The Importance of Writing and the Power of the Pen!

Four GMSW Students Advance to Regional Power of the Pen Competition

The Power of the Pen is a writing competition for 7th and 8th grade students in Ohio.  Historically, Middle School West has enjoyed success in the POP competition, and this year is no exception.  The MSW Power of the Pen team recently competed with over 250 middle school writers at the 2013 Power of the Pen district competition hosted at Gahanna Middle School South.  I'm proud to announce that four of our student writers will be advancing to the regional Power of the Pen competition at New Albany Middle School on March 16th!  

Of 122 seventh graders who competed, Middle School West had three writers place in the top 50: Makayli Bosaw was 19th, Sarah Heaberlin was 23rd, and Dani Biro was 50th.  Representing the MSW 8th graders, Anna Merickel placed 15th out of 129 eighth graders in the competition.

I would like to congratulate these writers and their coach, Megan Forster, for a job well done!  The MSW Family wishes each of the young ladies good luck as they compete at the regional competition at New Albany for a chance to advance to the state writing competition at the College of Wooster on May 23rd and 24th.

Writing is an essential skill for success in the workplace and in the classroom.  Students at Middle School West are being asked to read and write more than ever before.  So often, writing is the mode of communication by which we create and share new ideas.  To say it is important is an understatement.  

Encourage your child to share with you what he/she is writing about at school.  Do you have a child who can't get enough writing?  Take a look at this brief video from Young Writer's Workshops for some ideas about writing projects for middle schoolers:

What's Up at West?

• March 7th - MSW Winter Band Concert - grades 6 & 7 (7:30pm - GMSW Auditorium)
• March 11th - Market Day Pickup (5-6pm in GMSW cafeteria)
• March 12th - Athletic Code of Conduct Meeting - Spring Sports (5-6pm - GMSW Auditorium)

          

What Can I Do to Help My Child in Reading & Writing?

Use Specific Strategies to Practice Good Literacy Habits With Children

I love this quote by Perry Marshall.  To complete any task, we need to have the right tools.  Teaching students to read and write at high levels of performance is no different.  Teachers and parents must equip students with the right tools to do the job correctly, with attention to detail.  In the past, I have written some introductory pieces about the common core curriculum and how important reading and writing is to the success of students.  As a middle school principal, I am often asked by parents how they can help their children grow in the areas of reading and writing.  In this issue of West Weekly, I would like to provide some information about best practice in reading and writing as well as some resources for parents to utilize to help children develop sound academic reading and writing habits.

The instructional practices of close reading and text-dependent writing are essential to helping students accomplish two things: 

• Close reading helps students understand content at a very deep level, including the meaning of complex vocabulary, connecting essential content to our world, and understanding the author's purpose/bias/slant.
• The practice of text-dependent writing helps teachers focus students on critical components of a text and gives students a strategy for constructing a claim, assertion, or argument and supporting it with specific evidence from the text.

 As a parent, the best thing you can do to help your child read for meaning is to nurture his/her innate inquisitive nature.  Having conversations about reading and content while asking thought provoking questions is a great way to model important academic habits of mind for students.  Here are some other strategies that parents can use to help students improve their understanding:

How Can Parents Help Students Read for Detail?

•Talk with teachers.  Find out what content is being covered in class and read texts with children at home.

•Ask your child to summarize an important excerpt from the text for you.

•Read with your child.  As you do, pause to ask open-ended questions about the vocabulary and meaning of the text.

•Ask children to make a claim about the selection.  In other words, have them take a position about what they have read.  Once they do, challenge them to support their position with specific evidence from the reading.

Visit the EdToolBox to learn more about close reading and see a video from nationally renowned expert, Dr. Douglas Fisher.

As you work with your child on writing assignments, understand that a student's ability to support his or her assertions and claims about the content of the reading is critical to success in school.  Help your child understand that there is a difference between an opinion (often a focus in elementary school) and a claim.  The difference is that a claim is accompanied with specific support from the text that backs up the writer's opinion.  Learning the difference between an opinion and a claim is a new experience for most middle school students.  Parents can help students at home by defining the difference between a claim and an opinion and insisting that students can support their claims.  Building writing structures for students is one way to help them learn the process of answering a question in a very detailed way that includes support.  One process you can encourage at home is R.A.C.E.

