December 14, 2015

Happy Last Week of December at GVMS!

CHALLENGE DAY IS HERE!  Don’t forget that Challenge Day is coming THIS Monday, December 14^th and Tuesday, December 15^th!  We are THRILLED to have our students participate in this event!  They MUST wear their shirts and lunch will be provided! Thank you Mrs. Bates for organizing and all of the families/companies for donating!!  Please be sure to check out what this means and what it’s all about HERE ON THEIR WEBSITE!  There is still time to donate!  Check it out HERE!

SNEAKY CAMERA APPS PARENTS SHOULD KNOW ABOUT!!

Check out this article for more detailed information and here is a piece of the article:

Apps such as Stealth Cam, Private Ninja Cam, and Top Secret Camera can be used to spy on people. Here are some of the methods they use to deceive the unsuspecting:

·         blanking the screen so no one knows you're taking a picture;

·         muting the phone so the shutter doesn't sound;

·         disguising the preview window so it looks like a Web browser; and

·         activating the camera to record via motion sensor.

Hidden-photo vaults, such as Calculator%, Keep Safe Private Photo Vault, and Best Secret Folder, are places to keep photos out of view from a prying parent or friend. They share key features, including: 

·         requiring a password for access; 

·         hiding their true purpose (fake calculator apps actually do function as calculators but double as a way to input a secret code and stash secret pictures); and

·         sounding an alarm or snapping a picture when accessed to catch anyone trying to break in.

We NEED volunteers!  Please check out THIS LINK to see if you can help us with our upcoming book fair! 

Still looking to help a GVMS teacher?  We would LOVE it!  Check out these links:

Ms. Kinder- http://www.donorschoose.org/project/chromebook-needed-please/1699382/
Mrs. Nitto-  https://secure.donorschoose.org/teacher/teacher.html?projects=true
Mr. Baptist- http://www.donorschoose.org/project/sailing-into-compare-and-contrast-essa/1715045/
Ms. Toll- http://www.donorschoose.org/project/journalism-junkies-macbook-air-and-page/1697326/
Mr. Diaz- http://www.donorschoose.org/project/3d-model-competition-and-presentations/1699386/
Mr. Diaz- http://www.donorschoose.org/project/ipad-mini-for-giant-ideas/1699431/

Holiday Greetings!

The entire staff at Green Valley Middle School joins me in extending well wishes to you and your family for the holidays and the New Year. During this special time we take time to remember and share goodwill, joy and happiness with others. We hope that each moment of the holidays and the New Year will be filled with a deep appreciation for just how special those moments are. May we be able to: CELEBRATE LIFE . . Think freely. . .Practice patience. . .Smile often . . . Make new friends . . Rediscover old ones. . . Tell those we love that we do . . . Feel deeply . . . Observe miracles . . . Take time for people . . . Reach out . . . Let someone in . . . Trust life . . . Comfort a friend . . . Laugh heartily . . . Make time for ourselves . . . Enjoy wonder . . . Have good ideas . . . Make some mistakes...

HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM OUR GVMS FAMILY TO YOURS!

December 7, 2015

Student of the Month for December- Trustworthy!

Did you know that engagement starts with respect? Either way you look at it, EVERYONE is more engaged when they respect the person giving them information. Take a look at THIS ARTICLE on ways to earn teens respect and keep them engaged!

SHORT TERM INDEPENDENT STUDY If you must take your child out of school for 5 or more days, you may complete a Short Term Independent Study Contract.  We will NO LONGER be accepting IS contracts without 5 days notice unless there is a major family emergency. INDEPENDENT STUDY PROCEDURES:  Five days prior to starting Short Term Independent Study, parents must complete the Short Term Independent Study packet, indicating the dates the student will not be in school and the reason for the absence.  The teacher(s) will supply assignments. All assignments are due upon the student’s return to school. In order to receive full academic AND attendance credit, all work must be turned in.  Incomplete days will be considered truant, e.g. 3/5 work completed will result in two days.

CHALLENGE DAY IS COMING!  Don’t forget that Challenge Day is coming December 14^th and 15^th!  We are THRILLED to have our students participate in this event!  Please be sure to check out what this means and what it’s all about HERE ON THEIR WEBSITE!  There is still time to donate!  Check it out HERE!

Holiday Greetings!

