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CMS QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER 1st Quarter 2018-2019

Carson Middle School 300 Hillvue Lane Pittsburgh, PA 15237

November 12, 2018 Dear Parents/Guardians of Carson Middle School, Greetings from Carson Middle School! The 2018-2019 school year started off with an outstanding first quarter. Although it is hard to believe we have completed one-fourth of the school year already, we can tell we are heading into winter with temperatures already going down into the 30s. The school year started off with a fantastic first nine-weeks for the students and staff members at Carson Middle School. We are excited to provide this newsletter to you as a summary of a variety of events that have taken place at CMS this year. We will provide all Carson families with a quarterly update for the purpose of enhancing the quality of school-home communication. From a broader school perspective, this information helps provide a context for considering your own child’s progress.

Students at Carson are engaged with learning activities and are getting involved with social clubs and organizations. The new sixth graders have made a positive transition from elementary school and are enjoying being official middle-schoolers. As mentioned in various orientation meetings, the teaming model in sixth grade allows children to become well known by their teachers and experience a smaller school-within-a-school model. The seventh and eighth grade students have also made a positive transition and are beginning to take on various leadership roles and becoming actively involved with various events and activities. We hope you take a few minutes to read through this informative newsletter to learn about the great things your children have been doing at CMS so far this school year.

CMS 6th GRADE SOCIAL DANCING TO THE MUSIC WITH FRIENDS On September 12, 2018, over 140 CMS sixth graders attended the after-school social! The afternoon was full of busting-a-move, snacks, and hula hooping! Each year, Student Council welcomes the new sixth grade class with a fun-filled hour of today’s hits, classic dance

songs, and snacks. From “The Cupid Shuffle” to the “Harlem Shake,” many sixth graders showed their best moves with their friends! Dance tickets were sold throughout the week for $1, and this year, like all the others, was another great turnout. A big thank you goes out to CMS teachers and staff members for chaperoning. Also, thank you to this year’s Student Council officers—they led some dances, helped organize the event, and made sure to meet as many new faces as possible! The sixth graders had a terrific time with their friends and meeting new classmates. It was a great way to bring the entire sixth grade together to welcome them to Carson Middle School and to celebrate a fantastic start to the new school year. Thank you to all of those who attended and helped everyone dance the day away!

Check out the pictures to see of the best highlights from this year’s sixth grade social!

North Allegheny School District

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STUDENTS AND TEACHERS GET CONNECTED AT CMS This year, all three middle schools in the North Allegheny School District are implementing a new program called Connections. The Connections program was created based upon students’ responses to a school climate survey which showed a need for students to feel more connected to teachers, students, and the school community. The mission statement of the Connections program is, “Provide an atmosphere of connectedness in which meaningful, intentional relationships foster the academic success, emotional well-being and social sense of belonging for each child in the school.” The program has three goals: 1. To create healthy individuals grounded in character. 2. To develop relationships. 3. To advance decision making skills. The five student attributes the program hopes to develop throughout the year are: organization, mindfulness, resiliency, perseverance, communication, and decision making.

All students in grades 6-8 participate in Connections with their homerooms on Monday and Friday mornings for nineteen minutes. During the first quarter, the Connections program focused on monthly themes of “I Am” (September) and “We Are” (October). During these two months, students participated in activities to discover who they are as individuals and also to create a collective identity with the students in their Connections group. Students engaged in activities to create “I Am” posters, created group “shields” representative of the members of their Connections group, participated in Keva block challenges, competed in a team-building cup stacking activity, and had meaningful discussions with their teachers and classmates. We look forward to the Connections focus on diversity for the month of November! Check out the various activities (pictures below) the students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade have worked on so far this year with their Connections groups!

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6th & 8th GRADERS COLLABORATE ON AN AWESOME ART INSTALLATION! Graffiti-inspired art at Carson? Absolutely! CMS sixth graders and eighth graders in Mrs. Birdsey’s art classes collaborated during the

first nine-week grading period to make an amazing, full-size wall installation that is displayed in the CMS auditorium foyer area! Students in both grades studied the art of Keith Haring, then selected one of Haring’s iconic images as a source of inspiration. Each

student saved their favorite Haring image to their iPad device for quick reference. Students in grade eight then kicked off the art-making part of the project by designing a Haring style object of their own, incorporating the color wheel as part of their design – color theory is a facet of the eighth grade art curriculum.

