Welcome to Langston Life, our middle school's monthly newsletter! Our Newsletter will focus on our THREE building goals: Continually strengthening teaching and learning; building a positive culture for teaching and learning; and increasing family engagement. While there is so much happening at Langston each and every day, our Multi-Tiered System of Support Building Leadership Team (MTSSBLT) hopes that this monthly newsletter will help keep you informed and engaged in learning and life at Langston! As key stakeholders, we encourage your involvement in your child's education!

Inviting families into the building more regularly is one action step towards our goal of increasing family engagement. Please complete this short survey to let us know how our Back-to-School "Open Doors" went and to share your thoughts about events you'd like us to host in the future.

We are more than halfway through the first quarter of school and interim reports will be sent home tomorrow with students. Please contact our school counselor, Ms. Tasha Slay (tslay@oberlinschools.net), if you do not receive an envelope from your child with their interim and iReady reports.

Strong Tier 1 instruction (the instruction ALL students receive in core classes and specials) is our top focus at Langston. Teachers are committed to providing the strongest learning experiences for students, and ongoing professional development and time for collaboration is built into each teacher's school week for this purpose. "RISE" period is a time during the school day when students receive additional support outside of the classroom in reading, writing, math, and overall success. This support period may include extension activities to stretch learning, intervention activities to fill in gaps in student learning, current events to support reading and writing across the curriculum, and advisory activities to teach students how to monitor their own progress and advocate for themselves. Most students also work to complete "My Path" on iReady during RISE, and that allows each student to be challenged at their own level in math and reading. At Langston, we are working collaboratively and intentionally to provide the strongest learning experiences for our students.

Students had their first experience with The Nest near the end of September, and they were able to use their LiveSchool points to purchase a variety of items from our school store. LiveSchool is a program we use to encourage the RISE (Responsible, Involved, Safe, Empathetic) expectations we have throughout the district. Each day, students are awarded points in LiveSchool and the points collected can be used to "purchase" special privileges and incentives in class, in The Nest, and even during extracurricular activities. Use your parent login information to see all the positive behaviors your child is exhibiting in school and the ways they use the LiveSchool points they have earned.

There are many other ways we acknowledge positive behavior at LMS. Many of you may have received positive phone calls or messages; shoutouts are given over the loudspeaker in the morning; teachers share amazing news about students with colleagues and several staff members make sure to provide those students with praise! Student of the Month is another way we acknowledge students exhibiting the character traits we, as an IB school, believe help build the strongest type of learner. For September, teachers were looking for Risk-Takers. Risk-Takers approach unfamiliar situations and uncertainty with courage and forethought, and have the independence of spirit to explore new roles, ideas, and strategies. They are brave and articulate in defending their beliefs. Congratulations to September's Risk-Takers: Ruby Kessler, Abigail Keith, and Amaya Price. Staff will be on the lookout for "Inquirers" for October's Student of the Month.

This week is Spirit Week at Langston in honor of Homecoming weekend at the high school. On Thursday, high school athletes will come over to Langston to lead us in a Pep Rally and we will end that day with a Staff-vs-Students volleyball game against the 8th-grade volleyball team. Our Student Council Advisor, Mrs. Margo Fox, surveyed students and the following Spirit Days will take place this week:

• Monday - Pajama Day!
• Tuesday - Hat Day!
• Wednesday: Dress to Impress Day! School Picture Day!!!
• Thursday: Twin Day! Pep Rally Day! Student vs Staff Volleyball game!
• Friday: Phonix Spirit Day! Wear your Phoenix Gear or School Colors!

On Monday, October 10th from 5:30-6:00pm, we invite ALL 8th-grade families to the cafeteria at Langston for an informational meeting about the 8th-Grade Washington D.C. trip! A packet will be sent home for families who are not able to attend. Before the D.C. meeting (from 5:00-5:30pm), families of students who signed up for Ohio Model United Nations (OMUN) are invited to an informational session in the cafeteria as well.

Curriculum Night is on Tuesday, October 11th from 5:00-6:30pm. During Curriculum Night, families will follow their student's schedule as they move from class to class to learn more about learning and life at Langston! Ms. Slay will be in the lobby to share information about clubs and extracurricular activities and Mr. Philips will be in the cafeteria during "lunch" periods to provide information about food services in our school. After following student schedules, all families are invited to the library to learn more about College Credit Plus (CCP) and how students can earn college credit while at Langston. The CCP meeting will take place from 6:30-7:00pm.

• Wednesday, October 5th: Picture Day at LMS
• Thursday, October 6th: LMS Pep Rally!!!
• Monday, October 10th: Parent Info Night - OMUN (5-5:30pm) and 8th-Grade Washington DC Trip (5:30-6:00pm)
• Thursday, October 13th: Teacher PD Day - No School for Students
• Friday, October 14th: NEOEA Day - No School
• Friday, October 28th: End of 1st Quarter
• Wednesday, November 16th: Picture Retake Day
• November 3rd & 10th: Parent/Teacher Conferences (3:30-7:00pm)

Always check our district and building webpages for the most up-to-date information!