Trooper Family Newsletter

iReady Reading Diagnostic Assessment Jan. 13-16th

iReady Math Diagnostic Assessment Jan. 21-24th
Monday, January 13th is a "B" day

NO DUNGEONS and DRAGONS MONDAY, JANUARY 13th. Mr. Bertram has an appointment.

PAC Meeting Thursday, January 16th at 12:00, room 157
GNN Club, Mondays at 8:00 in Mrs. Clearman's room
STEM Club Wednesday mornings at 7:45 in Ms. Penrose's classroom, open to all 6-7-8 grade students
Monday, January 13th -Drama Club begins, Mondays and Thursdays from 3:30-4:45
Thursday, January 16th -NJHS meeting in the library during 2nd lunch
Friday, January 17th - Early dismissal at 12:25

Friday, January 31st -Group/Club Photo Day

Upcoming Diagnostic Assessments

Students will be taking their iReady Diagnostic assessments in the coming weeks:

• Reading: January 13-16 during ELA classes
• Math: January 21-24 during math classes

This is an opportunity for students to show what they know and how much they’ve grown! ELA and math teachers have been reviewing current progress with students and helping them understand areas for improvement.

For our 8th-grade students, iReady results are one of the key data points used to determine class placements for freshman year, including Advanced Placement and academic support classes.

It’s important that students are present, focused, and give their best effort on these assessments. Thank you for your support!

Last year, bowling was a huge success! Students who achieved their Stretch goals had the exciting opportunity to bowl at Bowl-Away Lanes. This year, we’re thrilled to bring bowling back as an incentive! Students who meet their STRETCH goals and/or grade-level benchmarks in BOTH reading and math will earn the chance to participate in this fun event.

The exact date is still being finalized. With so many students likely to meet their goals, we may need to plan for two bowling sessions to accommodate everyone! 🎳

This digital resource has over 8000+ titles with more added every month.

Why should teachers be excited about this?

*A plethora of fiction AND nonfiction titles, including STEAM, social studies, science, mental health, biographies, and more.

*Spanish language titles available with new titles added as they become available.

*Titles available for Emerging/Early readers.

*All titles available as "universal reads". An entire class, grade, or even student body (and staff) can read the same title at the same time.

How to access Comics Plus

1. Log into Destiny Discover.

2. Scroll down to Learning Resources. Click on Comics Plus.

During classroom visits, James Layman engaged students by teaching and discussing the "Circle of Communication." He explained that the inner circle represents close friends, family, and relatives—those we can speak freely with and turn to first when sharing good news. The larger green circle symbolizes the school community, where communication should remain inclusive and welcoming, free of offensive language, as "everyone hears everything." Lastly, the yellow circle, like a yellow traffic light, reminds us to pause and think. This is where we ask ourselves, “Is my sarcasm, joking, or play-fighting about to go too far?”

Some students had the opportunity to hear James multiple times during his visits, and when he invited them to present, they did a phenomenal job! A big shout-out to Aiden Merrill, Penny Lara, and Zaiden Zahl for their outstanding contributions.

Additionally, when I had met with the PAC students, they found it especially helpful. They appreciated the easy-to-understand visual and the accompanying hand motions, which progress from a small circle to a large one, providing a clear, nonverbal reminder for students to reflect on their communication choices.

Who Wants to Name Their OWN Ice Cream at Pine Cone Creamery?! 🍦

Hey Garrison students, this is your chance to make ice cream history! Pine Cone Creamery is teaming up with us, and one lucky winner will get to name their very own ice cream flavor! How cool is that?

Here’s how you can win:
📚 Join the Winter Reading Challenge—it’s already started and runs through January 27th.
🎯 Stop by the library to pick up your Bingo card and start reading your way to victory!

Got questions? Swing by the library before or after school or during lunch and chat with Mrs. Schulke or Mrs. Eggart.

Let’s get reading, Garrison! Your ice cream dreams are waiting! 🍦📚

Join Us for Garrison’s Monthly Book Club!
Garrison's "Seen and Celebrated" parent group invites you to take part in a special monthly book club as we explore Bridges to Heal Us: Stories and Strategies by Erin Jones. This is a great opportunity for parents and students to come together, share perspectives, and learn from one another within our Garrison community.

Details:

• When: Fourth Monday of each month, 7:00–8:00 PM
• First Meeting: Monday, January 27
• Last Meeting: May

We encourage Garrison students to join alongside their families! Let’s connect, engage, and grow together as a community.

As we return from the break, we will be resetting and continuing with the implementation of Yondr pouches. We greatly appreciate the majority of our students and families who have supported this initiative, ensuring a focused and productive learning environment. Attached is the middle school Yondr policy, which is consistently applied at both Pioneer Middle School and Garrison Middle School. We will continue to follow this policy to support our students' success. Thank you for your partnership in making this program effective!