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Our Mission “Millennium Today...College

Tomorrow”

Educating Every ChildEvery Day

Every Class

www.millennium.scps.k12.fl.us

ADMINISTRATION

NOVEMBER 2017Issue 4

VOLUME 3

PrincipalDr. Margaret Gunderson

Monday - Friday8:30 - 4:30 p.m.Phone: 407-320-6550

Assistant PrincipalsDan Thompson – 8th GradeVictoria Hyatt – 7th GradeTrina Grenon – 6th Grade

DeansEvan SokolowskyMichael BrownAdministration ManagerDeborah Smith

To download a PDF version of this newsletter, go to http://www.academypublishing.com/schools/millennium/millennium.php

For The Parents, Staff, Students & Community Of

Millennium Middle School21 Lakeview Drive, Sanford FL, 32773

Principal’s Message The 2017-2018 school year is off to a wonderful start! Our enrollment is approximately 1575 student! I have had the pleasure of meeting so many wonderful parents visiting and volunteering on our campus. Thank you for your attendance at Schedule Pick Up, Open House and FALCon 2017. We look forward to you attending our Fine Arts performances, athletic events and Title 1 Family Engagement events. Putting your child’s education as a priority is greatly appreciated.

Construction of our new campus is progressing! In fact the roofs are on each building! Teachers and other staff have been meeting to order furniture and other facility assets that the school will need! The school will have some of the most up to date devices for their classrooms. The new campus is scheduled to open August 2018.

The report card was sent home on October 23. Praise and encourage your student for meeting your expectations. Develop a plan towards success, if necessary. Have your student set academic goals and help them monitor their progress on Skyward. If you do not have SKYWARD access, you can register by stopping in the school’s front office. All students have access to Skyward and you can view from their log in. You can also log in to the child’s eCampus account. Communication is vital to your involvement. Please keep lines of communication open between you and your child. Assist your child with being responsible for their learning. The students need everyone’s support.

“Like” us on Facebook and “Follow” us on Twitter to stay up to date! We have almost 1000 friends on FB! We will continue to send home messages through the School Messenger e-lert system and our webpage at http://www.millennium.scps.k12.fl.us/. Please keep your information (phone number and email addresses up to date in Skyward.)

November and December are the months that bring families and friends together. During this season, I

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Millennium Middle School2...continued from cover

For 8th grade ParentsHigh School Magnet Programs

All 8th grade students have an equal opportunity to participate in a High School Magnet program. Families should talk to your student about their interests and future goals, trying to match them to the available magnet programs. Application information may be found at www.seminoleschoolchoicesapplication.us. The application period is October 1-December 1, 2017.

Choices Booklets were sent home with students through History classes.

Important Dates• October 1 - December 1, 2017 –

Application period

• January 10, 2018 – Notification Email sent to parents

• January 19, 2018 – Deadline for seat acceptance via the on-line parent portal

Magnet Night Schedule – Please note that all High School Magnet Nights are held on the campus of the respective high schools.• Nov. 6th @ 6:30 p.m. – Academy of

Health Careers at Seminole HS– Seminole HS Auditorium

• Nov. 8th @ 6:30 p.m. – International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IB) at Winter Springs HS– Winter Springs HS Auditorium

• Nov. 13th @ 6:30 p.m. – Institute for Engineering at Lyman HS– Lyman HS Auditorium

• Nov. 14th @ 6:30 p.m. – International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) at Seminole HS – Seminole HS Auditorium

• Nov. 15th @ 6:30 p.m.– Crooms Acade-my of Information Technology – Crooms Academy Gymnasium

Coffee with the CounselorsThursday, November 16th at 9:30 a.m. in the Little Theater. Come and enjoy coffee and learn about high school options, registration, and graduation requirements.

GuidancePrincipal’s Message

VolunteerSACThe School Advisory Council is a volunteer group of parents and school personnel who advise the school administration on all local issues. All community members are welcome. Meetings are held in the Media Center the 2nd Monday of each month from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m. and are open to the public. Please feel free to contact Daniel Thompson @ daniel_thompson@scps.k12.fl.us for additional information.

PTSA MembershipSupport our Parent Teacher Student Association and join today! For more information on how to join e-mail Polly DeLucia (millennium.PTSA@gmail.com).

