Almost That Time Again

Wow! Did the summer fly past, or is it just me? Hard to believe we'll be back in school in just three weeks. But, hey, I'm excited about it. Lots of changes taking place. First, Mr. Pillar is our new principal. He has some great ideas for making JCMS even better and I'm looking forward to working with him. He'll be assisted by Mrs. Carroll-Frye, of course, as well as Ms. Willis, who is joining us from North.



On the Blue Team front, while Ms. Martin and I are sad to see Mrs. Helmer leave, we were happy to learn she will be teaching science at Batchelor this fall. Meanwhile, we'll be joined by Mrs. Scott, who many of you know from her Spanish class, and Dr. Marchese will also be joining our 7th grade team as we are adding the ENL program to the Blue Team. Sadly, Mrs. Qualley will not be with the Blue Team this year, but you'll see her working with the Green Team.



Returning 8th graders will notice several changes to the way we do things on the team this year. No, home groups are not going away, but we intend to make use of them in some innovative ways. The Blue Team teachers are meeting next week to plan some of these changes. More on that in an upcoming blog.



How was your summer? I spent the first part immersed in the World Cup. Having the Spanish Football scarf hanging in the front of my room all last year paid off as La Roja finally won the World Cup! Several returning 8th graders can look forward to prizes as they correctly picked the Spaniards to win. But of course they would, given how many Barcelona players were in the starting eleven! I have to admit, though, that two players from hated Real Madrid were among my favorites - Sergio Ramos and Iker Cassilas were standouts!



I've also read quite a few books about Afghanistan and Pakistan this summer, so the recently leaked documents (you have been following the news, I hope) contained no surprises. If any incoming 7th graders are reading this, prepare to learn a lot about the various "-stans" this year.



Finally, I've also been reading quite a bit about things like RTI, PLCs, and other acronyms for exciting developments in education. I hope to work closely with Mr. Duvall and Mrs. Fox as we advance and improve social studies education for JCMS students. One such improvement will be an additional focus on current events this year.



Well, that was quite a bit to digest. Get rested and I'll see you on the 18th of August!

Time For The Video Contest Again

Announcing the 2nd Annual Blue Team YouTube Video Contest! Yes, that's right, we are calling all amateur young producers, directors, and actors in the Blue Team. In late May, we will hold a screening of videos created by Blue Team students. There will be one showing for 7th grade and another for 8th grade. The audience will then vote for their favorite video at each showing and the winners will receive fabulous prizes! Well, okay, maybe not so fabulous, and not very many, but the winner will still have bragging rights of being chosen the best amongst your peers.

The rules are simple:
1. Content must be school appropriate;
2. The video must be created by Blue Team students;
3. The length should not exceed 10 minutes;
4. The link to the video must be emailed to me for approval at least one week prior to the showing.

You might already have a video on YouTube you would like to enter, or you can get started creating one for the contest. I retain the right to scratch any video from the contest for any reason.So, what are you waiting for? Start storyboarding!

11th Annual Blue Team Stock Market Competition

Just a quick note to announce that, once again this year, VSE will be the site for the Blue Team Stock Market competition. Beginning March 22nd, the day back from Spring Break, and going until May 14th, students will be able to purchase and trade stocks while building their portfolios. Prizes will be awarded to the top ten finishers and current students in Blue Team will be able to earn extra credit. 7th graders participating in the mini-economy acitivity will also add any earnings to their total money.

The competition is limited to Blue Teamers, past and present. The competition's name is:

JCMS Blue Team

The competition ID is: JCMS2010

The password will be announced in class next week. Email me for the password any time after March 21st.

The link to the game may be found on the Blue Team Home page.

http://www.mccsc.edu/~rcourtne

MLK Update

This just in! A former Blue Team student has emailed an opportunity for you to provide service to the community this MLK Day. Here are the details:

As we near Martin Luther King Day, we recall his words and honor him through our service. "Life's most persistent and urgent question is: what are you doing for others?" MLK, Jr.

