The Gemini Blue Bulletin

The Gemini Blue Bulletin

"A Weekly Communication from Teachers to Families for School Success"

September 7, 2010

Math – Ms. Burgess: Welcome to seventh grade math! A pencil, math textbook, a one subject notebook, and a 3-ring binder should be brought to class daily. Homework will be assigned nightly and should be done completely, showing all work in your homework notebook. This is important because it is your opportunity to practice the skills that are introduced in class. Integer Introductions is the first major assignment of the year. This assignment is due on Friday, 9/10. Course expectation sheets will be sent home this week and must be signed by a parent and returned. I am also asking that students obtain all of the necessary supplies for math class by Monday, 9/13. All students received a supply list in class today. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please get in touch with me. I’m looking forward to an excellent year! J

Geography – Ms. Goggin: Welcome! Our goal in this class is to learn about all aspects of world geography including countries, cities, physical features, cultures, history, government and economics. When you come into class each day, please bring a pen or pencil, a notebook, a 3-ring binder, your textbook and workbook, and your curiosity. A course expectations letter is being sent home today. All students and parents/guardians are asked to read this letter and return the signature portion by Friday, September 10. I’m looking forward to a great school year!

English – Mrs. Rezendes Welcome to seventh grade English! My goal is to help you become better readers, writers, speakers, and listeners. The most important things that you can bring to class are a pen/pencil, a three-ring binder with white lined paper, and a willingness to try. Your first assignment is to bring in a Me Box. Put 5 items that show something about your personality into a box or bag. Be prepared to explain why you chose your items. Me Boxes are due tomorrow. A class expectations letter is also being sent home today. Please review this with a parent/guardian and bring back the signature sheet by Tuesday, September 14^th. Thank you!

Strategic Reading – Mrs. Wheeler: Welcome!! Strategic Reading is a course designed to strengthen and expand learning strategies to help students become more efficient, effective independent learners. The essential question we will be working with throughout the year is “What does it mean to be an active/strategic reader/learner?” Our focus will be on increasing reading efficiency, developing study strategies compatible with individual learning styles, and increasing a student's understanding of the learning process. Students will improve their reading power by developing strategies to enhance vocabulary, comprehension, critical thinking and reading rate. They will be introduced to and asked to practice a variety of SMART strategies in the five basic areas of (1) managing time and setting priorities, (2) listening and taking useful notes, (3) reading and understanding a variety of texts, especially informational text, (4) condensing and organizing material, and (5) taking tests successfully. Students will also be encouraged to broaden their reading spectrum and read from a variety of materials including novels, short stories, plays, content area textbooks; research articles; magazines, the newspaper and the Internet. The overall goal of Strategic Reading is to help students adopt a lifelong habit of reading and to recognize its importance in the learning process. It is NOT just learning to read; it's reading to learn! Class Guidelines and Procedures will be sent home on a pink sheet. Please review these together so we all can have a GREAT year!

Science – Mrs. Yule: Welcome to a year of exploration in the world of 7^th grade science! The grade 7 curriculum is varied and covers many interesting topics. From learning to work like a scientist, to Forces and Motion, to Life Sciences, students will combine hands on classroom/laboratory experiences with research and discussion to master the concepts covered in this curriculum. A course expectation letter is being sent home today. Please review the content of this letter carefully, keep it where it can be referred to, and return the signature portion by Friday September 10. Thanks in advance for being part of the team. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me through the email address provided on the course expectation letter.

TEAM News:

Team Setup: The biggest difference between the structure of grade seven and previous grades is that a different teacher teaches each subject. The Blue Team staff is composed of six teachers who take responsibility for English, Math, Science, Strategic Reading, World Geography, and specialized learning instruction for students with special needs. Those teachers are assisted by Mrs. Lewis, the Housemaster, and Mrs. Maguire, the Guidance Counselor. The school day is divided into six academic periods, five of which will be on the team. All students will also have classes outside the team in Physical Education and enrichment subjects (Art, Tech Ed, Health, or Band).

Blue Bulletin: This is the first of many weekly newsletters designed to communicate with you on a regular basis. The Blue Bulletins will be distributed each Tuesday on "blue" paper. They will contain information about class work and assignments in each subject area, as well as team news about upcoming events. Please ask your child for the Blue Bulletin each week. If parents sign the agenda or assignment notebook when they have read the Blue Bulletin and students bring the signature to homeroom on Wednesdays, they will receive a team spirit stamp on their Success Sheets!

Team Email: Knowing that everyone’s day is hectic and classes consume most of our day, we find email is the most effective way to communicate with you. Please feel free to email us at any time and we will respond as soon as possible.

Team Web Page: The Gemini Blue Team web page can be accessed at www.geminiblueteam.com. There, you will find information about the team, the monthly calendar, the current Blue Bulletin, and current homework assignments that will be updated daily. Check out our site, and if you have any questions or comments — please e-mail us.

