Spring Conferences

Student-Led Conferences

Eighth graders are in the process of preparing for parent-student-teacher conferences that they will lead this May.  Our 8th grade advisory program guides students to reflect on student work, progress, and goal setting throughout the school year. Students will lead a conference with their parents/guardians as well as their advisor in May before or after school. Therefore, parents or guardians will be offered an opportunity to meet with a faculty member before the end of the school year.  The students are doing a great job of preparing for their conferences, and we can't wait to meet with everyone later this spring!  Your student's advisor will contact you at the end of April. Please be on the lookout for that message.

Needs-Based March Parent Conferences

The March parent-teacher conferences are needs-based. If you need to speak with the 8th grade team as a whole group before the May conference dates, we can send you a conference invitation.  If you do not have any pressing concerns, we are looking forward to seeing you at student-led conferences in May!   To receive a conference invitation, please email Doug Haskins, dhaskins@avonworth.k12.pa.us.

Important Dates

 Monday, February 18 - No School/Teacher In-Service

Thursday, March 3 - Spring Field Trip Form Due

Friday, March 4 - AMS Semi-formal

Wednesday, March 10 - Court House Field Trip 1

Friday, March 11 - No School/Previously Held Parent-Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, March 16 - Court House Field Trip 2

Wednesday, March 16 - End of Third Grading Period

Thursday, March 17 - Court House Field Trip 3

Monday, March 21 - Monday, March 28  - No School/Spring Vacation

Tuesday, March 22 - Report Cards
Tuesday, March 29 - Schools in session

Heads-Up! Student-led Conferences in May

In order to close our 8th grade advisory program and to have time to reflect on middle school academically, each 8th grade student will be preparing to lead a parent-student-teacher conference.  Our 8th grade advisory program has been reflecting on student work, progress, and goal setting while meeting bi-monthly throughout the school year.  Each parent and student will have a student led conference in May after school.

Reminder: Student BYOT Device Policy

Students are reminded to follow the BYOT policy during school. Students should not have on their headphones/earbuds while walking in the hallways. Devices may only be used when a teacher allows the use of the device.

AR Midterm Progress Check

AR Midterm Progress Check is Wednesday, February 3. 

Parents can check their students' AR goals and reading progress by clicking on the Home Connect button below. 

Use your child's AR login information. 

Spring Sports Sign-Ups

Spring sports sign-ups are now available in the office for:  boys baseball, girls softball, and boys & girls swimming.  A sports physical is required to play.  Physical forms are available in the office or on Edline.

AMS 8 Receives a STEM Mini-Grant!

AMS 8th grade students and teachers are grateful for the financial support from Bentley Systems, Inc through a $250 grant supporting STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) initiatives in schools. The funds will be used to purchase supplies for the Building Bridges to STEM Careers activities during the month of May. This will be the fourth year mini-grants will be used to reduce the cost of building the bridges.

Students designing their bridge for the STEM project in the 8th grade during the 2013-2014 school year. 

Unit on Matter starts with Plankton Race

	A new unit has started in science class with The Great Plankton Race as our opening activity. Competition brackets, pictures and information can be found on the science class website.  Last year's elimination bracket during The Great Plankton Race. The new unit is on the  properties of matter and begins our study of chemistry. This unit is also exploring the "gamification" of the science classroom. Students will have opportunities for enrichment or review as needed. Students can earn digital badges for completing certain activities. Read more on the science website.  Students are always encouraged to check the classroom timeline when they are absent to review missed science class content.   Game Downloads: Game Board Score Keeper  Instructions Enrichment Badges & Descriptions

Grade 8 Students to take PSSA Tests

Students in Grade 8 will take PSSA tests in April and Keystone Algebra Exams May. The 8th Grade Team will post more information to the AMS 8 Blog in early 2016.

Below are the testing windows published by the PA Dept of Education. During these time periods, students will be completing each of the required 8th grade PSSA subject tests.  