In 2009 the Hoosier Hills Food Bank distributed more than 3 million pounds of food, up 82% from 2006. Herald-Times, 12/31/09

This MLK Day, Volunteers for Change is making it easy to do for others. We are hosting a Community Canvass for Hoosier Hills Food Bank:Monday, January 18th, arrive between 1:00 - 2:00 pmRachael's Cafe: 300 E. 3rd St. (between Lincoln & Grant) We will have everything you need and will be working in teams. You can go door to door or you can provide transportation and a warm vehicle. This is a family friendly activity! After the canvass, patronize a local business and hang out with us at Rachael's. Enjoy soup, sandwiches, and hot chocolate (made with milk and chocolate chips). Plenty of free parking available: Rachael's lot; Monroe County Democratic Party lot (3rd & Grant); street parking on Grant & Lincoln (by 3rd St. Park).

Note: This is not an endorsement, just an announcement. I would recommend an adult accompany you if you are going to be canvassing a neighborhood. For more info, contact Volunteers For Change. I imagine you can do this through this website:

http://www.volunteersforchange.us/contact.php

A Day On

An annual tradition for the Blue Team is participation in volunteer activities on or around Martin Luther King Day. Ten points of extra credit are given to students who bring written verification that they participated in a volunteer activity. This can be a formal activity, such as those found on the list of this City of Bloomington link:

https://volunteer.united-e-way.org/cobvn/org/opp/medallions/?medallion_id=10284441675

You might also come up with your own project, such as picking up trash in the neighborhood, helping an elderly neighbor or relative with shopping, babysitting (for free) siblings or neighbors, dog walking, or whatever you might think to do that would be helpful and contribute in some way to the community.

Finally, you might participate in the events of the day. This year the Rev. Jesse Jackson will be speaking at the Buskirk on January 18th.

Remember, to receive the extra credit you must bring a statement, signed by an adult, that verifies your participation.

Have fun!

Peyton

Whether you love him or hate him, or simply don't care, you must admit Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks to have played the game. Is this because of his innate talent? Of course there is some of that, but what separates Manning from so many others is his work ethic and his attention to detail. He studies film religiously, he spends extra time before and after practice working with receivers, he learns the nuances of opposing defensive players and their coordinators. It is for these reasons he is able to set the records and accomplish the things he does.



What does this have to do with you? Plenty! 8th graders, you are two-thirds of the way through middle school now. 7th graders, it has been almost six months since you were in elementary school. You all can take a lesson from Manning. Middle School is not hard. You are not stupid. Each of you has the ability to succeed at this level. What some of you lack is the work ethic, the discipline, to succeed. The only thing that can kill your grade at this level is not following through on your work! For this reason we have instituted numerous ways to help you. Having just finished ISTEP remediation conferences, I can share with you the advice we gave to parents of students that did not pass the ISTEP. This advice is helpful for all students.



First, use your Agenda Book! Record assignments for every class and note when there are no assignments. Don't simply leave a day blank. Second, use Homework Hotline or homeworklive.com. When you are absent or forgot your materials at home, don't allow yourself to simply fall a day behind. It is hard enough to keep current without having to try and catch up! Third, read thirty minutes every night. It doesn't matter what you are reading, just do it! It is like the receiver who runs the same routes over and over, the soccer player who practices header after header, the basketball player who shoots one hundred free throws a day. Practice improves your game.



As we head into the winter doldrums I hope you'll keep these suggestions in mind. We can't all play football like Manning or the guitar like Jeff Beck, but practice and hard work will go a long way towards insuring your success at the middle school level and beyond!

Fall

Tuesday we usher in another fall season. Football, pumpkins, frost, and, of course, NWEA testing. Unlike ISTEPs, which tend to measure progress of both student and school, the NWEA tests are a diagnostic tool. By that I mean they help us, as teachers, determine where you, as students, fall in your skills and abilities. Equipped with these scores, we can tailor curriculum to best meet your needs.

So don't be surprised to see differentiation in your team classrooms. Determining where you stand in your reading and language usage development will allow us to create a variety of assignments and lessons to meet your individual needs. This could mean different assignments for different students, a variety of tests, and so on.

Hopefully, you'll get plenty of rest before the tests Weds., Thurs., and Friday and that you'll try your very best on them.