HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD BE SUCCESSFUL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

1. HOW TO HELP YOUR CHILD BE SUCCESSFUL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL

2. Overview • Middle school basics • What does a day in middle school look like? • What are the teacher’s expectations? • How can parents support their child? • Middle School Organization • Technology and your child • Career and College planning

3. Middle School Basics • School Calendar-Website is Key!! • Attendance Policies • Code of Conduct/School Rules • School Counselors • Courses • Scheduling • Extracurricular Activities • Standardized Tests • Bullying

4. How to update your contact information:Parent Information Management System (PIMS)Go to the LCPS Homepage and click on QUICK LINKS

5. Click on the Parent Information Management System Link

6. Click on the PIMS website link to update your contact information

7. What does the day look like? Regular Bell Schedule 8:30 Release to class 8:35-10:00 1st/5th Block 10:05-11:30 2nd/6th Block 11:35 – 1:50 3rd/7th Block 1:55 – 3:20 4th/8th Block On A days blocks 1,2,3 & 4 meet. On B days blocks 5, 6, 7 & 8 meet.

8. When does my child eat lunch? Lunch A 11:35-12:05 Lunch B 12:10-12:40 Lunch C 12:45-1:15 Lunch D 1:20-1:50

9. What are my child’s teacher’s expectations? Visit the Stone Hill Middle School website http://www.lcps.org/shms Click Staff Select your child’s teacher View syllabi, resources for additional help, curriculum, project information, and calendar for homework and upcoming tests and projects. Students can refer to whiteboards hanging in house locker areas as well

12. What is Resource? • Purpose • Provides an opportunity for students to: • Complete homework • Retake tests and quizzes • Receive additional instruction from teachers

13. Resource Schedule • 6th and 7th graders • 45 minutes every other day, at the same time their core academic teachers are on planning and available to help students. • Spectrum students go to Spectrum in place of resource • 8th graders • 90 minutes every other day. • Spectrum students have Resource for 45 minutes every other day.

14. The Parent Portal as a Tool for Communication

15. Login Information Login information will be mailed home, for those parents that have requested it, and the Clarity portal will be opened after 1st quarter interims. A login password will be provided for: Each parent that completed a request form

16. Ways Clarity can provide information…

17. Missing assignments will be prominently displayed.

18. Teachers may write more general comments here.

19. What are middle schoolers most concerned with?

20. Changes, Changes, Changes • Physical Changes • Emotional Changes • Intellectual Changes • Social Changes • Be aware and be informed • Communicate with your child • Teach Responsibility • Provide appropriate consequences

21. How can school counselors help your child? • Provide individual, group, and classroom guidance • Mediate peer issues • Collaborate with teachers • Conduct career and educational counseling

22. What can parents do?

23. Partner with Your School • Support the school and the teachers • Make the most of parent-teacher conferences • Communicate with the school staff • Work with the school to resolve problems • Get to know the administration, counselors and especially teachers • Attend all parent programs

24. What can parents do at home? • Keep lines of communication open • Get/stay involved in your children’s lives • Encourage extra curricular activities • Provide school supplies and a place to study • Help set academic goals/Provide academic support • See all midterm reports and report cards • Use rewards and consequences to encourage change

25. What can parents do at home?(con’t) • Encourage a healthy lifestyle • Help improve organizational skills • Help with time management • Make homework your child’s responsibility • Encourage independent problem solving • Insist that they attend school regularly and on time. If they will be absent, call the absentee line 703-957-4422

26. Organization

27. Organized Student Determines a place and sets up a system for organizing things Uses binders, folders, bookshelves, and desk space to store and process important papers, homework, and assignments Selects the books, supplies, and worksheets to be brought to and from school Knows where things are and knows important assignment and test dates

28. The Three-Part World of the Organized Student Organization in school Organization at home Time Management

29. Organization at Home Comfortable and quite place to do homework Easy way to store papers and projects after completion. Designated spaces within home to study-bedroom or home office Organization Tools: desk, desktop file, stationary supplies

30. Organization in School (3) Main Storage Systems Backback: Fits in Locker, Pockets Binder(s): Complete with tabs, Loose leaf and Folders Locker: Effective use of space

31. Backpack • Purge: remove any unnecessary papers and trash weekly and at the end of each quarter • Accessories :Out fit the bag with accessories that make it easier for you to find things. • Use of zip locks or small pouches • Additional bag for overflow • Categories: Separate the contents of the bag into categories. Make sure all the papers are in correct binders • Keep it up- regular maintenance, check to see if everything is organized once a week.