Teachers at MSW help students answer text-dependent questions by using the RACE approach to writing. 

RACE is an acronym that stands for:

Restate the question.  Rewording the question as a part of the response helps the writer frame his/her answer and helps the reader put the answer in context.
Answer the question.  This entails understanding the content one has read (why close reading is so important).  Be sure to answer all parts of a question.  Often, students only answer part of a question when the question is asking about multiple things.
Cite evidence.  Here is where the support comes in.  When citing evidence, students should use specific pieces from the reading.
Elaborate, or explain.  In this final step, a student writer explains his/her own reasons (beyond the specific examples cited from the text) why he/she believes the answer is correct.  These reasons can be connections the student makes to prior/existing knowledge and inferences made based on the reading.

As a principal, I love getting questions from parents about how they can help their children excel.  It shows me how much our parents care.  For that, I'm grateful!  I hope these strategies help you work with your child at home and give you some important insight into how instruction is happening in the classrooms at Middle School West.

STEM Club

Students Learn App Design in STEM Club

The GMSW STEM Club continues to offer students opportunities to explore topics that excite them in a comfortable club setting.  One of the common interests that students talked about when surveyed was app design.  To help students understand the basic steps to app design, we began with a brief introduction to MIT's android platform app design program, App Inventor.  We were fortunate to have Marcie Aiello, GLHS computer science & programming teacher, visit our club to conduct a lesson in App Inventor with the students.  Students were able to design simple apps that incorporated a picture of a cat.  When the user tapped on the cat's image, the cat meowed.  App Inventor is a simple program that anyone can learn, and it lays the basic foundation for programming with a simple drag & drop format.

The video below gives you a glimpse into the simplicity of App Inventor. 

As you can see, App Inventor is simple to use.  Even if you don't own an android phone, you can still design apps and use the computer as the interface.  Why not check it out at home and design an app with your children?  App Inventor can be a great way to use technology in a creative, engaging way with students.



Marcie Aiello teaches students the basics of App Inventor.



Students work independently during STEM Club to design apps using App Inventor.



Speaking of apps in education, visit the following link to learn about apps that help improve students' reading comprehension.  

15-of-the-best-educational-apps-for-improved-reading-comprehension/               

What's Up at West?           

• February 14th - GJPS School Board Meeting (6:30pm at Clark Hall, 3rd floor)

• February 14th - District Middle School Orchestra Concert for 6th & 7th grade strings (7:30pm at MSW Auditorium)

• February 18th & 19th - NO SCHOOL

• February 21st and 26th - Parent/Teacher Conferences (4:15-7:45pm) Please call 614-478-5570 to schedule a conference.       

Common Core 101: An Introduction for Parents

Moving from the State Standards to the Common Core

The common core standards have been adopted by 45 states and 3 territories. They represent a common set of learning standards aimed at measuring  students' mastery of important academic skills.  The common core includes standards in mathematics and English/Language Arts and aims to increase the level of rigor in classrooms across the nation.  The standards focus heavily on the concept of literacy, including literacy standards in content areas such as science and social studies.  Further, the standards include an emphasis on writing, speaking, and listening.

Many parents ask what the difference is between the current Ohio learning standards and the common core standards.  There are many differences, but the main difference is that the common core standards lead to greater rigor for college & career readiness and deeper levels of understanding.  Whether through reading texts of greater complexity, applying mathematical concepts to novel situations, or writing to defend an assertion with specific support from a text, students and teachers are being asked to dig deeper into understanding than ever before.  Go to Core Standards for more information on the common core standards.

At Middle School West, parents often ask how they can help their children excel in school.  I think the best thing parents can do for children is to make reading a priority in the family.  Now, more than ever, parents have so many opportunities to make reading exciting and fun.  While trips to the library are certainly exciting for students (there's just something special for kids about picking out their own books), technology affords busy parents an opportunity to keep high-interest literacy support in front of their children at all times.  Below is a collection of apps compiled by Vicki Windman for the 12/28/12 issue of Tech & Learning.  The list includes apps to support learning in the areas of reading, writing, speaking, listening, and mathematics.  See the current issue of Tech & Learning for expert commentary on the shift to the common core.  Visit Education.com for more parent resources.

