TCA Times
Wayne Central Middle School Newsletter
FEBRUARY 2018
Dear Middle School Families,
As we welcome the second half of the school year, it is a good time to look back on the past four months and see how far your child has come. It is also a good time to talk to your child about how they feel they are doing in school: what are they having the most success in? What can they improve on? This can lead to an action plan that you can post at home and revisit regularly. It is a great way to encourage positive daily habits that will benefit your child in school and in other activities.
Helpful Study Strategies:
Use your agenda/planner/MyHomework App
Designate time for homework and studying
Prioritize assignments in order of completion
Do homework in chunks with built-in break time
Set reasonable time limits for each assignment
Pace long term assignments
As always, we are here to work with you. We welcome your comments, questions and/or concerns about our schools and your child’s education. Please contact us any time and we truly thank you for your partnership with our schools!
Sincerely,
Holly Armitage 5th/6th Grade Principal
Derek DeMass 7th/8th Grade Principal
FEBRUARY'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS
- 2/1: 6:30pm: Friends of Music Meeting
- 2/2: 1/2 DAY FOR STUDENTS: STAFF DEVELOPMENT DAY
- 2/12: 11am-12pm: PTO Meeting
- 2/14: Happy Valentine's Day
- 2/15: 7pm Board of Education Meeting @ DO
- 2/19-2/23 NO SCHOOL: FEBRUARY BREAK
YEARBOOKS-ORDER DEADLINE: FEBRUARY 2, 2018
Attached below is the flyer with yearbook information.
Student Chromebook Resources Link
Here's the link to the Chromebook Resources Website:
ALL COUNTY STUDENTS
5TH GRADE ALL COUNTY CHORUS:
Jenna Holihan
Katie Mueller
Ava LaMora
Aleyna Smith
Kaylee Duyssen
Camryn Stopka
Madelyn Hillman
Lily DiSalvo
Alyssa Booth
Isaac White
Alison DeLong
6th GRADE ALL COUNTY CHORUS:
Michaela Caine
Zoe Cook
Kelly Costa
Hayley Eaton
Elise Goupil
Mercede Lewis
Emma Lockwood
Caydence Matz
Sydney Smith
Zoey Wagner
Abby Edwards
Jessica Ficarra
Nina James
Chelsea Paris
Jayden Phillips
Rylie Pratt
6TH GRADE ALL COUNTY BAND:
Lauren Akerley
Aleyna DeMay
Zoey Brown-Rooney
Yasmina DiMatteo
Kayla Dunstan
Alex Garrow
Olivia Jagoda
Norah Keeney
Lucas Kielon
Victoria Lambert
Kristina Maystruck
Kayla O'Neill
Brady Panneitz
Mallory Parker
Jonah Schichtel
Cassidy Sehm
Mimi Ugalde
Nicholas Vance
Autumn Wildey
5TH GRADE ALL COUNTY BAND:
Thomas Duffy
Calista Lumb
Aidan LeStrange
7TH GRADE ALL COUNTY CHORUS:
Jonathan Carbone
Marley Hewitt
Jaci Jackson
Anna Malbone
Tori Mueller
Ayden Pollot
Alek Reynolds
Gianna Ryndock
Abi Sullivan
8TH GRADE ALL COUNTY CHORUS:
Zach Bowman
Thomas Caine
Grace Mosier
Abbey Schaumberg
Hannah Starks
Megan Strauss
Cara Viau
COUNSELOR'S CORNER
Counselor’s Corner: by Ms Peters, your k-6 school counselor:
In Middle school your child’s social identity and life takes on new meaning and importance. These days, kids are technology savy and interact via social media in ways that we would never have imagined! Well parents – take heart there is a new and local resource just for you! The national Center for Missing and Exploited Children has partnered with WROC TV News Channel 8 and created a safety initiative entitled the “Plugged-In Parent.” You can check out the latest information and resources at http://www.rochesterfirst.com/pluggedin
Research released by the Internet Crimes Against Children (CAC) revealed shocking statistics on internet use by children. The most alarming statistics show how exposed and vulnerable children are online. 2016 research illustrates the threat has grown. So what is a parent to do? The rules and resources are all here, just one easy click away. Book mark this resource and refer to it often!
Girls Soaring in STEM Fair @ RIT
This is a FREE event in the B. Thomas College of Computing at RIT for young women in grades 4th-12th from 9am-1:30pm on March 3, 2018 (Saturday).