Each eighth grade object was drawn and painted, then presented to a group of three to four sixth grade students who were challenged to create a Haring style figure interacting with the object. Figures were

cut from paper strips and assembled by the sixth grade groups on the carpet wall in the auditorium foyer. Eighth graders completed the installation by adding their painted color wheel objects. The resulting wall art is impressive and exciting! It has brought movement, color and art into the foyer area. Everyone at CMS has enjoyed seeing this large-scale art piece at the start of the new school year. Thank you to Mrs. Birdsey and her art students for creating this amazing art installation for all to see and enjoy!

TEAM BUILDING FOR 7th GRADE GOLDEN TIGERS AT NORTH PARK!

On Thursday, September 20th, the Golden Tigers traveled to the North Park Lodge for a day filled with team-building events and activities. Some of the objectives for the day included students getting to know members of their Connections team, utilizing problem solving strategies, working collaboratively to achieve a single task, respecting diversity and participating in athletic events. With the help of our parent volunteers, students rotated in their Connections groups through seven different centers. One of the events included a kickball game where students cheered on their teammates.

The enthusiasm moved from the field to the Lodge as artistic talent went on display. Kids

brainstormed ideas for creating a Connections crest that represented ALL members of the group. Then it was off to name games which encouraged students to “name” all members of their Connections group. Verbal and nonverbal collaboration with teammates was up next. Stacking Solo cups, detangling a human knot, and flipping hula-hoops proved to be quite a challenge when

verbal communication was eliminated. These challenged students to think outside the box. Then, it was time for a nature scavenger hunt adventure where students hiked their way through the property on a quest to find the lucky clover. After some physical activity, it was time to work the mind. Students went full STEAM ahead as they utilized KEVA planks to engineer solutions to a variety of challenges. Appreciating what makes us unique and special was the final activity. The mock social grouping activity shined light on the emotional component of isolation. Students were encouraged

to share observations on ways to make others feel included and the benefits of branching outside your comfort zone. One final note, a big thank you the amazing parents who volunteered their time to ensure our day ran smoothly! It was a perfect day filled with sunshine, exercise, fun, and learning.

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CMS’S NEW COFFEE CART, TRIPLE C, IS READY FOR BUSINESS! Triple C, short for Carson’s Coffee Cart, is a new business at CMS. Mrs. BethAnn Hefner, a CMS Learning Support teacher, had an

idea to start a coffee service for teachers and staff at CMS. When asked why she wanted to explore this new adventure and learning opportunity with the students, she replied, “I want our students to have fun learning real-life skills. Teaching social, job, and financial

skills are much more meaningful when you can put them into an actual practice outside of the classroom. We needed a business that staff could get behind and want to take part in. And what teacher doesn’t want a little caffeinated pick-me-up in the middle of the day?”

While Mrs. Hefner came up with the idea for Triple C, she had the support of many people. The main portion of funding came from a grant she wrote to the North Allegheny Foundation; the $500 grant was used to purchase the supplies to get the project rolling. Donations of coffee were provided by Trader Joes. The Learning Support team of teachers, Mrs. Alexandra Perry, Mrs. Angela Ewing, Ms. Kathleen Kearney, Mrs. Leslie Garvin, and Mrs. Rachel Berry lend their helping hands, creative ideas, and caring teaching skills in this new endeavor. CMS Triple C Coffee Crew: Students in the Learning Support program currently manage, maintain and run the coffee cart. So far, they have learned the hygiene skills needed for the food service industry and social skills to use with clients. The month of October was used as a time of practice. They handed out free coffee and baked goods to staff at CMS and at NASD Central Administration Offices. The students are very excited about their new coffee business and did an

amazing job during phase I of the business venture.

The Future of Triple C: Starting in November, the CMS Coffee Crew will learn how to read orders that staff will place through the use of Google docs. Available drinks will include coffee, an assortment of hot teas, and hot chocolate, all for the low price of $1! The CMS Coffee Crew will fill orders and deliver them right to their clients’ doors!

The CMS Coffee Crew will also employ new members as the year moves forward; we’re looking for student council representatives to start volunteering to work with us. We want to get as many students involved as possible. This will be more than a business; it will be an opportunity for students to make new friends and support each other for an important cause.

