ISSUE 3, END OF QUARTER 2

2015-2016

Scarborough Middle School Creating a Community of Learners for Tomorrow Dear Friends and Families of SMS, As we begin our second semester, we would like to remind students and parents of the importance of taking time to read independently at home. At the middle school, we encourage students to have an independent reading book at hand when attending all classes. As it is not always possible to incorporate independent reading during the school day, students are still expected to be reading at home. Research shows a strong and direct correlation between daily reading and student achievement. "From 5th grade on, the average student encounters approximately 10,000 new words per year." (Nagy & Anderson) By middle school this gap often widens, and students who should be reading at least 10,000,000 words during the school year may be reading as few as 100,000 words (Lyon, 1997). In order to address this issue, students should be reading independently for at least 20-25 minutes each day.

CONTACT LIST SCARBOROUG H MIDDLE S CHOOL 21 Quentin Drive Scrborough, ME 04074 Phone: (207) 730-4800 Fax: (207) 730-4804 www.scarboroughschools.org PRINCIPAL BARBARA HATHORN (207) 730-4800 [email protected] ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL DAVID CURRIER (207) 730-4800 [email protected] ADMINISTRATORS’ SECRETARY

We appreciate your support and involvement as we continue to share the importance of independent reading as a lifelong goal. Barbara Hathorn, Principal

Red Storm Strikes out Cancer is back and ready to make a difference in the fight against cancer! Each year the students, staff, parents, and alumni of Scarborough Middle School come together as a team to participate in Mary’s Walk and help raise money to bring us closer to finding a cure. Over the past 7 years Red Storm Strikes out Cancer has raised over $85,000 and been the top fundraising team at Mary’s Walk for 5 years in a row. It is through our combined efforts that a cure for cancer will come soon. If you would like to join Red Storm Strikes out Cancer at Mary’s Walk or make a donation, please use the link below. Anybody and everybody is welcome to join. This year’s walk will be held on March 20th at Thornton Academy in Saco starting at 10:00. Red Storm Strikes out Cancer expects to break the $100,000 barrier this year. So please come be part of the fun and help us make a difference. We Will Find a Cure! Tinyurl.com/redstormstrikesoutcancer If you have any questions please contact Doug Bennett at [email protected]

SCARBOROUGH MIDDLE S CHOOL FAMILY NEWSLETTER

MOLLY WASHO (207) 730-4800 [email protected] SCHOOL CO UNSELORS MICHELLE GRANT (207) 730-4815 [email protected] MELISSA JONES (207) 730-4818 [email protected] SOCIAL WORKERS TRICIA MOKRISKI (207) 730-4817 [email protected] IRENE RICHARD (207) 730-4816 [email protected] STUDENT ADVOCACY SECRETARY KIM KELLEY (207) 730-4814 [email protected] NURSES PATTY BOLDUC (207) 730-4810 [email protected] NANCY RAY BANNON (207) 730-4811 [email protected] ATHLETICS JACOB BROWN (207) 730-4840 [email protected]

6 T H GRADE LEARNING COMMUNITY The 6th Grade Learning Community went on a field trip to the Boston Museum of Science the first week of January. We had a great time seeing what we had spent most of Fall learning in Science class, with our unit Can I Believe My Eyes? We played with shadows, saw how light travels to us from the cosmos, saw lots of interesting scientific models, got blown away by optical illusions, and some of us even caught a lightning show! We had some excellent parent chaperones, and even had a fun time on the bus watching movies for our English classes. We even saw a model of a mountain that made us think about the book Peak that we’re reading in Social Studies. Now Science class are even more excited to start our next unit, How Can I Smell from a Distance?

6 T H GRADE MATH TEAM The 6th grade math team currently consists of 19 enthusiastic members who all enjoy mathematics and are seeking a challenge. The group meets every Tuesday to engage in math brain teasers, number puzzles, geometry mini-lessons, teamwork, and mathematical conversations. We complete practice problems to prepare us for the four math competitions that are held during the school year. Each competition consists of team problem solving as well as individual arithmetic and geometry tests. During December two teams of six students attended the meet. Our students competed against 25 other teams from southern Maine. Although our first team attained a perfect score in team problem solving, we ended up finishing 14th overall. This month we have worked particularly hard in geometry to better prepare for the level of competition that we face at our next meet on January 26th. We have been fortunate to have a SHS math team member work with us. This former student brings his math expertise and problem solving strategies, and the middle school students are eager to learn about math team opportunities at SHS. Overall our group has worked very well together and continues to grow!

