From the Principal
Welcome to Summit Hill Junior High - Home of the SpartansWhether you are an "old-timer" or "new comer", we hope you will find the school year to be exciting and memorable. Thank you to the community for passing the referendum to build our new junior high. The Classes of 2008 and 2009 and many, many, many that follow and will pass through our doors will enjoy a grand state-of-the art facility thanks to the efforts of the community and a school board that supports education in Summit Hill School District 161.
The staff and I would like to thank you for being so supportive in our efforts in educating your child. Our mission is to create a warm, secure environment along with educational opportunities for your child. By working together this goal can be accomplished.
We are committed to provide students with a rigorous curriculum that is relevant, while building strong relationships in the classroom.
The "people" of Summit Hill Junior High School are our greatest asset. Parents, students and staff working together will provide an educational journey that will demonstrate that our school excellence is exciting, meaningful and demanding all at the same time.
The school environment requires students to encounter various personalities in their daily contacts. The ability to make good decisions when encountering new situations and personalities will be a positive factor in a student's success in school. The ability to make a right decision is not one that we are born with, but is learned through experience. We want to help our students learn this skill.
Parents, we are all here to help your child succeed. Please assist us by being involved, having your child in school each day and getting actively involved in your child's education.
Students, I urge you to work hard, get involved, be in school each day and soar to heights above and beyond your academic expectations. Remember our three As: Academics first, Attendance always and have fun through Activities.
If you have any questions regarding your child, please call/email your child's teacher or myself.
Respectfully,
Beth R. Lind
Principal
The school's address is:
Summit Hill Jr. High School
7260 North Ave.
Frankfort, IL 60423
815/469-4330
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G.R.E.A.T.G.R.E.A.T. stands for Gang Resistance Education And Training
The G.R.E.A.T. program has proven to be an effective prevention program. In 1995, a five year longitudinal study indentified the following positive outcomes for students that participate in G.R.E.A.T.:
* Lower rates of victimization
* More negative views about gangs
* More favorable views toward law enforcement
* Reduced risk seeking behaviors
The G.R.E.A.T. Program helps youth resist gang membership, avoid violence and criminal activity, and develop a positive relationship with law enforcement. The G.R.E.A.T. Program produces attitude and behavioral changes through a unique combination of skills training, cooperative learning, discussion, and role playing. Students are provided with many opportunities to model and practice relevant real life skills. Once the students have rehearsed these skills, they will be more likely to use them in real-life situations.
Research has shown that school-based instruction programs that are the most promising in long-term prevention strategies have certain characteristics. They are focused on developing skills; dedicated to program fidelity and instructional best practice; conducted over a long period of time; and consistently taught, supported and reinforced by instructors.
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Parent Tips for Continued Development With Your Adolescent
PARENT TIPS
STAY CLOSE/STAY CONNECTED
Kids who are close to their parents are least likely to engage in risky/negative behaviors. The more involved you are in your children's lives, the more valued they will feel, and the more likely they will respond to you.
ESTABLISH "TOGETHER TIME" - Establish a regular weekly routine for doing something special with your child;even something as simple as going out for ice cream.
BE A BETTER LISTENER - Ask questions and encourage your child. Paraphrase what your child says to you. (You'd be amazed how things can get misconstrued.) Ask for his/her input about family decisions.
DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK where your kids are going, who they'll be with, and what they'll be doing. Don't fall for the complaint, "You ask too many questions." Remember who's in charge! Get to know your child's friends and their parents so you're familiar with their activities.
EAT TOGETHER AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN - Meals are a good opportunity to talk about the day's events, to unwind, reinforce, and bond. It may be the only time your teen will sit still. Food makes them a captive audience. Turn the TV, radio, cell phones OFF!
CULTIVATE A SENSE OF HUMOR. This will help both you and your child survive middle school and smile about it. Sometimes you will wonder whether the two of you are even on the same planet. Remember this stage will pass and they'll return to their senses, and soon enough it will get all too quiet at home. Enjoy the craziness. (If you don't believe this, just ask any parent whose child has grown up and left home.)
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Welcome Back LetterJuly 2008
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
The Spartan faculty and staff of Summit Hill Junior High School welcome you to another exiting school year. We anticipate our students making great strides in learning and look forward to offering each student the opportunity to reach his or her full academic and social potential.
Our enrollment at the junior high this year will be over 875 seventh and eighth grade students. The Class of 2009 is our largest graduating class of Summit Hill.
We hope that you have had an enjoyable summer and have had a chance to spend some quality time with your family. We trust this letter will help ease some minds before school begins in just a few short weeks. Schedule pick-up is Monday, August 11th from 11:00 A.M. until 7:00P.M. and on Tuesday, August 12th from 3:00 P.M. until 6:00 P.M. This activity will be located in our cafetorium please enter through door 07 located on the west side of the building (park side) – also our athletic entrance. The main entrance will not be available for schedule pick-up.
During schedule pick-up students will receive a copy of their schedule, locker assignment and combination and physical education uniforms will be purchased on this date as well. For the full PE uniform the cost is $15. If you need to purchase an additional shirt the cost is $7 and an additional pair of shorts is $8. We will no longer be using the old white PE t-shirts. Assignment notebooks will be distributed the first full day of school. The Summit Hill Athletic Boosters will also be on hand for spirit wear purchase. Also, the SCO will also be on hand to purchase school calendars, pick up previously ordered school kits and purchase items for lockers. As a reminder, students who have not registered for the 2008-2009 school year will not have a schedule until registration is completed. Please make sure this is done so as soon as possible – especially the paperwork portion. During this time students may find their classrooms and locate their locker. Please keep in mind our expectation is for students to use this time to gain a better understanding of the layout of the floor plan and location of classes. This is not a time for non-SHJH students to tour the building. Thank you for your cooperation.
Invitation to Open House
What: Open House
Who: Registered students and their parents (no siblings please)
When: August 14 @ 5:30 – 7:30 PM.
Beginning at 5:30 P.M. parents and students will meet with the administrative team, guidance counselor, and social workers in the large gym for a brief presentation. Parents and students will then be dismissed to have additional time to find their assigned locker (drop off materials in the locker if so choose), practice the combination, find their classrooms and tour the building. Summit Hill Junior High recognizes that the community is anxious to see the new school; however on this evening, we ask that only students attending SHJH and their parents attend. With our largest student enrollment ever at SHJH, we just don’t have the space to accommodate additional persons. Thank you for your support in honoring our request.
