News from PTA

From PTA -

If you have not returned money for SaveAround Coupon Books, please do so on Monday.  Any Coupon Books that weren't sold should be returned to the school. The Coupon Books are $25 apiece and support our PTA program. Don't forget, they make a great gift!   Thank you for your generosity. 

We  hope you all have a safe and wonderful Winter Break and Holiday season.  Students return to school on WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4TH!  Until then, take care of yourselves and each other!

DECEMBER 19 - 20 AND NOVELS NEEDED

Happy Holidays :)

If you were not able to join us Friday for our annual sing-along, you missed a treat! And before things get really hectic, just a few notes about the last two days of our marking period.

• Your child received a letter on December 9 regarding the increase of security measures at all schools. If you would like specific information, the letter should be in your child's travel binder. If you need an additional copy or have questions, please let me know.

• REMINDERS:
• Monday, 12/19, we have a  field trip to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum. It is great timing since we have spent the first nine weeks studying Europe in Social Studies. We will be gone from 9:30 - 1:30.
• All work is due at the end of day, Monday, December 19. 
• If your child is participating in our class book exchange, it will take place Tuesday, Dec. 20. 
• Our novel study of Hatchet (mentioned on the school supply list in August) will begin in January. Please make sure you have a copy of the book for your child when we return from the holidays. I have a few copies in the class, but not enough for everyone and it is really beneficial for a child to have their own copy that they can make notes in and put sticky notes in when needed. You can also download the book if your child has a device. 

As usual, I thank you for your time and appreciate all of your support in getting your child academically and socially prepared. Please let me know if you have any questions; I am always here to help.

Ms. Susan

Manic Monday...

It's just another manic Monday :) Sorry to keep adding notes to our week, but every time I open the inbox, something new is due.

Two things:
1) Parent Survey - it is important that our school have a 75% participation rate in order to keep a high "School Climate Star Rating"; this is part of our CCRPI (College and Career Ready Performance Index) which rates schools in our county and state (determining which schools are succeeding and which ones need improvement). With that being said, here is the link for the middle school parent survey:

Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0
Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0 - MIDDLE SCHOOL (grades 6-8)

http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/middleschool.nsf/Survey.xsp


2) The PTA is sponsoring a coupon book sale (SaveAround) to raise funds for upcoming events. Your child will bring one booklet home tomorrow with an order form to sell these coupon books. The due date is Friday, Decemeber 16, so it is a quick turn-around. Checks need to be written to Charles Ellis PTA.

If your child does not choose to participate, please return the packet containing the order form and the coupon book. Each book costs $25 and is well worth the value. Any books not returned to school will be charged to the PTA, so it extremely important that all coupon books are returned if your child is not going to participate. 

Directions are attached to the envelope, so contact PTA directly if you have any questions. 

Thanks, as always, for reading these sometimes never-ending posts...

Susan

Oops...

I forgot to mention that your child is coming  home with a "Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities Survey Parent Permission Form" today. This is an online survey that will be taken anonymously to collect data that will inform our strategies for keeping our schools safe and drug-free.

If you DO NOT want your child to participate, PLEASE RETURN THE BOTTOM PORTION OF THE FORM.

If you give permission for your child to participate, you do not need to do anything.

Thank you for your support :)

Additional Information for the Week of December 12 - 16:

• Winter Holidays begin Wednesday, December 21. Students return to school Wednesday, January 4.

• We have a field trip Monday, December 19. We cannot accept permission slips or $5.00 after Wednesday, 12/14. If your child is unable to attend, they will be assigned work and will sit in another classroom until we return.

• January 7: Student Success Expo at the Savannah Mall. If you are interested in learning more about the various specialty programs in the Chatham County School System, this is the place to get your questions answered. (On a side note, if you did not return your Letter of Intent form indicating whether or not your child will be at Ellis for the 2017-2018 school year, please do so ASAP.)

• We are taking mid-year assessments this week for MAP and SRI (Measurement of Academic Progress/Math and Scholastic Reading Inventory/Reading, respectively). MAP testing is Monday and Tuesday; SRI testing is Wednesday and Thursday. Our goal is see student growth from the fall testing administration - please encourage your child to do their best. Thank you for your support :)

Week of December 12-16, 2016

Greetings Parents,

This week, our work will revolve around writing :) It is a skill that needs a lot of attention in our classroom, so it will be the focus of our lessons in ELA and SS.

Here's what's happening in our neck of the woods...
ELA:
Students will work on a 5-paragraph essay about "Family". We read 4 stories last week from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul and identified characteristics of different kinds of families. This week, we will revisit those stories and write an essay that defines our own individual families and includes evidence from the stories we read. This assignment will be graded as an assessment with a rubric.

