Barrington Middle School

1. Barrington Middle School Parent Orientation April 8, 2014 2014 – 2015

2. The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed!

3. Today, I will give nothing less than my personal best!

4. Empowering all Students to Excel!

5. BMS Recognitions- Past • Nationally recognized Blue Ribbon School • NELMS Spotlight School • N.E. Leadership Academy Training Site • R.I. Principal of the Year – Mr. Richard Wheeler (former Principal) • AMGEN Science Teacher – Mr. Anthony Borgueta • R.I. Physical Ed. Teacher of the Year – Ms. Annmarie Marino • East Bay News Teacher of the Year – Mr. Peter McFarland • Barrington Public School Teacher of the Year- Mr. Peter McFarland

6. BMS Recognitions- Present RI Daughters of the American Revolution Outstanding Teacher of American History Award- Mrs. Mary Roberts Honorable Mention in the RI State Elks Americanism Essay Contest- Nicholas Figueroa Eastern Division Champions- Girl’s Basketball Team State Robotic Champions- Team Overflow Model CO2 Dragster Champions- Jack Hoder, Rob McGarry, Conor Mc Gartoll Bridge Building Champions- Andrew Cooke and Theenash Kumar First Place Robotics- Team Technologic 2nd Place at Math Counts State Championships- Math Counts Team

7. BMS Recognitions- Future ?

8. Introductions • Principal - Andrew Anderson • Asst. Principal - Wendy Parente • 6th Grade Counselor - Lori Mason • 7th Grade Counselor - Natalie Stein • 8th Grade Counselor - Sandy McCauley • School Nurse - Janet Johnson • Psychologist - Maggy Bell • Social Worker - Courtney Canario • Secretaries - Amy Skadberg and Caron Martin

9. Introductions • PTO Co-Presidents - Lisa Mc Gartoll, Deb Perugini • Aqua Cluster (Loop) - Peter McFarland, Mary Roberts, Abigail Williams • Silver Cluster - Connie Oswald, Jennifer Scott, Gregory Simkins,TraciTaglione • Yellow Cluster - Kelsey Greineder, Christopher Millard, Danielle Teoli, Julia Texeira

10. Agenda What is a Middle Schooler? Typical Transition Issues BMS Transition Program BMS Mission Typical Day/Schedule RTI: Academic Supports Positive Culture Initiative Afterschool Activities Home-to-school Partnership/Communication Q and A Panel Discussion

11. What is a Middle Schooler? What is a middle schooler? I was asked one day. I knew what he was, But what should I say?

12. She is noise and confusion. She is silence that is deep. She is sunshine and laughter, Or a cloud that will weep.

13. He is swift as an arrow. He is a waster of time. He wants to be rich, But can not save a dime.

14. She is rude and nasty. She is polite as can be. She wants parental guidance. But fights to be free.

15. He is awkward and clumsy He is graceful and poised He is ever changing But do not be annoyed

16. She is aggressive and bossy. She is timid and shy. She knows all the answers, But still will ask “why”.

17. What is a middle schooler? I was asked one day. He is the future unfolding, So don’t stand in his way. An eighth grade student

18. THE EMPEROR MOTH One day a man found the cocoon of an emperor moth. He took it home so that he could watch the moth come out of the cocoon. He sat and watched the moth struggling to force his body through a very, little hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could. It just seemed to be stuck. Then the man, being kind, decided to help the moth. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon. The moth then emerged easily. But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. He expected that the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body which would contract in time. Neither happened! In fact, the little moth spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. It never was able to fly. A few days later, it died. What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the moth to get through the tiny opening was nature’s way of forcing fluid from the body of the moth into its wings so that it would be ready for flight. Freedom and flight would only come after the struggle. By depriving the moth of a struggle, he deprived the emperor moth of health. You see, the struggles of life, heartaches and pains are necessary if you want to be great. Instead of cursing them, understand them while you are experiencing them. They are part of the making of who we are and what we will one day become.

