Inside this issue:

Message from the PTO

President, Hispanic

Heritage Month & NJHS

2

Annual Fund 3

FAN & Media Center 4

8th Grade News 5

7th Grade News 6

6th Grade News 7-8

Career & Technical Dept. 8

Visual Arts & Yearbook 9

Booster Club 10

Shocker Fall Sports Rosters 11

Quarterly SCMS PTO Newsletter

The Shocker Fall 2014

Fall 2014 1

Message From the Principal

OLIVIA JURNEY

6th Grade — Palinkas

STUDENT DIRECTORY COVER

Kindness Campaign kicks Off. 2,000 cans

were collected for Second Harvest Food

Bank.

Continued on page 2

Food, music & fun at the Booster Club’s

tailgating party.

Dear Parents,

The quarter is over and it is hard to believe. Your students have done amazing things this year thanks to the teachers presenting them with engaging les-sons and assignments. I am very excited to an-nounce that South Charlotte has been awarded the One to One Personalized Learning Pilot. That means that each student beginning next semester will have access to a computer. Our staff has proved that we are ready to take this on, and we are excited that our students will have this wonderful opportunity. Eight middle schools were chosen for the pilot. You will hear more about this as we work out the details. A special thank you to Mrs. Nelda Smith for spearhead-ing this effort. The application process and work done before the selection was intense. Our staff, with the leadership of Mrs. Smith, were successful for your students. Mrs. Smith, Ms. Barrows and I trav-eled out of town Oct. 23 to observe a middle school that has already taken the initiative with personalized learning. It was interesting to see how they use tech-nology and how their culture is affected positively because of it.

When you read this newsletter, the Kindness Cam-paign will have launched with what I know will be success. Kindness will not end this month, howev-er. The sustainability plan that is in place is also a big part of what we are doing. I was just speaking with Carolyn Thomas and Grace Decker about the Kind-ness Campaign as I wanted to see what students were thinking about it. They both agreed that going in the direction of kindness instead of focusing on bully-ing is a positive. They indicated that bullying is very overused, and it is an ambiguous term. Kindness is a word that everyone understands, and the behavior associated with it is always positive. I was encour-aged by their mature, thoughtful response. This could possibly change our culture. I am grateful that Mrs. Jones and Mr. Siftar took on such a large task as

facilitating this campaign. I know it will be well worth the effort in the end, and our students will be better people because of it. The adults will be better as well. Thank you for your support. You may hear soon that there is a club forming at SCMS entitled YCI (Youth Commission Internation-al). One of our students presented a proposal to me regarding the club, and I in turn sent it to our legal department as it has a religious affiliation and need-ed legal approval. I want you to know that these type clubs are permitted; however, they have to meet after school, before school, etc. All information related to this club will be approved by my office based on the Board Policy set forth for clubs. It is a great thing and if other students want to have the same type clubs, that is fine as long as there is an intentional effort regarding planning and facilitation and our legal de-partment approves it. I can’t say enough about our coaches and extra-curricular leaders this year. Our fall sports teams have done so very well. Our softball team remains undefeated, and the other teams are playing at a very high level. Our art students are placing in every competition we enter. Madison Dahl won Best of Show in the Pine-ville Art Festival. She competed against not only middle school students but also high school stu-dents. She also was the number one choice for the Festival in the Park art competition. As a result of the Kindness Campaign, students in Mrs. Titus’ marketing class will visit Levine Children’s Hospital and deliver personal notes of encourage-ment to the children. Thanks to the work of the Stu-dent Council, we received over 2,000 cans to be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. Thanks also to the work of our NJHS, our campus is more

Congratulations to Madison Dahl. She

was named Middle School First Place

Winner at Festival in the Park. Her work

was named the best out of 42 middle

schools. She also took Best of Show at

the Pineville Art Festival.

Continued on page 2

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The Shocker

2 Fall 2014

Dear SCMS Families, Our school year is off to a great start. Thank you to the families that have al-ready given to our Annual Fund. We appreciate your support of SCMS! The Annual Fund is ongoing, and we welcome a donation at any point during the school year. The funds raised are used to support the students, teachers, and staff of SCMS. This year we are focusing on updating the Media Center’s col-lection of books and ebooks. Please consider supporting this important en-deavor; it will benefit all students. The PTO committees are hard at work throughout SCMS. Thank you to all the volunteers for your dedication. The efforts of volunteers make a tremendous difference for our students and staff. If you have yet to become involved, please consider joining these dedi-cated parents. The rewards are plentiful. Thank you again for your support! Megan Walsh, PTO President

Message from the PTO President

By Alisa Wright-Yasurek, M. Ed.

The 2014-2015 Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society is off to an incredible start! In Sep-tember, members volunteered as guides during both curriculum nights. Having them stationed in

certain areas of the building helped ensure that all visitors made it to the correct loca-tion in time for the teacher presentations. The chapter’s October project involved school beautification. Members spent a weekend sprucing up the exterior of the building. In the months ahead, students intend to continue the beautification project by planting flowers and painting the arbor by the track. Other planned school-based projects in-clude the creation of a peer-tutoring pro-

gram for 8th grade students and the presentation of a “Teachers’ Tea” in May. This annual event recognizes the hard-working facul-ty of SCMS during Teacher Appre-ciation Week. In addition to their school-based projects, members plan to volunteer at the Crisis Assistance Ministry, Ronald McDonald House, and Samaritan’s Purse warehouse. Without a doubt, these stu-dents certainly recognize the importance of giving back to the com- munity! In keeping with the society’s mission, members are also planning ways to develop their leadership skills. They look forward to participating in a student-organized “Leadership Conference” later

this school year. The conference will help them develop their public-speaking skills, foster team-building, and promote 21st century thinking. Of course, the group also plans to invite guest speakers to their weekly meetings. Related note: If you are interested in sharing your leadership skills with this year’s chapter, please contact Mrs. Wright-Yasurek at alisa.wright@cms.k12.nc.us.

