Griffin Gazette
January 2017
Principal's Corner
Dear Parents,
The second semester is always a busy time for Griffin students. Please check our website and newsletter to stay informed of all registration dates, STAAR testing dates, extra-curricular activities, etc.
TEA has released both Griffin’s School Report Card (SRC) for 2015-16 and the Texas Academic Performance Report (TAPR). The reports have been sent home to you but can also be found on our campus website. The report provides information concerning student performance on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR), as well as information on student enrollment, class size averages, and financial expenditures. Griffin received Distinction Designations in four areas; ELA/Reading, Top 25% Student Progress, Top 25% Closing Perform Gaps and Postsecondary Readiness. There will be an informational meeting on the School Report Card and TAPR on Wednesday, February 1 at 8:00am in the library. Should you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to call 469-633-4900.
Our PTA continues to support our students and teachers in many wonderful ways. Last month, the staff was treated to a cookie exchange. We want to thank all of the families who cooked and brought goodies for the teachers. I can assure you; these treats were greatly appreciated and truly enjoyed.
I am looking forward to an exciting second semester as our Griffin Gator’s embark upon new academic and extra-curricular challenges.
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Holcomb
Announcement from GMS Administration
Attendance at Extracurricular Events at Griffin Middle School
We encourage students to attend Griffin Middle school events. However, students who are not picked up within 20 minutes of the end of an extracurricular event will lose the privilege of attending events outside of school hours without their parents. This policy is referred to as the “20-minute rule.” The student dress code applies to FISD extra-curricular events. Students may be asked to leave an event if their dress is not appropriate.
Students must be in attendance at school to be able to participate in, or attend, an extracurricular event. This includes athletic events, concerts, plays, competitions, etc. Extenuating circumstances may be an exception to this policy if students are in attendance for a minimum of a half day and the absence is documented by a doctor’s note or approved by the sponsor of the event prior to the absence. Students who are assigned to in-school suspension (ISS) or out-of-school suspension (OSS) may not participate in, or attend, extracurricular events the same day.
Counselor's Corner
Hard to believe but one semester is in the books for the 2016-2017 school year! WOW! The weeks prior to the Winter Break were very eventful. 8th graders worked with both the GMS and Wakeland High School counselors to enter registration data for 9th grade. 8th grade students will meet with the Wakeland counselors later in January to review their selections for 9th grade. There are also some important upcoming dates for our 8th graders moving on to High School:
**8th grade Parent Meetings will be at Wakeland High School January 23rd, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. with the principal and the high school counselors. They will share important academic information and you will have the opportunity to visit booths about the clubs, organizations, and electives that Wakeland has to offer.
**8th graders attending Lone Star High School, The Rising Ranger Night (freshman night) is Jan. 23rd from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. in the Lone Star Auditorium. Ms. Kraft and Lead Counselor Abby Cole will speak and then we’ll release parents and students to the cafeteria where we will have clubs and organizations, fine arts and athletics set up for them to talk with those sponsors.
What an exciting time as we begin thinking about that transition to High School!
Our 6th and 8th grade students had the opportunity to participate in the Aim for Success and Achieve Success program in December. This program teaches students about the benefits of avoiding risky behavior and the importance of focusing on their futures. Students gained very useful knowledge and were actively engaged during the presentation. We were so grateful to have such wonderful speakers come work with our students.
The GMS counselors are also excited to announce the next session in the Frisco ISD Parenting Series will be later this month titled “The Price of Privilege”. This session will take place at the Frisco ISD Administration Building on January 31st from 6:00-7:30. Practicing Psychologist and author, Dr. Madeline Levine will be featured during this discussion explaining how parents can help their children cope with stressors affecting their educational and social well-being.
We are having a blast working with your students this year and can’t wait to start the second semester with all of our Gators!
Your Counselors,
Mrs. Welsh-Roe & Mrs. Renegar
Notes from Nurse Gressett
FLU SEASON DO’S AND DON’TS
Since we are in the most difficult time of the cold and flu season, I wanted to
share a few tips to help stop the spread of germs at home, as well as, here at
school. I have been very busy here in the clinic due to the increasing number of
students with the “stomach bug” and respiratory illnesses, such as the flu.
