The Viking Voice
Your information source for all things Sowers...
Issue #2 is here!!
Thanks for taking time to check out the second online Viking Voice issue! The periodic announcements made through the Voice serve as an important information source regarding Sowers Academics, Athletics, Activities, and the Arts. Have a great Fall!
Go Vikings!
Dr. Ashby
Principal
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At Sowers, we are dedicated to high academic achievement, engaging activities, stellar art programs, and fun athletic opportunities for our students to get engaged, to challenge themselves, and to develop their passions. We are strongly committed to working with parents/guardians and the school community to ensure that students have challenging and engaging classroom experiences, support during a complex developmental time, and a positive experience.
A key component of this process is to forge positive relationships between students, staff, parents, and the school community. Each year we aim to communicate with our stakeholders in a variety of mediums including phone calls, School Loop emails, our social media outlets (@SowersVikingsHB), our website: https://isms.schoolloop.com , and of course, the Viking Voice.
ISMS Way: Lunch
This school year all students saw a series of videos on the first day of school to promote the ISMS Way: Integrity, Safety, Make Responsible Choices, Show Respect. The ISMS Way is part of our Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) at Sowers which aim to ensure a safe, healthy, and enjoyable environment for students, staff, and the school community. Throughout the year we will highlight one aspect of our PBIS with today's focus on "Lunch".
Lunch
- Integrity: Eat your own food; Wait your turn in line; Use good table manners.
- Safety: Remain seated at tables; Enter/Exit in an orderly fashion
- Make Responsible Choices: Lockers used during passing periods only; Keep lunch area clean; Keep food in lunch area only; Report inappropriate behavior; Only purchase snacks during your lunchtime
- Show Respect: Listen and follow directions; Use inside voice; Remove hats/hoods inside; Be respectful of others
Learning from NASA in our STEM classroom!!
At Sowers Middle School we take pride in the development of learning experiences that allow students to consider not only the content, but the application of their learning in real world situations. A few weeks ago, our Sowers engineers were given a unique opportunity to learn and interact with NASA engineers through an online live event produced by Ms. Dana Palmer, our fantastic STEM teacher.
The event “Make It, Don’t Take It: Manufacturing in Space” was part of World Space Week where students learned about NASA’s initiative to build structures in space by taking the necessary components with them instead of building them on earth. The NASA engineer who joined us live presented in-depth information about this important potential future NASA process. She also shared her own path to become a NASA engineer and highlighted other careers in the field. We are excited for this partnership with NASA and look forward to hosting more such events in the future.
6th Grade Science
Our Sowers science sleuths just completed a common assessment on Chapter 7 known as the Atmosphere. We will be analyzing the data to look for trends that support future learning . One hands-on activity from this unit was constructing a 2-D model of the atmosphere and the students collaboratively worked on "saving" Planet Earth using the scientific method. Both science teams are moving into Chapter 8 (Weather). Keep an eye out for work coming home that fosters the use of technology and focuses on local weather phenomena. Lastly, we are working together on dates and locations of an all 6th grade Science field trip. Keep an ear out if you are interested in chaperoning this learning event.
- Mr. Fink and Mr. Carter
6th Grade Science Team
Marine Biology Catalina Field Trip
After dodging howling winds and rollicking seas, the recent Marine Biology Catalina Field Trip was declared a resounding success. Students kayaked, snorkeled, dissected squid, and played Gaga Ball during this three day outdoor adventure. "Best trip ever!" exclaimed Dylan McCalment after experiencing the awe-inspiring bioluminescence during our night snorkel. Students handled sharks and rays during labs and saw octupi and rays during snorkeling as well as several species of fish including the California state fish, the Garibaldi. After the squid dissection, Gavin Loughery stated, "It tasted great!" Students made squid tattoos as well as participated in the CIMI squid challenges. Check out pics from our marine excursion below...
Activities
Friday Morning Announcements!
The Associated Student Body is pleased to offer Friday Morning video announcements to all students and staff. They have produced 3 videos so far on October 19th, October 26th, and just now on November 2nd! Click here to check them out:
https://isms.schoolloop.com/pf4/cms2/view_all_news?d=x&group_id=1500178971762
Student Clubs 2018-19 Club
We are please to announce that the following is an approved list of clubs created by students and supported by our fantastic faculty. If you would like to know more about the club feel free to go to a meeting to check it out!
