Clark Middle School Newsletter
May 1st, 2025
Principal Bennetta Orchitt
CLARK 8TH GRADE RECOGNITION CEREMONIES have been scheduled for May 20th. There are two separate time slots to give each Team personal time to celebrate.
**Balloons are not Allowed at the ceremonies**
Each of the ceremonies will begin promptly at 10:15 am and 1:10 pm in the Gymnasium. There will be adequate space for parking for our families during the ceremonies. Please mark your calendar.
I would like to thank our students, families, and community, who have supported us throughout this entire year. Our success would not have been possible without your positive outlook, support, and commitment to excellence in academics, attendance, and attitude! Without your support and feedback this would not have been possible.
8th Grade Recognition Ceremony
TUESDAY, MAY 20th
CLARK 8TH GRADE RECOGNITION CEREMONIES have been scheduled for two separate time slots to give each Team personal time to celebrate.
The ceremonies will begin promptly at 10:15 AM and 1:10 PM in the Gymnasium. There will be adequate space for parking for our families during the ceremonies. Please mark your calendar.
10:15 AM - 11:30 AM
Team Resilience
Alaska School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
1:10 PM - 2:25 PM
Team Perseverance
Life Skills I & II
Students should dress appropriately for the event.
Student Attire
- Students are to come to school dressed for their ceremony. Please come prepared.
- School Dress code will be enforced
No gum, food, or drinks during the ceremony.
**Balloons are not Allowed at the ceremonies*
ZAP the ZEROS Saturday May 10th 10 am - 1 pm
Zap the Zeroes!
Does your student need additional help with school work and submitting assignments?
We want to help your student finish the Quarter strong with "ZAP the ZEROES"
On Saturday, May 10th, teachers will help students with tutoring and to complete assignments from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm.
Our goal is to reduce the number of zeros, and help students become more successful.
Anchorage School Based Health Centers
If your student is interested in participating in sports, please see below:
Anchorage School Based Health Center will be closed during the summer of 2025. We recommend you schedule an appointment with your regular provider, Anchorage Neighborhood Health Center (907-743-7200) or Providence Family Medicine Center (907-562-9229). The school clinics will open again for the 2025-26 school year. If you have questions about the clinic, please call or text 907-917-6764.
Options for insured families include pediatrician offices, Providence Primary Care on Debarr 907-212-3420 (formerly Patient's First) or Mountain View Health Services (907) 868-1105.
Or paying out of pocket at Providence Express Care in Tikahtnu (<$100).
Heather Ireland
Executive Director
Anchorage School Based Health Centers
907-742-0479 (office)
907-917-6764 (work cell)
Team Valor
Ms. A-K's Science classes had a lot of fun dissecting frogs and squid. We moved onto our electricity unit where we built circuits. We are now studying electromagnets and magnetized a nail using wire and a battery. We will be moving onto our computer programming unit.
Ms. Martinson's ELA students are completing their argumentative essays this week. They will continue reading nonfiction text and identifying authors use of facts and opinions for evidence.
Mr. Holmes's Social Studies classes are finishing their Spring semester individual presentation projects and will soon begin their study of Africa.
Team Valor:
Ms. AK - Science: apgar-kurtz@asdk12.org
Ms. Martinson - ELA: martinson_colleen@asdk12.org
Mr. Holmes - Social Studies: holmes_david@asdk12.org
TEAM Tenacious
Powerful Pride
Getting from here to There, together by Discovering Who We Are
Exciting News for November 2023, Issue # 3
“Tenacity is more than twice the weight of intelligence.”
Springboard, Language Arts 6: Ms. M. Smith & Ms. Ridgley: Through independent research projects, students investigate the historical, cultural, and social contexts that shape the poetry of various eras and regions. They will examine the lives and legacies of poets and notable figures, uncovering the narratives behind their renowned poems and significant contributions. By engaging in personal reflections and comprehensive biographical research, students illuminate the experiences and influences that contribute to the distinctive and inspiring voices of these poets and figures, as well as their poetic visions and actions.
