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East Shore Middle School
Milford Public Schools
240 Chapel Street
Milford, CT 06460
(203) 783-3559
Volume 24, Issue 3 December 2014
Statement of Compliance In compliance with Title VI, Title IX and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Milford Public School system does not discriminate on the
basis of race, creed, color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, or disability in establishing and implementing hiring and employment
practices and establishing and providing school activities and educational programs.
The Title VI and Title IX Coordinator and Compliance Officer is Wendy Kopazna. The Section 504 Compliance Officer is Susan Kelleher. They may be
contacted by mail at the Milford Public Schools, 70 West River Street, Milford, CT 06460 or by phone at (203) 783-3400. Questions, concerns or
comments regarding possible discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should be made in person or in writing to the following:
Regarding Facilities: James L. Richetelli, Jr. /Chief Operations Officer
Regarding Employment: Wendy Kopazna/Director of Human Resources
Regarding Programs: Susan Kelleher/Director of Pupil Personnel Services
Contact Information
School Phone Number:
(203) 783-3559
Principal’s Email: [email protected]
Assistant Principal’s Email:
School Secretaries:
Mrs. Sheryl Carpenter
Mrs. Diane Zanghi
*All staff email addresses are first initial
last name @ milforded.org
(i.e.: John Smith would be
Inside this issue:
Team Pages 2-11
Support Staff 12
Library/Media 13
Literacy
Corner
14
Team 1: December
Team 1 would like to wish our families a joyous
holiday season!
Social Studies
Students have just finished a unit on Prehistory and the beginnings of civilization. They are working hard on
their Cornell notes which have students identifying main ideas, writing questions or cues to accompany those
notes, and then summarizing the page of notes. It is a wonderful tool to be used for studying nightly as it acts as
a study guide with its set up. We are also working on writing skills. Students should be utilizing the strategies
that they have learned in language arts in social studies class. Each student has set writing goals for themselves.
It is a process and students need to practice to improve their skills just as they would any other activity.
Next we are beginning the world’s first civilizations of the Fertile Crescent in Mesopotamia. Students will learn
about the world’s first schools, cities, and the origin of writing. We will study the first written laws of the world
with Hammurabi’s code. Parents, please be sure to check your student’s assignment pad. They must be
reviewing their notes and handouts nightly when there is not a written assignment. In preparation for an
assessment, a good strategy is to make index cards with vocabulary and questions on one side and answers on
the other. Social Studies – Mrs. Balamaci (Team Leader) – [email protected]
6th Grade Math – 6th/7th Grade Advanced Math -
We have just finished Unit 2 - Rates and Ratios. Students shared in class great conversations happening at
home with family members including sisters to grandmothers doing unit conversions from cooking to shopping.
Students were so proud to be the ones doing the teaching at home. Keep up the good work! Unit 3 – Using
Expressions our mathematicians will start to write, interpret and use mathematical expressions to validate their
understanding of algebra. Learning to use expressions will also help students to solve problems efficiently.
Need extra help at home? Website resources for extra help include: khanacademy.org (skill
practice/video lessons) and learnzillions.com (extra practice/lessons)
Math – Mrs. Wells – [email protected]
Science
Students are currently working on the Energy unit and determining the ways that heat is transferred. We will
evaluate the different ways that heat moves from one place to another (radiation, conduction and convection).
Our learning objectives will include: Explaining temperature and how it is measured and explain how heat is
Team 1 – Grade 6 – Page 2
related to temperature. This unit will also help the students analyze different materials and synthesize whether
they are good conductors or effective insulators. Throughout the unit, students’ will conduct hands-on
experiments and write scientific evidence-based explanations to demonstrate their understanding. At the
conclusion of the Energy unit, we will progress to the Water Unit. We look forward to visiting with the
Connecticut Audubon Society to gain knowledge about the environmental impact of water pollution and its
sources. Helpful hints: come to class prepared, ask questions and give your BEST effort!