The entire staff at Green Valley Middle School joins me in extending well wishes to you and your family for the holidays and the New Year. During this special time we take time to remember and share goodwill, joy and happiness with others. We hope that each moment of the holidays and the New Year will be filled with a deep appreciation for just how special those moments are. May we be able to: CELEBRATE LIFE . . Think freely. . .Practice patience. . .Smile often . . . Make new friends . . Rediscover old ones. . . Tell those we love that we do . . . Feel deeply . . . Observe miracles . . . Take time for people . . . Reach out . . . Let someone in . . . Trust life . . . Comfort a friend . . . Laugh heartily . . . Make time for ourselves . . . Enjoy wonder . . . Have good ideas . . . Make some mistakes

Rachel's Challenge is a national non-profit organization dedicated to creating safe, connected school environments where learning and teaching are maximized. Based on the life and writing of Rachel Scott, the first victim of the Columbine tragedy in 1999, Rachel's Challenge provides a continual improvement process for schools designed to awaken the learner in every child. We motivate and equip students to start and sustain a chain reaction of kindness and compassion that transforms schools and communities. Rachel’s Challenge 1. Look for the best in people 2. Dream big, write goals 3. Choose positive influences 4. Speak with kindness 5. Start your own chain reaction Strategies you can teach your child if they see unkind behavior: Pep talk, run interference, intercept, off the bench, out of bounds, blow the whistle!

November 30, 2015

WELCOME BACK!

We hope you had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving!

After the upcoming winter holidays, many schedules will change due to semester electives changing.  If your 8th grader is interested in being a TA for the Spring semester, instead of another elective that they have, please have them email me HERE to express their interest. They MUST have at least a 2.0 and WILL earn a grade for being a TA moving forward.  We cannot guarantee that we will have space, however, please let us know!

INDEPENDENT STUDY INFORMATION:  Please note that ALL I.S. contracts MUST be given to our office FIVE DAYS prior to going on Independent Study.  We will NOT be able to grant IS Contracts that are given in short notice.  Additionally, please note that all of the work that is turned in upon return for IS, will be graded last as teachers will grade the work that was completed on time first and then enter all remaining work!  Thanks for your patience!

PLEASE take a moment to check out THIS VERY HELPFUL LINK to see the various apps, video games, TV shows, books, and games that are out there for our kids to download.  Did you know that there is a hidden camera app?  Did you know that certain video games have the highest ratings for violence?  Do you know all of the Social Media apps out there?  Check out the website and use the knowledge WILL help you!!

There will be a few changes to our lunch lines beginning today.  All of our Ala cart items that are not very popular will be discontinued in order to reduce the choices and try to make the lines move faster.  We will only be offering Ala cart items at the snack bar.  Pizza and burgers will be offered at the cafeteria windows and the rest will be at the cart.   We hope that this will increase the speed of our lines for our kids!

We know that middle school can be a ROUGH time for kids AND for parents!  Here is a fantastic website (that we have mentioned several times) on ways that you can get some practical tips for social and emotional support for your student.  Check out THIS LINK to get these ideas, tips, and supportive ideas!

Are you a planner like we are?  Are you already thinking about 8th grade promotion on Thursday, June 2nd 2016 beginning at 11?  Please be sure that you have the FSUSD SCHOOL CALENDAR so that you know when everything is?  Also, please remember that each 8th grader who is being promoted will be given FOUR TICKETS only.  We cannot accommodate any more than this.

We will not have a PTC Meeting in December and feel free to email our board at GVMSPTC@gmail.com anytime!

November 16, 2015

Happy November!

There will be NO blog post next week as we are not in school.  Teachers and staff will be enjoying the Thanksgiving Holiday with family and friends.  We will be refraining from sending and answering email!  Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving next week!

A few reminders from GVMS staff and teachers: 
All Independent Study requests for students that are going to be gone MUST be given at least 5 DAYS in advance.  We want all of our students to be successful AND we want to follow Board Policy, which REQUIRES 5 days notice please.   Remember to check THIS LINK for what is considered excused and unexcused absences!

Please remember that our teachers work hard to update Parent Portal as fast as possible!  With 170 students, this can be extremely challenging.  We appreciate your patience as our teachers enter grades as fast as possible.  Though Parent Portal is not a mandatory program for our parents to use, we know it is very helpful to keep families informed of student progress.  Also, late work is always entered last.  Always. Assignments that were completed on time go in first and then late work is entered so you may not see it updated until the end of the grading period.

Did you know that 73% of teens and tweens have access to smartphones?  If your student is one of those, check out THIS LINK to be aware of the different apps that are out there.  Knowledge is critical in our day and age and we ALL need to know what our kids are looking at online!

After Winter Break, many electives will change.  We cannot make any changes until this time as we are highly impacted with more students registering daily.  TA grades must be a 2.0 and we will be grade checking at that time.  Additionally, ALL TAs and students in Leadership/Study Hall WILL be receiving letter grades beginning in 2016.

Check out of Student of the Month winners for Caring for the month of October!  We are so proud of them and their caring ways and as a model for our students!

