The Wildcat Pride
February/March 2019
Welcome!
Twitter: @QCMSWildcats
Facebook: Queen Creek Middle School
A Note from Dr. Wolfe
Greetings Wildcats,
On Monday, we welcomed our Wildcats back to campus and we are excited to finish the school year strong. In our January newsletter, we reviewed student safety. In particular, the usage and dangers of E-Cigarettes and vaporizers (vapes) was discussed and my hope is that you found the information to be educational and that you were able to review it with your child. This month, we will review a few study skills that can be used to help your child succeed academically in their coursework and on various assessments.
As we begin the 4th quarter, 8th grade students are completing the AIMS science assessment and all students will be completing the AzMERIT assessment. The AzMERIT assessment is 5 parts including writing, reading parts I and II, and math parts I and II. As parents and guardians, your support is critical to student success. Additionally, the study habits below can help improve their daily academic performance as well as their performance on assessments according to Teens Health (2016):
· Get plenty of rest/sleep
· Start the day with a healthy breakfast
· Study and prepare – the more prepared the less you have to worry
· Focus on each question individually
· Relax
Please encourage and motivate your child to put forth their best effort during each assessment and for the remainder of the 4th quarter. We have 8 weeks remaining and must remain committed to finishing the year with #wildcatpride.
The success of each child is a collaborative effort between the school, student, and parent/guardian. We appreciate your continued partnership and support of Queen Creek Middle School.
Sincerely,
Dr. Wolfe
Principal
Queen Creek Middle School
Athletics Spotlight
QCMS Wildcats had an amazing third quarter. The wrestling team had a total of six wrestlers on the podium during the EVC Championship on March 2nd. Porter Reynolds placed 1st in his weight class. Huge Wildcat roar to these athletes!
QCMS Pom had an equally amazing year. Their first place at the United Spirit Association qualified them for Nationals in Anaheim, California, where they represented Queen Creek Middle School and the Queen Creek School District with pride.
Our last sports for the year will be girls soccer, boys volleyball, track & field and golf. Tryouts for these sports will begin on March 26, 2019. Just a reminder, all students must have a physical and permission slip to tryout. If you have any questions please contact Mrs. Nichols at bnichols@qcusd.org.
Counselor Connection
After meeting with the 8th graders, we completed registration with the 6th and 7th grade students. It was great seeing each student get excited discussing classes for next year!
In addition to registration, the counselors met with the WEB Leaders to explore SMART goals and help them create their own personal and academic SMART goals. It will be exciting to watch them make progress on their goals.
Lastly, we were very grateful for having the opportunity to attend the Arizona School Counselors Association conference earlier this month. We were able to attend multiple sessions to learn new skills and network with our colleagues.
Don't forget to check us out on Twitter! @QCMSCounseling
AVID Monthly
Please enjoy the following updates from AVID!
- 6th grade AVID recruitment night was held earlier this month at the district office.
- All 6th and 7th grade AVID applications for next year were due to Mrs. Reed on March 6th, however she will accept late applications if necessary. Please contact her at sreed@qcusd.org if you need an application.
- AVID interviews for next year will take place at school during the last week of March.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support (PBIS)
Employee of the Month
Ms. Myers was chosen as Employee of the Month for March. Ms. Myers works endlessly to ensure she is prepared to teach and challenge her students daily, while also helping her fellow colleagues.
Congratulations Mr. Vanney and Ms. Myers!
The month of love
Random Acts of Kindness Week
Career Day
Geography Bee
The Life of a Film Maker
Leader of the Pack Breakfast
Congratulations to the QCMS Band!
Step into the Nurse's Office
Heart Disease: It Can Happen at Any Age
Heart disease doesn’t happen just to older adults. It is happening to younger adults more and more often. This is partly because the conditions that lead to heart disease are happening at younger ages. February is Heart Month, the perfect time to learn about your risk for heart disease and the steps you need to take now to help your heart.
Many of the conditions and behaviors that put people at risk for heart disease are appearing at younger ages:
High blood pressure- Millions of Americans of all ages have high blood pressure, including millions of people in their 40s and 50s. About half of people with high blood pressure don’t have it under control. Having uncontrolled high blood pressure is one of the biggest risks for heart disease and other harmful conditions, such as stroke.
High blood cholesterol- High cholesterol can increase the risk for heart disease. Having diabetes and obesity, smoking, eating unhealthy foods, and not getting enough physical activity can all contribute to unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Smoking- More than 37 million U.S. adults are current smokers, and thousands of young people start smoking each day. Smoking damages the blood vessels and can cause heart disease.
Obesity- Carrying extra weight puts stress on the heart. More than 1 in 3 Americans—and nearly 1 in 6 children ages 2 to 19—has obesity.
Diabetes- Diabetes causes sugar to build up in the blood. This can damage blood vessels and nerves that help control the heart muscle. Nearly 1 in 10 people in the United States has diabetes.
Physical inactivity- Staying physically active helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy. Only 1 in 5 adults meets the physical activity guidelines of getting 150 minutes a week of a moderate-intensity activity.
Unhealthy eating patterns. Most Americans, including children, eat too much sodium (salt), which increases blood pressure. Replacing foods high in sodium with fresh fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure. But only 1 in 10 adults is getting enough fruits and vegetables each day. A diet high in trans-fat, saturated fat, and added sugar increases the risk factor for heart disease.
4 Ways to Take Control of Your Heart Health
You’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your heart. Learn how to be heart healthy at any age.
Don’t smoke. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, reach out to learn how to quit.
Manage conditions. Work with your health care team to manage conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This includes taking any medicines you have been prescribed. Learn more about preventing and managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Make heart-healthy eating changes. Eat food low in trans-fat, saturated fat, added sugar and sodium. Try to fill at least half your plate with vegetables and fruits, and aim for low sodium options. Learn more about how to reduce sodium.
Stay active. Get moving for at least 150 minutes per week. You can even break up the 30 minutes into 10-minute blocks. Learn more about how to get enough physical activity.
Find more Information at CDC.gov/features/heartmonth
Wildcat Trivia
A) Reading
B) Attending spring training games
C) Traveling to California
D) Walking his dog
Answer: B