Middle School Matters

Testing Time!

Yes, it’s that time of year again – standardized testing.  For the last several years, we have conducted testing in the fall, and we are doing that again this year.  Testing during this season allows us to get results back and make any needed instructional changes before the year is out.  We believe this to be a better use of testing than looking at results in the spring, then setting things on a shelf during the summer.

One change we are making is a switch from the Iowa Test of Basic Skills to the ERB online assessment.  This new test will inform us as to how well our students think critically, and will ultimately increase student achievement at all levels of our program.  Due to the online nature of the test, we will be formatting things differently.  No longer will your child be sitting in a room taking standardized tests all day.  Instead, we will be testing subject matter in “chunks” of time, during a normal school day.

Our testing this week will be on Tuesday and Wednesday, and will focus on science.  Students will test on these days according to the following schedule:

8:00-9:15am – 7th grade
9:20-10:35am – 6th grade
10:40-11:55am – 8th grade

Please make every effort to have your child here during these times.  Also, please remember the following advice when it comes to being at your best for testing:

Be here on time each day.  Testing will begin according to a strict schedule.

Get plenty of rest the night before the test.

Be sure to eat a good, healthy breakfast.

As stated earlier, there will be no change to the school day for testing this year.  We will begin and end at our usual times, and lunch will be served.

Did You Know?

At Trinity, we are in the process of completely revamping our curriculum scope and sequence from grades K-4 – 12.  Teachers are meeting to ensure that the proper skills for success are the focal point of any particular grade level.  We are aligning our curriculum to the Common Core national standards, along with placing increasing emphasis on higher order thinking skills as measured in our new ERB assessment tool.  All of this is designed to increase student achievement and keep Trinity on the cutting edge in the area of academic program design and curriculum development.

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Matters

Happy Friday!

I hope you have enjoyed a fantastic final week of September!

Know Thy Time

The second chapter of Peter Drucker’s landmark book, The Effective Executive, is entitled, “Know Thy Time.”  Leaders who do not manage their most finite resource well are sure to be limited in their ability to lead.  If you want to be truly effective, you must be in control of your time.

The same holds true of our students.  Kids today are busier than ever.  If we are not careful, schoolwork gets pushed to the back burner.  I encourage you to be intentional in helping your children account for their time.  Once they see where they are spending their time, they may then be able to find ways to manage it more wisely.  Help them to realize that their academic pursuits constitute their primary “job,” with other activities fit in as time allows.

MMFA Exhibition

Congratulations to Katie Jackson and Brian Roth!  Their art projects were selected from over 170 entries from 14 schools to hang in the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art for their exhibition entitled, “Art that Transforms.”  Many thanks to Jennifer Bricken, our middle school art teacher.  She is continuing to elevate our art program to a position of prominence in the community.

Did You Know?

The flipped classroom is not just for math instruction.  Several of our history and English teachers are preparing lessons even now for delivery using this cutting edge pedagogical method.  Trinity’s leadership in this area continues to be recognized across the state, and I believe we are just getting started!

Not only has Trinity churned out National Merit Semifinalists each of the last few years, we also have a commendation and several AP Scholar Awards to add to our accolades during this academic year.  Ours is a school of academic rigor, and the proof rests in these impressive honors.  To that end, encourage your kids to strive for excellence and reach for the stars!

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Matters

Good Afternoon!

I have enjoyed meeting many of you during our recent Partner with the Principal meetings.  Many thanks to the Trinity PTO for coordinating these events.

Pep Rally

GET FIRED UP! We are inviting all middle school Wildcats to join us for a pep rally celebrating middle school athletics this Monday morning at 7:30 in the Old Gym.  Come on out and show your WILDCAT SPIRIT!

8th Grade Boys Bible Study

All 8th grade boys are invited to a weekly Bible Study each Monday morning at 7:15 am in the Willett Hall Lobby. They will be studying the devotional book “Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life”. Breakfast will be served.

Fields of Faith

Mark you calendars: Fields of Faith is returning to Boykin Field at Trinity Wednesday, October 3.  We encourage your child to participate in this wonderful evening of worship with young people from throughout our community.

