From the Principal’s Desk

Happy November! The 2015-16 school year continues to fly by! October was a busy month, full of testing, assemblies, and other school activities. Our 8th graders successfully completed the first administration of the PSAT while our 6th and 7th graders were tested using the NWEA. On Oc-tober 13th, our students blended an old tradition with a new one as they celebrated “Pink Shirt Day” as part of our “ONE Parcells” photo and program. Finally, on October 30th, students were inspired by young author, Kyle Prue. At only 18 years old, a former Grosse Pointe School student, he is working toward his second novel. November looks to be another busy month. The Parcells Panther Players will be putting on their show, “Aladdin,” November 5th and 6th at 6:30pm. We will also be holding two important events for par-ents, our Parent/Teacher Conferences as well as a Parent Technolo-gy Night. Finally, on November 24th, all of our 8th grade students will spend the morning at North High School, learning about the exempla-ry programs that North High School will provide them.

Parent Teacher Conferences Perhaps the most important school related event in November are our Parent Teacher Conferences. This year, conferences will be held on Thursday, November 19th, from 5- 7:30pm, and on Tuesday, No-vember 24th, from 1-3:30pm and 5-7:30pm. Conferences are held in the main Gymnasium, and are a time for parents to meet all of their child’s teachers to discuss their progress, successes, and con-cerns. We are hoping to see 100% of our parents/guardians in at-tendance.

Parent Technology Boot Camp At last month’s “Donuts With Dan” event, the subject of classroom technology was brought up. With many new types of classroom tech-nology popping up on regular basis, many of our parents are feeling the struggle to keep up with their students. So, the idea of hosting a night where parents could come in to learn about the different types of technology was hatched. On Monday, November 9th, from 6:45-8pm, all attendees will start in the Library for an overview of the event. From there, parents will have the opportunity to choose 2 of 3 available half hour sessions to attend. Our sessions for the evening will include: Session 1) Pinna-cle Gradebook, The Homework Calendar, and ways to keep up with your student’s grades, Session 2) Google Classroom, Google Apps, and all things Google!, Session 3) Classroom Engagement Technol-ogy such as IPad/IPhone/Android Apps, Prezi, Twitter, Kahoot, and Remind.

If the event is a success and there are other topics that Parents would like to learn more about, we will plan another session for Janu-ary or February. We hope to see you there!

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving and a great month of November,

Dan Hartley Principal

Parcells Newsletter Important dates in Nov: Every Thursday: 3:30PM-4:30PM Girls Empowered Rm 111

11/2/15 3:30PM-5:30PM Boy's BB Tryouts 7/8 3:30PM-8:00PM Aladdin Play Practice

11/3/15 NO SCHOOL (Election Day) 3:30PM-8:00PM Aladdin Play Practice

11/4/15 3:30PM-4:15PM Yearbook Club Meeting Rm 221B 3:30PM-5:30PM Boy's BB Tryouts 7/8 3:30PM-4:30PM Cheerleading Evaluation Clinic (Girls Gym) 3:30PM-4:30PM Art Club in Rm 215 3:30PM-4:15PM Drone Club Meeting

11/5/15 7th Hour Testing 3:30PM-4:15PM Student Council Meeting Rm 221B 6:30PM “Aladdin” 3:30PM-5:30PM Boy's BB Tryouts 7/8

11/6/15 End of 1st Quarter SpellCheck Pledged Funds Due War Memorial Dance 6:30PM “Aladdin” 3:30PM-5:30PM Boy's BB Tryouts 7/8 3:30PM-5:00PM Cheerleading Judged Tryouts (Girls Gym)

11/9/15 6:45PM-8PM Parent Technology Boot Camp

11/11/15 3:30PM-4:30PM Cheerleading Practice 3:30PM-4:30PM Art Club in Rm 215

11/12/15 7th Hour Testing

11/13/15 6th “A Christmas Carol” Field Trip SpellCheck AfterSchool Party

11/15/15 1:00PM-3:00PM GPPS Open House

11/16/15 7:00PM-8:00PM Parcells PTO Meeting

11/18/15 7th Hour Testing 6:30PM 7th & 8th Grade Choir Fall Concert 3:30PM-4:30PM Art Club in Rm 215

11/19/15 Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00PM-7:30PM 3:30PM-4:15PM Student Council Meeting Rm 221B 7:30AM-8:00AM Parcells NJHS Meeting

