MMS Newsletter
“ENTER TO LEARN, STRIVE TO ACHIEVE!”
Mission Statement
The Mission of Middletown Middle School is to engage students as 21st century learners who strive to achieve their goals. We support students through rigor and active participation within a culture of cooperation, organization, determination and excellence to prepare our students for college and careers.
A publication for Middletown Middle School students, staff, parents, and the Middletown community.
At Middletown Middle we enter to learn and strive to achieve.
Upcoming Events
Administrative and Office Announcements
Following the tragic events that took place at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida last month, some students across the country decided to participate in walk-out demonstrations on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. At our school, we focused on learning and on the variety of ways we can work together to express concerns, advocate for and promote school safety.
While we believe that young people, as future voters, business owners and community leaders, benefit from engagement in issues and debates that face our nation, and that they have a right to speak about important issues and be heard, FCPS does not condone student walk-outs due to safety concerns that could result.
At about 9:45 a.m., our students and staff listened as I shared some thoughts about the school safety, student advocacy and activism.
While a small number of our students participated in a brief walk-out, the vast majority remained engaged inside the school. As students who walked out remained respectful in complying with instructions for an orderly return to the building, disciplinary actions were not required. Students who walked out were carefully supervised and were safe at all times.
I’m especially proud of the students who remained in school today, in consideration for their safety and their peers. I appreciate that those who chose to participate in the walk-out conducted themselves in a safe and orderly manner. I commend our law enforcement partners for the extra work they did today ensuring school safety.
Other Administrative Announcements
Our students and staff have been doing some amazing things here at Middletown Middle. If you have recently visited the school, you may have noticed that our Student Government designed new banners for our front lobby. The students designed banners that showcase Knight Pride, our Knight’s Code, and our school’s motto: Enter to Learn, Strive to Achieve. We also recently hosted the incoming 6th grade parent orientation night. Several of our students helped during this event by leading parent groups throughout the building. A big thank you to our PTSA for supporting orientation night and providing refreshments to those who attended.
We also want to take the opportunity to thank our parents and guardians for your help with our 8th grade science testing. Our 8th grade students recently completed the Maryland Integrated Science Assessment (MISA) and students did a great job during test administration. We look forward to another positive experience during PARCC testing later this spring.
Interims are available electronically to parents via HAC. We will continue to print and provide a copy to students for the remainder of this school year. We will transition to electronic interims for the 2018-2019 school year.
And, One More
Finally, over the past week, there have been lots of rumors across Frederick County about schools not being safe. Middletown Middle School has not been excluded from these rumors. We are pleased that individuals are coming forward to share their safety concerns with staff. MMS administrators and law enforcement have investigated all reports made and found that there is no credible threat to our school safety.
I ask that parents please use this opportunity to remind your child that we take any potential threat to school safety, even rumors, offhand comments, and jokes, extremely seriously. The safety of our school is our most important responsibility. I also ask for parents to not rely on social media if they hear rumors regarding our school safety, but instead contact our school or the authorities if they have questions or need to report something they have heard.
Please also remind your child to report concerns about safety to a trusted adult at school. As always, students or parents with concerns about safety should contact any of our administrators or a school counselor. We investigate and follow up on every concern.
Open communication between families, students, staff, and administrators will help ensure that MMS continues to be a safe and productive place for learning.
It’s a privilege to work with all of our students and families.
Thank you,
Everett Warren, Principal
School Counselors
Opportunities
Knights T-shirt Fundraiser
Looking for a new, unique Knights t-shirt??? For $23 you can buy a limited edition shirt and support education in a small Mexican community. For the last 5 summers Ms. Burrall (Spanish teacher) has been volunteering as Summer Program Coordinator for Lantern Hill, a small non-profit in Baja California, Mexico. Seeing lives being changed through education is nothing short of miraculous, especially in a place where finishing (or even starting) high school is almost unheard of. Proceeds from this sale help provide school scholarships, supplies, food and support the tutoring and summer programs offered to approximately 60 children in the community. Shirt is available in unisex and ladies cut. All sales are online and available only until March 20. Choose bulk shipping to save shipping costs and Ms. Burrall will contact you when the shirts are delivered.
https://www.customink.com/fundraising/knights4education
Typing Club
Mrs. Duvall is starting up a typing club for the spring. This club aims for students to practice their typing skills and to become faster and more fluent typers! If your child is interested in signing up, we will be meeting after school on Wednesdays twice a month and sometimes during ELT. Students must have a signed permission form from Mrs. Duvall to attend. See Mrs. Duvall for permission forms!