National Junior Honor Society

Hispanic Heritage Month at South Charlotte By Srta. Cathy Eisner

For the first time ever, SCMS celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month. For four weeks, Spanish-speaking students read some of the morning announcements in Spanish, we played Latino music, we read trivia information about Latino countries and decorated the building with pictures of famous Latinos and cultural symbols. It was a fun and educational experience all in one! Bravo to all who participated! Gracias!

Members of the NJHS devoted some weekend hours to help improve

the SCMS campus.

beautiful. They spent an entire day cleaning our campus and making it look incredible. Gold Patron Night was a wonderful evening. Our Fine Arts teachers have done a great job pushing our students to perform their best.

Please remember the Tax Referendum infor-mation and the date for the vote. If you have questions regarding this, please reach out to me or visit the CMS website for additional in-formation. Thank you for all you do to make our school successful. We could not do this without your support and the focus on excellence for your students. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve our students and their families.

Regards, Lisa Bailes, Principal

Continued from page 1

mailto:alisa.wright@cms.k12.nc.us

Platinum Level $500 & above Eddie & Mike Carter Decker Family Brian & Stacey Ellis Ken & Andrea Hollander Dan & Melissa Hooker Rick & Shelley Jones The Knepp Family Scott Lanier Darryl & Kristin Parker Mike Sadri Angela & Joseph Sequeira Yiping Zhuang & Qing Yang

Gold Level $250-$499

Shelia & Kwasi Ankrah David Archer Andrea & Aaron Ayscue John & Mary Beasley John & Tracey Bengough Fred & Elizabeth Caudill Bridget & David Cohen The Coverston Family Family of Channing Dayton Euphoria Salon & Spa Scott & Sarah Fligel Steve & Lisa Friedman Laura & Jeff Fricano Amadeo Gonzalez Mary Margaret Johnstone Daphne & Dave Katz Sondra & Bart Key Cathy & Jeff Kirkland Ying Liu Zhugang Liu & Li Zhang Julie Maloney Ruth & Wolfgang Nett Bob & Terri Parr Joe & Lisa Pomilla

Mike & Ashley Raley Anna & Josh Skudlarick Kevin & Megan Walsh Bob & Candi Whitsel Jeff & Melinda Wilkinson Woodward & Woodward PLLC Silver Level $100-$249 Tracey & Josh Adams Patrick & Heidi Anderson Adam & Shannon Berliner Andrew & Meaghan Blake Frank & Demetra Boardman Mr. & Mrs. Boyd Brad & Myriam Breedlove Michael & Cindy Brinkley Marissa & Adam Brooks Anthony & Joanne Caterino Neena Chopra Karen & Mark Crews Meg & Luis Dancausse Randy & Janet Darden Mr. Jacque & Dr. Harriet Davis John & Helen Dickerson Jolynn & Ronnie Ensminger Jamal Farhani Joe & Sue Ferro David & Vicki Foster Lynn & Tom Freitas Mark & Lori Gabriel Alan & Julia Godel Mike & Brantlee Green Darin & Mitzi Helms Anette & Frank Henry Chris & Melinda Hess John & Deborah Hofland Jack & Pam James Jose A. Perez Jimenez Amy & Kevin Johnson

Stacy Keefer Barb & Aaron Linz Elvis Lopez Andy & Nicole Love Russell & Missie Mansfield Steve & Ginger Marquis Marie Martinez The Matthews Family Laura & Keith McGaha Lara & Eric McMillan Alan & Tyria Naspinski Ron & Lisa Nelson Bud & Deborah Nixon Chris & Katie Nygren Julie O'Brien Suzanne & Michael O’Keeffe Joe & Susie Oringel Ben & Tanya Ormand Brad & Elissa Parsons Holly & Clay Patton John & Leslie Pedernales John & Karen Perry Ben Plummer’s Family Lynn & Pepper Pounds Ben & Jodie Prosser Tom & Megan Quirk Jeffrey & Corinne Race Cheryl Ross & Michael Lieberman Therese & Troy Rothen-berger Dorothy Sangmuah & Eu-gene Sangmuah Ken & Gail Sharp Cynthia & Chris Siemasko Mary Skibinski Mike & Susan Slade Wedna Sousa LeAnn & Chris Squier

