Tumwater News
February 25, 2022
Principal 's Message
Dear Tumwater Families,
After the bitterly cold but sunny days last week, the daffodils in my yard began blooming this weekend. To me they embody the hope of spring and warm days of summer ahead. This year, they are a metaphor to the easing of pandemic protocols and the return to some traditional school events.
In this newsletter you'll find updates about lockers, Outdoor School, clubs and activities, academic competitions, forecasting for next year's classes, yearbooks, and volunteering opportunities. Ahhh . . . normalcy!
Thank you to all our students and families who participated in Family Conferences. If you haven't yet completed the exit survey, please consider sharing your feedback with us. It will help inform our plans for next school year. 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. 28 & March 1 Battle of the Books Pool Play
March 1 8th Gr. Celebration Planning Session, 6:30 pm
March 2 TMS Spelling Bee, 1st Period
March 6 8th Gr. Celebration Fundraiser - Dine Out at Bethany Public House, 11 am - 9 pm
March 7 Battle of the Books Championship Tournament
March 7-9 Theatre Auditions for Matilda
March 10 Early Release, school dismisses at 1:50
March 21- 25 No School - Spring Break
Be sure to check the calendars on ParentSquare and our school website (scroll to the bottom of the home page) for the school all school events.
Early Release Thursday, March 10th
BSD's calendar has been adjusted to include several Early Release days to provide staff adequate planning time to better prepare for and serve our students.
TMS students will be dismissed at 1:50 pm on the following days:
- Thursday, March 10
- Tuesday, April 19
- Thursday, May 26
- Tuesday, June 21
Early Release day we will follow an abbreviated bell schedule available here.
Math and Science Schedule Adjustment
Last Thursday we implemented an adjustment to our class schedule that changed the meeting pattern for math and science classes, eliminating the need for an A Day / B Day schedule.
Our schedule until now has math and science classes meeting for a single period one day and a double period on alternating days. Moving forward, math and science classes will meet daily for equal amounts of time.
Math and Science Teachers explained the schedule adjustment to their students on Wednesday and we began implementation on Thursday using these visuals:
Why make this change now? Students, teachers, and administrators have been advocating for this change for several months, and BSD middle schools recently received permission to move forward with the adjustment. We believe that the change will accomplish the following:
- Provide a more predictable, less confusing daily schedule for students (no more A/B Days)
- Allow for more consistent lessons for students and planning for teachers
- Provide adequate time in each class for lessons and inquiry labs
- Decrease the number of students in halls during each passing period.
Lockers
We have some long-awaited good news to share: over the next two weeks we will be assigning lockers to students. Teachers will provide instruction on how to use a combination lock, appropriate locker use and care, as well as how to use lockers as an organizational tool. If you have a combination lock at home, it may be helpful to let your child(ren) practice with it.
Each student will be assigned to their own locker, we're fortunate to not need to arrange locker partners. Please emphasize with your child(ren), the importance of keeping their combination to themselves and not sharing it with even their best friends. Staff will be available to help students who forget their locker combination or struggle to open their locker.
Our lockers are half-size, so students will find that they do not have room for additional shelves and decorations. Please consider waiting until your child(ren) have used their locker for a few weeks, before sending any of these items to school. Magnets can be used on the interior of the locker, but in order to protect locker surfaces, scotch tape and other adhesives are not allowed. The only exception is blue painter's tape. No exterior decorations will be allowed.
6th Grade Outdoor School - April 5-8
All TMS 6th Graders will have the opportunity to participate in a four day, Outdoor School day camp experience. April 5-8, our student scientists will visit Jordan Woods Natural Area, Henry Hagg Lake, Rood Bridge Park, and Trickle Creek Camp.
At Outdoor School, 6th graders learn in the outdoors while participating in hands-on, interactive, and experiential activities. Field study activities are designed to teach students about nature while actually being in nature, which promotes a curiosity about, and appreciation for, the natural world.
6th Grade Families - watch for permission slips, itinerary, and additional information coming home soon with your child(ren), as well as an invitation to chaperone these field trips.
Sunset High School Forecasting for 2022-23
Sunset High School visited TMS 8th Grade Advisory Classes this week to kick off the 9th Grade course selection process. Students received directions on how to access Sunset’s course selection materials as well as their program planning guide. Follow the link to view the Sunset Forecasting Presentation.
Sunset requests the completion and submission of course selection forms filled out by March 7th. 8th Grade families are asked to work with their child(ren) to complete their course selection form and return it to their Advisory Teacher on Thursday, March 3rd.