8 T H GRADE LEARNING COMMUNITY In December, the 8th grade class visited the Portland Museum of Art during the 2015 PMA Biennial. The theme of the year’s biennial was “You Can’t Get There From Here”, and it gave established or emerging Maine artists the chance to showcase their recent work. The 8th graders were split into groups and taken on a tour of the exhibition by museum docents. The beautiful art ranged from large welded metal masterpieces, to insightful candid photographs, to colorful woven baskets. The students learned about the background and the insights of the artists in the showcase and got a closer look at the meaning of the contemporary pieces. The PMA 2015 Biennial 8th grade field trip was an opportunity to discover the work of successful Maine artists in the making. We learned how they see art and how we can interpret their messages. Written by 8th grader, Julia Ryan In December, the 8th grade learning community was given the opportunity to immerse themselves into the world of movement and theater when the Portland Ovations company came to classrooms to give workshops. The students learned about improvisation, movement, and gesture so that they could understand what it was like for an actor to portray someone else on stage. To finish their study, the 8th graders went to the company’s performance of Through the Eyes of a Friend, a story about the Frank family during World War II, told from the perspective of Anne’s best friend. The one-woman show combined a multimedia presentation with the actor's commentary. The 8th grade learning community had a wonderful time at the show and is thankful that they were given the opportunity to learn about such tragic historic events. Written by 8th grader, Amy Topchick

SCARBOROUGH MIDDLE S CHOOL FAMILY NEWSLETTER

8th graders visited Two Lights State Park in November to take part in a geology lesson co-taught by the educators from the Ferry Beach Ecology School in Saco. The purpose of this trip was to observe evidence of Maine's geologic history in the rock formations at Two Lights. Students learned about Maine's geologic history and connection to Europe as part of the supercontinent of Pangaea, as well as more recent events like the glaciation which ended 11,000 years ago. All of these are visible in the rock formations at Two Lights if you know how to look. The FBES educators made the day fun and interesting with skits, hands-on activities and a scavenger hunt. Students were engaged and were able to connect their learning to their study of geology in the classroom.

TECHNOLOGY

BEE DAY & WINNERS

On December 21st, all middle school students participated in a Day of Code. The event was part of the global initiative, Hour of Code, to promote computer science education. Hour of Code is the largest learning event in history with more than 200 million students in a 180 countries participating. During the Day of Code, students at Scarborough Middle School had opportunities to visit with guest speakers from the technology community as well as complete various coding activities during classes. Students are encouraged to continue to learn about coding and computer programming throughout the year.

This year at Scarborough Middle School, we decided to have a more student-centered event by holding the Geography and Spelling Bees during the school day along with a Trivia and Vocabulary Bee. It was very exciting to see students celebrating the success of their peers! The winner of the Geography Bee was Chris Davis, a 7th grader from Inquiry Team Black and the runner-up was 8th grader Connor Canatsey. Chris will now take a test to determine if he qualifies for a spot at the Maine State Geography Bee on April 1, 2016. The Spelling Bee winner was 8th grader Sophie Poirier from Inquiry Team White. Sophie will compete in the Cumberland County Spelling Bee at Cape Elizabeth Middle School on February February 4th. Runners up were 8th grader Bambi Zhuang, 7th graders Nick Titcomb, and 6th grader Isabelle Liu. The winner of the Trivia Bee was Mr. Tardif’s homeroom from Inquiry Team White. There were four 7th grade winners of the Vocabulary Bee: Will Arpin, Carter Chen, Gavin McLeod, and Colin Wallace.

WELLNESS On May 4th, Scarborough Middle School students will be joining kids around the nation for the National Bike/Walk to school day. In preparation for this, sixth and seventh grade Wellness classes heard a presentation from Bridgette Kelly, a volunteer with the Bike Coalition of Maine. Bridgette taught our students all about bike and pedestrian safety. In order to have a successful Bike/Walk to school day, I am seeking volunteer parents to meet at one of the locations listed below to help escort our kids to school. Please join us for this very worthwhile event.    

