1. * Welcome Parents to SCS 2014 Middle School Orientation

2. Welcome & Introductions Allan Miller 4 years at SCS 29 years in education * Rachel Luks Petraska 13 years at SCS 17 years as ms counselor

3. Our goals for tonight ● Begin our three year relationship ● Provide an overview of our middle school ● Answer your questions ● Topics ■ Adolescence – ready or not ■ SCS Middle School ● Vision ● Structure / organization ● Academics ● Extracurriculars *

4. Shelburne Community School Mission Statement

5. SCS Middle School - changing? We believe that we are a really good school, one of the best in Vermont and have evidence to support that claim. However – we are not satisfied since we also know that we can do better. * Creative Tension Disequilibrium Learning

6. How is the world changing? * Industrial AgeInformation Age EncyclopediasGoogle / Internet NewspapersTwitter / RSS feeds Garage SaleseBay StoresAmazon Films / MoviesYoutube / Netflix Notice that what didn’t change was the product / service or outcome – but how these things are delivered to us

7. SCS Middle School Vision * Industrial Age Paradigm of “school” Information Age Paradigm of Learning Systems Specific StudentsAnyone Specific SubjectsAnything Specific ClassroomsAnywhere Specific ScheduleAnytime Specific WayAnyway Specific TeacherAny worldwide expert Can learn From In Can learn In On a In From

8. Middle School Organization ● Consistent three year relationships ● Heterogeneous groups - no tracking ● Multi-aged prime groups ● Home base for students, parent contact, conferences ● Team-wide organization systems ● Flexible blocks of time for instruction ● Discussion time for team building activities, projects and school-wide issues *

9. Configuration Study 2011/2012 ● 10 month effort by faculty included research and surveys of faculty, parents, 8 th graders and CVU SCS graduates ● Commitment to maintain 6-8 three year looping model through 2016 (next study) ● Commitment to alignment of curricular outcomes across all teams ● Commitment to develop more opportunities for cross team academic and social interactions *

10. Who will work with my child? ● Core Teachers / Learning Facilitators ● Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies ■ Includes Consulting teacher and paraprofessionals ■ Math and Literacy Coordinator, paraprofessionals ■ Guidance Counselor ● Unified Arts Teachers ■ Music, Art, Physical Education,World Language, Health / Wellness ● Support Services ■ School Nurse ■ Social worker and therapist ■ SAP Educator *

11. Ensuring a safe school for all children ● Nurture respect for the dignity and importance of each individual ● Appreciation for cultural diversity ● Understanding of rights and responsibilities within a community ● Friendship, Citizenship, Scholarship ● Kindness, Appreciation, Respect *

12. An Exciting Transition ● Adolescence: A time of many changes & new experiences ■ Physical changes ■ Cognitive changes ■ Social/emotional changes ● Expectations & responsibilities ● Student involvement *

13. Guidance * Classroom lessons “Lifeskills Training Program” “Think First, Stay Safe” “Life Lines” Small groups Individual support Family support Consultation with teachers, and other faculty members Educational Support Teams (ESTs) Parent education Transition

14. What do we teach? ● Curriculum aligned with VT & CSSU Standards and Common Core ● Developing common assessments with data used to determine instruction ● RtI – interventions fluidly available to all students determined by assessment data ● Common planning time for teachers ■ Constant communication between all staff ■ Alignment of expected outcomes within disciplines ■ Coordination of interventions (social and academic) *

15. How do we teach? ● Best practice instruction ● Common assessments ■ formative and summative ● Data-driven instruction ● Differentiated instruction ● Technology integration ● Purposeful homework ● Focus on “habits of mind” and “21 st Century Skills” Learning & Leading with Habits of Mind Costa and Kallick

16. Mathematics ● Connected Math Program (CMP3) ● Problem based inquiry as a platform for new learning ● Ability to share mathematical thinking with appropriate vocabulary ● Use of manipulatives to support conceptual understanding ● Ability to observe patterns in tables, graphs, and equations to construct generalizations ● Growth of computation skills through practice ● Use of multiple tools and approaches for problem solving

