how to help your child be successful in middle school

HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD BE SUCCESSFUL IN

MIDDLE SCHOOL

Overview Middle school basics What does a day in middle school look

like? What are the teacher’s expectations? How can parents support their child? Middle School Organization Technology and your child Career and College planning

Middle School Basicso School Calendar-Website is

Key!!o Attendance Policieso Code of Conduct/School

Ruleso School Counselorso Courseso Schedulingo Extracurricular Activitieso Standardized Testso Bullying

What does the day look like? Regular Bell Schedule

8:30 Warning Bell8:35 – 10:07 1st/5th Block10:12-11:42 2nd/6th Block11:47 – 1:47 3rd/7th Block 1:52 – 3:23 4th/8th Block

On A days blocks 1,2,3 & 4 meet.On B days blocks 5, 6, 7 & 8 meet.

When does my child eat lunch?Lunch A11:47-12:17

Lunch B 12:17-12:47

Lunch C 12:47-1:17

Lunch D1:17-1:47

What are my child’s teacher’s expectations?

Visit the Stone Hill Middle School websitehttp://www.lcps.org/shms Click Staff

Select your child’s teacher

View syllabi, resources for additional help, curriculum, project information, and calendar for homework and upcoming tests and projects.

What is Resource? Purpose

› Provides an opportunity for students to: Complete homework Retake tests Receive additional instruction from

teachers

Resource Schedule› 6th and 7th graders

45 minutes every other day, at the same time their core academic teachers are on planning and available to help students.

Spectrum students go to Spectrum in place of resource

› 8th graders 90 minutes every other day. Spectrum students have Resource for 45

minutes every other day.

The Parent Portal as a

Tool for Communication

Ways Clarity can provide information…

Missing assignments will be prominently displayed.

Teachers may write more general comments here.

Teachers can link to documents to provide resources.

What are middle schoolers most concerned with?

Changes, Changes, Changes

∞ Physical Changes∞ Emotional Changes∞ Intellectual Changes∞ Social Changes∞ Be aware and be informed∞ Communicate with your child∞ Teach Responsibility∞ Provide appropriate consequences

How can school counselors help your child?

Provide individual, group, and classroom guidance

Mediate peer issues Collaborate with teachers Conduct career and educational

counseling

What can parents do?

Partner with Your School Support the school and the teachers Make the most of parent-teacher

conferences Communicate with the school staff Work with the school to resolve problems Get to know the administration,

counselors and especially teachers Attend all parent programs

What can parents do at home?

Keep lines of communication open Get/stay involved in your children’s lives Encourage extra curricular activities Provide school supplies and a place to

study Help set academic goals/Provide

academic support See all midterm reports and report cards Use rewards and consequences to

encourage change

What can parents do at home?(con’t)

Encourage a healthy lifestyle Help improve organizational skills Help with time management Make homework your child’s

responsibility Encourage independent problem

solving Insist that they attend school regularly

and on time. If they will be absent, call the absentee line 703-957-4422

Organization

Organized Student Doesn’t cram everything he owns in his

backpack Can identify and bring home the books,

supplies, and worksheets he needs in order to complete his homework

Can locate his finished homework in class and hand it in on time

Can study efficiently because he knows when tests are coming up, has set aside enough time to study, and doesn’t waste time looking for class notes and handouts

Disorganized Student Frequently loses papers Doesn’t hand in assignments on time or at all Has a backpack full of crumpled paper and random

objects Can’t break down long-term projects and misses

deadlines Leaves everything for the last minute Disrupts home life with frantic searches, urgent request

for late-night help, and anxiety ridden meltdowns Exhausted by the effort they put into trying to keep

themselves together Often end up doing twice the work

The Three-Part World of the Organized Student

Organization in school

Organization at home

Time Management

Organization at Home Place to do her homework and an easy

way to store papers and projects he isn’t using in school anymore.

Needs to be able to function both in his bedroom and within the household at large

The Desktop File Box and desk, are tools that make doing work at home less stressful and more effective.

Organization in School Place to keep current class notes and

handouts Way to get everything from home to

school and from classroom to classroom

Someplace to store everything when she’s not using it.

Binder, the backpack, and the locker are the three storage systems that can make your child’s school day more efficient and productive

Binders• Follow Subject

Area Teacher Tab Guidelines

• Papers in Correct Binders

• Homework Tab or Folder

Locker• Purge: remove any unnecessary

papers and trash - 3 to 4 times a year• Accessories :Out fit the locker with

accessories that make it easier for your child to find things.• Shelves• Schedule• Map of locker

• Categories: Separate the contents of the locker into categories. Maybe, have an A-day shelf and B-day shelf.

