The Heartbeat
8th grade newsletter
"For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning." - T.S. Eliot
Transitioning from one grade to another can come with heavy doses of anxious feelings, excitement, and plenty of questions. Transitioning from one school building to another can intensify all of those anxious, excited, and uncertain feelings.
A little over a month ago, our new eighth grade students entered our building, and they've spent the past few weeks adjusting to new expectations, procedures, rituals, and routines. They've learned to navigate our expansive building with the ease of students four years their senior. Those things that have may seemed daunting - scurrying across the building to get to PE, joining clubs with upperclassmen, and finding their lunch tables - have become their new "normal."
We're encouraged by their focus, determination, and hunger for learning! As this year takes off, I encourage you, parents and guardians, to frame your students' thinking about the next several months of school as an opportunity to create a new voice for themselves - one that overrides any negativity or doubt or fear that each school year will present itself the same. Partner with us in sending the message that they CAN and WILL be successful this year.
Did your child face specific challenges last year? Help him realize that he's standing at the door of a new year, and his school tribe is excited to usher him into a new beginning.
8th Grade Staff
MIDDLE: Leah Wilson, Leanne Sparks, Alexis Tickle, Cynthia Germano, Thea Smith
BACK: Angela Carter, Donna Jones-Hocker, Amanda Peterman, Matthew Watts, Casey Robinson, Sheila Kuykendall, Blake Traylor
Teacher Spotlight
Did you know that all of our eighth grade staff members have earned or are in the process of earning a graduate degree? We are a unique blend of personalities and backgrounds, ranging from mellow and mild-mannered to boisterous and theatrical! Some of us are lifelong Kentuckians while others have relocated from West Virginia, Arkansas, and Connecticut. Though we offer an array of teaching styles and experiences, we all have one thing in common: WE CARE ABOUT YOUR KIDS!
Mrs. Thea Smith (Silver Team Leader)
Ms. Leanne Sparks (Blue Team Leader)
Ms. Rosie Galindo (Guidance Counselor)
Picture Day
After-School Academic Support
Upcoming Sporting Events
Football
9/4 WMS vs. Oldham (Home 6:00)
9/11 WMS vs. East (Away)
9/18 WMS vs. North Oldham (Home 6:00)
9/25 WMS vs. Oldham (Away)
Girls Basketball
9/26 WMS vs. East Oldham
10/2 @ North Oldham
10/4 @ South Oldham
10/9 WMS vs. EMS
10/11 @ Christian Academy of Louisville
10/16 @ Oldham Co.
10/30 @ East Oldham
11/1 WMS vs. Christian Academy of Louisville (CAL)
11/6 vs. South Oldham
11/8 @ EMS
11/13 vs. Oldham Co.
11/15 WMS vs. Christian Academy of Louisville (CAL)
Academic Team
Congratulations to the following eighth graders for making the 2018-19 academic team!
Bryson Dunsmore
CeCe Gregory
Veronica Hamilton
Lily Jasper
Balake Morrison
Briauna Sherman
Zach Wadsworth
Luke Whittet
We're proud of you and look forward to the success these students will experience this year!
September's Student Stars
Student Stars are selected by 4th period advisory teachers. These students demonstrate excellence in character and/or academics, and will receive a free sports/events pass, a Class of 2023 t-shirt, and will be displayed on the bulletin board by Associate Principal Jones-Hocker's office.
Brooklyn De La Cruz Dominguez - Brooklyn's quietness does not mask her attentiveness, attention to detail, and hard work. She is demonstrates responsibility and focus daily. (Mrs. Smith)
Avery Hellmann - Avery offers support to her fellow classmates when they need help. She is a good leader and friend to those around her. (Ms. Robinson)
Nicholas Georges - Nick is an active and willing contributor to class discussion. He helps build others' understanding through his contributions. (Mr. Traylor)
Judith Coronado Hernandez - Judith is very quiet. She loves to read and is helpful to others. She is a diligent worker and I enjoy having her in class. (Ms. Jackson)
Jessica Gaddie - Jessica is always thoughtful and patient with others. She is attentive to instruction and gives her best effort. (Mrs. Germano)
Makray Sageser - Makray comes to class with a great attitude everyday. She is very well-liked by her classmates. (Ms. Kuykendall)
Nevaeh Crittendon - Nevaeh is always on task, friendly to others and follows directions throughout the class period. (Ms. Peterman)
Stella Wakeman - Stella is an overall excellent student that comes to class everyday prepared and ready to learn. Her work is excellent and she is a friend to her classmates. (Mr. Watts)
Jamie Brake - Jamie always has a positive attitude and infectious smile. She is a very conscientious student! (Ms. Wilson)
Claire Davis - She is always willing to help others when they are not prepared for class. She is polite, respectful, and responsible. (Ms. Sparks)
Ethan Hutchins - Ethan is respectful and helpful to all his classmates and teachers. He is excited about learning and motivated to challenge himself. (Ms. Tickle)
Parent Corner
In order for your child to maintain and strengthen his/her reading "muscles" or skills, the ELA department has a two-hours-per-week independent reading goal for every eighth grade student. Without regular practice, how can we expect growth?
Imagine if our football coaches only had the team practice a few minutes here and there or relied on PE class to get their players ready.
Think about the marching band performing on the field after running their routines only briefly before Friday night.
They'd ALL struggle, for sure!
It's unreasonable to expect your child'd reading life to flourish if proper support and consistent practice aren't part of the equation. Please support your child's literacy by making reading a priority at home this year. Know that he/she should be spending time with a book of choice for at least two hours throughout the week.
For every new, just-right book your child begins, he/she should follow these steps to calculate the number of pages that should be read each week in that book:
- Read independently for ten minutes.
- Count up the number of pages read in those ten minutes, and multiply by six to obtain an hourly reading rate.
- Double that number to get the number of pages your child should be able to read in two hours (our weekly expectation for outside-of-class reading).
Example:
10 pages x 6 = 60 pages per hour
60 pages x 2 = 120 pages per two hours
Weekly Goal = 120 pages
For high-interest book recommendations, check out the Project Lit link below!