8th Grade Class Trip is 10 Days Away! June 11th-June 14th

Parent Newsletter

May 31, 2013 Dear Families,

Parents of sixth and seventh graders had the opportunity last night to join us for our Academic Celebration, which is a showcase of student work from throughout the school year. I would like to take a moment to thank the many parents that were able to come to our school and view the children’s work. I was very pleased with the turnout, and enjoyed meeting a lot of parents that I had not yet had the opportunity to meet. Some of the work that was on display by sixth graders included poems, models of the Earth, Greek masks, “Pizza Performance Assessments,” projects about Scientific Method, as well as research projects regarding the legacy of Greece and Rome. The seventh grade also had all sorts of projects from the year on display, and featured products from their cross-curricular project - "Tiny Trees."

HMS band students will be performing in the Spring Concert on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 at 5:30 pm. Mrs. Westcoat and I are looking forward to seeing many of you there for an evening of music provided by our students, who have been working very hard with their teacher, Mrs. Grande, throughout this school year. Fifth grade students from Martin and Aitken will be visiting HMS next week for building tours. There is also a Parent Orientation scheduled for Thursday, June 6 at 6 pm. I visited the fifth graders this week at their respective schools, and presented along with current eighth grade students Sonya Valente and Josh Lane in regard to what student life is like at the middle school. I enjoyed the experience of meeting the incoming sixth graders, as well as their current fifth grade teachers. I would like to thank Sonya and Josh for assisting me with the presentation. I would also like to thank Mrs. DeLeo and her E135 Computer Applications class for helping me to put together a wonderful Powerpoint presentation with video clips and pictures for the fifth graders to see. The presentation will be available on our website soon. I can’t believe that our 8th graders will be off to Washington DC in one week! I am as excited about this as they are, to say the least. There will be a meeting for all students going on the class trip on Monday, June 10th at 1:30 pm in the gymnasium. The meeting will focus on rules of the trip, hotel policies, and group assignments. Students will also be notified as to which of the chaperones he or she has been assigned to. Students will also meet with their group and chaperone during this time, so that all of the final details and instructions can be explained. This is a very important meeting for everyone going on the class trip to attend. Students that are not going on the trip will meet in Mrs. Boyle’s Room 224 during that time so that their teachers can explain what the Virtual DC Tour will consist of. I encourage all students that are not going on the trip to attend school from June 11th – 14th. A tremendous amount of preparation has gone into providing the students that are staying behind with an educational, fun, and memorable experience while their peers are away. Absences during the class trip are not excused for students that are not going to Washington DC. Sincerely, Dr. Whalen

 

DC  TRIP  REMINDERS:    All  Behavior  Contracts  and  Medical  Forms  were  due  today.  We  are  still  missing  many,  so  please  be  sure  to  have  your  child  return  these  important  forms  on  Monday.  If  you  need  a  packet,  there  are  still  some  available  in  the  office.  Students  that  do  not  hand  in  the  behavior  contract  and  medical  form  will  not  be  eligible  to  come  on  the  trip.  

             

Dr.  Shurtleff  has  returned  from  her  maternity  leave.  Welcome  Back!!      I  would  like  to  take  a  moment  to  thank  Mr.  Jon  Warriner  for  filling  in  for  Dr.  Shurtleff  in  her  absence.  Students  and  teachers  have  had  so  many  positive  things  to  say  about  Mr.  Warriner!  Students,  teachers,  and  the  administration  have  appreciated  his  knowledge,  humor,  eagerness  to  help,  and  ability  to  learn  quickly.    -­‐-­‐Dr.  Whalen  

           

Tuesday,  June  4th—HMS  Band  Spring  Concert  

 More  information  included  in  this  newsletter  

         

   

A Note from the Guidance Department    

   Middle School can be a very stressful time for many students. They are changing and maturing at various rates and dealing with many different social and personal stressors. Although we have many supports within the school setting, some students have a difficult time dealing with life situations, and cope in maladaptive ways, such as self- injury. Below are some resources that we have found helpful in dealing with our students in need. For further information, or if your child needs more support, please contact their guidance counselor directly. http://www.helpguide.org/mental/self_injury.htm http://www.selfinjury.com http://www.crpsib.com/default.asp http://heathresearchteam.mcgill.ca/images/fs-Parenting-ENG.pdf    

White Team Science Science MCAS is over and students have been busy doing research, writing reports, and preparing slideshows. In learning about genetics and evolution, they had to research several animals, discuss natural selection and the difference between inherited traits and learned behavior and put what they learned into a report. Students then spent more time in the library researching the history and traits of a dog that is personal to them. With this information, they are preparing slideshows on Selective Breeding using either Keynote, Power point or Google. Mrs. Boyleʼs students will then get together with Ms. Murgoʼs students and make their presentations. We are very excited to see the finished products!