Triple C Outreach: While the main idea of Triple C is to provide real-world entrepreneurial experience to our

students, we have an even bigger goal in mind, we want our students to learn how to be philanthropists! Profits from Triple C will be used to make a donation to the Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania. The Miracle League of Southwestern Pennsylvania is an organized baseball league for special needs children and adults which enables these children and adults to develop socialization skills and have fun by playing baseball at a field specially designed for them.

Donations Welcome: If you would like to make a donation to Triple C, please contact BethAnn Hefner (bhefner@northallegheny.org). Donation inquiries to the Miracle League can be sent to http://mlswpa.org/donate/.

CMS WELCOMES 39 NEW STUDENTS THIS YEAR! Welcome to CMS and to NASD! This school year, Carson Middle School is excited and proud to welcome thirty-nine new students to

the North Allegheny School District and to CMS! From Florida to Korea, from Ohio to Russia, the new CMS students are off to a fantastic start at Carson Middle School. To help welcome all of the new students, the CMS Student Council organized a “Welcome to CMS Eat-n-Greet” breakfast and invited all of the new students to attend. While enjoying some delicious breakfast treats, CMS Student Council Officers, counselors and administrators sat with the new students to talk about how it is going for them in

their new school and to learn more about where they came from prior to attending CMS. It was a great way to meet all of the new students and welcome them to NA and to CMS. A special thank you to the CMS Student Council for organizing this great event!

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SPIRIT WEEK WAS FULL OF SMILES, COMPETITION & SCHOOL SPIRIT! Let’s Go Tigers!! During the week of October 1-5, 2018, CMS celebrated NASD Homecoming with a very successful Spirit Week. Each

day, students participated by wearing various types of clothing. From PJ’s, to black and gold, to neon, to college apparel, to dress up day, CMS staff and students were full of

school spirit and showed their support for the NA Tigers!

In addition to wearing the days’ themes, CMS students participated in a grade vs. grade competition during spirit week to discover which grade would reign supreme with the largest paper chain! During lunch periods, student council officers and representatives from all grade levels sold strips of paper for 25 cents per strip. Each strip was added to the grade’s paper chain.

By week’s end, the sixth grade paper chain had over 150 links! sixth grade dominated the competition! As a result of their massive paper chains, CMS Student Council provided every sixth grader with a special treat during a lunch period during the week of October 8-12th! Thank you to every student and staff member who participated in Spirit Week! Way to show your CMS and NA spirit!

STUDENTS HEAR IMPORTANT MESSAGE ON “SOMEPLACE SPECIAL & CYBER SAFETY DAY” CMS held its annual “Someplace Special & Cyber Safety Day” on September 7, 2018. During this informative and fun-filled day, students

had the opportunity to learn about key CMS information, and also participate in action-packed team-building activities. On “Someplace Special & Cyber Safety Day,” students rotated between four main sessions: 1) Counseling/Bullying/Goal Setting - the CMS school counselors met with all students to discuss a variety of important school, community, and personal responsibility topics. The counselors also spoke to CMS students about bullying prevention strategies and the proper ways to handle bullying/harassing

behaviors. Additionally, the counselors went over the ever-changing trends in cyber safety and the short and long term effects of the misuse of social media. The final piece the counselors discussed with each student was best practices in the area of study skills and procedures, as well as organization and time management 2) Cyber Safety - students viewed a compelling video and discussed this issue, with a particular emphasis on social

media. Students then signed a “cyber-pledge” as a promise to use social media appropriately; 3) Team Activities - teams had the time and opportunity to use Keva Kits, Breakout Boxes, engage in team-building games in the gymnasium, review team rules and expectations, identify key parts of the Code of Conduct, and review the student handbook; and 4) RESPECT Talk - students learned about the keys to success at CMS and in life during a discussion with the principals. Finally, students had the opportunity to hear from an incredible guest speaker, Mr. Kent Julian. Mr. Julian spoke about the importance of perseverance and used the “equation” E+R=O (Event + Response = Outcome) to illustrate how our response to events determines the outcomes. He was engaging, entertaining, and inspirational and was a great way to end a special day at CMS!