Below are a few ways we can work together to help protect each other against
the various contagious illnesses that follow us back and forth from home and
school.
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others. After all, we don’t want them to feel just as bad as we do.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when cough or sneezing. If you do not have a tissue at the time cough into your sleeve of your shirt and then wash your hands.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. These are all ways germs can be easily spread.
Handwashing is very important. Always wash your hands at least 20 seconds each time with soap and water.
Most importantly, PLEASE don’t send your child to school sick. Your child can
not concentrate here at school if they are sick. Also, this will prevent the other
children and staff members here at school from getting sick. Please also remember you must keep your child at home for at least 24 hrs. fever free WITHOUT TYLENOL OR ADVIL after running at temperature of 100 degrees or higher. Unfortunately, we can not make any exceptions to this FISD Policy. This is to ensure that your child is not contagious.
Thank you so much for your cooperation.
Shellye Gressett, RN
Clinic Phone (469)633-4908
Clinic Fax (469)633-4928
Upcoming Dates
January 16 Holiday - No School
January 17 Beginning of 4th 6 weeks/3rd 9 weeks
January 17 5th Grade Electives Tour
January 21 Instrument Selection Day for Orchestra and Band
January 23 Rising Freshman Information Night
January 25 College Night, 6 - pm @ Reedy High School
January 25 No Tutorials
February 9 Rising 6th Grade Parent Information Night
February 20 Holiday - No School
February 27 - March 2 Cheerleading Clinics and Tryouts
March 6 - March 10 Spring Break
For more upcoming events, please visit: http://schools.friscoisd.org/ms/griffin/site/calendar/school-calendar
Front Office
APPOINTMENTS AND STUDENT SIGN OUT
Parents and guardians, when picking up your student for medical or other appointments, please remember to allow extra time to be scanned into the Raptor system if you have not done so previously in the present school year. Please also allow time for your student to leave class and report to the front office. It is unnecessary to send a note or email alerting us that your student will be leaving early as we are unable to call a student out of class to wait in the front office before a parent arrives to check them out of school.
VOLUNTEERS
A new volunteer management program is being implemented in FISD schools. If you haven’t already completed your background check and would like to sign up to volunteer at Griffin, please use the following link to do so.
http://appgarden10.app-garden.com/VolTrackTX043905.nsf
If you have already completed your background check for this year and have been approved, you do not need to register through App-Garden at this time.
DELIVERIES TO STUDENTS
ALL items left for students in the front office need to be clearly labeled with the student’s name and grade marked on the actual item with a Sharpie. Smaller items such as eye glasses, cell phones, or house keys must be placed in a zip lock bag with the name and grade label inside the bag or marked on the bag with a Sharpie.
Unacceptable items for deliveries to students include homework/classwork (regardless of due date or class period), projects, classroom supplies, instruments, PE clothes, uniforms, etc. These items may be placed on the grade level cart in the front office and will be distributed to students at their lunch period only.
Student lunches may only be dropped off by a parent or guardian. If dropping off lunch for your student, please have it at the school 5 minutes before their lunch period to ensure that it will be added to the lunch cart in time to be delivered.
Finally, the most important question of the day, what time is lunch?
6th Grade:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday lunch is 10:55 – 11:25
Tuesday, Thursday lunch is 10:41 – 11:11
7th Grade:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday lunch is 11:45 – 12:15
Tuesday, Thursday lunch is 11:27 – 11:57
8th Grade:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday lunch is 12:35 – 1:05
Tuesday, Thursday lunch is 12:13 – 12:43
The bell/lunch schedule is also on the Griffin MS website.
Attendance Office
Attendance – Please contact the data/attendance clerk at 469-633-4900 or kaiserm@friscoisd.org if your student will be absent from school. A doctor note, parent note, or email is required when students return from school. If written documentation is not received within 3 days of your child's return, the absence will be marked as unexcused. Medical and dental personal may fax notes directly to 469-633-4950. Attendance information is available on the Home Access Center (HAC). If you cannot remember your password, you may retrieve it at gmshac@friscoisd.org.
Grades – Are published in HAC. Your student knows their login information and can show you how to use HAC.
