April/May Update
* Lunch Meetings on 4/11 and 5/15
* School Store on 4/13 and 5/10
* Planned and created middle school video for 5th grade parents/students
* Students created a flier of items left from school store - distributed to teachers in the building
* Planned and created teacher reading posters for next year
* Individual meetings
It has been a pleasure to work with the 8th grade Paltag students for the last two years. I wish all 8th graders the best of luck at the high school!
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
March Update
* Students worked during School Store on Thursday 3/1
* Individual meetings with Mrs. Mahaffey were on March 19th
* Lunch meeting was held on 3/22 - during this time we outlined the order for the 5th grade video
* Students began creating the 5th grade video in small groups on 3/26. Small groups will meet again during the month of April to finish the video.
* I continue to meet with the Dolphins team teachers to monitor progress and assist with differentiation as needed.
* Individual meetings with Mrs. Mahaffey were on March 19th
* Lunch meeting was held on 3/22 - during this time we outlined the order for the 5th grade video
* Students began creating the 5th grade video in small groups on 3/26. Small groups will meet again during the month of April to finish the video.
* I continue to meet with the Dolphins team teachers to monitor progress and assist with differentiation as needed.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
February
February update:
* During our lunch meeting at the beginning of February, we had four 9th grade students attend and talk about high school and the courses they were taking. 8th graders had the opportunity to ask questions of those students.
* Each student met individually with Mrs. Mahaffey at the beginning of the month to talk about scheduling.
* Students worked a shift during the Scholastic Book Fair. Duties included assisting students, record keeping, and stocking.
* School store was held during lunches on Friday, 2/17.
* During our lunch meeting at the beginning of February, we had four 9th grade students attend and talk about high school and the courses they were taking. 8th graders had the opportunity to ask questions of those students.
* Each student met individually with Mrs. Mahaffey at the beginning of the month to talk about scheduling.
* Students worked a shift during the Scholastic Book Fair. Duties included assisting students, record keeping, and stocking.
* School store was held during lunches on Friday, 2/17.
Sunday, January 8, 2012
December and January
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and a relaxing break! December was a busy month for the 8th grade students. Here's a look at what we worked on...
* school store during 6th, 7th, and 8th grade lunches
* individual meetings to discuss classes, grades, and the 5th grade video
* 5th grade video meeting
* 5th grade video taping
* finished up presenting powerpoints to the Dolphins team teachers
* lunch meeting - students worked in groups to place pictures from the book Zoom in order. Sounds easy, right? There was a catch. Students in the group were each given their own pictures and were not allowed to show the other group members their pictures. They had to place the pictures in order without actually seeing all of the pictures.
Individual meetings were scheduled last week. With the students that attended, we began to talk about course scheduling for 9th grade. Students in reference this semester are working with Mrs. Dorwart to learn more about scheduling and the high school. Students taking reference during the second semester will start the class with Mrs. Dorwart and learn more about the scheduling process. Mr. Jones, high school principal, will also be visiting the middle school in the next few weeks to meet with each of the 8th grade teams. During this time, he will present the course catalog and talk with the students about scheduling and the high school. There will also be a parent meeting - more information on date and time will be coming soon.
During the January lunch meeting, students were given a scenario about a plane crash. Working in pairs, they were asked to order the 12 items that survived the crash, thinking about which would be the most useful and why. We ended the meeting with a great discussion about which objects/items could be used for what.
School store is scheduled for this Friday. I will also be visiting Mrs. Wehr's Language Arts class this month to talk with the 8th grade students about their reading workshop progress.
* school store during 6th, 7th, and 8th grade lunches
* individual meetings to discuss classes, grades, and the 5th grade video
* 5th grade video meeting
* 5th grade video taping
* finished up presenting powerpoints to the Dolphins team teachers
* lunch meeting - students worked in groups to place pictures from the book Zoom in order. Sounds easy, right? There was a catch. Students in the group were each given their own pictures and were not allowed to show the other group members their pictures. They had to place the pictures in order without actually seeing all of the pictures.