Absence Requests

Many of our families must make special requests for excused absences for family trips and other events.  Please remember that we need written notice to Coach Ragsdale one full week prior to the absence.  We appreciate your cooperation in this area.

Did You Know?

Our school is leading the way statewide with the flipped classroom concept.  Trinity math teachers Kelly Long and Elisa Bowden, along with technology integrationist Karen McVay are in demand as presenters to educators from across Alabama regarding this exciting new educational tool.  Our entire middle school math program is adopting the flipped model, placing “lectures” on the computer and saving “homework” for the classroom where individual help from the teacher will be readily available.

In addition to the flipped classroom, we are moving toward the Common Core Curriculum at Trinity.  This curriculum will increase rigor, and improve the overall scope and sequence of all subjects at TPS.  Our ACT scores in math have risen for four consecutive years, and we expect to see further gains in student achievement with these programmatic improvements.

Look for more exciting news about our academic program in this space next week.

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Matters

8th Grade Boys Bible Study

All 8th grade boys are invited to a weekly Bible Study beginning Monday, September 17 at 7:15 am in the Willett Hall Lobby. They will be studying the devotional book “Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success: Building Blocks for a Better Life”. Breakfast will be served.

College Day

Please remember that we will dismiss at noon this Tuesday, September 18, as our upper school hosts College Day.  While we try to keep half-days to a minimum, we simply have too many of our classrooms being used to effectively operate the middle school past the noon hour.

8th Grade Partner with the Principal/DC Trip Meeting

Parents of our 8th grade students are reminded of our TWO scheduled PWP/DC meetings this coming Thursday, September 20.  The same meeting will be held twice for your convenience:

7:15am – Willett Hall

12:00pm – Home of Pat and McClellen Williams

Student Council Election Results

Congratulations to everyone who ran for a seat on our middle school student council.  All but one race was won without a runoff.  We will hold a runoff election for the position of Vice President Wednesday, September 19.

2012-13 Middle School Student Council

President – Allie Ramsey

Vice President – Run-off: Ensley Craven, Sam Nunn (Wednesday, September 19)

Treasurer – Sam Farris

Secretary – Zoe Portis

8th Grade Representative – Carolyn Albritton

7th Grade Representative – Thomas Amster

6th Grade Representative – Elizabeth Portis

Have a Great Weekend!

IMPORTANT STUDENT COUNCIL INFORMATION

This information is for parents of students running for Student Council positions:

If you were not contacted this afternoon regarding qualification for elections, you may safely assume that your child is eligible to run for office next week.  Go ahead and work on those posters!

Speeches Monday

The following students need to be prepared to deliver their campaign speeches Monday during lunch:

Jackson Adcock, Bryson Byrne, Grad Enslen, Garrett Flowers, Mary Frances Green, and Chapman Gregory.

Campaign Guidelines

Be sure to review with you children the campaign guidelines for next week with respect to posters and banners.  Students are not to hand out candy, flyers , etc.

Elections

Remember that elections are slated for Friday, September 14.  Results will be posted on this blog Friday afternoon.

Best wishes to everyone for a great campaign!

Middle School Matters

Happy Friday!

I hope that this short week has been a good one for you and your family!

Trinity Tailgate

Please make plans to join us tonight for our annual Trinity Tailgate to celebrate our first home football game.  Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m., with a state championship ring ceremony for our baseball team at 6:30 p.m.  Kick-off for the game is at 7:00 p.m.

Middle School Blast

Our annual Middle School Blast will be held this coming Monday, September 10, immediately following our middle school football game.  Encourage your children to enjoy pizza, dessert, and fellowship with their friends and teachers as we celebrate a Wildcat victory.

Please remember that our PTO provides food and drinks for middle school students and teachers only.  Parents and siblings are welcome to use our concession stand.

College Day

Please remember that the middle school will dismiss at 12:00 p.m. September 18 as our upper school hosts College Day.  Although we try to keep half-days at a minimum, there simply isn’t enough available classroom space on this day for us to function past the noon hour.

