Tumwater News
February 11, 2022
Principal 's Message
Dear Tumwater Families,
Brisk, sunny winter days are among my favorites. They fill me with hope about the coming spring and chase away memories of the dark, rainy winter. There is much that fills me with hope right now. Our students are forming and joining clubs, leaning into engaging classwork, and lending a helping hand when they see the need.
With the improving health indicators in our community, we're looking forward to bringing back some of the features students seem to look forward to most in middle school, including more time for socializing with friends before school, enjoying lunch with all their grade level classmates, after school socials, and lockers. We don't have the green light yet, but plans are being made so we are ready to adjust quickly to any relaxing of our current protocols. In the meantime, please encourage your child(ren) to consistently used our layered protocols of correct mask-wearing indoors, frequent hand washing, and social distancing.
Next week, our students and teachers are looking forward to hosting Family Conferences to highlight student success, reflect on student learning so far this year, and set goals for second semester. Student-led conferences put students at the center of the conversation about their learning and lay a strong foundation for reflections and self-advocacy throughout the rest of their educational journey. If you have questions about a specific class anytime throughout the year, you are encouraged to contact the teacher directly.
Warmly,
Jill O'Neill
Principal
Upcoming Events
Feb. 11 TMS Theatre presents Puffs, 7 pm
Feb. 12 TMS Theatre presents Puffs, 3 pm and 7 pm
Feb. 14 Spirit Day: Wear pink, red, and/or white
Feb. 15 Early Release Day, School dismisses at 1:50 pm
Feb. 17 & 18 Family Conferences; No School
Feb. 21 Presidents Day - No School
Feb. 22 Staff Development Day - No school for students
Be sure to check the calendar on ParentSquare and our school website (scroll to the bottom of the home page) for the school all school events.
Early Release Tuesday, Feb. 15th
Recently Superintendent Grotting communicated with BSD families about five upcoming Early Release days. Our calendar has been adjusted to ensure that our staff has adequate planning time to better prepare for and serve our students.
TMS students will be dismissed at 1:50 pm on the following days:
- Tuesday, February 15
- Thursday, March 10
- Tuesday, April 19
- Thursday, May 26
- Tuesday, June 21
Our first Early Release day is this Tuesday and we will follow an abbreviated bell schedule available here.
MYP Global Contexts
Teaching and learning in the MYP is centered around conceptual understanding in context. Global contexts provide the context for conceptual learning. When teachers select a global context for their units of study, they are addressing the following questions:
Why are these concepts important?
Why is this material important for the students to understand?
Why do students care about this topic?
How do we make the content students are learning relevant to their everyday lives?
The global contexts are the lens through which a unit of instruction is taught. There are six global contexts:
Identities and relationships explore who we are, and our relationships with friends, families, communities, and cultures.
Orientation in space and time explores where we are in place and time, our histories, and the interconnectedness of cultures through time.
Personal and cultural expression explores how we express ourselves and how different cultures express important aspects of their culture.
Scientific and technical innovation explores how the world works, the natural world and it’s laws, and the interaction between the natural world and human societies.
Globalization and sustainability explores the interconnectedness of human-made systems and economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
Fairness and development explores our rights and responsibilities in the sharing of finite resources and the relationships within and between global and local communities.
Book Wish List
We're making progress! 7th grade families have helped us reach 15% of our dystopia book goal! Still want to save the day and help us fill our bookshelves? Then consider donating a book and helping us get the materials for a grade-level dystopian book club unit. Our Amazon wish list continues to be updated and can be accessed here. Thank you to all of the people who have already donated--we appreciate your generosity!
Medications
If your student needs access to ANY medications while at school (including over the counter medications such as Ibuprofen or Acetaminophen (Tylenol)) the following process MUST be followed:
1) A parent or guardian must bring the medication to school.
2) A medication authorization form MUST be completed.
3) If the student is going to “self-carry” the medication the authorization must be signed by the parent/guardian, student AND School Nurse. This process MUST be completed PRIOR to the student “carrying” it at school.
If you have questions, please contact Heather O’Leary, RN, BSN at (503)998-7743 or heather_o’leary@beaverton.k12.or.us
Verna Bailey Be the Change Award
Our district is starting a new yearly award to honor Verna Bailey, a long time BSD administrator. The intent of the award is to provide leadership opportunities for students of color in order to make their school a better and more inclusive place.
This award is meant for students of color who are currently attending 6th or 7th grade in the Beaverton School District who believe that building empathy for others, increasing racial awareness, and promoting social justice are crucial elements to foster a just and supportive community. Students will create a project in their 7th or 8th grade year, with the assistance of a faculty advisor, that seeks to build awareness of these issues and to foster community.