Be Involved: Parent Involvement Volunteer Program OpportunitiesIf you would like to become more involved in Millennium Middle School and the development of our students and our programs, please contact Nicole Myers at 407-320-6554 to find out more about becoming a volunteer. We would love to hear from you and discuss how you can share your time and talents with us!

BETA ClubMillennium’s chapter of the National Beta Club will be having our Annual Canned Food Drive from October 30th to November 15th. The food drive benefits Millennium’s food pantry and Families in Need. Please send your student with canned or boxed non-perishable items to give to their first period teacher. The first period that collects the most items will win a donut party!

wish you the best now and in the year ahead. The holiday season can cause unnecessary stresses on an individual and family. Remember to spend quality time to refocus, reconnect and relax with those who are truly meaningful in your life. I wish everyone a happy and healthy winter break. Classes resume on January 8!

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in Millennium Middle School! I look forward to seeing you on our campus throughout the year.

Maggie Gunderson, Ed. D.

Principal

Millennium Middle School

November 2017 3

Ad Placement Ad Placement Ad Placement

Ad PlacementAd Placement

Positive Behavior Support (PBS) CornerMillennium Middle School is a Positive Behavior Support (PBS) school. Our focus with this program is to create an inclusive and welcoming school environment where all students can learn. PBS teaches school-wide expectations using a positive approach. At Millennium, we teach students to have PRIDE in Millennium and students are encouraged to show their PRIDE everyday.

When we have PRIDE in Millennium,it means we:

Prepare for Today

Respect our School

Interact Positively

Do our Best, and

Encourage Excellence

By teaching and re-teaching these expectations, our faculty and staff are focusing on helping each student become part of our Millennium community. Students meeting these expectations in the classrooms and around campus can be rewarded with Falcon Bucks. These are given out by faculty and staff on campus to students who we “catch” exhibiting PRIDE in Millennium. The Falcon Bucks can be traded in as part of our token economy for small rewards or saved up to try for something even better! We want to reward our Falcons who are showing their PRIDE in Millennium EVERY DAY! When you come to Millennium for schedule pickup, make sure you get your Falcon Bucks reward sheet for this year – it’ll get you started earning Falcon Bucks

and let you know what some of the upcoming rewards will look like this year.

Take a look at the expectations we have for our students and en-courage them to continue doing an excellent job showing their

PRIDE inMillennium!

‘Falcon Flight Plan’November 2017

Published Four Times Per YearMillennium Middle School

21 Lakeview DriveSanford, FL 32773

Issue #4

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)We are committed to providing high quality instruction and support to promote the highest achievement of all students. We are a Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) as a framework to maximize the success of all students. For more information about MTSS, please visit our website at https://www.scps.k12.fl.us/district/departments/epathways/MTSS or access a parent informational video at http://florida-rti.org/parentResources/videos.htm.

407-444-3001407-444-30013700 Lake Emma Rd.Lake Mary, FL 32746

WITH MENTION OF THIS AD10%OFF at LongHorn in Lake Mary

Millennium Middle School4 Department NewsIt has been a busy start of the year for Millennium’s Performing Arts Department. The Music, Dance and Theatre classes are continually preparing for the many events planned for the fall season. All of the following shows will take place in our very own Walt Griffin Performing Arts Center. Here are some upcoming events to mark on your calendars:

DramaNovember 10th – Theatre 4 presents “The Mysterious Case of the Missing Ring” – 7:00 p.m.

DanceNovember 14th – Fall Dance Show, 7:00 p.m.

KeyboardNovember 29th & 30th – Keyboard Recital, 7:00 p.m.

GuitarDecember 1st – Guitar Concert, 7:00 p.m.

BandDecember 5th & 7th – Band Concerts, 7:00 p.m.

January 15th – MLK Parade

OrchestraDecember 11th – Overture Orchestra (Orchestra 1) Rehearsal, 4:00 p.m.

December 12th – Orchestra Concert, 7:00 p.m.

ChorusDecember 14th – Advanced Chorus Rehearsal, 4:00-6:00 p.m.

December 15th – Advanced Chorus Concert, 7:00 p.m.

