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Middle School Matters – Aug 24, 2018 August 23rd, 2018

General Announcements:

Middle School Matters comes out once per week. Information about all things Middle School will be found in this email. MSM is also posted on the ACS Website under News and Announcements, sorted by date.

5/6 and 7/8 Recess Help: Many of you have helped over the years with Elementary Recess and now we are asking for volunteers to help with 5th - 8th Recess. Mon-Thu 11:35 - 12:20 and Fri 12:05 - 12:40. If you are able to help, please contact Sue Prins at

Mandatory Digital Forms: Several student information forms are ready for you to complete. (emergency authorization, chaperone agreement, media consent, etc) These forms must be completed by Wed, Aug 29.

NOTE: MS students may not attend the retreat on Aug 30 if these forms are not completed.

To complete the forms:

  • Log into your PowerSchool parent portal.
  • Select Ecollect Forms
  • Complete all forms under the category Back to School Forms.
  • Please note that some forms need to be filled out for each child while others may be submitted for the whole family.

56er Retreat Information:

  • Date: Thur Aug 30
  • Location: Around ACS
  • Schedule:
    • 8:00-10:30am Normal class
    • 10:30-10:45am School pictures
    • 10:45-3:00pm 56er Mixer
  • Details:
    • Students need to bring a morning snack
    • Lunch will be provided
    • Students must bring a water bottle
    • Wear clothes for playing outside

78er Retreat Information:

  • Date: Thur, Aug 30
  • Speaker: Eric VanderWall – Youth Pastor at Cascade Fellowship
  • Location: Camp O'Malley (in Alto)
  • Schedule: 8:00am-3:00pm. We will be back by the end of the school day.
  • Students should bring a lunch and a water bottle with them. 

Farm to Table Club: In this club, students will learn how to use our ACS farm produce for canning, baking and cooking. Students will get to take home what they make! Join Mrs. Bosma from 3:00-5:00pm on Tuesdays this fall. 

Dates

Aug 28-30 – School Pictures

  • Tues Aug 28 – 5A, 8th grade
  • Wed Aug 29 – 5B, 7th grade
  • Thur Aug 30 – 5C, 6th grade

Aug 29 - Picnic and Carnival 6:00-8:00pm
Aug 30 - 78 Spiritual Retreat at Camp O'Malley, back to school by 3:00pm
Aug 30 - 56er Mixer at ACS during school day
Aug 31 - No School
Sep 03 - No School
Sep 06 - Parent Orientation Night at School 6:30pm

Fifth Grade:

Survival Camp: Camp is coming up quickly! 5th graders will be heading to Camp Tall Turf Sep 27-28. A food sign-up will be sent out in the next few weeks and parent volunteer sign-ups will be addressed at Parent Night on Sep 06. More details to come!

Job Applications: Students will be assigned classroom jobs in their homerooms. Job Applications are due Mon Aug 27 for all 5th grade students.

Band: Meyer Music meeting Tue Aug 28 3:00-3:25 right after school - come if you still need an instrument for band or orchestra and would like to rent from Meyer. Rent online and your instrument and books will be delivered and you may skip the lines. Schedule for band: Mon - Brass and Percussion, Tue - Woodwinds, Thu - Everyone. No band on Aug 30 due to 56er mixer. We cannot wait to get started!

Bible: Next week Who Am I books will be sent home - due date to come.

Language Arts: Students are learning about ELA class procedures and expectations. We are also understanding perspective and doing a project using the book Who is Melvin Bubble?

Math: Practice your math facts! Have your child practice their math facts over the weekend. Play a family game of Multiplication Drag Race or Tractor Tug Team to make practicing math facts more fun!

Orchestra: Meyer Music Meeting is Tue, Aug 28 at 3:00pm in the Commons. Come if you still need an instrument for orchestra and would like to rent from Meyer Music. You may also rent online and your instrument, book etc. will be delivered to school on Tue Aug 28. Schedule for orchestra: Mon- celli, Tue - violins and violas, Thu - everyone. We can’t wait to make music together!