Science – Mr. DeBassio – [email protected]
Language Arts
During the month of December, students will continue with Book Clubs and BAS testing. Students are reading
books with the central theme of survival. Some book titles are: Trapped, by Northrop, Stranded, by Jeff Probst,
Hatchet, by Gary Paulsen, Peak, by Roland Smith, I Survived the Japanese Tsunami, 2011, by Lauren Tarshis,
and Wildfire Run, by Dee Garretson. In addition, we have been working on argumentative writing, a genre of
writing that looks at both sides of a topic. Students are reading high-interest non-fiction articles in which
students are asked to examine both sides of a topic and make a claim that is supported by textual evidence. We
are following the SBA (Smarter Balanced Assessment) writing rubric for argumentative writing. Please ask
your child for a copy of the rubric so that we can work together to help support your child’s learning.
English Language Arts – Mrs. Higley/Mrs. Heffern – [email protected]/ [email protected]
Team 2-SHARKS
MATH
6th
Grade General Math Students are just completing the test for the Rates & Ratios unit. We are also
working on a performance task which involves using their new skills in a real-world situation. This involves a
great amount of organization in their work, and attention to the required details of the task. Students have also
been practicing how to explain their math reasoning for a given example. They are learning how to give an
explanation that shows their conceptual knowledge of a skill. We are creating word banks and using a template
to improve our math reasoning responses. Our next unit will be Using Expressions (see below for description
of this unit.)
6th
Grade Advanced Math In addition to completing all of the specifics mentioned above, advanced math
classes are currently in Unit 3: Expressions. The standards of the unit are printed below. Students will learn
how to write an expression to solve problems efficiently, and learn how to apply their knowledge of the
associative, commutative, and distributive properties to determine if two expressions are equivalent.
UNIT 3: EXPRESSIONS
Students will: Use exponents to show repeated multiplication, write algebraic expressions containing variables,
describe expressions and their parts (using words such as sum, term, product, factor, quotient, and coefficient),
learn the order of operations, write and identify equivalent algebraic expressions, identify variables in
expressions, and write algebraic expressions to represent real-world mathematical problems.
HELP YOUR CHILD WITH HOMEWORK TIP
*Check out these 3 websites for math: xtramath.com for math skills practice and learnzillions.com for extra
help/lessons on a particular topic, kjhanacademy.org for presentation of lessons and practice.
* Math homework can be found on the team website page in case a student is confused about an assignment in
their assignment pad.
**Please visit my math webpage for more information on how to help your child succeed in math.
Mathematics – Mrs. Casey (Team Leader) – [email protected]
SOCIAL STUDIES
Students have completed their mini unit on the Iceman and have worked very hard to complete their five paragraph
essay about him. We are currently studying the Stone Age and will compare and contrast the Old Stone Age and New
Stone Age. Students will then learn about the beginnings of civilization. When the chapter is completed, students will be
given an assessment.
Parent Tips:
1. Encourage your child to keep their Social Studies notes in chronological order.
Team 2 – Grade 6 – Page 4
2. Have your child review their notes/vocabulary words on a daily basis so they are not waiting until the night
before the test.
3. If your child has a written essay due, have them type one paragraph per night and use their toolbox to help with
editing or revising.
4. Encourage your child to ask questions in class if they are unsure of a topic or how to do something.
Social Studies – Mrs. Barile – [email protected]
SCIENCE
Students are currently working on the Energy unit and determining the ways that heat is transferred. We will
evaluate the different ways that heat moves from one place to another (radiation, conduction and convection).
Our learning objectives will include: Explaining temperature and how it is measured and explain how heat is
related to temperature. This unit will also help the students analyze different materials and synthesize whether
they are good conductors or effective insulators. Throughout the unit, students’ will conduct hands-on
experiments and write scientific based explanations to demonstrate their understanding. At the conclusion of
the Energy unit, we will progress to the Water Unit. We look forward to visiting with the Connecticut Audubon
Society to gain knowledge about the environmental impact of water pollution and its sources. Helpful hints:
come to class prepared, ask questions and give your BEST effort!
