West Shore Middle School Newsletter

Important Dates:

10/3 NO SCHOOL

10/5, 10/6 Early dismissal @ 12:15

Parent conferences 10/5: 5:30-

8:00pm

Parent Conferences 10/6: 12:55-

2:55pm

10/6 JLHS visits with 8th graders

10/12 NO SCHOOL

10/10 Afterschool clubs begin this

week

10/17 Trumbull High School Vo-Ag &

Bio-Tech meets with 8th graders

8:45am

10/19 PTA meeting 7:00pm– Media

center

10/26 Early Dismissal @ 12:35

10/28 Harvest Ball 7:00-9:00pm

WSMS café. Sponsored by WSMS

Student council.

11/8 Election Day-No School

M il f o rd P u bl i c Scho o l s

Sept. 2016

Dear families,

It’s been a great start to the school year at West

Shore. Everyone is adjusting to new schedules and is

deep into learning. On October 5 and 6th parents

have the opportunity to meet with teachers on their

child’s team. Please sign-up for a meeting time so

you can find out how to best support your child’s

learning.

(https://www.myconferencetime.com/westshore)

Afterschool activities will begin the week of Octo-

ber 10th and late busses will be available for stu-

dents who need it.

On the following pages please enjoy reading about

what teachers and students are doing at West

Shore .

West Shore—a great place to learn!

PTA News!!

A big welcome back to our returning students & parents, as well as new families to West Shore.

We began prepping over the summer for the year ahead, and continue to work in conjunction with

the school staff, and other parents to be an added asset to our West Shore family.

August/September highlights

-The week before school, we provided ice cream from Walnut Beach Creamery, as a sweet treat for 6th graders after

their “walk through”. Thank you to Super Scooper, Susan Reed, and her kids for dishing it all out.

Student planners-We provided EVERY student with a planner in order to help them stay organized.

-We kicked off our biggest fundraiser of the year, with our fall catalog. Thank you to all who participated.

-Spirit Wear orders have ended, though there may be opportunities to purchase products we have on hand, such as car

magnets, at future events. Thank you, Erika Fonck, who has stepped up once again to do this!

-Teacher breakfast- We provided a continental breakfast of assorted bagels & cream cheese from Devine’s of Milford,

as well as assorted juice. The staff was grateful!

-BJ’s membership- Thank you to all who joined or renewed their membership. For each member, we received $5. Thank

you, Donna Garlock for coordinating this.

-Braiden Sunshine- Music teacher Christopher Kalafus, arranged the vocalist to put on a concert for the students, as well

as speck to them about the importance of education. The PTA chipped in a donation so our kids could receive autographed

pictures.

Membership! We have 25 PTA members. We encourage others to join. Even if you do not have time to attend meet-

ings, by joining us, it helps support our school, as well as assists the statewide PTA. We are more than

just bake sales!—CT PTA advocates for children through legislation, Board of Education, and numerous

other avenues. As a member, you are eligible to vote during meetings, and have access to exclusive,

online discounts. A big THANK YOU to all who have joined us, whether it was parents or staff. We also

received a few donations along with membership. Membership forms can be found on our Facebook page:

www.facebook.com/WestShoreMiddleSchoolPta, as well as the regular, main WSMS Milforded school

website. Just click on the left hand toolbar that says “PTA”. Membership forms, as well as all PTA re-

lated forms can be found on the table in front of the secretaries office.

Upcoming…. October 27> 4:00-8:00 p.m.-Panera Bread fundraiser. You MUST bring a flyer in order for us to

receive credit. Flyers are online, as well as in front of the office. All proceeds will benefit the 8th

graders!

October 28> School dance- The PTA is not running this event but will be selling water, and snacks.

Send in your kids with a few dollars. We will need donations. Be on the lookout for a request, via e-

mail.

8th Grade Committee A group of 8th grade mothers, met at an initial interest meeting, after our first PTA meeting. The

PTA does not run the committee, though we provide a substantial donation, as well as support. If you

are an 8th grade parent, we encourage you to get involved in your child’s last year at West Shore!

They will be planning end of the year activities, as well as fundraisers to support them. Have a say in

the planning process, and join them at their next meeting: 10/11/16 at 7 pm in the Media Center.