Enrolling or Withdrawing - Please email our registrar Michele Kaiser at least 48 hrs in advance to discuss these processes.
News from Officer Attaway
Please be mindful of traffic laws while dropping off and picking up your students.
All traffic laws are enforced on school grounds including speeding and cell phone violations. Let’s remember to treat the school drives just like you would a school zone.
6th Grade
ILA
Can you believe that the first semester is complete? In 6th grade ILA, we continue to work on our grammar and vocabulary skills. Students are mastering parts of speech and subject-verb agreement. We ended the semester with incorporating more vivid vocabulary into our writing. Now, we are tackling Latin and Greek affixes.
As we move into 2017, students will have the opportunity to compose their first short story. In addition, we will work on basic and higher-order thinking skills through a variety of text. One of our focuses will be to help mold our students into creative and divergent thinkers. We do this by asking a variety of open ended questions and encouraging them to share their thought processes. In addition to higher level thinking, we are coaching our students to learn to make good use of their time, as well as improving their organizational skills. Please help us at home by giving your child activities to reinforce these skills. We have found that time management and organization are some of the biggest challenges students face as they transition from elementary school to middle school. Working on this will help our students in multiple areas.
We look forward to helping our students prepare for 7th grade!
Math
The 6th graders did an outstanding job with our Module 4 unit where we worked on developing a conceptual understanding of negative numbers by using models to add, subtract, multiply, and divide integers. Students ended this module by plotting points on four quadrant graphs and solving real-world problems with multiple representations. We did some fun graphing with the Grinch right before the Winter Break. We have now moved on to Module 5a. We are learning all about algebraic expressions, and different properties of addition and multiplication; including the distributive property. Once we begin the 4th marking period we will be headed to Module 5B which will be working on mastery of equations and inequalities. After our equations unit, we will be moving right along to Module 6; a super fun Geometry unit.
The students are doing great with all of the new concepts they are being introduced to this year. Please remind your student to keep up with their Think Through Math every week! We are so proud of our 6th graders hard work and effort!
6th Grade Math
Social Studies
We departed the South American continent and crossed the Atlantic to begin our extensive tour through Europe. Before the holiday break we visited Athens Greece, the roots of Democracy and then rang in the New Year by examining the calendars and timelines introduced during the Roman Empire. In the coming days we’ll be enlightened with the Renaissance, discover the sadness and triumphs of our world at war, and analyze the European Union’s efforts to improve the region’s economy and preserve their environment.
We'll leave Europe for Russia to explore just how much Europe inspired the country to impersonate its western neighbor, as well as alter its governmental structure for decades. We’ll take a trip along the Trans-Siberian Railroad revealing all the cultures and energy riches of a country spanning across eleven time zones and enjoy some folklore before leaving.
Science
We are just finishing up our unit on Biology and are about to begin our new unit over Energy. The students really seemed to enjoy working on the Ecosystem Project! We had so many great questions and class discussions. When we start our next unit over Energy, we will be discussing the difference between all forms of energy, energy resources, and energy conservation in the home. It is a good idea to check with your child to make sure he/she has enough supplies for the second semester, especially pencils! Thank you for sharing your students with us.
The 6th grade team
Mrs.Lee
Mr. Loveall
7th Grade
ILA
William Zinsser once said, “Writing is thinking on paper,” and 7th grade ILA wholeheartedly agrees. To this end, we’ve been doing lots of thinking on paper during our current nonfiction unit. We are analyzing nonfiction mentor texts on various topics from sharks to Rosa Parks to bubonic plague to Abraham Lincoln and are writing essays ranging from the importance of laughter to why people shouldn’t give up. On March’s STAAR Writing, students will create an expository essay to answer a similar prompt. Be sure to ask your child about his or her mind map of potential essay topics!
Math
Be sure to check Google Classroom for weekly agendas, copies of assignments and answer keys, instructional videos, as well as reminders for upcoming assessments.
In January all students will learn about Linear Relationships in tables, graphs and equations as well as Scale Drawings and Similar Figures. Our pre-ap students will also learn about the Pythagorean Theorem.
Our next unit of study for all students will begin with 2-D and 3-D geometry.
Don’t forget about THINK THROUGH MATH each week. Research shows consistent usage is associated with statistically significant gains on STAAR Mathematics.
