J.M.S. News...
DECEMBER 2018
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Quotes for the Month of December:
December 3- “Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking.” – J.C. Watts
December 10- “The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
December 17- “The right to do something does not mean that doing it is right.” – William Safire
December 31- “The price of greatness is responsibility.” – Winston Churchill
Monthly SEL Theme for the Month of December: Respect and Responsibility
“Self-Respect is like wearing a coat of armor that no one can cut through.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. This coat of armor allows us to demonstrate the importance and necessity in being dependable and responsible. Dependability is being there for others through all the times of their lives, as well as, showing and encouraging a personal commitment to each task.
Responsibility is being accountable in word and deed. It understands the need to fulfill tasks with reliability, dependability, and commitment.
Parents and educators model and demonstrate respect, dependability, and a sense of responsibility for you. We need to help you understand and internalize how you can and will change the lives of all with whom you come in contact.
Classroom News!
Team 6A:
Now that the student have completed Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, we will advance our studies by reading other books that she has written. Our small group book clubs are applying skills they learned in their first novel study and delving deeper into this author’s style of writing. The culminating activity of this author study will be the children creating - writing and recording a podcast about their selected novel. Additionally, we kicked off our study of Egypt by learning about the geography and early settlements of Kush, Canaan and Egypt. I’m looking forward to taking the students on a riverboat tour down the Nile where they will visit the Great Pyramid, White Chapel and the Temple at Dayr al-Bahri. As mathematicians students have just completed their introduction to algebra and are moving on to finding area of plane figures. As Scientists and Junior Crime Scene Investigators, students found out who broke my snow globe by completing a series of experiments on baking soda, baking powder, baby powder and flour. I won’t name the guilty partyJ
Team 6B:
Team 6B explored compounds and mixtures by engaging in various hands-on experiences. We used: hand-sorting, magnetic attraction, evaporation, and filtration. Separating compounds was not quite as simple! Ask your child about how we broke water down into hydrogen and oxygen using the Hoffman Apparatus. We were also able to observe the carbon left behind when we separated sugar into carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. The exploring never ends on Team 6B!
Team 6C:
Antoine Lavoisier's 1773 discovery of the law of conservation of mass led to many new findings in the 19th century. Team 6C students worked in groups to see if they could design a successful test to show this very important discovery.
Team 6D:
Team 6D has been busy working on elements compounds and mixtures! We were lucky enough to have a few special science experts visit us including Mr. Grossman who taught us about breaking about compounds using the Hoffman apparatus and one of our amazing parents who demonstrated the results of liquid nitrogen changing state!
Team 6E:
Team 6E wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who came to our open house. Students are working on developing a growth mindset. We want our students to embrace the idea that every mistake they make is progress. After all, you have only failed if you have given up. Until then . . . it’s learning. Through effort, the right strategies and getting help from others, everyone can achieve. For a seed to achieve its greatest expression, it must come completely undone. The shell cracks, its insides come out and everything changes. To someone who doesn’t understand growth, it would look like complete destruction. Let us all embrace a growth mindset in our daily lives!
Team 7A:
As a review of content related vocabulary for the 1st quarter, students on Team 7A played a version of the popular game “Hedbanz.” A student held up a card with a science term to their forehead while their partner provided clues to try to get the student to say the term. The students were given 1 and a half minutes to get as many terms out of 10 as possible with 6 rounds total. The students came up with many unique and creative clues to get their partners to say each term.
Team 7B:
Students on Team 7B learned about chromatography. They tie-dyed shirts using permanent marker and rubbing alcohol. Which is the solvent and which is the solute?
Team 7C:
Team 7C is diving into research and enjoying their role as junior historians! Currently, in Social Studies, students are continuing to research their National History Day (NHD) topics. Starting off the research process, we learned the differences between primary and secondary sources as well as how to access the databases in the library. Once sources are discovered, students will annotate their findings and compile a timeline of important facts. Final projects are going to be awesome!
Team 8A:
Most of the students on team 8A traveled to our national capital for a visit to many historic sites and museums. Students boarded the buses bright and early for a trip down to Washington, D.C. As they arrived students were guided through the sites on a app called "goosechase" which helped them find really fun things such as the star on the floor in the Capital building that marks the spot from which the streets in Washington are laid out and numbered! They also visited the National Museum of American History, the African American Museum of History and culture, and the Holocaust Memorial Museum. The students were able to get a stunning night time view of the monuments as well on the overnight trip. The students will have memories for a lifetime!
Team 8B:
On Thursday, November 8, Team 8B traveled to Washington, D.C. for the annual trip to our nation's capital. While studying the Reconstruction period, students had the opportunity to visit some of America's most revered monuments and museums that commemorate and celebrate America's continued pursuit of freedom and justice.
