1. September 19th Monday at 6 pm 2016-2017
8th Grade open house
September 19th Monday at 6 pm

2. CELEBRATE VALLEY SPRINGS Middle School!!
4 Consecutive Years of High Growth (only BCS School to accomplish this)
Quoted as “The Very Best Place To Learn!
EOG Scores:
#1 in Growth out of 705 NC Middle Schools
#12 in Growth among all NC K-12 schools (Top ½ of 1% in Entire State)
CELEBRATE VALLEY SPRINGS Middle School!!

3. Goals for tonight Parent Portal – ID needed to get Log In.
Expectations
Climb Time
How to Arrange a Conference
Science Energy Agents Information
Atlanta 8th Grade Trip Information
Team Meetings
McMahan Team: Auditorium
Gilmore Team: Cafeteria
Tenney Team: Media Center
High School Math 1 Meeting back in the Auditorium
Goals for tonight

4. Parent portal
You can access your child’s attendance, assignments and grades as they are updated.
Parents may request a print out from the office for the access code and directions for using Parent Portal.
You can download the Parent Portal app onto your phone.

5. Check out Your Teachers’ Websites
Staff Website

6. Opportunities after school
Daily
2:45 – 3:05
Ask questions
Retake a test
Make up work
Do homework

7. VALLEY SPRINGS MIDDLE SCHOOL we are the rams
Responsible Achieve Mindful Strive

8. Responsible Responsibility in Learning: Be on time
Bring your work and supplies to class
Open attitude to learn
Ask questions
Be engaged in the classroom activities
Participate and contribute to group activities
Check your behavior
Take your books/homework home to review and/or complete assignments.
Responsibility for materials:
Bring pens, pencils, paper, notebook, textbook, worksheets, highlighters, calculator (must be TI-83 or TI-84), questions, and your brain every day to class.
Organize your materials

9. Responsibility in turning in your work
Make Up Policy:
Students have 5 days to make up late work. Students can make a maximum of 85% on late work. The teacher decides how much credit is given for late work, but after 5 days, students will receive a Zero on the assignments. Please encourage your child to turn things in on time.
Responsibility in turning in your work

10. grading scale in north carolina

11. Achieve Be in your seat Open class materials Pencils already sharpened
Listen for directions
Listen to instruction
Be on task
Write notes
Be aware of transitions
Record homework

12. Mindful Respect Yourself: Dress appropriately, learning attitude
Respect Teachers: Listen, respond, participate
Respect Other Students: Be kind in actions and speech
Respect Other’s Property: Appropriately use school desks, hallways, restrooms, lockers, classrooms, and resources. Ask to borrow or use items from peers.
Respect School Rules: Cell phone policy, dress code, tardy policy

13. Strive
Personal Goals:
Self advocate
Explore new extra curricular interests
Make new friends
Help others
Challenge yourself
Academic Goals:
Utilize class learning opportunities
Attempt all homework assignments
Improve grades
Engage yourself in higher level thinking
Commit to a pace of work that enables you to achieve your best
Potential:
Identify, Accept and Develop your Potential.

14. CLIMB TIME What: When: Where: Why:
* Opportunity for all students to be exposed to variety of fiction and non-fiction books through read aloud, small group discussions, EOG questioning practice, real life connections, literary content, and having multiple interactions with their peers.
* Opportunity for remediation and enrichment
When:
30 Minutes every day 8:50 am – 9:20 am on an alternating schedule
Where:
20 Classrooms including 8th grade teachers and many unified arts teachers.
Why:
* To build interest in reading
* To build reading comprehension
* To strengthen inferring and reasoning skills
* To develop confidence in discussing literary characters and themes
* To provide supplementary help in Language Arts and Math
* To provide extra curricular activities during the school day

15. MENTORING
Mentoring every other Friday during ClimbTime
Small groups that will meet all year
Help students stay accountable
Build trust within group so students can grow and reach their full potential
ZAP – students have opportunity every other Friday during Climb Time to make up missing work or get ahead.

16. Ask to speak to Ms. Lori Lane (8th grade counselor)
Call the office
Ask to speak to Ms. Lori Lane (8th grade counselor)
Most conferences will be Tuesday, Thursday, or Friday.
Need to Set up a Conference with your teachers?

17. Energy Agents September 26
Energy Agents is a free program from Duke Energy designed to engage middle school students in green living and saving energy.
Goal is to save 10million kWh of energy
Can request a free energy kit containing LED bulbs, energy efficient shower heads, LED night lights, and other energy saving products.
Requesting your free kit earns money for the school for our Science labs.
Energy Agents
September 26

18. Atlanta 8th Grade Trip * April 5-7 (2 nights and 3 days)
* Cost is $300
* Initial Interest Letter will come home soon
* Deposit is $100 and will be due in the fall
* Payment options will be available
* Itinerary: Six Flags, Aquarium, Hawks Game, Coke Museum, Stone Mountain, etc

19. High School Math 1 Meeting
Team Meetings
McMahan Team – Auditorium
Gilmore Team - Cafeteria
Tenney Team – Media Center
High School Math 1 Meeting
Please return to Auditorium at 7:00 pm if your child is taking High School Math 1 for a brief Mandatory Meeting.