First Peek at the Week for 2010-2011
August 23, 2010First Peek at the Week for 2010-2011
September
| 1 | Middle School new parent orientation, 6:30pm in the Middle School Commons |
| 2 | Middle School orientation for all students |
| 3 | No middle school |
| 7 | First full day of middle school |
| 13-14 | Fall sports practice begins |
| 14 | Middle School photo day |
| 14 | Middle School sports information night |
| 16 | Middle School Back-to-School night for parents |
| 22-23 | Middle School Discovery Days |
| 24 | Middle School Campus Day |
A Note from Paul Andrichuk, Middle School Head
Communication
As you transition into the school year, I wanted to give you important contact information.
As a rule teachers and staff prefer e-mail communication rather than using the phone extensions that are published in the Catlin Gabel directory.
Here are great points of contact:
· Your child’s C & C advisor. New students will learn these on the first day of school.
· Chris Bell, the Middle School AA.
· Individual classroom teachers.
· Each grade level has a team leader. The following faculty are team leaders:
6th grade: Carter Latendresse – latendressec@catlin.edu
7th grade: Lynda Douglas – douglasl@catlin.edu
8th grade: Paul Andricuk – andrichukp@catlin.edu
Financial Literacy
My first year in teaching, I had a student’s parent show up aghast at her first monthly statement. It seems her son had gone to the athletic office everyday for a pair of shorts and his current tab was $400.
Students at Catlin Gabel do charge lunches and some do go to the bookstore to purchase books or Catlin gear (and this does not even include bake sales).
Which gets us to the question of financial literacy………….especially personal financial literacy.
During this economic downturn, an interesting opportunity presented itself to several independent schools in New York City. One school discovered that students were interested in (and understood) aspects of the recession. However, they were confused by elementary aspects of personal finance, such as check writing or explaining the difference between credit and debit cards (one student was particularly confused by their overdraft).
(According to MSN Money: “Robert Manning, author of "Credit Card Nation: The Consequences of America's Addiction to Credit," [reports] the number of incoming college freshmen with credit cards tripled between 1999 and 2002.”)
Here are some interesting questions to consider in talking with your Middle Schooler about money management:
What are allowances?
What are allocation instructions (with money) given to Middle Schoolers?
What do students do to “earn” allowance?
What choices are Middle Schoolers involved with regarding economic choices that pertain to them (e.g., martial arts or French camp)?
Where do we (as adults) have conversations with kids about marketing, especially the pressure and desire they feel to buy and to acquire. Indeed, one President of an L.A. ad agency shared their thoughts about marketing: “Advertising at its best is making people feel that without their product, you’re a loser.” Urgh, toss a little Middle School angst into the mix.
How do we share budgets and the budgeting process with kids?
Here are additional resources for you:
Surely, some of you are wondering what the school’s role in all of this is. After all, we make it easy to “charge” things.
Here are a few things:
1. Early C & C activities will discuss charging in the barn. Whose money is this? What amount did you charge today?
2. Over the past two years we have tried to make used or recycled books easier to get, rather than simply charging all students for new books.
3. We will notify you of bake sales through the Peek.
4. A critical aspect of the 7th grade involves speaking with students about marketing techniques that focus on tweens and teens.
Here are commonly asked questions at the beginning of a school year.
How much HW is there?
This question varies considerably from person-to-person, based on processing speeds, time management (particularly as it relates to long-term assignments), and individual investment.
While we do not have a homework policy per se, we do want to hear when students are spending too much time on work.
How much time is there between classes?
There are 5 minutes of passing time in between classes.
This is a true passing time, rather than a socializing opportunity.
A bell is sounded to allow for travel time only before school, at the end of break, and at the end of lunch.
There are additional times when students have to be more mindful of their transitions. Distances to the Arts and PE might make students late if they are distracted be important matters such as socializing.
When will we get our schedules?
Schedules will not be distributed until Thursday, September 2nd.
What’s for lunch?
Although it is not posted as of this writing, lunch menus are posted at the following link:
What if I lose something?
There are multiple answers.
Visiting with Chris Bell and having a note placed in the daily announcements helps.
There is a spot for lost and found in the barn, the locker rooms, and the MS commons. In addition, items found in Commons areas are often turned into teachers, the MS Office, or placed in the closest cubby.
How do I track assignments?
All students will receive HW agendas on either Thursday, September 2 or Tuesday, September 7.
This allows students (and parents) to track assignments day-to-day and week-to-week. Long-term assignments are typically broken down to manageable assignments that are documented in the agenda.
A quick note, when nothing is entered in the agenda; there are several possibilities as to why:
- There is no HW.
- This Middle Schooler knows the HW (for each of their classes).
- It was not written down.
Cell Phones
A note about cell phones………while students can have these, we ask that they remain turned off and stowed away from the time they arrive until the end of the school day.
I’d like to share some of the thinking, which has developed over time.