Math Textbook On-line
Can’t remember how to do a problem? This is a great way to find the information you need.
https://resources.carnegielearning.com
School Name: Griffin Middle School
Texas History
The 4th six weeks is our time when our course most closely ties in with 8th grade US History. The entire six weeks is dedicated to studying the role of Texas in the US Civil War. Students learn that Texas was surprisingly divided over joining the Confederacy and there were several smaller battles that took place in Texas. The last topic studied is the time of Reconstruction and putting the nation back together.
Science
We have just finished up our body systems unit, and we will be starting genetics next. During the genetics unit we will look at how traits are passed from parents to offspring through sexual and asexual reproduction, and we will look at how this helps organisms to be adapted to their environment through natural selection. As we go into the second semester, please check with your child and make sure they have the needed supplies including pencils, highlighters, index cards, a binder and a composition notebook. Thank you!
8th Grade
ILA
8th grade Pre-AP ILA
Our students have just completed a unit on persuasion and the media where they learned a great deal about the power of the media and the most effective way to use appeals to persuade an audience. They are now ready and excited to begin a literary analysis of The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas. This journey will take them on the high seas of treason, the daunting influence of power and money, the bitter edge of revenge, along with the promise of perseverance. Clearly our overall theme this year of “Challenge” will be at the heart of this study.
“Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. You must look into that storm and shout as you did in Rome. Do your worst, for I will do mine! Then the fates will know you as we know you.”
― Alexandre Dumas, The Count of Monte Cristo
8th grade ILA
Our students are concluding a unit on persuasion and the media. They have enjoyed taking a closer look at the influence the media has over them individually and as a society. The students have just completed a persuasive essay over a personal topic of concern using persuasive techniques and appeals to convince their audience of the change they feel is necessary. They are looking forward to working in literature circle groups to delve into the voices and point of view of those who endured during the Holocaust. Without a doubt, our theme of “Challenge” this year will be at the center of our discussions in this unit.
“Bread, soup - these were my whole life. I was a body. Perhaps less than that even: a starved stomach. The stomach alone was aware of the passage of time.”
― Elie Wiesel, Night
Math/PAP Algebra
During the third six weeks of Math 8 and PAP Math 8, students learned about linear functions. They expanded their knowledge of proportional versus non-proportional relationships and applied this to linear functions. Students also studied financial literacy where they explored the differences and similarities between simple and compound interest and analyzed terms of loans. We had a great first semester and look forward to the students applying their knowledge of linear functions to our next topic of study, systems of equations. It will be another great semester!
PAP Algebra I:
In the fourth six weeks of school we will have covered chapters 5-8 in the Carnegie Algebra I textbook. This included concepts such as Arithmetic and Geometric sequences, Exponential relationships, and Solving Linear Systems by substitution and elimination . It has been a busy, yet productive six weeks, and we look forward all the learning that will take place in the remainder of the school year.
Please refer our Google Classroom for more Algebra I information and resources.
United States History
So far this year, we have taken an adventure through the creation of our nation. Students have discovered why the 13 colonies were set up, how the economic and social differences led to issues among the colonies and how being so far away from their ruler ultimately led to independence. Students journeyed through the writing of the constitution and are currently learning how those early principles were put into place. They will create themed presidential maps and understand the foreign and domestic policies of the first five presidents.
Griffin Electives
Orchestra
Orchestra students are hard at work preparing for Spring UIL Contest and Solo and Ensemble Contest coming up in April.
Athletics
We are coming to the end of a very successful basketball season! Our end of season A team tournaments will be the weekend of Feb 4th and 5th.
Track season begins soon! You do not have to be in athletics in order to participate in track. We have a mandatory parent/athlete Track meeting on Thursday 2/2 from 5:00-5:30 pm in the main gym. Track sign ups will be up soon so make sure you listen for announcements during 3rd period so you do not miss out!
Please check our website for more information: http://gatorathletics.wixsite.com/griffin-athletics
About Griffin Middle School
Email: Griffin@friscoisd.org
Website: http://schools.friscoisd.org/ms/griffin
Location: 3703 Eldorado Parkway, Frisco, TX, United States
Phone: 469-633-4900