here - St. Croix Prep

SCPA Middle School Newsletter
5th
6th
7th
8th
A Note From Ms. Renner
Middle School Principal
Upcoming Dates
Greetings from the Middle School!
And we’re off………to a great start of the 2016-17 school year. We
welcome new music teachers, Kyle Manley, and Charlie Siggelkow in
middle school band and choir respectively. In science and math we have
Gretchen Tiede teaching 7th Life Science, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra and
Eric Blyth teaching 8th Earth Science and PreAlgebra. New special
education staff are teachers Ashley Koehnen and Jeffrey Larson, support
staff Nancy Bauman and Elli Anderson, and coordinator Shirley Volk.
St. Croix Prep Marathon on Wednesday, October 19th: The marathon is
one of three fundraisers we do at SCPA during the year. Funds raised
enhance academics through purchases such as textbooks, technology, and
equipment like heart rate monitors and microscopes. The funds from the
2016 Marathon will be used to support field trips for students. There has
been an increase in transportation costs again this year making field trips
very costly per student. Funds will subsidize the trip so that it will be at low
cost for your student.
Field trips that are taken in the middle school enhance students’
experiences with the curriculum. The trips we have chosen this year
include:
• 5th Grade - Big River Journey and Fort Snelling
• 6th Grade - Science Museum
• 7th Grade - TBD
• 8th Grade - Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Technology for classrooms is also on the list for marathon support. We
were able to purchase three mobile labs with 32 chrome books each in
2015-16. We would like to add at least one more mobile lab in the middle
school this year so each grade would have access to a lab.
Middle school uses technology to enhance the curriculum through use of
Google Docs, Prezi or PowerPoint presentations, G-Mail, research, and the
online resources available with textbooks in language arts, social studies,
math, and science. Practicing with the use of technology in middle school
helps students be comfortable with the programs they will use in high
school and college for class work.
Students will work with their Period 1A classes as a fundraising team. They
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
•
September 16th - Ice Cream Social
6pm-8pm
- Washington DC Info.
Meeting at 6pm
•
September 23rd - Spirit Wear Day
•
September 30th - Mid-Quarter (Qtr. 1)
•
October 3rd - Picture Day
•
October 14th & 15th - Middle School Play
at 7pm
•
October 19th - Marathon Day!
•
October 21st-25th - NO School
will be choosing a team name, making signs, and participating in tracking their efforts on the class
thermometer poster. Period 1A classes and individual students will vote to select incentive rewards for
100% participation of a minimum $10 donation from each student in the
class.
SCPA Marathon t-shirts will be given to any student with a $65 donation by
October 5th. Please see the Parent Update for other Spirit Wear options
and incentives that can be earned school-wide by students.
In the middle school, students that reach $100 in donations can earn
individual reward coupons. These coupon options include a Non-Uniform
Day, Comfy Day for Halloween, Spirit Day (Fun Dress up Day), Technology
Day, First in Line for Lunch, or an extra Oops pass. Students may earn up
to 5 individual coupons.
If we reach the Marathon goal as a school, we will have a No-Homework
Weekend from November 24th-27th over the Thanksgiving holiday
weekend. Students will also be voting on activities they would like to do
for a Fall Festival Celebration day on Wednesday, November 23rd. This
could include options such as breakfast served by the teachers, non-uniform or Spirit Day, technology
time, movie with snacks, dodge ball tournament, game room, and extra recess.
New this year will be the use of an online CrowdRise page for each classroom for online donations. Your
student will login to their Period 1A team page with their school G-mail account and password. Students
will be able to send out information electronically to help collect donations. Students will still be able to
collect cash and check donations. Students can pick up a donation envelope in the Middle School Office
from September 26th-October 19th.
On Wednesday, October 19th, students will participate in fun events including an opening ceremony with
a procession of class teams with their class signs, cheers, school song, National Anthem, and warm up
stretches. We will cheer for others and enjoy activities and music while waiting to run the mile by class.
Lunch will be outside and we will have tug of war competitions followed by closing ceremonies. At this
time, we will learn if we have reached our fundraising goals.