Service Learning Activity
“Pennies for Patients” - Service learning links academic learning with student service that benefits the community. All social studies classes (6th-8th) are participating with this fundraiser. Students will collect money for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society whose goal is to find cures for blood cancers.
The fundraiser will start on March 5 and go until March 23. Students can refer back to the fundraiser by going to their google classroom and accessing the slides for this activity. Donations can also be made online for each teacher’s class (see slides for “Pennies for Patients” on google classroom).
2018-19 Athletics Information
News from Advanced Academics
It’s hard to believe Summer is right around the corner, but it is! With that brings opportunities for continued learning and enrichment for students. If you are interested in enrichment activities and camps for your middle schooler, check these out! Dates, cost and application process varies by opportunity. Please see websites for details:
Army Educational Outreach Program / Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science
(GEMS) Program
From their website: http://www.usaeop.com/frederick/
“GEMS at Fort Detrick brings local students into the cutting-edge world of U.S. Army Research and Development. Designed for 5th through 11th grade students of all academic abilities in the 2017-2018 school calendar, GEMS promises a hands-on experience that will excite.
Courses are 4 days long and start on June 25th. During this time, student groups work with young aspiring scientists called Near-Peers. Students navigate a curriculum that local Fort Detrick education specialists and researchers developed just for your student.
All programs are completely free of charge to students and families. A stipend of $100 will be awarded to those who participate to offset the cost of transportation.
You must register online by midnight on March 31, 2018.”
University of Maryland TERP Discovery
From their website: https://oes.umd.edu/middle-high-school-students/terp-discovery
“Terp Discovery welcomes academically talented middle school students to an outstanding learning opportunity at the University of Maryland. For two weeks, students expand their skills and experience an early immersion into campus life. Terp Discovery is designed for students to challenge themselves, develop social skills, and discover the possibilities at UMD.
Terp Discovery scholars are exposed to intensive learning through high standards and expectations. In the classroom, innovative instructors encourage creative problem solving as students attend class and work on projects. Open to rising 7 and 8 grade students, acceptance is competitively based on academic performance and recommendation.”
Maryland Summer Centers for Gifted & Talented Students
www.marylandpublicschools.org/summercenters
Maryland Summer Centers for Gifted and Talented Students are sponsored by the Maryland
State Department of Education and are held in locations throughout the state.
Please email Dianne.Thompson@fcps.org if you have questions about applications or if you would like help looking for other summer opportunities for your child.
Art News
Mrs. Severn’s classes - The Maryland State Department of Education’s Office of Fine Arts has recognized Helen Bartman for her participation in the Maryland State Treasury Spring Student Artwork Show. Her work will be exhibited and admired until October, 2018. Congratulations Helen!
Creative Arts Grade 7
Students are beginning the Central American Arts Unit. They will be learning some dance steps and dance to music originating from Mexico. They will learn about the Panamanian craft of Mola. Also, students will work with clay and make bowls using the coil technique. They will be using Central and Native American symbols and glyphs as the subject for their glazed bowl designs.
Culture Poster
Roni Magidson Grade 7
Visual Arts Grade 6
Students have completed their African inspired mask unit. The masks look fantastic! They are now working with a grid drawing technique and pencil values to create realistic drawings.
African Cat Mask
Chloe Panico Grade 6
Ms. Singleton's classes - We have so many exciting things happening in Visual Art this term!
The 7th graders have been exploring the principle of design balance, by learning about Alexander Calder and creating their own work of art inspired by the famed mobile artistian.
