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PIKESVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL OCTOBER 2019
FROM THE PRINCIPALS DESK
It has been a great start to the school year at Pikesville Middle School for our students and staff. This year, our motto is achieving excellence together…students, teachers and community. We continue to build on the tradition of excellence for our school as we strive to raise the bar and eliminate achievement gaps for all our students. In order to accomplish our goals, we are focusing on students using text annotation strategies to cite textual evidence when writing and answering questions and applying word-learning strategies for new words encountered in reading texts. In math, we are focusing on explicit instruction when students are learning new material and complex math concepts and skills. To increase our student’s sense of belonging, we continue to hold community circles and have virtues of the month identified as a focus for the school, with Acceptance being our focus for October. For a closer look at our School Progress Plan, please visit our school website at https://pikesvillems.bcps.org.
Research suggests that strong parental involvement during your child's middle school experience correlates to academic success. Please continue to monitor your child's progress via our BCPSOne Schoology platform. We also look forward to seeing you on Parent Conference Night on October 17th, from 4:00-6:00 pm. Parent Conference Night is a great opportunity to continue to partner with your child's teachers to ensure sustained academic growth. A strong school-home partnership is essential for your child to be successful.
Remember…. Achieving Excellence Together…..Students, Teachers and Community
#WeArePikesville
IMPORTANT DATES:
October 10 - First quarter interims distributed
October 17 - Parent Conferences 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.
October 18 - Professional Development Day - Schools closed for students
6TH GRADE NEWS FLASH BY MRS. HAMMEL
Happy October! As we are wrapping up our first month of middle school, our 6th graders are becoming more comfortable with the routines and procedures here at Pikesville Middle School. Please remember to reference their Homework Helper or agenda for assignment due dates. You can also check BCPSOne to view any assignments that are missing or need to be redone. We are already halfway through the first quarter and students will receive their interim reports on Thursday, October 10th. These are to be signed and returned to their 1A teacher. To help ensure students’ success, we will be holding conferences on Thursday, October 17th from 4:00-6:00 by appointment. Please look for the conference sheet sign up that your child will bring home with their interim.
We are done with device roll outs and so far, sixth graders have done an excellent job of bringing their charged devices to and from school. Please continue to assist students in bringing those devices fully charged to school each day.
7TH GRADE SCOOP BY MR. SULLIVAN
Hello again, from our 7th grade team. We are excited to report a strong first month of school for our 7th grade students. Moving forward into October, we are looking to build upon our first month’s successes. Students have built a positive rapport with their peers and staff. Furthermore, they have started to dive into content in each subject-area. We are encouraged by the student’s appropriate use of devices; they have kept phones and earbuds away during the day. While the positive start is evident, there are a few reminders we would like to address. We continue to encourage students to move directly from class to class to avoid being late to class. Being on time to class is an expectation, but it also sets the tone for each student’s day in that class. We also highly encourage communication with your child’s teachers, particularly if there are concerns with your child in their class. Our message to students this year is that ‘You Belong”. We are here for your children and can help support them when we are aware of concerns and issues they may have. We are always available to support our students in anyway possible. Remember, Teamwork Makes the Dream Work, and we are all focused on making the 2019-2020 school an overwhelming success!
Other announcements:
Please stay tuned for upcoming information about our 7th grade field trip.
As the 7th grade year progresses, we want to encourage our students to be focused on their classwork. Many of our students are considering applying to magnet schools, which occurs in November of their 8th grade year. So, we remind students that their 7th grade year is an important year for students as they build their resume and highlight their amazing qualities.
8TH GRADE UPDATES FROM MS. LUECHTEFELD
Hello 8th grade families,
First quarter is off and running! It’s looking like it’s going to be a great year to be in 8th grade.
Now that it’s getting colder, please double check the dress code and school policies. Students may not wear hats/masks/headwear, hoods, or large winter jackets during the school day. Hoodies are allowed, but the hoods may NOT be up. If your student does not know their locker combination, they need to see their home room teacher or the guidance office so that they can store any outer wear safely during the school day.
We are looking forward to a few field trips this year. Please keep an eye out for paperwork coming out soon for our first one!
Parent conference night is scheduled for October 17th, 4-6pm. Please remember to use the scheduling tool being sent home in a few days to schedule any conferences you wish to have, or contact that teacher directly through Schoology or the school phone.
As always, if you have a question or concern, please contact Mr. Laraia, Ms. Norris or Ms. Luechtefeld!
Jason Laraia: jlaraia@bcps.org
Sara Norris: snorris@bcps.org
Sheila Luechtefeld: sluechtefeld@bcps.org
VIRTUES
ACCEPTANCE
Acceptance Mantra:
I accept myself and am open for change, growth, and transformation in being the best version of myself. I accept others for their unique qualities and differences.
