RAMS/WILDCATS SKI CLUB



PTA

Happy New Year from the PTA! Thank you for helping us support our students, staff and school.

The Rams Make a Difference coat drive was a big success. We collected 54 coats, 39 pairs of gloves and mittens, 33 hats and 3 scarves. Your generous donations helped local families in need this winter. Thank you to everyone who donated.

The Valentine’s Dance will be held Friday, February 8 from 7pm - 9pm. Admission is $3 at the door and includes a free snack/drink plus a chance to win a prize drawing. There will also be a DJ and photobooth. Don’t miss this fun event!

The Gertrude Hawk Spring Chocolate/Candy fundraiser will start in a couple of weeks.  Sales can made online or placed on the order form. Information packets will be sent home with students the week of Jan 28. Please encourage your student to sell - there are great prizes and this is the second largest school fundraiser.

Mark your calendar for our next restaurant night at Panera Bread on Wednesday, January 16 from 4pm - 8pm.

There is no PTA meeting in January. Our next meeting is Monday, February 11 at 7pm in the cafeteria.

NURSE’S CORNER

A reminder to parents, please turn in any outstanding physical (6th grade) or dental (7th grade) paperwork. If these are not turned in, your child will be scheduled to see the school doctor and/or dentist. Notices have been given to the students.

Attention to 6th grade parents- to meet the immunization requirements for 7th grade, your child will need to have proof of two additional immunizations. In 7th grade, all students will need to have a tdap (tetanus) and MCV (meningitis) vaccine or proof that they have had these vaccines. Notices will be sent home closer to the end of the school year as a reminder.

Please keep your child home from school if they have had a fever, diarrhea or vomiting within the last 24 hours.

If your child has been referred by the nurse to see an eye doctor and you need assistance with this, please contact me at the school.

CDMS STUDENT COUNCIL

Before Christmas break the CDMS Student Council completed a very successful team building field trip to All In Adventures Escape Rooms (Colonial Park Mall). Members we divided into three teams, and had the opportunity to try one of their escape rooms (Escape From Alcatraz, Treasure Island, and Sherlock's Library). Our members worked hard together to solve the mysteries and puzzles that were inside of the escape room. Although not every group escaped, the members developed team work skills and had fun doing so.   

CDMS YEARBOOK

Order your yearbook now through  or call 1-877-767-5217. Cost is now $21 and this sale price will run through 02/01/19.  Want to give your child a better chance of starring in our yearbook?  Sign up for ReplayIt at or download the app and register with Central Dauphin Middle School to upload appropriate school related photos of your child.  Photos from sports practice and games, concerts and after school events are welcome and encouraged!  If you have questions/concerns, please contact Mrs. Young, yearbook advisor, ayoung@.

CDMS SPELLING BEE

Congratulations to this year's CDMS Spelling Bee champion, sixth grader Vishvam L. Allie W., a seventh grader came in second place, with eighth graders Joshua B. and Orion K. rounding out the top 4 spellers. All four spellers have qualified for the WITF Central PA Spelling Bee written semi-final test to be held at the WITF media center on January 20.

80 CDMS students took the written qualifying test, which included vocabulary questions as well as the traditional spelling of words. The top 27 spellers participated in the championship bee on December 13 in the school auditorium.

CDMS NATIONAL JUNIOR HONOR SOCIETY

NJHS students had a very successful Candy Cane Gram drive. Students raised $286.55! Next up is the Lollipop fundraiser in February. Students continue to volunteer for opportunities presented to them in the community and for special events in the district’s elementary schools.

CDMS MUSIC

Fourteen sixth grade chorus members auditioned and were chosen to represent C.D. Middle at this year’s Song Fest, Jan. 9th at Lebanon Valley College.   The students get to work with college music majors and professors all day, cumulating in a concert in the evening on the college campus.   Congratulations to  Rianna P., Julia W., PJ B., Emily E., Ben F., Cassidy F., Brooke H., Lily M., Brent M., Una R., Nadia T, Lorelei W. ,Kayden W., Mara W.

Dauphin County Vo Tech’s musical director offered the cast of the CDMS/LMS musical an opportunity to audition for munchkin roles in their show, Wizard of Oz.  The students who auditioned in December did well and were given a part in their show.  Congratulations to those students on this special musical theater opportunity!

