dr. kevin m. hurley middle school %% 650 newman ave. seekonk,...

The Seekonk School Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, or disability in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.

Parent Newsletter February 19, 2016

Dear HMS Community, Many faculty members at HMS have been very busy this week with professional development around curriculum work. This past Monday, our ELA department met with Cynthia Smith, a consultant from the Teaching and Learning Alliance, for the second time this year. The teachers worked collaboratively to look at scope and sequence of writing units. They shared ideas on the assessment of writing, studied student work samples, and had many important conversations around teaching writing and reading. Our ELA department will continue to meet with Cynthia throughout this year. The department is doing wonderful, collaborative work in order to continue to review and revise our scope and sequence for writing, clearly identify and share the writing learning progressions for each grade level by examining student work, and identify any gaps and overlaps in writing instruction. The ELA teachers are working together to help design upcoming professional days with Cynthia. The HMS ELA department is also working for part of the day today along with the ELA department from Seekonk High School in order to discuss transition from middle school to high school, discuss strengths and challenges, and work on curriculum mapping. This work, along with the work that our math department is doing today with the high school’s math department, supports Goal #1, Action Step B in our School Improvement Plan. As I mentioned, our HMS Math Department is also working along with the Seekonk High School Math Department for part of the day today. The teachers will be examining course pathways, student transition in math from middle to high school, and more. Our eighth grade history teachers also met during common planning time yesterday with Ms. Michelle Salisbury, the History Department Head at Seekonk High School. The teachers started to examine essential questions and skills that are being learned in each grade level. All of the teachers in the history departments at both schools are excited about this work! The window for students participating in the 8th Grade DC Trip Calendar Fundraiser will be coming to a close next Thursday, February 25th. All Calendar Raffle slips must be submitted by the end of the day on February 25th. Contact Mr. Holden at [email protected] if you have any questions about the fundraiser. This is the last week that HMS Idol tickets will be available for purchase. At this time, tickets will not be available at the door. HMS Idol will take place next Friday, February 26th, at Seekonk High School. The show begins promptly at 7 pm. Finally, I would like to respectfully ask all parents and guardians to refrain from parking in the cemetery next door to our school during dismissal time while waiting to pick up their children. Sincerely, Dr. William V. Whalen III Principal

Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle SchoolDr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School 650 Newman Ave.650 Newman Ave.

Seekonk, MA. 02771Seekonk, MA. 02771 508508 -- 761761 -- 75707570

www.seekonkschools.orgwww.seekonkschools.org Dr. William V. Whalen III Ms. Alexis A. Bouchard Principal Interim Assistant Principal


8th White Team ELA

by Sadie Swist, Jocelyn Wozney, and Giana D’Ambra

In Mrs. Johnson’s 8th grade ELA classes, we are finishing up The Tempest by William

Shakespeare. We have been reading it for several weeks and have had a chance to play different

characters and perform in front of the class. Each student is required to participate a minimum of

three times, so everyone has a chance to perform. After reading, we had a better understanding of

Shakespeare’s language and creativity.

We are also starting a new project. All students were assigned a theme, depending on

their class, and are writing skits relating to that theme. We have three supercore class periods to

complete our skits. The winning skit has a chance to perform in front of the entire eighth grade.

We also have actors from the theater production of A Christmas Carol helping with the writing

and performing process.

Colonization is a major theme in The Tempest, as it develops throughout the plot in the

play. Students had to relate colonization to historical events and situations in the play. We

mainly talked about who should rightfully rule the island. Sycorax had originally ruled the

island, but she passed it down to her son, Caliban. Years later, Prospero, the former Duke of

Milan, and his daughter, Miranda, drifted upon the island after Prospero’s brother Antonio

plotted to send them out to sea so he could take over. In 1492 the same situation happened when

America was “discovered” by Christopher Columbus about one hundred years before The

Tempest was written. There were already natives living here when settlers came ashore and took

over, as Prospero did on the island in The Tempest.

Our next unit in English will be nonfiction. On Monday students will be in the library

choosing nonfiction books to read and complete a project. We are exploring real life events,

people, and places on topics that interest us.


