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Sixth Grade Orientation West Hills Middle School

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Agenda • Welcome, Introductions • Meet our Team Teachers • Communication • PTO • Life in 6th Grade • Clubs, Activities, Sports • Counselor Role • Timeline

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Communication • Weekly WHMS

Email • WHMS Website • Google Classroom • Moodle • MiStar Parent & Student Connect http://webconnect. bloomfield.org

• Counselor Coffees • P/T Conference (fall) • Parent Visitation Day • PTO Meetings • Counselor • Curriculum Night • Remind App • Google HW Sheet • iPads

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Methods of electronic communication

• Website http://westhills.bloomfield.org • Weekly updates are sent to your email

address from the West Hills administration.

• Please be sure to sign up at our website!

Communication with Team

• Email/call the teacher of the subject with the question directly

• Email/call counselor • Homerooms for conferences • Teachers have “team time” each day

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PTO

• Service Organization

• Clinic • Community Liaison • Fundraiser • Special Events &

Enrichment

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Sixth Grade • Block Schedule • MYP • Curriculum • Unified Arts

– “UA” – “A” and “B” Day

• Technology – One-to-One Device – iPad

Meet the Teachers

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Geoff Middleton-Language Arts

Megan King- Science

Tara Gale- Social Studies

Brendan Harrington- Mathematics

Adrienne Volk- Reading

A typical day… • 4 Block Classes (every day for 64 minutes)

– Math, Science, Language Arts, Social Studies

• 2 Unified Arts (UA) Classes (4 total in schedule) – Physical Education – Spanish/French – Band/Orchestra/Choir – Exploratory Rotation

• Lunch (30 minutes)

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Exploratory Rotation of UA

• Four quarterly courses • Meet for 10 Weeks, every other day

– Drama 6 (Mr. Schumacher) – Visual Arts 6 (Mrs. Bushon) – Health Skills 6 (Mrs. Akers) – Design and Technology 6 (Mr. Veillette)

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Co-curriculars • Clubs

• Sports

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West Hills Athletics • Sports updates in the weekly broadcast emails

• Questions: Avis Najor anajor@bloomfield.org • Annual physical form must be after 4/15/15

• 6th grade competes against BHS middle schools • 7/8 COMSAC league (Central Oakland Middle School Athletic Conference).

• 6th Grade Exploratory (Give it a try!).

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Sports Opportunities: • Season 1 – September, October

7,8 grade Football 6,7,8 grade Girls’ Basketball

6,7,8 grade Girls’ Tennis 6,7,8 grade Boys’ Soccer

6,7,8 grade Cross Country • Season 2 – November, December, January

6,7,8 grade Boys’ Basketball 6,7,8 grade Girls’ Swimming

6,7,8 grade Girls’ Diving

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• Season 3 – February, March 6,7,8 grade Girls’ Volleyball

6,7,8 grade Wrestling 6,7,8 grade Boys’ Swimming

6,7,8 grade Boys’ Diving • Season 4 – April, May 7,8 grade Boys’ Baseball

6,7,8 grade Girls’ Softball 6,7,8 grade Track and Field

6,7,8 grade Girls’ Soccer 6,7,8 grade Boys’ Tennis

7,8 grade Girls’ Lacrosse 7,8 grade Boys’ Lacrosse

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WHMS Clubs • Yearbook • First LEGO League • Chamber Music • Jazz Band • Leadership • Current Events • Chess Club • French • Green Club • Art Club • Coding Club

• International Club • Newspaper • Makerspace • Minecraft • Wave Board Club • Forensics • Knitting • MATHCOUNTS • Model UN

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What is middle school? •Developmentally responsive

•Transition from elementary to high school

•NOT a mini “high school”

•Block teaching/planning time

•Exploratory experience

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Counselor Roles

• Transition • Consultation • Individual • Groups • Goal Setting • Other Support Staff

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Early Adolescence Straddles the Line Childhood Emerging Young Adult

Middle School

Biggest Keys to Success

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• Respect the School Calendar (Attendance)

• Consistent Homework Routine • Let them stumble and have ownership • Homework Monitoring

• Google Sheet • Moodle

• Get familiar with MiStar!!!

What you can see in MiStar:

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A closer look at Language Arts…

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Timeline

• Course Selection Sheets – May 8 • 5th to 6th Grade Move-Up Day– May 22 • Registration (AKA Form Collection)

– Aug. 24 and 25

• 1st Day of School (full day for 6-8) – Sept. 8

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Contact Us Phone: 341-6100 Web Site: www.bloomfield.org E-mail: Rob Durecka: rdurecka@bloomfield.org Andy Gignac: agignac@bloomfield.org Alicja Jahnke: ajahnke@blomfield.org