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CMS PARENTS ATTEND CMS PARENT COFFEE & TECH CHAT! Blackboard, Tyler 360, Securly, Big Ideas Math, and list goes on and on! With technology constantly changing, it is important that not

only do the students and the teachers continually need to learn to stay current, parents and guardians must do so as well.

On October 17, 2018 all CMS parents/guardians were invited to attend the first Parent Coffee of the 2018-2019 school year. The Parent Coffee focused on sharing the updates and features of various web-based educational systems used in NASD and CMS. Those who attended were able to learn more about the features they can access in Blackboard and the various settings and preferences they can set within their accounts.

Additionally, everyone in attendance was able to ask the Technology Integrators specific questions. The Technology Integrators were able to address their questions and also show them how to complete various tasks in Blackboard and Tyler 360. Parents and guardians learned how to navigate the different programs

used to monitor and assist with their children’s learning and achievement. Thank you to all the parents and guardians who attended this informative event. We hope to see you at the next CMS Parent Coffee which will take place on January 17, 2019, at 9:30 a.m. Everyone is invited to attend to learn more about great things are going on at CMS!

CMS STUDENTS GET CAUGHT BEING GOOD! This year’s CMS STAR Student Program is up and running. The STAR Student Program honors students for making positive choices

at school and for being the best person he/she can be! How can a CMS student be recognized as a STAR Student? STAR Students are those students who demonstrate one or more of the following attributes at school: Respectful, Positive Attitude, Courteous, Trustworthy and being a Positive Role Model. Every day at CMS, teachers and staff are on the lookout for students making good choices. At the end of each month, every CMS teacher and staff member selects a STAR Student for that particular month. When a student is selected as a STAR Student, he/she receives a certificate from the

nominating staff member, the STAR Students for the month have their picture and their student’s name on a gold star displayed in the main entrance foyer area for everyone to see as they enter CMS. This year we also have a STAR Student recognition program during each grade level lunch. The principals, counselors, and cafeteria teachers read the names of all of the STAR students for that grade level. Then, two lucky STAR students (one boy and one girl) are randomly selected to choose a grand prize for the month. STAR students get to choose from a “mystery box” as their grade level peers cheer them on. All CMS students have the chance to be a STAR student by being caught being good! For more information about the CMS STAR Student program, visit the CMS website and click the headline for CMS STAR Students! Way to go CMS students!

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7th GRADE WILD CATS WORKING TOGETHER AS A TEAM! The seventh grade Wild Cats had an incredible opportunity to work together, be with their teammates, and enjoy the outdoors by

attending their team’s field trip to Lutherlyn Environmental Education Center on Friday, September 14, 2018. What better way to kick-off the school year than building team unity, positive relationships with old and new friends, and enhancing communication skills? While attending this great experience at Lutherlyn Environmental Education Center, there were various activities for each Connections group to participate in throughout the day.

The team building activities focused on developing support, building self-worth, conquering worries, and problem-solving with a mix of peers. Some of the activities included the students working as a team to use planks in order to walk across a “raging river.” The teams had to determine how to place a limited number of boards (“planks”) in order to have each of their teammates be able cross over each section

successfully. Students had to work together, communicate clearly and problem solve in order to accomplish this challenging task! One student shared, “I had so much fun figuring out the challenging obstacles with my homeroom!” Another team building activity for the students included getting to know each other while throwing a tennis ball to each group member.

The goal was learning each group members’ name without dropping the ball. Additionally, the students had to maintain eye contact with the person they were throwing the ball to each time. To make it more challenging for all the groups, numerous balls were added to the game making the concentration and teamwork even more difficult for all those participating. When asked about this activity, a student stated, “It was a fun chance to get to know your homeroom!”

Finding a good balance with teammates is essential, so the next activity put their skills of communication, problem solving, and teamwork to the test. The activity was called “Titanic” and the students were

tasked with keeping the Titanic (large see-saw board) balanced while getting all students

(“passengers”) on the large balancing board. If the board toppled to one side, then students had to think critically to figure out how to place all their teammates on the board to find the perfect balance. The students worked hard as a team so as not to lose any of their teammates to the “ocean” while trying to stay afloat on the Titanic board. When asked about this challenging activity, a student stated, “I had a great time with friends, and getting to know my homeroom. Our leaders were so nice!”