Edline: Edline is a website/communication tool for students and parents to check grades in each subject, as well as a way of finding other helpful information. Each teacher has a separate page and posts a variety of information from assignments to book lists to links to other resources. Once the term is underway, grades are generally posted weekly or after a major assignment. Students and families should already have an account which was set up in 6^th grade, but we will check on these during the first few weeks of school. Please watch for more information in future Blue Bulletins about Edline and ways you can use it at home.

Blue Bashes: Our standards are high. Our team expects success and we will do all that we can to encourage it. Each student will be given a Stamp Success Sheet to promote this goal. The sheet will be used to record successes in many different areas -- marked improvement, random acts of kindness, outstanding performance on tests and quizzes, special projects, unique contributions to the team, or anything that we feel deserves recognition. On the Blue Team, we will have "Blue Bashes" each term to reward success. The Blue Bash is a team social/activity for students who have earned a sufficient number of stamps on their Success Sheets. If a student has failed to hand in homework or has behaved inappropriately, he or she will spend Blue Bash time making up work.

Blue Team BLUE BASH Getting Acquainted Party: The Blue team will have its first Blue Bash on Friday, September 10^th. It will be a “getting acquainted” team building activity with a snack provided by Blue Team teachers. Usually students are required to earn admission to Blue Bashes by earning success stamps. However, the first one is a freebie and ALL students are invited to attend.

AGENDAS: Students are required to use the PCIS Agenda that has been provided to all students this year by our PTA and to bring their Agenda to every class, every day! Organization is an important element needed to ensure success. The Agenda is not only our daily communication with you, but is also a personal organizational tool that is essential for school success. The Stamp Success Sheet and a Lav Log will be stapled inside the Agendas so that these items are readily available throughout the school day. The Agenda will be filled out by all students and stamped by a Blue Team teacher at the end of each day. The stamp indicates that the homework for all team classes has been recorded correctly. (Please note that students in grade seven cannot complete all of their assignments in school and are expected to do homework each night.) Students will be able to purchase replacement PCIS Agendas for $5.00 at the school store during lunch.

Snacks: Students who are hungry or thirsty have a more difficult time concentrating on learning. With that in mind, the team sells healthy snacks midmorning. Everything is sold for fifty cents. The money raised from selling snacks is used to pay for team activities and provide scholarships for students in need. Students not wishing to buy snacks are welcome to bring in snacks from home that they may eat during team snack times. We encourage students to bring in reusable water bottles from home which they can refill during the day. Single use water bottles are now recognized to be environmentally “unfriendly” and we hope to reduce the amount of plastic that is manufactured by using refillable bottles.

Tissues and Paper Towels PLEASE!: Even though we are hoping for an allergy free, spill free fall, we need paper products. Any donations of tissues or paper towels would be greatly appreciated. Students will receive “Team Spirit” Stamps when they bring donations to their homeroom teachers. Homeroom teachers will then share the wealth! Thank you.

Reminder: Students will receive a “Team Spirit” Stamp if a parent/guardian signs the student’s agenda indicating that they have read the Blue Bulletin. Don’t forget to show the signature to your homeroom teacher on Wednesday morning!

CORIs: The Blue Team is in the process of planning field trips for the year. Any parent who wishes to chaperone a trip must have a current CORI filed with the school. This process can take time, so please come into the main office and complete a form ASAP if you think that you might be interested in chaperoning this year. Note: CORIs must be completed IN PERSON AT PCIS! Thanks!

Boxtops for Education: The Boxtops for Education Program will continue again this year. Fliers detailing which items have the redeemable box tops are being sent home. Please cut and save any box tops for education labels and send them in. Students receive 1 kindness or team spirit stamp for every 5 box tops.

Important Dates:

Friday, September 10 – Blue Bash Getting Acquainted Activity

Thursday, September 16 – PTA (Parent Teacher Association) Meeting, 7 PM Cafe

Tuesday, September 21 – Late buses begin (Tuesdays and Thursdays)

Wednesday, September 22– School Picture Day

Thursday, September 23 – Magazine Drive begins; PARENT Open House 7:00-8:30 PM

Wednesday, September 29 – In-Service; Students dismissed at 12:00 PM

Friday, October 8 – Mid-Term, Term I

Have a pleasant and productive week!

Together Everyone Achieves More

For this Blue Bulletin only, please complete this sheet and return it to your child’s homeroom teacher so we know that you have received this information and will be expecting more each Tuesday. Thank you.

-The Blue Team Teachers

I have read the Blue Team’s first Blue Bulletin and understand that there will be an issue of the Blue Bulletin sent home every Tuesday.

Name of Child _____________________________________________________

Parent Name (printed) ___________________________________________________

Parent Signature _____________________________________________________

Telephone number(s) _____________________________________________________

Email address _____________________________________________________

Would you be willing to chaperone field trips, work on special projects, help with our elementary school little buddies, or work on community service projects? We would like to develop a strong home-school partnership with you. Please let us know how you would like to participate.

I would like to help the Blue Team by: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reminder: By Friday each student should have returned the following items to his or her homeroom teacher:

3 green emergency cards completed on both sides and signed by a parent or guardian
1 yellow health form
any free/reduced lunch forms
this Blue Bulletin receipt form

THANK YOU!!!