LUCILE ERWIN - Thompson School District

Lucile Erwin
Middle School
4700 Lucerne Ave.
Loveland, CO 80537
March 2016
An IB World School
Home of the Wildcats!
Message from the Principal...
Parents-Calling
in an absence
or tardy
PLEASE CALL
LEMS
NUMBER
970-613-7690
Thank you!
Office
970.613.7600
Attendance
970.613.7690
The wind has blown us right into March! I have a
feeling, after looking at the calendar for this month
that it will be a whirlwind. We will begin the month
with parent conferences the 2nd and 3rd, which I
highly encourage you to attend. The month will also be
filled with musical festivals, athletics, Grammy and
musical rehearsals, etc. We will welcome our incoming 6th grade students and their
families to the electives showcase on March 10th preparing them for their first year
as middle schoolers. Track and Field has begun so you will surely see our students
running through the neighborhoods to get in shape for the season.
This month also marks the beginning of our state testing, which will happen on
March 28-30th. I truly am excited to find out what our students know and can do as
a result of what they have learned so far this year. Their results will help us plan for
future instruction and improve our practices to better meet the needs of our
students. I hope that you will encourage your student to give the assessments their
very best effort. It will be important to have students get plenty of rest, a good
healthy breakfast, and to avoid appointments during the testing period. Your help
and support, as always, will be very important.
On another note, I need to let the LEMS community know that I will be retiring at the
end of this school year. It has been a bittersweet decision to decide to leave Erwin. I
love this place, your students, and my staff. I am so proud of the work that is
happening here on behalf of your students. It has been an amazing 8 years and I will
forever be grateful for the privilege of working with your children. I would
encourage you to attend one of the community forums that will take place as a part
of the principal selection process.
Continued...
Guidance
Office
970-613-7616
Di Worner,
Principal
http://www.thompsonschools.org/erwin
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Parents/Guardians
It is vital you update
your personal contact
information in Infinite
Campus when you
have changes, ie:
phone number,
address, contact
person/s and student
lunch account. We
want to be able to get
a hold of you for your
student’s sake. Thank
you! LEMS Staff and
Administration
Page 2
Message from the Principal, continued...
Your voice will be important in this process. You will receive information through
parent portal to let you know about the date and time. Please continue to be
involved as LEMS goes through this transition. Your input, and your time and
commitment to LEMS is what makes us strong. Thanks for your support
throughout the years. It has been an incredible experience!
Blessings,
Di Worner
Mrs. Riott’s French Class
French students have been busy communicating with
their pen pals in France! We were able to pair up 5 of
our classes with students in France. We are writing in
both French and English and are learning a lot about
their lives and customs. We are excited to learn about
their leisure activities, sports, families, foods, and
cities. Many of the students have also been connecting
with their pen pals on Facebook and by email.
Hopefully these will become lasting friendships!
PARCC Math and Language Arts-Science CMAS
March 28, 29, and 30 will be the PARCC Math and Language Arts testing dates for
Erwin. Testing will last until roughly 11 am on those three days. The 8th graders will
be taking the Science CMAS on April 12. All three tests will be taken on this one day.
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 3
8th Grade News
Happy spring and final quarter of eighth grade! Hopefully, you
are completely registered for high school and looking forward
to that new experience. We have a few events for you to look
forward to as well. On Friday, April 15, we will be hosting the
17th Annual Erwin Grammy Awards from 7:30 to 10:15ish in the
cafeteria to celebrate student poetry writing and talent. Just a
reminder that phones are not allowed during the celebration to
avoid issues of legality concerning posting pictures and videos on social media.
Parents are encouraged to cheer on our eighth grade kids! Also, after the awards
students will be signing up for their end of the year portfolio presentation time slot.
Letters will be sent home on Monday, April 11th so families can discuss best days and
times. In literacy, March will be devoted to preparation for the Grammys through a
poetry study and song writing. Science class will be studying the periodic table and
rocket orders will be coming out; please watch for them. Individuals and societies
are headed west. Students will be learning about westward expansion and the
identities that formed from it. Math class continues to master linear equations. We
are looking forward to seeing you at the Grammy celebration.
What's Not to Love?
Parents, we have a wonderful, free resource
available to your students every Tuesday and
Wednesday after school: tutoring!
Each week, several teachers meet with
interested students in the Library from 3-4 to
help with homework. Your student can attend
as often as they would like, but you must first
contact the tutoring coordinator to sign them
up: martha.marvin@thompsonschools.org
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 4
What’s Happening in Special Education?
