WELCOME FIELD FAMILIES!

Are you ready for Sixth Grade and BEYOND….

? TRANSITION QUIZ?

Name one of the TOP challenges of students

moving from elementary to middle school?

LOCKERS!

Getting their locker open, grabbing their class binders and getting back to

class before the bell rings…. All in 3 Minutes!

Summer Practice can HELP!

THIS WE BELIEVE…(ADAPTED FROM

AMLE)

ESSENTIAL ATTRIBUTES OF A MIDDLE SCHOOL …

Developmentally Responsive… We utilize the nature of young adolescents to guide all decisions.

Challenging…We hold all members of our learning community to high expectations

Empowering…We provide students knowledge and skills to take responsibility for their life and learning.

Equitable…We believe all students have the right to a challenging and relevant learning environment

ON TO SIXTH GRADE…

Bell schedule/ 7- 51 minute periods

Lunch & Recess Lockers Weekly newsletters Daily B.E.S.T. class Daily Advisory and

2nd Step lessons Strong community STARRR

Teachers/Pod World Language

Choice Athletic Team

Access AVID My Life Plan-

Naviance access Student Activities

DANCES!

What stays the SAME? What will CHANGE?

DEVELOPMENTALLY RESPONSIVE

Daily Advisory 25 minute period before lunch aimed at building meaningful connections within a smaller class

Second Step-Social/Emotional curriculum Facilitated weekly (school wide) during Advisory. Topics include Empathy, Communication, Problem Solving, Bullying, Substance Abuse and Emotion Regulation strategies.

Student Voice- Student Council, Upstanders, Student Newsletter (after school opportunity)

Multiple Learning Approaches - Active, Relevant and Technology infused classrooms

? TRANSITION QUIZ?

Name another CHALLENGE of students moving from

elementary to middle school

FRIENDS… Will I have friends? Will people tease/bully me? Will my friends be in my classes/advisory? What about gossip/social media issues? What about dating?

Be an AWARE parent…know who your child is spending time with and set reasonable limits on social media. Ask questions and then LISTEN…

EQUITABLE… EVERY STUDENT

PARTICIPATES IN A DAILY ENRICHMENT PERIOD THAT IS MORE INDIVIDUALIZED TO THEIR LEARNING AND ACADEMIC NEEDS….

B.E.S.T. (Basic Skills and Enrichment Time)

Students alternate between a reading and math BEST class each day.

Students are initially placed in their BEST class upon review of test scores, classroom performance and teacher recommendations. Students’ BEST class may change throughout the year according to student needs.

AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) College readiness system designed to increase school wide learning and performance.

AVID’s curriculum based on...

Rigorous standards WICOR (Writing, Inquiry,

Collaboration, Organization, and Reading)

Cornell note-taking Applied Learning Strategies

STUDENTS INTERESTED IN…

Submit an application in spring and early fall for following year

Complete an interview as part of the selection process

Must demonstrate determination and make a commitment for one year

Meet at least one of the qualifying factors

What will students experience?

Collaborative projects

College Tours Tutorials Public Speaking Goal Setting and

Study Skills Group Challenges Guest Speakers

CHALLENGING… AVID Strategies infused in Classrooms MUSIC Opportunities Cornell Notes WICOR... Critical Thinking-WHY/HOW

Socratic Seminars Philosophical chairs

Technology Integration Digital textbooks Edumodo-classroom Facebook Classroom IPads for deeper xploration and

differentiation

ACCELERATED MATH District is currently finalizing details Selection will be based on clear guidelines

provided by district which will include: Test scores Student and teacher rating Classroom performance

All MPS schools will be required to use same rubric and selection process

Course placement will be determined prior to school start

Staff Professional Development…

EMPOWERING…. Interdisciplinary Projects My Life Plan- District wide requirement for all

6th-12th graders in MPS. Student Leadership/Collaboration

with Teachers, staff and PTA Cooperative Learning/Tasks- me to we… Increased Student responsibility/ownership

Grades Friends Time/Interests Values/Goals

MY LIFE PLAN/NAVIANCE

Students are introduced to Naviance each fall with a needs assessment which is then followed up with 2-3 classroom lessons each year for 6th-8th graders at Field…

6th Grade -Transitioning to Middle School

-Learning Styles

-Collaboration/Self Advocacy

7th Grade -Budgeting your Needs/Wants

-Career Interest Inventory

8th Grade -EXPLORing my Options

-MAPping out my Future

? TRANSITON QUIZ?

Name another BIG challenge for students as they move through middle school…

HOMEWORK…. Middle School expectations will change….

Increased Rigor/Pace More independence/responsibility Students need increased self awareness of their strengths and

areas needing improvement

Parents can help… Provide consistent time, place and structure to their

homework schedule. Check the Parent Portal regularly Encourage your child to self advocate by setting up time to

talk with their teacher if they are confused about their grade or an assignment

STUDENT ATHLETIC OPPORTUNITIES

Field 6-8th graders are invited to participate in school sponsored

extracurricular sports…

Fall (Early Sept. - Mid Oct.)

Girls Volleyball, Boys Flag Football Winter (Late Nov. - Mid Feb.)

Girls and Boys Basketball Spring (Late March - Early May)

Girls Softball, Boys Baseball

? TRANSITION QUIZ ?

Name another CHALLENGE for students as they move through middle school

PARENTS! Expect TOO much Too nosy Too Strict Too many lectures Too many rules/regulations/limits

This time period is often a tug of war related to POWER/CONTROL. They want

independence AND relationship, freedom AND limits, control AND guidance…

All of this becomes a complicated balancing act

RESOURCES : MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSITION…

Websites :http://www.amle.org/Publications/OnTarget/TransitioningtoMiddleSchool/tabid/313/Default.aspx

http://pbskids.org/itsmylife/school/middleschool

Books:Parenting Teens with Love and Logic (by J.Faye)Boundaries with Teens (by J. Townsend)

FOR COMING!

Please take a minute to fill out a comment card with any questions that did not get answered tonight and someone will contact you. We welcome your feedback as well!