Individual meetings were scheduled last week. With the students that attended, we began to talk about course scheduling for 9th grade. Students in reference this semester are working with Mrs. Dorwart to learn more about scheduling and the high school. Students taking reference during the second semester will start the class with Mrs. Dorwart and learn more about the scheduling process. Mr. Jones, high school principal, will also be visiting the middle school in the next few weeks to meet with each of the 8th grade teams. During this time, he will present the course catalog and talk with the students about scheduling and the high school. There will also be a parent meeting - more information on date and time will be coming soon.
During the January lunch meeting, students were given a scenario about a plane crash. Working in pairs, they were asked to order the 12 items that survived the crash, thinking about which would be the most useful and why. We ended the meeting with a great discussion about which objects/items could be used for what.
School store is scheduled for this Friday. I will also be visiting Mrs. Wehr's Language Arts class this month to talk with the 8th grade students about their reading workshop progress.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Building Bridges
8th grade students worked in pairs to create a bridge with given materials during their lunch meeting. Every bridge had to look the same and groups weren't allowed to see each other. In addition, there was a new language for students to use. Ask your 8th grade student about what materials they could use and how the bridges turned out!
Sunday, October 16, 2011
September and October Update
The 2011-2012 school year is off to a great start! September and October have been very busy months. Here's a quick look at what we have been doing...
* Prior to the start of school, I met with the Dolphins team teachers to discuss each student and plan enrichment opportunities for first marking period. I met with the team again following the completion of all GIEP meetings to review updated GIEP information.
* GIEP meetings for all 8th grade Paltag students were held with each student preparing and presenting a powerpoint about themselves as a learner/leader and their plans for the future. Each student will be presenting their powerpoint to the Dolphins team teachers in early November as well.
* School store was open during the Middle School open house in August as well as one day during lunches in both September and October.
* We began preparing and planning for the 5th grade video, including taping parts of the open house in August and interviewing current middle school students.
* During reading workshop in Mrs. Wehr's language arts class, students conferenced with me about the books they are currently reading.
* I met individually with students in September and October.
* The September lunch meeting focused on introducing the powerpoint presentation for GIEP meetings.
* At the October lunch meeting, we looked at the high school course catalog and summer reading requirements for the honors language arts courses. This information is available on the school district webpage (www.pasd.us), by clicking on the student/parent information link and then clicking on the high school option.
* Several 8th grade Paltag students responded to my request to help teachers and students at Pine Street Elementary.
I am very proud of all the 8th grade students for their thoughtful preparation of the powerpoint presentation. Each student put time and effort into thinking about themselves as students and leaders as well as their plans for the future.
The spelling bee is coming up at the middle school. Sign ups for the written spelling bee will be held next week in language arts classes. Based on the results of the written spelling bee, students will be invited to participate in the oral spelling bee. Please consider participating in this event.
Also, sign ups for the peer mentors program took place last week during lunches. This is a program run through the school counseling office. The peer mentors program takes place on Wednesdays after school. Peer mentors work with other students at the middle school in need of support. If interested in participating, please contact Mrs. Dorwart in the counseling office.
* Prior to the start of school, I met with the Dolphins team teachers to discuss each student and plan enrichment opportunities for first marking period. I met with the team again following the completion of all GIEP meetings to review updated GIEP information.
* GIEP meetings for all 8th grade Paltag students were held with each student preparing and presenting a powerpoint about themselves as a learner/leader and their plans for the future. Each student will be presenting their powerpoint to the Dolphins team teachers in early November as well.
* School store was open during the Middle School open house in August as well as one day during lunches in both September and October.
* We began preparing and planning for the 5th grade video, including taping parts of the open house in August and interviewing current middle school students.
* During reading workshop in Mrs. Wehr's language arts class, students conferenced with me about the books they are currently reading.
* I met individually with students in September and October.
* The September lunch meeting focused on introducing the powerpoint presentation for GIEP meetings.