This piece was created by Bennett Lacy
and features a rather hungry looking shark, shy mollusk,
adventurous octopus, beautiful orange coral, and a very happy
little clown fish. All amazingly sculpted from paper.
This colorful creation was created by 8th grader Taylor Horseman.
Her rainbow of color adds character and interest to this animal skull.
She neatly built up the color using tempera paint and mixing her own concoctions of color from just red, yellow and blue, white and black.
Mr. Auleta's Creative Arts
The second half of the year has brought new students and many creative minds to creative arts. We have completed our Teen Culture posters where the students compared their teen culture with their parent's. Star Wars seems to span generations! Students are now finishing up our Dance Around the World Unit where they are learning about different dances from countries all around the world. I’m looking forward to the presentations and dance demonstrations that they have been working so diligently to complete. Some things to look forward to: Theater Unit, Music Unit (Can you create an instrument that make multiple notes?) and our African Unit.
Career & Technology Education
Mr. Seiler
Grade 6 - Technology Exposition
Students will be starting another vehicle, Air Sled, after completing the current activity. We may have time to start another building project prior to starting the safety unit.
Grade 8 - Problem Solving
Students are starting the aerodynamic unit this week. They will be learning about flight and the different components needed for planes to fly. Students will be using a wind tunnel to test lift and drag for a wing they built.
Mr. Lipscomb
Invention and Innovation (7)
Students have been learning a systematic approach to solving technological problems. They are applying these new skills to several challenges including a foil boat that can hold weight, a musical instrument made with straws, and a paper tower that can hold a can of soup at the top.
Follow me on Twitter: @LipscombLand. My website is www.LipscombLand.blogspot.com.
Mrs. Ledford
Food Science
Food Science students have been busy creating their class compost buckets and working on their entries for the Frederick County Department of Solid Waste Management's "Recycle Right" contest. We will be planting basil and parsley soon so that it will be ready for harvesting when we cook our Pizzadillas! The students are also getting ready for the "Food Museum" project where they will research and prepare presentations about the history of food in the US.
Mrs. Stuart
6th Grade World Language
Students are currently studying German. They are learning German greetings, courtesy, classroom objects, colors, numbers, months, days, and telling time.
7th and 8th Grade Life Skills
Students are finishing up their Finance Unit. In this unit they have explored their personal interests and values to learn about some possible career choices for the future. They have also learned about a saving, investing, credit scores, identity theft, and taxes. Soon they will be starting their sewing unit where they will learn and practice how to hand sew including sewing on a button. They will also be producing a sewing project on the sewing machine.
Mr. Auleta
Communication Technique (Comm Tech.)
Students had a great time creating their PSAs on why computer science is important. Roni Magidson represented our class at the FCPS Tech Fair and won third place for the PSA that she and Peyton Hollis created! Peyton represented us in the Gamestar Competition, but unfortunately he did not place. Congratulations on a job well done! We are currently taking a deeper look at coding to create animations and games where they are learning about how variables work in code, how functions work, how random numbers work, and how loops work. This is just part of what they are learning in this unit! Who knows, maybe we'll have the creator of the next great animated film or video game coming your way soon!
Mrs. Duvall
Lab 21
In Lab 21, we are currently in the midst of our theme park project! Students are working hard in teams on a hypothetical scenario project that has them designing a theme park idea from its concept to every last detail! At the end of the month, they will compete to be the theme park selected to be chosen to be "built" in Frederick County. There will be opportunities for parent volunteers in this project if your child is currently in Mrs. Duvall's class, so stay tuned for an email later this week on how you can help!
Foreign Language
World Languages
Spanish I and Spanish II students are studying “city” vocabulary. While Level I students are learning places, modes of transportation and reviewing how to express location, Level II students are working on discussion skills by comparing ancient and modern cities and giving directions. In other words, next time you travel to a Spanish speaking city, they are ready to guide you! French I students are currently studying “family” and are working on a family tree project. Continue to encourage all your World Language students to study their vocabulary daily!
