WELCOME TO OPEN HOUSE! 8 ORANGE TEAM

2012-2013

Together We Can Make A Difference!

Meet our Team

Mr. Talbot-Social Studies

Mr. Conway-Writing

Mrs. Lowry-Science

Mrs. McNamara-Team Leader/Reading

Mrs. Urban-Math

Mr. Cragin-Learning Specialist

Keeping in Touch

The quickest and most efficient way to communicate with us is through e-mail.Our e-mails are listed on the NFMS website:

www.newfairfieldschools.org/subsite/nfmThe format for email is: firstinitiallastname@new-

fairfield.k12.ct.us(ex. smcnamara@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us)

8th grade phone: 203-312-5893

Homework

Posted daily on the Middle School web page on the 8 Orange Homework sitehttp://www.newfairfieldschools.org/subsite/

nfm/page/homework-page-8-orange-499 Homework will be practice of a skill learned in

class or extension of concepts covered in class Students should spend a daily maximum of

60-90 min. doing HW. Contact us if consistently otherwise.

Academic Communication

Check your child’s grades on Infinite Campus (IC) regularly. Download the IC App to your electronic device

for continuous updates.○ Use itunes, google play or amazon.com to

downloadLook for emails from us via IC Messenger

Mark your calendar for Parent/Teacher Conferences: Dec. 11th (AM), 12th (PM), 13th (EVE), &14th (AM).

Appointments will be made a few weeks prior.

Costs for 8th grade

Field Trips: Connecticut Science Center- This

Hartford trip will occur in November. The cost will be approx. $25.00 (paperwork to come home soon)

Holiday Hill- This is an 8th Grade trip in June (Chesire, CT). It costs approx. $60.00 per student. (paperwork comes home in Feb./March)

Costs For 8th Grade

YEARBOOK Yearbook is mostly made by 8th grade

students so it has a lot about their year. A pre-sale usually starts in October and then

again in February. The last sale is in June. Cost is anywhere from $26-30.

It is cheapest during the 1st sale and most expensive in June.

Yearbook Parent Ads will be for sale as well (winter)

Costs for 8th Grade

8th Grade Semi-formal Dance--June Tickets generally cost around $20

Gowns for the Graduation Ceremony--June These can be purchased from the school

(information will come home with students in Feb.) or borrow one from a brother/sister or previous student.

The gowns cost approx. $16.

Reading/Team Leader

Sue McNamara- smcnamara@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us Our curriculum will center around the Common Core State

Standards

Writing

Keith Conway-kconway@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us

Science Integrated Science Curriculum

Kate Lowry: klowry@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us Physical Science— Forces and Motion. Topics

include speed, acceleration, net force, Newton’s laws.

Life Science—Heredity: how traits are passed through generations. Topics include chromosomes, DNA, dominant and recessive genes, mitosis, meiosis.

Earth Science—Earth in the Solar System. Topics include tides, seasons, moon phases eclipses.

Social Studies Brendan Talbot: btalbot@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us U.S. History from colonization to Civil War (part

1 of 2). There are 5 units; Colonization, Revolution,

Constitution & Civics, Sectionalism & Westward Expansion and Civil War.

Reconstruction to WWII is the 10th / 11th grade curriculum (part 2 of 2).

Syllabus and textbook have been sent home.

8th Grade Math

Barbara Urban: burban@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us Curriculum is based on the Common Core

Standards A few of the units to be covered:

Unit 1: Real NumbersUnit 2: Pythagorean TheoremUnit 3: Linear Relationships

Algebra 2

Barbara Urban: burban@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us

Curriculum is based on High School criteria Some of the topics to be covered:

Equations and InequalitiesLinear Equations and FunctionsLinear SystemsQuadratic Functions and Factoring

Learning Specialists

Brian Cragin: bcragin@new-fairfield.k12.ct.usDirect Study (DS)Focus MathFocus Writing

Ginny Gorman: ggorman@new-fairfield.k12.ct.usFocus Reading

Debbie Parker: dparker@new-fairfield.k12.ct.usLiteracy Workshop

Parent Assignment In a 1,000,000 words or less…

Tell the orange team what you think we should know about your child. You know your child best!

This will help us to better understand your child and the unique and special people they are.

Please hand in to homeroom teacher

or email to Mrs. Lowry at

lowry.kate@newfairfieldschool.org

By October 3rd, or as soon as you can.

THANK YOU!!

Closing We look forward to working with your child

and you this year. Please take a pamphlet home with you. We

hope that you find it a useful reference. Next: World Language speaker Mrs. Fuller

Please see language teachers/unified arts as needed for more information

STAY IN TOUCH!