TCA Times
Wayne Central Middle School Newsletter
JANUARY 2018
Dear Middle School Families,
Happy New Year!! We hope everyone enjoyed (enjoys) the holiday break with family and friends, and were (are) able to relax a bit as well!!
Some tips for starting the New Year off on a positive note:
- Get plenty of sleep
- Eat healty
- Exercise
- Treat others the way you want to be treated.
- Make it a personal goal to do your very best at school every day!
- READ, READ, READ--success in school depends in large part on your ability to read and understand what you have read.
Holly Armitage: 5th/6th Grade Principal
Derek DeMass: 7th/8th Grade Principal
JANUARY'S CALENDAR OF EVENTS
- 1/1 NO SCHOOL NEW YEAR’S DAY
- 1-2 BACK TO SCHOOL
- 1-4 6-7:30pm FRIENDS OF MUSIC MEETING – Media Center
- 1-8 6-7pm PTO MEETING: Media Center
- 1-11 7pm BOARD OF EDUCATION MTG @ DO
1-15 NO SCHOOL: MARTIN LUTHER KING DAY
1-17 Grades 7-9: Chromebook Pickup and Parent Information Meeting
1-19 & 1-20 Peter Pan Musical @ the PAC
1-21 Peter Pan Musical @ the PAC
1-25 BOARD OF EDUCATION MTG @ DO
1-27 & 1-28 ALL COUNTY CHORUS AT PAL-MAC
Grades 7 & 8th Grade Chromebook Pickup and Parent Information Meeting
Student Council: Gift Card Fundraiser
Student Council News!
For the past two weeks we have been collecting gift cards for families in need in our community during our "Give a Gift of a Gift Card" fundraiser. A lot of our staff and students supported this cause and the result was uplifting. The gift cards are sure to help out someone this holiday season. We also had local businesses donate gift cards that we will be using as raffle prizes that will be given out at our holiday assembly on December 22nd. We thank you as always for your support!
5th and 6th Grade Student Recognition: December
5TH GRADE ACADEMIC AWARD:
Samantha Ray (Bristol); Kaitlin Hughes (Herendeen &Coon/Reynolds);
Ella Frick (Dysart & Liseno); Addison Rice (Martin); Isabella Veltre (Shoemaker); Logan
Duvall-Swartzenberg (Welch); Austin Costrino (Wells)
5TH GRADE CHARACTER COUNTS: CARING AND COMPASSION
Jaden Ocke (Bristol); Kyle Serotta (Coon/Reynolds); Tas Strickland (Dysart); Jacob Smith (Herendeen); Alexis Liberti (Liseno); Zoe Tubiolo (Shoemaker);
Hayden Leonard (Welch); Kaden Phelan (Wells)
6TH GRADE ACADEMIC STUDENT OF THE MONTH:
Sydney Smith (Bussard); Lauren Akerley (Clemons); Zoey Wagner (Eaton); Kayla
Dunstan (Gray); Cassidy Sehm (Herrick); Addison Raleigh (Martin);
Allie Chimenti (Molisani); Nevin Crane (Finley); Conor Beadling-Thompson (Bays)
6TH GRADE CHARACTER STUDENT OF THE MONTH: CARING & COMPASSION
Jack O'Connell (Bussard); Miranda Schreiber (Clemons); Jasmyne Franklin (Eaton);
Mimi Ugalde (Gray); Eva Bolt (Herrick); Yasmina DiMatteo (Martin);
Bethany Rook (Molisani); Ben DeRose (Finley)
7th & 8th Grade Student Recognition: December
8TH GRADE STUDENTS:
Kyle Gerhardt-Kyle is an advocate for all students. He values being caring and respectful, which is evident by the way he stands up for the proper treatment of all his classmates.
Marrlee Ostrowski-Marrlee consistently shows care for her classmates. She does a great job getting adult support when she feels it's needed in order to be sure everyone is happy, healthy, and feeling positive.
Ellie Wambold-Ellie shows caring and compassion in every interaction with peers and adults. She always looks out for others and finds ways to be helpful whenever she can.
Grace Koska-Grace is a caring individual that takes time to help her classmates. She works well with others and is a positive asset to every class she is in!
Ashlie Sitzer- Ashlie always gives 100% and has a smile on her face. She brightens other students' day and shows compassion in every situation
7TH GRADE STUDENTS:
Jennifer Carpenter:
Always respectful to her peers and goes out of her way to help others when needed.
