CROSSROADS NORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL
SIXTH GRADEPARENT ORIENTATION
Welcome to Crossroads Middle School
6th Grade Units
7th / 8th Grade Units
Apollo Aurora Phoenix
Chi
OmegaGammaDelta
Alpha Beta
6th Grade Units
7th / 8th Grade Units
Comets Neptune Polaris
Theta Tau
ZetaSigma Kappa
Rho
Crossroads North Crossroad South South
Assistant Principals Dubois & Ruymen
Assistant Principals Hinson & Kmiec
Principal CapesPrincipal Bynoe
DeanS.P.S.
CounselorsC.S.T.
Dean S.P.S.
CounselorsC.S.T.
Special Ed.Supervisor
Horne
Math/ScienceSupervisorRajagopal
MusicSupervisor
Sears
Tech EncoreSupervisor
Rajagopal
L.A. / S.S.Supervisor
Riccardi
World Language
SupervisorDecker
Health/P.E.Supervisor Harding
Technology SupportCarlson
Ruymen - Extracurricular Activities
McGrath - Athletics
Club 678Desai
Crossroads Middle School
SHARED STAFF
CROSSROADS MIDDLE SCHOOL STRUCTUREThree 6th Grade Units
Approximately 125 students per unit
Unit Names
NORTH: Comets, Neptune, PolarisSOUTH: Apollo, Aurora, Phoenix
CORE UNIT SUBJECTS
LANGUAGE ARTS
• Literature
• Writing MATHSCIENCESOCIAL STUDIES
Units:5 Core Subjects
Changing Classes and Teachers
Sixth Grade Language Arts Literature Studies:
Core Novels (Crash; Of Beetles and Angels (Memoir);
Flush; Gathering Blue)
Non-Fiction / Informational Text•USE OF EVIDENCE FROM TEXT TO SUPPORT IDEAS•CLOSE READING OF COMPLEX TEXT
● Independent Reading (P.A.T.T.E.R.N.S.)● Read-Aloud● Short Stories● Mythology - Greek and Roman - Social Studies ● Poetry
INDEPENDENT READING PROGRAM: PATTERNS
Parents And Teachers Together, Encouraging the Reading of Nonfiction
and NovelS
Summer Reading
It’s our way to inspire and celebrate reading!
We ask that every child reads at least one book of their choice during the summer.
More information will be sent to your child’s elementary school in early June.
Writing / Composition Studies:
Writing Process and On-Demand
Compose in all Genres: Expressive / Narrative, Argumentative / Persuasive,
Informational / Expository, Poetry
Structure, Elaboration, Craft, Meaning
Writing in response to reading (analyze & synthesize)
USE OF EVIDENCE FROM TEXT TO SUPPORT IDEAS
Word Study - affixes (Greek & Latin roots), derivations
* Language Arts Instructional Support for selected students
Sixth Grade Social Studies
World History & Ancient Civilizations to 1600
● Era 1: India, China, Greece, Rome● Era 2: Byzantine, Africa, China/Japan,
Middle Ages, The Americas● Research Bursts
Math Content Standards
● Ratios and Proportional Relationships
● The Number System
● Expressions and Equations
● Geometry
● Statistics and Probability
Practice Standards
● Make sense of problems and persevere through them
● Reason abstractly and quantitatively
● Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
● Use appropriate tools strategically
● Attend to precision● Look for and express
regularity in repeated reasoning
Mathematics
● 6th Grade math courses:● Math 6 (on grade level)● Pre-Algebra (accelerated)
● Math placements are based on the following data:● Math Matrix● End of 5th Grade Test/5th Grade Accelerated Final● 6th Grade Placement Test
* Math Instructional Support for selected students
Progression of math courses
Units of Focus:○ Geology
○ Astronomy
○ Meteorology
Enrichment opportunity○ 6th Grade Science
Fair (April)
NGSS: Science and Engineering Practices
○ Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)
○ Developing and using models○ Planning and carrying out
investigations
○ Analyzing and interpreting data
○ Using mathematics and
computational thinking
○ Constructing explanations (for
science) and designing solutions
(for engineering)
○ Engaging in argument from
evidence
○ Obtaining, evaluating, and
communicating information
To prevent “summer slide”Summer assignment - one problem a dayWill be shared along with placement via
Genesis as a link to a website
For information regarding Science, Tech, Math please refer
to http://tinyurl.com/sbsdstem
● World Language Exploratory Program● One trimester of Spanish, French, and Latin● In June of 2020, students will select one language to learn in 7th and
8th grades.
• Encore Classes – Art, Music, Health, Digital Tools (includes SCRATCH coding)
• Physical Education - Team Sports, Individual Sports, and Lifelong Activities
• HAP – Help and Access, daily school-wide -- chorus and access to teacher support
Beyond the Core
A Student’s Typical WeekPeriod Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
1 Math Math Math Math Math
2 Encore World Language
Encore World Language
Encore
3 Language Science Literature Social Studies Language
4 Social Studies Language Science Literature Social Studies
5 Encore PE Encore PE Encore
6 Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch Lunch
7 Literature Social Studies Language Science Literature
8 Science Literature Social Studies Language Science
HAP HAP HAP HAP HAP HAP
•Interscholastic Athletics- Crossroads’ Teams
•Extracurricular Activities – Club Programs open to All Grade Levels
All clubs and activities are pay-to-participate using CommunityPass
School Musical STEMForensics Club Math Counts Team
Photography Club Special Olympics Club
Art Club Academic Challenge Teams
Online School Newspaper Odyssey of the Mind Teams
Chess Club Student Council
Flag Football Indoor Soccer
Volleyball Ski Trips
Tennis Club Cricket Club
Crossroads Music Program“Performance at its finest!”
