August 23rd - August 27th
Welcome Back!
It was great welcoming students back on campus this week. They had an engaging week completing a number of orientation activities. We began our regular schedule on Friday. We are excited to be implementing a new schedule of classes this year. Mondays and Fridays follow the traditional model with each class meeting each day. Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday feature 70 minute periods and rotating classes so each class does not meet at the same time every day. The schedule may be accessed at this link.
Back to School Night
Parents will have an opportunity to meet teachers and the administrators at our Back To School night on Wednesday, September 1. Look for details in next week’s blog
Carpool
MORNING CARPOOL
7:30 - 7:50 drop off Middle School students at Hancock Hall
7:50 - 8:15 drop off Middle School students at the Gold Gate. Please DO NOT stop at the main Middle School entrance
AFTERNOON CARPOOL
Please DO NOT ARRIVE ON CAMPUS BEFORE 3:15. HDS now numbers over 450 students with 131 Middle School students. There is simply not enough room in our driveway to accommodate Middle School parents until that time. Arriving before 3:15 prevents Green and Gold zone parents from picking up their younger students.
Watch Mr. Crawford at the head of the carpool lane. He keeps space open so that after you pick up your student he will waive you by any cars ahead of you. Use your left side directional to let him know you are ready to proceed.
Assessments Calendar Parents and students now have an easy way to look at upcoming assessments. THIS LINK leads to a Google Sheet that will have the next 2 weeks of assessments. The link below will lead to the 6th grade assessments, but by using the tabs in the lower left corner (shown below), you can navigate to 7th grade and 8th grade assessments, as well.
Different subjects will appear in different colors:
History is black, Science is green, ELA is blue, Spanish is red, and Math is pink.
Please bear in mind that Middle School Assessments may be added, removed, or changed at any time. This Sheet will always be up to date, however - once a teacher assigns or adjusts an assessment, this Sheet will reflect that change.
Each middle school student is required to complete ten hours of community service over the course of the school year. Please remember to list hours worked on a daily basis, do not log the total sum of hours worked over an extended period of time. See below for a few upcoming service opportunities. Click HERE for a log form.
NEW ON CAMPUS COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITY!
Good environmental practices begin locally. We are looking for student volunteers to give up some time each week during their Enrichment period to green up our campus. Each week Mr. Crawford will coordinate projects that will enhance the beauty and functionality of our campus environment. Students who wish to volunteer should email Mr. Crawford at hcrawford@hancockdayschool.org.
HERB RIVER BEND CROSSWALK SCHEDULE
Reminder: duty hours are 7:45 - 8:10. ½ hour of community service credit each day. Students should keep a log of their hours on the community service form. If you are interested see Mrs. Mannarino in the middle school office to sign up!
WALKERS FOR NEXT WEEK
Monday, August 23rd:
Tuesday, August 24th:
Wednesday, August 25th:
Thursday, August 26th:
Friday, August 27th:
Welcome to a new school year! As Learning Coach, I will be working with students, parents, and teachers to offer support and strategies throughout the year. Please reach out to me if I can be of any assistance to you and your child/ren. I will share ideas and strategies often in this space. My email is: tguggenheim@hancockdayschool.org. I look forward to working with you as the year progresses.
With the start of a new school year, families everywhere find themselves thrust into a new schedule which typically involves an early start each morning. Establishing evening practices that allow for your student to get enough sleep is essential for success in school. Staying consistent and encouraging children to not use devices prior to bedtime are two tips to promoting healthy habits. Please take a quick look at the following link for some tips on how to help your student be ready to get the most out of each school day. Sleep in Middle and High School Students
I look forward to working with you and your family this year! Please feel free to get in touch with me at amhaer@hancockdayschool.org if you have any questions or concerns.
ALGEBRA - MRS. TAYLOR
I was so excited to see all of these kids! I hope they were just as happy to see me. Friday, students began assessing last year’s material. I have heard from several students that did not do the optional summer work. It was merely suggested but not mandatory. They are seeing the effects of not practicing as they struggle a little with the assessment of reviewing last year’s material. I am grading it for my purposes only and I will share it with them. Next week, we begin Chapter 1.
