November 29, 2010

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Holiday.

On Thursday, November 18, 2010, we had over 80 families representing 20 elementary schools join our staff for Middle School Recruitment Night. While the students participated in activities designed specifically for them, their parents learned more about what The Emery/Weiner Middle School is all about! Dr. Lue Bishop, Head of the Middle School, and I greeted parents in the Black Box Theater, sharing an overview of our programs and what makes this such a rich learning environment for kids. After the overview, our sixth grade teachers taught mini-lessons representative of lessons students receive on a daily basis. Whether the teachers dressed in period costume, donned the latest “science” gear or demonstrated the ease with which students learn to be actors, artists or musicians, each lesson provided the parents a sense of what it would be like to attend our school.

Both Dr. Bishop and I were pleased to hear the comments from parents. One parent said he was extremely impressed with the high quality of the curriculum while another said, “This sealed the deal for me. This is our school.”

During the evening, we encouraged parents to submit questions they had regarding our school or our programs. Dr. Bishop also encouraged parents to call us for additional information as well encouraged parents to schedule a time to visit and tour our campus.

We appreciated the opportunity to get to meet so many families, some new to our school and some, as one parent said, “Coming back to middle school for another great experience with our youngest child!”

The following represents those frequently asked questions that were submitted on Recruitment Night.

How are classes structured?
Students register for nine classes in the 6th grade and eight classes in the 7th and 8th grades. We have a four day, rotating schedule with each class being about 55 minutes in length. This varies on Friday as our dismissal time moves to 2:50.

6th graders attend seven of the nine classes each day and 7th and 8th graders attend six classes each day. All students have a 25-30 minute study hall built into their schedules.

Currently, we offer both on-level and advanced level classes for English, History, Science and Mathematics. Advanced Judaics is offered to 8th graders. Fine Arts placement is determined by previous experience such that a student having taken Art I would progress to Art II, and so on.

For additional course information, please refer to our Middle School Course Guide.

What percentage of the students come from schools other than Jewish day schools?
Approximately 15-20% of our in-coming students come from schools other than Jewish day schools. These schools include both independent schools as well as public schools.

What are the opportunities for foreign language at the middle school?
Students are required to take a foreign language each year they are in middle school. Incoming 6th graders are registered for Hebrew and placement is determined by an oral and written proficiency assessment. Each student is placed in the section that best matches his or her level of proficiency. In addition to the 6th grade year of Hebrew, students are required to take an additional year of Hebrew. This course may be taken any year, grades 7-12, though it is highly recommended that a student who selects to begin Spanish in 7th grade, take the second year of Hebrew in 9th grade.

Hebrew is offered each year in both the middle and upper school giving students the opportunity to take Hebrew each of the seven years they attend EWS.

When are teachers available for tutoring?
Teachers are prepared to greet students at 7:30 each morning, Tuesday-Friday. In addition, teachers are available for a 30 minute tutorial during lunch Tuesday-Friday. Each of these tutorials is available to all students.

How is technology integrated into instruction?
Philosophically, we believe that technology should enhance instruction and should only be used to that end. We also believe that our students live and will work in a technology rich world. In order to help prepare them for that world, we believe it is our role to provide the knowledge and skills they will need to be professional consumers and users of the technology available to them.

This school year, we are conducting a pilot program in our 8th grade history classes. Equipped with laptops, students access on-line resources as they study geography, world politics and religions and current events. Students respond to message board postings, collaborate on classroom assignments and submit all coursework electronically. Students are learning technology etiquette as they become savvy users.

Learning from this pilot program, the “Power Up Team,” a group of teachers and administrators, is researching, planning, and creating a three-year plan designed to provide 21st century tools and high quality technology training to all of our students and our teachers.

What does a regular day look like?
In addition to classes, students participate in a variety of activities designed to meet the unique needs of an adolescent. As a middle school, all students enjoy a 50 minute lunch period. After eating together in the Commons, students spend the rest of their lunch period hanging out with friends, studying in the library, attending tutoring or playing “pick up” games of basketball, football, volleyball, ping pong, soccer and Frisbee, all supervised by staff.

Before this lunch period and depending on the day of the week, students participate in middle school assemblies called Kallah, advisory, clubs or crEWS which is an on-going series of games and events designed to build community.

This year we began a 6th and 7th grade anti-bullying program called Havurah which meets weekly. Eighth graders will participate in a healthy living curriculum during second semester.

Students have the option, but are not required, to participate in sports in 7th and 8th grades. Currently, our 6th graders do not participate in competitive sports but do take physical education daily.

This year a school-wide Athletic Task Force was created to study the needs and opportunities for our athletic programming 6-12. Please contact our Athletic Director, Angie Gubitz, with questions regarding future athletic plans.

What about sports?
Students have the option, but are not required, to participate in sports in 7th and 8th grades. Currently, our 6th graders do not participate in competitive sports but do take physical education daily.

This year a school-wide Athletic Task Force was created to study the needs and opportunities for our athletic programming 6-12. Please contact our Athletic Director, Angie Gubitz, with questions regarding future athletic plans.

Have a great week!

Athletic Events November 27 – December 3:
Monday –
Boys 7 Basketball @ Trafton – 4pm
Boys 8 Basketball @ Trafton – 5pm
Girls Basketball @ Holy Spirit – 4:30pm

Tuesday –
Boys 7 Basketball v. Fort Bend Baptist – 4pm
Boys 8 Basketball v. Fort Bend Baptist – 5pm

Thursday –
Girls Basketball @ Wesley Academy – 4pm
Girls Soccer @ Fort Bend Baptist – 4pm
Boys 7 Basketball v. Awty – 4pm
Boys 8 Basketball v. Awty – 5pm

Happy Birthday to the following students who are celebrating birthdays this week:
• Alyssa Marks – November 30th
• Michael Talisman and Amanda Zively – December 5th
• Ari Simmons and Lauren Shklonick – December 6th

Apologies to Anna Epstein who celebrated a birthday on November 29th. Happy Birthday, Anna.

No students are celebrating Bar or Bat Mitzvahs this week.

Calendar Events:
• Review Packets for Mid-Term exams will be given out on Friday, December 3rd. For those classes which do not meet on Friday, review packets will be given to students on Thursday, December 2nd. The mid-term exam schedule can be found here.

Kallah/Advisory:
Monday –
• Celebration of UN voting to make Israel a state in Kallah
Tuesday –
• 6th – Study Hall
• 7th – Scheduling and Clubs meeting with Dr. Bishop and Mr. Houle
• 8th – Advisory - Scheduling and Clubs
Wednesday –
• All-School Sun Salutations in observation of World AIDS Day
Thursday –
• Special Hanukah Kallah
Friday –
• Kallah

Looking ahead:
• 8th Grade Tikkun Olam – December 7th
• December 10th - End of 6th Grade Fine Arts Rotation; Choices for 2nd Semester Fine Arts due to Mr. Houle
• Students who wish to change electives in the 2nd semester should see Mr. Houle by December 10th
• MS Review Days – December 13 and 14; Students will have a special schedule and meet in all classes both days. 6th grade students will have a study hall during D period both days.
• Exams - December 15-17. School lets out at 11:30 all three days.