Staff
I would like to introduce myself! My name is Mrs. Beth Lind, and I am the principal at Summit Hill Junior High. I am very proud to serve the district in this role. I would like to continue to work closely with parents and students to ensure an academically and socially successful year. Please feel free to contact me via e-mail or telephone. We welcome Mrs. Paula Sereleas in the position of Assistant Principal as Mr. Dan Pierson accepted the role of principal at our own Indian Trail. Returning to the role of Dean of Students is Mr. Jim Letsos. Also, this year we welcome Mr. Ryan McGuckin in the role of Athletic Director. As the summer winds down we are in the final phase of the hiring process for several positions.
First Day of School
The first day of school is Wednesday, August 20. This is a scheduled half-day of school. Upon arrival to school, students are to report to the large gymnasium. They will be dismissed to their lockers and will then report to their first hour class. The first full day of school is Thursday, August 21. Students may bring the remainder of their school supplies and a lunch. Milk will be served to those who ordered it.
Please keep watching the site for updates! Enjoy the last few weeks of summer break!
Respectfully,
Mrs. Beth R. Lind
Principal
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Summer Reading Titles Please review the short descriptions of novels you may want to choose from for a good read! Enjoy
Fiction Nonfiction
Abbott, Tony. FIREGIRL. Tom befriends a new girl, Jessica, at his private school. His classmates are astonished at this friendship because Jessica’s appearance has been tragically altered due to major burns. (F)
Abdel-Fattah, Randa. DOES MY HEAD LOOK TOO BIG IN THIS? 16-year-old Ama, an Australian born Muslim Palestinian, decides she is ready to wear the hijab, or head covering, as a sign of her deep faith. Ama copes with misconceptions and discrimination in a humorous way as she defends her decision to herself and others. (F)
Abrahams, Peter. DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: AN ECHO FALLS MYSTERY. Ingrid lands the starring role in Alice in Wonderland while becoming caught up in the murder investigation of an eccentric neighbor. Also, BEHIND THE CURTAIN. (F)
Alcott, Louisa M. LITTLE WOMEN. The March family endures trials and tribulations while their father is involved in the Civil War. (F)
Alexander, Lloyd. THE BOOK OF THREE. In the magical realm of Prydain, Taran, a young and restless pig-keeper, gets more than he bargained for in this fantasy based on Welsh legends. The first of five chronicles. (F)
Allison, Jennifer. GILDA JOYCE: PSYCHIC INVESTIGATOR. Gilda visits a distant San Francisco cousin and his daughter where she uses her psychic powers to solve the mystery of a mansion’s boarded-up tower. (F)
Anderson, Laurie Halse. FEVER 1793. Against the backdrop of 1793 Yellow Fever outbreak in Philadelphia, fourteen-year-old Matilda struggles to keep herself and those she loves alive. (F)
Austen, Jane. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. In this comedy of manners, Elizabeth Bennet, a spirited heroine, doesn’t always agree with her opinionated beau, Mr. Darcy. (F)
Bingham, Kelly L. SHARK GIRL. After a shark attack causes the amputation of her right arm, fifteen-year-old Jane, an aspiring artist, struggles to come to terms with her loss and the changes it imposes on her day to day life and future plans. (F)
Blackwood, Gary. THE YEAR OF THE HANGMAN What would have happened if we had lost the Revolutionary War? Jail escapes, duels, and code breaking add to this alternative view of history. (F)
Bloor, Edward. LONDON CALLING. Seventh-grader Martin Conway believes that his life is monotonous and dull until the night the antique radio he uses as a night-light transports him to the bombing of London. (F)
Bloor, Edward. TAKEN. In the year 2035, kidnapping is a major growth industry. Charity lives a life of privilege in a secure, gated community with full time security. But when security breaks down and she is kidnapped, she knows the rules: do not try to escape, do not panic, and wait for your parents to deliver the ransom. But things go tragically wrong. (F)
Bloor, Edward. TANGERINE. Twelve-year-old Paul, who lives in the shadow of his football hero brother, fights for the right to play soccer despite his near blindness, and is able to discover a haunting truth when his family moves to Tangerine, Florida. (F)
Bradley, Kimberly Brubaker. FOR FREEDOM: THE STORY OF A FRENCH SPY. In this WWII setting, life changes dramatically for a teenage French girl who risks her life, family and singing career in order to spy for the Resistance. (F)
Brontë, Charlotte. JANE EYRE. In early 19th century England, an orphaned young woman accepts employment as a governess and soon finds herself in love with her employer, who has a terrible secret. (F)
Bruchac, Joseph. CODE TALKERS: A NOVEL ABOUT THE NAVAJO MARINES OF WORLD WAR TWO. After being taught in a boarding school run by whites that Navajo is a useless language, Ned Begay is recruited by the Marines to become a Code Talker, sending urgent messages during WW2 in his native tongue. (F)
Bryant, Jen. THE TRIAL. Living in Flemington, New Jersey, in 1935, a 12-year-old court observer describes, in a series of poems, the trial of Bruno Hauptmann for the kidnapping and murder of Charles Lindbergh's baby. (F)
Carbone, Elisa Lynn. BLOOD ON THE RIVER: JAMES TOWN 1607. Samuel Collier travels to the new colony of Jamestown as a page to Captain John Smith. He quickly learns to distinguish between friend and foe. (F)
Choldenko, Gennifer. AL CAPONE DOES MY SHIRTS. In 1935, Moose Flanagan and his family move to Alcatraz Island where his father has found work. He must balance the responsibilities of caring for his autistic sister while coping with the free spirited warden’s daughter in the prison housing such notorious criminals as Al Capone. (F)
Clements, Andrew. THINGS NOT SEEN. Bobby wakes up invisible. His parents and his new blind friend Alicia try to reverse his condition. Also, THINGS HOPED FOR in which a grandfather suddenly goes missing. (F)
Cofer, Judith Ortiz. CALL ME MARIA. Maria leaves her mother and homeland of Puerto Rico to live with her father in New York City. Using poems, prose and letters—written in English, Spanish and Spanglish—Maria voices her emotions as she is torn between two cultures. (F)
Colfer, Eoin. ARTEMIS FOWL. When a twelve-year-old genius tries to restore his family fortune by capturing a fairy and demanding a ransom in gold, the fairies fight back with magic, technology, and a particularly nasty troll. Also, ETERNITY CODE, ARCTIC INCIDENT and THE OPAL DECEPTION. (F)
