Middle School Newsletter
Northland Innovation Center
SAGE Center Mission:
As the heart of the gifted community, the mission of the SAGE Center is to ensure all students, as members of a global society, foster their uniqueness, develop their potential, and embrace their true belonging through learning experiences distinguished by:
*Courageous exploration and discovery of passions in a flexible and innovative environment
*Support systems for students, staff, and community
*Ownership and self-regulation in a student-driven culture
High School Enrollment
It’s already time for the 8th grade SAGE students to think about enrolling for high school next year! Each NKC high school has a SAGE gifted resource specialist. All of them have been at the NIC this month, presenting information & working with the students on an initial four-year plan.
Your student has orange SAGE high school materials to share with you. Please don’t worry if they still have questions! This was only the first round of planning. We will continue to assist them & the HS SAGE teachers will return again.
Enrollment information will also be presented at each middle school & a parent information night held at each high school. Please look for your student’s high school SAGE advisor at those evening events.
Meanwhile, if you have questions, here is their contact information & the Freshman Info Night Dates.
High School: SAGE Specialist: Email: Info Night Date & Time:
North Kansas City Marcus Myers To Be Determined/ Not Yet Scheduled
Oak Park Lori Dameron March 6, 5-7pm
Staley Carol Toney Feb. 20, 5:30-8pm
Winnetonka Carrie Marcantonio Feb. 1, 6-7:30
There will also be informational nights held at North Kansas City High School on Feb. 7 and Feb. 13 at 7pm for the International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma program. Parents and students may pick one evening to attend. The program is the same each evening.
Guest Speaker
On January 8, 6th grade students had the opportunity to listen to three Sergeants from the Missouri Highway Patrol discuss crime scene investigation. These gentleman work together as a team to solve homicides throughout the state of Missouri. Students were able to hear about the problem-solving process for different phases of a crime scene investigations; such as working the scene for evidence, searching for clues using technology, and interviewing witnesses and suspects. Students also heard about the skills and necessary requirements to go into the forensic science field.
Program Goals
To provide curricula that focuses on more elaborate, complex, and in-depth study of major ideas, key concepts and themes that integrate knowledge within and across disciplines and encourages the use of higher-level thinking skills.
To provide curricula that sets high standards and that demands rigorous expectations for student work and performance demonstration.
To provide instruction that allows for the development and application of productive thinking skills and enables students to re-conceptualize existing knowledge and/or generate new understandings that deal with real-life problems and issues.
- To provide instruction that is flexibly paced and matched to the student’s ability, pre- assessment data, learning style, interest, and motivation.
- To provide opportunities for students to develop leadership and group interaction skills that allows student-centered discussion and Socratic questioning.
To require project based learning of gifted students that represents application, analysis, and synthesis of knowledge.
To encourage an environment that fosters a positive attitude toward creative challenges, investigative activity, and knowledge creation.
What We Are Learning
Computer Science
The Stock Market Challenge
It is a new year and it is a good time to be an investor. We have been discussing the record-breaking growth that the market is seeing right now and have been analyzing that why the market is doing so well. We have also been discussing that this is not always the case and that investments always carry a risk. The new focus for this semester has been looking at other investment opportunities such as bonds, and how bonds differ from stocks. Students are doing an excellent job of working with their teams to come up with strategies to either maintain their rankings or to make a move up the leaderboard. I continue to be impressed with the research being done and with the careful decision-making that the students are using.
First Lego League
Fab Lab
Unlocking the Mysteries of Science
Students have worked to fill out applications and write abstracts for their project and should be bringing home applications for a parent signature. Following completing their abstract, students are conducting background research and setting up test procedures. Within the next few weeks many tests will be conducted. Please have your student bring in a tri-fold board and any additional supplies they might need. Please contact Mrs. Torres with any questions.
Future City
Drones
Graphic Design
Broadcasting
Seminar
All perfectionism is not bad. Setting personal standards and pursuing excellence is important and healthy in many life situations. However, perfectionism can become unhealthy when it causes stress, pain, illness, procrastination, and underachievement. While not inclusive, some causes of perfectionism include a desire to please others, early successes and no failures at a young age, and difficulty setting realistic goals.
Healthy perfectionism
- Doing the best you can with the time and tools you have--and then moving on
- Setting high personal standards with a gentle acceptance of self
- Managing behaviors to not interfere with daily life
Unhealthy perfectionism
- Emphasizing and/or rewarding performance over other aspects of life
- Perceiving that one's work is never good enough
- Feeling continually dissatisfied about one's work--which can lead to depression, anxiety, and other physical symptoms
- Feeling guilty if not engaged in meaningful work at all times
- Having a compulsive drive to achieve, where personal value is based on what is produced or accomplished
Tips for Parents & Teachers in Managing Perfectionism
- Watch for signs of unhealthy perfectionism and intervene if necessary
- Adults should model a healthy approach and be aware of their own predispositions toward compulsive excellence
- Refrain from setting high, non-negotiable standards
- Emphasize the effort and process, not the end-result
- Do not withhold affection, support, or encouragement if goals are not met
- Teach your gifted child to manage perfectionistic behaviors and focus on positive self-talk
Middle School S.A.G.E Team
Shon Adamson
Cybersecurity & Drones
816-321-4009
Melissa Duffett
Stock Market & Odyssey of the Mind
melissa.duffett@nkcschools.org
Jennifer Koch
Graphic Design & Augmented Reality
816-321-6710
Cassandra Shaffer
Fab Lab
816-321-5988
cassandra.shaffer@nkcschools.org
Lara Owsley
Broadcasting
816-321-4216
Lara.bradleyowsley@nkcschools.org
Cassie Fogel
Lego Robotics, App Studio, Odyssey of the Mind
816-321-4605
Wendy Rust
Fab Lab
816-321-6558
Melissa Torres
Battle of the Brain & Mysteries of Science
816-321-8719
Northland Innovation Center
Website: http://www.nkcschools.org/page.cfm?p=2774
Location: 6889 North Oak Trafficway, Gladstone, MO, United States
Phone: 816-321-5350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Northland-Innovation-Center/1063895487035799
Twitter: @NKC_SAGE