JANUARY CALENDAR

01 NO SCHOOL – Winter Break

21 NO SCHOOL – Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday

23 Geography Bee 8:00AM CDMS Auditorium

24 Parent/Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:30 PM

25 Parent/Teacher Conferences 8:00-11:30 AM

25 NO SCHOOL - Conferences

TEAM HIGHLIGHTS

Green Lightning

Congratulations to our Students of the Month, Rianna P. and Samuel P.!

Reading- Happy New Year! We have started reading, I am Malala. We will be learning about text evidence and opinion through the memoir.

English- In English we are starting our lessons on various types of Text Structure. We will learn the different qualities and purposes of each, and then the students will be writing their own “magazine” that will require them to format their articles in the various types of text structure. This performance task will also act as an introduction to selecting and using reliable information from the internet to help compose their articles.

Science- We are starting the New Year in science by wrapping up mechanical advantage and simple machines. After that, students will be learning about Newton’s Laws of Motion and applying them through a rollercoaster project.

Social Studies- We are completing our study of Unit 2, PA history, and will be moving into the study of our government and its branches. We will share and interpret the Declaration of Independence, our Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Math- Off we go GCF, LCM, Ratio and Rates for our next Mathematical branch. If all calculates well, we’ll be coordinating by the end of the month.

Please continue to monitor your child’s progress in HAC.

Silver Storm

Congratulations to our December students of the month: Cole K. & Anushka N.

Reading – The students finished the book “Freedom Walkers” before winter break.  We just made our “word goal” for the year, which helps us to focus on an area of your life on which you want to improve, grow, or do more!  Our next book is titled; “I Am Malala” and we will focus on analyzing text evidence.  Students will use evidence from the text to analyze inferences, generalizations and key details. 

Math - We are finishing Unit 5 on Ratios and Proportional Relationships.  We are will be testing next week.  Unit 6 will be on expressions.  Students will be introduced to variables in this unit as well as review their prior knowledge on properties.  We are focusing on using math vocabulary in our classroom conversations as well as our math explanations. As always, please check homework calendar nightly and encourage your child to attend math help.  Happy New Year.

English – The students finished their text structure magazines before the winter break. We are now moving into our argumentative writing unit. The students will learn the difference between persuasive writing and argumentative writing. They will be selecting a pre-approved argumentative topic and writing an essay that convinces their audience of their stance, with the support of evidence. 

Social Studies – In social studies class we are working on our unit about Pennsylvania. We will be learning about two of Pa's greatest philanthropists: Milton Hershey and Andrew Carnegie. We will also be doing the social studies close read and TDA writing assignment this month. 

Science –The students enjoyed making and sharing their catapults.  This was the last project from our Simple Machines Unit.  We are currently building pulleys and calculating the effort needed to lift a load.  

Green Spartans

The Green Spartans team would like to welcome Ms. Schreiber as our new Science teacher!  In Science, the students are finishing a unit on Mitosis and Meiosis.  Students are learning all about genetics and reproduction. The Green Spartans took some time in class to work on a project where they were given the chance to select whether they would like to create an advertisement, an argumentative essay or a children's cancer book related to genetics.  In Academic Literacy, the students will be reading biography books. Students are able to choose a favorite person to read about and then complete activities, such as interviewing this person.  This unit will culminate with students presenting their information, helping others to learn more about their chosen person.  The World History classes are learning about Alexander the Great and the impact of Greek culture.  Congratulations to Nick J. for winning the 1st Greek/Roman snowman competition.  Next, the Green Spartans will learn about the rise of Rome.  In English, the students will be concluding a unit on drama.  Students will be writing a restaurant review as an informative writing piece.  Finally, in both Pre-Algebra and Math 7, students are working with equations and inequalities, solving them, writing them, and interpreting their meaning.  The Pre-Algebra classes will now turn their attention to rates, ratios, and proportional reasoning. 7th grade students in Academic Literacy class returned from Winter break to a collaborative New Year Escape room experience, which targeted the following skills: figurative language, inferences, and word choices. The escape room ties in with our current study on Inferences. Students have also read a biography on a person of their choice and will be completing a performance task, which includes multiple assessment options including a Memoir in a box.

Congratulations to December Students of the Month, Maya H. and Nick S.!

Silver Argonauts

The Silver Argonauts would like to congratulate the students of the month, Albert A., and Lauren W.

