Our fifth graders will inform us all with presentations on countries and cultures around the world! In addition, seventh graders, their teachers, and I return tonight from our annual trip to New Mexico. What a fabulous adventure we have had! Based at Ft. Burgwin (SMU-in-Taos), we visited museums in Santa Fe, explored almost every site of interest in Taos, and traveled to Bandelier National Monument and the Bradbury Science Museum at Los Alamos. I truly cannot thank enough the faculty who accompanied us on this journey; their care, intellect, and humor allowed for a relaxed and enlightening week of treasured memories and learning for all! Seventh grade teachers and students will not attend school tomorrow.

 

IMPACT TESTING FOR SIXTH GRADE: Sixth grade parents, IMPACT testing (baseline concussion measurement) will begin for your daughters during study hall periods on May 5,9,11, and 13. All rising seventh graders go through this testing so that we have a baseline profile for our students, and you may view the School’s concussion protocol at this link.

 

C.A.R.E. CALENDAR HONORS: Over the last few weeks our fifth graders busily worked on designs for the annual C.A.R.E. calendar competition. This organization helps to educate children about the dangers of substance abuse. The following fifth graders will have their entries reproduced in the online C.A.R.E. Calendar and displayed at NorthPark Mall from April 18-27: Sam Courtwright (cover); Lauren Roach (September); and Caroline Zimmer (October). Additionally, Jayna Dave, Sydney Hoyl, Audrey Schwartz, and Alexandra Weinmeister won honorable mention awards and will have work on display at NorthPark also. Finally, the following girls will also have work on display at NorthPark from April 18 until April 27: Kennedy Eagleton, Ela Guo, Jordan Hanna, Zoya Haq, Lola Isom, Riley London, Sherry Long, Millie Montsinger, Maddie Muller, and Ella Weathersby.

ELECTIVES FOR FALL 2016-2017: I soon will mail out a selection form for electives that will be offered in the fall. These forms must be returned to the Middle School Office by Friday, May 27 or study hall will be assigned as your child’s elective. You may fax (214-360-6446), email (aheck@hockaday.org), mail, or have your daughter bring forms to Alexa Heck by that date. Electives are offered to give girls a chance to explore areas beyond their regular classes. Each girl takes one elective that meets two times in each rotation. Some electives require a year-long commitment and others will run until the end of January, at which time the students may choose a different elective for the remainder of the year.

 

The majority of electives are offered on Day 1 and Day 5 during Flex (11:10-11:40) before lunch. Fifth and sixth grade choir and some orchestras meet twice during each rotation during a portion of D period study hall or Flex Period on days other than Day 1 or Day 5. I’ll provide the specific meeting times on the selection form. If your daughter chooses choir or orchestra, she does need to be aware that choosing an additional elective will reduce her study time during the school day. Once you receive the details, please call me if you have any questions or have your daughter stop by my office for clarification.

 

MATH PLACEMENT: During the week of in-service in June, all Middle School math teachers and I meet to confer about next year’s math placement for our students. All incoming fifth graders are placed in the same level class. However, we do offer an enriched section of math in grades six, seven, and eight and also a concrete-approach section in eighth grade. Students in these enriched sections follow the same curriculum as the other students in their grade; however, the pace is quicker and the scope and depth of concepts is broader. Our concrete approach offers a more comprehensive, detailed approach when introducing new concepts. Movement into the enriched sections is reviewed at the end of each school year so that the enrollment usually grows to two sections in eighth grade. In our meetings, the math faculty and I analyze a wide variety of criteria: the results of each child’s end-of-year math inventory, report card marks, ERB scores, ability to comprehend new and more abstract concepts quickly and confidently, frequency and accuracy of work on enrichment/bonus (higher level) problems, and comfort with taking risks in class. Most students are placed in our regular sections of math (which are actually advanced in comparison to other math programs). If your daughter appears to be well-placed in an enriched section or the concrete section in eighth grade, I will call you in June to talk about her choices. Again, please note that math placement for any given year is based on your daughter’s current cognitive development in this area; her growth is repeatedly analyzed by our math teachers, and through differentiated instruction and the fluidity of our program, we fully expect to meet her math needs.

 

HPA VOLUNTEERS: Our Hockaday Parents' Association held its turnover meeting this week, providing information for incoming volunteers and thanking those in current HPA positions. I must extend my deepest appreciation to Ariana Held and all of our parents who have aided us this year in adding the “frosting” to special events and programs we put on for our students. Our partnership with our parents is one we value greatly!

 

STUDENT COUNCIL: Our Student Council elections are coming up! Fifth through seventh graders have moved through the primary process, and candidates will give election speeches to their peers on Tuesday, May 3 with voting immediately following. New officers will be installed on Friday, May 6.

 

EIGHTH GRADUATION SPEECHES: Some of our eighth graders are busily preparing graduation speeches. The speeches are due in the Middle School Office by Monday, May 2 by 3:15 p.m., and all interested girls present their thoughts about graduating from Middle School to the eighth grade advisors on Thursday, May 5. One girl’s speech is chosen to be delivered at Eighth Grade Graduation; however, I weave portions of each girl’s speech into my comments at that event. In that way, the feelings of all are shared as we celebrate the eighth grade class.

 

WILLIAMSBURG 2016: A form indicating your desire to chaperone the Williamsburg trip was mailed to the parents of rising sixth graders last week. If the opportunity to chaperone appeals to you, please bring the form to the Middle School Office and give it in person to Alexa Heck. Please do not mail or fax the form to us and do not send it with your daughter. Alexa will have you sign a list as you turn in your form. We must have these forms in the office by 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, May 4, at the latest; unfortunately, we are unable to consider any late applications. Two doctors will be included in the total of eight chaperones. If more than two doctors send in their names, we will draw two from that pool separately. Parents who have gone before will not be included unless we need more people than have volunteered. If you have gone, and would like to be in the drawing in the unlikely event that we don't have enough, please indicate that on your sheet. On the afternoon of May 4, the grade reps and I will draw the names of eight chaperones from the returned forms and put the remaining names on a waiting list. We will send out a brief email (regarding those names which were drawn) on May 4 to notify all who sent in the forms. The grade reps will also call those first eight, so you will not have to wait for the email. Please do not call the school.

 

END-OF-YEAR SPECIAL EVENTS: Click here to see a schedule for the last week of school.Please note that all Middle Students attend Eighth Grade Graduation this year on Friday, May 27 in Penson Athletic Center. If your fifth, sixth, or seventh grader cannot attend that day, please notify me in advance so that we can adjust our seating arrangements.

 

Have a lovely weekend,

 

Linda Kramer

Head of Middle School