Partner with the Principal

If you haven’t already, you should be receiving an invitation to our annual Partner with the Principal luncheons, which begin next week.  I am looking forward to meeting with you and discussing the many exciting things we have going on here at Trinity!

Student Council Elections

This time next week, we will be announcing our new student council for the 2012-13 school year.  If your child is running for office, please remember that they must earn a minimum number of points in order to qualify to run.  Points are earned by attending scheduled meetings, turning forms and speeches in on time, as well as for good teacher recommendations.  We will notify students who failed to qualify Monday.

Please remember to check My Backpack for all pertinent information regarding your middle school experience at Trinity.

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Matters

Happy Loooong Weekend Friday!

Trinity has been a happy place today.  There’s nothing like a three-day weekend and the advent of football season to put everyone in a good mood.  As my college band director, Johnny Long, used to say, “The moon is turning into a football, and the night air will soon turn cool — it’s football time!”

GO CATS!

Middle School Adjustment

As we wrap up the third week of school, I hope your child has enjoyed a smooth transition back into the “real world.”  Some students take a while to adjust to the rigors of the middle school environment.  This is totally normal.  If you notice grades that aren’t what they used to be along with some general frustration, you are not alone.

Our teachers are very proactive when it comes to assisting parents with academic issues.  If we feel there is a problem, we will be in contact with you.  Sometimes a conference with parents, teachers, and our guidance counselor will prove to be just what the doctor ordered.  When we cooperate, our kids benefit.

Please remember that you may schedule a conference with any or all of your child’s teachers by contacting the middle school office.

Tutors

As our students advance through middle and upper school, many find that they require outside help, especially with math.  This is not at all unusual, and should not be cause for alarm.

For your convenience, we are providing tutoring in-house during the school day.  Sheila McKissack will tutor all subjects with the exception of math.  She also works with children to improve their organizational skills, which often is the only remedy needed.

Mary Ann Durr is joining our team this year as a math tutor.  Mrs. Durr taught junior high school math here in Montgomery for many years.  Here children and grandchildren attended Trinity, so she is familiar with our program.

These tutors are available for you convenience.  Please contact the middle school office to arrange for a tutoring time or for more information.

After School Care

Please remember that we do not provide supervision for students after 3:45pm unless they are involved in a school-sanctioned activity.  You are welcome to enroll your child in the YMCA Goodtimes program operated on our campus.  Information is available in the middle school office.

My Backpack

Please remember to check My Backpack for grades, homework, tests and other assignments.

Have a Great Weekend!

 

Middle School Matters

Happy Friday!

I hope you have enjoyed a fantastic week!

Thank you for your participation in our annual PTO Back to School Night.  Meeting with teachers is a crucial first step toward developing a partnership that will ultimately benefit you child.  Please feel free to contact teachers with any concerns you may have.  The earlier, the better.  We are here to help you.

Technology and the Middle School Child

Those of you who have read this blog over the last few years know that I am a huge fan of Common Sense Media.  This week’s feature article deals with technology and teenagers.  If you are like me, you just aren’t sure of the best time to give out a cell phone or allow for the use of social media.   The writers at Common Sense Media address these issues and many others in a fantastic piece that may be found by clicking here.

After School Care

Please remember that we do not provide supervision for students after 3:45pm.  The only exception to this would be organized activities such as athletics or band.  Should you require after school care, you may contact the people who run the Goodtimes program on our campus.  Otherwise, please make sure that your child is transported to a safe, secure environment after school.

Information regarding our Goodtimes program is located in the Middle School Office.

Tests and Other Info

Please remember to check My Backpack for all information related to your experience at Trinity.  While there, you should be able to link up with our 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Wiki pages.  These pages contain an outline of the week to come, including tests, quizzes, and projects.  More detailed information is available for your child, and you are welcome to peruse that as well.

Have a Great Weekend!

Middle School Matters

Happy Friday!

I am happy to report that we have had a fantastic opening week of school!  Our sixth grade students have adjusted to their new environment beautifully, and we are falling into a rhythm for the year.