11/20/15 WEB: 6th Grade Movie Afterschool

11/23/15 7th Hour Testing

11/24/15 1/2 Day For Students Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00PM-3:30PM 5:00PM-7:30PM

11/25/15 - 11/27/15 HAPPY THANKSGIVING NO SCHOOL

November 2015

http://gpschools.schoolwires.net/gpparcells

Greetings from the Vice Principal

Parcells has had an exciting month! Students are really acclimated to the school and their schedules, rou-tines have been established, and the message is spreading throughout the halls that our students take their work seriously. Parcells Middle School has so many opportunities for students to get involved, be active, and to be successful! One of those opportunities is our after school A.C.E. program. I work with a very dynamic team of staff members every Monday through Thursday helping students get their missing work turned in and provide an environment where students that are stuck on homework can get the extra help they need. We are even fortunate to have a few National Honor Society students from North High School graciously give their time, and our students LOVE it! On a daily basis, we are collecting on average of 75 assignments that otherwise may have ended up being a zero. Students are starting to understand that being ACE’d is not a punishment, but instead an incredible opportunity to get their work completed. The time that is put into the program to manage and organize is great, but there is nothing greater than seeing students so proud of them-selves for learning organization, not feeling the anxiety of being chronically behind, and watching their grades skyrocket! Most people don’t realize the impact a “zero” has on a student’s grade as well as their learn-ing. It’s fun to see the success! I had to laugh when a staff member recently said, “We had 76 assignments turned in to ACE today, 52 students taking a retest or make up exam, NJHS students working in the school, a volleyball game going on, and Aladdin play rehearsal….did anyone even go home today!?” Another fun thing going on at Parcells is the Drone Club. We had about 10 students join us for our first Drone Club meeting in October and they had great fun! (We posted some of the photos on Twitter). My husband, Keith, brought his high tech INSPIRE 1 by DJI, and his Phantom Pro for kids to see and he even allowed a few students who came without a drone to practice flying it. Since that first club meeting, I can’t tell you how many students come to me saying they want to be part of the club and are even asking for a drone for Christ-mas. Several parents have inquired about where we purchased our drone from as family members have put this on their "gift" list. We always purchase through Maverick Drone in MN. (Www.maverickdrone.com) The owner of Maverick Drone learned of Parcells students interest in drones (because I told him!) and our drone club so he donated 20 drone t-shirts. The first 20 students to sign up for our November 4th drone club will re-ceive one of these cool shirts! The sign up list is available in the office beginning Monday. We have our next meeting scheduled for Wednesday, November 4th, from 3:30pm – 4:15pm. With all the hustle and bustle of the many activities and opportunities we are offering here at Parcells, I don’t want to be too busy to say a simple “thank you” to the Parcells community for your support and for trusting us with your most prized treasure every day, your students. Thank you! Debbie Redlin Assistant Principal Parcells Middle School 313-432-4611 Debra.redlin@gpschools.org

From the English Department The 6th graders will be busy reading about Ebenezer Scrooge and the three spirits this month. Making con-nections between this classic tale written in 1843 and today’s world, students will come to realize that Scrooge and the Grinch have similar personalities. Also, students will be reminded that one person can make a difference. The word Scrooge is understood by people around the world ( A Christmas Carol has been translated into most languages) to mean someone who is grumpy, selfish, and miserly. If Dickens had not written this book many years ago, the word Scrooge would be meaningless. Consequently, the same is true for Mary Shelley introducing us to Frankenstein and JRR Tolkien introducing us to hobbits. One person can make a difference, especially through literature. To enhance the reading of A Christmas Carol, 6th graders are going to Meadow Brook Theater to enjoy the play on November 13th.

From the Science Department Parcells’ budding scientists will be exploring physics, chemistry, and hydrology in November. The eighth graders will be conducting multiple experiments with the CPO physics equipment to learn about forces and motion. (Did you know the purpose of learning math is to do science?) Seventh graders are learning about atoms, molecules, compounds, mixtures, solutions, solvents, and chemical reactions. Sixth graders are learning the “tions” of the water cycle: evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, and sublima-tion. Look for a water cycle cartoon boasting all of those terms soon! GPPSS has launched a curriculum review committee for our science curriculum, which hasn’t been reviewed since 2009. Watch for updates from the board office soon.