News from……….……… This week I had the pleasure of meeting with the Student Leadership Team about

the student-‐handbook and input for next years’ revisions/changes. Students provided helpful information for me to share with the student handbook committee, in which I will be meeting with next month.

I have also had the opportunity to visit several classrooms, and I observed great lessons and student work. Last week, I observed students in Mr. Carulli’s class testing their hot air balloons, and what objects could be lifted (pictured below). I had the pleasure of observing Mrs. Czech meet with those students who are applying and interviewing with either Tri-‐County or Bristol-‐Agricultural High School. Mrs. Czech shared many helpful tips, and provided sample interview questions for students to prepare. Students were engaged and practiced sharing their responses to questions.

This week was binder clean out for Mrs. Costa’s and Mrs. Halpin’s math classes. Both teachers were beginning a new chapter, and had students clean out their binders for a fresh start. Mrs. Halpin engaged her 6th graders by reading the book Jack in the Beanstalk, which introduced ratios to students. Mrs. Costa peaked student interest by sharing how Pablo Picasso’s art is related to percentages. Students in both Mrs. Halpin’s and Mrs. Costa’s math classes were interested, and eager to begin a new chapter with a clean binder!

Mr. Carulli’s Tech. Ed. Class testing their hot air balloons!

Have a nice weekend, Ms. Bouchard Interim Assistant Principal


Hello! My name is Melissa Skodras. I am the new long-‐term substitute teacher in Physical Education. I'm very excited to be part of the Hurley Middle School team. The administration, staff and students have been very welcoming. I graduated from Rhode Island College, where I majored in Physical/Health Education. Since graduating, I have had the opportunity to have a variety of long-‐term positions in Rhode Island. I'm looking forward to ending the school year on a strong and positive note!

We have created Google Classrooms for each PE section. Here students can earn extra points throughout the semester. This includes written work, or simply posting useful information regarding the current units. We will also use that space to post the study guides for upcoming quizzes. The access codes have been posted in each locker room. They are also as follows-‐ Grade 6 A135 - qms8qm7/ A246 - 4o71i6/D246 - xjya86b; Grade 7 B135 - jyfrajh/E135 - 1hb8icj / B246 - srhme1s; Grade 8 C135 - a8moj3a / C246 - g8grufF246 - kx8x7o. Volleyball Intramurals will begin on Monday and run through 4/13. Students need to have an updated physical on file with Mrs. Cavaco before they can participate. Ms. Skodras Mr. Pellegrino [email protected] [email protected]

Twitter- @MsSkojPE Twitter-@MrPHMSPE


Blue Team

ELA:-We are finishing our class novels and final exams on the books will be next week. Science This week we start our journey into space and it’s going to be a BANG! Imagine explosions, bright lights, and intense energy sets the scene for the theory that describes the formation of the universe; the BIG BANG. We will read, take notes and do activities to demonstrate this complicated concept. Social Studies: We started our Ancient Greek Unit! We wrapped up our first chapter of the unit on Wednesday. Students traced the start of Greek civilization to two people, Minoans and Mycenaeans and discovered the accomplishments of each group. To start our second chapter we’re focusing on the evolution of government systems in Athens into a democracy. We did a cooperative note taking lesson plan on Wednesday and Thursday where students modeled the different concepts of monarchy, oligarchy, and tyranny. They did a great job and a great time with it!


Mr. Costa’s News: Grade 6 has started learning about Portugal and the Portuguese language. We have gone over the history of Portugal and the Portuguese colonies, introduced greetings and learned the alphabet. We also took a look at the Azores and Madeira islands. Students are now learning colors and numbers in Portuguese. Grade 7 and 8 Spanish are wrapping up learning about family members. We also learned the verb Tener (to have), possessive adjectives, and numbers from 11 to 100. We are ending this week with a quiz to assess their knowledge of the material. Mr. Dilworth’s News: Mr Dilworth's sixth grade classes are wrapping up their unit on classroom objects and greetings, and will be having a quiz the first class meeting of next week. From there we will go on to study the Spanish names for numbers. His seventh and eighth grade Portuguese and Spanish classes took their first quiz of the new semester towards the end of this week. Next week his Portuguese classes will move on to question words (all the words for what, how, when, why, how much, how many, and so on) and Spanish students will begin the next section of this unit; they'll be working with vocabulary for family.