Price Sparks

We were delighted to host Price Sparks, an ambassador for the Tourette Syndrome Association, for our first chapel of the year.  A current student at Jacksonville State University, Price is a true success story.

Early in his life, Price was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome.  The tics associated with this neurological disorder made his life almost unbearable.  As you might imagine, the middle school years were the worst.

Price not only brought our students a message of hope for overcoming adversity, but he challenged our kids to think twice before making fun of a fellow student.  For just a few minutes, this outstanding young man gave our children a peek in to the dark world that so many “different” kids must endure each day.

I suggest you consider speaking with you child about our program and their thoughts.  Let’s use this as an opportunity to teach our kids about following the example of Christ: treating our fellow-man the way we would like to be treated.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. – Luke 6:31

Computer Tips

Now that we have school computers being brought home each evening, I invite you to consider the following tips for keeping your child safe:

1. Consider taking up computers and cell phones at bedtime and charging them in a secure location.  Many teens stay up all hours of the night texting, face-timing, and surfing the web.
2. Keep tabs on your child’s online activity — including emails.  They are minors, and parents have every right to see email and chat activity.  Friend them on Facebook (if they are allowed to have an account), follow them on Twitter, and friend them on Instagram.  There is nothing wrong with being a nosy parent.
3. There is no “right” time to allow for the use of social media.  As a parent, the right time is when you say it is.  Be firm.
4. Insist that computers be used in “common areas” of the home.  The screen should be visible at all times, and children should know that mom and dad are interested in what they are doing.
5. Try not to worry about damaging your relationship with your teen.  We are there to give guidance and direction.  As Ronald Reagan used to say, “Trust, but verify.”

My prayer is that this will be a fantastic year for you and your child.  I look forward to spending it with you!

Now,

Go and be Christ to someone this weekend!

God Bless

Middle School Matters

Thanks to you and your children, the 2012-13 school year has opened smoothly.  We appreciate your cooperation and patience as we have navigated start and end times, carpool, signed documents, and new computers.  We are going to have a great year!

iPrism Computer Filter

It has come to our attention that there may be some problems with our iPrism computer filter.  While we are working to identify and correct these problems, it is important to remember that no filter is perfect.  Continual monitoring at home and at school will be necessary to help our students learn how to navigate and sift through the good and bad found on the Internet.

To that end, our Technology Department has put together some helpful hints regarding the monitoring of computers in the home.  You may find them by clicking here.  As always, please bring any filter problems that you discover to our attention, and we will work immediately to resolve them.

Handbook Changes

One of the many sheets of paper that you have signed this week indicated that you have read and understood our student handbook.  In order for you to better understand our policies, we are listing several specific rules changes for this year in the space below.  Please reference the page numbers listed for more information:

p.6: Academic Covenant Violation: We have added “nonverbal” communication as a means of sharing information.  We have also added the statement that creating a system of cheating by any means is a violation of the Trinity Academic Covenant.

p. 7: Eighth Grade Exemptions: We are allowing 8^th grade students to exempt second semester exams.  Please read through the criteria carefully.

p. 9: Unexcused Tardies to School: This policy has been revised.  Students who receive eight unexcused tardies to school will be assigned to Detention Hall (DH).

p. 13: Detention Hall: Students may serve detention for tardies or for behavior issues.  Detention Hall will be held on Thursday afternoons from 3:30-4:00pm, and will be supervised by Coach Ragsdale or his designee.

p. 15: Personal Electronic Devices: We will be charging $5 for the return of any cell phone that is confiscated by a teacher or Trinity staff member.  Subsequent offenses will increase $5 each time the device is confiscated.

p. 18: Dress Code: Peter Pan blouses may no longer be worn alone.  These must be worn under a uniform sweater/vest, sweatshirt, or jumper.

Carpool Procedures

Please remember that middle school students with siblings in the lower school will dismiss at the main middle school/upper school entrance to the school.  All other middle school students will be picked up at the steps of Willett Hall.

Please remember to check individual teacher wikis and blog posts regarding homework, assignments, and upcoming tests.

Have a Great Weekend!