November 9, 2015

Happy November!

What a wonderful change in the weather!  
Whew... We thought thought it would NEVER come!

While we all know that our teens and tweens are using social media like never before, but do we actually KNOW what the research says about it?  Take a look at THIS ARTICLE to see videos, links and reports.   It's a WEALTH of information!

Check out of Student of the Month winners for Caring for the month of October!  We are so proud of them and their caring ways and as a model for our students!

Special thank you to the parents that have donated to teachers and their DonorsChoose projects as we ll as Challenge Day!  We REALLY appreciate it!  Thank you to PTC for Chrome Books, needed supplies, Student of the Month rewards and more!

PTC also funded one of our Challenge Days so that we could offer this to both 7th and 8th graders!  Be sure to check out what it's all about HERE!! Want to be involved with Challenge Day on December 14th or 15th?  There are several different ways!  

First, please take a look at our  GoFundMe Page here as we are trying to get sponsors for t-shirts and lunch!  Also, if you are interested in volunteering your time on either day, please email our counselor, Mrs. Bates HERE! to get your name on our list!  We may not have enough room for all parents but would love to work to have you all here!

Please remember that there is NO SCHOOL this Wednesday, November 11th.  We DO have a full week of school November 16-20th and NO MINIMUM DAYS!

November 2, 2015

Happy November!

We hope you had a safe and Happy Halloween, and remembered the time change!

We wanted to send SEVERAL SUPER big thank yous to MULTIPLE GROUPS!  To our GVMS PTC and Families for supporting our fundraising efforts and purchasing 17 Chrome Books for two of our classrooms that did not have them!  We are really trying to become a 1:1 device school, where every student has a device to use when they come to GVMS. THANK YOU PTC!  To our volunteers for supervising the dance!  Thank you!  To our parents that joined our Watch D.O.G.S. Program!  Thank you!

Have you seen our SUPER STARS at GVMS?  These are ALL of our amazing students who earned Honor Roll and Principal List Awards!  We couldn't be MORE proud of them!

Still want ways to support our staff and teachers?  We have PLENTY of ways as our teachers are always trying to engage our students in multiple ways!! 
Check out these links:

Ms. Mansour
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/we-want-to-visit-jack-londons-ranch-in/1696237/?challengeid=20480094&rf=link-siteshare-2015-10-teacher_profile-teacher_2537923

Mr. Baptist
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/sailing-into-compare-and-contrast-essa/1715045/

Ms. Kinder

http://www.donorschoose.org/project/chromebook-needed-please/1699382/

Ms. Toll
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/journalism-junkies-macbook-air-and-page/1697326/

Mr. Diaz
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/3d-model-competition-and-presentations/1699386/?rf=page-siteshare-2015-10-proposal-teacher_1289144

http://www.donorschoose.org/project/ipad-mini-for-giant-ideas/1699431/?rf=page-siteshare-2015-10-proposal-teacher_1289144

PTC also funded one of our Challenge Days so that we could offer this to both 7th and 8th graders!  Be sure to check out what it's all about HERE!! Want to be involved with Challenge Day on December 14th or 15th?  There are several different ways!  First, please take a look at our  GoFundMe Page here as we are trying to get sponsors for t-shirts and lunch!  Also, if you are interested in volunteering your time on either day, please email our counselor, Mrs. Bates HERE! to get your name on our list!  We may not have enough room for all parents but would love to work to have you all here!

Have you spent time on our WEBSITE to see everything that is going on at GVMS? It's a WEALTH of information and it's updated by Ms. Toll daily!

Due to the impact of our enrollment, there will be NO SCHEDULE changes for electives until the semester break (December 18th).  We are so tightly packed, that we cannot make any changes until this time as this is when semester electives will change anyway.

October 26, 2015

We see it!  Fall weather is COMING!!

Our 8th graders had a great time at the 1st FSUSD Inspire Career Fair!  Almost 100% of our students attended and learned a lot!  Check out this article that features one of our own superstars!!  Way to go Summer!

Have you wondered how to support a GVMS teacher?  Check out these links for some of the projects that we would love the help with:

Mr. Baptist
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/a-journey-in-reading-novels/1708941/

http://www.donorschoose.org/project/sailing-into-compare-and-contrast-essa/1715045/

Ms. Kinder

http://www.donorschoose.org/project/chromebook-needed-please/1699382/

Ms. Toll
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/journalism-junkies-macbook-air-and-page/1697326/

Mr. Diaz
http://www.donorschoose.org/project/3d-model-competition-and-presentations/1699386/?rf=page-siteshare-2015-10-proposal-teacher_1289144

http://www.donorschoose.org/project/ipad-mini-for-giant-ideas/1699431/?rf=page-siteshare-2015-10-proposal-teacher_1289144

Parental Involvement is SO important to what we do each day!  We absolutely want parents to come to visit our classrooms and support our students.  We do ask that you give us 24 hour notice so that we are not testing, having presenters, have a substitute, etc.  Thank you!  We have shared this before and want to share again this FANTASTIC resource for parents of all ages and grades!