GMSW Students Present to School Board

At the January GJPS School Board meeting, Mr. Harmon introduces Braden Neal (8th grade)
and Jenaisa Payne (6th grade) as they share their involvement with MSW's Rachel's Challenge  IMPACT
initiative.  Guidance Counselor, Kathy Spencer (not pictured), also spoke to the Board about the group's plans for their
20 Acts of Kindness project.

What's Up at West?

• February 7, 2013 - Early Release.  Students are dismissed at 2:10pm.
• February 7, 2013 - PTO meeting (7pm in GMSW Library)
• February 21st & 26th - Parent/Teacher Conferences (4:15-7:45pm)  Call the office at 614-478-5570 to schedule a conference.

Using Multiple Representations in Middle School Math

Teaching for Understanding:  Why Using Multiple Representations is Essential for Math Learners.

 

A common belief held by many people is that math is difficult to learn.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, each of us is a mathematician, and all students have the ability to make substantial growth in math.  It is true, perhaps, that math could be very difficult to learn if all it is to students is an exercise in tedious memorization.  You see, math is about much more than learning algorithms and memorizing multiplication facts and formulas. 

MATH IS ABOUT THINKING.  

From infancy all children wonder about the world around them, seeking out answers to problems based on the information available to them at the time.  To help students grow as math thinkers, teachers and parents must get past thinking that memorizing math facts is enough.  To grow and excel in math, students must be challenged at the earliest ages - even before kindergarten - to think about math critically.  One of the best ways to help students develop this critical thinking ability is to expose them to multiple representations of mathematical concepts while challenging them to create representations of their own.

What would this look like for students in a middle school classroom?  Given that math is about thinking, we must accept that it is also about communicating our thinking - and about challenging our thinking and questioning our approaches to problems.  Consider the importance of these concepts in this brief video from Dan Meyer, doctoral fellow at Stanford University.



 

 

 



Recently, 8th grade math students at MSW were challenged to use multiple representations to analyze a non-linear pattern of growth.  Their teachers, Nikki Kelley and Denise Wolfe, wanted students to share their thinking as they examined one another's work.

 

"Students had to use various representations (tables, graphs, equations, pictures) to analyze a non-linear pattern of growth.  They had to make connections between the representations with the idea that given one they should be able to create the others.  The teams worked together to create the posters.  Then the teams went on a Gallery Walk to analyze the other teams' posters.  First they had to give feedback on the patterns the other teams created and critique the work the other teams produced.  Then they had to compare and contrast the work done by different class periods that had the same rule as them.  Overall the students should have a deeper understanding of multiple representations for algebraic problems."  ~ Nikki Kelley

 

Some examples of student work from the Gallery Walk:

 



 

One of the best indicators of a student's math understanding is his/her ability to explain their mathematical thinking.  As you sit down with your children to review their homework each night, ask them to explain their strategies for tackling problems.  You'll be surprised how much you know about math and about how impressive our students are!

 

 

What's Up at West?

• 11/26 - Winter Sports Pictures at 3:45pm
• 11/27 - Students return from Thanksgiving Break
• 11/29 - Coffee with Mr. Scruci (7:30-9am at Tim Horton's)
• 11/29 - 6th grade Strings w/LHS orchestra (7:30 pm at GMSW auditorium)
• 11/30 - Progress Reports Go Home
• 12/6 - PTO meeting (7pm in GMSW library)



RED RIBBON WEEK

GMSW Students Learn About the Dangers of Drugs

 

 

 

Spice. K2. Salvia. Bath Salts. Meth. X. Inhalents. Do you know about these drugs? If not, you should. Young people are being exposed to these street drugs earlier and earlier in their lives. In Ohio and across the country, the variety of drugs being offered on the street is exploding. Some even seem harmless. One looks like a clump of brown sugar, another like a child's multi-vitamin - complete with an imprint of a Transformer. Teens need information from caring, responsible adults about the dangers of drugs & alcohol if they are to understand the negative effects drugs have on one's life. As teachers and parents we must first understand what dangers these drugs pose before we can understand how to advise teens to make good choices about avoiding them. One thing is certain: Those who would push these products on children are not telling them the truth about the damage they can do.