The Shocker

Sridharan Family Peter & Courtney St. Onge Gus & Stephanie Stallings Beth & Steve Stillitano Brian & Margot Strickler Celeste Swann Coralie & Eric Todd The Triveno Family Karunanithi Vellaisamy Ben & Samantha Wallach John & Becky Watts Richard & Lisa Williamson Wayne Wilson Kim & Marc Wojnowich Wayne & Karen Workman Calvin & Shem Wright Matthew & Michelle Yoder Minfen Zhang Tong Zhang Kimberly & Jeff Zusi Purple Level up to $99 Zerabruk Abay Iris & Haim Aizenberg Maile Allen Tigest Ayalew Greg & Loula Bauer Philip & Amy Bissette Sam & Sima Chhatrala Courtney Family Laurel Davis Karen & Jeff Devine Eric & Ava Eschert Glynnis & Joe Fadok Malia & Sean Fox Marta Freitas Steve & Lisa Garfinkle Carla Gomes

3 Fall 2014

South Charlotte Middle School Annual Fund

Paving the Way for the Future Thank you to the 178 South Charlotte families who have sup-ported the PTO's Annual Fund campaign. To date, we have raised $40,414 in gifts, pledges, and corporate matching gifts. Thanks to your help and generous support, we have blown past our goal of $32,000. This is the PTO's largest fundraiser of the year, and funds raised are used to provide support to our classrooms and media center, among other items in the PTO's budget. If you haven't given, but would still like to, please download a green form here and submit your gift at any time. If you have additional questions, please contact our VP of Fundraising,

Stacey Ellis, at staceyellis11@gmail.com.

YOU Thank you for your support! Together

we can make a difference.

*Donors as of October 23

Continued on page 4

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Fall 2014 4

The Shocker

Mary & Hermes Goudes Karen Greco Ron & Christine Greeson Stephen & Luci Heeseman Curtis Hill Suzie Hinkle Sara & Mark Hogan David Holliday Jeanne & Thomas Huber Lyn & Charles Jacobus Bruce & Cheryl Kagan Karmond Family Jong Min Lee The Leonard Family Martin Family Stacey McCraney Aimee Miller Danielle Mitchell Nick O'Neill Ken & Wendy Oettinger Nikki Olsway Leighanne Palinkas Chris & Carolyn Sanders Kelly Shipman Mary Ann Smith Kim & Vali Sorell Packy Spahi Scott Steedly Nguyen Ta Walker Family Carla Weston Yolanda Wilmer Ning Zhao

Fine Arts Network (FAN) is on the move!

We have begun to get our Arts departments up and run-ning in full force! Here are just a few of the things going on:

Art – Our amazing Shocker artists are already out and about in the city featured in festivals such as the Pineville Art Festival and Festival in the Park! Dr. Cooke is busy getting his many artists to perfect their talents with many different mediums including clay, watercolor and paints! They even go outside to get inspi-ration.

Band – Jazz Ensemble played the pep rally last week and all Band classes have begun getting ready for January concerts. Mr. Ratliff has purchased four new baritones thanks to the donations of our Gold and Platinum patrons!

Chorus – This is the first year Mrs. Thompson has been at our school but already amazing things are happening. She has an Honors Chorus class that meets every day to get ready for competitions and

shows, and Shocker families were treated to a performance for the Gold Patron Appreciation Night.

Dance – Ms. Butler has been working hard to get her kids performing as groups in the classroom and working with her Honors Dance class on several scheduled events in the future. They performed in October and will again in December.

Drama – Mrs. McKenna has some very exciting Drama students this year that are working on all the aspects of Drama from set design to scene development. She has even selected the musical for the Spring … Aladdin! This one will be a lot of fun to produce and watch. The show will be April 23-24! Get your tickets for that one!

Orchestra – Ms. Guthrie is preparing her students for several upcoming performances, one of which will be at Providence High School! What a treat! She has even purchased some new cellos to make

her orchestra even better.

We would like to thank all those that donated to the Arts this year. We are doing great things with your donations from costumes, plays, music, instruments, substitute teachers, paper, art supplies and more! If you would like more information on how to give, participate or attend an event, please go to our website at http://scmsfan.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/ or contact Mary Margaret Johnstone at scmsfan@gmail.com.

South Charlotte students have been learning how to live and work in a 21st Century environment. All students visited the library in their Social Studies class and completed a Cyber-Safety course which discussed appropriate online behaviors. The students have also been trained to use their Google Drive account which is tied to their Gaggle email address. What is all this? Well both Gaggle and Google allow the students to store their documents “in the cloud.” Students can access their files at school, at home, at the public library, and on mobile devices. Google Drive works on all devices-desktop to Smartphone. No one should have to keep up with a flash drive anymore. A wonder-ful feature of Google Drive is the ability to share documents. For group projects, students can collaborate on a file without having to meet face-to-face. Gaggle also provides the students with an email address. All emails and files in

Gaggle and Google Drive are filtered and monitored. Students also use their Gaggle email address to log into our Chromebooks which are like mini laptops.

All 6th and 7th grade students visit the library once every two weeks to check out books. During this time, they browse for books to read independently. Studies show that reading for pleasure is “linked to greater intellectual progress, both in vocabulary, spelling and math. In fact, the impact was around four times greater than that of having a parent with a post-secondary degree.” (Alice, Sullivan. "Reading for Fun Improves Children's Brains, Study Confirms." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 13 Sept. 2013. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.) Please encourage your child to turn off all electronics and read for fun.

Students can access their library account on Horizon Information Portal, the online “card” catalog, at http://sclibrary.cmswiki.wikispaces.net/ to renew books. Please have your student check their account for overdue books. Notices will be sent out soon. Please contact Mrs. Smith if you have any questions.

