newsletter · meet with your team teachers to discuss your academic progress, write your...
TRANSCRIPT
WSMS Newsletter Important Dates:
October 7 –Wed. Early
Dismissal - All Students
(Parent Teacher Confer-
ences)
October 8 –Thur Early
Dismissal - All Students
(Parent Teacher Confer-
ences
October 12- Mon BOE
Meeting7:00 PM Parsons
October 13, Tues Picture
Re-Take Day WSMS
October 15– Thur. PTA Council Meeting (held @
ESMS)7:00 PM
October 19, Mon WSMS
PTA Meeting 7:00 PM to 8:00 PM Media Center
October 21,Wed. Early Dismissal - All Students
October 26, Mon BOE
Meeting7:00 PM Parsons
Nov 2, Mon 8th Grade Field
Trip 8:15 AM to 2:00 WSMS
Nov. 5 Tues NO
SCHOOL Election Day
Mi l f o rd Pub l i c
October 1, 2015
Autumn Has Arrived!! Crisp mornings and warm breezy days have
finally arrived. With school routines and
afterschool activities well underway, the
new school year is very busy at West
Shore. Enjoy our new monthly newsletter
to find out what the West Shore communi-
ty has been busy learning and investigating.
REMINDER FROM THE SOCIAL WORK OFFICE
Please call the main office at 203-783-3553 when your child is absent. In addition, send a parent
or doctor’s note with your child the day they return to school. If you have any questions in re-
gards to this, please call Lisa McDonough at 203-783-3553 or refer to the District’s attend-
ance/truancy policy which can be found on the school and district website.
WSMS Page 2
ATTENTION 8TH GRADE FAMILIES!
High School Application Process
Dear 8th-Grade Students,
Welcome back to West Shore! We hope your summer was incredibly fun and revitalizing! J
As high school is on the horizon, if you are interested in applying to any high schools (other than your home-
school, Jonathan Law), here is the process:
Decide which school/s you’re interested in applying to. (Ex.: Magnet Schools, Private Schools, Voca-
tional/Technical Schools) [WSMS will be hosting a variety of representatives from local high
schools to visit and share about their schools during 8th-grade in-school assemblies.]
Go on-line to get any pertinent information for the school/s you’re interested in. (Application deadline
dates, Open House dates, Entrance Exam dates, etc.) If you wish, visit the school/s and tour their
campus/es. Also, listen to the WSMS daily morning announcements for any upcoming due dates.
Fill out your portion of the application/s and submit the school’s portion of the application to the WSMS
Guidance Office.
The WSMS Guidance Office will assist you with any questions you may have and will:
Meet with your team teachers to discuss your academic progress,
Write your recommendation,
Gather your transcripts for submission with your application,
and then,
Send your completed application to the school/s you’re applying to.
***Please allow approximately two weeks for your application/s to be processed.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.
With All My Best For A Fantastic 8th-Grade Year,
Mrs. Zultowski
Mrs. Z. (Zultowski) School Counselor, Guidance Dept., WSMS
[email protected] 203.882.5874
See Upcoming Informational Meetings —posted at the
end of the newsletter!
News From the Guidance OfficeNews From the Guidance Office
Page 3
~*~*~*~ WSMS PTA NEWS ~*~*~*~ October PTA meeting
The WSMS PTA held it’s first meeting on Monday, September 21st and had lively discussions about our
plans for the coming year. Our next PTA meeting is Monday, October 19th at 7pm in the Media Center.
Everyone is welcome. Please join us to see what your PTA has planned.
8th Grade Committee News The first 8th grade committee meeting will be held immediately following the October PTA meeting on
October 19th. Everyone is welcome. If you would like to be added to the committee email list please
email Cheryl Lacadie at [email protected].
Membership Membership is ongoing, everyone is welcome – any help is greatly appreciated. You can download the
membership form at our website. Just go to the WSMS school website, click on PTA tab at the left of
the screen and then click on PTA forms & flyers tab. Send in the form with your child to their home-
room teacher in an envelope marked PTA Membership.
