Welcome to Middle School

1. Welcome to Middle School By: Ms. Walsh

2. How is Middle School Different? • It starts EARLIER • You have 10 Unified Arts per week! • You have choices for lunch • You have more teachers • You have more after school activities and sports • You have new opportunities for friends • You have more responsibilities for grades, organization and work. • The work gets harder to prepare you for high school and for life • You are given more freedom to show that you can handle things without adult help • Your actions are taken more seriously • You don’t “get away” with things because you are cute. • There is more “DRAMA!” 

3. Why School? • The law requires you to be in school for a reason…you are in “training” • School is your only way to a better life • School will allow you to have more opportunities • School is your bridge to the working world and everyone must contribute to society • What you miss now….you can’t “get” later. • Keep an open mind and you might just enjoy it!

4. What are your responsibilities? • Be in school and get here on time. You miss a lot when you aren’t in class. You are responsible for any missed work. It does not “go away.” • You are to know the classroom and school rules. You will be held accountable for them. • You will do the work assigned to you because it is for your benefit. • School is your full-time job. You are expected to do your job. Not doing your job will result in consequences. For doing your job well, there will be bonuses, extra “pay” and benefits.

5. More Responsibilities… • You are responsible for all of your actions. Any choices you make are yours. Learn from your mistakes. • Communicate your needs to your teachers. If you don’t tell them, they won’t know. • You are responsible to make sure that communication reaches your parents and your teachers. Do not play one against the other…that will only end in bad things. • Let your teachers “DRIVE” the bus. Your job is to stay “ON” the bus.

6. Teacher Responsibilities • The teacher is the “Bus Driver” • Teachers give you the “tools” you need to get you from 5th grade to 7th grade. She “tells” you what to pack in your suitcase. • A teachers job is to make sure students are safe • A teachers job is to provide a room where students “can” learn. • A teacher must teach the curriculum required by the State of New Hampshire

7. More Teacher Responsibilities • It’s a teacher’s job to “stretch” you but not “snap” you…just like a rubber band • Since every student is different, a teacher must give each student something different. It is the teacher’s job to know what each student needs • It is the teacher’s job to enforce the rules and to give consequences. • It’s a teachers job to try to guide you to making the best decision for you. She can not make it for you. • It’s not the teacher’s job to make things fun, exciting or entertaining. That’s doing “extra” and is a bonus.

8. “Fair” doesn’t mean “Equal” • You go to the doctor for what you “need.” • If you have a broken arm, the doctor should give you a cast. • If your appendix is going to burst, the doctor should remove the appendix. • It would be crazy for a doctor to give each patient the “same” treatment. • It would be crazy for teachers to give every student the same “treatment” because every student’s “need” is different. • Just like medical records, your learning needs aren’t the business of anyone else. The teacher knows the needs of every student….you don’t need to know “why” someone gets or doesn’t get the same as you • WORK WILL NOT BE EQUAL

9. What do I need to know about Pennichuck? • There are activities after school to become involved with • There is a late bus Monday-Thursday at 3:45 • Every teacher has one “extra help day.” Ms. Walsh’s day is Thursday. The computer labs have an after school day and so does the Library • There are lunch detentions, after-school detentions, office detentions , AR and suspensions • We have advisory every day • We have dances/bb night, spaghetti supper, BBQ, assemblies,

10. What is Advisory? • Advisories are small groups that meet every morning. Every student and teacher in the school is in advisory at the same time each day. • Your advisory teacher is your “go to” person. If you need help, advice or need to talk, that person is available to make sure you get what you need. • Advisories have discussions, learn new things, set goals, do activities, and have fun together • Mondays are “check-in”, Tuesdays are school-wide activities, Wednesdays are free-choice, Thursdays are “Silent Study”, and Friday’s are team meetings.

11. A New School...A New You? • A new school means a “fresh start” • This is a perfect opportunity to “re-invent” yourself….who do you want to be? • Think about what you want to improve in yourself. Set some new goals. What do you want to “leave behind?” • What happened in Elementary School, STAYS in Elementary School. This is the “new YOU!” • RESPECT other’s desire to change and become better. Give your peers a “fresh start!” • I will assume you are ALL AWESOME! I will trust you until you show me that you can’t be trusted. I don’t care about your past, your mistakes, your old behavior, your old grades • You all start with an A+ for a grade. 100% That grade will only go down if you earn grades lower than a 100%

12. How do I stay out of trouble? • Know the school rules • No physical contact with anyone else • Follow the dress code • No electronics and no gum • No swearing No talking back to teachers • No bullying or threatening others • Don’t show an “attitude” when in trouble • Don’t lie. If you did it, own up to it…say “Yes, I did it and it was a bad choice.” Take your consequence and learn from your mistake. • Be polite to teachers, Ms. Joseph and Mr. Asbell! • PROTECT YOUR REPUTATION FROM THE START

13. How Can I Get Good Grades? • Listen in class. If you “tune out,” you’ll miss something. What I have to say is important and you can’t push “rewind!” • Do the work given to you. None of the work I give you is “busy work” or unimportant. All work teaches you a new skill or lets you practice a skill you have. • Ask for help when you need it. If you don’t ask, I don’t know. • Always put your “best” into everything. Don’t settle for sloppy work. • Learn from your mistakes…you will make a lot of them! This is part of LEARNING.

14. Getting Good Grades cont… • Come for extra help • Use time wisely….class time, literacy, after school • Your grade is based on: effort, participation and work quality. You earn grades. • There is no extra credit. You must do well on the work assigned. • Any grade below a 70% is unacceptable. You will re-do the work. Get it right the first time and save yourself the time. • STUDY for quizzes and tests.

15. Grades vs. “Making Progress” • You are used to getting “grades” for work. • In middle school, you will get grades AND be expected to “make annual yearly progress” • Your progress is measured by standardized tests like NECAP and NWEA. • These tests show your strengths and weaknesses and where you need to improve. Teachers can help you improve. • Students have different areas of strength and weakness. You will often be put in small groups to work on skills you need to improve. • Some students will need to have extra classes, work after school or go to summer school to catch up on their progress. • Everything done in school is done to help you make progress. • Work done is based on the State of New Hampshire “standards” and you will see them posted in many classrooms.

16. How will I know how I’m doing? • Progess reports • Report cards • Notes in agenda • Grades in agenda • NECAP and NWEA test results • Teacher conferences • When you ask…

17. What does it mean to be a STAR? • Stars team is pure awesomeness • Stars team has high expectations for both behavior and academics • Stars team is a family. We all help each other to succeed. We will have problems but we will solve them together • Stars team students learn A LOT!!! • Stars team students are “STARS 4 LIFE!”

18. Am I Ready for Middle School? • Ask yourself… • Did I use a sippy cup at my last family meal? • Am I wearing Huggies Pull-ups right now? • If you answered “no” to those questions…then you are ready for middle school! • Since everybody is ready for middle school… LET’S GO!!!