32. Binders • Set up and Use the Tabs • Name and Date on every paper • Front/Back Pocket Wasteland • Homework Tab/Folder

33. Locker • Purge: remove papers and trash often and completely organize at the end of each term • Accessories :Out fit the locker with accessories that make it easier for your child to find things. • Shelves • Schedule • White Board • Categories: Separate the contents of the locker into categories. Maybe, have an A-day shelf and B-day shelf. • Keep it up- regular maintenance

34. File Box Binder gets full or out dated Use a file box an divide for each class and put the overflow here Personal Files: Instructions, Art, Writing or ideas, Music, Clubs, Team, Summer Applications Another way: Use large envelopes

35. Make a Home Base The Drop-Off Station The Study Space

36. Time Management • Daily Use of Agenda • Use Monthly Calendar for big projects • Create a schedule for yourself outside of school, including study time

37. PARENT INVOLVEMENT RESEARCH Studies find that students with involved parents are more likely to: • earn higher grades and test scores, enroll in higher-level programs, • pass their classes, earn credits and be promoted, • attend school regularly, • have better social skills, show good behavior and adapt well to school, • Graduate and go on to further education • www.NEA.org, Research Spotlight on Parental Involvement in Education.

38. Parent-Teacher ConferenceDiscussion Topics & Questions • Homework • Class Participation • Organization • Academic Success • Classroom Time Management • Attendance & Punctuality • Focus • Social Adjustment • Strengths & Weaknesses • Additional Comments

39. Technology and Your Child

40. Understand their Technology In order to protect and guide your child, learn as much as you can about the internet, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Ask FM, chat rooms, etc.

41. Tips for parents • Monitor your child’s technology • Have them share with you all their user account names and passwords. • Ask them to take you places they frequently visit and show you what they do • Follow your child on Instagram • Limit child’s time on social media • Your child does not need a social media account • Internet Safety Presentation TBD Deputy Spurlock*NOT FOR CHILDREN* • Controls on home computers, their devices (i-Phone, I-Pad, iPod touch)or wireless within the home. • Parent Information Management System

42. Career & Educational Options • Identify abilities and interests 1. Career Café’s 2. Career Exploration through Guidance-Naviance • Explore career/educational options • High School Career & Technology Programs (Monroe) • Academy of Science/Thomas Jefferson High School • Four-Year Colleges • Community & Technical Colleges • Career & Trade Schools • Military • Apprenticeships

43. College Information If you want your child(ren) to consider going to college after high school, now is the time to start planning. Preparation • develop good study skills • encourage them to do as well as they can in their classes • attend a college sporting event or visit a college campus • in high school, take recommended high school courses, sign up for the right tests and complete the necessary forms.

44. High School Credit and Expunging • Students can earn high school credit at the middle school level • World Languages: Spanish, Latin, German, French) • Math: Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II/Trigonometry • Expunge

45. Admissions Criteria • Grade point average (GPA) • Strength of subjects • ACT/SAT scores • Class rank • Recommendations • Special Talents • Personal qualities • Activities/awards • Essays • Interviews

46. Programs At Stone Hill • PBIS-Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports • SSA-Safe School Ambassadors • PALS – Pairing All Leads to Success • Homework Club 6th and 7th grade

47. SHM Contact Info SCHOOL COUNSELORS 6th Grade : Patricia.Bagdasarian@lcps.org 7th Grade/Lead Counselor: Jennifer.Alberth@lcps.org 8th GradeAmani.Allen@lcps.org ELL students, all grades, Program Coordinator: Kevin.Glenn@lcps.org DEANS 6th Grade- Sebrina.LindsayLaw@lcps.org 7th Grade- Nicole.Herndon@lcps.org 8th Grade- Karyn.Oneill@lcps.org All can be reached by calling 703-957-4420, we all have confidential voicemail.

48. QUESTIONS??? Reference Information Woodburn Press Linda O’Brien www.woodburnpress.com