Social StudiesParents - Please check eCampus and Skyward on a regular basis. You can see your child’s grades and missing assignments as soon as they are posted.

6th GradeIn World History, the 6th grade students finished the 9 weeks studying Early Humans and Mesopotamia. This quarter, the topics include Ancient India, Ancient China, and the Israelites.

7th GradeCivics classes just completed studying the three branches of federal government and will be moving into looking at our system of checks and balances. After that, 7th grade students will explore the issues surrounding the birth of our democracy and the Declaration of Independence. Reminder: 7th grade students will take the FLDOE Civics End of Course Exam at the end of the school year.

8th GradeStudents finished up the American Colonies and are now examining the causes of the American Revolution. The second 9 weeks will finish with the American Revolution and the issues the Early Republic faced creating a new Constitution.

National History Day (History Fair) Updates & RemindersAll 6th, 7th, and 8th grade PreIB students must complete a National History Day project. Please check with your individual teacher for class due dates. Most projects are due around December 1st. Check out your teacher’s eCampus page for information and also www.NHD.org for contest information.

Title 1November is Florida Family Engagement in Education

Month!!!

Florida Family Engagement in Education Month is a time to celebrate the important role parents and families play in their children’s education. When schools work together with families to support learning, children are more motivated to succeed-not just in school, but throughout life.

The Florida Department of Education recognizes the vital role that schools and families play throughout a child’s educational journey. We encourage you to participate in the Florida Family Engagement calendar.

Throughout the school year, be sure to check Millennium’s Family Engagement website for important dates and documents such as the Parent Involvement Plan and the Parent-School Compact. Also, ‘like’ our Facebook page Millennium Middle School-Seminole County Public Schools and follow us on Instagram (millenniumscps) and Twitter @ millenniumscps to receive important news, updates, and pictures from school events, performances, and classroom activities.

Try these helpful links:

• Parent Involvement- https://w w w . y o u t u b e . c o m /watch?v=2aTIhXDUwZA&fmt=6

• Family and School Partnership Act- http://www.fldoe.org/schools/family-community/activ i ties-programs/fami ly-school-partnership-act.stml

• Florida Kid Care- http://www.floridakidcare.org/

Performing Arts

November 2017 5Department NewsReadingMillennium Literacy is off to a Fal-conic Start!

This year Fal-Con added Literacy Night to promote Literacy Strategies! It was a wonderful night where we were able to not only celebrate Literacy and the Arts, but also Hispanic Heritage. Our night kicked off with great treats from Waco-Taco, a few performances by our ESOL scholars, and then an interactive session learning how your scholar should engage with text in all classes.

Along with a wonderful Literacy Night we have begun Tutorial before and after school. Scholars in 6th and 7th grade intensive Reading and Math classes have been invited to attend Tuesday and Thursday morning tutorial from 8:40 – 9:10 to increase iReady time. After school tutorial, known as “Millennium Mastery,” is every Monday and Thursday from 4:15 – 5:45. If you are interested in this for your scholar it is not too late. Email Carissa Curran, Instructional Coach at Carissa_Curran@scps.k12.fl.us.

Now here are a few great suggestions to incorporate Reading at Home!

• Game showHave your scholar and his study buddies write review questions on separate slips of paper and put them in a bowl. A “host” can draw and ask questions. Players “buzz in” to answer by tapping the table. If the first person answers correctly, he earns a point. If not, the other players buzz in again. (Note: The host should consult the textbook or study guide to check answers.) Give everyone a turn as host, using a new set of questions each round.

• Read to RelaxReading for pleasure can help your middle school scholar unwind—and has the added benefit of boosting reading skills along the way. Suggest these two ideas to encourage reading for fun.

1. Go on a “blind date.” Your scholar could swap books with friends using this interesting twist: Each person wraps a novel in paper and writes or draws clues about it. Everyone gets together and selects a book based on the clues. Then, they open it to reveal what book they have a “date” with.

2. Play reading Bingo. Let your scholar turn reading into a game by making a bingo card on a sheet of cardboard. In each box, have him write a reading category, such as mystery, science fiction, graphic novel, poetry, and autobiography. As he reads each type, he should X out a matching square. How quickly will he cross out a row? How about the whole bingo board?