SCIENCE: Ms. Olsen: In science for the last month of the school year, we will finish off our unit on energy then we will be exploring the engineering design process. We will learn what that process is then use it to complete several small activities. Our final project for the year is designing, constructing, and testing a bridge built with popsicle sticks and glue!
SOCIAL STUDIES: Mr. Moran: In this unit, students will look at how human actions modify or influence the physical environment, to what extent the physical environment influence human actions, how does Africa’s unique physical geography influence food and resource distribution and impact the social, economic and political condition, and how does Africa represent a diverse cultural mosaic and the enduring legacy of colonization and migration within this continent.
ELL Math/SCIENCE: Ms. Mohammad We will continue to work on ratios and proportions, part-to-part ratios, and ratios that characterize the parts of a whole in Ms. Afshan Mohammad's I-Ready Math 6 classes. We'll attempt to delve in and discover more about percentages and rates. Investigate and find a solution for the unknown in word problems requiring multiplicative comparisons; differentiate between multiplicative and addictive comparisons; and express word problems involving multiplicative comparisons with drawings and symbols.
Vocabulary list:
Symbol
Equivalent ratios
Unknown
Coordinate planes
Divide
Ordered pair
Division
x - axis
Equation
x - coordinate
Factor
y - axis
Multiplication
y – coordinate
Multiplicative comparisons
Graph (Noun)
Multiply Graph (Verb)
The 6th through 8th grade NCC/ELL Integrated Science students demonstrated their talent and skills by placing first, second, and third in the State Kids Windmills Challenge/Olympics 2024. Currently we are building cupcake-making solar ovens. Sunrises and sunsets heat and light the world. That bright spot in the sky is so normal we rarely see it. We couldn't survive without it! The sun's core fuses hydrogen atoms unclearly. Energy from them travels 186,000 miles per second in all directions. Earth receives 93 million kilometers of energy in eight minutes. Earth uses several energy sources, but the sun provides most, including thermal and light energy! Energy conservation states that energy can change forms but never runs out. Solar energy has several forms. Plants use photosynthesis to convert sunlight into food. Animals use plant-provided chemical energy for everything. Solar heat causes weather patterns, which generate wind. Wind turbines convert wind energy into electricity. Hydroelectricity is generated by solar heat from evaporation keeping water moving through the water cycle. Many human activities now use fossil fuels like natural gas, coal, and oil. Through photosynthesis, ancient plants and animals get their energy from the sun. Over very long periods, various energy sources are produced.
Solar energy exceeds the world's annual consumption in one hour. It would be great to quickly capture and use that energy to power our homes, cities, and cars! Many scientists worldwide are optimizing solar energy. Water and air can be heated using solar thermal panels. Solar cells, or photovoltaic (PV) cells, turn sunlight into electricity. A "photovoltaic" converts light into electricity. Silicon collects solar energy in photovoltaic cells. When exposed to sunlight, cell silicon atoms emit electrons. The solar cell structure drives electrons to one side, where they generate a negative charge and leave a positive charge. Like a battery, a wired cell moves electrons from negative to positive. Electricity powers connected devices like lightbulbs and motors. Photovoltaic cells capture little solar radiation. They need lots of room to capture enough sunlight to generate enough power. Significant scientific study is needed to minimize size and improve quality. Despite these challenges, solar panels power school crossing lights and emergency sirens. Solar panels on roofs will power many homes as technology advances.
Math: Ms. Cleopas: This May, we will do statistical thinking, we will explore data distributions by organizing and analyzing data sets to identify patterns and trends. We will also learn about measures of center, like mean and median, and measures of variability, such as range and interquartile range, to describe and compare data more effectively.
TEAM HONORABLE
As this school year comes to an end, we’d like to thank you once again for your continued support and positive contributions that led to our students’ success. Our students, families, and staff have put forth such great effort into making this school year great! There is much to be proud of this school year.
