September/October 2013

Dear Parent(s),

As I mentioned at Back-to-School night, we enjoyed a terrific start to the year at John Glenn Middle School. Similar to the start of a long distance race, we all feel at times that we are sprinting just to stay ahead of the pack in September; however, now in October, we are able to focus, catch our breath and settle into stride. While it would be near impossible to highlight all of the wonderful happenings here at the school in a brief memo, I would like to take this opportunity to share some information about an exciting new support program, the JGMS Skill Center. Led by Ms. Jennifer Naylor and Ms. Lindsey Goodhue under the guidance of our Director of Student Achievement, Ms. Deborah Sakelakos, and working in collaboration with all of our teachers, BHS student tutors and even parent volunteers, the center is truly off and running. Students enrolled in the program were identified by a number of criteria, including, but not limited to past academic performance, teacher recommendations, and through an analysis of MCAS and school-based common assessments. We acknowledge that the program will continue to evolve, but what has been accomplished thus far in its early implementation is impressive and is a credit to the hard work of the teachers working directly in the program and the support of our entire school community. As many questions have come from the parent community regarding our Skill Center and the course entitled, Academic Intervention, I thought it would be helpful to provide this very brief overview from our curriculum guide:

The Skills Center offers a range of support services, primarily for regular education students. Services include:

• Targeted, Academic Interventions using Data Driven Instruction.
• Identified Direct Service Instruction for students on 504 Plans.

TARGETED ACADEMIC INTERVENTION Tier 2*
Students, who do not experience academic success despite Tier 1 classroom interventions, will receive targeted; Tier 2, interventions and progress will be monitored frequently to determine the intervention's effectiveness. If one intervention is not successful another more intense intervention may be tried.

* Tiered Support:
Response to Intervention (RtI) is an intervention program aimed at providing timely academic or behavioral supports to struggling students. Early screening, using common assessments, review of past performances or current grades, leads to classroom-based(Tier I) supports (as outlined in Bedford Public District School Curriculum Accommodation Plan (DCAP). If these accommodations do not sufficiently improve student performance, students may then be referred to supplemental Tier II interventions that target specific needs, which are defined as measurable goals and objectives. Please see Bedford Public Schools: Tiered Intervention the district web page, for a more detailed explanation.

DIRECT SERVICE INSTRUCTION (504 PLANS)
A 504 Plan helps a child with special health care needs to fully participate in school. Usually, a 504 Plan is used by a general education student who is not eligible for special educationservices. A 504 Plan lists accommodations related to the child's disability and required by the child so that he or she may participate in the general classroom setting and educational programs.

Unfortunately, the above description does not do justice to the incredible work behind the scenes identifying students, analyzing achievement data, using this data to provide targeted (and very innovative, creative) instruction and ultimately, the work to communicate student progress back to students, counselors, teachers and parents. I am very proud of the JGMS staff's continued commitment to ensuring that all students' needs are met and this program stands as just one fine example.

As the old saying goes, pictures speak a thousand words.

Top Left: Ms. Naylor engages two students in a warm-up activity
Top Right: Eyasha Pandey, a BHS tutor, works in support of two happy JGMS students
Bottom Left: Ms. Goodhue assists two students working in iXL, an on-line Math program
Bottom Right: The Skill Center in action!
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     K.T.T.

Principal's Accolades

The following students received a nomination from a teacher or coach for exemplifying attributes we admire in our JGMS students.

For consistently putting forth a great effort to meet our standard of high academic achievement and applying her knowledge into practice across disciplines, a huge congratulations to Reymer Peguero, a JGMS 7th grader.

Congratulations and a big THANK YOU to all of the students who gave up their evening to help our parents find their way during Back-to-School night.

Congratulations to Alex Weismann, a JGMS 8th grader, for breaking the school record in the timed mile running a blistering 5:18!

A shout out to Katherine Eliason, a JGMS 7th grader, for consistently displaying positive sportsmanship and dedication to her soccer team and teammates despite being temporarily sidelined with a foot injury.

A special Principal's "congratulations" to the gentleman displaying great school spirit by donning a chicken suit in the context of our magazine drive. While the person will remain nameless, he may or may not be the new Assistant Principal...

 
From the Health Office

Thanks to all Parents who have sent in required forms so promptly.