During RED RIBBON Week at MSW, students had an opportunity to show their spirit and commit to following a drug and alcohol free lifestyle. Seventh and Eighth grade students had the opportunity to hear from retired Sergeant Mike Powell about the dangers of street drugs, including marijuana and alcohol. Sergeant Powell served in the Franklin County Sheriff's Office for over 32 years and now he continues to work as a public information specialist with Franklin County, conducting drug awareness training for students and parents all over the United States of America. Sgt. Powell was a supervisor with the FBI Drug Task Force here in Columbus. He is a member of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia, and is widely recognized as an expert on illegal drugs and their manufacture, sale, and impact on our society. He also happens to be a former GMSW Parent. We are excited to announce that we are planning a training for parents led by Mike sometime this winter. Look for more information coming soon. In the meantime, visit Operation:StreetSmart on Facebook.

Sergeant Mike Powell (Ret.) speaks with GMSW 8th graders about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.



What's Up at West?

• November 7th - MSW Skate Zone Party, sponsored by the GMSW PTO (6-8:30pm)
• November 8th - Early Release Day. Students dismissed at 2:10pm.
• November 8th - 7th & 8th grade strings rehearsal at GLHS Band Room (6:30-8:30pm)
• November 15th - MS & HS district orchestra concert (7:30pm @ LHS auditorium)
• November 19th - 8th grade district choir concert (7:30pm @ GLHS)
• November 21-23 - Thanksgiving Holiday. NO SCHOOL.
• November 26th - NO SCHOOL. Teacher In-Service Training.



Why READING is so important.

Sustained Silent Reading During PRIDE Period Helps All Students Grow

 

 

 

 

All students at MSW have time each day to read during their PRIDE period.  Why is this such an important part of their academic growth?  There are several reasons.  The most important of these is that when students are able to choose what they read and are given time to focus on that reading, they grow at an astonishing rate.  As Bernice Cullinan of New York University writes in Independent Reading and School Achievement:

Age level is a primary factor that shapes why people read, what they read, how much they read, and what they do with what they read. Furthermore when students started to read affects their subsequent school experiences and reading competence. Developmental influences are strong.

Unfortunately, many studies suggest that it is during the middle school years that students begin to read less on their own, often enticed by other emerging interests and pursuits common for their age and development.  For this reason, it is essential that students are afforded the time each day to choose rigorous, high-interest, engaging text that is appropriately complex for them. 

“There’s no better way to inform and expand your mind on a regular basis than to get into the habit of reading good literature . . . You can get into the best minds that are now or that have ever been in the world.” – Stephen Covey
 

Please take the time to discuss with your children what they are currently reading and encourage them to continue to read for extended periods at home.  READING is a habit of success.  Let' make is a habit for all.


What's Up at West?

• October 22nd - Red Ribbon Week Begins (anti drug and alcohol awareness)
• October 26th - Red Cross Blood Drive (noon - 6pm in the auditorium)
• October 26th - End of the First Grading Period

 



Mr. Harmon's Student Blogging Contest

Students are Challenged to Show What They Know in the Principal's Blogging Contest!

Some say that students today cannot write as well as those from previous generations.  I say this is false!  Today's children are writing and publishing more than any generation in history.  So why is it that some experts are so concerned about students' command of the written word?  I recently spoke with a friend who works at Ohio State as a physics professor and researcher.  He was clearly excited about the work that he and his graduate students were doing in the lab, but he lamented their ability to write academically about their important work.  He said to me, "It's amazing how hard it is for me to teach them to write.  They are wonderful young scientists, but they struggle when trying to put their findings into a professional, academic paper."

I don't have the answer to why some clearly bright students struggle with academic writing.  I can say, however, that a passion for writing begins with the content we are asking students to write about.  Think back to your first positive experiences with writing.  I bet that part of what made your experience positive was that you were writing about something that you cared deeply about.  With young writers we must foster a love of writing by embracing the opportunities we have to encourage students to write about the things they find interesting.  While students who enjoy writing will usually be content with a pencil and paper, blogging offers a high tech, creative alternative form of writing that incorporates multi-media.  Through such technology students gain access to a very rich platform for writing that allows them to use the technology they love so much!

Enter the Principal's Blogging Contest!