Phoebe Hartgrove:
Always willing to help out when needed, very nice to her peers
Kayla Van Bortel:
Always helpful, a great leader in her group, helps out her group members
Gianna Ryndock:
Cares about her learning. Really wants to do well
Taryn Mascioletti:
Cares about her learning. Really wants to do well
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 December News
**Attention, Attention!!! 5th grade classrooms are in desperate need of tissues and pencils!! Please feel free to donate to your child’s homeroom if possible! Thank you!!!
In ELA classes, we have been having some “Wild Encounters” as we have been going through our Unit 2 of Journeys! Along with the articles and stories we have read, we have also done some research and report writing on a specific wild animal! We continue to work on skills and how to properly answer questions with providing text evidence and restates.
In Math classes, we have just finished up Unit 3 which was multiplying and dividing fractions. Fractions are heavy in fifth grade and even though the unit has ended; continue to practice. We are now starting Unit 4, which focuses on multiplying/dividing decimals and exponents. Continue to encourage your child to work on their IXL skills online. We also have started exploring a new, engaging program called “Prodigy” that the kids absolutely love. Keep up the hard work!
In Mr. Liseno’s science class some classes have started exploring our robotics unit. 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.
In Science (Martin) class we have finished up our first unit about controlled studies and are now beginning to learn about cells. To do this we are using microscopes to study the similarities and differences between animal and plant cells. This includes looking at onion cells along with scraping the inside of our cheeks with a toothpick to see our own cells.
SOCIAL STUDIES: 5th graders continue to hone their U.S. geography skills. We are learning about the pre-Columbian era, which differs vastly from life in the western hemisphere after the arrival of Europeans. We will compare and contrast different native groups and examine how they used their resources to survive. The U.S. history thread continues as we study the events in U.S. history that shaped our country and affected the native peoples. In addition, we continue to look at current events that are having an impact on the world we live in now. Hopefully your kids are coming home and furthering these discussions with you.
6th Grade News
6th Grade:
It is hard to believe that we are almost finished with the year 2017...and your 6th grader is close to the halfway point of 6th grade! Once we return from vacation the year will fly by more than it has already. So that your student begins the new year ready for the challenge, replenishing basic school supplies may be necessary...especially pencils. It is also a good time to clean out his/her homework folder. Take a peek at your child’s agenda to see if he/she is writing down his/her assignments, using the pass system often, and planning for long-term assignments. Review his/her grades on SchoolTool and set goals for the rest of the school year.
All the 6th grade teachers wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy new year!
Science: Ask your child about electricity, you might be amazed at what he/she will tell you! Students have been working on current electricity with lab partners and learning about different types of energy in Science! New this year, we have added to our energy unit and have adopted the Project Lead the Way’s unit “Magic of Electron”. They will have access to snap kits and be able to experiment with circuits. They will have explore time with the kits to build their own electrical circuits to fly helicopters and activate horns. Happy Holidays! Do some star gazing over break. When we come back we will be doing our Astronomy unit.
ELA: Students are reading the novel, The Cay by Theodore Taylor, and discussing questions concerning what it takes to be a survivor and how does an author’s tone help to create mood in the reader. Students will be working on an interview assignment over break. They will have an opportunity to interview an actual survivor from among family, neighbors, friends. These survivors may have survived an important event such as a car accident or a minor event such as “mystery meat” casserole. As you can imagine, the tone of the final article will vary from humorous to quite serious, depending on the survival event. Have a Happy Winter Break and enjoy time with family and friends - and survivors!
Social Studies:
Students in SS are continuing to learn how the discovery of agriculture led to the development of civilizations. The first ancient civilization we are exploring is that of Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia possessed all seven characteristics of a civilization that will apply to each of the civilizations we will be studying the rest of the year:
A stable food supply
A social structure
A religious system
A system of government
Organized arts and leisure activities
Advances in technology
A highly developed written language
**Don’t forget those Pringles containers for Ms. Eaton’s SS classes!**
Math: We are wrapping up our topic of “Equations and Inequalities”. The assessment will be shortly after break. Then in January we will begin our 5th topic, “Understand and Use Rate and Ratio”. Here’s a breakdown of some of the concepts this unit covers.
7th Grade News
Social studies- We have finished our unit on the American Revolution and will begin studying U.S. government. This is a perfect time to talk about current events with your child. If you are looking for last minute holiday gifts, earbuds are perfect as we use our ChromeBooks frequently.
Math 7 - We recently started our mini-unit on Algebraic Expressions, and then we will start Algebraic Equations. Please don’t forget that school supplies make great stocking stuffers! Happy holidays!
Math 7 accelerated- Students are finishing up a unit on Percents and their numerous applications. After the holidays, we will begin studying Expressions and Equations. Please check with your student to see if they have all the supplies needed for class over the holidays.
Life Science- Students will be exploring the next few weeks how the Circulatory System works with the Respiratory System to maintain homeostasis.