Reminders:

 -All sixth graders, as well as new students in grades 7 and 8 are required to submit a Physical Exam, completed within the past year, upon entering JGMS.

 -Hearing and Vision Screening will begin for seventh graders in November. Please remind students to have corrective lenses with them.

 -The Ma Dept of Public Health mandates annual height and weight screening for grades 1 4 7 and 10. Each child's height and weight will be used to calculate the BMI. The results are kept confidential. BMI is a " weight to height for age " index that can be a useful tool in early identification of possible health risk factors among children and youth. Please feel free to contact me with any questions about BMI screening or if you do not want your child to participate in the screening. Additional information may be found at www.mass.gov/massinmotion/.

-The MA Dept of Public Health also requires an immunization compliance report each year. In this report (due at the end of October) all 7th grade records are surveyed to ensure compliance with required immunizations. This is the reason many families have received phone calls and letters from me requesting updated Physical Exams and Immunization Reports. I appreciate your assistance, and welcome all updated physicals and immunizations lists on your child.

Thank you,

Carol Eaton , RN
781-275-3165

Borrowing Lunch Policy Update

Procedure to borrow lunch money from cafeteria:

We realize there may be times when a student will forget their lunch or their lunch money. In these infrequent times a student may borrow lunch money in the cafeteria. The student is required to speak to the cashier before they pick up their lunch. The cashier will take down student name, grade and date borrowed. The food service office will maintain a list of all students who have borrowed lunch money and a letter will be sent weekly to the student address indicating the debt and requesting payment. Please send payment to cafeteria with student so the cashier may adjust the debt record.

The rule above is for emergencies only.

Three strike rule:

Students who do not pay the debt back within one week will receive a "strike". Additional strikes will be given for failure to pay the original debt or further debt failures. Three strikes against a student will preclude them from borrowing lunch money from the food service.

Thank you for your understanding,

Ken Whittier

Funding Factory

 Dear Parents/Guardians,

School districts and nonprofit organizations across the county have been dealing with huge budget cuts, but we've found a way to supplement our finances to get the funds we need.

The John Glenn Middle School is participating in the FundingFactory® Recycling Program! This fundraiser is FREE and simple because there's nothing to sell, no paperwork to fill out and no deadline. The program runs year-round, accumulating constant income for our efforts. But we won't get very far without your support. Please donate your empty printer cartridges, cell phones, small electronics, and laptops to JGMS and we'll take it from there! We will recycle the cartridges, cell phones, small electronics, and laptops through FundingFactory to earn new cash that we will use to fund programs at the school.

Last year alone, more than 300 million cartridges were thrown away, while 30,000,000 cell phones were tossed or replaced. We're alleviating the volume of waste that goes into landfills, while collecting cash we need to keep our school running smoothly. Your help is vital to our fundraising success. Cartridges, cell phones, small electronics, and laptops can be dropped off at the JGMS office, the computer lab, or sent in with students who can drop them off in either Ms. Ferri's room (B115), or Mrs. Scaltreto's room (B109). You can find a list of qualifying items at: http://www.fundingfactory.com/

FundingFactory also sponsors a businesses support program, where your employer can help out our school without spending a cent. FREE prepaid shipping labels can be sent, free of charge, directly to any business, organization or other facility within the continental United States. Business supporters simply need to load boxes, apply a FREE prepaid shipping label and leave them for the next UPS pickup. If you work for a company that may be interested in supporting us, please call FundingFactory toll-free at 1-888-883-8237. Give the customer service representative our school identification number, 325785 and they'll set you up to support our account.

If you have any questions about this great opportunity, please feel free to call me at 781-275-3201 extension 2115 or e-mail me. Thank you for your support!

Sincerely,

Barbara Ferri and Heidi Scaltreto
JGMS Science Teachers

Library News

Fall began with wonderful discussions with our 6th grade students who read Wonder by R.J. Palacio during the summer. Students enjoyed an informal discussion about the themes of the book. They noticed how characters, like people in real life are multifaceted. The impressive novel showed how a boy with physical disabilities who entered a new school can teach everyone, including his own family, about life, friendship and acceptance.

7th and 8th graders will have their discussions this month about Colin Fisher by Miller and Stentz. The novel addresses the challenges of a boy with autism and how teams up with the high school bully to get to the bottom of a school mystery. We will discuss the challenges of being different as well as how usual adversaries can sometimes find common ground.