Band News from Mrs. Grande

Monday, 2/22, SHS Marching Band will perform for all HMS band students. 8th graders are encouraged to ask questions to the SHS Band Officers about band at the high school. JAZZ BAND AFTER SCHOOL 2/22. Tuesday, 2/23, is the make up day for UNCLE TONY'S PIZZA fundraiser. Pink flyers are available in the band room or in last week’s newsletter. Please come to help out by purchasing dinner or lunch. Thursday, 2/25, is the SHS Jazz Dinner at 6:30 at SHS Cafe. Students thinking about auditioning for this band may want to see and hear them. Friday, 2/26, is our HMS IDOL at SHS. We have so many musically talented students! Keep in mind the HMS Jazz Dinner is Thursday, April 7th at 6:00. Health Class Newsletter February 12, 2016 6th Grade: We are continuing with our Substance Abuse unit. We have finished up with learning about Tobacco and will move onto Inhalants. They will be having their unit test on Substance Abuse within the next two weeks. During this unit, we will also be learning about how to deal with those social pressures (peers, family and media) that may influence adolescents to use such substances as well as learning to make responsible decisions. At the end of this unit students will be able to:

o Explain the difference between long-‐term and short-‐term dangers of using inhalants o Explain what sudden sniffing death is o Demonstrate the ability to use refusal skills o Identify internal and external influences that may lead to risky behavior such as

experimentation with inhalants and tobacco o Explain addiction o Identify the link between using tobacco and disease o Demonstrate decision making skills by using the responsible decision making model

MA Frameworks Standards covered: o Disease Prevention & Control (8.5) o Tobacco, Alcohol and other Substances (10.5, 10.6, 10.7, 10.8)

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: Students are finishing up learning about health skills. This includes learning about the different areas of health as well as learning about where to find reliable sources of information. Students will be receiving a homework where they will choose a health topic of their chose, research it and evaluate the sources of information. I will be working with Mrs. St. Michel (our Library and Media Specialist) to give them information to learn if


a resource is reliable. Students will also be having their test on Health Skills. The dates for their homework due date and quiz date will be posted on Edline when it is assigned. By the end of this unit students will be able to: Students will be able to:

• Describe the influence of health habits on growth & development • Describe the contribution of a personal support system to good mental health o Identify at least one person they can turn to as their support system o Identify internal and external influences that impact decisions regarding health and

wellness • Identify at least 4 reliable sources of information • Identify at least 5 health skills that will provide a lifetime of benefits.

MA Frameworks Standards covered: o Growth & Development (1.8, 1.10) o Mental Health (5.8) o Family Life (6.7) o Community Health and Resource Management (12.6) o Community & Public Health (14.4, 14.5)

National Health Education Standards:

o Standard #1: Core Concepts o Standard #2: Analyzing Influences o Standard #3: Access Information o Standard #5: Decision Making o Standard #7: Self-‐Management

*My student teacher, Mr. Guillet, will be picking up my 7th grade classes at the conclusion of this unit. 8th Grade: Students continuing to learn about Mental Health with my student teacher, Mr. Guillet. We will be learning about various mental illnesses, depression & adolescent depression, treatments, cyberbullying and working on “I” statements as a tool to help them express themselves if they need to talk about their feelings. Students will be able to:

o Identify common mental illnesses o Identify common causes of mental illnesses o Identify some common causes of depression and adolescent depression o Identify signs of destructive behavior (including suicide) and intervention strategies o Identify warning signs of suicide o Describe the importance of a support group.

MA Frameworks Standards covered: o Mental Health (5.8, 5.10, 5.16, 5.17)

National Health Education Standards:

o Standard #1: Core Concepts o Standard #3: Accessing Information o Standard #7: Self-‐Management o Standard #8: Advocacy


GUIDANCE NEWS Reminder to all students who have applied to

Bristo l Aggie or Tri County: ****Interviews are NEXT WEEK****

Bristol Aggie interviews will be on Monday, beginning at 8:30 in Guidance. Tri County interviews will be on Tuesday, beginning at 8:15 in Guidance.