Media Center News By Nelda Smith, Librarian

Continued from page 3

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The Shocker

5 Fall 2014

8th Grade News

Language Arts Estro, Gross and Wright-Yasurek

Our 8th grade Language Arts students have “hit the ground” running and are adjusting nicely to the expectations of this last year of middle school. Students are working with the list of liter-ary terms they need to know before entering 9th grade. When they finish reviewing the literary terms, all 8th graders will move on to the study of Greek and Latin stems. With the knowledge of word parts, students are better able to decipher the meanings of unfamiliar words.

During this first two months of school, students have also

learned how to perform a close read of text, respond to litera-ture using R.A.C.E., construct a literary analysis essay, and iden-tify the reoccurring theme in various selections across genres. Next, students will be exposed to the "Strange and Mysterious" - a unit of texts that expose students to craft elements such as foreshadowing, mood, and tone. This is just in time for Hallow-een! Then, it's on to Steve Jobs - The Man Who Thought Different by Karen Blumenthal.

Of course, students continue to be exposed to a daily dose of grammar that challenges them to identify the parts of speech, sentence kind and type, and word functions — all before having them create a diagram of the week’s sentence. Students also read and respond to the “Article of the Week” to keep up with current events and improve their comprehension of informational texts.

Science Simcox and Williams

This quarter in 8th Grade Science, students have been learning how to be actual scientists! We started the year by learn-ing how to take a simple question and turn it into a research-based experi-ment to test a hypothesis

and discover something new. We had a “blast from the past”

learning all about Earth's history, evolution, and fossils. We are currently learning about microbes, all those icky little things on us, in us, and all around us! Our students scientists had a "refresher" on cells by creating 3D Cell Posters. These have been a great tool to use in class to see where all these microbes often

are inside of us. Our students microbiologists are very excited about our upcoming labs, especially getting to spread our “microbes” and track the spread of diseases just like the scien-tists at the Centers for Disease Control do! Parents: We need latex-free gloves (sizes small, medium, and large) for these labs!

Social Studies Chevalier and Getsinger

Since the 8th grad-ers finished their studies of the geographical terms and

landforms of the U.S. and N.C., the American history team is starting to look at the first English settlers of North America. We are differentiat-ing the characteristics of the 13 colonies to begin to allow stu-dents to note the different landforms, cultural groups and types of livelihoods of each group of new Americans. At the conclusion of this recent mini-unit, we will begin to build the platform for the protest movement that resulted in the American Revolution. Eighth grade students will also be constructing the culminating activity for the American Revolution unit.

Math Butler, Conlan and Rochester

Eighth Grade Math has been busy reviewing 6th and 7th grade curriculums. We started the year writing and evaluating expres-sions solving simple equations and inequalities. We are finishing with usage of integers in all above mentioned topics. All students have completed MAP and Explore testing. We will be moving into the number system and functions. Math 1 students reviewed basic skills briefly and have moved through multi-step equations and inequalities into functions. They are working diligently learning the characteristics of linear and non-linear functions. All classes spent two days in the com-puter lab for MAP testing. We will move on to slope and linear functions in chapter five. Please make sure your child has plenty of graph paper, markers or colored pencils, a TI-83/84 graphing calculator and a straight edge for in-class work and projects. They will spend some time creating city maps and constructing roads!

Congratulations to the following students who have been

selected for the WSCMS News Team this year. Students

had to fill out an application and audition for their roles. Students work with

Mrs. McKenna each morning to read the announcements and to operate the

equipment behind the scenes.

Amanda Ferlisi

Aaliyah Fortner

Christos Kokalis

Leigh Millinder

Bryanna Payne

Liora Tal

Meghann Villaroel

Bechan Williams

Patrick Yu

Erin Barnette

John Darden

Allen Patrick

Adam Stillerman

Thomas Wilkinson

Anchors Tech Crew WSCMS News Team

Social Studies Lagrange and Whitney

We have eased through the

Renaissance and Refor-mation, and into the Age of

Exploration. Students have

made their own presentations and given them to class on topics from The Great Dying to the Columbian Exchange,

and Hispanic Caste System. We have analyzed primary sources that shaped how the modern world was made,

and wrote our first DBQ. Students have decided if they should celebrate Columbus for uniting the world or deni-

grate him for the problems that arose.

Science Hicks and Lagrange

The year has been off to a very good start. The year

started out with some review from last year with the Sci-

entific Method. At the conclusion of the Scientific Method unit the students conducted a lab using the Scientific

Method, which was the Penny Lab. We then went into the Atmosphere with the different layers and composition.

Those two topics made up the information that was on

the first test of the year. At this point we are in the middle of our Weather Unit. The students were taught the water

cycle once again and the types of clouds. Next we will be investigating the different types of air masses and

climates. The Science teachers are looking forward to a

great second quarter!

Language Arts Eilers, Titus and Virtanen

In Language Arts, the teachers are guiding

the 7th grade students through complex

texts, such as this quarter’s novel The Jun-

gle Book. Students are not only reading a

classic story, but also developing their vocabulary, apply-

ing reading strategies, and participating in classroom sem-

inars to enhance their comprehension. In addition, stu-

dents are developing their writing skills in writing work-

shops. Students have written argumentative essays that

help them make connections from literature to today’s

society.