* At the October lunch meeting, we looked at the high school course catalog and summer reading requirements for the honors language arts courses. This information is available on the school district webpage (www.pasd.us), by clicking on the student/parent information link and then clicking on the high school option.
* Several 8th grade Paltag students responded to my request to help teachers and students at Pine Street Elementary.
I am very proud of all the 8th grade students for their thoughtful preparation of the powerpoint presentation. Each student put time and effort into thinking about themselves as students and leaders as well as their plans for the future.
The spelling bee is coming up at the middle school. Sign ups for the written spelling bee will be held next week in language arts classes. Based on the results of the written spelling bee, students will be invited to participate in the oral spelling bee. Please consider participating in this event.
Also, sign ups for the peer mentors program took place last week during lunches. This is a program run through the school counseling office. The peer mentors program takes place on Wednesdays after school. Peer mentors work with other students at the middle school in need of support. If interested in participating, please contact Mrs. Dorwart in the counseling office.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
May Lunch Meeting
PALTAG students are invited to a lunch meeting on Tuesday, May 10th. We will have several 9th grade PALTAG students with us to talk about high school, the courses they are taking, etc. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions about high school as well. I am hopeful this will give them answers to their questions while also giving them a few more familiar faces to see at the high school.
7th grade PALTAG students will be visiting the elementary schools to have lunch with 5th grade LEAP students. They will be talking with them about middle school. Again, my hope is that the 5th graders will have some questions answered for them while also having a few friendly faces at the middle school next year.
On Friday, May 13th 8th grade PALTAG students will have the opportunity to meet with Rep. Gingrich. She will be joining us during lunch to talk with the 8th graders about the budget situation and answer any of their questions.
7th grade PALTAG students will be visiting the elementary schools to have lunch with 5th grade LEAP students. They will be talking with them about middle school. Again, my hope is that the 5th graders will have some questions answered for them while also having a few friendly faces at the middle school next year.
On Friday, May 13th 8th grade PALTAG students will have the opportunity to meet with Rep. Gingrich. She will be joining us during lunch to talk with the 8th graders about the budget situation and answer any of their questions.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
End of the 3rd Quarter
It's hard to believe how quickly the days are flying by! The third quarter is over and we are already into the 4th quarter. I am very proud of our students for how well they are doing in their classes. I met with all 7th and 8th grade students this past week to check in and see how everything was going. When meeting with 8th graders, we reviewed their course requests and talked about the transition to high school.
We met as grade level groups on Wednesday during lunches. The challenge during lunch was to think like an astronaut. Students were presented with a brief scenario from NASA. In the scenario, students were on a space exploration that didn't quite make it to the intended destination. They were given a list of 15 things and had to rank those items according to usefulness and importance. When finished, we compared their rankings to those of NASA. What did your student think was the most important thing to have with them?
We continue to update Moodle with enrichment opportunities and contests for our students. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for all of your help and support at home!
We met as grade level groups on Wednesday during lunches. The challenge during lunch was to think like an astronaut. Students were presented with a brief scenario from NASA. In the scenario, students were on a space exploration that didn't quite make it to the intended destination. They were given a list of 15 things and had to rank those items according to usefulness and importance. When finished, we compared their rankings to those of NASA. What did your student think was the most important thing to have with them?
We continue to update Moodle with enrichment opportunities and contests for our students. As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. Thank you for all of your help and support at home!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Geography Bee and Math League Contest
Students at Palmyra Middle School were offered the opportunity to participate in two new special events this year. The National Geography Bee took place in December. Interested 7th and 8th graders answered geography related questions with the highest five scorers in each round advancing to the final round. 7th grader Brandon Charochak took first place!
The Math League contest took place on Tuesday, February 15th. Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades signed up to participate in the written contest. These students were given 35 multiple choice questions to answer in 30 minutes.
