Fauquier County Public Schools / Homepage



Auburn Middle School NewsDecember 2016Dear Wildcat Parents,The holidays are a special time of year. You can see and feel the excitement in our students as we move through the month of December. Whether young or old, there are special memories of past holidays that we cherish, memories that bring a smile to our face and a warm feeling in our heart. Traditions that in many cases have been part of family celebrations for generations bring great pleasure to all. Sharing these traditions with your children is so incredibly important and creates a bond with your child that will last a lifetime!We also want our students to realize that helping those who are less fortunate is also a holiday tradition that we should all aspire to uphold. I am pleased to say our Wildcats have responded to our two recent food drives in an overwhelming way. I am incredibly proud of all of them! On behalf of the entire Auburn Middle School faculty and staff, we wish you and your family a festive and joyous holiday season.Warmest regards,Stephen KadilakPrincipal-142875128905Principals Corner Wildcat Parents,There are a few items I want to bring to your attention that will be of help to the faculty and staff here at AMS:Please do not drop your child off before 7:00 am as our staff does not arrive before that time. Supervision and safety would be a concern prior to that time. If you must drop them off before 7:00 am, please make sure your child is dressed for the cold weather if they are waiting outside. When you drop off an item for your child in the main office please make sure the item has their name on it. Please do not send a text message to them. Cell phone usage is only permitted during the lunch shifts. Mrs. Panto or Mrs. Lescalleet will call your child to the office between classes to pick-up the item. I greatly appreciate your support regarding these matters. Best regards, Steve Kadilak00Principals Corner Wildcat Parents,There are a few items I want to bring to your attention that will be of help to the faculty and staff here at AMS:Please do not drop your child off before 7:00 am as our staff does not arrive before that time. Supervision and safety would be a concern prior to that time. If you must drop them off before 7:00 am, please make sure your child is dressed for the cold weather if they are waiting outside. When you drop off an item for your child in the main office please make sure the item has their name on it. Please do not send a text message to them. Cell phone usage is only permitted during the lunch shifts. Mrs. Panto or Mrs. Lescalleet will call your child to the office between classes to pick-up the item. I greatly appreciate your support regarding these matters. Best regards, Steve KadilakAttendance Policies 2016-17 “There is no time like the present, and no substitute for being present” author unknownStudents who expect to be successful in school need to attend school regularly. Please keep in mind the following policies:ABSENCES: If your child will be absent from school, please email the attendance office by 8:00 am, the morning of the absence. Please include your name, telephone number, your child’s name, and the reason for the absence. If you know your child will be absent in advance, please send an email to the attendance office stating the reason for the absence. If your child will be out for an extended period of time please send a doctor’s note detailing the absence. A letter will be sent home after your child has reached six and ten absences. A conference will be required if there is cause for concern.amsattendance@- Preferred and most efficient form of contactDirect line for attendance (540)422-7419 Please note current attendance codes are:Excused Absence- AE -parent/guardian has made contactAbsence for an Unknown reason AUNK—parent has made no contact concerning student’s absenceTARDIES: HOMEROOM STARTS AT 7:25 Students must be in their homeroom by 7:30 when the tardy bell rings or they will be marked tardy. All tardies to school are considered unexcused unless they have been documented by a doctor’s note or a parent/ guardian notifies the attendance office the day the tardy occurred. If your child is late because of a medical or dental appointment, please send in the doctor’s note with your child to the front office. EARLY DISMISSALS: As a courtesy, if your child needs to leave school early, please present a note to the office the morning of the early dismissal. You will be required to sign your child out in the front office. Teachers will be alerted by way of email, if a student will be released early.As stated in the handbook, homework will be posted on Blackboard. Please email the teachers directly if you need further clarification.Clinic NewsThe Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends a Meningococcal vaccine for all children aged 11 to 12 years. Older teens need a second shot when they are 16 years old to stay protected when their risk is the highest. If your child has not been vaccinated, please discuss this vaccine with your doctor. Meningococcal vaccines help protect against the bacteria that causes Meningococcal disease. The illnesses are often severe and include infections of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis) and bloodstream (bacteremia). These infections don’t happen very often, but can be very dangerous when they do. Meningococcal bacteria are spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions. Keeping up to date with recommended vaccines is the best defense against Meningococcal disease. Athletic NewsThe Boys Basketball season is underway, and currently the team is having a successful season. The team roster and schedule for each sport can be found on the Auburn Athletic website at . Please remember if your son or daughter is trying out for a sport team, they must have a VHSL Physical and Concussion History Form on file with Mr. Anderson. A VHSL Physical can be used for all sports. The physical must be dated after May 1, 2016.Girls Basketball try outs will begin on January 9, 2017 from 2:35-4:30 pm. If you have any questions about Girls Basketball, please email Annie Malloy at Annie.Malloy@. All Spring Sports which include: Boys Soccer, Boys Baseball, Girls Volleyball and Girls Cross Country will begin on March 20, 2017. More information about practice will follow in future newsletters. Please check the athletic website for more information as the season approaches. Throughout the year (2016-17) the athletic department will be sponsoring “Pride Parties“, for home games. Before your child will be allowed to stay, you must fill out the permission form and turn it in to the office. Pizza, drinks and snacks will be sold at the party and during the game. If you have questions or concerns about Auburns Athletic Program, please email Jeff Anderson at jeffanderson@. Look forward to seeing you during the Winter Season and thank you for supporting the Auburn Wildcats.Mrs. BalgavyIn my Pre-Algebra Course 1 (and Honors) classes, we have been working hard during Quarter 2. Students have been learning about perimeter, area, Measures of Center (Mean, Median and Mode), fractions, decimals, percents, multiplying and dividing decimals, graphs, and ratios. We just started working on solving one-step equations. Students have been engaged in learning through different activities. For mean, median and mode we used information on how many states the students have visited to find the balance point on a line plot. We also used candy to group, chart, and find mean, median and mode. Students in Math Seminar have been working on basic skills and having fun doing so. We just started using the Mobey Max program. Mrs. Brammer - MathIn 6th grade pre-algebra we have continued to work hard though new topics.? These new topics included decimal practical problems, converting fractions, decimals, and percents, ratios, measures of center and circle graphs.? For the rest of the second quarter our solving algebraic equations.Mathematically speaking students excelled at ratios.? Some topics that would be good areas to review would include fraction operations.? I would suggest making flash cards of the properties, factions and decimals and measurements conversions as these will continue to be on the tests.? Our next large assessment will be on December? 14th.? Keep in mind all tests are cumulative and worth 200 points.? Please check blackboard frequently for updates.Thank you for your help in making your student has a successful school year.Ms. Cammarota – EnglishIn Ms. Cammarota’s 8th Grade Honors and General English classes are finishing their Holocaust Unit, which culminated with an extensive research paper. Students wrote 4-7 pages paper on some topic relating to the Holocaust or Diversity. Students have been actively engaged in learning the parts of a research essay, crafting thesis statements, peer-reviewing, and ultimately developing excellent research essays. Many students have not completed formal writing assignments before, and they quickly grasped and worked through many complex skillsets. Students will continue to learn about the Holocaust through non-fiction articles, Socratic Seminars, and investigation inquiries. Students in Honors English specifically are also reading ?The Diary of a Young Girl? written by Anne Frank, which tells of her experience hiding in a secret annex in Amsterdam amid the Holocaust. This is an important and constructive unit, which allows for students to learn a great deal about diversity, acceptance, and how different the experiences of others might be from their own. Chorus - Mrs. DavisBRAVO! To chorus students who were amazing in their concert on Tuesday, December 6th at Kettle Run High School. Their hard work and dedication paid off! On Saturday, January 14th, 7th and 8th grade students will be singing the National Anthem at a Washington Wizards Game at the Verizon Center in Washington, DC. Tickets are $23 - Contact rcassidy@ for tickets!Upcoming Chorus Events:December 9th – Singing Carols on the steps of the courthouse at Gum Drop Square in downtown Warrenton at 6:30pm.January 14th – Wizards GameJanuary 20-21 – All-County Chorus (by audition)February 10-11 – District Chorus (by audition)March 25th – State Assessment (required for all 7th and 8th Grade)April 29th – Solo & Ensemble FestivalMay 3rd – Spring Chorus Concert (mandatory for all chorus students)May 6th – Music in the Parks Festival at Hershey ParkDrama Club Seussical Jr will be held on April 21st and 22nd at Warrenton Middle School. Look out for ticket sales in the spring!Parents – please make sure you are checking the schedule every week to make sure your child attends all rehearsals. If you have questions about costumes please email me. The costume sheet is divided into things that you need to purchase and other items that are being made specifically for your child.4678680647700Mrs. DiSantis - 7th Grade EnglishIn Mrs. DiSantis’ class, we are all reading S.E. Hinton’s, The Outsiders. While the girls in the class are swooning over dreamy Ponyboy, the boys seem to be enjoying the fighting between the social classes…a.k.a. the Greasers and the Socs. The kiddos are proving themselves responsible for their own learning this month—we vote daily on how we should read a chapter—via audio book, me reading to them, the class taking turns reading out loud, or reading on their own. It is every English teacher’s dream to hear kids beg me to take the book home so they can read more than what is assigned. AMS is full of wonderful students that never cease to amaze me. I am still pinching myself some days, as if this were a dream…Course 1 Math – Mrs. Edwards Students are excited to be learning one step equations. Please have your child demonstrate “Mirror Words” for this concept. We will be having a popcorn party very soon to celebrate good study habits in the classroom. It’s hard to believe that our marking period will be ending soon. Please review your child’s agenda nightly. Hope everyone has a peaceful and restful break.Language! Live – Mrs. Edwards Students having been taking their mid-year Benchmark 2 assessments. It’s hard to believe how fast the school year is going. Students have Accelerated Reader Projects due on December 12th. Students need to be reading nightly and completing their reading log. Please review your child’s agenda nightly. Hope everyone enjoys a nice restful break. Mrs. Fahey- HistoryOverall, the first semester of US History has gone well.? Students have made a lot of progress asking higher level thinking questions and challenging themselves to ask “Why?” I have really appreciated the way they continue to rise to the challenge each day and take responsibility for their work.? We are finishing our educational path of WWI and will be moving into the ‘Roarin’ Twenties right before break.? I am so pleased with the pace the students are keeping and the effort they are all making.? Please continue to check Blackboard for grades and assignments.? Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.? Thank you for your continued support.Mrs. Fredericks -EnglishWild wonderful things are going on in Language Arts this quarter; we are slaying dragons, saving dudes and damsels in distress and most of all going places most mortals fear to go.? We are trying out some new seating arrangements in Language Arts – we have added Yoga Balls, Wiggle Disks, a rug and different tables for those who like to sit out of the box. Honors classes are currently reading their second book in literature circles and will be done by the quarter’s end. Language Arts 6 is about halfway through the novel A Year Down Yonder and loving it! We read the book in and out of class, answer questions, and most of all discuss what’s going on.Mr. Garrison and Mrs. Hackman– ScienceThe sixth grade science classes have begun studying the properties of water.? The students completed a lab on the density anomaly which shows why ice can float on top of water.? They are also learning about the capillary action that pulls water molecules up against the force of gravity.? This is how plants collect water.? The sixth grade students also recently completed the “Hour of Code,”?which is dedicated to expanding access to computer science. Their vision is that every student in every school should have the opportunity to learn computer science, just like biology, chemistry or algebra. organizes the annual Hour of Code campaign which has engaged 10% of all students in the world, and provides the leading curriculum for K-12 computer science in the largest school districts in the United States. 6th Grade Science students participating in the Hour Of Code22618362297150024238911160400012319000 Mrs. Hoelscher – GeometryIn Geometry we are finishing up our study of special properties of polygons. Upon returning from break, we will embark on our study of circles. I bet the students never realized how many properties circles have! The 3rd quarter might be a little more challenging than the 2nd quarter. Most students have been great about homework completion. Keep up the good work! Have a wonderful break and holiday!The algebra students are finishing up their study of systems of equations. They have even conquered the scary word problems! Upon return from break, we will begin our study of the rules of exponents which is challenging content. Most students are great about homework completion. Keep up the good work! Have a wonderful break and holiday!Guidance NewsAcademic Counseling~ Mrs. Griffin and Ms. Evans held individual meetings with all students who failed one or more classes during the first marking period. During this meeting they reviewed study habits, homework habits and other areas where opportunities for improved effort and performance could be identified. Sixth Grade~ Mrs. Griffin will be visiting the sixth grade science classes for a career exploration unit during the month of January.? During this time students will participate in an online activity to learn which career clusters match their interests. They will visit the website to explore two of these career clusters, and the jobs associated with them, in more detail. We will begin reading the pamphlet entitled My Future, My Way: How to Go, How to Pay in order to expose students to their post-secondary educational options and the different types of financial aid that is available. The students will be asked to answer questions about their current school success skills to get an idea of how they are doing and what they could do to improve. As part of this unit, your child is expected to interview two people about their careers and present one of the interviews in class. I hope that you will enjoy using this opportunity to talk with your child about their goals and plans for the future. Please contact Mrs. Griffin at mgriffin@ with questions.Seventh Grade~ Ms. Evans visited the seventh grade students in their Family and Consumer Sciences classes. The students participated in an online activity to learn which career families matched their interests. They will visited the website to research the career description, salary range, job outlook, educational requirements, and skills needed for a career of their choosing. The students used this information to complete “My 7th Grade Career Exploration Survey.”? The completed survey will go in the students’ permanent files and will be retrieved for their use in developing their Academic Career Plans (ACP) in eighth grade. Your child has been given a copy of the survey to bring home for your review and signature. Please contact Ms. Evans at amandaevans@ with questions.Eighth Grade~ Eighth grade students created an Academic and Career Plan (ACP) with the help of their Geography teachers and Guidance Counselors. This plan is a fluid document to be reviewed, revised and developed each year. The ACP is a state mandate with the purpose of helping your child plan and select high school classes that will support both their post-secondary and career goals. Parent participation in this activity is essential. We hope the document will springboard conversations regarding your child’s academic and career plans.Registrar News~ Each guardian who has an email recorded in Infinite Campus (our student database program) may have an Infinite Campus Portal account. Emails have been sent out with an expiring, one-time only use link to the set-up page. The link cannot be used more than once. If you click on the link, you must complete the process at that time. Initial set up of the account must be done on a computer before the mobile application can be used successfully.If you did not create an account, you will continue to receive the email. If you are new to FCPS you will receive an email shortly after enrolling.With an Infinite Campus Parent Portal account, parents can view and request updates to Family/Household information: phone numbers and email addresses. Home addresses cannot be changed through the portal due to the proof of residency requirements. (county policy) Parents and students can also view Attendance, Grades (official report card), Assessment scores, Academic Plans, Course Requests, and Emergency Contact information. Ms. Kemler - Family and Consumer Science6th Grade: Students researched Kitchen Safety and created a poster with a partner. Before Thanksgiving we enjoyed Thanksgiving snack mix, smoothies, and Breakfast Burritos. They have finished sewing their pillows and will end the 9 weeks discussing values. Our next cooking activity will be baked ziti.7th Grade: Students have been busy learning about a sewing machine and sewing a locker