Teachers have brought their classes to the library to select books. We've checked out 638 books! Our students are busy reading.

Ms. Stephen and Ms. Bemis brought their 8th grade students to the library to select classics and challenging books. Eighth graders have rigorous outside reading expectations.

Mr. Donaher's 7th graders selected books that have won various literary awards from for their first book project which is due the end of October.

Ms. D'Entremont's 7th grade classes selected survival/adventure or the biography and autobiography type of nonfiction.

Sixth graders were escorted to the library with SOS teachers, Ms. Suduiko and Mr. Barlas. We had an activity of how to find different types of books and we checked out books for independent reading.

Both orange and yellow social studies classes are about to embark on research of an Africa country using the five themes of geography. They have been learning how to use an online resource Culturegrams by briefly examining the small island of Kiribati in the area of Oceana. These researchers are also learning how to cite sources and save documents.

It is exciting to be in the library; traveling to different times and places, understanding different characters' perspectives and researching new ideas.

Counselor's Corner

The JGMS Counseling Department would like to extend a warm welcome to Ms. Maureen McDermott, the new Grade 7 Guidance Counselor. She has come to us from Seattle, Washington and is making great connections with her grade 7 students. If you are at JGMS please take a moment to stop in the Guidance Office and introduce yourself.

Ms. McDermott has taken the time to meet her 7th grade students and teachers on both Teams. She has stopped into classes at the start of the year to introduce herself and to give students a survey that will help her identify student needs at JGMS. Throughout the day, you will often see her in the hallways and at lunch connecting with students.

Ms. Daley is the Grade 6 Guidance Counselor. She has been traveling into Life Skills classes since the start of the school year to deliver Guidance-based lessons. These lessons introduce sixth grade students to the services offered through the Guidance Department as well as highlight the importance of communication through the middle school years. She has enjoyed getting to know the students and looks forward to building connections with each student throughout this school year.

Mrs. Siegenthaler is the 8th grade counselor. She has had the pleasure of working with this class for the past two years and has already begun meeting with students both individually and in groups.

This is the year that a number of students will decide to apply to either Shawsheen Valley Technical High School or a private High School. There will be a grade 8 assembly on Friday, November 1st for all 8th grade students to learn about Shawsheen Valley Technical High School. If interested, students may pick up an application for the school at the end of the assembly and will be informed regarding application deadlines and the interview process.

Any students applying to a private high school should bring the materials to the staff at least three weeks prior to the deadline. Most schools want the applications by mid-January so have the forms in before the December vacation. Please provide a stamped, addressed envelope made out to the private school. Schools usually include envelopes with forms.

Please encourage your child to use the Guidance Office as a resource throughout their middle school years. We are happy to help them navigate through a number of issues, such as friendships, organizational and study skills, stress management, and self-esteem. Feel free to contact your child's counselor if you feel we could be a help to your child and/or family.

NEWCOMERS' CLUB:
Did you know that we have 26 new students at JGMS this year?

Did you know that if your child was new to Bedford and the Middle School this year they were invited to join the Newcomers' Club? The 6th grade Newcomers' Club has met during Advisory on Day 1 with Ms. Daley. The 7th grade Newcomers' Club has been meeting during Advisory on Day 4 with Ms. McDermott and the 8th grade Newcomers' Club has been meeting with Mrs. Siegenthaler on Day 3. Most of the new students have participated.

We have had an opportunity to eat our snacks, share our stories about who we are, where we came from and why we moved to Bedford. These groups have given the students an opportunity to talk about how they are feeling about their moves, how to go about connecting with other students and making new friends and how we can provide support for one another in the halls, the lunchroom and in classes!

There was consensus that the best way to meet new people is to try to keep a smile on your face (even when your stomach is in a knot!), meet one person who then introduces you to their friends and join in activities in school or in town where you have something in common with the other students.

Ask your children about our group...it has been fun getting to know them. We will continue to meet throughout the first term.

Joanna Daley (Counselor) Grade 6
Maureen McDermott (Counselor) Grade 7
Diana Siegenthaler (Counselor ) Grade 8 

8th Grade News

The school year is off to a fantastic start for the eighth grade class as the Class of 2018 arrived motivated with enthusiasm and positive attitudes. The two hundred members of the eighth grade class have set the right tone for the whole building and we are looking forward to a productive and fun year. This year we have also welcomed seven new students to the 8th grade class. Some are returning from other schools, while others have recently moved into town from places near and far. Welcome!

