Rosa Parks Middle SchoolParent Meeting

Incoming 6th GradeTuesday, Feb. 2nd 7:00-8:00 p.m.

Purpose of the MeetingJewel Sanders, Principal

To provide information about Rosa Parks Middle School, the transition to middle school, the registration process, and our school program

To raise confidence, ease anxieties, and invite your collaboration in the transition process

Question/Comment cards have been provided. Please complete them and place them in the bin located in the back of the room at the end of the meeting.

Welcome and Introductions Jewel Sanders, Principal

Format for the evening

Communication handout

Transition from 5th to 6th grade

Team Leaders –Amy Rakowiecki and Jason Volz

Counselors – Michelle Ewers and Sara Watts

Curriculum Overviews

Department Chairs – Shana Gustafson, Amy Rakowiecki,

Dana Shelton, Stacy Shephard, Susan Song and Matt White

Current 6th Graders: Our Rosa Parks experience…

Our current

6th grade

students

6th Grade TeamAmy Rakowiecki & Jason Volz

5th to 6th grade articulation

6th grade structure

6th grade team meetings

Counselor support

Administrative support

Role of Team Leaders Amy Rakowiecki & Jason Volz

Facilitate communication with teachers, support

staff, administration, and parents

Support students in any way necessary

Facilitate parent conferences

Facilitate grade level meetings

What a great

team we have

at Rosa Parks!

Expect Huge Changes! Amy Rakowiecki & Jason Volz

Transition Amy Rakowiecki & Jason Volz

Elementary to Middle School

The Middle School Transition -Michelle Ewers & Sara Watts

Summer orientation:Dates will be

announced in the Spring

County-wide mock half day:Thursday, August 25th

School SupportsMichelle Ewers & Sara Watts

Team Leaders, Counselors & Administrators

Teacher Advisory Period (TAP)—The first 20 minutes of each day are dedicated to providing students with academic support and organization

After School Activities—HW clubs, reading & math support

Summer math and reading intervention classes offered (pending budget approval)

How Parents Can SupportMichelle Ewers & Sara Watts

Encourage students to take initiative and to be self-advocates, seeking help from teachers if they don’t understand

Check student planners & notebooks for homework completion and organization

Double check in the morning to ensure that completed HW is in their bookbag

How Parents Can SupportMichelle Ewers & Sara Watts

Support them in completing summer math packets and summer reading requirements

Register for your own Edline account and check it & the school website regularly

Contact the child’s teacher for initial academic concerns

When addressing concerns, use the following order when contacting the school: the teacher, the team leader or the counselor, the grade level administrator, and then the principal

Adolescent LearnerMichelle Ewers & Sara Watts

Registration Process -Michelle Ewers & Sara Watts, Counselors

Course Selections

Registration Forms

Due dates

Math Experiment in hallway

MCPS Middle School Course Booklet http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/

curriculum/middleschool/2016-

2017MiddleSchoolCourseBulletin.pdf

6th Grade Courses -Michelle Ewers & Sara Watts, Counselors

1. Math

2. English

3. Reading/World Language

4. World Studies

5. Science

6. PE & Health (3 quarters of PE and 1 quarter of Health)

7. Elective (Band, Orchestra or Arts Rotation)

Registration Form Top -Michelle Ewers & Sara Watts, Counselors

Registration Form Continued -Michelle Ewers & Sara Watts, Counselors

MyMCPS Registration-Michelle Ewers & Sara Watts, Counselors

https://scheduler.mcpsmd.org/public/

MyMCPS Registration -Michelle Ewers & Sara Watts, Counselors

Course Placement -Mike Kryder, Assistant Principal

Teacher recommendations

Grades

County and State Assessments

Including MAP-R/M & PARCC

Learning/Work Study Skills

Student and Parent Input

**Placement change requests should be sent,

by email or mail, to Ms. Sanders by May 2.**

6th Grade Math Courses Students will follow the recommended MCPS

C2.0 math pathway

Math Courses and PathwayDana Shelton, Math RT

Math Courses and PathwayDana Shelton, Math RT

* Including MCPS enrichment and acceleration opportunities** Investigations in Math*** AP Calculus, AP Statistics, or other college-level coursesThe red boxes show opportunities for students to take THREE years of math courses over TWO grades to allow for acceleration and the opportunity to take AP math courses in HS

MCPS Math Link-http://www.montgomeryschool

smd.org/curriculum/math/

MCPS Math Program InformationDana Shelton, Math RT

Where to get more

information?

