Middle School Update

Volume 7 Number 6

September 10, 2007

CALENDAR:

ACRONYMS: Our middle school is full of acronyms, The ones that you should be familiar with are MYP, CAS,  and ATL.  Here’s a new one FLEP – which stands for Family Education Program. The 6th grade has begun with the FLEP program.  The topics to be discussed are: growing up means that we’re changing, our bodies, emotions, interests, etc., puberty and the specific changes it causes, similarities and differences between boys and girls, self esteem and peer pressure, and reproduction. These are topics that some parents feel uncomfortable talking about with their children. If your child should initiate a conversation about something that was discussed in school, please take the opportunity to continue the conversation.  One of the most interesting parts of this program is the discussion of the questions that the students submit anonymously and the dispelling of myths about puberty and reproduction. If you have any questions about this program, please contact Ms. Castañeda (ccastana@amersol.edu.pe) or Ms. Remy (rremy@amersol.edu.pe).

LITTERING: Our students spent one of their breaks this week discussing the meaning of littering, why we should pick up litter on our campus, and making a commitment to the future in concrete actions such as reminding their friends to pick up litter and if they see litter on the ground to pick it up regardless of whether it is theirs or not.  The culmination of the discussion was to write a letter to the janitorial staff with this information.  We are a community here in the middle school and therefore, we all share the responsibility of keeping our campus clean!

TEMPORARY CHANGES IN STAFFING:  Ms Julie Lemley had a baby boy, Maximo David, and will be on maternity leave for the rest of the semester.  During that time Ms Anne Bradley, who teaches two other Grade 6 English classes, will teach English 6. Mr. Dan Pace will take sole responsibility for the English 7 class he was team-teaching with Ms Lemley previously.  Mr. Robb Hoiseth will teach Ms Lemley’s other grade 7 English – Mr. Hoiseth has taught English before coming to FDR where he is now teaching PE.  The Technology 6 classes will be taught by Angie Urbina and Gaby Eyzaguirre, our MS technology staff.  On a similar but different note, Ms Marilyn Holladay is acting superintendent during the month of September while Dr. Kluznik is absent and Ms Cathy Rohter will be picking up some of the Middle School administrative duties. Ms Anita Heykoop will substitute for Ms Rohter in two classes during that time. Ms Heykoop has taught 7th grade science at FDR previously during the maternity leave of a teacher, has substituted for high school teachers on maternity leave, and she has tutored FDR students in math and sciences for many years.  All of the above teachers are available by email.  

POWERSCHOOL: Have you been on Power School yet?  We are now in the middle of the first quarter and almost all classes now have grades posted in Power School.  Please ask your child to show you how to get into Power School.  When you get in, click on the word “SEE” and a list of all assignments with the respective criteria and marks will be available. If you do not have your password, please contact Ms. Remy.  

LOST AND FOUND: The “Lost and Found” box is full of blue jackets and red vests. Unfortunately, they cannot be returned to the students because the majority of them do not have a name in them.  Please make sure that all your child’s belongings, including items of clothing, lunch box, pencil case, notebooks, and organizer have a name that is visible.  If your child has lost anything, also please remind him to check the “Lost and Found”.

CWW:  So you can plan ahead: Payment for the Classroom Without Walls trips  must be made on October 1st and 2nd on campus. The cost will be $650 for Grade 6 to Cusco, $700 for Grade 7 to Iquitos and $625 for Grade 8  to Trujillo/Chiclayo. Packets with complete information will go home September 24th and will be followed by meetings for parents. We need to have the complete lists of participants by then because it is a very busy time in Peru for school trips and we want our groups together in each location.

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

IN ACTION …

MEDIANOS (93-94) BOYS SOCCER--ADCA Championship

Come on out and support our team!

COMING UP…

ADCA TRACK and FIELD meet for kids born in 1993-1996 will take place Oct. 25 and 26. All P.E. classes have been involved in Track and Field units, and we are finding some hidden talent! If your son or daughter is interested in competing for FDR, they are encouraged to join Track and Field on Tuesdays and Thursdays after school.

MENORES (95-96) BOYS BASKETBALL--ADCA Championship will be starting on Monday, Sept. 17. A schedule should be coming home with your son late next week.

The boys have ordered personalized practice uniforms. A payment of $15 or S/ 47 should be made to Ms. Carmen Pinillos in the Athletics Office before Monday, Sept. 10.

MENORES (95-96) GIRLS VOLLEYBALL--ADCA Championship will be starting on Tuesday, Sept. 18. A schedule should be coming home with your daughter late next week.

MEDIANOS (93-94) BOYS BASKETBALL--ADCA Championship will be starting up Oct. 19.

CAS ACTIVITIES:

GRADE 6

Group 5:   Yoga and Sports Games

Group 1:   Character Building

Group 2:   Reading in Spanish

Group 3:   Strategies for Success in 6th grade

Group 4:   Museo de la Nación

GRADE 7

Group F:   Old Ladies

Group A:    Nursery

Group B:   GLOFO

Group C:   Environmental Awareness

Group D:   Tech

Group E:   Creative Writing

GRADE 8

Group Red:   PEBAL

Group Green:   Counselors

Group Yellow and Blue:   Recycling plant visit