The Math League contest took place on Tuesday, February 15th. Students in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades signed up to participate in the written contest. These students were given 35 multiple choice questions to answer in 30 minutes.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Book Fair
The Scholastic Book Fair was a huge success! Classes visited the book fair with one of their team teachers last week. 7th and 8th grade PALTAG students were assigned a time period to "work" at the book fair. During their scheduled work time, students assisted others with shopping, pricing, etc., as well as helping organize and restock items. As a result of our sales, the middle school has earned Scholastic dollars to purchase books for the library.
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Book Fair and Bridges
Last week, 8th grade students worked in groups to create a bridge with given materials during their lunch meeting. While this may sound easy, there was a catch. Every bridge had to look the same and groups weren't allowed to see each other. In addition, there was a new language for students to use. Ask your 8th grade student about what materials they could use and how the bridges turned out! 7th graders will be participating in a similar activity at our next meeting as well.
7th and 8th grade students will be helping with the book fair this week. Students have been assigned a one class time period to work. Teachers have been notified and I have asked students to let the teacher of the class they will be missing know ahead of time. They are responsible for any missed work during this time.
The Gifted/Enrichment page on Moodle has just been updated with several new opportunities for students. One fun one that I'd like to mention is the Doodle 4 Google contest. Students in grades K-12 are asked to redesign the Google logo. This year's theme is "what I'd like to do someday." More info can be found at http://www.google.com/doodle4google/.
7th and 8th grade students will be helping with the book fair this week. Students have been assigned a one class time period to work. Teachers have been notified and I have asked students to let the teacher of the class they will be missing know ahead of time. They are responsible for any missed work during this time.
The Gifted/Enrichment page on Moodle has just been updated with several new opportunities for students. One fun one that I'd like to mention is the Doodle 4 Google contest. Students in grades K-12 are asked to redesign the Google logo. This year's theme is "what I'd like to do someday." More info can be found at http://www.google.com/doodle4google/.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Mid Year Update
As we end the second marking period, I would like to take this opportunity to check in with all of our parents and guardians. I continue to meet individually with the students each month as well as meeting as a group for a lunch meeting. For 8th grade students, our upcoming individual meetings will focus on scheduling for 9th grade. Our monthly school store has been quite a success. The 7th and 8th grade students seem to enjoy ordering and selling items during lunch time once a month.
Palmyra Middle School will be participating in the Math League competition this year. 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students were invited to sign up in their math classes. If your child would like to participate, but hasn't signed up, please have them see me or their math teacher as soon as possible.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
End of 2nd Quarter
Parents & Guardians -
Can you believe the end of the 2nd quarter is almost here! This year is going very quickly and I continue to enjoy working with your students.
I met with all 7th and 8th grade gifted students individually at the beginning of the month. During this time we reviewed goals set at the beginning of the year. We discussed their progress on meeting those goals and revised as needed. For 8th grade students, we also talked about scheduling for 9th grade.
Our lunch meeting was held on Monday, January 10th. Students had the opportunity to interact with each other and talk about our school store and the upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. The book fair will be held during the week of February 14th in the Middle School library. Students will have the opportunity to work a shift during that week, pending team teacher approval.
School store continues to be successful! Last Friday (January 14th) was our most recent adventure. With winter and Valentine's Day themed merchandise having just arrived, students were very excited to see some new items available. Our next school store will be held on Friday, February 4th.
As the second quarter comes to a close, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. Ms. Creekmore, Mr. Makuch, and I continue to update the gifted/enrichment Moodle page as information is given to us. I appreciate all of your help and support at home.
Can you believe the end of the 2nd quarter is almost here! This year is going very quickly and I continue to enjoy working with your students.
I met with all 7th and 8th grade gifted students individually at the beginning of the month. During this time we reviewed goals set at the beginning of the year. We discussed their progress on meeting those goals and revised as needed. For 8th grade students, we also talked about scheduling for 9th grade.
Our lunch meeting was held on Monday, January 10th. Students had the opportunity to interact with each other and talk about our school store and the upcoming Scholastic Book Fair. The book fair will be held during the week of February 14th in the Middle School library. Students will have the opportunity to work a shift during that week, pending team teacher approval.
