" \l October, 2014

fMIDDLE SCHOOL

2nd Quarter, 2013-2014

Notes from the Principal

(Education is not tfiefitting ofa bucket 6ut the Ggfiting ofafire."~W. B. Yeats (John Norton)

Dear Parents,

We are entering a year of change all across the district, but especially here at Morton. This is an exciting timeas all of our students in grades 6-8 will be educated in the same environment with the same opportunities.Most importantly, our students will be able to explore the educational world together through the years, ratherthan just starting to get to know one another for four years of high school.

While we have had some growing pains and details to work out in combining 740+ students, the students haveactually adjusted quite well overall. With time, things will continue to get easier, and we can focus on ournew identity together. I would like to thank our Morton PTO for all of their efforts to help to make the transition a good one for all students—with many enjoyable events such as the back-to-school party, monthly skating parties, the Halloween bash, etc.

It is hard to believe that we have made it to the end of the first grading period. Time has certainly gone byquickly. As wemove into the second quarter and eventually the winter months, please continue to remind yourchildren of the importance of staying caught up with school work. Students often start out the year strong andcan sometimes begin to fade. We are hoping to keep the positive momentum going strong. If your child hasgotten behind in his/her work and has struggled with grades this quarter, please remind him/her of the new beginning possible with the startof the second quarter. You also might want to consider after school study tablesor tutoring. Please contact your child's teachers if you are interested in eitherof these options.

Solid parent/staff communication is definitely one crucial key to our students' successes. Please let me knowif you have any questions or concerns or if there is any situation that is affecting your child's education. Donot hesitate to contact me, Mr. Tregoning, Mrs. Wilson, or any of your child's teachers. More often than not,these contacts have a positive result.

As always, we thank you for your support as we strive to make each child successful. Let us know if you haveany questions in regards to Issue39, and please remember to vote on November 5th.

Sincerely,

Shannon White

Principal, Morton Middle School

Page 2

GUIDANCE NEWS

In late November, the 7,h grade students will have the opportunity to participate in a program entitled REDODay. REDO stands for "respect everybody despite odds". The program addresses bullying in an engagingmanner that ultimately aims to build character and create a safer school environment with fewer bullying incidents. This is a one day program where the students come together in a safe space and go through facilitated,fun exercises designed to break down the barriers between students that have led to bullying and stereotyping.The day consists of large and small group discussions, and interactive activities, all aimed at stimulatinggreater understanding and acceptance ofeach other's diversity. Topics include self-awareness, responsibility,peer relationship and influences, along with a discussion to embrace future plans. The sessions are dividedinto two days—one day for the boys and one day for the girls. This allows each group of students to focus onthe relationships with his/her friends and classmates. The program's ultimate aim is to increase:• awareness of personal behaviors that affect others• attitude of acceptance of self• attitude of acceptance of others• knowledge, skill and intention for how to help others

This program was presented last year and positive comments from both students and staff were received afterthis powerful, interactive presentation.

DONATIONS NEEDED FOR TROOPSThe eighth grade class would like to send care packages to a unit stationed in Afghanistan, and we

need your help to make that happen.POSSIBLE ITEMS TO DONATE:

*Shampoo/conditioner/body wasli/toothpaste/toothbrushes/deodorant/body lotion/bath sponges/chap stick/ barsoap/footpowder/nail files/femininehygiene products/neutral colored hairbands*Books/dvds/cd's/board games/playing cards/handheld electronic games/i-tunes cards*Club crackers/Graham crackers/ summer sausage/ beefjerky/cereal bars/pretzels/chips/individually wrappedsnacks/dried fruits/single servings boxes of cereal

STARTING NOVEMBER 4th & ENDING NOVEMBER 15th, please bring donations to collectionboxes locatedoutside the gym when you arrive in the morning.

We want to send 50 care packages at a cost of $15 each for shipping. If you know of any organizationor business who would like to help with the cost of this, or if you have any questions, please contact NicoleBurley : nicole.burley@vbcsd.com or Bill Innes: bill.innes@vbcsd.com.

2013-2014 STUDENT COUNCIL MEMBERS

6th Grade: Trinity Berry, Brittany Blakely, Mackenzie Derrick, Maddie Gregory, Madeline Hofstetter,Raquel Kreitzer, Dylan Lawson, Delaney Marstellar, Jenna McKenzie, Kayla Meagley, Dema Mirib

7th Grade: Bella Appleman, Michael Brandt, MackenzieBritton, Lani Corder, Erin Dean, Tyree Fletcher,Calleigh Fullam, Brooke Gomer, Marissa Jobe, Kari Lewis, Ethan May, Drake Midlam, Maggie Peck,Hailee Perry, Chloe Raybourn-Kitta, Breanna Wright

8th Grade: Myonah Anderson, Alyssa Belcher, EmmaChilders, Farrah Cole, Grace Cope, Clara Fiori,Branden Fisher, Taylor Gingrich, Marissa Hutcheson, Kaitlyn Jackson, Chloe Marstellar, Noell Price,Hannah Shafer, Maddy Vance, Hannah Webb, Riley Weber

2nd Quarter, 2013-2014 Page 3

6TH GRADE NEWS

The 6th grade team is off to a great start to the new school year.

