The BULLetin
October 19, 2017
Principal's Message
We are ending Quarter 1 on Friday. This marks the half way point of the semester. We do not issue formal grades at this time but over the last week or so teachers have been ending units, projects have come due (or will be shortly), etc. so that they can take stock of student learning through the first 9 weeks of the school year.
We also are ending the quarter with a fun Spirit Week. Thanks to the Student Council and Student Assembly Committee for organizing a fun week that will end with a bunch of student recognitions.
Students will be dismissed at 11:30 tomorrow. The bell schedule is as follows.
School Improvement Day Schedule
Period 1 8:00-8:13
Period 2 8:17-8:30
Period 3 8:34-8:47
Period 4 8:51-9:04
Period 5 9:08-9:21
Period 6 9:25-9:38
Period 7 9:42-9:55
Period 8 9:59-10:12
Period 9 10:16-10:29
Assembly 10:29-11:30
National Junior Honor Society
The National Junior Honor Society would like your help to create a home starter kit for a family at Hesed House. A home starter kit includes all of the things that you would use during your daily routine in your home. This starter kit will help a family transition from Hesed House into a home or apartment of their own. This transition can be tough which is where you come in. We need your help to help fill up a home with the basics such as a kitchen towel, toothbrush, or even dining ware. Murphy’s NJHS has created a registry at Target with all of the supplies a family will need . If you go into the advanced search and type in NJHS you will be able access this registry.
You can also click on the link below:
https://www.target.com/gift-registry/registry/614f64b350ce4fa0961f8ecf915e3ef4
The items range anywhere from $1-$50. You can start bringing in items on Monday 10/23/17 to Mrs. Schwertly or Mrs. Borneman's room or the office. Don’t forget that parents can bring in items in on November 2nd and 3rd during parent teacher conferences! The drive will end on Tuesday 11/7/17.
We know that if everyone participates that we can change the life a family in need.
Author - Lindsay Currie
Thank you to Ms. Walsh for organizing the event and donating 2 signed books to be raffled off as part of our PBIS incentive program!
Fitness Testing
Act on Bullying - Parent Presentation
We will be opening this up to parents from around the district, so please reserve your FREE ticket at: http://actonbullyingatmurphy.eventbrite.com
Ms. Ramsbottom - Science
Parent/Teacher Conference Sign Up
To sign up for Thursday Night conferences, click on:
https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Murphy_Junior_High_School
You will be taken to a page that says the date and teacher's name. Click on ONLY the teachers with whom you want to conference. Follow the additional directions on screen. If a teacher's conference slots are full, reach out to him/her by phone or email to find an alternative date/time to meet.
Even if you signed up last year using PTCFast, you will need to sign up again as the system does not maintain log information from year to year.
To sign up for Friday morning conferences, please contact the teacher(s) directly.
Ms. Miller - Science
Ms. Miller's World History
Murphy Yearbook
There's nothing like getting a yearbook. It is the limited edition collection of our school's stories for this year. Don't let your student miss out on sharing and reliving the big events that will make this year special.
Yearbooks are now on sale for the lowest price of the year. Order now for $25.00! Yearbook price will increase January 6th, 2018. Yearbook orders can be completed online at jostensyearbooks.com. Please contact Ms. Fell if you have any questions.
Weekly JAM (Just Another Maverick)
MORA: Asian Fusion and Murphy Music
Murphy PTO
If you haven’t already, please consider making your family’s annual donation to the PTO. Anyone who donates $25 or more will receive a free ticket to the Murphy Monster Mash! Our focus this year will be on Student Events and Classroom Grants. Any contribution helps and is very much appreciated! Donation Form
New to the PTO this year! We are so happy to announce that the PTO will be running the Concession Stand for the Girl’s Basketball season and Boy’s Volleyball season (Winter/Spring sports). There will be volunteer opportunities available for this as well, so be on the lookout for details soon!