17. Science ● Explain natural phenomena using scientific concepts ● Engage in inquiry and conduct scientific investigations ● Communicate as scientists in a variety of ways ● Connect science concepts to real life (local / global) ● Choose appropriate technology, materials and equipment related to a specified goal ● Learn and practice investigation and lab skills

18. Social Studies ● Broad understanding of physical and cultural geography ● Understanding of major trends in American history ● Appreciation of the importance of becoming an active participant in a democracy ● Understanding the organization and functions of government ● Inquiry – asking focusing and probing questions that lead to independent research

19. Literacy ● Reading - growing recall, inference and analysis skills through a variety of fiction and nonfiction genre, becoming a lifelong reader ● Writing – focus on structure, content and mechanics through variety of genres of both expository and creative work ● Spelling / Grammar and Vocabulary – intentional vocabulary instruction, spelling and word study, formal and imbedded grammar teaching ● Speaking & Listening – improved public speaking and listening through project presentations, group work and class participation

20. World Language ● peak an interest in becoming truly bilingual ● gain an expanded view of the world ● improve student’s knowledge of English ● support basic skills in literacy ● provide opportunities for social and emotional growth ● build practical learning skills that can be useful in other endeavors *

21. Health / Wellness & Physical Education ● Lifelong physical fitness for all ● Wide variety of activities to support health ● Identifying healthy behaviors to reduce lifelong health risks ● Understand how personal decisions can lead to better health ● Students are active participants in creating personal health / wellness goals

22. Middle School Art ● Understand art as a means of personal expression ● Develop creativity ● Teach skills and build confidence ● Provide hands-on experiences in a variety of artistic media ● Make connections through art to history, other cultures, and our present day world.

23. Middle School Music ● appreciate various genres ● recognize variations in form, melody, rhythm and harmony of varying complexity ● analyze various forms of music, using appropriate terminology. ● read and play level appropriate music on the piano keyboard ● Sing on pitch, be rhythmically accurate and ● sight-read level appropriate vocal music ● create simple vocal harmonies

24. Instrumental Music and Chorus ● Elective opportunities for all students ● 6 th grade two times per week ● 7 th / 8 th up to three times per week ● Meets during “WIN” time ● Strongly encourage participation in either *

25. Options for extra involvement? ● Spelling Teams ● Student Council ● Project Lead ● Math Club ● Geo-Bee ● Recycling ● WIN Projects *

26. Co-curricular Activities ● SCS Sports Teams ■ Fall – x-c running, soccer, field hockey ■ Winter – basketball ■ Spring – baseball and softball Get your physical this summer! ● SKAT afterschool ■ Cooking, robotics, art, ultimate frisbee.... ● Spring Musical

27. Our communication commitment ● each core team will hold a fall curriculum night ● each team will send 5 reports per year - trimesters plus interim reports ● teachers will be available for conferences as needed ● parents will be informed of all serious discipline issues and involved in their resolution ● SCS website (http://scsvt.org), team and teacher websites will be a useful source for current information

28. Placement Balance Factors ● Academic skills ● Social / emotional /behavioral factors ● Overall learning profile ● Class size ● Gender ● Parent Input Form *

29. How can you help? ● Balancing growing independence with supportive involvement in homework – encouraging your child to advocate for themselves in academic / social struggles ● Communicating regularly with teachers if there are concerns ● Attending parent teacher conferences and events ● Volunteering in the middle school is focused on supporting PTO projects or chaperoning events, rather than in-classroom roles

30. The Transition Process ● Parent Orientation ■ May 1, 2014 ● Parent Input Form ■ due May 5, 2014 ● World language preference form ■ sent out by May 9, 2014 ■ due back May 19 (electronically) ● Placement letters ■ sent out before the end of June 2014 *

31. Questions and Closing ● Exit card completion ● General questions and comments ● Child-specific questions and comments ● Thanks for coming! *