Language Arts
6th Grade
6th grade Language Arts is diving into the world of non- fiction. We are not only making claims but learning to support those claims with substantial and relevant text evidence. Please encourage your student to read every day whether it is non- fiction or fiction.
7th Grade
7th grade students are working on writing arguments. We will practice organization and supporting ideas with evidence through debates, and students will progress to a formal argument essay. Teachers would like to remind students to study Word Wizard lists as quizzes are cumulative.
8th Grade
In 8th grade Language Arts, students are writing Shakespearean sonnets. Students will be illustrating sonnets on the school sidewalk on International Day of Happiness, March 20! This is preparation to read Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. We are also preparing for our final research simulation benchmark. Word study continues.
Literacy Specialist
The Frederick County Reading Council (FCRC) is an organization of educators who volunteer to work on various literacy projects that reach the wider community in Frederick County. Some of their outreach programs include distributing books for families in need during the holidays, reading to children (including Spanish and sign language interpreters) in the FSK mall, and providing books for our laundromat literacy project.
If you have ever used a laundromat, you know that you are a captive audience while you wait for your clothes to wash and dry. The Laundromat Literacy program was created to offer a variety of books, ranging from baby board books to children’s stories to young adult/adult literature, for people to read freely while they wait for their clothes to wash and dry. The sole intention of the program is to get books into the hands of people who may not have access to the library or to the bookstore. The books are free to use while there, to take home and return, or to take home and keep. All of the books are donated and a core group of volunteers from FCRC ensures that they are continually restocked.
If you would like to help with the Laundromat Literacy campaign, we will be collecting donated books at MiMS. There is a laundry basket by the front office with a “Laundromat Literacy” sign where you can drop off books that your family is no longer using. Please remember us when you have books that you would like to pass on so that we can share them with someone who may just need a good book to read while they wait for their clothes to dry!
If you would like more information about FCRC, we are pleased to invite you to find us online! Check out our brand new website at www.fredcoreads.weebly.com, like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/fredcoreads, and follow us on Twitter @fredcoreads.
Mathematics Department
6th Grade teachers Mrs. Byrd, Ms. Clipp & Mrs. Newkirk will be beginning their study on Ratios and Proportions once students complete their Benchmark #2 by March 16th. Currently, students have been working on solving one step equations involving decimals.
7th Grade teachers Mrs. Franklin, Mrs. Pond & Mrs. Lingg will be beginning their study of probability with relation to populations once students finish up their Benchmark #2 over the next week.
8th Grade teachers Mrs. Phillips, Mr. Working & Mrs. Cline are wrapping up solving systems of equations then will be moving into their unit on transformations before their Benchmark is to be given in early April.
Mathematics Specialist
As the year progresses, I get a lot of requests from parents wanting extra resources for their child on various topics to continue with and practice. Below are some resources that can be referenced:
Negative numbers: http://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/absolutevalue/add-sub-negatives/v/negative-numbers-introduction
Positive and negative integers: http://www.mathsisfun.com/positive-negativeintegers.html
Absolute value: http://www.mathsisfun.com/numbers/absolute-value.html
Coordinate plane: http://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-sixth-grade-math/cc-6thgeometry-topic/cc-6th-coordinate-plane/v/the-coordinate-plane
Converting fractions to Decimals: http://www.mathsisfun.com/convertingdecimals-fractions.html
Decimals and Fractions: http://www.khanacademy.org/math/cc-seventh-grademath/cc-7th-fractions-decimals/cc-7th-fracs-to-decimals/v/decimals-and-fractions
Media Center
A huge thank you to all the people who sent in magazines over the past year. We now have enough for a while. If the need arises again, I will know who to ask for donations!!
I am still looking for donations of yarn as I prepare a Makerspace area for the media center. Crocheting and knitting are two of the handicrafts I hope to offer to students but still need materials. Any donations can be dropped off in the front office. Please just be sure to attach a note that indicates the materials are for the media center. Thank you!
