Parent Connection November 3rd, 2019

The school year is flying by already as we have reached the end of the 1st Quarter already!  So far, the school year has gotten off to a great start, with high levels of learning happening in the classrooms throughout the school.  Please see the notes below that provide some information to you, so that you can ask your kids about them in the weeks ahead.

Quarter 1 Report Cards
Report cards should be arriving through the mail next weekend or early next week.  Students will be reviewing and reflecting on their progress during the first 9 weeks of the school year.  As always, parents can review the grades on the Parent Portal through Infinite Campus. 

Middle School Assembly
Next Friday (11/15), our students will be participating in an Assembly starting at 2:15.  We will have a couple of Homeroom competitions, drawings, and having some fun.  A teacher or two may get some pie in the face as well.

Pediatric Cancer Fund-Raiser
High School Members of the National Honor Society have organized a fund-raiser that will benefit research for pediatric cancer.  Any amount of money a student brings in to their Homeroom teacher will get them a gold heart that will be posted on a bulletin board in our downstairs hallway.  The Homeroom that raises the most for this good cause will earn an ice cream party.

Cold Weather
As the days have gotten cold in a hurry, a general reminder to make sure your students are dressed for the weather.  There will be times when morning and lunch recess will be outside, so students should dress for the weather.

Cell Phone Reminder
During the school day, students carry around and utilize a school-issued chromebook each day.  There is no need for a student to have a cell phone on them at all.  In a world where we have the ability to engage in some form  of entertainment at all times, we feel that face to face non-online contact is really important for our students.   We encourage parents to have their kids keep cell phones at home.

Early Release Reminder!!
A reminder that on Wednesday (11/27), all students will be dismissed at 1:15 prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday.

PAD Parent's Club Fund-Raiser Pick Up Information
Fall Fundraiser pickup will be Wednesday, November 6 from 2:30 until 5:30 in the 1-8 gym. Please be sure to pick up your items. If you are unable to pick up your items during this time you must make arrangements for someone to pick them up for you.

Images from School

Parent Connection - May 3, 2019

Happy May to you!
We have finished up our state testing, and continue to have a strong focus on improving the skills and building the knowledge of our students right up until the last day of school on Thursday, June 6th.  I am proud of the great kids and staff that we have in our school.  We appreciate working together as partners during your child's educational journey.  A couple of items to highlight during the last month of school.

Parent Resource
Social Media and Screen Time continue to be issues that are garnering much attention in the news lately.  Our School Counselors have reported to me that there has been a noticeable increase in the number of instances where students report feeling sad, but can't think of a reason to be sad.  This phenomenon makes sense after you learn about the effects for kids on screens, and also their parents on screens.  Take a minute to review an article on this topic.  Another article is linked below to provide guidance for you to talk with your teens about this topic.

"The FOMO is Real: How Social Media Increases Depression and Loneliness" - healthline.com

Screen Time Resources for Parents - parenteenconnect.org

Penny Wars with all proceeds going to the Poynette Food Pantry
Our Middle School is hosting Penny Wars as fundraising for the Poynette Food Pantry. Students can bring in any spare change, specifically pennies, to the MS office, where each grade has a collection bucket. All proceeds will be donated to the Poynette Food Pantry and if we raise $500, the grade with the most donations will choose the color Dr. Pritzl will dye his hair for the rest of the year. The battle will end on Friday, May 10.

Testing
All of our students have completed the Forward Exam.  Our testing sessions went really well and we all are proud of their efforts.  All students will be taking the STAR Reading and Math tests during the middle of May.  STAR results will be mailed home with report cards at the end of the school year.
  
Superhero Run Fundraiser
We will be running our 2nd annual Superhero Run this spring.  The run will be on Friday, May 17th. Our students will also be participating in activities that will get them moving during the afternoon as well.  Grade levels will be on the track for the Superhero Run at the following times:

8th Grade - 8:20 - 9:00

7th Grade - 9:05 - 9:55

6th Grade - 11:30 - 12:10

Fund-raising packets were distributed to students during Homeroom today.  Any student is welcome to participate.  All fund-raising forms and money should be turned into the 1-8 office.

