McKinney Middle School Midterm News Letter

October 2, 2009

 

News items from Terry Graham,

McKinney Team Leader

 

Parents in Residence Program

Parents, mark your calendars.  Our Parent in Residence Program will be held Tuesday, October 13 and Wednesday, October 14.  During our Parent in Residence Program you will be able to shadow your student to get a glimpse of his/her daily school routine.  You may shadow your child all day or choose a half day to visit your child’s classes. To attend, please call Ms. Cleavenger at 767-7224 to reserve a spot for either day.  We need to have an idea of how many parents are attending so we are able to accommodate everyone in our classes.

 

McKinney School PTO News

Any parents interested in becoming involved in McKinney School’s PTO are invited to an organizational meeting on Wednesday evening, October 21, at 7:00 pm in the school library. Please come and help to set the agenda for the 2009-2010 school year.  A short presentation will be given on the community paper recycling fund raising project that is being sponsored by our schools.

 

Reminder: No school October 16, WOEA Day

 

Red Ribbon Week: October 26th - 30^th

Sponsored by the Student Assistance Team 

During Red Ribbon Week, each day has a theme.  Students are encouraged to  show their support for a "drug free life" by participating in the theme for the day.  Each student who participates will be given a coupon to enter a drawing for prizes.   

 

Monday Oct 26th: Being Drug free is no Sweat - Wear sweats to school

Tuesday Oct 27th: Shade Out Drugs - Wear sunglasses to school

Wednesday Oct 28th: Team up Against Drugs - Wear your favorite sports team shirt/jersey

Thursday Oct 29th: Drugs Give me the blues- Show your Bulldog Pride Wear Blue & White

Friday Oct 30th: Hocus Pocus Drugs Aren't my Focus- Wear a costume to school

 

News from Mrs. Graham’s Science Zone

Science classes are off to a great start this year.  Both 7^th and 8^th grade have completed a unit on using the Metric System, a review lab safety, the Scientific Method and how to use laboratory equipment correctly.  The 8^th grade is now studying simple machines and forces.  They will soon be getting an introduction to science fair ideas so they can begin thinking about a project for the McKinney Science Fair which will take place early in 2010.  More information will be coming home about the science fair in subsequent newsletters.  The 7^th grade students are studying cells and cell functions and will be doing some labs on how substances move through a selectively permeable membrane.

Note to parents:

I am asking that each science student bring a green three ring binder to science class to hold the instructional handouts they will be receiving.  The pockets in the spiral notebooks are not effective for keeping their papers in order. 

 

 

                                     Health and Physical Education-Mrs. Lowe

 

The seventh grade classes just wrapped up their unit on Conflict Resolution.  They learned about the S.O.S. method of managing and working through their conflicts.  Be sure and ask them about the process.  They will be introduced to P.A.L.S. this week, starting with a pre-test.  P.A.L.S. stands for Prevention through Alternative Learning Styles.  We will study drug, alcohol and tobacco prevention, using many different approaches.

     The classes have been training in the fitness center and they are now able to circuit train.  The center is open to students on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30.

 

     The eighth grade Health classes are studying the systems of the body and have just finished a unit in Volleyball in Physical Education.