As you and your child fill out the SHS Course Selection Form, you'll find helpful information on the incredible SHS offereings in the Sunset High School Academic Planning Guide and Sunset’s Course Selection SPARK The presentation SHS Counselors shared with TMS students is available here.
Want to learn more? Sunset Counselors are holding open zoom sessions for students and families to join via Zoom on Tuesday, March 1st 6:00pm-8:00 pm and on Thursday, March 3rd from 7:30am-9:00 am.
All 8th grade students and families are invited to learn more at Sunset’s Course Showcases next week:
- Monday, February 28th - Welcome @ 5:30 pm, Math @ 6:30 pm & Technology @7:30 pm
- Tuesday March 1st - Social Studies @6:30 pm, Fine Arts @ 6:30 pm & Special Eduation @ 7:30 pm
- Wednesday, March 2nd - Science @ 5:30 pm, World Language @ 6:30 pm & ELD @ 7:30pm
- Thursday, March 3rd - English Language Arts @ 5:30 pm, Business @ 6:30 pm & AVID @ 7:30 pm
- Friday, March 4th - International Baccalaureate @ 5:30 pm, Health & PE @ 6:30 pm & Forecasting How To @ 7:30 pm
For the full Course Showcase schedule, February 28th - March 4th, including Zoom links - click here! Sunset will also be recording these events and posting them online for anyone who is unable to attend.
6th & 7th Grade Forecasting
Next week during Advisory, forecasting information will be shared with 6th & 7th graders. Information for families will be sent through ParentSquare and posted on the grade level Canvas pages for students and parents/guardians to review. Forecasting forms will be collected the following week.
Digital Literacy: Student Safety, Privacy, & Security
This month's Digital Literacy lessons focus on
Student Safety, Privacy, & Security. Last week 6th graders engaged in a lesson titled
Don't Feed the Fish where they learned how to identify and protect themselves from phishing attempts. 7th graders learned how data is compiled about an individual's online activity and how that shapes how organizations use that data in a lesson title
Big, Big Data. Next week 8th graders' lesson titled
Be Aware of What You Share teaches strategies to protect their privacy and security online.
Families are encouraged to talk with their child(ren) about these topics and to monitor their online activity on all devices, including phones and Chromebooks. Having access to and regularly reviewing your child's search history, videos viewed, social media posts and likes, and photos helps give parents/guardians insight to children's digital presence.
Here are two Commonsense.org family resources related to this month's lessons:
6th Grade needs your help to read great books!
The 6th grade Language Arts team has created a fun and engaging list of books to be used for Book Clubs. We are still building our collection in order to have enough copies for every 6th Grader. If you are able to help, please consider purchasing a book from our Amazon Wishlist to fill our shelves! You can view our wishlist and book club texts here.
Thank you so much for your support and happy reading!
Sign Up for the Spelling Bee
We're looking for Tumwater's best spellers to compete in the Scripps Spelling Bee and the Beaverton School District Spelling Bee.
Tumwater's Middle School Spelling Bee will take place during 1st Period on Wednesday, March 2nd. Students should use this form to sign up by the 2:00 pm Tuesday, March 1st. A hall pass will be given to students by their 1st Period Teacher on Wednesday morning.
Best of luck!
Rapids Math Counts Team heads to State Competition
Congratulations and best wishes to our Math Counts team members who qualified for the State Competition: Rishan Chakraborty, Ashvant Daniel, Audrey Hou
Keshav Karumbunathan, and Anshul Mantri will each compete as individuals at the state competition to be held at Chemeketa Community College on Saturday, March 5th.
Kudos to team advisor Mrs. Wegner for her dedication and support of our mathletes!
Meet Team Mission Impossible
Meet Team Mission Impossible of the 2021-2022 Oregon First Lego League Championship. This team comprised of (from Left to right: Aditya Thungathurti (6th grade TMS), Aryan Iyer (8th grade Meadow Park), Thilan Wijeratne (6th grade TMS), and Ronit Agrawal (6th grade TMS) recently won the Regional Qualifier Best Robot Performance Award, Regional Qualifier Champion Award and Oregon State Champion Award (2nd place) in the 2021-22 First Lego League competition. Watch out for their missions’ performance and project video on the team’s YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLCJFMPJEBuxQUh5NyHZ8qA.
After School Clubs & Activities
Over the past month, our After School Programs have expanded and we are thrilled with the number of students who are joining in these co-curricular activities.
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.
