The Cat's Connection
March 2015
Springin' Ahead
Spring is here, and the week after spring break begins the last quarter of our school year! Report cards should be out after spring break. Please take a moment to review your child's report card, and please contact teachers if you have any questions regarding your child's progress. Our teachers are eager to help our students be successful. I'm proud of our students and their hard work.
March was “Classified Appreciation Month." From taking care of our facilities, to working with students in classrooms, to handling business in the office, I appreciate our classified staff for their valuable contribution to our school. Their goal is to take care of our kids, our staff, and our building, and they do a great job!
We've been talking a lot about the new state assessment. Though it is difficult to know just how ready our students are due to the new format, I am proud of our ability as a school to continue to focus on our mission of developing well-adjusted students who have the skills and confidence to face difficult tasks, whatever those tasks might be. Our staff believes in the program we provide our students and understands that a state assessment score is but a small part of how we measure ours students' success. What is most important is our kids are engaged in their learning on a daily basis, which is a true measure of our success as a school. We maintain a positive perspective on the state assessments and, along with parents, encourage our students to do their very best.
There are all kinds of activities coming up after the break. Track has already started, field trips are coming up, the Civil War re-enactment is scheduled, and many other activities. We'll have details in upcoming newsletters, Facebook, Twitter, and more. We put these events in our student bulletin as well, so be sure to ask your kids what they are involved in at LaCreole Middle School.
Have a wonderful spring break!
Great News!
Cats of the Month
Congratulations to our February Cats of the Month!
6th Grade - Katherine Haerer
7th Grade - Kaylee Rosenbalm
8th Grade - Leanne Sleeper
LaCreole Battle of the Books - Champs!
LaCreole Battle of the Books - 2nd Place
No Tardy Party!
Blake Shinn - Distinguished Educator!
AMAZING BAND AND DRAMA PERFORMANCES!
Dream Property 3D Modeling Design in Digital Arts
Students in the Digital Arts elective have been designing their ‘Dream Property’ using 3D modeling software similar to CAD. They have a great deal of enjoyment considering architectural structure and design issues while letting their imaginations flow. More of their work in Digital Arts can be seen here.
Attached snapshots are current work by: Ayden Lundin, Sydney Dizick and Tommy Segovia.
Upcoming Events
6TH GRADE WILDCAT SCIENCE CAMP
Mark your Calendars for 6th Grade Wildcat Science Camp!
Wildcat Science Camp is designed for 6th grade students at LaCreole who want to experience learning in the outdoor classroom. Activities are planned and coordinated with teachers in order to align with the Core Curriculum Goals for sixth grade, as well as experiencing outdoor fun!
Details
Location: Camp Tapawingo in Falls City
Dates: Session #1 May 12-13 or Session #2 May 14-15
Cost: $60 (payment plan is optional) due by April 15
SCHOOL GARDEN
Our science department is currently in the planning stages for a long-term productive school vegetable garden. In addition to being fun, we expect it to be instructive in engineering/design, chemistry, earth science, life science, nutrition, and ecology. We are currently really looking for interested individuals, especially adults who could volunteer their time, talents, and resources. Interested parties should contact Jason Snider at jason.snider@dsd2.org .
FROGS AND SHEEP EYEBALLS!
More Upcoming Events
March 23-27: Spring Break
April 2: LimeBerry Night
April 17: Activity Night
April 18: Drama Field Trip
April 22: 6th Grade Choir Field Trip
April 24: 7th & 8th Grade Choir Field Trip
FAMILY ENGINEERING NIGHT
WILDCAT BOOKFEST
Mark your calendar now! The first ever Wildcat Bookfest is happening Friday, June 5, from 6 – 8 p.m. Come for a fun evening of events, which will include: a guest author, crafts, a free book for each middle school student, a book exchange room, refreshments, and more.
State Assessments will begin after Spring Break
State assessments begin after spring break. We've been working with students so they are familiar with the new format and material. We offer this tentative schedule for parent awareness in hopes of helping support students getting their rest and fuel for their best efforts.
Testing Schedule:
April 6 - 10: 8th Grade Math
April 13 - 17: 7th Grade Math
April 20 - 24: 6th Grade Math
April 28 - May 7: 8th Grade ELA
May 11 - 19: 7th Grade ELA
May 20 - 29: 6th Grade ELA
June 1 - 5: 2nd Semester Science
Want to Try Your Hand at a Smarter Balanced Practice Test?
If you are interested in trying out some sample Smarter Balanced problems, students and parents can access complete practice tests in English and math for grades 3 through 8 and 11 at http://oaksportal.org/. Follow the student links and sign in as a guest.