Compestine, Ying Chang. REVOLUTION IS NOT A DINNER PARTY. Ling, protected privileged daughter of two doctors, struggles to understand the Communist’s Cultural Revolution in China. Job loss, hunger, incarceration are all apart of this autobiographical novel. (F)
Cooney, Caroline B. CODE ORANGE. While conducting research for a school paper on smallpox, Mitty finds an envelope containing 100-year-old smallpox scabs and fears that he has infected himself and all of New York City. (F)
Corbett, Sue. FREE BASEBALL. Felix becomes a batboy for a minor league baseball team, hoping to someday be like his father, a famous Cuban outfielder. (F)
Cummings, Priscilla. RED KAYAK. Brady knows that his friends are responsible for a mean prank that results in an accidental tragedy. Plagued by this guilty secret, Brady struggles with the truth and its consequences. (F)
Curtis, Christopher. ELIJAH OF BUXTON. It’s 1859 and Elijah is the first free-born child in Buxton, Canada. He uses his wit and skill to try to bring to justice the lying preacher who stole money to be used to buy a family’s freedom. (F)
Curtis, Christopher. WATSONS GO TO BIRMINGHAM - 1963. The Watsons live in Flint, Michigan. They fix up the “brown bomber” and drive to visit Grandmother in Alabama to leave their brother Byron to live with her. (F)
Curtis, Christopher. BUD, NOT BUDDY. During the Great Depression, motherless Bud sets out in search of the man he believes to be his father, renowned bandleader, H.E. Calloway. (F)
Cushman, Karen. THE LOUD SILENCE OF FRANCINE GREEN. In 1949, thirteen-year-old Francine goes to Catholic school in Los Angeles where she becomes best friends with a girl who questions authority and is frequently punished by the nuns, causing Francine to question her own values. (F)
DiCamillo, Kate. BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE. Because of Winn-Dixie, a big, ugly, happy dog, ten-year-old Opal learns things about her long-gone mother from her preacher father. (F)
Draper, Sharon. DOUBLE DUTCH. Three eighth grade friends cope with problems while preparing for the International Double Dutch jump rope competition. (F)
Draper, Sharon. FIRE FROM THE ROCK. In 1957, Sylvia Patterson is selected to be one of the first African American students to integrate Little Rock Central High School. (F)
DuPrau, Jeanne. CITY OF EMBER. The year is 241. Lina trades jobs on Assignment Day to be a Messenger and finds part of an ancient message she feels sure will help save her decaying city. Also, THE PEOPLE OF SPARKS and THE PROPHET OF YONWOOD (F)
Ehrenberg, Pamela. ETHAN, SUSPENDED. After a school suspension and his parents’ separation, Ethan is sent to live with his grandparents in Washington, D.C., which is worlds apart from his home in a Philadelphia suburb. (F)
Elliott, Laura. UNDER A WAR-TORN SKY. Take a look at Nazi-occupied Europe through the eyes and experiences of Henry Forester, a young flier shot down during World War II. (F)
Ellis, Deborah. THE BREADWINNER. Parvana lives in Kabul, Afghanistan. When conditions grow desperate for her family, she poses as a boy so she can earn money to help them. (F)
Ephron, Delia. FRANNIE IN PIECES. When fifteen-year-old Frannie’s father dies, only a mysterious jigsaw puzzle that he leaves behind can help her come to terms with his death and her parents’ relationship. (F)
Evangelista, Beth. GIFTED. George Clark, gifted eighth grader, dreads the class camping trip and its inevitable bullying, but a hurricane and a loyal friend make him think about what is important in life. (F)
Farmer, Nancy. HOUSE OF THE SCORPION. Matt is the young clone of El Patron, the 140-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire located between Mexico and the United States. (F)
Feinstein, John. LAST SHOT: A FINAL FOUR MYSTERY. Stevie and Susan Carol win a sports writing contest and have a chance to cover the NCAA Final Four games. When these teenage journalists discover a scheme to fix the games, they go undercover to stop the plot. Also, VANISHING ACT and COVER-UP. (F)
Ferguson, Alane. THE CHRISTOPHER KILLER: A FORENSIC MYSTERY. Interested in forensic science, seventeen year old Cameryn Mahoney assists her father in the autopsy of a local murder victim.. The first book in a new series, Cameryn begins to further investigate the murder and becomes dangerously involved in finding the killer. (F)
Flake, Sharon. THE SKIN I’M IN. Thirteen-year-old Maleeka, an excellent student who is choosing the wrong friends, meets a new teacher who helps her discover who she is and what she believes. (F)
French, Jackie. HITLER’S DAUGHTER. What if Hitler had a daughter and no one knew about her? Mark hears the story and wonders what it would be like to love and trust someone who turns out to be evil. (F)
Funke, Cornelia. THE THIEF LORD. Set in Venice, Italy, young orphans and runaways engage in acts of adventure and theft in this magical story. (F)
Funke, Cornelia. INKHEART. Meggie lives alone with her father, a bookbinder, who has the “gift” of reading aloud and bringing the characters to life—literally. When Dustfinger comes to life on a dark and stormy night, their quiet lives change forever. The captivating fantasy continues in INKSPELL. (F)
Gantos, Jack. JOEY PIGZA SWALLOWED THE KEY. Joey has ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and is trying to get a grip on his behavior. His life is a roller coaster ride with mishaps at home and school including a swallowed key. Also, JOEY PIGZA LOSES CONTROL and WHAT WOULD JOEY DO? (F)
George, Jean Craighead. MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN. A boy builds a treehouse in the mountains and learns to survive on his own. (F)
Giff, Patricia Reilly. PICTURES OF HOLLIS WOODS. A troubled twelve-year-old orphan, staying with an elderly artist who needs her, remembers the only other time she was happy in a foster home, with a family that truly seemed to care about her. (F)
Gorman, Carol. GAMES. Mick and Boot are always fighting. A new principal arrives who arranges for them to play games instead of school suspension. They discover a secret tunnel in the school that leads to dangerous dares fueled by a girl they both like. (F)
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. DOUBLE IDENTITY. Bethany can’t understand why her parents leave her with an aunt she never knew she had and why the people in the town stare at her as if they were seeing a ghost. (F)
Haddix, Margaret Peterson. UPRISING. The lives of Bella, an Italian immigrant, Yetta, a Russian immigrant, and Jane, daughter of a wealthy American family become intertwined and all three are caught up in the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire of 1911. (F)