ADVANCED ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Welcome back to middle school!! Next week in Advanced Algebra, we will be reviewing adding and subtracting polynomials (9.1), multiplying polynomials (9.2), solving polynomials in factored form (9.4), and factoring polynomials (9.5). There will be a quiz on Thursday covering sections 9.1-9.4.
GEOMETRY - MR. LANFEAR
Welcome back to middle school!! Next week in Geometry, we will start building the building blocks of geometry by learning the basics such as points, lines, and planes (1.1), postulates and theorems (1.2), and the midpoint and distance formulas (1.3).
ELA - MRS. BOYER
Welcome Back!! Woop Woop!
This week the 8th graders are going to be diving into their summer reading novel, Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, with a mini-unit. There will be a test on 9/14 for all blocks. :)
We are starting off with a review of the themes, characters, and application to today’s world.
Activities: Opinion Walk, F451 Cheat Sheet Notes, Plot Mountain Poster Review.
**As students continue into their 8th grade year, it is imperative that they keep up with their reading, annotate their novels, and come in for extra help. The foundation of this class is heavily based on discussion and the sharing of ideas; students will need to participate to be able to engage with the material in a productive manner. **
Final Summer Reading Grades will be posted within two weeks.
Coming Up:
Students will be beginning To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee on 9/14.
HIGH SCHOOL SPANISH - MRS. SALE
Bienvenidos….welcome back!!!!I am very excited to be teaching you all this year. For the first several weeks we will be reviewing what was accomplished last year. So, this week we will work on numbers, ABC’s, basic conversation and articles. You will have your first quiz next Friday, 8/27. Have a BUEN weekend!
PHYSICAL SCIENCE - MS. HOFFMAN
Welcome Back! I am very excited to be teaching our HDS Senior Class. This year in Physical Science our focus will be on two general topics: Chemistry and Physics. Eighth grade students will also be completing an in-depth Science Fair Project. Information for this project will be explained and sent home on 8-30-21. We will also spend that entire week learning about this process and choosing our topics. Final projects are due in December.
We started off our new school year with a quick overview of the syllabus (due signed by Monday, 8/23) and also completed our first short writing assignment in class, Science in Comics. These papers will be due the last school day of each month and are designed to help the students discover all the varieties of science found in our everyday world. Students also received their science textbooks and workbooks.
Next week we will review lab procedures and safety along with determining basic measurements. We will then analyze the steps to the Engineering Process and make a comparison to those of the Scientific Method. Our scheduled labs for next week will be on measurement and the Engineering Process. Our first quiz on all of this material will be Friday, September 3rd.
US HISTORY - MR. GAUTHIER
Welcome Back! I am very excited to teach 8th grade US History! We will be learning a lot of history with the focus on why it happened. This week we will be doing a two or three day activity on reaching a consensus. We will also be figuring out how to think like a historian so we can analyze sources and create meaningful and insightful historical discussions.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MRS. SALE
Bienvenidos/welcome back!! Hope everyone had a great summer! We will start off the week with emphasis on the Spanish ABC’s, basic conversation, greetings and farewells. Also I want you to know...there will be the first quiz next Friday, 8/27. I hope you all are as excited as I am to be back teaching this year’s seventh grade. In the meantime have a BUEN weekend.
ADVANCED SPANISH - MS. CROCKER
¡Hola a todos! I am so excited to be at HDS and to be teaching such an awesome group! Monday we will kick off the week with a syllabus and Spanish classroom scavenger hunt. Then we will dive into some Spanish small talk. We are getting prepared for our virtual road trip through el mundo hispanohablante! There will be the first quiz next Friday, 8/27.