   All  Library  Materials  Due  June  7    All  HMS  library  materials  must  be  returned  to  the  library  by  June  7.    This  due  date  is  necessary  so  that  Mrs.  Cabral  &  I  can  resolve  all  outstanding  library  obligations  with  the  students  before  the  end  of  the  school  year.    If  your  child  has  a  library  book,  please  be  sure  that  they  return  it  to  us  by  this  date.    Students  who  have  lost  or  damaged  library  items  will  receive  a  bill  that  must  be  resolved  by  end  of  the  school  year.    Long  outstanding  bills  will  be  mailed  to  the  home.  Please  note  that  we  do  allow  students  with  lost  or  damaged  items  to  pay  for  these  items  by  donating  similar  books  that  are  approved  by  Mrs.  St.  Michel.          

     Blue  Team  English-­‐    Our  final  unit  of  the  year  will  be  a  Drama  Unit!  Here  is  where  our  true  acting  ability  shines!  We  will  be  reading  and  acting  out  several  plays  and  then  students  will  have  the  chance  to  write  a  one-­‐act  screenplay  and  perform.  Watch  out,  Brad  Pitt!  

 

         Mrs.  Libby—Yellow  Team  Social  Studies  

 The  students  have  been  very  busy  lately.    The  mummification  process  for  the  cornish  hens  

has  been  finished  and  they  are  all  wrapped  and  waiting  to  be  unveiled  the  last  week  of  school  to  see  if  the  mummification  process  really  works.  It's  a  long  process,  but  it's  something  the  students  remember.            

The  students  finished  their  Greek  and  Roman  legacy  projects.    They  had  the  option  to  present  their  research  as  a  power  point,  scrapbook,  timeline,  maps  with  explanations,  or  a  presentation  board.    They  worked  in  groups  and  divided  the  research  evenly  among  the  group  and  then  presented  to  their  classes.    It's  important  that  they  know  the  impact  of  the  cultures  that  have  been  studied  on  our  lives  today.          

They  have  begun  the  last  chapter  in  the  book  that  is  about  the  fall  of  the  Roman  Empire.  They  will  be  looking  to  see  what  the  causes  were  and  if  they  see  any  similar  problems  today  for  us.    They  will  finish  the  year  by  creating  a  civilization  in  which  they  would  like  to  live.  They  will  have  the  background  knowledge  of  the  cultures  they  have  studied  this  year  as  a  guide  to  what  works  and  what  doesn't.                

The  time  seems  to  have  flown  by  and  it's  hard  to  believe  it's  almost  the  end  of  school.    It  has  been  a  busy  year  but  enjoyable!      HMS  Softball  –  It  is  hard  to  believe  that  our  softball  season  is  winding  down.  Our  record  currently  stands  at  5-­‐6.  We  lost  a  close  game  in  extra  innings  against  Somerset.    Lindsay  Petit  pitched  a  phenomenal  game.  River  Glenn  also  called  an  excellent  game  throwing  out  a  base  runner  in  the  second  inning.  We  have  lost  a  few  games  this  season  only  by  one  run.  This  was  the  second  extra  inning  game  this  year.  We  continue  to  play  competitive  softball.  It  has  been  fun  coaching  this  team  all  year  long  and  seeing  improvement  on  a  daily  basis.      Coach  Holden    

 

   

         THE  LAST  DAY  FOR  LATE  BUSES  IS  JUNE  19TH.        