The Team would like to recognize all the heroes here at Clark supporting students and their learning:
School Lunch Hero Appreciation
When we say school nutrition professionals are heroes, we mean it! That’s why we celebrate them every spring with the annual School Lunch Hero Day. Let us recognize the difference these team members make for every child who comes through our cafeteria.
School Nurse Appreciation
Since 1972, National School Nurse Day has been set aside to recognize school nurses. National School Nurse Day was established to foster a better understanding of the role of school nurses in the educational setting.
What Is Teacher Appreciation Week?
Teacher Appreciation Week is time set aside in May for honoring educators. The week-long celebration is the culmination of a 40-year push to establish a national teacher appreciation day. According to the National Education Association (NEA), a Wisconsin teacher named Ryan Krug began writing to political leaders around 1944 about the need for a national day to recognize teachers for their hard work and dedication to students. Arkansas teacher Mattie Whyte Woodridge took up the cause. She wrote to Eleanor Roosevelt, who in 1953 convinced Congress to proclaim a National Teachers Day.
“I have always felt that we did not give an honorable enough place in our communities to the teachers,” Roosevelt wrote in her newspaper column, “My Day,” after Congress designated the first Tuesday of March as National Teachers Day. “Next to parents, they are the most important people in our communities.”
In 1985, the National PTA established Teacher Appreciation Week. The NEA then voted to mark National Teachers Day on the Tuesday that begins Appreciation Week.
Of course, we all know every day is a great day for showing appreciation for educators. But since 1985, the official celebration of teachers has taken place during the first full week of May every year, with National Teacher Day on the Tuesday of that week. Teacher Appreciation Week 2024 starts on Monday, May 6, and ends on Friday, May 10.
We are so excited to celebrate our phenomenal Clark teachers, who are the BEST! This is always such a fun week for students and teachers. We love you Clark teachers, this week and EVERY WEEK!
Ashshanta Swisher, Special Education Resources
TEAM RESILIENCE
Team Resilience is looking forward to a strong conclusion for this year and to send you off to be successful in high school next year.
In Science, we will have many genetics-based activities where students will come up with a claim, show evidence, and describe their reasoning. Science in May will cover concepts on genetics and the diversity of life: DNA / RNA molecules, gametes, genes, protein synthesis, mutation, inheritance, phylogeny, homology, embryology, and genetic engineering.
In Social Studies, we will have our last current events assessment and begin exploring how Colonial America transitioned into the United States of America.
English Language Arts, will finish up its exploration of comedy with Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Feel free to let us know if you have any questions or concerns:
Science: Jason Patterson patterson_jason@asdk12.org
Social Studies: Michael Moberly moberly_michael@asdk12.org
English Language Arts: Scott Macdonald macdonald_scott@asdk12.org
TEAM PIZZAZZ
Greetings, Parent/Guardian!
Team Pizzazz is excited to participate in Outdoor Science Week with your student in May. As a reminder, any students with behavior enrollments (RIC, ISS, or OSS) are not eligible to attend. The field trip permission form is due Friday, May 2nd by the end of the day. We will be going to the Campbell Creek Science Center on Friday, May 16th. Please message Ms. Pfisterer for more information.
We are also working hard to ensure your student finishes Quarter 4 on a strong note. The end of Q4 is Wednesday, May 21st at 10:00 pm. If you have any questions about your student’s academic progress on Team Pizzazz, please contact their subject teacher. The most accurate grade-check website would be QStudent/ParentConnect. We have several fun activities planned for the last few days of school, but student attendance at these events is based on passing grades (excluding the field trip). Please let us know with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Best,
Team Pizzazz
Ms. Cash (Language Arts) --> cash_ellie@asdk12.org
Ms. Pfisterer (Science) --> pfisterer_abigail@asdk12.org
Ms. Nault (Social Studies) --> nault_tanya@asdk12.org
Ms. Cleopas (Math) --> cleopas_danicamae@asdk12.org
Mr. Baker (Math) --> baker_blake@asdk12.org
TEAM FEARLESS
Language Arts:
In May students will be finishing their study of the novel Tangerine. With the story, students will also have a choice of projects to work on to display their learning and understanding of the story. These projects will ask students to engage creatively in displaying their knowledge of characterization, theme, rhetorical devices, and/or plot development.
