WAYNE MIDDLE SCHOOLS EMBRACE NEW CHANGES IN

WAYNE TOWNSHIP PUBLIC SCHOOLS
MIDDLE SCHOOL REVIEW
May 2014
UPCOMING
EVENTS
- GW Academic Awards:6/12
- AW Academic Awards:6/17
- SC Academic Awards: 6/18
- AW Promotion ceremony:
WAYNE MIDDLE SCHOOLS
EMBRACE
NEW CHANGES IN EDUCATION
6/23
- GW/SC Promotion ceremony:
6/24
INSIDE THIS
ISSUE:
Middle Schools Embrace
New Changes
Preparing for Middle and
High School.
Middle Level Professional
Development
Computers Application
Curriculum Revision
Celebrating Arts At The
Middle Level
8th Grade Is Off To Washington D.C.
Music Honors Recognition
Middle School Reorganization
Summer Reading
The first day of school is always a day of change and new beginnings for students and teachers and this year the meaning of
new beginnings truly defined the start of the
2013 – 2014 school year. In addition to all of
the excitement that comes with having new
and returning (more mature) students in the
school, the Anthony Wayne, George Washington and Schuyler Colfax Middle School faculty and administration
had been preparing for much more. In addition to welcoming a
new student body, the middle schools also fully implemented the
Common Core, prepared for the NJ ASK, and began transitioning
to the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and
Careers (PARCC).
In preparation for these programs, the middle school administration and staff had begun the training and planning necessary for
these initiatives to be successful. Although the Common Core is
now fully implemented among the academic disciplines, the
training and preparation for this had begun two years ago. This
training ensured that the teachers were well-versed in our new
curricula as well as instructional methods necessary to support
the new academic demands.
In addition to implementing the Common
Core, the middle school staff and administration had been preparing the students for the
upcoming NJ ASK while simultaneously meeting the upcoming
demands of the PARCC test. During this time the middle schools
started an upgrade of the district’s computers to ensure our
technology can successfully run the PARCC test. Continued on
page 6…..
MIDDLE
PREPARING
FOR
MIDDLE
AND
HIGH
SCHOOL
SCHOOL
REVIEW
Page 2
As the school year progressed, the middle schools have been working with the elementary schools and the high schools to prepare
our incoming and exiting students for the upcoming school year.
Throughout this process our art, music, band and chorus teachers
have been visiting the elementary schools to talk with the students
about their programs and how they are run at the middle level.
This information helped the students make decisions about their
electives for their upcoming sixth grade year. In addition to these
discussions, the fifth grade students have been visiting the middle
schools to meet the administration, school counselors and took
tours of the buildings. At each visit, the students were taken
through a day in the life of a sixth grade student. In addition to
meeting with the students, the middle schools also held informational meetings for the parents of the incoming sixth grade students. This parent meeting helped provide the opportunity to
bridge the gap between home and school. After having heard all of
the information presented during their visit, the connection between the schools and parents is now even stronger.
In addition to preparing for our incoming students, the middle
school staff and administration has been busy preparing our eighth
grade students for their transition to high school. This process began in January and has been moving along full speed. During this
time our eighth grade counselors had provided their students with
career lessons, which was the kick-off to choosing electives and
class scheduling. Once the students had received these lessons,
they attended a presentation about elective selection presented
by their counselor. Our eighth grade students and parents were
also invited by the high schools to attend the incoming freshman
orientation. This evening provided an opportunity for the eighth
grade students and parents to meet the high school administration
and experience a typical day for a high school freshman. They also
had a chance to view the extra-curricular offerings in which they
could participate. At this point all students have turned in their
elective requests and the high school counselors are busy creating
students’ schedules.
Page 3
MIDDLE
SCHOOL
REVIEW
MIDDLE LEVEL
P R O F E S S I O N A L D E V E LO P M E N T
At the middle schools, a substantial amount of work has been
done to help prepare our students for PARCC. All curricula are
aligned to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts and Math as well as the other content areas where
applicable. To help deliver the curriculum, teachers have received targeted professional development. Teachers have
attended workshops on CCSS and PARCC aligned teaching strategies including, Book Clubs
and Close Reading. Materials are also constantly reviewed for alignment and new materials
have been purchased when necessary to meet the demand and rigor of the new standards
while attending to specific elements of PARCC. Continued on page 6…...
