ECMS Smoke Signals
Issue 4 May 6, 2016
FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S DESK
Dear ECMS family,
Peace always,
Schwanda Jackson, Ed.D
Proud Principal
Coweta Committed to Student Success
Vision
Our vision is to ensure the success of each student
Beliefs
We believe, as a learning community, we must continuously improve.
We believe, as leaders of learners, we must see students as volunteers in their learning.
We believe the Coweta County School System, in partnership with the family and the community, must focus on providing challenging, interesting and satisfying work for students.
We believe we are responsible for the success of each student.
Overall Goal
The Coweta County School System will provide high-level, engaging work for all learners and leaders to meet the needs of all stakeholders.
ATTENDANCE REMINDERS
Parents,
When your students return to school after an absence, please send in a note from the doctor or yourself explaining their absence. Have your student bring this note to the attendance office. You do not need to send a note to the teacher. Remember, picture ID is required when signing a student out early. When you call for a transportation change, such as a bus rider to a car rider, that needs to be in writing. Please fax the information to 770-599-1051 or e-mail me anytime before 2:45 in the afternoon. After that time we cannot interrupt classes for messages. If you are signing your student out early please come in before 3:00.
My e-mail address is pam.sweeney @cowetaschools.net.
I will reply to your email for confirmation of receipt.
Thank you, Pam Sweeney Attendance Clerk
6th GRADE TEAM TALK
Team Honor
Congratulations to all students for working so hard on the ELA Milestones! I am so proud of you all! The last 4 weeks of school will be spent reading Tuck Everlasting. Students will be completing a 260 point project and will also be taking open-book quizzes with a final test towards the end of the year. Please continue utilizing Google Classroom as I will post updates each week. Thank you for allowing me to teach your fabulous kids this year---they have grown so much and it has been a fantastic year!
This nine weeks we’ve been reviewing and gearing up to show mastery of content standards on the Milestone in Math!!! After the Milestone, we will begin previewing the 7th grade curriculum on integers. Students will understand that computation with positive and negative numbers is often necessary to determine relationships between quantities are often used to solve problems in everyday life. This has been an amazing year and remember to practice math skills over the summer!!
In Mrs. Paine's social studies class, students have revisited the geography, government, environmental issues, and economic systems of various countries. We are wrapping up the year by participating in creative projects like Castle Building (Medieval Times) and Shark Tank (economics). We will also spend the last couple of weeks of school previewing seventh grade standards so each student has some knowledge when beginning the next school year. Thank you for allowing me to teach your child. We have had an exceptional group of students this year!
Ms. Barnett’s science class has been out of this world…literally!! We have been studying about all of the things that are beyond Planet Earth including the moon, stars, galaxies and other planets. We have also been reviewing all of Earth Science to prepare for the Milestones End of Grade Test. We will conclude the year with Family Life and a preview of 7th Grade Life Science.
TEAM COURAGE
Mr. Schettini’s science classes have completed their exploration of the Universe and after some intense Milestones review will begin the Family Life lessons.
Mrs. Davis’ Language Arts classes have been rigorously preparing for the Milestones including content and test-taking strategies. Now we will be working on reading our last novel of the year, Tuck Everlasting, and introducing the 7th-grade concept of sentence structure. It has been a great year!
Mrs. Tysor’s Social Studies classes meticulously prepared for the Milestones by taking practice exams, reviewing study guides for each unit, learning test strategies, and playing review games. We want to get distinguished scores our exam! Currently, we are in the Middle Ages learning about all things Medieval. Next, we are headed to Africa to preview the 7th-grade curriculum.
In Mrs. Baker's Math classes we have been reviewing, reviewing, and reviewing some more to make sure they were prepared for the Milestones. It has been a great year. We will finish the year by introducing the 7th-grade concept of integers. We will be adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing integers to give your student a head start for next year!
Gifted
7th GRADE TEAM TALK
Team Tolerance
English/Language Arts
First, students are to be commended for their efforts in preparing for and taking the Milestones!