Social Studies: Natalie Moten moten_natalie@asdk12.org
Science: Alicia Warren warren_alicia@asdk12.org
Language Arts: William Gordon gordon_william@asdk12.org
TEAM PERSEVERANCE
As we enter the final month of the school year, we want to celebrate our amazing 8th graders! Their perseverance and determination have shone through in academics, sports, and school activities, and we couldn’t be more proud of their achievements.
As they prepare to move on from Clark, we’re excited for their future endeavors and the new adventures that await them in high school.
If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to let us know.
Science - Chelsea Fullman fullman_chelsea@asdk12.org
Social Studies - Hannah Hewett hewett_hannah@asdk12.org
Language Arts - Bethany Bean bean_bethany@asdk12.org
MATH DEPARTMENT...
Ms. Friedline's 6th Grade Math students have been learning about solving equations. To finish the school year, they will be learning about negative numbers and absolute value.
Ms. Friedline's 7th Grade Math students have been learning about percent, interest, and percent change. To finish the school year, they will be learning about probability and how to find the area of a shape by decomposing.
Mr. McIntire's Math 7 classes are currently working on finding unknowns (Algebra) using Geometry. Later they will be studying Probability.
Mr. McIntire's Advanced Math 7 class is currently working on Linear and Nonlinear Relationships. Later they will study Integer Exponents and Real Numbers.
GARDENING CLUB MEETINGS
The Gardening Club will be meeting on May 7th (Wednesday). We plan to meet at school, then head to the library and go through books, and talk about our designs we created last class. We may even clean up the garden area and remove any trash!
We would like the parents to allow any walkers or bring their student to the Mountain View Library on May 31st (Saturday) at 11 a.m.
The Garden Club will have a standing Tuesday 10 a.m. meeting over the summer. Students can help water, weed and see the growth of the plants.
If families would like to reach the Garden Club sponsor over the summer concerning the garden and when students can meet, please don't hesitate to contact Michele Cateson via email at Healthy Temple healthytemple.4u@gmail.com
National Junior Honor Society
What a fabulous Monday morning on April 28, 2025 to honor and celebrate this year's outstanding inductees into the National Junior Honor Society! It was a truly special occasion filled with pride, joy, and recognition of exceptional achievement.
The National Junior Honor Society is a prestigious organization that recognizes 6th and 7th-grade students who exemplify excellence in Scholarship, Service, Leadership, Character, and Citizenship throughout their school years. This year, our current members welcomed several newly inducted 6th and 7th graders into the Aurora Chapter of the National Junior Honor Society. We are immensely proud of each and every one of our inductees for their remarkable dedication and commitment to these values.
A heartfelt thank you goes out to Mrs. Swisher for their exceptional leadership within the Clark Middle School’s chapter of the NJHS. Her unwavering dedication and mentorship have been instrumental in guiding our students toward success and personal growth. We are truly grateful for her tireless efforts and commitment to excellence.
To our inductees: Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition! Your achievements serve as a testament to your hard work and determination. We are excited to see the positive impact you will continue to make in our community and beyond.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR:
May
May 1st - Choir Concert
May 2nd - Multicultural Night @ Clark MS 5:30pm - 7:30pm
May 5th - Track & Field Prelims 2pm @ Begich MS
May 6th - Track & Field All Schools Field Events @ 2pm @ Mears MS
May 8th - Track & Field Championship Finals 2pm @ Romig MS
May 10th - Zap the Zeros 10 am - 1 pm
May 13th - Band Concert @ 6pm
May 15th - Deadline In-Person Year Book Orders
May 17th - Locker Clean -Out
May 20th - 8th Grade Recognition Ceremony - 10:15am(Team Resilience & AKSD), 1:10pm (Team Perseverance & Life Skills I & Life Skills II)
May 21st - End of Quarter 4 Student's Last Day
May 22nd - Teacher's Last Day
May 26th - Memorial Day