Middle School
Weekly Update
Week of April 30th
01
Calendar
May 11: Art & STEAM Showcase
May 19: Bike/Walk to School Day
May 19 & 20: NYSSMA @ the high school
5/25-5/29: no school
Do you want to unsubscribe? email gbrisson@tburg.k12.ny.us
Office Updates
From Ms. Amodeo
Congratulations to all of the middle school students who have completed their ELA and math State testing last week. Great work!
If you couldn’t attend our Digital Integrity event last Thursday, you can access the recordings and other materials from it HERE. There are some great videos to help you start conversations with your student(s) about their online lives and safety.
This week is Teacher Appreciation Week! Please join me in thanking all of the middle school faculty and staff for their empathy, hard work, and dedication all year long. You are the best!!
Service Day: Volunteers Needed
We will hold our annual Service Day on Friday, June 2nd (rain date: June 16th). This is a great opportunity for our middle schoolers to help out the school and wider community! We are looking for parent volunteers to help us on June 2nd. If you are interested, please contact Gail Brisson at gbrisson@tburg.k12.ny.us.
Dental Program
When: May 10-12
Where: Elementary School
How: If you did not sign up in the Fall, please reach out to Rachael Sutherland ASAP at rsutherland@tburg.k12.ny.us or (607) 387-7551 est 2505
*If you signed your child up in the Fall, you do not to need to register again. The hygienist will schedule your child.
*If you’d like to be present for the cleaning, please let Rachael know
School Nutrition
Though school meals are no longer subsidized for every student, free and reduced-priced meals are available to those who qualify. The application can be found HERE.
To add funds to your child’s school lunch account, you can use our online system at MySchoolBucks or you can send a check directly to the TCSD Food Service Department. Students may always pay cash if they choose to as well.
What’s for lunch? Check My School Menus
5th Grade
5th Grade Daily Planner (Please bookmark for your use)
Charge Chromebooks, bring pencils & water bottles, check planners. Wash, rinse, repeat. Thank you.
Science: Ask your student about the human digestive system. (Maybe don’t ask at the dinner table.)
ELA: This week students began one of our last units for the school year where we will be reading historical fiction. We started with the mentor text, Born on the Water by Nikole Hannah-Jones and Renee Watson. Students made connections from this read aloud with the most recent subject of the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in social studies. We examined, analyzed & discussed the text along with the beautiful illustrations. Next week students will be assigned a historical fiction book based on their winter iReady diagnostic and interest level. This will be their last class text of the school year. Please be on the lookout for this text as they will have daily responsibilities with it.
Math: The students did an amazing job completing their state test this week. We were proud of the effort and are excited about our upcoming lessons. Students spent the week classifying quadrilateral shapes. See if they can share with you what the VIP of the quadrilaterals is and why. Looking to next week the students will complete their 10th iReady lesson and begin our unit on coordinate systems.
Band 5: Band 5/6 Lesson Schedule Link
5-8 Chorus - All vocalists are completing VSR (virtual sight reading) between now and May 15th. Please make sure these assignments are being completed and completed on time.
NYSSMA is May 19th and 20th. Students will be receiving their specific chorus time slots this week.
5/6 Band & Chorus Concert is June 8th at 7:00 PM
6th Grade
6th grade planner (please bookmark this link)
Please remind students to bring a reusable water bottle to fill up at school. Students need pencils! Please send your student in with a few pencils! Healthy snacks are a great idea to send in with your student, they are growing at a rapid rate.
Social Studies: Students have begun exploring Medieval Times. We were lucky to have Carol Hockett from the Johnson Art Museum on Monday to let us look at Medieval artifacts. We also looked at the Byzantine Empire. Students were able to watch a documentary about the effects horses have had on Empires and civilizations.
Math: Students will spend next week looking at probability.
Science: Students will be releasing the trout we have raised next week. We will take a mini “field trip” to Taughannock Creek to test the stream and release the trout. This will happen on Friday afternoon-rain or shine.