There is a brochure

available online at:

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.

org/curriculum/math/

English and Reading -Susan Song, English RT

How are English and Reading Different?

English- novels, short stories, poetry, grammar

instruction and varied writing assignments

Writing skills include response to text, compose multi-paragraph

essays, and write in response to research

Reading- non-fiction, textbooks, essays and specific

reading strategies

Units include Greek mythology and newspaper

Courses and Placement -Susan Song, English RT

Advanced English 6 & On-level English 6

Advanced Reading 6, Digital Literacy, Reading

Intervention, or World Language

Recommendations are made on the basis of MAP-R

scores (Measures of Academic Progress- Reading), reading,

writing, study skills, and parent input

English and Reading Course Options

Reading Support Classes -Susan Song, English RT

Reading support for general education students:

Reading Advantage

Reading supports for students who receive special education services:

Reading Rewards

SOAR to Success

Reading Support Options

6th Grade Summer ReadingSusan Song, English RT

Summer Reading

Summer reading is required for students in all classes. Assignments will be distributed by 5th

grade teachers in June

The readings are used in classes to start the school year

MCPS English/Reading Link-http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.

org/curriculum/english/

World Language Classes -Shana Gustafson, WL RT

Elementary teachers do not make

recommendations for World Language; however, a

parent or student may consult with the teacher for

recommendations

Students must meet certain

MCPS test criteria to enroll

in a World Language class (High Map-R scores and strong

reading comprehension)

World Language Classes -Shana Gustafson, WL RT

Is my child ready for a World Language in 6th grade?

How well does my child transition to new things?

(middle school, new school, more teachers)

Will my child be “stressed” by a HS course (high

school credit / faster pacing / nightly homework /

frequent assessments / summative exams and projects)? MCPS World Language Link-http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.

org/curriculum/languages/

Spanish and French 1AB Same as HS - 1 credit

Fast paced – 8-9 units

Requires excellent study habits / organizational skills

Student should have interest in WL and be motivated

Summative Exams/Projects January and June

Recommendations based

on high MAP-R scores

These courses would

replace the 6th grade

advanced reading course

Depending on enrollment,

sixth grade students may

need to attend Sherwood

HS as 8th graders to take

Spanish III/French III

World Language Classes -Shana Gustafson, WL RT

World Language Credit-Shana Gustafson, WL RT

High school credit for World Language courses taken in middle school

A student must meet all three of the following requirements to be awarded credit: Pass the A course (i.e., Spanish 1A, French 1A) Pass the B course (i.e., Spanish 1B, French 1B) Pass the B final examination

The credit for World Language courses taken in middle school is automatically entered onto the high school transcripts when students are in Grade 9

6th Grade World Studies -Matt White, Resource Teacher

6th graders are enrolled in heterogeneously grouped Advanced

WS 6 classes

During the 6th Grade year, World Studies class will cover:

Patterns of Settlement (Mesopotamia, Egypt, Indus Valley)

Citizenship and Government (Greece and Rome)

Impact of Economic Systems (Ancient China)

Cultural Systems (Past and Present)

6th Grade World Studies -Matt White, Resource Teacher Read and comprehend a variety of texts, including primary sources

(documents, images, artifacts).