Math Brown, Holloway and Raffensperger

In Honors Math 7 we started out the

year reviewing decimal and fraction operations. Next, we introduced

students to variables, expressions, and explored real num-

ber operations in Chapter 1. The specific topics we cov-ered were: order of operations, exponents, real numbers,

properties of real numbers, adding and subtracting real numbers, multiplying and dividing real numbers, the dis-

tributive property, and an introduction to equations. Cur-rently we are in Chapter 2 and are working on solving

equations. We started with one-step equations, moved to

two-step equations, and are getting ready to start multi-step equations.

In Math 7 we started out the year reviewing decimal and

fraction operations. Next we moved into the Variables and

Patterns section. This unit’s focus was on ways to de-scribe situations that change. In the first part of the unit,

students explored three ways of representing a changing situation: with a description in words, with a data table,

and with a graph. These representations are compared to one another to elicit the strengths of each presentation.

Students learned to write equations as a shorter, quicker

way to give a summary of the relationship between two variables. We are currently working in the Accentuate the

Negative Section. In this unit, the focus is on understand-ing and developing systematic ways to add, subtract, mul-

tiply, and divide positive and negative numbers. Students

will develop algorithms for computations and will use the order of operations, the Commutative Property, and the

Distributive Property to solve problems.

Fall 2014 6

The Shocker

7th Grade News

Mr. Theiler, Ms. Markwis, Mr. Hicks & Susan Yeargan enjoy

some food at the tailgating party.

6th Grade News

Language Arts Gallagher, Glenn and Palinkas

What a stellar start to 6th grade! One of our major goals during

first quarter was getting to know one another. We had opportu-

nities to express ourselves through writing in several forms

(letters, illustrations, and responding to literature). With the “All

About Me” friendly letter, we explored the writing process from

start to finish, and the students did an awesome job! Throughout

this year, writing will be a focal point and students will be able to

recognize the differences between formal and informal writing.

After teaching our students to use Active Reading Strategies, we

spent some time practicing with short stories from our textbook.

As the quarter draws to a close, we are be-

ginning to read our first class novel, Jerry

Spinelli’s Stargirl. Using this book we will ex-

plore the elements of plot, including charac-

ters, settings, and theme. We will also use

this novel throughout the year to compare

Spinelli’s style of writing to other authors and

examine how authors deliberately make

choices to use figurative language, imagery,

and vocabulary to reach the reader/audience.

As for the vocabulary study we plan to use

this year, the students have grown accus-

tomed to the expectation of rote memorization and application.

Students will be using stems, as well as other methods of study,

to improve their own vocabulary. This will ultimately show its

benefits in testing, as well as enhancing their writing and reading

comprehension. In addition to vocabulary, students will engage

in a year-long grammar study. We will work to put in place the

important building blocks that will become the foundation for the

rest of their school career. Expect the same for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th

quarters.

The 6th grade Language Arts teachers are looking forward to this

year! We have worked hard to plan valuable lessons for our stu-

dents so they may experience literature by reading a variety of

works, as well as writing some of their own.

Science Markwis and Tubb

Transitioning from elementary school to SCMS is no easy task.

Students are faced with the crazy block-scheduling, which is

commonly referred to as the A day-B day monster. Please do not

ask about getting the kids accustomed to using lockers; it has

been a headache. Surprisingly, the current 6th grade students

have done well with the transition and are beginning to under-

stand what it means to be a middle school student.

In our Science classes, students began the school year studying

the Scientific Method and how it can be utilized to help them

conduct investigations. In order to help students understand the

relevance of the method,

students conducted a mini-

helicopter investigation. We

know that the kids were

disappointed that they were

only creating paper helicopters and not real ones. Even though

the Scientific Method Unit is officially over, students will be able

to apply their learning as they conduct a soda and Mentos exper-

iment. We need to begin collecting materials for this lab, so start

saving your money for buying soda and Mentos.

During the first quarter, students had the opportunity to be crea-

tive, while completing "The Book Support Challenge." Students

were given a variety of materials and a few guidelines in order to

build a sturdy platform to support a book. The kids really enjoy

conducting these experiments, and there are many others still to

come.

We want to send a sincere thank you to the many parents who

have donated supplies to our Science classrooms. Science is so

much more fun for the kids when we have materials to help

them investigate. We are wrapping up the “Matter: Changes and

Properties” unit. Students will have a chance to manipulate dry

ice. One of our overall goals this year is that your child comes

home excited about Science.

Math Matusiak, Rich and Theiler

Sixth grade Math students have gotten off to a great start this school year. We started with our Algebra Unit. We learned about Expressions and Equations and a lot of new vocabulary. We learned that simplify is used for more than just fractions. And speaking of fractions, did you know that they have been division problems all along? We can now solve and check equations algebraically and not just use mental math. We all know how to log on to Castle Learning and complete assignments tailored to indi-vidual needs. We have moved on to our first textbook unit Prime Time: All About the Relationships Between Numbers. Do you know your divisibility rules? We do! They are tricks to save time when finding factors.

