Nov 7, 2013 ... Last week, Mrs. Shea delivered an author study of Roald Dahl to the 8th grade ...
They also discussed Dahl's Man from the South, focusing on.
Harborside Middle School Newsletter I S S U E
6
O C T O B E R
1 8 ,
2 0 1 3
News from the Front Office Please remember when visiting the school to follow the instructions on the front door to INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
gain access to the building. It is imperative visitors do not allow others behind them to follow through the door.
Each visitor needs to be admitted separately. Blue Team 6
White Team 6
Blue Team 7 White Team 7 Blue Team 8 White Team 8 Humanities Literacy Spotlight
Media Center
Guidance Info
Please ensure your child is aware of his/her mode of transportation each and every day. Students requiring a different mode of transportation for any reason needs to have a note
from home and submitted to the office in the morning. As a reminder, students are to ride their assigned buses to and from school. During Tuesdays Advisory Program, all students participated in a letter writing activity to our very brave soldiers. In addition to this, students were sent home with a handout explaining our 1st “Take a Veteran to School Day.” In honor of Veterans Day, Harborside Middle School students and staff would like to invite family and friends who are veterans to speak to the HMS community. Our veteran guests will be asked to spend 15-20 minutes sharing their experiences of patriotic and military service with a small group of students. This special event will take place on Monday, 11/11, Veterans Day, from 9:30-11:00 a.m. Please check in with your child to review the attached form. If you are interested, please complete the following form and return to HMS by Friday, 10/28. It is our hopes that this event becomes a HMS tradition and we can carry it on from year to year. Thank you for your support.
Important Upcoming Dates PTO Lyman Orchards Pie sale is in in full swing. Order forms are due back
October 15 and pie pick up will be November 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM in the gym. October 22, 2013 “Live to Tell” Tim Rader, speaker will have an assembly for
Milford parents 6-7pm at Harborside in the Café. October 23, 2013 is an early release day, 12:35 dismissal time. October 24, 2013 Ski Club having Ski Swap in Café at 6pm
PAGE
2
Blue Team 6 / White Team 6
The next date to note for a change in schedule is Wednesday, October 23 rd. This is an early dismissal day.
There is a food drive sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America. The donations will benefit Milford families. Students can bring canned and non-perishable food items and drop them off in homeroom.
On Monday in Advisory, students began writing letters to members of our military to show appreciation for their dedicated service to our nation. In addition to these letters, we will also be honoring veterans on Monday, November 11th, Veterans Day. Since we now have school on that day, we are inviting veterans to come speak to the Harborside community. Students were given a form that should be filled out and returned to school if they know a family member or friend who serves or served in the military and would like to join us on November 11th. We are hoping that "Take a Veteran to School Day" will become a Harborside tradition.
Students should check off completed assignments and highlight on-going assignments in their assignment pads. Great study strategies would include creating questions/answers on flash-cards, rewriting notes and open-ended essays, and practice taking a quiz. Learning Centers are also a great time to work on these strategies. Students MUST seek out their teachers if they need assistance or are missing work.
Organization and time management are both skills 6th grade students are learning. While this is a work in progress, please help your son or daughter with this at home. Also, reinforce the HMS Value System because at school some students are making poor choices. We should always choose the respectful, responsible, safe choice.
Blue Team 7
Ms. Isiofia is taking a very excited group of students to UCONN to attend a conference on Tuesday Oct 22.
We have school on Veteran’s Day and are hoping to have Veterans visit our students. Please complete a form if someone in your family is able to attend.
Also, students wrote letters of thanks to members of the Armed Forces.
White Team 7
Our field trip to Hopkins will be November 7, 2013. Please return permission slips as soon as possible so everything can be processed. We are still missing forms from many students. Please make sure you fill out everything in the packet.
Homework club is an excellent time for students to be productive and catch up on projects, late work, etc. Homework Club is on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school and students can take the late bus home if they are bus riders.
HARBORSIDE M.S.
ISSUE
6
PAGE
3
Blue Team 8
On 10/17, Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet Campus gave info-sessions to 8th grade students. Presenters discussed the three different schools offered at the new campus, located in Bridgeport, CT. Representatives of the innovative school discussed discipline options which include Information technology and software engineering, zoological science research and biotechnology, physical sciences, engineering and aerospace science. Open House dates have been set for the end of November for interested students. Students were excited and raving about the course options.
The food drive for Milford families ends on November 15th. The door decorating contest ends on October 29th, winning homerooms get a prize. Classrooms and hallways have been decorated, demonstrating school spirit, collaboration, and student engagement.
White Team 8
Trumbull High School visited with our students on 10/15 and Fairchild Wheeler Inter-District Magnet School- Bridgeport on 10/17. This is a very important time of year for our 8th graders as they are making very important decisions regarding their high school careers. Interested students should see Mrs. Mackin, our guidance counselor for more information.
On Monday, October 21st during Period 2, Tim Rader will visit with our students to share his personal story about his addiction and recovery. On Tuesday, October 22nd, there will be a special evening session for parents with Mr. Rader here at Harborside at 7:00 p.m.