ELA: Students have been diving into their first book in a series, they should be halfway done with their book. If they finish the book they can get the next book in the series.
Band: NYSSMA participants are also required to learn 3 scales by memory. You can support your NYSSMA student by quizzing them on these scales occasionally.
5-8 Chorus: All vocalists are completing VSR (virtual sight reading) between now and May 15th. Please make sure these assignments are being completed and completed on time.
NYSSMA is May 19th and 20th. Students will be receiving their specific chorus time slots this week.
5/6 Band & Chorus Concert is June 8th at 7:00 PM
7th Grade
7th Grade Digital Planner (Please bookmark this link.)
Science: Weather permitting, we will celebrate spring and go outside this week to investigate the flowers on the trees in the school yard. Coming up will be an investigation of wheat and corn seeds (where is the embryo? What keeps a sprouting plant alive before it has leaves to photosynthesize? Can we find “flour” in a wheat seed?) And we will take a look at one more human body system when we learn about the heart. Meanwhile, Monday will be day 14 for the 12 eggs in our incubator (eggs and incubator generously provided by one of our students), and Friday the 12th will be day 18–only 3 days away from hatching!
ELA 7: As we continue our journey with Matt in the novel All the Broken Pieces, we are unpacking some powerful metaphors. You might ask your 7th grader: How are red sneakers a metaphor for freedom? How is prejudice “ignorance in a catcher’s mask?” And this week we also rocked out to “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees; yes, a journey back in time to the 1970’s. Please continue to encourage your 7th grader to read each day and complete the short written assignment.
Social Studies: We are examining history up until the Civil War. Topics include the Temperance Movement, the Suffrage Movement, and Abolition. We are talking about slavery - it is not the easiest subject. There is no homework due at the moment, students are working on handouts during class.
Music: We are making great progress on guitar! Students have been learning to use fingers in the frets, and have also started to learn to play chords! We will be rockin’ out in no time!
7/8 Band: The NYSSMA schedule is out! The schedule and some performance day information was e-mailed on 5/2. Some things to keep in mind as we get closer:
- Parents/guardians need to be present at the HS for their student’s warm-up/performance time. Directors have many students to support during this time, and parents can often be the go-between if a student needs something and can’t find the director right away.
- Parents/guardians can listen to the performance! You can go into the room with your student or listen outside the door (teenagers have strong opinions on this)!
- Please consider signing up to help out during NYSSMA weekend! We need all the help we can get!
5-8 Chorus: All vocalists are completing VSR (virtual sight reading) between now and May 15th. Please make sure these assignments are being completed and completed on time.
NYSSMA is May 19th and 20th. Students will be receiving their specific chorus time slots this week.
7/8 Band & Chorus Concert is June 1st at 7:00 PM
8th Grade
Algebra: We had a lot of time together this week to work on Algebra during the State Test. This gave us a nice jump start on review for the Regents. Here are a few things to know.
- We started Regents Review 1 in class today.
- I’m rolling out extra resources slowly - topic by topic. This is in Google Classroom for your kids, but it is here for you. It is not a required assignment but a suggestion. I hope your child can make time to review it and do the self checking practice. Properties of Numbers
- Lastly, here is our agenda for this coming week.
ELA 8: This week, students will begin learning about The Holocaust. Today, we will take introductory notes. Tomorrow, we’ll begin researching individuals facing persecution during WWII and completing ID booklets (which we’ll use while visiting the USHMM in Washington DC). Students are also preparing for interviews with a trusted adult. We’ll take a look at different types of questions and how we can learn from others. Need help finding an interview subject? Check the list of local organizations & businesses for potential interviewees.
Social Studies: Mr. Kotler and I have collaborated on Holocaust activities -- part of our new unit on WWII. Students will learn about the Holocaust as they receive cards that they will place on our hallway timeline (see photos below) of the Holocaust/WWII: profiles of those persecuted, laws/decrees passed by the Nazis, and related world events. This activity will set us up for later discussions/written responses.
