Middle School Matters – Sept 03, 2020

General Announcements

COVID-19 Information

Symptoms Concerning for COVID-19 in Children

(Per Kent County Health Department guidelines, rev. 08-27-20)

Loss of taste or smell
OR

two of the following:

Fever
Headache
Extreme tiredness
Cough
Sore Throat
Congestion or runny nose

If students are tested:
- They stay home until results are back.
- Healthy household members may continue working, going to school or childcare.
If test is negative:
- Child stays home until fever free for 24 hours and student improving.
- Healthy household members may continue working, going to school or childcare.
If test is positive:
- Inform school.
- Student to isolate for at least 10 days.
- A negative test not needed to return to school.
- Note from doctor or release from health department needed to come back to school.
- Household members must quarantine at home the entire time student is in isolation AND for 14 days after last exposure to student with COVID-19 or until cleared from the Kent County Health Department. Share note from health department with school.
If testing is not done:
- Stay home until fever free for 24 hours and symptoms are improving.
- If symptoms do not improve in 2 days, contact a healthcare provider and have testing for COVID-19.
- Healthy household members may continue working, going to school or childcare

Communication Plan

ACS will notify our families if a faculty, staff, or student has known exposure to a person who tests positive for COVID-19.
ACS will notify our families if a faculty, staff, or student tests positive for COVID-19.
ACS will notify the Kent County Health Department to share information of those that were in close contact over the past 48 hours with the faculty, staff, or student who tested positive.
The Kent County Health Department will reach out to close contacts. (If the Kent County Health Department does not contact parents, your child was not a close contact to the person who tested positive.)

School Pictures

Picture forms are due Fri, Sept 11. If you would like retakes please email Sharon DeJong (gro.naitsirhcada@gnojeds) by Sept 09. Retakes will take place on Sept 10.

Fifth Grade:

Survival Camp Information: Our Survival Camp information packet was sent home with your student on Wednesday. Please read through the information and return the completed form to your student's teacher by Wed, Sept 09.

Camp (Chaperone) Interest Form: If you are interested in being a chaperone at either one of our camps, please fill out the Camp Interest Form by Wed, Sept 09. Thanks!

The Bright Blue Retreat Shirts your students are receiving are our 56er uniforms for music concerts! Please hang on to them!

Art: 5th graders are working on clay in art class creating multi-pinch pots vessels.

Bible: This week students completed a growth mindset escape room. We also started our Who Am I? books. These books are used to get to know our classmates a bit better. Books are due Mon., Sept 14. Also, a reminder that Ephesians 2:8-10 is due Fri., Sept 11.

History: We learned about various landforms and bodies of water! Next week we will take a closer look at geographic features in the U.S.

Language Arts: This week we took our first Spelling Achievement Test and learned about some big ideas that will guide us through our Survival Unit. Next week we will continue to read Hatchet and learn about descriptive language.

Math: This week we looked at place value and compared numbers. The students also took their first quiz - look for it next week Tuesday. PLEASE NOTE: A student can retake a quiz (not the same one, but similar) if they get parent initials on their first quiz. This signature shows that the student has looked over the first quiz and knows what corrections need to be made.

Music - Band: We begin on Tue Sep 08 with all woodwinds: flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone. On Thu Sep 10 the brass/percussion begin - trumpet, trombone, tuba, baritone, horn. If you rented from Meyer OR ACS your instrument/things you need will be handed out during the first class day. Please send to school all instruments on their respective days. We are excited to begin! The future schedule will be communicated in MSM and via email as well. Band questions: email gro.naitsirhcada@droonnavn.

Music - Choir: We are working on music note names, rhythms, songs and drumming. The Bright Blue Retreat Shirts your students are receiving are our 56er uniforms for music concerts! Please hang on to them!

Music - Orchestra: Make sure that you have an instrument secured! Meyer Music will deliver your instruments to the classroom. We will be playing our instruments on Tuesday (Violin/ Viola), and Thursday (Cello). Any questions? Contact me at gro.naitsirhcada@kniwurvk

Science: We will gain momentum with our Earth and Sun unit this week. We will start by using observations of shadows here on Earth to make inferences about the sun.

Sixth Grade:

Bright Blue Retreat Shirts your students are receiving are our 56er uniforms for music concerts! Please hang on to them!

Art: Some of the 6th grade has started working on the portrait project and the others will start this coming week. Sketchbook # 2 is due on 9/9 for 6w and 6vn.

Bible: This week students completed a growth mindset escape room. We also started our Outside Inside Bag brainstorm. These bags are used to get to know our classmates a bit better. The outside of the bag shows characteristics or interests that people could easily observe about your student. The inside of the bag represents things people might now know about your student - goals, dreams, fears, memories. The brainstorm sheet is due Mon Sept. 14. The bag is due Mon Oct. 5. Also, a reminder that Ephesians 2:8-10 is due Fri Sept. 11.

History: We learned about the 5 themes of geography! Next week we will take a closer look at location and region.

