Here are two Kindness goals we are working on this month:

-To be a loyal and considerate friend

-To apply empathy to social interactions and adjust our behavior to meet the needs of others

02/04 = AMS PC Meeting, 3:15-4:15pm, AMS Room #5

02/05 = Chess Club, 3:00-4:15pm, AMS Library

02/06 = AMS Ski Trip #3; Canceled due to severe weather warnings!

02/07 = 6th Grade Safe-SELF Workshop #2 (rescheduled)

02/10 = Lincoln's Birthday Holiday (No School!)

02/11-02/14 = AMS Kindness Week!

02/12 = County Spelling Bee Event, 9:30am-1:00pm, Calaveras River Academy/Mt. Oaks Gym

02/12 = Chess Club, 3:00-4:15pm, AMS Library

02/12 = VUSD Board Meeting, 5:30-8:00pm, AMS Library

02/14 = AMS Science Fair

02/14 = Winter Assembly during 7th period

02/17 = Presidents' Day Holiday (No School!)

02/18 = ESS Breakfast Event, 7:30-10:00am, Calaveras River Academy/Mt. Oaks Gym

02/19 = Ski Payments Due! (trip #4)

02/21 = End of Trimester 2; Last Day for T2 Missing Assignment Turn-in!

02/21 = Minimum Day Dismissal @ 1:00pm

02/21 = Winter Dance, 7:00-9:00pm, AMS Gym

02/25 = 8th Grade Parent Graduation Meeting, 6:00-7:00pm, AMS Room #203

02/26 = AMS Ski Trip #4; Weather Permitting!

02/28 = AMS Movie Night! 7:00-9:30pm, AMS Gym

03/04 = AMS PC Meeting, 3:15-4:15pm, AMS Room #5

03/05 = Chess Club, 3:00-4:15pm, AMS Library

03/06 = Dr. Seuss Day, AMS @ HFE

03/07 = Dr. Seuss Day, AMS @ AME

03/07 = 7th Grade Celtic Faire Field Trip!

03/07 = T2 Report Cards Printed/Mailed; Athletics Grade Checks!

03/08 = Calaveras County Science Fair, 9:00am-3:30pm, CRA/Mtn. Oaks Gym

03/10 = Staff Development Day - No Students!

03/11 = T3 Electives begin!

03/12 = Chess Club, 3:00-4:15pm, AMS Library

03/12 = VUSD Board Meeting, 5:30-8:00pm, AMS Library

03/14 = Minimum Day Dismissal @ 1:00pm

03/17 = 6th Grade Mask-Making, Day #1

03/19 = AMS Ski Trip Make-up Day (if needed)

03/19 = 8th Grade BHHS Student/Parent Expo, 2:30-6:30pm

03/21 = T2 Honor Roll Assembly, 2:15-3:00pm

03/21 = AMS/MT 8th Grade Crossover Dance @ AMS, 7:00-9:00pm (tentative)

03/24 = 6th Grade Mask-Making, Day #2

03/26 = Chess Club, 3:00-4:15pm, AMS Library

03/27 = AMS SSC Meeting, 3:15-4:15pm

03/28 = Minimum Day Dismissal @ 1:00pm

03/31-04/04 = Spring Break - No School!

Grade 6:

02/03 = Practice, 3:00-4:30pm at AMS

02/05 = Home (Maroon) vs Moke Hill, 3:30-4:30pm; (Gray) vs Sutter Creek, 5:00-6:00pm

02/10-02/15 = AMA End-Of Season Tournament at Mark Twain Elementary (MTE)... Games TBD

02/11 = Practice, 3:00-4:00pm at AMS

Grade 7:

02/03 = Practice, 4:30-6:00pm at AMS

02/04 = Home vs Toyon, 3:30-4:30pm

02/05 = Away @ Mark Twain, 3:30-4:30pm

02/10-02/15 = AMA End-Of Season Tournament at Mark Twain Elementary (MTE)... Games TBD

02/12 = Practice, 3:00-4:00pm at AMS

Grade 8:

02/03 = Practice, 6:00-7:30pm at AMS

02/04 = Home vs Toyon, 4:45-5:45pm

02/05 = Away @ Mark Twain, 4:45-5:45pm

02/10-02/15 = AMA End-Of Season Tournament at Mark Twain Elementary (MTE)... Games TBD

02/11 = Practice, 4:30-5:30pm at AMS

Grade 6:

02/12 = Skills Development Day @ AME, 3:30-5:00pm

02/13 = Tryouts @ AME, 3:30-4:45pm

02/14 = Tryouts @ AME, 3:30-5:00-pm

02/28 = Practice, 3:00-4:30pm at AMS

Grade 7:

01/31 = Tryouts @ AMS, 3:00-5:00pm

02/07 = Tryouts @ AMS, 3:00-5:00pm

02/14 = Practice, 3:00-4:30pm at AMS

02/28 = Scrimmage vs 8th, 4:30-5:30pm

Grade 8:

01/31 = Tryouts @ AMS, 4:30-7:00pm

02/07 = Tryouts @ AMS, 4:30-7:00pm

02/19 = Practice, 6:00-7:30pm at AMS

02/24 = Practice, 3:00-4:30pm at AMS

02/28 = Scrimmage vs 7th, 4:30-5:30pm

*Future practices/games will be added as information becomes available.

