Centennial Junior High School Home of the Eagles Newsbrief February, 2007
Registration for Next Year It’s already time to plan for the next school year. Students recently received their curriculum guides and registration forms to be filled out collaboratively with teachers and parents. They have made course selections and chosen alternate electives. The required Hathaway Courses are included in this mailing. You will also find a copy of the math pathways if you still have questions about math sequence and placement. We have been working hard on our schedule for next year. One of our goals is to create more balance with regard to class size and individual teacher’s total number of students. A primary goal area is to reduce the class size for 9th grade classes. That is tricky because 9th grade teachers must have special certification to teach classes for high school credit. We feel that we have a really good plan for our schedule that will enable other grade level teachers to teach a 9th grade class. The scheduled class times for each grade level will need to be the same in
order to utilize staff at different grade levels. For that reason the 9th grade schedule will not be blocked. We will continue to maintain our successful CORE/ECORE teams and we are thrilled that our 9th graders will be included in the 1 to 1 laptop implementation. If you have questions regarding registration or course selection, please contact us! We have made some preliminary CORE team changes.
Centennial Teams The teams are listed below. 6th Grade Talons: Dwight Ballard Cheryl Anderson Lynda Sneddon 7th Grade Falcons: Lacey Wilson Ashley Howell Lori Baragar Aaron Hinton 7th Grade Raptors: Jeff Barkell Sharon Schulte Judy Prewitt Rob Bayer 8th Grade Wolves: Glenda Mahaffey Pete Sehlmeyer Shane Palmer Billie Hadley 8th Grade XLR8R’s: Sandi Stille Jeff McMullen Tim Wilcox Steve Jackson Lori Baragar 1 8th grade 9th Grade Ducts: Ken Reed Kerin McMullen Andrea Sandercock Ben Schanck Roger Williams Tim Wilcox 1 9th grade & Extensions Sandi Stille Extensions Steve Jackson Extensions Jeff McMullen 1 9th grade Lacey Wilson 1 9th grade Aaron Hinton 1 9th grade Ashlie Howell 1 Extensions There may be additional changes as we continue to work on our schedule. Thanks to our 7th and 8th grade teachers!s Centennial Web Site Check us out! Congratulations and thank you to Mr. Smith for his ongoing work on a professional and user friendly Centennial Web Site! Just log on and take a look: centennial/. Please note that you can access Parent Pinnacle Viewer from
each team’s page and from the home page. Other features include links to sites that can help with everything from learning about woodworking to practice prompts for writing. We will continue to add schedules, calendar events, and team news. If you have a need that you would like to see included, contact Mr. Smith.
Spring School Pictures Spring school pictures were taken on Monday, February 12, 2007. You are under no obligation to purchase the packets unless you wish to have them.
6th/7th Transition to Middle School The District has provided a wonderful opportunity for us to do a better job of beginning to transition our incoming 6th and 7th graders. Instead of going out to elementary schools to register students, the students are coming to us! The following dates: February 26, February28, and March 1, 2, are the scheduled elementary orientation/transition days for our new students. Orientation includes small group tours of the building, looking in on classrooms, completing registrations, learning about activities and clubs, meeting 6th and 7th grade teachers, and having lunch in the cafeteria! We’re excited
about these special days and we hope to make the days memorable for our new incoming students as they begin the transition to middle school.
Upcoming Events 3/1 Parent Involvement Luncheon 12 - 1 3/5 Eligibility Check 3/6 Parent Teacher
Conferences 3/22 8th/9th Band/Choir Concert 3/26 PAWS window begins
PAWS Round Two The second session of PAWS begins on March 26. Students who were not proficient on sections of PAWS will take the sections again. Students who were proficient, but would like to try again will also be included. All 9th graders will take PAWS during this spring window. The science section will be added to the spring test. Schedule planning is underway to allow students more time. We are also creating a structure for those students who will not be testing. Centennial students took the test very seriously and tried to do their best during the first testing window. We need to continue to encourage
students to give the test their full attention and effort in March. Your help and encouragement at home are greatly appreciated. Students need to get plenty of sleep and eat a nutritious breakfast to be fully prepared for testing. We had planned to have a second round of academic conferences with our students, but the lack of immediate feedback from the testing company is not allowing the time. Instead, we hope to send academic feedback letters to each student. The letters will include some PAWS results information and suggestions for preparing for the second testing session. |
Parent Teacher Conferences Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for March 6. CORE teams have sent out notices to schedule a convenient time to meet with you. If you did not receive a schedule, contact one of your child’s CORE teachers. ECORE/elective teachers will be available for conferencing in the cafeteria during conference times. Conferences may be scheduled between 11:00 - 3:00 and 4:00 - 6:30. There is no school for students on Parent Teacher Conference Day.
9th Grade Dance The 9th grade dance is not a school sponsored activity, but a group of parents organize and chaperone the spring dance for the District’s 9th graders. If you are interested in helping out, contact Dawn Enzer, Dean Morgan parent, at 472-5341. You may also contact Centennial parent, Tammy Generose at 237-5974. There will be a planning session on Thursday, March 1, 2007, followed by others.