Items for your calendar
Thursday - May 16 - Spring Concert
Thursday - May 16 - 7th Graders Field Trip to Mackenzie Center
Friday - May 17 - Superhero Run/Wellness Day
Wednesday - May 22 - 6th Grade Track Meet in the Afternoon
Thursday - May 23 - Home Track Meet
Sunday - June 2 - PHS Graduation
Wednesday - June 5 - 8th Grade Field Trip/Dance (8th graders last day)
Thursday - June 6 - Early Release at 12:30

Parent Resource
Social Media and Screen Time continue to be issues that are garnering much attention in the news lately.  Our School Counselors have reported to me that there has been a noticeable increase in the number of instances where students report feeling sad, but can't think of a reason to be sad.  This phenomenon makes sense after you learn about the effects for kids on screens, and also their parents on screens.  Take a minute to review an article on this topic.  Another article is linked below to provide guidance for you to talk with your teens about this topic.

"The FOMO is Real: How Social Media Increases Depression and Loneliness" - healthline.com

Screen Time Resources for Parents - parenteenconnect.org

Parent Connection - February 19, 2019

Greetings!
The past month sure has been interesting, and we certainly are looking forward to the more consistent, mild weather that awaits us as spring gets closer.  There have been some adjustments that we have made to account for the high number of weather-related days out of school, and it is my hope to communicate (or review) all of these changes, and other items, in this blog post.  We really appreciate the support you give your child and our school.

Calendar Updates
Below you will see the details about changes to our calendar to make up lost time due to weather.

-We will be adding 5 minutes to the school day starting on Monday, 2/25/19.  School will officially start at 7:30 and end at 2:47.  The first bell will ring at 7:26 (was 7:28).  Bus pick-up times will remain the same.  You can view the PMS Master Schedule by clicking on the link.

-March 22nd and April 22nd will now be normal school days.

-The last student day will be on June 6th (release at 12:30) instead of June 5. 

-The End of Quarter 3 will be on Friday, April 5th.

Spring Parent-Teacher Conferences
Our Spring Conferences will be on Thursday, March 7th from 3:30 - 8:00.  Teachers may reach out to schedule a conference with you, or you may contact any teacher to set up a conference time with them.  There will be student work on display throughout the building and potentially some student music performances happening throughout the evening as well.

I will presenting to any interested parents on the following topic: "Keeping Tabs on My Middle Schooler's Performance in School".  There will be 2 sessions, the first starting at 4:30 and the second starting at 6:30.  The location of the sessions will be in the 1-8 Cafeteria.

Attendance
I think everyone knows that good attendance habits are important...but there are many reasons why exceptional attendance is such a critical piece to student success.  The attached handout provides a deeper look into student attendance habits.
"Pay Attention to Attendance"

Parent Resource
Teaching our kids responsibility can be tricky.  The Parenteenconnect website that correlates with our Social Emotional Learning curriculum.  This WEBSITE is full of resources that can be helpful in teaching your child learn to be independently responsible.

Parent Connection - December 21, 2018

We would like to wish everyone a safe, enjoyable holiday season.  It seems really hard to believe that we are already very close to the halfway point in the school year.  Our students and teachers have been working very hard.

School resumes on Wednesday, January 2nd, 2019.

We appreciate the support each of you give to your children and their success at school.  Below are some resources to check out.

Parent-Teen Connect Resource
During December, many students gather and connect with family, friends, and neighbors to celebrate all that the season brings. And because everyone celebrates differently, it's also a good time to think about and practice the important life skill of perspective taking. Time at home and in gatherings can also present new social challenges and different expectations, offering excellent opportunities to learn and connect---  for adolescents and their parents. The parenteenconnect is a great resource for parents to hear from experts who share tips about effective ways to communicate with your adolescent child.

School-Wide Literacy Activity
On Friday, 12/21, all students participated in a school-wide Literacy Activity.  Middle School students were paired up with Elementary students and all read together for a half hour.  Images from the event are included below.

A Note About the Late Bus
As we move forward in the school year, and some new co-curricular activities are about to begin, a reminder about our co-curricular transportation guidelines that are found in our Middle and High School Student Handbooks.