COMPUTERS APPLICATION CURRICULUM REVISED
The Computer Applications Department worked collaboratively
among the three middle schools in revising the curriculum for the
Computer Cycles program. This new curriculum targets all of the
skills required for PAARC and meets the necessary 21st Century skills
our students need for high school and beyond.
The new course titles are as follows:
Grade 6 - Computer Literacy – Sixth grade students will build upon previously learned technical skills and expand upon their working knowledge of basic word processing, spreadsheet development, and multimedia software programs. Students will finish the course
with the ability to store data and files and improved keyboarding skills.
Grade 7 - Entrepreneurship and Desktop Publishing – In this class our students will develop
an understanding of entrepreneurship and basic business concepts. This course will give
students the opportunity to develop a business plan and start a company. Students will be
introduced to the basic principles of accounting, finance, marketing and sales. They will use
a variety of computer software to design their business plan and marketing materials for a
final presentation.
Grade 8 - Finance and Digital Media – In this elective, our students will develop an understanding of finance and the impact of financial decisions on their lives. Continued on page
6…...
MIDDLE
SCHOOL
REVIEW
Page 4
C E L E B R AT I N G T H E A RTS AT T H E
MIDDLE LEVEL
Throughout the 2014 – 2015 school year the arts have been
alive and well. Our talented faculty and students have worked
hard to present outstanding concerts and participate in many
honor ensembles in and out of district, as well as participate in competitions and festivals.
Our visual arts teachers and students have created and continued to display outstanding student work and now prepare to showcase their efforts at the upcoming spring Art Shows.
In addition to our band, choral and visual arts accomplishments, our middle schools performed their “Off Broadway” productions and from
the performances it was clear that they will be making
their way to Broadway soon. At the Anthony Wayne
Middle School the students performed the Musical
production of Fame. The George Washington Middle School students
performed Annie and the Schuyler Colfax Middle School presented The Princess Who Had No
Name. All of the shows were a hit and we are truly thankful for the time and dedication put
into the programs by the directors and students.
As we enter the final
months of the
school year, the
eighth grade students in the Wayne
Township Middle
Schools have been
busy taking the NJ
ASK, finalizing their
high school requirement, field testing
the PARCC and most
importantly, preparing for their eighth
grade class trip to
Washington D.C.
During the months
of May and June,
the Anthony Wayne, George Washington and Schuyler Colfax Middle School students visited
our nation’s capital as their final field trip as middle school students. This trip is designed to
allow the students to make connections to what they have learned during their middle
school experience regarding our current government and its history. During this time the
students visited the Arlington National Cemetery, historically significant monuments and
sites, as well as the museums that recognize the evolution of our world and country. Continued on page 6 …..
MIDDLE
SCHOOL
Page 5
REVIEW
George Washington
Anthony Wayne
Schuyler-Colfax
Instrumental Choral/Music
Choral/Instrumental Music
Choral/Instrumental Music
* 7th and 8th grade Concert Band - 1st
place with a rating of Superior
* 6th grade Band - 1st place with a rating
of Excellent
* Jazz Ensemble - 1st place with a rating of
Superior and Best Overall MS/HS Jazz Ensemble
* 6th grade - Superior - 1st place in their
category - Overall Elementary School
Choir
* 7th Grade -Superior - 1st Place in their
category - Overall Middle School Choir
* 8th Grade - Excellent Rating - 3rd Place
in their category
* Eaglettes - Superior Rating - 1st Place in
their category
* New Jersey Music Educators Middle
School Concert band Festival – May 13,
2014
* 7th/8th Grade Concert Band – Gold
Rating
 Rutgers University Choral Festival –
Excellent Rating - Combined Choir
* Music in the Parks Band Festival –
May 9, 2014
* 7th/8th Grade Concert Band – Superior Rating
* Music in the Parks Choral Festival May 16, 2014
* Schuyler-Colfax Middle School
Combined Choir - Excellent Rating Second place in their category
M I D D L E S C H O O L R E O RGA N I Z AT I O N
During the 2013 -2014 school year a committee comprised of teachers, district administration, a member from the
board of education and a parent representative was formed to evaluate the current schedule used to run the three
middle schools. In addition to assessing the strengths of the current schedule, the committee also began to look into
what changes would be needed to support the upcoming demands of the Common Core and PARCC. As part of this
process the committee developed a teacher and parent survey that was submitted to the community. The information collected from this was helpful and provided meaningful feedback that guided the committee as relates to
making decisions about future scheduling needs.
