Happy Friday to All of You!
Sex Education
House Bill 2509 requires age-appropriate comprehensive sex education to be taught starting in the 6th grade. Mrs. Ceder and Mrs.
Housgard wrapped up the one week 6th grade unit on sex education today. Next week, all 6th grade students will participate in Health education where they will learn about fitness and nutrition. All 6th graders are expected to be a part of the Health unit. Thank you to Mrs. Ceder and Mrs. Housgard for a job well done. The next sex education units will be taught:
8th grade-April 2-April 11th
7th grade-April 16-April 27th
Forecasting
The counselors finished forecasting with current 6th and 7th graders this week. If you have a current 6th and/or 7th grader please make sure that we get all of the forecasting sheets turned into the counseling office by next Wednesday, March 21st.
CV Spring Concert
Thank you to Dave Sanders for his leadership with his bands on Thursday night during the Spring concert. The kids did a great job.
Mini-incentive
Students that were up to date in at least five of their classes were treated with ice cream at lunch today. Yesterday, teachers awarded orange tickets to students who were up to date with all of their school work. Students that earned five tickets received an ice cream sundae with various toppings. We will incorporate more mini-incentives frequently as we continue to encourage students to get their work done! It went very well!
Washington DC
-Washington DC garage sale fundraiser will be held on April 14th from 8 AM-3 PM in the CV commons.
Did you know?
Beginning in Spring 2015, this year's 8th graders will be the first students to take assessments on the new Common Core state standards in Reading, Writing and Math. Unlike this year and in previous years, students will only be allotted one opportunity per year to take and pass these assessments or be at risk for not graduating high school with a standard diploma. Along with passing these assessments, students must also accrue 26 high school credits to graduate. The stakes are indeed quite high and we are all feeling a sense of urgency to respond.
Mountain View and Chehalem Valley Middle Schools are committed to ensuring that ALL students are on track for high school graduation when they leave our schools. As a result of this continuing commitment both schools are looking in depth at how we do business. We are working collaboratively in Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) where we are unwrapping standards, creating common assessments, and sharing instructional strategies. Both schools are also in the midst of conversations centering around grading practices and student interventions. In a nutshell, we want to make sure that we have enough supports for struggling students and more avenues for all students to extend their learning.
In the coming months we will begin the process of outlining our new grading guidelines and the implementation plan for next year. The intent of these new guidelines is to make sure that grades are accurate indicators of your student's academic progress in meeting the new core standards. We will be increasing the accountability at the middle school level. Our motto and philosophy will center around the belief that High School Graduation Starts Today. So, stay tuned for more information in the coming months.
State Testing
We are continuing our 2nd round of state testing next week with three classes testing in Reading. I will let you know what classes are testing the following week so you can re-enforce the importance of eating breakfast, and getting a good night's sleep beforehand. Attendance is obviously very important! The following teachers will be testing their Math and Science classes next week:
-Mrs. Williams (Reading)
-Mrs Brower (Reading)
-Mrs. Rice (Reading)
What Parents Can Do At Home
• Acknowledge test-taking anxiety as normal, but stay positive.
• Encourage your child to think positive thoughts like “I can do this!”
• Give compliments for effort: “I’m proud of how hard you have studied.”
• Go over the test-taking tips with your child.
• Adequate rest makes a difference! Make sure your child goes to bed at a reasonable
time; being active earlier in the day (not right before bed) can help kids get to sleep.
• Nutrition also influences how well children do on test; a good breakfast is important, but a large meal right before the test can be distracting.
• Your child should wear comfortable clothing for long test-taking periods.
• Help your child learn how to relax. Some find it helps to take a few deep breaths before starting the test; others like to imagine a peaceful place like the beach or park.
Absences
Please be cognizant that we are extremely vigilant in regards to attendance. The following is the list of reasons the state provides as excusable absences:
-Student illness
-Illness of an immediate family member
-Emergency
-Doctor/Dental Appointment
-Death of an immediate family member
-Court summons
-Satisfactory arrangements, made in advance with the school for other reasons
Parent Volunteers
Thank you to Diana Takahashi and Amy Haney for taking the first couple of shifts running our after school student store. After seeing the number of students interested in after school goodies, we are still looking for more volunteers to assist with the store. It doesn't hurt to have two people each day. If you are looking to volunteer for the school please contact Mary Reohr at reohrm@newberg.k12.or.us. We currently have other volunteer opportunities in our after school homework club, and in our classrooms.
After School HW Club
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2:30-3:30 PM. A late bus is provided.
Parent Conferences
Spring parent conferences will be held on April 11th and April 12th. The hours for the conferences will be as follows:
April 11th: 4-8 PM in the Commons and the Gym
April 12th: 11:30-3:30 PM and 4:00-8:00 PM in the teacher classrooms.
We will be specifically inviting parents of students with one or more F's for the 3rd quarter.
Have a great weekend!