If a student wants to participate in an after school activity, it is the family’s responsibility to make sure the student has transportation home.  If parents choose to utilize the late bus for transportation, it is important to note that parents need to check with the bus company to see if the late route provides transportation to the student’s drop-off location, as the late route may be different than the early route. The late bus routes are not always the same as the Middle/High School routes, and the late bus routes cannot be altered.

Images to Share

Parent Connection - November 16, 2018

The Thanksgiving Holiday Season is upon us.  We want to wish all of our families the best during this time.  We will have an all-district Early Release on Wednesday (11/21) at 1:15pm, and there is No School on Thursday (11/22), Friday (11/23), and Monday (11/26).

Our Middle School Holiday Concert is scheduled for Tuesday, December 18th at 7:00pm in the 1-8 Gym.  The concert will feature both our Band and Choir groups in this always impressive event.

See below for information about some of the latest at our school...

Student Report Cards
Report Cards for 1st Quarter performance were mailed out at the end of last week, and students received a copy in their Homeroom Group last Friday.  Teachers reviewed report card results with students and each student reflected on their performance and set goals for the next quarter.  Sitting down with your child to review the results and discuss goals for the next quarter would align with the process they worked through with their Homeroom teacher.

Puma Pride Grades
As we go through the 2nd Quarter, we have a number of teachers that will be reporting out on our Puma Pride standards within their own class throughout the quarter.  In the past we have reported overall student performance in the Puma Pride areas at the end of a reporting period, but in an effort to provide more detailed information to parents and students about their performance in their individual classes, you will notice some teachers providing more detailed and frequent information about student performance in individual classes on the following standards:
-Follows classroom expectations
-Completes and returns work in a timely manner
-Puts forth effort to produce work of high quality

Parent Resource
The article linked below is a great guide for parents to use as they work with their child to set goals.

"Goal Setting for Tweens" -parenttoolkit.com

Referendum has Passed!
With the passing of the Referendum question in last week's question, we have already started to lay the foundation for planning for the new space that we will have at our disposal for the start of the 2020 school year.  With the change, we will no longer need to send our students to the high school for many of their daily classes, and we have much more space to improve the learning experiences for our students.  Our Middle School will be the home for all of the district's 5th - 8th graders.  We look forward to the planning process as we will be looking to maximize the space and programming for our middle school students.  Feel free to reach out with any questions about the process.

Images from the past Month

Parent Connection - October 22, 2018

Parent Resource
The Parent/Teen Connect website that goes along with our Social-Emotional Learning curriculum is a great resource for parents.  The link below will take you to a site that discusses parent-teen communication, and provides guidance for how to communicate effectively with your teenage child.

ParenTeen Connect - Communication

End of Quarter 1 is quickly approaching
The end of the 1st quarter is on Friday, November 2.  Report cards will be mailed home near the end of the following week.  Students will also receive a copy of their report card in their Homerooms on Friday, November 9th.  They will analyze the results and teachers will guide students through a reflection of their own performance in the Homeroom period.

We pay close attention to student performance in our Puma Pride standards:
     -Completes and returns work in a timely manner,
     -Follows classroom expectations,
     -Puts forth effort to complete work of high quality,
     -Treats others with kindness,
     -Follows school rules.

These are areas that correlate with academic success, and skills that employers are looking for in their employees.  Having all scores at "Meets Expectations" (ME) is our goal for every student.

Upcoming Events
Friday, October 26 - Dress Like Your Favorite Book Character Day
Friday, October 26 - Halloween Dance (sponsored by PAD Parent's Club)
     -Middle School students - 7:30 - 9:00 in the 1-8 Gym

Referendum Information
Election Day is only a couple weeks away.  We strive to have all citizens informed on the details of the referendum question that will be posed to our community.  You can learn more by viewing the Referendum Fact Sheet by visiting this LINK.  If you have any questions about the referendum question or process, feel free to contact me or our Superintendent, Mr. Shappell.

Parent Connection - October 5, 2018

Parent Resource
The article presents some interesting findings in a recent study done on the effects of teen sleep patterns.