As you may already know, eighth grade has two distinct, yet parallel teams of teachers and students: Green and Grey. This concept of two parallel teams, we believe, allows students to make stronger academic and social connections within a smaller grouping, while the staff has the opportunity to develop a more cohesive and collaborative instructional approach across Teams.

Staff Members for the Green Team:

Joe Casey (Social Studies, Team Leader)

Vanessa Mangini (Math)

Barbara Ferri (Science)

Pat Stephen (English)

Rachel LeBlanc (Reading)

Kris Frazier (Special Education)

Constantine Georgopoulos, (Special Education)

Tammy McGeoghegan (Special Education)

Staff Members for the Grey Team:

James Nagle (Social Studies, Team Leader)

Charlie Puopolo (Science)

Marilyn Bemis (English)

Sara Berinato (Math)

Michelle DellaValle (Special Education)

John Glynn (Special Education)

Rachel LeBlanc (Reading)

Fern Thompson (Special Education)

Erin Wyman (Special Education)

• Terri Mills and Ana Bueno, both teach Spanish to students from both Teams. Wendy Tanahashi- Works is our French Teacher.
• Diana Siegenthaler will be serving all of our 8th grade students as their Guidance Counselor . Renee Anderson will continue as the school's Adjustment Counselor.

At any time if you have questions or concerns regarding your child's progress, do not hesitate to contact any of the above Team members. Team meetings can be requested through the Team leader, Guidance Counselor, or Special Education liaison.

A big thank you to all of the parents who attended our Open House on September 26th. We had a great turnout and appreciate your involvement and support.

7th Grade News

It has been a fantastic start to the school year on the 7th Grade teams. We have really enjoyed getting to know your kids. Open House was a success and we really appreciate how many parents were able to join us.

Please keep an eye out for the sign ups for Parent Conferences, which are held in November and December. Interims will be posted and sent home shortly, so please check your child's grades to see how they are doing in their classes. If you have concerns about a specific grade, please contact the teacher directly. Email is often the best way to reach teachers, using the following: first_last@bedford.k12.ma.us. This information is also on the school website.

Here is what is happening in 7th Grade classes in September and October:

English

It was great to meet many of you at open house. Students have been reading, writing and reflecting! We started this year by reading a short story about a nightmarish first day of school in hopes that no matter how our students' years began, it could not compare to the poor soul in the story. Also, students wrote a friendly email in which they shared interesting things about themselves and their goals for English this year. Also, in order to gauge where students are, students have been working on baseline writing assessments for long compositions and for open responses. In addition, students have expanded their vocabularies, and reviewed the parts of speech with the Vocabulary Workshop books. Students were also assigned a book project that is due toward the end of the quarter. After reading a few short stories, we are now looking forward to beginning our folklore unit beginning with reading famous fables and writing their own original fables. We are looking forward to discovering the life lessons the students have learned and will share.

Math

7th Grade Math and Pre-Algebra students are covering a unit on Integers. Students will be working on a project, applying graphing of coordinates, in the next few weeks. 7th Grade Math students will move on to a unit on fractions. Having a solid foundation with their basic multiplication facts will be extremely helpful for students as we move on to this next unit. In Pre-Algebra, the next chapter will focus on solving equations and inequalities.

7th grade is using the McDougal-Littell book series. Pre-Algebra students use Math Course 3 and 7th Grade Math students use Math Course 2, and the books should remain at home. There are supplemental materials supporting each chapter at: www.classzone.com. Usernames and passwords were issued for access to the online textbook. Homework assignments and access to classroom lessons can be found on the class Moodle site using the student's JGMS username and password. IXL.com is also a great tool for students to practice the content we are covering in class. Students will be provided information on the appropriate IXL units for each lesson covered in class.

Social Studies

Students began the year with the Archaeology unit, which focuses on different types of sources, dating those sources, and evaluating sources. Students have been learning about how archaeologists, anthropologists, and historians all contribute to our understanding of what has happened in the past. Students created timelines to demonstrate their understanding of the concepts of BCE and CE and how to plot dates. They have also interviewed other students in school about the first day of school to help them understand about how the reliability of sources is important to the historian. Students will begin their unit on Early People this month, which focuses on the earliest humans. Each student has been given a textbook, called A Message of Ancient Days, so that it can be used for homework assignments. Students should not bring the textbook to school, but should keep it in a safe place at home.