Special Education: The Power of Positive Affirmations
By: Jen McKee
Intensive Learning Center (ILC) Teacher
Consumer
Family
Science Has a
Need
If you have any
cookbooks or cooking
magazines, our CFS
class could use them for
an upcoming project.
If you have any old
T-shirts we can use those
for a future textiles
project. Please send them
with your student to the
LEMS main office or
they can take them
directly to CFS room.
Thank you!
Advertising in this newsletter does
not imply endorsement by
Thompson School District.
Affirmations can be a very powerful tool
to teach to our students especially since
most of the students receiving special
education services struggle with
academic, behavioral, and social skills.
They are so used to repeating negative
words and statements concerning their
situations. Many students do not know
how to say positive affirmations. It may
not be a skill that has been developed;
therefore we must embrace the
opportunity to provide direct instruction
on how to say affirmations. Simply, an
affirmation is a positive phrase which you
repeat to yourself and describe how you
want to be. It is declaration that
something is TRUE.
Many of us have met with challenges in
our lives. How did we handle them? What
strategies did we use to confront those
challenges? Who remembers the book
The Little Engine That Could? This is an
excellent book to teach affirmations and
perseverance. The little engine
demonstrated that with hard work he
could accomplish his task and is one of the
many activities the ILC Pride class is
teaching to help the students learn
positive inner talk or positive affirmations.
So, how do we instill this positive inner
talk with our students? In our social skills
Pride class here at Erwin, classroom
affirmations are used to create a positive
and supportive environment by teaching
students to be supportive of one another.
By teaching positive affirmations to the
students it helps to develop an
atmosphere where it is the norm to
acknowledge and affirm positive
behaviors, thoughts and actions. Used
consistently, affirmations can change
students’ attitudes and their actions.
Affirmations should be short, positive, and
repeated often. Have your students write
several affirmation cards to address the
topic of what they are to learn. Have
them write an affirmation on the top of a
test prior to the start of the test. These
repeated words will help them to focus
their mind on the task and build selfefficacy.
What is your positive affirmation today?
Mayo Clinic. (4 March 2014). Positive thinking:
stop negative self-talk to reduce stress.
Retrieved January 3, 2015 from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/
stress-management/in-depth/positivethinking/art-20043950.
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 5
Lucile Erwin’s Kindness Campaign During the Month of February
Kindness Month: The Give Next students with the support of students from
NJHS, STUCO, Builder’s Club, and No Place for Hate have come up with a
Kindness campaign for the month of February. The kindnessiscontagious
activities kicked off the week of February 8th. Most of the activities took place
through PRIDE classes.
Locker Hearts: Students decorated a heart for
someone else in their PRIDE class and taped hearts
to lockers.
Heart Attacks: Students, teachers, staff, and or clubs
“attacked” each other’s doors, lockers, windows,
etc. with hearts.
Wall of Caring: NJHS students visited PRIDE
classes during academic focus time to
generate ideas for initiating the Wall of Caring.
This allowed our students to reach out to help
our broader community through the Penny
Harvest project.
Competition: The grade level with the lowest
number of referrals for the month received a
very special party in
the cafeteria!!
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 6
IB February Pride Lunch
The aim of all IB programs is to develop internationally minded people who,
recognizing their common humanity and shared guardianship of the planet help to
create a better and more peaceful world. The IB learner profile is the IB mission
statement translated into a set of learning outcomes for the 21st century. The ten IB
Learner Profiles are Inquirer, Knowledgeable, Thinkers, Communicators, Principles,
Open-minded, Caring, Risk-takers, Balanced and Reflective.
Each month, teachers working in their grade-level teams nominate students from
each grade who demonstrate the qualities of the monthly Learner Profile focus.
For February the Learner Profile focus was Communicator. The students will be
receiving a certificate acknowledging their nominations and enjoy a lunch with the
Principal. Their picture will be added to the Learner Profile display on the window
outside the Principals office.
LEMS Website
Stay up-to-date and
informed!
6th Grade Ean H.
6th Grade Esai M.
6th Grade Sydney S.
7th Grade David W.
View
“LEMS News & Upcoming
Events”
Click on a specific news
item or event for more
information.
Browse the website to
learn more about
Our School, Athletics,
Clubs, Family Resources,
Family & Community,
Policies & Procedures, and
Staff
Not
Pictured:
Luke G.
8th Grade
7th Grade Madison E.
7th Grade Sydney L.
8th Grade Corina H.