Social Studies Markwis and Rogers

Sixth grade students are adjusting to middle school and the aca-

demic requirements for Social Studies as outlined by the Com-

mon Core Curriculum. The Social Studies curriculum for 6th

grade will continue to expand the knowledge and skills learned

previously. The curriculum will focus heavily on geography, espe-

7 Fall 2014

6th Grade News

The Shocker

Continued on page 8

BELL SCHEDULE

8:30 AM-3:30 PM

ALL EARLY DISMISSALS MUST LEAVE AND RETURN FOLLOWING THE

BELL SCHEDULE

1ST BLOCK: 8:30-9:46 AM

2ND BLOCK: 9:49-11:05 AM

3RD BLOCK (6TH GRADE): 11:08 AM-12:21 PM

LUNCH/HEALTHY LIVING (6TH GRADE): 12:24-1:24 PM

LUNCH/HEALTHY LIVING (7TH & 8TH GRADE): 11:08 AM -12:08 PM

3RD BLOCK (7TH & 8TH GRADE): 12:08-1:24 PM

9TH BLOCK: 1:27-2:10 PM

4TH BLOCK: 2:13-3:30 PM

Seaman and Strickland

The Career and Technical Education de-partment is off to a great start in the courses of Computer Applications I and II and Exploring Entrepreneurship. Look be-low to see what the students have been learning.

Computer Skills and Applica-tions 1 classes started the year with learning proper technique to be used while keying all al-

phabetic, numeric, symbol, and operation-al keys. The students are now moving into a unit of study on Word Processing Basics and Business Correspondence which will re-focus them on the need to learn good keyboarding skills. They will continue the semester with Desktop Publishing and Multimedia.

Computer Skills and Applica-tions 2 curriculum had a big change this year. This course now leads students through

two modules of business appli-cation software: Spreadsheets and Data-bases. Classes began the semester with a unit of study on the basics of spreadsheet use. The students complete projects that simulate real-world business needs. They will soon be transitioning into more ad-vanced spreadsheet functions and the creation of charts. Before the end of the semester, students will also explore data-bases. Exploring Entrepreneur-ship classes have covered the four types of business ownership and the pur-pose of business. They have differentiated

between profit, non-profit, service, prod-uct, and combination service and product businesses. In addition they have learned the six functions of a business which in-clude accounting, human resources, oper-ations, information technology, marketing, and management. Students are now differentiating between the command, mixed, market, and traditional economic systems. Students have compared the economic system of the United States to the economic systems of Chad and North Korea. They are learning about the law of supply and demand and how it contrib-utes to price changes, too. Please refer to Ms. Strickland’s and Mrs. Seaman’s websites for more information about each course including daily activi-ties, notes, and study guides.

CTE Department News

The Shocker

Fall 2014 8

cially the Themes of Geography and how

they are used to influence the study of

the world. They have also learned about

the geography of population, how popula-

tion is measured, and the challenges that an increasing popula-

tion can create. The students will spend the last part of first quar-

ter learning about the history of the five major world religions,

the basic belief systems of each religion, and the influence that

the belief systems impact on culture. As the world turns, 6th

graders will continue to enhance their knowledge and skills as

they learn about the history of the world.

A REMINDER ABOUT EARLY DISMISSALS

Our first Box Tops submission is nearing completion and

has been very successful. Don’t forget to keep clipping

and sending in your Box Tops throughout the school

year. There will be another submission in the spring.

Thanks for helping SCMS with this easy fundraiser!

Continued from page 7

The Shocker

9 Fall 2014

Capturing 2014-15 Moments

The yearbook staff is busy capturing all the SCMS moments

from the first days of school through Spirit Week. Would you

like to have some of the pictures you have taken included in

the 2015 yearbook? If so, using access code LTUPHW,

please upload your photos to

www.community.lifetouch.com. We will do our best to in-

clude as many of your photos as possible. Please identify

the people included in your photos, along with a description.

Thank you to those 500 plus families who have already pur-

chased a yearbook through the PTO at the beginning of the

school year. If you would like to add a name or icon to the

front of your yearbook or extra autograph pages, a flyer will

be coming home soon with your son or daughter so en-

hancements can be included with your order. In addition, if

you have not yet purchased a yearbook, it is not too late!

The flyers will give you the opportunity to order online, too.

Yearbook by Mary Anne Seaman

The semester got off to a terrific start in the

Visual Arts classes. All students, regard-

less of their previous training or ability,

received a three-week introduction to the

essentials of drawing. Students in all three

grades learned how to begin every drawing

with a warm-up and a quick gesture and

then move on to incorporate line, value,

composition, emphasis, space and texture.

They also learned to use charcoal, graph-

ite, and watercolor in producing tonal and

linear drawings. After this introduction to

drawing, each grade level went on to tackle

their clay projects.

Sixth

graders

spent a

class peri-

od reflect-

ing on

their fa-

vorite

place to

be, espe-

cially dur-

ing difficult times. They each made a small

clay sculpture in relief that they can hang in

their bedrooms to remind them that life is

not so difficult when you have comforting

experiences to remember and guide you.

Seventh and eighth graders began their

clay projects with a day and a half of reflec-

tion, group feedback and personal explora-

tion. Both grades conducted an exercise

known as the “Johari Window.” Students

were brought into groups and given a list of

56 positive adjectives that might describe

them. After discovering which adjectives

their peers thought accurately describe

their personalities, they were challenged to

decide for themselves, in isolation, if these

adjectives were correct or not. More im-

portant, they were pressed to find adjec-

tives describing aspects of their personality

unrecognized by their peers. This final list

of intimate descriptors became the basis

for creating the imagery which would be

the blueprints for their ceramic projects.