Spirit Wear Day – Friday, September 23rd: We will have our first Spirit Wear Day of the year next
Friday in celebration of fall sports and activities and SCPA’s Homecoming Week. Students may wear
any previously issued SCPA Spirit Wear, athletic, or event shirts. Only SCPA issued athletic uniform and
warm-up pants are permitted. Students may wear blue or black jeans or uniform bottoms with their Spirit
Wear top. Please see page 12 of the Middle School Planner for more information or contact the middle
school office if you have questions regarding appropriate Spirit Wear attire.
School Pictures – Monday, October 3rd: Students will receive their picture
information packages next week. If you are not purchasing a picture package,
students are still encouraged to have their picture taken for the yearbook. Make
up day for pictures will be Tuesday, November 1st.
Thank you for helping begin the school year with a smooth start. We appreciate
your ongoing support of the middle school throughout the 2016-17 school year!
Wanda Renner
Middle School Principal
[email protected]
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Middle School Teacher Blogs
As a communication tool for their classes, the following teachers have websites and/or blogs:
Eric Blythe - Earth Science 8 and Pre-Algebra
https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/mr-blythe/
Danial Davis - Language Arts 7 & Logic 7
https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/mr-d-davis
Cory Hoffmann - Social Studies 5 and 8
https://mrhoffmannhistoryblog.wordpress.com/
Amy Kleinboehl - Pre-Algebra
mrskleinboehl.blogspot.com
Kyle Manley - Band 5-8
https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/scpaband
Maria Reichow - Science 5 & Math 5
http://mrsreichow.blogspot.com
Angie Schumacher - Language Arts 7 and 8
7th: https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/scpa-7th-grade-literature-and-language-arts/home
8th: https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/scpa-8th-grade-literature-and-language-arts/home
David Sorenson - Art 5-8
Middle School Art: https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/mr-sorenson-s-art/
Wolf Ridge Trip: https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/wolf-ridge/
Deanna Thompson - Language Arts 5, Reading 5, and Language Arts 7
https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/mrs-thompson-st-croix-prep/
Gretchen Tiede - Life Science 7, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra
Life Science 7 - https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/mrstscience/
Pre-Algebra/Algebra - https://sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/mrstmath/
Kurt Vallin - Algebra and Geometry
http://scpavallin.blogspot.com/
Rachel White - Reading 6, Language Arts 7, and Language & Logic 5/6
sites.google.com/a/stcroixprep.org/mswhite/
Samuel Willodson - Latin 8
http://stcroixlatin.weebly.com/
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Online Resource Guides for Parents & Students
Textbooks for Social Studies, Math, and Language Arts have online access
that students may use at home. Students have been receiving their log-in
information from their teachers and should be recording them in their
planners.
We have video links to help you learn how to use these resources
on our website.
Click here for Grade 5 Math and Pre-Algebra
Click here for Algebra and Geometry
Click here for Social Studies
Click here for Language Arts/Reading
Fall Clip-N-Save
September 12th - 16th
Gather up the Box Tops you've been collecting, the Fall Clip-N-Save competition
started on Monday, September 12th and goes through Friday, September 16th.
Please bring your contributions in a baggy marked with your child's grade level so
credit is allocated appropriately. A collection bin is located in the atrium. Middle
School students may also bring their collection to their per. 1 classroom or the Middle
School office.
Dollars and supplies earned from Clip-N-Save are allocated back to the classrooms
for needed materials.
The contest has grade level winners in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools earning
an extra non-uniform day!
Please note: We are now ONLY collecting
BOX TOPS! We are no longer collecting
Campbell Soup labels (they discontinued
their program) or Milk Moohlah.
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
School Picture Day
Save-The-Date
*Picture Day is scheduled for Monday, October 3rd.
Picture packets with additional information will be sent home with
students next week.
* Picture Retake Day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 1st
MCA Testing Dates - 2017
~ Mark Your Calendar ~
5th Grade
6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
Reading — 04/20/17
Reading — 04/20/17
Reading — 04/19/17
Reading — 04/19/17
Math — 04/24/17
Math — 04/24/17
Math — 04/21/17
Math — 04/21/17
Science — 04/25/17
Science — N/A
Science — NA
Science — 04/25/17
Middle School Welcome Back Ice Cream Social
Please join us on Friday, September 16th, for the
“Middle School Welcome Back Ice Cream Social”
sponsored by Parent Group. The event will take
place from 6pm-8pm at the SCPA playground.