Greetings from the Choir Room! An exciting month is here! The Parcells musical, Aladdin Jr., features many singers from all of our choirs. Public performances are Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 at 6:30pm at Parcells Middle School Auditorium. Be sure to check it out! Wednesday, November 18 is the first concert of the year for 7th and 8th grade choirs. The concert begins at 6:30pm. It is a combined concert for 7th and 8th grade band, orchestra and choir. Students should report to Parcells no later than 6:00 pm. Dress code is as follows:

7th grade girls: Dressy black - You may wear a dress or a skirt/top or leggings with a long, dressy

top; skin colored nylons, black dress shoes; simple jewelry

7th grade boys: Dressy black. You should wear a long-sleeved, button-down black dress shirt,

black pants (not jeans!), black dress shoes (not tennis shoes!), black socks, and a black belt.

8th grade girls: School-provided black dresses. You need to provide black character shoes or

modest black heels, skin colored nylons, skin colored undergarments, simple stud earrings (only if you’re ears are pierced)

8th grade boys: School-provided tuxedos. You need to provide black dress shoes (NOT tennis

shoes!), black socks, and a black belt. On Tuesday, December 1, all choir members are invited to sing on the steps of the Joe Louis Arena prior to the Wings vs. Sabres game. Students are asked to arrive by 6pm and be ready to sing by 6:15pm. Please see the flyer that I’ve included at the end of this month’s newsletter for more information. All Parcells families are invited to purchase tickets to the game. We have a section of tickets reserved for our group. Please see the ticket order sheet included at the end of this month’s newsletter. As always, please let me know if you have any questions via email – leslie.saroli@gpschools.org. Thanks for your continued support of the Parcells choir program! Mrs. Leslie Saroli Leslie.saroli@gpschools.org

Gym Shorts

Athletic News and Information

I can’t believe it is already November!!!! Boys Basketball Season is in

full swing. We hope our teams are successful both on and off the

court. Our Cheerleaders are also doing great things on the sidelines.

Girls Basketball and Wrestling will be beginning after the holiday

break. Again, please remember to have a CURRENT physical, emer-

gency card and grade sheet to present to your coach at tryouts.

Please check the Parcells website calendar for important dates and

times. Also look at the athletic website.

We had much success with GAME DAY t-shirts that the athletes are given for being an athlete here at Par-

cells. Please remember to wear it on your game day as well as you are welcome to wear it on other teams

Game Day.

A few reminders…..athletes must be in school a minimum of 3 hours on game day to participate in a game,

as well as they must also be passing 4 of their 6 classes. This includes work habits and conduct being ac-

ceptable behaviors. Lastly, we are a pay to play district. This means, when you have made the team, a one

time athletic fee of $90 needs to be paid either online by credit card or cash may be turned into the athletic

director.

Keep an eye out for Swim Club, 6th Grade Basketball and Track in the up and coming issues.

Beth Gulick

Athletic Coordinator

Life Skills News- Students recently completed our Beaumont Mindfulness curriculum “Learning to Breathe” with Hanna Reising (Program Coordinator for Community Wellness & Program Assistant for Employee Wellness at Beaumont Health System) . The feedback from students was very positive; overall they enjoyed the op-portunity to relax during the school day, and were thankful for the strategies learned. Please encourage kids to remember their training as needed at home. For more information on mindfulness in schools, or to contact Hanna, please visit the following link from the Family Center: http://www.familycenterweb.org/index.php/ask-the-experts/42-all/594-mindfulness-in-schools-the-missing-piece-of-a-modern-education It’s almost TURKEY TIME! If your family is interested in donating a whole frozen turkey to be cooked in class during the week of November 16th, please plan to send one in anytime from now until Friday November 13th. Last year, Parcells Life Skills students cooked and carved 29 turkey’s which helped feed a Thanksgiving feast to over 1,000 hungry people in Metro Detroit. Turkey’s will be cooked, carved and donated to Crossroads of Detroit. Crossroads is also looking for canned goods (vegetables, potatoes, gravy, etc.) for their meal. For more information, please feel free to email me- andrea.sobotka@gpschools.org

Student Council-

A special thank you to NJHS and all of the students who participated in our fall clean-up on October 22nd. We picked up garbage around the perimeter of the building, and raked a TON of leaves! Great work everyone!

Spirit Week is planned for the week of December 7th- please stay tuned for more information!