Below is the link to register.
SIGNING UP FOR SPRING SPORTS: FROM THE ATHLETIC DIRECTOR
Spring Sport Registration (Family ID)
Wayne Central will be switching to Family ID for the spring interscholastic athletic sign-ups as there will be no more paper athletic registration forms. You can use a computer or smart phone to register.
If you do not have access to either one of these devices please contact the Athletic Director, Tony Carusone so that we can get your athlete registered. Please be sure your child has an updated physical (anything dated March of 2017 or later will be acceptable for the 2018 spring athletic season).
Visit the Wayne Athletic Website to register or go to https://www.familyid.com/organizations/wayne-csd-athletics
Anthony Carusone
Director of Health, Physical Education, and Athletics
Wayne Central School District
Office #: 315-524-1060
Fax #: 315-524-1079
5th and 6th Grade Student Recognition: January
5TH GRADE ACADEMIC AWARD:
Jack St. Clair (Bristol); Calista Lamb (Coon/Reynolds); Addison Contestabile (Dysart); Grady Emo (Shoemaker); Liana Facer (Martin); Evan Fosdick (Liseno)
Taz Strickland (Wells); Blade Surowiec (Welch); Ella Tyma (Herendeen)
5TH GRADE CHARACTER COUNTS:
Caiden Melos (Bristol); Ella Tyma (Coon/Reynolds); David Barnhart (Dysart); Addison Rice (Shoemaker); Aiden Tobin (Liseno); Zach Serensca (Wells); Gabby Taylor (Welch)
6TH GRADE ACADEMIC STUDENT OF THE MONTH:
Norah Keeney (Eaton); Emma Lockwood (Molisani); Michael Prentice (Martin); Brady Panneitz (Clemons); Mallory Parker (Gray); Autumn Wildey (Herrick); Lauren Ackerley (Shoemaker); Trinity Surowiec (Bussard); Gage Fiaretti (Finley)
6TH GRADE CHARACTER STUDENT OF THE MONTH:
Skyler Sutton (Eaton); Cooper Jackson (Molisani); Robert Armstrong (Martin);
Carly Wahl (Gray); Skyler Ferry (Herrick); Jayden Phillips (Bussard); Trevor Bush (Finley)
7th & 8th Grade Student Recognition: January
7TH GRADE STUDENTS:
Shelby Thorn
She is very helpful, patient and compassionate with students who struggle to understand when working in her group. She is very tolerant of people who have unique challenges and very accepting of their different ways of learning and understanding.
Isabella Depascale
She is really nice to all students; will work with someone if she notices they aren't working with anyone; is open and non-judgmental.
Paige Lasher
Paige is always kind and patient with all students. When working with partners or in groups, she listens to the input of other students & comments respectfully, even when her thoughts differ from theirs. Rather than argue about who's right, Paige explains her perspective & encourages discussion.
Owen Doran
Although Owen tends to grasp new concepts more quickly than many of his classmates, he is very patient when working with other students who may need more time to understand the material. Rather than giving them answers, he has learned to wait for others to respond or to help them make connections to prior knowledge until they figure out the answer on their own.
Hannah Switzer
Hannah works well with others and is willing to help anyone out.
8TH GRADE STUDENTS:
Zach Bowman
Zach is always accepting of others and is always kind. He always invites people to join his groups and he never leaves anyone out!
Logan Dempsey
Logan equally accepts and helps his peers of all abilities-even when situations can be frustrating. Logan is tolerant, understanding & kind. He uses his leadership skills & high level of tolerance to guide the classroom environment into a more positive place for all.
Mara Booth
Mara has demonstrated a high degree of tolerance of her fellow students with all abilities and learning styles. She uses her positive attitude and clearly accepts those who are different. When she disagrees with another student's viewpoint, she remains eternally polite and respectful, and genuinely seeks to understand where they are coming from.
Emily Purdum
Emily is always willing to work with anyone in her class despite some of their differences.
Devon Forrest
Devon develops friendships with a variety of people. He takes notice when someone is upset and goes out of his way to help him/her feel noticed and cared for, whether they are typically friends or not.
Note from the Nurse
6th grade
New York State Education Law mandates that 6th graders must have the TdaP booster immunization by age 11. If your child is in 6th grade, 11 years of age, and has not received this immunization, I strongly encourage you to schedule an appointment as soon as possible with your child's Physician.