Science – Mrs. Cruciani – [email protected]
LANGUAGE ARTS
Students will improve their argumentative writing skills as they revise and rewrite their Baseline Assessments.
They will learn strategies for note-taking and finding evidence from various sources to support their claims. We
will provide models of introductions that include a strong hook or lead to capture the reader’s interest and
claims that clearly state what the reader will be learning about and outline the main ideas that will be developed.
We will demonstrate how to enrich their writing with power details including quotes, anecdotes, amazing facts,
statistics, and sensory descriptions to support their main ideas. In addition, we will suggest techniques for the
students to wrap up their pieces powerfully and creatively by expressing the main ideas differently and leaving
the reader with a final thought.
Encourage your child to ask questions that guide self-reflection in writing with some of these questions and
suggestions:
● What are the best aspects/ features of my paper? What areas can I improve?
● Did you create a plan for your writing piece and how did it help you develop your ideas?
● Did you use your Writer’s Toolbox to thoroughly edit your paper?
● Review your work and set a goal for the next writing assignment. English Language Arts – Mr. Hribko/Mr. Cannizzaro – [email protected]/ [email protected]
7th Grade Math – Seventh grade math students are now working in a unit on Algebraic reasoning. This entails
having knowledge of the difference between expressions and equations, the study of inequalities, variables, the
Order of Operations, etc. And as in the first two units, your students will be solving word problems using these
abstract concepts! How can you translate real-world problems to algebraic expressions? Your sons/daughters
should be able to set up equations and solve!
7th
/8th
Grade Advanced Math – Unit 5, the study of Two and Three Dimensional Geometry, began the middle of
November. Students will learn that algebra and geometry are related through solving equations to find unknown
angles of figures. They are building upon what they learned in sixth grade, and expanding it to include circles,
surface area and volume. Practical applications include finding how much paint is needed to cover a room or
how much material you need to reline a pool. Every day problems help to answer their questions of why they
need to learn these concepts in the first place!
Mathematics – Mrs. Mahon (Team Leader) – [email protected]
Mrs. Astrosky (Team Leader) – [email protected]
During the month of December students will complete a unit on Australia and go on to explore the region known as South
Asia with a specific concentration on India, “the subcontinent”. First, students will learn the geographic features which
exist in this region. Special consideration will be given to Mt. Everest, the world’s tallest mountain. Did you know that
India has more than a billion people and is the world’s largest democracy? Sadly, many environmental concerns plague
India as a result of its overpopulation and little is being done to improve its state. If Mahatma Gandhi, one of India’s most
revered leaders still lived today, perhaps he could bring change to India? It is certain however that whichever path Gandhi
chose, no harm would be brought to the people of India. Just a reminder, students are strongly encouraged to use the CIA
World Factbook link located on their resource list for additional information about the countries we will be studying this
unit!
Social Studies – Ms. Lucibello – [email protected]
Mrs. Rossi – [email protected]
Seventh grade science classes will continue units on cell division and reproduction. We understand that reproduction is
essential to the survival of living things. We will look at genetic information that determines the inheritance of traits and
study the work of Gregor Mendel. We will use punnet squares to predict the probability of inheriting characteristics. We
look forward to increasing our understanding of living organisms!
Science – Mrs. Theriault – [email protected]
Mr. Thomas – [email protected]
In our 7th grade Language Arts classes, students are actively reading and enjoying a variety of novels in their book clubs.
Book clubs are when a group of students read the same novel and have meaningful discussions about the characters,
themes, and conflicts; each group reads a different novel, but all of the novels have a similar theme. The overall theme for
our unit is Identity: Culture, community and self. Some of the novels students are reading include Walk Two Moons by
Sharon Creech, Wonder by R.J. Palacio, Inside out and Back Again by Thanha Lai, Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli, Diamonds
in the Shadow by Caroline Cooney and Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen. Students have been practicing the Common
Core Standards of Reading by evaluating the characters using text evidence and analyzing the author’s development of
these characters over the course of the text. As we head towards Christmas break, we wish all of our families a happy and
restful holiday season!