A monetary award of up to $200.00 will be granted to the successful candidate to help accomplish their project goals. Applications should be completed by March 15. Finalists will then be scheduled for a Zoom interview, and final decisions will be announced by May 1."
Up to five students from across the district will be chosen this year.
Here is the
link to the online application for students to fill out.
After School Clubs
Our After School Program gained momentum this week, with the addition of a few clubs and bus transportation. Bus transportation and several of our clubs are supported by the Beaverton Education Foundation in an effort to enhance the connection of students to school and support their academic success. All clubs meet from 3:50 - 4:50 pm.
To sign up for a club, please follow the link for parent/guardian permission slips.
Tuesdays
MathCounts Contact Ms. Wegner
GSA Sign Up Here
Wednesdays
Dungeons & Dragons Sign Up Here
Tuesday & Thursdays
Soccer / Homework Club Currently Full
Speech and Debate Club
Thursdays
Black Student Union
Information about the Yearbook Club will be coming soon.
Black Student Union
The Black Student Union we will be meeting on Thursdays from 3:50 pm – 4:50 pm.
In this club students can have an affinity space to grow and feel safe. The main mission is to provide students the opportunity to come together, build community, and create a space where students can share their experiences, and allow others to better understand those experiences and issues that impact Black students. There will be conversations about their current concerns both academic and personal, to conduct homework help or engage in productive discussions. Other activities could include book clubs, participating in ways to enact change. Everyone is welcome to join, regardless of racial or cultural differences. Club diversity allows for deeper connections, rich discussions, inclusion, and acceptance. We encourage our students to explore how their personal experiences and perspectives can impact our greater school community through their actions and efforts to enact change.
Speech and Debate Club
Tumwater's Speech and Debate Club is an after-school club modeled after its prestigious Sunset High School counterpart. It’s led by members of the Sunset Speech and Debate team who have experience running a similar organization in Stoller. Members will build analytical skills essential for students who intend to pursue a career in STEM or the social sciences. This club prepares students at Tumwater for the classes they will be taking in high school that require strong argumentation and critical thinking. The club will meet every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:50pm to 4:50pm. Club members will learn about a variety of speech and debate events, before competing in a mock tournament at the end of the semester alongside their sister club at Stoller. More opportunities may be available as the season progresses.
Virtual STEM Fair
The
Tumwater virtual STEM Fair began January 13, 2022 and ends February 25, 2022. There is still room for projects in every category so the deadline for posting projects is extended through the end of the fair. This includes projects that would like to go to NWSE included.
Students are posting a slide deck with 3 minute video about their science, technology, engineering, or math projects. Any student attending classes at Tumwater Middle School is encouraged to visit the site and share comments using the Feedback Form. This feedback will help choose which projects will be encouraged to move on to the BSD MS Fair.
Students should contact Ms.Hoffar or Ms. Duncan for more information when they are ready to post.
Message from the K-12 COVID Screening Program team at OHSU
With the omicron variant surging, we are seeing more students testing positive for COVID. Those students who test positive should not participate in our program for 90 days after receiving their results, as they will continue to test positive during this time period. These repeat positive tests consume testing supplies and staff time, and distract us from helping students who are healthy or are just being diagnosed with COVID for the first time. Students with a positive result do not need to opt-out of the program, but they do need to pause their participation until the 90-day period has ended.
Science Bowl Results
The Science Bowl team earned an honorable 10th place with teams from across Oregon and Washington. Special thanks to Dr. Poulami Mitra from University of Portland for enriching the team’s knowledge, confidence, and strategies for remembering key science concepts. Congrats to the TMS Science Bowl Team!
World Language Adoptions Project Team: Now Accepting Applications
BSD is currently seeking Project Team members to join us in the curriculum adoption process. Please help us spread the word. Teachers, students, parents, guardians, administrators, and community members are encouraged to apply. The Project Team is an important part of the BSD Quality Curriculum Cycle (QCC) and makes curriculum adoption recommendations to the School Board.
More information can be found HERE. Below are the links to the applications. The deadline for submitting this is February 11th.
Sunset Youth Lacrosse
Sunset Youth Lacrosse Registration is in full swing for spring 2022! SYL serves boys and girls grades 1-8 that live in the Sunset High School boundary.
Spring season for grades 3 - 8 officially starts the week of February 28th! Games will start after Spring Break and go through late May/early June. Grades 1-2 start mid-April.
If you are interested in playing, please visit www.sunsetlacrosse.com and review the Youth drop down and pages. For all questions, feel free to reach out to syl.president@gmail.com.
We are thrilled to be able to offer a fun sport to our young Sunset players and look forward to seeing them all in purple once again!
Tumwater Middle School
Building the knowledge and skills that empower students to change the world.