• Keep it up- regular maintenance, check to see if everything is organized once a week.

Backpack • Purge: remove any unnecessary papers and trash - 3 to 4 times a year

• Accessories :Out fit the bag with accessories that make it easier for you to find things.• Map of bag

• Categories: Separate the contents of the bag into categories. Make sure all the papers are in correct binders

• Keep it up- regular maintenance, check to see if everything is organized once a week.

File Box Binder gets full or out dated Make a file for each class, and put the

overflow here Personal Files: Instructions, Art, Writing

or ideas, Music, Clubs, Team, Summer Applications

Anything that doesn’t have a home

Make a Home BaseThe Drop-Off Station The Study Space

Time Management Daily Use of Agenda Use Monthly Calendar for big projects Create a schedule for yourself outside

of school, including study time

PARENT INVOLVEMENT RESEARCH

earn higher grades and test scores, enroll in higher-level programs,

pass their classes, earn credits and be promoted,

attend school regularly, have better social skills, show good behavior

and adapt well to school, Graduate and go on to further education www.NEA.org, Research Spotlight on Parental Involvement in

Education.

Studies find that students with involved parents are more likely to:

Parent-Teacher ConferenceDiscussion Topics & Questions

Homework Class Participation Organization Academic Success Classroom Time

Management Attendance & Punctuality Focus Social Adjustment Strengths & Weaknesses Additional Comments

Technology and Your Child

Understand their Technology

In order to protect and guide your child, learn as much as you can about the

internet, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Ask FM, chat rooms, etc.

Tips for parents Monitor your child’s technology Have them share with you all their user account

names and passwords. Ask them to take you places they frequently visit and

show you what they do Friend your child on Facebook Limit child’s time on social media Your child does not need a social media account Internet Safety Presentation TBD Deputy Spurlock*NOT

FOR CHILDREN* Controls on home computers, their devices (i-Phone, I-

Pad, iPod touch)or wireless within the home.

Career & Educational Options

Identify abilities and interests 1. Career Café’s 2. Career Exploration through Guidance-Naviance

Explore career/educational options1. High School Career & Technology Programs (Monroe)2. Academy of Science/Thomas Jefferson High School3. Four-Year Colleges4. Community & Technical Colleges5. Career & Trade Schools6. Military7. Apprenticeships

College Information

Preparation develop good study skills encourage them to do as well as they can in

their classes attend a college sporting event or visit a

college campus in high school, take recommended high

school courses, sign up for the right tests and complete the necessary forms.

If you want your child(ren) to consider going to college after high school, now is the time to start

planning.

College Recommended Courses

4 years of English3-4 years of math (including Algebra I,

Geometry and Algebra II)**3-4 years of science (with lab experience)At least 3 years of the same foreign

language***3-4 years of social studies1 year of fine or performing arts**students who want to go to a competitive college or program should also take

advanced, honors, and AP courses when possible.

*** This is the MINIMUM requirement for an Advanced Studies diploma and for most 4 year colleges, it always advisable to go above and beyond this requirement

Admissions Criteria Grade point average

(GPA) Strength of subjects ACT/SAT scores Class rank Recommendations Special Talents Personal qualities Activities/awards Essays Interviews

Programs At Stone Hill PBIS-Positive Behavior Interventions

and Supports SSA-Safe School Ambassadors Peer Helpers Study Skills Workshops

SHM Contact Info SCHOOL COUNSELORS6th Grade and Lead Counselor: Jennifer.Alberth@lcps.org (Barracudas & Dolphins) Amani.Allen@lcps.org (Piranhas & Marlins)7th Grade, Cynthia.Alcorn@lcps.org (Jellyfish, Starfish, Sea

Turtles) Amani.Allen@lcps.org (Seahorses)8th Grade, Nicole.Bryan@lcps.orgELL students, all grades, Program Coordinator: Jennifer.Alberth@lcps.orgDeans6th Grade- Ashleigh.Spiegel@lcps.org7th Grade- Ben. Thompson@lcps.org8th Grade- Edward.Chi@lcps.orgAll can be reached by calling 703-957-4420, we all have

confidential voicemail.

References Woodburn Press

Linda O’Brienwww.woodburnpress.com

Where’s My Stuff: The Ultimate Teen Organizing Guide

Samantha Moss, Lesley SchwartzZest Books

http://zestbooks.net/

The Organized Student: Teaching Children the Skills for Success in

School and BeyondDonna Goldberg

Touchstone