In social studies, the students are going to be learning about the Paleolithic and the Neolithic periods.

Language Arts classes are wrapping up their genre unit and starting a unit on literary terms. This will lead totheir first lit circles on realistic fiction. Additionally, students are taking part in the iRead25 program where

students are setting goals to read at least 25 books this year from a variety of different genres.

In science, students learned what it means to be scientific. They practiced what it means to follow the scien

tific inquiry process (scientific method) using Gobstopper candies and began using and applying important

science vocabulary. In other science classes, students have just finished solving a science fair mystery, whichincorporated an in-depth study of the scientific method. This unit also required them to work cooperativelyand use their problem solving and critical thinking skills to determine who hid all of the science fair projects at

•'Brightsville" School.

Math students have been studying prime and composite numbers and prime factorization. Please review basicmultiplication facts with your child each night.

Remember to check-out the 6th grade team's Blackboard page for information on 6th grade, as well as dailyhomework.

FACTS ABOUT THE NOVEMBER 5th LEVY REQUEST

> Vandalia-Butler City Schools has placed a 6.99-mill, five-year operating levy on the November 5, 2013,ballot.

> The levywill collect $3,893,851 annually for five years. It will cost the owner of a $100,000 home$244.65 per year.

> The request is needed to balance the district's budget. The state's budget provides for very little additionalfunding over the next two years. No other revenue increases are expected.

Confused about school finance? Check out our video, "The World of School Finance," for a primer abouthow our schools are funded. The video is on our YouTube channel: vbaviatorproductions.

*hp Choir/Band News %\

m **»*Students have been busy preparing music for our first concerts in December. The week of October

14th, some students in 7th and 8th grade choirs were nominated for the District 12 honors choir that will takeplace a Whittenberg University in November. Congratulations to the 26 students who made the Morton Handbell Choir this year. Students in 7th and 8th grade band auditioned chair placements the last week ofOctober.Congratulations to all of these students for trying out.

Page 4

7TH GRADE NEWS

It is an exciting time in the seventh grade language arts classrooms! Through the continued analysis of ouroverarching theme questions: "Who am I?", "Who do I want to be?", and "How do I stay true to myself?",Mrs. Schuh and Mrs. Smith's students have grappled with their sense of self-identity. To assist them with thisprocess, students have been developing personal responses through the creation of their journal and autobiography chapters. Additionally, they have been evaluating the experiences of non-fictional and fictional characters that are tackling similar issues.

Mrs. Sutton's writing classes will continue to work on different aspects of grammar while they start looking atthe different aspects of persuasive writing. In reading, they will finish reading The Lightning Thief and willtransition to some nonfiction leading up to A Christmas Carol. When they return from break, students willbegin a larger nonfiction unit using biographies and autobiographies, as well selections in the textbook thataddress facing different kinds of social adversity.

It has been a successful start to the 2013-2014 school year in math classes! Seventh grade math students havebeen working hard reviewing orders of operations, functions, and integer operations throughout the first quarter, and are looking ahead to working with variables and solving equations in the second quarter. Pre-algebraclasses have spent the first quarter working with variables and expressions, integers, properties, ordered pairsand graphing as they prepare for the challenges of second quarter where they will be exploring more complexequations using rational numbers, decimals, and fractions. Algebra classes have been working with complexequations and functions this fall, preparing them to learn how to graph linear equations and work with slope-intercept form and point slope form in the second quarter.

Students in Mrs. Pulliam's class will also be given various IXL assignments to be completed both in schooland at home. IXL is a wonderful online math site that will provide students with the opportunity to practiceskills currently discussed in the classroom, as well as provide an opportunity to review other skills. Each student has an individual log-in and password and should have that information.

Science is full of matter and in complete motion. Students have been developing scientific inquiry skillsthrough independent study labs as they finish learning about the nature of matter and energy. They should beable to describe, identify and explain changes in matter and energy. They will then begin a very exciting exploration ofecosystems. Students will investigate how organisms and populations interact through a variety ofrelationships, as well as, study living and non-living resources.