With the information provided by all of the middle level stakeholders and months of meetings and works sessions
behind them, the committee designed a schedule that could meet the anticipated demands of the full implementation of the Common Core and technological requirements of the PARCC. In doing so, academic time was increased,
collaborative time was strengthened, and 21st Century technology classes needed for high school and beyond remained a priority.
This fall the middle school schedule was presented to the Curriculum Committee of the board of education and Dr.
Gonzalez. After reviewing the schedule design, it was clear that the schedule addressed the growing academic needs
of the middle schools; however, it was decided to allow for a full year of implementation of the Common Core and
PARCC testing before making a final decision regarding the schedule adoption. This time would allow the committee
to review the new educational landscape created by the PARCC and make the necessary adjustments.
SUMMER READING
With summer vacation right around the corner, our students are actively waiting for days of swimming, the
beach and of course their summer reading. As in the past, we continue to engage our students in summer
reading to provide them the opportunity to have ‘guided choice’ as they select novels that appeal to them
and they continue to apply the knowledge learned throughout the school year. The lists have a wide variety
of genres, including some non-fiction selections. Middle school students need to read two books from the
list and complete a graphic organizer for each book. There are four different graphic organizers for students
to choose from to complete the assignment. All book lists, graphic organizers, and samples can be found on
each school’s website by selecting the ‘Academic & Student Programs’ tab on the left. Happy Reading!!
Page 6
MIDDLE
Changes in Education
SCHOOL
REVIEW
Continued from page 1…..
This upgrade consists of replacing all of the computers in the media centers and the computer labs. Additionally, Chromebooks were added to all three middle schools which ensures that we are PARCC compliant.
In addition to the curriculum and technological preparation that went into preparing for the PARCC transition, the Anthony Wayne, George Washington and Schuyler Colfax Middle Schools participated in the PARCC
field test during the end of March and early April. During this time the students tested on the new desktop
computers and Chromebooks. Since the PARCC will be divided into two sections, the Performance Based
Assessment taken in March and the End of Year Assessment taken in May, the sixth and eighth grade students at the George Washington Middle School took the PARCC End of Year field test from May 27, 2014
through June 5th. This final test ensures we will be fully prepared for the PARCC in the 2014-2015 school
year. This was designed to determine our technology’s ability to run the test, not create student scores. We
are proud to say, our new systems performed well and proved we were ready to address the technological
demands of the PARCC
Washington DC
Continued from page 4…..
In addition to all of the academic connections made during this trip, our staff and students take the time to
celebrate the significant accomplishments our students have made. During their time at the middle
schools, our students have grown socially and academically. The maturity that has evolved among these
young adults is truly celebrated and recognized during this three day experience. Although this trip can
often be look at as a celebration earned for completing middle school, it is more than that. It truly is the
recognition of the success achieved through the collaboration of the middle school staff and parents. Parents, we could not have done it without all of your support, Thank you! As we prepare for the 2014—2015
school year, the middle schools have already begun planning next year’s eighth grade Washington D.C. trip.
Due to the extended testing schedule needed to perform the PARCC test, all three middle schools will be
taking this trip in June.
Professional Development
Continued from page 3…..
In addition to aligning our curricula, we have been working to redesign assessments to give students exposure to the rigors of the new testing. We have been working to create opportunities for students to take assessments on the computer using Problem Attic, Google Docs, and web-based sites like newsela.com. We
also have been adjusting how we ask questions to familiarize students with the new format and language,
and we will continue this work into the summer months.
Computers Application
Continued from page 3…..
Students will then put these personal finance skills to practice. Throughout this process they will understand the impact of career choice on future earnings and the elements of the payroll process. Students will
also be introduced to digital media, gain a familiarity of the process involved, create television and video
productions, and become familiar with the basic elements of programming software design in coding.
These revisions represent more than simple course title changes. They are fundamental new approaches to
the cycles where keyboarding skills are infused throughout the courses at each grade level. This is a key
skill area that is being addressed through a wide variety of software applications, lessons and projects to
better prepare our students. Through the course titles alone one can see the how the middle schools are
preparing our students to be 21st Century learners.