Hale, Shannon. THE PRINCESS ACADEMY. When the high priests announce that the next princess will come from a small town, Mount Eskel, the families are skeptical about sending their daughters to a “Princess Academy.” Miri, one small, weak girl from Mount Eskel, regretfully attends the finishing school, where she is surprised to discover her own inner strength and willpower. (F)
Han, Jenny. SHUG. A twelve-year-old girl learns about friendship, first loves, and self-worth in a small town in the South. (F)
Hautman, Pete. SNATCHED. Roni, crime reporter for her high school paper, teams up with science geek Brian to investigate the kidnapping of a classmate. (F)
Hiaasen, Carl. HOOT. Roy, who is new to his small Florida community and the target of a bully, becomes involved in another’s boy’s attempt to save a colony of burrowing owls from a proposed construction site. (F)
Hiaasen, Carl. FLUSH. Noah’s father tries to stop the Coral Queen casino boat from illegally dumping waste into the Florida Keys. When his dad is caught and put in jail, Noah is determined to succeed where his father failed. (F)
Hobbs, Will. CROSSING THE WIRE. Fifteen-year-old Victor Flores travels north in a desperate attempt to cross the Arizona border and find work in the United States to support his family in central Mexico. (F)
Holm, Jennifer L. PENNY FROM HEAVEN. Growing up in New Jersey during the 1950s, Penny Falucci struggles to uncover the mystery behind her father’s death while balancing her mother’s boring family with her father’s boisterous, loving Italian relatives. (F)
Horowitz, Anthony. STORMBREAKER. After the death of his uncle who had been his guardian, fourteen-year-old Alex is coerced to continue his uncle’s dangerous work for Britain’s intelligence agency, M16. This is the first book in the Alex Rider spy thriller series. (F)
Jacques, Brian. CASTAWAYS OF THE FLYING DUTCHMAN. In 1620, a boy and his dog are rescued from the doomed ship, Flying Dutchman, by an angel who guides them in traveling the world, eternally helping those in great need. (F)
Janeczko, Paul B. WORLD’S AFIRE. Haunting poems about the Hartford circus fire of July 6, 1944, in which 167 people were killed and more than 500 injured. (F)
Johnson, Angela. BIRD. Bird is a runaway. Ethan is adjusting to a heart transplant. Jay mourns his brother’s death. The fate of these three characters intertwines as each works through life’s difficulties. (F)
Kadohata, Cynthia. CRACKER! THE BEST DOG IN VIETNAM. An action-packed glimpse into the Vietnam War as seen through the eyes of a bomb-sniffing German shepherd named Cracker and her handler, a young soldier. (F)
Kinney, Jeff. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: GREG HEFFLEY’S JOURNAL. This novel in cartoons is the story of Greg’s first year in middle school. His mom makes him keep a diary, and he records his hilarious experiences with family, friends, and school. Also, DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: RODRICK RULES. (F)
Koja, Kathe. BUDDHA BOY. No one in the rich, suburban high school likes the weird new kid who looks like a Buddhist monk and begs at lunch. But Justin is drawn to the stranger, who turns out to be a talented artist tormented by the death of his parents. Justin learns the true meaning of friendship when he comes to his defense. (F)
Korman, Gordon. SCHOOLED. Capricorn Anderson, homeschooled by his grandmother on their commune, enrolls in the local middle school with unexpected and humorousconsequences. (F)
Landy, Derek. SKULDUGGERY PLEASANT. When Stephanie inherits her weird uncle’s estate, she must join forces with Skulduggery Pleasant, a skeleton mage or magician, to save the world from the Faceless Ones. (F)
Lawrence, Iain. LORD OF THE NUTCRACKER MEN. An English boy during WW I comes to believe that the battles he enacts with his toy soldiers control the war his father is fighting on the front. (F)
Lawrence, Iain. THE WRECKERS. Young John Spencer is the only survivor of the wreck of his father’s ship on the coast of Cornwall in 1799. Are the villagers truly his friends? Is he really the only survivor? Also, THE SMUGGLERS and THE BUCCANEERS. (F)
Lester, Julius. DAY OF TEARS. A fictionalized, heart-wrenching account of the 1859 slave auction on the Georgia plantation of Pierce Butler. (F)
Lewis, Richard. THE KILLING SEA. In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami in Sumatra, two teenagers, American Sarah and Balinese Ruslan, meet and continue together their grueling climb inland, where Ruslan hopes to find his father and Sarah seeks a doctor for her brother. (F)
Lupica, Mike. HEAT. Pitching prodigy Michael Arroyo is on the run from social services after being banned from playing Little League baseball because rival coaches doubt he is only twelve years old and he has no parents to offer them proof. (F)
Lupica, Mike. TRAVEL TEAM. After he is cut from his travel basketball team – the very same team his father once led to national prominence – Danny Walker forms his own team of cast-offs who might have a shot at victory. (F)
Marcantonio, Patricia Santos. RED RIDIN’ IN THE HOOD AND OTHER CUENTOS. Eleven well-known tales are rewritten with a contemporary Latino flavor. (F)
Mazer, Harry. BOY AT WAR: A NOVEL OF PEARL HARBOR. Fourteen-year-old Adam is caught in the midst of the attack on December 7, 1941. Also, BOY NO MORE and HEROES DON’T RUN. (F)
Meyer, Carolyn. MARY, BLOODY MARY. This riveting slice of fictional royal history paints a sympathetic portrait of Henry VIII's oldest daughter, before she earns the title Bloody Mary. Trained not to weep in public, the young princess puts on a steely front but lives in constant fear of her father's tyranny (F)
Meyer, Stephenie. TWILIGHT. Bella leaves Phoenix to live with her father in Forks, Washington, where she meets and falls for Edward, a boy who isn’t totally human. (F)
Mikaelson, Ben. PETEY. Petey, born in 1905 with cerebral palsy, faces a lonely and uninspired life in an institution. Though he is barely able to communicate, he shares his intelligence, friendship, and dignity with the caregivers whom he comes to know during his 90 years. (F)
Mikaelson, Ben. TOUCHING SPIRIT BEAR. Cole, in order to avoid going to prison, agrees to participate in a sentencing alternative based on the Native American Circle Justice, and he is sent to a remote Alaskan Island. (F)
Miller, Sarah Elizabeth. MISS SPITFIRE: REACHING HELEN KELLER. Annie Sullivan travels to Alabama to teach six-year old blind and deaf Helen Keller communication skills. (F)
Morpurgo, Michael. PRIVATE PEACEFUL. Two young brothers, Tommo and Charlie Peaceful, are faced with the reality of trench warfare and life as soldiers during World War I. As Tommo reflects back on his childhood, this touching and emotional story intertwines his past family struggles with his current soldier life. (F)
