Merrill Minute
April 9, 2021
Spring Surveys and Assessments
Greetings, Mustangs,
We have several surveys and assessments we will be administering district-wide in the coming days. Below is an overview. For more detailed information about each survey or assessment, please visit our DMPS Assessment, Data, and Evaluation website.
SEL Survey: This survey is designed to have students reflect on their school environment and experiences to help educators learn more about how to better support students' needs. This survey takes about 20 minutes and was administered in Merrill science classes the week of Monday, April 5th.
District Interims: Effective at the start of the '20-'21 school year, the district interim assessments replaced the MAP assessment. These assessments measure student achievement of grade level standards in language arts and math. The interim assessments are typically administered 2-3 times per year and take approximately two class periods per content area to administer. We will be administering these assessments in language arts and math classes the week of Monday, April 26th.
ISASP: ISASP is the main state accountability test. This assessment provides student achievement information in the areas of reading, math, and science. In addition, the test gives us a picture of how students are performing compared to peers across the state of Iowa. The testing window is Monday, May 10th - Friday, May 28th. In the past we have administered the test over the course of two consecutive mornings during the testing window. Due to the complexity of testing students both in-person and virtually, we are still working out the final dates, times, and details of this assessment. We will communicate more details in the days ahead.
Thank you for your patience as we begin this stretch of surveys and assessments.
Kate
Kathryn Panek, Principal
Merrill Middle School
8th Celebration
Culinary Club!
Every lifelong passion begins with curiosity and a sampling of what’s possible. In Kimber Foshe’s growing middle school culinary club, the future tastes as good as it looks.
The after-school program at Merrill Middle School started as an activity to provide all students, virtual and in-person, an opportunity to connect during the pandemic. Students join a Microsoft Teams meeting once a week and cook together from their own kitchens. Word of mouth has increased participation from 10 students to as many as 75 in a matter of months. Foshe, a school counselor, said the hunger is there for an activity that is safe and meaningful.
“It gives the students something to create and share with their families during the pandemic ~ to create a spirit of giving and purpose during a time when students are isolated from their friends,” Foshe said.
While Foshe’s class nourishes the mind and body, high school kitchens are waiting for students who want to explore a deeper connection with their inner ‘foodie’. Central Campus Culinary Program Chef Monica Wilson Cross visited virtually with Foshe’s club during an ‘Ask the Chef’ meeting, answering questions from her fledgling food preparers.
“Kimber Foshe has opened a door that many students might not have even known was there,” Chef Wilson Cross said. “We can build on their curiosity and show them firm career paths.”
Wilson Cross said the jobs most students dream about are Executive Chef or Executive Baker, but there are 300,000 jobs in the industry in schools, colleges, hospitals, convention centers, amusement parks and zoos, cruise lines, hotels, sports venues, and assisted care facilities. The field is growing in popularity.
“I believe TV cooking and baking shows, and social media like Tik Tok play a huge role,” Wilson Cross said. “Students see something cool that someone made in a video and want to learn how to do it.”
Foshe gives middle school students the opportunity to bring their small screen inspiration to life, diving into recipes that include Oreo Truffles, Homemade Mason Jar Ice-Cream, Energy Bites, Homemade Granola and Cake Pops, to name a few.
The club is sponsored by the Merrill PTA, Merrill Activities and also uses school counseling funds to purchase the ingredients so every student can participate. Foshe creates the culinary kits herself on weekends. She delivers them to students at their homes, in their classrooms and makes kits available for other virtual families to pick up.
To each recipe, she also adds a dash of Social Emotional Learning.
“Kind of like hiding vegetables in a smoothie,” she said. “During meetings, I almost always spotlight ’empathy’ or how someone else might be feeling and honoring that feeling. This week it was someone had something stuck in their teeth. I want them to think about how would they respond in a way that didn’t hurt their friend’s feelings.”
And the culinary club naturally mixes in responsibility, time management, organizational skills, staying on task and problem solving, she said.
What do the kids think? Foshe says she mostly hears, “What are we making next?” and “Can my friend join, too?”
Fortunately, the recipe choices are endless and there’s always room in a virtual kitchen for one more chef to explore a world of possibilities.
Earth Day!
Earth Day Exhibition
Book Talks with Mrs. Kent: Graphic Novels
This week's book talk video highlights 5 graphic novels, which are very popular with students.
Book Talks with Mrs. Kent: Iowa Teen Awards
How to reserve a book...
Merrill Middle School Has HEART
Hello Parents and Guardians,
The lifelong health of our students and their loved ones is very important to us here at Merrill Middle School. We are excited to partner with the American Heart Association for the Kids Heart Challenge.
The American Heart Association is working on the front lines to engage young people in developing healthy lifelong habits. Additionally, the AHA has been using the latest science and research to develop COVID response plans that address the cardiovascular complications that accompany COVID.