For the CMS seventh grade Wild Cats, this team building experience at Lutherlyn was a wonderful way to start the school year! It gave the students and their teachers the opportunity to get to know each other better and bond with their Connections groups for this school year. Here’s to a great 2018-2019 school year for the seventh Grade Wild Cats!

Students crossing over the “hot lava!” Each student had to successfully cross over the “hot lava” using the rope hanging from above while carrying the bucket of “nitroglycerin.”

Students brainstorming how to have every student touch and pass the tennis ball in a certain order in the fastest amount of time. Lining up in a straight line proved to be successful!

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RED RIBBON WEEK - “TAKE MY HAND & MAKE A STAND TO BE DRUG FREE” Educating the students at CMS about the dangers of drug and alcohol prevention is a priority at CMS since we understand these are the formative years for students. To help with bringing to their attention the importance of being educated on the harmful effects of

drug and alcohol use, the week of October 22 – Oct. 26, was identified as National Red Ribbon week and CMS students were ready to learn. “Take My Hand & Make a Stand to Be Drug Free” was the theme for the week.

The entire staff and student body were encouraged to participate in daily themes with individual anti-drug messages. Students that went above and beyond with the daily theme received color changing cups with the slogan, “Life is a Journey. Travel it Drug Free.” The cups were a huge hit and over the course of the week over two hundred were distributed to students. Monday, October 22nd the kids were encouraged to “Team Up Against Drugs” and wear their favorite team apparel. Tuesday’s message was to “Exercise Your Right to Be Drug Free.” Students and staff wore exercise clothes. The staff was very impressed with some

of the vintage warm-up suits that made an appearance. The prize cups helped create Wednesday’s theme to “Travel Life Drug Free.” Students wore apparel from another country, state or city they had visited. Participation was very strong for this theme, and it was exciting to see where the students had traveled. On Thursday of Red Ribbon Week, students were asked to “Follow Your Dreams and Not Do Drugs.” There were some terrific onesie pajamas in the CMS hallways on that day!

Since Friday was CMS Mini-Course day and many students traveled off campus for different activities, students were encouraged to wear red in honor of red ribbon week and to show their pride for living a drug free life. Although the theme days with lunchtime prizes were fun and brought awareness to the serious topic, we also wanted to share an educational anti-drug message. On Tuesday, October 23rd Rebecca Kishlock from Breathe Pennsylvania delivered a powerful presentation on the dangers of vaping. Breathe Pennsylvania, headquartered in Cranberry Township, is a non-profit organization that helps the residents of southwestern Pennsylvania achieve and

maintain optimal lung health through education, prevention, awareness and direct services. Ms. Kishlock is a facilitator for Smoke-Free for Life and Smokeless Saturday, providing crucial experience working with teenage students who have

been found with tobacco or nicotine products on school property. The e-cigarette most popular with students is the JUUL. With the large variety of flavors and marketing geared to adolescents, it has become a favorite among teens. The JUUL launched three years ago and is currently the most popular e-cigarette on the market. It generated $224 million in retail sales from November 2016 to November 2017. The JUUL delivers one of the highest concentrations of nicotine in comparison to any other e-cigarette on the market. Ms. Kishlock’s presentation was very informative for the students and gave them an accurate picture of the dangers of vaping.

At CMS, we will continue to provide drug prevention lessons with the students during Connections, health classes and other assemblies. Breathe Pennsylvania is a terrific resource to receive more

information on programs available to students and statistics on smoking and vaping. To learn more about drug prevention please visit www.drugfreeworld.org.

GETTING INVOLVED IN CMS CLUBS AND EVENTS On September 20, 2018, the sixth grade students and any student new to CMS participated in an assembly during activity period. The assembly introduced them to the numerous clubs and activities they could get involved with this school year. This year, the sixth graders heard presentations from twenty-two seventh and eighth graders about different clubs Carson students are eligible to join. The goal of the CMS Counseling Department is for each sixth grader to participate in at least one club or activity. Some of the clubs and activities presented included: Student Council, Carson Connection, FCS Club, Intramurals, Mountain Biking Club, Yearbook, Talent Show, Page Turners, Speech & Debate and many more. Many clubs meet during activity periods, and others meet after school. To learn more about the clubs and activities offered at CMS, visit the CMS website. Simply hover over “About Our School,” and click “CMS Activities.” Students can also make an appointment to see their counselors to discuss the numerous opportunities available at CMS. Let’s achieve our goal this year at CMS and have every student join at least one club or participate in one activity!