Parent bikers to meet at the Pine Point Rd. and Eastern Trail parking lot. We will leave here promptly at 7:00, so please plan to arrive by 6:45 to help parents unload bikes and organize students. Parent bikers to meet at the Black Point Rd. and Eastern Trail parking lot. We will leave here promptly at 7:15, so please plan to arrive by 7 to help parents unload bikes and organize students. Parent walkers to meet in front of the Scarborough Town Hall to organize students normally dropped off in front of the middle school. We will leave here promptly at 7:15, so please plan to arrive by 7:00 to help organize students. Parent walkers to meet in front of the high school to collect and organize middle school students who wish to exit the bus there and walk to the middle school. This group will join the Scarborough Town Hall walkers, so please plan to be there at 7:15.

If you are able to help, please email me at [email protected] and list Bike/Walk to School in the subject area. I will get back to you with further instructions and details. Thank you in advance for your help. Denise Turner Health/Wellness/Physical Education

SCARBOROUGH MIDDLE S CHOOL FAMILY NEWSLETTER

Winter Wellness When the weather and snow conditions allow, Scarborough Middle School students experience the many benefits of participating in snowshoeing, ice skating and cross country skiing as lifelong physical activities. Games & activities that are done in Wellness classes can be done on snowshoes (tag games, modified sports, relays, games & activities) as well discovering nature's winter wonders while enjoying the school hiking trails, fresh air & sunshine. Our selection of outdoor winter activities are an opportunity for all students to gain confidence and success, learn about winter safety practices, and build community among their peer group through helping each other in varying challenges on the trail. New this year: optional ice skating! Children should come prepared with warm outdoor gear to wear on their scheduled PE day including: snow/warm pants, coat, hat, gloves and boots. Helmets are encouraged but optional during ice skating. Students choosing not to ice skate will be expected to snowshoe, cross country ski or participate in indoor activities. Students should also bring sneakers in case we have class inside. It is important that students have dry clothes after class has ended, extra socks are also a good idea! Wellness teachers are excited about this unit and look forward to teaching winter activities. If you have any questions regarding this program please feel free to call or e-mail your child’s teacher below. Thank you in advance for your assistance in making sure your child is properly dressed for these activities. Winter equipment may be brought from home. Ice skates may be packed safely so the blades don’t injure others. Hockey sticks are NOT permitted. Cross-country skis and snowshoes must be dropped off at school and may not be transported on buses. Please label all gear and equipment. Make A Great Day Tom Griffin Heather Labbe Jen Libby Denise Turner

[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

Grades 6 & 7 Wellness Grades 6 & 8 PE Grades 6 & 7 Wellness Grade 6 Wellness & 8 Health

WINTER DROP OFF REMINDER Due to the large numbers of students being dropped off in the morning, we are trying to find ways to keep our students, staff, and their families safe during this time. Please adhere to the following:  Please do not park in the staff parking lot next to the 6th Grade Learning Community (portables). That lot will be blocked off at 7:30.  You may park in the lot between Wentworth and the 6th Grade LC. Please enter that lot by the road closest to the portables and treat it like a traffic circle by leaving by the road closest to Wentworth.  Designated student drop off areas are highlighted.

SCARBOROUGH MIDDLE S CHOOL FAMILY NEWSLETTER

CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES

SMS has many diverse clubs and activities for extra-curricular student involvement. For more information about these groups, please email the coordinator or have your student meet with them directly. Activity

Coordinator

Email

Builders Club

Tom Griffin

[email protected]

Chorus

Sue Boisvert

[email protected]

Computer Club

Leslie Walker

[email protected]

WSMS News

Leslie Walker

[email protected]

CSI

Alicia Sorensen-Biggs

[email protected]

Interact Club

Jim Cronin

[email protected]

Jazz Band

Chris Fletcher

[email protected]

Lego Robotics

Andrew Davidson

[email protected]

Math Team - 6th

Randee Allen

[email protected]

Math Team - 7th & 8th

Mary Ann Page Nate Wentworth

[email protected] [email protected]

Theater Team

Diane Vafiades

[email protected]

Yearbook

Christine Goulet

[email protected]

The Muse's Pen

Kris White

[email protected]

THEATER TEAM – UPCOMING PERFORMANCE!!