School continues with a focus on academics! The current unit of study centers on Christopher Paul Curtis’ novel, The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963, which looks at Civil Rights through the eyes of the young protagonist, Kenny. The novel study will be supplemented with non-fiction articles and will reinforce reading and writing skills. The daily warm up and vocabulary studies will continue with weekly quizzes. Please reiterate to your student the importance of remaining task oriented, well behaved, and focused as the school year concludes. I’ve enjoyed accompanying your students on their 7th-grade adventure!
Math
It is hard to believe that this school year is almost over. We were working very hard to review for our Milestones Test. In addition to finishing our last unit before the test covering probability and statistics, we are now venturing out into 8th grade standards. The focus will be on transformations in the coordinate system along with solving multi-step equations. My students will still be required to complete classroom assignments, homework, and tests. I appreciate your continued support. Thank you for the honor to be able to teach your child this year. I wish you a relaxing and safe summer.
Science
Our students are just beginning the venture into understanding Family Life. Yes, it is an exciting topic to discuss with our 7th graders. They are very engaged in the topic and I enjoy their enthusiasm. Family Life gives them an understanding of how making responsible choices when the are faced with pressures of having sex. The two-week course will be studied from May 2 - May 13, 2016. After the Milestones tests, the students created a School Year Standard Review booklet in which they covered each standard and added an illustration to show visuals associated with each standard and element.
Social Studies
This 9 weeks has been a whirlwind of activity as we worked to prepare for the Social Studies Milestones. We wrapped up South East Asia and promptly began reviewing information from previous world regions. Students did a great job and worked hard to prepare through not only in-class reviews but also through after school review sessions. Students were able to practice their specific weaknesses through assignments on Study Island and USA test prep. Following the Milestones, we will begin an enrichment activity - the ABC book - which will provide students with the opportunity to further explore a country of his or her choice. Finally, we will wrap up the year by previewing Georgia history and paving the way for a strong 8th-grade year!
Team Integrity
In Mrs. Richardson's Math class, students are currently working on 8th grade standards. They are learning about transformations. Afterwards, they will create and end the year with a transformation dance.
In Mr. Hancock's Language Arts class, the students are reading The Watson's Go to Birmingham by Christopher Paul Curtis. As they read this novel, students are sharpening their comprehension skills, and will also continue working on building their vocabulary and writing constructed responses.
In Mrs. Conrad's Science class, we are following state guidelines for our study of Family Life Education. We will conclude with information about the Immune System as part of our study of Human Body Systems.
8th GRADE TEAM TALK
Team Discovery
In Ms. DuCharme's Science class, the last nine weeks are spent reviewing for the Milestones and learning about Family Life. As we finish up Family Life, we will begin previewing what is to come in 9th-grade Biology. It is a jump start to 9th grade Science. Gifted and Advanced classes will be building roller coasters. Please remind your students that they year is not over and they need to stay focused right up until the last day of school. Science will have an exam on the last day of school
In Georgia History, the students worked very hard preparing for the Milestones End of the Year Test I am very proud of their efforts over the past few weeks. We are preparing for the Mock trials and previewing Civics for 9th grade.In Civics, we are working (Unit 7 and Unit 8) The American Legal System and The United States and the World.They will also be working on Mock Trials as well.
In Mrs. Griffith’s math classes, students have worked diligently in class preparing for the math portion of the Milestones testing that took place during the week of April 18-28. We have reviewed each of the math Common Core Georgia Performance Standards (CCGPS) over which students were assessed. In addition to the vigorous classroom instructional review that students participated in, students were also encouraged to attend the Milestones Math Blitz that took place from 3:30-5:00during the weeks of March 21st and March 28th. During this after school review time, students received additional, intensive Milestones prep, remediation, and enrichment as needed to prepare for the Milestones. During the month of May, students will also receive further review of the 8th-grade math standards and will begin applying the concepts we have mastered this year in order to enrich and begin previewing and working on mathematical standards students will begin mastering next year in 9th grade.