Seventh grade social studies is comparing and contrasting the early governments of Greece and Rome to ourform of government in the United States. In the next few weeks, we will be analyzing ancient Greece and impact on society, as well as, societal effects from therise and fall of the Roman Empire.

.

2nd Quarter, 2013-2014 Pace 5

8TH GRADE NEWS

Mrs. Burley*s eighth grade language arts began the year studying short stories and emphasizing the development of active reading comprehension strategies. Classroom discussion, projects, and individual homeworkassignments help the students develop these good comprehension techniques. Ask your child about the various stories and literary elements that they explore as the year progresses. Eachof the stories has a similartheme to help us better tie in our writing assignments. These assignments focus on the student as an individual and help them express why each of their lives isgood. The culminating product will be the publishing oftheir copy of the book Life is Fabulous. This book is an ongoing project, which consists ofa variety ofdifferentwriting examples. Each of the writing assignments is developed to help students to develop their voice,coherency, creativity, and writing conventions. We look forward to seeing the final products of all the students* hard work. Lastly, be sure to remind your child to also keep up with his/her grammar packet, which isdue each Friday.

Mrs. Hackenberger's English students have been working on active reading skills, analysis writing, sentencestructure, and description this quarter. Grammar packets are assigned every Monday andare due on Friday.

Eighth grade math classes have hit the ground running for the 2013-2014 school year! Algebra classes havebeen working with complex equations and functions this fall, preparing them to learn how to graph linearequations and work with slope-intercept form and point slope form in the second quarter. Geometry classeshave been reviewing equations and working with points, lines, planes, distance, midpoint, and angles. Pleasesee the grade level blackboard page to view instructions on how to access each teacher's homework assignments for the year. Thanks for a great start to the year.

Important Washington, D.C. Trip Information:

Trip Dates: May 28—31, 2014

Payment Due Dates:

November 1st—$150.00 deposit and two permission forms (school and tour company)January 14th— SI75.00 second paymentApril 8th—Balance (TBD)

PTO NEWS

Morton students practiced "Skate-Don't Hate. That's How We Roll" on October 10.Pictured here are afew of the winners. Kara Macklin (not pictured) won the prize for the newly created "Mr. Oldfield Community Spirit Award" in her adorable pink outfit and gorgeous pearls. Our next Morton PTO Skateworld event willbe Thursday, November 14, 6:30-7:30pm. Dress up as a pilgrim, Turkey, or wear school colors.

Wife

Page 6

NOVEMBER 1 Report Cards Go Home

Washington, D.C. trip deposit and permission forms due

3 Daylight Savings Time Ends

4 National Jr. Honor Society Induction 7:00 PM

5 ELECTION DAY—Please Vote

Coffee with the Principal—7th Grade 9:00 AM

8 PTO Cookie Dough Sale Ends

11 PTO Meeting 4:30 PM

14 Parent/Teacher Conferences 2:50-6:20 PM

PTO Skate Night—Skateworld

18 Parent/Teacher Conferences 2:50-6:20 PM

19-22 8th Grade to MVCTC (1/4 each day)

22 Interims Go Home

25-26 7th Grade Re-Do Day

27-29 NO SCHOOL—Thanksgiving Break

26 BOE Business Meeting—BHS 7:00 PM

DECEMBER 3 Coffee with the Principal—8th Grade 9:00 AM

7th/8th Chorus Concert—BHS PAT 7:00 PM

9 PTO Meeting 7:00 PM

17 BOE Business Meeting—BHS 7:00 PM

18 7th/8th Band & Handbell Concert (Morton gym) 7:00 PM

23-Jan 3 WINTER BREAK—NO SCHOOL

JANUARY 6 School Resumes

7 District Spelling Bee (St. Christopher School) 6:30-7:30 PM

9 PTO Skate Night—Skateworld 6:30-8:30 PM

13 PTO Meeting 7:00 PM

14 Washington, D.C. trip second payment due

16 End of 2nd Quarter 2:30 PM

17 NO SCHOOL—Teacher Report Day

20 NO SCHOOL-Martin Luther King Jr. Day

21 NO SCHOOL—Professional Development Day

22 3rd Quarter Begins

24 Report Cards go Home

FEBRUARY 4 Coffee with the Principal—6th Grade 9:00 AM

6 Parent/Teacher Conferences 2:50-6:20 PM

10 PTO Meeting 7:00 PM

11 Parent/Teacher Conferences 2:50-6:20 PM

17 President's Day—NO SCHOOL

Page 7

Healthy Tips from the Nurses DeSfcBREAKFAST-THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY!!