School store continues to be successful! Last Friday (January 14th) was our most recent adventure. With winter and Valentine's Day themed merchandise having just arrived, students were very excited to see some new items available. Our next school store will be held on Friday, February 4th.
As the second quarter comes to a close, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have. Ms. Creekmore, Mr. Makuch, and I continue to update the gifted/enrichment Moodle page as information is given to us. I appreciate all of your help and support at home.
Thursday, December 30, 2010
December Update
I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday and a relaxing break! We added an extra school store this month right before the holiday break and it was a success! At the request of the students, we also had an additional lunch meeting. We used this meeting as time for students to be together and talk.
I will be meeting with students individually on Tuesday January 4th. Students will receive passes with their scheduled time from homeroom teachers that morning. When I first met with students in September, we set goals for the year. When we meet in January, we will be revisiting those goals, discussing progress and revising if needed. A lunch meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 10th with school store on Friday, January 14th.
Please continue to check the gifted/enrichment Moodle site as new enrichment opportunities are added periodically which may interest your student. I am meeting with teams monthly to discuss the progress of each student and support teachers as needed with enrichment and differentiation ideas.
As always, I appreciate your continued support at home. Please feel free to contact me at any time with questions or concerns.
Happy new year!
I will be meeting with students individually on Tuesday January 4th. Students will receive passes with their scheduled time from homeroom teachers that morning. When I first met with students in September, we set goals for the year. When we meet in January, we will be revisiting those goals, discussing progress and revising if needed. A lunch meeting is scheduled for Monday, January 10th with school store on Friday, January 14th.
Please continue to check the gifted/enrichment Moodle site as new enrichment opportunities are added periodically which may interest your student. I am meeting with teams monthly to discuss the progress of each student and support teachers as needed with enrichment and differentiation ideas.
As always, I appreciate your continued support at home. Please feel free to contact me at any time with questions or concerns.
Happy new year!
Sunday, December 12, 2010
December meetings and school store
Gifted students met individually with Mrs. Mahaffey during the first two weeks of December. Grade level lunch meetings were held on Wednesday in preparation for school store on Friday. This was our most successful school store yet! Many new items were offered at this month's school store as students completed an order of winter merchandise a few weeks ago.
Don't forget that the middle school will be offering the National Geographic Geography Bee for the first time this year. Sign ups took place in social studies classes this past week If you are interested in signing up, please see your social studies teacher. The competition will take place the week before our winter break. This is an excellent way for our students to challenge themselves in the area of Geography.
Don't forget that the middle school will be offering the National Geographic Geography Bee for the first time this year. Sign ups took place in social studies classes this past week If you are interested in signing up, please see your social studies teacher. The competition will take place the week before our winter break. This is an excellent way for our students to challenge themselves in the area of Geography.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Parents of Gifted Students Listserve
Hello parents and guardians!
I hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving! Millersville University is now hosting a listserve for parents of gifted students. There is a flyer with additional information on the gifted/enrichment Moodle page if you are interested.
I hope everyone had a relaxing Thanksgiving! Millersville University is now hosting a listserve for parents of gifted students. There is a flyer with additional information on the gifted/enrichment Moodle page if you are interested.
Friday, November 12, 2010
November School Store
Our most recent school store was a huge success! The students worked hard to sell our stock. They also have put together a new order for the holiday season. I appreciate all of their effort!! Our next school store will be on Friday, December 10th during all three lunches.
Sunday, November 7, 2010
Happy November!
Happy end of the first quarter! I hope the first marking period has been a successful one for all students and parents. I have really enjoyed getting to know all of the 7th and 8th grade gifted students. It's been great being able to work with some students that I had in 6th grade again as well as getting to know those that I didn't have in class.
I checked in with all students last week for our monthly meeting. During this meeting we discussed the first marking period and how everything is going. We will be having a lunch meeting on Tuesday 11/9 during lunches. I hope students are enjoying the opportunity to be together as a group during this time. During our lunch meeting on Tuesday we will be planning and preparing for our school store on Wednesday 11/10.