Science

Students have begun the year by learning the six characteristics that all living things share. Presently we are studying our Environmental Studies focusing on Ecology. We are learning how energy flows in different ecosystems and eventually we will learn about types of interactions organisms have in their natural environment as well as interacting with other organisms.

6th Grade News

General Announcements: 

School Newspaper: Please check out the latest issue of our school newspaper, The John Glenn Journal. It is posted on the JGMS website and is chock full of interesting articles.

Curriculum Updates:

Math: In math class we started the school year studying Powers and Exponents along with Order of Operations. Once we finish these topics we will jump into variables and will then move forward covering the new Common Core Curriculum.

English: In English on the Yellow team, students have been working diligently on using precise and descriptive language to communicate their ideas to others. They are thinking about how to use their five senses to describe the world around them and to make a scene or an experience come alive. We are looking forward to writing our final "Place Descriptions" in the upcoming weeks.

The readers and writers on the Orange team have been exploring how to better understand the world around them through the use of language. They have been working hard at reading for the main idea in a text as well as writing using a main idea in a basic paragraph. It has also been interesting to learn how to analyze words for their individual parts so as to better understand their meaning. This has opened up a world of understanding for words that are new to us! We will soon be moving into our next unit: descriptive writing and short stories. In this unit we will be thinking carefully about the world around us and how to share our experience with others in a lively way. We will also be reading short stories and working on writing our own. We have a lot to look forward to!

Social Studies: In sixth grade social studies we have been working hard to learn about the world around us. We began with an interesting discussion on culture and took a look at our own culture as members of a family, a student body, and a community here in Bedford. We are proud of our differences and similarities. We have also been looking at the five themes of geography, an idea we will carry throughout the year. These ideas will guide us in our efforts to understand the global community in which we live. We will be introducing a project in which students will be able to explore countries in Africa. They will focus on the question: "How does where people live affect how they live?" By looking at the five themes, we will start to understand how to answer this question.

Learning Strategies: Learning Strategies is off to a great start this year. We have just finished our introductory unit where we covered classroom procedures, guidance during the transition into middle school, and an introduction to thinking maps. Next up, a unit focused on what goes into being a successful learner that is focused on habits of mind and meta cognition. The goal for the remainder of this term is for students to be able to identify their individual learning style and apply it.

Science: Students on both the Orange and Yellow teams just finished the Basic Science Skills Unit, which included the topics of Observations, Inferences, the Metric System, and Lab Safety. Now that we have covered the basics, students will begin to learn experimental design. This will lead us through many interesting experiments as we learn what an independent, dependent, and control variable are and how to identify them correctly in science. We will also explore quite a bit of graphing in the content area as we analyze data charts to draw conclusions about our experiments. Finally, we will finish off the unit designing and conducting their own experiments using the popular trick of exploding mentos in diet coke and then writing a lab report about our findings. 

Spanish News

Grade 6

We have been using our new textbook to review greetings, goodbyes, and formal and familiar ways to ask how are you, as well as introductions and useful classroom phrases. We are also practiced talking about what day is today, tomorrow and the weather. These topics are in the preliminary unit.. Our focus was that they be able to hold a conversation of short/moderate length.

By the end of September, students started Unidad 1 lección 1 of our new book Avancemos 1. Now, they are learning how to talk about activities, what people like and do not like to do. By the end of October students will know how to say and ask where people are from. On the cultural side, students will learn what teenagers do in Florida and where they go during their free time. They will also learn how Latino performers and athletes affect popular culture in the USA and how people celebrate history and culture in Miami, San Antonio or where they live.

Grade 7

The students have been learning to talk about classroom objects, places in school, where things are located, where people are going, what they are going to do, and how they are feeling. These topics include some new question words as well as the verbs estar and ir. The cultural setting is Mexico City, in which they learn more about schools in Mexico, the indigenous cultures and the Spanish influence on Mexican culture, important tourist sites, and Huichol yarn painting. We talk briefly about the Dominican Republic as well.

