Sept Newsletter

SEPTEMBER 23RD, 2009

Jaguar Pride Greetings from Jefferson Middle School, What an amazing start to the school year. Students have arrived with a genuine interest to learn and show their scholarship. Trust that we will support them and challenge them as the year unfolds. Our Open House night on September 8th allowed parents to meet their child’s teachers and hear about the curriculum that will unfold as the year progresses. A huge thank you to PTSA for their support in helping our year begin on a positive note. Some simple reminders that will make the year go well. Students are asked to enter the building at 7:40 and be ready for the start of period one at 7:50. Students not in their classroom at 7:50 will be counted tardy. If a bus is late in arriving those students are excused. Keeping on top of homework assignments is the key to success in middle school. Ask to see your child’s planner. Encourage them to write down their homework so you can work together to keep up with assignments throughout the year. On line grade access should be available in the first few weeks of October. Watch for a letter to come home soon with information on how you can access grade. As many of you know, the district purchased a new software program and we are finalizing the details to ensure parents can access their child’s grades on-line. They are updated every week. Having a baseline for how your child is progressing helps you offer encouragement and reinforce their success. If you are concerned about your child’s academic or social emotional development I encourage you to contact one of the team members or your child’s counselor. Each grade level has a designated counselor that serves a variety of roles. Mrs. Nottingham at the 6th grade level, Mr. Cochran at the 7th grade level and Mr. Griffith at the 8th grade level are available if needed. You can reach them by calling 3513790.

NJHS summer volunteers There are a host of activities to support your middle school student including: Scholastic Bowl, Math Counts, Science Olympiad, Intramurals, Book Club, Student Council, Lego Robotics, Jazz Band, Drama Club, Choir and IESA sponsored sports including Baseball, Wrestling, Boys and Girls Basketball, Girls Volleyball and Cross Country. Although not a complete list, you can see the opportunities span a wide range of interests and abilities. Encourage your son or daughter to get involved and make a connection with Jefferson. My final thought as we begin a year of instruction is one of appreciation and thanks. I am fortunate to work with such dedicated and professional teachers and support staff. From the custodial team to the cafeteria staff to our teacher assistants and secretaries, they each play a vital role in creating a healthy school climate. Our teachers are strong instructors with an understanding that the needs of middle school youth are developing and ever changing. I am grateful to work at Jefferson and support these adults committed to serving your child. I look forward to a strong and successful academic year, Dr. Susan Zola Principal

6th Grade

6th Grade Band We are off to a great year! The students are getting into and out of their lockers and are getting to their classes on time! Parents are to be thanked for checking their student's assignment planners and making sure that they are well-stocked in their supplies! Thank you for supporting your student's education! Our new ELA block classes have our students are using a multiple of approaches to learn reading strategies. Through the Balanced Literacy approach, students are modeled reading strategies, grouped in guided reading groups, walked through in shared reading experiences, and are given opportunities in independent reading. Some of the reading strategies involve recalling/retelling information, predicting, sequencing, making connections, visualizing, asking questions, cause/effect, compare/contrast, determining what is important, and summarizing.

On the writing side of ELA, the first quarter's emphasis is on Narrative Writing. Topic sentences, supporting sentences, spelling, punctuation, grammar/usage, capitalization, and paragraphing are stressed in a variety of ways. At this time in the year, the students will learn the Idea, Focus, and Organization Traits (part of the Six Traits of successful writing). Please have that discussion with your child about how an essay is developed and be willing to edit a paper from time to time. In our Science classes, most of September was spent discussing safety, observation skills, and cooperative learning. In October, metric measurement, microscopes, and the scientific method will be the focus. Parents can assist their students by having that discussion about what is going on in the labs and how the students can benefit more from the class discussions/labs. Our Social Studies classes are covering a three week unit on the introduction of social sciences (geography, history, economics, government, and cultures). This unit will be followed by a 2 to 3 week unit on archeology and early humans. The first quarter will finish with a 2 to 3 week unit on Mesopotamia (ancient Iraq). At the end of each unit there will be a district quiz. The Course 1 math classes are working on the units called "prime time" and "Bits & Pieces" during first quarter. Second quarter will focus on the units called "Shapes & Designs" and "How Likely is it?". The Course II math classes, during first quarter, focused on units called "Data About Us" and "Shapes & Designs." Second quarter promises units called "Bits & Pieces II" and "Covering & Surrounding." We invited parent communication! Please feel free to contact the teachers (via email, snail mail, voice mail, or in person)! If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please feel free to let us know! Thank you for letting us teach your student! Also listed in this newsletter, the sixth grade has posted a schedule of incentives for our students to strive to be the best that