               

                                 

 A  Message  from  Mrs.  Westcoat,  Assistant  Principal  

                                     “The  only  place  where  success  comes  before  work  is  in  the  dictionary”  

Vidal  Sassoon  

   Yesterday  our  student  council  went  to  the  town  hall  to  participate  in  Student  Government  Day.    Students  chose  the  position  they  wanted  to  learn  more  about,  created  questions,  and  were  paired  with  the  appropriate  department  heads.      The  students  came  professionally  dressed  and  took  their  assignment  very  seriously.    Their  questions  were  well  thought  out  and  insightful.    I  would  like  to  personally  thank  the  following  people  for  volunteering  their  time  to  talk  to  our  students  and  answer  questions.    Animal  Control  –  Sharonlynne  Hall  Director  of  Finance  –  Bruce  Alexander  Board  of  Health  –  Beth  Hallal  Building  Inspector  –  Mary  McNeil  Conservation  Agent  –  Bernadette  DeBlander  Planning  Board  –  John  Hansen  Town  Clerk  –  Jan  Parker  Fire  Chief  –  Alan  Jack  Police  Chief  –  Craig  Mace  Human  Services  –  Bernadette  Huck  Library  –  Peter  Fuller  Veterans  Agent  –  Seth  Bai  Department  of  Public  Works  –  Robert  Lamoureux  Town  Administrator  –  Pamela  Nolan    There  are  so  many  great  things  going  on  in  our  building!    Thank  you  for  your  constant  support.    It  truly  does  take  a  village!    

Health  Education  Newsletter  *Final  Take  Home  Exam  schedule  will  be  displayed  in  next  week’s  newsletter  as  well  as  in  my  classroom.  Stay  tuned!!!      6th  Grade:  Next  week  students  will  begin  their  Nutrition  Unit.    In  this  unit,  students  will  be  able  to:  

o Understand  key  nutrients  to  growth  and  development  o Learn  how  to  read  nutrition  labels  o Understand  the  importance  of  healthy  diet  and  exercise  to  growth  and  development  o Understand  the  link  between  poor  diet  and  disease  o Make  wise  food  and  beverage  choices  o Dangers  of  consuming  more  than  the  RDA  of  sodium,  saturated  and  transfats  and  sugars  o The  causes  and  dangers  of  childhood  obesity  

MA  Frameworks  Standards  covered:    o Nutrition  (3.8,  3.9,  3.11)  o Disease  Prevention  &  Control  (8.5)  

National  Health  Education  Standards:  o Standard  #1:  Core  Concepts    o Standard  #2:  Analyzing  Influences  o Standard  #5:  Decision  Making  o Standard  #7:  Self-­‐Management  o Standard  #8:  Advocate  

 7th  Grade:  Students  will  continue  their  Substance  Abuse  Unit.  Students  have  already  learned  about  Caffeine  (including  energy  drinks!)  and  smokeless  tobacco.  The  unit  will  continue  with  learning  about  alcohol.  Within  this  unit,  students  will  also  revisit  skills  in  decision  making  and  refusal  skills,  which  they  learned  last  year.  In  this  unit  students  will  be  able  to:  

o Understand  short-­‐term  and  long-­‐term  effects  of  Alcohol,  tobacco  and  Caffeine  o Describe  dangerous  health  effects  of  Alcohol,  tobacco  and  Caffeine  o Identify  influences  to  use  Alcohol,  tobacco  and  Caffeine.  o Demonstrate  different  ways  to  refuse  these  substances  o Demonstrate  the  ability  to  make  informed  decisions  regarding  the  use  of  caffeine,  alcohol  and  

smokeless  tobacco.  MA  Frameworks  Standards  covered:    

o Tobacco,  Alcohol  and  Other  Drugs  (10.8,  10.10,  10.11,  10.13)  o Growth  &  Development  (1.8)  

National  Health  Education  Standards:  o Standard  #1:  Core  Concepts    o Standard  #2:  Analyzing  Influences  o Standard  #4:  Interpersonal  Communication  o Standard  #5:  Decision  Making  o Standard  #7:  Self-­‐Management  

 8th  Grade:  Students  will  begin  their  substance  abuse  unit.  We  will  be  learning  about  drugs  (legal  and  illegal  drugs),  marijuana,  and  club  drugs..    Within  this  topic,  students  will  be  able  to:  

o List  potential  outcomes  of  early  &  late  adolescent  risk  behaviors  related  to  substance  abuse  (including  the  meaning  of    “gateway”  in  relation  to  substance  abuse)  

o Identify  internal  and  external  factors  that  influence  decision  to  use  or  not  use  drugs  o Demonstrate  ways  of  refusing  and  sharing  prevention  health  information  regarding  tobacco,  alcohol  

and  other  drugs  o Describe  the  relationship  between  using  multiple  drugs  and  negative  side  effects  (including  addiction  

and  overdose).  o Use  decision-­‐making  skills  in  regard  to  using  or  not  using  drugs.  