Fall Book Fair The fall book fair will be held November 18th – 19th during school hours. If you are willing to help out
(even for just an hour) during the book fair please contact Susan Krushinsky at susankrushin-
Wanted: Your Box Tops!! Box Tops help fund school activities and equipment – clipping them and sending them in is a great way to
get involved and support your PTA! Please turn in your unexpired Box Tops and bonus certificates to
your child’s homeroom teacher. We will be collecting all year long … the homeroom that collects the most
Box Tops will win a PIZZA PARTY in the spring! Please note: ONLY UNEXPIRED Box Tops will be count-
ed.
School Store The school store will begin in October selling during the lunch waves.
BOE Meet the Candidates The Milford PTA Council will host the Board of Education meet the candidates forum on Tuesday, Octo-
ber 20th at Foran High School Auditorium from 7pm-9pm. We can submit questions you would like to ask
the candidates – please email your questions to Cheryl Lacadie at [email protected] and she will
forward them to the PTA council.
WSMS PTA Officer Contact Info:
Cheryl Lacadie President [email protected] 203-882-8019
Andrea Feher Vice President [email protected] 203-882-1657
Nicole Papcun Treasurer [email protected] 203-214-8162
Susan Reed Secretary [email protected] 203-876-2290
WSMS Page 4
From the Reading Department
Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Raccio
Why Should You Read Today?100+ Reasons…}
To escape . . . to dream . . . to meet your new, favorite character . . . to visit a fara-
way place . . . to snuggle with your favorite reading partner . . . to feel smart . . . to get
smarter . . . to find the perfect word . . . to read the book before it becomes a movie . .
. to relieve stress . . . to let your mind wander . . . to have a conversation about a book . .
. to experience another culture . . . to enjoy the words . . . to figure out “who done it” . . .
to discover a new author . . . to see what’s around the corner (or the turn of a page) . . .
to be a better person . . . to find the perfect book for a friend . . . to find answers to
questions . . . to ask new questions . . . to become a better reader . . . to discover a new
world . . . to feel like your slipping into an old shoe . . . to open your eyes . . . to think . . . to
reflect . . . to wonder . . . to slowly savor the words . . . to be joyful . . . to be scared . . .
to satisfy your curiosity . . . to start a new beginning . . . to predict an ending . . . to meet
new characters who soon become friends . . . to feed your soul . . . to bond with a friend . .
. to relax . . . to be surprised . . . to discover . . . to be a better writer . . . to imagine . . .
to picture . . . to find a friend . . . to be a better friend . . . to become braver . . . to dis-
cover . . . to learn . . . because you just can’t wait to pick up where you left off . . . to feel
a sense of awe . . . to find comfort . . . to drift into sleep . . . to discover a “just right”
book for a reluctant reader . . . to find the next book for a ravenous reader . . . to find
contentment . . . to be a better person . . . to entertain yourself . . . to visit new places . . .
to imagine new possibilities . . . to get inspired . . . to inspire others . . . because you fell
in love with the illustrations . . . to impress your friends . . . to welcome new thoughts . . .
to travel back in time . . . to feel more confident . . . to get a new perspective . . . to
stimulate your mind . . . to pass an afternoon . . . to turn a page . . . to dust off your Kin-
dle . . . to discover a new bookstore . . . to pass time on vacation . . . to curl up on a rainy
day . . . to reread a favorite book . . . and reread it again . . . to soothe a child (or a teen-
ager) . . . to create a daily habit . . . because the title grabbed you . . . to open your mind . .
. to build your vocabulary . . . to be an example . . . to be part of an adventure . . . to exer-
cise your brain . . . to become well spoken . . . to escape reality . . . to get reacquainted
with a favorite author . . . to feel like you’re part of a story . . . to travel forward in time
and space . . . to find an answer . . . to discover there isn’t one . . . to get another’s point
of view . . .to find inspiration . . . to be swept away . . . to find out there are people just
like you . . . to feel scared . . . to conquer your fears . . . to feel encouraged . . . to bring
back fond memories . . . because you love it . . . because you can.
Page 5
Literacy Spotlight from Kathy Nelson....WSMS Literacy Coach
This year students in Grade 6 are going to be reading at least a book a month as
they read their 100 minutes or more at home
as well as during independent reading at
school.
I spy in this Fashionista Locker at least
4 books that this student has tucked
away for her reading life! Who doesn't
love reading under a Pink Chandelier??