YBC-

Please see Miss Sobotka if you have not received information on submitting a layout for the year-

book club. Layouts are due ASAP. The first meeting for the YBC will take place on Wednesday

November 4th in room 221B from 3:30-4:00.

From The Art Department This year’s art field trip was to the Cranbrook Art Museum to see the Here Hear, Nick Cave fiber art display. Students took an interactive tour which displayed many art pieces that can be worn or danced in. The “Sound Suits” are made with all kinds of different materials including fur, sticks, stuffed toys, buttons, sequins, etc. When someone walks or dances in them, the objects they are made with, create sound. After the tour, stu-dents took a workshop where they made headpieces using paper to symbolize something about themselves. I wanted to take students to see this show because I introduce Nick Cave’s work before our paper fashion pro-ject at the end of each semester. I know that students that went will be inspired by their experience at Cran-brook. Amber Mades Art Educator

PTO Corner

Father Vice President: We are still in need of a Father Vice President for the PTO. This position’s only du-ties are to coordinate the volunteers for the parking lot at the Holiday Bazaar, and attend monthly meetings. School Clinic: We always need clinic volunteers for morning or afternoon shifts. (You do not have to be a medical professional.) Please contact the Clinic Coordinator, Sheri Favenyesi at 704-830-7033 for any ques-tions. To sign up for the clinic, click on the monthly links below for signupgenius.com. Clinic Sign Up Link: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c4aada92ca2fc1-march2 Teacher Conference Luncheon: Below is the link for parents to sign up to help out with the Fall Staff Appreciation Lunch. http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e45a8ae28a2fd0-fall Kroger Community Rewards and Target REDcard Program: Please also consider signing up for the Kroger Community Rewards Program and the Target REDcard program. Both are free programs which real-ly benefit the school. Click on “Kroger and Target Fundraisers” on the Parcells website to learn more.

PTO Meetings: PTO Meetings are open to all parents and are a great way to get involved in your child’s school. They are generally held on the 3rd Monday of the month at 7:00, but some meetings are different due to holiday schedules or conflicts. Please check the school calendar for dates, or send an email to ekin.jeanette@gmail.com for a schedule of meetings.

Parcells is an Evergreen School

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Your Grosse Pointe Public Library

The Grosse Pointe Public School System is grateful for its many community partnerships. To ensure we remain good neighbors with our partners in the Grosse Pointe Library System, we would like to take this opportunity to remind pa-trons of rules that will help us all utilize this community resource to its fullest potential. Just as in school, there are guidelines for behavior and supervision at our local libraries. The library has a document entitled “Guidelines on Behavior” that will be enforced. It is available for review at the Youth Desk, but here are a few highlights we would appreciate your help in maintaining: Visiting the Library

We encourage all patrons to work together in order to ensure a safe, positive learning environment.

Loitering outside the library, or excessive entrance and exit, is disruptive to this environment which is de-signed to support study, reading and other quiet activities.

Please remember the Woods branch parking lot off Mack Avenue is locked during drop-off (7:30-8:30 a.m.) and pick-up time (2:45-3:30 p.m.) for the safety of our children.

Our libraries, particularly the Woods branch, are busiest from 3:15-5:30 p.m., so it may be helpful for oth-er patrons to visit at non peak hours.

Children under the age of 9 cannot be left unattended. Guardians or caregivers must be age 13 or above themselves to watch younger students in the library. The library staff is not responsible for supervision of your children. Childcare is available for a fee through the GPPSS Kids Club and details can be found at www.gpschools.org or by calling 313-432-3067.

Computer Use

Students need a valid library card or knowledge of their card number to use computers.

Livetutor.com is available free of charge from 3-10 p.m. every day of the week.

Computer use is limited to 30 minutes to ensure equitable access.

Only one student is allowed to sit at a computer.

No food or drinks are allowed at the computer.

Students may bring their own earphones to use with computers; the library does not provide these.

Printing is available from youth computers for a small fee (10¢ per black and white page, $1 for color). Working Together

An expired library card or excessive fees may prevent patrons from using the computers or borrowing materials.

Any patron, including students, with a pattern of disruptive behavior will be banned from the library.

To keep track of library usage in those busy times, student patrons will be asked to sign in for program-ming or quiet study using their library card.

Please remember, this is our community library. Working together, parents, students, community members, and li-brary and school personnel will maintain a positive library environment and experience for all.