J. Michael Lunsford Middle School

2015 RISING 6TH GRADE PARENTINFORMATION SESSION

Building a legacy of excellence

AGENDA – 2/25/2015

•Welcome

• Introduction of Staff

• School Information

•Middle School Teaming

•The Block Schedule

• 6th Grade Course Information

•Next Steps

Neil Slevin, Principal

2014 VA School Board Distinguished Achievement Award

2015 National School to Watch

Goals for J. Michael Lunsford Middle School

•Be a school for all learners

•Build positive and

collaborative relationships

throughout the school

community

Lunsford – Who are we?• Where are we coming from?

Hutchison Farm

Little River

Buffalo Trail

Liberty

Arcola

Pinebrook Cardinal Ridge

Who was J. Michael Lunsford?

• Director of Transportation,

1995-2009

• Over 40 years of service to

Loudoun County

• Began career as a bus driver at

16 years old

• Well loved and respected

within the Loudoun County

community for his leadership

and kindness

Introduction of Administrative Team

• Tony Salgado, 6th Grade Dean

• Kelly Kenworthy,

6th Grade Counselor

• Jennifer Brooks,

Assistant Principal

• Kathryn Garvey,

Assistant Principal

What do we value?

Positive Relationships

Respect

Competence

Personal Regard

Integrity

Collaboration“Work on building a

professional community that is characterized by shared purpose,

collaborative activity, and collective

responsibility among staff.”

- Newmann and Wehlage

Equity

What two assumptions are made when making

this statement?

We believe that all

students can learn.

Equity

Students learn in different ways

Students learn at different rates

We believe that all

students can learn.

“To treat all children the same is to

favor some and penalize others.”

J. Michael Lunsford Middle School PTA• Mike Hermann, JML PTA President

People to help the transition

PTA Accomplishments- 14/15

• Family Fun Night/Silent Auction• Big Night Out• Odyssey of the Mind• Lego League• Reflections• Robotics Club• Green Team• Stone Ridge 5k• Spring Beautification Day• JML IT Support• New Marquee Initiative• IXL• …….

How can you help?

Parent Liaison

▫Khristie Greiner

People to help the transition

Special Education Contacts

▫ Jennifer Brooks, Assistant Principal

▫Val Cashman, 7th Grade Dean

3/19, 6:00PM –

Transition to Middle School : IEP, 504, CS

People to help the transition

6th Grade Dean

Tony Salgado

People to help the transition

The Teaming Model

• 4 Core Teachers▫ Math▫ Science▫ Social Studies▫ Language Arts

• 150 - 175 Students Per Team

• Teachers have common planning during students’ resource block

Purpose of Grade Level Teams

• To meet the needs of

all students

• To serve as a

professional growth

group

• To build positive

relationships

• To connect concepts

and skills across the

curriculum

• To establish common

expectations and

procedures

• To speak as “one voice”

with parents

Block Schedule

• 90 Minute Blocks

• A and B Days

• 4 Classes Per Day

• Language Arts Meets Daily

Block Schedule

• More time to go in depth

• Provides for more creative

instructional strategies

• Fewer transitions

• Balance of assignments,

projects, and tests

Sample Block Schedule

A Day B Day

Block 1

Math

Block 5

Resource/Music

Block 2

PE

Block 6

Lang Arts

Block 3

History

Block 7

S1 Art/S2 Keybd

Block 4

Lang. Arts

Block 8

H Science

6th Grade Counselor

▫Kelly Kenworthy

People to help the transition

Course Selection Process

• Your student will receive his/her course selection form from their elementary school.

• Elementary teachers will make recommendations to assist you and your child with selections.(Academic v. Honors)

• Math recommendation letters will be sent home to parents from the elementary schools.

• Course Selection Verification will be mailed to your home in Mid-April.

• View Program of Studies at: www.lcps.org

• All changes must be made by JUNE 16TH, 2015, by contacting Kelly Kenworthy.