This service-learning opportunity at Merrill Middle School (described below) fits perfectly with the core values of an IB learner. Students will make a commitment to care for both their physical and emotional health, and seek lifesaving donations to fight heart disease. An added bonus - along the way our school will be awarded new PE equipment.
Our goal is for 100% of our students to register online and choose one of three things to commit to doing better: MOVE MORE, LEARN HANDS ONLY CPR, or SAY NO TO TOBACCO AND VAPING. (Parents and families who are looking for resources around tobacco and vaping, please click here.)
Please click below to join the challenge:
http://www2.heart.org/goto/merrillmiddle
Fundraising will end Friday April 30th.
We are encouraging online donations this year.
Thank you!
Mary O’Connor
Merrill Middle Physical Education
Lunafest: Presented by YMCA and Chrysalis
Chrysalis is partnering with Girls on the Run Central Iowa sponsored by the YMCA of Greater Des Moines to present LUNAFEST 2021, a virtual film festival of short films by and about women.
Together, Chrysalis and Girls on the Run build resilience, courage, and health in adolescent girls in our community. We believe confident girls become remarkable women. And, every girl deserves the opportunity to achieve her own potential.
Set up your own watch party then participate in a follow-up discussion led by Chrysalis GirlPower High School Peer Mentors.
Dates:
- Friday, April 16, 2021, 6 PM - Sunday, April 18, 2021, 6 PM - virtual access to the seven short films (approximately 90 minutes in total length)
- Monday, April 19, 2021 7 PM - follow-up film discussion with Chrysalis GirlPower High School Peer Mentors
VIP and General Admission tickets available here. All proceeds from ticket sales will support Girls on the Run Central Iowa. Please register here for the Chrysalis follow-up film discussion.
Roosevelt Information
Cell Phones
Cell Phones: Cell phones need to be off and put away for the duration of the school day. We define “put away” as in a school bag, checked-in to a trusted teacher at the start of the day, or left at home. We define “school day” as the time from when the student enters the building until 3:25.
Parents and families who need to contact their student during the school day should call the main office at 242-8448. Students needing to call home during the day may use the phone in the main office. Finally, students may check their cell phones for messages when school is dismissed at 3:25.
Water Bottles
Use of Teams Chat Function
- How many chat messages did you engage in today?
- How many of these chat messages were for school/class purposes?
- Describe when you should be using the chat during school time. (The chat feature is NOT typically needed in the evening.)
A few reminders...
Masks
6-Week Rotation
Save to One Drive
Grading and Feedback
Tracking Student Progress
To track your student’s progress throughout the year, we suggest two steps:
Join Canvas as an Observer so that you can see the assignments that your student is being given, the work that is submitted, and the feedback that is received.
Check Infinite Campus periodically for updates on SRG topic scores, being sure to select Term 22 for student scores and in-progress grades during second semester.
For more information about SRG in Des Moines Public Schools, please click here. For additional information or questions about Infinite Campus or Canvas navigation, please contact Danielle Taylor or Allison Chartier, Merrill Instructional Coaches. For course specific questions, please contact your child's teacher.
Student Evidence:
The Merrill Middle School Homework Check-In link can be found on the front page of our website and is your one-stop-shop to accessing the learning materials for each day and staying up-to-date on what is assigned and due. Click here to access the Merrill Middle School Homework Check-in.
Merrill Bell Schedule for ALL Students (Virtual and In-Person)
Community Legislative Action Team (CLAT)
You're invited to a virtual coffee with the CLAT team and your legislators. The Community Legislative Action Team's April coffee is on Saturday, April 10, at 9:00 a.m. Click here to register.
Focus:
- Funding for Disadvantaged Students
Speakers:
- Margaret Buckton, Executive Director, UEN
- Allyson Vukovich, DMPS Director of Community Schools
- Kiersten Cooley, Community School Coordinator
Community Resources - Academics
Boys and Girls Club - Summer Programming!
Summer club is free for all middle school and high school aged students from 10:00am - 6:00pm.
Please contact kcox@bgcci.org for more information or call (515) 271-4608.
DSM Tutor Connection
Tutoring
The Des Moines YMCA has graciously opened its doors and provided space for FREE STEM tutoring and FREE ORGANIZATIONAL skills for middle school students.
Tutoring sessions are held on Sundays from 1:00-3:00 p.m. An eager and gracious group of Central Academy students will be on hand to share their knowledge and enthusiasm for science and math curriculum.
For more information, please contact David Primeau at (515) 229-3277.
Merrill Links - We are here for you!
Link to the Merrill Website
Link to Nurse Menke
Link to Merrill Counseling Office
Calendar
May 31: Memorial Day - No School
June 3: Last Day of School - Early Dismissal
Merrill Middle School
Email: jane.schumann@dmschools.org
Website: merrill.dmschools.org
Location: 5301 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone: 515-242-8448
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/merrillpta
Twitter: @MerrillMustangs