IT'S ACADEMIC
SCIENCE
Happy Fall Pikesville Family! In 6th grade science students are learning about ecosystems as they prepare to study the life cycle of butterflies. Students will have the opportunity to view the lifecycle of the butterflies in real-time as their classrooms are equipped with pop-up butterfly habitat nets containing live caterpillars. Our 7th grades are learning about energy forms and how they are transformed into heat, in preparation for our solar cookers which we will design and build to melt the chocolate on a S’more! Finally, our 8th graders are studying natural disasters and tracking hurricanes using national weather sites. This information will be useful as they begin to build homes that can withstand various natural disasters. Please continue to encourage students to complete all assignments and discuss coach class days and times with their teachers when necessary.
Students in Mr. McChesney’s 8th grade Engineering have begun the year with several STEM-based activities that promote 21st Century Skills, particularly in regards to collaboration. Students worked in pairs or teams to solve several challenges such as “Remote Pictionary” and “The Marble Track Challenge.” Students then applied the Engineering Design Process to build, test, redesign and test again a Cartesian Diver with the goal of designing the fastest in the class. Currently students are building their skills in measuring fractional inches to achieve an accuracy of within + or – 1/16 of an inch. The students’ skill in measuring cm (from last year) will be combined with their skills in measuring inches as we convert between the two as well as develop a sense of scale as we compare and use the two. Accurate and precise measuring skills are crucial to engineering as miniaturization is making our technology smaller and at the same time more powerful.
English Language Arts
Social Studies
October is here and the Social Studies Department would like to remind students to bring headphones for their research into history. A lot of the video content helps us to visualize what could have and actually took place in history. Please remember to study your vocabulary, your maps, and keep your notes organized. Your research notes is the practice that you will use to create essays, posters, comics, and all the other awesome products you make to demonstrate your learning.
Up Next:
Ancient World 6 – Human Migration, Paleolithic vs. Neolithic, Agricultural Revolution
Medieval World 7 – The Spread of Islam in the Middle East and beyond, West African Kingdoms of Ghana and Mali
American History 8 – Political Spectrum, Battles of the American Revolution
This month, GT students will be introduced to this year’s National History Day Project theme: Breaking Barriers. Visit www.nhd.org for more information. Stay tuned!
World Languages
Bonjour et Buenos Dias! I can’t believe we are already halfway through the first quarter. By now, your student should be able to talk about a few things in their chosen World Language. All classes begin by talking about themselves. Beginner A classes have learned about their family order, Beginner B classes have discussed their personality types, and Intermediate classes have discussed and written about their personality types, learner types and are speaking and writing in the present and past tense. You may see an interactive notebook in some classes, and digital notes in others. We do not have a textbook for World Language classes, so note keeping is very important. This is a great change! All students are still using authentic websites, videos and readings to practice using the language, therefore is very important to make sure your child has his or her device charged and in class. Some classes have already begun reading novels in class. Novels will stay in school. For additional practice and enrichment at home, your student can use https://quizlet.com/ to review vocabulary, we also like https://www.duolingo.com/ to track progress and https://conjuguemos.com/ for extra practice.
“To learn a language is to have one more window from which to look at the world.” – Chinese Proverb
Math
The fall Mathematics MAP test is coming to an end. Math 6 is working on Least Common Multiples(LCM) and Greatest Common Factor (GCF), next will be rational numbers; Math 6 GT is working on Order of Operations and Powers of 10, next will be Scatter Plots and Graphing on a Coordinate Plane; Pre-Algebra 7 is working on the Real Number System, next will be Exponents and Scientific Notation; Math 8 is working on Scientific Notation, next is Volume and the Unit 1 County Assessment; Algebra 1 is working on Arithmetic Sequence; next is Linear Equations (Rate of Change/Slope); Geometry just finished Unit 1 Foundations of Geometry; next is Unit 2 Extending Transformational Geometry. Remember the textbook is online in BCPSOne – Digit Content.
Related Arts
The music department is off to a great start this year. Please mark your calendars for our upcoming Winter Concert Series. All are welcome!
Winter Concert Series
Wednesday December 4
6 Chorus 6:00 p.m. B. Permenter
7 Chorus 6:30 p.m. B. Permenter
8 Chorus/Pikesville 7:00 p.m. B. Permenter
Thursday December 5
Dance at Pikesville High School 6:00 p.m. S. Crockett
Dance at Pikesville High School 7:00 p.m. S. Crockett
Honors Dance at Pikesville High School 8:00 p.m. S. Crockett
Wednesday December 11
6 Band 6:00 p.m. A. Auffarth/Leggiero
7/8 Band 7:00 p.m. A. Auffarth
Honor Band 8:00 p.m. A. Auffarth
Thursday December 12
6 Orchestra 6:00 p.m. S. Norris
Symphony Orchestra 7:00 p.m. S. Norris
Philharmonic Orchestra 8:00 p.m. S. Norris
BCPS Honors Auditions for Band, Orchestra, or Chorus
The Baltimore County Music Department will be holding auditions for county wide honors ensembles on Saturday, December 7th. Applications are due to your child’s music teacher no later than October 31st. Auditions are open to any 7th or 8th grader currently enrolled in band, orchestra, or chorus.