I'm inviting all students at Middle School West to enter the Principal's Blogging Contest.  To enter, simply create a blog site (see information about free blog sites below) and email the link to the completed blog to Mr. Harmon no later than November 15, 2012.  Rules to follow:

1)  The blog must educate the reader about a topic learned in school.  It can be about something interesting that the student learned in any of his/her classes.

2)  The blog must include media (photos, weblinks, video, etc.) about the topic that assists the reader in learning about the topic.

3) All content on the blog must be appropriate for school.

Up to 5 blogs will be chosen as gold medal blogs by a panel of staff members and students at MSW, and the winning bloggers will be awarded with an Expect Your Best! certificate.  With parent permission, the winning blogs will be featured on the West Weekly Blog and on Twitter via my Twitter feed, @bharmon2.  

Resources for Beginning Bloggers:

PC Magazine's best free blog sites (This article profiles several free blog sites, including Blogger, Google's free blog platform that West Weekly is published with.)

How to Help Your Child Start Blogging

Fun Things to Include on Your Blog

Remember, as you assist your child in creating his/her blog, students must focus their blog posts on demonstrating/teaching about some topic they have learned in school.  Using all of the multi-media and technology makes the exercise very engaging, but the content of the writing should be the star of the post!  Good luck - I can't wait to read the entries!

What's Up at West?

• 10/16 - 7th & 8th grade strings rehearsal at LHS band room (6:30-8:30pm)
• 10/18 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (4:15-7:45pm)
• 10/19 - MSW 7th & 8th grade Halloween Dance (6-7:30pm)
• 10/26 - Red Cross Blood Drive (MSW auditorium 12-6pm)
• 10/26 - End of First Grading Period - Remind students to expect their best as the grading period comes to an end!

Homework Incentive Plans Work

iPass Incentive Motivates Students to Demonstrate Positive Academic Behaviors

 

 

Students at GMSW have a new reason to think positively about their homework!  The iPass is an incentive system that rewards students for doing their homework with attention to detail and for turning it in on time.  Equally important, the iPass encourages kids who miss a homework to do what great learners do:  ask questions and work to understand the material they have missed.  There is a reward for this behavior, too. 

 

The iPass rewards students on a monthly basis with experiences and incentives that they choose.  The "i" stands for initiative.  Here's how it works:

• Students are encouraged to do their homework on time - all of the time.  That's the standard of excellence.
• However, we recognize that there will always be times when unexpected things pop up.  Because of this, students receive an iOops opportunity once per month.  It's basically one free pass if something unexpected happens.
• If a student misses any homeworks that month beyond the one iOops, he/she is marked with an iMiss.  If a student receives more than two iMisses in any given month, he/she does not earn the initiative incentive.
• Encouraging students who make mistakes to work hard to improve is a primary tenet of the iPass system!  Students keep their iPass sheets out as they learn and work in class.  As teachers recognize good academic behaviors (asking good questions, being prepared to learn, being engaged in discussions, etc.) they reward students with iStamps on their sheets.  When a student earns 10 iStamps, he/she gets one iMiss erased.
• Students learn responsibility and have short term goals to work toward.  They must be responsible enough to keep their iPass and have it out in class to earn iStamps.  Losing your iPass means you have taken yourself out of the running for that month's incentive.

 



Students who complete the month with two or fewer iMisses earn the incentive for that month.  Our first month, September, was a great success!  The students really embraced the idea, and 87% of students (that's 548 boys & girls!) earned the "Build Your Own Sundae" incentive.  Further, there were close to 300 students in the building (almost half of our students) who didn't miss a single homework or even use one iOops pass!  These students were entered into a drawing where two students from each grade level won iTunes cards.  Students now have their new iPass sheets for October, so please talk with your children about their academic goals for this month.  The incentive?  A Gaming Party on November 2nd!

 

What's Up at West?

 

• October 5-12 is Book Fair Week!  Feel free to stop by our library to check out lots of great books, posters, and other fun stuff!
• October 9th & 18th are Parent-Teacher Conferences.  Please call 614-478-5570 to schedule a conference with your child's team of teachers.
• October 12th - NO SCHOOL
• October 26th is the GMSW-American Red Cross Blood Drive.  The blood drive will be held in the GMSW Auditorium from 12-6pm.  Your child will bring home information about the drive and how to give the gift of life.  All West parents and friends who donate will be entered into a drawing sponsored by the GMSW PTO for $50 to California Pizza Kitchen!

