Totem Middle School
October 2020
Message from Principal Watkins
Thunderbird families and scholars,
We did it! We made it through the first month of remote learning. I want to thank all of our families for their partnership and collaboration as we embarked on this new learning adventure together. While the teachers are working hard to ensure your scholar is engaged in rigorous and high cognitive learning, we know we could not fully support your scholar’s education this year without your help and support. By now, your scholar should be successful at logging into their Launchpad for Learning in the morning and accessing Canvas for classroom zoom links. If your scholar is still having technology difficulties, please don’t hesitate to contact our main office. We are here to provide support.
Did you know research shows that students of all ages do better when their parents are involved in learning? But that involvement may look a little different as your student moves into their Middle School years. For instance, your student is expected to take more responsibility for their learning. So you might offer to brainstorm ideas for a project, but let them choose the topic. Or if they are not sure how to approach an assignment, encourage them to ask their teacher for help rather than having you reach out the teacher for them. Some things will look the same. Attend Open House and Student Led Conferences, just as you did when they were in elementary school. Introduce yourself to their teachers and ask how they prefer to be contacted. Finally, visit the school website and make sure you sign up to receive emails. With you involved in their learning, your student is bound for academic success!
In middle school, staying organized is one of the most important steps to success. You can help your student stay on top of their schoolwork with these strategies.
- Use the planner: Make sure you student is using the planner we gave them. They should write in assignment deadlines, assessment dates, and any other important information given to them. They could also use the planner to estimate the amount of time they will need to spend on their asynchronous work. This will help them to take appropriate breaks from their screens.
- Invest 10 minutes each day: Encourage your student to take five minutes before school to look over their planner and check that they have what they need for their learning that day. After school, they can spend 5 minutes organizing their notebooks, reviewing their notes, and organizing their work for tomorrow.
All of at Totem and enjoying getting to know your student and are looking forward to the learning ahead of us. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us if you need any support.
In Partnership,
Shana Watkins
Principal
College Bound Scholarships
College Bound Scholarship
The College Bound Scholarship program is an early commitment of state financial aid to eligible students who sign up in middle school and fulfill the scholarship pledge.
From sign up to scholarship, we provide the tools and resources you need to get College Bound.
Eligibility to Apply: eligibility and application information
Fulfill the College Bound Pledge: pledge requirements and financial aid information
Access the Scholarship: FAFSA and WASFA help, scholarship requirements, frequently asked questions, financial aid information
Resources for Counselors: Middle School Toolbox and application details, program promotional materials, student handouts, templates, powerpoints
Questions? You can reach us at collegebound@wsac.wa.gov or 888-535-0747.
Latino Parent Night
Latino Parent Night
Encouraging parents to get involved in their Scholar’s educational journey.
Parent will learn about the following:
- Attendance and the importance of their scholar to be present everyday
- Bringing awareness of the importance of SLCs
- Graduation requirements for high school
- Exposing parents to various post-graduation paths
- Building community amongst families
- Offering parents, a safe place to voice their concerns
- Willing to cover topics parents are interested in learning more about
- Educating parents on how to access Synchronous and Asynchronous learning
- Introduce Maia Learning
Come join our Totem Familia, we’d love to have you.
Ms. Otero will have a zoom session on Fridays the second week of each month from 6:00PM-8:00PM (time may be subject to change). Zoom link will be sent via email before the meeting.
October 9th, November 13th, December 11th, January 8th, February 12th, March 12th, April 9th, May 14th, June 11th
Attendance
School Attendance Matters: Every Day Counts!
School attendance is essential to academic success, but too often students, parents and schools do not realize how quickly absences, excused as well as unexcused, can add up to academic trouble.
Chronic absences and missing 10 percent of the school year, or just 2-3 days every month can translate into third-graders unable to master reading, sixth-graders failing courses and ninth-graders dropping out of high school.
Please call or email the attendance secretary, Bree Vance, for any absences: 253.945.5102 or brvance@fwps.org
Let's have some fun: Word games
Word games are not only fun, they help build vocabulary and spelling skills. Here are two to try.
Word morph: Have your youngster write a five- or six-letter word at the top of a sheet of paper. Let family members take turns making a new word by changing one letter in the last word written. Example: quack, quick, quirk. When you can’t make any more words, pick a new word and play again.
Word staircase: Each player writes the numbers 4 to 12 down the left side of her paper. One person picks a two-letter combination that often begins words (en, cr, ph) and sets a timer for five minutes. Next to each number, write a word with that many letters and beginning with the letters chosen. Example: For en, put envy beside 4 and enact by 5. To win, come up with the most words that no one else used.
Parent Portal & Tech Support
The links for tech support are also on all teacher's canvas pages.
Click here for the Parent Portal: https://www.fwps.org/domain/2502
Zoom Tips
1. Make sure you are going through your Launchpad for Learning site to Canvas via Google Chrome browser: learn.fwps.org (NOT Clever as previous)
2. When you get the error, click "ok" to close that box
3. Click "join from browser" (lower right link in blue)
4. Type in your first and last name & the "captcha code" that is displayed
This should get you into the zoom class.
Waiting too long for the host to join you in?
1. Make sure you are attempting to join the correct class at the correct time.
2. If still waiting a long time, please email your teacher letting them know you are in the wait room
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday:
Synchronous (“Live”) Instruction with their teachers
- 8:00-8:55 am Period 1
- 9:00-9:55 am Period 2
- 10:00-10:30 am Social Emotional Learning/College and Career Readiness (CCR) (your period 0 class listed on your schedule)
- 10:35-11:30 am Period 3
- 11:35 am-12:30 pm Period 4
Parent Observer in Canvas
What is Parent Observer in Canvas?
- Parent Observers can view the courses of their scholars
- Primary parent listed in Synergy may create a Parent Observer account
- Parent Observer will see all of their children's classes
Watch video to see how to activate your account https://youtu.be/oToIOuPEnf4
School Meals To Go
Federal Way Public Schools is dedicated to helping ensure scholars are well fed, so they are ready to learn. Starting September 9, 2020 school meal kits will be served every Wednesday, with one exception. Due to the Veterans Day holiday on Wednesday, November 11, meals will be served on Tuesday, November 10 at the same time and locations.
The recent back to school letter noted that students would receive meal cards. Due to a recent update from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), we will not be using meal cards until further notice.
Funding by the USDA, meals are available for FWPS students and children aged 18 or younger at no cost beginning September 9 through December 16, 2020.
How will the school meals program work?
- We now have 65 locations to pick up meals throughout the district!
- There will be multiple pick-up times; the earliest starting at 9:30 a.m. and the latest ending at 6:00 p.m.
- Meal kits include: 5 breakfasts and 5 lunches. Scholars will have a choice between a microwavable kit or ready to eat kit.
- Parents may pick up for their children ages 18 or younger. Child does not need to be present
Click here for times and locations: https://www.fwps.org/schoolmeals
Reminder: Friday, October 9th is an asynchronous (independent learning) school day
Totem Middle School
Email: mnelsen@fwps.org
Website: fwps.org/totem
Location: 26630 40th Avenue South, Kent, WA, USA
Phone: 253.945.5100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TotemFWPS/