Athey Notes
Dec 6- 10
Updated Grading Practices: Formative versus Summative
Athey Creek staff have embarked on a journey this year of revising our grading practices to ensure that student learning is what is being measured and reported. One of our goals in this work is to demystify grades for all stakeholders, including families. One of the ways that we hope to achieve this goal with families is share information through Athey Notes on some of the key components of our revised system.
Today, we are going to discuss two terms that are frequently used with these new practices: formative and summative. The term formative refers to tasks that a teacher uses to determine what learning a student has and/or has not completed. The term summative refers to assessments or final tasks that a teacher uses to evaluate a student’s content proficiency. Formative is the rehearsal/practice whereas summative is the competition/game/performance.
The formative tasks assigned to students are intentionally designed to create opportunities for students to grow in their learning with the end goal of achieving content mastery. These formative tasks are opportunities for students to “practice;” therefore, they are not part of the calculation that determines a student’s overall grade. Summative tasks are the means through which students demonstrate their level of content proficiency, therefore, summative tasks are the tasks that are used in the calculation of a student’s overall grade.
Office and Front Doors Remain Open During Construction
Parent and Bus Drop Off/ Pick Up Locations During Construction
Counseling Cougar Corner!
In today's Advisory, 11/9/21, we are beginning to dig deeper by exploring and identifying our identities by answering "Who am I?" Here are some factors which contribute to our identity: family, interests, organizations, heritage, skin color, school, neighborhood, what we read, listen to, etc. We encourage families to engage in conversations sharing your own identifies, how they are similar and different from others. Students can share these lessons with families and are found in each grade level Google Classroom.
This month Athey Creek is recognizing National Native American Heritage Month, please click on link for a presentation.
ACMS Community Support!
As we are approaching the upcoming holiday season, we are aware of so many being impacted in a variety of ways due to life in general as well as the impacts of COVID and we are calling for help. If you are a family that is able and willing, the School Counseling Office would love to collect any gift cards to support our families in need. Please email Toni Snapp snappt@wlwv.k12.or.us or Alisa Doll dolla@wlwv.k12.or.us with any questions or drop off gift cards with our names on them.
If you are a family in need and could benefit from community support, please email:
Alisa Doll
Supporting Students A - K
503-673-7409
Toni Snapp
Supporting Students L - Z
503 - 673-7408
ACMS Library News
The ORCA Book Groups are being held during each of the grade level lunches on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month! Students bring their lunch to the library for discussion with other bibliophiles. Treats have held major importance during these discussions. Students are encouraged to read all 8 middle level books by the end of the year when an undetermined incentive will be enjoyed in June, as well as a Book Fair prize in the spring!
Book Discussion Schedule
Sixth-
The Bridge Home- December 2
I Can Make This Promise- December 16
*January 6- Non book discussion meeting, Book exchange?
Some Places More Than Others- January 20
Free Lunch- February 3
Maybe He Just Likes You- February 17
Words on Fire- March 3
Sal and Gabi- March 17
Other Words for Home- April 7
Seventh-
Free Lunch- December 2
Maybe He Just Likes You- December 16
*January 6- Non book discussion meeting, Book exchange?
Words on Fire- January 20
Sal and Gabi- February 3
Other Words for Home- February 17
The Bridge Home- March 3
I Can Make This Promise- March 17
Some Places More Than Others- April 7
Eighth-
Sal & Gabi Break the Universe- December 2
Other Words for Home- December 16
*January 6- Non book discussion meeting, Book exchange?
The Bridge Home- January 20
I Can Make This Promise- February 3
Some Places More Than Others- February 17
Free Lunch- March 3
Maybe He Just Likes You- March 17
Words On Fire- April 7
We Care Alliance’s Radness Mission Statement
We meet every Thursday at 4:00pm in Mrs. Fox's Room 214
Attendance
Excused Absences
If a student will be absent from school, a parent/guardian needs to notify the school to report the absence. This may be done by entering the absence in ParentVue, emailing the office at perezplj@wlwv.k12.or.us, or calling our attendance line at (503)673-7425 prior to 10:00 am if possible. If a student is absent for four or more consecutive days due to a communicable disease, a physician’s note may be required to return to school. All absences must be excused within 48 hours.When absent, students are required to make up any work they missed. If students are absent for an extended period, they should make arrangements with their teachers regarding missing work and due dates.
Late Arrival/Tardy Policy
If a student is going to arrive to school after the 9:15 AM start time, we ask that a parent/guardian notify our office staff.
When a student arrives at school late, they need to check-in with staff in the front office prior to going to class.
A tardy must be excused within 48 hours, either by a phone call or a note.
Prearranged Absences & Family Vacations
If it is known in advance that a student is going to be absent for two or more days, the student is required to complete a Pre-arranged Absence Form. This form notifies the front office of the intended absence and allows teachers to provide a description of work the student will miss during their absence. If students are absent for an extended period, they should make arrangements with their teachers regarding missing work and due dates. When absent, students are required to make up any work they missed.
Picking Your Student Up From School
If your student needs to leave school during the school day for any reason, please notify the office staff. Before a student leaves school for any reason, they must check-out with the front office. If a parent/guardian needs to pick up their child during class time, we request the parent send a signed note with their child to school. The student should present the note at the office before school. Office personnel will sign the note and the student will then take it with him/her to class. At the appropriate time he/she will show it to their teacher and report back to the office to meet a parent. Before the student can leave campus, the parent must sign the student out in the office. Due to emergencies or unknown circumstances parents can also call to request a student meet them in the office. For safety reasons, leaving school grounds to walk to the store at any time is not allowed.
PTSA
PTSA wants your involvement!
The ACMS PTSA would like to welcome back all returning students as well as welcome our new 6th graders and all other new to ACMS students. We will keep this short and hopefully sweet. We are aware that you have a ton of other documents to go through as the school year begins but this one is the best one.
Who is the PTSA?
The PTSA is comprised of parent volunteers who work with the school to:
Fund teacher grant requests.
Support ACMS students however we can.
Support parents by helping answer questions and leveraging our social media so parents can connect with and hopefully help each other.
Support teachers with startup funds, grants, and most importantly, donuts.
Fund raise with multiple events throughout the year like garage sales, dances, and other events that the students claim are too lame but in reality think they’re awesome, no cap! Sheeeeeesh!
We would love for you to join the PTSA and support our school, students, and parents.
As we get through the first few weeks of school, we will start highlighting some of our past successes on our Facebook page as well as on the PTSA website. We will also start scheduling monthly PTSA meetings over Zoom where you can attend regardless of whether you’re a member or not. If you ARE a member, you can vote on grant requests, executive board members, run for executive board, and many other initiatives including donut flavors.
Important Sites and Channels
Please plan to use the following resources through the year, they are full of useful information. Please use the QR codes at the bottom of this letter so that you can just point your phone’s camera at them and it will take you to the appropriate site unless you like typing long URLs on your phone.
Join the PTSA - https://atheycreek.memberhub.com/store# (Select the Parent/Guardian option) PTSA Facebook Group - https://www.facebook.com/groups/ACMSPTSA
Athey Creek PTSA Website - https://atheycreekptsa.com/
Athey Creek Middle School Website - https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/acms
Athey Creek Middle School Calendar - https://www.wlwv.k12.or.us/Page/10
That’s it, see? Short and sweet. Welcome back, we hope you have a grand year, we hope that the start of school goes smoothly, and we hope to see you all soon.
Sincerely,
President, Athey Creek Middle School PTSA
Join PTSA PTSA Facebook PTSA Website ACMS Website ACMS Calendar