Team Discovery ELA is working hard to demonstrate their knowledge of dystopias. Students are reading The Maze Runner to help influence the creation of their own world. As we move through the projects, students will integrate vocabulary and other information from the year. Students are also working on understanding/mastering some ninth grade ELA standards.
Team Wisdom
Mr. Anander’s Math classes it is hard to believe, but the school year is almost coming to an end. We would like to thank our parents for their outstanding support throughout the year. Now, with the CRCT behind us, we will be focusing on project-based learning and introduction of 9th grade standards. Parents, please help us motivate your child to continue to strive for excellence. We will be working, and students will be earning grades until the last day of school. Again thank you for sharing your children with us
Mr. Bailey's Science classes are working on the Family Life lesson with emphasis on healthy relationships. After the Family Life lesson, we will be preparing for 9th-grade Biology by covering the first two chapters of the high school textbook and completing vocabulary cards.
Mrs. Eimer’s Social Studies classes and their study of Georgia’s history are quickly coming to an end. We have recently concluded our study of World War II, the Great Depression, and the Civil Rights Movement. We have also examined the importance of significant social, economic, and political developments in GA since 1970. We will be concluding by conducting mock trials in the classroom, with students learning firsthand the roles that citizens play in fulfilling civic duties.
Ms. Klein’s Language Arts classes: The fourth nine weeks is dedicated to Milestone preparation, enrichment, and previewing what is to come in 9th grade ELA classes. We will complete our last novel of the year, The Maze Runner. It is important for the students to remain focused as the remaining five weeks will complete the foundation needed for all students to have a meaningful and rewarding high school experience.
Media Center News
Check out our Media Center's Homepage this summer for access to free online books and a suggested summer reading list. To access this information, go to https://cowetaschools.follettdestiny.com and choose ECMS.
Have a great summer!
Mrs. Gordon
Clinic News
Parents,
ALL medications must be picked up by the last day of school, May 27. Any medicines not picked up will be disposed of, NO medications are kept over the summer.
Thank you.
Important Dates
Academic Dates
Fourth Nine Weeks Exams:
Wednesday, May 25: Math & Connections 1, 3, 5
Thursday, May 26: ELA & Connections 2, 4, 6
Friday, May 27: Science & Social Studies
Report Cards ready June 2
ECMS EVENTS
Important School Dates
Spring Athletic Banquet, Thursday, May 12 6:00p.m. - 7:00p.m.
Honors Day Friday, May 20
8th grade - 9:00 a.m.
7th grade - 11:45 a.m.
6th grade - 2:00 p.m.
Student accomplishments will be recognized in grade level programs.
Last Day of School, Friday, May 27
Public Notices
Asbestos:
Be it known that all schools in the Coweta County
School System have been duly inspected for
asbestos according to EPA regulations and an
Asbestos Management Plan is available at
each school.
Coweta County School System Complaint procedures:
http://www.cowetaschools.org/images/legal/2015/complaint_procedures_ccss.pdf
Parent Teacher Communication
Indian Inbox: Weekly email of intercom announcements made at school.
Sign up at the link below or go the ECMS’ website.
http://cowetaschools.us2.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=dac9b2c5ebf7f47bedea2fb92&id=f482a9e7b1
*If you participated in receiving information through Indian Inbox last year, you do not have to sign up again.
· Remind: Periodic text messages from ECMS.
Enter the phone number 678 552-2497 and text the message @ecmspar.
· Twitter: Real time good news about ECMS. Follow us at ECMS_Jackson
· Website: Visit our website often at http://www.cowetaschools.org/ecms/
· Phone calls: Monthly phone calls will be made regarding events for the month.
· Edmodo: See your classroom teachers
· Parent Portal: See the front office secretary to sign up
ECMS
Website: http://www.cowetaschools.org/ecms/
Location: 6291 Highway 16 West, Coweta County, GA, United States
Phone: 770 599-6607
Twitter: @ECMS_Jackson