WELCOME TO OPEN HOUSE! 8 ORANGE TEAM
2012-2013
Together We Can Make A Difference!
Meet our Team
Mr. Talbot-Social Studies
Mr. Conway-Writing
Mrs. Lowry-Science
Mrs. McNamara-Team Leader/Reading
Mrs. Urban-Math
Mr. Cragin-Learning Specialist
Keeping in Touch
The quickest and most efficient way to communicate with us is through e-mail.Our e-mails are listed on the NFMS website:
www.newfairfieldschools.org/subsite/nfmThe format for email is: firstinitiallastname@new-
fairfield.k12.ct.us(ex. [email protected])
8th grade phone: 203-312-5893
Homework
Posted daily on the Middle School web page on the 8 Orange Homework sitehttp://www.newfairfieldschools.org/subsite/
nfm/page/homework-page-8-orange-499 Homework will be practice of a skill learned in
class or extension of concepts covered in class Students should spend a daily maximum of
60-90 min. doing HW. Contact us if consistently otherwise.
Academic Communication
Check your child’s grades on Infinite Campus (IC) regularly. Download the IC App to your electronic device
for continuous updates.○ Use itunes, google play or amazon.com to
downloadLook for emails from us via IC Messenger
Mark your calendar for Parent/Teacher Conferences: Dec. 11th (AM), 12th (PM), 13th (EVE), &14th (AM).
Appointments will be made a few weeks prior.
Costs for 8th grade
Field Trips: Connecticut Science Center- This
Hartford trip will occur in November. The cost will be approx. $25.00 (paperwork to come home soon)
Holiday Hill- This is an 8th Grade trip in June (Chesire, CT). It costs approx. $60.00 per student. (paperwork comes home in Feb./March)
Costs For 8th Grade
YEARBOOK Yearbook is mostly made by 8th grade
students so it has a lot about their year. A pre-sale usually starts in October and then
again in February. The last sale is in June. Cost is anywhere from $26-30.
It is cheapest during the 1st sale and most expensive in June.
Yearbook Parent Ads will be for sale as well (winter)
Costs for 8th Grade
8th Grade Semi-formal Dance--June Tickets generally cost around $20
Gowns for the Graduation Ceremony--June These can be purchased from the school
(information will come home with students in Feb.) or borrow one from a brother/sister or previous student.
The gowns cost approx. $16.
Reading/Team Leader
Sue McNamara- [email protected] Our curriculum will center around the Common Core State
Standards
Writing
Keith [email protected]
Science Integrated Science Curriculum
Kate Lowry: [email protected] Physical Science— Forces and Motion. Topics
include speed, acceleration, net force, Newton’s laws.
Life Science—Heredity: how traits are passed through generations. Topics include chromosomes, DNA, dominant and recessive genes, mitosis, meiosis.
Earth Science—Earth in the Solar System. Topics include tides, seasons, moon phases eclipses.
Social Studies Brendan Talbot: [email protected] U.S. History from colonization to Civil War (part
1 of 2). There are 5 units; Colonization, Revolution,
Constitution & Civics, Sectionalism & Westward Expansion and Civil War.
Reconstruction to WWII is the 10th / 11th grade curriculum (part 2 of 2).
Syllabus and textbook have been sent home.
8th Grade Math
Barbara Urban: [email protected] Curriculum is based on the Common Core
Standards A few of the units to be covered:
Unit 1: Real NumbersUnit 2: Pythagorean TheoremUnit 3: Linear Relationships
Algebra 2
Barbara Urban: [email protected]
Curriculum is based on High School criteria Some of the topics to be covered:
Equations and InequalitiesLinear Equations and FunctionsLinear SystemsQuadratic Functions and Factoring
Learning Specialists
Brian Cragin: [email protected] Study (DS)Focus MathFocus Writing
Ginny Gorman: [email protected] Reading
Debbie Parker: [email protected] Workshop
Parent Assignment In a 1,000,000 words or less…
Tell the orange team what you think we should know about your child. You know your child best!
This will help us to better understand your child and the unique and special people they are.
Please hand in to homeroom teacher
or email to Mrs. Lowry at
By October 3rd, or as soon as you can.
THANK YOU!!
Closing We look forward to working with your child
and you this year. Please take a pamphlet home with you. We
hope that you find it a useful reference. Next: World Language speaker Mrs. Fuller
Please see language teachers/unified arts as needed for more information
STAY IN TOUCH!