Attention students and parents:

Welcome to a great start of the 2013-2014 school year. Once again I would like to remind families ofthe importance ofyour child eating a NUTRITIOUS breakfast each and every morning. School lunches beginwell into the school day with the older students eating towards the end of the lunch schedule. Once again thisschool year, we are seeing an increase in stomachaches and headaches midmorning which are most often theresult ofnot receiving breakfast prior to school. Just a reminder that breakfast is served daily in the cafetoriumfrom 7:00-7:20 AM.

Growing bodies and developing brains rely heavily on regular food intake. Lack of food can result inphysical symptoms such as stomachaches and headaches, inability to focus/concentrate during the school day.Please be sure that your child is getting a good breakfast each morning. A good breakfast could consist ofmilk and cereal, eggs and wheat toast. Getting up at the last minute and getting those few extra minutes ofsleep does not outweigh the benefits of eating a breakfast each morning. Eating a wholesome and nutritiousmorning breakfast daily, recharges your brain and your body, making you more efficient in just about anythingthat you do!!

Please feel free to contact me with any concerns or questions:Teresa Buttelwerth, RN, BSNTeresa.Buttelwerth(o),vbcsd.comMorton Middle School Clinic 937-415-6614Helke Elementary School Clinic 937-415-3030

Is my child well enough for school today?

It is beginning to be that time of the year again - fevers and coughing and sneezing, oh my! Here are some helpfulhints onhow to determine if your child is well enough for school. Your child should be kept home if he or she has anyof the following symptoms:

1. fever over 100 degrees F2. vomiting/diarrhea3. cough that disrupts normal activity4. lethargy (extremely tired)5. rash accompanied by a fever6. yellow/green drainage from the eye(s)

Your child should be fever-free for 24 hrs without the use of fever-reducing medications before returning to school.He/she should also remain at home until 24 hours after the last episode of vomiting/diarrhea. Children with contagiousbacterial illnesses should be on antibiotics for 24 hours before returning to school.

Hand-washing is the most important thing we can do to reduce the spread of illness. Be sure you and your childrenwash hands thoroughly before and after eating, after using the restroom, after sneezing, coughing or blowing the noseand any time the hands are soiled.

By not sending children to school when they are sick and encouraging good hand washing, we will be able to decrease the spread of illness in our school. Here's to a healthy school year!

Please feel free to contact me with any concerns regarding your child's health.

Mrs. Teresa Buttelwerth, RN, BSN

MIDDLE

8555 Peters Pike

Vandalia, Ohio 45377

SCHOOL

Phone: 937-415-6600

US PostagePAID

Tipp City, OHPermit #17

We're on the Web!

www.vbcsd.com

2013-2014 National Junior Honor Society Members

The Morton Middle School Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society was chartered to Morton Middle School in 1991. Charter members were tapped on Monday, October 21st. To be selected, each student must possess a cumulative GPA of 3.3 and strongly demonstratequalities in the areas of leadership, scholarship, character and serviceboth in and out of school.

The following 8th graders were tapped on Monday, October 21st andwill be inducted into Morton's National Junior Honor Society on November 4 @ 7pm.

Lyndsey Achs, Jenna Al-Bezreh, Emily Allen, Allison Baker, AlyssaBelcher, Alexis Brown, Emma Childers, Katelyn Clark, Farrah Cole,Grace Cope, Lauren Davis, Sarah Droesch, Clara Fiori, Branden Fisher, Brianna Fourman, Amanda French, Taylor Gingrich, Anna Gregory, Jonathan Hansford, Rebecca Helke, Katie Henry, Rachel Horn,Marissa Hutcheson, Kaitlyn Jackson, Parker Jensen, Alex Kapis,Courtney Kessler, Lindsey Kessler, Willow Knight, Abby Landis,Troy Luken, Stephanie Marcum, Chloe Marstellar, Anna Beth Neely,Pooja Patel, Blaine Payton, Jessica Sacks, Hannah Shafer, Nolan Shel-ton, Leland Skapik, Sutton Skapik, Camryn Snapp, Keagan Sommer,Victoria Theobald, Aaron Ticknor, Madelyn Vance, Hannah Webb,Kyle Wertz, and Lindsay Woodruff.

Inside This Issue:

Notes from the Principal I

Guidance News 2

Student Government 2

6th Grade News 3

Levy Information 3

Music News 3

7th Grade News 4

8th Grade News 5

PTO News 5

Calendar 6

Information from Nurse 7

National Jr. Honor Society...8

Mark Your Calendar:

November 5

ELECTION DAY

November 14 & 18

Parent/Teacher Conferences

November 27-29

Thanksgiving Break- NOSCHOOL

December 23-Januarv 3

Winter Break—NO SCHOOL

January 20

Martin Luther King. Jr.Day—NO SCHOOL

January 17-21

NO SCHOOL for Students