Library Media Center - Cabarrus County Schools

C.C. Griffin Middle School
Safe ● Respectful ● Responsible ― We are the Mighty Gryphons!
Library Media Center
April 10
Parent Council Mtg.
6:30-7:30p.m. @
County Office
Board Room
April 11
Griffin parents, students, and staff are invited to join the
411 Community Read!
Band Trip to Carowinds
April 14
PTO Board Mtg.
6:30 p.m.
April 16
Spring Picture Day
April 18
No School
April 21-25
Spring Break
April 30
Rising 6th Grade
“Parent Night”
This April, the Griffin Community is joining the second annual 411 Community Read, a
collaborative project between libraries and others in Cabarrus, Stanly, Rowan, and Davidson counties to bring us all together in the reading of one book. The last community read was of The Hunger Games, and this year it is the New York Times bestseller,
Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore. This digital-age mystery involves a strange
bookstore, an even stranger clientele, and a quest to discover one of the world’s
greatest secrets.
At Griffin, events will include student book discussions during lunch and an evening
book discussion on May 1st for parents, students and staff. We have 10 copies of the
book in the library ready to be checked out by parents, teachers, and staff. Visit Mr.
Smith’s blog at the CCG Media Center Web site or the bulletin board outside of the
Library Media Center for all the information.
Events across our wider community include stamp making for teens on April 21 st at
5pm and a registration-required Minecraft event on April 22nd, both at the Harrisburg
branch of the public library. There are many more events as well for teens and adults
across our county, such as geocaching, lectures, and art projects. Visit the 411 site for
more information at 411communityread.wordpress.com.
I invite you to pick up a copy of the book today from our library, the public library, on
your Kindle, or from a local bookstore and start the adventure! Please email me with
any questions you have (William.smith@cabarrus.k12.nc.us), and don’t forget to visit
the Media Center’s site for CCG 411 Community Read information.
Mr. Smith, CC Griffin Librarian
6th Grade
The 6th graders are very excited about their upcoming field trip to the Hiddenite Emerald Hollow Mine
on April 14th. Students will need to wear old shoes as gem mining is dirty work. They will also need
to bring a plastic bag or plastic container to put their rocks and gems in to take home. It may also be
a good idea for students to bring a change of clothes in case they get too dirty or wet from the creek
to ride home comfortably. Many students are planning to bring a lunch that day but you can order
from the café. We are looking forward to a great trip!!
Music
The 8th grade band earned a Superior rating at this year's Music Performance Adjudication
at Wingate University on March 14. They earned superior ratings from all three judges on
stage and a superior rating in sight reading as well.
Life Skills Students : Make Sewing Look So Easy
Mrs. Reedy’s 7th and 8th grade Life Skills students have been sewing up a storm for the past 3
weeks.
Students ordered back pack kits to put together for their sewing unit project. All students first
learned how to properly operate a sewing machine. Students learned threading technique, seam
allowances, stitch types, backstitching and terminology used when putting an article of clothing or
accessory together. This is not as easy as it sounds.
Students have worked very hard to make their bags. Mrs. Reedy is very proud of the hard work
and determination students have shown over the past several weeks. Even though occasional
mistakes were made, students learned the procedures for using seam rippers and correcting their
mistakes. These students now have a lifelong skill that could always come in handy at some point
in the future.
iPad Grant Winner
CONGRATULATIONS TO: Mr. Vest who won an in house grant of 10 iPads for instructional use in his classroom.
See the excerpt below from his application essay on ways he plans to integrate the iPads into his classroom.
“The iPads can also be used for large scale projects like those in my Energy unit. Students build a model house
and use a Thermal Camera App and thermometer to measure where the heat is being lost. The students will also
benefit by participating in QR code geocaches outside. The QR codes will be linked to videos, websites or questions on a given topic that the students must research. Their assessment would be the final product they create,
such as an iMovie or element superhero poster, using a rubric given to them prior to starting the project.”
New Griffin Gear Coming Soon!
Pre-Order Now!
Visit our website or come to the front office for an Order form. Order forms and money and can be turned in to the front office.
JDRF Fundraiser. School wide service project raising money
for JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation)
Our goal is to raise $2,500
Important Yearbook Pricing Dates!
$35… Feb. 2 - May 16*
May 16th is the last day to order online. Bring
money into Ms. Gillikin after this date.
$40 Cash Only…
May 16 until we run out!
www.jostensyearbooks.com
From Ms. Nalbone, 6th Grade Counselor
We are in the fourth quarter now and we need to finish the year on a strong note! It is so important to be
at school and keep up great attendance because
there is so much learning, hands on exploration, and
discussions that go on in the classroom that students
miss when they are out of school. Our classroom
guidance lesson has a focus on effective communication which tends to be the root of many social conflicts
between students. Students are learning how to ask
for what they need and want in an assertive way, but
also how to listen to others and even apologize when
needed. One more quarter, let’s make it great!
Be here, be present.