Namioka, Lensey. TIES THAT BIND, TIES THAT BREAK. In China in 1911, Ailin resists tradition and pressure from her family by refusing to have her feet bound to make her more attractive for her future husband. Her act of defiance alters her life forever. (F)
Nix, Garth. MISTER MONDAY. Arthur Penhaligon, a seventh grader, is caught up in a mysterious adventure involving seven pieces of the Will, while fighting for his life against Mister Monday, who is desperately trying to regain control of an unusual key. Also, GRIM TUESDAY (Keys to the Kingdom series). (F)
Osa, Nancy. CUBA FIFTEEN. Violet Paz does not know much about her Cuban background and is not excited about the quinceanero, the celebration of a Hispanic girl’s fifteen birthday, her Abuela (grandmother) has planned for her. (F)
Paolini, Christopher. ERAGON. The fate of an Empire rests in the hands of Eragon, a fifteen-year-old boy who finds a mysterious stone that brings a dragon hatchling. With an ancient sword and an old storyteller for guidance, he is thrust into a world of destiny, magic and power. Also, ELDEST. (F)
Park, Linda Sue. WHEN MY NAME WAS KEOKO. With pride and a bit of fear, brother and sister narrators face the increasingly oppressive occupation of Korea by Japan during WWII. (F)
Paterson, Katherine. BREAD AND ROSES, TOO. Jake and Rosa form an unlikely friendship as they try to survive and understand the 1912 Bread and Roses strike of mill workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts. (F)
Patton, Edith. EAST. Rose is the youngest of seven children. She was meant as a replacement for her dead sister, but she never felt like she fit in with her other siblings. An enormous white bear shows one day and asks Rose to come with him in exchange for health for her sick sister. (F)
Paulsen, Gary. LAWN BOY. A neighbor convinces a teen to expand his lawn service. The results are hilarious and lucrative. (F)
Paulsen, Gary. LEGEND OF BASS REEVES. The story of Bass Reeves who was born a slave and later became one of the most respected deferral marshals in Oklahoma and Texas. (F)
Paulsen, Gary. THE TIME HACKERS. Doros and his best friend set out on a journey through space and time trying to stop the gamesters who are endangering the universe. (F)
Pausewang, Gudrun. DARK HOURS. In Germany at the end of World War II sixteen-year-old Gisela, her mother, brothers and grandmother flee their home ahead of advancing Russian troops. When an air raid destroys the train station, Gisela and her brothers are buried alive and must try to survive with little food or water until they can be dug out. (F)
Pearsall, Shelley. ALL OF THE ABOVE. Five urban middle school students, their teacher and community members join forces to challenge a Guinness World Records by building the world’s largest tetrahedron. (F)
Peck, Richard. A RIVER BETWEEN US. In 1816, two mysterious women arrive in Illinois from New Orleans and are taken in by Tilly’s family. As the Civil War spreads north, Tilly’s brother Noah joins the Union army. Soon, the secret the women harbor becomes a family’s test of friendship and courage during the agony of the war. (F)
Peck, Richard. THE TEACHER’S FUNERAL. After the death of their teacher, old Miss Myrt Arbuckle, Russell and his younger brother attempt to sabotage their older sister, Tansy, the new teacher in this rural Indiana one- room schoolhouse. (F)
Peck, Richard. PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE.
There’s a short story for everyone in this collection from historical to romantic or comic to supernatural. (F)
Peters, Julie Anne. DEFINE NORMAL. The outstanding student, Antonia, is matched up with the unusual and mysterious punker, Jazz, for a peer-counseling program. As the counseling sessions progress, the two girls discover that they have many things in common. (F)
Pfeffer, Susan Beth. LIFE AS WE KNEW IT. When a meteor hits the moon and knocks it off its axis, life on earth is altered forever. High school student Miranda keeps a diary about how her family copes without electricity, food and gas shortages, and extreme weather changes. (F)
Pullman, Phillip. THE GOLDEN COMPASS.
This fantasy relates Lyra’s adventures while preventing her best friend and other kidnapped children from becoming victims of experiments in the Far North. Also, THE SUBTLE KNIFE and THE AMBER SPYGLASS. (F)
Riordan, Rick. THE LIGHTNING THIEF. After being kicked out of his sixth boarding school, twelve-year-old Percy Jackson travels to Camp Half Blood, where his real adventures finally begin. He discovers his true identity as the son of a Greek god and embarks on a quest in search of Zeus’ most prized possession. The first in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. (F)
Ryan, Pam Munoz. ESPERANZA RISING. After her father is murdered, Esperanza Ortega is forced to flee her beloved El Rancho de las Rosas in Mexico to a migrant camp in California. (F)
Salisbury, Graham. EYES OF THE EMPEROR. Japanese-American Eddy lies about his age and joins the US Army right before Pearl Harbor. He is sent on an experimental mission to train K-9 units to hunt the Japanese. (F)
Schmidt, Gary D. LIZZIE BRIGHT AND THE BUCKMINSTER BOY. Turner Buckminster hates his new home in Maine until he meets Lizzie Bright, a girl from a poor, nearby community founded by former slaves. The town fathers want to destroy their settlement to improve tourism. What will Turner and Lizzie do? (F)
Schmidt, Gary D. THE WEDNESDAY WARS. While his Catholic and Jewish classmates attend religious school on Wednesday afternoons, Protestant Holling Hoodhood is stuck behind with his unfriendly English teacher, Mrs. Baker. Through many humorous escapades, Holling begins to grow up and discover there is more to Mrs. Baker than he first realized. (F)
Selznick, Brian. THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET. When twelve-year-old Hugo, an orphan living and repairing clocks within the walls of a Paris train station in 1931, meets a mysterious toy seller and his goddaughter, his undercover life and his biggest secret are jeopardized. This is the winner of the 2008 Caldecott Medal. (F)
Shusterman, Neal. DREAD LOCKS: DARK FUSION #1. Parker meets Tara, the new girl in the neighborhood who has wild hair and terrible powers. She fascinates him until he begins to notice strange changes in his classmates. (F)
Shusterman, Neal. DOWNSIDERS. Talon lives Downside, or underneath New York City. When he accidentally meets Lindsay, a Topsider from above ground, their worlds inevitably collide. (F)
Shusterman, Neal. THE SCHWA WAS HERE. Schwa isn’t an obscure sound, but an average kid who seems to appear and disappear without being noticed. In an accidental friendship, he meets Antsy Bonano, who wants to take advantage of his ability to be nearly invisible, and Lexie, who cannot see. (F)
