Science

Please complete the "Getting to Know You" survey for science class.  This assignment will be collected on Tuesday, 9/3.

Math Tasks August 30th

All students should have four labeled sections in their "notebook" with polygon defined on the Frayer model format. Grades 7&8 should also have square unit defined.

Students, you have made it a good beginning, thank you.

Math, August 29th

We are working with tangrams, their shapes, and areas then using this infomation to analyze and synthesize other shapes.
*Vocabulary (Frayer model)  "polygon" is to be complete and in the vocabulary section of their notebooks.

There is an meet & greet from 6:00 - 7:30 at Bombardier park the music pavilion.  Hope to see you there!

Science

All students received a science notebook to use in class.  Students should number the pages in the upper corner of their science notebooks for homework. 

Math Tasks

Wednesday, August 28th

• It was a good first day!!
• Students need four sections in their "notebook": Notes, Vocabulary, Current Work, and Archive
• Please return the permission slip for Northern Lights as soon as possible.
• During the summer a packet was sent out with many forms including the Electronic Contract. Please return these as soon as possible.

House A ice cream social Thursday, 8/29

House A teachers would like to invite students and their families for a 'meet and great' ice cream social.  This event will take place on Thursday (8/29/13)  from 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Bombardier Park by the music pavilion. We look forward to seeing everyone there and kick starting the 2013-14 school year in a proper fashion.

Supplies

SUPPLIES

Binder divided into 4 sections (Math)

Binder (Humanities)

Loose leaf paper

Dividers

Pencils  & Pens (multiple packs)

Expo marker

Highlighters

Calculator

Water bottle

Ruler, protractor and graphing paper for home use

Composition book

Pocket Folders (4)

Hand held metal pencil sharpener

Flash drive

Team A Parent Letter

Team A                                                                                                                             August, 2013

Dear Parents, Guardians and Team A Members,

We hope you are having a restful summer, and look forward to our quickly approaching school year!  We are excited about building an amazing new team together and in the spirit of building our community, a few scheduled events to mark on your calendar. Also, you will find information useful for the year’s start, including another copy of the supply list… just in case. 

On August 29^th, 2013, from 6:00 – 7:30, please join us for an ice cream social at Bombardier Park, in the music pavilion behind the town offices.  We would love to get to know you and your family, and look forward to this opportunity!

Our first field trip has been planned for Northern Lights on Wednesday, September 11, 2013.  Students will be participating in team building activities as well as ropes challenges.  The cost of the field trip will be approximately $25.00. Students will be leaving at 8:15 am and returning at 2:00 pm. A bagged lunch is needed for this trip.  A permission slip will be sent home in the first week of school and will need to be returned by September 4^th.

Future Communication

We believe that home-school partnership is vital in supporting your child's success.  Your student’s advisory teacher will serve as the primary contact for team-wide issues.  Celebrations and concerns expressed by the Advisory teacher are shared by all teachers on the team.  In situations specific to one class, that classroom teacher will contact you directly.  Of course, we encourage you to keep in contact with us.  Our contact information is included at the end of this letter. The final page of this document requests your contact information to be used as a quick reference in the classroom.  This information should be returned to the advisory teacher.

Team A also uses a blog that families can access from home.  Announcements, larger assignments and projects, and important team information can be found on the team blog at http://miltonhousea.blogspot.com/

Advisory

Every morning students will start the day with a 25 minute Advisory period. This is a school-wide practice for grades 6-8. Advisory programs can play a critical role to meeting a student’s academic and personal needs. Advisories create a more personalized learning environment where all students are well known by at least one adult. Moreover, advisory provides a structure and a set of practices for monitoring and supporting students’ academic progress. Advisory agendas emphasize relationships with others as well as oneself, community (at many levels), goal-setting, and other agenda items driven by student needs and realities as opposed to subject matter or content. We encourage our students to be active participants during this time together.

Enrichment

Enrichment, the last block of the day, will not look as it did in the past.  This year, students will remain with their own team and will receive instruction to target specific areas of needed improvement or challenge.  Students may be self-directed, completing work required by teachers, whereas other times students may be sharpening specific skills as a class or in small groups.  We will start the year focusing on introducing and reviewing specific skills needed for success in classes throughout the year. 

Schedule and Reading Requirements

Below you will find our daily schedule.  Please notice that there is a 20 minute silent reading block immediately after lunch.  This requires students to come prepared with a reading book on a daily basis.  Students will also be expected to fill out weekly book logs that will vary in length and type as the school year progresses.

Daily Schedule

7:30 - 7:55                                                Advisory

8:00 - 8:50                                                UA

8:50 - 9:50                                                Core 1

9:50 - 10:50                                                Core 2

10:50 - 11:20                                                Lunch

11:20 - 11:40                                                 SSR

11:40 - 12:40                                                Core 3

12:40 - 1:40                                                Core 4

1:40 -            2:30                                                 Enrichment

Supplies

Attached you will find a supply list for the 2013-2014 school year.  In addition, students will be expected to record assignments in planners, which will be provided to students at the beginning of the school year.

Cell Phones/Ipods/Kindles and all other electronics

Please be aware that there is extremely limited electronics use in our classrooms.  We believe electronics do have their place, but at present, use will be at teacher discretion.  There will be times where this will be an important tool, and times where the device should not be out of a pocket. Inappropriate use or refusal to put the phone/Ipod away as directed, will result in a call home and the loss of the privilege for all.  In addition, we strongly feel that for the comfort and safety of all, there will be no videotaping or photography without the permission of the teacher and the person(s) being photographed/videotaped.

We anticipate that this year will be a successful one for your student. As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with your contributions or concerns.

Here’s to a great school year ahead!

Sincerely,

Team A Teachers

Robert DeCicco- Science rdecicco@mtsd-vt.org

Sharon Ehret- Math  sehret@mtsd-vt.org

Stacey Endres- Humanities sendres@mtsd-vt.org

John Finnigan- Social studies jfinniagan@mtsd-vt.org

Joseph Smith- Consulting Teacher (Humanities, Special Education)    jsmith3@mtsd-vt.org