[Mjhsteam] MJHS Principal's Letter

[Kleinert, Dale]

12-1-08

 

Dear Parents,

 

I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving break and you were able to spend time
enjoying family and friends.  It was nice to slow down for a couple of
days, but now we are in high gear on the fast track with lots going on
until the upcoming Winter Break.

 

Tuesday and Wednesday of this week all students at MJHS will be
participating in state mandated testing.  Seventh and ninth graders will
be taking the Direct Writing Assessment (DWA) on Tuesday.  Wednesday our
eighth graders will be taking the Direct Math Assessment (DMA). We will
be on special modified schedules both days.  The schedules will allow
for an extended test window and will also provide ample time for all
other classes to meet productively.  The schedule follows:

 

Bells                            Tuesday                      Wednesday

8:20-9:00                         1                                    1

9:05-10:55                   D.W.A.                        D.M.A.

10:55 11:40                  Lunch                           Lunch

11:44-12:46                     2                                    6

12:50-1:53                       3                                    7


1:57-3:00                       4/5                                   8

 

 

While the 7th and 9th graders are testing on Tuesday, the 8th graders
will be accessing make-up opportunities and study time.  On Wednesday,
the 7th graders will be hosting a special guest speaker who will prepare
them for their annual Eagle trip.  During the same time, our 9th graders
will split into two groups and rotate to Moscow High School for a
special demonstration to learn about the recent MHS Physics class
balloon launch that soared into our outer atmosphere and sent back
phenomenal photos and data.  The rotating group will then participate in
"Zumba-Dance the Dance" which promises to be an exciting activity
organized by our Physical Education Department and the University of
Idaho.

 

As you can see, Tuesday and Wednesday are very busy.  You can help by
making sure your son or daughter attends school and gets plenty of rest
and nutrition so they can do their best on their tests.  The DWA and DMA
have been used for several years and all Idaho students take these
assessments on the same date.  Each test takes from 90 to 110 minutes
and they provide us with a good measure to guide instruction.

 

As you may know, Moscow Junior High School and Moscow High School have
spent the past year researching and planning to change how our master
schedules serve students.  This research is part of the high school
redesign process that is mandated by the State Board of Education.
Additional Math, Science, a Senior Project, and other requirements for
students in the Class of 2013 and beyond has driven the planning.  In
addition, we have known for quite some time that our current forty-nine
minute class period with seven classes per day has become very
challenging to provide appropriate individualized and differentiated
instruction to meet the needs of all students.

 

A committee of teachers, counselors, administrators, and our parent
representative Aleisa Barber have identified multiple schedule options
that are under review at this time.  Staff members have provided lots of
input in the form of surveys, response tallies, meetings, and
conferences.  We also tried out one schedule option last spring.

 

We will be presenting some scenarios for parent input tomorrow morning
at the regular monthly Parent Support Team meeting.  The meeting begins
at 7:15 a.m. and meets in Room 216 at MJHS.  If you are unable to attend
this meeting and would like to know more, please give me a call and I
would be happy to set aside time to meet with you.  We are very excited
about transitioning to a schedule that will better fit the needs of
students, staff, and families.  We are dedicated to continue to foster a
strong middle level philosophy of exploration with a challenging
curriculum and multiple elective opportunities.

 

The next few weeks are very busy with holiday planning and we ask for
your assistance to help your son or daughter concentrate on their
school-work during this sometimes hectic season.  I've included a
calendar of activities at the bottom of this letter, and as always,
please contact us at any time if you have questions or concerns.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Dale Kleinert, Principal

Moscow Junior High School

 

 

                             Upcoming Events 

Tue.     Dec.      2        A/B rollover      Direct Writing Assessments
- 7th and 9th grade (A day)

Wed.   Dec.      3        A/B rollover      Direct Math Assessments -
8th grade  (B day)

Fri.       Dec.      5        6-8 period        Treble Choir Fieldtrip
to Elementary Schools

Fri.       Dec.      5        6th/7th period    Drama Fieldtrip to
Hartung Theatre performance      

M-F      Dec.  9-12       All Week          All School Toy Collection
(boxes in hallways before school)

Wed.   Dec.    10        7:00 pm           Winter Orchestra Concert @
MPR

Fri.       Dec.    12        All Day             7th Grade Eagle Trip to
CDA 

Fri.       Dec.    12        8:00 pm           UI/MSD Holiday Concert @
Kibbie Dome

Tue.     Dec.    16        7:00 pm           MSD Board of Trustees
regular monthly meeting @ rm. 108

M-Fr     Dec. 22-Jan 2 two weeks       Winter Break

 

Please see www.highschoolsports.net <http://www.highschoolsports.net/>
for all athletic dates

 

 

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