Language Arts: This week we took our first Spelling Achievement Test and learned about some big ideas that will guide us through reading Tuck Everlasting. Next week we will take a closer look at the personality traits of the characters in our book.

Math: This week we looked at estimating and multiplying decimals. The students took a few quizzes this week - look for them on Tuesday. PLEASE NOTE: A student can retake a quiz (not the same one, but similar) if they get parent initials on their first quiz. This signature shows that the student has looked over the first quiz and knows what corrections need to be made.

Music - Band: Band meets Mondays/Tues/Thursdays. We are doing a great job reviewing. Your band students will be connected to Google Classroom next week - they will hand in some assignments and quizzes in that digital space. Check with them next week and ask about it.

Music - Choir: Music theory and note reading….music literacy….and listening! Ask about the Chicago Fire Song. :) The Bright Blue Retreat Shirts your students are receiving are our 56er uniforms for music concerts! Please hang on to them!

Music - Orchestra: Next week we will start to dive into more music! On Tuesday, I will assign the first playing test (Due Friday, September 18). More details will be given after Labor Day.

Science: We’re reviewing a bit that we learned in the spring as we think about what it means for something to dissolve and make a solution.

Seventh Grade:

Art: 7th grade has started working on their organic sculpture project inspired by Henry Moore. The Moore Forms worksheet (all resources to complete the sheet are available on the 7th grade google classroom) Q’s 1 - 6 is due on 9/11 along with sketchbook assignment # 1.

Bible: This week we wrapped up our six word memoir project and volunteers presented their finished posters in class. Now we will be starting our first Bible unit of the year on prayer. Students have been discussing when and why we pray as a class and next week we will dive into what the Bible teaches us about prayer.

History: This week, students will be finishing their project on an inspiring figure. They’ll share these projects with each other part way through the week. After the mini-presentations, we’ll continue digging into how we study history by discussing God’s work in the world and looking closely at passages throughout the Bible that convey God’s heart and purposes. Please make sure that your student has a notebook for social studies class.

Language Arts: We’re beginning to get a sense of normalcy and beginning routines of independent reading and conventions work. Students resume studying novels and discussing reading strategies - they will need to have a novel with them for class every Tuesday and Thursday. Soon we will begin spelling quizzes and weekly reading assignments. Please ensure your student has a separate two-pocket folder for reading/spelling material.

Math - Algebra: we will be wrapping up our unit on Algebra basics this coming Thursday. Students will have a quiz on Tuesday and test on Thursday.

Math - Pre-Algebra: We are almost finished with chapter 1 in Pre Algebra which means that we will be gearing up for a test on Thursday, September 10. We will spend all of Wednesday in class reviewing for the test and answering any questions that students may have.

Music - Band: Band meets Mondays/Tues/Thursdays. We are doing a great job reviewing. Your band students will be connected to Google Classroom next week - they will hand in some assignments and quizzes in that digital space. Check with them next week and ask about it.

Music - Choir: We are listening to Pictures at an Exhibition, (Mussorgsky/Ravel, as performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Sir Georg Solti) and will do a project on this topic.

Music - Orchestra: Next week we will start to dive into more music! On Tuesday, I will assign the first playing test (Due Friday, September 18). More details will be given after Labor Day.

Science: We will be digging a little deeper into erosion and the formation of various rocks.

Eighth Grade:

Art: 8th graders have started work on their personal interest initial chop/print project. The design stage is almost complete and we will transition on to cutting ready to cut the designs. Sketchbook # 2 is due Sept 09.

Bible Huttenga: On Friday, Sept 11, students will have a quiz on the theme verse (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV) and the school’s call to worship. We’re discussing the Reformed worldview and how “Working for the Lord” fits in with these transformational concepts. Soon we’ll begin studying CS Lewis’s The Last Battle as an allegory for these ideas.

Bible Sloterbeek: We’ll start this week by finishing a reflection assignment connecting names of God to the gospel, and then we’ll move into a look at different ways to study scripture. On Friday, September 11, students will have a quiz on the theme verse (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV).

Language Arts: We’re beginning to get a sense of normalcy and beginning routines of independent reading and conventions work. Students resume studying novels and discussing reading strategies, and we continue developing our thinking and style in writing workshop using sketches and poetry to inspire our prose. Students are learning more about the NHD project and will pick a topic for research soon. Please ensure your student has a separate 3-ring binder.

Math - Algebra: We will be finishing up our first review chapter near the end of this upcoming week.

Math - Geometry: We will wrap up our Algebra foundations review this coming week and will begin the Geometry course!

Music - Choir: We are listening to Pictures at an Exhibition, (Mussorgsky/Ravel, as performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under Sir Georg Solti) and will do a project on this topic.

Music - Orchestra: Next week we will start to dive into more music! On Tuesday, I will assign the first playing test (Due Friday, Sept 18). More details will be given after Labor Day.

Science: We are looking into the relationship between the Sun and the Earth and how they work together to give us day and night and seasons.

Athletics:

If your son or daughter are playing a sport this fall, physicals or questionnaires must be turned in before they can practice.

Team fees can be turned into Mr. Meyaard or the office.