"Less Sleep Associated with Risky Behavior in Teens, Study Says" by Naomi Thomas

Parent-Teacher Conferences Start this Week
We are excited to welcome our families into school starting this Thursday for Parent/Teacher Conferences.  Each family was mailed a scheduled time to meet with at least one of your child's teachers for either this coming Thursday (10/11) or next Thursday (10/18).  If you are not sure of your scheduled time, please contact the office, and they'll let you know.

When you arrive for conferences, stop by the front office to pick up a folder for your child.  The folder contains student progress information for you to review prior to entering the conference time with your child's teacher.  This will give you an opportunity to spend more of the time in discussion and have questions ready for the teacher.  We'll see you soon!

Referendum Information
For more information about the upcoming referendum vote in November, please visit the school's website.  School board members and administrators will also be out front of the Piggly Wiggly this Saturday morning (8:30 - 11:30), and again the following Saturday.  I will be available during conference time as well for any questions that you may have about the upcoming referendum question.

Parent's Club Fundraiser
Middle School students received fund-raising packets in their homerooms last week.  If students wish to participate they are welcome to do so.  Fund-raising packets and online sales end on 10/10/18.  The pick-up will be on 11/6/18.

Parent Connection - September 21, 2018

Parent Resource

Educational research reveals that one of the most important factors that can influence how much a student achieves above his/her potential is the teacher having high expectations for each student.  Teacher expectations can be felt by our students by words, actions, and body language.  We strive to expect a lot out of our students because we know it matters a lot.  Turns out, holding high expectations for your kids is really important in parenting as well.  The article this week speaks to the rationale and application of this principle.

"The Most Successful Kids Have Parents Who Do This One Thing" 

https://raising-independent-kids.com/blog/

School Culture

During our weekly Homeroom lessons, students participate in activities that seek to enhance their understanding of positive social interactions and situations.  Coming up in the next two weeks, Mrs. Morton and I will be visiting classrooms to interact with students about what it takes to build on our positive school culture by focusing on recognizing and responding to bullying/harassment situations and school safety.

Upcoming School Referendum Information

Do you have questions about the upcoming referendum?  Do you want to learn more about the extensive process that was undertaken to determine the facility needs of the district?  Join us Tuesday (9/25) evening from 5:30 - 7:00 in the 1-8 Building for a Community Meeting.  

Updates from the Art Department

Mrs. Crawford has set up a blog for her Art classes.  Students access the blog for their classwork and their artwork is displayed.  Feel free to take a tour of the site by clicking HERE

6th Graders Learning how the Internet Works in Coding Class

Parent Connection - September 16, 2018

Parent Resource
The article this week provides 8 tips that can be helpful when working with your child as they go through their middle school experience.

"These Are the 8 Things Every Middle School Teacher Wants Parents to Know Before School Starts" by ALESSIA SANTORO

Opportunities to get involved

We have three clubs starting up this next week.

-Literacy Club will meet on Monday after school in Mrs. Rogness' room.  This group will focus on communication.  They will help report on events happening at school, and also help organize school-wide literacy events.  

-Art Club will meet each Tuesday after school in Mrs. Crawford's room.  Students can come in and let their artistic creativity grow and shine.

-No Name Volunteers will meet each Thursday after school in Mrs. Anderson's room. Mrs. Morton has an activity planned each week that our students can get involved with to make a difference for someone else in different ways.

The Week Ahead...

-Students will begin meeting in their IE groups on Monday.  Teachers will communicate the locations for each student during class on Monday.  

-There are a couple field trips coming up...parents should be on the look-out for permission slips.  8th graders to Devil's Lake (10/3), 6th graders to the Science Festival (10/11), 7th and 8th grade golf trips coming up in October.  

-Parent-Teacher conferences are also coming up in October (10/11 and 10/18).  Please be on the lookout for a letter that will indicate your scheduled conference time and location.

-Students should be bringing their Student Handbooks home with them this week.  The Handbook can also be viewed at this LINK.  Parents should have a conversation about the handbook (school rules) and can also review the handbook with your child.  Students should return a signed "Handbook Acknowledgement Sheet" to the office.