For more information on the Murphy PTO, upcoming PTO events or volunteer opportunities, please contact PTO President Missy Dziewiatkowski at missyd71@gmail.com. Please also follow us on Facebook for PTO events and updates (Murphy PTO-Home of the Mavericks).
IMPORTANT DATES:
- Murphy Monster Mash Friday October 20th from 7-9 pm
Mr. Bittner's World History
Students in Mr. Bittner's 7th graders went back in time to write as the ancient Sumerians (cuneiform) did in clay tablets.
Student Services Spotlight
Stevie Dembinski, Madison Clement, Omer Syed, Lana Bomstad, Skyler Meyers, Tyler Bailey, Hannah Tertell, Payton Allen, Joey Abdallah, Malachi Glover
Congratulations! Ms. Cryder!
Maverick Teacher Shout Outs!
We think our entire MJHS staff is amazing and deserves to be acknowledged for the great work they do on a daily basis! Please use this form to recognize any member of our staff. Remember, staff includes teachers, secretaries, nurses, teaching assistants, and custodians!
Mr. Orr – “We love that he provides “review” sessions before the start of the school day to help us prepare for big tests!”
High School Credit Opt-Out Form
If you have an 8th grade student enrolled in Algebra, Pre-AP English 1, or Spanish and you do not want your student to receive high school credit for the class, please contact your student’s counselor for the opt-out form which must be completed by October 23. Please reference the Curriculum night presentation for further information regarding the opt-out process.
“The Maverick Way” Outside of School
Murphy Junior High students are doing amazing things in the classroom as well as demonstrating “The Maverick Way” outside of school. If any student is demonstrating “The Maverick Way” outside of school we want to know about it! Please contact Karen Whited at kwhited@sd308.org or Brandi Zawacki at bzawacki@sd308.org.
*Don’t forget to include some pictures in your email.
ZAP-Zeros Aren't Permitted
ZAP is an intervention implemented to develop good homework habits. This program helps students self-correct without a penalty. Getting into the habit of doing homework and realizing that it counts is tough for many students. ZAP helps reinforce the importance of homework completion and provides an opportunity for intrinsic growth through self-correction.
What to do when your student is ZAPPED?
If a student does not complete a homework assignment he/she will receive a ZAP. Students have until 8:00am, the following morning, to turn the assignment into Student Services for full credit. If the student chooses not to complete or submit the assignment, then the student will be required to attend the ZAP classroom (D126) during his/her lunch to complete the homework, also for full credit. It is your student's responsibility to know what is missing and bring the necessary materials home. Students will be allowed 5 visits (every 9 weeks) to the ZAP classroom to complete their work. After 5 visits, students are no longer eligible for the ZAP intervention.
If you have questions, please contact your child’s teacher and/or counselor.
Parent Resources
The attached article highlights the benefits of using mindfulness and relaxation techniques for students with learning issues or anxiety.
PBIS @ Murphy
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a proactive approach to establishing the behavioral supports and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional and academic success.
One aspect of PBIS includes positive acknowledgement of student behavior. When students display the expected behaviors outlined in our MAVS Matrix, they may be acknowledged with verbal praise or tangible rewards (Bullseye Tickets) from their teachers. This makes the expected behaviors more likely to occur in the future and creates positive interactions, rapport, and relationships with students.
When students earn Bullseyes, they are able to collect them to enter weekly prize drawings and shop at the Maverick Mini Mall. This year, our Mini Mall will be on a cart, and students will have an opportunity to shop with their Bullseyes during homeroom each week. The Maverick Mini Mall will open for business next week!
There will be a monthly behavior focus, and teachers will be on the look out to catch students displaying these positive behaviors.