Proof of Immunizations not yet sent in may also be faxed directly to the Nurse's office as well. 315-524-1099 or a copy sent into school with your child to be handed in to me. If there is an appt. set up please call my office to supply the date so that it shows your child is "in process" of becoming compliant.
Thank you and please feel free to call with any questions.
Annie Harris, R.N.
Middle School Nurse
Wayne Central Middle School
315-524-1084
5th Grade News
**We are in great need of tissues so please feel free to donate a box or two to your child’s homeroom! We thank you!!!
ELA--In ELA classes, we have begin the next unit in our Journeys series with the theme of Revolution! Each lesson deals with the subject of the Revolutionary War, so we are blending ELA with history over the next few weeks! Some of the skills we are focusing on include cause and effect, fact vs. opinion, drawing conclusions, sequencing of events and opinion writing.
Science--Martin
We are finishing up our second unit in science exploring plant and animal cells. The students just completed a research project that looked at scientists who helped develop the cell theory. They then presented this to the entire class as a group using the Popplet app on the ipads. Next we will study infectious disease.
Liseno- Science
They are currently using the engineering design process to design a toy that has one moving part. They first need to draw a detailed model of what they are going to build, and then they will build and evaluate how it works. Other classes are exploring our infection detection unit where they are learning about viruses and bacteria and how they are spread. They will eventually study evidence of an outbreak at a fake school to try to determine who started the disease and exactly how it spread to everyone.
Social Studies
Students in 5th grade Social Studies classes continue to spend the majority of time focusing on the United States, through current events as well as through geography and history. Historically, they are exploring the Native Americans and what their lives were like both before and after settlement by the Europeans. The kids continue to spend time discovering new topics and ideas in Scholastic NEWS. We recently spent a little time learning about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and with February being Black History Month, we will be spending some more time discussing civil rights.
Math
We have just finished up Unit 4 in both math classes which covered multiplication with whole numbers and decimals. We will begin Unit 5 this week and hope to have it covered before February break. In this unit we will be covering long division with whole numbers and decimals. Please make sure your student is completing their homework nightly.
6TH GRADE NEWS
Parents, can you believe it? This is the last newsletter for 1st semester...your child is half-way through 6th grade...and that much closer to being a 7th grader!
This is the time of year when we are asking 6th graders to show growing independence in using the organizational strategies we have modeled for them. Staying organized is KEY for success with the rest of 6th grade. Your child should be actively using his/her agenda to document homework and upcoming assessments. He/she should be checking his/her SchoolTool account to review grades and possible missing/late assignments. Communicating with teachers is a very important skill that your child needs to continue working on.
ELA:
Disasters and survivors! Students have had an opportunity to interview a real life survivor and write an article about that person. They gained insight as well as a new perspective about someone they know. What a great experience! Students are finishing their novel study, The Cay, and are continuing to read about how people “deal with disaster” by reading and responding to nonfiction articles. Students continue to gain skills with cause and effect organization, dialect, central idea/theme, author’s tone, and character change. Writing focus is on point of view, argument/persuasive writing (in February) and using figurative language.
Science:
Students have studied astronomy in Science! Kids learned about the planets, meteors, constellations, comets, the world around them and space. Students took their midyear lab assessment in science. This took place during class time. There was nothing to study or prepare for. Students worked independently at a station, following the directions on the lab sheet, and answering a few questions along the way. Skills such as using scientific tools and following lab procedures carefully will be assessed. Also, ask your child about his/her new vocabulary in his/her IN. Reviewing these words regularly will help your child on future tests, quizzes, and in class discussions. An exciting event coming at the beginning of February is the star lab. Make sure to ask your child about the star lab (tent).
Math:
In February, we will be continuing our topic 5 of “Understanding and Using Ratio and Rate.” In this unit we will focus on concepts such as comparing ratios, identifying unit rate, and using ratios to help convert both customary and metric units. We will wrap it up and do our test before the break. The students have adjusted nicely to the routine of having online math homework. Just a reminder that our expectation for these assignments is that students still show their work on paper.
Social Studies:
We are wrapping up Ancient Mesopotamia with an essay defending Sumer’s claim to be a civilization. Our students have enjoyed seeing the link between early humans to the creation of civilizations and even dynasties in Mesopotamia. In February, 6th graders will examine the culture of another ancient river valley civilization- Ancient Egypt. There are sure to be many fun and exciting adventures ahead for our historians.