Our Moodle site continues to be updated as we receive information on various contests, competitions, and enrichment opportunities. Please check it out periodically and see if anything listed might be of interest to your student.
Students had the opportunity to sign up for the middle school spelling bee a few weeks ago. The written competition will be held soon. The high scorers will then participate in an oral spelling bee with the top speller advancing to further competition with other schools. Our middle school will be participating in the National Geographic Bee in December for the first time. Sign ups will take place in social studies rooms during the first week of December. This would be a great opportunity for our 7th and 8th grade students.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns throughout the year. I can be reached via email or by calling 838-1331. Thank you for all of your continued support at home.
I checked in with all students last week for our monthly meeting. During this meeting we discussed the first marking period and how everything is going. We will be having a lunch meeting on Tuesday 11/9 during lunches. I hope students are enjoying the opportunity to be together as a group during this time. During our lunch meeting on Tuesday we will be planning and preparing for our school store on Wednesday 11/10.
Our Moodle site continues to be updated as we receive information on various contests, competitions, and enrichment opportunities. Please check it out periodically and see if anything listed might be of interest to your student.
Students had the opportunity to sign up for the middle school spelling bee a few weeks ago. The written competition will be held soon. The high scorers will then participate in an oral spelling bee with the top speller advancing to further competition with other schools. Our middle school will be participating in the National Geographic Bee in December for the first time. Sign ups will take place in social studies rooms during the first week of December. This would be a great opportunity for our 7th and 8th grade students.
Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns throughout the year. I can be reached via email or by calling 838-1331. Thank you for all of your continued support at home.
Monday, October 11, 2010
October School Store
Our second school store was a huge success! During our lunch meeting on Tuesday, students worked in groups to brainstorm ways to improve our business. Groups of students focused on budgeting, supplies, scheduling, and advertising. We put many of those ideas in action on Friday 10/8. Our next school store is scheduled for Wednesday, 11/10.
Thanks to the parents I met with this week for GIEP meetings. I appreciate your time and support. It's great to be able to work together to meet the educational needs of your student.
Thanks to the parents I met with this week for GIEP meetings. I appreciate your time and support. It's great to be able to work together to meet the educational needs of your student.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
October Update
Happy October! I hope everyone had a great first month of school! I have enjoyed getting to know your students and am looking forward to a wonderful year.
I am in the process of meeting individually with students to check in and talk about their classes. We are revisiting the goals that each student set for this year and seeing how they are progressing. We will have lunch meetings on Tuesday, October 6th so students will have the opportunity to be together. School store is scheduled for Friday, October 8th during lunches. Since we had our first school store in September, we have learned a little bit about what worked and what we will need to change. When we meet on the 6th, we will be talking about how we can improve our business.
GIEP meetings will also continue in October. If I haven't met with you in September to discuss your child's educational needs, I look forward to this month where we can work together to plan for a successful year. I have been adding contests, competitions, and other enrichment opportunities to the gifted/enrichment Moodle site. Please check the site periodically and see if any of the opportunities posted might be of interest to your student.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year. I appreciate all of your help and support at home.
I am in the process of meeting individually with students to check in and talk about their classes. We are revisiting the goals that each student set for this year and seeing how they are progressing. We will have lunch meetings on Tuesday, October 6th so students will have the opportunity to be together. School store is scheduled for Friday, October 8th during lunches. Since we had our first school store in September, we have learned a little bit about what worked and what we will need to change. When we meet on the 6th, we will be talking about how we can improve our business.
GIEP meetings will also continue in October. If I haven't met with you in September to discuss your child's educational needs, I look forward to this month where we can work together to plan for a successful year. I have been adding contests, competitions, and other enrichment opportunities to the gifted/enrichment Moodle site. Please check the site periodically and see if any of the opportunities posted might be of interest to your student.
Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns throughout the school year. I appreciate all of your help and support at home.
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