English Language Arts – Ms. Richiski – [email protected]
Ms. Johnston – [email protected]
Team 7th
Grade– Page 4
As the year progresses, students are learning more and more vocabulary words in Spanish! We have identified classroom
objects and the students know how to say all of the school subjects. One of our main focuses will be expressing time and
explaining when certain events occur. The students are going to see how the bits and pieces of Spanish they are learning,
can be put together to explain information about their school lives. Ask your student when they have Spanish class. (¿A
qué hora es la clase de español?) * Study Tip* Be a study buddy to your child by quizzing them on their current vocabulary each week!
Spanish – Mrs. Elgart – [email protected]
Ms. Hannigan – [email protected]
Team 4 – 8th
Grade
Ways to help your 8th
grader be successful:
Tip #3
As the new trimester begins, please be aware that you can access your son’s/daughter’s homework online on the
ESMS website. Also, make a plan with your child to check PowerSchool on a regular basis to keep informed of
assignments missed. Furthermore, now is an appropriate time to review the grading policy for late assignments
and retakes which can be located on the school website.
Click on the following link to access the homework page for all Grade 8 teachers:
http://www.milforded.org/page.cfm?p=8238
In our 8th
grade Language Arts classes, students are actively reading and enjoying the realistic fiction novel, The
Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton. They have been practicing the Common Core Standards of Reading by evaluating
characters and conflicts using text evidence, and analyzing the author’s development of the theme over the
course of the text. Students will also be reading and analyzing poetry by Robert Frost. As we head towards
Christmas break, students will be finishing the novel and working on their argumentative writing in preparation
for the next Common Assessment which will be administered in January. We wish all of our families a happy
and restful holiday season! Happy 2015!
English Language Arts – Mrs. Wasilewski (Team Leader) – [email protected]
Ms. Johnston – [email protected]
Time marches on in Social Studies as the first trimester comes to a close. The colonies are well established and
are becoming less and less dependent on Great Britain. As we begin the second trimester, we continue to
approach the Revolutionary War and our subsequent independence. As always, we are exposing the students to
all kinds of historical documents including journals, maps, and letters from actual participants in the events we
are studying. We are quite pleased to see the level of interest the students consistently display in U.S. History
this year. We encourage you to ask them about life in the colonies.
Social Studies – Mr. Storey – [email protected]
Mrs. Rossi– [email protected]
Grade eight science students have gravitated from learning about the effects of gravity on objects on Earth to
studying how gravity affects objects in the universe. The next course of study will concentrate on the
gravitational pull of the Earth, moon and sun. We will be looking at the rotation and revolution of Earth in our
solar system and how these motions affect us on Earth. We will pay particular attention to the causes of tides
and how tides impact coastlines during inclement weather.
Science – Mrs. Coulson – [email protected]
Mr. Thomas – [email protected]
Team 8th
Grade – Page 5
8th
Grade Math – Students are working on Unit 4: Congruence and Similarity.
The primary focus of this unit is to explore how transformations, such as translations, reflections, rotations, and
dilations, change the properties of geometric figures. We will also be exploring properties of parallel lines and
the angles that are formed by a transversal. The focus on geometry will be a breath fresh air for some, as we
begin to connect the geometry to the algebraic concepts we have been working on.
Key Vocabulary: congruent, similar, translate, rotate, reflect, angles, alternate interior angles, alternate exterior
angles
Our next unit will be: Unit 4: Proportional Relationships & Linear Equations
Algebra I - The students have finished up their unit of study on equations and inequalities. They have explored
the steps needed to solve those problems, as well as interpreted various solution sets to equations and
inequalities. Our next unit will be Descriptive Statistics. Students will be working with data distributions of
various shapes, centers, and spreads and connecting this new information with the linear relationships we have
been working with. The students need to continue to work hard and push themselves academically as we begin
our second trimester.