Program Offerings:General Music
Choir
Orchestra
Band
Jazz
Spring Musical
General Music
❖ Students who do not participate in middle school band/orchestra/vocal music are enrolled in general music.
❖ In General Music, students learn about music from Ancient Cultures through hands on performance activities. (piano/keyboards, Orff instruments, percussion, etc.)
Vocal Music Groups
● XRDS North Stars (Rehearses during HAP)
● Concert Choir (Rehearses during HAP)
○ Vocal Ensemble (auditioned select choir ~ before school)
Instrumental Music Groups
● Strings○ Concert Orchestra
○ Symphonic Orchestra
● Band○ Concert Band
○ Symphonic Band
○ Wind Symphony
● Jazz ○ Jazz Ensemble
○ Jazz Band
Important Information
All of our music groups that meet before or after school are Pay to Participate and require registration through
Community Pass.
● Early morning music transportation will be an option.
● You will receive information regarding registering from our MS music staff.
Performance Opportunities
● Summer Music Camps - Community Education
● Jazz, Choral & Band Festivals
● Community Performances
● Region/Honors Ensembles
● Spring Musical
● Hershey Trip ~ Music In The Parks Festival
Crossroads World Languages6th Grade WL Exploration Program
Crossroads students will continue their study of a second language through an exploratory experience in the sixth grade with an opportunity for formal language study in the language of their choice for grades 7-8.
“Through learning language, we learn about culture. Through learning culture, we learn respect for others. Through learning respect for others, we can hope for peace.”
Claire Kramsh
Crossroads World Languages6th Grade WL Exploration Program
The exploratory curricula integrate common aspects of the target language within a thematic, cultural context. Emphasis is placed on the practical aspects of language and culture with an activity approach to language learning to allow all students to experience success.
● Each of the MS language offerings (French, Latin, Spanish) is studied for one trimester.
● At the end of 6th grade, each student will select one of the language offerings to continue to student in the 7th and 8th grades. The language your child selects at the end of sixth grade is their language for the entirety of the two-year middle school experience.
Crossroads World Languages6th Grade WL Exploration Program
Homework
● 45-90 minutes as a nightly expectation● Agendas
After School Program
● Club 6/7/8 – Community Education
Reporting System
● Report Cards 3 times a year (trimester)● Letter Grade System● Genesis Online Grade Book
SPS (Student Personnel Services)
● Health Office, Counselors● Child Study Team
General Information
Communications
• Friday Folder & Friday E-Mail
• Daily Announcements (AM/PM)
• Parent Conferences Fall – Spring
• Joint PTO (North and South)
• School Website: http://www.sbschools.org/schools/xrds/index.php • Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/SBSDXRDS • Twitter: @SBSDXRDS
Lockers •Hallway/GymLunch 30 Minutes; Middle School Menu; ID CardArrival & Dismissal
• 8:10 (N) or 8:15 (S) Homeroom Bell
• 3:05 (N) or 3:10 (S) Dismissal Bell
• 5:10 Late Bus (Monday - Friday)
General Information
Nursing Services
●2 Required Immunizations for 6th Grade
●Emergency Care for illness / injury●Individual Healthcare Plans for students with health
concerns
●Resource for community: health and medical
services
● Maintains health records/absentee and gym excuse notes
● Please contact Mrs. Barbara Snepar with any questions at [email protected]
STUDENT PLACEMENTPlacement into Units Based on Criteria• Balance in Numbers • Heterogeneous Grouping • Gender Balance• Learning/Teaching Styles • Assessment Information • Parent Requests - Additional information about your child’s
learning style & connections with other students• Send via e-mail to the building principal on or before
June 30, 2019 [email protected]
Summer Communication• End of June with Report Card – Math Placement • Late August: parents will receive a communication regarding
unit placement (Genesis)
CLOSING THOUGHTS...• CORE VALUES - CARES
• CODE OF CONDUCT
• BYOD/SOCIAL MEDIA
• SCHOOL SUPPLIES
• LUNCH/SNACKS
• FANTASTIC VOYAGE
• GENESIS - SIS
Questions or Concerns?
•Kimberly Bynoe-Principal: [email protected]
•Allison Dubois-Assistant Principal: [email protected]
•Shaun Ruymen-Assistant Principal: [email protected]
•Mark Riccardi - Language Arts/Social Studies: [email protected]
•Robert Sears-Music: [email protected]
•Jennifer Horne-Special Education: [email protected]
•Aparna Rajagopal-Math/Science: [email protected]
•Thomas Decker-World Language: [email protected]
•John Harding-Health/Physical Education: [email protected]