Hi Everyone,
Welcome to March and all that snow that didn’t really appear for most of this Winter. Hopefully this trend won’t continue for very long and have an impact on our Spring sports season (more on that below). Reports about tonight’s expected snowstorm suggest that there could be an impact on tomorrow’s commute and possible delays or cancellations of school. Please note that I am not making any declarations of what could or should happen tomorrow, that’s fortunately a decision that is entirely in the hands of the Superintendent and one that none of us envy. If the kids do have a snow day tomorrow, and you might have the opportunity or need to join them at home for the day, I wanted to offer up a few items that you may be interested in reading at some point during the day. There’s no theme that runs through all of the pieces, it’s really a smorgasbord of things that I read and saw over the past few days, ranging from light-hearted popular culture to something that encourages healthy self-reflection by our community. First, as we continue to (appropriately) think about the importance of sleep - for all of us at all ages - there are many ideas about how to carve out more time for sleep, and here is a Washington Post article about a recent study that argues that “catch up sleep” on weekends doesn’t repair or address the lack of sleep one might experience during the week. For those who might be a child of the ‘80s, perhaps you’ve heard about how the 1982 hit song “Gloria” has experienced a small revival thanks to the St. Louis Blues hockey team that plays the song after each victory. I took special note of this development given that my sister Gloria was born the year before the song came out so there were many friends and neighbors who liked to sing the song in her presence over and over (and over) again. If you’re not familiar with the song, you can listen/watch it here. In early February, our new Superintendent Peter Light shared his Report of Entry Findings, which includes a summary of initial impressions and questions that he’s developed about the strengths and challenges of our District based on conversations with members of our community. I recently sent the report to members of our School Council so we can discuss it at our next meeting, and I am (re)sharing it what all of you as well. Finally, my favorite article from this past week also comes from the Washington Post about an elementary school Principal in Texas who, often in an adult-sized onesie, reads stories on Facebook Live at 7:30pm on “Tucked in Tuesdays” so her students can tune in and have another option for a bedtime story. I immediately shared a link to the story with Conant Principal Damian Sugrue who I think is a perfect candidate for that role here at A-B.
Here are a few updates and reminders about the next few weeks. Please note that the second half of this week’s Grey Matters is focused on High School course registration for current 8th grade students. I am re-printing an email that I sent to 8th grade families last Friday to make sure everyone has had a chance to review the information and links to additional resources.
The Winter Trimester closes this Tuesday. It’s likely that Winter Trimester report cards will be emailed to families on or around March 15. Please remember that report cards will be emailed to any email address currently listed in your student’s Emergency Card in the Parent Portal.
On Friday, March 8 from 2:30 - 4:00 in the gym the student council will sponsor the sixth annual March Madness basketball tournament. Students interested in forming a team needed to submit forms last week. There will also be food, music, and limbo at the event and students not competing in the tournament are welcome to attend and cheer for their classmates.
Don’t forget that the RJ Grey Junior High yearbook is offering you the chance to send your love, pride and congratulations to the graduating 8th grade RJ Grey student in your life. You can purchase one of two advertisement formats to relay a message that your 8th grade student will cherish forever. Ads must be submitted by Wednesday, March 13. Please click the link for submissions guidelines and instructions. Please contact Marc Lewis ([email protected]) with any questions.
Our Spring sports season is around the corner. We need a little bit more time to finalize the schedule for tryouts and sign ups for our Spring sports programs - Baseball, Softball, Volleyball and Track. There are still tryouts for baseball and softball, tryouts for the girls volleyball program, and track continues to be a “no-cut sport.” In other words, any student interested in participating on the Track team is welcome to join. Those tryouts and meeting times will be up on the website in the next few weeks and we’ll include mention of it in our daily announcements. In the meantime, please note that families must register on FamilyID for EVERY SEASON that their student plans to participate in a sport. If your child already participated in a Fall or Winter sport and wishes to participate in a Spring sport, they must still register for their Spring sport on FamilyID. Also, this season payments will be made via check to your coach, as there will not be an online option to pay this Spring.
