GOODHUE MIDDLE SCHOOL
"Home of the Wildcats"
Upcoming Events
August 27th
Open House for our Middle School students will happen on August 27 at 6:30. Here is the tentative schedule. More information will be coming regarding this event in mid July.
8th Grade
6:30-7:00: Presentation in Gym 2
7:00-8:00: Classroom Open House
7th Grade
6:30-7:00: Classroom Open House
7:00-7:30: Presentation in Gym 2
7:30-8:00: Classroom Open House
6th Grade
6:30-7:30: Classroom Open House
7:30-8:00: Presentation in Gym 2
September 3, 2109 ~ First Day of Middle School
MIDDLE SCHOOL TEACHERS
Middle School Teachers have been busy meeting to solidifying schedules and preparing for some engaging lessons. They have some pretty cool ideas for our middle-level learners, I cannot wait for this change for our kids.
August 5th ~ Middle School Pictures from 3:00-7:00 in the Media Center.
August 27th ~ Middle School Open House starting at 6:30 in Gym 2
September 3rd ~ First Day of School
Here are the Core Academic Staff Members and what they will be teaching:
Jeff Sonju ~ Sixth Grade Math and Science, Passion Projects, Advisory Class
Heather Gadient ~ Sixth Grade Language Arts and Advisory Class
Robby Ebner ~ 6-8 Social Studies, Passion Projects, Advisory Class
Holly Nardinger ~ 7-8 Math, Passion Projects, Advisory Class
Josh Wieme ~ 8 Language Arts, Passion Projects, Advisory Class
Logan Thomas ~ 8 Language Arts
Maggie Morse ~ 7-8 Science, Advisory
Holli Larimore ~ 7 Language Arts
Leah Schweich ~ 8 Math
Regarding the Elective Teachers...please check out the schedule below.
SCHEDULE
- More academic time in the area of Math and Reading (full semester worth)
- Student choice in their elective courses (more choice - student voice and choice)
- Better academic support system for our middle-level learners (Advisory and Target Time)
- Team Planning - having a team of teachers responsible for our middle-level learners
- Improved support for the social and emotional needs of our learners
Once we had our guiding principles, we worked on the schedule. Each time a middle-level learner moves, he or she is in a new block. There are eight blocks in their day.
Block 1 8:10-8:35 Mixed Advisory
Block 2 8:39-9:54 Core Subject (Math, Reading, Science or Social Studies)
Block 3 9:58-10:28 Band/Choir/Project Based Learning
Block 4 10:32-11:47 Core Subject (Math, Reading, Science or Social Studies)
Block 5 11:47-12:17 Lunch
Block 6 12:20-1:35 Core Subject (Math, Reading, Science or Social Studies)
Block 7 Electives
Block 8 Electives
Students will have some choice of when and what they want to choose for their electives. These electives will be mixed grade levels. Sports are built within the 8th-hour block and Science and Social are offered every other day.
ADVISORY
What is Advisory time and why is it needed?
An advisory program facilitates academic relationships and provides the structure that creates "connectedness" in a middle school. Connectedness is a characteristic of school culture in which students have meaningful relationships with adults within the school, are engaged in the school, and feel a sense of belonging to the school. School connectedness is linked to higher grades, higher test scores, and lower dropout rates, regardless of students' socioeconomic status.
Each day from 8:10-8:35 a.m., our middle-level learners will meet in a mixed-age group (6, 7, & 8 grade) and go over components of growing up such as: study skills, setting goals, social and emotional skill development, community, and team-building skills.
THE CORE
How can we dedicate 30 extra minutes each day to the Core? Well, our middle-level learners will not have a 44 minute study hall anymore. Students will receive 3, 15-minute Target Times which will 'target' on what they exactly need ~ enrichment, reteaching, or finishing the assignment with support. If you total up the minutes within our new Middle School, our students will receive an additional semester of instruction in Math and Reading.
BLOCK 3
What changes in the Music Department? There will be a 5th Grade Band and Choir that will perform at the Elementary Concerts. The band and choirs will be separated as follows:
- 6th Grade Band and Choir
- 7th and 8th grade
- 9th through 12th Band and Choir.
Students may choose a class called Passion Project if they don't want to be in Band and/or Choir. Within this class, students will explore, research, solve, write, or create something of their interest. This class will also include Brain Breaks, where students will have time to exercise the brain through motor skills.
LUNCH
10:40-11:45 K-5 Elementary Students (300 students)
11:47-12:17 6-8 Middle School Students (150 students)
12:20-12:55 9-12 High School Students (200 students)
ELECTIVES
COMMUNICATION WITH PARENTS
GRADING
The Middle School Committee agreed to use the 6 Point Grading Scale. This will be a nice transition from the 3 point:
- Learning competencies just like the Elementary School
- No averaging or converting to a letter grade
- Bringing students closer to their grade