 

 

 

 



Building a Comprehensive Anti-Bullying Awareness Program

The Strongest Anti-Bullying Programs Use Multiple Approaches to Educate Students, Parents, and Teachers 

 

 

Bullying is an issue that concerns all students, parents, and educators.  Research shows us that bullying behaviors peak during the middle school years.  Why is this?  There are many reasons why students encounter bullying-type behaviors during the middle school years.  Because of the rapid physical, emotional, and social growth that children make between the ages of 10-14, it's no wonder that they struggle at times to find appropriate ways to express feelings of disappointment and anger.  Often, middle school students learn about appropriate social behavior by making mistakes - sometimes they even bully others.

So how does a school community effectively combat these types of behaviors and teach students more positive ways to handle their emotions?  The reality is that it is not easy, but it can absolutely be done.  Successful anti-bullying programs require the collaboration of students, parents, educators, and a host of other specialists.  At Middle School West we are fortunate to have a staff that is committed to putting an end to bullying - a staff that is not willing to succumb to the belief that bullying is just a part of growing up.  We believe it doesn't have to be.

Assistant Principal, Sherri Zynda, speaks with MSW students about the negative effects of bullying.



The lead designer of our anti-bullying program is Assistant Principal, Sherri Zynda.  Over the past five years, Mrs. Zynda has worked with her team to build an anti-bullying program that includes several key components:

Educate, Educate, Educate - Early in the school year, assemblies are held with students to teach them about the negative effects of bullying.  Students learn about the three roles that people can play in any given bullying scenario:  the bully, the bullied, or the bystander(s).  They hear about characteristics of bullies, avoidance tactics and avenues for assistance for the bullied, and the power of bystanders to be positive agents for change in any school.  It's important to note that teachers and parents learn a lot throughout this process by talking with students about their thoughts and feelings.

Include Third Party Experts - Students at Middle School West have an opportunity to hear from a variety of experts on bullying, including experts who speak about cyber-bullying, mental health experts and counselors who speak about how bullying affects one's self-image, police officers who educate about the legal ramifications of bullying, and educators & students who speak about bullying and special populations of students.

Thinking & Reflection - Students should be challenged to think about bullying scenarios.  They should be asked to reflect (even if only to themselves) about their own experiences with bullying.  Have they ever been bullied?  If so, how did it feel?  Have they every bullied someone?  Did they even know they were bullying?  Have they ever been a bystander to bullying?  If so, did they do anything to help out?  Students at MSW have a chance to think about these types of questions with writing prompts.  In addition, they engage in a number of reflective exercises such as the Power Shuffle, where students step across a line in silence to indicate that they have experienced a specific bullying scenario.  Through such activities, students see that they are not alone - even their teachers have gone through some similar experiences.  Finally, students have the opportunity to view films with bullying themes and reflect on how they would handle similar situations.

Teach and Practice Empathy - Showing empathy for another is the antithesis of bullying.  Each year at MSW, students engage in service-learning projects aimed at teaching empathy for others.  This year, with the help of some funding from the generous MSW PTO, students made fleece blankets to donate to Gahanna Residents In Need (GRIN).  When middle school students have an opportunity to help others they experience how good deeds have a positive effect on each of us, whereas negative behaviors hurt our own self-esteem.  Throughout the year, this message of service to others is promoted in class and in other clubs and activities.


We thank all of the members of the MSW school community for their efforts to help ensure that each child can feel comfortable being who he/she is - that each can enjoy coming to school to build friendships and experience academic progress!

Thanks for reading,
Brett

MSW student, Jacob Barno, and teacher, Heather Turner, pose for a picture after
their presentation about the negative effects of bullying.



Superintendent, Francis Scruci, speaks with MSW
students about how to fill their buckets with great
life experiences and how to deny bullies the chance
to take away from those positive experiences.


 

What's Up at West?

10/1/12 - Fall Fundraiser Orders Due
             - 6th grade Band Fitting at GLHS (4pm-8pm)
             - Market Day Pickup (5-6pm in the cafeteria)

10/2/12 - Rachel's Challenge Community Event (7:30 pm in MSW Auditorium)

10/4/12 - GMSW PTO Meeting (7pm in MSW library)

10/9 & 10/18/12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences (Call 478-5570 to set up a conference.)

