2018-2019 6th grade parent orientation
TRANSCRIPT
SMS 6th Grade Parent Orientation
Sunnyvale Middle School is a dynamic community with diverse cultural and socio-economic backgrounds located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Our mission is to engage students and empower them to reach their highest academic potential and social emotional growth. Critical and creative problem solving, effective communication, and community involvement are cornerstones of our supportive and challenging learning environment.
Are your kids ready for the first day?
Are you ready for summer to end?
We are growth focused
Psychology of Middle School ¤ Anxiety about their social status as perceived by peers.
¤ Anxiety about their social status as perceived by themselves.
¤ Struggling with body image insecurities (fear of not looking good enough or an aspect of their physical self detracting from their overall looks).
¤ Concerns that “Nobody really understands me.”
¤ Fear of not pleasing their parents (for obvious reasons, this one is seldom admitted, yet it is highly common.)
¤ Fear of not measuring up to their own expectations.
¤ Fear that their parents may find about negative behaviors they may have engaged in or are tempted to engage in
Jeffrey Bernstein Ph.D. Liking the Child You Love Psychology Today, February 2014
Acronyms
¤ WEB – Where Everybody Belongs
¤ PBIS – Positive Behavior Intervention and Support
¤ ELA – English Language Arts
¤ ELD – English Language Development
¤ EL – English Learner
¤ SST – Student Success Team
¤ RtI - Response to Intervention
Acronyms
¤ CAASPP – California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (State Testing)
¤ ELAC – English Learner Advisory Committee
¤ PTSA – Parent Teacher Student Association
¤ RSP – Resource Specialist Program
¤ SDC – Special Day Class
¤ SAI – Specialized Academic Instruction
¤ TSDC – Therapeutic Special Day Class
What to expect in the first few days
• PBIS Rotations • Expectation Assemblies • Getting to know each other activities • Cyber Safety lesson • Learning Routines • Green Sheets (Syllabi) • Student Agendas
Student Schedules
• A/ B Day Schedule • Core Classes • PE/Electives
Student Schedules Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
A Day B Day A Day B Day A Day
1 Social Studies Social Studies Social Studies Social Studies Social Studies
2 ELA ELA ELA ELA ELA
3 ELA Math ELA Math ELA
4 Math Math Math Math Math
5 Woodworking PE Woodworking PE Woodworking
6 Science Science Science Science Science
Student Schedules
What is this class I didn’t request doing on my schedule? • EL Support • RSP • Elective I didn’t choose
?
Homework Policy SMS considers homework to be an important part of the learning process. The amount of homework a student will have each night varies but in general will not exceed 1-2 hours. Each teacher has varying homework expectations. Please refer to the course syllabus for specific homework policies for each class.
Personal Electronics ¤ Cell phones off and put away during the
school day including passing periods, lunch periods, after school detention or tutorials, emergency drills, and field trips.
¤ Placing a cell phone on vibrate or texting is not considered off and is prohibited.
¤ Using a cell phone to audio or video record is prohibited.
¤ This applies to cell phones and all other personal electronic devices
Personal Electronics
Why the Change in policy?
¤ Campus Safety
¤ Self-Harm Contagion
¤ In-line with upcoming district policy
What if I need to contact my child
¤ Students may come to the office to call you.
¤ Students may check messages before school and after the end of day bell rings.
¤ You may contact the school and they will get a message to your child.
Supplies
You will receive a list of needed supplies from each teacher. You will not need excessive supplies for the first days of school. Pencils, pens and some paper to write on are enough to get started.
Communication
¤ Powerschool Parent Portal https://sesd.powerschool.com
¤ School Website https://www.sesd.org/sunnyvale
¤ Teacher Websites, blogs, and google docs
¤ Subscribe to the School Calendar [email protected]
¤ Email – All email addresses are [email protected]
¤ Student Agenda
Society-Culture-Politics and Us
¤ Over 50 languages and dialectics are spoken by our families.
¤ We represent a vast number of ¤ Races
¤ Cultures
¤ Gender Identities
¤ Political Beliefs
We will not always agree, but we all need to get along.
How do I get help for my student?
Supports
¤ Afterschool tutorials for Math, Reading, and Writing
¤ Individual and Group Counseling
¤ Mentorship Programs
¤ Social Skills Classes and Lunch Group
¤ RtI – Response to Intervention
¤ Special Education
How do I get help for my students?
People
¤ Grade Level Administrator (Mr. Shahin – [email protected])
¤ Counseling (Cynthia Patterson – [email protected])
¤ Parent Outreach Coordinator (Sarah Castro – [email protected])
¤ Attendance (Julie Melville – [email protected])
¤ Psychologist (Charlene Lee - [email protected])
¤ Language Support – Members of our staff speak Spanish, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Hindi, and Farsi.