Band-Congratulations to our 7th grade musicians on a fantastic concert! Our next goal is Solo Festival in February. I encourage all students to participate. This adjudicated performance serves as the audition for All County Band. Students have been given a bright orange registration form and those need to be turned in by Thursday Dec. 21st.
Spanish 7 - We’ve been busy working on a couple of things this month! Primarily, students have been learning vocabulary for the structures of the house, the furniture and additional items of the rooms, appliances, and house related phrases and questions. Thanks to those of you who encouraged your child to label things in the house. That daily practice is extremely beneficial!
In addition to focusing on the house, we also talked about some of the holiday traditions that people who live in Spanish speaking countries observe at this time of year. We hope that all of you enjoy the holidays and traditions in which your families participate.
Health 7- We are just finishing up our nutrition unit and moving onto safety and sanitation. This will bring us into the highly anticipated cooking portion of health class. Within the safety and sanitation unit we will be learning about safety with food, working in a kitchen, and especially working safely with other people in a kitchen We will also be exploring how to prevent the common cold, and focusing on food borne illnesses.
8th Grade News
ELA 8 Smith:
Students are just finishing up the first part of To Kill a Mockingbird. In the riveting book, they are learning about the mysterious Boo Radley, the cantankerous Stephanie Crawford, the rebel Scout Finch, and the honest lawyer Atticus.
Students are working on central idea, tone, literary devices, central theme, and citing text-based evidence to support a response. We will be continuing to practice these skills as we advance through the year. Happy holidays to all!
Algebra: This month, students learned about functions and how they are used to map an input to an output. We discussed the connection between this topic and computer programming. We participated in the hour-of-code initiative using https://code.org/. We are now learning about exponential functions and will continue with the transformations of functions when we return from the holiday recess.
Algebra: This month, students learned about functions and how they are used to map an input to an output. We discussed the connection between this topic and computer programming. We participated in the hour-of-code initiative using https://code.org/. We are now learning about exponential functions and will continue with the transformations of functions when we return from the holiday recess.
Social Studies: We are finishing our unit on Native Americans and Imperialism. Next, we will study WWI.
Band: Congratulations to our 8th grade musicians on an outstanding concert! It is amazing to see and hear their growth from September until now. Our next goal is Solo Festival in February. This adjudicated performance serves as their audition for All County Band. Students have been given a bright orange registration form, and that needs to be turned in to Mrs. Melnick by Thursday, Dec. 21st.
Math 8: This month, students learned about functions and how they are used to map an input to an output. We discussed the connection between this topic and computer programming. We participated in the hour-of-code initiative using https://code.org/. We also featured mindfulness during math class to learn how to calm and quiet our brains. This is a very useful practice for both students and adults in today’s busy world. 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. Have a relaxing holiday and may 2018 be your best year yet!!
Physical Science: Students spent December learning the properties of solids, liquids, gases, and plasma. We turn our attention in January to distinguishing between Physical & Chemical Properties and Physical & Chemical Changes in matter. We will make and use a strong glue out of three common kitchen ingredients, make rock candy, and investigate factors that affect dissolving and solubility. One of our labs includes using filters, sieves, evaporation, magnets, and dissolving to separate out individual components of a mixture, and to differentiate between mixtures and compounds. It is never too soon to start preparing for the big Midterm Exam taking place on January 22nd 7:30 - 9:30am; please encourage your child to utilize their notes, labs, textbook, study guides, Starter Tasks, and previous exams to prepare. As always, please check SchoolTool weekly to monitor your son/daughter’s progress. I am always available Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays for extra help.
Spanish: During the holiday season, the students will learn about celebrations in different Spanish-speaking countries. We will explore traditional foods, dances, songs, and more customs including Las Posadas, Los Reyes Magos, and Las Doce Uvas. After our break, we will jump into our nature unit!
8th Grade Health Class: Health Module
The second required Health Module for 8th graders is available online and is due January 28th. The time commitment is approximately one hour. Students should watch each of the videos without fast forwarding (only a few are over 4 minutes long) and then complete any questions that appear at the end of the clip or as a classroom assignment. Quiz scores for the module must average at least 65%. Once students have watched all of the videos, there is a short writing assignment that should be turned in through Classroom. Students that do not meet these expectations will be asked stay after school to complete the assignment again. Completion of the 4 modules is mandatory - especially if the student plans to participate in the 8th grade trip to Washington, DC. A letter explaining the modules and due dates was sent home in September. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Mateo, Mr. Molisani, or Mrs. Kittleson.
TECHNOLOGY
YEARBOOKS!!
Attached below is the flyer with yearbook information.
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