Cell phones are an important safety net, especially for students who are keeping busy schedules or traveling to and from school on their own. You may be more comfortable allowing them to take public transportation on their own if they are reachable. They are indispensable during emergencies.
At the same time, continued and repeated conversations with kids about the following are important as well.
- Being reachable means you are always reachable. If your son or daughter is calling or texting you too often, what is the reason? Are they forgetting homework or soccer uniforms? Are they struggling socially? Are they worried about you or another family member? This constant communication can make independence an illusion.
- We were seeing more students talking on their phones at breaks, in between classes, and at lunch; this, rather than interacting with classmates or meeting with teachers as needed.
- Texting and camera features are great, but we have to remind students about appropriate uses for these.
- We were seeing more students comparing phones as measures of status. Kids are envious of others’ phone colors, features, and accessories.
- Cell phone accessibility during trips, especially class trips, takes away from the experience, both for the individual student and the group.
- Family situations and circumstances might require that students carry a phone to stay in touch with family members during an emergency. It is important that an adult here be appraised on the situation. Better still, we recommend that the kid be with an adult here when any such life changing information is relayed.
If you have questions and comments, feel free to call.
Religious Holidays & Student Absences
In order to help you plan for absences for spiritual and holy days, here is what you can expect from the Middle School.
Chris Bell or the blockheads can be notified by e-mail of absences for observing religious holidays. Planned absence forms are not necessary, however it is important that we know who will be here in the interest of class planning.
Teachers and students will connect about missed class time when students return. Ideally, students will arrange this check-in.
Some teachers will require that HW be completed but we will be flexible on the due dates.
Please call Paul if you have questions or concerns.
Study Halls Start Monday, September 13!
There are formal study halls scheduled on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30—4:30 in Parallel Universe and the library. There are several important changes regarding MS study halls.
Study halls will be proctored by Sara Dier as well as trained US student tutors.
Study halls are ideal for Middle Schoolers who need additional support with study skills or homework. It is a logical first step in student support.
Students will be signed into study hall. If they are not being picked up immediately after study hall ends they are asked to check in to ASC. Drop-ins are welcome.
In some cases, students will be required to attend.
Study Halls will not be held on the following dates up to winter break:
Thursday, September 23—Discovery Days
Thursday, October 7—PNAIS is the following day
Thursday, October 14—MS Conferences are the following day
Thursday, November 25—Thanksgiving Break (no school)
Contact Sara Dier or Ann Fyfield if you have questions.
MS Back to School Night is Thursday, September 16th
Food will be available in the MS courtyard beginning at 5:45. The evening will begin promptly at 6:30.
MS Back to School Night is intended for adults only.
Parents will receive a folder that contains the schedule, nametags, Discovery Days permission slips (which can be returned that evening), and other relevant handouts.
School Supplies
School supplies are required as of Tuesday, September 7th. Clicking on the link below can access a detailed school supply list:
Fall Athletics
All Middle Schoolers are eligible to play sports in the fall. There are two boys soccer teams, one or two girls soccer teams, two girls volleyball teams, and a co-ed cross-country team. A detailed practice schedule will be posted the week of September 6. In addition, there will be an informational evening for parents to hear about MS sports on Tuesday, September 14 at 6:30 pm in the Middle School Commons.
Emerging Artists Exhibition
Tuesday, Sept. 7 through Thursday, Oct. 21
Cabell Center Lobby
Come view this exciting show featuring 2010 BFA and MFA graduates from Lewis and Clark, Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA), and Portland State University. The show features a diverse collection of quality work from seven artists: Deanna Bredthauer, Gregory d'Hemecourt, Kathryn Miller, Tuna Poanessa, Miles Sprietsma, Colleen Stokes, Laura Jane Walker, and Stephanie White. Works represent a variety of techniques and mediums in painting, drawing, photography, textiles, wood, metal, and mixed media.
Do you like art?
Come meet the Emerging Artists and learn about the Catlin Gabel Art Exhibition Committee. We will be helping the artists hang their work Tuesday, Sept. 7, starting at 8:30am. We will have coffee, tea, snacks, conversation, and interesting art to look at! For more information contact Lee Stewart at (503) 827-6658 or lrstew@qwest.net.
Are you going to ride the Catlin Gabel route buses to and/or from school this year?
This year’s bus routes along with the required documents to sign before riding, as well as current billing and general information about riding the bus is now posted on the School’s web site: www.catlin.edu. Click on PARENTS from the headings near the top of the page and then on Bus Service from the list running down to the left.
Please note that the required documents must be signed each year and returned to Division AA’s before students ride.
If you have questions about the bus routes, contact Ed Sallia, Transportation Coordinator, at 503-297-1894 x401, 503-820-1059, or salliae@catlin.edu.
For billing questions, contact Chris Balag at 503-297-1894 x274 or balagc@catlin.edu