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CMS STUDENTS WIN NA FOUNDATION’S “TRICK-OR-TROT” RACE!

Ready? Set? Let’s Go! The NA Foundation’s Trick-or-Trot took place on Saturday, October 27th.

The chilly temperatures and the rain did not stop CMS runners from giving their all and finishing as the fastest school in the District! The first and second place winners of the 5K with more than 450 participants were CMS students Jackson Pajak (1st place) and Ethan Alexander (2nd place)—way to go Jackson and Ethan! The Trick-or-Trot has become a North Allegheny tradition with performances from the NA Band, a 1-mile race, and a 5K race.

This year, the NA Foundation donated a portion of the proceeds to the Health and Physical Education Departments at each building; the total donation was $1392. The NA Foundation uses the money to fund projects and provide grants to teachers, students, student groups, and schools throughout the North Allegheny School District.

Congratulations to all of the CMS runners who participated in the Trick or Trot this year and for your contribution to making CMS the fastest school in the race!!

SPECIAL GUESTS VIST CMS APPLE DISTINQUISHED SCHOOL! In 2017, the North Allegheny School District (NASD) was pleased to announce that Carson, Ingomar, and Marshall Middle Schools had each been recognized as Apple Distinguished Schools for 2017-2019 for the implementation of iPads in grades six through eight through

FOCUS 2020.

On October 11, 2018, CMS had over sixty educators from Pennsylvania and West Virginia visit the school to see the innovative, educational and engaging ways both the teachers and students are using technology to enhance teaching and learning at CMS. The visitors were greeted by CMS students who escorted them to various classrooms so the visitors could see what is taking place in our classrooms each day. The

student tour guides provided the visitors with an overview of the technology being used in each classroom, and how technology has helped the

students as learners in the classrooms. Carson Middle School believes that learning must be relevant, collaborative, personalized, and connected. Learning with iPad devices enables students to connect content to the world

around them. Students use iMovie to support community outreach projects, coding, and robotics. With FaceTime, students communicate with peers, teachers, and community members. Classrooms now extend beyond the four walls — they are flexible environments with hallways and stairwells used as movie studios for capturing green screen footage. Apple Distinguished Schools, such as CMS, are centers of innovation, leadership, and educational excellence that use Apple products to inspire creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. They showcase innovative uses of technology in learning, teaching, and the school environment and have documented results of academic accomplishment.

CMS was honored to be visited by so many educators and was excited to showcase the outstanding innovations taking place in the Carson classrooms each day! Thank you to the CMS student tour guides for being such excellent hosts to our guests, and a big thank you to all of the CMS teachers for their hard work and dedication to finding new and innovative ways to incorporate technology into the students’ daily learning! It was a SPECTACULAR day for CMS!

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CMS STUDENTS TRY NEW THINGS ON MINI-COURSE DAY! What do PAWS for a Cause, No Sew Throw, NATV Broadcasting, Keva Kit Kraziness, and Literary Origami have in common? They were

all amazing sessions offered on October 26th during CMS Mini-Course Day this year! Carson Middle School knows that part of the middle school experience is exposing students to various experiences. To support this important part of the middle level experience, CMS dedicated the entire day to give students opportunities to participate in four sessions from over seventy unique, engaging and new course offerings!

Some of the other activities included Learn to Twirl with the NA Majorettes, JROTC Intro to Survival: Paracord, Japanese Cooking Without the Jetlag, Painting with a Twist, Yoga, Tae Kwon Do, Sphero Mania, and many others. The students enjoyed meeting new friends and trying activities that may not be familiar to them. Mini-Course Day requires a great deal of planning from the teachers and

especially Mr. Zunski, the activity director for Mini-Course Day. Thank you to everyone involved for making the 2018 Mini-Course Day a huge success for the CMS students!

Check out some of the great pictures from CMS’s Mini-Course Day!