The MacAfee family and the residents of Sweet Apple, Ohio go topsy-turvy when teen idol rock star, Conrad Birdie, serenades one lucky fan before he enters the army. SMS theater team will bring this story to life in the fun-filled musical, “Bye Bye Birdie”. Show dates are:

Friday, March 18, at 6:00 pm Saturday, March 19, at 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm Sunday, March 20 at 2:00 pm All performances at Winslow Homer Auditorium at SHS. Come check out the scene as these rockin’ students put on a show which is sure to be out of this world!

SCARBOROUGH MIDDLE S CHOOL FAMILY NEWSLETTER

SCHOOL STORE

UPCOMING DATES & EVE NTS January 22, 2016  End of Quarter 2 January 27, 2016  Late Start - 9:00am start for school January 29, 2016  Quarter 2 Report Cards go home February 15-19, 2016  NO SCHOOL, Winter Break February 24, 2016  Late Start - 9:00am start for school February 26, 2016  JA In A Day for all 7th Graders March 11, 2016  End of Trimester 2 March 13, 2016  Daylight Savings Time Starts Set clocks AHEAD 1 hour March 16, 2016  Late Start - 9:00am start for school March 18-20, 2016  Theater Team presents “Bye Bye Birdie” March 21 – 25, 2016  Parent-Teacher Conferences March 30, 2016  Late Start - 9:00am start for school April 1, 2016  End of Quarter 3 April 6, 2016  Incoming 6th Grade Parent Info Night – 6:30PM April 8, 2016  Quarter 3 Report Cards go home April 15, 2016  NO SCHOOL, Staff Flex Day April 18-22, 2016  NO SCHOOL, Spring Break June 10, 2016  8th grade Celebration 6:00 pm

Our 8th grade boys and girls basketball teams are finishing up a great season! As we finish up our basketball season, we look ahead to our winter 2 season. Sports offered for winter 2 are boys and girls indoor track, boys and girls swimming, and wrestling. Students who played a winter 1 sport can also play a winter 2 sport. Our spring season will be offering baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse, and boys and girls outdoor track and field. Any student participating in athletics need to fill out a red card, show proof of physical within the last two years, and pay the activity fee. Please contact Jacob Brown with any questions regarding this policy. Winter 2 (Begins February 3rd) Boys and Girls Indoor Track Boys and Girls Swimming Wrestling Spring (Begins April 4th) Baseball Softball Boys and Girls Lacrosse Boys and Girls Outdoor Track & Field

Please follow the google calendar located on the Scarborough Middle School Athletics web page for the up-todate list of athletic events. All practices and games are kept up-to- date so parents should be checking that for questions about game/practice times and locations. E-mail Jacob Brown at [email protected] with any questions regarding athletics.

SCARBOROUGH MIDDLE S CHOOL FAMILY NEWSLETTER

SMS school store is open every morning except Tuesday's during homeroom and every day after school from 2:10-2:30 The students from the Academic Life Skills classroom help out each morning with our staff to set up and close the store, work as cashier, restocking items and other various responsibilities included in a retail job. Our school store offers a variety of school supplies, ranging from pens and pencils to locker organizers and poster board. We also offer drinks including G2, vitamin water, water and juice. As well as variety of snacks, gum and mints.

PAYMENTS 

Add money to your student’s school lunch account online at www.myschoolbucks.com

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School & Athletics fees may be paid using the RevTrak payment option online at http://scarborough.revtrak.net

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The My School Bucks & Rev Trak online payment option links can be found on the SMS website.

SCHOOL HOURS 

The school day starts at 7:45 and ends at 2:10. Students will be marked tardy if they arrive after 7:45. Classes start promptly at 7:45.

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Students may get breakfast in the cafeteria from 7:30-7:45.

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The Main Office and the Student Advocacy Office are open from 7:30 AM - 3:00 PM each day.