6th Grade Parent Newsletter Principal's Message Return to Hybrid Learning Information EMS Parents and Guardians, This communication is intended to answer a few frequently asked questions about the transition back into Hybrid. East Middle School Hybrid students will return to in-person classes next week. Group A will attend in-person on Monday, with Group B in-person on Tuesday. Teachers have been having conversations with their students this week about what to expect next week. If your student is in the Wayzata Distance Choice option, you will notice little or no change in your programming. Whether in Hybrid or Distance Choice, your student will want to be sure to check Skyward for schedule adjustments at some point over the weekend. Most students will have a new Encore class on their schedule for Quarter 3. Here are a few important need-to-know items associated with the return to Hybrid: - School Day: School starts at 9:10 a.m. and runs until 4:00 p.m.
- Busing: You will receive a separate communication from the WPS Transportation Department. Need more or different information? Contact the Transportation Department at (763) 745-5195.
- Pick-Up and Drop-Off: Neither of these activities go as quickly as we'd like them to. The more patient we are in the lot, the safer it is for everyone.
- Student Schedules: Students should check and print a new Semester 2 schedule from Skyward. Sometimes new classes or adjustments appear. Students must follow their Group A or Group B assignment.
- Advisory Check-In: On at-home days, Hybrid students are expected to check in with their Advisory/Flex class via Zoom. This activity will provide a great opportunity for students to connect with their teachers live and replaces the attendance question you may remember from Quarter 1. In-person students will work quietly while this meeting takes place. Teachers have shared the details around how this will work with their students.
- Face Coverings: With the exception of lunchtime, masks are required at all times when on campus. This includes Phy Ed/Health class even when outdoors or engaged in physical activity. After-school activities and sports also require masking.
- Student Spacing: It is really natural and totally appropriate for students to want to be close together and socialize. Even when we space out the infrastructure appropriately, we need students to help staff by monitoring their own behavior. Remember, a safe hybrid experience improves the chances of a more timely return to regular in-person learning. Reinforcement of that message at home is helpful to us at school.
- Backpacks and Lockers: To avoid congestion and congregation in the hallways, we will continue to carry backpacks and not use lockers. Winter gear can be placed in a student's Advisory classroom for safe keeping.
- Sick?: If your student is feeling ill, have them stay home. The responsibility for all of us to make sure we are keeping others safe comes with the return of students to campus.
- Quarantine- Illness/Close Exposure & Travel:
Illness/Exposure- As previously mentioned, students should stay home if they are ill. If they are experiencing COVID-like symptoms or have been exposed to someone with symptoms, contact the EMS Health office at (763)745-6215. They will be able to answer your questions about quarantining based on guidance from the MDH and the CDC. Travel- A 14-day quarantine is recommended after travel to other states. A 14-day quarantine is required after travel outside of the country. - Sports/Activities: Registration for Winter II sports will begin on the 1st. As we move into the spring we hope to add more sports and activities.
Thanks for your help in getting your student ready to go for next Monday and Tuesday. With any luck, we are heading safely toward a return to a more traditional school schedule in the months ahead. We will continue to monitor the situation and will be ready to adapt our model no matter which direction the COVID numbers go. Stay well. Paul Paetzel, Principal Media Center and Book Checkout Hybrid students: please return any books that you are finished reading to the wooden container that will be located just outside the Media Commons. Distance Learners library book pick-up (school days from 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.): It is important that distance learners check their Destiny account before coming to retrieve books. After the student logs in they will see the "my info" tab. Select that tab and then confirm that the book that has been put on hold is actually checked out to the student. There will be times when the book on hold is still checked out to another student and will not be ready for pick up on the designated day. If you have any questions, please email Beth Benezra. Culinary Transition to Titan Meal Payment System Culinary Express is updating our point of sale system for school breakfasts and lunches to Titan School Solutions beginning January 4, 2021. Titan provides user-friendly solutions for families and removes the need for personal identification numbers (PINs). Student IDs will be handed out in advisory classes on Monday and Tuesday. We will continue to use Nutrislice for our web-based menus and ordering system for distance learning meals. Please remember that breakfast and lunch are free for all students for the remainder of the 2020-2021 school year due to the pandemic. Students will only need funds in their account for the remainder of this school year if they plan to make à la carte purchases. Enrichment Opportunities East now has an Enrichment Canvas page. This page houses academic enrichment opportunities that are open to all students. Our newest offerings include: - Girls' Coding Club with Technovations (closing soon)
- History and Science Bee with International Academic Competitions
- Engineering Machine Design Contest through the U of M
What We've Been Working On - The students just took an assessment on their knowledge of multiplication of both fractions and decimals. This included converting a percent and a fraction to a decimal. This also included knowing where to put the decimal point back into the answer.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What are the steps when multiplying two decimals?