*IMPORTANT: If you are interested in driving students, other than your own, to sports practices or games that will be off campus, you will need to register with VUSD as a volunteer driver. This will require the following steps to be completed:

• Complete Driver Registration Form
• Copy of Driver's License
• Copy of Liability Insurance; Must show name of driver, vehicle information, expiration date of policy, and appropriate coverage amounts as follows:

1. **Bodily injury ($100,000-$300,000)
2. **Property damage (damage $25,000 per accident)
3. **Medical ($2,000 or single limit $300,000)

• Complete fingerprint process through CCOE

Please visit the AMS Office for support with the needed requirements and thanks in advance!

It’s always amazing how fast these school years fly by! Our second trimester (T2) ends on Friday, February 21, and Spring Break will be here before we know it!!

As I spend time meeting with students every day and parents/guardians nearly every afternoon, I am reminded of an annual commonality during these cold, winter weeks... Many students check out on us academically during this time of year. It seems keeping that internal drive to succeed alive during the second trimester is a true challenge. I have heard every excuse for it, but in most cases, the students just aren’t doing their part. How can you as a parent/guardian stay on top of your student’s progress and be assured things are going well? I will share a few key strategies you can use to help build success in your student(s).

1. When was the last time you went through your student’s backpack? Yes, you're in-charge, and you are allowed to help by sorting through the backpack, especially important when/if you have a student who consistently stuffs notes/assignments in the backpack with little concern for organization. You might be surprised at all the missing/incomplete work you will find inside.

2. Have you checked grades/missing work on the Aeries Parent Portal? This is the single best way to keep tabs on your student’s progress. If you need help with access, please contact the school office for instructions and tips on use of the portal. You can ask your student to take out their Chromebook and show you their Aeries gradebook as well. Yes, they know how to open up Aeries.

3. What do you do when your student says "everything is turned in" but the grades are still low? You email/text/call the teacher of the class or classes in question! Communication between you and the classroom can be critical to student success. Please, feel free to call the school office for assistance with this as well. We want you to build solid relationships with the staff.

4. How do you handle it when your student doesn’t/won’t do work? This can be the single most frustrating aspect of academics for the parents/guardians to deal with. It’s not easy! Removing access to social media/video games/cell phones, and earning time back for those items, can be a strong motivator (all are large barriers for our middle schoolers). You can also work with your student to plan for extrinsic (external) motivators when not intrinsically (internally) motivated. When students have a say in incentives to complete work and earn good grades, they are more likely to have buy-in and show success in reaching the agreed upon goals.

5. Why is it that your normally excellent student has taken a sudden downturn in academics? You may want to look to the friend group and influences your student has surrounded themselves with. Friends can have a powerful effect on each other at this age. If your student is hanging out with students who are unmotivated academically, there is a strong likelihood it will rub off. This is an unfortunate reality in our middle school world.

These are just a few tips/hints/concepts that may bring success in your student’s school life. We want all of our students to be successful, and we know this doesn’t happen accidentally. Let’s work together for the good of our young Hawks and make sure they continue to SOAR!

Respectfully,

Scott Nicotero,

AMS Principal

1. Drop-off your "Wolf Route" bus rider at Feeney Park in the morning to ride the bus from Michelson El... No earlier than 7:40am!

2. Drop-off your student(s) in the main parking lot on campus and always avoid the bus chute.

3. Never drop-off students before 8:00am as there is no supervision until that time... it's a safety issue.

4. Send your student to school with a note signed by a parent/guardian, for verification by the school office, when a change of bus stop or route is needed.

5. Check the Aeries Parent Portal daily for updates on grades and/or missing work (ask the office for assistance if needed).

6. Have your student check-in with teachers/staff before school, 8:00-8:45, for help/support with homework concerns, completion of tests/quizzes, study sessions, make-up work from absences, and general assistance with academic or social-emotional concerns. We are here to help!

7. Call the school office if your student will be absent to avoid unexcused absences.

8. Please be sure your student knows how she/he is getting home.

9. At dismissal time, CAREFULLY drive into the main parking lot and never into the bus chute.

10. If you have questions about any routines and procedures, just ask!