Next week’s Target is to Value and Respect Each Other by:
10/16-10/20 Clean up yourself in the cafeteria
In addition to acknowledging students for displaying expected behaviors with Bullseyes, we are preparing for our First Semester PBIS Celebration. On Friday, December 15, students will be rewarded with tickets to the Maverick Movie Celebration, where they will be able to watch a movie at school. Between the dates of October 2 – December 8th, students will need to:
- M - make good decisions by receiving ZERO tardies to class,
- A - accept responsibility by receiving ZERO ZAPs,
- V - value and respect each other and our school and
- S - be safe by receiving ZERO disciplinary actions! This includes suspensions, detentions and office referrals through December 15th
Ms. Sanborn's ELA
Letters About Literature Writing Contest
Letters About Literature Writing Contest - Call For Student Entries!
The Library of Congress invites students to enter the 25th Annual Letters About Literature Writing Competition. Students are asked to use their reflective writing skills and write a letter to an author-living or dead-explaining how his or her work changed their view.
If students are interested in participating in the contest, please see the attached rules and guidelines. Entries are due by Wednesday, November 21st. Students can submit their entries to their Language Arts teacher.
Additional contest information and prizes can be found here.
Murphy & Chick Fil A
When you come to Chick Fil A on Wednesday Night, snap a picture of you and your Chick Fil A and use #MURPHY and post to Instagram. Dr. Anderson will randomly select 25 students (who he can figure out from their Instagram names) who post to a picture of themselves with something from Chick Fil A for Chick Fil A dessert party later this month.
Late Fall/Early Winter Sports
Shop With A Cop RAffle
Raffle Tickets can be purchased in the Murphy Office.
$5 = 1 ticket
$20 = 5 tickets
Raffle Prizes:
Four tickets to Blackhawks V Tampa Bay Lightning on January 22, 2018 plus parking pass.
$300.00 Target Gift Card.
$200.00 Target Gift Card.
$100.00 Target Gift Card.
$100.00 Target Gift Card.
Winners will be drawn at halftime of the Championship Game of the First Annual Shop With a Cop 8th Grade Boys Basketball Tournament on Saturday October 28, 2017.
Winners need not be present to win.
All proceeds go directly towards Shop With A Cop.
BUY EARLY, BUY OFTEN!!!
Backyard Games Intramural
Maverick Makers Club
Maverick Makers Club meeting dates from 3:00-4:00 Art Classroom
October 16, 23, 30
November 6, 13, 20, 27
December 4, 11
January 22, 29
February 5, 12, 36
March 5, 12, 19
Any student who is wanting to explore the visual arts should join this club. Experimentation with glass, ceramics and fibers will be introduced.
Additional information and sign up sheet can be found here.
Upcoming Events
October 19
- Fall Choir Concert (7pm)
October 20
- SIP Day - 11:30AM Student Dismissal - NO Lunch Service
- End of Quarter 1
- PTO Monster Bash (7-9pm)
October 23
- Winter Sports Pictrues (3pm)
- Murphy School Showcase at the SD308 Board Meeting
October 24
- 7th Boys' Basketball v Washington (4:30pm)
- 8th Boys' Basketball @ Washington (4:30pm)
October 25
- Murphy Spirit Night @ Chick-Fil-A Oswego (5-8pm)
October 26
- Act on Bullying Parent Presentation (6:30pm)
October 27
- Act on Bullying Student Presentations (thoughout the day)
- 8th Boys' Basketball Show With A Cop Tournament @ Plainfield East High School (6:30pm)
- 8th Boys' Basketball Show With A Cop Tournament @ Plainfield East High School (10:30am)
- ILMEA Jazz Festival @ Gregory Middle School
If you are looking for directions to AWAY events, this link will provide directions to many area schools.
Use the "Murphy Building Calendar" link below to see all the things going on at Murphy Junior High.
Contact Us
Murphy Junior High School is an inclusive and supportive community that promotes student success by ensuring ALL students are college and career ready.
Email: banderson@sd308.org
Website: www.sd308.org/murphy
Location: 26923 Grande Park Boulevard, Plainfield, IL, United States
Phone: (630) 608-5100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/murphy308/
Twitter: @murphy308