What We're Working on Next - We are now moving onto finding area of two-dimensional shapes! These will include finding the area of quadrilaterals, triangles, and trapezoids.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is the "formula" for finding the area of a trapezoid?
Notes - We are back to "hybrid" learning on Monday, February 1!!!
What We've Been Working On - Solving unknowns in word problems by using the 5-D process and/or creating equations
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is the "5-D Process"?
What We're Working on Next - Unit 6: Geometry - Rigid Transformations and Dilations
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - When we say shapes are "similar" what do we mean?
- What is the difference between "similar" and "congruent"?
What We've Been Working On - Students continued to analyze personal narratives and write their own "fast and furious" writings. Students continued to revise and rework their writings with each new lesson in order to practice lessons on "how to write a personal narrative". These all prepare them for their final writing.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What is one impactful memory you have where you learned a lesson?
What We're Working on Next - Complete personal narratives and introduce the research unit.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is a valuable lesson you have learned from a moment in your life (memory)?
Notes - Second quarter reading contracts were due on January 22!
What We've Been Working On - We have just finished our Plate Tectonics unit where the students completed a project brochure or infographic on the geologic event of their choice.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What information did you learn about your topic in your project?
What We're Working on Next - We have started "diving in" to our next unit on Seafloor Spreading. We will talk about the creation of new surface crust and the cycle of rock occurring on the seafloor.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Where is the newest rock and the oldest rock found on the seafloor?
Notes - All Semester 1 homework and assessments are due January 29. Thank you for a Great Semester 1 !
What We've Been Working On - The students took an assessment on the three branches of government!
- We then jumped into the major causes in the U.S. that led up to the beginning of the Civil War.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What were some of the issues that led the South to want to secede from the U.S.?
What We're Working on Next - We will be discussing how slavery came to be in the U.S. The students will also be learning about the Underground Railroad, the Fugitive Slave Act, and how Minnesota was involved in all of this.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material What We've Been Working On - Allen: We continued our Unit on Health covering substances, influences, and mental health.
- DeVoe: We have been working through our second health unit of the school year. The topics for lessons during this unit have included marijuana, anxiety & coping strategies, addiction, alcohol, mental health, and advertising/media influences.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Allen: In what ways to you cope with anxiety?
- DeVoe: Name and explain three specific bullet points (from the above listed topics) learned from health unit #2?
What We're Working on Next - Allen: We will finish our Dribble, Pass, Shoot Unit and hopefully get outdoors for some Winter Activity Units if the weather allows.
- DeVoe: We will finish our dribbling, passing, and shooting unit (from distance learning). The second week we will use our outside facilities for a winter outdoor unit. We will participate in activities like ice skating, snowshoeing, broomball, or hockey.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Allen: Which Skill-Related Fitness Components does Dribble/Passing/Shooting help you to develop?
- DeVoe: What activity do you most look forward to participating in outside during winter?
Notes - It is required that students wear a mask during class upon return. Please plan ahed to pack two masks on PE days. Thank you!
- Please send outdoor winter gear starting Feb. 8. Students must haves: boots, jacket, hat, and gloves. Optional items (skates, hockey stick, broomball shoes, own personal helmet for ice activities, snowpants). Any further questions please contact Mr. DeVoe.
What We've Been Working On - We continued to work on our choir songs, preparing as if we have a concert. The middle section was not taught on solfege in "A Joyful Song". Students learned that sometimes our method of solfege does not always apply to the notes we are learning.
- We learned the triplet rhythms in "The World Is Ours" and experienced singing on words.