7th Grade Welcome back to another fun and exciting year at JMS. The Island and Rainforest students are engaged in diverse lessons as we prepare for the end of 1st quarter. Math students are investigating integers and similar figures while in Social Studies, students are progressing from the Exploration period to Colonial times. Our 7th grade readers and writers are distinguishing between elements of fiction and non-fiction with an emphasis on narrative writing. The young scientists are beginning their study of cells in preparation for becoming geneticists.

P hoto ca ptions spe a k volumes of the ir subject ma tte r, so spe nd a mome nt to e xplain wha t’s re a lly going on in gra phs a nd photogra phs.

The end of 1st quarter is likely to bring quarterly assessments in most core classes as well as the increasing need for hand sanitizer, cleaning wipes, and Kleenex. Please help limit the spread of germs and illness by keeping your student home if he/she is sick. Students displaying exceptional behavior and having honorable grades will be eligible for some of our upcoming incentives. Eligible students will have no Ds/Fs or unserved detention time and will be able to participate at the end of 1st quarter. Students who earn no detentions and have no missing assignments during 1st quarter will be invited to attend our Exceptional Breakfast which will be held in November. Email List- Jefferson has an email list serve to share school wide announcements, upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. If you are not on the list and would like to join you can go to the Jefferson homepage at http://www.champaignschools.org/jefferson/index.html and subscribe “Join the JMS PTSA email list box on the right hand side of our website. Don’t forget to check the JMS Website frequently for school information, a school calendar, grades, teacher and team websites, daily announcements and much more are updated regularly.

SEPTEMBER MONTH DAY 23RD, YEAR 2009

Blue Team, Strings and P.E. The Blue Team wants to send a warm welcome to all parents and students this academic year. In Social Studies, we are currently working on our Civics project. Students will be creating a website to inform and provide resources for other teens about important issues in today's society. In Science, we are covering ecology and will be taking a field trip to the Prairies to learn more about the relationship between plants, animals and tte ther te environment. C ontinue ne wsle xt he re . C ontinue ne wsle tte r te xt he re . C ontinue ne wsle tte r te xt he re . C ontinue ne wsle tte r te xt he re . C ontinue ne wsle tte r te xt he re . C ontinue ne wsle tte r te xt he re . C ontinue ne wsle tte r tewe xt he . C ontinueup ne wsle tte r te xt he re . In reading class arerefinishing Strings with Dr. Mueller, and Mr.

fiction and non-fiction units and are entering into our short stories. In honors reading class we are finishing the Outsiders and working on narrative and persuasive writing. In prealgebra we are currently working on slope and linear relationships. Algebra is working on inverse variation and a quick review of order of operations. We hope this information finds you well and if you have any questions please feel free to contact any member on the Blue Team. Dear Jefferson Parents, Please save your Box Tops for “INSERT PULL QUOTE HERE.I can Education from General Mills Products. redeem them for 10 cents apiece. Also save DELETE BOX IF NOT IN USE.” your Campbell Soup Labels. Just send them to school with your son or daughter and they should give them to their homeroom teacher. There is a competition going on and the homeroom that turns in the most box tops and soup labels wins a pizza party. I use the money we raise to buy PE equipment. In the past we have been able to purchase a new table tennis paddles, a Wii and a Dance Dance Revolution game. Lynne Srull Physical Education Teacher

Youakim

The JMS Strings are off to a good start this year. Mr. Pascal Youakim is our student teacher this fall. Double bass is his primary instrument so he has been giving extra help to the basses this past month. He will graduate from UIUC when he finishes his student teaching in December. We welcome 16 new sixth grade string students to the JMS string program. They are growing in their performance skills as they meet daily for class. Seventh and eighth grade students have been attending after school sectional rehearsals on Tuesday/Thursday afternoons in preparation for the IMEA District 3 Junior Orchestra auditions on Monday, October 12. We’ll report the results in the next newsletter. Our fall “Pops Concert” will be on Tuesday, October 13 at 7:00 P.M. in the Centennial H.S. Cafeteria. All three JMS string classes will be performing. The Centennial Orchestra will also perform. This is a good family concert as there will be music and munchies. Rodney Mueller JMS Strings Teacher/Orchestra Director

