ELECTIVES FOR FALL 2017-2018:  In a few weeks I 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 Tuesday, May 23 or study hall will be assigned as your child’s elective. You may fax (214-360-6446), email, 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 at the end of May, 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 enriched sections 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 by 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 that opportunity. 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. 

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 9 with voting immediately following. New officers will be installed on Thursday, May 11. 

 

NETFLIX SERIES:  We all know that our girls enjoy technology and media, some more than others.  I also think we are all aware of some of the dangers that both can pose. In general, we rely heavily on relationship-based interventions to help guide and steer our girls, and apps and shows change so frequently that it’s nearly impossible to keep up with them. Today, I want to make an exception and make you aware of a popular show that some of your daughters may be consuming, 13 Reasons Why. This is a Netflix-exclusive show based on the suicide of a young girl. The episodes recount heart-breaking and traumatic reasons that this girl decides to end her life. Obviously, discussions with you about 13 Reasons Why could help build empathy, support your daughter’s emotional health, and validate boundaries and values of your family. However, when watching unaccompanied by parents, with no one to help them unpack the emotional heaviness of this show, our girls could take away some mixed messages about the material. Please be informed that this show is extremely graphic in terms of sexual and violent content.

UPCOMING EVENTS:  Eighth grade parents, please remember that your daughters have an early dismissal from school on Friday, May 19 at 11:10 a.m. as they are provided a review afternoon at home for their upcoming exams on Monday, May 22.  In addition, after-school care in Daisy Den will end on Monday, May 22. All Middle School girls are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 24 from our Middle School Closing Assembly and seventh graders are dismissed at 2:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 25 from Eighth Grade Graduation. And…please add Monday, August to your calendars for Registration. Specific times for each grade level will be sent to you later in the summer.       

 

Have a lovely weekend,