MMS Newsletter
“Enter to Learn, Strive to Achieve!”
The MISSION of Middletown Middle School is to engage students as 21st century learners who strive to achieve their goals. We support students through rigor and active participation within a culture of cooperation, organization, determination and excellence to prepare our students for college and careers.
“The Vision of Middletown Middle School is to challenge students of all abilities to achieve excellence in a wide range of academic and cultural pursuits. Students are equipped to meet the demands and opportunities of the 21st century by receiving a differentiated, effective, and rigorous curriculum. Staff believe and demonstrate that all students can master the essential 21st century skills. The culture of Middletown Middle will include high expectations for all, frequent monitoring of student progress, multiple opportunities for student learning, high levels of engagement, exceptional communication, and daily purposeful integration of technology. We will make it a priority to recognize the academic and extracurricular achievements of our school community. Middletown Middle School will have highly-motivated professional staff and authentic partnerships between the school and home.”
Value Statements
Teachers actively engage students by interacting, moving around the classroom, and allowing them to own their learning.
Staff will have knowledge of the whole student so that lessons provide challenge and rigor for all abilities.
Teachers facilitate lessons where students are engaged, not merely compliant.
Teachers facilitate lessons that allow for students to lead and take risks.
Staff will make authentic learning opportunities a priority in the classroom.
Staff collaborates to promote 21st century student learning.
A Message from Mr. Fer
In my weekly message to staff, I shared this week that the disruptive nature of COVID-19 and the ripple effect it has had on education is very similar to the effect that the introduction of an innovative form of technology has on society and those businesses competing for your attention. The “four stages of disruption” are: Disruption of Incumbent, Rapid Linear Evolution, Appealing Convergence and Complete Reimagination.
The disruption for the “incumbent” in our situation was the manner in which we educated your students when things were more simple and instruction was face-to-face and familiar. Well, that just isn’t the case anymore! What we as educators value most about our vocation is the up close and personal way we are able to positively impact the lives of young people knowing that our actions are laying the foundation for a bright future in whatever they decide to do. We were unable to hang on to the normalcy of day-to-day instruction as it was and were instead thrust into the quick development of ourselves as distance learning instructors. As I have expressed to our staff previously is that this is definitely NOT what I signed up for when I began my career in education and I am sure that almost all of our teachers would agree with me!
In the next stage of disruption there is a large degree of rapid evolution. I am sure I do not need to elaborate on this topic as you have seen the level of adjustment that our teachers and students have made throughout the course of this Continuity of Learning process. I would be devastatingly remiss if I did not mention the rapid evolution of your role as parents and education facilitators as the balance of home, school and work life have not come to a sudden halt, rather, they have been smashed together into this brand new and strange home environment where the three facets above potentially have no distinguishable lines between them! From a school standpoint, I know that our teachers and staff are constantly analyzing various forms of data to ensure that the education we are providing is the most effective and efficient process imaginable. As they study the performance trends of students, there are almost immediate adjustments made on their part to either target increased engagement or alter instruction ensuring that students are acquiring the education that has been promised to them.
Our third stage of disruption sees those involved, again in our current situation, allowing the convergence of what was to what is now become more and more appealing and familiar. In this the end of our fifth week engaged in distance learning, our students and teachers are operating not as individuals still experiencing some degree of shock due to the newness of the processes now in place. Instead, what I am observing are students and teachers settling in and really starting to accelerate their learning and instruction. Teachers are able to apply more innovative methods and students are really getting into a groove figuring out their time management strategies and completing assignments with a higher degree of comfort and success.
The fourth and final stage of disruption is the one I am most excited about! This stage will involve the complete reimagination of everything that has taken place during distance learning and everything that took place during “business as usual.” I say that it “will” take place because once we are able to finish out this school year and begin the process of assimilating the distance learning environment with the face-to-face instructional process, we will be crossing into some pretty exciting territory! The experience of distance learning and business as usual that was daily instruction prior to the COVID-19 disruption will ultimately become fodder for the development of an incredible learning environment once the 2020-2021 school year gets rolling. Taking the best of both worlds will mean a richer educational experience for all students, teachers and families. Everything that has taken place leading up to the break from daily face-to-face schooling and all that has been involved with distance learning will force us to “reimagine” what it means to educate students each day they arrive at school.