All students who are participating in the interviews will be

called down to the main office, and wait for their interviews to begin. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact Mrs. Czech.

Seekonk High School Baseball Pitching, Catching, Hitting, and Fielding Clinic March 14 – March 18 5 pm to 6:30 pm Seekonk High School Gym Contact Coach Joe DeMello for more information [email protected]


This is an 8th Grade DC Trip Fundraiser to support our hardship fund for students


From the Library…. Gmail Just a reminder that students need to return a signed gmail agreement before accessing SPS Gmail. The agreement is included in this newsletter and should be returned to the student’s home room teacher ASAP. Although some students may already have a personal email address, their school email will be their “professional” account. With it, they will learn proper email etiquette, and later, they can use this account when applying to colleges and for jobs. This account will also be a great way to contact classmates with school related questions, and collaborating on group projects. Also, some websites we would like to use at HMS require registration using a educational email address. For example, Prezi offers free educational accounts to students who have an email address matching the school website address (seekonkschools.org). Without an educational gmail address, students can't access this free service. Please encourage your student to return their gmail agreement as soon as possible so that we can begin using this tool. If you have any questions, please contact me at [email protected]


Protocol for School-Issued Individual Student Email

Accounts at Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School has created Google e-mail & docs accounts for all 6-8 students to allow for collaborative sharing using Google Apps for Education. These accounts will be used for school-related communication and projects only. Dr. Kevin M. Hurley Middle School supports the use of Google accounts to enhance the teaching and learning process. All student email accounts are housed on a Google mail server, thereby giving students access to Google Docs (word processor, spreadsheet, and presentation software). This supports learning and communication and also allows teachers and students to easily share information housed in these file areas with others. Expectations for E-mail Use

● Students should use their Seekonk-provided e-mail account ( last name, first initial.graduation year, e.g., [email protected]) for all school communications.

● Students should check their e-mail accounts daily for e-mails from their teachers and administrators.

● In accordance to the Seekonk Public Schools AUISP (Acceptable Use and Internet Safety

Policy) issued e-mail accounts should not be used: For example:

● During class unless specifically instructed by your teacher. ● To send offensive or obscene messages, materials, photos, or pictures of any kind. ● To harass, insult, or attack others ● To discriminate or defame others based on religion, race, color, creed or sexual orientation ● To send threatening, inflammatory, or violent communications ● To offer for sale, purchase, or use of any prohibited or illegal substances

I have received and read this addendum to the Contract for Individual Student Access to Computers, the Internet and School-Based Networks. I understand that the use of student e-mail is subject to the existing Seekonk Public Schools AUISP (Acceptable Use and Internet Safety Policy – full version available at http://www.seekonk.k12.ma.us ). Access to and use of student accounts is a privilege and Seekonk Schools maintains the right to withdraw the access and use of an account when there is reason to believe that violations of the law or district policies have occurred. The Seekonk School District does not guarantee the security of electronic files located on the Google system. Privacy will be maintained to the extent possible; however, system administrators may have to examine activities, files, and electronic mail to gather sufficient information to diagnose and correct problems with system software or hardware, as well as investigate any alleged misuse. Student Signature:__________________________________ Date: _______________ Student Name (Print): _______________________________ School:Dr. Kevin M.Hurley Middle School Parent Signature: ___________________________________ Date: ________________

Approved 2014


January 2016 Stars of the Month!! Yellow Nathan Mello and Catherine Bergstrand Red David Grace and Kate Pegoraro Green Victoria Luis and Trey Ramos Blue Alicia Feeney and Jacob Barreira Orange Seth Pina and Christina Gennari White Dan Thibault and Madison Bedrosian Encore Gr 6 – Nicholas Yang, Kelsey Gendreau Gr 7 – Rebecca Santos, Lynsie Silva Gr 8 – Charlotte Drainville, Brendan Morales

dr. kevin m. hurley middle school %% 650 newman ave. seekonk,...

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