The Cougar Pounce
staying connected @ShuksanMS
November 1, 2020
Hello Families,
We've started school with these goals: connect with families, build relationships with students and establish virtual classroom communities. We delayed most of our formal academic assessments.
During November, we will use MAP assessments in reading and math for our students in grades 6- 8. We have used these assessments for many years. This Fall, we will do them remotely, with students taking them at home. Your child’s teacher will provide students with directions on how to take the MAP test while at home.
You may want to know this about MAP tests:
- The MAP is an adaptive test. Questions get easier or harder as each student progresses through the test. To find out what students are ready to learn next, they will see many questions they may not know how to answer.
- Students will not know all of the answers. We assure them that is okay and to just make their best attempt and move on.
- Students should do the tests independently. If you are with your child during the test, it is critical that they work independently without assistance from you or others during the assessment.
- Most students will need about an hour to complete each of the two tests. We will provide extra time and multiple sessions to make sure that students have completed each test in less than two hours.
If you are want to learn more about the MAP assessment, please contact your child’s teacher and visit MAP’s Family Toolkit website at www.nwea.org/the-map-suite/family-toolkit.
We are grateful for your support,
Matt
Matt Whitten
Shuksan Principal
Book PIck Up
There will be 3 Tuesdays in November for Book and Food Pick Up: Nov 10, Nov 17, Nov 24.
Book Club this Wed
For all those readers who love stories, even when they don’t get around to reading them! Jennifer Lovchik, Bellingham Public Teen Librarian, hosts monthly Zoom clubs.
- We will meet with Whatcom MS for the November virtual Book Club.
- Please join us as we talk about “Quarantine Reading” and what else is on your mind.
@theLibrary Website
BEATS :: TUESDAYS AND THURSDAYS ONLINE
BEATS, which stands for Be at Shuksan, is our before and after school program funded by the 21st Century Learning Grant. BEATS is all about building relationships, trying new things, empowering students, and most of all having FUN!
During distance learning, BEATS meets Tuesdays and Thursdays via Zoom.
- From 3-4pm we provide BEATS Homework Support: A space for students to complete independent work with their friends and receive help from their BEATS mentors.
- From 4-5:30 we have our main BEATS Zoom session: A space for games, art, music, hanging out with friends, and anything else the students can dream up.
Ms. Cowan, Counselor
Ms. Besson, Counselor
SMS Counseling Team
Welcome back, Cougars!
Ms. Coco and Ms. Cowan are excited to connect with you and to support families and students in a variety of ways.
If you have questions about your schedule, community resources, or just want to chat, please contact Ms. Coco at (360) 746-4132 and Ms. Cowan at (360) 303-2818.
We are also doing Zoom counseling with students! You can set those up by emailing us or letting your homeroom teacher know you would like to meet or do weekly check-ins.
Finally, we are able to make counseling referrals for Compass Counseling. Please contact us and we will walk you through a referral packet to get counseling started.
Looking forward to connecting with all of you!!
Ms. Coco and Ms. Cowan
Emails:
Shuksan Middle School
Vice-Principal, Allison Chryst (Hancock)
Dean of Students, Nichole Lockhart
Email: matthew.whitten@bellinghamschools.org
Website: https://shuksan.bellinghamschools.org/
Location: 2717 Alderwood Avenue, Bellingham, WA, USA
Phone: (360) 676-6454
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shuksanmiddleschool/