caddy. We sew in two groups to give students more individual attention. They just had a cooking day making a fruit salad with cinnamon chips. They will be finishing up locker caddies and baking banana chocolate chip mini muffins.8th Grade: The students worked hard on sewing a pair of boxer shorts. This project teaches a very important life skill of problem solving. They learned about the various aspects of sewing, such as: threading a machine, ironing, pinning, laying out/cutting the patterns, and taking measurements. Most of them know exactly what a seam ripper is because they used it often, but I am so proud of them for their determination to complete the project! We made homemade chicken noodle soup and will make Christmas cookies before break.Mr. Lembo- Physical ScienceStudents have been working on Newton’s three laws of motion. We will be dropping our egg drop projects! We will be discussing the conservation of momentum, and working on how to calculate air resistance. Ms. Lewis - Course 3 Pre-Algebra70548573152000Currently in Ms. Lewis’ Course 3 we are applying our algebraic skills to realistic situations such as tax, tip, discount, mark up, and simple interest. We reinforced the above topics by working in groups, visiting a pretend restaurant, and working with a partner. Course 3 will be tested on all percentages next week followed by a midterm.273132-49218300In Algebra, we recently completed working with slope and graphing equations in two variables. We applied our graphing skills to scatter plots and experimented with rubber bands to create a bungee jump for BARBIE. We now moving into chapter 6 and working with systems o equations and inequalities. We learned how to display our answers visually using a graph and abstractly using elimination and substitution. They will be tested on systems chapter 6 next week followed by a midterm. Mrs. Loback- AlgebraMrs. Loback’s 7th Grade Course 2 Pre-Algebra students began the second quarter by studying fractions, decimals, and percents. The students became experts at converting from one form of a number to another, such as changing a fraction into a percent, and ordering a mixed set of numbers from least to greatest. Next they became whizzes at solving one- and two-step equations and combining like terms. The Honors students even learned how to solve multi-step equations involving 4 or 5 steps! They memorized the mantras, “What you do to one side of the equation, you must do to the other side of the equation.” They then learned what it means to solve inequalities and graph them with open or closed symbols. Ask your child if he or she remembers what to do with the inequality symbol when multiplying or dividing by a negative number! We will finish the quarter by learning about functions and creating input/output tables, charts, and graphs. The students will have the opportunity to demonstrate what they learn about functions in a fun project tying all the parts of our function unit together. They have worked hard this first semester and deserve a restful break in December!!Mrs. Loch and Mrs. Sayers- CivicsLooking for the perfect Stocking Stuffer for your civics student or civics-minded person in your life? Try a Pocket Constitution! A mini version of our nation’s founding document along with a new package of pencils will get your student off to a great start in the New Year! With the conclusion of this election cycle, Mrs. Loch and Ms. Sayers’s students have developed a thorough understanding of the complex Electoral College, political parties, and the whole political process grounded in real life experience. Nothing like studying the Electoral College during an election where the Electoral votes swing the election towards the candidate who did not win the popular vote. This has only happened four other times in history! Civics students are now delving into democratic principles, the historic documents, and ideas that influenced Framers when they wrote the United States Constitution. Good luck to all on the upcoming test and remember to study.Ms. Sayers and Mrs. Loch appreciate all the hard work the students have put forth this semester. We are looking forward to the New Year! We recently attended the National Council for the Social Studies conference in Washington DC this month and plan to infuse our upcoming units with some new and energizing ideas as we study the justice system, state and local government, and economics this spring!Mrs. Malloy- ArtWe have had a great 2nd quarter in art this year! The 6th graders did a great job sculpting and painting their clay minions. This week they are starting to learn how to draw a self-portrait with the correct facial proportions. The 7th graders just finished their 2 point perspective drawings and painted their clay mushroom house. The mushroom houses will be on display in the library as a Smurf village next week. The 8th graders painted their Greek vases black and scratched off interesting designs. They are currently learning about kinetic art and making Kaliedocycles. After the Winter Break they will be moving on to their next rotation. I have really enjoyed working with my current classes this year!!!31102308002848-36327965500Smurf Village clay art Greek vasesaMrs. Mangicaro - Math Algebra I classes have finished learning about linear equations of lines, slope and y-intercepts. Ask your student what the three forms of the equation of a line are and see if they can tell you. (Answer: Slope-intercept form, point-slope form and standard form) We now working on Systems of equations. Students will need to apply what they have learned from the linear equations of lines unit, as well as, knowing how to solve equations and evaluate an equation. Students will have a midterm just before winter break. (Don’t worry they will be given a review packet. ;-) )Course 3 students are learning about the important life skills of how to find taxes, tips, discounts, markups, percent of increase or decrease, finding simple interest and how to find the percent of a whole equals a part. Finally, I can answer the question, “When we will use this in real life?” Course 3 students will also take a midterm before winter break, they will be getting a review packet too. Mrs. McCarty - English390652057467500 “I don’t think grandma’s a very good influence on us.” This quote by a main character sums up the book we have been reading this term, A Long Way from Chicago, by Richard Peck. Each summer, Mary Alice and Joey visit their Grandma, and some sort of trouble always ensues. From a mischievous entry