Welcome Parents! 2017-2018 Scorpion Team

Scorpion’s Philosophy and Rules Respect others and their property. Be responsible for your own actions. Be prepared for class; i.e.: bring completed homework, supplies, good attitude, etc. Be on time for class. Follow all school directions located in the student handbook.

Middle School Responsibility Middle school comes with a great deal more responsibility. The students are afforded many more freedoms than in past years. It is their responsibility to write down their homework for every class, and to pack their backpacks at the end of the day. They are not escorted to their lockers at the end of the day and are solely responsible for staying organized. If you have any questions, please ask a member of the Scorpion Team.

Student Handbook: Avon Middle School North’s student handbook is available online on the AMSN webpage. Your student has reviewed the handbook with their teachers. Please utilize this resource for rules and information.

Homework Policy The students are expected to turn in their homework on the day it is due. Avon Middle School North has an emergency late work policy. Each student receives one late pass per quarter per class. This will be used on the first assignment that is late. Subsequent assignments that are not completed on the due date will result in a zero. The late pass is to be used for emergency situations and not simply to postpone an assignment. The late assignment is due on the next school day. If at anytime you have questions regarding missed work, please contact us.

Grading Scale and Policy B+ 87%-89% B 83%-86% B- 80%-82% C+ 77%-79% C 73%-76% C- 70%-72% D+ 67%-69% D 63%-66% D- 60%-62% F 0-59%

Absent Policy responsibility to obtain their homework when If your student is absent it is the student’s responsibility to obtain their homework when they return. The student has as many days as they missed to make up the work (if the student missed 2 days, they have 2 days to make up their work). This system is in place to instill responsibility in our students. If you have any questions please ask!

Schoology has a parent access code which makes it possible to view your student’s account. This parent access code is available for pick up tonight at the table by the front doors. Once in Schoology, the best place to check your student’s homework and assignments is the calendar function. It can be found on the left side of the home screen. There is also a free app available for your phone.

Safety Drills We regularly practice fire, tornado, and manmade drills at Avon Middle School North. The students have been trained in these procedures and we require their utmost cooperation during these times.

After-School Activities Avon Middle School North has a great deal of after-school activities that are open to our students. We do not send home paperwork regarding these clubs and activities. It is up to your student to listen to announcements every morning for information.

Math 7/Pre-Algebra/Algebra Curriculum Science Social Studies Language Arts Math 7/Pre-Algebra/Algebra

Social Studies This year in Social Studies we will discuss landforms, weather climates, latitude and longitude, ancient civilizations, and many other exciting topics along the way. We will focus on the Eastern Hemisphere including Africa, Australia, and Asia.

Science Seventh grade science is a STEM curriculum, based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. STEM utilizes an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Rather than teach the four disciplines as separate and discrete subjects, STEM integrates them into a cohesive learning paradigm based on real-world applications. The applications will focus on the areas of earth science, physics, and life sciences.

Language Arts 7th grade language arts will allow your students to actively apply what they are learning in class with many different group activities and hands-on elements. We do a great deal of reading and writing as well as learning Greek and Latin roots. Our class is application-based and we expect the students to be able to apply what they have learned through projects, presentations, and written papers. We will be reading the novel, “The Outsiders” during the 4th quarter this year.

Mathematics at Avon Community School Corporation Learning is collaborative and social Ask your student how they worked with others to solve a problem. Importance of Understanding WHY: “How do you know?” Ask your student “How do you know?” when helping with homework. Conceptual Understanding: apply and adapt mathematical ideas to new situations, making meaning of mathematics. Ask your student to show multiple strategies to solve a problem. Mathematics at Avon Community School Corporation

CPM: College Preparatory Mathematics Three pillars of CPM Cooperative Learning: Students learn ideas more deeply when they discuss ideas with classmates. Problem-Based Learning: Students learn ideas more usefully for other arenas when they learn by attacking problems— ideally from the real world. Mixed, Spaced Practice: Students learn ideas more permanently when they are required to engage and re-engage with the ideas for months or even years. CPM: College Preparatory Mathematics

CPM: College Preparatory Mathematics What do Parents and Families Need to Know? We are all learning together. Making mistakes is a natural part of learning. We will persevere through solving problems, using many different strategies to make sense of mathematical concepts. Students will be working in small groups called “study teams” to solve problems and explore concepts. Homework Help and a Parent Guide are available at CPM.org/parent-support Please contact me with any questions or concerns. CPM: College Preparatory Mathematics * Show the parent support page if there is time. Be sure to include a link in Schoology and parent communication. If you have time, you may wish to talk about the STUDENT ROLE in a CPM classroom: - Actively contributing in whole class and study team work and discussion. - Completing (or at least attempting) all assigned problems and turning in assignments in a timely manner. - Checking and correcting problems on assignments (usually with their study partner or study team) based on answers and solutions provided in class and online. - Asking for help when needed from his or her study partner, study team, and/or teacher. - Attempting to provide help when asked by other students. - Taking notes and using his/her Toolkit when recommended by the teacher or the text. - Keeping a well-organized notebook. - Not distracting other students from the opportunity to learn.

Math class grading breakdown Tests/Quizzes = 50% HW = 35% Semester Exam = 15% Pre-Algebra Tests/Quizzes = 55% HW = 30% Semester Exam = 15% Math class grading breakdown

How to contact us The best way to contact a teacher is to email us. We are very busy during the day, so it is difficult to reach us by phone. Our email addresses can be found either on the Avon North website or on our Schoology pages. We do not have parent/teacher conferences at the 7th grade level. We can set up a team meeting with you if necessary.

Please email us with any questions or concerns. What’s next? Feel free to take a tour of our school and our classrooms down the Scorpion hallway. Please email us with any questions or concerns.

We are looking forward to a great year! Thank You Parents! We are looking forward to a great year!