Despite the disruption that has occurred, I firmly believe that as a community, we at Middletown Middle School are stronger and more in touch with the wonderful qualities that make this school amazing! Our students and teachers have found new ways to communicate and share information and students are demonstrating their understanding of the different content areas in ways they hadn’t prior to the disruption to our school year. They always say there is a silver lining to situations that may at first glance appear grim and negative. Our stronger relationships and the depth at which we now are operating as a school community are those silver linings! I grow more and more proud to be a part of the MiMS community and am grateful for all of you! I hope this message finds you and your family well and we all look forward to when we can all be under one roof again!
If you need help......
Resources for Parents and Students:
Meals for Children: Free meals for children 18 and under distributed around the county.
Middle and High School Resources
Mental Health Resources for Parents and Guardians
To Reach a Teacher, Counselor, or Administrator:
Email is the easiest for everyone to access at this time, and can be found on the MiMS homepage under the Staff tab. Voicemails left at a school extension are also received by email. Students can reach teachers via Schoology at http://LMS.FCPS.org
For Technical Support
Visit this page for helpful Schoology information. Teachers are always a good first connection for a class-based issue, but if you need help our Technology Support Specialist, Leslie Albright is available via email at Leslie.Albright@fcps.org.
Media Resources
Middle and High School Resources; Middle School ebooks to borrow; MiMS Database Login Info
Cafeteria News
Counseling Dept
Counseling Office Secretary/Registrar: Karen Willard (240-236-4206)
6th grade School Counselor: Liz Bohan (240-236-4256)
7th grade School Counselor: Rachel Butts (240-236-4220)
8th grade School Counselor: Ashley Frushour (240-236-4205)
Frederick Community Action Agency
Health Center
- The health center is operating 9AM-5PM
- The health center is offering telehealth to existing patients which can be scheduled by email to telehealthfcaa@cityoffrederickmd.gov or calling 301-600-1393 or 301-600-1506.
- If you are not a current patient of the Frederick Community Action Agency Community Action Health Center and are in need of healthcare services at this time, please complete an online intake form at bit.ly/FCAAHealthIntake to see if you qualify for healthcare services at our health center. A staff member will contact you within 24-72 hours after submission of your application
Food Supports
- The soup kitchen will be carryout only until further notice and is open 5:30PM-6:30PM daily
- The Foodbank is operating Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri 2PM-4PM
- In collaboration with the Salvation Army, the Frederick Community Action Agency has mobilized its Food Bank to serve local seniors and families. The current food drops are in operation:
- Food bags, which hold three to five days worth of food, are delivered to Taney Village and Catoctin Manor to serve over 150 seniors weekly.
- Food drops on the West side of the City are coordinated with the Asian American Center of Frederick and the Spanish Speaking Community of Maryland in Frederick.
- Beginning Tuesday, April 28, 2020, FCAA will add an additional food drop location at Amber Meadows Park on Amber Drive. The food drops will occur at noon each Tuesday and will be supported by the Maryland National Guard soldiers currently deployed at FCAA.
- Able to help? View the food needs as of 4/10/2020.
FCPS Information
For the most up to date information from FCPS please go to www.fcps.org
Knights for Education
Looking for a new, unique Knights t-shirt??? Why not buy a limited edition shirt AND support education in a small Mexican community? For the last 6 summers, Ms. Burrall (Spanish teacher) has been volunteering as Summer Program Coordinator for Lantern Hill, a small non-profit in Baja California, Mexico. Seeing lives being changed through education is nothing short of miraculous, especially in a place where finishing (or even starting) high school is almost unheard of. Proceeds from this sale help provide school scholarships, supplies, food and support the tutoring and summer programs offered to approximately 60+ children in the community. However much we are feeling the pains and inconveniences of COVID, it is hard to imagine what the toll is going to be among the families of day laborers with no running water in their homes. Not being able to gather at the program building means that the meals they can count on aren't being served. All of that makes this years fundraiser even more important! Lantern Hill is trying to provide weekly food boxes to our families to make sure the kids still eat.
There are 3 designs to choose from this year, with multiple styles for each. (One of which was drawn by MMS art teacher Ms. Pilarcik and honors Mr. Lipscomb and the trout club he started! All sales are online and available only until May 14. You can choose to have the shirt shipped directly to you.
Gracias!
PBIS
Middletown Knights adhere to the CODE in school and at home! Check out our new CODE for DIstance Learning. Need support? Reach out. We are here for YOU!
Check this blog from a parent and school support specialist sharing her experience working from home and parenting during this pandemic. Her conclusion: “Working, parenting, and teaching are three different jobs that cannot be done at the same time. It's not hard because you are doing it wrong. It's hard because it's too much. Do the best you can. When you have to pick, because at some point you will, choose connection.” If you need help, please reach out to us.