ALGEBRA 1 - MRS. TAYLOR
I was so excited to see all of these kids! I hope they were just as happy to see me. Friday, students began assessing last year’s material. I have heard from several students that did not do the optional summer work. It was merely suggested but not mandatory. They are seeing the effects of not practicing as they struggle a little with the assessment of reviewing last year’s material. I am grading it for my purposes only and I will share it with them. Next week, we begin Chapter 1.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Welcome back to middle school!! Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will review some fundamental skills such as decimal operations, fraction operations, rounding, exponents, and order of operations. We will then begin with section 1,1 in the textbook and learning how to evaluate expressions with variables (1.1). We will also learn how to compare and order integers (1.2). There will be a quiz on Tuesday for B Block and Wednesday for E Block covering the fundamental skills listed above. This quiz will not count as a grade.
ELA - MRS. BOYER
Welcome Back!! Woop Woop! I am so excited to have the opportunity to teach this year’s seventh graders! :)
This week we will be diving into….DUN DUN DUNNNNN...The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien!!! Students will engage in introduction activities, begin reading, and embark on a review of the Hero’s Journey (from their summer reading). Students MUST bring their Hero’s Guidebook to class.
Students will receive their reading calendar and the first section of reading comprehension questions on Monday.
**As students continue into their 7th grade year, it is imperative that they keep up with their reading, annotate their novels, and come in for extra help. The foundation of this class is heavily based on student reading and the sharing of ideas; students will need to participate to be able to engage with the material in a productive manner. All class activities are based on the reading completed prior to class time. **
Final Summer Reading Grades will be posted within two weeks.
ELA - MRS. SASSER
It was such a joy to welcome the kids back this week! I’m so thrilled to have this group for ELA this year!
Next week we’ll be diving right into a writing refresher. Students will review our writing format, SRES and have a quiz over this material on Friday 827. They will use these skills to write an essay over their summer reading assignment. They will draft this in class and are welcome to come in any morning for feedback. Final essays will also be due Friday, 8/31.
All reading assignments are posted on my classroom board and on Google Classroom daily. Students should check Google Classroom every single day.
LIFE SCIENCE - MRS. DURANT
Welcome back to school! I’m delighted to have you in my Life Science class this year! We are going to dive into science next week beginning with a review of lab safety and then begin our study of microbiology. Students will learn the parts of the microscope and how to properly use a microscope. They will participate in a lab on Friday using prepared slides to sharpen their microscope skills. Students will also work on their monthly Science in the News assignment. This year, our focus for these monthly writing/research assignments will be on current events related to science. They will begin the first month’s assignment in class and will need to complete the rest of the assignment for homework. The first monthly science writing assignment is due Tuesday, August 31. Please remind your student to check the Google Classroom daily for assignments and review material.
US HISTORY - MR. GAUTHIER
Welcome Everyone!! I am looking forward to a fantastic year in Middle School. This past week students enjoyed many activities and seminars that will hopefully set them up for a successful year. This week in American History students will look at “What is History”, “Why do we study History” and “How to think like a Historian” Our first Unit will dive into the Roots of the American People. We will study The First Americans and how Geography played an important role in our early beginnings.
US HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Welcome Back Everyone!! I am looking forward to another fantastic year in Middle School. This past week students enjoyed many activities and seminars that will hopefully set them up for a successful year. This week in American History students will look at “What is History” and “Why do we study History.” Our first Unit will dive into the Roots of the American People. We will study The First Americans and how Geography played an important role in our early beginnings.
ACCELERATED MATH - MRS. TAYOR
I was so excited to see all of these kids! I hope they were just as happy to see me. Friday, students began assessing last year’s material. I have heard from several students that did not do the optional summer work. It was merely suggested but not mandatory. They are seeing the effects of not practicing as they struggle a little with the assessment of reviewing last year’s material. I am grading it for my purposes only and I will share it with them. Next week, we begin Chapter 1.