Physical EducationPE uniforms are still available for purchase during the student’s physical education classes. CASH only will be accepted. The cost is $15.00 for the set, $10.00 for a pair of shorts and $8.00 for a t-shirt if purchased separately. Please encourage your son/daughter to write their name on their uniform. It is very helpful for getting lost uniforms back to the owner!!

We also recommend that students bring a Master brand combination lock to secure their valuables during class time. A locker will be assigned to them for the semester only after they bring a lock to class. We do not allow key locks to be used.

Language ArtsLanguage Arts is off to a brilliant start! Our first 9 weeks focused on citing evidence, making inferences, and author’s point of view mixed with reviewing the structure and planning process for writing essays. This quarter our reading focus standards will be central idea and theme, vocabulary (using descriptive and figurative language to impact tone) and comparing multiple sources. The writing focus is on informative essays, learning to support ideas with clear reasons and relevant evidence. Our featured authors and texts include:

6th grade

• Sandra Cisneros

• Billy Collins (poet)

7th grade

• The Highwayman (poem)

• JFK speech

8th grade

• “Hanging Fire” (poem)

• “Teenagers” (poem)

• Thank You Ma’m by Langston Hughes

World LanguagesMillennium Middle School’s World Language Program teaches tangible language skills through task-based activities and interactive exercises in Spanish or French. The courses feature content and authentic materials that teach culture in addition to language skills. We offer Beginning Spanish, Intermediate Spanish, Pre-IB Spanish I, Beginning French, and Intermediate French.

HolaBonjour

Millennium Middle School6ScienceSixth grade Earth/Space Science is wrapping up Unit 4 Plate Tectonics. During this unit they have made models of sea-floor spreading, learned about evidence supporting the idea of one super-continent called Pangaea, and participated in songs about “Crazy Alfred Wegener”, the explorer/scientist that first proposed the theory of continental drift. Our capstone project was a model of plate tectonics using graham crackers, frosting and fruit roll-ups; a project that not only reinforces the concepts of the unit, but is quite delicious!

Seventh grade Life Science just finished Unit 2 on cells and students are working on a project, creating cell analogies. Next nine weeks we are starting Cell Processes and some Eggcellent Labs. Some students were able to attend the Lake Lotus Field Trip (Altamonte Springs Science Incubator) and participate in hands-on environmental activities and tour the Water Reclamation Facility in Altamonte Springs.

Eighth grade Physical Science is in Unit 4 studying Energy Transformations. In this unit students are applying potential and kinetic energy to roller coasters and pendulums. Some students are making roller coasters from pipe insulation and marbles, while others are using a computer simulation from University of Colorado to create energy transformations. The unit will wrap up with either pop-art paintings or cartoon strips of energy transformations.

Department News

ArtMr. Specht’s Graphic Design classes are drawing facial expressions while looking in mirrors.

Mrs. Wayne’s Fashion Classes are finishing up their recycled designs and their runway presentation for F.A.L.CON (our Fine Arts & Literacy Convention). Her 3-D1 class is working on stop motion animation, while yearbook is hard at work on their spreads.

Mrs. French’s 2-D2 class is finishing their Rex Ray inspired collages and will be moving on to Japanese Printmaking. Art in World Cultures is finishing their Scandinavian Moomin mobiles and will be moving on to Mexican Folk Art. Her 3-D2 class is finishing their Mini-Museums before beginning their studies of the Art of Wayne Thiebaud.

Mrs. French and Mr. Specht’s Art Portfolio Class is finishing their entries for the Drug Free Art Contest and then moving into their Toy Design Unit.

Our 6th grade students have reached their goal of showing understanding of ratios and rates. They should be able to use any operation while applying appropriate algorithms to real-world problems. At home, please review vocabulary words to help your child maintain this level of understanding. Advanced math has finished unit four, which is exploring expressions and equations. GEMs has finished unit three solving linear equations. Shortly, our GEMs students will be starting ratios and proportionality.

Millennium’s 7th Grade Math and 7th Grade Intensive classes have been working on linear equations and expressions. We started by using tables to determine the equations and using inverse operations to solve two-step equations. The students continue to find important information from the text to create an appropriate equation. Students will begin building/writing equations and developing skills to solve two-step equations. The students will see a new concept of joining like terms and will go more in depth with the distributive property. When this unit is complete, the students should meet their goal of understanding proportional relationships and using properties to generate equivalent expressions.