October Fun!!
It was a busy, busy month at Sowers for activities with Red Ribbon Week and our Fall Festivities that included October Costume Contests and an impressive Pumpkin Contest. Thanks to Ms. Black and all the leadership students for their hard work! Check out the pics of the fun on our Instagram page! (@SowersVikingsHB)
After-School Sports
First Round: November 13th
Semifinals: November 14th
Finals: November 15th
NJHS Fall Service Project
Click here: http://a.co/4za08Qd
8th Grade CORE
Thanks to Ms. Dow for a brief view into a recent classroom assignment using Fakebook!
"My eighth graders have been learning about the American Colonies. One of the ways I make learning fun is by creating projects that enable my students to use modern technical skills. We just finished a project that mimics Facebook. Using a free online tool by ClassTools.net called Fakebook, students create a fictional social profile of their selected historical figure from the American Colonies. Students learn important skills like research, source credibility, point of view, fictional and nonfictional writing, as well as technical skills like typing, saving/uploading photos and videos, and setting up accounts. Their work has been outstanding!"
The Arts
Intermediate Art students are painting Dia de los Muertos Multi-Skeleton Celebration Scene and are reviewing the skeletal system.
The Advanced Art students are studying the Thoracic Cavity and are creating a composite isolation of the Rib Cage Value Study Collage project.
Spanish and Culinary Arts students shared the same space last Friday on Dia de los Muertos as they created their own Pan de Muerto and baked them with Ms. Pellet and Sra. Denenberg.
Sowers Sports Clubs
Sowers Golf Club
Sowers Golf Club had a great turnout for the informational meeting on Thursday, October 18th. We are getting a lot of sign-ups but are always welcome to more. If you would like to be a part of Sowers Golf Club, please feel free to contact Mr. Mouw (bmouw@hbcsd.us) to get the information and paperwork needed to join. We have roughly one outing per month with the first one coming up on November 7th, from 4-5pm at Costa Mesa Country Club. We will practice our golf swings on the driving range and work on our short games on the putting green. We are looking forward to a great year!
Sowers Surf Club
The fall season has been a lot of fun so far for all Viking surfers! Over 40 boys and girls from all grades have come out for some time in the water twice a week with Mr. Mouw and Mr. Sohoni. Surf club sessions are held at Tower 11 (south of pier) from 6:30-7:15am on Tuesdays and Thursdays. See you on the beach!
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Sowers is excited to offer 8 after-school sports during the 2018-19 school year for 6th/7th and 8th grade students. We have a great group of coaches and athletes and look forward to continued success on the field, court, trails, and track. A big thanks to our fantastic Athletic Director, Ms. Palmer, for all her work for our Viking Athletes. If you have questions please speak directly to our coaches or athletic director. Go Vikings!
- September - November: Boys Volleyball (Mr. Mouw) and Girls Basketball (Mr. Johnson)
- November - February: Girls Volleyball (Mr. Mouw) & Boys Basketball (Mr. Riley)
- December - February: Cross-Country (Ms. Hogan, Mr. Sohoni, Ms. Campbell)
- February - March: Girls Soccer (Mr. Crooks) & Boys Soccer (Mr. Johnson)
- April - May: Track & Field (Ms. Hogan, Mr. Sohoni, Ms. Pearce)
GATE Testing
PTSA Meeting (Guest Speaker: Principal Graves, Edison HS)
Thursday, Nov 8, 2018, 09:00 AM
Isaac L Sowers Middle School, Indianapolis Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA, USA
Upcoming Dates:
School Site Council Meeting: Wednesday, November 7th @ 3:15pm in the Library
PTSA General Meeting: GUEST SPEAKER - Principal Graves (Edison HS), Thursday, November 8th @9am in the Library.
1st Quarter Ends: Friday, November 9th
Veteran's Day (No School): Monday, November 12th
Fall Break (No School): November 19 - 23
1st Day Back from Fall Break: Monday, November 26th
Please note that Thursdays are Planning Day Schedules with dismissal at 1:20pm.
Sowers Middle School
Click here: https://isms.schoolloop.com/ to check out the Sowers calendar. It's on the right side!
Website: https://isms.schoolloop.com/
Location: Isaac L Sowers Middle School, Indianapolis Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA, USA
Phone: (714) 962-7738
Facebook: SowerVikingsHB
Twitter: @SowersVikingsHB