Donald Carter, author of Connecticut Seaside Ghosts will be coming to Harborside to see 8th grade Language Arts students on Wednesday, October 30th.
From the Health Office… On the Harborside website (click on nurse’s office) there are 3 information letters from the health dept. One is health notes regarding with recommendations when to keep a child home and also information regarding state mandated screenings. The second has to do with food and latex allergies. Lastly there is some general information on head lice. Please take the time to read each letter and call the health office (203-783-3523 ext 3) with any questions or concerns!
Reminder to parents….ALL medications (including over the counter) need to have a doctor’s authorizations for school .
Grade 6 students need a physical dated May 2013 or later documented on the CT state blue form along with certain vaccines for grade 7 entry. We will be sending reminders in the mail during October.
We have begun hearing screenings of grade 8 students. Parents/guardians will be notified of any concerns by mail. We are looking forward to a healthy school year!
Humanities Art: (Mrs. Palmer and Mrs. Schwarz) Students in 6th grade art are starting to work on their "final projects" focusing on line. They have been learning about different ways to use line to create value and contrast in their artwork. Grade 7 art students are working on projects showcasing texture. They have a choice of creating a sculpture showing "actual texture" or a drawing showing "implied texture." Grade 8 art students are starting the "Color" unit.
Health: (Mrs. Marone and Ms. Suech) – Grade 6 students are continuing to study personal safety terms. Grade 7 students have been presenting their chronic disease projects and learning about various chronic illnesses through their peers. Grade 8 students have been watching various video clips and discussing ways to prevent violence and are learning ways to demonstrate tolerance.
Music: SPEAKING OF MUSIC: (Mr. Bednarsky) -6th graders are off to a great start in General Music while working in Music Alive and focusing on the saxophone, featured artist John Mayer and a listening guide related to Taylor Swifts hit song "I Knew You Were Trouble. In addition all grade levels initially learned the "Pledge of Allegiance" in sign language while aligning it to the song by Lee Greenwood of the same name. Lastly,8th graders have completed their first common assessment on music notation, rhythmic/melodic patterns as performed on tone bells.
Literacy Spotlight Promote Literacy at Home Series: The Power to Choose Help foster your child’s growing independence by taking him or her to the library or book store often. Separate and allow space for your child to browse independently. Self-selecting reading material for pleasure reading is an important skill in the development of lifelong readers!
Media Center The 6th grade Social Studies students of Mrs. Olschan and Mrs. Nielsen were in the Media Center lab finishing up their Weebly websites on the application of the Five Themes of Geography to their chosen world regions and topics. Mrs. Shea is working with the 7th grade Social Studies students of Miss Isiofia and Miss Lynch. She is sharing photos of her trip to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji and sharing with the students the knowledge she gained about this region from her travels in 2005. The students are currently studying Oceania. The 7th grade LA students of Miss Iwaszkiewicz and Mrs. Dufault will be in the Media Center this Friday for a booktalk given by Mrs. Shea. Mrs. Shea will discuss ten books in different genres that she believes are worth reading. Students will sign up for their favorites and will be able to choose a book for the booktalks they will be giving later in the year. Last week, Mrs. Shea delivered an author study of Roald Dahl to the 8th grade Language Arts students of Mrs. Zodl and Mrs. Brilvitch. Students brainstormed how the author's life affected his work. They also discussed Dahl's Man from the South, focusing on literary elements, such as mood, theme, conflict, tone, and irony.
Guidance Information The following high schools have made presentations to the entire 8 th grade at HMS as of this date: Platt Technical High School – applications due to HMS Guidance Office by Monday Dec 2nd. 600 Orange Avenue Milford, CT 06460 203-783-5300 www.cttech.org/platt/ Open House (at Platt Tech H.S.) – Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 5:30 p.m. Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet School – applications must be completed and submitted online 840 Old Town Road Bridgeport, CT 06606 203-275-3355 www.fairchildwheeler.org Open House (at Fairchild Wheeler School) – Tuesday, October 22; Wednesday, October 23, Thursday, October 24; 5:30 – 7:30 p.m. Trumbull H.S. Regional Agriscience & Biotechnology Center – applications must be submitted to HMS Guidance by Friday Nov 22 536 Daniels Farm Road Trumbull, CT 06611 203-452-4200 www.trumbullps.org/ths/ag/ Open House (at Trumbull H. S.) – Thursday, November 7, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. OR 7 – 8:00 p.m. Bridgeport Regional Vocational Aquaculture School – Thursday, November 14 60 St. Stephens Road Bridgeport, CT 06605 203-275-2926
www.bridgeportedu.com Open House (at the Aquaculture School) - Thursday November 21 6-7:30
Harborside Middle School 175 High Street Milford, CT 06460 Phone: (203) 783-3523 FAX: (203) 783-3687
Steve Gottlieb Principal
[email protected]
Shannan Carlson Assistant Principal
[email protected]