Our Pre-Algebra and 8th grade Intensive math students are working on understanding connections between proportional relationships, lines, and linear equations. Also, the students will focus on functions to model relationships between quantities. Algebra students are completing linear relationships and will be moving onto systems of equations.

We ask parents to please ensure your child is doing his/her nightly math homework. Khan Academy is an excellent resource that all students have access through ePassport. Students can search for the current class topics or they can start a mission that adapts to each students’ individual needs. Also, many of the students have access to Think Through Math which is a wonderful support program that allows students to enter pathways based on the results of their benchmark placement assessment. The students can access the program online from home or school.

Math

November 2017 7

I Missed My BusParents, please make sure to have an emergency plan for when your child misses their bus home in the afternoon. Students who miss their bus must be picked up promptly.

Student Check out PolicyPhoto ID must be presented every time a student is checked out from school. Students can only be checked out by a parent or emergency contact. We do not accept phone calls in advance and will not call students out of class until the parent has arrived.

When parents come sign out their student(s) before the end of the school day they need to go to the front office. The front office will then call the students out of class and they will come and meet parents in the front office. Parents are not allowed to go get students from their classrooms or from lunch.

Students can be signed out up to 30 minutes before the start of dismissal.

• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday - 3:15 p.m.

• Wednesday - 2:15 p.m.

The MMS Cross Country Team began practicing for their upcoming season on October 26th. We had a great turn out for practices. The team looks strong again this year. Go FALCONS!

Cross Country Schedule• November 1 – Markham Woods,

Teague @ Millennium

• November 8 – Galileo, Millennium, Teague @ Sanford

• November 15 – Galileo, Sanford, Greenwood Lakes @ Millennium

• November 29 – Teague, Millennium @ Greenwood Lakes

• December 8 - County Meet will be held at Lake Mary High School @ 8:00 a.m.

Medication PolicyPlease contact our Clinic at 407-320-6503 if you have questions regarding the proper procedures and documentation for students who will need to take medication during the school day. Students may not carry medication unless a form is on file with the clinic.

Sports

Student AbsencesIf students are absent they need to turn in a note from a doctor or a Student Absence Notification Form (located on our school website) to the front office for the absences to be excused. The note needs to be turned in to the front office the next day back after a student has missed school with proper documentation attached. Excuses for absences will not be taken over the phone or by email because of the need for written documentation for the absence. We can only accept 10 parent excuse notes a year before we need medical documentation about absences.

Lunch AccountYou can manage your child’s lunch account online at http://foodservice.scps.k12.fl.us/.

Rainy Day PlanPlease discuss an inclement weather plan with your student. It will eliminate confusion at dismissal.

Cell Phones & ElectronicsAll cell phones and electronics should be turned off and put away in student’s backpack or pocket during the school day. However, students are allowed to play games or read books on their electronics during lunch. Photographs and video are not allowed.

Bike RidersStudents who ride a bike to school should wear a helmet and lock up their bike in the designated spots on campus.

Parent ConferencesConferences are held on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8:35 a.m. to 9:05 p.m. Please call 407-320-6558 to schedule a parent teacher conference.

Skyward Family AccessThis online program allows you to view your student’s grades, attendance, and contact teachers. Come to the school and present photo ID to create an account. If you need to reset your password, use the link on the login screen to enter your email. All students can view their grades online at https://skyward.scps.k12.fl.us with Login: student ID # and Password: (birthdate) mmddyyyy.

School Attendance PolicyA student enrolled in Seminole County Public Schools who is under the age of 16 is required to attend school regularly during the entire school year. It is the legal responsibility of the parent to ensure middle school student attendance. For more information, please see the Seminole County Public Schools Middle School Attendance Policy located on our school website. Any student who is absent must turned in a signed note to the office upon their return to school.

November 2017 8

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Millennium is on Facebook!https://www.facebook.com/MillenniumMiddleSchoolInside This Issue

Guidance NewsPositive Behavior Support

Title 1/Family EngagementDepartment Updates

SportsSchool Policies

Ways to Volunteerand more!