In terms of participation in the track program, we plan to continue providing an option for students (and families) who are interested in the track program, but not prepared to commit to the full practice and meet schedule. Not attending each practice or meet, as you can imagine, can create some challenges given the need to organize and schedule things like relays teams, practice plans, and logistics for away meets. With this in mind, we offer students the choice to sign up for one of two options: (1) students who can commit to at least three practices per week, including all home meets, should sign up for the Blue Team. Please note that the two non-practice days for students on the Blue Team needs to be the same from week to week. (2) Students who wish to travel to away meets (in addition to home meets) and be eligible for relay teams and field events can sign up for the Gold Team. Gold Team members are expected to attend all practices and all meets, without exception (unless the student is sick and absent from school). It is entirely up to the student (and his/her family) to choose the best option that makes the most sense for him or her. Please note that the participation fee is the same for either option. The above options will be explained to everyone at the first Track meeting (date forthcoming) so they can make an informed decision. Remember that all important information about Spring sports can be found at our school’s Athletics page.
As we enter March we have another RJ Grey Artist of the Month. Congratulations to Natalie Stoval of 8 Blue who has been selected as this month’s Artist of the Month. When asked about her long-term interests and how art may be involved, she replied: "When I grow up, I want to become a costume designer. I would like to work for a big movie making industry, maybe Disney. I really love fashion and drawing and think I might have a future doing that." Congratulations to Natalie and you can click here to view her art work (also on display in our school lobby).
Ok - the focus of Grey Matters from this point on will be High School Course Registration for 8th Grade Students, and a reprint of the email letter that was sent to 8th grade families last Friday.
Through the end of next week, our Junior High counselors will be giving presentations to 8th grade classes about course offerings and requirements at the High School, and team teachers will be making course recommendations for students. If you’d like to review the slides that were/will be part of the presentation to your child, you can view that by clicking here (note: Slide 16 of that presentation includes a list of important dates and deadlines). Prior to the February Break, the High School hosted an Orientation session for 8th grade families to provide an overview of the transition process, including an introduction to the new schedule that will be implemented next year. You can view and download the materials provided at that session by clicking here. Additionally, here is an FAQ that the High School has posted regarding the new schedule.
Along with the above mentioned resources, families should review all of the following documents: (1) the High School Program of Studies, which includes details about course requirements and guidelines; (2) the list of 9th grade electives for 2019-2020; and (3) directions for electronic course selections. I would strongly recommend that all 8th grade families review the entirety of the directions - there is information about the process for override requests that must be followed should you wish to pursue that route. Please note that families who might need assistance with accessing the portal should use the high school contact information that is listed at the top of the instruction sheet.
On Monday, March 18, the portal for current 8th grade students to register for high school courses will be open. By then, all students will have had conversations with their current 8th grade teachers about course and level recommendations. During the conversations that takes place with a student, teachers will explain some of their observations about the student’s strengths and areas for growth, and what level placement may be most appropriate for next year. In many of these conversations, students also share with teachers their thoughts on next year, their level of interest in the subject, and their own reflections on the progress they’ve made this year. To be sure, a teacher’s recommendation is influenced by a student’s performance thus far (trimester grades being just one measure), along with a variety of other observations about a student’s approach to the subject. There are certainly variations that come with different areas of study. For example, English and Social Studies teachers are asked by the high school to give particular weight to writing, reading comprehension, and critical thinking. To that end, a teacher in one of those disciplines may place emphasis on a student’s growth on certain types of writing assignments, along with other factors.
In all of the subjects, teacher will often review with a student their observations about specific student skills, such as time management and self-discipline, and consistency of work. In addition, teachers are asked to consider level placement with the hope that students will both enjoy the class and have the time to pursue other interests, including extracurricular activities. During this process, it’s important to remind ourselves that these recommendations aren’t meant to serve as a final verdict or prediction for how a student will perform for the rest of their academic lives. It’s feedback based on what a student has demonstrated this year, and using that as a guide to thinking about what a student would be prepared to take on next year. Some students may have hit their stride this year, and for others it may be their sophomore year when all of a sudden they develop a passion for a certain subject or they figure out that whole time management puzzle. I am confident that the high school also recognizes that things can and do change over time for adolescents and that there’s always a path for students to take that suit their interests and strengths.
For many of you, the recommendations made by the teachers may align with your own leanings, and even your child’s. If there are situations where you feel you would benefit from additional feedback from the teacher or counselor, please ask. In addition, it’s very useful to discuss with your child what all of you might view as a healthy and appropriate course load for next year. For example, while a student may have the ability to be successful in a number of accelerated courses, it may not be in one’s best interest to be taking them all at the same time (on top of participating in sports, and/or the school musical, and community service). Finally, in those instances where you and your student would like to enroll in a course level that is different from the teacher recommendation, there is an “override” application process that is managed by the high school. Within the registration instructions, there is a description of the steps that the high school would like you to take to pursue those requests. I hope this information is helpful to all of you as you navigate this process.
Have a great week, everyone.
Cheers,