Sleator, William. THE BOXES. Annie’s uncle asks her to keep a close watch over two exotic boxes while he goes on a mysterious trip. He said that she must not open them while he is gone. What would it hurt to take a peek inside? (F)
Smith, Roland. ELEPHANT RUN. In 1941, Nick is sent to live with his father on a plantation in Burma to escape the war in London. Soon after, the Japanese invasion of Burma begins, and his father is imprisoned. Nick and his new friend Mya are used as slaves. They decide to escape into the jungle with the help of a dangerous elephant, Hannibal. (F)
Smith, Roland. PEAK. Trouble with the law forces Peak Marcello to join his estranged father on a climbing adventure to the top of Mount Everest. As the story unfolds, Peak discovers his father’s true intentions and begins to realize how much danger awaits him as he climbs to the top of the mountain. (F)
Spinelli, Jerry. STARGIRL. Sixteen-year-old Leo tells the story of Stargirl Caraway, the free spirit who enrolls at Mica High School, not exactly the “hotbed of non-conformity.” Also, LOVE, STARGIRL. (F)
Stead, Rebecca. FIRST LIGHT. Twelve-year-old Peter and his family arrive in Greenland for his father’s research. He stumbles upon a secret his mother has been hiding from him all his life and begins an adventure he never imagines possible. (F)
Stevenson, Robert Louis. TREASURE ISLAND. An innkeeper and his son find a map on the body of a deceased guest. The map promises a pirate’s fortune and many adventures follow. (F)
Stone, Jeff and Kiki Barrera. TIGER. Five young warrior monks in ancient China have each mastered a style of animal kung fu in this series of five books: MONKEY, SNAKE, CRANE, EAGLE. (F)
Taylor, Mildred D. ROLL OF THUNDER, HEAR MY CRY. The story of an African-American family living in Mississippi and how they faced prejudice and discrimination during the Depression of the 1930s. Prequel is THE LAND, and the sequel is LET THE CIRCLE BE UNBROKEN. (F)
Taylor, Theodore. THE BOMB. This is the story of Bikini Island, a nuclear test site during World War II, told from the point of view of Sorry, a 16-year-old islander. (F)
Tolan, Stephanie. SURVIVING THE APPLEWHITES. Jake Semple is a scary kid. He has been kicked out of every school in his home state. As a last resort, his grandfather sends him to live with the Applewhites, who run a creative and bizarre family home school. (F)
Updale, Eleanor. MONTMORENCY: THIEF, LIAR, GENTLEMAN. After being scarred by an accident and serving time in jail for burglary, Montmorency is released. He develops two separate identities. At night he is Scarper, a filthy lowlife, who uses the newly developed sewer system in England to rob from the rich. During the day, he uses these stolen riches to create an identity as a gentleman in British society named Montmorency. This is the first in the Montmorency series. (F)
Van Draanen, Wendelin. FLIPPED. In alternating chapters, Bryce and Juli describe how their feelings for each other, themselves, and their families have changed over the years. (F)
VanDraanen, Wendelin. SAMMY KEYS AND THE HOTEL THIEF. Smart-mouthed Sammy Keyes is a girl detective, living illegally with her grandmother. In her first mystery, she tries to find a burglar who has made a number of hits in her neighborhood. The tenth book in this on-going series is SAMMY KEYES AND THE DEAD GIVEAWAY. (F)
Weeks, Sarah. SO B. IT After spending her first twelve years of life with her mentally challenged mother and a neighbor who fears going outside, Heidi sets out across the country to discover her past. (F)
Wells, Rosemary. RED MOON AT SHARPSBURG. As the Civil War breaks out, India, a young Southern girl, summons her sharp intelligence and the courage she didn’t know she had to survive the war that threatens to destroy her Virginia home and family. (F)
Westerfeld, Scott. UGLIES. Tally resists the mandatory operation that every 16-year-old must endure to change all teens into “new pretties.” Adventure is the result in this futuristic novel. Also, PRETTIES, SPECIALS, and EXTRAS. (F)
White, Andrea. SURVIVING ANTARCTICA: REALITY TV 2083. It’s 2083 and winning a reality TV show is the only way out of poverty for many people. Chosen from thousands, five teenagers will reenact Robert F. Scott’s 1910 expedition to the South Pole on the popular show, Historical Survivor. Little do they know what is ahead. (F)
Whitesel, Cheryl Aylward. BLUE FINGERS: A NINJA’S TALE. Having failed an apprenticeship as a dye maker, Koji is captured and forced to train as a ninja, where he remains disloyal until he discovers Samurai have burned his former village. (F)
Woodson, Jacqueline. HUSH. Toswiah Green, now Evie, will never be the same. After her policeman father testifies in a murder case, she and her family must enter the witness protection program. (F)
Yang, Gene Luen. AMERICAN BORN CHINESE. The winner of the 2007 Printz Award, this graphic novel alternates three interrelated stories abut the problems of young Chinese Americans trying to participate in popular culture. (F)
Zindel, Paul. THE GADGET. It is 1945 and Stephen has moved to the top-secret military base in Los Alamos, New Mexico, to join his father, a famous physicist, who is working on a project he is forbidden to discuss. Stephen is determined to find out the true nature of “the gadget.” (F)
Non-Fiction
Ambrose, Stephen E. THE GOOD FIGHT: HOW WWII WAS WON. Ambrose presents a concise, readable chronicle of WWII through amazing photographs and research. (NF)
Armstrong, Jennifer. SHIPWRECK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE WORLD. During a 1914 Antarctic expedition, the waters freeze and crush Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, forcing his crew to make a long, perilous journey across the ice to find rescue. (NF)
Bachrach, Susan. TELL THEM WE REMEMBER: THE STORY OF THE HOLOCAUST. The U. S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s collection of artifacts and pictures tells the story of the Holocaust. (NF)
Bartoletti, Susan Campbell. HITLER YOUTH: GROWING UP IN HITLER’S SHADOW. A look at the youth organizations Hitler founded and used to meet his social and military ends. (NF)
Bausum, Ann. FREEDOM RIDERS: JOHN LEWIS AND JIM ZWERG ON THE FRONT LINES OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT. The 1960’s saw courageous young people, black and white, risking great personal danger as they participated in the freedom rides during the Civil Rights Movement. (NF)
Borden, Louise. THE JOURNEY THAT SAVED CURIOUS GEORGE. This beautifully illustrated picture book tells the story of Margaret and H.A. Rey and their escape from Paris during WWII. (NF)