-Ms. Nalbone, 6th grade counselor
Good attendance is so important throughout the school
year, especially toward the end of the school year when
spring fever starts to hit. Our unique schedule allows
teachers time to introduce new material, gives the students
time to complete hands on projects and assignments, and
then time to discuss and reflect on the activity. There is
time during the classes to get additional help needed on
material that students did not master. Discussion time during class cannot be recreated and so many wonderful,
thought-provoking ideas are shared during these times.
Students also miss out on assignments and projects as
well as the key instructions that come with the assignments. If your child is absent due to illness or appointFrom Ms. Lavoie, 7th Grade Counseling Update
ments it is important for the students to learn to take reWe have wrapped up our CFNC (College Foundation sponsibility and get the notes, work, and assignments that
were missed during the absence. Many times these missof North Carolina) lessons for this year. Please remember to explore this web-site with your child. Sev- ing assignments do not get completed which negatively
impacts their overall grade.
enth graders will have one final Classroom Guidance
lesson in April which will provide them with the opportunity to reflect on lessons learned in and out of the
classroom. Ms. Lavoie will also be determining what
additional support students need from the Counseling
Department as they enter their final year of middle
school.
Great attendance matters academically, but also socially.
Friendships are made and maintained through being in
school and having time to socialize in the halls, the cafeteria, and times between classes. Being present and available for socializing helps students navigate social situations
that will help them all throughout life.
Attendance in across all grade levels in school is a good
indicator for future success in college, careers, and personal endeavors. Persevering through minor stomach aches,
From Ms. Efird, 8th Grade Counselor
headaches, and overall fatigue helps students understand
Eighth graders are now on the final stretch of their
that their education is their main priority during childhood
middle school career. Some have learned they will be and adolescence. It will also hold them accountable for
in either the STEM, IB, or Early College programs. All their choices that impact their health, such as staying up all
night to play video games or message friends.
eighth graders had the opportunity to tour Central
Cabarrus High School recently and the great majority
is excited to enter high school as the Class of 2018.
Parents should help us emphasize the importance of
finishing strong – demonstrating true effort in academics as well as behaving in a safe, respectful, and responsible manner. We all want our students to be
creating wonderful memories as they walk down
these halls for the last few times!
If your child has to be out of school for an appointment, it is
always best to try to schedule the appointment first thing in
the morning or at the end of the day. When your child returns to school it is critical that they find out exactly what
they missed and when it is due and participating in after or
before school tutoring to get caught up is often helpful.
Be here and be present!
The 2014 C.C. Griffin Middle School Garden Club
The C.C. Griffin Middle School Garden Club officially met on March 31, soon after the arrival of Spring,
and will operate until May 19. The club’s members are our very own mighty Gryphon students (grades
6-8), under the guidance of Ms. Abelquist, and her neighbor, Mrs. Mary Crank, who is an experienced
community garden developer. Also, on April 9, the club will experience a visit from Master Gardener
Mr. David Goforth of the Cabarrus County Cooperative Extension.
The vision of the club is to beautify our school campus. Members of the club will be involved in a variety of horticultural activities such as learning about how to improve soil conditions, composting, germinating seeds indoors, studying the landscape in order to plan a flowerbed, how to plant bulbs, and how
to construct and plan a raised garden bed.
We are excited about our gardening endeavors and hope you notice the beautiful fauna and flora at
our school campus!
College Field Trip
On April 11, a group of students will be travelling to the North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis to attend the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College STEM-Open House, the Rowan-Cabarrus Community College campus in Concord, and the campus of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.
Guided by Ms. Abelquist and Mrs. Efird (our 8th grade Guidance Counselor), this field trip is an opportunity for our English as a Second Language (ESL) students to consider the advantages of including
college in their future education plans.
Baseball / Volleyball
4/1
@ Mount Pleasant
4/3
Home vs. Harris Road
4/8
@ Northwest
4/10
@ Kannapolis
4/14
Home vs. Winkler
4/16
Home vs. Mount Pleasant
4/29
@ Hickory Ridge
5/1
@ Concord
5/5
Baseball / Volleyball Tournament
The CC Griffin volleyball team has been
select and is off to a great start growing
together as a team. Their first match was
against Concord and it was a nail biter! The match went to 5 games that had
some very exciting plays, but unfortunately the team lost 3-2. In their second
match against Hickory Ridge, the team
fought hard the entire time, but lost 31. Even though their record is 0-2, the
team had a lot of potential. Come check
them out this season as they grow together as a team and take on the rest of
the conference!
Track
4/1
Home vs. Kannapolis, Northwest, and Hickory Ridge
4/8
@ Hickory Ridge with Hickory Ridge, Harris Road, and Winkler
4/15
@ Harris Road with Concord, Harris Road, and Northwest
5/1
@ Winkler with Winkler, Mt. Pleasant, and Northwest
5/5
Girls Conference Meet @ Harris Road
5/8
Boys Conference Meet @ Mt. Pleasant