into a baking contest to a competitive town parade, students have been learning and laughing their way through our literature circle meetings each week. In addition to our novel study, we have also been honing our figurative language skills, through illustrations (like the one below) and a fun game of BINGO. So don’t be surprised when your student asks you to sign a square if you say that time is flying before the holiday break! Mrs. Midkiff - Academic SkillsWe have been very busy in Academic Skills classes so far this year. We have been working on homework, projects, and studying hard for tests. Please continue to remind your child to come to class with agenda and materials needed for the day. Grades are based on their class participation. Please continue to check your child’s Black Board site to keep informed of all grades they are receiving in classes. Black Board is a great resource to download notes/assignments, and see when upcoming assignments are coming due. Please always check your child’s agenda daily for assignments listed and any notes the teacher may be sending you. We work hard to get many things accomplished in our class, but we are only in class for 45 minutes, so some homework may have to be completed at home. I am proud of how hard the kids have been working. Any questions, feel free to contact me. I cannot believe how quickly this school year is passing by! I also cannot believe the holiday season is already here!Mr. Piszczor – Tech EdThe Technology Education classes are currently finishing up their work in the following areas:?The 6th grade classes?have just completed?their communication technology project (Soda Can Commercial).? They utilized brainstorming techniques to develop ideas to successfully advertise their product, and they recorded a commercial that highlighted their accomplishment. They are presently working in the shop on their manufacturing activity (Triangle Peg Game).?The 7th grade classes are continuing their work on their clock making activity. They have been safely utilizing various pieces of shop equipment to do this, and their work is progressing very well.?The 8th grade classes have been working on their CO2 car activity. They are almost to the point of painting them and then, it will be off to the races. Students will compete against each other to see who designed and constructed the most aerodynamic design. They will be analyzing various calculations and conversions as it relates to the race results.Mrs. Proctor – MathMrs. Proctor’s 7th Grade Course 2 Pre-algebra students began the second quarter by studying fractions, decimals, and percents. They became experts at converting from one form of a number to another, such as changing a fraction into a percent, and ordering a mixed set of numbers from least to greatest. Next they became experts at solving one- and two-step equations and combining like terms. The Honors students even learned how to solve multi-step equations involving 4 or 5 steps! They memorized the mantras, “What you do to one side of the equation, you must do to the other side of the equation,” and, “Save the variable until the “vari” end.” They then learned what it means to solve inequalities and graph them with open or closed symbols. Ask your child if he or she remembers what to do with the inequality symbol when multiplying or dividing by a negative number! We are finishing the quarter by learning about functions/sequences and creating input/output tables, charts, and graphs. In the picture below, the students are investigating patterns as they relate to function rules. Mrs. Prosser - Science There has been a lot of learning going on in Life Science this year!?? Cells!? Cells are incredibly interesting!? Who knew there were so many organelles to learn about?? What is a golgi apparatus?? How about the rough endoplasmic reticulum?? These seventh graders can tell you all about this and more!?? Not only did we check out multicellular organisms like plants and animals, we also looked at examples of unicellular organisms. We just completed a fermentation lab that made our room smell like bread. Between now and Christmas we are focusing on diffusion and osmosis. We will finish up before break with Osmosis Jones.All students should be working on their science fair projects due February 21. All students will be given display boards in January.? More fun science to come – just stay tuned!Mr. RalphMr. Ralph’s Virginia Institute of Autism (VIA) classroom is hard at work and getting ready for the holiday season.? We continue to go on great CBI trips including Mt. Vernon, Grioli’s Restaurant, the recycling center, and Sky Zone!? REACH club begins next week and the guys continue to do excellent work.? We look forward to starting off the new year in the same exciting way!Mr. Richardson U.S. HistoryU.S. HistoryStudents completed their studies of Franklin D. Roosevelt, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which were all part of our November 22 field trip to Washington, D.C. It was a cool morning (some may have thought cold), but the sun was out for young scholars who saw several of our nation’s memorials to famous otherwise memorable Americans. The tour included stops at the Air and Space Museum and the Museum of American History. Auburn students were well-behaved and well-supervised (thank you, chaperones).We are beginning our second performance assessment activity this week. It involves research and writing about the Spanish American War. We will research multiple sources, write a news article, create a timeline and two maps, and reflect upon this event’s historical significance. This is a classroom activity and should not be completed outside of class.Academic FocusStudents in Academic Focus classes are reading A Time for Courage which is part of the Dear America Series by Scholastic, Inc. The women’s suffrage movement is set against the backdrop of World War I and competing political topics. Students are journaling in two-column style to promote analysis as well as attention to narrative detail.History UnfoldedStudents in this after-school club have uncovered their first evidence that Fauquier residents knew about Kristallnacht, the Nazi repression of Jews in prewar Germany. When we resume our research of microfilmed local newspapers after the holiday break, we hope to find evidence of more news about the exciting events from World War II Europe.World Geography - Mitzi Richmond 0204500This month in world geography, we learned about the physical and human geography of the United States and