Also, since we are celebrating Halloween this week, please remember that costumes can be worn at school as long as they appropriate.  They cannot promote drug use, violence, weapons, or be super skimpy.  Masks may not be worn and students will only be allowed into the dance with their GVMS IDs.  We also found an article about costume appropriateness and how to discuss this with your student.  Check it out here!

FROM OUR GVMS PTC:

A BIG thank you to all of our volunteers!  We had a very successful Cookie Dough Distribution, Prize Day,  and Walk/Bike to School Day, all thanks to our great Green Valley Families.  Thank you all so much!

Join us for our next PTC meeting and Coffee with the Principal THIS Friday, October 30th at 9:15 in the Library.  Enjoy coffee and treats, get to know other parents, and help us make plans to best support our students and staff.  We will be learning more about our Spring Fling--a great event to help with and to attend.  See you there!

Just a reminder…  Minutes from the PTC meetings are posted on the school website.  Look under the “Parents” section and find PTC.  

October 19, 2015

Fall weather might finally be here!

We are BUSY at GVMS with the end of the first quarter and moving right into the next one!  We have our first benchmarks that will take place in English and Math from now until October 30th.  Every student is required to complete these assessments.  These will be done online and scored almost instantly.

We continue to work to follow our school rules: Be Safe, Be Responsible, and Be Safe.  Some students are struggling to keep their hands to themselves and have positive comments to say to one another.  We are also having a BIG issue with garbage and gum.  Students who continue to chew gum will be asked to help clean it up around campus.  It is a school rule to follow as it never ends up in the garbage.

We are excited to say that we are bringing Challenge Day to GVMS for some students to participate. Check them out here to see how powerful this can be!  We want ALL of our students to have empathy for one another and understand that everyone has their own challenges in life.

On that same note, please check out a CNN special that was done with Anderson Cooper on Social Media and #Being13.  We want you to be aware of what occurs  EVERYDAY at school.  Please note: There is inappropriate language/content that we may not post on our blog nor do we approve of the language, use of it, or some opinions/comments expressed in the special.  We found the special informative, educational and for the most part accurate.  We know that not every student participates and that we are not targeting a single student.  This is being shared as an informational/educational item to raise parent awareness.  

We are still seeking PARENT VOLUNTEERS for supervision for our upcoming dance on October 30th!  Come get your groove on and let us know that you can help by signing up SIGN UP HERE and come in costume if you want!

October is Stop Bullying Month!!! We truly try our best to ensure that NONE of our students is bullied.  We promote positive behavior supports, pump and praise our students, seek guidance from our counselor and other adults to help student learn to accept others, and more.  It still doesn't always stop it.  Please check out this link to see ways that you can also help us from home!

Our 8th graders will be attending the College and Career Fair on Tuesday!  We can't wait to share all of the pictures to Twitter, Facebook and our blog from the event!

Welcome to our new blog!

We are a work in progress and always learning.  We want to model this learning for our staff, our students, and our community!

Thank you for your support with our cookie dough fundraiser!  We are thrilled to report that some of the funding has already gone to help two classrooms purchase Chrome Books so that our students can work in Google Classroom, complete reports, and more.  These two classrooms did not have any technology, so we greatly appreciate the PTC supporting this!  We are also happy to report that PTC is purchasing more PE equipment, supporting our clubs, and new teachers!  Thank you PTC and our families for your support!

Thank you to those parents and families that volunteering for Watch D.O.G.S. and we will be scheduling the initial meeting to go over expectations, roles, schedule, and more.  We are waiting on the materials to arrive at GVMS so that we can schedule the meeting.  Stay tuned!

We are THRILLED this year that FSUSD will be bringing ALL 8th Grade students to the KROC Center on October 20th for the 1st Annual Career Fair

October is Stop Bullying Month.  We truly try our best to ensure that NONE of our students is bullied.  We promote positive behavior supports, pump and praise our students, seek guidance from our counselor and other adults to help student learn to accept others, and more.  It still doesn't always stop it.  Please check out this link to see ways that you can also help us from home.  We are working to bring Challenge Day to GVMS on December 14th and 15th for our students to build empathy and ignite a movement of compassion and positive change (as stated on their website).  Check out their website here.

Have you already purchased your tickets to the Frys.com PGA Tour?  Check out the flyer and see how you can help support GVMS at the same time!