That long month of January is behind us, the days are getting longer, and we've settled in for the second semester! As we celebrate Valentine's Day this month, we might be think about all the people and things we love. And we hope that all our students can say they have something to about learning and school.

Ask your 5th and 6th graders about their learning! Your questions and support for your student mean a lot. Show them your Valentine love, share what you love to learn, and ask them what they love about learning!

Have you heard people complaining about kids these days? "They think they know everything." While you might be tempted sometimes to say this about your own student, Aristotle already did, in the 4th Century B.C.! You can find complaint after complaint about young people throughout history: whether it was the 1800's or the 1950's. So if your child is driving you crazy, it might be easy to blame the current generation, but it's probably not going to help.

It's important to think about what young people ARE going through: the biggest change in brain growth and function since they were babies. Right before puberty (age 10-12), humans brains have a growth spurt! And then throughout adolescence, the brain remodels itself following the simple principle of "use it or lose it." Brain cells that are not in use die off (called pruning), so the brain can make better and faster connections (myelination) for what remains. The brain matures, but may lose 50% of it's neurons. So is your kid losing their mind? The honest answer is: yes, but only some of it!

As adults, supporting kids entering adolescence can be hard. Their brains are powerful, but the areas that help us make good judgements, think ahead, and assess risk aren't developed yet. We tell kids at school all time: we don't expect you to be perfect or know everything; we expect you to try and learn. So the next time your kid doesn't want to do homework or makes a bad judgement, don't blame "Kids these days." They might just be having a hard time because their brains are pruning neurons. Take it as a teachable moment, and help them think it through. It will help strengthen their brain!

Feb. 3 - Start of Jacy House presentations

Feb. 10 - Start of High Ability screening (all 5th grade students)

Feb. 12 - Scheduled Lockdown Drill (must do one per semester)

Feb. 13 - Groups, Clubs, and Teams Yearbook Photo Day

Feb. 14 - NO SCHOOL

Feb. 17 - School IS in session (Snow Day Make-up #2)

Feb. 19 - Last day of G4 grading period

Feb. 20 - Performing Arts Showcase Assembly (9:30 am at Test)

Feb. 25 - Game Night (After School Behavior Incentive)

Feb. 28 - Progress Reports sent home through Parent Square

Jacy House will be at Test this month to present the Monique Burr Foundation Safety Matters Curriculum. The curriculum has been developed by the Monique Burr Foundation and meets the Indiana requirements for providing abuse and bullying prevention education as well as internet safety education in school corporations. Forms to opt your child out of these presentations were sent home in advance via Parent Square.

The PTO works to create extra special events for the school, including academic extenders like the book fair and special events like student dances. We have a few dates to put on your calendar:

Tuesday, Feb. 25 - Game Night - 2:30 - 4 pm

Thursday, April 10 - Spring Dance - 6 - 7:30 pm

Please make sure you have a background check for this school year on file if you plan to help.

Every family can support us in some way! Click the button below to join the Parent Square Group where the PTO conducts business and sends requests for help. Every family can support the school in some way! There are no dues. (We can use Parent Square to keep you up to date if you can't make it to a meeting but still want to be involved.)

Being present at school is super important for kids! But sometimes they have to miss. When that happens, please make sure you report your child's absence to the school office (765-973-3412) OR by responding to a ParentSquare message that your student was marked absent.

Mr. Stolle tracks our attendance and will communicate with families about student absences. Please help him out and report your child's absence! His email is jstolle@rcs.k12.in.us.

Sometimes the menu changes. Click on the menu to link to the always up-to-date website.

February's word is UNIQUENESS: Learning more about others so you can know more about yourself. Of course, that's not an exact definition (or even close, really) to what uniqueness is, but it's a great way to think about how we can interact with and learn from others. You live in a home and work in a building full of unique individuals. That uniqueness is what makes
your role as a leader, coworker, or parent both challenging and rewarding. You see how each individual, with their particular life story, learning style, communication style, and personality, enriches the lives of the group as a whole.

A few questions to think about or discuss:

*What makes you unique?

*How do you celebrate the uniqueness of others?

*How can learning about others help you know more about yourself?

There are a couple of great ways to embrace uniqueness this month. The first is for Valentine's Day - this is a great moment to acknowledge the unique and fun traits of those around us. Perhaps a card or note for your "valentine" with some encouragement in the specific things you love about their uniqueness could be fun!

Basketball has wrapped up. Looking ahead to spring? RCS Middle School Track and Field will be starting soon. Volleyball open gyms are also continuing!

Checking the Athletics Website is the best way to keep up with our teams. Please come support our students and be part of the fun.

This mentoring program meets at Test after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and transportation is home is available. A registration form was shared in ParentSquare; call 973-3329 if you have questions or need assistance. Watch the video below to hear directly from Dr. Lucinda Wright about the program!

Communities in Schools is here to support students and families with basic needs and academic support so kids can concentrate on learning. Ms. Toni Johnson serves Test Intermediate: contact her at tjohnson@rcs.k12.in.us or 973-7207.

Some students are already connected to counselors through Centerstone and Meridian. We have Centerstone services in the school building every day for existing Centerstone clients, and Meridian counselors frequently stop by to check on their caseloads. If you believe your student needs mental health support, we are happy to help with a referral to one of these agencies. Please contact Ms. DeDe Deloney, our Test School Counselor, who can assist with this. Email pwrightdeloney@rcs.k12.in.us or call 765-973-3412.

If school were to be delayed or cancelled due to weather, families will be notified by text and phone call.

• 2-hour delays do not have to be made up - school just starts at 10 am instead of 8 am. If there is a 2-hour delay, school will end at 3:15 (even if it's a Tuesday).
• If school is cancelled, the further days will be eLearning days.
• On the third and fourth cancellation, students will complete Asynchronous eLearning Days.
• If there are five or more cancellations, students and teachers will meet online for live virtual learning as Synchronous eLearning Days.

“Test Intermediate School provides a caring, challenging environment where dedicated educators strive to prepare students academically, physically, socially, and emotionally to be productive members of society.”