Canada. Students explored the United States in part through descriptions and photos of my family’s journey across our magnificent country this summer (the picture behind this text is the Rocky Mountains in my favorite park, Glacier National Park). Students delved into the United States and its regions by creating and presenting a Google Slideshow on their region. They were amazing! From there, we moved on to learn more about Canada, its land, history, and people. Do you know the provinces and territories of Canada? How about their capitals? What’s the favorite sport in Canada? What did the Inuit people negotiate to get from the Canadian government? I am sure you student can tell you this and more! Ask them, and learn about our neighbors to the North. We culminated this unit with a creative project opportunity involving Canada. Students considered what they learned about Canada as they painted, wrote poetry and songs, created green-screen video projects, puzzles and even a cake! Please see the pictures above and below for just some of the amazing work these students worked to create. Next up is Latin America! Mr. Roll 8th Grade World GeographyStudents have just completed their Unit 02 assessment. Our current studies have taken us to Latin America, which is divided into three distinct regions: Central America, the Caribbean, and South America. Students will be quizzed on these geographic areas for several weeks in an effort to learn the political geography of Latin America. We will create maps, flashcards, and flags, as well as, utilize educational, and appropriate videos from YouTube to catch a glimpse of physical and cultural characteristics of specific countries within this vast region. Students will also view a series from the History Channel Engineering an Empire: The Maya, which chronicles the lives of the Mayan people whose cities disappeared and people mysteriously vanished by 900 AD. I will also share personal experiences from my travels to Argentina and Uruguay via photographs and videos. We will complete the Latin America Unit after the holidays. Our studies will continue with my favorite unit in the textbook, Europe.Ms. Seo – OrchestraCongratulations Orchestra for an awesome winter orchestra concert last week! Students have been working extremely hard to prepare for the concert. 6th grade: Will start reviewing the basic music theory as well as demonstrating proper posture. 7th & 8th grade: Students will be focusing on sight-reading and music theory until before the winter break then will start working on their assessment music. ? Please mark your calendars for the Orchestra Assessment as it is a mandatory event. Students interested in joining All-County Orchestra will have to audition in February.? ?Upcoming events for 7th and 8th graders: ●??? -March 11- String Orchestra Assessment @ Shenandoah University ●?????? -March 24-25 All-County Orchestra @ Liberty High School ●????? -March 24th and 25th Fauquier County Fine Arts Festival at Liberty High SchoolMrs. Smiljanich7th Grade Math C2This marking period we mastered solving two-step equations with one variable. All of the students understand what is required of them to solve a two step- equation. I am so proud! We learned to solve and graph inequalities. The students are able to guiding me through the steps to solving the inequalities and I in return enjoy seeing how much they have learned! We are currently using graphs, tables, rules and words to describe a functions. Before we leave for winter break we will identify arithmetic and algebraic sequences. 8th Grade LANGUAGE! LiveWolves, wolves and more wolves! We just finished working with our fourth piece of literature that involves wolves. This time we read a Native American legend regarding wolves titled, “Who Speaks for Wolf, A Native American Learning Story.” The story had a great moral about decision making, that we must always consider all aspects that might impact us before a decision can be made. Students are finishing writing an essay contrasting the view American Indians have of the wolf to that of the German cultures view of the wolf. Ask them how they are different! On the computer based part of our class the students are progressing well and have completed unit 6 of a total of 12 units in the program. I impressed when I hear the effortless reading of the students in the class when they are willing to read out loud. Mrs. Sowala Life Science November was a busy month for us. We finished up our cell unit with a super fun Cell Day, where we dressed up like organelles, something that represents an organelle or cell theory scientists. Those who participated did a great job.40729321494300-309225400002241550889000 -136069064231500252907469710964240555412940008248418621200We also went to the pond and collected pond water to observe under the microscopes. The kids had a lot of fun on that adventure, but they were a bit disgusted to see what was swimming around in the water. This month, we have been studying cell processes like photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and passive and active transport. We just did a four day long lab on osmosis. Ask your kids what happened to the egg that we put in corn syrup and the one that we put in water. If you are feeling crazy, ask them to replicate the experiment for you at home. After winter break, we will start cell division and look at the different steps of mitosis and how animal and plant cells divide. We will also continue working on our science fair projects. If you have any questions about the science fair projects or due dates, please let me know.384746531750000 Mrs. Spota - LibraryFor our author visit in November, Mrs. A. B. Westrick, brought her young adult novel, Brotherhood, to life for us here at Auburn. Mrs. Westrick spent her day in presentations, writing workshops and a lunch discussion group. Thank you to the PTO for making her visit possible, and to individual families for purchasing signed copies of her book. left14435700121623123068600We followed Mrs. Westrick’s visit with one of our best book fairs in recent years. We sold over $5000 worth of books and school supplies netting the library a much needed boost to our budget. Look for new books to appear in the Library in January! Battle of the BooksThe Battle of the Books club continues to meet every other Wednesday in the AMS library from 2:30-3:30. We are preparing for our first of our two competitions, which takes place on January 21st at Marshall Middle School. Club members are reading a collection of 20 titles, hoping