Tuesday & Thursdays
Soccer / Homework Club Currently Full
Speech and Debate Club Currently Full
THPRD Track & Field, 3:50 - 5:30 (no transportation provided)
Tuesdays
MathCounts Contact Ms. Wegner in C116
GSA Sign Up Here
Wednesdays
Dungeons & Dragons Sign Up Here
Thursdays
Black Student Union
Yearbook See Ms. Rick in A202
If you are picking your child up after their activity ends, please follow our regular parking lot routines of pulling as far possible and using the yellow curb zone for pick up. The yellow curb zone extends all the way around the u-turn. We appreciate drivers' consideration of the other drivers waiting to enter our parking lot and the back up that occurs on 118th.
Join the Yearbook Staff
Yearbook is an after school club that meets Thursdays after school. We are looking for a team of student photographers, designers, and writers who are interested in building both their technical and leadership skills. The club will also be responsible for publicity and distribution of the yearbooks.
Applications are available in the A203 Art Room and Student Information Center by the office. Applications are due Friday, March 4th by 3:50 pm.
Design the Yearbook Cover
Students are invited to submit a design for Tumwater's very first yearbook.
Art submissions are being accepted for the yearbook cover. All students are invited to submit one paper or digital artwork cover for Tumwater’s yearbook, Cover submissions are due by 3:50 pm on Friday, March 4th They should be turned in to Ms. Rick in Room A203 or emailed to jordan_rick@beaverton.k12.or.us (use "Yearbook Cover" in the subject line).
Bilingual Chicas Program
The Chicas Youth Development Program has open spots for new participants. If you are between 4th and 12th grade, sign up of this fun and exciting program. In these 90-minute weekly sessions you'll learn about personal growth, balanced living, community building, and many other topics!
Register now using this link: https://forms.gle/e1sAqAfkpgPougGV9
or give us a call at (503) 992-0078 ext. 201.
We look forward to meeting you!
4th Annual Special Education Parent Resource Fair
You are invited to participate in the 4th Annual Special Education Parent Resource Fair via Zoom on April 6, 2022 from 6-8pm!
Parents/guardians will have an opportunity to listen to presentations from different organizations and businesses that serve children with disabilities and their families! Parents will also have an opportunity to ask questions of the presenters after their formal presentations.
The fair will include presentations from:
To pre-register please visit: https://www.beaverton.k12.or.us/departments/special-education/parent-resource-fair
We hope to see you there!
OBOB Volunteers Needed Monday, 2/28 & Tuesday, 3/31
OBOB Battles are coming up on February 28th, March 1st and March 7th! OBOB Battles will be held in person at school during the school day. We need moderators and scorekeepers/timekeepers to help make the battles run smoothly. The opportunities are briefly described below:
OBOB Battle Moderator: This opportunity is to serve as a Moderator for our OBOB battles. The moderator is responsible for leading the battle which includes performing the coin toss, clearly asking questions to each team in order, determining correct responses, assigning points and handling challenges.
OBOB Battle Scorekeeper/Timekeeper: This opportunity is to serve as the Scorekeeper/Timekeeper for our OBOB battles. This role will include recording points assigned by the moderator during the battle and keeping time after the moderator has finished reading each question. This is a great opportunity to volunteer for the OBOB battles if you are unfamiliar with OBOB and would like to observe the battles without the responsibility of moderating.
Training will be provided for volunteers, however if you are unfamiliar with OBOB and would like to see what a battle looks like before signing up, this YouTube Video provides a good example of an OBOB battle. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtTsoHtGTLg
8th Grade Send-off Fundraiser Scheduled for Sunday, 3/6
Support the 8th grade celebration by dining at Bethany Public House on Sunday, March 6, 2022 from 11 am – 9 pm. Bethany Public House will donate 15% of your total bill to help support Tumwater 8th Grade Celebration. Takeout orders included!
See flyer for more info. 8th Grade Celebration: Planning Session on Tuesday, 3/1
The next planning session for 8th grade parents interested in helping plan the 8th grade celebration will be on Tuesday, March 1st at 6:30pm at Market of Choice in the upstairs area. Email Amber (amber.fer@frontier.com) if you are unable to attend.
February 2022 Tumwater PTO Community Meeting Minutes
The February Community Meeting included two guest speakers and updates from Principal Jill O’Neil and your Tumwater PTO Board. Highlights include:
- Information about Sunset High School
- Information about a proposed Beaverton School District bond
- An update on school activities and clubs
- A report on additional grants that your support funded
- TheTreasurer’s Report
- Approval of an amended budget
Read the full minutes & click through the slideshow to learn more. Remember to check out the action items for parents/guardians.
We look forward to seeing you at our next Community Meeting on Thursday, 4/7.
Questions? Email Hannah (tumwaterpto.president@gmail.com)
Tumwater Middle School
Building the knowledge and skills that empower students to change the world.