The more they read the better the
reader—
it's that simple!
Physical Education
Wildcat PE classes are currently engaged
in exhilarating and competitive flag football games! We will
be moving into ultimate frisbee soon. We will also be starting
practice for the Connecticut Physical Fitness Assessment for
our 6th and 8th graders. And, as always, all students are en-
couraged to practice for our Fall Track Trials!
WSMS Page 6
Team NewsTeam NewsTeam News
Team Columbia News
Language Arts: We have begun our genre study of realistic fiction. Students are reading
short stories from our Language of Literature anthology and independent novels of their own
choice. We have focused on reading strategies and skills to help students become engaged in
their reading. They are given opportunities to partner up for authentic talks about what they
have read. All students should be reading a minimum of 100 minutes at home each week. Weekly
reading logs are turned in every Friday and count as a homework grade. During their bi-weekly
independent reading conference, students will have the opportunity to discuss their book and
extend their thinking as they meet one-on-one with their language arts teacher. This year we
are participating in the Scholastic Reading Club. The Scholastic Reading Club offers a wide vari-
ety of high quality books to help your child find something that he or she will feel excited to
read. The books support children’s Lexile range and DRA. Our first order will be due on Friday,
October 2nd.
“Any book that helps a child to form a habit of reading, to make reading one of his deep and continu-ing needs, is good for him.”–Maya Angelou
Science: Columbia students have begun learning about matter. In order to be matter, an item
must have mass and volume. Mass is the "stuff" or material that things are made of while vol-
ume is the space they take up. Students rotated through learning centers to practice measuring
mass and volume. This should help them as they study for the upcoming quiz. After the quiz, we
will move on to density which is easily calculated using mass and volume. To further students'
understanding of the concept of density, students will be creating density bottles with various
liquids, predicting how they think the liquids will layer beforehand, and analyzing the results af-
terwards. Steve Spangler, Emmy award-winning television personality, has a great 9-layer densi-
ty tower, if you're interested in seeing it or trying it out with your child. Just search "9-layer
density tower" online. Good luck!
Social Studies: Students are becoming familiar with their world through basic map and ge-
ography skills. So far, students have been introduced to the Five Themes of Geography. They
have been working in groups to prepare slides on one of the 5 themes to present to their peers.
The Five Themes (location, place, human-environment interaction, movement, and regions) will be
highlighted in the geography unit and throughout the year. Map and atlas skills will be rein-
forced throughout the year.as well. Our next unit of study will be on the “Early Humans.” Be
ready for your child to share with you Otzi, the Iceman!
Mathematics: Khan Academy Informational Letter: Every learner is different and has dif-
ferent learning needs - that’s where Khan Academy comes in. To accomplish this goal, Khan has
created a personalized learning experience that uses videos and exercises to engage students
across a wide range of subjects, with a special emphasis on math and computer pro-
gramming. Best of all, access to the site is completely free! While Khan Academy is effec-
Page 7
Once you are able to log in go the “Coaching Resources” link. This section provides
many resources and tutorials to help one get started. Log in at khanacademy.org
If your child already has an account it is extremely important to allow coaches. It
is the only way for us to monitor their progress. We have included a picture of the
screen. Make sure the box is checked.
Team Yale News What's going on at Yale?
Happy Fall from Team Yale!
We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with your son or
daughter this year! Eighth grade is an exciting time, but it also is a
busy one as high school preparation is just around the corner. This
month your child will be introduced to some of the high school opportu-
nities including Jonathan Law and Trumbull Agriscience & Biotechnology
Center. Furthermore, we are looking forward to the cool fall air as we
venture to The Adventure Park at the Discovery Museum on Monday,
November 2nd. This fun filled day supports our Science Curriculum and
builds teamwork. Permission slips, payment ($40), and boxed lunch or-
ders are due by Friday, October 9th, to your child’s homeroom teacher.
All participants must fill out the online waiver at http://
www.discoveryadventurepark.org/general-admission/liability-waiver/
We encourage you to view our individual webpages as they serve as the
perfect guide to knowing about daily homework, ongoing classroom as-
signments, projects, and upcoming events.