ABSENCES FROM SCHOOL ON TEST DAYS

Avoid scheduling doctor appointments, vacations or other out-of-school activities during testing times. Participation in PSSA/Keystone exams is a state requirement.

Making up tests pulls students from their regular classes. As a result, they will miss valuable class time. It will be students' responsibility to make up any classwork you miss.

Of course, if students are genuinely ill, please stay at home and take the necessary time off to get well. Students will perform better on a test if they are healthy.

Algebra Students to take the Keystone Exam in May

Mark your calendars!  The 8th graders who are enrolled in Integrated Math I (Algebra), will take the Keystone Exams the week of May 16.  For more information on the keystone exams, please go to www.pde.state.pa.us or see the page on the AMS Grade 8 Blog.

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

Monday, 1/18/16
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Act 80 Day 
No School for Students

Conserving Electricity for Science Class

Students have been learning about electricity and electric circuitry in science class. Students observed and identified where wasted electricity could be eliminated through simple behavior changes at home. As demonstrated in class, even a small change could have an impact on the electricity used as well as the cost in monthly utilities. Students will be implementing and monitoring their simple changes in an Action Plan over the next few days.

 

Student Action Plans include educating the people at home to help in the effort. 

In science class, a light bulb demonstration was set up to compare different types of replacement bulbs. The electric meters show the estimated costs of lighting the different types of bulbs for four school days. The newer light bulbs produce similar amounts of light but with less heat, thus they are more energy efficient.  

League of Innovative Schools & Digital Promise Video includes AMS students & teachers!

On a day in late October, the League of Innovative Schools visited Pittsburgh for their annual conference. As part of the itinerary, school officials from across the United States visited Avonworth Middle School. Some highlights of the activities that day were made into a video. Check it out here: https://t.co/OrWQWXlGfe

Reminder! Pancake Breakfast Friday!

Parent Network will be sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast this Friday, 1/15/16, that includes great toppings and a drink for $3.

Read about the pancake breakfast on Edline. 

8th Graders Declare Their Independence

To supplement their study of the American Revolution in civics class, eighth graders tackled the complex text The Declaration of Independence in reading class.  Students focused on identifying the texts' main ideas and translating it into modern day English.

Because scholars believe that Thomas Jefferson meant for the Declaration to be dramatically performed , students revealed their understanding of the document by completing their own dramatic reading in our makeshift Independence Hall.

Eighth graders were assigned a short passage from the Declaration to practice reading with proper phrasing, pronunciation, emphasis, pause and tone.     As “experts” of the text, students completed an impressive dramatic reading of this important document!  Many students even memorized their passages for extra credit.

  

Reminder! Second Nine-Weeks Grading Period Ends Soon!

Reminder! 
Second nine-weeks grading period to end
January 12, 2016

Learn more about the grading periods
from the AMS Parent Academy 

Report Cards to be published to Edline January 19. 

Students Studying Electrical Energy in Science

This past Monday, students started to learn about electricity in science class. Students will work through several learning activities, projects, and assignments to help them learn about electrical energy usage.

Starting Thursday, 1/7/16,  students will be coming home asking for help from their parents and guardians as they start a project called Action Plan. As adults paying the bills, we know the impact of wasted electricity on the budget. This project aims to help students understand electric utilities and how one simple change in behavior could lower the power bill!

One of the most important parts of the project is to read and collect data from the electric meter. Students are to check their meters nightly to collect data as a baseline for usage as well as monitor changes after implementing a plan to conserve electricity. There are two helpful pages on the website to assist families with reading the electric meter:

• analog electric meters (dials)
• digital electric meters (lcd display)

Students have been taught in class how to read the electric meters as well as conduct the calculations to determine the amount of energy used and the cost associated with using the electricity.

The outline of tasks for the project can be found on the science website.

Some other important resources from the electricity unit:

Graded Assessments

Electricity Learning Unit Calendar 

Notes from Class

Timeline (updated daily with important class information) 

Pancake Breakfast Next Week

Parent Network will be sponsoring a Pancake Breakfast 1/15/16 that includes great toppings and a drink for $3.