Academic Conferencing and Goal Setting The principals and instructional facilitators met with all 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students prior to the first round of PAWS to go over students’ previous assessment results and progress reports. Students were provided academic goal targets and suggestions regarding how to improve. Each student left with a folder of information to guide them in their efforts to improve. Students will receive a goal setting letter prior to the next round of PAWS that lists information regarding their results and stretch goal suggestions. Principals and IF’s will meet with all 9th grade students prior to their
first attempt at PAWS during the spring window. Parent Involvement Luncheon Don’t miss the March Parent Involvement Luncheon scheduled for Thursday, March 1, 2007, from 12:00 - 1:00! Your involvement is appreciated. We’ll update you on Parent Teacher Conference plans and procedures at the meeting. We’ll also let you know how our Orientation/Transition for incoming 6th and 7th graders is progressing! 7th
grade teacher, Ashlie Howell is the teacher showcase for the meeting.
Why Does Centennial Have an Administrative Manager? As the District has moved to a ratio of one principal for each 300 students per the state funding formula, schools, like Centennial, that have lost a principal have added an administrative manager. Administrative managers have assumed some of the supervisory tasks and minor discipline to free the principals to work with teachers and students on teaching and learning and assessment preparation. Principals are also working collaboratively with the instructional facilitators to plan staff development, staff training, and school improvement activities. Principals focus on improved classroom
instruction through monitoring strategy implementation, lesson design, classroom management, and preparing students for assessments. The administrative manager plays a key role in schools where the number of principals has been reduced. The administrative manager has assumed tasks to create time for principals to focus on teaching and learning, long range planning, and the major discipline and student concern issues that need their attention.
6th/7th Eagle Sports Rock! We have enough 6th and 7th graders out for basketball that we have been able to add a third team for boys and a third team for girls. Thanks to all parents for encouraging your students to be involved in activities. Thanks to coaches for encouraging students to develop sportsmanship and leadership skills.
What’s Happening After School? There are many opportunities for our students after school. Centennial’s extended school day with reading/math support is held after school every day from 2:45 to 3:45 in the LMC. The Homework Help - “Get ‘R Done” Club meets after school every day until 4:00 for students who need some organizational help, help getting caught up, or help with homework. Teachers and certified tutors are meeting with students before and after school and sometimes during lunch. If your child’s grades aren’t what they should be, contact the school to find out more about interventions and
opportunities. Failure should not be an option for any student at Centennial.
Centennial Summer School Program The District has aligned and set the dates for all middle level, extended year, summer programs. Centennial’s summer “Jump Start” program will be held July 16, 2007 - August 3, 2007. The school day will begin at 9:00 and end at 2:00 with breakfast and lunch provided. Free and reduced lunch applications will need to be completed. The purpose of the summer program is to assure a student’s progress beyond the regular school year by maintaining learned skills and preventing loss of critical skills. There is no cost to parents for attending the summer session. Students who are at
risk of failing and not meeting standards will be expected to be involved in the two week summer program in order to progress to the next grade level. Please mark your calendar if your child will need the extra support.
What About Those Instructional Facilitators? If you don’t know Centennial’s Instructional Facilitators - David Golen, Lisa Smith, and Cheryl Gettings, then you should meet them and ask them what they’ve been doing this year! Better yet, ask your child’s teachers how these dynamic educators are helping in classrooms throughout the building. The IF’s have been busy: •working with teachers on classroom instruction •leading cohort study groups •working on school improvement goals and activities/interventions •analyzing assessment data and assisting teachers with matching instruction to areas of need •working with the one-to-one laptop implementation and professional development •attending meetings and trainings designed for IF’s •encouraging teaching and learning in classrooms •asking the right questions •observing classroom instruction •planning staff development •meeting weekly or more often with principals •developing language arts notebooks •conducting short and important advice/suggestion conferences •printing reports and compiling data for teachers •creating spreadsheets to show teachers where to focus their instruction •celebrating and recognizing teaching and learning •conducting goal setting conferences with students •modeling learning as an ongoing process •demonstrating connections among the smaller learning communities (teams) •keeping the focus on student achievement THANK YOU SO MUCH TO CENTENNIAL’S IF’S!! Teaching and learning are improving because of their efforts.
Centennial Eagle Coaches/A.D. Have you thanked a coach lately? Please do! It is becoming increasingly more difficult to find good, qualified coaches. Coaches work hard after regular work hours and often are at practice or games when others are with their families having dinner. They are role models for our students and they are the adults that students usually remember as they grow older. They put in lots of extra time outside their normal work day and they face pressures from many regarding playing time, practice times, and expectations regarding team rules and responsibilities. Athletics are important in our community. Please support our coaches, athletic director, and officials. Share your thanks and support whenever you can! They invest their time and energy for students. Students will always remember them! |