8th Grade Rachael C.
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 7
Read to Achieve!
Achieve 3000, Teen Biz, is an internet-based intervention
program being used at Erwin with select 6th and 7th graders
who are below grade level in reading. The sole purpose of the
program is to increase reading achievement and prepare
students to meet college and career reading criteria.
Smaller groups of students (10-20) meet for Achieve 3000 during PRIDE period four days per week.
Achieve 3000 begins by assessing each individual for reading Lexile level, then delivers non-fiction, high
interest articles to each student at his/her instructional level. Students work through several steps in the
reading process and eventually end with reading and testing on grade level.
The program offers students several benefits: increased opportunities to build reading and writing stamina,
vocabulary building opportunities, enrichment in science and social studies topics, different levels and
types of support, and motivation to improve. It offers teachers ready-made lesson plans, continuous data
for progress monitoring and tailoring instruction for individuals and small groups, and a wide variety of
resources to address specific skills and standards. Because the program is internet-based (and also offered
as a AP), students can access it from almost any device and work from home as well.
To learn more please visit the following website http://www.achieve3000.com/#openModal
A Big
BIG Thank you!
Lucile Erwin wants to extend a simple thank once again to all of our Parent Volunteers for
providing supplies for our staff meals during Parent/Teacher Conferences, for continually
supporting our faculty on student field trips, and for always being willing to help Lucile
Erwin when there’s a need. We can’t do it without you!!
Want To See What this Semester's
Consumer Family Studies Class
Cooked Up?
Check out lemscfs.weebly.com
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 8
Kids Taking Charge of Conferences
You may have noticed that conferences at 6th and 7th
grade have been a little different this year: students are
leading their own conferences. Hopefully you are
spending less time waiting in line and more time looking
at your child’s work and discussing steps for continued
progress.
In the days before conference time, students select
what they feel is important to share with you (with
some guidance from teachers of course) and reflect on
their scores and personal work habits. During
conferences, students walk you through their class
schedules and share work with you from each class. At
the end of the conferences, students write goals that
you and your child’s teacher can support together.
Erwin teachers feel that this type of conferencing has
many benefits. Here are just a few:
• Students are accountable for reflecting on their own
learning and setting their own goals.
• Students will be able to practice communication skills
in a safe setting.
• Students will have the opportunity to share their
work and show their progress, not just their grades/
scores.
• Parents, teachers and students can form a more
successful team.
We hope that you can join us for this opportunity to
focus on your child’s academic and personal success.
Thanks for clearing some time on your calendar for
conferences this spring!
Math 2.5
We have begun work in
Volume 2! Chapter 10
consists of lines and
angle relationships and a
lot of vocabulary, so we will add
the new vocabulary to our transformation
vocabulary. There will be an online quiz
through Illuminate on Wednesday, March 2nd.
We are also continuing our review of multiple
representations of linear functions in
preparation for system of equations in
chapters 11 and 12. Chapter 13 focuses on laws
of exponents which will be our concentration
during testing, in addition to rationalizing
radicals.
Consumer &
Family Science
Class Needs
Old T-shirts!
Save a trip to Goodwill
and bring any clean
cotton t-shirts to Mrs.
Coil's CFS room.
Thank you!
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 9
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 10
Track & Field Season to Begin!
First Track Meet: March 15th / Practice starts Feb. 29th To register for track
an athletic packet needs to be turned into LEMS front office asap.
Students can pick up an athletics packet in the front office or forms can be
found on the “Forms and Documents” page on the track website:
http://lemstrack.weebly.com/forms.html
If you have any questions, please contact Steven Jackson at: email:
steven.jackson@thompsonschools.org or at the track website
www.lemstrack.weebly.com.
Physical Education/Health
It is almost the time to throw on some sunscreen
and a hat while we play outside. But, not quite
there! We will be finishing up our net sports units
of badminton, peteca, and volleyball. They have
kept us busy in the gym and also given the kids
games they can play with their friends and family.
This theme will continue into the next game of
Kanjam. Kanjam is considered a backyard game
while working on the skill of throwing a Frisbee.
This game will provide a nice break from the fitness testing we have done with the mile. We encourage you
to help your student or students reach their SMART goals for both the mile and push-ups so they can
continue to improve their overall fitness. Hopefully, you will be able to play some of the games and activities
at home with your child.
Students Are Invited to Join Us for Before School Fun!
The Health and Wellness team is excited to announce starting Thursday, February 18, 2016,
we will be offering before school activities!