Read about the pancake breakfast on Edline. 

Happy New Year!

WELCOME 2016! 

School resumes on Monday, January 4, 2016! 

Don't forget to read your AR book! AR due January 5!

Reminder! AR Due January 5!

Reminder!

AR Points are due Tuesday, January 5.

Don't wait until Holiday Break to read your books!

Parents, you can check your child's reading progress!  Click on the link below and login with your child's login information.  

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays
and have a fun, safe
winter vacation 

School resumes on Monday, January 4, 2016! 

AMS Children's Hospital Auction and Winter Vacation

 

AR Due Soon!

Reminder!

AR Points are due Tuesday, January 5.

Don't wait until Holiday Break to read your books!

Parents, you can check your child's reading progress!  Click on the link below and login with your child's login information.  

Student Articles Printed in the School Newspaper

The AMS newspaper club printed the second issue of The Herd. Check it out online:

AMSTheHerd.info 

The newspaper club meets after school on Tuesdays.

The next meeting is January 5, 2016.

Children's Hospital Free Care Fund!

Greetings! Every year, the Avonworth School District comes together to raise money for the Children's Hospital Free Care Fund. One of our biggest fundraisers for this drive are the auctions organized by the High School and Middle School Student Councils. The Middle School auction will take place on Wednesday, December 23rd. Each year we rely on donations from local businesses, families and individuals in order to have a successful auction. If you would like to make a donation or have any questions about the Middle School auction, please contact Emily Hickman (ehickman@avonworth.k12.pa.us). We are happy to accept donations during school hours in the Middle School office. Thank you in advance for your generosity on behalf of the children who receive services through Children's Hospital's Free Care Fund.

Second nine-weeks Grading Period to End Soon

Second nine-weeks grading period to end
January 12, 2016

Learn more about the grading periods
from the AMS Parent Academy 

Report Cards to be published to Edline January 19. 

Scholarship Information

Each year the Carson Scholars Fund offers a chance to win a $1000 scholarship investment towards your attendance at a four-year college or university. Unfortunately, Avonworth Middle School can only offer one name to be recognized each year.  The application requirements and our deadlines are listed below.

Application Requirements:

• The student must be a positive role model for his or her peers.
• A 3.75 or better on a 4.0 grading scale is required. Core classes of Mathematics, English, Reading, Social Studies, and Science are the only classes calculated for this requirement. (An “A” in all five core classes or four classes at an “A” level and one class at the “B” level will meet this requirement).
• Completion of the packet of interest is explained below.

Read more about the deadlines and application process on the school website. 

Book Club

Eighth graders just finished the American Revolution Book Club Project in Mrs. Galecki’s reading class.   Each book club had four scheduled reading and literary analysis assignments to complete over a four week period.  After completing each assignment, students shared their prepared analysis and response to the text during a scheduled, structured book club discussion session.   Students proved that they can engage in student-led, higher-level critical discussions about literature.  They shared their analysis of their texts' literary techniques, historical facts, conflicts, point of view and themes. 

 

Students will continue their study of the American Revolution in reading class by analyzing The Declaration of Independence.

Waves Menu Assessments in Science

 

Students are currently working on self-selected assessments as we learn about waves in the current learning unit. Through a menu, students can pick and choose which assessments they would like to complete. 

Here are a few menu highlights:

- Waves "TIC-TAC-TOE" menu sheet describes each assessment activity

-  Students must complete three assessments (10 points each) 

- Assignments available on the science website  

- Full credit (100%) is 30 points and there is no extra credit

 - Grading checkpoints will be posted to science grade reports on 12/14, 12/16, & 12/22 

- Watch the Wave Assessment YouTube video

Tic-Tac-Toe Assessment area in Lab 110. Students can pick three assessments from nine choices.

Make-A-Rubric Station allows students completing a Free Space (Freestyle) activity the chance to also create a rubric for grading the project.