Mathematics – Mr. Lombardi – [email protected]
Mrs. Astrosky – (Team Leader) [email protected]
With the start of the second trimester, we are working on vocabulary related to medicine and health. We will be
starting the study of two very important verbs in Spanish (ser and estar). Students will be able to express
feelings and emotions, as well as be able to communicate their medical needs in a doctor’s office or pharmacy.
As the year progresses, students will continue to learn more vocabulary. It is important that they practice good
study habits like using flash cards, quizzing a friend, practice tests, reviewing notes and homework or seeking
extra help when needed. ¡Disfruta la vacación! (Enjoy your break!)
Spanish – Mrs. Einstein– [email protected]
Miss Hannigan –[email protected]
Physical Education
Now that it is beginning to feel like winter, the Physical Education program moves inside learning, practicing,
and perfecting the various skills required for soccer, basketball, floor hockey, volleyball, badminton, and team
handball. To make things more interesting, class tournaments will take place in badminton and volleyball in
order to determine a class champion. Also, students will be able to make extensive use of our fitness room and
all the equipment contained within. Happy Holidays!!!!
Mr. Conrad- [email protected]
Speaking of Music
General Music
Mr. Bednarsky’s 6th graders are excited about their 2nd trimester music project entitled "Music Critic to Be."
Please check out the East Shore Media page under projects for more information. This is a common core
connection. In addition, they will be starting their yearlong unit in Lab Guitar.
The 8th grade General Music student project is "American Popular Music" and a posting on the East Shore
Media page is forthcoming. Eighth grade chorus students are continuing to practice for the Winter Concert.
The 7th grade music students are engaged in their music project "Music History Time-Line" which is also a
common core connection unit.
All music students, with the exception of chorus students will be taking a test in Music Alive based on the
music, artists, and culture of the 1980s. We will feature Shawn Mendes for the song of the month sing-a-long.
Common core connections are Pr4.Analyze, interpret, and select artists' work for presentation, Re 7. Perceive
and analyze artistic work, Re 9. Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work and Cn 11.Relate artistic ideas and
works with societal, cultural, and historical context to deepen understanding.
Mr.Bednarsky
Music Specialist (pre-K-12)
Mr. Bednarsky [email protected]
Band/Strings and Chorus
Concert season is upon us! Students should be practicing their music to be ready for their upcoming
performances. We are so excited to share our winter programs with you! The students have been working very
hard and have grown so much musically in this first half of the year! Looking forward to seeing you at the
concerts!
Concert Dates:
Band/Strings – Dec. 9th
– Foran – 7pm (Specific details to follow)
Chorus – Dec. 17th
– Foran – 6pm – Students report at 5:40
Mr. Boccia – [email protected]
Mr. Juhasz – [email protected]
Mrs. Friedman – [email protected]
Humanities Team – Page 10
Health
We are eager to start the second trimester with the eighth graders. They will start out with examining the
importance of maintaining good social, mental/emotional and physical health- the health triangle. In addition,
they will be analyzing their health triangles and coming up with strategies to improve the balance of their health
triangles. They will also be learning about the importance of maintaining a high self-esteem and the strategies
that will help them do so, how to manage stress, mental illnesses, and how to seek out help for mental/emotional
health and social health problems.
We are also looking forward to the new semester with the seventh graders. They will be studying diseases
(communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases) and analyzing how unhealthy lifestyle choices can
increase the chances of disease.
Sixth grade students are continuing the first unit of Personal Safety with the topics of bullying and Internet and
technology safety.
Mrs. Moore- [email protected]
Visual Arts
Sixth grade students in Mrs. Delio’s class have explored how artists create the illusion of depth using classical
perspective. They have completed their landscape drawings using this technique and are beginning a unit on
color theory. Eighth graders have just finished creating clay vessels, ending a very productive Trimester 1.
I am looking forward to welcoming my trimester 2 students.