Below are examples of “cuneiform tablet writing” from Ms. Eaton’s SS students:
7th Grade News
Social Studies- We are studying U.S. Government. This is a great time to discuss current events with your child.
Spanish 7: ¡Feliz año nuevo! Mrs. Nagel’s classes welcomed in the New Year by starting the town unit. The goal of the first week or two was to learn how to invite someone to our house and to provide information about where we live. Invitations and providing and obtaining information are two essential skills necessary when learning a language and are also a large part of the New York State curriculum at this level. Other goals for this unit include: 1) naming different places and buildings typically found in a town, 2) learning how to conjugate verbs, and 3) being able to talk about where we’re going, why, and how we’re getting there. We plan to finish the unit just before the February recess, so it’s important that students continue to be active class participants, complete all assignments on time and properly, ask for help from the teacher if they’re having difficulty with the material, prepare adequately for exams, and use suggested test taking strategies.
Life Science- Please remind your child to bring their Chromebooks charged with headphones to every class. I am still finding students who do not come prepared to school and do not seek a solution before class has begun. Students will be utilizing their Chromebooks throughout the Digestive System unit by completing webquests as in introduction to digestion and nutrition, watching videos about chemical and mechanical digestion on EdPuzzle, completing assignments on Google Classroom, using Forms to assess understanding of the structures and their digestive function, investigate how the organs work together to digest food using the interactive lab activities on Explorelearning.com, along with using Quizlet to review for the unit test.
Math 7- Students are going to be having their unit test on Expressions by the end of this month. We will then move onto our next unit, which is Equations. With this new unit, students will also be receiving a new math workbook. Please remind your child to charge their Chromebooks at home and to bring them every day to school.
Math 7 Accelerated-
Students are finishing up a unit on Expressions and will be testing next week. We will be moving on to Equations and proper techniques to solve equations algebraically. Please remind your child to charge their Chromebooks at home and to bring them every day to school. A calculator is also needed each day in class.
8th Grade News
ELA 8 Smith:
ELA 8 continues to be exciting as students begin the court case in the novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. Each student will be asked to keep court notes, create profiles of the various characters who take the stand, and figure what happened between Tom Robinson and Mayella Ewell. Students will become jury members and will deliver the verdict on this case based on the evidence at hand. Will Tom Robinson be guilty? Or will he be acquitted? Students will find out this month!
Algebra:
Students completed their Algebra midterm on January 25th. The midterm score is 12% of their overall average and does not impact their quarter two grade. This month students are finishing up Unit 4 on Functions and will have their unit assessment the week of February 5th. In our next unit we will be exploring polynomials and factoring. Students will continue to have monthly 20/20 assignments to prepare for their regents exam in June.
Band:
We are exploring a great deal of new band literature of many different styles and genres. Our next performance as a full band is the all-district concert in late March. Please see the district calendar and make note of the date and time. We have several 8th grade students preparing for Solo Festival on February 3rd. This adjudicated performance also serves as their audition for the All County Band. Those selected will attend the All County festival the 2nd weekend in March. All students have lesson book and solo assignments to be practicing at home. Please encourage your student to set aside 20-30 minutes, several times a week for practicing.
Math 8: This month, students learned about bivariate data and how scatter plots are used to understand the trends and correlations of our world. We discussed how correlation does not imply causation. We measured our arm span and height to discover a positive correlation. We also learned how scatter plots can help to make predictions. Hopefully you have been receiving my weekly e-mails. If you have not and would like to, please email me at mpeck@waynecsd.org. For more information about our class, please visit our class website at https://sites.google.com/waynecsd.org/wcsdmath8.
Physical Science: Students spent January exploring Physical Changes in matter such as dissolving, filtration, sieving, and evaporation. We now turn our attention for the next several weeks to Chemical Changes in matter. Students will identify subatomic particles, use the Periodic Table of Elements, and determine why certain substances are more chemically reactive than others. Please remember to emphasize lab safety with your child at home; the labs in this unit involve fire, acids, Bunsen burners, etc., so proper laboratory conduct is essential.
TC Armstrong Middle School
Email: ddemass@waynecsd.org
Website: http://wayne.k12.ny.us/Middle.cfm?subpage=83211
Location: 6076 Ontario Center Road, Ontario, NY, United States
Phone: (315) 524-1080
Twitter: @WayneCentralMS