In science, the Silver Argonauts have shifted into the world of genetics. We will be learning how to do Punnett Squares and then delving into the modern world of biotechnology. We also have welcomed a new friend into the classroom, a tarantula named Twilight. In English, the Silver Argonauts will begin the month by writing a personal narrative to conclude their study of “Identity.”    Later in the month, the students will begin “The Red Kayak” as part of their third thematic unit – “Choices and Consequences.” In social studies, we have started a new unit of study on the Romans.  We will be on this for the remainder of the second marking period and most of the third marking period.  The students also have taken the qualifier for the Geography Bee that will be coming up later on in January. In Pre-Algebra, we will be starting our chapter on using percent to solve problems.  In Math Grade 7, we will be starting our chapter on unit rates and proportional relationships. The escape room ties in with our current study on Inferences. Students have also read a biography on a person of their choice and will be completing a performance task, which includes multiple assessment options including a Memoir in a box.

Green Dragons

The Green Dragons students of the month are Yashica C. and Josh B.  In US History class, we are building cities and seeing our nation grow and expand. We will be working on a performance task for Unit 5 that will be completed primarily in class, but may require some finishing up at home. In Science Class, we will be starting our study of Meteorology. Unit 5 will include lessons and labs on Heat Transfer, Air Pressure, Wind, and Humidity. That will be the foundation for Unit 6, which will concentrate on Weather Forecasting and Severe Storms.  In English, we are just finishing our unit on Fear and Paranoia. Students will soon be taking their unit test on the Fear and Paranoia unit. Moving into marking period three, we will begin to study "The Diary of Anne Frank."   In Algebra and Math 8 we will be exploring relations, functions and linear relationships.  Concepts include slope, slope-intercept form, point-slope form and standard form for linear equations.  In Research and Communications Literacy the students have been learning about the fundamentals of informative public speaking.  Students were continuing to develop their public speaking skills and building on their first speaking experience as they prepared another informational speech about their ‘dream college’.  As we move forward, attention will turn to argumentative speaking as students pair up to present the pros and cons of an argumentative speaking topic.

Dr. Smith’s 8th grade students have completed reading the novel, “Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science”. Students then spent much time working with a partner to conduct research on a chosen brain disorder. Students have become experts on their topic and will present their prepared Power Point presentations to educate their classmates on their selected disorder.

Silver Knights

The students of the month for the Silver Knights are Alyssa R. and Mitchel E.

In both Algebra and Math 8 classes, the students are learning how to solve and graph linear equations. 

In English class, students are studying grammar and will soon begin to learn about the Holocaust in preparation for reading The Diary of Anne Frank. 

In science, we are washing away water with a test on Friday.  We will be weathering the storm of the next unit staring on meteorology. 

In U.S. History, students are learning about the Industrial Revolution and how the rise of industry and trade led to the growth of cities. Dr. Smith’s 8th grade students have completed reading the novel, “Phineas Gage: A Gruesome but True Story about Brain Science”. Students then spent much time working with a partner to conduct research on a chosen brain disorder. Students have become experts on their topic and will present their prepared Power Point presentations to educate their classmates on their selected disorder.

Soaring Eagles

December was an exciting month for the Soaring Eagles!  We got to go on our first CBI to the Colonial Park Mall to shop for Christmas Presents!  The students were very excited to be able to shop for their family and friends!  We are looking forward to our next CBI coming up in February when we will be going to the movies!

All 3 classes also learned about Holiday Traditions including Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.  We had a day of stations and made ornaments for Christmas, a menorah for Hanukkah and played Mancala for Kwanzaa.  Lastly, we celebrated our 4th annual classroom tradition of watching the Polar Express, drinking hot cocoa and eating gingerbread cookies.  We are looking forward to great start to 2019!

5th Grade Happenings

Happy New Year! The 5th grade teachers hope you all had a joyful & restful holiday break! The New Year brings us to the task of setting both academic and personal goals. Our focus will be on teaching our students this life-long skill and encouraging them to reach to achieve these goals. Our math curriculum will be focusing on multiplying and dividing fractions this month. In language arts, we will be working on text dependent analysis work in preparation for our spring PSSA responses as well as continued work with verbs, comprehension improvement and writing.  We will also be completing our winter DIBELS testing & Edmentum testing. We look forward to seeing all of you at conferences on January 25. Be on the lookout for the conference online sign-up in the future. Stay warm & enjoy a cup of cocoa!

Sincerely,

Mr. Neff, Miss Poling, Mrs. Warner & Mrs. Haig

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