Swann Lion Times

Be sure to talk with your Lions each night about what standards they are working on and what activities they are doing to master those standards! Here is some general information to get the conversation started.

In Math, students use the Open Up curriculum. Click here to see the Open Up lessons for all grade levels! Click here to see the Math 1 Open Up lessons. 6th graders are working on fractions, 7th graders are practicing with rational numbers, and 8th grade is working with linear equations and reasoning.

In ELA, students are working on their second set of book studies. This unit they are reading informational texts. 6th grade is reading The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, 7th grade is reading Patient Zero, and 8th grade is reading Omnivore's Dilemma.

In Social Studies, 6th graders are learning about ancient China, 7th grade is learning about the end of colonialism in India, and 8th grade is starting their future ready project exploring high school, college, and career options.

In Science, 6th graders are working on waves, 7th graders are learning about the layers of the atmosphere, and 8th graders are learning about the hydrosphere.

In 6th grade, students are reviewing the foundations of division and how it relates to fractions. See if they can apply that knowledge to this scenario. A shopper buys cat food in bags of 3 lbs. Her cat eats 3/4 lb each week. How many weeks does one bag last? Write a multiplication or division equation to represent the situation.

In 7th grade, students are learning about multiplying signed numbers. See if they can apply the concepts to these scenarios. Clare is cycling at a speed of 12 miles per hour. If she starts at a position chosen as zero, what will her position be after 45 minutes? Han is cycling at a speed of -8 miles per hour; if he starts at the same zero point, what will his position be after 45 minutes? What will the distance between them be after 45 minutes?

In 8th grade, students are practicing solving linear equations. See if they can apply that knowledge to this scenario. A participant in a 21-mile walkathon walks at a steady rate of 3 miles per hour. He thinks, “The relationship between the number of miles left to walk and the number of hours I already walked can be represented by a line with slope -3." Do you agree with his claim? Explain your reasoning.

We've almost reached the halfway point in the school year! Grades for Quarter 2 close on Friday, so be sure to spend some time talking to students this weekend about any missing work they may have. Report cards will go home with students on Jan. 31st, and grades can be viewed any time in PowerSchool!

On 1/17, 8th graders will take their Science 8 Interim Assessment. Interim assessments are an important part of our data collection process. They allow us to support students more accurately and make better instructional decisions. Please be sure your student comes to school with a fully charged Chromebook on testing days!

Our very first Open Mic Night was a HUGE success! There was a variety of performances ranging from dancing, singing, playing the keyboard to dad jokes and so much more! Parents, teachers and students had a great time. Thank you Mr.Mack for planning such a great event.

We have about 150 students with library books due back to the media center. Please ask your students about returning books and help us get everything accounted for! If your student is one of the ones with a missing book ,you'll receive a ConnectEd call soon.

Do you have an 8th grader who's interested in a choice program for high school? Are you a rising 7th or 8th grader interested in learning about all the middle school choices GCS offers? If so, visit the GCS Choice Program website to learn more about the offerings, application process, and timeline: https://www.gcsnc.com/Page/2113.

*If you are a 6th or 7th grader currently enrolled in the Spanish Immersion or STEM Choice programs, you DO NOT have to reapply to continue those programs at your new schools next year.*

Swann Middle School's 8th graders will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on Wednesday, February 21, 2024. NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subjects. NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessments because it is a common measure of achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation's Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents/guardians, policymakers, and the public.

Selected 8th grade students may take a mathematics or reading assessment. In addition to subject-area questions, students voluntarily complete NAEP survey questions. These questions provide valuable information about participating students' educational experiences and opportunities to learn both in and outside of the classroom. Additionally, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) students will be included in the National Indian Education Study (NIES). NIES describes the condition of education for AI/AN students in the United States. More information about NAEP survey questions is available at https://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/parents under the section "What Questions Are on the Test?" The assessment takes about 120 minutes for most students, which includes transition time, directions, and completion of survey questions. The information collected is used for statistical purposes only. Your child's grades will not be affected.

Students may be excused for any reason, are not required to complete the assessment, and may skip any question. While the assessment is voluntary, NAEP depends on student participation to help policymakers improve education. However, if you do not want your 8th grader to participate, please notify Dr. Bocci in writing by Wednesday, January 31, 2024. There is no need to study in preparation for NAEP, but please encourage your child to do their best. Contact Melissa Bocci at boccim@gcsnc.com if you have any questions.

Our Swann Community Celebration Committee is planning many ways to bring the larger Swann Pride together throughout the year to celebrate Swann's final year as a middle school. One of those is to collect and share photos of Swann/Aycock's past. These could be historical photos or ones you've taken over the years. Use the link here to share them with us: https://forms.gle/6WLd4rboLBiZk1QH8

GCS Parent Academy is a great resource to helps support families with a variety of things such as homework help, digital resources, resume assistance, homeownership, and much much more. Click on the link below to explore the many benefits of being a part of the GCS Parent Academy.

GCS Parent Academy

Swann is a proud PTA school! Click here to join our PTA as a parent, student, community, or staff member. If you are interested in serving on the Board, let us know and we will put you in touch with the current PTSA reps! School is better when we work together!

For more information, please reach out to swannpta@gmail.com.

Ms. Dorsey is serving our 6th grade and N-Z 8th grade students.

dorseyc2@gcsnc.com

Ms. Kelly is serving our 7th grade and A-M 8th grade students.

kellyc2@gcsnc.com

Because our counselors work with students all day, email is a good way to contact them when you need them!

In January, students will be talking about HONESTY in their Friday SEL lessons. Watch this video about honesty with your student: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XQIAEDaBbc. What does it mean when we say "honesty is the best policy"? How does being honest connect with trust? What do honesty and integrity have in common?

It's Winter Sports time! Check the Athletics page of the website for times and dates of games. It's a few months away, but students interested in Spring sports, go ahead and make sure you have all needed forms now! All necessary forms are also posted on the website. Remember that any athlete must have a current physical on file to participate.

Canvas Family Access

Parent Portal Access

Swann Calendar

Swann Athletics

1/15 MLK, Jr. Holiday

1/17 Science 8 Interim Assessment

1/19 Last Day of Quarter 2

1/22 Teacher Workday

1/23 Math 6, Math 8, and Math 1 Interim Assessment

1/29 ELA 6-8 Interim Assessment

1/31 Report Cards Go Home

2/6 NWEA Reading Test

2/7 NWEA Math Test

2/21 NAEP testing for selected 8th grade students

3/12 Math 6-8 Interim Assessment

4/9 NWEA Reading Test

4/10 NWEA Math Test

4/16 ELA 6-8 Interim Assessment

4/23 Science 8 Interim Assessment

5/24-31 EOG Testing

Email: battlep@gcsnc.com boccim@gcsnc.com winsted@gcsnc.com
Website: https://www.gcsnc.com/site/default.aspx?DomainID=114
Location: 811 Cypress St, Greensboro, NC 27405, USA
Phone: 336-370-8100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/swannlions
X: @swannmiddle

Instagram: @swannmiddleschool