Cross-Country Awards Banquet Wednesday, October 14th @5:30 p.m. In celebration of an outstanding season and a fabulous team. Accept Your Greatness for runners and their immediate family. CrossCountry runners and (3 guest) are invited to attend, female Jaguars are to bring deserts and male Jaguars are to bring side salads. RSVP with Coach Olson/Vrona. Location: Jefferson's Cafeteria JMS Cross Country Runners leading the way P LA C E P H O T O H E R E ,

From Drama O TClub: H E R W IS E D E LE T E B O X Drama Club is off to a great start this year! We have students preparing for the IESA State Speech Contest and approximately 60 students attending Drama Club meetings each week. We will begin our rehearsals for Cabaret Night in the next few weeks. Please you’re your calendars for Cabaret Night—a celebration of the Fine and Performing Arts at JMS! Cabaret Night will be held on Friday, December 4th at 7:00 pm. Jazz Band, Choir, and Drama will perform. Student artwork will be displayed too! If you are interested in coming to Drama Club, 6th Grade Drama Club meets THURSDAYS from 2:45-3:45 after school in Room 801. 7th and 8th grade Drama Club meets TUESDAYS from 2:45-3:45 after school in Room 801. Please email Mrs. O’Neil if you have any questions: [email protected] Drama Classes: Please note that for 6th and 7th graders, the end of the rotation is quickly approaching! We will end Rotation #1 on Friday, October 9.

It's Here, Home Access Center! Parents will be mailed a letter the week of Sept. 21st with username and password information. Home Access Center provides an online grade book where parents and guardians can view helpful student information to support and guide their children through the educational process. From home or work, at any time of the day or night, parents can access the Web portal to track academic achievement through their student’s test scores, report card, attendance records, and class assignments. E-mail links are also available throughout the portal so parents can communicate with the school and teachers. Look under “Quick Links” from our homepage at http://www.champaignschools.org/jefferson/ index.html For help email [email protected]

2009 – 2010 INTRAMURAL SCHEDULE KICKBALL

Sept. 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24

FOOTBALL & TENNIS

Sept. 29, Oct. 1, 6, 8, 13, 15

SOCCER

Oct. 20, 22, 27, Nov. 3, 5, 10

VOLLEYBALL

Nov. 12, 17, 19, 24, Dec. 1, 3

BASKETBALL

Dec. 8, 10, 15, 17, Jan. 12, 14

FLOOR HOCKEY

Jan. 19, 21, 26, 28, Feb. 2, 4

INDOOR SOCCER

Feb. 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25

PING PONG

Feb. 18, 23, 25, March 2, 4, 9

FREE THROW COMPETION

March 11

3 ON 3 COMPETION

March 16 & 18

SWIMMING

April 1, 6, 8, 13, 15, 20

SOFTBALL

April 22, 27, 29, May 4, 6, 11

The intramural program is always open to boys AND girls who attend JMS. Yet, despite our efforts, some girls do not want to be performing in front of the guys. To make more opportunities for girls to attend intramurals, Officer DeMay and other staff members will be running a GIRLS-ONLY intramurals program each day we hold intramurals. So when boys come out to do football, Officer DeMay and others will run a girls-only version as well. If you attend JMS, whether you are a girl or a boy, come out to intramurals!

Would you like to support our Jefferson teachers? Check out donorschoose.org and search for Jefferson Middle School.

Jefferson can earn a donation every time you search the Internet and shop online!!!

Search the web with Yahoo-powered GoodSearch.com and they’ll donate a penny to your cause each time you search! Shop at more than 600 GoodShop.com merchants including Amazon, Best Buy, Toys R Us, and others, and a percentage of each purchase will go to Jefferson to support our efforts to purchase SMART boards for our classrooms! The best thing is you do not have to change your online shopping. Just start with the link above and a percentage of your purchase will go towards our SMART board fundraising efforts. VOL 1 ISSUE 1