Historical Thinking: Distinguishing between primary and secondary sources Analyze a source for content Compare multiple historical accounts Evaluating sources for bias

Writing: Write a paragraph that contains a topic sentence,

supporting details, and closing sentence Using appropriate evidence to support a historical claim

Social Studies Skills: Geography and map skills Economics and government concepts Research

MCPS Social Studies Link-http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.

org/curriculum/socialstudies/

Investigations in Science 6-Amy Rakowiecki, Science RT

6th graders are enrolled in Advanced Investigations

of Science 6 (IS 6)

Students are heterogeneously grouped

Students will have varied and challenging

activities. Inquiry, critical thinking and application

of concepts to real life situations are integral

aspects of the curriculum MCPS Science Link-http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.

org/curriculum/science/

Investigations in Science 6-Amy Rakowiecki, Science RT

The units of study are: MATTER AND ITS INTERACTIONS

Introduction of Chemistry

ECOSYSTEM INTERACTIONS, ENERGY AND DYNAMICS

Diversity and Adaptations in Ecosystems

HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Resource Use and the Impact on Earth

ENERGY AND WAVES

Energy Transformation and Alternative Energy

Physical Education 6 -Stacy Shephard, PE/Health RT

Required class, 3 marking periods

PE focuses on health related fitness, movement skills

and concepts, and personal and social responsibility

Students should better understand the benefits of

fitness and efficient movement in physical activity

Students participate in games and activities that

promote fitness, develop tactical awareness and

develop social skills http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/physed/middle/

Physical Education 6 -Stacy Shephard, PE/Health RT

What Students Need for Successful

Performance in Physical Education

Pair of shorts and tee shirt

RPMS PE uniforms can be purchased online this

summer. More details will be forthcoming this spring

Sweatpants and sweatshirt

Tennis or athletic shoes

Locks are provided for the locker room

Health Education 6 -Stacy Shephard, PE/Health RT

Implemented through Physical Education

9 week course, separate grade

MCPS curriculum taught by Health certified teachers in a

classroom setting http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/health/

Focus on mental health, dealing with

peer pressure, goal setting, and preventing

tobacco use

Information meeting in the fall

Tech & Arts Electives -Shana Gustafson, RT

Sixth graders can choose either to take the

Unified Arts Rotation, which provides a

sampling of 4 courses (9 weeks each), OR they

can take a year-long elective.

Sixth Graders will select ONE of the following

ARTS Rotation - Art, Contemporary Communications,

Intro to Theater and Technology Education.

Band/Orchestra MCPS Tech Link-http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd

.org/curriculum/science/

MCPS Fine Arts Link-http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd

.org/curriculum/finearts/

Important Registration DatesMichelle Ewers & Sara Watts

Week of Feb. 1– Rosa Parks counselors visit feeder

elementary schools - distribute registration

materials and to discuss the registration process.

February 17th – registration forms due to 5th Grade

teachers

May 2nd – placement request changes in writing due

to Ms. Sanders and elective changes to student’s

counselor

Scheduling ProcessMichelle Ewers & Sara Watts

April 14th 3rd quarter report card distributed

Print out of registered classes provided

Please check to see if your child is registered appropriately

Concerns about placement should be directed to the teacher

Questions about electives should be discussed with counselors

After School Activities (Rec Extra) Mike Kryder, Assistant Principal

Facilitated by teachers and vendors

Tuesday/Wed/Thursday

Three Sessions

(Fall, Winter, Spring)

Opportunity to explore

interests

Find the balance of

academics and extra curricular activities

ClosureJewel Sanders, Principal

Principal Coffee Dates and Times

Exclusively for Parents of Rising 6th Graders

Thursday, February 18th 7:15 – 8:00 a.m.

Tuesday, February 23rd 9:30 – 10:10 a.m.

Copy of tonight's PowerPoint will be

on the Rosa Parks webpagehttp://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/rosaparksms/

Thank you for coming!Please complete and turn in a question/

comment card in the back as you leave

We look forward to our next

wonderful group of 6th grade

dolphins!!