Grade 8

Our present unit of study takes place in Oaxaca, Mexico. Students are learning to identify places in the city, give addresses, choose transportation and ask for and give directions. Students are studying the present tense forms of the verbs decir and salir and prepositions of place. They are practicing the forms of regular and irregular familiar affirmative commands to give directions. They have been enjoying some cultural aspects of Oaxaca through music, dance, photographs and handicrafts. They are also discussing the world famous market of Oaxaca. They are learning to appreciate and discuss the value of hand made handicrafts of the outdoor market of Oaxaca. They are contrasting them with the massed produced items of the shopping mall. Students are also beginning to appreciate the city of Oaxaca as a fascinating travel destination.

French News

In French 6 we have just finished reviewing the basic greetings and nationalites. We have gone to the computer lab and familiarized ourselves with Quizlet and other online study programssuch as Lingt Language, Class zone and Conjuguemos. The students have been completing activites both in pairs and groups. We have practiced numbers up to 60. We are also learning to use the informal and formal when addressing people and that fits into various social contexts. Students are enjoying viewing the movie Babar-School Days in French and English.

In French 7 we have just finished leçon 7 and Er verbs. Currently we are focused on adjectives and various ways to form questions. The students have been working alot in pairs and small groups. They are using the verb charts on the board and in their binders and identifying the various parts of speech as well as patterns in language. We are currently learning the song Les Champs- Elysées. and waching Finding Nemo in French.The students are using various programs to help them with review and pronunciation such as Quizlet, Quia.com, Classzone, Lingt Language. and Conjuguemos.

In French 8 we are finishing up some irregular verbs forms and learning about patterns and using pneumonic devices to help us remember verb charts. The students are currently reviewing a unit on clothing and demonstrative adjectives. We have used the online programs in the lab such as Quizlet, Classzone.com, Lingt language and Conjuguemos. The students are now able to write short descriptions/narratives and are more confident telling mini stories in groups with images as their cues. We are enjoying the movie Petit Nicolas in French with English subtitles. 

Art News

The Art Dept. is running at full steam as students work on a variety of challenging and creative projects. Already students have been drawing, painting, using technology, and nature as tools for learning and self expression. Bringing the outside world and all of its issues into the classroom is especially key for 8th grade students.

Currently Ms. Banks' students are busy putting together a small mural design that focuses on a problem or topic in the news today. Many students are finding a "primary source" to enhance their understanding of their topic. Our own school resource officer, Officer Waite, has been kind enough to visit several 8th grade classrooms and answer students questions related to texting and driving, gun violence, and DUI laws. Students get to know one of Bedford's officers while learning more about a topic that they are interested in. Stay tuned for more information about the mural projects as they take shape! 

Picture Caption: Officer Waite talks to a student about his art project as it relates to issues in Bedford

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas any more."

The music department is excited to announce that this year's Spring musical will be "The Wizard of Oz"! Students in all grades are invited to participate as cast members, and stage crew jobs are available for students in grades 7 and 8. Packets with information on how to sign up will be available in mid-November. Auditions for lead roles are on December 9th and 10th, and callbacks are on December 12th. This years performances will be on April 3rd, 4th and 5th. Stay tuned to JGMS morning announcements for more info, and see Mrs. Budka if you have any questions.

Notes from the Gifted and Talented and Differentiation Instruction Program

Gifted and Talented E-mail List
All parents and students are invited to sign-up to receive e-mails from Lisa Fontaine-Rainen regarding opportunities particularly appropriate for gifted students, both in and out of school. Lisa will send out information on opportunities in the area, school events, and anything else that might be of interest. Please send an e-mail to get on the list!

Gifted and Talented Programming through Differentiation
Students with particular gifts and talents have many opportunities to learn and excel at JGMS. Many of these opportunities are provided in the regular classroom, through differentiation. Teachers provide students with challenging options in the context of the regular curriculum, based on student needs and interests. The Gifted and Talented and Differentiated Instruction Teacher, Lisa Fontaine-Rainen, provides support to teachers on differentiation. Feel free to contact the classroom teachers if you feel your child needs additional challenge.

Advanced Enrichment Programming
Some enrichment opportunities happen during our "enrichment" blocks at JGMS. These opportunities include:

• In 6th and 8th grade, open seminars offered to all students during grade level enrichment time. The topics will change every 3-8 cycles. Students are invited to sign up for each seminar the cycle before it starts. This offering is not offered to 7th graders in the 2013-2014 school year due to scheduling constraints.
• In all grades, small groups are working during enrichment blocks on challenge topics and projects. These groups will change throughout the year.
• For students who do not have enrichment blocks during a time when Lisa Fontaine-Rainen is free, lunch groups will be formed to provide a setting for discussion of advanced topics.