Jazz Band
Mr. Auffarth is looking for students interested in playing in the Pikesville Middle School Jazz Band. This ensemble rehearses on Thursdays from
3:00 – 4:30 p.m. See Mr. Auffarth if you are interested.
COUNSELING CORNER
School Counseling office: Our updated number: 443-809-6725
Please feel free to contact your child’s grade level school counselor should you have any concerns.
Mr. Hess- 6th Grade
Ms. Daeschner, 7th Grade
Mrs. Banks, 8th Grade & Chair
Kindness Matters Month
Throughout October, BCPS will celebrate Kindness Matters Month. The goal is to engage students, staff, and other stakeholders in setting and maintaining a positive tone in BCPS schools and offices throughout the year. Each week will have a different theme.
Sept. 30 – Oct. 4 is Bullying Prevention Week.
Oct. 7 – 11 will focus on “Being an Upstander instead of a Bystander”.
Oct. 14 – 18 will explore Preventing Cyberbullying.
Oct. 21 – 25 is Kindness Matters Week.
Negotiating Technology with your Child
*Some things are simply not negotiable… sometimes you just have to say “No” ...about getting a Shapchat or Instagram account? How about watching a movie rated “R” or chatting online? Should she really own her own cell phone at this age? These questions are not as clear cut as the risk may not be as apparent. Yet, your child may have some logical and compelling arguments for doing these things which may be tough to debate. So when and how much do you give in?
Before we go further with some possible answers to these questions, we should remind ourselves of a few things:
- Technology (including social networking) has become highly integrated into our society and world. These are 21st century tools that all kids should know how to use as part of their ongoing career, personal, social, and academic development.
- Technology is not inherently evil. What a person does with these powerful tools is what gives them their value.
- Most kids use technology responsibly. Don't let anyone convince you that anyone under the age of 19 who is looking down at their mobile phone is probably up to no good. Like just about anything else, when it comes to cyberbullying or online harassment, a relatively small number of children are doing the majority of the damage. At the same time, technology can "fuel a fire" much more quickly and intensely than is possible without technology.
- Technology is everywhere and we as parents can't be (or should be). That is, as parents, we should monitor, supervise, and set up family policies although the bottom line is that we have to teach kids to watch out for themselves and follow rules even when nobody else is looking. Similarly, if we "helicopter" over our kids and not let them make some mistakes, they will not learn the important skills and attitudes needed for coping and recovery. They won't learn.
- Kids mature at different rates and have different decision making abilities. As a caretaker, you will need to judge best what your child can handle.
Here are some factors to consider and tips for negotiating technology with your child:
First, don’t give in just because it’s easier on you. Kids can wear you down although it’s important to stay in the game and continue focusing on what is right. If you are tired, delay your decision until later, catch your breath, and think it over. Make sure your spouse or partner is “on board.” If your child continues to engage, explain that asking more than twice is harassment and harassment is against the rules resulting in a default “No” and possible other consequences. If your child is not willing to wait for a decision, then again, the immediate answer is “No.” If he is willing to wait for you to “take the decision under advisement,” then negotiations may continue.
Second, realize that technology can be very powerful and extend our capabilities in incredible (and fun) ways. Let’s remember, however, that “Just because you can doesn’t mean you should.” It is true that your child can stay in constant touch with his friends and get the latest gossip before it hits the streets. It is also true that he can correspond with almost anyone in the world at any time -- although should he? One of the ways to determine this is evaluating the purpose that the technology serves. What is your child trying to achieve by using the technology? For instance, what is the purpose of having a Facebook or other similar social networking account? Ask questions such as, “What do you get out of being on Facebook?” If the purpose is legitimate (having fun, for both kids and adults, is legitimate), then, ask yourself, “Is this the safest and most secure way to achieve this purpose?” If yes, then okay. If not, then the adult must help the child figure out how he or she can achieve their purpose in a better way. How about calling those would-be Facebook “friends” on the phone? What about a more private e-mail or text message directly to the friend? Could the same goal be achieved by meeting at the park to hang out? Can the child increase his or her circle of friends in the existing community by joining a club or team?
Perhaps your child’s rationale for having a social network account is to avoid being left out Although not having something that others have can be uncomfortable or unpleasant, it is not fatal. In fact, in some cases, not having a social network account actually gives your child something that other children do not have – more time and focus for other important things such as studies, outdoor activities, and family time. Adapted from GuardingKids.com: A Practical Guide to
*(excerpts taken from: Keeping Kids Out of High-Tech Trouble
by Russell A. Sabella, Ph.D.
http://www.guardingkids.com/
Magnet School Application Deadline: November 15, 2019
Magnet applications for the 2020-20210 school year must be submitted online by 1pm on November 15, 2019 or postmarked by November 15, 2019 (certified mailing recommended).
Any questions contact Mrs. Banks, 8th Grade school counselor
Health Suite
Parents of students here at Pikesville Middle School, It’s FLU season, please get your children vaccinated to STOP THE FLU BUG!
A message from Ms. Cleland your school nurse