PRE-ALGEBRA - MR. LANFEAR
Welcome back to middle school!! Next week in Pre-Algebra, we will review some fundamental skills such as decimal operations, fraction operations, rounding, exponents, and order of operations. We will then begin with section 1,1 in the textbook and learning how to evaluate expressions with variables (1.1). We will also learn how to compare and order integers (1.2). There will be a quiz on Tuesday covering the fundamental skills listed above. This quiz will not count as a grade.
EARTH SCIENCE - MS. HOFFMAN
Welcome Back to our new school year! You finally made it to Middle School and I am excited to be teaching you all about meteorology, geology, oceanography, astronomy and environmental science, all parts of our Earth Science curriculum. We started off our new school year with a quick overview of the Earth Science syllabus (due signed by Monday, 8/23) and also completed our first short writing assignment in class, Science in Comics. These papers will be due the last school day of each month and are designed to help the students discover all the varieties of science found in our everyday world.
Next week we will review lab safety and basic measurement calculations, focusing on density. We will also have a fun, edible introductory lab and then a lab creating a density column and calculating the density of various objects. Our first quiz on all of this material will be on Friday, September 3rd.
EARTH SCIENCE - MRS. DURANT
Welcome to Middle School! I’m so excited to have you in my Earth Science class this year! Next week, our focus will be on lab safety, lab equipment, and measurements used in science. Students will participate in a measurement lab. They will have a quiz on Lab Safety & Equipment on Friday, August 27. Students will also work on their monthly writing and science research assignment. This year, our focus for these monthly writing assignments will be on our national parks. They will begin the first month’s assignment in class and will need to complete the rest of the assignment for homework. The first monthly science writing assignment is due Tuesday, August 31. A written copy of the instructions and rubric will be given to students and also posted in the google classroom. Please remind your child to check the Google Classroom daily for assignments and review material.
ELA - MRS. SASSER
Welcome to middle school!! We had a great first week getting everyone acquainted with middle school expectations. Next week, we’ll be diving right into our first unit in ELA: Writing. Students will spend this week learning a new writing format to help become better formal writers. They will start by practicing small and move into broader topics as we progress. Students should be reviewing their notes nightly. This will be a new topic and concept for the students, as I have a very specific writing format and formula I expect them to follow. Daily review for 15 minutes will help them achieve mastery.
Students will have a quiz over our new writing rules and format on the following dates:
D Block---Tuesday 8/31
B/C Block---Wednesday 9/1
Check out some of the amazing summer reading projects below!
All reading assignments are posted on my classroom board and on Google Classroom daily. Students should check Google Classroom every single day.
INTRO SPANISH - MS. CROCKER
¡Hola a todos! It is a privilege to be teaching at HDS, and I am looking forward to teaching all of you this year. Monday we will kick off the week with a syllabus review and Spanish classroom scavenger hunt. Then we will dive into some Spanish small talk, including calendar vocabulary and how to ask questions in the Spanish classroom. Looking ahead, our first quiz will be on Friday, 8/27. We are getting prepared for our virtual road trip through el mundo hispanohablante!
WORLD HISTORY - MR. O’HAYER
Welcome Back Everyone!! I am looking forward to another fantastic year in Middle School. This past week students enjoyed many activities and seminars that will hopefully set them up for a successful year. This week in World History students will look at “What is History” and “Why do we study History.” We will also focus on how to take notes, set up outlines, and navigate through the various tools we will use to be successful this year in World History. Our first Unit in World History will take us to Ancient Greece and Rome. Here, students will begin our travels into these great civilizations by studying about the Ancient Greek City-States of Athens and Sparta.
ART - MRS. COOKSON
“I begin with an idea, and then it becomes something else.” - Pablo Picasso
Welcome back! I have not seen all of the students yet, but look forward to reconnecting. We are looking forward to another exciting year in the art room; full of creative thinking and discovery. Eighth graders will catch up with the other grades that met this week, and will have a refresher on the basics of the elements of art, the expectations in the art room, and a scavenger hunt to find materials in the room.
8th: Graffiti Names
7th: 1 object/9 ways
6th: Adjective, Adjective, Noun drawings
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