SS:
Last week, students were assigned a specific research topic related to the end of our unit on Europe. The topics were Literacy Rates; the relationship between Human Capital Goods and GDP; the relationship between Capital Investments and the GDP; Natural Resources of Georgia and Economy; and Entrepreneurship. Students have been assigned roles within their table groups and will work on researching their specific topic. This assignment will be graded as an assessment. Presentations begin this Thursday and will end Monday, Dec. 19.

1**End of the Marking Period** The end of our 2nd marking period is Tuesday, Dec. 20. However, we have to have our grades turned in by Monday, Dec. 19. Please work with your child to turn in all late/incomplete work asap. Thank you!!

***Our traditional holiday sing-along will be this Friday beginning at 1:30 in the backyard. Please join us if you are able to do so. **

Festival of Lights Information/Update, Etc.

Bobcat families: 

We have a correction to make to our weekly blast.  The Festival of Light performances will begin at 6:00, not 6:30 in the backyard and the PTA Bake Sale and Cake Walk will follow in the Multi-Purpose Room.  Ms. Jennifer would like performers to be here by 5:45 and remember to wear your school uniform. Also, bring lawn chairs or other seating so you can be comfortable while enjoying the music performances.

FIELD TRIP, MONDAY, DECEMBER 19:

Your child will be coming home with a field trip form today for our trip to the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum. There is a $5.00 cost associated with this field trip. Please sign and return the permission trip as soon as possible, along with the fee. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Additional News for the Week of December 5

HOLIDAY BOOK EXCHANGE:

Every 6th grader is invited to participate in our 2nd annual Holiday Book Exchange. Your child will be bringing a permission slip home today for you to read and indicate whether or not your child will be participating. These forms are due back by Wednesday, Dec 7 so we can exchange names. Our Book Exchange will take place Tuesday, Dec 20.

A Note from Ms. Tiia: 

Saturday, December 10
Family Winter Art Workshop & Art Dept. Benefit
9am-12pm Ellis Lobby

Also, Saturday
"I Have Marks to Make" Exhibit
Jepson Center for the Arts
Opening Reception 1-4pm

Lila Crowder (5th Grade) will be showing her work.

Week of December 5 - 9, 2016

It's December - while the weather outside is delightful and the holiday spirit is kicking in, it is also the end of our 2nd marking period. Please work with your child to help them complete any missing assignments (as noted on their recent progress reports) as well as working on current assignments. ALL WORK MUST BE SUBMITTED BY DECEMBER 20.

If your child is participating in Book-It, December summaries are due by Dec 19 :)

The Book Fair begins this week with a late night extension on Thursday, Dec 8. We'll also have the Festival of Lights - the 6th grade focus is the Chinese New Year. Listen/look  out for the Bobcat Blast for more information.

Here's what's happening in ELA/SS this week:

*Small group lessons in writing
*Chromebooks for Learning Menu - December 5 - 16 (Google Classroom)
*SS project - Students will be working with their table groups to present a Social Studies lesson to the class Thursday, 12/15 - Monday, 12/19.
Vocabulary Test - Friday - Unit 2 words


Monday, 12/5
ELA: Introduce self-peer editing checklist (for SS current event article due Friday) and Chromebook for Learning Menu. Review the 5 elements of an argument by reading one of two essays.
SS: With a partner, or independently, complete two economics lessons online @ https://www.imf.org/external/np/exr/center/econed/

Interactive lessons:

1.     Where in the World and What in the World is Money?

2.     Trading Around the World

Students will work in pairs to complete the two lessons about money. After completing the lessons online, students will write a summary of what they learned.

HOMEWORK: Finish debate article and/or the online economics lessons.

Tuesday, 12/6

ELA: Creating a graphic organizer for family traits (what makes a family); begin reading 4 stories from Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul (1. She Didn't Give Up on Me; 2. Lessons in Baseball; 3. The Champ; and 4. I am Home). As students read each story, they should complete their family traits checklist.

SS: European Union lesson (prior to Brexit)

HOMEWORK: Check Google Classroom - Chromebooks for Learning Menu

Wednesday, 12/7 and Thursday, 12/8

ELA: Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul reading continues

SS: Rubric for class presentations; topics assigned; students choose group roles and responsibilities

HOMEWORK: Check Google Classroom - Chromebooks for Learning Menu

Friday, 12/9

ELA: Vocabulary Test - Unit 2; Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul reading continues

SS: Students begin research on their assigned topic

HOMEWORK: Any work not completed during the week. Be sure to check Google Classroom for the Chromebooks for Learning Menu work.