Service Learning: Ways to Volunteer from Home
There are important ways to care for your community right from your own home and neighborhood.
- Check-in on your neighbors through call or text. As more and more people experience isolation, we encourage you to call and check in on your neighbors, especially those who may not have support networks or adequate resources. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed right now but building connections and empathy can go a long way in reducing stress. Calling and texting is a good example of responsible social distancing. “CAP” is a great way to remember your neighbors:
- C – Check on your neighbors (through call or text)
- A – Assess needs and assist when possible
- P – Protect self and neighbors by adhering to social distancing guidelines
- Connect with your children. In times of crisis, it’s common for youth to be curious and seek more attachment from parents, guardians, and caregivers. Answer their questions about COVID-19 with honest and age-appropriate information to ease their anxiety.
Advanced Academics
Be sure to check out the MiMS Enrichment Website:
https://sites.google.com/fcps.org/middletownmiddleschool-distanc/home
I will be updating resources weekly for some fun & interest-based enrichment.
There's also an option to give feedback - share your interests & what you want to see!
Thanks.
Mrs. Thompson
Art News-Mrs Pilarcik
Teaching art online has been a challenge but I am beyond impressed by the work students are submitting. As always, please contact me should you need any help or have questions.
The 8th grade students are working on their social justice artwork. They have done a great job choosing a topic and issue that is important to them and doing research to help inspire them to create an artwork that will raise awareness about that issue.
The 7th grader students are finishing up their graffiti unit. Below are some of the practice designs they did digitally. They will use these practice designs to help them create their own free-hand graffiti artwork.
Below are pictures from several art students.
Art New-Ms. Schuckers
Creative Arts and 6th Grade Visual Arts
I miss hanging my students' amazing artwork for display so much, please check out the new Art Gallery I have created where new work will be on display! We have such talented artists I can not help but want to show off their talent!
https:schuckers-mattingly-arts.weebly.com
Creative Arts-
The 7th graders are beginning their STOMP project to create some amazing sounds using everyday objects! I look forward to seeing and hearing their performances. Families are also encouraged to join in the fun and be creative
I have been so impressed with all of your hard work, keep it up! Miss you all.
Check out some of the awesome art that some of our talented 7th graders have been creating…below
6th grade Visual Arts
The 6th graders have been busy making some amazing art and this week they are heading to the San Diego Zoo to explore animals in their habitat and create realistic sketches from their observations. Remember to utilize whatever materials you have at home or reach out and I will look into finding a way to get you some additional materials if you need them.
Check out our talented 6th grade artists…below
Creative Arts Artwork
Visual Arts Artwork
Virtual Band & Orchestra at MiMS
Band and orchestra students are continuing to make great music even during online instruction through Continuity of Learning. We've received some encouraging videos and recordings from students who are finding creative ways to perform with friends and family. More information regarding Spring concerts and performances will be updated as information on Continuity of Learning is updated. Feel free to contact Mrs. Blickenstaff with any questions or concerns regarding MiMS Band & Orchestra at whitney.blickenst@fcps.org. We look forward to making great music in person again soon!
Career & Technology Education
Mr. Seiler
Grade 8-Problem Solving Students will be starting a Aerodynamics unit. Students will learn about the history of flight, aerodynamic theories and and apply these to a variety of different student-built projects.
Grade 7-CSI Students will be working on the developing an APP.
Grade 6-Tech Expo Students will be working on different engineering project, the first will be a tower.
Mrs. Decker
Invention and Innovation:
"As we adjust further into distance learning we are adjusting our very hands on curriculum to the best of our ability.
Last week students in Invention and Innovation created their own bio-mimicry design either out of recyclable items, or sketched it. This week they are presenting them through video, or a series of pictures if video is unavailable, explaining their bio-mimicry design.Last week students in Creative Arts learned about shadow puppets and how they play into Indonesian history. They created shadow puppets and a skit. This week, they are creating videos, or a series of pictures if video is unavailable, of their shadow puppet play.