We hope to see you there!
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Homework Help - Recess Study Hall - Latin Lab
Study hall help is available every day during Middle School Recess from 12:20pm-12:43pm.
Students need to get a pass from their teacher prior to
lunch. Quarter 1 study hall teachers for 5/6 are Mrs. Schutte
and Ms. White. Study hall teachers for 7/8 are Ms. Tiede
and Mr. Vallin. Mr. Sorenson also opens the art room for
students during lunch provided they get a pass from him
beforehand.
Morning Study Hall is offered every Monday, Tuesday, and
Friday from 8:45am-9:15am, with Mrs. Schumacher and
Mrs. Thompson
Latin Lab is offered every Wednesday and Thursday, from
9am-9:20am, in room #287 with Mr. Willodson.
Peer Tutoring is a program offered to all students by upper
school students who are volunteering their time to help meet your student’s goals. Tutoring
sessions are used to focus on specific areas that need improvement. Click here for a copy
of the peer tutoring form.
Washington DC Informational Meeting
Dear 8th Grade Families,
Each year students in 8th grade are invited to take a class trip to Washington DC. This trip includes all major
monuments, memorials, and museums, and is taken the week after that last week of school. The 2017 trip
will be Tuesday, June 6th — Friday, June 9th, and is led by teacher chaperones.
An informational meeting for this year’s 8th grade Washington D.C. trip will be held this coming
Friday, September 16th, at 6pm, in the PAC. Mr. Hoffmann will be addressing dates of the trip,
expectations and guidelines for student travel, the
tentative itinerary, accommodations, costs, and
fundraising opportunities throughout the year.
All 8th grade students and parents interested in this
year's Washington D.C. trip are strongly encouraged to
attend. If you are unable to attend the meeting, please
e-mail Mr. Hoffmann at [email protected] and
he will connect with you about the trip details.
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Mark Your Calendars!
presents
Reluctant Dragon
&
Breaking News
th
th
Oct 14 and 15
7:00
Tickets go on sale Oct 1st at www.stcroixprepactivities.org.
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Enjoy! Photos from Ms. Tiede’s 7th Grade Life Science Class
7th grade life science classes had the opportunity to look for macroinvertebrates in river water from the
Kinnickinnic River. Macroinvertebrates are organisms that do not have a backbone and are large enough
to see with the naked eye, and they can be used as an indicator of the health of a water ecosystem. While
they can be seen with the naked eye, they are easier to identify with a microscope.
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Enjoy! Photos from Mr. Blythe’s 8th Grade Earth Science Class
In the pictures that are taken outside, students created a geological timeline of Earth using a 200 foot piece
of rope. The timeline included important events in the history of Earth.
In the pictures that are taken with the glasses on, students looked at 3-D topographical maps using 3-D
glasses to get a better understanding of contour lines.
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Enjoy! Photos from Ms. Schutte’s 6th Grade Science Class
Sixth grade students recently conducted their first two labs in science this past week. In our first lab, the
"Cup Challenge", students needed to complete six different cup arrangements without touching the cups
with their hands using a rubber band and string. This lab helped students work on their problem solving
abilities and communication skills within a group. Our second lab, the "Newspaper Table" lab, had students
build a table that could support a heavy book using eight sheets of newspaper and tape. This lab focused
on engineering, communication, measurement, and a bit of physics.
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
Enjoy! Photos of students using our NEW Chrome books!
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016
SCPA Middle School Welcomes New Staff for 2016-17
Pictured from left to right:
* Gretchen Tiede — Life Science 7, Pre-Algebra, and Algebra
* Eric Blythe — Earth Science 8 and Pre-Algebra
* Jeff Larson — Special Education Teacher
* Kyle Manley — Band 5-8
* Charlie Siggelkow — Choir 5-8
* Shirley Volk — Special Education Coordinator
* Ashley Koehnen — Special Education Teacher
Volume 8, Issue 1 - September 13, 2016