Notes from the Reading Department (Mrs. Amy Brooks)

This is a great article! Although written for teachers,

parents who struggle at home can get some great tips

to help their child! http://www.weareteachers.com/blogs/post/2015/09/11/7-

ways-to-get-your-struggling-readers-to-read#.V9_tXyTp1iI.email

Health Education News

We would like to welcome our new sixth grade students and their parents

particularly if we didn’t get to meet you at Open House and welcome back our

seventh and eighth grade students and their parents. We have provided stu-

dents a syllabus with grade level units of study, recommended supplies, grading

policy, and classroom expectations. We encourage you to contact us with con-

cerns and are looking forward to a positive productive year.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Reilly, kdianareilly@milforded.org

Mrs. Torres, atorres@milforded.org

Team Yale We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with your son or daughter this year! Eighth grade is an exciting

time, but it also is a busy one as high school preparation is just around the corner. This month your child will be introduced

to some of the high school opportunities including Jonathan Law, Trumbull Agriscience & Biotechnology Center.

We encourage you to view our individual webpages as they serve as the perfect guide to knowing about daily home-

work, ongoing classroom assignments, projects, and upcoming events.

Language Arts Mrs. Fisher jfisher@milforded.org In language arts students are learning how to use commas correctly in the sentences they write. They are working with vocabulary and are doing great! We have started

our first unit on realistic fiction, and grade eight students are writing fabulous argumentative essays. Keep up the good work! Mathematics Mrs. Rimkunas drimkunas@milforded.org In Math- 8, students are wrapping up their first unit on slope and linear equations. They soon start their next unit, "Thinking with Mathematical Models." In Thinking With Mathematical Models, your child will model relationships with graphs and equations. They will use models to analyze situations and solve problems. The Investigations in this Unit will help them understand the following ideas. In Algebra, students are also finishing up their first unit and will soon begin their next as well. Things are off to a roaring start!

Science Dr. Coloski mecoloski@milforded.org The students are working on a lab this week. The lab is called Friction 500 and we are looking at the effects of friction on a toy car. Students are making predictions, making models, calculating speed and constructing graphs. In addition, they are writing a scientific explanation that explains their results. Students are off to a great start!

Social Studies Mr. Acri tacri@milforded.org

In Social Studies, students just completed their unit on September 11th. The culmination of the unit was the presentation at Parsons Auditorium by two speakers who

enlightened us with their September 11th stories. Students are currently analyzing the 2016 Presidential Election by comparing and contrasting the two major candidates

and their views on the issues and preparing to evaluate the first debate. World Language Spanish Mrs. Grillo dgrillo@milforded.org French/ Spanish Mrs. Lynch blynch@milforded.org In Spanish 1 students are working on basic greetings. They are able to present themselves to each other and obtain feelings. In Spanish 2, students are working with vocabulary related to fashion and accessories. Resource Mrs. Magura memagura@milforded.org

Team Harvard School is in full swing now at West Shore Middle School and Team Harvard is so excited for all our upcoming events! Social Studies 7th and 8th Grades:

Hello families, We are off to a great start! Students in both grades are completing the District's 9/11 and Terrorism Units.

Students are currently doing a quick independent research assignment for the Unit and will be presenting at the weeks

end. Thank you so much for working with your student on the 9/11 interview. It is my hope that the students keep this per-

sonal piece of history safe to share with their own children in the future. Classes will be covering the election starting next

week. Following that, we will be moving into the textbook curriculum. Finally, please encourage your child to watch/read the news

daily. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to email me at pmontanaro@milforded.org. Thank you!!!

Harvard Grade 7 science students are in the midst of a CELL­abration! Specifically, they’ve studied the key differences between

plant and animal cells as well as the key roles different cell organelles (cell parts) play to help the cell function. Students will soon

share their 3­D cell models as a culminating project.

Harvard Grade 8 science students have been exploring all things in motion through a variety of learning stations and simula-

tions: how motion is expressed, measured, graphed, and most notably, that an object’s acceleration doesn’t always mean “speeding

up.” Next up, students will indeed discover that “forces are indeed something to reckon with” in that they affect all objects moving or

not!

Language Arts: In Language Arts students have just finished up the first Common Assessment, chosen their Independent Reading

Books and will be starting Book Clubs. After reading several short stories we will begin the novel units. Reading Projects are due:

September 23rd.

In French I, we are beginning the study of the days of the week, the months of the year, numbers 0­31, the basic date formations,

and the seasons. The students can already sing the French alphabet and successfully greet anyone on the streets of Paris.

In French II, we are learning about the French café and restaurant and how to very politely order some French foods from a waiter

or waitress. Presently, we are working on some authentic skits to practice our new vocabulary in real situations.

In Spanish II, we are learning about going shopping in a mall for various clothing items and accessories. Soon, the stu-

dents will be able to use their newly acquired vocabulary and grammar on a fashion runway.