TEAM BUILDING EXPERIENCES FOR ALL CMS 6TH GRADERS! For sixth graders on both teams, Mighty Tigers and Tiger Pride, the beginning of the school year is a transition time as they become accustomed socially and academically at CMS. In September, both sixth grade teams took part in a team-building field trip to Camp Guyasuta that integrated skills with an awareness of unity and a sense of self-identity. The Camp Guyasuta trip allowed students to work in small groups and meet others on their team as they worked collaboratively toward completing various team activities. Through the various physical activities, students worked on communication skills with verbal and non-verbal commands. The sixth graders were separated into groups of thirteen to seventeen students who worked together to complete a common goal while leaders

from Camp Guyasuta facilitated the activities. The directions of each activity were explained, and each leader answered questions and assisted students when needed.

Words of encouragement were shared among the students as they completed various High Ropes Course activities such as zip lining and rock wall climbing. On the Low Ropes Course, the cooperation and teamwork did not decrease. The students completed team-

building activities such as passing a hula-hoop around a circle without breaking the circuit of hands and feet. They also had to silently communicate with their group by giving non-verbal commands and responding to those given. While it was an enjoyable experience for both sixth grade teams, the collaboration needed to complete the tasks met the goal of continuing to build one strong grade unit for the entire Carson sixth grade!

“Yikes! That’s a long way down! At Camp Guyasuta we took a hike in the woods to get to our first activity. Using our imagination and our teamwork, we faced a challenge: start at the first platform and get to the second platform. At the beginning, our guide, told us that we could not talk! The only things we could use were two wooden boards, the science of leverage, and teamwork! We did it! Yay!

Go team!” (Caption written by Juliett G. & Daniel H.-HR #225)

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TAKING A LOOK CMS 1st QUARTER DATA

STUDENT ENROLLMENT AT CMS At the beginning of each school year, it is important to be aware of the enrollment at CMS. Not only is it important to view the building enrollment, it is also important to know the enrollment by gender and by each grade level. Below, you will find the enrollment for CMS.

CMS Enrollment by Gender and Grade Level (As of Nov. 9, 2018) Grade Male Count Female Count Total Count

6th Grade 123 112 235 6th Grade

7th Grade 129 116 245 7th Grade

8th Grade 128 112 240 8th Grade

Total 380 340 720 (CMS Total)

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND GRADE POINT AVERAGE (GPA) In addition to standardized test results, it is also important to measure student learning through the traditional structure of daily instruction and course-related assessments. Different types of assessments, or multiple indicators, should be used to make judgments about student learning. In determining a student’s Grade Point Average (GPA), each letter grade is assigned a point value. Each “A” equals four points; a “B” equals three points; a “C” equals two points; a “D” equals one point; and an “E” earns zero points. For example, a straight “B” average would equal a 3.0 GPA. In the table below, the figures represent the number of students who performed within each GPA interval during the first nine-weeks grading period.

First Quarter G.P.A. Data For 2018-2019 (Aug. 23 – Oct. 26, 2018) Grade Point Average 4.0 – 3.5 3.49 – 3.0 2.99 – 2.5 2.49 – 2.0 1.99-below*

6th Grade 177 41 14 2 2

7th Grade 173 43 19 7 3

8th Grade 166 50 10 9 3

Total 516 134 43 18 8

* A GPA at 1.99 or below represents a student who is averaging below “C” level work.

ACHIEVEMENT On an annual basis, the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) is administered to all children in grades 3-8. The content of the assessments is based upon the PA Academic Standards required through state regulations. It is our collective goal in NASD to help all students demonstrate Proficient or Advanced performance on these assessments and to help them demonstrate growth. In the table below, you will see the CMS 2017-18 PSSA Results as well as the results for each grade level for all students in the Pennsylvania:

Last Year’s 2017-2018 CMS and PA Results on the PSSA Current Grade Level (Grade Level Last Year) Mathematics ELA Science Alg. Keystone

CMS (PA) CMS (PA) CMS (PA) CMS (PA) Current 9th Grade (last year’s 8th graders) *54% (31%) *81% (62%) *72% (54%) *77% (65%) Current 8th Grade (last year’s 7th graders) *58% (39%) *89 % (62%)

Current 7th Grade (last year’s 6th graders) *61% (40%) *79% (63%)

*Represents the combined percentage of CMS students at the Advanced or Proficient level.

(The number in parenthesis represents the combined percentage of students in Pennsylvania at the Advanced or Proficient level.)