Language Arts Mrs. Fisher [email protected]
Mathematics Mrs. Rimkunas [email protected]
Science Dr. Coloski [email protected]
Social Studies Mr. Acri [email protected]
World Language
Spanish Mrs. Grillo [email protected]
French/ Spanish Mrs. Lynch [email protected]
Resource Mrs. Magura [email protected]
Mr. Morrill [email protected]
We look forward to seeing you again at our October conferences!!
Team Harvard News We on Team Harvard are so excited to have your child be a part of our TEAM and we’re thrilled
by the opportunity to reach and teach both seventh AND eighth grade students again this year!
We believe our HARVARD synergy will benefit each student as they prepare for high school and
beyond! Please know that our individual webpages are your guide to knowing about daily homework,
ongoing classroom assignments, projects, and upcoming events. Let us re-introduce ourselves:
Foreign Language
Grade 7 Spanish Miss Srubas [email protected]
Grade 8 Spanish Mrs. Grillo [email protected]
Grades 7 & 8 French/Gr. 8 Spanish Mrs. Lynch [email protected]
Language Arts Ms. Delash [email protected]
Mathematics
Grades 7 & 8 Math Miss Bua [email protected]
Grade 8 Math Mrs. Rimkunas [email protected]
Resource Mrs. Magura [email protected]
Mr. Morrill [email protected]
Science Ms. Morrissey [email protected]
Social Studies Mr. Montanaro [email protected]
We look forward to seeing you again at our October conferences!!
Some upcoming Harvard highlights include…. Grade 7 French students will participate in the inaugural DESIGN A FRENCH GREETINGS
TEE-SHIRT Contest & Fashion Show on Friday, October 9th. Students will wear their creations
all day in school and strut down the classroom runway speaking French the entire time. According
to Mrs. Lynch, “Yves Saint-Laurent will indeed be impressed by their artistry!!”
Grade 8 students are headed for the trees….at the Discovery Museum’s Adventure Park on
Monday, November 2nd. The day will afford students fresh air opportunities in team building as
well as active real life extensions of our Grade 8 Physics curriculum as they rope climb and zip line
through an aerial forest park! Permission slips, payments, and boxed lunch orders are due by
Friday, October 9th, to your child’s homeroom teacher.
Team Princeton News
A warm welcome to our Princeton parent community~ It was a pleasure
meeting all of you at the Open House on September 10th. Team Princeton
teachers look forward to a successful year with their students. Reminder~
Please familiarize yourself with PowerSchool and teacher web pages so that
you can assist your children in keeping current with assignments.
Language Arts: Students recently completed summer reading projects
which included the creation of story maps, collages, poems, and musical med-
leys. We are currently in the process of navigating through our short story
unit, learning about and identifying short story elements.
Spanish: Students are starting to learn about greetings in Spanish. We are
working on our speaking and writing skills and will soon be learning how to tell
time as well as learning the days of the week. The students are having a
great time learning and are really getting into the spirit of Spanish!
Vamanos!!!
Social Studies: Students continue to use reading and writing skills as we
learn about current events. We will be learning about major religions around
the world in the next few weeks. Please continue to
support your child with using new vocabulary in context to what we study in
class as well as our daily lives. Flashcards and/or quizlet.com should be used
as a study tool to master vocabulary.
Math: In 7th/8th Grade Advanced Math, students are working in Unit 3~
Algebraic Reasoning. They are applying properties of operations as strategies
to add, subtract, factor, and expand linear expressions.
In 7th Grade Math, students are categorizing Rational Numbers, Writing Ra-
tional Numbers, and adding/subtracting integers. Science: Students are comparing and contrasting plant and animal cells and
their parts. They just shared their knowledge of those cell parts on their
identification quiz and will turn in their cell models on September 21st.
Team Dartmouth News
Our team is off and running! The students and teachers are excited to be
working with each other for the 2015-2016 school year. Everyone has
survived the heat wave, the ominous first locker opening, getting lost in
the hallways and NWEA Testing.
Great job Dartmouthers!!!
Math: Mrs. Mesavage has been assigning weekly homework on Monday to
be handed in on Friday. Get ready…Khan Academy is coming in October.
More info on the way.
Science: Mrs. Bowler is really showing the students that measuring mat-
ters, by having them measure matter with scales and cylinders.