Seventh graders created a ceramic

mask, but unlike most masks, the point of

this was not to disguise their identity but to

reveal to the world, by the design of the

mask, who they really are. Eighth graders

also took the “Johari Window” as their point

of departure and created ceramic vessels

and sculptures representing their deep

values and personal identity. The “Johari

Window” is a fruitful group exercise often

used in team building and self-discovery

within the corporate environment. It helps

people understand themselves more deep-

ly and to be compassionate and empathet-

ic with their colleagues.

Honors Art students began outdoor paint-

ing after a two-day PowerPoint presenta-

tion lesson on Monet and color theory.

They paint outdoors when the weather is

fine, incorporating colorist principles and

techniques and just enjoying our beautiful

campus.

Visual Arts By Dr. Ted Cooke

Questions concerning the yearbook? Please contact Mary Anne Seaman at mary.seaman@cms.k12.nc.us.

Bonnie McGaha, 8th grade, captures the clear dry atmos-

phere of an autumn “Carolina Blue” day.

6th grader Ella Rasmussen explores

broken contours & lost-and-found edges

in her beautifully arranged still life.

Ava Pomilla, 8th grade, simplifies the forest scene & uses

it as a context to explore bold color.

http://www.community.lifetouch.commailto:mary.seaman@cms.k12.nc.us

Bronze Level Sponsors ($25)

Bob & Liz Adams

Matt & Terri Baker

Elizabeth Bashore

Shannon Berliner

Frank & Demetra Boardman

Eddie Carter

Vic & Lori Cope

Meg & Luis Dancausse

Laurel Davis

Michael Diamantis

Ava Eschert

Jamal Farhini

Lynn FreIitas

Anne HaltIwanger

Faith Harman

Karen Harvey

Stephen & Luci Heesman

Dawnette Hodge

Paige Ingle

Bruce & Cheryl Kagan

Kellie Karavokiros

Sondra Key

Shirley Lamm

Joseph Liebau

Ginger Marquis

Niki O'Neill

Dorothy Sangmauh

Josh Skudlarick

Carla Weston

Silver Level Sponsors ($50)

Steve Brooks

Paul Clark

Bridget Cohen

Susan Combs

Chris & Beth Cotton

Julia Curley

Rob & Kimberley Dayton

Glenn & Stephanie Eicken-

horst

Ellen Fischer

Mark & Lori Gabriel

Scott Johnstone

Renee & Ty Leonard

Randy Patterson

Leslie Pedernales

Corinne Race

Troy & Thereas Rothenberger

Stephanie Sawyer

Gus & Stephanie Stallings

John Watts

Gold Sponsors ($75)

John & Beth Bowen

Ethel Boyd

Tashia Parker

Euphoria Salon & Spa

Celeste Swann

Luke & Jennifer Watson

Lisa Williamson

Katherine & Scott Willis

Matthew & Michelle Yoder

Platinum Sponsors ($100+)

Davis Archer

Jason Barnett

Matthew Brockman

Joanne Caterino

Guy & Mindy Decker

Mike Green

Jack & Pam James

Rick & Shelly Jones

Jon & Sarah Kocmond

Julie Maloney

Missie Mansfield

Christy Masch

Dennis O'Dea

Kristen Parker

Joe & Lisa Pomilla

Lynn & Pepper Pounds

Mike Sadri

Angela Sequeira

Brian & Margot Strickler

Calvin Wright

SCMS Booster Club Update

The Shocker

Fall 2014 10

By Lynn Pounds

THANK YOU!!!!

The South Charlotte Booster Club wants to thank all of the

parents and teachers who generously supported our athlet-

ic program by joining the booster club. Your support allows

us to purchase the necessary equipment used by our

coaches and athletes. Additionally, membership money is

used to promote school spirit through events like our pep

rallies, the faculty-parent tailgate, and banquets. It is not

too late to join the Booster Club. Please contact Coach

Sprenger, SCMS athletic director, for more information.

Thanks again!

Winter sports tryouts will be held Novem-

ber 17-19 for boys basketball and Nov. 17

for cheerleading. Girls basketball tryouts

will be November 20-21. Tryouts will run

from 4:00 to 6:00 PM each day. Students

will report to the gym immediately after

school and will need to be picked up on

time.

Sign-ups for tryouts will take place during

lunch periods the week before (November

12-13).

For a student to participate in tryouts, they

must have a completed physical on file at

school and completed all necessary pa-

perwork. Physical forms can be picked up

in the front office or on the school's athlet-

ic website. Paperwork will be available

during the week of sign-ups.

Please plan ahead when scheduling physi-

cals as many physicians do not

have appointments available less than

two weeks out. CVS Minute Clinic accepts

walk-ins for physicals at a rate of $40 if

you cannot get an appointment before the

tryout date.