Bridges, Ruby. THROUGH MY EYES. Ruby Bridges tells the moving story of her year in first grade at the all-white William Frantz Public School in New Orleans in 1960. (NF)
Burns, Loree Griffin. TRACKING TRASH: FLOTSAM, JETSAM, AND THE SCIENCE OF OCEAN MOTION. This book describes the work of a man who tracks trash as it travels great distances by way of ocean currents. (NF)
Caputo, Philip. 10,000 DAYS OF THUNDER: A HISTORY OF THE VIETNAM WAR. This is a straightforward overview with pictures of the Vietnam War. (NF)
Cooper, Michael L. FIGHTING FOR HONOR. This book examines the history of Japanese Americans and their mass relocation to internment camps during WWII. (NF)
Cummins, Julie. TOMBOY OF THE AIR: DAREDEVIL PILOT BLANCHE STUART SCOTT. The life of daredevil Blanche Stuart Scott, the first woman to fly a plane in public in America, is described. (NF)
Davis, Sampson; George Jenkins and Rameck Hunt. WE BEAT THE STREET: HOW A FRIENDSHIP PACT LED TO SUCCESS. The thoughts and stories are shared from the childhoods, teen years and young adult lives of three men who made a high school pledge to each other to stay safe from drugs, gangs and crime, and work to become doctors – a goal they have achieved. (NF)
Fleischman, John. PHINEAS GAGE. This is the gruesome, true account of an accident that happened to a railroad foreman in Vermont in 1848. A 13-pound iron rod shot through his brain. He survived but became a textbook case in brain science. (NF)
Freedman, Russell. WHO WAS FIRST? DISCOVERING THE AMERICAS. You mean Columbus wasn’t the first? Yes, this book traces those who discovered Americas’ lands time and again. (NF)
French, Michael (adapted). FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS. This is the story behind the immortal photograph of Iwo Jima that has come to symbolize the courage and indomitable will of America. Based on the book by James Bradley. (NF)
Giblin, James Cross. GOOD BROTHER, BAD BROTHER: THE STORY OF EDWIN BOOTH AND JOHN WILKES BOOTH. From early childhood to the years beyond President Lincoln’s assassination, this book explains the relationship between, and the lives of, John Wilkes Booth and his brother Edwin Booth. (NF)
Goodall, Jane. THE CHIMPANZEES I LOVE: SAVING THEIR WORLD AND OURS. Imagine a curiosity and passion that compels you to live in a community of chimpanzees. Dr. Goodall tells of her discoveries about chimpanzees, her love for them, and her campaign for the protection of these amazing animals. (NF)
Gore, Albert. AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH: THE CRISIS OF GLOBAL WARMING. Gore examines the climate crisis of the planet, describes what world governments are doing, and offers reasons for serious consideration of the problems. (NF)
Haski, Pierre. DIARY OF MA YAN: THE STRUGGLES AND HOPES OF A CHINESE SCHOOLGIRL. This honest diary chronicles the difficulties faced by Ma Yan as she endures hardship to earn an education in rural China. (NF)
Hoose, Philip. THE RACE TO SAVE THE LORD GOD BIRD. This compelling book tells the story of a bird so beautiful and awe-inspiring in flight that people would look up and say “Lord God” when they saw it. The decline and possible extinction of the ivory-billed woodpecker is told with power, rage and sorrow. (NF)
Jackson, Donna M. ER VETS: LIFE IN AN ANIMAL EMERGENCY ROOM. Pet lovers will enjoy this real-life look into the daily world of veterinarians. (NF)
Janeczko, Paul B. TOP SECRET: HANDBOOK OF CODES, CIPHERS, AND SECRET WRITING Included in this guide to secret writing are explanations of how different codes came to be and why they were needed, including historical examples. (NF)
Jurmain, Suzanne. THE FORBIDDEN SCHOOLHOUSE: THE TRUE AND DRAMATIC STORY OF PRUDENCE CRANDALL AND HER STUDENTS. In Connecticut, Prudence Crandall tries to open and maintain one of the first schools for African American women in America. (NF)
Leroe, Ellen. DISASTER! THREE REAL-LIFE STORIES OF SURVIVAL. This is a collection of first-person accounts of three disasters: the 1914 shipwreck of the Empress of Ireland, the 1928 crash of the airship Italia, and the 1930 crash of the dirigible R-101. (NF)
Levine, Ellen. DARKNESS OVER DENMARK: THE DANISH RESISTANCE. When Germany occupied Denmark during World War II, the Danes refused to turn a blind eye to Nazi atrocities. Of the nearly 8,000 Jews living in Denmark at the time of the occupation, almost all survived because the Danes took action. (NF)
Macy, Sue. BULL’S EYE: A PHOTOBIOGRAPHY OF ANNIE OAKLEY. Annie Oakley used grace and grit to earn top billing in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show. Historical photographs and quotes bring this American icon to life. (NF)
Mah, Adeline Yen. CHINESE CINDERELLA: THE TRUE STORY OF AN UNWANTED DAUGHTER. Chinese Cinderella is the perfect title for Adeline Yen Mah’s memoir of her childhood growing up in China during the 1940s as she endures life ruled by a cruel stepmother. (NF)
Marrin, Albert. COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF ABRAHAM LINCOLN AND THE CIVIL WAR.This study brings Lincoln to life by relating his own personal background to his decisions and actions during our country’s greatest conflict. (NF)
McKissack, Patricia. BLACK DIAMOND: THE STORY OF THE NEGRO BASEBALL LEAGUES. Stories and colorful quotes fill the pages of this fascinating history of the Negro baseball leagues before desegregation in 1947. The book highlights the talented players and focuses on their second-rate living and playing conditions. (NF)
Montgomery, Sy. QUEST FOR THE TREE KANGAROO: AN EXPEDITION TO THE CLOUD FOREST OF NEW GUINEA. Traveling on a tiny missionary plane into the remote areas of New Guinea, researchers reveal the secrets of the rare tree kangaroo and the realities of field work. (NF)
Montgomery, Sy. SEARCH FOR THE GOLDEN MOON BEAR. Three scientists risk their lives as they face bandits, dangerous wildlife and skepticism in the pursuit of a new species in the wilds of Cambodia and Thailand. (NF)
Mortenson, Greg. THREE CUPS OF TEA: ONE MAN’S MISSION TO FIGHT TERRORISM AND BUILD NATIONS – ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME. Climber Greg Mortenson found himself lost after attempting to summit K2. After a Pakistani village took him in, he promised to return and build the village a school. His inspirational efforts have resulted in over 50 schools built in Pakistan. (NF)
Murphy, Jim. AMERICAN PLAGUE. Drawing on firsthand accounts, medical and non-medical, Murphy re-creates the fear and panic of the yellow fever epidemic that hit the nation’s capital more than 200 years ago, the social conditions that caused the disease to spread, and the arguments about causes and cures. (NF)