to be able to correctly answer the most number of questions at the competition. We hold scrimmages, or practice mini-competitions, at each of our meetings, in addition to using online games to help in memorizing the titles and authors. Wish us luck and happy reading! Mrs. Sviatko – Language Arts 8Students in Mrs. Sviatko’s Language Arts 8 class are currently writing a research paper. They are exploring historical figures or events that have shaped the course of history. Their final product will be a 2-3 page thesis-based essay using MLA formatting. Throughout the writing process students will be learning about paraphrasing, quoting, and summarizing in order to support their own assertions with research.Mrs. Szwejkowski Mrs Szwejkowski’s Class has had loads of fun both in and outside the classroom. During our Community Based Instruction trips, we have enjoyed the company of Mr. Ralph’s and Mrs. Walker’s classes. We are working steadily on our goals, and alternative SOL’s in the classroom, and enjoy working with our related service specialists as well. Here are some of the places we have enjoyed going: We rode the bus to our first CBI trip this year to Stribling Orchard, where we had a lovely tour and talk on the grounds of the orchard. We discussed life long ago vs. today, life needs of the plants and animals on the grounds, and brought back the apples we picked to use in recipes, and practiced using our kitchen utensils in the process. 199506372376800We then went to Sweet Frog for the first time, and were able to make healthy choices, as to what we wanted on our ice cream. Sweet frog has gluten free and cassein free choices.-15437926577600 403617520301900Our third trip was to Cox’s Farm where we went on a great hayride, slid down slides, fed and watched animals and discussed their life needs. We read outdoor signs, experienced being with working people in their farm careers, navigated crowds, practiced waiting in line, a staying with our group. Elmo is one of our favorites, so we were glad to see him there! It was a beautiful Fall day! We made the trek to Mount Vernon next, and got to see the place where the “Father of Our Country” lived and farmed. The museum and structures were very impressive, as well as interactive, allowing us to experience some of George Washington’s amazing life in Colonial America. Our next trip was to the Fauquier Landfill, where Mrs. Trish Ethier gave us our annual tour and spoke to us about all of the history, processes, and new changes to the ways our county recycles in order to stop polluting our Earth. This was epecially informative for those of us participating in the recycling program at Auburn.In November, we also celebrated our friend Kimberly’s birthday, and wished her the best school year, ever! Happy Birthday, Kim!13860826876700200258028950000371909624860300 A few weeks ago Kim and her friends experienced Mr. Vitale’s “Pizza Workshop” at Grioli’s Italian Bistro in Bealeton. They too, offer gluten free choices. Thank you, Mr. Vitale!Mrs. Talomie – Language Mrs. Talomie’s students are busy learning the different forms of Figurative Language. It’s rewarding giving them candy each time they recognize that a peer just used an idiom, hyperbole, etc. while speaking.? That means I know they’re getting the concept, because they are applying it! We continue to build upon our writing skills and reading fluency. We are taking our second STAR reading test tomorrow and next week taking the Language Live! Benchmark II. It’s hard to believe it’s already almost Winter Break. Time flies when you’re having fun.? Happy Holidays! Mr. Thomas – ScienceAs we near the end of the second grading period, I have to wonder … WHERE DOES THE TIME GO?We finished our study of Motion, Speed, Velocity, and Acceleration last month and have spent this month learning to apply those concepts to our study of Force, and of Newton’s Laws of Motion. The students have learned to calculate the force of gravity on an object, and also studied the mitigating or opposite effect of air resistance.. They are applying this knowledge to design and construct our egg drop capsules. The goal is to protect a raw egg during a four meter fall. We will be dropping our eggs next week, and I want to thank the parents for their support and assistance during this project. I have been very pleased with the effort and results they have shown on this project. These projects will be impacted by not only the two forces, but individually by each of the three laws of motion. Remember to feel free to contact me if you have any questions about what we are doing in class or your student’s progress. Have a wonderful holiday season, and best wishes to all.Mrs. WalkerWow! It’s hard to believe that we are just about half way through the school year! We have been very busy with all of our activities. We took a great trip out to Mount Vernon. We did not get to meet President Washington but there were many character actors there. A few of the students even got to march in the Continental Army! We also went to Grioli’s in Bealton and made our own pizzas. What a treat! The coffee shop is doing some great business this time of year. We are grateful to all of the staff who come to our shop for early morning sweets and some eye opening coffee. The students love to serve them! Of course, we are also very busy with our academics in the classroom. All of the students have been working very hard. The winter break will be very well deserved! I wish everyone a wonderful holiday season and look forward to getting back to work in January!Mrs. Ward – Intro to French and SpanishStudents are having a wonderful year in Intro to French and Spanish using the AIM whole language gesture-based teaching, which is a bit like American Sign Language.? We are making fantastic progress thanks to our new workbooks.? We are about to take the test on Section E, and practicing the plays Marco el Mago and Salut, mon ami! in groups with costumes (hats and other props) to help remind the other students in the group who is playing which character, plus, it’s more fun and reminds students to be expressive.? Pronunciation is definitely shaping up nicely.? Students are working with either/or sentences in class, and some classes are ahead of others and are unscrambling sentences in order to acquire proper sentence structure patterns.? The workbooks I created for the class seem to be supporting the students in their efforts; test results are good, and students seem eager to learn.? The workbooks are also popular with my fellow AIM