Grade six students in Mrs. Dotson’s room are starting a Fauvist color unit. They will be learning about 2
Fauvist artists and how to create either their own self-portrait or still life composition using oil pastels
techniques. Good bye my lovely grade 7 students! They finished either their 6 trading cards using various
techniques or a Fantasy Fish Sculpture using model magic and dry brush techniques.
Welcome to my new grade 7 and 8 students this trimester! We have a lot planned, be ready to work and
BRING A PENCIL!
Please check the FINALSITE click student work to see examples of what your students are doing.
Mrs. Delio [email protected]
Mrs. Dotson [email protected]
Technology Education
Trimester 2 is starting. With this trimester both the 7th
grade and 8th
grade students will be learning about
drafting communications: Why drafting is done; the types of drafting; and the importance of drafting. 7th
grade
will be learning to draw isometric drawings. 8th
grade students will be drawing orthographic projection and
learning to apply it to the future projects.
Thank you, Mr. Kania
Mr. Kania [email protected]
The Parent Support Seminar held on November 19 was a success. Thank you to those parents who took time out of their
busy lives to attend the workshop! A copy of the presentation can be found on the East Shore website. We are looking to
schedule a spring workshop so any information you would like covered is appreciated.
This month, our advisory program will focus on Random Acts of Kindness as we remember the Newtown tragedy. We are
encouraging students to commit random acts of kindness throughout the school day. Please encourage your child to do
the same outside of school.
We are developing a list of resources and hotlines for parents to access in support of your child's need for mental health
support outside of the school environment. These resources are approved by Mental Health First Aid USA; National
Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health; Maryland Child and Adolescent Innovations Institute; and Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Please let us know if you have an interest in receiving information regarding Suicide and Depression, Anxiety, Eating
Disorders, Psychosis, Substance Abuse, Attention Deficit Disorder, Disruptive Behavior Disorders, and Mental Health First
Aid, by emailing one of the Support Staff members listed below.
Also, as we begin the New Year, East Shore Middle School will be highlighting student attendance. Beginning in January,
students will be recognized for perfect attendance. Stay tuned for additional information.
“Daily classroom participation is an essential component of the learning process; classroom time directly influences
student achievement. Regular attendance is essential to promote a sense of commitment and seriousness of purpose on
the part of the each student.” (Attendance, 5113)
Stacy Murphy, School Social Worker: [email protected]
Kelly Rubino (Virzi), School Counselor: [email protected]
Karen Malota, School Counselor: [email protected]
Heather Wynne, School Psychologist: [email protected]
From The Desk of Our Support Staff
Parents and Students- A Can’t Miss Event: The librarian at East Shore Middle School will offer a parent/student Homework Success Workshop on Thursday December 4th from 6- 7pm in our new library. Have fun learning together some new technologies designed to help make homework quick and easy. The class format will be hands-on so parents and students may use google drive, databases and educational websites. The class will have a casual fun atmosphere with time for questions, parent collaboration, refreshments and fun!
Also, remember that the library is open every day from 7:30 to homeroom. This is a great time for students to use computers, print documents or check out books. Ask any teacher for a morning library pass to come in early. The library is also open Tuesday and Thursday evenings until 4pm with Mrs. Ward on late bus days.
Pamela Begin [email protected]
The Mathematical Benefits of Reading Twenty Minutes Each Day
Compare Students A and B
A reads 20 minutes five nights every week;
B reads only 4 minutes a night…or not at all
A reads 20 minutes five times a week, so 100 minutes per week;
B reads 4 minutes five times a week, so 20 minutes per week
A reads 400 minutes a month;
B reads 80 minutes a month
A reads 3,600 minutes in a school year;
B reads 720 minutes in a school year
A practices reading the equivalent of ten school days a year;
B gets the equivalent of only two school days of reading practice
By the end of middle school, student A will have read the equivalent of 30 whole school days;
B will have read the equivalent of only six!
Information courteous of Middletown Township Public Schools
From The Desk of Our Library/Media Specialist Mrs. Begin…
Literacy Corner