Transition Continues

• Lunsford Staff visits elementary schools▫ March, 2015

• Elementary Visits to Lunsford▫ June 5th

• “Lion’s Leap” in August 2015 ▫ Week of 8/3 and 8/10

• Lunsford Middle School Open House ▫ August 24th (A-L, 9am-11am M-Z, 1pm-3pm)

Course Overview

• Language Arts (Honors or Grade Level)

• History (Honors or Grade Level)

• Science (Honors or Grade Level)

• Math (Accelerated Math 6/7 or Grade Level)

• PE/Health

• Art & Keyboarding

• Music (student choice)/Resource

Teachers

▫ Ruchi Parikh, Math

▫ Amanda Kim/Mitch Seipt, SS

▫ Jennifer Nichols, Science

▫ Lauren Houck, English

▫ Jasmine Carpenter, Music

People to help the transition

Math Progression for 2014-2015

Accelerated/Mathematics 6/7

Algebra I Geometry

Mathematics 6 Mathematics 7

Mathematics 8

Algebra I

Social Studies Sequence6th

U.S.

History

Until 1865

7th

U.S.

History

From 1865

8th

Civics

and

Economics

*

* SOL Test

6th Grade Topics

Geography of the USA

and the World

Native Americans

Age of Exploration

Colonial America

American Revolution

Birth of a Nation

Westward Expansion and

Social Reform

Civil War

6th Grade Science

• Scientific Method

• Matter

• Water

• Atmosphere

• Space

• Energy

• Resources

• Watersheds

6th Grade Language Arts

Reading Workshop Writing Workshop

We meet every day!

6th Grade Reading SOL

Book Clubs

Independent Reading

Assignments

Writing pieces are aligned to

Reading Workshop skills

-Personal narrative (memoir)

-Research

-Persuasion

-Analysis

-Creative fiction

-Writer’s Notebook entries

Course Overview

6th Grade Music Options:

• Band Instrument

• Strings

• Chorus

• General Music Lab

J. MICHAEL LUNSFORD MIDDLE SCHOOL

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC SELECTION CLINICS

Hutchison Farm – Feb 23 band in café @ 6:30

- Feb 24 strings in auditorium @ 6:00, band in café @ 6:30

Little River E.S. – March 16 band in café @ 6:30

- March 18 strings in auditorium @ 6:00, band in café @ 6:30

Liberty E.S. – March 23 band in café @ 6:30

- March 24 strings in auditorium @ 6:00, band in café @ 6:30

Students from Arcola, Buffalo Trail, Cardinal Ridge or Pinebrook Elementary are

welcome to attend any session.

Assistant Principal

▫Katy Garvey

People to help the transition

After School Activities

Act

ivit

ies

• Drama• Chess• Soccer• Knitting• Dance• SAC• International Night• Basketball• Yearbook• Knitting

En

rich

men

t a

nd

Aca

dem

ics • French Club• Math Counts• Twenty Clubs• Homework Club• Latin Club• Battle of the

Books• Science Olympiad• Odyssey of the

Mind• Lego Robotics

Ser

vic

e • Leo Club• BRIDGES• Public Arts Club

Loudoun YMCA

People to help the transition

PBIS

Student Recognition:

ROAR tickets

Student of the Month

Community Achievement

ROAR Student of the Semester

PBIS is a framework for

teaching children appropriate

behavior and providing the

supports necessary to sustain

that behavior.

Community Involvement

Student Involvement

•We want to hear from you!

▫ An invitation to students to write to the

school has been posted to our website.

▫ Any student who writes will receive a free

school spirit item.

What we need from you

• Volunteers/PTA

• Opportunities for Business Partnerships

• If possible, attend to Tdap immunization prior

to the end of the school year

• Involvement

Important Dates

Parent Coffee with Principal Q and A Opportunities

• March 23 9:00- Little River

• March 24 9:00- Liberty

• March 25 9:00- Hutchison Farm

• March 26 9:00- Lunsford Café

All sessions are open to all parents regardless of feeder

school.

Important Dates

•Lion’s Leap

▫ August 3th – August 7th AM and PM session

▫ August 10th – August 14th AM only

•Open House▫ August 24th

A-L – 9am-11am

M-Z – 1pm-3pm

Questions?

• Visit our school’s website

• Like us on Facebook! ▫ J. Michael Lunsford Middle School Official

• Follow us on Twitter!▫ @JML_MS_Official/@NeilSlevin

• Contact your child’s teacher

• Contact the Lunsford Staff. We are here to help!