10/12/12 - No School





 

Rachel's Challenge Comes to MSW!

You're Invited to a Special Community Event at Gahanna MS West!

 

 

 

Being a teenager today can be tough.  Certainly, the teenage years can still be a wonderful time in a young person's life - as they should be.  Still, with all of the distractions and media teens are exposed to these days, the waters of adolescence can be turbulent and difficult to navigate alone.  Often, teens learn through making mistakes, especially in the area of relationships with their peers.  Some teens really struggle through these years.  Despite these challenges, there are many stories of teens doing wonderful things each and every day.  Some inspire their peers to maintain positive attitudes and accept others for who they are - spreading a message of tolerance and friendship.  Rachel Scott was such a person.

 

Rachel was the first person killed at the Columbine High School tragedy in 1999.  After her death, her parents and siblings found many writings she had done, outlining her core values and beliefs about the power of simple acts of kindness.  From these messages and anecdotes about her work with other young people, Rachel's Challenge was born.  Rachel's Challenge is an organization dedicated to bringing positive growth to schools and communities across America by sharing Rachel's five challenges with students, parents, and community leaders in an effort to begin a chain reaction of kindness.

 

Gahanna Middle School West is proud to host a Rachel's Challenge Community Event at the MSW Auditorium on October 2nd from 7:30-8:30pm.  You are cordially invited to attend!  Visit http://www.rachelschallenge.org/parents/ for more information.  We are fortunate to live in an amazing community with outstanding schools.  Together, let's pledge to keep working to improve our community and to ensure that all children see the amazing potential that lies within them.

 



 

 

 

MSW Drama Club - Calling all aspiring actors!

 

Drama Club has started and is ready for a great year! Any MSW student interested in joining Drama Club may still join. There is a bulletin board outside of Rm. 129 with permission slips. All students must have a permission slip signed by a parent/guardian and returned in order to join. We will meet every Monday from 3:30-4:30 in the auditorium. Parents/guardians are responsible for ensuring their child has a ride home. This is a club for any student interested in set design, acting, or any other aspect of theater. In early spring we will have a showcase to celebrate the talents of the students involved. The whole community will be invited and this date is TBA. Miss Shotts (6^th grade teacher) and Mrs. Kelley (8^th grade teacher) are the supervisors for Drama Club. They can be reached with any questions or comments by email or phone. Miss Shotts’ email is shottsm@gjps.org and Mrs. Kelley is kelleyn@gjps.org. This is our 3^rd year having a Drama Club at MSW.  The club was requested by students, and we are very excited for the upcoming year!

 

 

Gahanna Middle School West PTO invites you to join Facebook

 

Visit Facebook.com and search "Gahanna Middle School West PTO"

 

Thanks to Anita Bosaw, PTO Vice President, for designing and maintaining this important tool, the purpose of which is to share information about our school community and all of the great things happening at West.  Thanks Anita!

 

 

 

What's Up at West?

 

9/21 - Progress Reports come home today

 

9/25 & 9/27 - 6th grade band fitting at GLHS (4-8pm)

 

9/28 - Spirit Rally (2:45-3:30pm)

 

9/28 - 6th Grade Fun Night (4-6pm)  Buy tickets for $3 during lunch!

 

 

 

 

 

 







Former GMSW Student Addresses School Board

Leaders Come From MSW!

 

Former GMSW student and current GLHS Student Council President, Brooke Motsinger, addresses the Gahanna-Jefferson School Board about her organization's goals for the 2012-2013 school year.  Brooke is an example to all of our students of the power of hard work and goal setting. 


GMSW PTO Announces the Fall Fundraiser and Student Incentives

We are beginning our Fall Fundraiser here at GMSW starting September 18th, and we look forward to your support.  Once again this year we are teaming up with Market Day to offer you the Life:Style brochure sale.  There is a wide variety of items offered including high quality gift wraps, magazines, scrumptious candies and many items for use around the home.   Now is a great time to start your holiday shopping!  Ask your child for the seller packet!

 

 Our goal is to raise $10,000 for improvements in the Girls and Boys Gym Locker Rooms and elsewhere around the school.