Feel free to contact Lisa Fontaine-Rainen for more details on any of these.

Advanced Mathematics
Mathematics can be particularly challenging to differentiate. We acknowledge that some students need a qualitatively different mathematics curriculum on a daily basis. These needs change throughout the year, based largely on readiness. One way we work to meet these needs is to pre-test students in mathematics for every unit, and provide alternate curriculum to some students who show the need for more advanced work. The advanced math pull-out classes work on units that parallel the regular curriculum, taking it deeper and to a more challenging level. For the first unit of 6th grade, the pull-out class worked with expressing numbers as powers of other numbers, become masters of estimation of all kinds, learned the "why" behind divisibility rules, and are now mastering interesting shortcuts for greatest common factor and least common multiple and making conjectures about number types. The first 7th grade unit focuses on the concepts of patterns and includes writing patterns algebraically, using integers in patterns, and solving equations that represent patterns. The 8th grade class extends the regular algebra text with more challenging problems, as well as with extensions on sets of numbers, challenging rate problems, and much more.

MathCounts
The JGMS math competition program, MathCounts, meets after school on Mondays from 2:30 to 3:30 in room B219. Students participating in MathCounts will compete in many competitions, including the American Mathematics Competition for grade 8 and below (AMC 8), the Collaborative Problem Solving Contest, Abacus Math Challenge, and MathCounts. Each of these competitions will engage students' mathematical talents in different ways, including individual speed competitions, extended problem solving, team competitions, and head-to-head problem solving. All students are invited to train and compete. Any student who cannot attend some meetings due to conflicts with sports or other activities should contact Lisa Fontaine-Rainen to be put on the e-mail list and to get information on how to stay competitive by attending morning sessions, then joining the afternoon sessions when they are available.

Out of School Resources
CTY Talent Search
Students who have scored at the advanced level on any of their most recent MCAS are invited to participate in the Center for Talented Youth Talent Search. Students in 7th and 8th grade will take either the SAT or the ACT tests, typically given to college bound juniors and seniors. Students in 6th grade will take the SCAT (School and College Ability Test). Participation in the CTY Talent Search can lead to recognition, qualification for additional CTY programming, and, at the 7th and 8th grade level, scholarships to local colleges to be used to take courses before high school graduation. If you would like information to be sent home with your child, please e-mail Lisa Fontaine-Rainen. You can also get more information on the CTY website listed above.

Art of Problem Solving
The Art of Problem Solving has excellent materials to extend mathematical thinking. Students can work on challenging math problems on the online "game" Alcumus – parental permission is required for any child under 13. Students can also sign up to participate in evening online classes and "Math Jams" on various topics, ranging from competition math to college applications. Art of Problem Solving also writes some excellent math curriculum – I would encourage looking at some of the topics that are outside of the regular school curriculum, like Number Theory and Counting and Probability.

From Our Science Corner

  The You Be the Chemist Challenge is an academic competition that engages middle school students in learning about important chemistry concepts, discoveries and chemical safety. It was developed as a question-and answer competition, similar to spelling bees and quiz bowls. All JGMS students take a qualifying exam in the late fall. The top ten scorers are determined in each grade and are given a study guide to prepare for the next phase of competition, which takes place between February and April vacation. The number of participants is then narrowed down to the 10 who will represent JGMS in the state competition, which takes place after April vacation. The winner of the state competition will go on to represent Massachusetts in the national competition at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia in June. More information about the competition may be found at the CEF website, along with a study guide: https://www.chemed.org/ybtc/challenge/

ACE's mission is to educate students on the science behind climate change and inspire them to take action to curb global warming.

1. We begin by introducing students to the basics of climate science through an assembly, which students saw on October 2nd.
2. Next, we encourage students to share a DOT, or a pledge to Do One Thing to help the environment and cool the climate.
3. We help motivated students take the next step by starting Action Teams to kick start carbon-cutting projects at school and assist with the recycling program at JGMS.

These activities take place during the same time that the science club meets. It is student driven, with the help of Ms. Ferri and Mrs. Scaltreto and meets on Monday afternoons in B115.