General Announcements
Middle School Reminder: All missing work must be turned in by Friday Mar 03 in order to receive credit for the 2nd Trimester.
PTO Happenings/Cookbook: Your PTO has decided to publish a school cookbook! It will be filled with favorite recipes submitted by our wonderful ACS teachers and families. So, we need your favorite recipes! The cookbooks will be available at many school functions throughout the 2017-18 school year and beyond. We are collecting recipes now through the end of the school year. Please submit your recipes via photo copy and drop off in the office or click on the link below:
*If you are affiliated or know someone affiliated with a printing company, please contact Laura Kaminski (616-460-6109 or moc.oohay@iksnimak_bl)
ACS Bazaar: Coming to ACS in the 2017/18 school year!!!! The PTO is considering hosting an ACS Bazaar led by one of our parents. Booths at this Bazaar would include any parent, grandparent, or staff who has a direct sales/home business or craft business. The event will be held at the school and will be opened to parents, staff, and possibly the community to shop. The details are currently being discussed and worked through. We have one awesome parent that has agreed to lead this fun event. In an effort to ascertain the level of interest, we will be sending out a survey. Please look for a survey coming soon to your email. It would be most helpful if you take the time to complete the quick survey regardless of your interest level. We absolutely need your feedback to be able to move forward with this event.
5th Grade
Art: Working on painting in a pointillistic style of Seurat.
Band: We are planning a mini concert for you - - watch your email for news! Signed Practice Records are due every Thursday to the band room (even Thursdays when we don’t meet - - there is a basket in the room for them!)
Math: During this short week we learned how to multiply mixed numbers together. Next week we will be dividing fractions.
Orchestra: Practice numbers 89 -100. We will polish our slurring technique and review songs 1- 100!
PE: The 5th grade will begin a badminton unit next week.
Spanish: 5th graders were really good at bartering in our “Garage Sale” this week! Next week we will learn months and seasons, and integrate appropriate clothing for the changing climates.
Sixth Grade:
Reminder: All missing work must be turned in by Friday Mar 03 in order to receive credit for the 2nd Trimester.
Art: 6th grade is experimenting and working with watercolors. Painting will be completed this week and next week we will be taking the experiments and using them to create a mosaic landscape. Remember to check the homework calendar for due dates and sketchbook assignments.
Band: Signed practice records due every Thursday. Go team!
Bible (6W - Koetje): We will spend some time learning about and reflecting on the season of LENT which begins with Ash Wednesday (March 1).
Bible (6K - Westrate): We’re wrapping up a study of Job and are moving on to a look at another book of wisdom...Proverbs.
History: All redone Mesopotamia projects due on Monday. Beginning a new unit on Ancient Greece.
Language Arts: We continue to write our Culture Poems and research our W.F. country. Next week Tuesday will be another big research/work day. By Wednesday, students will need to have their culture poems (first drafts) typed for a peer to edit. By the end of Thursday, students should have research of the people, food, and land/climate completed. It is so important for students to stay on task with this project.
Math: On Monday students will be taking their Test on Chapter 7: Equations. They have been working through a study guide and practice test this week.
PE: We will begin our badminton unit next week!
Orchestra: Practice all of the scales on p. 44 AND the 4 challenge songs on p.38 Turn in 90 minutes on Monday!
Science: We will have a quiz over Investigation 7 on Tuesday. This will cover water vapor, phase changes & energy transfer, as well as clouds/precipitation.
Spanish: We met today and had the chance to finish most of our Fake Family Photo Album presentations. Next week students will create their family trees as we continue our unit on “La familia.”
Seventh Grade:
Reminder: All missing work must be turned in by Friday Mar 03 in order to receive credit for the 2nd Trimester.
Algebra (7th): We will continue working on finding solutions for Algebraic proportions.
Art: 7th grade continues to work on non-traditional self-portraits in the style of Lego. Soon 7th graders will begin painting these projects. Remember to check the homework calendar for due dates and sketchbook assignments.
Band: Signed practice records due every Thursday. Go team!
Bible Huttenga: Students are becoming critically engaged in sermons and how to evaluate them. Students have a memory quiz on Monday, and can re-take their Sermon Evaluation Terminology quiz on Tuesday.
Bible Wanner: Students have worked on learning about the different parts of book and then binding their own prayer journals. There is a quiz next week Monday on the parts of a book. Students have also be tasked with collecting a prayer story from a family member and writing that story down in their prayer journals
History: We are studying the history of Latin America and working our way through this unit.
Language Arts: The 7th graders continue to work hard on their Paideia research project! They have a lofty goal: 10 pages of notes by Friday, March 3. Although this will not be graded, having (close to) this amount of information will be helpful as we move on to the next portion of the project - the outline. Students will learn all about planning an essay by examining the work of an ACS alum (and current ACS teacher!) Parents, you will receive more thorough details soon via email.
PE: We will begin our badminton unit next week!
Pre-Algebra: Our Chapter 8 Test on equations will be Monday. A study guide and practice test can be found on page 380 of the textbook. Students can also use this online practice test to review.
Orchestra: Had fun in the ESME performance! WOW - you learned your music so well.
Science: We will be wrapping up Earth History with a test on Friday next week.
Spanish: We have a special guest coming to our classroom this week OR next (tbd) from Peru! 7th graders show better and better writing skills in their letters to “pen pals” and paragraphs. We have added regular -ER ending verbs to our vocabulary, and next week will learn -IR ending verbs.
Eighth Grade:
Butter Braid Orders are due Mon Feb 27 with money (Checks to ACS)
Tickets for Dessert Theatre Here it comes! Check your email! Online orders are now being accepted!
Reminder: All missing work must be turned in by Friday Mar 03 in order to receive credit for the 2nd Trimester.
Algebra: Next week Wednesday we will take a test on Chapter 8.
Art: 8th graders are now working on painting their Frank Stella family shape projects. Impressive plastered portraits are appearing. Remember to check the homework calendar for due dates and sketchbook assignments.
Band: Signed practice records are due every Thursday. We gave a mini concert for the Kindergarten on Thursday. SO fun.
Bible (Huttenga): 8th grade students are learning how to evaluate sermons using criteria from the Calvin Theological Seminary.
Bible (Westrate): We’re concluding a study of the Gospels with a look at the book of John.
History: This coming Tuesday we will be taking a test on Westward Expansion.
Language Arts: Students will be wrapping up their study of The Giver. They will also continue working on developing their writing style through the creative non-fiction project “The Book of Memories”.
PE: We will begin our badminton unit next week!
Pre-Algebra Enhanced: We continue to work with multi-step equations. Next week we will also solve and graph inequalities.
Orchestra: Had fun at the ESME performance! You learned your music so well and you are playing with confidence!
Science: We’ve concluded our study of waves. We will move into a unit on Human Body Systems Interactions this week.
Spanish: Believe it or not, it is already time to start thinking about advanced placement (Spanish II) for freshman year HS! I’ve recently heard from previous ACS students who have gone into Spanish II who say “it’s really easy,” so many of our students should consider it. GRCH will have placement testing the week of April 17, NorthPointe will be a little later. Students going into Lowell can assume they will go into Spanish II. If you have any questions about other schools or whether your student should plan on Spanish I or II, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Athletics:
Spring sport sign-ups will end on Monday, February 27. If you are interested in signing your son or daughter up for a spring sport, go to the ACS Athletics website.