For further information, refer to the South

Charlotte athletics website.

http://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/

show/815013-south-charlotte-middle-

school

Jeff Sprenger Athletic Director

Winter Sports Tryouts

Begin November 17 & 20

http://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/show/815013-south-charlotte-middle-schoolhttp://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/show/815013-south-charlotte-middle-schoolhttp://www.cmsathleticzone.com/page/show/815013-south-charlotte-middle-school

The Shocker

Fall 2014 11

2014 LADY SHOCKERS

SOFTBALL TEAM

#1 – Margaret Combs

#2 - Maia Bullard

#3 – Elizabeth Race

#4 - Erin Gabriel

#5 - Sadie Evans

#6 – Lili Bowen

#7 – Sarah Mansfield

#8 – Ellie Cotton

#9 – Anna Barnett

#10 – Sally O’Dea

#13 – Stuart Fischer

#14 - Sydney Yoder

Coach – Shelly Fabian

2014 SHOCKERS

GOLF TEAM

Erica Boyd

Pace Clark

Jeffrey Daniels

James Fairley

Thomas Quirk

Matthew Rank

Whit Williams

Coach - Norman Getsinger

2014 SHOCKERS

VOLLEYBALL TEAM

#1- Harper Tassy

#5- Emily Debe

#6- Grace Decker

#9- Lily Siemasko

#10- Halle McKellar

#12- Amanda Watson

#13- Alleta Patterson

#14- Madison Lark

#15- Annie Leonard

#16- Haley Sutherland

Mgr – Katherine Balas

Mgr – Amelia Leahy

Mgr – Isabella Linz

Mgr – Maggie Slade

Coach – Jennifer Martin

01 – Peyton Pounds

03 – Amir Samuel

05 – Justin Shorter

07 - Josh Devine

09 – Parker Green

10 – Jason Rickel

11 – Charlie Stamps

18 – Alex Holcomb

19 – Zach Weston

20 – Nathan Kocmond

21 – Christopher James

23 – Trey Harris

25 – Usim Mang

27 – Jackson Francisco

31 – Jared Metz

32 – Isaiah Jenkins

34 – RT Williamson

37 – Luke Cheramie

40 – Ethan Baker

44 - Caleb Ogunmola

47 – Matthew Gormley

48 – Ben Pendernales

49 – Parker Johnstone

51 – Mac Neely

54 – Brandon Baldwin

55 – Benjamin Foesch

59 - Ryan Spivak

65 – Julian Swann

66 – Divyansh Nagpal

67 – Dylan Williams

2014 SHOCKERS FOOTBALL TEAM

71 – Josh Adams

75 – Connor St. Clair

77 – David Belous

Mgr – Wyatt Roach

Coaches - Trevor Young, Keith Bright, Carl

Daniels, Erik Saxon and Matt Baker

2014 SHOCKER CHEERLEADERS

Madison Campbell

Lyrric Duncan

Kayliah Gamble

Kate Hammermeister

Julianna Jones

Julia Macchiaverna

Macey Morton

Antonia Taboada

Caroline Tabor

Isabella Tousa

Makenzie Wakem

Jennifer Walsh

Ariel Willis

Rachael Wondracek

Coach – Jenice Boone

Cheerleaders and staff show their school

spirit at the fall pep rally.

8040 Strawberry Lane

Charlotte, NC 28277

Phone: 980.343.3670

Fax: 980.343.3725

http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/

southcharlotteMS/Pages/Default.aspx

South Charlotte Middle School

DECEMBER

9 Tues. Chorus Concert 6:30 PM

10 Wed. Orchestra Concert at PHS

11 Thurs. PTO Officers’ Meeting 8:45 AM

17 Wed. 7th & 8th Dance Concert

22-31 NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK

JANUARY

1-2 Th-Fri. NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK

6 Tues. Deadline for PTO Quarterly Newsletter Submissions

8 Thurs. PTO Officers’ Meeting 8:45 AM

14 Wed. Honors Dance Showcase

19 Mon. NO SCHOOL - MLK JR. HOLIDAY

20 Tues. End of 2nd Quarter

23 Fri. NO SCHOOL - TEACHER WORKDAY

OCTOBER

27 Mon. End of 1st Quarter

31 Fri. NO SCHOOL - TEACHER WORKDAY

NOVEMBER

6 Thurs. Fall Sports Banquet

7 Fri. Report Cards

11 Tues. NO SCHOOL - VETERANS’ DAY HOLIDAY

12-13 W-Th. Winter Sport Sign-up (during lunch)

13 Thurs. PTO Officers’ Meeting 8:45 AM

13 Thurs. PTO General Meeting/7th & 8th Band Concert 7 PM

17 Mon. PTO General Board Meeting 8:45 AM

17-19 M-Wed. Boys’ Basketball Tryouts 4-6 PM

17 Mon. Cheerleading Tryouts Begin 4-6 PM

20-21 Th-Fri. Girls’ Basketball Tryouts 4-6 PM

26-28 W-Fri. NO SCHOOL - THANKSGIVING BREAK

Calendar of Upcoming Events

A 2007 NCLB Blue Ribbon School

In compliance with federal law, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without

discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, national origin, age or disability.

The Shocker

SCMS Main Phone: 980.343.3670

Fax: 980.343.3725

CMS Transportation: 980.343.5715

Remaining Sports Contests:

Monday 10/27 HOME, Softball/Volleyball vs Southwest 5 pm

Tuesday 10/28 Golf vs Community House at Raintree 5pm

Wednesday 10/29 HOME, Softball/Volleyball vs Community House 5pm

Thursday 10/30 Football at Community House 5pm

http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/southcharlotteMS/Pages/Default.aspxhttp://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/southcharlotteMS/Pages/Default.aspx