Team 8C:
This month, Team 8C and the eighth grade class embarked on a journey to our nation’s capital, Washington D.C. The fun and historical itinerary included the U.S. Capitol Building; many of the National Monuments and Memorials; the National Museum of American History; the new National Museum of African American History and Culture; and the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. A fun time was had by all as they explored the past and present!
WORLD LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT
The MS Spanish classes held their annual "Don't tolerate BULLying" t-shirt drive and raised $520 for ConPRmitidos, an organization dedicated to creating a stable, productive, and self-sufficient Puerto Rico. ConPRmitidos is committed to working with families and communities to help rebuild after Hurricane Maria. Gracias to all who purchased t-shirts to help us help Puerto Rico.
JMS Welcomes a New Staff Member
Ryan Pearsall- 6th Grade ELA/Social Studies
Ryan Pearsall is very excited to be joining the wonderful Jericho Middle School community! Most recently he taught 1 st grade as a leave replacement at the Robert Seaman Elementary School. Prior to that, Ryan was an elementary teacher aide for 4 years. Ryan earned a Bachelor’s Degree in History from The University of Colorado at Boulder and continued his studies at Molloy College and earned a Master’s Degree in Childhood Education and a License in Teaching Students With Special Needs . This year, he will be teaching 6th Grade ELA/Social Studies. Ryan is looking forward to working with the students during his time here. He cannot wait to meet all
of these new students and the rest of the Jericho Middle School family!
Dates to Remember...
December 3 - MS Coat Drive Begins- (Ends 1/25)
December 6- MS PTSA Exec Mtg- Faculty Cafeteria- 8:30AM
December 6- MS PTSA Mtg & Principal's Coffee Hour- MS Library- 9:15AM
December 6- MS Play (Musical)- HS Little Theatre- 2:10PM
December 7- MS Play (Musical)- HS Little Theatre-7:00PM
December 11- HS Orientation-Incoming 9th Grade Parents Meeting- MS/HS Auditorium-7PM
December 11- 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Guidance Evening Hours - 7:00PM–9:00PM
Recognizing that other commitments often make it impossible for parents to find time to meet with counselors during the regular school day, we will continue a program of evening meetings this year. If you would like to meet with your child's counselor but are unable to do so during the school day, please call the counselor in order to schedule an evening appointment.
December 13- Board of Education Meeting- Jackson- 7:30PM
December 14- MS Spirit Day
December 18- 6th, 7th and 8th Grade Guidance Evening Hours - 7:00PM–9:00PM
December 24- January 1- SCHOOLS CLOSED
Tips from the School Nurse
December: Happiness Combats Stress
We know that there is an inverse relationship between happiness and stress. If you learn to manage your stress level, you will increase your happiness. Positive moods increase health.
Happiness can be inborn or shaped by positive circumstances. Some people are just born happy. We’ve all known boys and girls, men and woman, who are eternally optimistic. What is the secret to their positive attitude? Is it nature versus nurture? Research suggests that 40-50% of people are born with this sunny disposition. According to psychologist, Sonja Lyubomirsky “ roughly 50% of happiness is determined by genes( i.e. totally out of your control), roughly 10% is determined by circumstance( i.e. somewhat out of your control), and the final 40% is determined by your thoughts, actions and attitudes( i.e. entirely within your control)” . However, that also suggests that there is a lot of room to maneuver. Room for the “nature” aspect of happiness to grow. Parents, relatives, teachers and friends, all have a huge impact on a child’s disposition.
“You can’t control the wind, but you can control the sails”.
Two people can look at the same stressful situation and have very different reactions to it. One person may become stressed out, causing their blood pressure and pulse to spike .Another person may be unhappy about the same situation, but shrug it off and just try to do damage control. It’s our job as the adults in our children’s life to teach them how to react to stressful situations appropriately. We must teach our children how to bounce back from stressful challengers, knowing that things will get better. We have to be the “positive attitude “ in their lives. We have to model this behavior for our children, so they grow up thinking it’s the norm. This is what I’m referring to when I say “there is room to maneuver”.
The greatest gift we can give our children is the gift of Happiness. Teach them to smile in the face of adversary. Teach them to look at mistakes as learning opportunities. Teach them to have an optimistic outlook on life. Teach them to be enthusiastic about life. Always remember, laughter is the best medicine!!!
Next month we will discuss why happy people have fewer aches and pains.
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Jericho Middle School
Email: dgately@jerichoschools.org
Website: jerichoschools.org
Location: 99 Old Cedar Swamp Road, Jericho, NY, United States
Phone: (516) 203-3600
Twitter: @JerichoMS