Welcome to Upper Merion Area

Middle School Community of Caring School 2009 National and Pennsylvania School of Character 2010 National Network of Partnership School Awards 2011 and 2012

Administrative Team

■  Mr. Adam Slavin Building Principal ■  Mr. Eric Erb Assistant Principal grades 5 and 6 ■  Ms. Angela Regrut Assistant Principal grades 7 and 8

Pupil Services

■ Mr. David Burns 5th grade counselor ■ Mrs. Kim Corbi 6th grade counselor

■  Mrs. Kara Howell 7th grade counselor

■  Mrs. Mandi Donahue 8th grade counselor ■  Ms. Pat Berger Social Worker ■  Mrs. Ro Foote Psychologist

COMMUNITY OF CARING® Building Character in Every School with Every Child All Day Long.

Community of Caring Core Values

CARING RESPECT RESPONSIBILITY TRUST FAMILY

A Sample of Our School-Wide Initiatives Under the

Community of Caring Umbrella

CAST

Mentors Peer Buddies

Peer Mediation

PTC Junior Optimists

National Junior Honor Society PASS

C.R.E.A.T.E. Tutoring

Transition Day

Parenting Education Thematic Units Anti-Bullying

Student Council Extra Curricular Activities

Business Education Partnerships

Service Learning iPad Evenings

Community of Caring Components

■  Values In and Across the Curriculum ■  Student Leadership/ Forums ■  Service Learning/ Community Service ■  Family and Community Involvement ■  Inclusion of All Students

Opening Week Transition

■  Escorted to classes ■  Assistance in reading the schedule ■  Assistance with lockers ■  Cafeteria assistance ■  Caring, nurturing environment to

ensure students feel welcome, safe and secure

School Day

■  Students arrive at the middle school starting at 7:30 a.m.

■  The first class begins at 8:00 a.m. ■  Dismissal time is 2:55 p.m. ■  Busses depart from the middle school

at 3:05 p.m. ■  Busses drop-off and pick-up at the

front of the middle school

Bus pickup in the A.M.

■  Students should arrive at the bus stop 10 minutes before the scheduled pickup time

■  Assigned seating by grade level ■  Supervisor of Transportation

Marsha Wagner (mwagner@umasd.org)

School Day

■  Parent drop-off and pick-up is at the rear of the building (Crossfield Road) ■ Students arriving after 8:00 a.m. are to be dropped off at the main entrance, proceed to the main office attendance clerk with a note stating the reason for lateness.

School Day (cont.)

■  When the 5th grade students arrive at school they are to proceed to the cafeteria until they are dismissed at

7:50 a.m. ■  The students go to their lockers and get

materials necessary for their first class of the day. The bell for the beginning of the first class rings at 8:00 a.m.

Student Schedule

■  The schedule consists of 3 academic blocks, each 90 minutes in length. The blocks consist of Language Arts, Math, and Science or Social Studies.

■  Students will have 2 Unified Arts blocks, which are 43 minutes in length consisting of Art, Music, Tech Ed, Keyboarding, Family/Consumer Science and PE/ Health.

■  Students will also have a 30 minute lunch.

Student Schedule

■  Block 1 8:00 - 9:33 Academic ■  Unified Arts 9:36 - 10:19 ■  Lunch 10:22 - 10:52 ■  Block 2 10:55 - 12:24 Academic

Block 3 12:27 - 1:10 Academic ■  Unified Arts 1:13 - 1:56 ■  Block 3 1:59 - 2:55 Academic

Lockers

■  Each student has their own locker with a combination

■  Teachers work with the students day one on how to access their locker

■  Students should not give the combination to other students

Activities ■  Community of

Caring Club

■  Intramurals

■  Junior Optimist Club

■  Drama Club

■  Student Council

■  Band, Orchestra and Chorus

■  C.R.E.A.T. E. Club

■  Technology Student Association Club

■  Robotics Club

Activity Busses

■  Activity busses are provided for students staying after school for clubs, activities or extra help.

■  Activity busses pick up at the FRONT of the school at 4:30pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays

Lunch/Cafeteria Information Director of Food Services: Penny Bartlett

School Store

■ The school store is open in the cafeteria. Parents may purchase gym uniforms and school supplies.

Open House

■  September 17th – 6:30 p.m. ■  Parents will have the opportunity to

meet their children’s teachers ■  Parents can complete applications for

the parent portal. Applications are found on the district and middle school websites

PTC ■  President Kira Ziebis ■  Vice President Open ■  Treasurer Meg Donohue ■  Secretary Heather Cardeiro

Transforming Learning and Teaching

with iPads

Transforming Learning and Teaching with iPads

21 Century Skills:

■ Critical & Creative Thinking

■ Collaborating & Communicating

■ Information Literacy

■ Digital Citizenship

Transforming Learning and Teaching with iPads

We still have paper and pencil

and textbooks, but now we’ve

added...

Podcasts, eBooks, Music, Photos, Videos, Interactive Texts, Camera, Word Processing, Spreadsheets, Presentations, Thousands of Apps... These tools enhance how students; Draw, Create, Share, Collaborate, Discuss…

“Never lose another piece of paper again!”

Transforming Learning and Teaching with iPads

Technology Integration in the Classroom:

The SAMR Model

Middle  School  Library  

5th  Grade  Library  Classes    

•  Library  Skills  •  Taught  in  library  class  •  Integrated  with  

curricular  projects  •  Exposure  to  high  

quality  literature,      new  books,  classics  

•  Meet  approximately  every  other  week  Stude

nts  come  to  lib

rary  

*Before  sch

ool  

*During  lunc

h—with  pass  

*With  classes  

DESTINY  •  Library’s  Electronic  Catalog  

•  iPad=24/7  Individual  Access  •  Students  can  search  the  collecTon  •  Review  own  accounts    

BryteWave  •  Reader  for  Library’s  collecTon  

of  ebooks  •  CollecTon  just  started  

iPads  and  the  Middle  School  Library  

25  Book  Challenge  •  Individual  challenge  of  reading  1  Million  Words  

•  Individual  and  group  incenTves  – One  a  quarter  LA  classroom  compeTTons  

– End  of  year  awards  

40,257  books  circulated  40,257  books  were  re-­‐shelved  by  our  fabulous  volunteers!  We  need  your  help.      

Assisting Your Child In Middle School

Middle school years are a time of growth. A move from childhood to adolescence. They become more independent. They want their parents’ support, help and approval but they also want to forge out on their own. During this time of transition there are many things you can do to assist your child to be successful in school.

How You Can Help:

■ Have all basic supplies ready for home and school before the first day.

■ Daily school attendance and on time arrival.

■ Avoid appointments during the school day. If made during the school day, promptly return your child to school.

Some More Ways You Can Help:

■ Monitor your child’s upcoming assignments through our LMS: Schoology

■ Have a regular place and time for your child to do homework.

■ Have a “charging station” in the house for your child’s iPad (not in their room). ■ Use the middle school’s website to stay up to date on activities, classwork and grades.

■ Register for the Parent Portal and Schoology, regularly check on your child’s progress.

Even More Ways You Can Help:

Where do I go?

...And Finally:

■  If your child says there is no homework, require 30 minutes of reading. Good readers make good writers.

■ Expect your child to take initiative.

■ If you have concerns or questions contact your child’s teacher or guidance counselor.

Tonight's Tours

■  Tours will be given by student

representatives from the Community of Caring Club.