Message from Principal Collins
Hello Evergreen Families,
As we celebrate Native American Heritage Month this November, let’s take a moment to honor the rich cultures and histories of Indigenous peoples. We have moved into our second sports season. As we start our sporting events we invite all spectators to come out and cheer us on. Thank you to the staff and parents who came to our Portrait of a Graduate. Dr. Pfeiffer welcomed families and other stakeholders to the start of the Portrait of a Graduate event. Our presenter from Battelle for Kids spoke on setting a road map to graduation. Our goal is to create a collective vision that articulates our community’s aspirations for all of our students.
As we move deeper into the school year we are working with our scholars to become even more focused on academics. We find social media is something we all contend with to gain our students' attention. Middle schoolers need adult guidance about social media use-According to Common Sense Media, middle schoolers spend more than five hours on screen media entertainment every day. A significant portion of that time is spent on social media. Middle schoolers need guidance and support as they learn to navigate the world of social media.
To help your child:
- Learn about online activity. Ask how often your child checks social media accounts. Which ones does your child use the most? Download these apps yourself to understand how they work. Also, check if your child has separate accounts—one they show you and another for friends.
- Set standards for online behavior. Your child shouldn’t post anything on social media that wouldn’t be suitable for you or anyone else to read. Remind your child that nothing online ever goes away, so careful thought should be given before posting anything.
- Encourage your child to limit followers. Kids want to be popular, so they sometimes add followers at random. To protect privacy, your child’s social media accounts should be set to private.
- Build in digital downtime. Be a role model yourself—put the phone away at mealtime. After dinner, go for a walk or read a book.
Source: A. Wichard-Edds, “5 Ways Parents Can Help Kids Balance Social Media with the Real World,” The Washington Post.
Three steps can help your child read academic material Not all reading is the same. There are many different kinds of reading material, and people also read in different ways depending on what they want to accomplish. When middle school students read academic material, they are reading to learn. Their goal is to understand and retain what they read. Review three steps with your child that students should take while reading a school assignment: 1. Do a “quick read.” Tis is also called skimming or scanning the text. Your child should pay special attention to pictures, headlines and text in boldface and italics. 2. Read deeply and take notes. Suggest also writing down words or concepts your child doesn’t understand to look up or ask the teacher about later. 3. Summarize and ask questions. Your child should be able to write a summary of the material and answer basic questions about it. If there aren’t questions at the end of the text, your child can make some up and answer them to strengthen comprehension and understanding.
Let’s keep attendance strong before and after Thanksgiving break!
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we know everyone is looking forward to a well-deserved break. However, the days leading up to Thanksgiving are still filled with important learning opportunities for our students. Regular attendance before the break helps ensure that your child doesn’t miss out on essential instruction and activities.
Here are a few reasons why maintaining strong attendance before the holiday is so important:
- Maximizing learning: The weeks leading up to Thanksgiving are a critical time for reviewing concepts and preparing for upcoming units. Missing even a few days can make it harder for students to stay on track.
- Avoiding the catch-up game: When students miss school, they often have to play catch-up when they return. By maintaining good attendance, they stay engaged with the material and avoid falling behind.
- Building momentum: Good habits around attendance and punctuality have a direct impact on academic performance. By keeping up attendance now, students build positive momentum that will carry them through the rest of the year.
Supporting strong attendance before and after Thanksgiving:
- Stick to a routine: As excitement for the holiday builds, help your child stay focused by sticking to their regular routine — bedtime, homework, and morning preparations.
- Plan appointments wisely: Try to schedule appointments outside of school hours or during the break to avoid missing important class time.
- Talk about the importance of attendance: Share with your child why being in school every day helps them stay on top of their learning and connects them with their peers.
Your support is essential in making sure our students are in class, ready to learn, and making the most of every school day.
We appreciate all that you do to support your child’s education. Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for your partnership,
Mrs. Collins
Principal Evergreen Middle School
253 945 5100