Team Princeton Welcome, team Princeton families! It was a pleasure meeting all of you at Open House. Just a few re-

minders as a follow-up~ Please be sure to check PowerSchool frequently for updated grades and missing

assignments. Also, teacher web pages are up and running and contain nightly and upcoming assign-

ments…so….visiting these pages will keep both you and your child current and informed

In Language Arts, students began the year by gaining an understanding of who they are as

readers. Students participated in a Reading Interest Inventory activity and completed Reading

Timelines prior to selecting books for Independent Reading books for Book Club Fridays. Stu-

dents are currently engaged in a short story unit.

In Social Studies, students are currently working on current events and geography. Classes

have had lively discussions about the upcoming elections. Please continue to encourage your

child to study flashcards nightly.

In Science, students are learning about the parts of the cell as well as the differences and

similarities between plant and animal cells. Students presented their cell models on 9/23.

In Spanish, students are addressing our year-long goal of learning about a Spanish speaking country.

Their first project is to learn the basics which will continue throughout the year. Students are also excited

to be learning about greetings.

In 7/8 Advanced Math, students are simplifying algebraic expressions and solving algebraic equations.

In Grade 7 Math, students are exploring two-dimensional geometry.

Team Dartmouth Language Arts (Mr. Simler)

-Students are required to read 20 minutes a day in their Independent Reading

book. This helps foster good reading/study habits well beyond middle school, as

well as practicing the skills and content covered in class.

-We are starting our unit called Character: Who do you think you are?

-Please check my web site for homework, due dates and helpful resources.

Math (Mrs. Mesavage)

-Students have begun using Khan Academy, they have a username and password

to access this at home.

-They should be doing a minimum of 30 minutes a week, counted as part of the

homework grade.

Social Studies (Ms. Rizza)

-Students are studying our world through Geography.

-They are using an atlas to locate continents, countries and oceans.

Science (Mrs. Bowler)

-Students are studying the universe and our solar system.

Team Columbia Language Arts In language arts, we have focused on reading strategies and skills to help students become engaged in their reading. They are given opportunities to partner up for authentic talks about what they have read. All students should be reading a minimum of 100 minutes at home each week. Weekly reading logs are turned in every Friday. Reminder: Summer Reading Project is due on October 4th.

Science In our first unit, The Universe, Stars, and The Solar System, Columbia students have been learning about the Big Bang theory, the explosion that created the entire universe. (By the way, Sheldon Cooper has nothing to do with it.) Once all that matter was spread around the universe, gravity stepped in and, over millions of years, pulled it together creating the stars and planets, including the one we live on today. It’s truly amazing when you think of it!

Social Studies Columbia students are continuing to understand their world. We have started our Landform Unit, and all classes are researching many landforms using technology, specifically Discovery Education. All students are on google classroom--they seem to really enjoy it!

Math: Our first unit Prime Time is coming to an end. Please be on the lookout for a parent letter giving

an overview of our next unit: Comparing Bits and Pieces. The unit concepts are ratios, and ra-tional numbers and Fractions (Hooray!!...we all love fractions:) At this time we are also going to start our Khan Academy homework. Each student is required to work on the site for 50 minutes per week. This also include weekends! So basically your child has from Saturday to Thursday each week to get their 50 minutes completed. Every minute on site your child earns 2 points.

(50 minutes x 2 points = 100 total points) Please discuss with your child how they will manage

their time to meet the weekly 50 minute expectation. All information about Khan will be posted

on my website.

Art Classes at WSMS

Mrs. Bacon’s classes have had a great start to the year!!! 6th graders are finishing up a se-

ries of art exercises leading up to our first major art project using Line and Value. I can’t

wait to see how awesome their work comes out!!! 7th graders are finishing up our Combined

Shape Photoshop Projects. Students drew geometric based and organic based drawings and

we added color and combined them using Photoshop. 8th graders are starting their final

copies of their Line Designs. I was surprised how many kids decided to use the Zentangle

technique.

Mrs. Coleman: All grade 6, 7 & 8 art students have been exploring different techniques to

help them with their first projects. Grade 7 students are exploring how to make both pos-

itive & negative shape design interesting within a rectangle or isosceles triangle frame.

Grade 6 students are exploring how to combine lines, designs, & or patterns to create dif-

Sample Gr. 8 Ribbons/Tubes with Shading

Keep these dates on the calendar!

WSMS Winter Concerts:

Chorus and Strings Dec. 14 @ WSMS

Band Dec. 15 @WSMS