Language Arts: Mr. Simler and Ms. Rizza are building a community of
readers with help from Miss Connors, Mrs. Nelson and Mrs. Raccio. Scho-
lastic Book Clubs are being started this month and the due date to buy
books is October 2. Students are doing 100 minutes of reading a week
and are handing in their reading logs every Friday. Parents can help en-
courage their child to be a reader by: asking questions about the reading
before signing the reading log, taking their child to the library and buying
a book as a gift or reward.
Mr. Simler and Ms. Rizza expect every student to always have a book with
them at all times. We will be taking students to the school library at least
once every 2 weeks.
Social Studies: We just finished our first claim essay on the events of
9/11. Students researched 5 documents in order to take a stance on this
question: “Did the events of 9/11 impact life in America?” Ms. Rizza
and Mr. Simler are really proud of the effort the kids put into these es-
says. In addition, students are learning to analyze maps and will be ex-
ploring the world through the 5 Themes of Geography.
Art Department
Mrs. Bacon’s Art News:
I am happy to say we are off to an awesome start this year. I have emailed all of
my student’s parents through PowerSchool; if you have not received my email- please
make sure your email is correct in PowerSchool.
My 6th graders have just finished a series of art exercises leading up to our first
actual project using LINE & VALUE. The students will be shading their animal or
the background using HATCHING or CROSS-HATCHING and Zentangling their
animal or their animal’s background. I am letting the individual student decide
whether or not they are Zentangling the animal or background. Whatever they do
not Zentangle they will shade using hatching or cross-hatching to shade.
**** Ask your child to describe what a Zentangle is. ****
My 7th graders have finished their GEOMETRIC SHAPE art exercise and their
drawings for our Photoshop ORGANIC SHAPE project. We will be heading to the
computer lab the 29th to add color MONOCHROMATICALLY to our flowers using
Photoshop. Meanwhile (today is the 22nd) we are working on showing texture to
show IMPLIED TEXTURE on animals and the animal’s environment.
****Ask your child what the difference is between Implied and Actual Texture
is.****
My 8th graders have just finished their LINE unit in which they ZENTANGLED an
animal or object using colored permanent markers. Right now, they are finishing
their drawings for their Warhol Pop Art Photoshop project. We are currently
scanning them in so we can add color using Photoshop starting on the 29th. We will
be focusing on COLOR in this unit- using the correct color of their chosen pack-
aged food product- then using complementary colors and other color schemes if
time allows. Meanwhile (today is the 22nd) we will start brainstorming of our
COLOR painting or printing unit. I’m letting the students (as a class) decide on
whether or not they want to paint their designs or print them.
****Ask your child what the complementary color is to red, blue and yellow.****
Thank you,
Kathleen Bacon
Teacher: Mrs. Lynn Coleman
Subject: ART
Grades: 6, 7, & 8
Email: [email protected] Date: Sept. 2015
Grade 6: Students in grade 6 have Art every other day all year.
Our first Unit has students exploring the concepts of LINE & VALUE.
Students experiment with how to draw and combine different types of lines to form designs & patterns.
They also learn how to vary how light or dark parts of a drawing look with how they utilize line.
Gr. 6 - LINE VOCABULARY includes:
Thick, thin, curved, spiral, hollow, angled, coiled, arched/arc, slanted, sloped, perpendicular, dashed, dotted,
looped, herringbone, zigzag, stripes, spiked, bumpy, wavy, squiggly, braided, plaid, checkered.
Gr. 7: Students in grade 7 meet every day for one trimester.
Our first Unit has students exploring the concepts of SHAPE.
All shapes have interior space; we are defining shape as a line that is closed and has a hollow area in the
interior.
Students experiment with how to draw and combine different types of lines to form
Gr. 7 - SHAPE VOCABULARY includes several categories:
Geometric- a review of shapes used in both art and mathematics
Organic- natural shapes that resemble something in nature (but without any interior lines or details)
Amorphous- Rounded cloud-like or amoeba-like shapes
Compound-Two or more shapes that when combined (and interior lines are removed) form a new shape.
Invented- An original shape that is hollow and has no name. Many logos are invented shapes.
Abstract- An outline that resembles something (a tree, profile of a person, outline of a car, etc.)
Grade 8: Students in grade 8 meet every day for one trimester.