I am currently working on going with the pace of students. Stress is at an all time high for most, so I promise that I will do my part in considering their mental health first that way we can enjoy the class, also. If you ever need to contact me, my email is Helen.Decker@fcps.org . I will be here for the remainder of the year, filling in for Mr. Lipscomb shoes who no one will ever be able to fill in completely. Parents, please do not stress out either. I have your children's backs, and we will all get through these lessons, together, comfortably. "
Mrs. Ledford
Food Science: Food Science kids have been working in their own kitchens. We had a scavenger hunt to find our cooking tools and utensils, then reviewed some videos about their uses and what they are called. Next we tackled LA in the kitchens and learned many cooking terms and why it is important to know what they mean. We have now started to try our hands at measuring and learning about what tools to use to measure certain ingredients. Our next area to visit is recipe reading and writing. Once all of these skills are put together it will be time to cook up something delightful!
Mrs Stuart
Life Skills: Students are learning about Child Development. They are learning about developmental theories and milestones. They are exploring the topics of safety, snacks, and appropriate games and activities while caring for young children such as siblings, or when working at a daycare or when babysitting.
Mrs. Duvall
Lab 21: Students are in the swing of working on their Wonder projects from home! They just finished up their research phase of their project and are starting to work on their action phase of the project. I can't wait to see what they come up with and do! Mrs. Duvall certainly misses all of her Lab 21 students in the classroom, but her students are doing an awesome job online!
Language Arts
6th Grade: We are so proud of our 6th graders! We have continued to work through challenging texts and writing pieces, and students are are really stepping up to the plate. As we continue down this journey, please encourage your students to keep up with their assignments, making sure they are reading directions and reaching out for help when needed. We are always ready to work through anything or even make a phone call ( we love to hear their sweet voices).
7th Grade: As Students progress through the Continuity of Learning we will continue to focus on writing arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence. We will also continue with Word Wizard lists as the year comes to an end. Teachers are so proud of the work students have been completing and we encourage students reach out if they need anything. We wish everyone well and hope to see you all again soon!
8th Grade: Students are continuing to work through weekly playlists. Last week, students analyzed Poe's "The Raven". Future playlists include working on analyzing arguments and writing arguments. Students will also get an opportunity to analyze and write Shakespearean sonnets. They are also currently reading mystery/fantasy novels!
Literacy Specialist
Did you know that all students now have access
to the Read/Write app through their Google Drive extensions? The Read/Write icon will appear along with other extensions at the top of the screen (to the right of the URL) and looks like a purple puzzle piece. This extension is a great resource for students!
Here are a few features of this helpful extension:
Text-to-speech to hear words, passages, or whole documents read aloud with easy-to-follow dual color highlighting
Text and picture dictionaries to see the meaning of words explained
With speech-to-text, dictation words to assist with writing, proofreading & studying
Word prediction suggestions for the current or next word as you type
Collection of highlights from text in documents or the web for summarizing and research
The ability to create and listen to voice notes directly inside of Google Doc
Simplify and summarize text on web pages to remove ads and other copy that can be distracting
For some help learning how to use this tool, you can view this short video.
In the
meantime,
remember:
Read/Write Icon
Math Department
6th Grade is working on ratios and proportional relationships. In this unit they will use reasoning about multiplication and division to solve ratio and rate problems, including real life examples.
7th Grade has started the Geometry unit. In this unit the students will be solving problems involving the area and circumference of a circle and surface area of three-dimensional objects.
7 Accelerated will be working geometry concepts term 4. The students will solve problems involving scale drawings and area, volume, and surface area.
8th grade is working on transformations and solving real world problems involving volume of cones, cylinders, and spheres.
8 Accelerated students will model real world situations with exponential functions. They will solve and graph exponential equations and identify key features of the graph.
Media Specialist
Fun Activities - Library Digital Makerspace
Looking for things to do with your child(ren)?? Look no further than the media center's Makerspace page. It's a Schoology course and the code to join is: NTKD-WHD2-VWD93
There are many hands-on activities, and projects that you can do at home. Many of them require common items we find in our homes. Take a break, check them out and have some fun.
Media Center
My office hours are 8:00-9:00 but I am checking email periodically throughout the day. I will get back to any question/request within 12 hours. Please know I am available to help your students with problems they may have doing research or working with various applications. Stay safe.
Library Digital Resources
Looking for reliable, age appropriate sources of material for your student’s distance learning needs? No need to “google” ever again. Look no further than the library media page!!
https://education.fcps.org/mms/mediacenter
FCPS has purchased a number of databases that are trustworthy and aligned to state and national standards. When accessing from home you will need remote access codes. These are available by clicking on the link located at the top of the table of databases. Use these award winning resources today!
e-books
FCPL - Frederick County Public Library’s site. Access to a lot of digital content and ebooks. Students can use the following code to access all materials:
119829 + their 8 digit student ID#
AXIS360 - this is the Frederick County Public School ebook site. There are hundreds of ebooks available for checkout. They can now be searched by genre.