On Tuesdays and Thursdays students are invited to come into the gym through the cafeteria and participate
in movement activities. You will be able to help chose what activities we offer and can include, but is
certainly not limited to, basketball, volleyball, yoga, tag, kickball, etc.
If you are interested in joining us just show up in the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6:45 am. Students
will be expected to sign up and stay in the gym once they come in. You can come in after 6:45, but are
expected to stay in the gym once you come.
The purpose of this time is to get in some movement before the start of the day and wake up our brains and
bodies – so no coming in to just hang out! Come in and play, have a good time, and get to know some other
students and teachers!
When the morning bell rings you will be ready to head off to class with renewed energy and a granola bar to
keep you fueled! We look forward to you joining us!
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 11
Music
The music classes have enjoyed a couple of days sharing their music with elementary schools.
The Jazz band, Orchestra and Choir visited Lincoln, Edmondson, Coyote Ridge, and Cottonwood
Plains where we told the kids about being in music in middle school.
We had a great time meeting people and spreading good cheer to everyone!
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 12
Photoshop Workshop
What do math, science, social studies and literacy all
have to do with photography? A group of 11 Erwin sixth
and seventh graders have been finding out due to
some generous support of our community!
Thanks to grants from the Thompson Education
Association, NOVO Restoration and NOCO Gifted
Community, these students have been studying the art
of black-and-white film photography – along with
interviewing skills, chemistry, regional history, and more!
Drew, Emmy, Sam, Livia, Joe and Marshall
prepare to make art in the darkroom.
Local artist Bob Campagna has served as a mentor for the
students, working closely with them to learn the basics of good photography, plan an all-day photo outing
focusing on the theme of neighborhoods, create art in the darkroom, and exhibit their work.
Stop by the upstairs front hall during conferences to view some of their work. Then in April, be sure to stop
by ArtWorks Loveland where their exhibit prints will be on display – along with the work of 12 other Erwin
students who participated in a similar workshop in the fall and approximately 30 other middle school
students from across the district. And watch this newsletter for information on the upcoming book which
will feature their art!
Retired teachers and Thompson
Education Association grant
committee members Carolyn
Siefers and Cindy Santomaso
work with students to
determine which pictures best
show the visual qualities they
were seeking in their pictures.
Are you looking for something to do that is fun and exciting where you will be able to use your
skills as a writer and investigator? This is the club for you. The Wildcat News Reporter, a
student led newspaper club is starting up and looking for talented and creative students. The
paper meets every Tuesday afterschool in Mrs. Schump’s room. Hope to see you there.
Lucile Erwin Middle School Newsletter
Page 13
Counseling Corner
Students at LEMS recently worked on their grade level milestones in Naviance, a web-based career and
post-secondary exploration program for middle and high school students. Each year at Erwin, students
complete career interest and/or strengths inventories, research interested careers and explore postsecondary options. At the middle school level, our purpose is exploratory in nature. Students and their
parents/guardians can access their Naviance account and use the tools provided at any time. Students log
in with their TSD email user name (first initial, middle initial, last name, last 2 digits of graduation year), and
their password is their student number or lunch code. Parents can access Naviance through their child’s
account. Students will continue to use Naviance more extensively in high school to prepare and plan for
their future.
Our current 8th graders have registered for their high school classes, and LHS Ambassadors will be visiting
to talk with 8th graders about what to expect in high school. (Janelle, any upcoming dates to share with
parents?). Current 6th and 7th graders will be registering for their elective classes for the upcoming school
year in mid-March. Expect your child to bring home an Elective Course Selection Form that requires both a
parent and student signature. We time stamp these forms, and students who get their forms turned in on
time are more likely to receive the electives classes they prefer! In addition, we ask you to update any
household changes in Parent Portal to keep our system up-to-date. Specific questions about this process
can be directed to your child’s grade-level counselor listed below. Thank you!
Janelle Day, 8th gr Counselor, janelle.day@thompsonschools.org, 613-7627
Amy Hazel-Colley, 7th gr Counselor, amy.hazel-colley@thompsonschools.org, 613-7611
Stacy Adams, 6th gr Counselor, stacy.adams@thompsonschools.org, 613-7614
LEMS Principal to Retire
Recently our Principal
Diane Worner announced her retirement at the
end of the school year.
The Human Resources department is offering
a chance for parents to provide input regarding qualities they would
like to see in the new principal. Erwin will be hosting a meeting
on March 7th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM in the Library.
Parents are welcome to attend this event.