Health 8: In our final week on nutrition and fitness, students practiced reading food labels and making decisions for healthier food choices. With the MyPlate.gov as a guide, students sought information about nutrition recommendations for their growing selves. Role-play featured in this week’s learning as students practiced refusal skills with peers who suggest they make less nutritious food selections. Also, using the CDC’s guidelines, students assessed their own physical activity and considered ways to meet or maintain the recommendations as they soon move to the high school and no longer have daily recess. Next week: assessment on nutrition & fitness and the start of abstinence, puberty and personal health.
7/8 Band: The NYSSMA schedule is out! The schedule and some performance day information was e-mailed on 5/2. Some things to keep in mind as we get closer:
- Parents/guardians need to be present at the HS for their student’s warm-up/performance time. Directors have many students to support during this time, and parents can often be the go-between if a student needs something and can’t find the director right away.
- Parents/guardians can listen to the performance! You can go into the room with your student or listen outside the door (teenagers have strong opinions on this)!
- Please consider signing up to help out during NYSSMA weekend! We need all the help we can get!
5-8 Chorus: All vocalists are completing VSR (virtual sight reading) between now and May 15th. Please make sure these assignments are being completed and completed on time.
NYSSMA is May 19th and 20th. Students will be receiving their specific chorus time slots this week.
7/8 Band & Chorus Concert is June 1st at 7:00 PM
Washington, D.C. Trip: For future planning, the mandatory baggage check will occur on Wednesday June 6th from 7-8 pm in the MS gym. Any items students are planning to take must be packed and ready to be checked at the bag check.
Clubs & Activities
Student Council
Our next meeting will be coming up soon, after school in room 302 . Hope to see all interested students - we have a lot of end of year events to finish planning.
Any student who needs to ride the late bus needs to fill out a late bus form by 1:30 on the day they want to ride. Contact advisors Bill Begeal or Nadine Salib to get signed up for the bus.
Yearbook
To order a yearbook go to www.YearbookOrderCenter.com and use the order number 18914. The last day to order is May 15th.
If you would like to submit pictures to possibly be used in our yearbook please go to http://www.hjeshare.com and enter the word “doig” in the school code box to upload from your computer or get the HJeshare App and upload right from your phone!
PTO
The May Day 5K & Fun Run is BACK! It is scheduled for Saturday June 3rd. We are looking for volunteers to help make this event a success.
Please considering volunteering.
Follow us on Facebook to stay up to date with all of our events.
Theater Camp
Did you love being part of the MS Drama club productions? Wish you could do more? Try Mrs. Lewis’s theater camp this summer!! HERE is the info and form to sign up.
Clubs & Activities
Modified Athletics
Modified Athletics are designed for students in grades 7-8 who wish to participate in a sport for their school in the following sports:
Fall Season: September 2023-October 2023
Boys & Girls Cross Country: September 2023-October 2023
Football: Late August 2023-October 2023
Boys Soccer: Late August 2023-October 2023
Girls Soccer: Late August 2023-October 2023
Winter Season:
Boys Basketball: October 2023-December 2023
Volleyball: October 2023-December 2023
Girls Basketball: January 2024-March 2024
Wrestling: January 2024-March 2024
Spring Season:
Baseball: April 2024-June 2024
Softball: April 2024-June 2024
Outdoor Track and Field: March 2024-May 2024
Want to know more? Click here!
Community
Building Contacts
Main Office: Brenda Everhart, 607-387-2825
Attendance: Lauren Conners, 607-387-7551, x1425
Nurse's Office: Julie Carpenter, jcarpenter@tburg.k12.ny.us (preferred) or 607-387-2827
Student Services Team: 607-387-7551 ext. 1449
Bryce DeSantis, School Psychologist
Lisa Magee, Administrative Assistant
Brian Cobb, LCSW, Social Worker
Claire Valletta, Guidance Counselor
IT Help: help@tburgschools.on.spiceworks.com or 607-288-2821 (Monday - Friday 8 am to 4pm)
Newsletter items/help/unsubscribe: Gail Brisson, gbrisson@tburg.k12.ny.us