teachers.? The next workbook check is December 12/13 for Section E, which is fantastic progress.? Students need to be sure to fill out all pages in their workbooks and to make the requested corrections on the previous section so that we learn from mistakes.? Students who are having trouble can try the Google translate app on their cellphones to speed time looking up things, it’s a deal changer!? Before tests, studying vocabulary in Quizlet is recommended.? Students enjoy using Quizlet Learn after each test to introduce them to the next section of vocabulary.? Students are learning nouns and verbs through whole language, in addition to colors and other adjectives.? We have grammar lessons in which we discuss topics such as noun-adjective agreement in number and gender, and with Section E began an introduction to the words that have to do with the play.? Students are practicing writing the date and the weather, both in class and in their workbooks.? Our fall culture projects were fantastic and as always, I love seeing the look on the children’s’ faces as they discover the culture of the language they are exploring, especially the adventures with their families, the crafts which they are so proud of, and the food, which can be an eye-opening experience after so many chicken nuggets and hamburgers!The trip to Québec was regrettably cancelled last week due to low enrollment, which dropped even further after the itinerary of the trip was changed by the tour company, leaving only three travelers.? I am busy collaborating with another French teacher from another school in the county on a day trip to Richmond for some French fun, more news on that to follow in the future.Mr. WickaThe Self-Determination class has been working on the topic of “Careers” this semester. All the students were asked to pick careers they were interested in, they were asked to map out how they would attain the goal of being hired for their careers and then to go through a mock process of receiving the job. The students mapped out necessary schooling requirements for their career interests, they researched average salary vs. average living cost per state so that they could pick where they wanted to live comfortably in their careers. Finally the students created resumes practiced interview skills and went through mock interviews with administrators (or professionals related to their career options) and got to see how the process of getting a job feels. All the students did a fantastic job!AMS Boys Cross Country TeamMs. Wilbur - Health /PE and Boys Cross Country CoachThe Boys Cross Country Team went undefeated during the fall season and won the County Championship!? Cameron Barlowe, Chris Childers, David Jorgenson, Dean Kolb and Logan Hall ended the season with average finish of being one of the Top 10 runners in the county!? Congratulations to all of the runners on the boys team for a great season.Wildcat Band NotesStay up-to-date with the Wildcat Bands!Log-in to Blackboard & Parents – be sure to add your email address to your child’s account!This year, Mrs. Mergen will be using ! Sign-up for text reminders: Text “@ams-band” to 81010. PRACTICE: All students are expected to practice a minimum of 100 minutes each week – this means instruments must go home at least 3 times a week and on weekends.HOMEWORK: Go to AMSBandHomework to complete your Goal Setting / Personal Reflection Survey! Due every Tuesday for ALL members.EXTRA HELP: Extra help is available after school several times a week! Contact Mrs. Mergen to make an appointment. RECORDINGS: A great way to practice a home is by playing along with the professional recordings! You can find them on Blackboard & AMSBandRecordingLinks UPCOMING EVENTS for the Wildcat Bands:(Be sure to check Blackboard for the latest info!)Tuba Christmas at the JFKennedy Center: Dec 14 Check out the live webcast 6PM at kennedy- Tri-County Honor Band: Jan 20, 21 @ FHSAudition winners will be announced during the week of Dec 12District XIV Honor Band: Feb 3, 4 @ Millbrook HSAudition winners will be announced during the week of Dec 12Annual Band Fundraiser: Feb 1-28Thank you in advance for your support!!!!!!VA State Band Assessment Season: (7/8 gr)After School Rehearsals *attendance required** 7th Gr Band – Feb 22, 28 & March 7, 9 – 2:30-4:00* 8th Gr Band – March 2, 8 – 2:30-4:00Performances *attendance required** Preview Concert @ WMS - March 1* Judge Concert @ James Wood MS - March 10Jazz Ensemble: Currently on Winter Break – will begin in MarchNEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS:6th Grade has finished Level 2! They are really doing a great job! Continue encouraging your student to share what they’ve learned in class – you will be amazed by the improvement over just a few short months! If your student struggling w/ our 1st 6 notes, please schedule an appointment for extra help before they get too far behind!Smart Music: The Winter Concert interrupted our SmartMusic Training – we are currently reviewing. Go to admin. using Google Chrome on a computer or Android Tablet. You can also download the “new SmartMusic” app for your iPad. Username = same as GoogleDocs; Password = BandRocks. Please try it out at home, and let me know what happens! Interactive Practice Studio: Our method book (Tradition of Excellence) has a fantastic online resource! Check out the KJOS IPS website! You can find your log-in code inside the back cover of your Tradition of Excellence Book. IPS is also available as an app for Android and Apple devices.Supplies: Be sure to stay well stocked on reeds, oil, etc. throughout the year. Check out: “Band Supplies & Where to Find Them!”Mrs. Yergin -7th Grade EnglishAs we finish up the second quarter, students are working on finishing their memoirs.? What a fantastic experience to be able to spend time thinking about those people and events that have played significant roles in our lives!? Moving ahead, January will find us reading The Outsiders novel as a class.? ?In our discussion of the novel, we'll consider what it means to truly be a hero.? December 16th is the last day to take an AR test and have it count for the second quarter.? That time is quickly approaching!? Congratulations to the winners of our classroom Spelling Bees:? 2nd period: Miles Porter; 3rd Period: Jonathan Shields; 6th Period: Jacob Robinson; 7th Period: Tamia Smoot.? The AMS Spelling Bee is being held Monday, December 13th at 2:45.? Good luck to all the participants!? Happy New Year! ................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download