MA  Frameworks  Standards  covered:    o Tobacco,  Alcohol  &  Substance  Use/Abuse  Prevention:  (10.5,  10.6,  10.7,  10.8,  10.13)  

National  Health  Education  Standards:  o Standard  #1:  Core  Concepts    o Standard  #4:  Interpersonal  Communication  o Standard  #5:  Decision  Making  o Standard  7:  Self-­‐Management  

 

                                                     7th  Grade  Green  Team  Cross-­Curricular  Project  -­  Tiny  Trees    "A  tree  is  a  dream  that  takes  root.    A  treehouse  is  a  dream  that  takes  height."    (from  "Exceptional  Treehouses")    The  7th  grade  Green  Team  recently  finished  their  cross-­‐curricular  project  -­‐  Tiny  Trees.    Inspired  by  an  article  she  saw  two  years  ago,  this  was  a  dream  project  initiated  by  Mrs.  Reilly.    Using  scale  drawings  completed  in  math  class,  students  needed  to  design  a  treehouse  to  fit  into  the  branches  of  their  wooden  base.    Students  also  studied  the  concept  of  deforestation  in  Mr.  Sandstrom's  Social  Studies  classes  and  learned  about  trees  that  are  indigenous  to  this  area  in  Mrs.  Reilly's  Science  classes.    In  Mr.  Warriner's  ELA  classes,  students  wrote  essays  about  their  idea  of  a  perfect  sanctuary.    Following  the  background  work,  students  spent  two  days  making  their  dream  houses  by  planning,  plotting,  cutting,  and  gluing  their  designs  into  reality.    Their  work  was  truly  impressive!    The  Green  Team  would  like  to  offer  their  sincerest  thanks  to  Michael  and  Nathan  Costa  for  all  of  their  work  to  create  over  forty  bases  for  this  project.    We  would  also  like  to  thank  Mr.  Frank  Pellegrino  for  his  "mad"  cutting  skills  and  for  being  a  vital  member  of  the  Green  Team  when  we  needed  him  most.    Finally,  a  huge  thank  you  to  all  of  the  students  and  parents  for  the  creative  supplies  we  needed  for  such  a  huge  undertaking.    It  was  truly  a  memorable  experience  for  all!                        

 6th  Grade:    Students  have  learned  basic  and  intermediate  skills  in  PowerPoint  while  researching  a  variety  of  Technology  Timeline  categories  using  the  Computer  History  Museum  website.    We  will  spend  our  June  class  time  writing  scripts  in  Google  Docs,  learning  GarageBand,  and  recording  their  original  scripts.    Watch  for  publication  on  Mrs.  DeLeo's  6th  Grade  Webpage  by  the  end  of  June!    7th  Grade:    Students  in  Periods  B135  and  B246  have  completed  their  iMovie  book  trailers  and  enjoyed  a  red  carpet  premiere  watching  their  classmates'  movies  (and  blooper  reels)!    Students  in  Period  E135  completed  their  iMovie  projects  creating  transition  videos  used  by  Dr.  Whalen  in  his  5th  grade  presentations  at  Aitken  and  Martin  Elementary  Schools.    These  students  will  also  be  meeting  their  audiences  as  they  help  Dr.  Whalen  conduct  tours  when  the  5th  graders  visit  HMS  next  week.    All  classes'  movies  will  soon  be  uploaded  to  Mrs.  DeLeo's  7th  Grade  Webpage.    Students  are  now  using  their  geography  skills  to  research  a  country  of  their  choice  and  landmarks  in  that  country  to  share  in  a  PowerPoint  multimedia  presentation  and  then  create  a  virtual  tour  using  Google  Earth.    (A  special  thanks  to  Mrs.  Cabral  and  Mrs.  St.Michel  for  their  help  with  our  movie  projects  and  to  the  many  staff  members  who  were  good  sports  and  starred  in  our  productions!)    8th  Grade:      After  spending  the  semester  using  the  Transparent  Language  website  (sponsored  by  the  Seekonk  Public  Library)  to  learn  some  basic  French,  Portuguese,  and  Spanish  vocabulary  and  doing  extensive  research  on  the  cultures  of  countries  that  speak  these  languages  and  presenting  their  knowledge  using  a  variety  of  technology  tools,  they  are  having  some  fun  creating  travel  commercials.    Students  will  switch  from  the  lab  MacBooks  to  iPads  to  film  and  edit  short  commercials  sharing  their  research  and  practicing  their  new  vocabulary.