Images from the Week

Parent Connection - September 9, 2018

Parent Resource
"How was your day at school today?"  "Fine"...This is a pretty common question and answer session for parents of middle and high school kids after school on a daily basis...check the resource below for some tips on getting your child to open up a bit more about their day at school.

"Talking with Kids About School" -pbsparents

Math Lab for Middle School Students
We are pleased to announce that we will have a Math Lab available every night (M-F) after school from 2:45 - 3:30 in Mrs. Andringa's classroom (room .  Any student wishing to work or get some extra help in Math are welcome to attend.  As always, students that are staying after school from 2:45 - 3:35 must be in an assigned location with a teacher.  Students are also welcome to stay after school to work with their Math teacher, however, this is another option for students to come in and work on or get assistance with their Math work

The Week Ahead...
By the end of the week, our 6th graders were getting in and out of their locker a lot quicker, and the transition time between classes is just about at its normal time.  As we look to the week ahead, we will continue to meet in Homeroom groups during our IE time.  The goal of this time is to build a smaller, close knit group within our school community.  while facilitating discussions with our students about social/emotional learning and current issues students face.  Pictures from some of the activities are below.

Other Images from the Week

Parent Connection - August 31, 2018

I really enjoyed seeing our hallways full again with an energetic buzz this past Wednesday at our annual Open House.  We are ready to welcome the kids back to school on Tuesday morning.  Student schedules are available on the Parent Portal, and will also be available for students on the first day in their first class of the day.  Our teachers will greet the students on the playground in the morning, and then the students will enter the building at 7:28, head to their lockers first, gather their belongings, then head to the gym for our opening welcome assembly.  Students will then report to their first class of the day.  We are really excited to begin learning more about each of our kids, and starting this year's journey of learning and discovery.

A Mother's Reminder to Her Middle School Child

The activity described at the link below provides a strong visual reminder for everyone about the power of their words.  Check it out below.

"You’re Going To Want To Borrow This Mom’s Viral Lesson On The Power Of Words" - Maria Guido

Cell Phone Use Policy at School
Cell phones/iPods etc. are a part of our daily life in 2018. At school, these devices have the potential to be a big distraction for any kid, and many of the communication apps have an addictive nature to them.  A recent NPR article shines a light on this issue.  For middle school students, I would recommend that cell phones stay home if possible.  While our policy allows for students to use their devices before school and at lunch, there is so much value to face to face communication and interaction for our students. 

We will utilize technology in class frequently, and if students need a device for any purpose, it will be provided.  Distracting cell phone use in class is a violation of the student handbook, and calls for the device to be turned over to the staff member and submitted to the office.  On a first offense, the student can pick up the device at the end of the day.  For subsequent offenses, the handbooks states that parents will be contacted to come pick up the device at the office.

We are committed to teaching our kids how to engage with electronic devices in the most appropriate manner for use in their daily lives.

Welcome to the Poynette Middle Parent Connection Blog

This blog is designed to provide our Poynette Middle School parents resources to help them navigate their journey of raising a teenager today.  This blog will share some information not only about things happening at school, but also resources to help your son/daughter with social issues that may arise during this time period in his/her life.  Feel free to enter your email address in the "Follow by Email" text box, and you will receive a notification anytime a post is entered.

Open House
Our Open House is Wednesday, August 29th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm.  This a great opportunity for students to come in and drop off their supplies at their locker, follow their schedule, and meet their teachers.  Students and parents can view their schedules on the Parent Portal, or can pick up a hard copy at the office.  We very much look forward to seeing all of the kids back in our buildings next week!

First Day of School
Our first student day is on Tuesday, September 4th.  When students arrive to school, they should proceed to the Middle School Playground area at the east side of the Elementary/Middle School.  When the doors open at 7:28, students will report to the gym for a brief assembly before heading to their 1st class of the day.

Parent-Teen Connect
https://www.parenteenconnect.org/ is a website that provides multiple resources for parents on a variety of topics.  This website is a companion to the Social-Emotional Learning program that we use with all of our Middle School students during our Homeroom lessons.  I recommend taking a minute to check it out, and save it as a favorite to reference.

Below is a resource about Screen Time
Real Voices

Expert Advice