- First and second endings were taught in one of our choir songs.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Which choir/performance song contains words that are in English and a foreign language (Latin)?
- Which choir/performance song contains first and second endings?
What We're Working on Next - We are going to start the week by looking at all of the text from each of our songs as a poem or spoken word. The concept of good vowels in choir will be discussed.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - How do you feel about your personal recording project for "Give Me Wings"?
What We've Been Working On - 6th grade band students are learning to read and play 8th notes.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Play a song for me that uses 8th notes.
What We're Working on Next - Our next testing song will be #39: "London Bridge".
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - Play "London Bridge" for me.
What We've Been Working On - D string note reading
- Essential Elements page 3-7
- Bowing Review
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - How do you interpret the notes you see on your music staff to know what to play on your instrument? Explain the process.
What We're Working on Next - Open String Bowing
- Twinkle Arco
- Essential Elements p. 8-12
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What area of bowing do you most need to focus on?
Notes - Students should be practicing 20 minutes/5 days a week to continue building and reinforcing their skills.
What We've Been Working On - We have completed a quarter of art together and it was filled with creative thinking, problem solving, perseverance, music and breathing to begin every Zoom class, and the building of a Zoom art community that was lovely. Thank you for letting me spend 9 weeks with your children!
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What was your favorite part of art class?
- What was the most challenging part of art class?
- How did you grow as a thinking this last semester in art class?
What We're Working on Next - They will begin their next Encore starting this next Monday!
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What's your second semester Encore class?
Notes - Please have your child return all art supplies they borrowed from EMS!
What We've Been Working On - Compile all video and/ or pictures to create an iMovie of project from start to finish and Project Reflection
- Final WPM Test
- If time, TinkerCad
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Why is it important to reflect on your completed project?
What We're Working on Next Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material What We've Been Working On - Completed final Writing Assessment about what people do in school
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - What did you write about people in school?
What We're Working on Next - Basic conversation questions and answers, identify activities
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What questions have you learned? Can you answer them?
What We've Been Working On - We have completed out passion projects and taken the History and/or Science Bee.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About What We've Learned - Which Bee did you choose to participate in?
What We're Working on Next - We will move on to Habitude #4: Perseverance.
Question(s) to Ask Your Student About Upcoming Material - What is one way you show perseverance at school?
Notes - Check the Enrichment Canvas page for new opportunities.
Culinary Express Meal Updates for February We are excited to be feeding students onsite again with the transition to more in-person learning. This does mean changes to food meal kit distribution starting the week of February 1. All students will continue to receive meals at no cost. All students can still order weekly meal kits. Please read through the following information carefully so you know what to expect. Culinary Express Meal Updates for February WPS Native American Education Resources We are pleased to announce the launch of Wayzata Public Schools’ Native American Education webpage. Through funds available from the Minnesota Department of Education, we are able to support Indigenous children with educational and cultural resources that we hope you will find meaningful. We invite parents/guardians of Indigenous children to participate in the Wayzata Indigenous Advisory Committee (WIAC), which will guide Wayzata Public Schools in matters pertaining to Native American Education. If you would like more information or if you have questions, please reach out to Sam Fredrickson, principal on special assignment, via email or by calling 763-745-5259. Parenting in a Pandemic: A Free Webinar for Parents Struggling to manage your own workload and your kids' distance learning? Feeling burnt out by the non-stop duties of parenting in a pandemic? This free informational webinar, hosted by a Relate Counseling Therapist in partnership with Community Ed, will address these topics and more. Learn more and attend here! Financial assistance is available or call 763-745-5200 for more information. Thursday, February 11, 2021 4:30 PM - 8:30 PM Friday, February 12, 2021 8:15 AM - 4:15 PM Friday, March 12, 2021 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM Friday, March 19, 2021 10:10 AM - 12:10 PM Tuesday, March 23, 2021 6:30 PM - 8:00 PM Friday, April 23, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Tuesday, February 2, 2021 All day Thursday, February 4, 2021 All day Tuesday, February 9, 2021 All day Monday, February 15, 2021 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM Thursday, March 18, 2021 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Monday, February 1, 2021 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM Monday, February 8, 2021 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM 12000 Ridgemount Avenue, Plymouth, MN 55441 | 763-745-6200 |