Each student needs a pair of wired headphones for the test. Bluetooth devices are not allowed on the assessment.
- A mouse makes it easier to navigate the test. Again, Bluetooth devices are not allowed on the assessment.
Keep your eyes open for grade reports. Student awareness of current classroom standing is important for every student to achieve his or her best. The final Friday of each month there will be a study hall for students to get additional help on any missing assignments or redo assignments. For students that do not have any work to complete, there will be an alternate activity. Frequently check Skyward to be sure that students are on track.
Encourage your student to read independently. Classes are working on the 40 book challenge throughout the school year. Evidence suggests that students that regularly read perform better academically. Spring break is a great time to do some serious reading.
Encourage students to work independently on i-Ready. The "My Path" program constructs lessons specially suited to challenge and encourage academic growth for individual students. Most lessons and instruction take between 10-18 minutes. Encourage students to work toward growth in Reading and Math.
Kickball is coming. Each year 6th grade students compete in an annual kickball tournament. The event celebrates a job well done on State Testing and the coming of the end of the school year. For student to be eligible to participate, students must have grades of C or better on all classwork and no missing assignments. Work hard to stay current on grades and assignments and enjoy the friendly competition.
7TH GRADE SCOOP
We will be studying Washington's growth and change after WWII. Topics will encompass growth of cities, industry and the civil rights era. The changes of the 1950's and the 1960's will be our focus.
ELA
We will be finishing up with a final assignment in writing argument, then we'll move to helping students review and practice for state testing in the first two weeks of May.
8TH GRADE UPDATE
i-Ready Individualized Lessons per Student: Please encourage your students to do some at home as it is individualized based on their needs. This will prepare them for high school, too. i-Ready is only through 8th grade, so it will not be available to them next year.
Chromebook Issues: We have been seeing more students coming in with their Chromebooks not charged. Please assist your teen to develop a routine system of charging their Chromebooks; this could be overnight or at least a few hours before bedtime. We do not have enough chargers at school or spare Chromebooks for them if they forget or break their current ones. This will be extremely helpful in high school.
Of course, we still have many students who spend time watching downloaded movies, YouTube videos like monster trucks, or emailing their friends during class time. This is hard for one teacher to monitor, but we need to teach the students to monitor themselves. This will be especially important in high school when they need to self-motivate to attend to their classwork or homework. I wish I had the magic lesson to teach this, but that message of "work first, then play" will need to be repeated often. When students switch back and forth between emails, videos, and work, it means they are not giving full attention to the details of their assignments.
Legible Writing: Did your student learn cursive in elementary school? We have many students whose handwriting is difficult to read; some students can't read their own writing. If they learned cursive, have them write using cursive. This makes them think more about their writing, then they can switch to block letters later when they can write more legibly. This too will be important in high school.
April: During this month we will be getting our students ready for SBA testing in May.
Amboy's "Eagle's Nest" SEL Center Update
You may remember that SEL Centers (Social Emotional Learning Centers) are new to all middle schools this year. In the 2022-23 school year, we plan to add SEL Centers in our primary schools.
Here at Amboy Middle School, our SEL Center is known as "The Eagle's Nest". So far this year, we have had nearly 600 visitors to the Eagle's Nest. The majority of Amboy Middle School students come to the Eagle's Nest by choice. SEL Centers provide a space to teach and empower students to regulate emotions, learn coping strategies, practice alternative behaviors, and restore calm. Students who are sent by their teachers for misbehavior learn self-management skills. All Eagle's Nest visitors work collaboratively with SEL Center staff to return as quickly as possible to the classroom environment.
To learn more, visit the district website at battlegroundps.org select "learning" and then select "social-emotional" from the drop-down menu. battlegroundps.org/social-emotional-learning
MS. GATZ'S GALLERY
MIDDLE SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY
We are happy to say that the return of middle school sports has been a triumph! So far this year we have had boys basketball, girls basketball, and soccer. Our final sport of the year will be cross country for grades 6-8, which starts on April 25. There is still time to register! Click here for more information.
RACE INTO SUMMER
We are planning to bring back our ever popular Race Into Summer this year (date TBD)! If you are able to volunteer your time or donations to assist with this event, please contact Karen Steward at steward.karen@battlegroundps.org. Watch for more information as we get closer to summer!
STUDENT CHECK IN AND CHECK OUT
When students come in late, they are able to check themselves in at the office. However, we need an adult to sign them out when they are getting picked up early.
2022-23 CLASSROOM PLACEMENTS
We are accepting placement forms until April 15, 2022. This is not a request for a particular teacher but a way to have some input regarding what type of classroom environment would best suit your child's needs. You can email a completed form to miller.joy@battlegroundps.org or drop it by the office.
REPORT SCHOOL SAFETY CONCERNS
The online reporting system is monitored only during school business hours.
Emergencies should always be reported to 911.
Go to the SafeSchools Alert online reporting system to report non-emergency safety concerns.
Clark County Crisis Line: 800-626-8137 - TTY 866-835-2755