All orders and money are due by: Monday, October 1^st. (Please make checks payable to GMSW-PTO)

Order Pick-up will be: Monday, October 29^th from 6pm-8pm in the cafeteria.

Online shopping makes it even easier to help!  Log onto http://marketdayfundraising.com/ to invite friends and family to shop and support our group.   Register your child as a seller, enter 5 valid e-mail addresses, and your child will get a free song or ringtone download.  Internet orders must be placed by Sunday, October 7^th.

We have several exciting incentives for students this year!  

·         The homeroom class with highest dollar amount sold will win a donut party.  (1 class from each grade level)

·         For every 10 items sold your child will be entered into a drawing.  If his/her name is selected he/she will get to grab as much cash as possible in one minute from the Cash Grab Booth!! (1 student from each grade level)

*GRAND PRIZE* The student with the highest dollar amount sold will win a set of Beats Headphones!

Important Safety Reminder -

Remember: start with family, friends and co-workers.  Make sure students always sell with a parent or guardian.  Do not sell door-to-door to homes of people you don’t know. 

 

Thanks for reading, and have a great week!

Brett 

 

What's Coming Up at West?

September 18th - Anti-Bullying Awareness Week events begin.

September 18th - Sixth Grade District Band Parent Meeting - 7:30pm at LHS auditorium

September 21st - MSW Student Progress Reports are issued.  Remind students to expect their best this week as teachers collect assignments so they can compute cumulative grades.

 

 

 

Help Your Child be a Champion at MSW!

The students at Middle School West are among the finest I have worked with.  They are eager to learn and have great enthusiasm as they pursue their goals and passions.  The beginning of the school year is a fun time to see this enthusiasm take hold!  As the year progresses, successful students prove to be the ones who can maintain this stamina and excitement for learning - even when learning becomes more difficult.  Middle school is a time when students are faced with more challenging curricula than they have encountered before.  For this reason, it is not uncommon for students to face their first real challenges with school in middle school.  So how can teachers and parents help students stay on track and grow as learners?

The first thing we can do is to constantly affirm our belief in their abilities and praise their work ethic.  The best thing parents can do for students is to praise their work ethic above their innate intelligence.  When students face their first experiences with challenging school work, those who have established powerful work habits are successful.  Those who have relied solely on their natural intelligence because things have typically come easy to them can find themselves in uncharted territory - unsure about how to face the challenge.  So when your child comes home with a great grade, celebrate it!  Remember, though, that comments such as "I'm so proud of how hard you have worked toward achieving your goal of getting good grades," are a far better way to encourage students to become self-directed, life-long learners than comments like "What a great grade!  You're so smart!"  In addition, let's be committed to coaching all of our children to see value in the act of learning as opposed to being hyper-focused on a grade.  When students do the former, the grades fall into place.

The fact is that all of our kids have CHAMPION qualities and the ability to be really great at something.  Middle School West students heard this message at our opening assembly this year.  They learned that all champions have some things in common:

• They believe in themselves.
• They don't listen to negative people.  Instead, they keep their eyes on the goal.
• They work hard, even when they don't feel like it. 
• They show up - They have great attendance.
• When they are not performing well, they seek out assistance from coaches, teachers, parents, and trusted peers.
• They never give up.  When they fall, like we all do at times, they get back up and start again.

Clearly, these are practices that are good for us to apply to our own lives and for students to keep in mind as they go through tough times.  Parents are the most important coaches that a student can have.  Take the time to talk with your children every night about school.  Ask probing questions about what they learned that day and see if they still have questions.  Your conversations about school are the best way to keep students on a track for success and motivated to learn.  If you have been discouraged by the typical "nothing" answer many kids give when asked about what they learned at school, the following link has some good tips on how to approach the topic with children.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/parenting/back-to-school/how-to-help-your-kids-succeed-talk-talk-talk/article4524102/?cmpid=rss1

Thanks for reading.  Have a great weekend!

Brett

What's Coming Up at West?

September 10 - Market Day Pickup (5-6pm in cafeteria)

September 13 - GJPS Board of Education Meeting (6:30pm at Clark Hall)

September 13 - 6th grade Orchestra Parent Meeting (7pm at LHS Auditorium)

September 14 - First GMSW Renaissance Celebration (2:15-3:30pm in GMSW Auditorium)