PE: We will begin with a unit on soccer. Please come ready to be outside and active each day.

Science: We’re starting the year by learning about safety and the nature of Science. Our first major unit is called “Earth and Sun.”

Social Studies: Students will begin their first unit on Geography. This week we will start by looking at two essential categories of geographic features.

Spanish: We will be introduced to a new year and a new song.

Sixth Grade:

Band: Band meets every Mon/Tue/Thu. Students need instruments and reeds and books and music and pencils each day we meet - we cannot wait to get started working with your students!

Bible: We are excited to get to know each other and look deeper into the school theme!

Social Studies: Students will being their first unit on World Geography. We will begin by looking at the five themes of geography.

Language Arts: We are learning a lot about each other, how to organize our binders, daily schedules, procedures, and classroom expectations. 

Math: Next week we will work on our estimation and measurements skills.

PE: We will begin with a unit on soccer. Please come ready to be outside and active. Bring separate active clothes each day you have PE as well as your PE shoes. If we are outside please do not wear your PE shoes.

Orchestra: Orchestra meets every Mon/Tue/Thur so bring you instrument, books, music and pencils every day that we meet. We are looking forward to making music with you!

Science: We’re jumping into a unit called “Diversity of Life” in which students will investigate and differentiate between living and non-living things. We will even learn to use microscopes to explore Creation that we cannot even see with our naked eye.

Spanish: Look for a class information paper. This can also be found on Moodle.

Seventh Grade:

Algebra (7th): We will begin an introductory unit into Algebra next week.

Band: Band meets every Mon/Tue/Thu. Students need instruments and reeds and books and music and pencils each day we meet - we cannot wait to get started working with your students!

Bible (Holtrop/Huttenga): We will first spend time looking at our school theme and then we being our unit on devotions.

History: Welcome to 7th grade history. Next week we will start our introductory unit on Geography and the 5 Themes of Geography.

PE: We will begin with a unit on soccer. Please come ready to be outside and active. Bring separate active clothes each day you have PE as well as your PE shoes. If we are outside please do not wear your PE shoes.

Math (Holtrop):  I’m looking forward to the year ahead of us! This year we will be learning and reviewing a large range of math concepts. In class, we will spend time learning together and doing activities to help build understanding. Students will also be given daily assignments to practice the new skills that have been taught.

Orchestra: We meet every Mon/Tue/Thu so remember to bring your instrument, book, music and pencil these 3 days- we are looking forward to a fun year filled with awesome music.

Science: We will begin our year by studying Populations and Ecosystems. Please be sure your student has a science notebook/composition book.

Spanish: Look for a class information paper. This can also be found on Moodle.

Eighth Grade:

Algebra: Welcome to 8th grade algebra. This week we are rolling through chapter 1 that highlights some of the building blocks of algebra.

Band: Band meets every Mon/Tue/Thu. Students need instruments and reeds and books and music and pencils each day we meet - we cannot wait to get started working with your students!

Bible (Van Noord): We begin with a quick look at the school theme, LAP journals, a Bible Verse project and the book of Matthew.

Geometry: In Geometry we will briefly review key algebra skills and then dive deep into the world of Geometry.

History: In 8th grade US History we are studying the start of the American Revolution. On another note, if your student has not picked a topic for NHD yet, please encourage them to talk to Mr. Witte on Monday. Thanks!

PE: We will begin with a unit on soccer. Please come ready to be outside and active. Bring separate active clothes each day you have PE as well as your PE shoes. If we are outside please do not wear your PE shoes.

Orchestra: We meet every Mon/Tue/Thu so remember to bring your instrument, book, music and pencil these 3 days-we are looking forward to making great music with you this year!

Science: We will begin this stellar year by studying Planetary science. Please be sure your student has science notebook/composition book.

Spanish: Look for a class information paper.  This can also be found on Moodle.

Athletics:

Please turn in any athletic uniforms that you still have from the 2017/18 school year to Mr. Sanderson. Please turn in MHSAA Physical Forms to Mr. Sanderson or Mrs. VanDuyn in the front office.