The Black Eyed Susan program is going well. So far we have 14 students who have read all ten and will be attending the pizza party in early May. Students can read these ten great titles until the end of April if they want to be part of this program.
Band and Orchestra
The band and orchestra students are in full swing learning music for their Spring concerts and community events. The MMS Jazz Band is an auditioned group of students, grades 6-8, that rehearses after school and will also perform at the Spring concert in May as well as the MHS Jazz Cafe. Come check us out on May 16 & 17 at 7pm in the MHS auditorium!
Physical Education & Health
PE is excited to be offering the first Student vs. Teacher basketball game!! The games will take place on March 23, 2018, during PE times. Not only will the top basketball teams get a chance to challenge the teachers, but our top 2 Hoops for Heart raisers from each grade will get to participate as well. During the intermission of games, other students will have an opportunity to compete in free throw competitions and other shoot games. Stay tuned for who can trump the teachers!
Science
Sixth grade
6th grade is wrapping up their studies of Natural Hazards. Students have worked to study different types of natural hazards and understand if they are surface or interior events. Students then worked in groups to create Public Service Announcements to advise others about the damages caused by these hazards and the technologies available to mitigate their effects. Some students made contact with science professionals to find their information-- speaking to scientists at the National Tsunami Warning Center in Alaska and consulting with volcanologists in Hawaii!!
We will be moving on to our study of the Human Body and beginning with parts of a cell and cell structure.
Seventh grade
All seventh grade Science students are "Digging" into the study of rocks and plate tectonics. Students are discovering details about the rock cycle, water cycle, and plate boundaries. Students will use this knowledge to scientifically explain the geological time scale. Happy Birthday to our 4.6 billion year old Earth. Students will create models, debate the characteristics of materials in the world, and discover outstanding facts about our Earth. If you have any questions, please see your Science Teacher.
Mark your calendars for March 24th. The 37th Annual FCPS Science and Engineering Fair is held at Tuscarora High School. Students from Middletown Middle will be representing our school at the Fair. The public can observe all High School & Middle School projects from 3-4 pm on March 24, 2018. I hope to see you there!
Eighth grade
Mrs. Peregoy
Mrs. Peregoy's classes have completed their study of Newton's Laws with their Egg Crash Car Derby. Many students built very crashworthy cars that negated the forces at work and saved the lives of many eggs.
Next, we move into our study of waves.
Mrs. Sunkel
Mrs. Sunkel's Science classes have begun their study of waves. We are learning about wave properties like wavelength, frequency, and amplitude. Next, we look into electromagnetic waves (light) and then sound waves.
Social Studies
6th Grade History of the Ancient World
Ms. Bartman & Ms. Keilholtz
In sixth grade Social Studies, students began their study of Ancient Greece by analyzing its geography and tasting foods related to Greek mythology. As we continues our studies, students will debate the accomplishments of Athens and Sparta, research to create a museum display on different aspects of ancient Greek culture, and work on their writing skills through an analysis of Alexander the Great.
7th Grade History of the Medieval World History/Early Modern Times
Mrs. Caron's and Mrs.Kefauver’s classes have started studying about Europe in the Middle Ages.Topics include the Dark Ages, the rise of the feudal system, the role of the Catholic Church, Crusades, development of early towns, Magna Carta, Hundred Years’ War, and the Black Death.
8th Grade Social Studies
8th Grade Americans Studies students will be exploring the Age of Jackson in March. This unit will focus on the first nationally elected president and the use and misuses of political power. Students will explore early sectional divisions in the U.S., American policy toward Native Americans and Andrew Jackson’s war on the national bank.
Special Education
Each year the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) surveys parents of children receiving special education services in the State. The purpose of the Survey – The Maryland Special Education Parent Involvement Survey – is to hear from parents about how well they think their child’s school is partnering with them and promoting parent involvement in their child’s education.
You play a central role in how parents perceive special education services in the State and we ask for your help in encouraging parents to complete the Survey.
When will the Survey be administered?