19. Typical Transition Issues • Anxiety about beginning in a new school • Concern about getting lost/being late • Concern with managing a locker • Concern about not knowing other students

20. Transition Issues Continued…. Feeling overwhelmed by the “pace” of the school day Feeling of being incapable of completing the academic work These issues typically subside within a week or two and should not be an impediment to learning by late October

21. Barrington Middle School’s Transition Plan Phase 1: • Frequent Conversations and meetings between HMS and BMS Phase 2: • Parent Orientation • One Amazing Night! Phase 3: • Student Orientation(s) • One Amazing Night! • HMS School Visit • BMS School Visit • Locker Day Phase 4: • “Now That You Are Here!” night

22. Empowering all Students to Excel!

23. Empowering all Students to Excel!

24. Typical Day • 7:15 Students begin to arrive • Report to pre-assigned locations indicated in cluster assignment letter • 7:35 Lockers • Students are assigned cluster and gym lockers • 7:45 Homeroom • 7:50 Classes begin • 2:05 School Ends • 2:15 Buses Leave • 3:30 Late Bus Leaves

25. Six Day Schedule • Monday (Aug 25, 1st day) Day 1 • Tuesday Day 2 • Wednesday Day 3 • Thursday Day 4 • Friday Day 5 • Monday Day 6 • Tuesday (repeat cycle) Day 1

26. Seven Period Day • 5 Cluster Classes • Math • Language Arts • Social Studies • Science • FAST

27. Rainbow Cluster Classes Second Unified Art’s period Day 1, 3, 5: Physical Education Day 2, 4, 6: Health Note: Band and Unified Art Chorus and Unified Art Band/Chorus no Unified Art First Unified Art’s Period • Art • Music • Computer Technology • 6th Grade Keyboarding • 7th/8th Grade Computer Technology • Family and Consumer Sciences • Cooking • Sewing • Materials Lab • Wood Shop • Robotics

28. Foreign Language (Grades 7 & 8) • Spanish • French

29. Connect • Smaller group of students • Assigned to an advisor “on team/grade level” • Purpose: • Develop close, trusting relationships between student and at least one adult; Personalization • Develop positive self-esteem and a sense of belonging • Discuss issues that students are having in or out of school • Work on “ILP” (Individual Learning Plan); goals • School-wide camaraderie/competitions/service learning • Required for middle schools by RI Board of Regents Regulations as of 2006-2007

30. Barrington Middle School Cluster Schedule 2013 – 2014

31. Barrington Middle School Cluster Flexible Schedule 2013 – 2014

32. Academic SupportsBMS is a RTI School! Universal Screening: • 3 Times a Year • Frequent Data Days Student Academic Performance: • Students who are not proficient academically Student Behavioral Performance: • Students who are not meeting our expectations Teacher/Parent Referral: • Referrals made by teachers/parents

33. The BMS Learning Community is Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed!

34. Respectful Treating peers and adults as you want to be treated; recognizing and appreciating the qualities of others.

35. Responsible Making your education a priority; embracing your role as a productive member of the Barrington Middle School Learning Community.

36. Ready to Succeed! Being prepared for each day; knowing what is expected of you.

37. The BMS Learning Community is: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! SCHOOL-WIDE BMS

38. School WideRespectful Appropriate language/inside voice. Keep traffic moving/Make space. Follow directions of adults in the building. Follow school dress code.

39. School WideResponsible Own your actions. Follow rules and procedures. Be in the right place, at the right time. Resolve conflicts with maturity.

40. School WideReady to Succeed! Maintain healthy habits. Participate and ask for help. Do your best.

41. The BMS Learning Community is: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed!! BUS BMS

42. The BMS Learning Community is: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed!! CLASSROOM BMS

43. The BMS Learning Community is: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! DINING ROOM BMS

44. The BMS Learning Community is: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed!! HALLWAYS AND STAIRS BMS

45. The BMS Learning Community is: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! LIBRARY BMS

46. The BMS Learning Community is: Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Succeed! RESTROOMS BMS

47. Natural Consequences For Meeting Expected Behaviors: • “Eagle Eyes” • Frequent School Wide Raffles • Frequent School Wide Acknowledgements/Celebrations • Principal’s Award For Not Meeting Expected Behaviors: • Conference with the student • Parent contact/notification • Teacher detention • Lunch detention • Office detention • In School Suspension/ Out of School Suspension

48. Behavior Information Reports

49. Home-to-school Partnership • If you believe only half of what your child says happens in school, • We will believe only half of what your child says happens at home.

50. Conflict Resolution Procedure Problem Solving Protocol • Step 1 – If an issue is with an individual teacher, that teacher should be contacted first. • Step 2 – If satisfaction was not achieved, or if an issue concerns more than 1 teacher or a team of teachers, contact your child’s guidance counselor. • Step 3 – If satisfaction was not achieved in Steps 1 or 2, contact the BMS administration. The decision of the principal is the final decision at the building level. • Step 4 – If satisfaction was not achieved in Step 3 at the building level, an appeal can be made to the Barrington Public Schools’ Central Administration.