Physical Education
PE is working hard to keep everyone moving during our time away. We are posting weekly fitness logs with new and different ways to try and engage students. We hope that everyone in the house is jumping in and trying to get the most out of this family bonding time.
The last group of 6th graders are starting health with Mrs. Ledford and Mrs. Duvall. Please stay tuned for how Health will finish our. As of now we are hoping to be back in school to complete the family life portion of Health. If you have questions or concerns please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Ledford or Mrs. Duvall or myself. We got this!
Science
7th-Happy May!! We do hope that "April showers bring you beautiful May flowers". I am so excited to announce that our 7th grade Science students have shown beautiful accomplishments with their online lessons! The Continuity of Learning has been an educational adventure but many of you are accomplishing such outstanding success. Everyday we see our students learning amazing science concepts and presenting remarkable understanding in their answers. Our students are participating in lessons where they access websites, internet links, scientific research, real-time data, and so much more. Thank you for sharing your enthusiasm and excitement in learning science concepts by submitting your online work. Ms. Martz and Ms. Staley are wrapping up the Earth's Processes Unit with an outstanding "trip to National Parks". Students are learning about Earth's processes and geological features of parks all across America. Ms. Staley has shared some amazing at-home labs on the Rock Cycle with her students. Ms. Martz and Ms. Staley are excited to see the remarkable products that students are creating with the "Park Project". Also, APRIL 22 was EARTH DAY! Many students ventured outdoors to enjoy the beauty of your backyard, take a walk to the local park, or enjoy the fresh air. We hope that your EARTH DAY was full of special and extraordinary memories of appreciating our excellent Earth. Ms. Martz & Ms. Staley will motivate all of their students during the final unit = Human Impact. If you have any questions about Science, please contact your science teacher anytime!
8th: Students are working on their last module, Interactions of the Solar System. We start by looking at how gravity produces interactions between the planets in our solar system. Other topics we will cover are Phases of the Moon and The Organization of Our Solar System. There will be many activities for students to do, even a couple that will take them outside.
Thank you for all you do!
Social Studies
7th Grade- Mr. Bittner’s and Mr. Kim's classes will begin May focusing on the new ideas and discoveries of the Renaissance, Reformation, and Enlightenment and the beginning of Modern Times. As we get closer to the end of the year, we will investigate the colonization of the New World: including reasons for the forced immigration of African slaves, English settlement in North America, and differences among the regions of the thirteen British colonies.
8th Grade-We miss our history students so much! For the past several weeks, we have examined causes of the Civil War. As we turn our focus to the war itself, significant events, figures, and outcomes will be addressed. Please continue to reach out to us with questions, concerns, or even if you just want to share something interesting you learned, read, or saw. We love hearing from you!
Special Education
Parents of students with an IEP have received a Distance Learning Inventory from their child's case manager. Please return that Inventory to the case manager, so that services can continue during COL. The case managers are working to communicate with parents and students on their case load. If you need any help with an assignment, clarification etc. please don't hesitate to reach out through email to your child's case manager.
Theatre Arts
Hello from Middletown Middle’s Knight Lights Theatre Company! Well, this certainly has been an interesting experience! We would like to thank everyone in the community who has donated items like paint and trees to our all school musical production of Frozen, Jr.
Our last rehearsal was Thursday, March 12. The students have been practicing at home because, as the adage goes, "the show must go on ". Frozen was to be performed on April 22, 23rd, 24th of this year. You may be wondering, what happens now?
Well, the show must go on! We are working on ways to creatively problem solve with the hope of being able to showcase our phenomenal students in some format. The cast has been continuing their practice at home with music and choreography.
While we don't have any concrete answers at the present moment, we will update the community when we do. We continue to appreciate your support of our wonderful students who make up our theater program.
Thank you!
World Languages
French 1 students just wrapped up learning about describing people and talking about their family. They have just shared their family tree projects. Our next chapter has to do with clothing and shopping. Students may be designing a fashion show for this one!
Spanish 1 students are learning to talk about their house. They can talk about different rooms in their home and items of furniture and will be learning to say what they do as chores to prepare for a party.
World Language students have just started learning Spanish for the fourth term. They can have a basic conversation in Spanish. We have learned which countries speak Spanish and they are researching a Spanish speaking country of their choice. Soon they will be learning classroom objects and numbers in Spanish as well.