Our first Unit has students exploring the concepts of LINE.
Students experiment with how to draw and combine different types of lines to form expressive designs
to convey mood or emotion.
Most are currently working to apply what they learned about lines to create an original design. Designs
can be non-objective, abstract, or realistic.
Options also include creating one or more “Illuminated” letters (fancy lettering that incorporates designs
or images) and a creative book.
Gr. 8 - LINE VOCABULARY includes: a review of concepts.
Bold = additional vocabulary.In addition to most of the grade 6 line vocabulary mentioned above, we
also cover the following concepts and how to draw and combine them: Segmented (dashed), undulating (wavy),
meandering, hooks, diagonal, bent, irregular, jagged/choppy, brackets, ribbon.
Media Center
Welcome to West Shore’s Media Center! Mrs. Vaccino and
Ms. Edwards are available to assist students and classes each
day. The Media Center is open every day for student use at 7:30
for printing or book check-out. We are also open after school for
students on Tuesdays and Thursdays until 4:00 with prior per-
mission.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!
Are you available for an hour or two a week to help us
shelve and keep the Media center ready for students? No experi-
ence necessary, just a willingness to help and work with tweens!
Complete the form and return to the library
We look forward to your support!
Recycle—Recycle—Recycle
We are collecting all ink cartridges and toner car-
tridges. Please place in the box in the Media Cen-
ter. Save the earth and earn cash for new supplies
to keep the Media Center fresh!
We are looking for volunteers to help make our West Shore
Media Center ready for learning. Only skills required are willing-
ness to hangout with books, computers and tweens! What is your name?
_____________________________________________
What is your best email contact?
________________________________________________
Days available? Check all that apply:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
What timeframe is better for you?
8-11am
11-2:30pm
Child’s Name:___________________________ Homeroom________
RETURN TO MEDIA CENTER.
Thank you!!
Lisa Vaccino, Library Media Specialist
Opportunity to help in MIlford!
ATTENTION: High School Planning Meetings
Magnet High School Information Sheet
-Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Magnet (IT/Software/Engineering/Zoology/Research/Biotechnology/Physical Science/Aerospace/Hydrospace) 840 Old Town Road Bridgeport, CT 203.275.3337 www.bridgeportedu.net -COOP Arts & Humanities Interdistrict High School -Engineering and Science University Interdistrict High School -High School in the Community Academy for Law & Social Justice Interdistrict -Hill Regional Career Interdistrict High School -Hyde School of Health Sciences & Sports Medicine Interdistrict -Metropolitan Business Academy Interdistrict -New Haven Academy Interdistrict Magnet Office 54 Meadow Street New Haven, CT 06519 203.946.7415 www.newhavenmagnetschools.com -ECA (Educational Center for the Arts) 55 AudubonStreet New Haven, CT 06510-1205 203.777.5451 www.aces.org -The Center for Global Studies
(International Studies, specializing in Arabic, Chinese, Japanese Languages)
Brien McMahon High School
300 Highland Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854
203.852.9488
www.centerglobalstudies.org
Vocational/Technical High Schools Information Sheet
-Aquaculture Science & Technology Education Center (Marine Biology) 60 St. Stephens Road Bridgeport, CT 06605 203.275.2926 www.aquacultureschool.com -Bullard Havens Tech High School (Information Systems Tech, Architectural Drafting, Carpentry, Electrical, Heating/Ventilation/Cooling, Plumbing, Mason-ry, Culinary Arts, Manufacturing, Drafting, Electromechanical, Automotive) 500 Palisade Avenue Bridgeport, CT 06610 203.579.6333 www.cttech.org/bullard-havens -Emmett O’Brien Tech High School (Please see info. for B.H. Tech above.) 141 Prindle Avenue Ansonia, CT 06401 203.732.1800 www.cttech.org/obrien -Platt Tech High School, (Please see info. for B.H. Tech above.) 600 Orange Avenue Milford, CT 06461 203.783.5300 www.cttech.org/platt -Trumbull Regional Agriscience & Biotechnology Center (Animal Science, Bio-
technology, Equine Science, Plant Science) Trum-
bull High School 536
Daniels Farm Road
Trumbull, CT 06611
203.452.4200
www.trumbullps.org/ths/ag