- Surveys were mailed on February 4, 2018, and must be returned (mail or online) by May 1, 2018.
This Survey will help MSDE and each local jurisdiction understand how they can support you and support parents in educating Maryland’s children with disabilities. Help Spread the Word!
Theatre Arts
The class shows are quickly approaching. The students in 6th, 7th and 8th Grade have been working hard memorizing their lines, blocking their shows, and working on creating over-the-top characters. Keep checking Remind as much of the information about individual classes is shared through the Remind constant communication. Below are the dates and titles for the 6th, 7th and 8th grade shows. Tickets can be purchased at the door and are $5.00. All proceeds benefit the MIMS Theatre Arts Department. The students are excited and have been working hard on their shows. Come out for a wonderful evening of entertainment! Don’t forget to mark your calendar for these dates.
Period 4: 8th Grade
April 17, 2018, at 6:00 pm
Tickets are $5.00 per person
Big Bad AND Storybook Reunion Murders
Period 5: 8th Grade
April 18, 2018, at 6:00 pm
Tickets are $5.00 per person
Complaint Department and Lemonade AND The Great American Talent Show
Period 6: 8th Grade
April 19, 2018, at 6:00 pm
Tickets are $5.00 per person
No Body To Murder AND Unmurdered
Period 3: 7th Grade
April 24, 2018, at 6:00 pm
Tickets are $5.00 per person
Spy TV AND Understanding Your Pet with Dr. Marla Brett
Period 7: 6th Grade
April 26, 2018, at 6:00 pm
Tickets are $5.00 per person
Snew White AND Supercomics
SGA
Health Room
The changes made to COMAR 10.06.04.03 in 2013 have resulted in the following vaccination requirements for the start of the 2018-2019 school year.
Grade Level Immunization Requirement 7th and 8th:
Tdap: Grade students A single dose of Tdap vaccine is required for all students entering 7th and 8th grades.
Meningococcal: A single dose of meningococcal (MCV4) vaccine is required for students entering 7th and 8th grades.
PTSA
This month’s PTSA meeting will be held on March 19, 2018, at 6:30 PM at Middletown Middle School. I am pleased to inform you that Middletown Burgess John Miller will be in attendance to address concerns parents have raised with the current traffic issues in and around the Middletown school complex. He will discuss the long-term solution that is in place to address these problems.
On March 1st, fundraising information from Yankee Candles came home with each of your children. Please take moment and look through these great items. They make wonderful Mother’s Day and Easter gifts. Information about discounted Hershey Park tickets, which can be used anytime during their regular season, will be coming home in the next few weeks as well as another round of spirit wear sales with spring/summer items available including a throwback 1970’s style t-shirt.
In the coming weeks as the weather warms up, we will be calling on volunteers to help with school beautification projects. If you or someone you know would like to help, please email us so we can contact you. This is also a great project for Scouts looking to earn badges and awards.
If you have not signed up for PTSA Membership yet, please visit our page on the school website to access the membership form. Forms and dues may be dropped off at the office at any time. If you wish to pay via PayPal, you can visit https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=UBV2QXGBCBFXA. Signing up does not obligate you to volunteer but it does allow you to become more involved in your child’s school. The people of Middletown take pride in our community. Joining the PTSA is a great opportunity to connect with others, make new friends, and support our school. Please consider signing up as we are only 15 memberships shy of our goal for this school year.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us anytime at ptsamiddletownmiddle@gmail.com and follow us on Facebook for updated information about school activities, programs, and special events.
Thank you to all of our volunteers and members who continue to make this a great year for our students and staff.
“No one can do everything, but everyone can do something” - Max Lucado
Heather Houck
PTSA President
FCPS News
Inclement Weather
For the fastest and most accurate information, please check the following:
· Television - FCPS TV Cable Channel 18
· Internet - www.fcps.org
· Email/Phone - Sign up for Find Out First e-mail and emergency only phone text messages
Emergency Lunches During Inclement Weather
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B11_YwKyvR94Rl9YcnBwejRWTzg