DISCIPLINE As a component of the NASD Mission Statement, one of our District goals is to help students learn the skills necessary to become responsible citizens. We utilize several different methods to accomplish this task. First, we try to establish a positive learning environment in school to promote responsible decision-making. We communicate our expectations to students and even involve student groups in spreading this message. The historic comparison provides perspective for the positive choices being made each day.

First Quarter Discipline Data For 2018-2019 (Aug. 23 – Oct. 26, 2018) Discipline

Data* 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11

Total 10 (15) 15 (13) 9 (4) 11 (2) 17 (12) 9 (4) 20 (4) 26 (7) 24 (6)

*Displayed as the Number of Detentions (Number of Suspensions)

12 | P a g e

ATTENDANCE Attendance is also utilized as an indicator of school success and student attitudes toward school. We believe regular and punctual

student attendance is critical to the teaching and learning process. A breakdown of attendance figures by grade level is listed in the next table. We monitor absences and the impact of late arrivals to school and ask your support in continuing to encourage daily attendance and to limit the requests for vacations during the school year. In the event that a vacation or educational leave is required, please abide by the procedures listed in the CMS Student/Parent Handbook, located on the CMS website.

First Quarter Attendance Data For 2018-2019 (Aug. 23 – Oct. 26, 2018) Attendance Data *Average

Absences Per Day *Average

Tardies Per Day Perfect Attendance through

10/26/18

6th Grade *5 *3 120 students

7th Grade *5 *5 28 students

8th Grade *6 *2 20 students

Total *16 *10 168 students

*Figures rounded to the nearest whole number

Heading Into The 2nd Quarter:

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! CMS UPCOMING EVENTS November 22, 23 & 26, 2018 No School for Students- HAPPY THANKSGIVING! November 30, 2018 2nd 9-Weeks Interim Report Period Ends December 6, 2018 CMS Evening Choral Concert – 7:00 p.m. December 8, 2018 2nd 9-Weeks Interim Period Ends December 7, 2018 Dr. Marcia Martin Diversity Expression Contest Ends December 13, 2018 CMS Evening Band Concert – 7:00 p.m. December 14, 2018 Last day to order your CMS Yearbook! December 20, 2018 CMS Evening Orchestra Concert – 7:00 p.m. December 19, 2018 Seventh Grade Field Trip to Byham Theater (both teams) December 24-Jan. 1, 2019 Winter Break – No School January 2, 2019 School Resumes (Happy New Year!) January 8, 9, & 10, 2019 IOWA Tests for Grades 6 & 7 January 17, 2019 CMS Parent Coffee – 9:30 a.m. (All are welcome to attend!)

January 18, 2019 2nd 9-Weeks Report Period Ends January 21 & 22, 2019 No School for Students January 29, 2019 2nd Quarter Report Cards Issued via Tyler SIS

WHEN YOU GO TO THE GROCERY STORE, YOU CAN SUPPORT CMS! By shopping at your local stores, friends and families of Carson Middle School students can help CMS to raise funds. Through the Giant Eagle program, if shoppers designate CMS as their school of choice, every time they use their Giant Eagle Advantage card, Carson accumulates points. At the end of the year, those points will turn into monetary earnings for CMS! Visit the Giant Eagle website (http://GiantEagle.com/AFTS) to create an account and link your Giant Eagle Advantage Card to CMS under “My School Programs.” Our school code is 0155. Already have an account? You can add CMS by logging in and clicking on “My School Programs.”

Another program that provides CMS with “free” money is Box Tops for Education. By cutting out and sending in the Box Tops for Education emblems, you are helping Carson earn cash rewards! Last year, CMS earned $947.10. This money was used to purchase needed equipment and technology to be utilized in classrooms and in the library. We hold three collections (October, January, & February) throughout the school year and the homeroom with the most Box Tops earns a prize!

Carson Middle School students are off to a wonderful start this school year. They are working hard in the classroom, in the building, and in the community! We are eager to see many of you in our school for the winter concerts and activities. Please remember to view the District’s Activities Calendar, the NASD and CMS website, and follow CMS on Twitter @CarsonMSTigers for additional information for events taking place during the school year. Thank you for taking the time to read over the newsletter. Have a safe and healthy holiday season!

Respectfully,

Katherine M. Jenkins Erin Crimone, Ed.D. Principal Assistant Principal