Myers, Walter Dean. ANTARCTICA: JOURNEYS TO THE SOUTH POLE. Through personal adventures, photos and documents, Myers tells the stories of those who faced the hardships of exploration to discover this harsh continent. (NF)
Nelson, Pete. LEFT FOR DEAD. Nelson explains how the research of 11-year-old Hunter Scott, who was inspired by a passing reference in the movie Jaws, uncovered the truth behind a historic WWII naval disaster aboard the USS Indianapolis. (NF)
Paulsen, Gary. MY LIFE IN DOG YEARS. The author describes some of the dogs that were special to him during his life. (NF)
Paulsen, Gary. HOW ANGEL PETERSON GOT HIS NAME. Paulson, through telling stories from his own youth, uses humor to describe why thirteen-year-old boys do the things they do. (NF)
Roberts, David and Jeremy Leslie. PICK ME UP: STUFF YOU NEED TO KNOW. This book is filled with facts, pictures and intriguing trivia. It is an interesting alternative to the Guinness Book of World Records books. (NF)
Robinson, Sharon. PROMISES TO KEEP: HOW JACKIE ROBINSON CHANGED AMERICA. Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier in baseball in 1947 when he began playing for the Brooklyn Dodgers. In this photobiography, his daughter writes a personal account of this famous athlete and civil rights activist, and the legacy he has left. (NF)
Schlosser, Eric and Charles Wilson. CHEW ON THIS: EVERYTHING YOU DON’T WANT TO KNOW ABOUT FAST FOOD. Adapted from the best-selling adult book Fast Food Nation, this is a look at fast food: what’s in it, how it’s made, and what it does to our bodies. (NF)
Smith, Charles R. TWELVE ROUNDS TO GLORY: THE STORY OF MUHAMMAD ALI. This is the life story of Muhammad Ali including rap-inspired verse and illustrations. (NF)
Stanley, Diane. MICHAELANGELO. This is a picture book biography of the Renaissance sculptor, architect, and poet. (NF)
Taylor, Peter Lane and Christos Nicola. THE SECRET OF PRIEST’S GROTTO. Two explorers survey caves and relate the true story of how several Jewish families survived the Holocaust of WWII by hiding in the caves of western Ukraine for over three years. (NF)
Uchida, Yoshiko. INVISIBLE THREAD. Uchida describes growing up in California as a second generation Japanese American and her family’s internment in a Utah concentration camp during World War II. (NF)
Uusma, Bea. THE MAN WHO WENT TO THE FAR SIDE OF THE MOON: THE STORY OF APOLLO 11 ASTRONAUT MICHAEL COLLINS. This is the story of Michael Collins who maneuvered through space while the first man walked on the moon. It includes scrapbook-style photos, notes and seldom-mentioned details. (NF)
Webb, Sophie. MY SEASON WITH PENGUINS: AN ANTARCTIC JOURNAL. Through watercolor sketches and journal entries, Webb tells the story of her summer expedition. (NF)
Woodford, Chris. COOL STUFF AND HOW IT WORKS. Computer-generated images explain how many devices and processes of modern technology work, covering such inventions as HDTV, game consoles, robot cars, helicopters, space probes, oil rigs, mass dampers, biometric id’s, and tsunami alert systems. (NF)
Wulffson, Don. THE KID WHO INVENTED THE POPSICLE. Brief, factual stories of how various familiar things were invented, many by accident, make for an informative read.
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Curriculum Night LetterParents~ you are invited to our Curriculum Night! Please join us for an overview of our curriculum expectations.
Dear Parents/Guardians,
It is my belief that all children can learn and it is our responsibility as educators and parents to help nurture this process in developing our children to their highest potential. Therefore, you are cordially invited to our Open House – referred to as Curriculum Night.
We are excited about the learning opportunities that are awaiting your student this year at Summit Hill Junior School. We invite you to hear more about these opportunities at our annual Open House know at the junior high as Curriculum Night. This is an evening for parents to meet the staff and review curriculum. We ask that you do not bring children to this event. Curriculum Night is scheduled for seventh grade parents on Thursday, August 21 from 6:30 - 8:15 P.M. and for eighth grade parents August 25 from 6:30 until 8:15 PM.
Parents will begin the evening in the gymnasium with the administrative team and then will follow their child’s schedule beginning in the student’s second hour class for the remainder of the evening. Classroom teachers will give a brief course overview. Due to space availability in the classrooms, if at all possible, please limit entire families coming to join us. This evening is devoted to providing parents an overview to the curriculum and expectations. Thank you for your consideration.
Unlike the elementary years, parents will follow their child’s schedule including passing periods. This is a night for parents to gain an understanding of our curriculum expectations. Please secure a copy of your child’s schedule (they will be giving you a copy to bring along). This will be your program to follow during the evening. Maps as well as student guides will be available to assist with directions. Teachers will give a seven minute presentation for each class period with the exception of the Language Arts block. This will be a 16 minute presentation. This evening is dedicated to the review of course curriculum/syllabus and classroom expectations.
This year, our student attendance hours have changed.
Zero Hour begins at 7:00 A.M.
With the exception of our seventh grade zero hour students, the school day for the entire student body begins at 7:50 A.M. and ends at 2:20 P.M. Tuesday schedule will remain an early release as students will be released at 2:05 P.M.
We look forward to seeing you at Open House – Curriculum Night!
Sincerely,
Beth R. Lind
Principal
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Working Together for SuccessKeys for Success
As a parent you can help steer your middle school student towards success. Help support your student through staying positive~
*Encourage him/her to attend school everyday - if the student is really sick call him/her in to the office by 9AM
*A good night sleep is 8-10 hours a night of uninterrupted sleep
*Encourage breakfast in the morning (healthy of course is best)
*Ask questions in class
*Keep track of short and long term assignments in the academic planner. Refer to the website if unsure.
*Keep a routine for homework and project completion.
*Read for pleasure - magazine, newspaper, novels.
You may need to help your child develop good study habits. Find a location that has minimal distractions. Keep the television watching to a minimum. Set a bedtime each night - including weekends. The more structured and predictable the more successful children (and adults)are in their daily routines.
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